Vehicle voltage control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12344102-B2
Application number	US-202318184702-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2023
Priority date	Mar 16, 2023
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

Systems and methods to control voltage in a vehicle are provided. The system may include a voltage converter. The voltage converter can adjust a voltage from a battery to a first setpoint. The system can include a processor couple with memory. The processor can detect an event at one or more loads. The processor can adjust the first setpoint to a second point to power the one or more loads.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a voltage converter to adjust a voltage from a first battery to a first setpoint;
a second battery having a lower voltage than the first battery, the second battery electrically coupled between the first battery and one or more loads; and
a processor coupled with memory, the processor to:
detect a first event at the one or more loads;
responsive to detecting the first event, adjust the first setpoint to a second setpoint to power the one or more loads;
detect a second event at the one or more loads;
responsive to detecting the second event at the one or more loads, compare a state of charge of the second battery to a threshold;
determine not to adjust the second setpoint from the first setpoint for the second event based on the comparison indicating the state of charge of the second battery exceeds the threshold;
identify a type of the one or more loads;
compare the type of the one or more loads to a table including identifications of different loads of an electric vehicle and a power requirement for each of the different loads;
retrieve the power requirement for the one or more loads based on the comparison to the table; and
determine the second setpoint based on the retrieved power requirement for the one or more loads;
using the second setpoint by the voltage converter to adjust the voltage of the second battery.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the first battery and the voltage converter associated with the electric vehicle; and
the first battery electrically coupled with the one or more loads of the electric vehicle via the voltage converter.

3. The system of claim 1 , comprising the processor to:
monitor a state of each of the one or more loads, the state indicating whether the one or more loads are activated or inactivated;
detect a change in the state of a load of the one or more loads; and
responsive to detecting the change in the state of the load, adjust the first setpoint to the second setpoint.

4. The system of claim 1 , comprising the processor to:
detect an activation of a motor controlling the one or more loads, the motor and the one or more loads associated with of the electric vehicle; and
responsive to detecting the activation of the motor, adjust the first setpoint to the second setpoint.

5. The system of claim 1 , comprising the processor to:
compare a current drawn by the voltage converter with a defined value; and
responsive to the comparison satisfying a condition, adjust the first setpoint to the second setpoint.

6. The system of claim 1 , the one or more loads comprising first one or more loads, and the system comprising the processor to:
subsequent to detecting the second event at the first one or more loads, detect a third event at second one or more loads; and
responsive to detecting the third event at the second one or more loads, adjust the second setpoint to a third setpoint to power the second one or more loads from the first battery.

7. The system of claim 1 , the first event comprising a third event and a fourth event, and the system comprising the processor to:
detect the third event at a first load of the one or more loads and the fourth event at a second load of the one or more loads;
identify a first type of the third event and a second type of the fourth event;
identify a change in power requirements for the third event and the fourth event based on the first type and the second type; and
determine the second setpoint based on the change in power requirements for the third event and the fourth event.

8. The system of claim 1 , comprising:
the second setpoint having a higher voltage than the first setpoint.

9. The system of claim 1 , comprising the processor to: detect a third event at the one or more loads;
responsive to detecting the third event at the one or more loads, determine that the state of charge of the second battery exceeds the threshold; and
responsive to determining that the state of charge of the second battery exceeds the threshold, reduce a voltage of the second setpoint to a third setpoint.

10. A method, comprising:
adjusting, by a voltage converter, a voltage from a first battery to a first setpoint;
detecting, by a processor, a first event at one or more loads;
responsive to detecting the first event, adjusting, by the processor, the first setpoint to a second setpoint;
powering the one or more loads based on the second setpoint;
detecting, by the processor, a second event at the one or more loads; and
responsive to detecting the second event at the one or more loads, comparing, by the processor, a state of charge of the second battery to a threshold;
determining, by the processor, not to adjust the second setpoint from the first setpoint for the second event based on the comparison indicating the state of charge of a second battery electrically coupled between the first battery and the one or more loads exceeds the threshold;
identifying a type of the one or more loads;
comparing the type of the one or more loads to a table including identifications of different loads of an electric vehicle and a power requirement for each of the different loads;
retrieving the power requirement for the one or more loads based on the comparison to the table; and
determining the second setpoint based on the retrieved power requirement for the one or more loads
using the second setpoint by the voltage converter to adjust the voltage of the second battery.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
coupling the first battery, the voltage converter, the processor, and the one or more loads with the electric vehicle; and
coupling, via the voltage converter, the first battery with the one or more loads.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
monitoring, by the processor, a state of each of the one or more loads, the state indicating whether the one or more loads are activated or inactivated;
detecting, by the processor, a change in state of a load of the one or more loads; and
responsive to detecting the change in state of the load, adjusting, by the processor, the first setpoint to the second setpoint.

13. The method of claim 10 , comprising:
determining, by the processor, the second setpoint based on the type of the one or more loads.

14. A vehicle, comprising:
a first battery electrically coupled with one or more loads of the vehicle;
a voltage converter connected to the battery and the one or more loads;
a second battery having a lower voltage than the first battery, the second battery electrically coupled between the first battery and the one or more loads;
the voltage converter to adjust a voltage from the battery to a first setpoint; and
a processor coupled with memory, the processor to:
detect a first event;
responsive to detecting the first event, adjust the first setpoint to a second setpoint to power the one or more loads;
detect a second event at the one or more loads;
responsive to detecting the second event at the one or more loads, compare a state of charge of the second battery to a threshold;
determine not to adjust the second setpoint from the first setpoint for the second event based on the comparison indicating the state of charge of the second battery exceeds the threshold;
identify a type of the one or more loads;
compare the type of the one or more loads to a table including identifications of different loads of an electric vehicle and a power requirement for each of the different loads;
retrieve the power requirement for the one or more loads based on the comparison to the table; and
determine the second setpoint based on

Assignees

• Rivian Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Lobo Kyle
• Haddow Tylynn
• Park Tae Hoon
• Chan Terrin
• Sugatapala Sanjeewa Keven

Classifications

• H02J7/60

  including safety or protection arrangements · CPC title

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/82

  Control of state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J2207/20

  Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter · CPC title