Dynamic current sense adjustment for ring-like power distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12459451-B2
Application number	US-202318135787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2023
Priority date	May 3, 2022
Publication date	Nov 4, 2025
Grant date	Nov 4, 2025

Abstract

The present invention relates to Electronic Control Units (ECUs) for use in ring-like power distribution architectures as well as to ring-like power distribution architectures comprising such ECUs. It also relates to vehicles comprising such ring-like power distribution architectures. In an aspect, an ECU comprises a first ECU terminal for receiving power from a first power source (PS) terminal of a first power source, means for determining whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal, and means for adjusting a sensitivity of a first ECU fuse associated with the first ECU terminal based on whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An electronic control unit (ECU) for use in a ring-like power distribution architecture, comprising:
a first ECU terminal for receiving power from a first power source (PS) terminal of a first power source; wherein the ECU performs operations comprising: determining whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal; and adjusting a sensitivity of a first ECU fuse associated with the first ECU terminal based on whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal.

2 . The ECU according to claim 1 , wherein the ECU is further configured to set the sensitivity of the first ECU fuse to a first value if current is flowing into the first ECU terminal and/or to a second value if current is flowing out of the first ECU terminal, wherein the first value is smaller than the second value.

3 . The ECU according to claim 1 , wherein the ECU is further configured to provide a first signal to the first power source, wherein the first signal is configured to indicate to the first power source to adjust a sensitivity of a first PS fuse associated with the first PS terminal of the first power source based on whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal.

4 . The ECU according to claim 3 , wherein the first signal is configured to indicate to the first power source to set the sensitivity of the first PS fuse to a first value if current is flowing into the first ECU terminal and/or to a second value if current is flowing out of the first ECU terminal, wherein the first value is smaller than the second value.

5 . The ECU according to claim 3 , wherein the first signal indicates whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal.

6 . The ECU according to claim 3 , wherein the first signal is a digital and/or binary signal.

7 . The ECU according to claim 3 , wherein the first signal is provided to the first power source via a separate wire.

8 . The ECU according to claim 7 , wherein the separate wire is provided with an electrical termination on at least one end.

9 . The ECU according to claim 1 , wherein the first ECU fuse comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) configured to deactivate upon detection of an overcurrent.

10 . The ECU according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second ECU terminal for receiving power from a second power source (PS) terminal of a second power source; wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether current is flowing into the second ECU terminal or out of the second ECU terminal; and adjusting a sensitivity of a second ECU fuse associated with the second ECU terminal based on whether current is flowing into the second ECU terminal or out of the second ECU terminal.

11 . The ECU according to claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise providing a second signal to the second power source, wherein the second signal is configured to indicate to the second power source to adjust a sensitivity of a second PS fuse associated with the second PS terminal of the second power source based on whether current is flowing into the second ECU terminal or out of the second ECU terminal.

12 . An electronic control unit (ECU) for use in a ring-like power distribution architecture, comprising:
an ECU terminal for providing power to a power drain (PD) terminal of a power drain; wherein the ECU performs operations comprising: receiving a signal from the power drain, wherein the signal is configured to indicate to the ECU to adjust a sensitivity of an ECU fuse associated with the ECU terminal; and adjusting the sensitivity of the ECU fuse associated with the ECU terminal based on the signal.

13 . A ring-like power distribution architecture, comprising:
a first electronic control unit (ECU) comprising: a first ECU terminal for receiving power from a first power source (PS) terminal of a first power source; wherein the first ECU performs operations comprising:
determining whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal; and
adjusting a sensitivity of a first ECU fuse associated with the first ECU terminal based on whether current is flowing into the first ECU terminal or out of the first ECU terminal; and
a second ECU comprising:
a second ECU terminal for providing power to a power drain, PD, terminal of a power drain;
wherein the second ECU performs operations comprising: receiving a signal from the power drain, wherein the signal is configured to indicate to the second ECU to adjust a sensitivity of an ECU fuse associated with the second ECU terminal; and adjusting the sensitivity of the ECU fuse associated with the second ECU terminal based on the signal; and wherein the second ECU functions as the first power source and the first ECU functions as the power drain.

14 . The ring-like power distribution architecture according to claim 13 , wherein the first ECU further comprises:
another ECU terminal for receiving power from a second power source (PS) terminal of a second power source; wherein the operations further comprise: determining whether current is flowing into the other ECU terminal or out of the other ECU terminal; and adjusting a sensitivity of a second ECU fuse associated with the other ECU terminal based on whether current is flowing into the other ECU terminal or out of the other ECU terminal; wherein the architecture further comprises a third ECU functioning as the second power source.

15 . A vehicle comprising the ring-like power distribution architecture according to claim 13 .

16 . The ring-like power distribution architecture according to claim 14 , wherein the third ECU comprises:
a third ECU terminal for providing power to a power drain (PD) terminal of a power drain; wherein the ECU performs operations comprising:
receiving a signal from the power drain, wherein the signal is configured to indicate the third ECU to adjust a sensitivity of an ECU fuse associated with the third ECU terminal; and
adjusting the sensitivity of the ECU fuse associated with the third ECU terminal based on the signal.

Assignees

• Aptiv Technologies AG

Inventors

• Rosenthal Thorsten
• Fuchs Andreas
• Boudoux Emmanuel

Classifications

• H02J2105/30

  the load networks being external to vehicles, i.e. exchanging power with vehicles · CPC title

• B60W20/40

  Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title

• H02J1/086

  for providing alternative feeding paths between load or loads and source or sources when the main path fails · CPC title

• H02H7/262

  involving transmissions of switching or blocking orders · CPC title