Methods and systems for vehicle power control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466346-B2
Application number	US-202217854964-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2022
Priority date	Jun 30, 2022
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

Methods and system are disclosed for vehicle power control. a first high voltage, HV, demand signal is received from a HV device and a first low voltage, LV, demand signal is received from a LV system of the vehicle. The first HV demand signal can be modified based on the first LV demand signal. An input HV supply is received from an e-machine based on the first LV demand signal and modified HV demand signal. An output LV supply is provided from a first DCDC converter to the LV system of the vehicle and an output HV supply is provided from a second DCDC converter to the HV device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for vehicle power control, the method comprising:
receiving a first high voltage, HV, demand signal from a HV device and a first low voltage, LV, demand signal from a LV system of a vehicle; modifying the first HV demand signal based on the first LV demand signal, using a first time constant based on a minimum required ramp rate of the HV device and applying a filter to the HV demand signal using the first time constant, and using a second time constant based on a maximum permissible ramp rate of an e-machine, wherein the second time constant is determined based on a response time of an engine coupled to the e-machine; receiving an input HV supply from the e-machine based on the first LV demand signal and modified HV demand signal; providing an output LV supply from a first DCDC converter to the LV system of the vehicle and an output HV supply from a second DCDC converter to the HV device; and modulating a voltage of the HV device based on the first LV demand signal to adjust current through the HV device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
synchronizing response rates between the first DCDC converter and the second DCDC converter.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
synchronizing slew rates between the first DCDC converter and the second DCDC converter.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first DCDC converter and second DCDC converter are housed in a single DCDC converter unit.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modifying the first HV demand signal by reducing a response rate of the HV device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining there is torque overhead at the e-machine; creating a second HV demand signal based on the torque overhead, wherein the second HV demand signal has a greater response rate than the modified HV signal but a lesser response rate than the first HV demand signal; and receiving an input HV supply from the e-machine based on the first LV demand signal and the second HV demand signal.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second LV demand signal; determining that the second LV demand signal has a low priority; ignoring the second LV demand signal for a first time period; and upon expiry of the first time period, modifying the first HV demand signal based on the combined first and second LV demand signal.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating a controller to selectively supply power from a capacitance module to the vehicle power system.

9 . A power system for a vehicle, the power system comprising:
a high voltage, HV, e-machine coupled to an engine; a HV device; a low voltage, LV, system of the vehicle; a first DCDC converter configured to convert an input HV supply from the e-machine to an output LV supply; a second DCDC converter configured to convert an input HV supply from the e-machine to an output HV supply; and a controller configured to:
receive a first high voltage, HV, demand signal from the HV device and a first low voltage, LV, demand signal from the LV system of the vehicle;
modify the first HV demand signal based on the first LV demand signal, using a first time constant based on a minimum required ramp rate of the HV device and applying a filter to the HV demand signal using the first time constant, and using a second time constant based on a maximum permissible ramp rate of the e-machine, wherein the second time constant is determined based on a response time of an engine coupled to the e-machine;
instruct the first DCDC converter to provide an output LV supply to the LV system of the vehicle;
instruct the second DCDC converter to provide an output HV supply to the HV device; and
modulate a voltage of the HV device based on the LV demand signal to adjust current through the HV device.

10 . The power system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
synchronize response rates between the first DCDC converter and the second DCDC converter; or synchronize slew rates between the first DCDC converter and the second DCDC converter.

11 . The power system of claim 9 , wherein the first DCDC converter and second DCDC converter are housed in a single DCDC converter unit.

12 . The power system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
modify the first HV demand signal by reducing a response rate of the HV device.

13 . The power system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
determine there is torque overhead at the e-machine; create a second HV demand signal based on the torque overhead, wherein the second HV demand signal has a greater slew rate than the modified HV signal but a lesser slew rate than the first HV demand signal; and receive an input HV supply from the e-machine based on the first LV demand signal and the second HV demand signal.

14 . The power system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive a second LV demand signal; determine that the second LV demand signal has a low priority; ignore the second LV demand signal for a first time period; upon expiry of the first time period, modify the first HV demand signal based on the combined first and second LV demand signal.

15 . The power system of claim 9 , further comprising:
a capacitance module operably connectable to the vehicle power system.

16 . The power system of claim 9 , wherein the e-machine is a belt integrated starter generator, BISG, and wherein the HV device is an electrical exhaust gas heater, eEGH, or an electronic catalyst, eCAT.

17 . A vehicle comprising the power system of claim 9 .

18 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions encoded thereon for vehicle power control which, when executed, carry out the method of claim 1 .

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Cox David
• Hesketh David
• Serban Emil G
• Balenovic Mario
• Hartmann Bastian

Classifications

• B60L58/20

  having different nominal voltages · CPC title

• B60L2210/10

  DC to DC converters · CPC title

• B60L1/02

  to electric heating circuits · CPC title

• B60L1/00

  Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00) · CPC title

• B60L2270/12

  of exhaust · CPC title