High voltage interlock loop wire elimination system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12515528-B2
Application number	US-202418624220-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 2, 2024
Priority date	Apr 2, 2024
Publication date	Jan 6, 2026
Grant date	Jan 6, 2026

Abstract

A high voltage interlock loop wire elimination system is provided for eliminating the need for a high voltage interlock loop wire when verifying operational status of high voltage rails between a rechargeable energy storage system, high voltage distribution box, and high voltage load. The high voltage interlock loop wire elimination system may include an electric vehicle control unit (EVCU), communication channel, voltage rail, high voltage distribution box (HVDB), DC voltage converter, and rechargeable electrical storage system (RESS). A method for eliminating the need for a high voltage interlock loop wire when verifying operational status of high voltage rails between a rechargeable energy storage system, high voltage distribution box, and high voltage load using the high voltage interlock loop wire elimination system is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A high voltage interlock loop elimination system for validating a high voltage connection in an electric vehicle comprising:
an electric vehicle control unit (EVCU) configured to receive a communication signal comprising voltage report data indicative of an operational status of the high voltage connection; a high voltage distribution box (HVDB) electrically connected to a high voltage load via a load high voltage rail, the high voltage load being capable of reporting a load voltage reading for the load high voltage rail to be included by the voltage report data; a rechargeable electrical storage system (RESS) electrically connected to the HVDB via a RESS high voltage connection to selectively provide a high voltage electrical power to the high voltage load via the HVDB, the RESS high voltage connection to the HVDB being switchable between a RESS open state and a RESS closed state; a DC voltage converter electrically connected between the HVDB and a low voltage power source; wherein prior to setting the RESS high voltage connection to the RESS closed state, the following steps are performed:
a) the DC voltage converter boosts low voltage electrical power from the low voltage power source to evaluation voltage electrical power to be provided to the high voltage load over the load high voltage rail via the HVDB;
b) the high voltage load detects the load voltage reading of the evaluation voltage electrical power received over the load high voltage rail to report to the EVCU via a communication channel in the voltage report data;
c) the EVCU analyzes the voltage report data to determine compliance with an acceptable proximity to an evaluation voltage set point, wherein;
i) if the voltage report data is not compliant with the evaluation voltage set point, determining the operational status to indicate that a High Voltage Interlock Loop (HVIL) breach has occurred, and
ii) if the voltage report data is compliant with the evaluation voltage set point, determining the operational status is nominal and controlling the DC voltage converter to boost the low voltage electrical power to the high voltage electrical power to be provided to the high voltage load via the HVDB at a high voltage set point;

d) upon determining by the EVCU that the high voltage set point is reached and stable, setting the RESS high voltage connection to the RESS closed state to transmit the high voltage electrical power from the RESS to the high voltage load via the HVDB; and
e) monitoring the voltage report data by the EVCU to ensure compliance with the acceptable proximity to the high voltage set point and, if detecting the compliance is false, determining the operational status to indicate the HVIL breach has occurred.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the high voltage electrical power is equivalent to voltage class B as defined by ISO 21498-1.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the RESS detects a RESS voltage differential received over the RESS high voltage connection to report to the EVCU via the communication channel in the voltage report data.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the load voltage reading of the load high voltage rail is measured between a high voltage load positive terminal and a high voltage load negative terminal.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the communication network operates via one or more of a controller area network (CAN), local interconnect network (LIN), and Automotive Ethernet.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the DC voltage converter is a buck-boost DC-to-DC power converter.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the low voltage power is between 12 volts to 24 volts.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the evaluation voltage power is between 40 volts and 60 volts.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the low voltage power source comprises an automotive battery.

10 . A system for eliminating high voltage interlock loop for validating a high voltage connection in an electric vehicle comprising:
an electric vehicle control unit (EVCU) configured to receive a communication signal comprising voltage report data indicative of an operational status of the high voltage connection; a high voltage distribution box (HVDB) electrically connected to a high voltage load via a load high voltage rail, the high voltage load reporting a load voltage reading for the load high voltage rail to be included by the voltage report data; a rechargeable electrical storage system (RESS) electrically connected to the HVDB via a RESS high voltage connection to selectively provide high voltage electrical power to the high voltage load via the HVDB, the RESS high voltage connection to the HVDB switchable between a RESS open state and a RESS closed state via the EVCU; a DC voltage converter electrically connected between the HVDB and a low voltage power source; wherein prior to setting the RESS high voltage connection to the RESS closed state, the following steps are performed:
a) the DC voltage converter boosts low voltage electrical power from the low voltage power source to evaluation voltage electrical power to be provided to the high voltage load over the load high voltage rail via the HVDB;
b) the high voltage load detects the load voltage reading of the evaluation voltage electrical power received over the load high voltage rail to report to the EVCU in the voltage report data;
c) the RESS detects a RESS voltage differential received over the RESS high voltage connection to report to the EVCU via a communication channel in the voltage report data
d) the EVCU analyzes the voltage report data to determine compliance with an acceptable proximity to the evaluation voltage set point, wherein
i) if the voltage report data is not compliant with the evaluation voltage set point, determining the operational status to indicate that a High Voltage Interlock Loop (HVIL) breach has occurred, and
ii) if the voltage report data is compliant with the evaluation voltage set point, determining the operational status is nominal and controlling the DC voltage converter to boost the low voltage electrical power to the high voltage electrical power to be provided to the high voltage load via the HVDB at a high voltage set point;

e) upon determining by the EVCU that the high voltage set point is reached and stable, setting the RESS high voltage connection to the RESS closed state to transmit the high voltage electrical power from the RESS to the high voltage load via the HVDB;
wherein the DC voltage converter is a buck-boost DC-to-DC power converter.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein after the RESS high voltage connection is set to the RESS closed state, the EVCU monitors the voltage report data to ensure compliance with the acceptable proximity to the high voltage set point and, if detecting the compliance is false, determining the operational status to indicate the HVIL breach has occurred.

12 . A method for validating a high voltage connection in an electric vehicle comprising an electric vehicle control unit (EVCU) configured to receive a communication signal comprising voltage report data indicative of an operational status of the high voltage connection, and a rechargeable electrical storage system (RESS) electrically connected to a high voltage distribution box (HVDB) to selectively provide high voltage electrical power to a high voltage load via the HVDB, the method comprising:
a) boosting, via a DC voltage converter electrically connected between the HVDB and a low voltage power source, low voltage electrical power from the low voltage power source to evaluation voltage electrical power to be provided to the high voltage load over a load

Assignees

• Int Truck Ip Co Llc

Inventors

• Flores-Bamaca Oscar

Classifications

• B60L58/20

  having different nominal voltages · CPC title

• H02J7/02 Primary

  for charging batteries from AC mains by converters · CPC title

• B60L2210/10

  DC to DC converters · CPC title

• B60L2240/547

  Voltage · CPC title

• B60L3/12

  Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables} · CPC title