Systems and methods for detecting high-voltage contactor state of health

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016282420-A1
Application number	US-201514668784-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 25, 2015
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for determining a weld state of a contactor (e.g., normal, partially welded, and/or welded states) based on a variety of actuator coil characteristics during actuation. In some embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may be utilized in connection with determining contactor weld states in a variety of contactor designs. In further embodiments, the disclosed systems and methods may utilize a probability weighted score accounting for contactor design characteristics and information obtained from a reference contactor to identify a weld state associated with a contactor device.

First claim

1 . A method for determining a weld state of a contactor included in a vehicle comprising:
receiving current information from a current sensor associated with an actuator coil of the contactor following initiation of actuation of the contactor; receiving voltage information from a voltage sensor associated with an actuator coil of the contactor following initiation of actuation of the contactor; identifying a plurality of characteristics based on the received current and voltage information; comparing the plurality of characteristics to characteristics associated with a reference contactor; and determining a weld state of the contactor based on the comparison.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the weld state comprises at least one of a welded contactor state, a partially welded contactor state, and a fully welded contactor state

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise an actuator coil current rise time following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise a maximum derivative of the actuator coil current following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise a contactor closing time following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

6 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise a number of sign changes of a derivative of the actuator coil current following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises applying a weighted model based on a design of the contactor to the plurality of characteristics to generate a plurality of weighted characteristics, wherein comparing the plurality of characteristics to characteristics associated with a reference contactor comprises comparing the plurality of weighted characteristics to the characteristics associated with the reference contactor.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises implementing at least one protective action in response to the determined weld state.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one protective action comprises providing a notification to an operator of the vehicle of the determined weld state.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least one protective action comprises operating the vehicle in a limited operating mode based on the determined weld state.

11 . A system for determining a weld state of a contactor included in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a current sensor configured to measure current information relating to a current across an actuator coil of the contactor following initiation of actuation of the contactor; a voltage sensor configured to measure voltage information relating to a voltage across the actuator coil of the contactor following initiation of actuation of the contactor; a processor communicatively coupled to the current sensor and the voltage sensor; and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processor storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
identify a plurality of characteristics based on the current information and the voltage information;
compare the plurality of characteristics to characteristics associated with a reference contactor; and
determine a weld state of the contactor based on the comparison.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the weld state comprises at least one of a welded contactor state, a partially welded contactor state, and a fully welded contactor state

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise an actuator coil current rise time following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise a maximum derivative of the actuator coil current following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise a contactor closing time following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of characteristics comprise a number of sign changes of a derivative of the actuator coil current following the initiation of actuation of the contactor.

17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to apply a weighted model based on a design of the contactor to the plurality of characteristics to generate a plurality of weighted characteristics, wherein comparing the plurality of characteristics to characteristics associated with a reference contactor comprises comparing the plurality of weighted characteristics to the characteristics associated with the reference contactor.

18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the processor to implement at least one protective action in response to the determined weld state.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one protective action comprises providing a notification to an operator of the vehicle of the determined weld state.

20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one protective action comprises operating the vehicle in a limited operating mode based on the determined weld state.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Baraszu Robert C
• Namou Andrew J
• Maxwell David S

Classifications

• G05D1/0055

  with safety arrangements · CPC title

• G01R31/3648

  comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm · CPC title

• G01R31/3679 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01R31/3277 Primary

  of low voltage devices, e.g. domestic or industrial devices, such as motor protections, relays, rotation switches · CPC title

• G01R31/007

  using microprocessors or computers · CPC title