Methods and systems for detecting vehicle charging system faults

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9841467-B2
Application number	US-201414511254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle may include a vehicle charging system having an alternator operatively coupled to an engine and a controller. The controller may be programmed to output a warning indicative of a vehicle charging system fault in response to a quotient of a voltage drop associated with the alternator and an output current of the alternator exceeding a threshold value while the alternator is operating in a steady state condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of detecting a vehicle charging system fault comprising:
by a controller,
responsive to a connection resistance exceeding a threshold while an alternator is in steady state operation, displaying a warning, the connection resistance being derived by the controller as a quotient of
a difference between an output voltage measured via a voltage sensor at the alternator and a distribution voltage measured via a distribution voltage sensor at a control module input, and
an output current measured via a current sensor at the alternator.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the steady state operation begins as an output voltage associated with the alternator approaches a voltage set point.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the steady state operation begins as the output current approaches a current set point.

4. A vehicle power system comprising:
an alternator; and
a controller programmed to, responsive to a connection resistance exceeding a threshold while the alternator is in steady state operation, generating a warning, the connection resistance being derived by the controller as a quotient of
a difference between an output voltage measured via a voltage sensor at the alternator and a distribution voltage measured via a distribution voltage sensor at a control module input, and
an output current measured via a current sensor at the alternator.

5. The vehicle power system of claim 4 wherein the steady state operation begins as an output voltage associated with the alternator approaches a voltage set point.

6. The vehicle power system of claim 4 wherein the steady state operation begins as the output current approaches a current set point.

7. A vehicle power system comprising:
an alternator; and
a controller programmed to, responsive to a connection resistance exceeding a threshold while the alternator is in steady state operation, display a warning, wherein the connection resistance is derived by the controller as a quotient of
a difference between voltages measured by respective voltage sensors at the alternator and a power electronics, and
a current measured via a current sensor at the alternator.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Demarco John Anthony
• Grant Robert Michael

Classifications

• G01R31/343 Primary

  in operation · CPC title

• G01R31/40 Primary

  Testing power supplies (testing photovoltaic devices H02S50/10) · CPC title

• G01R31/007

  using microprocessors or computers · CPC title