# US 10,118,575 B2 · In-vehicle power supply device and vehicle having in-vehicle power supply device mounted therein

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- Number: US 10,118,575 B2
- Document ID: US10118575B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/518,669
- Filed: 2015-09-24
- Published: 2017-08-10
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-13
- Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yasutaka Tanigawa; Shinichi Yamanouchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118575B2

## CPC

- B60R 16/033: characterised by the use of electrical cells or batteries (for propulsion puposes B60K1/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06; testing of charge state G01R31/36)
- B60L 1/00: Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)
- B60L 3/003: {relating to inverters}
- B60L 3/12: Recording operating variables {; Monitoring of operating variables}
- B60Q 9/00: Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling}
- B60R 16/005: {Electro-mechanical devices, e.g. switched (electric switches in general H01H)}
- H02M 3/155: using semiconductor devices only
- H02M 3/156: with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
- B60L 2210/14: Boost converters
- B60L 2240/527: Voltage
- B60L 2250/10: by alarm
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60Q: ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- H02M: APPARATUS FOR CONVERSION BETWEEN AC AND AC, BETWEEN AC AND DC, OR BETWEEN DC AND DC, AND FOR USE WITH MAINS OR SIMILAR POWER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; CONVERSION OF DC OR AC INPUT POWER INTO SURGE OUTPUT POWER; CONTROL OR REGULATION THEREOF (transformers H01F; dynamo-electric converters H02K47/00; controlling transformers, reactors or choke coils, control or regulation of electric motors, generators or dynamo-electric converters H02P)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

An in-vehicle power supply device includes a boost converter configured to perform a boosting operation to boost a voltage supplied from an input terminal; a connection-assist diode connected in parallel to the boost converter; and a switch element connected in parallel to the boost converter and the connection-assist diode. A controller detects a voltage output from an output terminal as a first voltage while instructing the switch element to open and instructing the boost converter to stop an operation of the boost converter. After detecting the first voltage of the output terminal, the controller detects a voltage output from the output terminal as a second voltage while instructing the switch element to continuously open and instructing the boost converter to perform the boosting operation. Based on the difference between the first and second voltages, the controller judges whether the boost converter is normal or abnormal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An in-vehicle power supply device comprising:
an input terminal;
an output terminal;
a power supply circuit unit including:
a boost converter connected between the input terminal and the output terminal, and configured to perform a boosting operation to boost a voltage supplied from the input terminal, and output the boosted voltage through the output terminal,
a connection-assist diode connected in parallel to the boost converter between the input terminal and the output terminal, and
a switch element connected in parallel to the boost converter and the connection-assist diode between the input terminal and the output terminal; and
a controller configured to control the boost converter and the switch element,
wherein the controller is configured:
to detect a voltage output from the output terminal as a first voltage while instructing the switch element to open and instructing the boost converter to stop an operation of the boost converter;
to, after detecting the first voltage of the output terminal, detect a voltage output from the output terminal as a second voltage while instructing the switch element to continuously open and instructing the boost converter to perform the boosting operation; and
to judge, based on a difference between the second voltage and the first voltage, whether the boost converter is in a normal state in which the boost converter can boost up the voltage to a predetermined value, or in an abnormal state in which the boost converter cannot boost up the voltage to the predetermined value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The in-vehicle power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the switch element comprises a field effect transistor (FET) switch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The in-vehicle power supply device according to claim 2, wherein the FET switch includes:
a switch configured to function as the switch element; and
a parasitic diode connected in parallel to the switch and configured to function as the connection-assist diode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A vehicle, comprising:
the in-vehicle power supply device according to claim 1;
a vehicle body;
an engine provided in the vehicle body;
a secondary battery provided in the vehicle body and connected to the input terminal of the in-vehicle power supply device;
a vehicle starter switch provided in the vehicle body; and
a warning device provided in the vehicle body,
wherein the controller is configured:
to transmit a warning signal to the warning device upon judging that the boost converter is in the abnormal state; and
not to transmit the warning signal to the warning device upon judging that the boost converter is in the normal state.

### Claim 5

A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body;
an engine provided in the vehicle body;
a secondary battery provided in the vehicle body;
a vehicle starter switch provided in the vehicle body;
a door provided in the vehicle body;
a door lock device provided in the door;
an in-vehicle power supply device including:
an input terminal connected to the secondary battery,
an output terminal,
a boost converter connected between the input terminal and the output terminal, and configured to perform a boosting operation to boost a voltage supplied from the input terminal, and output the boosted voltage through the output terminal,
a connection-assist diode connected in parallel to the boost converter between the input terminal and the output terminal, and
a switch element connected in parallel to the boost converter and the connection-assist diode between the input terminal and the output terminal; and
a warning device provided in the vehicle body,
wherein the controller is configured:
to, upon detecting that the vehicle starter switch is turned off and the door lock device is switched to an unlocked state, detect a voltage output from the output terminal as a first voltage while instructing the switch element to open and instructing the boost converter to stop an operation of the boost converter;
to, after detecting the voltage from the output terminal, detect a voltage output from the output terminal as a second voltage while instructing the switch element to continuously open and instructing the boost converter to perform the boosting operation;
to judge, based on a difference between the second voltage and the first voltage, whether the boost converter is in a normal state in which the boost converter can boost up the voltage to a predetermined value, or in an abnormal state in which the boost converter cannot boost up the voltage to the predetermined value;
to transmit a warning signal to the warning device upon judging that the boost converter is in the abnormal state; and
not to transmit the warning signal to the warning device upon judging that the boost converter is in the normal state.