# US 10,375,764 B2 · Systems and methods for vehicle load current detection and control

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- Number: US 10,375,764 B2
- Document ID: US10375764B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/725,118
- Filed: 2017-10-04
- Published: 2019-04-04
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-04
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey; Michael James Uhrich; Ross Dykstra Pursifull
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10375764B2

## CPC

- H05B 1/0238: {For seats}
- B60R 16/03: for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems {or for (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)}
- G01K 7/16: using resistive elements
- H05B 1/0236: {for vehicles}
- G01K 2205/00: Application of thermometers in motors, e.g. of a vehicle
- G01K 2217/00: Temperature measurement using electric or magnetic components already present in the system to be measured
- H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)

## Abstract

Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining and controlling a vehicle load current and temperature through the use of a common current sensor. An example vehicle includes a power source, an electrical sensor configured to detect a total current provided by the power source to a plurality of electrical loads, and a processor. The a processor is configured to determine a target load temperature based on the total current, and set a voltage duty cycle of the target load to maintain the target load temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle comprising:
a power source;
an electrical sensor configured to detect a total current provided by the power source to a plurality of electrical loads; and
a processor configured to:
determine a target load temperature of a target load based on the total current; and
set a voltage duty cycle of the target load to maintain the target load temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the power source comprises a battery and an alternator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the electrical sensor comprises:
a first electrical sensor configured to detect a first current provided by the battery; and
a second electrical sensor configured to detect a second current provided by the alternator,
wherein the total current provided by the power source comprises a combination of the first current and the second current.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the target load temperature by:
determining a first total current when the target load is on;
determining a second total current when the target load is off; and
determining the target load temperature based on a difference between the first total current and the second total current.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a control signal corresponding to the target load.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the control signal indicates whether the target load is on or off.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
compare the target load temperature to an expected temperature; and
set the voltage duty cycle of the target load based on both the target load temperature and the expected temperature.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that the target load temperature is less than the expected temperature; and
responsively increase the voltage duty cycle of the target load.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the target load comprises a heating circuit of a vehicle seat.

### Claim 10

A method comprising:
determining, by a vehicle processor, a total current provided to a plurality of electrical loads coupled to a vehicle power source;
determining, by the vehicle processor, a target load of the plurality of electrical loads;
determining, by the vehicle processor, a target load temperature based on the total current provided to the plurality of electrical loads; and
setting a voltage duty cycle of the target load to maintain the target load temperature.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle power source comprises a battery and an alternator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein determining the total current comprises:
determining a first current provided by the battery; and
determining a second current provided by the alternator,
wherein the total current provided by the vehicle power source comprises a combination of the first current and the second current.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein determining the target load temperature comprises:
determining a first total current when the target load is on;
determining a second total current when the target load is off; and
determining the target load temperature based on a difference between the first total current and the second total current.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a control signal corresponding to the target load.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the control signal indicates whether the target load is on or off.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
comparing the target load temperature to an expected temperature; and
setting the voltage duty cycle of the target load based on both the target load temperature and the expected temperature.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, further comprising:
determining that the target load temperature is less than the expected temperature; and
responsively increasing the voltage duty cycle of the target load.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the target load comprises a heating circuit of a vehicle seat.