# US 11,077,765 B2 · Controller for dc-dc converter and dc-dc converter

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- Number: US 11,077,765 B2
- Document ID: US11077765B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/842,320
- Filed: 2020-04-07
- Published: 2020-12-03
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-29
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Taiki Takemoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077765B2

## CPC

- B60L 1/00: Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles (circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00)
- B60L 53/22: Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 50/40: using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
- B60L 50/66: {Arrangements of batteries}
- B60L 58/20: having different nominal voltages
- H02J 7/342: {The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68)}
- H02J 7/345: {using capacitors as storage or buffering devices}
- B60K 6/28: characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
- B60L 2210/10: DC to DC converters
- B60L 2210/14: Boost converters
- B60L 2270/20: Inrush current reduction, i.e. avoiding high currents when connecting the battery
- B60Y 2200/91: Electric vehicles
- B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles
- H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV]
- H02J 2207/20: Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
- Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- 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
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A DC-DC converter is mounted on a vehicle. The DC-DC converter includes: a bidirectional DC-DC converter that is connected between a capacitor for pre-charging connected to a first battery and a second battery differing from the first battery and can perform bidirectional output; and a unidirectional DC-DC converter that is connected in parallel with the bidirectional DC-DC converter and can perform output in one direction to a side of the second battery. During activation of the vehicle, the controller actuates the bidirectional DC-DC converter to start pre-charging the capacitor by using power of the second battery and starts actuating the unidirectional DC-DC converter later than initiation of the actuation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A controller for a DC-DC converter mounted on a vehicle, the DC-DC converter including:
a bidirectional DC-DC converter that is connected between a capacitor for pre-charging connected to a first battery and a second battery differing from the first battery and can perform bidirectional output; and
a unidirectional DC-DC converter that is connected in parallel with the bidirectional DC-DC converter and can perform output in one direction to a side of the second battery,
the controller being configured to during activation of a vehicle:
actuate the bidirectional DC-DC converter to start pre-charging the capacitor by using power of the second battery; and
start actuating the unidirectional DC-DC converter later than initiation of the actuation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:
after a specified time elapses after starting actuating the bidirectional DC-DC converter, start actuating the unidirectional DC-DC converter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The controller according to claim 2, wherein
the specified time is set based on a time required until the pre-charging of the capacitor is completed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The controller according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:
detect completion of the pre-charging of the capacitor after starting actuating after the bidirectional DC-DC converter; and
start actuating the unidirectional DC-DC converter after detection of completion of the pre-charging.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The controller according to claim 4, wherein
the controller is configured to determine that the pre-charging of the capacitor is completed when a voltage of the capacitor acquired from the bidirectional DC-DC converter is equal to or higher than a specified voltage value.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The controller according to claim 4, wherein
the controller is configured to determine that the pre-charging of the capacitor is completed when receiving specified notification that is based on a voltage of the capacitor from the bidirectional DC-DC converter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The controller according to claim 4, wherein
the controller is configured to acquire a voltage of the capacitor and, if the acquired voltage is equal to or higher than a specified voltage value, determine that the pre-charging of the capacitor is completed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The controller according to claim 1, wherein
the capacitor is connected to the first battery via a relay, and
the controller is configured to:
actuate the bidirectional DC-DC converter in a disconnected state of the relay during the activation of the vehicle so as to start pre-charging the capacitor by using the power of the second battery; and
after starting actuating the bidirectional DC-DC converter and the relay is closed, start actuating the unidirectional DC-DC converter.

### Claim 9

A unidirectional DC-DC converter configured to:
be connected between a primary side and a secondary side of a vehicle;
perform unidirectional output from the primary side to the secondary side;
be connected in parallel with a bidirectional DC-DC converter configured to perform bidirectional output, the bidirectional DC-DC converter being configured to:
monitor a current flowing from the primary side in a direction toward the secondary side;
perform output when the monitored current is equal to or larger than a specified current value; and
stop the output when the monitored current is smaller than the specified current value; and
during activation of the vehicle, actuate later than initiation of actuation of the bidirectional DC-DC converter.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The unidirectional DC-DC converter according to claim 9, wherein
the unidirectional DC-DC converter is configured to monitor the current by a current sensor that is provided on the secondary side of the vehicle.