# US 11,114,889 B2 · Electronic circuit for redundant supply of an electric load > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,889 B2 - Document ID: US11114889B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/660,357 - Filed: 2019-10-22 - Published: 2020-04-30 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2018-10-31 - Assignees: Aptiv Technologies AG - Applicants: Aptiv Technologies Limited - Inventors: Markus Heinrich - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114889B2 ## CPC - H02J 1/10: Parallel operation of DC sources - H02J 9/061: {for DC powered loads} - B60L 3/0046: {relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors} - B60L 3/0092: {with use of redundant elements for safety purposes} - G06F 1/263: {Arrangements for using multiple switchable power supplies, e.g. battery and AC (G06F1/30 takes precedence)} - G06F 1/30: Means for acting in the event of power-supply failure or interruption, e.g. power-supply fluctuations (for resetting only G06F1/24) - G06F 11/2015: {Redundant power supplies (power supply failure G06F1/30)} - H02J 7/34: Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) - B60L 3/00: Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption (methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00) - B60L 2260/32: Auto pilot mode - B60R 16/04: Arrangement of batteries - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - 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 - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An electronic circuit for redundant supply of an electric load comprises a plurality of terminals including at least a first terminal, a second terminal and at least one third terminal, wherein the first terminal is configured to be connected to a first energy source for primary supply of the electric load; the second terminal is configured to be connected to a second energy source for secondary supply of the electric load; the at least one third terminal is configured to be connected to the electric load; the electronic circuit further comprises a plurality of electrical components interposed between the first terminal, the second terminal and the at least one third terminal, the electrical components being configured to enable power flow from either the first terminal or the second terminal to the at least one third terminal in dependence of an erroneous supply state for the electric load. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic circuit for redundant supply of an electric load, comprising: a plurality of terminals including at least a first terminal, a second terminal and at least one third terminal, wherein: the first terminal is configured to be connected to a first energy source for primary supply of the electric load; the second terminal is configured to be connected to a second energy source for secondary supply of the electric load; and the at least one third terminal is configured to be connected to the electric load; a plurality of electrical components interposed between the first terminal, the second terminal and the at least one third terminal, the plurality of electrical components being configured to: enable power flow from either the first terminal or the second terminal to the at least one third terminal in dependence of an erroneous supply state for the electric load; detect an erroneous supply state at the first terminal; connect the first terminal to the at least one third terminal in order to enable power flow from the first terminal to the at least one third terminal; and disconnect the second terminal from the first terminal and the at least one third terminal in order to disable power flow from the second terminal to the first terminal and the at least one third terminal when the erroneous supply state is not detected at the first terminal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the electronic circuit is further configured to: disconnect the first terminal from the at least one third terminal and the second terminal in order to disable the power flow from the first terminal to the at least one third terminal and the second terminal; and connect the second terminal to the at least one third terminal in order to enable power flow from the second terminal to the at least one third terminal when the erroneous supply state at the first terminal is detected. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components comprises at least one first electrical component configured to: enable power flow from the first terminal to the at least one of a third terminal and the second terminal; and disable current flow from the at least one third terminal and the second terminal to the first terminal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein an at least one first electrical component is a first electrical switch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components are further configured to: detect an erroneous supply state at the second terminal, the erroneous supply state at the second terminal comprising an electrical measurand at the second terminal that violates a threshold condition; enable power flow between the second terminal and one of the first terminal and the at least one third terminal when the erroneous supply state at the second terminal is not detected; and disable power flow between the second terminal and one of the first terminal and the at least one third terminal when the erroneous supply state at the second terminal is detected. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the electrical measurand is a current. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The electronic circuit according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of electrical components comprise a second electrical switch, the second electrical switch being configured to enable or disable the power flow between the second terminal and the one of the first terminal and the at least one third terminal based on whether the erroneous supply state at the second terminal is detected. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components are further configured to: detect an erroneous supply state at the first terminal, the erroneous supply state at the first terminal comprising an electrical measurand at the first terminal that violates a threshold condition; enable power flow from the second terminal to the at least one third terminal when the erroneous supply state at the first terminal is detected; and disable power flow from the second terminal to one of the first terminal and the at least one third terminal when the erroneous supply state at the first terminal is not detected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The electronic circuit according to claim 8, wherein the electrical measurand is a voltage. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The electronic circuit according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of electrical components comprise a third electrical switch, the third electrical switch being configured to enable or disable the power flow between the second terminal and the at least one third terminal or the second terminal and the one of the first terminal and the at least one third terminal based on whether the erroneous supply state at the second terminal is detected. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The electronic circuit according to claim 8, wherein plurality of electrical components comprise a third electrical component, the third electrical component configured to enable the power flow from the first terminal to the second terminal when the erroneous supply state at the first terminal is not detected. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of electrical components are further configured to: detect an erroneous supply state at the at least one third terminal, the erroneous supply state at the at least one third terminal comprising an electrical measurand at the at least one third terminal that violates a threshold condition; enable power flow between the at least one third terminal and one of the first terminal and the second terminal when the erroneous supply state at the at least one third terminal is not detected; and disable power flow between the at least one third terminal and one of the first terminal and the second terminal when the erroneous supply state at the at least one third terminal is detected. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of third terminals, wherein the plurality of electrical components are further configured to detect an erroneous supply state at each of the plurality of third terminals, the erroneous supply state at one of the plurality of third terminals comprising a current at the one of a plurality of third terminals that violates a threshold condition, wherein the plurality of electrical components comprise a plurality of fourth electrical components, each of the plurality of fourth electrical components connected to one of the plurality of third terminals and configured to: enable power flow between the one of the plurality of third terminals and one of the first terminal and the second terminal when the erroneous supply state at the one of the plurality of third terminals is not detected; and disable power flow between the one of the plurality of third terminals and one of the first terminal and the second terminal when the erroneous supply state at the one of the plurality of third terminals is detected. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electronic circuit according to claim 1, further comprising a first electronic circuit and a second electronic circuit, wherein the second terminal of the first electronic circuit is connected to the second terminal of the second electronic circuit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic circuit according to claim 14, wherein the first electronic circuit and the second electronic circuit form a pair of electronic circuits interposed between the first energy source and a second energy source. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic circuit according to claim 15, wherein the first terminal of the first electronic circuit is connected to the first energy source via a first fuse, and wherein the first terminal of the second electronic circuit is connected to the second energy source via a second fuse, and wherein the first fuse and the second fuse are configured to: enable power flow through a protective electrical element when an electrical measurand at the protective electrical element meets a threshold condition; and disable power flow through the protective electrical element when the electrical measurand, at the protective electrical element violates the threshold condition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The electronic circuit according to claim 15, wherein a plurality of pairs of first electronic circuits and second electronic circuits are interposed between the first energy source and the second energy source, wherein each of the plurality of pairs of first electronic circuits and second electronic circuits are connected to the first energy source and the second energy source via their first terminals, respectively, and wherein the first energy source and the second energy source share a first common protective electrical element and a second protective electrical element for connecting to the plurality of pairs of first electronic circuits and second electronic circuits, respectively. ### Claim 18 A method for redundant supply of an electric load in dependence of an erroneous supply state in an electronic circuit; wherein a first terminal of the electronic circuit is connected to a first energy source for primary supply of the electric load; a second terminal of the electronic circuit is connected to a second energy source for secondary supply of the electric load; at least one third terminal of the electronic circuit is connected to the electric load; wherein the method comprises: enabling power flow from the first terminal to the at least one third terminal and disabling power flow from the second terminal to the at least one third terminal and the first terminal when an erroneous supply state at the first terminal is not detected; enabling the power flow from the second terminal to the at least one third terminal and disabling the power flow through the first terminal when an erroneous supply state at the first terminal is detected.