# US 11,897,591 B2 · PCM controlled charging system

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- Number: US 11,897,591 B2
- Document ID: US11897591B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/099,334
- Filed: 2020-11-16
- Published: 2022-01-13
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2017-01-11
- Assignees: Brunswick Corporation
- Applicants: Brunswick Corporation
- Inventors: Steven J. Gonring
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897591B2

## CPC

- B63H 21/14: relating to internal-combustion engines {(of outboard type B63H20/00)}
- B63J 3/02: from propulsion power plant
- H02J 4/00: Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as AC or DC; Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks combining AC and DC sections or sub-networks (arrangements using intermediate DC-AC-DC conversion H02J1/002; arrangements using high-voltage DC [HVDC] links H02J3/36)
- H02J 7/1446: {in response to parameters of a vehicle}
- H02J 7/1492: {by means of controlling devices between the generator output and the battery}
- H02P 9/02: Details {of the control}
- H02P 9/48: Arrangements for obtaining a constant output value at varying speed of the generator, e.g. on vehicle (H02P9/04 - H02P9/46 take precedence)
- B63H 21/21: Control means for engine or transmission, specially adapted for use on marine vessels
- B63H 21/213: {Levers or the like for controlling the engine or the transmission, e.g. single hand control levers}
- H02J 7/975: {in response to temperature}
- H02J 2105/31: {for ships or vessels}
- B63H: MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00)
- B63J: AUXILIARIES ON VESSELS
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS

## Abstract

A marine propulsion system includes an engine effectuating rotation of an output shaft, a battery, an alternator having a rotor driven into rotation by the output shaft and that is configured to generate a charge output to the battery, a battery state of charge sensor configured to measure a battery charge value of the battery, and a control system. This control system is configured to receive a demand value and/or a temperature, receive the battery charge value from the battery state of charge sensor; and control the alternator to adjust the charge output based on at least one of the battery charge value and the demand value and/or temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A marine propulsion system comprising:
an engine effectuating rotation of an output shaft;
a battery;
an alternator having a rotor driven into rotation by the output shaft and that is configured to generate a charge output to the battery;
a battery state of charge sensor configured to output a battery charge value of the battery;
a control system configured to:
receive a demand value and/or a temperature, wherein the temperature includes at least one of an under-cowl air temperature, an oil temperature, or a coolant temperature;
receive the battery charge value from the battery state of charge sensor; and
control the alternator to adjust the charge output based on at least one of the battery charge value and the demand value and/or the temperature.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The marine propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the battery charge value is a battery state of charge.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The marine propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the battery state of charge sensor comprises a voltage sensor and the battery charge value is a battery voltage level.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The marine propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the battery state of charge sensor is configured to calculate the battery state of charge using coulomb counting.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The marine propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the alternator to adjust the charge output value by least one of reducing a charge current output to the battery and reducing a portion of engine output power from the engine that is utilized by the alternator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The marine propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the alternator by determining an adjusted charge setpoint and communicating the adjusted charge setpoint to an alternator controller.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The marine propulsion system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the alternator by determining an adjusted alternator setpoint and communicating the adjusted alternator setpoint to an alternator controller.

### Claim 8

A marine propulsion system comprising:
an engine effectuating rotation of an output shaft;
a battery;
an alternator having a rotor driven into rotation by the output shaft and that is configured to generate a charge output to the battery;
a control module configured to:
receive a demand value;
determine an adjusted alternator setpoint based on the demand value; and
communicate the adjusted alternator setpoint to an alternator controller for the alternator such that the alternator generates the charge output to the battery based on the adjusted alternator setpoint.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The marine propulsion system of claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to communicate the adjusted alternator setpoint to the alternator controller via at least one of a CAN bus communication protocol and a LIN bus communication protocol.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The marine propulsion system of claim 8, wherein the adjusted alternator setpoint is a predetermined value associated with the demand value.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The marine propulsion system of claim 8, wherein the adjusted alternator setpoint is a predetermined value associated with a threshold increase in the demand value.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The marine propulsion system of claim 8, wherein the adjusted alternator setpoint is further based on a comparison between a battery charge value and a minimum battery charge threshold.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The marine propulsion system of claim 8, wherein the adjusted alternator setpoint is further based on at least one of a magnitude of the demand value and a difference between the demand value and a demand threshold.

### Claim 14

A method of controlling an alternator configured to generate a charge output to a battery in a marine propulsion system, the method comprising:
receiving a battery charge value of a battery charged by the alternator;
receiving a demand value;
determining an adjusted charge output based on the demand value and the battery charge value; and
controlling the alternator based on the adjusted charge output to reduce at least one of the charge output to the battery and an engine output power utilized by the alternator.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising comparing the demand value to a demand threshold, and wherein determining the adjusted charge output based on the demand value includes determining the adjusted charge output based on the comparison.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein determining the adjusted charge output includes calculating the adjusted charge output based on a ratio of the demand value and the demand threshold.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising comparing the battery charge value to a minimum battery charge threshold, and wherein the adjusted charge output is further determined based on the comparison.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein determining the adjusted charge output is further based on a comparison between the battery charge value and a battery charge threshold.

### Claim 19 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the alternator based on the adjusted charge output comprises adjusting the charge output to the battery for a length of time based on a comparison between the demand value and a demand threshold.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the demand value is a lever position of a throttle lever, and the demand threshold is a threshold increase in throttle lever position.

### Claim 21 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the alternator based on the adjusted charge output comprises communicating an adjusted charge setpoint to an alternator controller controlling the alternator.

### Claim 22 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein controlling the alternator based on the adjusted charge output comprises communicating an adjusted alternator setpoint to an alternator controller.