# US 12,184,115 B2 · System and method for managing electrical power drawn from a vehicle alternator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,184,115 B2 - Document ID: US12184115B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/233,955 - Filed: 2021-04-19 - Published: 2021-10-21 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-21 - Assignees: Thermo King Corporation - Applicants: Thermo King LLC - Inventors: Andreu Vidal Clos; Ryan Wayne Schumacher - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12184115B2 ## CPC - H02J 1/14: Balancing load and power generation in DC networks - H02J 7/16: Regulation of the charging current or voltage by variation of field - H02J 7/1438: {in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries} - H02J 7/34: Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other DC sources, e.g. providing buffering (H02J7/14 takes precedence) - H02J 2105/30: the load networks being external to vehicles, i.e. exchanging power with vehicles - H02J 2105/51: {according to a condition being electrical} - H02J 2207/20: Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present application relates to a system for managing electrical power drawn from a vehicle alternator to supply power to an auxiliary system The system comprises a controller configured to: determine an output voltage of the vehicle alternator; perform a comparison of the output voltage of the vehicle alternator to a threshold; and adjust a power demand of the auxiliary system according to the result of the comparison. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for managing electrical power drawn from a vehicle alternator to supply power to an auxiliary system, the system comprising: a controller configured to: determine an output voltage (Valt) of the vehicle alternator; perform a comparison of the output voltage (Valt) of the vehicle alternator to a threshold; and adjust a power demanded by the auxiliary system from the vehicle alternator according to the result of the comparison to ensure that the power demanded by the auxiliary system can be supplied without drawing electrical power from a battery of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a current drawn by the auxiliary system to adjust the power demanded by the auxiliary system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to switch off one or more loads of the auxiliary system to adjust the power demanded by the auxiliary system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to adjust an operating mode of one or more loads of the auxiliary system to adjust the power demanded by the auxiliary system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is greater than the threshold, increase the power demanded by the auxiliary system; if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is less than the threshold, reduce the power demanded by the auxiliary system; or if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is equal to the threshold, maintain the power demanded by the auxiliary system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an auxiliary battery for supplying power to the auxiliary system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to: if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is greater than the threshold, adjust a supply of electrical power to the auxiliary battery to charge the auxiliary battery. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) A system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to: if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is lower than the threshold, couple the auxiliary battery to one or more loads of the auxiliary system such that the one or more loads of the auxiliary system are at least partially powered by the auxiliary battery. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a proportional-integral controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a buck-boost converter coupled to an output of the vehicle alternator and operative to provide an electrical power supply to the auxiliary system. ### Claim 11 A method for managing electrical power drawn from a vehicle alternator to supply power to an auxiliary system, the method comprising: determining an output voltage of the vehicle alternator; performing a comparison of the output voltage of the vehicle alternator to a threshold; and adjusting a power demanded by the auxiliary system from the vehicle alternator according to the result of the comparison to ensure that the power demanded by the auxiliary system can be supplied without drawing electrical power from a battery of the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein adjusting the power demanded by the auxiliary system comprises adjusting a current drawn by the auxiliary system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein adjusting the power demanded by the auxiliary system comprises switching off one or more loads of the auxiliary system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein adjusting the power demanded by the auxiliary system comprises adjusting an operating mode of one or more loads of the auxiliary system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein adjusting the power demand of the auxiliary system comprises: if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is greater than the threshold, increasing the power demanded by the auxiliary system; if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is less than the threshold, reducing the power demanded by the auxiliary system; or if the output voltage of the vehicle alternator is equal to the threshold, maintaining the power demanded by the auxiliary system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary system is an electrically powered temperature control system for maintaining a temperature within a goods space of a host vehicle at a predetermined temperature or within a predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein the auxiliary system is an electrically powered temperature control system for maintaining a temperature within a goods space of a host vehicle at a predetermined temperature or within a predetermined temperature range. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power demanded by the auxiliary system by at least one of: switching off one or more loads of the auxiliary system; and adjusting an operating mode of the one or more loads of the auxiliary system, wherein the one or more loads of the auxiliary system include one or more of a compressor, a pump, and a heater of a temperature control system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11, wherein adjusting the power demanded by the auxiliary system includes at least one of: switching off one or more loads of the auxiliary system; and adjusting an operating mode of the one or more loads of the auxiliary system, wherein the one or more loads of the auxiliary system include one or more of a compressor, a pump, and a heater of a temperature control system. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) A system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to adjust the power demanded by the auxiliary system from the vehicle to meet a power output capability of the vehicle alternator, to ensure that the power demanded by the auxiliary system can be supplied without drawing electrical power from the battery of the vehicle.