# US 12,603,465 B2 · Automotive DC/AC power inverter and power outlet with plug-detect mode > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,603,465 B2 - Document ID: US12603465B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/881,232 - Filed: 2022-08-04 - Published: 2024-02-08 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-04 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Jesus Guadarrama; Tania Cristina Vazquez; Oswaldo Arias; Enrique Denicia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12603465B2 ## CPC - H01R 13/6683: {with built-in sensor} - B60L 1/006: {to power outlets} - B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - B60L 53/305: {Communication interfaces} - H01R 2201/26: for vehicles - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - 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 ## Abstract A DC/AC power inverter of an automotive vehicle receives DC power, outputs DC power to an electrical outlet of the automotive vehicle and, responsive to receiving a communication signal from the electrical outlet indicating a plug has been electrically coupled with the electrical outlet, outputs AC power to the electrical outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An automotive power system comprising: an electrical outlet including sensing circuitry configured to, in response to detecting a voltage that exceeds a value due to a change from absence to presence of a plug being coupled to the electrical outlet, generate a communication signal, wherein the sensing circuitry includes a Zener diode having a breakdown voltage that defines the value; and a DC/AC power inverter configured to receive DC power as input and selectively provide DC power or AC power as output responsive to the communication signal such that the DC/AC power inverter outputs DC power to the electrical outlet during absence of the plug being coupled to the electrical outlet and outputs AC power to the electrical outlet during presence of the plug being coupled to the electrical outlet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The automotive power system of claim 1, wherein the sensing circuitry includes an opto isolator electrically connected with the Zener diode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The automotive power system of claim 1 further comprising a local interconnect network communicably connecting the electrical outlet and DC/AC power inverter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The automotive power system of claim 3, wherein the communication signal is transmitted over the local interconnect network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The automotive power system of claim 1, wherein the DC/AC power inverter includes a plurality of switches and wherein some, but not all, of the switches are continuously ON while the DC/AC power inverter outputs DC power. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The automotive power system of claim 1, wherein the DC/AC power inverter includes a plurality of switches and wherein some of the switches are toggled between being ON and OFF while the DC/AC power inverter outputs AC power. ### Claim 7 A method comprising: while an electrical outlet of a vehicle does not have a plug electrically coupled therewith, generating by a DC/AC power inverter of the vehicle DC power for the electrical outlet; while the electrical outlet has the plug electrically coupled therewith, generating by the DC/AC power inverter AC power for the electrical outlet; and generating by an opto isolator of the electrical outlet a signal for the DC/AC power inverter after the plug is electrically coupled with the electrical outlet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising detecting by sensing circuitry of the electrical outlet a voltage that exceeds a threshold due to the plug being electrically coupled with the electrical outlet. ### Claim 9 A vehicle comprising: a traction battery; an electrical outlet including sensing circuitry configured to, in response to detecting a plug has been electrically coupled with the electrical outlet, generate a communication signal, wherein the sensing circuitry includes a Zener diode and wherein the detecting includes a voltage exceeding a breakdown voltage of the Zener diode; and a DC/AC power inverter configured to receive DC power from the traction battery, to output DC power to the electrical outlet of the vehicle and, responsive to receiving a communication signal from the electrical outlet indicating the plug has been electrically coupled with the electrical outlet, to output AC power to the electrical outlet. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The vehicle claim 9, wherein the detecting includes detecting a voltage exceeding a value. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the sensing circuitry includes an opto isolator and wherein the detecting includes activating the opto isolator. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The vehicle of claim 9 further comprising a local interconnect network configured to carry the communication signal.