Method and apparatus for charging a battery of an automotive vehicle having dual voltage electrical systems
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorDavid Jeffeory Berels
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical system for an automotive vehicle includes a low voltage battery having a low voltage, a high voltage battery having a high voltage, and a DC-to-DC converter coupled to the low voltage battery and the high voltage battery. A controller controls a conversion of the low voltage to a high voltage through the DC-to-DC converter and controls the charging of the high voltage battery with the high voltage. The controller monitors a state of charge of the high voltage battery, compares the state of charge to a predetermined state of charge and generates an indicator when the state of charge reaches the predetermined state of charge.
Claims20
A method of charging a high voltage battery comprising:
- electrically coupling a first low voltage source to a low voltage battery;
- converting the low voltage to a high voltage;
- charging a high voltage battery with the high voltage;
- monitoring a state of charge of the high voltage battery;
- comparing the state of charge to a predetermined state of charge;
- and
- generating an indicator when the state of charge reaches the predetermined state of charge.
A method of charging a high voltage battery through a first low voltage battery generating a low voltage with a low voltage source electrically coupled to the low voltage battery comprising:
- converting the low voltage to a high voltage through a DC-to-DC converter;
- charging a high voltage battery with the high voltage;
- monitoring a state of charge of the battery;
- comparing the state of charge to a predetermined state of charge;
- generating a first indicator when the state of charge is below the predetermined state of charge;
- and
- generating a second indicator when the state of charge reaches the predetermined state of charge.
A system for an automotive vehicle comprising:
- a low voltage battery having a low voltage;
- a high voltage battery having a high voltage;
- a DC-to-DC converter coupled between the low voltage battery and the high voltage battery;
- and
- a controller coupled to the high voltage battery, the low voltage battery and said controller controlling a conversion of the low voltage to a high voltage through the DC-to-DC converter and controlling charging of the high voltage battery with the high voltage, said controller monitoring a state of charge of the high voltage battery, comparing the state of charge to a predetermined state of charge, said controller generating an indicator when the state of charge reaches the predetermined state of charge.
A system as recited in claim 18 further comprising a starter/generator and a starting load, wherein said predetermined state of charge being a function of said temperature and said starting load.
A system as recited in claim 18 further comprising a battery terminal cover coupled to a battery terminal of the low voltage battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.