US 2013/0158776 A1 · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HEALTH MONITOR (ESHM) SYSTEM AND METHOD

Abstract

An engine-powered vehicle includes an engine, a battery corresponding to a battery voltage, a starter, an alternator, a plurality of switchable electrical loads, a key switch configured to control the switchable electrical loads and corresponding to a key voltage, and an electrical system health monitor (ESHM) controller. The ESHM controller is configured to monitor a plurality of voltages, to determine an operating state based on the plurality of voltages, and to determine whether an operating state is a valid operating state or a fault state. The ESHM controller is configured to set a fault alert for vehicle maintenance when the operating state is a fault state and, when the operating state is a valid operating state, to monitor a predetermined set of input parameters corresponding to the operating state, to detect certain anomalies based voltage waveforms of the plurality of voltages, and to perform a corrective action based on the anomalies.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An engine-powered vehicle, comprising:

an engine for providing power to the vehicle;
a battery configured to provide electrical power and corresponding to a battery voltage indicating an output voltage of the battery;
a starter configured to start the engine using the electrical power provided by the battery;
an alternator configured to recharge the battery while the engine is running;
a plurality of switchable electrical loads;
a key switch configured to control the electrical power to the switchable electrical loads and corresponding to a key voltage indicating a voltage at the key switch output;
an electrical system health monitor (ESHM) controller configured to:
monitor a plurality of voltages including at least the battery voltage and the key voltage;
determine an operating state based on the plurality of voltages;
determine whether an operating state is a valid operating state or a fault state;
when the operating state is a fault state, set a fault alert for vehicle maintenance;
and
when the operating state is a valid operating state, monitor a predetermined set of input parameters corresponding to the operating state, detect certain anomalies based voltage waveforms of the plurality of voltages, and perform a corrective action based on the anomalies.

10 more elements

A method for an on-board electrical system health monitor (ESHM) system in an engine-powered vehicle containing an engine for providing power to the vehicle, a battery configured to provide electrical power and corresponding to a battery voltage indicating an output voltage of the battery, a starter configured to start the engine using the electrical power provided by the battery, a plurality of switchable electrical loads, and a key switch configured to control the electrical power to the switchable electrical loads and corresponding to a key voltage indicating a voltage at the key switch output, the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of voltages including at least the battery voltage and the key voltage;
determining an operating state based on the plurality of voltages;
determining whether an operating state is a valid operating state or a fault state;
when the operating state is a fault state, setting a fault alert for vehicle maintenance;
and
when the operating state is a valid operating state, monitoring a predetermined set of input parameters corresponding to the operating state, detecting certain anomalies based voltage waveforms of the plurality of voltages, and performing a corrective action based on the anomalies.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Electrical system health monitor (eshm) system and method

Life of this patent

Electrical system health monitor (eshm) system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19