Vehicular power management system and method
AssigneeAlliedSignal Inc.
InventorsGeorge Cecil Joy, Bernard Paul Gollomp, Thirumalai Gounder Palanisamy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method according to the present invention monitors battery status and engine conditions and controls the alternator to selectively charge the battery depending upon specified battery and engine conditions to optimize the health and operating characteristics of the battery and engine, resulting in reduced fuel consumption.
Claims27
A system for controlling an alternator for selectively charging a battery in a vehicle driven by an engine, comprising:
- a controller having a processor and an associated stored program for monitoring battery status;
- means for detecting signals representing surplus energy conditions;
- means for determining an engine operating condition including a plurality of surplus energy modes from said signals representing surplus energy conditions;
- and
- alternator control means for selectively turning on said alternator for charging said battery when one of said plurality of surplus energy modes is determined to be present.
A method for controlling an alternator for selectively charging a battery in a vehicle driven by an engine, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring battery status;
- detecting a signal representing a surplus energy condition;
- determining an engine operating condition including a surplus energy mode from said signal representing a surplus energy condition;
- and
- selectively turning on an alternator for charging said battery when said surplus energy mode is determined to be present.
A system for controlling an alternator for selectively charging a battery in a vehicle driven by an engine, comprising:
- a processor and an associated stored program for monitoring battery status;
- a detector for detecting a rate of flow of energy to said engine;
- an engine operating condition monitor for monitoring a declining engine load state when said detector detects a declining rate of flow of energy to said engine;
- and
- an alternator controller for selectively turning on an alternator for charging said battery during said given declining engine load state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.