Soft hybrid-electric vehicle power supply circuit
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorShahram Zarei
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A soft hybrid-electric vehicle power supply circuit (14) is provided. The circuit includes a load sensor (19), which generates a load signal. A high-voltage bus (26) supplies a high voltage for a high-voltage load (30) and a low-voltage bus (28) is electrically coupled to and supplying a low-voltage to a low-voltage load (32). A converter circuit (24) is electrically coupled to the high-voltage bus (26), the low-voltage bus (28), and a high-voltage load (30). The converter circuit (24) maintains a predetermined minimum voltage level on the high-voltage load (30) by switching between the high-voltage bus (26) and the low-voltage bus (28) in response to the load signal. A method of maintaining the predetermined minimum voltage level is also provided.
Claims22
A soft hybrid-electric vehicle power supply circuit for a soft hybrid-electric vehicle comprising:
- a load sensor generating a load signal;
- a high-voltage bus supplying a high voltage for a high-voltage load;
- a low-voltage bus electrically coupled to and supplying a low-voltage to a low-voltage load;
- and
- a converter circuit electrically coupled to said high-voltage bus, said low-voltage bus, and said high voltage load, said converter circuit maintaining a predetermined minimum voltage level on said high-voltage load by switching between said high-voltage bus and said low-voltage bus in response to said load signal to supply power to said high-voltage load from only one of said high-voltage bus and said low-voltage bus.
A soft hybrid-electric vehicle power supply system for a soft hybrid-electric vehicle comprising:
- a engine propelling the soft hybrid electric vehicle;
- an engine controller determining the status of said engine and generating a load signal;
- and
- a soft hybrid-electric vehicle power supply circuit comprising;
- a high-voltage bus supplying a high voltage for a high-voltage load;
- a low-voltage bus electrically coupled to and supplying a low-voltage to a low-voltage load;
- and
- a converter circuit electrically coupled to said high-voltage bus, said low-voltage bus, and said high voltage load, said converter circuit maintaining a predetermined minimum voltage level on said high-voltage load by switching between said high-voltage bus and said low-voltage bus in response to said load signal;
- said converter circuit generating a converter circuit status signal upon switching voltage supply for said high-voltage load;
- said engine controller signaling said engine to draw power from said high-voltage bus in response to said converter circuit status signal.
A method of maintaining a predetermined minimum voltage level on a high-voltage load for a soft hybrid-electric vehicle comprising:
- generating a load signal;
- performing a high-voltage mode when said load signal is greater than a predetermined load and generating a first direction signal and performing a low-voltage mode when said load signal is less than or equal to a predetermined load and generating a second direction signal;
- switching a bi-directional switch to an open state in response to said first direction signal and to a closed state in response to said second direction signal;
- and
- performing an up-conversion in response to said first direction signal and a down-conversion in response to said second direction signal to maintain a predetermined minimum voltage level on the high-voltage load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.