Integrated circuit and method for preserving vehicle's battery charge and protecting trailer load
AssigneeSTMicroelectronics S.r.l.
InventorsGary Joseph Burlak, Marian Mirowski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and integrated circuit for preserving a battery's charge and protecting electrical devices is disclosed. A maximum and a minimum battery voltage value at the output port are stored in a memory. A steady state battery voltage at the output port is measured and stored in the memory. A processor compares the measured steady battery voltage value to the maximum and the minimum battery voltage values. If the measured steady state battery voltage value is greater than the maximum battery voltage value, an over voltage state is reported by the processor. If the measured steady state battery voltage value is less than the minimum battery voltage value, a low battery voltage state is reported by the processor.
Claims40
A method for preserving a battery's charge and protecting electrical devices each receiving power from an output port of a respective power control circuit coupled to the battery in a vehicle, comprising:
- measuring a steady state battery voltage at the output port;
- comparing, by a processor, the measured steady state battery voltage value to high and low battery voltage thresholds, wherein said high battery voltage threshold is based on a design characteristic of said battery and an upper voltage threshold limit of an electrical device receiving power from an output port of said power control circuit, and said low battery voltage threshold is based on a design characteristic of said battery and a lower voltage threshold limit of said electrical device;
- if the measured steady state battery voltage value is greater than the high battery voltage threshold, reporting an over voltage state;
- if the measured steady state battery voltage value is less than the low battery voltage threshold, reporting a low battery voltage state;
- in response to the over voltage state, sending, by the processor, a first power control signal to the power control circuit to vary the voltage or current at the output port;
- and
- in response to the low battery voltage state, sending, by the processor, a second power control signal to the power control circuit to vary or remove the voltage or the current at the output port.
A method for monitoring a battery's charge and protecting electrical devices each receiving power from an output port of a respective power control circuit coupled to the battery, comprising:
- measuring a steady state battery voltage at the output port;
- comparing, by a processor, the measured steady battery voltage value to a high battery voltage threshold, wherein said high battery voltage threshold is based on a design characteristic of said battery and an upper voltage threshold limit of an electrical device receiving power from an output port of said power control circuit;
- if the measured steady state battery voltage value is greater than the high battery voltage threshold, reporting an over voltage state;
- and
- in response to the over voltage state, sending, by the processor, a power control signal to the power control circuit to vary the voltage or current at the output port.
A method for preserving a vehicle's battery charge, the battery providing electrical power to electrical devices each receiving power from an output port of a respective power control circuit coupled to the battery, comprising:
- measuring a steady state battery voltage at the output port;
- comparing, by a processor, the measured steady battery voltage value to a low battery voltage threshold, wherein said low battery voltage threshold is based on a design characteristic of said battery and a lower voltage threshold limit of an electrical device receiving power from an output port of said power control circuit;
- if the measured steady state battery voltage value is less than the low battery voltage threshold, reporting a low battery voltage state;
- and
- in response to the low battery voltage state, sending, by the processor, a power control signal to the power control circuit to vary the voltage or current at the output port.
A method for preserving a battery's charge and protecting electrical devices each receiving power from an output port of a trailer tow connector coupled to the battery in a vehicle, comprising:
- measuring a steady state battery voltage at the output port;
- comparing, by a processor, the measured steady state battery voltage value to high and low battery voltage thresholds, wherein said high battery voltage threshold is based on a design characteristic of said battery and an upper voltage threshold limit of an electrical device receiving power from an output port of said power control circuit, and said low battery voltage threshold is based on a design characteristic of said battery and a lower voltage threshold limit of said electrical device;
- if the measured steady state battery voltage value is greater than the high battery voltage threshold, reporting an over voltage state;
- if the measured steady state battery voltage value is less than the low battery voltage threshold, reporting a low battery voltage state;
- in response to the over voltage state, sending, by the processor, a first power control signal to vary the voltage or current at the output port;
- and
- in response to the low battery voltage state, sending, by the processor, a second power control signal to vary or remove the voltage or the current at the output port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.