Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-15
2001-10-09
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
C701S036000, C307S009100, C180S065100, C700S286000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06301528
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a method and arrangement for controlling electrical consumers in a vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For example, methods and arrangements are known from DE-C 39 36 638 wherein, depending upon the on-board voltage, electrical consumers are switched off in groups with a view to the charge balance of the battery. One group is always completely switched off. The arrangement of the groups is static, that is, a specific consumer always belongs to the same group. Furthermore, the reverse case is not covered, namely, that electrical consumers are switched on, for example, because of drive train requirements.
Accordingly, it is necessary to provide a consumer control wherein the switching on and switching off of electrical consumers is coordinated via a higher-ranking consumer management in the context of: a total vehicle control, a vehicle electrical system or an energy management.
A total vehicle control is, for example, described in DE-A 41 11 023 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,351,776), which exhibits a hierarchical command structure for the control tasks. The control structure described there Includes coordination elements which convert a command, which originates from a higher hierarchical level, into commands for elements of a subordinated hierarchical level. The contents of the commands, which are transmitted from above downwardly into the hierarchical structure, define physical quantities which determine the interfaces between the individual hierarchical levels. The described interfaces orientate themselves to the physical conditions of the movement of the motor vehicle and especially of the drive train and of the brakes. A view of a vehicle control which goes beyond the latter while considering the control of the consumers or the energy distribution in the vehicle electrical system is not described.
The principle of a hierarchical base structure of a vehicle total system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,669. There, a vehicle coordinator is the command giver for the components “drive” (source of mechanical power), “vehicle motion”, “chassis and interior space” and “vehicle electrical system” (source of electrical power). The communication between the individual components of this structure takes place only between the higher-ranking component and the components, which are assigned thereto, in the context of fixed pregiven communication relationships. These relationships are the following: the order which is basically given by a component in a higher hierarchical level to a component in a lower hierarchical level and which must be executed by the ordered component; the request which also is given by a component in a lower hierarchical level to a component in a higher hierarchical level and which should be executed by the requested component; and, the inquiry for which an answer is expected from the questioned component to the questioning component. The control of the vehicle takes place in the context of these pregiven communication relationships between the components. For the control of the vehicle, fixed pregiven physical quantities are transmitted which constitute defined interfaces between the individual components. A configuration of the coordinator of the electrical vehicle system or information as to the involvement of the control of electrical consumers is not shown.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the context of a higher-ranking vehicle electrical system management or energy management, the consumer management has the task to request the electrical consumer power and to distribute the allocated electrical power to the individual electrical consumers. With the consumer management, a coordination, as optimal as possible, of the drive train, power generation, power storage and power consumption is achieved.
By tying the consumer management into a hierarchical total vehicle structure, a greater overview of the total system and of the consumer control system is achieved and a modular development of software is made possible.
It is especially advantageous that the structure of the consumer management is especially simple. The interfaces between the individual components and the exchanged quantities are strictly of a logical nature, that is, they are independent of hardware and independent of realization. In this way, the following advantages are provided: the reusability of software, an easy expansion, an excellent overview and an easy applicability.
It is further advantageous that the interrelationship of generator, voltage controller, electrical consumers, batteries and possibly present DC/DC converters is coordinated as well as, as required, a coordination with the drive train can be made available.
In the context of the higher-ranking electrical vehicle system management, the consumer management has the task to request electrical power, distribute allocated electrical power and to coordinate the switching time points of the consumers in order to prevent impermissible switching peaks (for example, by simultaneous switching of consumers with start-up current (electric motors, lamps . . . )). In this way, a coordination of all consumers is achieved which is optimized with a view to consumption and comfort depending upon request.
It is advantageous to realize the power allocation via software-triggered actuator interventions at the consumers. This can be the hard switch-on and switch-off of consumers or, for example, a drive of the electrical consumers by means of pulsewidth modulation.
Data as to the consumers are necessary for the allocation of the electrical power and the coordination of the consumers. For this reason, priorities for classification are assigned to all electrical consumers. Here, at least three priority steps are to be distinguished (a finer subdivision is conceivable): safety-relevant consumers and consumers which cannot be acted upon by actuating elements have the highest priority. Switched in consumers having the highest priority define the basic load, that is, the minimum necessary electrical power for the operation of the vehicle which is to be made available under all circumstances. These consumers are, in part, not controllable via the vehicle power system management (power distribution not via vehicle electrical system management); instead, the consumers are directly hard wired. The powers of these consumers are, however, to be considered in the power balance of the vehicle electrical system management. Consumers which are controllable to a limited extent have mid priorities, that is, consumers having low time constants such as, for example, interior blower and radio. A control intervention is here rapidly realizable via the operator. The controllable consumers having large time constants, such as heaters, have the lowest priority. These consumers are suitable for a comfort-neutral control because interventions are not immediately perceivable to the user. The priorities change dynamically depending upon the state of the consumer. Thus, a consumer, which had been reduced in power by the consumer management, changes over into a higher priority stage as soon as a function change is perceivable. In an advantageous manner, a variable control of the consumers on the basis of the pregiven priority distribution is possible by means of the consumer management.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5351776 (1994-10-01), Keller et al.
patent: 5991669 (1999-11-01), Dominke et al.
Baumann Torsten
Bertram Torsten
Maier-Landgrebe Rolf
Schmucker Clemens
Beaulieu Yonel
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Ottesen Walter
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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