IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0894284
(2007-08-20)
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등록번호 |
US-7352157
(2008-04-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
Law Offices of Michael M. Ahmadshahi
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
3 인용 특허 :
16 |
초록
▼
This invention discloses a vehicle electrical system voltage regulator with improved electrical protection and warning means that discerns and responds to regulator, generator, or vehicle electrical system operation and malfunctions. The regulator includes monitoring, control, and protection circuit
This invention discloses a vehicle electrical system voltage regulator with improved electrical protection and warning means that discerns and responds to regulator, generator, or vehicle electrical system operation and malfunctions. The regulator includes monitoring, control, and protection circuits with a phase signal monitor, a field switching circuit that operates the field coil in response to electrical power demands, and a field enable switch in series with the field regulating switch. The phase monitor and protection circuit ascertains and transmits generator rotational motion for use by the monitoring and control circuit in discerning the various operating conditions. The monitoring and control circuit operates on the field switching circuit to meet the electrical power demands and provide multi level fault protection to include field switching circuit reconfiguration to continue operating under various fault conditions. A warning and diagnostic system incorporating visual indicators and communication lines provide descriptive system information for use by the vehicle's operator and computer network, respectively.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field switching (FS) circuit coupled with said generator field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring an outpu
What is claimed is: 1. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field switching (FS) circuit coupled with said generator field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring an output of said generator; (b) monitoring said FS circuit; (c) ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator via steps (a) and (b); and (d) activating/deactivating said field coil via said FS circuit in response to said one or more operating states. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said communication method comprises generating a flashing light pattern indicative of said one or more operating states. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein said communication method comprises generating a diagnostic signal, via a diagnostic terminal, indicative of said one or more operating states. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein said FS circuit deactivating said field coil when said diagnostic terminal comprises a grounded state. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein said communication method comprises communicating with a computer system of said vehicle by generating a communication signal indicative of said one or more operating states. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator comprises ascertaining at least one of a properly operating state and an improperly operating state, wherein a properly operating state of said generator corresponding to said generator output voltage residing within a pre-determined output voltage range, and an improperly operating state of said generator corresponding to said generator output voltage residing outside of said pre-determined output voltage range. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator comprises ascertaining at least one of a properly operating state and an improperly operating state, wherein a properly operating state of said generator corresponding to said generator output voltage residing within a pre-determined output voltage range, and an improperly operating state of said generator corresponding to said generator output voltage residing outside of said pre-determined output voltage range for a pre-determined time interval. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of ascertaining one or more operating states of said voltage regulator comprises ascertaining at least one of a properly operating state and an improperly operating state, wherein a properly operating state of said voltage regulator corresponding to said FS circuit switching on/off said field coil at least once within a pre-determined time interval, and an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator corresponding to said FS circuit failing to switch on/off said field coil at least once within said pre-determined time interval. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of activating/deactivating said field coil comprises activating said field coil, via said FS circuit, when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to a properly operating state of said generator and a properly operating state of said voltage regulator, and deactivating said field coil, via said FS circuit, when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to an improperly operating state of said generator or an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising re-activating said field coil, via said FS circuit, when a voltage of a battery coupled with the generator falls below a pre-determined value. 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating said field coil when said field coil comprises a turn-to-turn short. 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating said field coil when said field coil comprises at least a partially grounded state. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said generator comprises a rotary shaft coupled with an engine of said vehicle and a first terminal carrying a first signal proportional to a rotational speed of said shaft and a second terminal carrying a second signal proportional to an on/off state of said engine, said method further comprising monitoring said first signal or second signal and deactivating said field coil, via said FS circuit, when either said first signal or said second signal is absent. 15. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field switching (FS) circuit coupled with said generator field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring said FS circuit; and (b) reconfiguring a protective component of the FS circuit to function as an operative component of the FS circuit when the operative component fails to function properly. 16. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field switching (FS) circuit coupled with said generator field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring said FS circuit; and (b) reconfiguring a protective component of the FS circuit to switch on/off said field coil when an operative component of the FS circuit fails to switch on/off said field coil. 17. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field enable switch and a field regulating switch responsive to said field enable switch and operative to switch on/off said field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring an output of said generator; (b) monitoring a switching interval of said field regulating switch; (c) ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator via steps (a) and (b); and (d) activating/deactivating said field coil via said field enable switch in response to said one or more operating states. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising communicating said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator comprises ascertaining at least one of a properly operating state and an improperly operating state, wherein a properly operating state of said generator corresponding to said generator output voltage residing within a pre-determined output voltage range, and an improperly operating state of said generator corresponding to said generator output voltage residing outside of said pre-determined output voltage range. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of ascertaining one or more operating states of said voltage regulator comprises ascertaining at least one of a properly operating state and an improperly operating state, wherein a properly operating state of said voltage regulator corresponding to said field regulating switch switching on/off said field coil at least once within a pre-determined time interval, and an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator corresponding to said field regulating switch failing to switch on/off said field coil at least once within said pre-determined time interval. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of activating/deactivating said field coil comprises activating said field enable switch when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to a properly operating state of said generator and a properly operating state of said voltage regulator, and deactivating said field enable switch when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to an improperly operating state of said generator or an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator. 22. The method of claim 21, further comprising re-activating said field enable switch when a voltage of a battery coupled with the generator falls below a pre-determined value. 23. The method of claim 21, further comprising switching on/off said field enable switch when said field regulating switch fails to switch on/off said field coil at least once within a pre-determined time interval. 24. The method of claim 17, further comprising shutting off said field enable switch or field regulating switch when said field coil comprises a turn-to-turn short. 25. The method of claim 17, further comprising shutting off said field enable switch or field regulating switch when said field coil comprises at least a partially grounded state. 26. The method of claim 17, wherein said generator comprises a rotary shaft coupled with an engine of said vehicle and a first terminal carrying a first signal proportional to a rotational speed of said shaft and a second terminal carrying a second signal proportional to an on/off state of said engine, said method further comprising monitoring said first signal or second signal and deactivating said field enable switch when either said first signal or said second signal is absent. 27. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field enable switch, a first field regulating switch responsive to said field enable switch and operative to switch on/off said field coil, and a second field regulating switch responsive to said field enable switch and operative to switch on/off said field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring an output of said generator; (b) monitoring a switching interval of said first and second field regulating switches; (c) ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator via steps (a) and (b); and (d) activating/deactivating said field coil via said field enable switches in response to said one or more operating states. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of activating/deactivating said field coil comprises activating said field enable switch when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to a properly operating state of said generator and a properly operating state of said voltage regulator, and deactivating said field enable switch when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to an improperly operating state of said generator or an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator. 29. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a first field enable switch, a first field regulating switch responsive to said first field enable switch and operative to switch on/off said field coil, a second field enable switch, and a second field regulating switch responsive to said first field enable switch and operative to switch on/off said field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring an output of said generator; (b) monitoring a switching interval of said first and second field regulating switches; (c) ascertaining one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator via steps (a) and (b); and (d) activating/deactivating said field coil via said first and second field enable switches in response to said one or more operating states. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of ascertaining one or more operating states of said voltage regulator comprises ascertaining at least one of a properly operating state and an improperly operating state, wherein a properly operating state of said voltage regulator corresponding to said first or second field regulating switches switching on/off said field coil at least once within a pre-determined time interval, and an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator corresponding to said first and second field regulating switches failing to switch on/off said field coil at least once within said pre-determined time interval. 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of activating/deactivating said field coil comprises activating said first and second field enable switches when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to a properly operating state of said generator and a properly operating state of said voltage regulator, and deactivating said first and second field enable switches when said one or more operating states of said generator and voltage regulator correspond to an improperly operating state of said generator or an improperly operating state of said voltage regulator. 32. A method for controlling a generator including a voltage regulator in a vehicle, said generator comprising a field coil and said voltage regulator comprising a field enable switch and a field regulating switch responsive to said field enable switch and operative to switch on/off said field coil, said method comprising: (a) monitoring a switching interval of said field regulating switch; and (b) reconfiguring the field enable switch to switch on/off said field coil when the field regulating switch fails to switch on/off said field coil at least once within a pre-determined time interval.
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