The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 05, 2019
Filed:
Apr. 13, 2017
Ford Global Technologies, Llc, Dearborn, MI (US);
Hadi Malek, Dearborn, MI (US);
Daniel Boston, Dearborn, MI (US);
Jacob Mathews, Canton, MI (US);
James A. Lathrop, Saline, MI (US);
FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A voltage quality module (VQM) function and a solar power generation function are integrated by sharing a single voltage converter (VC) within the electrical system of an automotive vehicle with an electric-start internal combustion engine. The cost of adding solar power generating capabilities to vehicles, the packaging complexities of the systems, and the number of added components are all decreased. The VC can be a DC-DC converter in a boost mode or a buck mode. A switching circuit selectably couples the VC between a main battery and an accessory bus or to between a solar panel and an auxiliary battery. A VC controller regulating a VC output using the main battery to stabilize an accessory bus voltage when in an engine crank mode and otherwise regulating the VC output to match an auxiliary battery voltage using the solar panel output.