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:
Oct. 10, 2017
Filed:
Aug. 28, 2015
Jan S Pyko, Bloomfield Township, MI (US);
Michael J Pawlukiewicz, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Michael E List, Grand Blanc, MI (US);
Anson Lee, St. Clair, MI (US);
Jan S Pyko, Bloomfield Township, MI (US);
Michael J Pawlukiewicz, Farmington Hills, MI (US);
Michael E List, Grand Blanc, MI (US);
Anson Lee, St. Clair, MI (US);
FCA US LLC, Auburn Hills, MI (US);
Abstract
An electrical system for an automotive vehicle has a plurality of electrical generating machines having field windings energized by pulse width modulated drive signals generated by an external electronic voltage regulator. The pulse width modulated drive signals have a duty cycle determined by the electronic voltage regulator. A controller selects one of electrical generating machines to evaluate for failure and evaluates that electrical generating machine for failure by causing the PWM drive signal for the field windings of that electrical generating machine to be disabled. The controller then determines that this electrical generating machine has failed if the duty cycle for the PWM drive signals has then not been increased by the electronic voltage regulator by a pre-determined amount. The electrical generating machines are either generators or alternators. In an aspect, the PWM drive signals for the plurality of electrical generating machines are out of phase with each other.