On-board vehicle inverter with selectable neutral engagement

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a power inverter coupled to an AC bus having a neutral conductor, a switching device coupled between the neutral conductor and a ground conductor, a sensor configured to measure an impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor, and a control module. The power inverter is configured to provide AC power to the output via the AC bus. The control module is configured to: transmit a signal to open the switching device to create a floating neutral configuration between the power inverter and the output; receiving a signal indicative of the impedance from the sensor; and in response to the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being less than or equal to a threshold, transmitting a signal to the power inverter to provide AC power to the output. Other example vehicle systems and control methods are also disclosed.

Description

[0001] introduction The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this section, and aspects of this description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are not admitted, either explicitly or implicitly, to be prior art against the present disclosure. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an on-board vehicle inverter with selectable neutral engagement. Background Art

[0003] Vehicles sometimes include a power supply system having one or more on-board power converters, such as an inverter for converting DC power to AC power. An on-board vehicle inverter is often used to power AC outlets in the vehicle and wired loads in remote or mobile locations. If a vehicle inverter is present, the neutral conductor on the output side of the inverter is electrically connected (e.g., bonded) to ground in the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle chassis) to ensure electrical safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] A vehicle system in a vehicle for providing AC power to an output external to the vehicle. The vehicle system includes a power inverter coupled to an AC bus having a neutral conductor, a switching device coupled between the neutral conductor of the AC bus and a ground conductor in the vehicle, a sensor configured to measure the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor, and a control module in communication with the sensor and the switching device. The power inverter is configured to provide AC power to an output external to the vehicle via the AC bus. The control module is configured to: transmit a control signal to open the switching device, thereby creating a floating neutral configuration between the power inverter and the output external to the vehicle; receive a signal from the sensor indicating the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor; and, in response to the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being less than or equal to a defined threshold, transmit a control signal to the power inverter to provide AC power to the output external to the vehicle.

[0005] In other features, the vehicle system further includes a power interrupt device coupled to the output of the power inverter.

[0006] In other features, the power interrupting device comprises a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).

[0007] In other features, a switching device is coupled between the power inverter and the power interruption device.

[0008] In other features, the switching device is a normally closed switching device.

[0009] In other features, the power inverter is a unidirectional power inverter or a bidirectional converter.

[0010] In other features, the sensor is a first sensor, and the vehicle system further includes a jack configured to receive a power cable for coupling the AC bus to an output outside the vehicle and a second sensor configured to detect the presence of the power cable.

[0011] In other features, the control module is configured to receive a signal from the second sensor indicating the presence of the power cable and transmit a control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal from the second sensor.

[0012] In other features, the vehicle system further includes a user input device in communication with the control module.

[0013] In other features, the control module is configured to: receive a signal from a user input device requesting that AC power be provided to an output external to the vehicle; and transmit a control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal from the user input device.

[0014] In other features, the sensor is a first sensor and the vehicle system further includes at least one secondary jack in the vehicle and coupled to the power inverter and a second sensor configured to detect the presence of a device plugged into the at least one secondary jack.

[0015] In other features, the control module is configured to receive a signal from the second sensor indicating that no device is present, and transmit a control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal from the second sensor.

[0016] In other features, the threshold is defined to be substantially zero.

[0017] In other features, the control module is configured to transmit a control signal to close the switching device in response to an impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being greater than a defined threshold.

[0018] In other features, a vehicle includes a vehicle system configured to provide AC power to an output external to the vehicle.

[0019] A control method for providing AC power in a vehicle to an output external to the vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a power inverter coupled to an AC bus having a neutral conductor, and a switching device coupled between the neutral conductor of the AC bus and a ground conductor in the vehicle. The control method includes: transmitting a control signal to open the switching device, thereby creating a floating neutral configuration between the power inverter and the output external to the vehicle; determining an impedance between the neutral conductor of the AC bus and the ground conductor in the vehicle; and, in response to the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being less than or equal to a defined threshold, transmitting a control signal to the power inverter to provide AC power to the output external to the vehicle.

[0020] In other features, the switching device is a normally closed switching device.

[0021] In other features, the power inverter is a unidirectional power inverter or a bidirectional converter.

[0022] In other features, the control method further includes sensing the presence of a power cable configured to couple the AC bus to an output external to the vehicle, and transmitting the control signal to open the switching device includes transmitting the control signal to open the switching device in response to sensing the presence of the power cable.

[0023] In other features, the control method further includes receiving a signal from a user input device requesting that AC power be provided to an output external to the vehicle, and transmitting a control signal to open the switching device includes transmitting a control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal from the user input device.

[0024] In other features, a vehicle includes at least one secondary receptacle coupled to a power inverter and a sensor configured to detect the presence of a device plugged into the at least one secondary receptacle.

[0025] In other features, the control method further includes receiving a signal indicating that no device is plugged into the at least one secondary receptacle in the vehicle, and transmitting the control signal to open the switching device includes transmitting the control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal.

[0026] In other features, the threshold is defined to be substantially zero.

[0027] In other features, the control method further comprises transmitting a control signal to close the switching device in response to an impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being greater than a defined threshold.

[0028] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims, and drawings.The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1-2 is a block diagram of an example system for providing AC power from a vehicle to a premises according to the present disclosure; Figure 3 is a block diagram of an example vehicle system for providing AC power from a vehicle to a premises according to the present disclosure; and Figure 4 is a flow chart of an example control process for providing AC power from a vehicle to a premises according to the present disclosure.

[0030] Among the drawings, reference numerals may be repeated to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Onboard vehicle inverters are often used to power wired loads in remote or mobile locations. In this example, the neutral conductor on the output side of the inverter is electrically connected to ground in the vehicle. In some scenarios, it may be desirable to electrically connect the onboard vehicle inverter to a building, such as a house, to supply power to the building during, for example, a utility power outage. However, like the vehicle, the neutral conductor in the building is electrically connected to ground (e.g., earth ground). As such, if the onboard vehicle inverter and the building are electrically connected, a parallel path exists between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor between the vehicle and the building, allowing load current (e.g., return current to the building) to flow on the ground conductor between the vehicle and the building. This creates an unsafe condition. As such, if the current flowing on the ground conductor exceeds a minimum threshold (e.g., 5 mA), the power interruption device in the vehicle trips to disconnect the inverter from the building, thereby preventing the vehicle from supplying power to the building.

[0032] The vehicle systems and methods according to the present disclosure enable the neutral conductor on the output side of an onboard vehicle inverter to be selectively connected or disconnected electrically to ground in the vehicle to create a bonded neutral or a floating neutral. Thus, when desired, the neutral conductor can be selectively disconnected from the ground in the vehicle, thereby removing the current path on the ground conductor when the onboard vehicle is electrically connected to the building electrical power system (EPS). With this configuration, the onboard inverter can provide power to the building EPS in a safe manner due to the bonded neutral connection without tripping the power interruption device in the vehicle. As such, this provides the ability to supply backup power to the building from the vehicle inverter in the event of a power interruption. In doing so, the vehicle systems and methods herein provide a cost-effective and affordable solution for providing backup power to a building, particularly when the building includes existing backup power hardware (e.g., transfer switches, interlock switches, etc.).

[0033] Now refer to Figure 1 , presents an example system 100 for providing AC power from a vehicle 102 to an output external to the vehicle 102. In this example, the vehicle 102 can be any suitable type of vehicle with an onboard power inverter, including an electric vehicle (EV) and a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE). In various embodiments, the EV can include a pure EV, a hybrid vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or any other suitable type of EV with one or more electric machines that operate as motors to propel the vehicle and as generators during regeneration.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, system 100 generally includes a vehicle 102 and a house 104. In this example, vehicle 102 includes a vehicle system 106 for providing AC power to house 104, as further explained herein. Figure 1 1 , vehicle system 106 generally includes a power inverter 108, a switchgear 110, a sensor 112, and a control module 114. Although system 100 is shown and described as including a house 104, it should be appreciated that system 100 may include another suitable power receiving output external to vehicle 102, such as a building (e.g., an office building, an apartment building, etc.), another vehicle, etc.

[0035] exist Figure 1In the example of FIG. 1 , power inverter 108 is an onboard power inverter coupled between a DC bus and an AC bus. In this example, the AC bus includes a neutral conductor 116, line conductors 118, 120, and a ground conductor 122, and the DC bus includes positive and negative conductors coupled to one or more battery modules in vehicle 102. In various embodiments, ground conductor 122 is connected to the chassis (e.g., a metal frame) of vehicle 102.

[0036] The power inverter 108 can be any suitable type of inverter. For example, the power inverter 108 can be a unidirectional DC-AC power inverter, in which a DC input is converted to an AC output. In various embodiments, the power inverter 108 can be a dedicated inverter module that provides 120VAC and / or 240VAC (e.g., split phase) from a DC input (e.g., a 400VDC or 800VDC input). In other examples, the power inverter 108 can be part of a bidirectional converter in which DC power can be converted to AC power (e.g., for the house 104), or AC power (e.g., from the house 104) can be converted to DC power (e.g., for charging a battery module in the vehicle). In such an embodiment, the power inverter 108 can provide power (e.g., 12VDC, 120VAC, etc.) to one or more outlets or receptacles in the vehicle 102 and / or the house 104.

[0037] The power inverter 108 supplies AC power to the house 104 via an outlet 124 located on or in the vehicle 102. For example, the house 104 can receive AC power from the vehicle 102 via a generator or power cable extending from the outlet 124. For example, the generator or power cable can be plugged into the outlet 124 located on or in the vehicle 102. In this example, the generator or power cable can be like an extension cord and include a neutral conductor 128, line conductors 130, 132, and a ground conductor 134. Then, in some examples, the generator or power cable can be connected to a type of Romex wiring or the like within the wall of the house 104, which is then connected to a main disconnect switch 126 in the house 104. In this example, the ground conductor 134 is electrically connected to a ground rod 144 (e.g., earth) and the neutral conductor 128, thereby creating a bonded neutral configuration on the house side.

[0038] Figure 1The main disconnect switch 126 can connect / disconnect a breaker panel 136 between a utility grid 138 and a power inverter 108 in the vehicle 102. For example, under normal operating conditions, the main disconnect switch 126 receives AC power from the utility grid 138 via a meter 140 and a conductor 142. This AC power is then delivered to the breaker panel 136 for use in powering the loads in the premises 104. However, if a power outage occurs with respect to the utility grid 138 and / or is otherwise desired, the main disconnect switch 126 can receive AC power from the power inverter 108, which is then fed to the breaker panel 136. In such an example, a relay and / or another suitable switching device in the main disconnect switch 126 can be manipulated to connect / disconnect the breaker panel 136 between the utility grid 138 and the power inverter 108.

[0039] exist Figure 1 In the example shown, the main disconnect switch 126 is a transfer switch. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodiments, other suitable disconnect switches may be employed if desired. For example, the main disconnect switch 126 may be an interlock switch or another similar device to connect / disconnect the circuit breaker panel 136 between the utility grid 138 and the power inverter 108 in the vehicle 102.

[0040] In various embodiments, the vehicle system 106 includes one or more sensors. For example, the vehicle system 106 may include Figure 1 The illustrated sensor 112 and various other sensors, such as sensors for detecting or otherwise sensing the presence of a device plugged into an outlet / receptacle in the vehicle 102 and the presence of a power cable coupling the AC bus to the premises 104, are also provided, as further explained below. Figure 1 In one example, sensor 112 (e.g., a ground sensor or monitor) measures the impedance between neutral conductor 116 and ground conductor 122. In such an example, sensor 112 may measure the impedance directly. In other examples, sensor 112 may sense electrical characteristics (e.g., voltage and current) associated with neutral conductor 116 and ground conductor 122, and control module 114 may calculate the impedance between neutral conductor 116 and ground conductor 122 (e.g., by comparing the impedances associated with neutral conductor 116 and ground conductor 122).

[0041] exist Figure 1In the example of , the vehicle system 106 can further include a power interruption device 146 coupled to the output of the power inverter 108. In this example, the switching device 110 is coupled between the power inverter 108 and the power interruption device 146. The power interruption device 146 acts as a conventional current interrupter device. For example, the power interruption device 146 can provide or interrupt AC power from the power inverter 108 to the house 104, depending on whether the power interruption device 146 is tripped (e.g., due to current exceeding a threshold). Figure 1 In the embodiment of the present invention, the power interrupting device 146 can be any suitable current interrupting device, such as a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), a ground fault interrupter (GFI), an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI), a residual current device (RCD), etc.

[0042] like Figure 1 As shown, the power interruption device 146 can be part of the receptacle 124 or at least a portion of the receptacle 124. For example, the receptacle 124 can be a GFCI type receptacle. In other examples, the power interruption device 146 can be a component within the power inverter module. For example, Figure 2 Describes something similar to Figure 1 The system 200 is a system of the system 100, but wherein the power interruption device is located together with the power inverter module. Figure 2 In the system 200, Figure 1 The vehicle 102 and the house 104, and the vehicle system 206 having the power inverter module 208. Figure 2 In FIG. 1 , the power inverter module 208 includes the power inverter 108, the power interruption device 146, and the switching device 110 coupled between the ground conductor 122 and the neutral conductor 116 in the vehicle 102. Figure 2 104 and 102, but the vehicle system 206 may include a receptacle (e.g., Figure 1 jack 124), a control module (e.g., Figure 1 control module 114) and sensor(s), as explained herein.

[0043] Continue to refer Figure 1, the switching device 110 is coupled between the neutral conductor 116 of the AC bus and the ground conductor 122 in the vehicle 102. As further explained below, the switching device 110 is controllable to electrically connect or disconnect the neutral conductor 116 from the ground in the vehicle to create a bonded neutral or a floating neutral. In various embodiments, the switching device 110 can be a normally closed switching device. In such an example, the normally closed switching device 110 creates a bonded neutral configuration in which the neutral conductor 116 is connected to the ground conductor 122 during normal operating conditions (e.g., vehicle-to-load power mode). This ensures that the power interrupt device 146 will trip to prevent electric shock or current from passing through a human body. Then, when desired, the switching device 110 can be controlled to create a floating neutral configuration in which the neutral conductor 116 is disconnected from the ground conductor 122.

[0044] exist Figure 1 In the example of , the switching device 110 can be any suitable switching device. For example, the switching device 110 can be a solid-state device (e.g., a mechanical relay, an electromagnetic relay, etc.), an active device (e.g., a field effect transistor (FET), a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET), etc.), etc.

[0045] like Figure 1 As shown, a control module 114 is in communication with the power inverter 108, the switch device 110, and the sensor 112. In this example, the control module 114 can control the power inverter 108 and / or the switch device 110 based on the impedance detected by the sensor 112.

[0046] For example, the control module 114 can initially transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110 (e.g., a normally closed switching device). In doing so, the neutral conductor 116 is disconnected from the ground conductor 122 (and more generally, ground), thereby creating a floating neutral configuration between the power inverter 108 and the main disconnect switch 126 (or the house 104, a power receiving output, etc.). In this scenario, when the power cable (or another suitable power cable) is plugged into the jack 124, no parallel path is created, and return current is prevented from flowing through the ground conductor 122 to the house 104.

[0047] In various embodiments, the control module 114 may transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110 only when one or more conditions are met. For example, the control module 114 may transmit a control signal in response to detecting that a power cable (or another suitable power cable) is plugged into the jack 124, a door for the jack 124 is opened, and / or a user input (e.g., instructing the control module 114 to enter vehicle-to-house power mode, etc.). If each (or at least one) of these conditions is met, the control module 114 transmits a control signal to open the switching device 110. However, if one or more of these conditions are not met, the control module 114 does not transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110, and the switching device 110 remains closed (e.g., in its normally closed state), thereby maintaining a bonded neutral configuration in which the neutral conductor 116 is connected to the ground conductor 122.

[0048] The control module 114 may then receive a signal from the sensor 112 indicating the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122. For example, in response to the switching device 110 opening, the control module 114 may receive a measured impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 or obtain an electrical characteristic used to determine the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122. In other examples, the control module 114 may instruct the sensor 112 to measure the impedance or obtain a desired electrical characteristic.

[0049] The control module 114 can transmit a control signal to the power inverter 108 to provide AC power to the premises 104. In this example, the control module 114 transmits the control signal to the power inverter 108 in response to the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 being less than or equal to a defined threshold. In various embodiments, the defined threshold can be substantially zero, such as 0 ohms, 0.01 ohms, 0.03 ohms, 0.05 ohms, 0.07 ohms, etc. If the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 is less than or equal to the defined threshold, the switch device 110 remains open to create a floating neutral configuration.

[0050] In various embodiments, if the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 is greater than a defined threshold, the control module 114 does not initiate control of the power inverter 108. In this example, the presence of the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 indicates that the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 are not electrically coupled at some point (e.g., via the switching device 110 and / or at another location). In response to the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 being greater than a defined threshold (e.g., greater than substantially zero), the control module 114 may transmit a control signal to close the switching device 110 and not transmit a control signal to the power inverter 108 to provide AC power to the premises 104.

[0051] In some examples, when the control module 114 enters vehicle-to-premises power mode to open the switching device 110 and provide power to the premises 104, the power interrupting device 146 can function normally. For example, the power interrupting device 146 can trip if the current flowing on the ground conductor 122 exceeds a minimum threshold (e.g., 5 mA), as is conventional. In other examples, when the control module 114 enters vehicle-to-premises power mode, the current threshold can be increased to a higher value or the power interrupting device 146 can be disabled. The increased threshold or disabling of the power interrupting device 146 is possible because the premises 104 should include power interruption protection, such as a GFCI.

[0052] Figure 3 Describes what can be achieved Figure 1-2 Example vehicle system 300 of the vehicle systems 106, 206. Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle system 300 generally includes Figure 1 The vehicle system 300 may include a power inverter 108, a switching device 110, a sensor 112 (e.g., an impedance sensor), a control module 114, and a socket 124. Additionally, the vehicle system 300 may include an inverter control module 314, a display module 350, a user device 352, one or more additional sockets 354 (referred to herein as secondary sockets), a diagnostic module 356, and sensors 358, 360. In this example, the secondary socket 354 may be Figure 2 A socket in or on the vehicle 102 is used to provide a nominal voltage (e.g., 120VAC) to power an external device (e.g., a user device, etc.).

[0053] although Figure 3The vehicle system 300 is illustrated as including specific modules and / or sensors, but it should be appreciated that the vehicle system 300 and / or other systems may include one or more other modules and / or sensors (e.g., having the same or different functionality) if desired. Additionally, while the vehicle system 300 is illustrated as including a plurality of separate modules, any combination of these modules (e.g., the control module 114, the diagnostic module 356, the inverter control module 314, etc.) and / or their functionality may be integrated into one or more modules.

[0054] In various embodiments, the modules and sensors of the vehicle system 300 can communicate with each other and can share parameters via a network 362, such as a controller area network (CAN). In such an example, the parameters can be shared via one or more data buses of the network 362. In this manner, various parameters can be made available by a given module and / or sensor to other modules and / or sensors via the network 362.

[0055] exist Figure 3 In the example of Figure 1 For example, and as explained above, the control module 114 initially transmits a control signal to open the switching device 110, thereby Figure 1 The neutral conductor 116 from Figure 1 In various embodiments, the control module 114 may control the power inverter 108 to cut off the AC voltage before disconnecting the switching device 110. The control module 114 then receives a signal from the sensor 112 indicating the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122. If the impedance between the neutral conductor 116 and the ground conductor 122 is less than or equal to a defined threshold, the control module 114 transmits a control signal to the power inverter 108 to provide AC power to the power inverter 108. Figure 1 104, as explained above. In this example, the control module 114 can transmit the control signal directly to the power inverter 108 or to an inverter control module 314 (e.g., an onboard control module) in the power inverter 108. If the impedance is greater than the defined threshold, the control module 114 transmits the control signal to close the switching device 110.

[0056] In various embodiments, the control module 114 transmits a control signal to open the switching device 110 only when defined conditions are met. For example, only when a user requests to Figure 1 House 104 and / or Figure 1The control module 114 may transmit a control signal to disconnect the switching device 110 only when another suitable power receiving output external to the vehicle 102 provides power. For example, a user may select an input on a user device 352 (e.g., a cellular phone, etc.) and / or a display module 350 in the vehicle 102 (e.g., a center console display module with a user interface) indicating a desire to provide power from the jack 124 (e.g., enter vehicle-to-house power mode). In this example, the control module 114 may receive a signal from the user device 352 and / or the display module 350 requesting the provision of AC power. Then, in response to receiving the signal, the control module 114 may transmit a control signal to disconnect the switching device 110, as explained herein.

[0057] In some examples, Figure 3 The sensors 358, 360 in the embodiment of the present invention can provide an indication that the jack 124, 354 is in use or is about to be used. In such an example, the sensors 358, 360 can generally detect the presence of a power cable inserted into the jack 124, 354, or the likelihood of a power cable being inserted into the jack 124, 354. For example, any of the sensors 358, 360 can detect whether a door associated with its corresponding jack 124, 354 is open and / or detect whether a power cable is inserted into its corresponding jack 124, 354. In such an example, the presence of a power cable inserted into the jack 124, 354, or the likelihood of a power cable being inserted into the jack 124, 354, can be detected based on one or more sensed electrical characteristics associated with the jack 124, 354 and / or one or more sensed physical characteristics associated with the jack 124, 354 (e.g., motion, position, etc.). More specifically, the sensors 358 , 360 may detect current, resistance, blocked infrared signals, etc. associated with the jacks 124 , 354 .

[0058] In this example, the control module 114 may or may not transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110 based on the signals received from the sensors 358, 360. For example, if the control module 114 receives a signal from the sensor 358 indicating that a power cable is present (e.g., plugged into or potentially plugged into the receptacle 124), the control module 114 may transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110, thereby creating a floating neutral configuration. Additionally, if the control module 114 receives a signal from each of the sensors 360 indicating that no power cable is present (e.g., a device is plugged into or potentially plugged into one of the secondary receptacles 354), or does not receive a signal from any of the sensors 360, the control module 114 may transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110, thereby creating a floating neutral configuration. Alternatively, if the control module 114 receives a signal from one of the sensors 360 indicating that a power cable is present (e.g., a device is plugged into or may be plugged into one of the secondary receptacles 354), the control module 114 may not transmit a control signal to disconnect the switching device 110, thereby maintaining the engaged neutral configuration.

[0059] In some examples, the control module 114 may be operable to disable one or more of the secondary outlets 354. For example, the control module 114 may electronically disable an individual outlet 354 or a group of outlets 354 based on operating conditions. In such an example, the control module 114 may control one or more circuit breakers associated with the secondary outlets 354 to disable the secondary outlets 354 when, for example, a user requests to enter vehicle-to-premises power mode.

[0060] In various embodiments, the diagnostic module 356 can function to ensure that the switching device 110 is in the intended position. For example, the diagnostic module 356 can include suitable circuitry and logic to detect whether the switching device 110 is open or closed. The diagnostic module 356 can then provide a signal to the control module 114 indicating whether the switching device 110 is open or closed.

[0061] Figure 4 An example control process 400 is illustrated for providing AC power from a vehicle to an output external to the vehicle (eg, a house, a building, etc.). Although the example control process 400 is generally related to Figure 3 However, the control process 400 may be performed by another suitable vehicle system (e.g., Figure 1 Vehicle system 106, Figure 2 vehicle system 206, etc.) to adopt.

[0062] exist Figure 4 In the control process 400, the control module 114 starts at 402, where the control module 114 determines whether the power cable is plugged into the jack 124. For example, the control module 114 can Figure 3 8. The control module 114 receives a signal from the sensor 358 indicating the presence of a power cable inserted into the jack 124, or the likelihood that a power cable is inserted into the jack 124, as explained above. If the control module 114 determines that a power cable is inserted into the jack 124 (e.g., based on the signal from the sensor 358), the control process 400 proceeds to 404. Otherwise, if the control module 114 determines that no power cable is inserted into the jack 124 (e.g., the control module 114 does not receive a signal from the sensor 358 or receives a signal from the sensor 358 indicating that no power cable is present), the control process 400 returns to 402. In this example, the switching device 110 (e.g., a normally closed switching device) remains closed, or is closed (if the switching device 110 is open).

[0063] At 404, the control module 114 determines whether a user request is received indicating a desire to provide power to an output external to the vehicle. For example, and as explained above, a user may select an input on the user device 352 and / or the display module 350 that requests entry into vehicle-to-premises power mode (e.g., providing power from the jack 124 to an output external to the vehicle). If no such user request is received, the control process 400 returns to 402. In such an example, the switching device 110 remains closed, or is closed if the switching device 110 is open. However, if the control module 114 does receive the user request, the control process 400 proceeds to 406, where the control module 114 disables the power inverter 108. In various embodiments, the control module 114 may disable the power inverter 108 directly via one or more control signals, or by sending a signal to the control module 114. Figure 3 The inverter control module 314 provides one or more control signals to disable the power inverter 108. The control process 400 then proceeds to 408.

[0064] At 408, the switching device 110 is manually or electronically opened to create a floating neutral configuration in which the neutral conductor in the vehicle is disconnected from the ground conductor in the vehicle. For example, a user may manually control the switching device 110 from a closed position to an open position. In other examples, the control module 114 may transmit a control signal to open the switching device 110. The control process 400 then proceeds to 410.

[0065] At 410, the impedance between the ground conductor and the neutral conductor in the vehicle is determined. For example, and as explained above, the sensor 112 measures the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor or senses electrical characteristics associated with the neutral conductor and the ground conductor to enable the control module 114 to calculate the impedance. Control process 400 then proceeds to 412.

[0066] At 412, the control module 114 determines whether the determined impedance is less than or equal to a defined threshold. This determination can be made, for example, by comparing the determined impedance (or a representative value thereof) to a defined threshold. In various embodiments, the defined threshold can be substantially zero, as explained above.

[0067] If the impedance is less than or equal to the defined threshold, the control process 400 proceeds to 414. At 414, the control module 114 disables one or more secondary outlets in or on the vehicle that are used to provide a nominal voltage (e.g., 120 VAC) to power external devices (e.g., consumer devices, etc.). For example, the control module 114 may control one or more circuit breakers or other devices connected to the secondary outlets (e.g., Figure 3 The secondary receptacle 354 is connected to the secondary receptacle 354 and is disabled by other disconnect devices associated therewith. The control process 400 then proceeds to 416, where the control module 114 enters vehicle-to-premises power mode and transmits a control signal to the power inverter 108. In this example, the power inverter 108 can be controlled (e.g., by the control module 114, the inverter control module 314, etc.) to provide AC power to an output external to the vehicle (e.g., a premises, a building, etc.). The control process 400 can then end.

[0068] However, if the impedance is greater than the defined threshold, the control process 400 proceeds to 418. At 418, the control module 114 transmits a control signal to close the switching device 110, thereby creating a bonded neutral configuration in which the neutral conductor is connected to the ground conductor. In this example, the control module 114 can enter the vehicle-to-load power mode, and the power inverter 108 can be controlled (e.g., by the control module 114, the inverter control module 314, etc.) to provide AC power to the secondary outlet in or on the vehicle for powering the load connected thereto (if applicable). The control process 400 then returns to 402.

[0069] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or use. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in many forms. Therefore, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon studying the drawings, the specification, and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method can be performed in a different order (or simultaneously) without changing the principles of the present disclosure. In addition, although each embodiment is described above as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented in the features of any other embodiment and / or combined with the features of any other embodiment, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the permutation of one or more embodiments with each other is still within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0070] Spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., between modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.) are described using various terms, including "connected," "engaged," "coupled," "adjacent," "immediately adjacent," "on," "above," "below," and "disposed." Unless explicitly described as "direct," when describing a relationship between a first and a second element in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which there are no other intervening elements between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect relationship in which there are one or more intervening elements (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase "at least one of A, B, and C" should be interpreted to mean a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical "OR" and should not be interpreted to mean "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C."

[0071] In the various figures, the direction of the arrow, as indicated by the arrow head, generally indicates the flow of information (such as data or instructions) of interest with respect to the diagram. For example, when component A and component B exchange various information, but the information transmitted from component A to component B is relevant to the diagram, an arrow may point from component A to component B. This unidirectional arrow does not imply that no other information is being transmitted from component B to component A. In addition, for information sent from component A to component B, component B may send a request for the information or an acknowledgment of receipt to component A.

[0072] In this application, including the definitions below, the term "module" or the term "controller" may be replaced with the term "circuit". The term "module" may refer to, be part of, or include: an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field-programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or grouped) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0073] The module may include one or more interface circuits. In some examples, the interface circuit may include a wired or wireless interface connected to a local area network (LAN), the Internet, a wide area network (WAN), or a combination thereof. The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules connected via the interface circuit. For example, multiple modules may allow for load balancing. In a further example, a server (also referred to as a remote or cloud) module may implement some functions on behalf of a client module.

[0074] The term "code" as used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to programs, routines, functions, classes, data structures and / or objects. The term "shared processor circuit" encompasses a single processor circuit that executes some or all code from multiple modules. The term "group processor circuit" encompasses a processor circuit that executes some or all code from one or more modules in conjunction with additional processor circuits. References to multiple processor circuits encompass multiple processor circuits on discrete dies, multiple processor circuits on a single die, multiple cores of a single processor circuit, multiple threads of a single processor circuit, or a combination of the above. The term "shared memory circuit" encompasses a single memory circuit that stores some or all code from multiple modules. The term "group memory circuit" includes a memory circuit that stores some or all code from one or more modules in conjunction with additional memory.

[0075] The term "memory circuit" is a subset of the term "computer-readable medium." As used herein, the term "computer-readable medium" does not encompass non-transitory electrical or electromagnetic signals propagated through a medium (such as on a carrier wave); thus, the term "computer-readable medium" may be considered to be tangible and non-transitory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory tangible computer-readable media are non-volatile memory circuits (such as flash memory circuits, erasable programmable read-only memory circuits, or mask read-only memory circuits), volatile memory circuits (such as static random access memory circuits or dynamic random access memory circuits), magnetic storage media (such as analog or digital magnetic tape or hard drives), and optical storage media (such as CDs, DVDs, or Blu-ray discs).

[0076] The apparatus and methods described in this application can be implemented in part or in whole by a special-purpose computer, which is created by configuring a general-purpose computer to perform one or more specific functions embodied in a computer program. The functional blocks, flow chart components, and other elements described above serve as software specifications that can be translated into a computer program through routine work by a skilled technician or programmer.

[0077] The computer program includes processor-executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer-readable medium. The computer program may also include or rely on stored data. The computer program may include a basic input / output system (BIOS) that interacts with the hardware of the special-purpose computer, device drivers that interact with specific devices of the special-purpose computer, one or more operating systems, user applications, background services, background applications, etc.

[0078] A computer program may include: (i) descriptive text to be parsed, such as HTML (Hypertext Markup Language), XML (Extensible Markup Language), or JSON (JavaScript Object Notation), (ii) assembly code, (iii) object code generated by a compiler from source code, (iv) source code for execution by an interpreter, (v) source code for compilation and execution by a just-in-time compiler, etc. By way of example only, source code may be written using syntax from languages ​​including: C, C++, C#, Objective-C, Swift, Haskell, Go, SQL, R, Lisp, Fortran, Perl, Pascal, Curl, OCaml, HTML5 (Hypertext Markup Language Version 5), Ada, ASP (Active Server Pages), PHP (PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor), Scala, Eiffel, Smalltalk, Erlang, Ruby, Visual Lua, MATLAB, SIMULINK, and

Claims

1. A vehicle system in a vehicle for providing AC power to an output external to the vehicle, the vehicle system comprising: a power inverter coupled to an AC bus having a neutral conductor, the power inverter configured to provide AC power to an output external to the vehicle via the AC bus; a switching device coupled between a neutral conductor of the AC bus and a ground conductor in the vehicle; a sensor configured to measure impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor; as well as A control module, in communication with the sensor and the switch device, the control module being configured to: transmitting a control signal to open the switching device to create a floating neutral configuration between the power inverter and an output external to the vehicle; receiving a signal from a sensor indicative of an impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor; as well as In response to the impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being less than or equal to a defined threshold, a control signal is transmitted to the power inverter to provide AC power to an output external to the vehicle. 2 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a power interruption device coupled to an output of the power inverter.

3. The vehicle system of claim 2, wherein the power interruption device comprises a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). 4 . The vehicle system of claim 2 , wherein the switching device is coupled between the power inverter and the power interruption device.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the switch device is a normally closed switch device.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein: The sensor is the first sensor; The vehicle system further includes a jack configured to receive a power cable for coupling the AC bus to an output external to the vehicle and a second sensor configured to detect the presence of the power cable; as well as The control module is configured to receive a signal from the second sensor indicating the presence of the power cable and transmit a control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal from the second sensor.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1 , further comprising a user input device in communication with the control module, wherein the control module is configured to: receiving a signal from a user input device requesting that AC power be provided to an output external to the vehicle; and In response to receiving a signal from the user input device, a control signal is transmitted to open the switching device.

8. The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein: The sensor is the first sensor; The vehicle system further includes at least one secondary jack in the vehicle and coupled to the power inverter, and a second sensor configured to detect the presence of a device plugged into the at least one secondary jack; as well as The control module is configured to receive a signal from the second sensor indicating that no device is present, and transmit a control signal to open the switching device in response to receiving the signal from the second sensor.

9. The vehicle system of claim 1, wherein the defined threshold is substantially zero. 10 . The vehicle system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to transmit a control signal to close the switching device in response to an impedance between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor being greater than a defined threshold.

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