Power management system for vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a power management system for a vehicle. A power management system for a vehicle includes: a first processing unit configured to determine whether an instruction for a software update of the vehicle is given; a second processing unit configured to determine whether power control is being performed to charge an auxiliary battery mounted on the vehicle; and a third processing unit configured to restrict charging of the auxiliary battery until the software update is completed, when an instruction for the software update is given while the power control is being performed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an electrical management system installed on a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2022-160928 (JP 2022-160928 A) discloses an in-vehicle system that can perform software updates via over-the-air (OTA) technology. It describes how, after a software update begins and the battery voltage drops to a predetermined value, the in-vehicle system pauses the update at a low progress rate and switches to a power-saving mode, and then resumes the update at a high progress rate. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In recent years, there has been a trend of increasing auxiliary equipment load when vehicles are parked. As the auxiliary equipment load increases, the power consumed by the auxiliary battery also increases when the vehicle is parked. The auxiliary battery power is also consumed when the vehicle is parked for extended periods, during long-term transport, or when occupants frequently enter and exit the vehicle. To prevent the auxiliary battery from being depleted when the vehicle is parked, controls can be implemented to charge the auxiliary battery with power from the high-voltage battery (hereinafter referred to as "auxiliary power supply control").

[0004] When auxiliary power supply control is being implemented while software updates are being performed via OTA (Over-The-Air) updates, the subsequent reset process may forcibly terminate auxiliary power supply control, leading to unexpected power control behavior. This unexpected power control behavior may deplete the auxiliary battery.

[0005] This disclosure was made in view of the above problems, and the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a power management system for a vehicle that can suppress unintended power control behavior while giving instructions for software updates during the execution of auxiliary power supply control.

[0006] To address the aforementioned problems, one aspect of the disclosed technology is a power management system for a vehicle. The power management system includes: a first processing unit configured to determine whether an instruction for a software update for the vehicle is being issued; a second processing unit configured to determine whether power control is being performed to charge an auxiliary battery installed in the vehicle; and a third processing unit configured to, when an instruction for a software update is issued while power control is being performed, restrict the charging of the auxiliary battery until the software update is complete.

[0007] When issuing instructions for software updates via OTA (Over-The-Air) or similar means while performing auxiliary power supply control, the vehicle power management system according to this disclosure intentionally restricts the charging of the auxiliary battery until the software update is complete. Therefore, unexpected power control behavior can be suppressed. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like symbols denote like elements, and wherein:

[0009] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of a power management system and its peripheral components according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and

[0010] Figure 2 It is a flowchart of the power control processes performed by the power management system. Detailed Implementation

[0011] When a command for an OTA software update is issued while auxiliary power supply control is being executed to charge the auxiliary battery using power from the high-voltage battery, the vehicle power management system according to this disclosure first terminates (suspends) the auxiliary power supply control and then performs the software update. This process avoids unexpected termination of control and prevents malfunctions in the vehicle.

[0012] In the following, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0013] Example

[0014] structure

[0015] Figure 1 This is a functional block diagram of a power management system 110 and its peripheral components according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The functional block diagram shown includes a power management system 110, a high-voltage battery 120, a DC-DC converter 130, an auxiliary battery 140, an auxiliary load 150, and a software distribution server 160.

[0016] exist Figure 1 In this embodiment, the power lines through which electricity is exchanged are indicated by continuous lines, and control-related commands are indicated by dashed lines. The power management system 110, high-voltage battery 120, DC-DC converter 130, and auxiliary battery 140 of this embodiment are installed on vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), or battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

[0017] The high-voltage battery 120 is a secondary battery, such as a rechargeable and dischargeable lithium-ion battery. The high-voltage battery 120 is used to supply power to a high-voltage system (not shown), which includes a so-called host unit related to vehicle operation, such as an electric motor for driving. The high-voltage battery 120 is connected to an auxiliary battery 140 and an auxiliary load 150 via a DC-DC converter 130 to charge the auxiliary battery 140 and supply power to the auxiliary load 150.

[0018] The DC-DC converter 130 is a power converter that can convert input power into power of a predetermined voltage and output that power. One end of the DC-DC converter 130 is connected to the high-voltage battery 120, and the other end of the DC-DC converter 130 is connected to the auxiliary battery 140 and the auxiliary load 150. The operation of the DC-DC converter 130 is controlled by commands from the power generation control ECU 112 of the power management system 110.

[0019] The auxiliary battery 140 is a secondary battery, such as a rechargeable and dischargeable lithium-ion battery. The auxiliary battery 140 is used to supply power to the auxiliary load 150. Typically, the rated voltage of the auxiliary battery 140 is set lower than the rated voltage of the high-voltage battery 120 (e.g., 12V).

[0020] Auxiliary load 150 includes so-called auxiliary devices (not shown), such as equipment and devices unrelated to vehicle movement. In this embodiment, auxiliary load 150 includes, for example, an instrument panel camera that consumes power from auxiliary battery 140 when recording begins upon detecting an event while the vehicle is parked.

[0021] The power management system 110 is configured to control and manage power in a power supply system including a high-voltage battery 120, a DC-DC converter 130, and an auxiliary battery 140. The power management system 110 includes a power supply control ECU 111 and a power generation control ECU 112, which serve as components (processing units) performing the processes for controlling and managing power.

[0022] The power supply control ECU 111 monitors the status of the auxiliary battery 140 and, when auxiliary power supply control is needed to charge the auxiliary battery 140 using power from the high-voltage battery 120, instructs the power generation control ECU 112 to start (start command). Following the start command, the power supply control ECU 111 instructs the power generation control ECU 112 to execute power supply from the high-voltage battery 120 to the auxiliary battery 140 (power supply command). When a software update command is issued from the software distribution server 160, the power supply control ECU 111 instructs the power generation control ECU 112 to pause (temporarily stop) the auxiliary power supply control as needed (power supply stop command).

[0023] The power generation control ECU 112 is activated in response to a start command from the power supply control ECU 111. In response to a power supply command from the power supply control ECU 111, the power generation control ECU 112 instructs the DC-DC converter 130 to transfer a predetermined amount of power from the high-voltage battery 120 to the auxiliary battery 140 (power generation command). In response to a power supply stop command from the power supply control ECU 111, the power generation control ECU 112 instructs the DC-DC converter 130 to stop the power transfer from the high-voltage battery 120 to the auxiliary battery 140 (power generation stop command).

[0024] The software distribution server 160 is a server that stores update data for updating the software of electronic control units (ECUs) and other components installed in the vehicle. When a vehicle software update is required, the software distribution server 160 instructs the power supply control ECU 111 of the power management system 110 to perform an update (software update instruction) via OTA or the like. When an update is performed, the software distribution server 160 distributes the necessary update data to the vehicle (e.g., the power supply control ECU 111).

[0025] control

[0026] Next, we will refer to Figure 2 The control performed by the power management system 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of power control processing performed by the power management system 110. For example, when the vehicle is parked, the following steps are taken: Figure 2 The power control shown.

[0027] Step S201

[0028] The power management system 110 determines whether to issue an instruction for software update from the software distribution server 160 (first processing unit). When an instruction for software update is issued (yes in step S201), the process proceeds to step S202.

[0029] Step S202

[0030] The power management system 110 determines whether auxiliary power supply control is being executed to charge the auxiliary battery 140 with power from the high-voltage battery 120 (second processing unit). If auxiliary power supply control is being executed (yes in step S202), the process proceeds to step S203. If auxiliary power supply control is not being executed (no in step S202), the process proceeds to step S206.

[0031] Step S203

[0032] The power management system 110 suspends (temporarily stops) the auxiliary power supply control (third processing unit) that is currently being executed. Therefore, the power control used to charge the auxiliary battery 140 with power from the high-voltage battery 120 can be intentionally limited. When the auxiliary power supply control is suspended, the process proceeds to step S204.

[0033] Step S204

[0034] The power management system 110 determines whether a new instruction to withdraw the software update instruction has been issued from the software distribution server 160 (third processing unit). If the instruction to withdraw the software update instruction is withdrawn (yes in step S204), the process proceeds to step S207. If the instruction to withdraw the software update instruction is not withdrawn (no in step S204), the process proceeds to step S205.

[0035] Step S205

[0036] The power management system 110 performs a process for performing a software update in the electronic control unit (ECU) or similar device to be updated. When the software update is performed (from start to finish), the process proceeds to step S207.

[0037] Step S206

[0038] The power management system 110 performs a process for updating software in electronic control units (ECUs) and other components to be updated. Power control ends when the software update is completed (from start to finish).

[0039] Step S207

[0040] The power management system 110 resumes (operates) the auxiliary power supply control (third processing unit) that had been suspended (temporarily stopped). Therefore, restrictions on power control used to charge the auxiliary battery 140 with power from the high-voltage battery 120 can be intentionally terminated. Power control ends when the auxiliary power supply control is resumed.

[0041] Actions and effects

[0042] As described above, when an instruction for a software update is given while auxiliary power supply control is being performed to charge the auxiliary battery 140 with power from the high-voltage battery 120, the power management system 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure suspends auxiliary power supply control until the software update is completed.

[0043] This control method can suppress unexpected behaviors of the auxiliary power supply control (such as forced termination) when an instruction to update the software via OTA is given while the auxiliary power supply control is being executed.

[0044] Although embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described above, this disclosure can be considered not only as a power management system, but also as a method performed by a power management system, a program for the method, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing the program, and a vehicle including a power management system.

[0045] The power management system disclosed herein can be used in vehicles, etc., which include a power system comprising a high-voltage battery, a DC-DC converter, and an auxiliary battery.

Claims

1. A power management system for a vehicle, the power management system comprising: A first processing unit is configured to determine whether to issue an instruction for a software update of the vehicle. A second processing unit is configured to determine whether power control is being performed to charge an auxiliary battery installed on the vehicle. and A third processing unit is configured to restrict the charging of the auxiliary battery while the instruction for the software update is being given during the execution of the power control, until the software update is completed.

2. The power management system for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein: The second processing unit is configured to determine whether auxiliary power supply control is being performed as the power control to charge the auxiliary battery with power from the high-voltage battery installed on the vehicle; and The third processing unit is configured to pause the auxiliary power supply control when the instruction for the software update is given while the auxiliary power supply control is being executed, until the software update is completed.

3. The power management system for vehicles according to claim 2, wherein, The third processing unit is configured to resume the suspended auxiliary power supply control when the instruction for the software update is revoked.

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