Vehicle Power Supply Startup Control for Auxiliary Source Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

In power supply systems, there is a challenge in ensuring that the auxiliary power source is correctly controlled and supplied to the driving control device during start-up, particularly when communication between the EPS-ECU and the power source control ECU is unreliable immediately after start-up.

Innovation Solution

The power supply device includes a driving control device and an auxiliary control device that execute specific processes to manage the state of the start switch and control the supply of electricity from the auxiliary power source. The driving control device initializes the state of the start switch to an on state at start-up to prevent accidental permission signals, and the auxiliary control device receives permission signals and controls the supply of electricity accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the storage device is initialized at start-up to an off state, then the permission signal transmission is simplified, but the auxiliary power source may be accidentally shut down when it should be supplied

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol logic complexityVSAvoidauxiliary power source supply reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by initializing the start switch state to ON instead of OFF at start-up. This preliminary setting prevents the harmful effect of accidental permission signal transmission that would occur with conventional OFF initialization. By pre-setting the state to ON, the system proactively counteracts the potential error before it can occur, ensuring the auxiliary power source remains supplied during critical start-up communication delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-initializing the start switch state to ON before any permission signal transmission logic is executed. This preliminary configuration ensures that the system is in a safe state from the beginning, allowing the auxiliary power source to be supplied without risk of accidental shutdown during the communication establishment phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If communication results are added to power source control conditions, then the control accuracy is improved, but the system may fail to obtain correct communication results immediately after start-up

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower source control accuracyVSAvoidcommunication reliability at start-up

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by establishing a default ON state for the start switch before communication is fully established. This preliminary configuration ensures that power source control conditions are met with a safe default value, preventing control errors that would arise from attempting to read uninitialized or unreliable communication results during the critical start-up phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of manufacture

If the start switch state is not initialized to on state, then the system follows conventional initialization procedures, but permission signals may be accidentally transmitted shutting down the auxiliary power source

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinitialization procedure standardizationVSAvoidaccidental permission signal transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary anti-action by inverting the conventional initialization approach. Instead of initializing to OFF and relying on subsequent control logic to prevent errors, the system initializes to ON and uses this preliminary safe state to prevent the harmful effect of accidental permission signal transmission. This design choice prioritizes safety over conventional standardization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements inversion by reversing the conventional initialization logic. Rather than starting with an OFF state and adding conditions to enable power supply, the system starts with an ON state and uses this inverted approach to inherently prevent harmful permission signal transmission during start-up communication delays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS12240339B2Power supply device

Publication Date: 2025.03.04 JTEKT CORP

AI summary

A power supply device includes a driving control device and an auxiliary control device, the vehicle including a main power source, an auxiliary power source, and a supply path, the supply path being a path configured to be opened and closed according to a state of a start switch of the vehicle. The driving control device is a device that controls a state of equipment installed in the vehicle and the auxiliary control device is a device that controls a state of the auxiliary power source. The driving control device is configured to execute a storage process, a permission signal transmission process, and an initial value process, and the auxiliary control device is configured to execute a permission signal reception process and a stop process.