Starter Battery Charging Control for Hybrid Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for charging the starter battery of a motor vehicle are inefficient, leading to long charging periods, customer dissatisfaction, and potential damage to the battery due to unsupervised charging, especially in plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles, where the starter battery may not be adequately charged, causing issues with electrical functionality and safety.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves controlling the charging of the starter battery after the traction battery has reached a defined charge state, periodically monitoring the starter battery's charge state, and resuming charging if it falls below a threshold, with defined termination conditions to limit the charging period and ensure electrical functionality, including using a voltage source to charge the starter battery until specific thresholds are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the starter battery is charged at the power grid until fully charged, then the battery charge state is improved, but the charging time becomes excessively long causing customer dissatisfaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by charging the starter battery only to a minimum required charge state rather than fully charging it. The charging process is terminated when the charge state reaches a predefined threshold that is sufficient for reliable vehicle operation, avoiding unnecessary extended charging time while maintaining adequate battery performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring the starter battery charge state and initiating charging only when the charge state falls below a threshold. This proactive monitoring and selective charging approach prevents complete battery depletion while avoiding unnecessary charging cycles, thereby reducing overall charging time while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If the starter battery is charged for a long period at the power grid, then the battery charge state is improved, but the battery may become damaged due to gas development and overheating
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the starter battery charge state and automatically terminating the charging process when a minimum charge threshold is reached. This feedback mechanism prevents overcharging, which would otherwise cause gas development, overheating, and battery damage, while ensuring the battery maintains sufficient charge for reliable operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by providing only the necessary charge to reach the minimum required charge state rather than continuing to charge beyond this point. This approach avoids the harmful effects of excessive charging such as gas generation and thermal runaway while maintaining adequate battery performance.
3Reliability
If the charging system remains active to charge the starter battery, then the battery charge state is improved, but the vehicle behavior becomes unusual and causes customer dissatisfaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by keeping the charging system active only long enough to reach the minimum required charge state for the starter battery. Once this threshold is achieved, the charging process is terminated, allowing the vehicle to return to normal operational behavior and avoiding the unusual extended charging behavior that causes customer dissatisfaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback control to monitor the starter battery charge state and automatically deactivate the charging system when the minimum charge threshold is reached. This feedback-based termination ensures the battery maintains adequate charge while restoring normal vehicle behavior, thereby improving both reliability and ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures the electrical functionality of the starter battery is maintained while minimizing the charging time, reducing customer dissatisfaction, and preventing battery damage by limiting unsupervised charging, thus synchronizing robustness with customer satisfaction.
Implementation Method 1
charging the traction battery, charging the starter battery to a second charge state after the traction battery charges to a first charge state
Data Source
AI summary
A method for charging the starter battery of a motor vehicle at a voltage source includes charging the starter battery after a traction battery of the vehicle has been charged up to a defined value. The starter battery is charged if a charge state of the starter battery is established that is below a defined threshold value. If the charge state of the starter battery is of such a low level, the starter battery is charged until one or more defined termination conditions are fulfilled. The termination conditions may include the total charging period since the low charge state of the starter battery has been established exceeds a defined threshold value and/or the total time period charging the traction battery and the starter battery at the voltage source exceeds a defined threshold.