Vehicle Inverter Control During Battery Reprogramming
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing program capacity during reprogramming in vehicles often results in longer reprogramming times, leading to insufficient electric power from batteries, which can cause reprogramming to be aborted, and may inadvertently supply power to the motor through the inverter, potentially causing it to malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system that includes a high-voltage and low-voltage battery system, a DC-DC converter, and a controller, where the controller adjusts the state of charge of the high-voltage battery to ensure sufficient power for reprogramming and limits the inverter's operation to prevent power supply to the motor during reprogramming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the inverter is operated during reprogramming to supply power to the motor, then the motor can function normally, but power may be inadvertently supplied to the motor through the inverter causing it to malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The controller proactively limits the inverter's operation before reprogramming begins to prevent the harmful effect of inadvertent power supply to the motor. By anticipating the potential malfunction risk during the reprogramming process, the system applies a preventive measure that blocks the inverter from operating, thereby eliminating the contradiction between maintaining motor functionality and preventing motor malfunction.
2Ease of operation
If the low-voltage battery is used for reprogramming, then the system is simple to operate, but the battery capacity is insufficient for large program updates
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply system is designed to universally support multiple power sources: the low-voltage battery can independently supply power for small reprogramming tasks, while the high-voltage battery can supply power for large program updates. The controller intelligently selects the appropriate power source based on the reprogramming requirements, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation with the simple low-voltage system and the sufficient power capacity of the high-voltage system.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the high-voltage battery supplies power during reprogramming, then sufficient power is available for large program updates, but the inverter may inadvertently supply power to the motor causing malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the inverter (supplying power to the motor) is extracted and separated from the power supply system during reprogramming operations. The controller specifically disables the inverter's motor supply function while allowing it to remain part of the overall system architecture, thereby enabling the high-voltage battery to supply sufficient power for reprogramming without the risk of inadvertent motor power supply.
4Reliability
If the inverter operation is limited during reprogramming, then motor malfunction is prevented, but the motor cannot be operated during reprogramming
Solution Approach 1:
The inverter's functions are segmented into separate control pathways: one pathway controls power supply to the motor, and another pathway controls power conversion for the reprogramming system. By selectively limiting only the motor supply pathway while maintaining the power conversion pathway, the system prevents motor malfunction during reprogramming while still allowing the vehicle to operate through alternative power supply routes.
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 solution ensures that reprogramming is not aborted due to power deficiencies and reduces the likelihood of motor malfunctions by managing battery power and inverter operation effectively.
Implementation Method 1
The DC-DC converter is capable of reducing in voltage output electric power of the high-voltage battery and supplying the electric power reduced in voltage to the low-voltage system circuit
Implementation Method 2
The inverter is configured to convert DC electric power supplied by the high-voltage battery into alternating current (AC) electric power and output the AC electric power to a motor
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle includes a high-voltage system circuit including a high-voltage battery and an inverter, a low-voltage system circuit including a low-voltage battery and an updater, a DC-DC converter coupled between the two circuits, and a controller. The inverter converts DC electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery into AC electric power and outputs the AC electric power to a motor. The low-voltage battery has a lower output voltage than the high-voltage battery. The updater updates a program of an update-target device by using electric power supplied from the low-voltage or high-voltage battery. The DC-DC converter reduces in voltage output electric power of the high-voltage battery and then supplies the electric power to the low-voltage system circuit. When the updater starts updating of the program by using the electric power reduced in voltage, the controller limits operation of the inverter in response to the start of the updating of the program.