US 12,078,139 B2
Vehicle with electric power supply control
Akashi Yoshizawa, Tokyo (JP); Takashi Inoue, Tokyo (JP); Tetsuo Kobayashi, Tokyo (JP); and Shinya Kurasawa, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by SUBARU CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Nov. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/981,797.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-186543 (JP), filed on Nov. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0151787 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. F02N 11/00 (2006.01); B60R 16/033 (2006.01); F02N 11/08 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/34 (2006.01)
CPC F02N 11/0866 (2013.01) [B60R 16/033 (2013.01); F02N 11/087 (2013.01); H02J 7/0013 (2013.01); H02J 7/342 (2020.01); F02N 2011/0874 (2013.01); H02J 2207/20 (2020.01)] 2 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle comprising:
an engine;
a starter motor configured to start the engine;
an integrated starter generator (ISG) provided independently of the starter motor and configured to restart the engine during an idling stop of the vehicle;
a first battery;
a second battery provided independently of the first battery;
a first power system coupled to the ISG and the first battery;
a second power system provided independently of the first power system and coupled to the starter motor, the second battery and an accessory;
a switching relay configured to be switchable to an on state in which the first power system is coupled to the second power system via the switching relay, and to an off state in which the first power system is not coupled to the second power system; and
a relay controller configured to:
receive a supply of electric power from both the first and second battery via the first power system and the second power system; and
control a switching of the coupling state of the switching relay between the on state and the off state,
wherein the relay controller is further configured to:
determine whether a first voltage of the first battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, the first voltage being detected by a first battery sensor provided with the first battery;
determine whether a second voltage of the second battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold, the second voltage being detected by a second battery sensor provided with the second battery;
in response to determining that i) the first voltage is not equal to or greater than the predetermined first threshold and ii) the second voltage is equal to or greater than the predetermined second threshold, control the switching of the coupling state of the switching relay to the off state;
in response to determining that i) the first voltage is equal to or greater than the predetermined first threshold and ii) the second voltage is not equal to or greater than the predetermined second threshold, control the switching of the coupling state of the switching relay to the on state;
in response to determining that i) the first voltage is equal to or greater than the predetermined first threshold and ii) the second voltage is equal to or greater than the predetermined second threshold, determine whether the second voltage is greater than the first voltage;
in response to determining that the second voltage is greater than the first voltage, control the switching of the coupling state of the switching relay to the off state; and
in response to determining that the second voltage is not greater than the first voltage, control the switching of the coupling state of the switching relay to the on state,
wherein the ISG is further configured to restart the engine by using an electric power supplied from the first battery via the first power system.