METHOD AND VOLTAGE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY FOR SUPPLYING ENERGY TO AT LEAST ONE ELECTRICAL VEHICLE MODULE

Abstract

A method and a voltage converter assembly for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module. The assembly includes at least one voltage converter that is designed to convert an input voltage, provided by at least one supply source, into at least one predefinable output voltage, which is applied to the at least one vehicle module, a voltage monitor that is designed to detect the input voltage, and an evaluation and control unit that is designed to carry out the method for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module. The supply source is loaded with a predefinable current level when the input voltage that is present exceeds a predefinable setpoint voltage value, the input voltage being converted into at least one output voltage if the input voltage remains above the predefinable setpoint voltage value despite the load on the supply source.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A method for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module, the method comprising: monitoring an input voltage that is provided by at least one supply source; and converting the input voltage into at least one output voltage which is applied to the at least one vehicle module; wherein the supply source is loaded with a predefinable current level when the applied input voltage exceeds a predefinable setpoint voltage value, the input voltage being converted into the at least one output voltage when the input voltage remains above the predefinable setpoint voltage value despite the load on the supply source.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the load on the supply source is switched off before the input voltage is converted into the at least one output voltage.

13. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the input voltage is not converted into the at least one output voltage when the input voltage drops below the predefinable setpoint voltage value due to the load on the supply source.

14. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the supply source is loaded with the predefinable current level for a predefinable time period.

15. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the load on the supply source is switched off when the input voltage drops below the predefinable setpoint voltage value.

16. A voltage converter assembly for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module, comprising: at least one voltage converter configured to convert an input voltage, provided by at least one supply source, into at least one predefinable output voltage, which is applied to the at least one vehicle module; a voltage monitor configured to detect the input voltage; and an evaluation and control unit configured to: monitor the input voltage that is provided by the at least one supply source, and convert, using the at least one voltage converter, the input voltage into the at least one predefinable output voltage which is applied to the at least one vehicle module; wherein the supply source is loaded with a predefinable current level if the applied input voltage exceeds a predefinable setpoint voltage value, the input voltage being converted into the at least one predefinable output voltage if the input voltage remains above the predefinable setpoint voltage value despite the load on the supply source.

17. The voltage converter assembly as recited in claim 16, wherein the evaluation and control unit is configured to activate the at least one voltage converter as a function of predefinable criteria, the voltage monitor being further configured to continuously compare the detected input voltage to a predefinable setpoint voltage value, and to output a comparison result to the evaluation and control unit, the evaluation and control unit being further configured to activate a switchable current sink that loads the at least one supply source with the predefinable current level if the input voltage is above the predefinable threshold value, the evaluation and control unit configured to activate the at least one voltage converter if the detected input voltage remains above the predefinable threshold value after the current sink is activated, or to not activate the at least one voltage converter if the input voltage drops below the predefinable setpoint voltage value due to the load on the supply source.

18. The voltage converter assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the setpoint voltage value of the voltage monitor is predefinable as a fixed or freely selectable threshold value.

19. The voltage converter assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the current level of the switchable current sink is predefinable as a fixed or freely selectable current value.

20. The voltage converter assembly as recited in claim 17, wherein the evaluation and control unit and the voltage monitor and the switchable current sink together form a monitoring device.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a voltage converter assembly according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows a schematic flow chart of one exemplary embodiment of a method according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] The illustrated exemplary embodiment of method 100 according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. As is shown in FIG. 2, the illustrated exemplary embodiment of a method 100 according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module includes a step S100 in which an input voltage UE that is provided by at least one supply source 5 is monitored. It is checked in a step S110 whether the applied input voltage UE exceeds a predefinable setpoint voltage value. If this is not the case, method 100 is continued with step S100. If input voltage UE exceeds the setpoint voltage value, supply source 5 is loaded with a predefinable current level in a step S120. It is checked in a step 130 whether input voltage UE remains above the predefinable setpoint voltage value despite the load on supply source 5. If this is not the case, method 100 is continued with a step S160 in which the load on supply source 5 is deactivated. The method is subsequently continued with step

[0024] S100. This means that input voltage UE is not converted into the at least one output voltage UA when input voltage UE drops below the predefinable setpoint voltage value due to the load on supply source 5. If input voltage UE remains above the setpoint voltage value despite the load on supply source 5, in a step

[0025] S150 input voltage UE is converted into at least one output voltage UA, which is applied to the at least one vehicle module.

[0026] In addition, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment the load on supply source 5 is switched off in a step, not illustrated, before input voltage UE is converted into the at least one output voltage UA in step S150. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, supply source 5 is loaded with the predefinable current level for a predefinable time period.

[0027] As is further shown in FIG. 1, the illustrated exemplary embodiment of voltage converter assembly 1 according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module includes at least one voltage converter 3 that is designed to convert input voltage UE, provided by the at least one supply source 5, into the at least one predefinable output voltage UA, which is applied to the at least one vehicle module (not illustrated), a voltage monitor 14 that is designed to detect input voltage UE, and an evaluation and control unit 12 that is designed to carry out method 100 according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module.

[0028] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of voltage converter assembly 1, evaluation and control unit 12 activates the at least one voltage converter 3 as a function of predefinable criteria, voltage monitor 14 continuously comparing detected input voltage UE to the predefinable setpoint voltage value, and outputting the comparison result to evaluation and control unit 12. Evaluation and control unit 12 activates a switchable current sink 16 that loads the at least one supply source 5 with the predefinable current level when input voltage UE is above the predefinable threshold value. Evaluation and control unit 12 activates the at least one voltage converter 3 when detected input voltage UE remains above the predefinable threshold value after current sink 16 is activated, or does not activate the at least one voltage converter when input voltage UE drops below the predefinable setpoint voltage value due to the load on supply source 5.

[0029] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of voltage converter assembly 1, the setpoint voltage value of voltage monitor 14 is predefined as a fixed threshold value. In one exemplary embodiment of voltage converter assembly 1 that is not illustrated, the setpoint voltage value is a freely selectable threshold value and may be predefined as a function of the specifications of the utilized supply source 5 and the at least one voltage converter 3.

[0030] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of voltage converter assembly 1, the current level of switchable current sink 16 is also predefined as a fixed current value. In one exemplary embodiment of voltage converter assembly 1 that is not illustrated, the current level is a freely selectable current value and may be predefined as a function of the specifications of the utilized supply source 5 and the at least one voltage converter 3.

[0031] As is further shown in FIG. 1, evaluation and control unit 12 and voltage monitor 14 and switchable current sink 16 are combined to form a monitoring device 10. This monitoring device 10 is preferably embodied as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC).

[0032] Method 100 according to the present invention for supplying energy to at least one electrical vehicle module may be implemented, for example, in software or hardware or in a mixed form made up of software and hardware, for example in evaluation and control unit 12.