POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM OF A MOTOR VEHICLE, MOTOR VEHICLE, AS WELL AS METHOD FOR OPERATING A POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

Abstract

A power supply system of a motor vehicle includes a first electric system having a first motor vehicle battery and a first consumer. A second electric system includes a second motor vehicle battery and a second consumer. An autonomous switch is configured to connect and separate the first electric system and the second electric system. The autonomous switch connects the first electric system and the second electric system to one another by closing the autonomous switch if a failure or impending failure of the energy supply of the first electric system or the second electric system is detected.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A power supply system of a motor vehicle comprising: a first electric system including a first battery coupled to a first electric power consumer; a second electric system including a second battery coupled to a second electric consumer; an autonomous switch configured to selectively connect and disconnect the first electric system and the second electric system, wherein the autonomous switch is configured to connect the first electric system and the second electric system to one another by closing the autonomous switch when a failure or impending failure of the energy supply of one of the first electric system or the second electric system is detected.

17. The power supply system according to claim 16, wherein the autonomous switch comprises an autonomous control.

18. The power supply system according to claim 16, wherein the second electric consumer safety comprises a safety-relevant electric consumer.

19. The power supply system according to claim 16, further comprising a generator provided in one of the first electric system or the second electric system and configured to charge the battery associated therewith.

20. The power supply system according to claim 16, further comprising a DC/DC converter connected to at least one of the first electric system and the second electric system.

21. The power supply system according to claim 16, wherein the autonomous switch comprises at least one voltage meter between the first electric system and the second electric system.

22. The power supply system according to claim 21, wherein the at least one voltage meter is configured to measuring a voltage drop rate.

23. The power supply system according to claim 16, wherein the autonomous switch comprises at least one voltage differential meter between the first electric system and the second electric system.

24. The power supply system according to claim 16, further comprising a motor vehicle control connected to the autonomous switch, wherein the motor vehicle control is configured to set the autonomous switch to an active state and to a passive state.

25. A motor vehicle with at least one power supply system according to claim 16.

26. The motor vehicle according to claim 25, wherein the motor vehicle is configured to shut off the engine while driving, and wherein a motor vehicle control is configured to set the autonomous switch to an active state when an engine shut-off is imminent.

27. The motor vehicle according to claim 25, further comprising a safety-relevant electric consumer of the motor vehicle supplied by the second electric system.

29. A method for operating a power supply system having a first electric system including a first battery coupled to a first electric power consumer, a second electric system including a second battery coupled to a second electric consumer, and an autonomous switch configured to selectively connect and disconnect the first electric system and the second electric system, the method comprising: detecting a failure or impending failure of the energy supply of at least one of the first electric system or the second electric system; and connecting the first electric system and the second electric system to one another by closing the autonomous switch when the failure is detected.

30. The method according to claim 28, further comprising detecting a failure or impending failure of the at least one of the first electric system or the second electric system based on a lower limiting voltage not being reached or an upper limiting voltage being exceeded.

31. The method according to claim 28, further comprising detecting a failure or impending failure of at least one of the first electric system or the second electric system based on a voltage drop rate.

32. The method according to claim 28, further comprising setting the autonomous switch to an active state by a motor vehicle control when an engine shut-off is imminent.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a power supply system with two electric systems;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a motor vehicle with a power supply system according to FIG. 1; and

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method for operating the power supply system according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a power supply system 2 of a motor vehicle that is not illustrated in FIG. 1. The power supply system 2 features a first electric system 4 and a second electric system 6. The first electric system 4 features a first motor vehicle battery 8, as well as a first consumer 10. In addition, a generator 12 is provided and driven by a motor vehicle engine that is not illustrated in FIG. 1. The generator 12 serves for charging the first motor vehicle battery 8, as well as for supplying the first consumer 10 with energy as long as the engine is running.

[0029] The second electric system 6 features a second motor vehicle battery 14, as well as at least one second safety-relevant consumer 16. The second safety-relevant consumer 16 is supplied with power by a second motor vehicle battery 14.

[0030] An autonomous switch 18 is provided between the first electric system 4 and the second electric system 6. The autonomous switch 18 features a housing 20, in which a switch 22 is provided, by which the first electric system 4 and the second electric system 6 can be coupled to one another. In addition, an autonomous control 24 is provided and designed for actuating the switch 22 and thereby couple or decouple the first electric system 4 and the second electric system 6 to/from one another.

[0031] The autonomous control 24 features two voltage meters 26, 28. The voltage meter 26 measures a voltage in the first electric circuit 4 and the voltage meter 28 measures a voltage in the second electric circuit 6. An impending failure of the energy supply in the first electric system 4 or in the second electric system 6 can be detected based on certain limiting voltages not being reached or exceeded or based on detecting a rapid voltage drop in the first electric system 4 or in the second electric system 6. In such instances, the autonomous control 24 can actuate the switch 22 sufficiently fast and couple the first electric system 4 and the second electric system 6 to one another by closing the switch 22.

[0032] A DC/DC converter 30 is additionally provided. The second motor vehicle battery 14 can be charged with the aid of the DC/DC converter 30.

[0033] The autonomous control 24 is connected to a motor vehicle control 32. Control commands can be transmitted to the autonomous switch 18 by the motor vehicle control 32. These control commands may cause the switch 22 to be closed, the switch 22 to be opened or the switch to be operated in an autonomous mode, wherein the autonomous switch 18 is operated in the autonomous mode as described above and can cause the automatic coupling of the first electric system 4 and the second electric system 6. The control commands of the motor vehicle control 32 may depend on the operating mode.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a motor vehicle 34 with the above-described power supply system 2 (framed with broken lines). The generator 12 is coupled to an engine 36 and driven thereby.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the method. Once the motor vehicle switches to the coasting mode (rolling motor vehicle with its engine is shut off), the autonomous switch 18 is set to an autonomous mode by the motor vehicle control 32. In the autonomous mode, the respective voltages in the first electric system 4 and the second electric system 6 are subsequently monitored. The switch 22 remains in the open position as long as both voltages do not show any abnormalities, i.e. as long as certain limiting voltages are respectively not exceeded or not reached and as long as certain voltage drop rates are not reached. However, if it is detected that the limiting voltages are exceeded or not reached or an excessively fast voltage drop in the first electric system 4 or in the second electric system 16 is detected, the autonomous control 24 closes the switch 22 and thereby connects the first electric system 4 to the second electric system 6. The coasting mode can be interrupted.

[0036] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.