IP Library › Granted Patent US 12709182
Granted Patent B2
US 12709182 · App. 18/104,499 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

High-voltage vehicle system

Inventors: Tyler James-Ray Kaldobsky (Canton, MI); Jonathan Andrew Butcher (Farmington, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60L58/10B60L50/60B60R16/023B62D65/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12709182
App. No.
18/104,499
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle includes a high-voltage (HV) bus and a controller. The controller, during assembly of a control system including a plurality of HV devices to be installed in a predefined order such that one of the HV devices is installed before an other of the HV devices, and responsive to detecting presence of the other of the HV devices and absence of the one of the HV devices, disconnects a traction battery from the HV bus.

Claims (39)

1 . A vehicle comprising:

an in-vehicle communication network;

a high-voltage (HV) bus;

a traction battery;

a control system including a plurality of HV devices; and

a controller programmed to,

during installation of the control system, responsive to detecting presence of one of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus, and

during operation of the vehicle, responsive to detecting presence of the one of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, not disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

2 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to maintain an installation order of the control system such that the one of the HV devices is installed before an other of the HV devices, and responsive to detecting presence of the other of the HV devices and absence of the one of the HV devices, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

3 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein installation of the control system is divided into multiple stages in which the one of the HV devices is installed during a first of the stages and an other of the HV devices is installed during a second of the stages, and wherein the controller is further programmed to, responsive to detecting presence of the other of the HV devices during the first of the stages, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

4 . The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a secondary controller programmed to operate collectively with the controller to,

during installation of the control system, responsive to detecting a same presence of one of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting a same absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, collectively disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus with the controller.

5 . The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the secondary controller is further programmed to,

during installation of the control system, responsive to detecting presence of an other of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting absence of the other of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, individually disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus regardless of operation of the controller.

6 . The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the traction battery is selectively connected to the HV bus.

7 . A method for controlling a vehicle during an assembly process having multiple stages in which a first high-voltage (HV) device is installed during a first of the stages and a second HV device is installed during a second of the stages after the first of the stages, comprising:

responsive to detecting, via a controller, a traction battery has been installed, connecting via a contactor the traction battery to a high-voltage (HV) bus; and

responsive to detecting, via the controller, presence of the second HV device during the first of the stages, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

responsive to detecting, via the controller, presence of the first HV device via one of an in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, disconnecting the traction battery from the HV bus.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

responsive to detecting, via both the controller and a secondary controller, presence of the second HV device during the first of the stages, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

responsive to detecting, via the controller, presence of the second HV device and absence of the first HV device during the first of the stages, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

responsive to detecting, via both the controller and a secondary controller, presence of the second HV device and absence of the first HV device during the first of the stages, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

12 . A vehicle comprising:

a high-voltage (HV) bus; and

a controller programmed to, during assembly of a control system including a plurality of HV devices to be installed in a predefined order such that one of the HV devices is installed before an other of the HV devices, and responsive to detecting presence of the other of the HV devices and absence of the one of the HV devices, disconnect a traction battery from the HV bus.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising:

an in-vehicle communication network,

wherein the controller is further programmed to,

during assembly of a control system, responsive to detecting presence of the one of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further programmed to,

during operation of the vehicle, responsive to detecting presence of the one of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, not disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus.

15 . The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising:

a secondary controller programmed to operate collectively with the controller to,

during assembly of the control system, responsive to detecting a same presence of the one of the HV devices via one of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, and detecting a same absence of the one of the HV devices via the other of the in-vehicle communication network or the HV bus, collectively disconnect the traction battery from the HV bus with the controller.

16 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the traction battery is selectively connected to the HV bus.