System and method of active equalization between power supply systems sharing a rechargeable electrical power storage device, applicable to an automotive vehicle

1. A system of active equalization between power supply systems sharing a rechargeable electrical power storage device, applicable to an automotive vehicle, comprising the combination of:

at least a first ( 1 ) and a second ( 2 ) electrical system, including first ( 1 a ) and second ( 2 a ) electrical power sources, respectively, for feeding at least one electrical device ( 3 ) of said automotive vehicle,

at least one rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) shared by said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ),

detection means for detecting at least the current circulating between said first ( 1 ) and second ( 2 ) electrical systems, said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) and said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ), which is at least one in number, and said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) and said electrical device ( 3 ) which is at least one in number, and the voltage in said electrical power sources ( 1 a, 2 a ) of said first ( 1 ) and second ( 2 ) electrical systems and in said rechargeable storage device.

at least one switching assembly ( 5 , 6 ) associated to each of said first ( 1 ) and second ( 2 ) electrical systems, allowing the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) to electrically connect with either of said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ), or with both, or allowing said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) to connect with each other, and

an electronic system ( 7 ) associated to at least said detection means and to said switching assemblies ( 5 , 6 ), which are at least two in number, and which it controls,

wherein each of said switching assemblies ( 5 , 6 ) comprises a switching device of a first type ( 5 a , 6 a ), which is actuated by said electronic system ( 7 ) when only one transient electrical connection not exceeding a predetermined time period is required, and a switching device of a second type ( 5 b , 6 b ), which is actuated by said electronic system ( 7 ) when an electrical connection of a duration exceeding that of said predetermined time is required, the electronic system ( 7 ) being adapted for determining which elements of the system, namely the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ), first ( 1 ) or second ( 2 ) electrical system, need to be connected with each other and for how long;

further characterized in that said switching devices of said first ( 5 a , 6 a ) and second ( 5 b , 6 b ) types are connected in parallel, in that the switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) is one-way and is arranged such that it can conduct only from the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) but not towards it, and in that the switching device of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) is two-way.

2. A system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for detecting, due to said detection means, that at least one of the electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) is incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) it feeds, which is at least one in number, detecting that the voltage of said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) is higher than that of said electrical power source ( 1 a , 2 a ) of said detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ), and adapted for actuating at least one of the switching devices of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) after said detections to connect the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) with said detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ), which is at least one in number, for said predetermined time period.

3. A system according to claim 2 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for actuating at least one of the switching devices ( 5 b , 6 b ) of the second type to connect the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) with said detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ), which is at least one in number, when after said predetermined time period it detects that it is still incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds, which is at least one in number.

4. A system according to claim 3 , characterized in that the switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) is adapted to stop conducting when the switching device of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) conducts.

5. A system according to claim 4 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for sending a disabling signal to the switching device ( 5 a , 6 a ) of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) when it detects that the switching device of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) is conducting to prevent accidental actuations of the switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ).

6. A system according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for detecting, due to said detection means, that the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ), which is at least one in number, needs to be recharged, and for detecting and finding out which of the electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) is more capable of recharging it and accordingly choosing it, and adapted for actuating at least one of the switching devices of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) after said detections to connect said chosen electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) with the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ).

7. A system according to claim 6 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for sending a disabling signal to the switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) when it detects that the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) needs to be recharged and before actuating the switching device of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ).

8. A system according to claim 2 , characterized in that the switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) is adapted, when the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) is electrically connected through said switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) with said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected as incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds, to stop conducting when the intensity circulating therethrough tries to change the direction, and/or the voltage at its input decreases to a value equal to or lower than that of the voltage at its output.

9. A system according to claim 3 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted, when the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) is electrically connected through at least one of the switching devices of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ), with said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected as incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds, for deactivating said switching device of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) when it detects that the intensity circulating between the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) and the detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) changes the direction, the resultant being a current entering into the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ).

10. A system according to claim 8 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for sending a disabling signal to said switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) which has stopped conducting when, due to the fact that the voltage of the detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) has increased to above the voltage of the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) and has again decreased a determined number of times, this device has again started conducting and stopped conducting said determined number of times.

11. A system according to claim 8 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for sending a disabling signal to said switching device of the first type ( 5 a , 6 a ) which has stopped conducting immediately after the latter has stopped conducting.

12. A system according to claim 6 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for sending an alarm signal representative of an overload when it detects, due to the detection means, that the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) needs to be recharged, and that neither of the first ( 1 ) and second ( 2 ) electrical systems is capable of recharging it.

13. A system according to claim 6 , characterized in that the electronic system ( 7 ) is adapted for furthermore detecting that another one of the electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) is incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds, and that at least said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) chosen for recharging the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) is also capable of helping said other electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) feed its respective electrical device ( 3 ), and adapted for also actuating the switching device of the second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) associated to said other electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) after said detections to connect both electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) with each other and with the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ).

14. A method of active equalization between power supply systems sharing a rechargeable electrical power storage device, applicable to an automotive vehicle, said power supply systems including at least a first ( 1 ) and a second ( 2 ) electrical system, including first ( 1 a ) and second ( 2 a ) electrical power sources, respectively, to feed at least one electrical device ( 3 ) of said automotive vehicle, characterized in that it comprises:

a) detecting that at least one of said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ), which are at least two in number, is incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by at least one electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds,

b) detecting that said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) has a voltage higher than that of said electrical power source ( 1 a , 2 a ) of said detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ),

c) actuating a switching device of a first type( 5 a , 6 a ), to electrically connect said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) with said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected for a predetermined time period for helping the detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) feed said electrical device ( 3 ), and

d) actuating a switching device of a second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) to electrically connect said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) with said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected for a longer time period than said predetermined time period, if after said predetermined time period the detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) is still incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds, to continue helping the detected electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) feed said electrical device ( 3 ).

15. A method according to claim 14 , characterized in that it furthermore comprises:

e) detecting that the voltage in said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) has decreased to below that of the electrical power source ( 1 a , 2 a ), of said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected as incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds,

f) detecting that one of said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) is capable of recharging said rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ), and

g) actuating one of said switching devices ( 5 b , 6 b ) of a second type of said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected in f) to electrically connect it with the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) in a direction opposite to that of said steps c) and d), and recharge it.

16. A method according to claim 15 , characterized in that it furthermore comprises:

h) detecting that another one of said electrical systems ( 1 , 2 ) is incapable of providing by itself the voltage and/or intensity required by the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds,

i) detecting that said electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected in f) is capable of helping said other electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected in h) feed the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds, in addition to recharging the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ), and j) actuating, in addition to said switching device actuated in g), one of said switching devices of a second type ( 5 b , 6 b ) of said other electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) to electrically connect the electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected in f) with the rechargeable electrical power storage device ( 4 ) to recharge it, and with the electrical system ( 1 , 2 ) detected in h) for helping it feed the electrical device ( 3 ) which it feeds.