Granted Patent B2

US 8,003,922 · App. 11/636,692 · Granted Aug 23, 2011

Abstract

Claims (55)

1. An intake air heating system for an internal combustion engine, the intake air heating system comprising:

an electric heater that heats the intake air;

a control circuit that is arranged in a current path between a supply voltage and the electric heater, wherein the control circuit includes a switch that selectively interrupts the current path based on a control signal and an over-temperature signal;

a solenoid module that is in series with the control circuit and the electric heater, wherein the solenoid module selectively interrupts the current path to the electric heater;

a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of h control circuit and generates a temperature signal based on the temperature of the control circuit; and

a temperature sensing circuit that generates the over-temperature signal based on a comparison of the temperature signal and a predetermined temperature.

2. The intake air heating system of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

3. The intake air heating system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined temperature is represented by a voltage that is generated by a voltage divider.

4. The intake air heating system of claim 1 wherein the switch includes at least one transistor and wherein the temperature sensor monitors a temperature of the at least one transistor.

5. The intake air heating system of claim 1 wherein the solenoid module comprises a spring-loaded pilot duty solenoid.

6. The intake air heating system of claim 5 wherein, after the solenoid module interrupts the current path to the electric heater, the solenoid module restores the current path to the electric heater upon being mechanically reset.

7. The intake air heating system of claim 1 further comprising a logic module that selectively controls the solenoid module to interrupt the current path to the electric heater.

8. The intake air heating system of claim 7 wherein the logic module is configured to connect a voltage source to the solenoid module in order to control the solenoid module to interrupt the current path to the electric heater.

9. The intake air heating system of claim 7 wherein the logic module selectively controls the solenoid module to interrupt the current path to the electric heater based on the control signal.

10. The intake air heating system of claim 9 wherein the logic module controls the solenoid module to interrupt the current path to the electric heater when the control signal instructs the control circuit to turn off the electric heater and a voltage measurement indicates that the electric heater is on.

11. The intake air heating system of claim 9 wherein the logic module controls the solenoid module to interrupt the current path to the electric heater when the control signal instructs the control circuit to turn off the electric heater and a current measurement indicates that the electric heater is on.

12. The intake air heating system of claim 1 wherein the solenoid module is in series between the control circuit and the electric heater.

13. The intake air heating system of claim 1 further comprising a logic module that controls the solenoid module, wherein the logic module controls the solenoid module to interrupt the current path when (i) the control signal instructs the control circuit to interrupt the current path but (ii) a measurement of the current path indicates that current is flowing in the current path.

14. The intake air heating system of claim 1 further comprising a short circuit module that generates a short circuit signal based on a comparison of a voltage across the electric heater and a reference voltage, wherein the control circuit interrupts the current path based on generation of the short circuit signal.

15. The intake air heating system of claim 14 further comprising a watchdog module that generates a timer fault signal when a length of time exceeds a predetermined time, wherein the length of time measures how long the control signal has instructed the electric heater to be on continuously, and wherein the control circuit interrupts the current path based on generation of the timer fault signal.

16. The intake air heating system of claim 15 further comprising a latch module that generates a disable signal in response to generation of either of the short circuit signal and the timer fault signal, wherein the control circuit interrupts the current path based on generation of the disable signal.

17. The intake air heating system of claim 16 wherein the latch module stops generating the disable signal when power to the latch is removed, and does not generate the disable signal again until one of the short circuit signal or the timer fault signal is generated.

18. A method of heating intake air for an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

selectively switching power to an electric heater, using a switching device, based on a control signal and an over-temperature signal, wherein the switching device is arranged in series between the electric heater and a source of the power;

using a solenoid module in series with the switching device and the electric heater to selectively interrupt current to the electric heater based on the control signal;

measurin atu e of the switchini device;

generating a temperature signal based on the temperature of the switching device; and

generating the over-temperature signal based on a commparison of the temperature signal and a predetermined temperature.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein generating the temperature signal includes varying a resistance based on the temperature of the switching device.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the predetermined temperature is represented by a second voltage.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the switching device is comprises a transistor.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the solenoid module comprises a spring-loaded pilot duty solenoid.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising, after interrupting the current to the electric heater, mechanically resetting the solenoid module to restore the current to the electric heater.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising selectively controlling the solenoid module to interrupt the current to the electric heater based on the control signal.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

making a voltage measurement; and

controlling the solenoid module to interrupt the current to the electric heater when the control signal instructs the switching device to turn off the electric heater and the voltage measurement indicates that the electric heater is on.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

making a current measurement; and

controlling the solenoid module to interrupt the current to the electric heater when the control signal instructs the switching device to turn off the electric heater and the current measurement indicates that the electric heater is on.

27. The method of claim 24 further comprising controlling the solenoid module to interrupt the current to the electric heater by connecting a voltage source to the solenoid module.

28. The method of claim 18 wherein the solenoid module is provided in series between the switching device and the electric heater.

29. The method of claim 18 further comprising controlling the solenoid module to interrupt the current to the electric heater when (i) the control signal instructs the power to be removed from the electric heater but (ii) a measurement indicates that current is still flowing to the electric heater.

30. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

generating a short circuit signal based on a comparison between a voltage across the electric heater and a reference voltage; and

using the switching device, disconnecting the power to the electric heater based on generation of the short circuit signal.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

generating a timer fault signal when a length of time exceeds a predetermined time, wherein the length of time measures how long the control signal has instructed the electric heater to be on continuously; and

using the switching device, disconnecting the power to the electric heater based on generation of the timer fault signal.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

generating a disable signal in response to generation of either of the short circuit signal and the timer fault signal; and

using the switching device, disconnecting the power to the electric heater based on generation of the disable signal.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

stopping generating the disable signal when the power is removed; and

waiting to generate the disable signal again until one of the short circuit signal or the timer fault signal is generated.

Assignments (9)