Vehicle starting assist system
View Patent ↗An engine starting assist system. A battery is selectably coupled to an ultracapacitor with a contactor. In addition, a controller is configured to perform at least one of: monitor the condition of the battery, monitor the condition of the ultracapacitor, control the flow of energy between the battery and the ultracapacitor by selective actuation of the contactor, receive a start input control. The controller issues a start output control to a starter solenoid of the engine, such that energy stored in the ultracapacitor may be used to at least one of charge the battery and provide cranking current to a starter of the engine in conjunction with the battery.
1. An engine starting assist system, comprising:
a battery;
an ultracapacitor;
a contactor configured to selectably couple together the battery and the ultracapacitor; and
a controller configured to: monitor the condition of the battery; monitor the condition of the ultracapacitor; control the flow of energy between the battery and the ultracapacitor in a predetermined manner based upon the condition of the battery and the condition of the ultracapacitor, the flow of the energy being controlled by selective actuation of the contactor; receive a start input control signal; and issue a start output control signal,
the energy stored in the ultracapacitor being selectably used to charge the battery and provide cranking current to a starter of an engine in conjunction with the battery, and
the energy stored in the battery being selectably used to charge the ultracapacitor; provide cranking current to the starter in conjunction with the ultracapacitor; and act as a sole source of cranking current to the starter.
2. The engine starting assist system of claim 1 , further comprising a pre-charge switch connected in parallel with the contactor.
3. The engine starting assist system of claim 2 , wherein the pre-charge switch is duty-cycle controlled.
4. The engine starting assist system of claim 1 , further including a pre-charge switch comprising a selectably activated DC-DC converter connected in parallel with the contactor.
5. The engine starting assist system of claim 2 , wherein the pre-charge switch is configured to controllably charge the ultracapacitor using energy stored by the battery.
6. The engine starting assist system of claim 2 , wherein one of the pre-charge switch and the contactor is configured to charge the battery using energy stored by the ultracapacitor.
7. The engine starting assist system of claim 1 , further comprising a multiplexed vehicle control system configured to provide at least one of a controller activation control signal and an engine start control signal to the controller.
8. The engine starting assist system of claim 1 , further comprising a dead battery switch configured to provide a controller activation signal to the controller.
9. The engine starting assist system of claim 8 wherein the controller activation control signal is a selectively applied logic voltage.
10. The engine starting assist system of claim 8 wherein the controller activation control signal is a selectively applied logic ground connection.
11. The engine starting assist system of claim 1 , further comprising: a starter solenoid; and a start switch connected between the controller and the starter solenoid, the start switch being controlled by the controller to selectively actuate the starter solenoid, the starter solenoid operating a starter to start the engine.
12. The engine starting assist system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is one of a computer, microcontroller, central processing unit, programmable controller, and logic device, microprocessor, and ladder logic device.
13. An engine starting assist system, comprising:
a battery;
an ultracapacitor;
a controller;
a starter solenoid;
a contactor configured to selectably couple together the battery and the ultracapacitor;
a pre-charge switch connected in parallel with the contactor, the pre-charge switch being selectably activated by the controller; and
a start switch connected between the controller and the starter solenoid, the start switch being selectably activated by the controller;
the controller being configured to: monitor the condition of the battery; monitor the condition of the ultracapacitor; control the flow of energy between the battery and the ultracapacitor in a predetermined manner based upon the condition of the battery and the condition of the ultracapacitor, the flow of the energy being controlled by selective actuation of the contactor; receive a start input control signal; and issue a start output control signal,
the energy stored in the ultracapacitor being selectably used to charge the battery and provide cranking current to a starter of an engine in conjunction with the battery, and
the energy stored in the battery being selectably used to charge the ultracapacitor;
provide cranking current to the starter in conjunction with the ultracapacitor; and act as a sole source of cranking current to the starter.
14. The engine starting assist system of claim 13 wherein the pre-charge switch is duty-cycle controlled.
15. The engine starting assist system of claim 13 wherein the pre-charge switch is a selectably activated DC-DC converter.
16. The engine starting assist system of claim 13 wherein the pre-charge switch is configured to controllably charge the ultracapacitor using energy stored by the battery.
17. The engine starting assist system of claim 13 wherein one of the pre-charge switch and the contactor is configured to charge the battery using energy stored by the ultracapacitor.
18. The engine starting assist system of claim 13 , further comprising a multiplexed vehicle control system configured to provide at least one of a controller activation control signal and an engine start control signal to the controller.
19. The engine starting assist system of claim 13 , further comprising a dead battery switch configured to provide a controller activation signal to the controller.
20. A method for controlling the starting of an engine, comprising the steps of:
selectably connecting a battery to a starter of the engine;
providing an ultracapacitor;
charging at least one of the battery and the ultracapacitor; and
providing a controller configured to: monitor the condition of the battery; monitor the condition of the ultracapacitor; control the flow of energy between the battery and the ultracapacitor in a predetermined manner based upon the condition of the battery and the condition of the ultracapacitor, the flow of the energy being controlled by selective actuation of the contactor; receive a start input control signal; and issue a start output control signal,
the energy stored in the ultracapacitor being selectably used to charge the battery and provide cranking current to a starter of an engine in conjunction with the battery, and
the energy stored in the battery being selectably used to charge the ultracapacitor; provide cranking current to the starter in conjunction with the ultracapacitor; and act as a sole source of cranking current to the starter.