Granted Patent B2

US 12,496,913 · App. 17/845,621 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Inventor: Jung Hun Lee (Seoul, KR)

Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation

B60L15/2045B60L58/12B60L58/18B60L2240/28

Abstract

Claims (45)

1 . An apparatus for controlling a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a memory;

a network interface; and

a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to:

transfer information related to a state of the vehicle to a battery sensor configured to measure a state of charge of an auxiliary battery of the vehicle; and

control the battery sensor so that the battery sensor determines whether to transfer a request for auxiliary charge of the auxiliary battery, according to the information related to the state of the vehicle, and

wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an unnecessary request for auxiliary charge by the battery sensor when the battery sensor requests for the auxiliary charge in a state that the auxiliary charge is not able to be performed and prohibit transmission of a battery charge signal, and

block wake-up performed by the unnecessary request for the auxiliary charge to reduce power consumption of the auxiliary battery by performing the wake-up,

wherein the state that the auxiliary charge is not able to be performed includes a state in which a trunk of the vehicle is open, or a state in which a hood of the vehicle is open.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the information related to the state of the vehicle includes a state of the trunk of the vehicle, a state of the hood of the vehicle, and a state of remaining capacity in a state of charge of a main battery of the vehicle.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the battery sensor so that the battery sensor postpones transferring the request for the auxiliary charge when the trunk of the vehicle is open, the hood of the vehicle is open, or remaining capacity of a main battery of the vehicle is lower than a reference level which is a minimum level at which the auxiliary charge is possible.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the state of charge of the auxiliary battery of the vehicle is less than or equal to a minimum threshold value, whether the trunk of the vehicle is closed, whether the hood of the vehicle is closed, and whether a state of charge of a main battery of the vehicle is higher than or equal to a reference level which is a minimum threshold value at which the auxiliary charge is possible, and

wherein the reference level is 20%.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured:

to receive information related to a state of charge from an integrated central control unit (ICU); and

to control an integrated charging control unit (ICCU) to start the auxiliary charge of the auxiliary battery of the vehicle by controlling the ICCU using the information related to the state of charge.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to transfer the information related to the state of the vehicle to the battery sensor to block transfer of the request for the auxiliary charge to an ICU or the apparatus when the trunk of the vehicle is open, the hood of the vehicle is open, or a state of charge of a main battery of the vehicle is lower than a reference level.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein through current auxiliary charge control logic, the processor makes an entrance to the auxiliary charge when an ignition of the vehicle is turned off or when an entrance condition is satisfied after a check on a state of the auxiliary battery through wake-up every 24 hours after charging.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the entrance condition in the current auxiliary charge control logic includes a state in which all doors of the vehicle, the hood of the vehicle, the trunk of the vehicle, and a sunroof of the vehicle are closed and a state in which remaining capacity of a main battery of the vehicle is higher than or equal to a reference level which is a minimum value for the entrance to the auxiliary charge, and

wherein the reference level is 20%.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured:

to receive the request for the auxiliary charge from the battery sensor when the state of charge of the auxiliary battery is 80% or less and a re-entry flag is turned off; and

to receive the request for the auxiliary charge from the battery sensor when the state of charge of the auxiliary battery is 80% or less, the re-entry flag is turned on, and the auxiliary battery is discharged by 5% or more, compared to the state of charge of the auxiliary battery at an end time point of previous auxiliary charge.

10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to end the auxiliary charge when communication of the battery sensor is turned off, the state of charge of the auxiliary battery reaches 92%, or a maximum charging limit time set for each charging state section is reached.

11 . A method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising:

transferring, by a processor of a vehicle control apparatus, information related to a state of the vehicle to a battery sensor configured to measure a state of charge of an auxiliary battery of the vehicle;

controlling, by the processor, the battery sensor to determine whether to transfer a request for auxiliary charge of the auxiliary battery, according to the information related to the state of the vehicle;

determining, by the processor, an unnecessary request for the auxiliary charge by the battery sensor when the battery sensor requests for the auxiliary charge in a state that the auxiliary charge is not able to be performed; and

blocking, by the processor, wake-up performed by the unnecessary request for the auxiliary charge to reduce power consumption of the auxiliary battery by performing the wake-up and prohibiting transmission of a battery charge signal,

wherein the state that the auxiliary charge is not able to be performed includes a state in which a trunk of the vehicle is open, or a state in which a hood of the vehicle is open.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the information related to the state of the vehicle includes a state of the trunk of the vehicle, a state of the hood of the vehicle, and remaining capacity in a state of charge of a main battery of the vehicle.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to control the battery sensor so that the battery sensor postpones transferring the request for the auxiliary charge when the trunk of the vehicle is open, the hood of the vehicle is open, or remaining capacity of a main battery of the vehicle is lower than a reference level which is a minimum level at which the auxiliary charge is possible.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the state of charge of the auxiliary battery of the vehicle is less than or equal to a minimum threshold value, whether the trunk of the vehicle is closed, whether the hood of the vehicle is closed, and whether a state of charge of a main battery of the vehicle is higher than or equal to a reference level which is a minimum threshold value at which the auxiliary charge is possible.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured:

to receive information related to a state of charge from an integrated central control unit (ICU); and

to control an integrated charging control unit (ICCU) to start the auxiliary charge of the auxiliary battery of the vehicle by controlling the ICCU using the information related to the state of charge.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to transfer information related to the state of the vehicle to the battery sensor to block transfer of the request for the auxiliary charge to an ICU or the apparatus when the trunk of the vehicle is open, the hood of the vehicle is open, or remaining capacity of a main battery of the vehicle is lower than a reference level.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein through current auxiliary charge control logic, the processor makes an entrance to the auxiliary charge when an ignition of the vehicle is turned off or when an entrance condition is satisfied after a check on a state of the auxiliary battery through wake-up every 24 hours after charging.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the entrance condition in the current auxiliary charge control logic includes a state in which all doors of the vehicle, the hood of the vehicle, the trunk of the vehicle, and a sunroof of the vehicle are closed and a state in which a state of charge of a main battery of the vehicle is higher than or equal to a reference level which is a minimum value for the entrance to the auxiliary charge.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured:

to receive the request for the auxiliary charge from the battery sensor when the state of charge of the auxiliary battery is 80% or less and a re-entry flag is turned off; and

to receive the request for the auxiliary charge from the battery sensor when the state of charge of the auxiliary battery is 80% or less, the re-entry flag is turned on, and the auxiliary battery is discharged by 5% or more, compared to the state of charge of the auxiliary battery at an end time point of previous auxiliary charge.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to end the auxiliary charge when communication of the battery sensor is turned off, the state of charge of the auxiliary battery reaches 92%, or a maximum charging limit time set for each charging state section is reached.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (58)