Patent · US Expired

Fault detection in a motor vehicle charging system

US6194877A · kind A · utility

24Cited by
17References
20Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 2, 1999
Grant dateFeb 27, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 2, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R31/54
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A fault detection method is disclosed for a motor vehicle charging system including a generator and an electrical component coupled to receive electrical current from the generator. In one embodiment, the method comprises sensing a first voltage at an output of the generator and sensing a second voltage at the electrical component and, if the first voltage and the second voltage differ by more than a predetermined amount, reducing or suspending output of electrical current from the generator. One advantage of the method disclosed herein is in its ability to diagnose a fault in an electrical connection at the output of a motor vehicle generator, where the fault manifests itself as a high resistance connection.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.