Patent · US Active

Method for operating a heating element in a motor vehicle by pulse width modulation

US8269145B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
0References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 14, 2010
Grant dateSep 18, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 20, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02D2200/503
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for operating a heating element in a motor vehicle by pulse width modulation, wherein fluctuations in the supply voltage are compensated for by adapting the duty cycle so as to achieve a desired heating output. According to the invention, during a voltage pulse the voltage that is present at the heating element and/or the current flowing through the heating element are measured at specified intervals, and the measured values or values determined therefrom are added to calculate a sum value, which rises with the energy that is fed into the heating element by the voltage pulse, and the voltage pulse is ended at the latest when the sum value has reached a target value. The invention furthermore relates to a glow plug controller for carrying out the method according to the invention.

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