Patent ID: 7869913
Filing Date: 2011-01-11
Classification: B60W,H02J,H02P,Y02T,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A vehicle-use power supply apparatus comprising an electric generator apparatus driven by a vehicle engine to generate electrical power, an electrical energy storage apparatus, and a control apparatus coupled to said electric generator apparatus for controlling said generated electrical power and for controlling supplying of said generated electrical power to said electrical energy storage apparatus and to a plurality of electrical loads, with said control apparatus comprising circuitry adapted to implement power cost reduction generation control by applying predetermined criteria to judge a generation cost of producing said generated electrical power, when said generation cost is judged to be economical and said generated electrical power is in excess of a level of electrical power required by said electrical loads, supplying said excess electrical power to said electrical energy storage apparatus to be stored therein, and when said generation cost is judged to be uneconomical, controlling said electric generator apparatus to produce a lower level of electrical power than required by said electrical loads and effecting discharging of said electrical energy storage apparatus to supply electrical power to said electrical loads; wherein said power supply apparatus comprises: said second electrical generator is configured to generate electrical power at a substantially higher voltage than electrical power that is generated by said first electrical generator, said circuitry of the control apparatus is adapted to control said power supply voltage of said regulated voltage power supply system to a fixed value and to apply said power cost reduction generation control to said voltage variation-tolerant power supply system, said generation cost is calculated as an amount of fuel consumed in generating a unit amount of electrical energy, said electrical power generated by said second electric generator is increased when it is judged that said generation cost has fallen below a predetermined threshold value and is reduced when it is judged that said generation cost has risen above said predetermined threshold value, and said circuitry of the control apparatus comprises a memory having a first data map held stored therein, with said first data map relating respective values of said generation cost to corresponding amounts of a total required engine torque that is required to be applied by said engine to said first electric generator and said second electric generator in combination, and wherein circuitry of the control apparatus is adapted to