EP1364438A1

EP1364438A1 - Alternator for a motor vehicle with energising information output

Info

Publication number: EP1364438A1
Application number: EP02706914A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean-Marie Pierret
Original assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur SAS
Current assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur SAS
Priority date: 2001-03-02
Filing date: 2002-03-01
Publication date: 2003-11-26
Also published as: US20030128014A1; FR2821699A1; JP4037270B2; FR2821699B1; KR100809230B1; US6798176B2; KR20030020275A; JP2004519982A; WO2002071570A1; MXPA02010780A

Abstract

An alternator for a motor vehicle comprises an energising regulation circuit, itself comprising a breaker (Tex), controlled in series with the energising coil, a free-wheeling component (DL), connected to the coil terminals and a circuit (10, 20, 30), for providing information (Is1; Is2) on the state of energisation (Iexc) of the alternator. According to the invention, said circuit comprises: - a means (10), for generating a first signal (U1) whilst the breaker is in the closed state, proportional to the current (Iex) flowing across the same and a means (20), for generating a second signal (U2), which generates the second signal from the first signal whilst the breaker is closed and, whilst the breaker is open, generates the second signal by memorising (CD) the first signal which existed before said breaker was switched off.

Description

MOTOR VEHICLE ALTERNATOR WITH EXCITATION INFORMATION OUTPUT

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to alternators or alternator-starters of motor vehicles, and more particularly to a device intended to produce a signal representative of the excitation current flowing in the rotor of such a rotating machine.

STATE OF THE ART

It is now conventional to equip a heat engine of a motor vehicle with an electronic engine control device intended to continuously adjust the power supply thereof as a function of different measured conditions, and / or to an electronic device for management of the switching on and off of the electric loads of the vehicle intended to maintain the load of the alternator below a maximum level.

One of these conditions is the degree of excitation of the alternator or alternator-starter of the vehicle, which itself is representative of the braking torque applied by the alternator or alternator-starter to the heat engine. In this way, when such a measurement reflects a large resistive torque liable to cause the engine to stall, the engine control device enriches the engine supply mixture to avoid maintaining a sufficient idling speed and to avoid the aforementioned stalling. Alternatively, electrical consumers on the network vehicle can be temporarily disconnected.

Conventionally, the degree of excitation of the alternator is given by the shape of the excitation control signal (typically a signal with pulse width modulation PM) applied to the power semiconductor which determines, in association with a freewheeling diode, the current in the excitation winding. There are thus solutions for supplying this signal, either directly, or in the form of an analog or digital value representative thereof, to the motor control device. There are known in particular output signals conventionally called "FR" for "Field Response" or "DF" for "Digital Field" intended for the engine control device. Document FR-A-2 695 269 in the name of the Applicant describes in particular a device making it possible to generate a “FR” signal.

However, all the known devices which generate a signal based on the excitation control signal are dependent on the inherent variations of the effective excitation current as a function of the temperature. More specifically, it appears that the ohmic resistance of the excitation winding varies very significantly as a function of the temperature, and this is how we typically note a variation of this resistance of approximately 70% when the temperature of the winding goes from 25 ° C (cold operation) to 200 ° C (order of magnitude of hot operation).

This variation in resistance strongly modifies the actual excitation current lexc for a given excitation control signal. In the same spirit, the same current, depending on whether you are at low temperature or high temperature, may correspond to very different gaits of the excitation control signal and therefore of the corresponding signal FR or DF.

One could certainly obtain an image of the effective current in the excitation winding by using a shunt in series with the winding and by measuring the voltage across the terminals of this shunt. This would however pose significant problems on the one hand of representativeness of the measurement, the ohmic value of the shunt varying significantly with temperature, and on the other hand of heat dissipation, notably preventing the shunt from being produced in a monolithic manner.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is, by means of means capable of being monolithically integrated, in particular with an excitation regulator, to generate in a reliable and stable manner as a function of temperature, a signal representative of the current actually flowing in the excitation winding of an alternator.

To this end, the present invention proposes, according to a first aspect, an alternator for a motor vehicle, comprising a regulating circuit for the current flowing in an excitation winding of said alternator, said regulating circuit comprising a switch controlled in passing mode or in blocked mode in series. with the excitation winding, and a freewheel component with unidirectional conduction connected to the terminals of the excitation winding, and a circuit for delivering on an output information representative of the excitation state of the alternator, characterized in what said circuit for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator comprises: means for generating, while the controlled switch is in the on state, a first signal proportional to the current flowing in said controlled switch; and

a means for generating a second signal, this means being capable, while the controlled switch is in the on state, of generating the second signal from the first signal and, while the controlled switch is in the state blocked, to generate the second signal by memorizing the first existing signal before blocking said controlled switch. the current measurement circuit comprises means for maintaining the three terminals (source, drain and gate of the excitation and measurement transistors at respectively identical potentials.

It will be noted here that the term “alternator” is understood in the above, not only the alternators as such, but also the alternators capable of operating as an engine, such as alternator-starters.

Preferred, but not limiting, aspects of the alternator according to the invention are as follows: * the means for generating the first signal comprises a current mirror circuit comprising a first semiconductor switch constituting said controlled switch and a second semiconductor switch. * the first and second semiconductor switches include first and second transistors made from identical elementary cells. * the second transistor includes a number of elementary cells equal to a small fraction of the number of elementary cells of the first transistor.

* the means for generating the first signal further comprises means for converting the current flowing through the second semiconductor switch into a voltage, said voltage constituting the first signal.

* the means for generating the second signal comprises means capable of generating digital information representative of the first signal while the controlled switch is in the on state, and means for selectively memorizing said digital value from the moment when the controlled switch becomes blocked. * the means for selective storage of the digital value comprises an up / down circuit receiving on an input a blocking signal established from the zero crossing of the current in the controlled switch. * the means for generating the second signal further comprises a comparator receiving on a first input the first signal and on a second input an analog signal obtained by conversion of said digital information and whose output drives an input of said counter / down counter circuit intended for determine the direction of up / down counting.

* the alternator also includes:

a means for generating on an output terminal a third signal resulting from said second and constituting said information representative of the excitation state of the alternator. * the means for generating the third signal comprises means for converting the second signal into an output current.

* the means for generating the third signal also comprises means for converting the output current into a reverse output current, and a selector capable of selectively activating the output current conversion means.

* the output current conversion means comprises a current mirror circuit.

* the circuit for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator is produced in a monolithic manner.

* said circuit for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator is produced monolithically with the regulator circuit.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a regulator circuit intended to control the current flowing in an excitation winding of an alternator, said regulator circuit comprising a switch controlled in on or off mode intended to be connected in series with the excitation winding, and a freewheel component with unidirectional conduction intended to be connected to the terminals of the excitation winding, and a circuit for delivering on an output information representative of the excitation state of the alternator, characterized in that said circuit for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator comprises: means for generating, while the controlled switch is in the on state, a first signal proportional to the current flowing in said controlled switch; a means for generating a second signal, this means being capable, while the controlled switch is in the on state, of generating the second signal from the first signal and, while the controlled switch is in the state blocked, to generate the second signal by memorizing the first existing signal before blocking said controlled switch.

Finally, the invention proposes, according to a third aspect, a circuit intended to deliver on an output information representative of the excitation state of an alternator, said circuit being intended to cooperate with a regulator circuit itself intended to control the current. circulating in an excitation winding of said alternator and comprising a switch controlled in passing mode or in blocked mode in series with the excitation winding, and a freewheel component with unidirectional conduction connected to the terminals of the excitation winding, characterized in what it includes: means for generating, by coupling with the controlled switch and while the latter is in the on state, a first signal proportional to the current flowing in the controlled switch;

a means for generating a second signal, this means being sensitive to the on or blocked state of the controlled switch and being able, while the controlled switch is in the on state, to generate the second signal from the first signal and, while the controlled switch is in the blocked state, at generate the second signal by memorizing the first existing signal before blocking of said controlled switch.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows the diagram of a circuit according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 illustrates the shape of an excitation control signal, of an excitation current, of a current passing through a excitation control switch as well as two voltages intervening in the circuit of figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF A PARTICULAR EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a circuit which comprises in its left part in the figure, conventionally per se, a winding FD constituting the excitation winding or rotor winding of a vehicle alternator or alternator-starter automotive, a power transistor Tex, preferably in MOS technology, connected in series with the winding FD between the output voltage Ualt of the alternator (corresponding to the battery voltage) and earth. A freewheeling diode is mounted in anti-parallel with the FD winding. The current which circulates in the transistor Tex is noted Iex, while the current which circulates effectively in the winding FD is noted lexc. These two currents are illustrated respectively in solid lines and in dashed lines in FIG. 2.

Also conventionally, the gate of the transistor Tex receives an excitation control signal.

Cex, consisting of a pulse width modulation signal, the shape of which is also illustrated in FIG. 2.

It can be seen in FIG. 2 that by the smoothing effect of the inductance of the winding FD, the current lexc presence of a very weak alternating component. The current Iex is chopped up by the transistor Tex, and it is only at the moments when Tex is closed that the currents Iex and lexc are superimposed.

The device according to the invention comprises three main parts, namely a circuit 10 for measuring current in the Tex transistor, a circuit 20 for memorizing the measured value, and an output circuit 30 capable of delivering signals representative of the level of the excitation current lexc.

The circuit 10 firstly comprises a transistor Tm mounted as a current mirror with the transistor Tex. This transistor TM has its source connected to the voltage Ualt and its gate connected to the gate of Tex.

The transistor Tm is therefore capable of copying into a current Im, with a predetermined fixed attenuation coefficient, the current Iex flowing between the source and the drain of Tex. For example, this coefficient is

1/1000. Advantageously, to ensure good proportionality between the currents Iex and Im, the transistor Tm is produced with the same basic cells as the power transistor Tex. In the example chosen here, it suffices to use to make Tm a number of elementary cells equal to the thousandth of the number of elementary cells of the transistor Tex.

The proportional copying of the current Tex in Tm implies that the three terminals of each transistor are respectively at the same potentials. We have seen above that the sources and the grids of the transistors are connected together. With regard to the drain potentials, it can be seen in FIG. 1 that the drains are connected together via the inverting and non-inverting inputs of an operational amplifier A1, which has the inherent property of maintaining its two inputs at the same potential. The proportional feedback condition is therefore fulfilled.

The drain of Tm is further connected to the emitter of a bipolar PNP transistor Tl, the base of which is driven by the output of Al. The measurement circuit 10 further comprises a resistor RI connected between the collector of Tl and the ground, and a resistor R2 and a Zener diode clipper DZ1 both mounted in series between the Tex drain and the ground. The collector of T1 is also connected to the non-inverting input of an operational amplifier A2, which by definition draws no current.

The current II on the collector of Tl is therefore equal to the current Im, except for the base current of Tl which will be neglected here. This current produces at the terminals of RI a voltage Ul equal to Rlxll, and it is understood that this voltage Ul is in the form of a signal of the same waveform and of level proportional to the current Iex in Tex. The resistor R2 and the clipping diode DZl (the reverse voltage of which is preferably chosen to be 5 volts) generate on their common terminal a logic signal EN representative of the open or closed state of the transistor Tex. Thus, if Tex is closed, a current flows in R2 and DZl and the signal EN is at logic level "1"; if, on the contrary, Tex is open, a reverse current flows in SZ1 and R2 and the logic signal EN is located at a low level below zero volts of the ground, level corresponding to the junction voltage of DZl, typically -0, 8 volts, which constitutes a logic level "0".

The storage circuit 20 firstly comprises a CD up / down counter circuit whose parallel outputs (for example on eight bits) are connected to the parallel inputs of a digital / analog converter DAC. The circuit 20 also includes an input for a clock signal CK (or alternatively an internal clock) which clock the up and down counting carried out by the DC circuit. The operational amplifier A2, mounted as a comparator, receives on its non-inverting input as we said the voltage Ul, and on its inverting input the voltage U2 e output of the DAC converter. The purpose of the comparator A2 is to generate a logic signal Up / Dn of up / down counting direction applied to the corresponding input of the up / down counter CD. The operation of this storage circuit 20 is as follows:

- if Tex is open, the EN signal is at logic level "0" so that the CD up / down counter is frozen; the voltage U2 therefore remains at a constant value;

- if Tex is now closed, the EN signal is at logic level "1" to activate up / down counting in CD; there are two possibilities:

* if U2 <Ul, the output of A2 is at logic level "1", which corresponds to a count in the CD circuit; the value of U2 therefore increases to approach Ul;

* if on the contrary U2> Ul, the output of A2 is at logic level "0", which causes a countdown in the CD circuit: the value of U2 therefore decreases to approach Ul.

Thus it is understood that, as soon as Tex is closed, the CNA circuit delivers a voltage U2 which by feedback is maintained on a value which is closest to Ul. But as soon as Tex becomes open, the counter / down counter CD is stopped , so that U2 keeps as long as Tex is open the last value acquired before the opening of Tex.

The shape of the evolution of the voltage U2 (in solid lines) is illustrated in FIG. 2. It can therefore be observed that by setting the peak value of Ul (illustrated in dashed lines), the voltage U2 is substantially proportional at the current lexc actually flowing in the winding FD. It will be observed here that the voltage U2 can be directly used as an output of the circuit of the invention. However, in the case of an environment exposed to electromagnetic disturbances, such a signal can be distorted by such disturbances, or by an unexpected shift in ground potential, which can occur in vehicles. In addition, the ohmic value of the resistance RI can vary quite strongly, in particular if it is carried out in monolithic technology.

The device of the invention therefore advantageously comprises an output circuit 30. This circuit comprises a current generator built around an operational amplifier A3, an NPN bipolar transistor T2 and a resistor R3. The amplifier A3 receives on its non-inverting input the voltage U2 produced by the storage circuit 20, and its inverting input is connected to the transmitter of T2. The exit from A3 is linked to the base of T2. Resistor R3 is mounted between the T2 transmitter and ground.

Circuit 30 also includes a Corn selector and a current mirror circuit built around MOS transistors T3 and T4, a PNP bipolar transistor T5, resistors R4 and R5 and a bipolar diode D1. More specifically, the movable contact of the selector Com is connected to the collector of T2, while one of its fixed contacts is connected to the cathode of Dl as well as to the base of T5. The anode of Dl is connected to the gate and to the drain of T3, the source of which is connected to the voltage Ualt via the resistor R4. On the other side of the current mirror, the transistor T5 has its source connected to the voltage Ualt via the resistor R5, its gate connected to the gate of T4 and its drain connected to the emitter of T5. The other fixed contact of the selector Com is connected to the collector of T5 as well as to an output terminal Sim of the device. The operation of the output circuit 30 is as follows. Firstly, the current generator circuit A3, T2, R3 generates at the collector of T2 a current Isl which is proportional to the voltage U2. Furthermore, if an ohmic value equal to that of RI is chosen for R3, then the current Isl is substantially equal to the current Im during the phases where Tex is closed.

When the circuit Com has its movable contact in the position illustrated in solid lines, the current mirror T3, T4, T5, Dl, R4, R5 is active to produce at the level of the collector of T5, and therefore on the output terminal Sim , an outgoing current Is2 which is proportional to or equal to Isl.

It will be noted here that the junction voltage of the diode Dl situated on the side of T3 makes it possible to ensure identical polarization at the level of T3 and T4, since T4 has on its side to undergo the emitter / base junction voltage T5.

It will also be noted that the resistors R4 and R5 are balancing resistors making it possible to maintain good proportionality or equality between the currents Isl and Is2.

Conversely, in the case where the selector Com occupies the position indicated in dotted lines, it is the current Is2 which is applied directly as the incoming current to the output terminal Sim.

Thus the Com selector allows, by offering an “outgoing current” output mode and an output mode

"Incoming current" means greater flexibility in interfacing the device of the invention with an existing motor control device. The above device has, as will be seen, good properties in terms of thermal compensation. In particular, the current Isl or Is2 generated at the output has excellent proportionality (or equality) with the current II itself proportional to the current in the transistor Tex.

More precisely, we understand that during the phases where Tex is passing, we have by construction:

Ul = U2 = U3 We also have:

Ul = RI. He is

U3 = R3.Isl If the ratio R1 / R3 is constant, then the proportionality between II and 13 is guaranteed.

Furthermore, if we choose RI = R3, then we have:

Isl = It

As regards now the proportionality between Im (substantially equal to II) and Iex, it is guaranteed when the transistors Tex and Tm are polarized in the same way and produced with the same elementary cells on a common semiconductor substrate.

Finally, the proportionality or equality between the values of Isl and Is2 is guaranteed by the use of transistors T3 and T4 polarized identically and with proportional or identical resistors, respectively.

As indicated, the device described above is advantageously produced in the form of a monolithic circuit, and preferably on the same semiconductor chip as the excitation regulator circuit (comprising in particular the Tex transistor and the diode DL) of the alternator or alternator-starter. In this case, the transistors advantageously performing the role of current mirrors (namely Tex and Tm on the one hand, and T3 and T4 on the other hand) from the same elementary cells. In addition, resistors Ri and R3 are advantageously produced on the one hand, and R4 and R5 on the other hand, so that they are exposed to the same thermal conditions.

As described, the circuit of FIG. 1 is capable of transmitting a signal representative of the excitation current to the motor control device in the form of a current. In this case, the motor control device has an analog / digital conversion device capable of deriving from this current a digital value usable in the processing that it performs.

As a variant, the circuit of FIG. 1 can incorporate, downstream of the terminal Sim, such an analog / digital conversion circuit, the information being in this case transmitted to the engine control device in digital form, for example according to formats or standard digital protocols such as "synchronous bit" or "LIN".

Claims

1. An alternator for a motor vehicle, comprising an excitation winding (FD), a circuit regulating the current flowing in the excitation winding (FD) of the alternator, said regulating circuit comprising a switch (Tex) controlled in passing mode or in blocked mode in series with the excitation winding, and a freewheel component with unidirectional conduction (DL) connected to the terminals of the excitation winding, and a circuit (10, 20, 30) for delivering to an output ( Sim) information (Isl; Is2) representative of the excitation state (lexc) of the alternator, characterized in that said circuit for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator comprises: a means (10) for generating, while the controlled switch is in the on state, a first signal (Ul) proportional to the current (Iex) flowing in said controlled switch; and

a means (20) for generating a second signal (U2), this means being capable, while the controlled switch is in the on state, of generating the second signal (U2) from the first signal (Ul) and , while the controlled switch is in the blocked state, generating the second signal (U2) by storage (CD) of the first signal (Ul) existing before the blocking of said controlled switch.

2. Alternator according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (10) for generating the first signal comprises a current mirror circuit (Tex, Tm) comprising a first semiconductor switch (Tex) constituting said controlled switch and a second semiconductor switch (TM).

3. An alternator according to claim 2, characterized in that the first and second semiconductor switches include first and second transistors (Tex, Tm) made from identical elementary cells.

4. Alternator according to claim 3, characterized in that the second transistor (Tm) comprises a number of elementary cells equal to a small fraction of the number of elementary cells of the first transistor (Tex).

5. Alternator according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (10) for generating the first signal further comprises means (RI) for converting into a voltage the current (Im) passing through the second semiconductor switch, said voltage constituting the first signal (Ul).

6. Alternator according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (20) for generating the second signal comprises means (A2, CD) capable of generating digital information representative of the first signal while the controlled switch (Tex) is in the on state, and means (R2, DZl, CD) for selectively storing said digital value from the moment when the controlled switch (Tex) becomes blocked.

7. Alternator according to claim 6, characterized in that the means for selective storage of the digital value comprises an up / down circuit (CD) receiving on an input a blocking signal (EN) established from the zero crossing of the current in the controlled switch (Tex).

8. Alternator according to claim 6, characterized in that the means for generating the second signal further comprises a comparator (A2) receiving on a first input the first signal (Ul) and on a second input an analog signal (U2) obtained by conversion (DAC) of said digital information and the output of which (Up / Dn) attacks an input of said up / down counter circuit (CD) intended to determine the direction of up / down counting.

9. An alternator according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises:

- Means (30) for generating on an output terminal (Sim) a third signal (Isl; Is2) resulting from said second signal (U2) and constituting said information representative of the excitation state of the alternator.

10. Alternator according to claim 9, characterized in that the means (30) for generating the third signal comprises means (A3, T2, R3) for converting the second signal (U2) into an output current (Isl).

11. An alternator according to claim 10, characterized in that the means (30) for generating the third signal also comprises means (T3, T4, T5, Dl, R3, R4) for converting the output current into an output current inverse (Is2), and a selector (Com) capable of selectively activating the output current conversion means (IS1 or IS2).

12. An alternator according to claim 11, characterized in that the means (T3, T4, T5, Dl, R3, R4) for converting the output current comprises a current mirror circuit.

13. An alternator according to claim 1, characterized in that the circuit (10, 20, 30) for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator is produced in a monolithic manner.

14. Alternator according to claim 13, characterized in that said circuit (10, 20, 30) for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator is produced in a monolithic manner with the regulator circuit (Tex, DL ).

15. An alternator according to claim 2 characterized in that the current measurement circuit (10) comprises means (Al, Tl) for maintaining the three terminals of the excitation (Tex) and measurement (TM) transistors at potentials respectively identical.

16. Regulator circuit, comprising an excitation circuit (FD), intended to control the current flowing in the excitation winding (FD) of an alternator, said regulator circuit comprising a switch (Tex) controlled in on or off mode blocked mode intended to be connected in series with the excitation winding, and a freewheel component with unidirectional conduction (DL) intended to be connected to the terminals of the excitation winding, and a circuit (10, 20, 30) for deliver on an output (Sim) information (Isl; Is2) representative of the excitation state (lexc) of the alternator, characterized in that said circuit (10, 20, 30) for delivering information representative of the excitation state of the alternator comprises: - means (10) for generating, while the controlled switch (Tex) is in the on state, a first signal (Ul) proportional to the current (Iex) flowing in said controlled switch;

a means (20) for generating a second signal (U2), this means being able, while the controlled switch (Tex) is in the on state, to generate the second signal (U2) from the first signal ( Ul) and, while the controlled switch is in the blocked state, generating the second signal (U2) by storage (CD) of the first existing signal (Ul) before blocking of said controlled switch (Tex).

17. Monolithic circuit, comprising an output, intended to deliver on the output information representative of the excitation state (Iex) of an alternator, said circuit being intended to cooperate with a regulator circuit (Tex, DL) itself even intended for control the current (lexc) flowing in an excitation winding of said alternator and comprising a switch (Tex) controlled in passing mode or in blocked mode in series with the excitation winding, and a freewheel component with unidirectional conduction (DL ) connected to the terminals of the excitation winding, characterized in that it comprises:

- Means (10) for generating, by coupling with the controlled switch and while the latter is in the on state, a first signal (Ul) proportional to the current (Iex) flowing in the controlled switch;

a means (20) for generating a second signal (U2), this means being sensitive to the on or blocked state of the controlled switch and being able, while the controlled switch is in the on state, to generate the second signal (U2) from the first signal (Ul) and, while the controlled switch is in the blocked state, to generate the second signal (U2) by memorization (CD) of the first signal (Ul) existing before blocking of said controlled switch.