TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to automated energy distribution in mobile platforms, and more particularly relates to systems and methods for reallocation of electronic fuses (EF) configured to drive a fuse harness operationally coupled to multiple loads implemented onboard a vehicle.

Smart electronic fuses (EF) are sometimes used to meet load current demands in vehicle applications. However, a technical problem is presented in that each model and variation of a vehicle may have its own arrangement of loads, each load having its own load current demand, which results in having to reconfigure an array of smart EFs for each new iteration of a vehicle.

The following disclosure provides a technological solution to these technical problems, in addition to addressing related issues. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the system and method will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the preceding background.

SUMMARY

In an embodiment, a system for reallocation of electronic fuses (EF) configured to drive a fuse harness operationally coupled to multiple loads, implemented onboard a vehicle, is provided. The system includes: an EF array comprising a plurality (N) of electronic fuses (EFn); a controller circuit comprising a processor operationally coupled to the EF array, and programmed to, concurrently receive, for each EFn, a respective load current (EFn_i) and temperature (EFn_T); compare, for each EFn, the respective EFn_i to an operating range for the EFn; turn off each EFn for which the EFn_i is not within the operating range, and generate a respective load current alert responsive thereto; wherein a preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness defines multiple (M) clusters, determine, for each EFn_i that is within the operating range, whether the respective EFn is a member of a cluster of the M clusters; identify other members of the cluster, responsive to determining that EFn is the member of the cluster; for each member of the cluster, for a preprogrammed duration of time, perform comparisons of the respective EFn_i to a preprogrammed load current expectation, and of the respective EFn_T to a preprogrammed temperature threshold; upon an expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time, categorize each EFn in the cluster as either healthy, derated, or failed, as a function of the EFn_i and the EFn_T comparisons; generate, for each EFn categorized as derated, a derated alert for the EFn; and for each EFn that is categorized as failed, identify another member of cluster as a target EF having a reallocation potential that is consistent with the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness; and modify fuse limits of the target EF in accordance with the reallocation potential.

In one embodiment, the reallocation potential includes a capacity to support an increased load current, and the controller circuit is further programmed to modify the fuse limits of the target EF by increasing the load current of the target EF.

In one embodiment, the controller circuit is further programmed to, after modifying the fuse limits of the target EF, turn off the respective EFn that is categorized as failed, and generate an alert indicating that the cluster has been modified.

In one embodiment, the controller circuit is further programmed to reference preprogrammed EF data, for each EFn, to determine the preprogrammed load current expectation.

In one embodiment, the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness specifies an arrangement and location of each cluster of the M clusters, and the arrangement and location of each cluster of the M clusters is a function of a predefined load current demand from each load of the multiple loads.

In one embodiment, the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness is designed to meet the predefined load current demand from at least one load of the multiple loads by combining two or more EFn_i.

In one embodiment, the controller circuit is further programmed to, upon the expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time: categorize each EFn as derated responsive to determining that EFn_i exceeded the preprogrammed load current expectation for EFn but was than a critical current threshold for EFn, while the EFn_T was within the preprogrammed temperature threshold.

In one embodiment, the controller circuit is further programmed to, upon the expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time: categorize each EFn as failed responsive to determining that the EFn_T exceeded the preprogrammed temperature threshold.

The system of claim1, wherein the controller circuit is further programmed to, upon the expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time: categorize each EFn as failed responsive to determining that EFn_i exceeded a critical current threshold for EFn.

In one embodiment, the load current alert is a system alert for the vehicle.

Also provided is a method for reallocation of electronic fuses (EF) within an EF array comprising a plurality (N) of electronic fuses (EFn), implemented onboard a vehicle, the method including: at a controller circuit comprising a processor programmed with programming instructions, concurrently receiving, for each EFn, a respective load current (EFn_i) and temperature (EFn_T); comparing, for each EFn, the respective EFn_i to an operating range for the EFn; turning off each EFn for which the EFn_i is not within the operating range, and generating a respective load current alert responsive thereto; wherein a preprogrammed configuration of a fuse harness defines multiple (M) clusters, determining, for each EFn_i that is within the operating range, whether the respective EFn is a member of a cluster of the M clusters; identifying other members of the cluster, responsive to determining that EFn is the member of the cluster; for each member of the cluster, for a preprogrammed duration of time, performing comparisons of the respective EFn_i to a preprogrammed load current expectation, and of the respective EFn_T to a preprogrammed temperature threshold; upon an expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time, categorizing each EFn in the cluster as either healthy, derated, or failed, as a function of the EFn_i and the EFn_T comparisons; generating, for each EFn categorized as derated, a derated alert for the EFn; and identifying another member of cluster as a target EF having a reallocation potential that is consistent with the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness, for each EFn that is categorized as failed, and modifying fuse limits of the target EF in accordance with the reallocation potential.

In an embodiment, the reallocation potential includes a capacity to support an increased load current, and further comprising, modifying the fuse limits of the target EF by increasing the load current of the target EF.

In an embodiment, further comprising, after modifying the fuse limits of the target EF, turning off the respective EFn that is categorized as failed, and generating an alert indicating that the cluster has been modified.

In an embodiment, further comprising, referencing preprogrammed EF data, for each EFn, to determine the preprogrammed load current expectation.

In an embodiment, the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness specifies an arrangement and location of each cluster of the M clusters, and the arrangement and location of each cluster of the M clusters is a function of a predefined load current demand from each load of multiple loads.

In an embodiment, wherein the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness is designed to meet the predefined load current demand from at least one load of the multiple loads by combining two or more EFn_i.

In an embodiment, further comprising, upon the expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time: categorizing each EFn as derated responsive to determining that EFn_i exceeded the preprogrammed load current expectation for EFn but was than a critical current threshold for EFn, while the EFn_T was within the preprogrammed temperature threshold.

In an embodiment, further comprising, upon the expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time: categorizing each EFn as failed responsive to determining that the EFn_T exceeded the preprogrammed temperature threshold.

In an embodiment, further comprising, upon the expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time: categorizing each EFn as failed responsive to determining that EFn_i exceeded a critical current threshold for EFn.

Also provided is a system for reallocation of electronic fuses (EF) in an EF array configured to drive a fuse harness operationally coupled to multiple loads, implemented onboard a vehicle. The system including: a fuse communication module in operable communication with the EF array comprising a plurality (N) of electronic fuses, each individually referred to as an EFn, the fuse communication module configured to concurrently receive and cache, for each EFn, a respective load current (EFn_i) and temperature (EFn_T); a current limit checker module coupled to the fuse communication module and configured to: compare, for each EFn, the respective EFn_i to an operating range for the EFn; and turn off each EFn for which the EFn_i is not within the operating range, and generate a respective load current alert; a cluster member determiner module coupled to the current limit checker module and configured to: wherein a preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness defines multiple (M) clusters, determine, for each EFn_i that is within the operating range, whether the respective EFn is a member of a cluster of the M clusters; and identify other members of the cluster, responsive to determining that EFn is the member of the cluster; and a health determiner module coupled to the cluster member determiner module and configured to: for each member of the cluster, for a preprogrammed duration of time, perform comparisons of the respective EFn_i to a preprogrammed load current expectation, and of the respective EFn_T to a preprogrammed temperature threshold; upon an expiration of the preprogrammed duration of time, categorize each EFn in the cluster as either healthy, derated, or failed, as a function of the EFn_i and the EFn_T comparisons; and generate, for each EFn categorized as derated, a derated alert for the EFn; and a fuse reallocation module coupled to the health determiner module and configured to: for each EFn that is categorized as failed, identify another member of cluster as a target EF having a reallocation potential that is consistent with the preprogrammed configuration of the fuse harness; and modify fuse limits of the target EF in accordance with the reallocation potential.

