Abstract: Provided is a routing structure of a wire harness that prevents an electric wire having a large cross-sectional area from being routed long in a vehicle, and facilitates routing. The routing structure of a wire harness connects between a power supply and loads mounted on the vehicle through one or more distributors, and a distributor to be connected first when viewed from the power supply is located in or behind a dashboard of the vehicle, or inside and in front of a center console box.

Abstract: A power supply control system includes: a current sensor as a first detector detecting current flowing in each controller in an operating state of each controller; a first current controller turned on to supply a driving current to each controller in the operating state of each controller and turned off to disconnect the driving current supply to each controller based on a determination result; a second current controller turned on to supply a dark current to each controller in a power-saving state of each controller and turned off to disconnect the dark current supply to each controller in the operation state of each controller; a dark current sensor as a second detector detecting a voltage drop amount in the power-saving state of each controller; and an anomaly determinator determining existence of anomaly in the power-saving state of each controller based on a detection result obtained from the second detector.

Abstract: A vehicular power source controller is designed so that when there is abnormal action in a microprocessor and an abnormal fuse state cannot be determined from the current of a load detected by a current sensor circuit, power supply to the load cannot be turned on and off by the operation of a combination switch corresponding to the load, but can be turned on and off by the operation of an ignition switch. It is thereby possible to prevent continuing power supply to the load when the combination switch is turned on during the abnormal action of the microprocessor, and battery exhaustion can be suppressed. Power supply to the load cannot be turned on and off by the operation of the combination switch during the abnormal action of the microprocessor, and an operator is easily made aware of the abnormal action of the microprocessor.

Abstract: When an anomaly is determined in the transition of ECUs to a power saving state, a power supply control system sequentially turns on current supply switches while keeping a bypass switch on. A monitoring controller determines an anomaly in the transition of the ECUs to a power saving state on the basis of whether the dark current in the ECUs calculated from the amount of change at that time in the current in the power supply line is greater than an ordinary dark current. Further, in the startup state of the ECUs, power from a power supply can be supplied to the ECUs via the power supply line and individual supply lines.

Abstract: When a power switch is turned off, a protection device for an electricity supply circuit starts keeping time using a timer and turns on a disconnection flag. Then the protection device turns off the disconnection flag when the timer has counted a predetermined time. When the power switch is turned off, the disconnection flag does not subsequently turn off until the predetermined time has passed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive temperature increase in the power switch and prevent damage to the power switch.

Abstract: A power supply control system includes: a current sensor as a first detector detecting current flowing in each controller in an operating state of each controller; a first current controller turned on to supply a driving current to each controller in the operating state of each controller and turned off to disconnect the driving current supply to each controller based on a determination result; a second current controller turned on to supply a dark current to each controller in a power-saving state of each controller and turned off to disconnect the dark current supply to each controller in the operation state of each controller; a dark current sensor as a second detector detecting a voltage drop amount in the power-saving state of each controller; and an anomaly determinator determining existence of anomaly in the power-saving state of each controller based on a detection result obtained from the second detector.

Abstract: A switching circuit protector switches a semiconductor device (11) provided in a switching circuit connecting a power supply (VB) to a load (RL), from a PWM drive state to a DC drive state when an estimated temperature of a cable of the switching circuit estimated by a temperature estimator (22) exceeds a threshold temperature (Tth), in the state where the semiconductor device (11) is controlled to operate in the PWM drive state to drive the load (RL). Therefore, when an overcurrent is caused in the cable, the estimated temperature exceeds the threshold temperature (Tth) so as to break the semiconductor device (11). Accordingly, the switching circuit can surely be protected by the switching circuit protector.

Abstract: An electric power distribution device sets a first threshold and a second threshold for a threshold temperature of main wires, and sets a third threshold and a fourth threshold for a threshold temperature of branch wires. In the case where a temperature of each of the main wires reaches the first threshold, all of branch wire switches provided in a branch wire distributor are shut off. Thereafter, in the case where the temperature of the main wire reaches the second threshold, each of the main wire switches, which is provided a main wire distributor, is shut off. In the case where a temperature of a certain branch wire reaches the third threshold, the corresponding branch wire switch is subjected to PWM control. Thereafter, in the case where the temperature of the branch wire reaches the fourth threshold, the corresponding branch wire switch is shut off.

Abstract: A load circuit protective device calculates increasing temperature of wire of a load circuit with a first predetermined sampling period (dt1) determined by a clock signal for normal operation when a semiconductor relay (Q1) is on to estimate the temperature of the wire. The temperature of the wire is therefore estimated with high accuracy. Moreover, when the semiconductor relay (Q1) is off, the load circuit protective device calculates decreasing temperature of the wire of the load circuit with a second predetermined sampling period (dt2) to estimate the temperature of the wire. The second predetermined sampling period (dt2) is determined by a clock signal for power-saving operation and is longer than the first predetermined sampling period (dt1). Accordingly, the calculation times of the temperature can be reduced, and the power consumption is therefore reduced.

Abstract: A power supply control device detects current that actually flowed through each load and a duty ratio of the current using a current detection unit and a duty ratio detection unit, and calculates an actual supply power value of each load using a power data calculation unit. A PWM control duty ratio is calculated by a duty ratio correction value calculation unit such that the calculated actual supply power value corresponds to a target power value of each load and it is set as the duty ratio of the PWM control by a PWM duty ratio control unit. Thus, even if resistance characteristics of each load or a wire harness connected to each load are varied by changes over time or environment, the PWM control duty ratio can be corrected according to the varied resistance characteristics, and power of the target power value is supplied to the load.

Abstract: A vehicular power source controller is designed so that when there is abnormal action in a microprocessor and an abnormal fuse state cannot be determined from the current of a load detected by a current sensor circuit, power supply to the load cannot be turned on and off by the operation of a combination switch corresponding to the load, but can be turned on and off by the operation of an ignition switch. It is thereby possible to prevent continuing power supply to the load when the combination switch is turned on during the abnormal action of the microprocessor, and battery exhaustion can be suppressed. Power supply to the load cannot be turned on and off by the operation of the combination switch during the abnormal action of the microprocessor, and an operator is easily made aware of the abnormal action of the microprocessor.

Abstract: Two semiconductor switches are arranged in parallel in a load circuit for connecting a power source with a load. Further, the semiconductor switches are controlled so as to be alternately tuned on and off. As a result, since a current flows through only either of the semiconductor switches, an offset error detected by current sensors includes only an offset error of either of the semiconductor switches, the detection of current with high accuracy can be accomplished. Therefore, when performing the control of shutting off the circuit to cope with the occurrence of an overcurrent flowing through the load, the shutoff control with high accuracy can be accomplished.

Abstract: A load circuit disconnection detector includes: a current sensor (16) for detecting current flowing through a wire (W1) of a load circuit; and a protective device (100) for estimating temperature of the wire (W1) based on the detected current and forcibly turning off a semiconductor switch (Q1) if the estimated temperature of the wire reaches threshold temperature. The load circuit disconnection detector determines that there is a connection failure in the load circuit if a temperature increase calculated by a temperature calculation unit (24) is zero even a predetermined time (P1) after the semiconductor switch (Q1) is turned on.

Abstract: A switching circuit protector switches a semiconductor device (11) provided in a switching circuit connecting a power supply (VB) to a load (RL), from a PWM drive state to a DC drive state when an estimated temperature of a cable of the switching circuit estimated by a temperature estimator (22) exceeds a threshold temperature (Tth), in the state where the semiconductor device (11) is controlled to operate in the PWM drive state to drive the load (RL). Therefore, when an overcurrent is caused in the cable, the estimated temperature exceeds the threshold temperature (Tth) so as to break the semiconductor device (11). Accordingly, the switching circuit can surely be protected by the switching circuit protector.

Abstract: A protector for an electricity supply circuit includes: a power switch for switching between connection and disconnection of the electricity supply circuit; a controller configured to output a switching command signal to the power switch in accordance with an input signal; and a current detector for detecting current flowing to the electricity supply circuit. The controller includes: a lower limit threshold determination unit configured to determine whether or not an estimated temperature of a power line has dropped below a lower limit threshold; a timer for counting the time that passes after a load has been turned off, when the load is turned off by the power switch; and a mode switching unit configured to switch the controller to a sleep mode when a predetermined time is counted by the timer and the lower limit threshold determination unit determines that the estimated temperature has dropped below the lower limit threshold.

Abstract: A protector for an electricity supply circuit includes: a power switch capable to switch between connection and disconnection of the electricity supply circuit; a controller configured to output a switching command signal to the power switch in accordance with an input signal; and a current detector for detecting current flowing to the electricity supply circuit. The controller includes: a timer for counting the time that passes after a load has been turned off, when the load is turned off by the power switch; and a mode switching unit configured to switch the controller to a sleep mode when a predetermined time is counted by the timer.

Abstract: When a power switch is turned off, a protection device for an electricity supply circuit starts keeping time using a timer and turns on a disconnection flag. Then the protection device turns off the disconnection flag when the timer has counted a predetermined time. When the power switch is turned off, the disconnection flag does not subsequently turn off until the predetermined time has passed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent an excessive temperature increase in the power switch and prevent damage to the power switch.

Abstract: Two semiconductor switches are arranged in parallel in a load circuit for connecting a power source with a load. Further, the semiconductor switches are controlled so as to be alternately tuned on and off. As a result, since a current flows through only either of the semiconductor switches, an offset error detected by current sensors includes only an offset error of either of the semiconductor switches, the detection of current with high accuracy can be accomplished. Therefore, when performing the control of shutting off the circuit to cope with the occurrence of an overcurrent flowing through the load, the shutoff control with high accuracy can be accomplished.

Abstract: To provide a protection circuit for a load circuit which can distinguish between an overcurrent generated at a load and a rush current generated at the time of turning on a semiconductor switch or switches provided on the downstream side of the semiconductor switch and can turn the semiconductor switch off only when the overcurrent is generated to thereby protect the load circuit. A comparator CMP1 compares a detection current I1 detected by an ampere meter 15 with a threshold current Iref set in advance. When the detection current I1 reaches the threshold current Iref, the semiconductor switch 11 is turned off to thereby protect the load circuit. Further, a voltage Vd on an electric wire coupling between a battery VB and the semiconductor switch 11 is measured. When a counter electromotive force is generated and the voltage Vd reduces, the threshold current Iref is reduced according to the voltage reduction.

Abstract: A protection apparatus for a load circuit is provided which can miniaturize electric wires and semiconductor switches by using a switch circuit simulating the current interruption time characteristics of fuses. A conductor resistance r and a heat resistance R used in each of a heat generation temperature calculation expression and a heat dissipation temperature calculation expression are respectively changed into a pseudo conductor resistance r* and a pseudo heat resistance R*, then the heat generation amount and the heat dissipation amount of the electric wire are calculated, and current temperature of the electric wire is estimated. When the estimation temperature reaches allowable temperature, an electronic switch S1 is turned off to thereby protect the load circuit. As a result, each of the electric wires and the semiconductor switches used in the load circuit can be protected from over heat.