Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a metal plate, a power element, a lead frame having a die pad, a resin sheet having insulation properties, a control circuit that controls the power element, and a mold resin. The power element is mounted on the die pad, and the die pad is mounted on the metal plate via the resin sheet. The resin sheet is expanded including at least a lower surface of the die pad while the lower surface of the resin sheet is smaller than an surface of the metal plate, and the control circuit is arranged in a region on the metal plate, which region is other than the region where the power element is arranged.

Abstract: A control apparatus controls power generation of an electric generator and communicates with an external control apparatus. The control apparatus includes: a control circuit that controls the power generation of the electric generator according to a command signal transmitted from the external control apparatus; means for reseting the control circuit; and means for informing the external control apparatus of a power generation condition of the electric generator by transmitting a condition signal, the condition signal indicating both the power generation condition of the electric generator and information on whether a reset of the control circuit is made by the reseting means. With such a configuration, when the control circuit is reset due to, for example, noises, the control apparatus can reliably inform the external control apparatus of the reset of the control circuit.

Abstract: A battery condition detection apparatus is composed of a semiconductor element, and a lead frame and mold resin. The semiconductor element is composed of plural diodes connected in series as a temperature sensitive element for detecting a temperature of a battery and a communication circuit for outputting a temperature detection result to an outside device such as ECU mounted on a vehicle. The semiconductor element is mounted on the lead frame having high heat conductivity rather than that of the mold resin. The semiconductor element and the lead frame are completely sealed with the mold resin. The battery condition detection apparatus is mounted on a battery case which accommodates the battery of a vehicle so that the lead frame of high heat conductivity is directly contacted to the battery case. The heat conductivity of the lead frame is more than 100 times of that of the mold resin.

Abstract: A vehicle system that includes an engine control apparatus which regulates engine idling speed incorporates a battery current detection apparatus which acquires information expressing the value of field current of an engine-driven electric generator and detects a condition of high electrical load as occurrence of a battery discharge current exceeding a threshold value, and responds to that condition by notifying the engine control apparatus of a higher value of field current of the electric generator than the actual value, to thereby effect a rapid increase in engine speed and so rapidly increase the output power of the electric generator.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided to manage a charge/discharge current of an on-vehicle battery. The apparatus comprises a detecting unit detecting an actual amount of the charge/discharge current and a receiving unit receiving information indicating generating operations of an on-vehicle generator. The apparatus also comprises a control unit controlling the generating operations of the generator so that the charge/discharge current keeps a given value specified, on the basis of the detected actual the charge/discharge current and the received information. The apparatus also comprises determining and setting units. The determining unit determines whether a voltage of the battery satisfies a given condition for the voltage, by monitoring the voltage in a state where the generating operation of the generator is controlled. The setting unit sets, as an amount of offset of the charge/discharge current, a charge/discharge current detected when it is determined that the voltage of the battery satisfies the given condition.

Abstract: In a system, an output voltage of a power generator is input to a filter circuit. The filter circuit includes a first capacitor having opposing first and second electrodes, a second capacitor having opposing third and fourth electrodes, a first switch electrically connected to be series with the third electrode of the second capacitor, and a second switch electrically connected to be series with the fourth electrode of the second capacitor. A series circuit of series-connected first switch, the second capacitor, and the second switch is electrically connected with the first capacitor in parallel thereto. A control circuit is electrically connected to the first and second switches of the filter circuit. The control unit is configured to control the first and second switches to be substantially simultaneously on and off to thereby cause the filter circuit to filter the frequency components from the output voltage.

Abstract: A noise free transceiver circuit includes a communication line, a power source line, a ground line, an output transistor having output terminals connected between the communication line and the ground line for outputting a communication signal to the communication line, a first circuit for applying a trapezoidal signal to the input terminal of the output transistor to turn on in synchronism with a transmission signal and a second circuit for turning off the output transistor when the level of the transmission signal is high. The output transistor is turned off when the communication signal is outputted. Therefore, noises of the power line are shut out of the output transistor.

Abstract: An electric power generation control apparatus is connected to an external controller composed of a vehicle interface circuit capable of generating and transferring a power switch-on signal to the electric power generation control apparatus. When receiving the power switch-on signal, the electric power generation control apparatus initiates its operation. The electric power generation control apparatus has a receiving terminal, a control signal receiving circuit, an electric power source circuit, and an electric power generation control circuit. The control signal receiving circuit receives the power switch-on signal through the receiving terminal regardless of the circuit type of the vehicle interface circuit. When the control signal receiving circuit receives the power switch-on signal, the electric power supply circuit initiates to supply the electric power to the electric power generation control circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus controls a state of charge (SOC) of a battery mounted on a vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine driving a generator mounted on the vehicle. The generator charges the battery. In the apparatus, a setting unit sets a target value directed to controlling the SOC of the battery such that the target value is higher as an efficiency of the internal combustion engine depending on the number of rotations of the engine is higher. A determining unit determines whether the vehicle is in a decelerated state. A controlling unit controls a state of rotation of the generator to enable the generator i) to perform regeneration when it is determined that the vehicle is in the decelerated state and ii) to perform generation to enable the SOC of the battery to be the target value when it is determined that the vehicle is not in the decelerated state.

Abstract: An overcurrent protecting device for protecting a semiconductor element from an overcurrent includes: the semiconductor element; a shunt resistor for detecting the overcurrent when the electric current in the semiconductor element exceeds a threshold value; a reference resistor for setting the threshold value; a constant electric current circuit for supplying a constant electric current to the reference resistor; and a comparator for comparing a terminal voltage of the shunt resistor and a terminal voltage of the reference resistor. The shunt resistor is made of a same kind of resistor as the reference resistor.

Abstract: An electric power supply control system has a battery, a vehicular alternator, large electric power systems, operation limitation target systems, and a battery condition management device. Each large electric power system generates a rush current when initiating its operation by electric power supplied. Each operation limitation target system is capable of limiting its operation for a demand during the operation of the large electric power systems. The large electric power systems and the operation limitation target systems change their operation conditions based on an allowable electric power (or an allowable electric current) supplied from the battery condition management device in order to maintain a terminal voltage of the battery which is not less than a limitation voltage.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling power generation of a generator mounted on a vehicle, the generator charging a on-vehicle battery, comprising a detecting device that detects information indicating the internal status of the battery that includes temperature of the battery, a power supply circuit that supplies power to the detecting device, a calculator for calculating the internal status of the battery using the information detected by the detecting device, a circuit board on which the calculator, the power supply circuit, and the detecting circuit are mounted and a controller that controls the power generation of the generator based on the internal status of the battery. The temperature sensing element is arranged on a bus bar that is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the battery, and the bus bar and the temperature sensing element are coupled thermally to each other.

Abstract: A signal detecting device detects, as analog voltage signals, a current flowing through an exciting coil of an electric power generator, a source voltage and a temperature of a regulator that change as a current is fed to the exciting coil by an FET. These analog voltage signals are subjected to A/D conversion by a single A/D converter circuit. The detected current is subjected to A/D conversion in a period during which the FET is ON, while the detected source voltage and the detected temperature are subjected to A/D conversion in a period during which the FET is OFF.

Abstract: A vehicle generator control device includes a transistor chopper type exciting circuit for supplying an excitation current to a vehicle-mounted electric generator drivable by an engine of the motor vehicle. The exciting circuit comprises a bridge circuit having a first pair of opposing arms formed of respective power transistors and a second pair of opposing arms formed of respective diodes. One of the power transistors is connected to a ground potential of the vehicle-mounted electric generator and the other power transistor is connected to an output terminal of the vehicle-mounted electric generator. When the engine is in a non-operating state, the one transistor is set in an on state and the other power transistor is set in an off state.

Abstract: A vehicular system includes a battery, an engine, an electric generator that is driven by the engine to generate electric power and thereby charge the battery, a first control apparatus that controls the battery and electric generator, a drive shaft, a CVT that transmits rotation of the engine to the drive shaft, and a second control apparatus that controls the engine and CVT. Further, the first control apparatus includes: means for detecting charge/discharge current of the battery; means for monitoring the SOC of the battery; means for informing, when there is a decrease in the SOC of the battery, the second control apparatus of the decrease in the SOC; means for setting a target charge current of the battery for recovering the decreased SOC; and means for controlling the electric generator to increase the amount of the electric power, thereby supplying the battery with the target charge current.

Abstract: A memory readout system comprised of a vehicle control device and a readout device to be detachably connected to the vehicle control device. The readout device reads out dialogue information stored in a built-in nonvolatile memory in the vehicle control device when connected to the vehicle control device and a predetermined certification condition is satisfied. The vehicle control device is comprised of the built-in nonvolatile memory and a dialogue information readout unit. In particular, the nonvolatile memory has a un-rewritable area which allows a dialogue information writing, but inhibits a dialogue information deletion. The dialogue information readout unit reads out the dialogue information stored in the un-rewritable area when a password certification judges that the readout device is an authorized one, and then transfers the dialogue information to the readout device.

Abstract: A battery condition detection apparatus is composed of a semiconductor element, and a lead frame and mold resin. The semiconductor element is composed of plural diodes connected in series as a temperature sensitive element for detecting a temperature of a battery and a communication circuit for outputting a temperature detection result to an outside device such as ECU mounted on a vehicle. The semiconductor element is mounted on the lead frame having high heat conductivity rather than that of the mold resin. The semiconductor element and the lead frame are completely sealed with the mold resin. The battery condition detection apparatus is mounted on a battery case which accommodates the battery of a vehicle so that the lead frame of high heat conductivity is directly contacted to the battery case. The heat conductivity of the lead frame is more than 100 times of that of the mold resin.

Abstract: A control apparatus controls power generation of an electric generator and communicates with an external control apparatus. The control apparatus includes: a control circuit that controls the power generation of the electric generator according to a command signal transmitted from the external control apparatus; means for reseting the control circuit; and means for informing the external control apparatus of a power generation condition of the electric generator by transmitting a condition signal, the condition signal indicating both the power generation condition of the electric generator and information on whether a reset of the control circuit is made by the reseting means. With such a configuration, when the control circuit is reset due to, for example, noises, the control apparatus can reliably inform the external control apparatus of the reset of the control circuit.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a control apparatus for an automotive alternator which includes a switch, a target voltage setter, a voltage regulator, and a disconnection detector. The switch is configured to be selectively turned on and off so as to intermittently excite the alternator. The target voltage setter works to set a target voltage. The voltage regulator works to regulate an output voltage of the alternator to the target voltage through controlling on/off operation the switch. The disconnection detector works to detect disconnection between the alternator and an on-board battery to be charged by the alternator. The disconnection detector is configured to detect the disconnection, when the target voltage is changed from a lower value to a higher value, based on a time required for the voltage regulator to bring the output voltage of the alternator from the lower value to the higher value.

Abstract: A vehicle power generation control apparatus has a power supply circuit, a rotation detecting circuit, an exciting current detecting circuit, a torque detecting/maximum exciting current determining circuit, and an exciting current control circuit. The rotation detecting circuit detects a rotation speed of a generator (or vehicle alternator) and the exciting current detecting circuit detects an exciting current flowing through an exciting winding of the generator. The torque detecting/maximum exciting current determining circuit calculates a power generation torque of the generator based on the output voltage, the exciting current, the rotation speed, and calculates an inertia torque of the generator based on a change rate of the rotation speed.