Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Abbas Raftari

Vijay Garg

Patrick Joseph Curran

Mathew Alan Boesch

Jerry Dean Robichaux

Sergey Gennadievich Semenov

Bader M Badreddine

Deepa Ramaswamy

Lawrence M Rose

Gregory H Benz

Joanne Theresa Woestman

John O'Rear

Curtis Lee Tyson

A system for validating velocities of components in a vehicle uses sensor measurements and mathematical relationships between the vehicle components to validate the velocities. A controller or controllers receive speed or velocity inputs and mathematically combine the velocities of more than one of the vehicle components. The velocities of at least one of the vehicle components is validated when the mathematical combination meets at least one predetermined criterion. The validated velocity or velocities are then communicated to at least one of the vehicle components.

System for validating velocities of components in a vehicle

A method for validating engine and motor velocities in a vehicle having an engine and two motors is provided. The method validates the velocities without using two speed sensors for each device. The velocities of the engine and the two motors are first determined, and then mathematically combined using known velocity relationships based on the vehicle architecture. The mathematical combination of the velocities is then compared to a first pre-determined speed range, and if the mathematical combination is within the predetermined range, the velocities of the engine and the two motors are validated. If the validation of the engine and the two motors fails, additional equations can be used utilizing additional inputs, including the vehicle speed as measured at the vehicle wheels. In this way, the velocities of one or more of the torque generating devices in the vehicle may be validated.

System and method for validating velocities of torque generating devices in a vehicle

A system and method for diagnosing a potential electrical operating discrepancy in a polyphase electric motor by generating two independent torque estimates using a plurality of current sensors and, optionally, a shaft position sensor. Differences between the independent torque estimates are used to indicate potential discrepancies in electrical operating characteristics of the motor.

Diagnostic system and method for an electric motor using torque estimates

The present invention can diagnose a potential discrepancy in electrical operating characteristics of a three phase electric motor by generating two independent torque estimates using a plurality of current sensors and a shaft position sensor. The invention provides a strategy to generate two independent torque estimates of a three phase electric motor comprising first and second systems to determine currents in two motor phases, first and second systems to generate a first and second estimate of motor shaft position, and first and second systems to generate first and second estimates of motor torque using the first and second systems to determine current in each motor phase and the first and second values of motor shaft position. The present invention detects also an electrical operating characteristic discrepancy in an electric motor-propelled vehicle's electrical components and subsystems, including single subsystem discrepancies between the two independent torque estimates.

A system and method for accurate control of engine torque for a parallel/series hybrid electric vehicle (PSHEV) is disclosed. An accurate estimate of engine torque is determined from the generator motor torque of a PSHEV. The estimated engine torque can then be used to control engine torque in a closed loop torque control strategy. The invention comprises at least one controller to receive, process and output torque signals; a first control strategy to determine a modified engine torque signal from at least a desired engine torque signal; and a second control strategy to determine variables for air, fuel and spark from said modified engine torque signal. The first control strategy can include a proportional integral (PI) controller. The estimated engine torque signal can be a function of an estimated generator motor torque signal, a generator motor speed signal and an engine torque loss signal.

Engine torque control for a hybrid electric vehicle using estimated engine torque

This invention is a method and system to disconnect drive wheels from the powertrain of any electric powered vehicle. A vehicle controller monitors input from, for example, an inertia switch and electric motor generator conditions and can disconnect the output shaft from the drive wheels in predetermined vehicle conditions such as during a rear-end collision, or abnormal electric motor conditions such as over-torque, over-temperature, or over-current. The invention can be configured to monitor and respond to driver demand for four-wheel drive, two-wheel drive, and neutral tow. The disconnect device can comprise a disconnect actuator and joint attached to an axle disconnect. The axle disconnect can be electric or vacuum powered and positioned as a center disconnect or a wheel-end disconnect. The invention can be configured for conventional or limited slip axles.

Wheel-end and center axle disconnects for an electric or HEV

In an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, a voltage monitor ( ) is directly coupled to a traction motor ( ) and/or generator motor ( ) to detect a permanent magnet induced voltage within the motor at a predetermined speed and no load condition. A controller ( ) compares the detected permanent magnet induced voltage with an expected reference voltage that represents an expected permanent magnet induced voltage at full magnetization and the predetermined speed. The comparison includes identifying points of synchronization and using those points to determine a difference in the detected permanent magnet induced voltage that is caused by a faulty component.

Detection of demagnetization in a motor in an electric or partially electric motor vehicle

In an electric or hybrid electric vehicle, a voltage monitor ( ) is directly coupled to a traction motor ( ) and/or generator motor ( ) to detect a permanent magnet induced voltage within the motor at a predetermined speed and no load condition ( ). A controller ( ) compares the detected permanent magnet induced voltage with an expected reference voltage that represents an expected permanent magnet induced voltage at full magnetization and the predetermined speed ( ). The controller produces an indication of magnetization based on the reference voltage, the detected permanent magnet induced voltage, and the predetermined speed. If the indication of magnetism reaches a predetermined threshold, the motor is made inoperable and/or a current to the motor is limited to prevent damage to components ( ). Preferably, a user of the vehicle is made aware of these actions by an audible and/or visual indicator ( ). If available, another source of motive power is substituted for the motor that is made inoperable ( ).

Adaptive demagnetization compensation for a motor in an electric or partially electric motor vehicle

A method and apparatus are provided for detecting the degradation of a permanent magnet in a motor of an electric or hybrid electric vehicle. A voltage monitor ( ) is directly coupled to a traction motor ( ) and/or generator motor ( ) to detect a permanent magnet induced voltage within the motor at a predetermined speed and no load condition ( ). A controller ( ) compares the detected permanent magnet induced voltage with an expected reference voltage that represents an expected permanent magnet induced voltage at full magnetization and the predetermined speed ( ). The controller produces an indication of magnetization based on the reference voltage, the detected permanent magnet induced voltage, and the predetermined speed. The indication of magnetization is stored for future reference ( ). Also, a safety indicator is produced for a user of the vehicle if the indication of magnetization is below a safety threshold.

Permanent magnet degradation monitoring for hybrid and electric vehicles

A torque based monitor method, apparatus, and system, for a torque splitting hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) powertrain and regenerative brake system. The preferred powertrain configuration includes an internal combustion engine , generator , and electric traction motor combined to produce the vehicle's output shaft torque. The invention has a set of vehicle state sensors and communication interfaces connected independently to a main controller and an independent plausibility check (IPC) . The IPC monitors and mitigates the powertrain output shaft torque (OST) by reducing powertrain torque when the detected OST is greater than the desired OST. The IPC has a second mode of operation to shut down the powertrain OST of the HEV powertrain when a fault or failure is detected. Additional features include a quizzer function to continuously verify the functionality of the IPC.

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Abbas Raftari