Jaguar Land Rover Limited

Adrian Berry

Elliot Hemes

Alexandros Michaelides

Duncan Hamilton

Chris Green

Toby Heason

Timothy Holton

Simon Johnson

Andrew Cotta

The present disclosure relates to a sub-system for a vehicle comprising an electrical power bus () for distributing electrical power from an electrical energy storage means () to various different electrical components of the vehicle, such as a combined electric traction motor/generator (). The sub-system comprises means for disconnecting the electrical energy storage means () from the bus (), means () for measuring the potential difference between a rail of the bus of a first polarity and a chassis () of the vehicle, and means () for connecting the rail of the bus of the first polarity to the chassis () or a terminal of the electrical energy storage means of opposite polarity if the potential difference between the rail of the bus of the first polarity and the chassis is measured to be greater than a predetermined level, until the potential difference between the rail of the bus of the first polarity and the chassis is less than the predetermined level, then disconnecting the rail from the chassis or the terminal of the electrical energy storage means of opposite polarity, wherein the means () for connecting the rail of the bus to, then disconnecting the rail of the bus from, the chassis comprises the means () for measuring the potential difference between the rail of the bus and the chassis. This technique may be used to at least partially discharge a Y capacitance on the rail of the bus in question. The Y capacitance on any or all rails of the bus, of either polarity (positive or negative), may be discharged in this fashion, for example in the event of a collision of the vehicle, in order to render a high-voltage (HV) electrical supply sub-system () more safe. The present invention also provides a vehicle comprising such a sub-system and a method of reducing a potential difference between on the one hand, an electrical power bus () for distributing electrical power from an electrical energy storage means () of a vehicle and on the other, a chassis () of the vehicle to below a predetermined level.

Discharging a bus of an electrically powered or hybrid vehicle

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method of controlling a high-voltage circuit () of a vehicle, comprising detecting () a fault associated with the high-voltage circuit, reducing () a voltage of the high-voltage circuit () in dependence on detecting the fault, receiving () a torque request and, in dependence thereon, increasing () the voltage of the high-voltage circuit ().

Apparatus and method for controlling a high voltage circuit

An illustrative example embodiment of a method of communicating between controllers on a vehicle includes communicating a first operation request from a first controller to a second controller. The first operation request is indicative of the second controller performing a first operation. The second controller attempts to perform the first operation at a time when it cannot be performed, determines that the first operation cannot be performed, and communicates an indication that the first operation request cannot currently be satisfied. The second controller continues to attempt to perform the first operation at a subsequent time.

Method, system and apparatus for communication of operational status of controllers on a vehicle

A method of controlling an isolated high voltage circuit of a vehicle comprising the high voltage circuit and a low voltage circuit wherein the high voltage circuit is isolated from the low voltage circuit, the method comprising: detecting a change in an isolation resistance of the high voltage circuit from the low voltage circuit; determining a speed of the vehicle; operating the high voltage circuit in dependence on the change in the isolation resistance and the speed of the vehicle.

Method and system for controlling an isolated HV circuit

A hybrid electric vehicle comprises an engine and an electric propulsion motor, and the vehicle is operable in an HEV mode in which the engine may be switched on automatically during a drive-cycle by a controller and an electric vehicle (EV)-only mode. The vehicle is operable in a plurality of attribute modes in which operating parameters of the vehicle are changed by the controller responsive to the identity of the selected attribute mode, wherein, when in the HEV mode and a first attribute mode is selected, selection of the EV-only mode by the driver results in assumption of the EV-only mode and continued operation in the first attribute mode, and, when in the HEV mode and a second attribute mode is selected, selection of the EV-only mode results in assumption of the EV-only mode and automatic de-selection of the second attribute mode.

Growing community of inventors

Coventry, United Kingdom

Adrian Berry