A drive and control system is disclosed for use on a zero turn vehicle having a pair of drive motors, an operator drive input capable of providing a drive signal corresponding to a desired drive status by an operator and an operator steering input capable of providing a steering signal corresponding to a desired steering of the vehicle. Sensors on the vehicle generate signals corresponding to roll, pitch and yaw. A stability control module includes a processor receiving the steering and drive inputs and provides output signals to the drive motors. Upon initialization of the vehicle, the processor determines initial orientation parameters from the sensors and determines if the input and steering are in neutral. When the drive input is not in neutral, and the steering is in neutral, the processor determines desired pitch, yaw and roll parameters. The processor receives additional sensor signals during operation to monitor pitch and roll of the vehicle and if a measured parameter exceeds the desired parameter, the processor will vary the output signals to the drive motors to provide a heading correction to the vehicle.

A control unit of an electric vehicle receives a signal indicative of an operator desired torque and sends a signal to the traction motor to output a value of torque that is the algebraic sum of the operator desired torque and a torque modification factor calculated by the control unit. The control unit calculates the torque modification factor from an efficiency map of the motor which indicates the efficiency of the motor as a function of its output torque and rotational speed.

A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a rotary electric machine. The internal combustion engine includes a variable valve actuating device configured to change an operation characteristic of an intake valve. The rotary electric machine is configured to generate driving force for propelling the hybrid vehicle. A controller for the hybrid vehicle includes a traveling control unit and a valve actuation control unit. The traveling control unit executes traveling control for causing the hybrid vehicle to travel by using the driving force of the rotary electric machine while stopping the internal combustion engine. The traveling control unit starts up the internal combustion engine while executing the traveling control. The valve actuation control unit controls the variable valve actuating device. The valve actuation control unit, when the internal combustion engine is started up while the traveling control is executed, sets at least one of a valve lift and valve operating angle of the intake valve such that the at least one of the valve lift and valve operating angle of the intake valve when the hybrid vehicle travels at a first vehicle speed is smaller than the corresponding at least one of the valve lift and valve operating angle of the intake valve when the hybrid vehicle travels at a second vehicle speed. The second vehicle speed is lower than the first vehicle speed.

A power line system is provided for efficiently using excess electrical energy produced by electric vehicles in a generation mode. A power line detector on the vehicle senses the power line to determine if voltage ripples are present before supplying excess electrical energy from the vehicle to the power line. First voltage ripples are generated on the line by a substation providing power to the power line. Second voltage ripples are also generated on the power line by a ripple generator to allow excess energy from the vehicle to be supplied to the power line in order to charge an energy storage system.

An engine ECU includes a traveling control unit configured to bring a clutch device into a disconnection state to perform inertial traveling of a vehicle according to satisfaction of predetermined inertial traveling implementation conditions and configured to bring the clutch device into a connection state to cancel an inertial traveling state and perform regenerative power generation according to satisfaction of predetermined regenerative power generation implementation conditions during the inertial traveling, and a required power calculation unit configured to calculate required power of the vehicle; and the traveling control unit selectively performs the inertial traveling or the regenerative power generation an ISG based on the required power calculated in a state in which the inertial traveling implementation conditions are satisfied.

A method for monitoring a pantograph. The method includes acquiring an impulse response of the pantograph, extracting a natural frequency and a damping coefficient of the pantograph from the impulse response, obtaining a similarity factor of a plurality of similarity factors, and detecting a fault in the pantograph from the plurality of fault types based on the plurality of the similarity factors. Acquiring an impulse response of the pantograph includes generating the impulse response by tapping the head of the pantograph and recording the impulse response utilizing a recording equipment.

A method for monitoring a pantograph. The method includes acquiring an impulse response of the pantograph, extracting a natural frequency and a damping coefficient of the pantograph from the impulse response, obtaining a similarity factor of a plurality of similarity factors, and detecting a fault in the pantograph from the plurality of fault types based on the plurality of the similarity factors. Acquiring an impulse response of the pantograph includes generating the impulse response by tapping the head of the pantograph and recording the impulse response utilizing a recording equipment.

A vehicle power supply system is configured to supply power to a vehicle from a power supply apparatus laid on a power supply lane of a vehicle travel path, the power supply apparatus includes a plurality of power supply segments laid in a preset interval along the power supply lane, and a controller configured to control the plurality of power supply segments. The controller is configured to estimate timing of the vehicle reaching a next power supply segment that supplies power next after a present power supply segment that is supplying power, from at least a vehicle velocity derived from a change in position of the vehicle, and cause the next power supply segment to start power supply at the timing estimated.

An apparatus comprises a first induction section comprising a first core and a first coil on the first core. A second induction section comprises a second core and a second coil on the second core. The first core comprises rail extensions, where at least two of the rail extensions extend from opposite ends of the first core. The second core comprises shoe portions located at respective ones of the rail extensions, where a gap is provided between each of the rail extensions and respective ones of the shoe portion. The second induction section is configured to move relative to the first induction section in a path along the extensions. The first induction section is configured to induce current in the second induction section, including when the second core moves relative to the first core along the extensions, to provide a contactless induction coupling between the first induction section and the second induction section.

An apparatus comprises a first induction section comprising a first core and a first coil on the first core. A second induction section comprises a second core and a second coil on the second core. The first core comprises rail extensions, where at least two of the rail extensions extend from opposite ends of the first core. The second core comprises shoe portions located at respective ones of the rail extensions, where a gap is provided between each of the rail extensions and respective ones of the shoe portion. The second induction section is configured to move relative to the first induction section in a path along the extensions. The first induction section is configured to induce current in the second induction section, including when the second core moves relative to the first core along the extensions, to provide a contactless induction coupling between the first induction section and the second induction section.