A control system for a vehicle including a three-phase AC motor, a first switching device, a second switching device, and a power converter, is provided. The control system includes a short-circuit detector, and an ECU. The ECU is configured to: (a) control the power converter, when it is determined that the vehicle is stopped, so as to place, the power converter in a predetermined condition in which one of the first switching device and the second switching device for all of the three phases is in an OFF state, and (b) control the power converter when the short-circuit detector detects a short circuit in one of the first switching devices and the second switching devices, so that said one of the first and second switching devices in which the short circuit is detected provides the ON state in the predetermined condition.

There is provided a method of controlling an electric vehicle. The method includes obtaining by a controller of the electric vehicle a first state indicator of a state of the electric vehicle, receiving at the controller a status indicator of an operating status of the electric vehicle, and updating by the controller the state of the electric vehicle based on the status indicator to an updated state. The updated state may be associated with a second state indicator. The method also includes determining by the controller a given braking type of a braking to be applied to the electric vehicle. This determining may be based on one or more of the second state indicator and the status indicator. The method also includes applying to the electric vehicle the braking of the given braking type. Systems for applying such braking are also provided.

A method for operating a vehicle when stopping the vehicle and/or when holding the vehicle at a standstill, in particular after a failure in a brake system, for example, a brake-by-wire system of the vehicle. The vehicle can have an electric motor. The method has the steps of: carrying out a deceleration, in particular a regenerative deceleration of the vehicle, the deceleration preferably being initiated automatically, and switching the electric motor to an active short-circuit, preferably after a regenerative deceleration of the vehicle in order to prevent the vehicle from rolling.

A brake system for a vehicle having a master brake cylinder, which provides a pressure signal, having a brake-medium reservoir connected to the master brake cylinder, and a first brake circuit, which is coupled by a first input to the master brake cylinder and by a second input to the brake-medium reservoir, and having at least one first wheel-brake cylinder, which is mounted at a first wheel, in order to exert a force corresponding to the pressure signal onto the first wheel, and having a separator valve, which is configured between the first input and the first wheel-brake cylinder, to prevent further transmission of the pressure signal upon receipt of a supplied closing signal; and having a control valve, which is configured between the first input and the first wheel-brake cylinder; in order to control an inflow of a brake medium from brake-medium reservoir to the first wheel-brake cylinder. In addition, a method for controlling a corresponding brake system is also described.

A brake system for a vehicle having a master brake cylinder, which provides a pressure signal, having a brake-medium reservoir connected to the master brake cylinder, and a first brake circuit, which is coupled by a first input to the master brake cylinder and by a second input to the brake-medium reservoir, and having at least one first wheel brake cylinder, which is mounted at a first wheel, in order to exert a force corresponding to the pressure signal onto the first wheel, and having a separator valve, which is configured between the first input and the first wheel-brake cylinder, to prevent further transmission of the pressure signal upon receipt of a supplied closing signal; and having a control valve, which is configured between the first input and the first wheel-brake cylinder; in order to control an inflow of a brake medium from brake-medium reservoir to the first wheel-brake cylinder. In addition, a method for controlling a corresponding brake system is also described.

A control apparatus of an electrically-driven vehicle controls an electrically-driven vehicle including a motor transmitting a drive force to wheels, an inverter driving the motor, and a battery supplying power to the inverter. The control apparatus includes battery storage amount estimation means for estimating a storage amount of the battery and motor rotation speed detection means for detecting a rotation speed of the motor. Output terminals of the inverter are short-circuited when the rotation speed of the motor reaches or exceeds a predetermined rotation speed while the storage amount estimated by the battery storage amount estimation means is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount.

An aircraft system for damping movement of a structural flight element. The aircraft system including a moveable aircraft structure, a power source, a controller, a resistor, and a first transistor connected in series to the resistor. When the power source of the aircraft is providing power, the controller controls the first transistor to prevent current flow through its terminals and through the resistor. Further, when the power source of the aircraft is not providing power, the first transistor allows current generated by a back EMF (electromotive force) voltage to flow through its terminals and through the resistor, the back EMF voltage being created by movement of the moveable aircraft structure.

Systems and methods of stopping propulsion of an electric vehicle in an emergency situation are provided. One method includes receiving a command to stop propulsion of the electric vehicle while the electric vehicle is in motion, and in response to the command, attempting to regulate an operation of an electric motor of the electric vehicle toward a no-load operating state of the electric motor while the electric vehicle is in motion. When the operation of the electric motor is outside a prescribed range of the no-load operating state after attempting to regulate the operation of the electric motor toward the no-load operating state, the method includes causing braking of the electric motor.

Braking of a motor is quickly activated when the supply of electric power stops. A motor drive device includes an inverter circuit configured to generate multi-phase motor drive signals for driving a motor with switching operations of switching elements, a relay switch unit capable of short-circuiting all phase signal lines for the multi-phase motor drive signals with relay switches, an inverter drive circuit configured to generate inverter drive signals for driving the switching operations of the switching elements from electric power supplied from a direct current (DC) power supply, a relay drive circuit configured to output a short-circuit instruction to short-circuit all the phase signal lines with the relay switch unit when braking of the motor is activated, and a backup power-supply circuit configured to short-circuit all the phase signal lines with the switching elements using a backup power supply for holding a predetermined voltage during at least a period until the relay switch unit short-circuits all the phase signal lines from the short-circuit instruction when the supply of the electric power from the DC power supply stops.