Patent classifications
B60L11/02
HYBRID POWERTRAIN SPEED CONTROL
A vehicle powertrain includes a controller, a torque converter, and an engine and electric machine coupled by a clutch. The torque converter may be configured to couple the electric machine to an output shaft. The controller may be programed to generate a command for the electric machine to output torque to drive the torque converter toward a desired rotational speed, and to modify the command according to a difference between the desired rotational speed and an actual rotational speed to reduce the difference, wherein values of the difference are limited by thresholds that change with powertrain operation.
Multipoint emergency responder safety isolation system
Methods, systems, and apparatus for a multipoint safety isolation system. The multipoint isolation system includes one or more isolation triggers that connect to multiple low voltage (LV) battery components and multiple high voltage (HV) battery components. The multiple LV battery components include an LV battery. The multiple HV battery components include multiple HV batteries. The one or more isolation triggers are configured to isolate at least one of the LV battery from the multiple HV batteries or a first subset of the multiple HV batteries from a second subset of multiple HV batteries. The multipoint isolation system includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to activate the one or more isolation triggers.
Variable wakeup of a high-voltage charger based on low-voltage system parameters
A method of operating a vehicular system includes charging, by a controller and via an electric vehicle charge station, a low-voltage battery when a module powered by the low-voltage battery is awake and an SOC of the low-voltage battery is less than a threshold; and in response to the SOC exceeding the threshold, commanding by the controller the module to enter a sleep mode for a sleep duration defined by a power usage of the module such that as the power usage changes, the sleep duration changes.
Variable torque motor/generator/transmission
A motor/generator/transmission system includes: an axle; a stator ring having a plurality of stator coils disposed around the periphery of the stator ring, wherein each phase of the plurality of stator coils includes a respective set of multiple parallel non-twisted wires separated at the center tap with electronic switches for connecting the parallel non-twisted wires of each phase of the stator coils all in series, all in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel; a rotor support structure coupled to the axle; a first rotor ring and a second rotor ring each having an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of the axle, at least one of the first rotor ring or the second rotor ring being slidably coupled to the rotor support structure and configured to translate along the rotor support structure in a first axial direction or in a second axial direction.
SEMI-ACTIVE PARTIAL PARALLEL BATTERY ARCHITECTURE FOR AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE SYSTEMS AND METHODS
An automotive battery system that includes a lead-acid battery electrically coupled to a first bus, in which the lead-acid battery supplies electrical power to a starter via the first bus to cold crank an internal combustion engine of a vehicle; a lithium-ion battery electrically coupled to a second bus, in which the lithium-ion battery captures and stores electrical energy generated by a regenerative braking system when the vehicle brakes and supplies electrical power to the second bus using the electrical energy captured from the regenerative braking system such that a first portion of the second electrical power is supplied to an electrical system; and a DC/DC converter electrically coupled between the first bus and the second bus, in which the DC/DC converter controls supply of a second portion of the second electrical power to charge the lead-acid battery.
System and method for voltage regulator short circuit protection
A controller includes a tracking regulator having a reference voltage input and a voltage output and configured to regulate the voltage output to the reference voltage input. The controller is configured to, in response to a short to ground of the voltage output, electrically couple the reference voltage input to the voltage output.
Dynamic IGBT gate drive to reduce switching loss
A vehicle powertrain includes an IGBT that conducts current between a supply and load. The vehicle powertrain also includes a controller that applies voltage to a gate of the IGBT at a first level for a first duration that depends on a capacitance of the gate, and increases the voltage over a second duration based on a rate of change of the current falling below a threshold defined by a supply voltage for the load.
Control device for hybrid vehicle, and hybrid vehicle incorporating control device
An ECU includes a running mode control unit, a Wout control unit, and an engine start/stop determination unit. The running mode control unit controls switching of a running mode including a CD mode in which an engine is stopped and running using a motor generator alone is given priority, and a CS mode in which the engine is operated and the SOC of a power storage device is maintained at a predetermined target. The engine start/stop determination unit carries out a start determination of the engine based on a discharge allowable power indicating electric power that can be discharged by the power storage device. The Wout control unit modifies the discharge allowable power based on the running mode and operation/stop of the engine.
System for controlling supply voltage of on-board electrical network of motor vehicle
System (17) for managing a supply voltage (B+A) of an onboard electrical network of a motor vehicle comprises a device (2, 4, 9, 16) for regulating the supply voltage and a device (10, 11) for protecting the onboard electrical network against overvoltages, the two devices together controlling an excitation of an alternator supplying the onboard electrical network. According to the invention, the protection device is separate from the regulating device. An overvoltage signal (OVD) generated by the protection device (11) and controlling the excitation has priority over an excitation signal (EXC) generated by the regulating device. The regulating device and the protection device can be in the form of two separate electronic blocks on separate substrates.
Energy harvesting system for vehicle
Briefly stated, technologies are generally described for harvesting energy for a vehicle having an engine and a torque converter. In various examples, an energy harvesting system is described, where the torque converter may be configured to have an input shaft driven by the engine, and an output shaft. Each of the input shaft and output shaft of the torque converter may be mechanically coupled to one of a first portion and a second portion of an electric generator. The electric generator may generate electrical energy using a rotational speed difference between the input shaft and the output shaft of the torque converter. As a result, the electric generator may store at least a portion of the electrical energy, which otherwise would be lost at the torque converter, in a charge storage device. The stored electrical energy may be transmitted to an assist motor configured to drive a rotation of wheels.