An apparatus for balancing charge of a battery in a battery pack includes a plurality of power supplies configured to be selectively coupled to the battery and a plurality of electrical loads configured to be electrically coupled to the battery. Test circuitry is configured to measure an amount of charge of the battery. Control circuitry selectively controls a voltage applied to the battery by the plurality of power supplies and a load applied to the battery by the plurality of electrical loads based upon a measured amount of charge of the battery.

A method and apparatus for repairing or testing a used battery pack from an electric vehicle includes optionally removing the battery pack from the vehicle. Batteries within the pack are balanced such that they have similar states of charge.

The present invention includes a battery pack maintenance device for performing maintenance on battery packs of hybrid and/or electrical vehicles (referred herein generally as electric vehicles). In various embodiments, the device includes one or more loads for connecting to a battery pack for use in discharging the battery pack, and/or charging circuitry for use in charging the battery pack. Input/output circuitry can be provided for communicating with circuitry of in the battery pack and/or circuitry of the vehicle.

An electric vehicle includes an electric machine, a generator generating a first AC output current, an internal combustion engine driving the generator, and a first electric plug-in charging device. When the engine is started, the generator supplies the battery with charging power. The first plug-in charging device is geometrically configured to be connectable with single phase AC power mains to supply the battery with charging power in a vehicle deactivated state. The first plug-in charging device is configured for a maximum electric power voltage load of 240 volts and a maximum current strength of 32 amperes. A second electric plug-in charging device is integrated into the vehicle. A DC charging station is connectable to the second charging device in the deactivated state so the DC charging station is usable either exclusively or simultaneously with the single phase AC power mains for charging the battery.

The power-transmission device has an input shaft, an output shaft, a gear mechanism, and a motor. The gear mechanism includes a plurality of planetary gear mechanisms and a mode-switching mechanism, and transmits the rotations of the input shaft to the output shaft. The mode-switching mechanism selectively switches the drive-power transmission path of the power-transmission device between a plurality of modes. The motor is connected to the rotating elements of the planetary gear mechanisms. A target-input-torque determination unit determines the target input torque, which is a target value for the torque to be inputted to the power-transmission device. The target-output-torque determination unit determines the target output torque, which is a target value for the torque to be outputted from the power-transmission device. The command-torque determination unit uses the torque balance information to determine torque commands to the motor from the target input torque and the target output torque.

A control device that includes an electronic control unit that is programmed to: perform shift device shift control in order to change a speed ratio, which is a ratio of a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine to a rotational speed of the output member, by changing at least the shift speed that is established by the shift device; and perform differential gear shift control in in order to change the speed ratio by changing rotational speeds of the first rotary element and the second rotary element of the differential gear unit without changing the shift speed that is established by the shift device.

A fluid dynamic kinetic energy-based frictionless type generator of a range extender and recharger for an electric vehicle or device and the production of electricity is characterized by converting fluid motion into electric energy. This device uses the drag force acting opposite to the relative motion of objects moving with respect to a surrounding fluid. This force can exist between two fluid layers or a fluid and a solid surface. The device comprises a cylinder covered with paddles, air ducting ramp, permanent magnets, armature winding, charge controller and battery bank. It's a frictionless, high efficiency, brushless generator design that utilizes kinetic energy produced by drag, pressure, friction, fluid resistance, fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, wind, and or motion together with the device itself to create a frictionless brushless generator that will deliver power to the engine directly, the enclosed battery bank or can be diverted to the vehicle battery bank for recharging.

A fluid dynamic kinetic energy-based frictionless type generator of a range extender and recharger for an electric vehicle or device and the production of electricity is characterized by converting fluid motion into electric energy. This device uses the drag force acting opposite to the relative motion of objects moving with respect to a surrounding fluid. This force can exist between two fluid layers or a fluid and a solid surface. The device comprises a cylinder covered with paddles, air ducting ramp, permanent magnets, armature winding, charge controller and battery bank. It's a frictionless, high efficiency, brushless generator design that utilizes kinetic energy produced by drag, pressure, friction, fluid resistance, fluid dynamics, aerodynamics, wind, and or motion together with the device itself to create a frictionless brushless generator that will deliver power to the engine directly, the enclosed battery bank or can be diverted to the vehicle battery bank for recharging.

A steering control device capable of suppressing a reduction in reliability even in the case where the redundancy of the power source is increased is provided. A steering ECU includes two control systems in which different external power sources are connected to two drive circuits. The low potential sides of the drive circuits and the low potential sides of the corresponding external power sources are independently connected to each other via power source ground lines for the two control systems. The low potential sides of the drive circuits are connected to each other via an internal ground. Two current detection circuits are provided between the power source ground lines and the internal ground to detect power source ground current values, respectively. The steering ECU includes microcomputers that detect a ground abnormality on the basis of the results of detection performed by the current detection circuits.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

An apparatus comprising an interface, a memory and a processor. The interface may be configured to receive sensor data samples during operation of a vehicle. The memory may be configured to store the sensor data samples over a number of points in time. The processor may be configured to analyze the sensor data samples stored in the memory to detect a pattern. The processor may be configured to manage an application of brakes of the vehicle in response to the pattern.

An electric vehicle may include at least one motor configured to transmit a drive output. A motor-generator unit may be configured to supply the at least one motor with electrical power. The motor-generator unit may include an internal combustion piston engine, which may include a crankshaft configured to rotation about an axis of rotation, and an electrical generator that may be drive connected to the piston engine. A control device may be in communication with the motor-generator unit. The control device may be configured to vary a generator torque of the electrical generator during a rotation cycle of the crankshaft in response to a crankshaft angle.