Authentication using electromagnet signal detection

• US 10,363,938 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NIO Technology Company Limited (Shanghai Anbin Technology Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nio Usa Inc.
• Inventors: Newman, Austin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US15/392,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20180126993A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/021 Clutch engagement state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 31/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/04 Arrangements for controlling or regulating the speed or torque of more than one motor H02P6/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

Systems of an electrical vehicle and the operations thereof are provided. In particular, a motor controller is described. The motor controller is described to have the ability to emit an electromagnetic signal via a motor of the electrical vehicle. The motor controller may be designed to control a speed of the motor'"'"'s rotation so as to control a frequency of the emitted electromagnetic signal.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

at least one motor being configured for selective mechanical coupling with at least one drive wheel of the vehicle; and

a motor controller that provides a motor control signal to the at least one motor or an electrical component connected to the at least one motor, wherein the motor controller further utilizes the at least one motor to transmit an electromagnetic signal to a receiver system, and wherein the motor controller comprises a motor speed controller that selectively adjusts a rotational speed of the at least one motor thereby causing the at least one motor to emit the electromagnetic signal at a predetermined frequency.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor controller only adjusts the rotational speed of the at least one motor for purposes of causing the at least one motor to emit the electromagnetic signal in response to determining that the at least one motor is mechanically decoupled from the at least one drive wheel.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor controller references information that maps motor speed-to-signal frequency in connection with determining and adjusting the rotational speed of the at least one motor.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor controller receives a motor feedback signal and an external control signal and produces the motor control signal based on the motor feedback signal and the external control signal.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the external control signal is received from a user input of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor controller comprises a switch that selectively couples driver circuitry to the at least one motor dependent upon whether or not the at least one motor is mechanically coupled with the at least one drive wheel.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the driver circuitry causes a winding of the at least one motor to be utilized as an antenna and transmit a message when the at least one motor is mechanically decoupled from the at least one drive wheel.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the message transmitted by the winding of the at least one motor is modulated by at least one of amplitude, frequency, and phase.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor controller comprises a motor decoupling manager that selectively couples and decouples the at least one motor from a drive shaft.

10. A motor controller for use in an electric vehicle, the motor controller comprising:

a motor speed controller that provides motor control signals that adjust a rotational speed of a motor; and

a motor decoupling manager that selectively mechanically couples and decouples the motor from a drive shaft, wherein the motor speed controller further utilizes the motor to transmit an electromagnetic signal when the motor is mechanically decoupled from the drive shaft.

11. The motor controller of claim 10, further comprising:

a driver circuit configured to format the electromagnetic signal into a message according to a predetermined communication protocol.

12. The motor controller of claim 11, further comprising:

a switch element that selectively couples and decouples the driver circuit from the motor.

13. The motor controller of claim 10, further comprising:

a message manager configured to receive data that describes a message to be transmitted and, based on the received data, determine a motor speed that communicates at least part of the message via the electromagnetic signal.

14. The motor controller of claim 13, wherein the message manager instructs the motor speed controller to adjust the motor to rotate at the determined motor speed, thereby enabling the motor to emit the electromagnetic signal at a predetermined frequency.

15. A system for transmitting a message, the system comprising:

a motor configured to be mechanically coupled to and decoupled from a first drive wheel of a vehicle; and

a motor controller in communication with the motor, the motor controller being positioned in a feedback control loop for the motor and further receiving an external input signal that causes the motor controller to utilize the motor for transmission of an electromagnetic signal.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a second motor; and

a second motor controller in communication with the second motor, the second motor controller being positioned in a feedback control loop for the second motor and further receiving a second external input signal that causes the second motor controller to utilize the second motor for transmission of the electromagnetic signal or a second electromagnetic signal.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a controller coordinator that coordinates operation of the motor controller and the second motor controller such that the motor controller and second motor controller are configured to simultaneously operate the motor and second motor, respectively, in such a way that the electromagnetic signal is transmitted.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises a multi-frequency signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the motor is rotated at a first speed, thereby causing the motor to emit a signal of a first frequency, wherein the second motor is rotated at a second speed, thereby causing the second motor to emit a signal of a second frequency, and wherein the first and second frequencies are combined to produce the multi-frequency signal.