Electric vehicle drive control apparatus, electric vehicle drive control method, and program thereof

• US 20030034187A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yanagawa, Shitomi, Hisada, Hideki, Aoki, Kazuo
• Granted Patent: US 6,902,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/242 for electrical energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An electric vehicle drive control apparatus has an electric machine; a battery; an inverter that is driven in accordance with a drive signal, and that receives DC current from the battery and produces phase currents, and that supplies the phase currents to the electric machine; a battery voltage detection device that detects the battery voltage; and an electric machine torque restriction processing device that determines whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value, and restricts the electric machine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value. If the battery voltage becomes higher than the threshold value, the electric machine torque is restricted. Therefore, increases in the load on the inverter can be prevented.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle drive control apparatus, comprising:

an electric machine;

a battery;

an inverter that is driven in accordance with a drive signal, and that receives a direct current from the battery, and produces a phase current, and supplies the phase current to the electric machine;

battery voltage detection device that detects a battery voltage; and

electric machine torque restriction processing device that determines whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value, and for restricting an electric machine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value.

2. An electric vehicle drive control apparatus, comprising:

an electric generator mechanically connected to an engine;

a battery;

an inverter that is driven in accordance with a drive signal, and that receives a direct current from the battery, and produces a phase current, and supplies the phase current to the electric generator;

battery voltage detection device that detects a battery voltage; and

engine torque restriction processing device that determines whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value, and for restricting an engine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value.

3. An electric vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a planetary gear unit having at least first to third gear elements, wherein the first gear element is connected to the electric generator, and the third gear element is connected to the engine.

4. An electric vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a drive motor mechanically connected to the engine and the electric generator.

5. An electric vehicle drive control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a drive motor mechanically connected to the engine and the electric generator.

6. An electric vehicle drive control method of an electric vehicle drive control apparatus having an electric machine;

a battery; and

an inverter that is driven in accordance with a drive signal, and that receives a direct current from the battery, and produces a phase current, and supplies the phase current to the electric machine, the electric vehicle drive control method comprising;

detecting a battery voltage;

determining whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value; and

restricting an electric machine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value.

7. An electric vehicle drive control method of an electric vehicle drive control apparatus having an electric generator mechanically connected to an engine;

a battery; and

an inverter that is driven in accordance with a drive signal, and that receives a direct current from the battery, and produces a phase current, and supplies the phase current to the electric generator, the electric vehicle drive control method comprising;

detecting a battery voltage;

determining whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value; and

restricting an engine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value.

8. A program of an electric vehicle drive control method, wherein a computer functions as:

battery voltage detection device that detects a battery voltage; and

electric machine torque restriction processing device that determines whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value, and for restricting an electric machine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value.

9. A program of an electric vehicle drive control method, wherein a computer functions as:

battery voltage detection device that detects a battery voltage; and

engine torque restriction processing device that determines whether the battery voltage is higher than a threshold value, and for restricting an engine torque if the battery voltage is higher than the threshold value.