SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ELECTRIC MOTOR BY LIMITING PERFORMANCE

• US 20050061562A1
• Filed: 09/19/2003
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Mack, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,073,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.235
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/209 Fuel quantity remaining in tank
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/086 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/146 Speed limiting
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A method and system for limiting motor performance in a hybrid electric vehicle system. During a condition in a primary drivetrain, the method limits performance of an electric motor used in an auxiliary drivetrain to control energy consumed from a battery in the auxiliary drivetrain. A calculation or measurement is made to determine available battery energy remaining in the battery after the condition. The performance of the electric motor is then limited based on the available battery energy.

Claims

1. A method for use in an electrically driven vehicle having a primary drivetrain and an auxiliary drivetrain, the method comprising:

controlling a driving characteristic of the auxiliary drive train based on a first performance limiting strategy, the first performance limiting strategy based in part on future availability of the primary drivetrain; and

switching control of the driving characteristic to a second performance limiting strategy, the second performance limiting strategy based in part on future unavailability of the primary drivetrain.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second performance limiting strategy limits performance of an electric motor of the auxiliary drivetrain, the second performance limiting strategy causing the electric motor to consume less energy than the electric motor would consume for the first performance limiting strategy.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second performance limiting strategy comprises setting a plurality of maximum vehicle speed ranges based on battery state of charge, the battery state of charge for a battery of the auxiliary drivetrain.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein setting the maximum vehicle speed ranges comprises setting the maximum vehicle speed to one of 45 mph if the battery state of charge is above 50%, 35 mph if the battery state of charge is between 50% and 45%, 25 mph if the battery state of charge is between 45% and 35%, and 15 mph if the battery state of charge is between 35% and 20%.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the second performance limiting strategy comprises setting a plurality of maximum power ranges based on battery state of charge, the battery state of charge for a battery of the auxiliary drivetrain.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein setting the maximum power ranges comprises setting the maximum power to one of 25 kW if the battery state of charge is above 50%, 15 kW if the battery state of charge is between 50% and 45%, 10 kW if the battery state of charge is between 45% and 25%, and 5 kW if the battery state of charge is between 35% and 20%.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the second performance limiting strategy comprises setting a plurality of maximum vehicle speed and a maximum power ranges based on battery state of charge, the battery state of charge for a battery of the auxiliary drivetrain.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein setting the maximum speed and the maximum power ranges comprises setting the maximum speed and the maximum power to one of 45 mph and 25 kW if the battery state of charge is above 50%, 35 mph and 15 kW if the battery state of charge is between 50% and 45%, 25 mph and 10 kW if the battery state of charge is between 45% and 35%, and 15 mph and 5 kW if the battery state of charge is between 35% and 20%.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second performance limiting strategy comprises limiting actual power provided by an electric motor to drive the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the actual power is limited based on a relationship between a maximum power limit and a maximum speed limit for the electric motor.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising setting maximum power and maximum speed ranges based on the battery state of charge.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein setting the maximum speed and the maximum power ranges comprises setting the maximum speed and the maximum power to one of 45 mph and 25 kW if the battery state of charge is above 50%, 35 mph and 15 kW if the battery state of charge is between 50% and 45%, 25 mph and 10 kW if the battery state of charge is between 45% and 35%, and 15 mph and 5 kW if the battery state of charge is between 35% and 20%.

13. A hybrid electric vehicle system having a primary drivetrain and an auxiliary drivetrain, the auxiliary drivetrain including a battery and an electric motor, the system comprising:

a vehicle system controller for controlling consumption of available battery energy by the electric motor, the energy consumption controlled according to first and second performance limiting strategies, the first performance limiting strategy based in part on future availability of the primary drivetrain, the second performance strategy based in part on future unavailability of the primary drivetrain.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the second performance limiting strategy limits performance of the electric motor to consume less energy than the electric motor would consume for the first performance limiting strategy.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the second performance limiting strategy comprises limiting actual power provided by the electric motor to drive the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the actual power is limited based on a relationship between a maximum power limit and a maximum speed limit for the electric motor.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the vehicle system controller sets maximum speed and maximum power ranges to one of 45 mph and 25 kW if the battery state of charge is above 50%, 35 mph and 15 kW if the battery state of charge is between 50% and 45%, 25 mph and 10 kW if the battery state of charge is between 45% and 35%, and 15 mph and 5 kW if the battery state of charge is between 35% and 20%.

18. A hybrid electric vehicle system, the system comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a planetary gear set connected to the internal combustion engine;

a number of meshing gears connected to the planetary gear set to receive torque from the planetary gear set;

a pair of wheels connected to the meshing gears to drive the vehicle;

a generator connected to the planetary gear set;

a battery connected to the generator for storing energy produced by the generator;

an electric motor connected to the battery to consume energy from the battery and to provide torque to the meshing gears; and

a vehicle system controller for controlling consumption of available battery energy by the electric motor during a condition which prevents the engine from providing torque to the wheels and power to the battery by limiting a driving characteristic of the electric motor based on the available battery energy.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the vehicle system controller determines the available battery energy by calculating a battery state of charge and controls limiting of the driving characteristic of the electric motor by limiting actual power provided by the electric motor to drive the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the actual power is limited based on a relationship between a maximum power limit and a maximum speed limit for the electric motor.