CONTROL STRATEGY FOR AN ELECTRIC MACHINE IN A VEHICLE

• US 20140100726A1
• Filed: 10/05/2012
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Reynolds, William, Isayeva, Rimma, Butcher, Jonathan Andrew, Parks, Daniel Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,040,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• 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 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0083 Setting, resetting, calibration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0225 Failure correction strategy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/032 Fixing failures by repairing failed parts, e.g. loosening a sticking valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A vehicle is provided including an electric machine and at least one controller. The controller, or controllers, are configured to, in response to a reset of the at least one controller while a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, provide a current command to the electric machine in accordance with calibration values calculated prior to the reset such that inoperability of the electric machine due to the reset is less than one second.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an electric machine; and

at least one controller configured to, in response to a reset of the at least one controller while a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, provide a current command to the electric machine in accordance with calibration values calculated prior to the reset such that inoperability of the electric machine due to the reset is less than one second.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to, in response to a reset of the at least one controller while a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold value, provide a current command to the electric machine in accordance with calibration values identified prior to the reset such that inoperability of the electric machine due to the reset is less than 300 milliseconds.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to, after the reset, request calibration values from a master controller.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the calibration values are indicative of at least one electric machine source current offset value corresponding to an adjustment of the current command.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the at least one controller is further configured to perform a predetermined power up procedure and to calculate new calibration values once the vehicle is restarted following a power down and the speed of the vehicle is less than threshold value.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 wherein the predetermined power up procedure includes a diagnostic signal assessment precedent providing a current command to the electric machine.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a master controller configured to sense a reset of the at least one controller and provide the calibration value to the at least one controller such that the controller resumes the provision of the current command.

8. A vehicle powertrain control system comprising:

an electric machine;

a first controller configured to supply a torque command; and

a second controller configured to generate a calibration value and to provide a current command to the electric machine based on the torque command and the calibration value, wherein the first controller is further configured to store the calibration value and provide the calibration value to the second controller in response to a reset of the second controller while a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold value such that inoperability of the electric machine due to the reset is less than one second.

9. The control system of claim 8 wherein the second controller is further configured to retrieve the calibration value from the first controller in response to a reset of the second controller while a speed of the vehicle is greater than a threshold value such that inoperability of the electric machine due to the reset is less than 300 milliseconds.

10. The control system of claim 8 wherein the calibration value is indicative of an electric machine source current sensor offset value indicative of an adjustment of the current command.

11. The control system of claim 8 wherein the second controller is further configured to, in response to a reset, request the calibration value from the first controller.

12. The control system of claim 8 wherein the second controller is further configured to undergo a predetermined power up sequence and identify new calibration values once the vehicle is restarted following a power down and the speed of the vehicle is less than the threshold value.

13. A method for controlling torque actuation of a hybrid-electric vehicle, the method comprising:

generating a current command signal based on a torque request;

generating a calibration value indicative of a current command adjustment offset;

sending a signal to a first controller indicative of the calibration value;

storing the calibration value in a memory of the first controller;

providing the calibration value to a second controller in response to a reset of the second controller while a speed of the vehicle is above a threshold; and

resuming operation of the second controller using the calibration value such that a period of inoperability of an electric machine propelling the vehicle is less than one second.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the calibration value is generated by the second controller.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising sending a current command to the electric machine, wherein the current command is based on the calibration value.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising providing a request signal to the first controller in response to a reset of the second controller while the vehicle is in motion such that the first controller provides the calibration value to the second controller.