Electric vehicle chassis controller
First Claim
1. A vehicle power controller for a vehicle including an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors and a motor controller, wherein the plurality of sensors includes an accelerator sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor for sensing a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the vehicle power controller comprising:
- means for receiving signals from the accelerator sensor and the brake sensor;
means for comparing multiple accelerator sensor signals to thereby generate an accelerator torque value;
means for comparing multiple braking sensor signals to thereby generate a braking torque value;
means for combining the accelerator torque value and the braking torque value to thereby generate a current torque value; and
means for outputting the current torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle power controller for a vehicle including a motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors and a motor controller, wherein the plurality of sensors includes an accelerator sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor for sensing a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor. The vehicle power controller includes three components. The first receives signals from the accelerator sensor and the brake sensor. The second converts the signals for the accelerator sensor and the brake sensor into a torque value, and the third outputs the torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor.
125 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A vehicle power controller for a vehicle including an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors and a motor controller, wherein the plurality of sensors includes an accelerator sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor for sensing a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the vehicle power controller comprising:
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means for receiving signals from the accelerator sensor and the brake sensor; means for comparing multiple accelerator sensor signals to thereby generate an accelerator torque value; means for comparing multiple braking sensor signals to thereby generate a braking torque value; means for combining the accelerator torque value and the braking torque value to thereby generate a current torque value; and means for outputting the current torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor.
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2. A vehicle power controller for a vehicle including a battery, an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors, and a motor controller, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a battery sensor for sensing a state-of-charge of the battery, an accelerator sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor for sensing a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the vehicle power controller comprising:
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means for receiving signals from the plurality of sensors; means for converting the accelerator sensor signal to an accelerator torque value, the battery sensor signal to a battery torque value, and the braking sensor signal to a braking torque value; means for generating a current torque value based on said battery torque value, said accelerator torque value and said braking torque value; and means for outputting the current torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor.
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3. A vehicle power controller for a vehicle that includes a battery, an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors, and a motor controller, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in either a forward direction or a reverse direction, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a drive selector sensor that senses a current drive-state of the vehicle corresponding to whether the vehicle is moving the forward direction or the reverse direction, a battery sensor that senses a state-of-charge of the battery, an accelerator sensor that senses a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor that senses a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the vehicle power controller comprising:
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means for receiving signals from the plurality of sensors; means for converting the signals for the plurality of sensors into a torque value; and means for outputting the torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor, wherein said torque value is a negative value when said battery sensor signal indicates that the battery needs charging and said drive selector sensor signal indicates that the current drive-state is forward, and wherein said torque value is negative when said battery sensor signal indicates that the battery needs charging and said drive selector sensor signal indicates that the current drive-state is reverse. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A vehicle power controller for a vehicle that includes a battery, an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of analog sensors, a plurality of digital sensors, and a motor controller, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in either a forward direction or a reverse direction, wherein the plurality of analog sensors includes a battery sensor that senses a state-of-charge of the battery, an accelerator sensor that senses a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor that senses a position of a brake pedal, wherein the digital sensors include a drive selector sensor that senses a current drive-state of the vehicle corresponding to whether the vehicle is moving the forward direction or the reverse direction, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the vehicle power controller comprising:
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means for receiving signals from the plurality of analog sensors; means for converting the signals for the plurality analog sensors into a plurality of digital signals; means for determining a torque value using the plurality of digital signals; and means for outputting the torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor, wherein said torque value is negative when the battery sensor signal indicates that the battery needs charging and the drive selector sensor signal indicates that the current drive-state is forward. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A computer-implemented method for controlling propulsion of a vehicle including an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors, a microprocessor, and a motor controller, wherein the plurality of sensors includes an accelerator sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor for sensing a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving signals from the accelerator sensor and the brake sensor; comparing multiple accelerator sensor signals to thereby generate an accelerator torque value; comparing multiple braking sensor signals to thereby generate a braking torque value; combining the accelerator torque value and the braking torque value to thereby generate a current torque value; and outputting the current torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor.
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20. A computer-implemented method for controlling propulsion of a vehicle including a battery, an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors, a microprocessor, and a motor controller, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a battery sensor for sensing a state-of-charge of the battery, an accelerator sensor for sensing a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor for sensing a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving signals from the plurality of sensors; converting the accelerator sensor signal to an accelerator torque value, the battery sensor signal to a battery torque value, and the braking sensor signal to a braking torque value; generating a torque value based on said battery torque value, said accelerator torque value and said braking torque value; and outputting the torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor.
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21. A computer-implemented method for controlling propulsion of a vehicle that includes a battery, an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of sensors, a microprocessor, and a motor controller, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in either a forward direction or a reverse direction, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a drive selector sensor that senses a current drive-state of the vehicle corresponding to whether the vehicle is moving the forward direction or the reverse direction, a battery sensor that senses a state-of-charge of the battery, an accelerator sensor that senses a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor that senses a position of a brake pedal, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving signals from the plurality of sensors; converting the signals for the plurality sensors into a torque value; and outputting the torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor, wherein said torque value is a negative value when said battery sensor signal indicates that the battery needs charging and said drive selector sensor signal indicates that the current drive-state is forward, and wherein said torque value is negative when said battery sensor signal indicates that the battery needs charging and said drive selector sensor signal indicates that the current drive-state is reverse. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A computer-implemented method for controlling propulsion of a vehicle that includes a battery, an electric motor that drives the vehicle, a plurality of analog sensors, a plurality of digital sensors, a microprocessor, and a motor controller, wherein the vehicle is capable of moving in either a forward direction or a reverse direction, wherein the plurality of analog sensors includes a battery sensor that senses a state-of-charge of the battery, an accelerator sensor that senses a position of an accelerator pedal and a brake sensor that senses a position of a brake pedal, wherein the digital sensors include a drive selector sensor that senses a current drive-state of the vehicle corresponding to whether the vehicle is moving the forward direction or the reverse direction, and wherein the motor controller controls torque output of the motor, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving signals from the plurality of analog sensors; converting the signals for the plurality analog sensors into a plurality of digital signals; determining a torque value using the plurality of digital signals; and outputting the torque value to the motor controller for controlling the torque output of the motor; wherein said torque value is negative when the battery needs charging and the drive-state is forward. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification