Hybrid electric vehicle testing method and system

• US 6,457,351 B1
• Filed: 09/17/1999
• Issued: 10/01/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Fuller, Benjamin R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, MAURICE E
• Application Number:
  US09/398,430
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• Field of Search: 731/16, 731/17, 731/181, 738/621.7, 738/621.8, 738/621.3, 738/620.8, 738/620.9
• US Class Current: 73/116.05
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/0072 the wheels of the vehicle co-operating with rotatable rolls G01M17/022, G01M17/045, G01M17/065 take precedence

Abstract

A hybrid electric vehicle is placed in a running condition on a chassis dynamometer, a vehicle-end data is acquired by access to sensors in the vehicle, a dynanometer-end data is acquired by measurements at the chassis dynamometer, and the vehicle-end data and the dynamometer-end data are analyzed for inspections of drive and control systems of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefore the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine, an electronically controlled throttle opening, and output power of the electric motor; and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including a running speed and generated drive torque;

analyzing the first and second data to detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a drive distribution ratio between the engine and the electric motor, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

2. The testing method of claim 1, comprising:

determining an inspection value based on the first and second data; and

comparing the inspection value with a threshold value.

3. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine, an electronically controlled throttle opening, and output power of the electric motor; and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including a running speed, a change of generated drive torque per unit time and a change of running speed per unit time;

analyzing the first and second data to detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a drivability of the vehicle, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

4. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine, and output power and generated power of the electric motor; and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including a running speed, and generated drive torque and deceleration drive torque;

analyzing the first and second data to inspect detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and operating efficiencies of the electric motor and a battery, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

5. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine, and a brake pedal stroke, a brake fluid pressure, and generated power of the electric motor; and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including generated braking torque and a running speed;

analyzing the first and second data to detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a control efficiency of a regenerative brake, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

6. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including ,an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine, and output power, a voltage drop rate, input power and a voltage rise rate of a battery and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including a running speed;

analyzing the first and second data to detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a charge discharge efficiency of a battery, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

7. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, output power of the electric motor, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine; and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including a running speed;

analyzing the first and second data to detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a startup control status of the engine, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

8. A testing method of testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing method comprising the steps of:

having the hybrid electric vehicle running on a stationary running tester;

acquiring;

first data on the running vehicle by access to sensors in the vehicle, included, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, and an rpm of the engine, the first data having;

a first part consisting of a combination of an accelerator input, an electronically controlled throttle opening, and output power of the electric motor;

a second part consisting of a combination of output power and generated power of the electric motor;

a third part consisting of a combination of a brake pedal stroke, a brake fluid pressure, and generated power of the electric motor and

a fourth part consisting of a combination of output power, a voltage drop rate, input power and a voltage rise rate of a battery; and

second data on the running vehicle by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data having;

a first part consisting of a combination of generated drive torque and a running speed;

a second part consisting of a combination of generated drive torque and deceleration drive torque; and

a third part consisting of a combination of generated braking torque and running speed;

analyzing the first and second data to inspect the drive and control systems for a problem including;

determining as third data, a drive distribution ratio between the engine and the electric motor, based on the first parts of the first and second data;

determining, as fourth data, operating efficiencies of the electric motor and the battery, based on the second parts of the first and second data;

determining, as fifth data, a control efficiency of a regenerative brake, based on the third parts of the first and second data; and

determining, as sixth data, a charge discharge efficiency of the battery based on the fourth part of the first data; and

determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a startup control status of the engine, based on the analysis of the first and second data including determining a fuel consumption rate based on the third to the sixth data.

9. A testing system for testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing system comprising:

a stationary running tester for the hybrid electric vehicle to run thereon;

a first data acquisition system to acquire first data on the hybrid electric vehicle running on the stationary running tester by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, an rpm of the engine, an electronically controlled throttle opening, and output power of the electric motor;

a second data acquisition system to acquire second data on the hybrid electric vehicle running on the stationary running tester by measurements thereto at the stationary running tester, the second data including a running speed and generated drive torque; and

an analysis system to analyze the first and second data for an inspection of the drive and control systems, for a problem and

a status determiner to determine a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a drive distribution ratio between the engine and the electric motor, based on the analysis of the first and second data.

10. A testing system for testing a hybrid electric vehicle which runs under integrated control of an engine, an electric motor and an auxiliary motor for run and which includes drive and control systems therefor, the testing system comprising:

a stationary running tester for having the hybrid electric vehicle running thereon;

first data acquisition means for acquiring first data on the hybrid electric vehicle running on the stationary running tester by access to sensors in the vehicle, the first data including an accelerator input, an auxiliary clutch operation timing, an rpm of the auxiliary motor, and an rpm of the engine, an electronically controlled throttle opening, and output power of the electric motor;

second data acquisition means for acquiring second data on the hybrid electric vehicle running on the stationary running tester by measurements thereto, the second data including a running speed and generated drive torque; and

analysis means for analyzing the first and second data to detect a problem with the drive and control systems; and

status determining means for determining a drive control status of the auxiliary motor and a drive distribution ratio between the engine and the electric motor, based on the analysis of the first and second data.