Controller for inverter

• US 8,165,743 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Oyama, Katsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Peter D
• Application Number:
  US12/019,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20080183361A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/33, 701/99, 180/65.1, 180/65.21, 180/65.265, 180/65.27, 180/65.28, 180/65.285, 180/65.29, 180/65.8, 903/902, 903/903, 903/905, 903/906, 714/2, 714/4.2, 714/10, 714/25, 714/47.1, 714/48, 714/51, 714/55
• US Class Current: 701/29.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/0241 the fault being an overvoltage
• 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 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A high-reliability controller for inverter is provided with a simple configuration. The controller for inverter includes a CPU 14 controlling energy of a vehicle, a CPU 15 controlling a power generation amount or an assist amount of a first motor 26, a CPU 16 controlling a power generation amount or an assist amount of a second motor 27, a regulator 8 generating power supplied to the CPUs 14, 15 and 16, a first inverter 23 controlled by the CPU 15, a second inverter 24 controlled by the CPU 16, and a communication line 17 that connects the CPUs 14 to 16. The first inverter 23 and the second inverter 24 are controlled in a cooperative or an independent manner.

Claims

1. A controller for an inverter comprising:

an energy management processing unit that controls energy of a vehicle;

a first motor control processing unit that controls a power generation amount or an assist amount of a first motor;

a second motor control processing unit that controls a power generation amount or an assist amount of a second motor;

a power supply unit that generates power supplied to the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit;

a first inverter that is controlled by the first motor control processing unit;

a second inverter that is controlled by the second motor control processing unit; and

a communication line that connects the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit,

wherein the first inverter and the second inverter are configured so as to be controlled in a cooperative or an independent manner,

the controller further comprising;

a first logic portion that generates a control signal of the first inverter in accordance with the first motor control processing unit;

a second logic portion that generates a control signal of the second inverter in accordance with the second motor control processing unit;

a power supply unit for logic portion that generates power used for the first logic portion and the second logic portion;

a gate power supply unit that is used for a driving signal of a switching element that is provided in each of the first inverter and the second inverter,

wherein if an abnormality is detected in the first motor control processing unit, the first motor control processing unit shuts off power supplied from the power supply unit for logic portion to the first logic portion, and the second motor control processing unit makes the second inverter continue an operation, and

wherein if an abnormality is detected in the energy management processing unit, communication is conducted between the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit, so as to continue operations of the first inverter and the second inverter.

2. The controller for inverter according to claim 1,

wherein the communication line is further connected with an external engine controlling unit, and

the engine controlling unit, the first inverter and the second inverter are configured so as to be controlled in a cooperative or an independent manner.

3. The controller for inverter according to claim 2,

wherein the engine controlling unit, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit are configured so as to monitor each other, and

if an abnormal state is detected in any one of the units, control of the vehicle is changed in a manner different from that in a normal state.

4. The controller for inverter according to claim 2, further comprising:

a plurality of watchdog timers that detect a normal state/an abnormal state of the engine controlling unit, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit independently; and

means that, if the abnormal state is detected, changes control of the vehicle in a manner different from that in a normal state.

5. The controller for inverter according to claim 4,

wherein the plurality of watchdog timers are each provided to the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit.

6. The controller for inverter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detector for an ignition switch that makes a judgment of ON/OFF of the ignition switch; and

means that electrically disconnects the power supply unit and an external battery,

wherein the electrically disconnecting means is controlled by the detector, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit.

7. The controller for inverter according to claim 1,

wherein the power supply unit generates a reference voltage that is input commonly to the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit, and

by mutually confirming the reference voltage generated by the power supply unit, AD conversion functions of the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit are diagnosed.

8. The controller for inverter according to claim 1,

wherein if an abnormality is detected in the second motor control processing unit, the second motor control processing unit shuts off power supplied from the power supply unit for logic portion to the second logic portion, and the first motor control processing unit makes the first inverter continue an operation.

9. A controller for an inverter comprising:

an energy management processing unit that controls energy of a vehicle;

a first motor control processing unit that controls a power generation amount or an assist amount of a first motor;

a second motor control processing unit that controls a power generation amount or an assist amount of a second motor;

a power supply unit that generates power supplied to the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit;

a first inverter that is controlled by the first motor control processing unit;

a second inverter that is controlled by the second motor control processing unit; and

a communication line that connects the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit,

wherein the first inverter and the second inverter are configured so as to be controlled in a cooperative or an independent manner,

the controller further comprising;

a first logic portion that generates a control signal of the first inverter in accordance with the first motor control processing unit;

a second logic portion that generates a control signal of the second inverter in accordance with the second motor control processing unit;

a power supply unit for logic portion that generates power used for the first logic portion and the second logic portion;

a gate power supply unit that is used for a driving signal of a switching element that is provided in each of the first inverter and the second inverter,

wherein if an abnormality is detected in the first motor control processing unit, the first motor control processing unit shuts off power supplied from the power supply unit for logic portion to the first logic portion, and the second motor control processing unit makes the second inverter continue an operation, and

wherein an external engine controlling unit, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit are connected via the communication line so as to be controlled in a cooperative or an independent manner, and

if an abnormality is detected in the engine controlling unit, operations of the first inverter and the second inverter are continued in accordance with the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit.

10. The controller for inverter according to claim 9,

wherein the engine controlling unit, the first inverter and the second inverter are configured so as to be controlled in a cooperative or an independent manner.

11. The controller for inverter according to claim 10,

wherein the engine controlling unit, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit are configured so as to monitor each other, and

if an abnormal state is detected in any one of the units, control of the vehicle is changed in a manner different from that in a normal state.

12. The controller for inverter according to claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of watchdog timers that detect a normal state/an abnormal state of the engine controlling unit, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit independently; and

means that, if the abnormal state is detected, changes control of the vehicle in a manner different from that in a normal state.

13. The controller for inverter according to claim 12,

wherein the plurality of watchdog timers are each provided to the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit.

14. The controller for inverter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a detector for an ignition switch that makes a judgment of ON/OFF of the ignition switch; and

means that electrically disconnects the power supply unit and an external battery,

wherein the electrically disconnecting means is controlled by the detector, the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit.

15. The controller for inverter according to claim 9,

wherein the power supply unit generates a reference voltage that is input commonly to the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit, and

by mutually confirming the reference voltage generated by the power supply unit, AD conversion functions of the energy management processing unit, the first motor control processing unit and the second motor control processing unit are diagnosed.

16. The controller for inverter according to claim 9,

wherein if an abnormality is detected in the second motor control processing unit, the second motor control processing unit shuts off power supplied from the power supply unit for logic portion to the second logic portion, and the first motor control processing unit makes the first inverter continue an operation.