Vehicle drive control

• US 9,914,459 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2014
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Burow, Clemens, Then, Florian
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Merlino, David P.
• Application Number:
  US14/912,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20160185352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,319 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/34 characterised by the absence of energy storing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• 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 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/188 Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/43 : Control of engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/60 : Control of electric machines, e.g. problems related to electric motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/78 : Power split
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/916 : with plurality of drive axles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A method for controlling a drive of a vehicle with at least one first axle having at least one mounted wheel. A drive torque is specified by a driver of the vehicle, and the first axle is driven by means of a first electric machine dependent on the drive torque. A second electric machine which is coupled to an internal combustion engine provides electrical energy for driving the first axle with the first electric machine. A respective control or target torque assigned to the second electric machine and the internal combustion engine is computed while taking into consideration the drive torque and machine parameters of at least the second electric machine. The second electric machine and the internal combustion engine are each regulated with respect to the assigned control torque or with respect to the assigned target torque.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a drive of a vehicle having a first axle with at least one mounted wheel, comprising:

setting by a driver a drive torque of the vehicle,

driving the first axle with a first electric machine as a function of the drive torque,

providing electrical energy with a second electric machine coupled to at least one combustion engine for driving the first axle with the first electric machine,

driving a second axle having at least one mounted wheel with the at least one combustion engine that is coupled to the second electric machine in order to operate the second axle with both the at least one combustion engine and the second electric machine,

computing, by taking into account the drive torque and machine parameters of at least the second electric machine, a target torque associated with the second electric machine and with the at least one combustion engine, and

controlling the second electric machine and the at least one combustion engine in parallel to the associated target torque with identical magnitude, but reverse mathematical sign, while driving the first axle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing comprises determining an operational current of the first electric machine so that the drive torque is at least partially provided by the first electric machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing comprises taking into account an energy demand of at least one additional electrical component of the vehicle connected to the first and second electric machines.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of compensating a control deviation during a settling process by using an electrical energy storage device connected to the first and second electric machines.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of computing is executed to lower a capacity of the energy storage device to a level sufficient to effect a compact configuration of the energy storage device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of computing comprises determining of a target torque associated with the first electric machine, and controlling the first electric machine in relation to the target torque.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electric machine is operated exclusively in generator mode.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine parameters comprise efficiencies of at least one of the first electric machine, the second electric machine and the at least one combustion engine.

10. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising a program with program code sections, which enable a controller, when loaded into a memory of the controller, to execute the steps of the method of claim 1.

9. A vehicle comprising:

a drive having a first axle with at least one mounted wheel, a first electric machine coupled to the first axle, a combustion engine, and a second electric machine coupled at least to the at least one combustion engine for providing electrical energy for driving the first axle with the first electric machine,

a second axle having at least one mounted wheel configured to be driven by the combustion engine that is coupled with the second electric machine, in order to operate the second axle by using both the combustion engine and the second electric machine, and

a controller configured to

allow a driver to set a drive torque of the vehicle,

drive the at least one first axle with the first electric machine as a function of the drive torque,

provide electrical energy with the second electric machine coupled to the combustion engine for driving the first axle with the first electric machine,

drive the second axle having at least one mounted wheel with the combustion engine that is coupled to the second electric machine in order to operate the second axle with both the combustion engine and the second electric machine,

compute, by taking into account the drive torque and machine parameters of at least the second electric machine, a target torque associated with the second electric machine and with the combustion engine, and

control the second electric machine and the combustion engine in parallel to the associated target torque with identical magnitude, but reverse mathematical sign, while driving the first axle.