Method for controlling operating speed and torque of electric motor

• US 9,973,126 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Thunder Power New Energy Vehicle Development Company Limited
• Inventors: Lai, Sheng-Fu
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Joseph, Devon
• Application Number:
  US15/655,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20170317632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 299 Days
• Field of Search: 318139
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 by parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 Speed
• 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: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/0022 Model reference adaptation, e.g. MRAS or MRAC, useful for control or parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 31/00 Arrangements for regulating or controlling electric motors not provided for in groups H02P1/00 - H02P5/00, H02P7/00 or H02P21/00 - H02P29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/08 Arrangements for controlling the speed or torque of a single motor H02P6/10, H02P6/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/285 controlling armature supply only
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling the operating speed and the torque of an electric motor using an operational model are described. An operational model for the electric motor, including a plot of engine performance parameters, is used for reference, and a most efficient output path, which may pass through an optimal operation region in the operational model, is selected. The most efficient output path may be determined, for example, according to locations of a current output state and a to-be-reached target state in the operational model, enabling the operating state of the motor to reach the target state from the current operating state. By selecting a more efficient output path, the operating efficiency of the motor may be optimized, the life of a battery improved and/or the operating mileage of the vehicle may be increased, without significantly reducing the driving experience.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electric vehicle by controlling an operating speed and/or a torque of an electric motor of the electric vehicle in accordance with an operational model, the method being implemented by a processor configured to execute machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

storing the operational model in a storage device, the operational model comprising a plurality of operation positions of the electric vehicle, an optimal region of the electric motor, a given operation position corresponding to a speed parameter, a torque parameter and an operation efficiency parameter of the electric motor;

receiving a value for a current speed parameter and a value for a current torque parameter from a sensor device;

determining a current operation position of the electric motor in the operational model based on the value for the current speed parameter and the value for the current torque parameter;

receiving, from a driving input system, a target speed parameter and a target torque parameter corresponding to a target operation position of the electric motor in the operational model;

determining whether the current operation position is located in the optimal operation region; and

in response to the current operation position being determined not located in the optimal operation region;

adjusting at least one of the current speed parameter and the current torque parameter to move, along a first path, the current operation position to an intermediate operation position, the intermediate operation position corresponding to a value for an intermediate speed parameter and value for an intermediate torque parameter, and being located in the optimal operation region; and

adjusting at least one of the intermediate speed parameter and the intermediate torque parameter to move, along a second path, the intermediate operation position to the target operation position.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting an operation position in the optimal operation region as the intermediate operation position.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the intermediate operation position is selected by virtue of having a shortest linear distance from the optimal operation region to the current operation position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein further comprising:

changing the driving voltage and the driving current applied to the electric motor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

amending an efficiency parameter on a selected position in the operational model according to a calculated efficiency parameter on the target operation position.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

amending the efficiency parameter on the selected position in the operational model according to the calculated efficiency parameter on the target operation position comprises;

detecting the input voltage and current of the motor at the target operation position;

calculating the actual operating efficiency of the motor at the target operation position according to the torque and the speed of the motor at the target operation position and the detected input voltage and current at the target operation position;

calculating a correction coefficient according to the operating efficiency corresponding to the target operation position in the operational model and the calculated actual operation efficiency of the motor at the target operation position;

selecting at least one position to be corrected close to the target operation position;

calculating the distance between the target operation position and the position to be corrected;

calculating a correction quantity according to the calculated correction coefficient calculated and the calculated distance;

correcting the position of the position to be corrected in the operational model according to the correction quantity.

7. A method of operating an electric vehicle by controlling an operating speed and/or a torque of an electric motor of the electric vehicle in accordance with an operational model, the method being implemented by a processor configured to execute machine-readable instructions, the method comprising:

storing the operational model in a storage device, the operational model comprising a plurality of operation positions of the electric vehicle, an optimal region of the electric motor, a given operation position corresponding to a speed parameter, a torque parameter and an operation efficiency parameter of the electric motor;

receiving a value for a current speed parameter and a value for a current torque parameter from a sensor device;

determining a current operation position of the electric motor in the operational model based on the value for the current speed parameter and the value for the current torque parameter;

determining whether the current operation position is located in the optimal operation region;

in response to determining the current operation position is not located in the optimal operation region;

determining whether to select an intermediate operation position in the optimal operation region or to directly move the current operation position to the target operation position without selecting the intermediate operation position; and

in response to determining to select the intermediate operation position in the optimal operation region;

selecting the intermediate operation position; and

moving the current operation position to the target operation position via the intermediate operation position.

8. An electric vehicle motor controller, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device including an operational model stored thereon, the operational model comprising a plurality of operation positions of the electric vehicle, an optimal region of the electric motor, a given operation position corresponding to a speed parameter, a torque parameter and an operation efficiency parameter of the electric motor; and

, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive a value for a current speed parameter and a value for a current torque parameter from a sensor device;

determine a current operation position of the electric motor in the operational model based on the value for the current speed parameter and the value for the current torque parameter;

receive, from a driving input system, a target speed parameter and a target torque parameter corresponding to a target operation position of the electric motor in the operational model;

determine whether the current operation position is located in the optimal operation region; and

in response to the current operation position being determined not located in the optimal operation region;

adjust at least one of the current speed parameter and the current torque parameter to move, along a first path, the current operation position to an intermediate operation position, the intermediate operation position corresponding to a value for an intermediate speed parameter and value for an intermediate torque parameter, and being located in the optimal operation region; and

adjust at least one of the intermediate speed parameter and the intermediate torque parameter to move, along a second path, the intermediate operation position to the target operation position.

9. The controller of claim 8, wherein adjusting the current operation position to the target operation position comprises selecting the intermediate operation position in the optimal operation region as a vertex of the second path.

10. The controller of claim 9, wherein:

the intermediate operation position is selected by virtue of having a shortest linear distance from the optimal operation region to the current operation position.

11. The controller of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the electric motor according to the first or second path by changing at least one of the driving voltage and the driving current applied to the electric motor such that the current operation position at any time during the transition to the target operation position is on the selected transition path in the operational model.

12. The controller of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to:

amend an efficiency parameter on a selected position in the operational model according to a calculated efficiency parameter on the target operation position.

13. The controller of claim 12, wherein:

amending the efficiency parameter on a selected position in the operational model according to the calculated efficiency parameter on the target operation position comprises;

detecting the input voltage and current of the motor at the target operation position;

calculating the actual operating efficiency of the motor at the target operation position according to the torque and the speed of the motor at the target operation position and the detected input voltage and current at the target operation position;

calculating a correction coefficient according to the operating efficiency corresponding to the target operation position in the operational model and the calculated actual operation efficiency of the motor at the target operation position;

selecting at least one position to be corrected close to the target operation position;

calculating the distance between the target operation position and the position to be corrected;

calculating a correction quantity according to the calculated correction coefficient calculated and the calculated distance;

correcting the position of the position to be corrected in the operational model according to the correction quantity.

14. An electric vehicle comprising:

an electric drive motor;

a battery configured to power the electric drive motor; and

an electric vehicle motor controller including a processor and a memory with an operational model stored therein, the operational model comprising a plurality of operation positions of the electric vehicle, an optimal region of the electric motor, a given operation position corresponding to a speed parameter, a torque parameter and an operation efficiency parameter of the electric motor, and the processor is configured to;

store the operational model in a storage device, the operational model comprising a plurality of operation positions of the electric vehicle, an optimal region of the electric motor, a given operation position corresponding to a speed parameter, a torque parameter and an operation efficiency parameter of the electric motor;

receive a value for a current speed parameter and a value for a current torque parameter from a sensor device;

determine a current operation position of the electric motor in the operational model based on the value for the current speed parameter and the value for the current torque parameter;

receive, from a driving input system, a target speed parameter and a target torque parameter corresponding to a target operation position of the electric motor in the operational model;

determine whether the current operation position is located in the optimal operation region; and

in response to the current operation position being determined not located in the optimal operation region;

adjust at least one of the current speed parameter and the current torque parameter to move, along a first path, the current operation position to an intermediate operation position, the intermediate operation position corresponding to a value for an intermediate speed parameter and value for an intermediate torque parameter, and being located in the optimal operation region; and

adjust at least one of the intermediate speed parameter and the intermediate torque parameter to move, along a second path, the intermediate operation position to the target operation position.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

select an operation position in the optimal operation region as the intermediate operation position, wherein the intermediate operation position is selected by virtue of having a shortest linear distance from the optimal operation region to the current operation position.

16. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the control signals are configured to transition the electric drive motor from the current operation position to the target operation position on the operational model by changing at least one of the driving voltage and the driving current applied to the electric motor such that the current operation position at any time during the transition to the target operation position is on a transition path in the operational model.

17. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

amend an efficiency parameter on a selected position in the operational model according to a calculated efficiency parameter on the target operation position.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein:

amending the efficiency parameter on a selected position in the operational model according to the calculated efficiency parameter on the target operation position comprises;

detecting the input voltage and current of the motor at the target operation position;

calculating the actual operating efficiency of the motor at the target operation position according to the torque and the speed of the motor at the target operation position and the detected input voltage and current at the target operation position;

calculating a correction coefficient according to the operating efficiency corresponding to the target operation position in the operational model and the calculated actual operation efficiency of the motor at the target operation position;

selecting at least one position to be corrected close to the target operation position;

calculating the distance between the target operation position and the position to be corrected;

calculating a correction quantity according to the calculated correction coefficient calculated and the calculated distance;

correcting the position of the position to be corrected in the operational model according to the correction quantity.