Control of user-selectable vehicle deceleration rate to maximize regeneration for electrified propulsion systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447017-B2
Application number	US-202016776906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2020
Priority date	Jan 30, 2020
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

An electrical regeneration and vehicle deceleration control method includes operating an electrified powertrain in normal or maximum regeneration modes associated with lesser and greater electrical regeneration and vehicle deceleration rates, respectively, receiving an input from a driver of the vehicle indicative of a request to enable the maximum regeneration mode, detecting a status indicative of an availability of the maximum regeneration mode, and in response to receiving the request and based on the status of the maximum regeneration mode and a current vehicle deceleration rate: (i) operating the electrified powertrain in either the maximum regeneration mode or a normal regeneration mode, (ii) selectively outputting a message to the driver indicative of the status of the maximum regeneration mode, and (iii) selectively commanding a hydraulic brake system of the vehicle to generate brake force based on a driver-expected vehicle deceleration rate associated with the operative regeneration mode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical regeneration and vehicle deceleration control system for an electrified vehicle having an electrified powertrain comprising an engine and at least one electric motor, the control system comprising:
a user interface; and
a controller configured to:
operate the electrified powertrain in a normal regeneration mode associated with a first electrical regeneration rate and a first vehicle deceleration rate or a maximum regeneration mode associated with a second electrical regeneration rate and a second vehicle deceleration rate that are greater than the first electrical regeneration rate and the first vehicle deceleration rate, respectively;
receive, via the user interface, an input from a driver of the vehicle indicative of a request to enable the maximum regeneration mode;
detect a status of the maximum regeneration mode, wherein the status is indicative of an availability of the maximum regeneration mode; and
in response to receiving the request and based on the status of the maximum regeneration mode and a current vehicle deceleration rate:
(i) operate the electrified powertrain in either the maximum regeneration mode or the normal regeneration mode;
(ii) selectively output, via the user interface, a message to the driver indicative of the status of the maximum regeneration mode; and
(iii) selectively command a hydraulic brake system of the vehicle to generate brake force based on a driver-expected vehicle deceleration rate associated with the operative regeneration mode,

wherein the controller is further configured to autonomously command the hydraulic brake system to apply the hydraulic brake system to generate the brake force based on the driver-expected vehicle deceleration rate associated with the operative regeneration mode and without requiring any driver input via a brake pedal of the vehicle, and
wherein the controller is further configured to autonomously command the hydraulic brake system to utilize a vacuum-independent electric brake booster to generate and provide additional hydraulic brake pressure to the hydraulic brake system to thereby generate the brake force based on the driver-expected vehicle deceleration rate associated with the operative regeneration mode and without requiring any driver input via the brake pedal.

2. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the electrified powertrain to use an electrical current generated by converting kinetic energy of the electrified powertrain to at least one of (i) recharge a battery system associated with the at least one electric motor and (ii) power an accessory load of the vehicle,
wherein the second electrical regeneration rate of the maximum regeneration mode increases an electric range of the vehicle compared to the first electrical regeneration rate of the normal regeneration mode.

3. The control system of claim 1 , wherein when the status indicates that the maximum regeneration mode is available, the controller is further configured to:
determine whether the engine is connected to a transmission of the electrified vehicle;
when the engine and the transmission are connected, operate the electrified powertrain such that kinetic energy at the engine and the at least one electric motor is collectively converted into electrical energy at the second electrical regeneration rate; and
when the engine and the transmission are disconnected, operate the electrified powertrain such that kinetic energy at the at least one electric motor is converted into electrical energy at the second electrical regeneration rate.

4. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the status of the maximum regeneration mode based on (i) whether a malfunction of the vehicle that would limit the maximum regeneration mode is present, (ii) whether the vehicle malfunction is recoverable, and (iii) when the vehicle malfunction is recoverable, whether the vehicle malfunction has recovered.

5. The control system of claim 4 , wherein when the vehicle malfunction is not recoverable and the current vehicle deceleration rate is less than the first vehicle deceleration rate, the controller is further configured to:
when the engine is off, start the engine;
operate the electrified powertrain in the normal regeneration mode such that kinetic energy at the engine and the at least one electric motor is collectively converted into electrical energy at the first electrical regeneration rate and the current deceleration rate of the vehicle increases;
output, via the user interface, a message to the driver indicating that the maximum regeneration mode is unavailable; and
selectively command the hydraulic brake system to generate the brake force based on the driver-expected vehicle deceleration rate associated with the operative regeneration mode and without requiring any driver input via a brake pedal of the vehicle.

6. The control system of claim 4 , wherein when the vehicle malfunction is recoverable and has recovered, the controller is further configured to:
operate the electrified powertrain in the maximum regeneration mode such that kinetic energy at the engine and the at least one electric motor is collectively converted into electrical energy at the second electrical regeneration rate; and
output, via the user interface, a message to the driver indicating that the maximum regeneration mode is available.

7. The control system of claim 4 , wherein when the vehicle malfunction is recoverable but has not yet recovered, the controller is further configured to:
operate the electrified powertrain in the normal regeneration mode such that kinetic energy at the engine and the at least one electric motor is collectively converted into electrical energy at the first electrical regeneration rate; and
output, via the user interface, a message to the driver indicating that the maximum regeneration mode is temporarily unavailable.

8. The control system of claim 1 , wherein the electrified vehicle is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

9. An electrical regeneration and vehicle deceleration control method for an electrified vehicle having an electrified powertrain comprising an engine and at least one electric motor, the method comprising:
operating, by a controller of the electrified vehicle, the electrified powertrain in a normal regeneration mode associated with a first electrical regeneration and a first vehicle deceleration rate or a maximum regeneration mode associated with a second electrical regeneration and a second vehicle deceleration rate that are greater than the first electrical regeneration rate and the first vehicle deceleration rate, respectively;
receiving, by the controller and via the user interface, an input from a driver of the vehicle indicative of a request to enable the maximum regeneration mode;
detecting, by the controller, a status of the maximum regeneration mode, wherein the status is indicative of an availability of the maximum regeneration mode; and
in response to receiving the request and based on the status of the maximum regeneration mode and a current vehicle deceleration rate:
(i) operating, by the controller, the electrified powertrain in either the maximum regeneration mode or the normal regeneration mode;
(ii) selectively outputting, by the controller and via the user interface, a message to the driver indicative of the status of the maximum regeneration mode; and
(iii) selectively commanding, by the controller, a hydraulic brake system of the vehicle to generate brake force based on a driver-expected vehicle deceleration rate associated with the operative regeneration mode,

wherein when the status indicates that the maximum regenera

Assignees

• Patel Nadirsh
• Hollowell James R
• Gorecki Divya E
• Lakshmanaiah Chandan
• Rogalski Zachary C
• Roy Richard
• Fca Us Llc

Inventors

• Patel Nadirsh
• Hollowell James R
• Gorecki Divya E
• Lakshmanaiah Chandan
• Rogalski Zachary C
• Roy Richard

Classifications

• B60W50/10

  Interpretation of driver requests or demands · CPC title

• B60T7/12

  for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger {(limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00)} · CPC title

• B60L2240/16

  longitudinal · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W30/18127

  Regenerative braking · CPC title