Drive system controls architecture for OEM interface and services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11987257-B2
Application number	US-202117539709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 1, 2021
Priority date	Dec 1, 2021
Publication date	May 21, 2024
Grant date	May 21, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods provide a drive system control architecture that comprises a seamless interface between original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicle systems or components (e.g., accelerator pedal, brake pedal, accessory components, etc.) and third-party (or non-OEM) vehicle systems or components (e.g., motor/generator (MG) and inverter systems, fuel cell and battery systems, transmission, etc.). A universal interface implemented in a vehicle may receive a request for a specified amount of torque from one or more components of a first set of vehicle components, and may determine a balance between one or more components of a second set of vehicle components for delivering the specified amount of torque. The universal interface may then instruct the one or more components of the second set of vehicle components to deliver a commensurate portion of the specified amount of torque.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a universal interface implemented in a vehicle, a consolidated request for a specified amount of torque from one or more motive control components of a first set of vehicle components comprising an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system;
determining, by the universal interface, a balance between one or more drivetrain and/or powertrain components of a second set of vehicle components comprising a non-OEM system for delivering the specified amount of torque based on operating characteristics of the one or more drivetrain and/or powertrain components; and
instructing, by the universal interface, the one or more components of the second set of vehicle components to deliver a commensurate portion of the specified amount of torque.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first set of vehicle components includes gearshifting, acceleration, and braking components.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second set of vehicle components includes motor-generator, inverter, fuel cell, battery, and transmission components.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request for the specified torque comprises a torque request at a prop shaft or drive shaft of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the balance comprises balancing the one or more components including at least one of a motor and transmission to produce the specified torque at the prop shaft or drive shaft.

6. A vehicle, comprising:
a first group of vehicle motive control components, comprising an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system, from which a consolidated user torque request is received;
a second group of vehicle drivetrain components, comprising a non-OEM system, providing motive force to wheels of the vehicle;
a third group of vehicle powertrain components, included in the non-OEM system, providing operative power to the second group of vehicle components; and
a universal interface receiving the consolidated user torque request, balancing operative output of the second group of vehicle components, and controlling at least one component of the second and third groups of vehicle components to deliver a specified amount of torque to the second group of vehicle components based on operating characteristics of one or more of the vehicle drivetrain and/or vehicle powertrain components.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the universal interface comprises splitter logic dividing the user torque request amongst the third group of vehicle components comprising at least a battery and a fuel cell.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the second group of vehicle components comprises at least a motor generator, and an inverter operatively connected to the battery and the fuel cell.

9. The vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the splitter logic receives a supplemental torque request from the transmission.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the splitter logic takes as an input, the consolidated torque request comprising the user torque request and the supplemental torque request from the transmission.

11. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the first group of vehicle components includes gearshifting, acceleration, and braking components.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the second group of vehicle components includes motor-generator, inverter, fuel cell, battery, and transmission components.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the request for the specified torque comprises a torque request at a drive shaft or prop shaft of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more drivetrain and/or powertrain systems are divided into parallel drivetrain and/or powertrain systems.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein determining a balance comprises modulating use of each of the parallel drivetrain and/or powertrain systems to optimize one or more of vehicle drivability, vehicle durability, vehicle battery management, vehicle operational efficiency, and vehicle operational performance.

16. The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle drivetrain components and the vehicle powertrain systems are divided into parallel drivetrain and powertrain systems.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein balancing the operative output comprises modulating use of each of the parallel drivetrain and powertrain systems to optimize one or more of drivability, durability, battery management, operational efficiency, vehicle operational performance of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Bower Laura E
• Eitzer Arlo C
• Lim Daniel K
• Sander Jonathan J
• Bulpitt Christopher M
• Rippelmeyer Luke A

Classifications

• B60W50/10 Primary

  Interpretation of driver requests or demands · CPC title

• B60W10/26

  for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors · CPC title

• B60W10/28

  including control of fuel cells · CPC title

• B60W2510/24

  Energy storage means · CPC title

• B60W2510/28

  Fuel cells · CPC title