Abstract: Provided is a starting method for hybrid electric vehicle, which includes the steps of: (a1) as the temperature of a battery module of the hybrid electric vehicle is below a first threshold temperature, allowing the vehicle control unit of the hybrid electric vehicle to turn on a first switch; (a2) converting the DC power transmitted from the battery module to an integrated starter generator of the vehicle through the first switch into a first AC power by the integrated starter generator which is operating under the starter mode, and starting the internal combustion engine of the vehicle with the first AC power; and (a3) executing a heating process to warm up the battery module by a battery heater, in which the charging line between the integrated starter generator and the battery module is cut off and the integrated starter generator is operating under a rectifier sub-mode, thereby allowing the integrated starter generator to supply electric power to the battery heater in order to heat the battery module.

Abstract: Provided is a starting method for hybrid electric vehicle, which includes the steps of: (a1)) as the temperature of a battery module of the hybrid electric vehicle is below a first threshold temperature, allowing the vehicle control unit of the hybrid electric vehicle to turn on a first switch; (a2) converting the DC power transmitted from the battery module to an integrated starter generator of the vehicle through the first switch into a first AC power by the integrated starter generator which is operating under the starter mode, and starting the internal combustion engine of the vehicle with the first AC power; and (a3) executing a heating process to warm up the battery module by a battery heater, in which the charging line between the integrated starter generator and the battery module is cut off and the integrated starter generator is operating under a rectifier sub-mode, thereby allowing the integrated starter generator to supply electric power to the battery heater in order to heat the battery module.

Abstract: A generated power control system in which the magnetic field of a generator is controlled based on a target generated power so as to perform the appropriate generation control. Preferably, the generated power control system is used in a hybrid vehicle having a generator configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine that drives a first wheel and an AC motor that drives a second wheel not driven by the internal combustion engine with an inverter arranged to supply generated power from the generator to the AC motor. Basically, the generated power control basically calculates an AC motor power requirement of the AC motor and a target generated power to be generated by the generator based on the AC motor power requirement, and then controls the generated power generated by the generator by controlling a magnetic field of the generator based on the target generated power calculated.

Abstract: A control device of a motor-driven 4WD vehicle includes: a 42V alternator 2 driven by an engine 1 to generate 3-phase AC electricity of 42 volts; a rectifying circuit 14 which rectifies the 3-phase AC electricity generated by the 42V alternator 2 and which supplies DC electricity after rectification to a motor M1 which drives rear wheels; an inverter 3 which lowers the electricity generated by the 42V alternator 2 into 14 volts and which converts the lowered AC electricity into DC electricity; and a 14V battery E1 which is supplied with the electricity obtained by the inverter 3 and which is charged. With this configuration, a generator can function as both a motor generator for charging the 14V battery E1 and a motor generator for generating driving electricity of the motor M1, and the configuration of the device can be simplified.

Abstract: A control device controlling a motor-driven four wheel drive vehicle, where either of front wheels and rear wheels are driven by an engine and the others are driven by an AC motor, is provided with an electric power generator driven by an engine to generate first three-phase AC power, a rectifier rectifying the first three-phase AC power, generated by the electric power generator, to second DC power and supplying the second DC power to a neutral point of the AC motor; and a first step-up and step-down inverter stepping up and converting the second DC power, supplied through the neutral point, to third three-phase AC power. The AC motor is rotationally driven by application of the third three-phase AC power from the first step-up and step-down inverter.

Abstract: A control device for a motor-driven 4WD (four-wheel-drive) vehicle includes a 42v alternator (motor-generator) driven by an engine to generate three-phase AC power with 42 volts, a step-up and step-down inverter rectifying and stepping down three-phase AC power, generated by the 42v alternator, to DC power with 14 volts, and a 14V battery supplied with and charged with DC power with 14 volts outputted from the step-up and step-down inverter. A diode bridge circuit rectifies AC power with 42 volts, generated by the 42V alternator, to DC power by which a motor is rotationally driven to render the vehicle operative in 4WD drive mode.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a vehicle which has an engine for driving front wheels thereof and a motor for driving rear wheels thereof. The control system includes: a motor generator which is driven by the engine and generates three-phase alternating-current power at first voltage; an inverter which converts the three-phase alternating-current power to direct-current power at second voltage lower than the first voltage; a battery to be charged with the direct-current power supplied from the inverter; and a capacitor device connected to the inverter. The motor of the vehicle is supplied with third power at third voltage converted from the first alternating-current power.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a vehicle which has an engine for driving at least one of wheels thereof and a motor for driving at least one of the rest of the wheels thereof. The control system includes: a motor generator configured to be driven by the engine for generating first alternating-current power at a first voltage; an inverter which converts the first alternating-current power to second power at a second voltage lower than the first voltage or to third direct-current power at a third voltage; and a battery to be charged with the second power supplied from the inverter. The motor is supplied with the third direct-current power at the third voltage obtained from the first alternating-current power.

Abstract: A generated power control system in which the magnetic field of a generator is controlled based on a target generated power so as to perform the appropriate generation control. Preferably, the generated power control system is used in a hybrid vehicle having a generator configured to be driven by an internal combustion engine that drives a first wheel and an AC motor that drives a second wheel not driven by the internal combustion engine with an inverter arranged to supply generated power from the generator to the AC motor. Basically, the generated power control basically calculates an AC motor power requirement of the AC motor and a target generated power to be generated by the generator based on the AC motor power requirement, and then controls the generated power generated by the generator by controlling a magnetic field of the generator based on the target generated power calculated.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a vehicle which has an engine for driving at least one of wheels thereof and a motor for driving at least one of the rest of the wheels thereof. The control system includes: a motor generator configured to be driven by the engine for generating first alternating-current power at a first voltage; an inverter which converts the first alternating-current power to second power at a second voltage lower than the first voltage or to third direct-current power at a third voltage; and a battery to be charged with the second power supplied from the inverter. The motor is supplied with the third direct-current power at the third voltage obtained from the first alternating-current power.

Abstract: A control device controlling a motor-driven 4WD vehicle, where either of front wheels and rear wheels are driven by an engine and the others are driven by an AC motor, is provided with an electric power generator driven by an engine to generate first three-phase AC power, a rectifier rectifying the first three-phase AC power, generated by the electric power generator, to second DC power and supplying the second DC power to a neutral point of the AC motor; and a first set-up and set-down inverter setting up and converting the second DC power, supplied through the neutral point, to third three-phase AC power. The AC motor is rotationally driven by application of the third three-phase AC power from the first set-up and set-down inverter.

Abstract: A control device for a motor-driven vehicle comprises a 42 v alternator (motor-generator) driven by an engine to generate three-phase AC power with 42 volts, a set-up and set-down inverter rectifying and setting down three-phase AC power, generated by the 42 v alternator, to DC power with 14 volts, and a 14V battery supplied with and charged with DC power with 14 volts outputted from the set-up and set-down inverter. A diode bridge circuit rectifies AC power with 42 volts, generated by the 42V alternator, to DC power by which a motor is rotationally driven to render the vehicle operative in 4WD drive mode.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a vehicle which has an engine for driving front wheels thereof and a motor for driving rear wheels thereof. The control system includes: a motor generator which is driven by the engine and generates three-phase alternating-current power at first voltage; an inverter which converts the three-phase alternating-current power to direct-current power at second voltage lower than the first voltage; a battery to be charged with the direct-current power supplied from the inverter; and a capacitor device connected to the inverter. The motor of the vehicle is supplied with third power at third voltage converted from the first alternating-current power.

Abstract: A control device of a motor-driven 4WD vehicle includes: a 42V alternator 2 driven by an engine 1 to generate 3-phase AC electricity of 42 volts; a rectifying circuit 14 which rectifies the 3-phase AC electricity generated by the 42V alternator 2 and which supplies DC electricity after rectification to a motor M1 which drives rear wheels; an inverter 3 which lowers the electricity generated by the 42V alternator 2 into 14 volts and which converts the lowered AC electricity into DC electricity; and a 14V battery E1 which is supplied with the electricity obtained by the inverter 3 and which is charged. With this configuration, a generator can function as both a motor generator for charging the 14V battery E1 and a motor generator for generating driving electricity of the motor M1, and the configuration of the device can be simplified.

Abstract: A PWM generation block implements two-phase/three phase conversion of torque current and exciting current and, on the basis of the converted three-phase torque and exciting currents and a three-phase current for driving and controlling the drive motor, outputs a PWM signal. A torque current estimator receives the same three-phase current as that of the three-phase current input to the PWM generation block, and implement three-phase/two-phase conversion of a three-phase current, by using a phase angle output from the microcomputer to calculate and output estimation values of the torque and exciting currents. A first comparator compares the absolute value of amplitude and the phase angle of the motor primary current and the motor primary frequency which are respectively output from the microcomputer with those which are respectively output from a fail-safe control block. The first comparator outputs a fail-safe signal when it detects differences between the compared values.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an induction motor which basically achieve reductions in a steady state loss and in a transient loss of the induction motor such as a stepwise input of a torque instruction value T.sub.e *. Basically, a steady-state loss minimization magnetic flux calculating section calculates a secondary (rotor) magnetic flux .phi..sub.r * which minimizes the steady-state loss of the induction motor in response to a torque instruction value. A target magnetic flux .phi..sub.r and a differentiation of the target magnetic flux d.phi..sub.r /dt are thereafter calculated using a low pass filter transfer function such as .phi..sub.r =.phi..sub.r * 1/(1+.tau..sub..phi..S)(, wherein .tau..sub..phi. denotes a time constant, and S denotes a Laplace operator). A target torque T.sub.m is calculates using a predetermined transfer function in response to the torque instruction value such as T.sub.m =T.sub.e *.1/(1+.tau..sub.T.S)(, wherein .tau..sub.T is a time constant for the target torque).

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a vehicle dynamic characteristic control system employing a vehicle speed sensor, a steering handle position sensor and a steering handle neutral position sensor to control the dynamic characteristics of an automotive vehicle. The vehicle speed sensor is sensitive to vehicle speed for producing a vehicle speed signal indicative of a sensed vehicle speed. The steering handle position sensor is sensitive to steering handle position for producing a steering handle position signal indicative of a sensed steering handle position. The steering handle neutral position sensor is sensitive to steering handle position for producing a steering handle neutral position signal having a first level when the sensed steering handle position is in a predetermined neutral range and a second level when the sensed steering handle position is out of the predetermined neutral range.

Abstract: An apparatus for use with a vehicle dynamic characteristic control system employing a steering handle position sensor and a steering handle neutral position sensor to control the dynamic characteristics of an automotive vehicle. The steering handle position sensor is sensitive to steering handle position for producing a steering handle position signal indicative of a sensed steering handle position. The steering handle neutral position sensor is sensitive to steering handle position for producing a steering handle neutral position signal having a first level when the sensed steering handle position is in a predetermined neutral range and a second level when the sensed steering handle position is out of the predetermined neutral range. A first signal is produced when the steering handle position signal indicates the sensed steering handle position being out of a predetermined range including the neutral range. A second signal is produced when the steering wheel neutral position signal is at the first level.

Abstract: A system for detecting failure in a system controlling an inductance load is provided. This system comprises a controller for providing a driving signal to the inductance load to control it, a dither signal generator for adding a dither signal to the driving signal to be provided to the inductance load, a first monitor for monitoring the dither signal included in the driving signal provided by the controller to detect failure in the controller by detecting an absence of the dither signal therein, and a second monitor for monitoring variation in level of the driving signal from the controller to deactivate failure detecting operation of the first monitor in response to variation above a preselected level to prevent the system from mistakenly interpeting transient level fluctuations as a system failure.

Abstract: A vehicle dynamic characteristic control apparatus for use with a motor vehicle having a controllable dynamic characteristic. The apparatus includes an actuator for controlling the dynamic characteristic of the motor vehicle, and a control unit for calculating a value for a setting of the actuator based on vehicle running conditions and converting the calculated value into a setting of the actuator. The control unit produces a start command when it receives an abnormal signal which does not occur during normal vehicle driving. An electric signal is produced to operate the actuator in a self-checking mode in the presence of the start command. The self-checking operation is terminated when a time has elapsed after the start command is produced. This is effective to avoid troubles which will occur if the self-checking operation continues for a long time.