Abstract: A control system controls a hybrid vehicle having an engine for rotating a drive axle, an electric motor for assisting the engine in rotating the drive axle and converting kinetic energy of the drive axle into electric energy in a regenerative mode, and an electric energy storage unit connected through a drive control circuit to the electric motor, for storing electric energy. The control system has a regenerative quantity determining unit which includes first, second, and third first regenerative quantity establishing units. The first regenerative quantity establishing unit establishes a first regenerative quantity for the electric motor based on a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle when the supply of fuel to the engine is stopped upon deceleration of the hybrid vehicle. The second regenerative quantity establishing unit establishes a second regenerative quantity for the electric motor based on a remaining capacity of the electric energy storage unit.

Abstract: A resolver comprises excitation windings for receiving excitation signals and a detection winding for outputting a detection signal. Displacement of a passive member provided with the excitation windings or the detection winding is detected on the basis of the detection signal which varies with the displacement of the passive member. A modulated signal obtained through modulation of a high-frequency signal by an excitation signal is input to each of the excitation windings, and a detection signal is obtained through demodulation of a modulated signal output from the detection winding. Since the modulated signal obtained through modulation (amplitude modulation) of the high-frequency signal by means of the excitation signal is applied to the excitation windings, the number of turns in the excitation and the detection windings can be reduced.

Abstract: An actuator is operated to move a mechanical device between two extreme positions of travel. While that motion is occurring, the system quantifies the amount of movement that occurs between those positions. The quantification may involve counting the number of steps of a stepper motor. The number of steps may be used directly as a quantification. Alternatively, the number of steps can be multiplied by the time period of each step to derive the time of the movement between the extreme positions. In addition to being used to setup the actuator upon installation, this automatic ranging method can be performed periodically to compensate for effects of wear on the mechanical device.

Abstract: A battery management for a hybrid drive system for a vehicle recovers input and output performance of a battery if the battery temperature is low. If the battery temperature is less than or equal to a predetermined value (or if the battery internal resistance is greater than or equal to a predetermined value), the battery needs to recover its input and output performance. Under this condition, the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is determined and compared with a predetermined value. The comparison result is used to determine whether the battery is capable of discharging or the battery needs charging. If SOC is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, a controller conducts forced discharge from the battery to operate an electric motor of the hybrid drive system in power mode. This forced discharge causes an increase ion the battery temperature, thus causing the battery to recover its input and output performance.

Abstract: A device for controlling a synchronous electric motor with a permanent magnet rotor. The device comprises a stator including a winding disposed around a stack of laminations and with which is associated a permanent magnet rotor. Controlled conductor devices are connected to the stator winding and to an AC source. One or more position sensors determine the application to the control inputs of the said controlled conductor devices of electrical control signals having to states which vary as a function of the angular position of the rotor. The arrangement is such that the current is caused to flow in the stator winding in a direction which depends only on the polarity of the voltage of the source and the instantaneous position of the rotor.

Abstract: A processor system and method are provided for providing motor excitation frequency control in a vehicle propelled by AC electric traction motors. The processor system and method allow for computing an excitation frequency signal based on a sum of i) a signal indicative of a weighted average of an estimated rotor speed signal and a measured vehicle speed signal and ii) a compensated slip command signal. Effective wheel slip control is thus provided without requiring sensors for measuring rotational speed of the traction motors.

Abstract: In a process for controlling a rotating machine having n phases powered by a voltage inverter defining m.sup.n states of the stator phase voltage vector the electromagnetic torque .GAMMA. and the stator flux .vertline..phi..sub.s .vertline. of the machine are servocontrolled. A calculator calculates a succession of n states of the phase voltage vector to move the torque .GAMMA. and the flux .vertline..phi..sub.s .vertline. towards the set points .GAMMA..sub.ref, .vertline..phi..sub.s .vertline..sub.ref. On each sampling, the calculator calculates the remaining application time of the current state and the updated application times of the future states of the phase vector. Asynchronously with the sampling times and the calculation times, the calculator sends SPmLL switch control signals to switch from the current state to the next state.