Patents by Inventor Jérôme LACHAIZE

Jérôme LACHAIZE has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230311683
    Abstract: A control device for controlling a DC-DC converter of an electric charger for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, including in particular a corrective controller, a harmonic compensator and a control unit configured so as, when the control device starts, to periodically send to the corrective controller and to the harmonic compensator a lower operating limit and an upper operating limit, each having an initial value imposing an output current of the DC-DC converter whose intensity is close to zero and less than 500 mA, and a ramp increase to control the oscillations of the control signal supplied by the control device to the DC-DC converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Jérôme Lachaize, Renaud Clausin
  • Publication number: 20230302919
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electric drive system for an electric vehicle, the electric drive system being subdivided in an electric machine subsystem having a first electric machine and a second electric machine and in a remaining subsystem having at least an electric storage device. The method includes: determining an allowable remaining system power range for the remaining system; determining an allowable first machine power range for the first electric machine and an allowable second machine power range for the second electric machine; and determining an allowable first machine torque range. The method also includes: determining an allowable second machine torque range; determining a first machine torque setpoint for the first electric machine and determining a second machine torque setpoint for the second electric machine; and operating first electric machine to realize first machine torque setpoint and operating second electric machine to realize second machine torque setpoint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: Vitesco Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Jehle, Damien Verdier, Jérôme Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20220161660
    Abstract: A method for controlling the activation of an electric machine in voltage control mode for an electrical network of a motor vehicle following a failure of a traction battery present in a traction network of the vehicle. The traction network includes the traction battery, the electric machine, an inverter and a DC-to-DC converter connecting the traction battery to an onboard network of said motor vehicle. The method includes a step of precharging capacitors present in the electrical network and a step of activating the electric machine in voltage control mode for the electrical network. The activation of the electric machine in voltage control mode is activated before the deactivation of precharging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Damien Verdier, Jérôme Lachaize
  • Patent number: 11065980
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling a DC current converter present in an on-board network of a motor vehicle including a service battery, the on-board network being connected, via the converter, to a traction battery that supplies power to a traction network with inverter and electric machine. When a transmission of power transients from the on-board network to the traction network leading to instabilities in the traction network is detected, an auxiliary mode of control of the converter is implemented with a limit on the current output from the converter depending on a state of charge of the service battery, the current limit increasing as the charge of the service battery decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Damien Verdier, Jérôme Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20210086660
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for controlling a DC current converter present in an on-board network of a motor vehicle including a service battery, the on-board network being connected, via the converter, to a traction battery that supplies power to a traction network with inverter and electric machine. When a transmission of power transients from the on-board network to the traction network leading to instabilities in the traction network is detected, an auxiliary mode of control of the converter is implemented with a limit on the current output from the converter depending on a state of charge of the service battery, the current limit increasing as the charge of the service battery decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2018
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Damien VERDIER, Jérôme LACHAIZE
  • Patent number: 10954908
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for managing the starting of a combustion engine of a hybrid drive system including a combustion engine and an electric machine, as well as a drive shaft, the electric machine producing torque to start the combustion engine and drive the drive shaft at least during an initial phase of the start. In a transient starting phase, the combustion engine drives the drive shaft and the electric machine is stopped. The electric machine is regulated, during the initial phase and transient phases, with a first engine speed setpoint. The transient phase begins when the drive shaft reaches the first engine speed setpoint and remains steady. Torque control produced by the electric machine during the transient starting phase being configured so that the electric machine is stopped as soon as the control determines that the torque produced by the electric machine is tending toward zero torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Damien Verdier, Yannis Guillot, Jerome Lachaize
  • Patent number: 10843647
    Abstract: A method for determining a cell current limit for a traction battery and for an onboard network that is supplied with power by the traction battery in a motor vehicle with, respectively, a cell and onboard network voltage limiter using an integral feedback loop calculating a respective integral current term. The integral feedback loops of the two voltage limiters are interdependent, the integral current terms of the cell voltage limiter being transmitted to the integral feedback loop of the network voltage limiter and the integral terms of the voltage limiter of the network being transmitted to the integral feedback loop of the cell voltage limiter so as to determine a battery current limit that is common to the two limiters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Jérôme Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20200011281
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for managing the starting of a combustion engine of a hybrid drive system including a combustion engine and an electric machine, as well as a drive shaft, the electric machine producing torque to start the combustion engine and drive the drive shaft at least during an initial phase of the start. In a transient starting phase, the combustion engine drives the drive shaft and the electric machine is stopped. The electric machine is regulated, during the initial phase and transient phases, with a first engine speed setpoint. The transient phase begins when the drive shaft reaches the first engine speed setpoint and remains steady. Torque control produced by the electric machine during the transient starting phase being configured so that the electric machine is stopped as soon as the control determines that the torque produced by the electric machine is tending toward zero torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Damien VERDIER, Yannis GUILLOT, Jerome LACHAIZE
  • Patent number: 10519919
    Abstract: A method for assistance in starting a heat engine of a motor vehicle including an auxiliary network supplied by a low-voltage auxiliary battery and by a voltage-controlled DC current source. This method is launched in the first place when the electronic control system of the vehicle is woken up as a result of a specific action performed by a user, which may be followed by an action of starting the heat engine. This method also consists in controlling the current source so as to cause it to operate at its maximum power during a time interval adapted to reach a maximum positive polarization of the auxiliary battery, and then, at the end of this time interval, in the absence of an effective starting command, controlling the current source so as to cancel the current flowing in the auxiliary battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Damien Verdier, Paul Boucharel, Jerome Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20190389410
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for determining a cell current limit (Lim I C) of a traction battery (1) and an onboard network powered by the traction battery in a motor vehicle with, respectively, a cell voltage limiter and an onboard network voltage limiter with an integral control loop calculating a respective integral current term. The integral control loops of the two voltage limiters are interdependent, the integral current terms (LimInt C(n)) of the cell voltage limiter being transmitted to the integral control loop of the network voltage limiter and the integral terms of the network voltage limiter (LimInt RB(n?1)) being transmitted to the integral control loop of the cell voltage limiter in order to determine a battery current limit (Lim I C) common to the two limiters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventor: Jérôme Lachaize
  • Patent number: 10429432
    Abstract: A method for detecting a faulty connection of an auxiliary battery (6) incorporated in an auxiliary network (5) of a motor vehicle supplied by the auxiliary battery and by a non-reversible current source (4), such as a DC/DC voltage converter or an alternator, which is voltage controlled to supply an output voltage which is a function of the setpoint voltages. The detection method includes determining at least one minimum and/or maximum voltage value which cannot be reached by the voltage at the terminals of the auxiliary battery (6), then assigning the function of setpoint value to the minimum and/or maximum voltage value, controlling the current source (4) by sending the setpoint value to it, measuring the voltage at the terminals of the auxiliary network (5), and deducing a faulty connection of the auxiliary battery (6) if there is a match between the measured voltage and the setpoint voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Jerome Lachaize
  • Patent number: 9988040
    Abstract: A method prevents the stalling of the engine of a hybrid vehicle (1) equipped with an auxiliary motor (4) and wheels (R1 to R4), pistons (2a to 2d), tank (3), axle (5), drive shaft (6), gearbox (7), connections (8a, 8b), and computer (9). The method uses an estimate of the predicted instantaneous speed of the main engine (2) at its next top dead center, for the purpose of assisting the main engine in a stall situation, via the auxiliary motor which can supply sufficient power to it on a one-off basis to prevent it from stopping. The method defines two levels of instantaneous speed. If the predicted instantaneous speed is located in the intervention zone between the two levels, the auxiliary motor assists the rotation of the main engine to enable it to rotate in the same direction, without stalling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Damien Verdier, Benjamin Marconato, Jerome Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20170260955
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for assistance in starting a heat engine of a motor vehicle including an auxiliary network supplied by a low-voltage auxiliary battery and by a voltage-controlled DC current source. This method is launched in the first place when the electronic control system of the vehicle is woken up as a result of a specific action performed by a user, which may be followed by an action of starting the heat engine. This method also consists in controlling the current source so as to cause it to operate at its maximum power during a time interval adapted to reach a maximum positive polarization of the auxiliary battery, and then, at the end of this time interval, in the absence of an effective starting command, controlling the current source so as to cancel the current flowing in the auxiliary battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Damien VERDIER, Paul BOUCHAREL, Jerome LACHAIZE
  • Patent number: 9759784
    Abstract: A method for establishing a functional diagnosis for a buck static DC-DC voltage converter in an electric or hybrid vehicle including a power supply circuit including at least a first and a second electrical voltage source supplying respectively a primary and a secondary circuit with direct current, the first source having a voltage value greater than the second source, the primary and secondary circuits being connected by the voltage converter which itself is commanded by control and safety elements, includes the following sequential steps: deactivating any power consumer on the primary circuit or waiting for any power consumer on the primary circuit to be inactive, commanding from the converter an output voltage greater than the voltage of the second electrical voltage source, determining if there is a power transfer from the primary to the secondary circuit, and: if not, establishing a faulty functionality diagnosis for the converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Jerome Lachaize, Damien Verdier
  • Patent number: 9702786
    Abstract: Process for identifying edges on a camshaft target (30) having a plurality of teeth on the periphery thereof, the plurality of teeth forming a series of M edges when the camshaft rotates through one revolution, the process including the following steps: calculating, for each of the M edges, the characteristic: CP ? ( j ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? P ? ( j - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ] N ? 1 P(i) denoting the angular distance between the edge i and the preceding edge, during the movement of the camshaft target, calculating, during an edge detection, an index: CT ? ( k ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? T ? ( k - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ] N ? 1 T(i) denoting the time elapsed since the appearance of the edge i?1 to the ed
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Jerome Lachaize
  • Patent number: 9506440
    Abstract: A direct fuel injection system including a common rail and control unit, a pump, an on/off valve, controlled by the control unit, to regulate the volume of fuel sent to the pump to be fed into the common rail, the control unit including: first determination elements for determining a peak phase duration during which a command must be applied to the valve to obtain a peak current to cause a change of state of the valve; second determination elements for determining a holding ratio according to which a command must be applied to the valve, after its change of state, to maintain a holding current necessary to maintain the state of the valve; application elements for applying the command to the valve first continuously during the peak phase duration and then by pulse width modulation according to the holding ratio; and at least one recurrent and automatic adaptation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignees: CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE FRANCE, CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventor: Jérôme Lachaize
  • Publication number: 20160264123
    Abstract: A method for preventing the stalling of the engine of a hybrid vehicle (1) equipped with an auxiliary motor (4), generally an electric motor, and with related equipment, namely wheels (R1 to R4), pistons (2a to 2d), tank (3), axle (5), drive shaft (6), gearbox (7), connections (8a, 8b), and computer (9). The method uses an estimate of the predicted instantaneous speed of the main engine (2) at its next top dead center, for the purpose of assisting the main engine in a stall situation, via the auxiliary motor which can supply sufficient power to it on a one-off basis to prevent it from stopping. The method defines two levels of instantaneous speed. If the predicted instantaneous speed is located in the intervention zone between the two levels, the auxiliary motor assists the rotation of the main engine to enable it to rotate in the same direction, without stalling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Damien VERDIER, Benjamin MARCONATO, Jerome LACHAIZE
  • Publication number: 20160178708
    Abstract: A method for establishing a functional diagnosis for a buck static DC-DC voltage converter in an electric or hybrid vehicle including a power supply circuit including at least a first and a second electrical voltage source supplying respectively a primary and a secondary circuit with direct current, the first source having a voltage value greater than the second source, the primary and secondary circuits being connected by the voltage converter which itself is commanded by control and safety elements, includes the following sequential steps: deactivating any power consumer on the primary circuit or waiting for any power consumer on the primary circuit to be inactive, commanding from the converter an output voltage greater than the voltage of the second electrical voltage source, determining if there is a power transfer from the primary to the secondary circuit, and: if not, establishing a faulty functionality diagnosis for the converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Jerome LACHAIZE, Damien VERDIER
  • Publication number: 20160069945
    Abstract: A method for detecting a faulty connection of an auxiliary battery (6) incorporated in an auxiliary network (5) of a motor vehicle supplied by the auxiliary battery and by a non-reversible current source (4), such as a DC/DC voltage converter or an alternator, which is voltage controlled to supply an output voltage which is a function of the setpoint voltages. The detection method includes determining at least one minimum and/or maximum voltage value which cannot be reached by the voltage at the terminals of the auxiliary battery (6), then assigning the function of setpoint value to the minimum and/or maximum voltage value, controlling the current source (4) by sending the setpoint value to it, measuring the voltage at the terminals of the auxiliary network (5), and deducing a faulty connection of the auxiliary battery (6) if there is a match between the measured voltage and the setpoint voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventor: Jerome LACHAIZE
  • Publication number: 20150114097
    Abstract: Process for identifying edges on a camshaft target (30) having a plurality of teeth on the periphery thereof, the plurality of teeth forming a series of M edges when the camshaft rotates through one revolution, the process including the following steps: calculating, for each of the M edges, the characteristic: CP ? ( j ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? P ? ( j - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? P ? ( j - i ) ] N ? 1 P(i) denoting the angular distance between the edge i and the preceding edge, during the movement of the camshaft target, calculating, during an edge detection, an index: CT ? ( k ) = [ ? i = 1 N ? ? T ? ( k - i + 1 ) + ? i = 3 ? ? N 4 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ? i = N 3 ? ? N - 1 ? ? T ? ( k - i ) ] N ? 1 T(i) denoting the time elapsed since the appearance of the edge i?1 to the ed
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Pierre Zouboff, Jerome Lachaize