Abstract: A torque control strategy control for management of regenerative braking in a motor vehicle. A first processor (12) processes throttle request data (20) and torque modification data (40) from a second processor (14) to develop motor torque request data (28) for controlling rotary electric machine torque. The second processor processes brake request data (26), the throttle request data, and operating data from the at least one operating data source to develop friction brake torque data (30) for controlling friction brake torque applied to the vehicle and the torque modification data for the first processor.

Abstract: A braking system for a motor vehicle having braking wheels 16, 18, a service brake pedal, a friction braking system operative upon the braking wheels 16, 18 in response to actuation of the vehicle brake pedal 26, an anti-lock braking system cooperative with the friction braking system to control the friction braking force applied to the braking wheels 16, 18 upon detection of slippage of the braking wheels 16, 18, a regenerative braking system operative upon the braking wheels 16, 18 in response to actuation of the vehicle brake pedal 26 for selectively generating an applied regenerative braking force through the braking wheels 16, 18, and an ambient temperature sensor 52.

Abstract: An induction motor control system (10) for electric vehicles having a DC power supply (12), an inverter (14), an induction motor (16), and a clamping unit (26). The clamping unit (26) applies a clamping value iq_clamp to a real torque current command iq*. The clamping value iq_clamp is calculated in a maximum torque current calculation unit 28 and is based on predetermined maximum settings for the motor power Pmax and torque Tmax. The clamping value iq_clamp is applied such that the torque current command iq* cannot exceed the clamping value iq_clamp, whereby the induction motor produces 16 output power Pout and torque Tout that is always less than the predetermined maximum settings, Pmax and Tmax.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing speed of a vehicle to maintain a target vehicle speed include determining an actual vehicle speed, comparing the target vehicle speed to the actual vehicle speed to generate a speed error, determining a continuously variable braking torque as a function of the speed error when the actual vehicle speed exceeds the target vehicle speed, and applying the continuously variable braking torque to at least one wheel of the vehicle to reduce the speed error toward zero and control the speed of the vehicle. The present invention is applicable to vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine, electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, and hybrid vehicles. The continuously variable braking torque may be applied using regenerative braking to improve fuel efficiency. Friction brakes may also be utilized either alone, or in combination with regenerative braking, for vehicles capable of brake-by-wire control strategies.

Abstract: The present invention provides vibration control for a vehicle drivetrain. In one embodiment of the present invention, a vibration control method comprises generating a speed signal representing a rotational speed of the drivetrain. The method further includes half-wave rectifying the speed signal to generate a first signal. Also, the method comprises inverting the speed signal and half-wave rectifying the inverted signal to generate a second signal. Also, the method includes low-pass filtering the first signal to generate a third signal and low-pass filtering the second signal to generate a fourth signal. In addition, the method comprises selecting a minimum of the third and fourth signals to generate a fifth signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for reducing torsional vibration in a vehicle drivetrain. The method comprises detecting a rotational speed of the drivetrain to generate a rotational speed signal. The method also includes generating a vibration compensating torque command which is a function of a frequency content of the rotational speed signal. The present invention further provides a system for reducing torsional vibration in a vehicle drivetrain. The system includes a source of torque, a drivetrain coupled to receive torque from the source of torque and a speed detector adapted to detect a rotational speed of the drivetrain and generate a rotational speed signal. The system additionally includes an electronic controller coupled to the source of torque and programmed to provide operational command signals to the source of torque.

Abstract: A method of controlling electric motor torque in an electric vehicle for improved vehicle performance and energy conservation includes receiving a throttle torque request and a brake torque request, and sensing the speed of the vehicle. The brake torque request is split into a creep cancellation component and a brake regenerative component. The throttle torque request is adjusted based upon the creep cancellation component and the brake regenerative component to produce a torque sum. The electric motor torque is then controlled based upon the torque sum.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for substantially eliminating backlash in drivetrain gears of a vehicle propelled by an electric motor. The method includes detecting whether brakes of the vehicle are applied. The method further comprises only if the brakes are applied, applying a torque from the electric motor to move at least some teeth of the gears into contact with one another. The present invention further provides a system for substantially eliminating backlash in a drivetrain of a motor vehicle. In one embodiment, the system comprises a plurality of wheels and a drivetrain coupled to at least one of said wheels and comprising engaging gears. The embodiment also includes brakes proximate to at least one of the wheels and adapted to selectively apply braking torque to the at least one of the wheels to which the brakes are proximate.