Having Energy Storing Means (e.g., Battery, Capacitor) (epo/jpo) Patents (Class 903/903)
  • Publication number: 20150005998
    Abstract: A driving control method for a hybrid vehicle has state of charge (SOC) ranges including a high SOC range, an intermediate SOC range and a low SOC range, and a plurality of power distribution strategies corresponding to the respective SOC ranges. The driving control method controls the hybrid vehicle using a power distribution strategy corresponding to an SOC range to which a current SOC of the hybrid vehicle belongs. When a speed of the hybrid vehicle is high or low and is outside a predetermined range, boundary values of the intermediate SOC range and the low SOC range among the SOC ranges are increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicants: KIA MOTORS CORPORATION, HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Yong Kak CHOI, Dong Jun SHIN, Hoon HAN, Il Kwon PARK
  • Publication number: 20150005996
    Abstract: Method for adjusting a state-of-charge within an electrical energy storage device of a hybrid powertrain system includes monitoring a plurality of electrical energy storage device parameters and determining a discharge power capability of the electrical energy storage device based on the monitored plurality of electrical energy storage device parameters. If the discharge capability is less than a first threshold, a state-of charge adjustment mode is activated. The state-of-charge adjustment mode includes increasing a commanded state-of-charge to an elevated state-of-charge to increase the discharge capability to achieve the first threshold and maintaining the commanded state-of-charge at the elevated state-of-charge until the discharge capability achieves the first threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: BRENTON J. BERGKOETTER, WILLIAM L. ALDRICH, III, BRIAN L. SPOHN, TODD MICHAEL YORK, ANDREW MEINTZ
  • Patent number: 8922358
    Abstract: A display apparatus includes a display plane and a control unit. The display plane configured to display a first display portion that shows a locomotion region in the first locomotion mode in a display region based on the output request and a future locomotion distance of the vehicle and a second display portion that shows a locomotion region in the second locomotion mode next to the first display portion in the display region. The control unit configured to control an image displayed in the display plane. The control unit changes a border between the first display portion and the second display portion based on the future locomotion distance in accordance with an estimation result of displacement of a switching point between the first locomotion mode and the second locomotion mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazunori Handa
  • Patent number: 8918240
    Abstract: A method and system used to identify an optimal hybrid vehicle operating mode based on a variety of potential factors, and then recommend the optimal operating mode to the driver so that they can make an informed decision regarding their operating mode selection. In one embodiment, the method uses geographic-, vehicle- and/or environmental-related factors to establish one or more operating zones, monitors the location of the hybrid vehicle and determines when it is within one of the operating zones, and then determines an operating mode that is optimal for that particular operating zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Mark A. Manickaraj, Aniket Kothari, Richard A. Marsh, Lawrence P. Ziehr, Norman J. Weigert, Rick W. Szymczyk, Andrew M. Zettel, Danielle A. Cory
  • Publication number: 20140371960
    Abstract: A device for controlling fail-safe of a hybrid vehicle capable of providing fail-safe running by controlling drive of an electric oil pump with a generation voltage of a hybrid starter and generator (HSG) or a drive motor when a main relay may be cutoff due to failure of a high voltage component may include a method having determining whether the hybrid vehicle proceeds to a fail-safe mode due to a main relay opened by failure of a high voltage component during running of the hybrid vehicle or not, detecting a generation voltage of an HSG or a drive motor when the proceeding to the fail-safe mode may be determined, and generating oil pressure by controlling driving of an electric oil pump according to a generation amount of the HSG or the drive motor in running in the fail-safe mode or in a stop state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicants: Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jang Mi LEE, SangLok SONG, Haksung LEE, Gyeongcheol KIM
  • Patent number: 8914216
    Abstract: A vehicle having and engine and traction battery and a method of operating an engine are disclosed. A controller operates the engine according to quantized engine power levels. The quantization level depends upon a total power demand. For low values of total power demand, the selected quantization level may be at least equal to the total power demand. For high values of total power demand, the selected quantization level may be less than or equal to the total power demand. In between low and high values, the selected quantization level may be the quantization level nearest the total power demand. The traction battery may receive or provide power depending on the selected quantization level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fazal Urrahman Syed, Qing Wang
  • Patent number: 8914173
    Abstract: A method and system for conditioning an energy storage system (ESS) for a vehicle, like a high-voltage battery or a fuel cell used for vehicle propulsion. It may be detrimental for a high-voltage battery in a parked vehicle to be exposed to extreme temperatures for an extended period of time. Thus, the method and system may be used to condition such a battery—for example, by heating it up if it is too cold or by cooling it down if it is too hot—so that the performance, durability, lifespan and/or other aspects of the battery are improved. In an exemplary embodiment, the method predicts if the battery will need conditioning the next time the vehicle is parked and, if such conditioning is needed, then the method predicts if the battery has sufficient charge to perform this conditioning. If the charge appears insufficient, then the method operates an energy generator that provides additional charge to the battery in anticipation of the needed conditioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: William A. Biondo, David T. Proefke, Clark E. McCall
  • Publication number: 20140365057
    Abstract: A management system is provided for managing a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor/generator as power sources. The management system includes an acquisition unit and an area identifying unit. The acquisition unit acquires engine operating information from a plurality of vehicles, during the operation of the motor/generator. The engine operating information includes a moving distance or an engine operating time from the start of to the stop of the engine, and an engine operating position indicating the point at which the engine is operating. The area identifying unit identifies on map data an engine start-up suppressing area in which the start of the engine is suppressed based on the engine operating information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicant: Nissan Motor, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Arita, Ryuzo Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8909400
    Abstract: It is provided a control apparatus for a vehicle provided with an electric motor power source, an inverter, an electric motor, an inverter smoothing capacitor, and a step-variable automatic transmission, the control apparatus being configured to implement a torque reduction control, and to implement a torque reduction limitation control to limit reduction of an output torque of the electric motor to within a range in which a terminal voltage of the inverter smoothing capacitor will not exceed a predetermined withstanding voltage of the inverter and to limit the reduction of the output torque by limiting an amount of change of the output torque per unit time during the reduction of the output torque in the torque reduction control, to within a predetermined torque reduction rate limiting range, and wherein the torque reduction rate limiting range is determined upon initiation of a shifting action of the automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daiki Sato, Taiyo Uejima, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Norihiro Yamamura
  • Patent number: 8909405
    Abstract: A device for operating a drivetrain, which drivetrain includes an electrical machine, has an energy management unit and an electrical machine management unit. The energy management is configured for transmitting a desired electrical, and/or a lower electrical limit, and/or an upper electrical limit power to the electrical machine management unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Matthias Schmidt, Axel Reuter
  • Publication number: 20140358348
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric vehicle and to a method for controlling same. The electric vehicle according to the present invention comprises: a sensor unit including a first sensor and a second sensor; and a vehicle control unit including a main processing unit and a sub-processing unit for taking, as an input, signals from the sensor unit and performing an operation. The main processing unit takes, as an input, a first sensor value measured by the first sensor and a second sensor value measured by the second sensor, and compares the first sensor value and the second sensor value so as to obtain a first difference value. The sub-processing unit takes, as an input, a second difference value obtained from the difference between the first sensor value and the second sensor value. The main processing unit or the sub-processing unit compares the first difference value and the second difference value in order to determine the state of the vehicle and control the travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventor: Sung Chul Park
  • Patent number: 8903579
    Abstract: A vehicle and a method of controlling the vehicle are provided. The vehicle controller is configured to (i) in response to the user interface receiving input selecting an electric-only operating (EV) mode, disable the engine such that the vehicle is propelled by the electric machine, (ii) in response to the user interface receiving input overriding EV mode, re-enabling the engine for a predetermined time period. A vehicle is provided with a controller. In response to input selecting an electric-only operating (EV) mode, an engine is disabled such that the vehicle is propelled by an electric machine. In response to user power demand being greater than power available during the EV mode, a prompt is generated inquiring whether to override the EV mode. In response to user confirmation to override the EV mode, the engine is re-enabled to satisfy the user power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: William David Treharne, Paul Stephen Bryan
  • Patent number: 8903582
    Abstract: A method of controlling a hybrid automobile is provided. Only a drive force of the motor is outputted to wheels by stopping the engine while operating the motor when a required drive force is below a predetermined switch value, and at least a drive force of the engine is outputted to the wheels by operating at least the engine when the required drive force is above the switch value. The method includes estimating, when the required drive force is below the switch value, a switching possibility of the required drive force increasing above the switch value, operating the engine so that a temperature of a catalyst becomes a first temperature when the estimated switching possibility is above a predetermined level, and operating the engine so that the temperature of the catalyst becomes a second temperature lower than the first temperature when the estimated switching possibility is below the predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Mamiya, Tadayoshi Kaide, Minji Sakaki, Taizo Shoya, Kanichi Yamaguchi, Tetsuya Tateishi
  • Publication number: 20140350764
    Abstract: In an electric-mileage learning when a running mode of a plug-in hybrid vehicle is a CD mode, acquisition of information for the electric-mileage learning is not performed in the case where the running mode is changed from the CD mode to a CS mode during one trip even when the running mode is changed to the CD mode afterward. The electric-mileage learning is performed by calculating a trip electric mileage using only information acquired in the CD mode before a change to the CS mode for the first time. This avoids inclusion of an error caused by running on the uphill road in the CS mode in a learned electric mileage even when the running is performed. This enhances the accuracy of the learned electric mileage, thus accurately calculating a possible EV running distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Mikihisa Arai, Masaya Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20140350761
    Abstract: In the present specification, degradation of a battery is suppressed in a hybrid vehicle having an EV mode in which the hybrid vehicle runs without using an engine and an HV mode in which the hybrid vehicle runs using both the engine and a motor. A controller of the hybrid vehicle is configured to limit a usage range of the battery in the EV mode with an execution request of the EV mode having been made by an information input from outside to the vehicle than in the EV mode with no execution request. The degradation of the battery is suppressed by limiting the usage range of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroki Endo, Masaya Yamamoto, Kensuke Kamichi, Yusuke Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140346283
    Abstract: A vehicle incorporating a hybrid propulsion system. In one form, the vehicle may be an aircraft such that the system includes gas turbine engines as a first motive power source, and one or more battery packs as a second motive power source. Through selective coupling to an electric motor that can in turn be connected to a bladed rotor or other lift-producing device, the motive sources provide differing ways in which an aircraft can operate. In one example, the gas turbine engines can provide operation for a majority of the flight envelope of the aircraft, while the battery packs can provide operation during such times when gas turbine-based motive power is unavailable or particularly disadvantageous. In another example, both sources of motive power may be decoupled from the bladed rotor such that the vehicle can operate as an autogyro.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventor: Ival O. Salyer
  • Patent number: 8890473
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for sequentially charging multiple electric vehicles. The apparatus including an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) having an electrical plug connected to a power cord. The power cord is connected to a housing containing a number of electrical components configured to control the power flow to an electric vehicles to recharge the vehicles' batteries. The power cord is divided into multiple power cords that extend from the housing and connect to standard electric vehicle connectors compatible with battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The EVSE determines, based on a number of possible criteria, which of the multiple electric vehicles to charge at a given time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Bosch Automotive Service Solutions LLC
    Inventors: Michael Muller, Garret Miller, Charles K. Yankitis
  • Patent number: 8892286
    Abstract: If it is determined that switching from a CD mode to a CS mode is requested by a running mode switching request switch, an ECU determines whether or not SOC of a power storage device is higher than a threshold value. If SOC is determined to be higher than the threshold value, ECU further determines whether or not temperature of the power storage device is lower than a threshold value. If SOC is determined to be higher than the threshold value and the temperature is determined to be lower than the threshold value, the ECU denies the request for switching from the CD mode to the CS mode, and maintains the CD mode as the running mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takeo Morita
  • Patent number: 8887695
    Abstract: In a vehicle that runs by drive power of a motor in addition to that of an engine, a device for treating evaporated fuel is provided that may heat a canister and improve desorption efficiency even in a state in which there is little exhaust heat from the engine. A vehicle is provided with a first battery and a second battery. A canister is disposed in front of the first battery and below the second battery. Because the canister is disposed near to the batteries, heat is transferred from the batteries to the canister and an adsorbing agent in the canister is heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Publication number: 20140332294
    Abstract: A hybrid work vehicle having a direct-current electric power bus for connecting at least an electric power controller, an electric machine for driving the vehicle, a reversible electric machine, and a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: MERLO PROJECT S.R.L. CON UNICO SOCIO
    Inventors: Aurelio Soma', Renato Galfre', Amilcare Merlo
  • Publication number: 20140335994
    Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus includes an assistance control unit determining an on/off state of an engine and a drive control unit controlling driving of the engine on the basis of the on/off state determined by the assistance control unit. The assistance control unit determines whether a vehicle stops at a target stopping position, and carries out setting such that the engine is more easily switched from the on state to the off state when the assistance control unit determines to stop at the target stopping position and it is timing at which the vehicle is able to reach the target stopping position in a state where driving force is not generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hirotada Otake
  • Patent number: 8886377
    Abstract: An engine shaft of an engine, rotatable shafts of two motor generators and a drive force output shaft are interconnected with each other through a drive force transmission arrangement. When a torque of one of the motor generators is limited, an ECU computes a torque correction amount of the other one of the motor generators in a manner that limits at least one of a change in a torque of the engine shaft, a change in a torque of the drive force output shaft and a change in an output of a battery based on a torque limit amount of the one of the motor generators and corrects the torque of the other one of the motor generators with the computed torque correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Youhei Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8886380
    Abstract: A hybrid motor vehicle includes a controller configured to: control an engine and a motor so that when power required of the vehicle increases to or above a first threshold value during stop of the engine, the engine outputs the required power until the required power decreases to or below a second threshold value that is smaller than the first threshold value; control the engine and the motor so that when the required power decreases to or below the second threshold value during operation of the engine, the engine is in a stopped state until the required power increases to or above the first threshold value; and set the second threshold value so that the second threshold value is smaller when degree of degradation of the battery exceeds a threshold value than when the degree of degradation of the batter is less than or equal to the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Taishi Hisano
  • Publication number: 20140325988
    Abstract: An apparatus is described including a hybrid power train having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The apparatus includes a hybrid power system battery pack that is electrically coupled to the electric motor. The apparatus includes an energy securing device that is thermally coupled to the hybrid power system battery pack. The energy securing device selectively removes thermal energy from the hybrid power system battery pack, and secure removed thermal energy. The energy securing device secures the removed thermal energy by storing the energy in a non-thermal for, or by using the energy to accommodate a present energy requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Vivek Anand Sujan, Nazar Al-Khayat, Bhushan S. Nagabhushama
  • Publication number: 20140330466
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) comprises an engine (121) and at least one electric machine (123). The vehicle is operable in an electric vehicle (EV) mode in which the electric machine (123) develops torque to drive the vehicle whilst the engine (121) is switched off. According to the invention, the vehicle is operable when in EV mode automatically to cause engine turnover without starting the engine when a prescribed one or more conditions are met. This can be done for diagnosis or to meet braking requirements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: JAQUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Baptiste Bureau, John Birch, Adam Brant
  • Patent number: 8880263
    Abstract: A control device is provided for controlling a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor generator, and a battery arranged to be charged by and to discharge to the motor generator. The control device includes an abnormality judging section configured to judge whether or not an abnormality is generated in the engine. The control device further includes an assist prohibition section configured to prohibit the motor generator from being used as a power source when the abnormality is generated in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeo Aizawa, Kakuzou Kaneko, Hirotaka Koyama
  • Patent number: 8880262
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for incipient drive of a slow charger for a vehicle. Specifically, an incipient drive entry of the slow charger used when a battery is charged in an electric vehicle (EV) or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) may be performed. The method includes operating, by a controller, a regulator by outputting a control pilot (CP) signal from electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Additionally, the method includes operating, by the controller, a flip-flop by outputting a driving signal from the regulator and operating a switching mode power supply (SMPS) by outputting a driving signal from the flip-flop. The method further includes resetting, by the controller, the flip-flop by outputting a reset signal from a central processing unit (CPU) turned on by the SMPS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Sang Hoon Kwak, Jee Hye Jeong, Dong Jun Lee, Gyu Yeong Choe, Gun Soo Kang
  • Patent number: 8880251
    Abstract: A battery ECU detects a state of charge and a temperature of a power storage unit, and transmits the state of charge and the temperature to an HV-ECU. The HV-ECU calculates the charge/discharge allowable power of the power storage unit based on the state of charge and the temperature of the power storage unit, and sets control-specific charge/discharge allowable power by correcting the charge/discharge allowable power so as to limit the charge/discharge allowable power to be changed at a predetermined first change speed. The HV-ECU then determines the power target value in accordance with the request from the driver within the range of the control-specific charge/discharge allowable power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Junichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8880268
    Abstract: Assumed torque Tb is calculated based on an operation state of an engine when there is no abnormality in sensors, the engine is in a warm-up completion state, and a travel mode is a series mode, and actual torque Ta is calculated and friction torque Tf is calculated based on information on an actual amount of electric power generation of a generator. When the friction torque Tf is larger than an upper limit clip value, the upper limit clip value is the friction torque Tf, and when the friction torque Tf is smaller than the lower limit clip value, the lower limit clip value is the friction torque Tf, correction torque Tc is calculated, and an operation of an electronic control instrument of the engine is controlled so as to set the assumed torque Tb to the correction torque Tc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Omi, Jun Aizawa, Tatsuya Tawaki
  • Patent number: 8875820
    Abstract: A hybrid construction machine includes: an electric storage device temperature adjustment circuit; an engine cooling circuit including a first coolant and switchable between a state the first coolant after cooling the engine is introduced into the electric storage device temperature adjustment circuit and a state stopping introduction of the first coolant into the electric storage device temperature adjustment circuit; an equipment cooling circuit that cools, with a second coolant, equipment needing cooling, and switchable between a state the second coolant is introduced into the electric storage device temperature adjustment circuit and a state stopping introduction of the second coolant into the electric storage device temperature adjustment circuit; and a controller controlling the engine cooling circuit, the equipment cooling circuit, and a lead-out switching valve such that the first coolant or second coolant selectively flows, according to whether the electric storage device needs to be warmed or cooled
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kobelco Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Yamashita
  • Patent number: 8880259
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling an electric motor. An electric motor apparatus has an electric motor with motor stator windings, a battery, battery control module coupled to the battery and configured to monitor and detect a state of the battery, and a motor control unit coupled to the battery and the batter control module and being configured to select an operation of the electric motor based on a signal from the battery control module representing the state of the battery. The motor control unit selects a normal motor control operation, a power dissipation motor control operation, or a discharge operation. During the power dissipation motor control operation, power from brake torque is dissipated in the motor stator windings of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Bing Cheng, Goro Tamai
  • Publication number: 20140324256
    Abstract: A method for controlling the hybrid drive system of a water craft, comprising a combustion engine (1), an electric engine/generator (2), a drive train (5) having a propeller (7) and a storage battery (3), a control unit (8) and a clutch (4). In order to increase efficiency, during travel in the upper power range the electric engine (2) is additionally operated as a generator, and during travel in the middle and lower power ranges the electric engine (2) is operated with current from a storage battery (3). The drive train is designed so that the characteristic (20) thereof lies by a defined charging capacity below the point of minimum specific fuel consumption (e.g. 25), or is steeper than the characteristic (16) of a conventional construction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventor: Michael Aschaber
  • Patent number: 8874298
    Abstract: A battery system includes a plurality of battery modules electrically coupled together in series. The battery system also includes a first electronic control unit (ECU) configured to act as a master ECU. The master ECU is electronically coupled to a first one of the plurality of battery modules. The battery system further includes a plurality of slave ECUs, wherein each slave ECU is electronically coupled to one of the other of the plurality of battery modules. The master ECU is configured to control whether electrical power is provided to each of the plurality of slave ECUs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Johnson Controls—Saft Advanced Power Solutions LLC.
    Inventors: Gary P. Houchin-Miller, Craig W. Rigby, Thomas J. Dougherty, James S. Symanski
  • Patent number: 8870114
    Abstract: The rotors of a helicopter are powered by electric motors. The electrical energy required for this purpose is produced by a motor-generator unit, which comprises one or more internal combustion engines. The motor-generator unit can be secured under the cabin floor. This yields a hybrid helicopter that can set the rotational frequency of the rotors within a large interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: EADS Deutschland GmbH, Airbus Helicopters Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Jean Botti, Johannes Stuhlberger, Peter Jänker, Valentin Klöppel, Georg Niesl
  • Patent number: 8874291
    Abstract: The invention relates to vehicles for transporting persons and/or goods, which vehicles travel on roads or alternatively on rails and at least partially use electrical energy using electric motors as drive units, wherein the electrical energy used is predominantly or substantially produced within the vehicle by converting kinetic energy, in particular components of the kinetic energy that are caused on the vehicle bodywork as gravitation effects and components of the kinetic energy from curve centrifugal forces and acceleration motions of the vehicle body, the vertical dynamic acceleration motions of the wheels and wheel suspensions, and other components, wherein the electrical energy generated in such away is temporarily stored in chemical energy stores (batteries) and/or other suitable storage media, for example, high-power capacitors or flywheel stores, until the electricity is used in the vehicle drive motors and/or other loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Intertronic Gresser GmbH
    Inventor: German Gresser
  • Patent number: 8863485
    Abstract: A lawn mower includes an engine, an energy storage device, a motor/generator including an output shaft, an engine coupling, wherein, with the engine coupling disengaged, the motor/generator drives the output shaft, and with the engine coupling engaged, the engine or both the motor/generator and the engine drive the output shaft, a mower blade, a power take-off clutch, and a control unit configured to implement a first operating condition in which the engine coupling is disengaged, the engine is off, and the output shaft is driven by the motor/generator, and configured to implement a second operating condition in which the engine coupling is engaged, the engine is on, the output shaft is driven by the engine or both the motor/generator and the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Briggs & Stratton Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Pitcel, William Latus, Robert Koenen, David Procknow, Jeffrey Berger, Jason Elvers
  • Publication number: 20140309827
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an electric motor, a smoothing capacitor, a discharge device and a controller. The smoothing capacitor smoothes the electric current that is used to drive the electric motor. The discharge device is capable of releasing the electric charge stored in the capacitor. The controller is configured to receive sensor data that indicates a state of the motor vehicle and determine whether to activate a discharge device, based on the sensor data received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takao Kanzaki, Koichi Sakata, Yusuke Shindo, Yasuaki Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20140309828
    Abstract: Creep control is performed, in response to an accelerator-off operation, to control a second motor to cause a predetermined creep torque Tcr to be output from the second motor to a driveshaft. First creep cut-off control is performed, in response to a brake-on operation during the creep control, to control the second motor to cause a torque reduced from the creep torque Tcr at a high rate by a predetermined high variation ?Thi to be output from the second motor to the driveshaft. Subsequent to the first creep cut-off control, second creep cut-off control is performed to control the second motor to cause a torque reduced at a low rate by a predetermined low variation ?Tlow smaller than the predetermined high variation ?Thi to be output from the second motor to the driveshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masakazu Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20140303818
    Abstract: Provided are a hybrid vehicle and control method thereof. The hybrid vehicle has a power storage device, an internal combustion engine, a power generation device, an input device and an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to control charging of the power storage device by the power generation device in such a manner that charging of the power storage device is promoted when an increase of the power storage amount is requested through the input device, and in a state where an increase of the power storage amount has been requested through the input device, to suppress charging of the power storage device when a travel load is small, as compared to when the travel load is large, and to mitigate suppression of charging of the power storage device when a predefined condition is met during suppression of charging of the power storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma AOKI, Koji HOKOI, Hiroki ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140303819
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a power storage device, an engine, a power generation apparatus, an input apparatus, and an ECU. The power generation apparatus is configured to generate charging power of the power storage device by using output of the engine. The input apparatus is configured to request, by a user input, an increase in a power storage amount of the power storage device. The ECU is configured to: (a) control charging of the power storage device by the power generation apparatus and accelerate the charging of the power storage device, when the increase in the power storage amount is requested, and (b) suppress charging of the power storage device at the time when a travel load is small in comparison with charging of the power storage device at the time when the travel load is large, when the increase in the power storage amount is requested.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuma AOKI, Koji HOKOI, Hiroki ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140299395
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle has an internal combustion engine and a first electric machine, to which a common input shaft of a transmission is assigned, for driving a first axle of the hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle also has a second electric machine for driving a second axle of the hybrid vehicle, and a traction battery is provided for the two electric machines. The electric machines have a total power greater than the power of the internal combustion engine. The method includes operating the first electric machine in a generator mode for charging the traction battery when the hybrid vehicle is driven exclusively by internal combustion engine. The method ensures, with a high level of electrification, a long electromotive travelling range of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Martin Roth, Markus Goehring
  • Patent number: 8855845
    Abstract: A method of controlling operational modes of a hybrid electric vehicle includes: determining whether an all-electric range (AER) of the vehicle is at or less than a first predetermined value; activating a first operational mode if the AER is determined to be at or less than the first predetermined value; determining, while the first operational mode is active, whether the AER of the vehicle is greater than a second predetermined value; activating a second operational mode if the AER is determined to be greater than the second predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Fisker Automotive and Technology Group LLC
    Inventors: Paul Boskovitch, Kevin Walsh
  • Publication number: 20140297083
    Abstract: According to a temperature of an engine, a state-of-charge of a battery, a requirement of instruments and a driver's requirement, an engine control is switched between a first engine control and a second engine control. In the first engine control, an electric power is firstly used for a vehicle-driving prior to other functions. In the second engine control, the electric power is firstly used for functions other than the vehicle-driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tsuyoshi OKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 8849507
    Abstract: A driver assistance system for driver assistance for consumption controlled driving combines tactile and visual feedback functions, especially in the form of a drive configuration, a display concept and/or a deceleration assistant, wherein the emphasis is, on the one hand, on a modified accelerator pedal characteristic and, on the other hand, on providing ECO tips for an interactive output of efficient driving instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Christian Popp, Norman Wiebking, Henrik Wigermo, Andreas Pfeiffer
  • Publication number: 20140288736
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for extending an engine-off period of a hybrid vehicle while reducing engine cold-start emissions. During an engine pull-up to meet operator demand, the engine is held at a higher power for a longer duration to aggressively heat the exhaust catalyst. Subsequently, the engine is pulled up to a lower power and held at the lower power for shorter bursts of time to activate the exhaust catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Ted Haladyna, Kenneth James Miller, Scott James Thompson
  • Publication number: 20140288756
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle including an engine, a motor, a generator, and a battery that is electrically connected to the motor and the generator, an ECU performs “battery-less travel control” enabling the vehicle to travel when a fault occurs in the battery by disconnecting the battery from an electrical system including the motor and the generator and driving the motor using power that is generated by the generator using the power of the engine. When the battery-less travel control is underway and a vehicle speed V exceeds a vehicle speed limit Vsh, the ECU implements a vehicle speed limitation. As a result, a control mode of the motor is less likely to shift to a rectangular control mode during the battery-less travel control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Tanaka, Shoji Nagata
  • Patent number: 8843259
    Abstract: An engine includes variable valve mechanisms capable of causing an intake valve and an exhaust valve to stop. An ECU estimates poisoning states of catalysts, and executes and prohibits stopping of the valves based on the poisoning states. When stopping of the valves is prohibited during a fuel-cut operation, the ECU drives a crankshaft of the engine by means of a motor to idle the engine. Thus, even in a hybrid vehicle in which the engine is stopped during a fuel-cut operation, a sufficient amount of oxygen can be rapidly supplied to the catalysts by utilizing a pumping action of pistons, and the catalysts can be caused to recover from rich poisoning efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihisa Nakagawa, Takashi Nishikiori
  • Patent number: 8843258
    Abstract: A battery unit heating apparatus installed in a vehicle which can drive by power from at least one of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor which is driven by a battery unit as a power supply, includes: an induction unit for drawing in air for heating the battery unit; and an induction control unit for controlling the induction unit, when a temperature of the battery unit is lower than a first predetermined value, so as to generate a drawing force larger than a drawing force resulting when the vehicle is set to the other mode of two modes having different drive ratios of the internal combustion engine to the electric motor while the vehicle is running in such a state that the vehicle is set to one of the two modes in which the electric motor is employed more positively than the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Katono, Takashi Ogane, Yuji Fujita
  • Publication number: 20140277882
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling an electric vehicle include at least one controller configured to detect an over-voltage condition when an electric-machine voltage exceeds an over-voltage threshold. In response to the over-voltage condition, the electric machine and a variable voltage controller (VVC) are disabled. Upon determining the electric-machine voltage is decreased to at least a second threshold being less than the over-voltage threshold, the controller is configured to set the VVC to a limited-operation mode. Upon determining the electric-machine voltage is decreased to at least a third threshold being less than the second threshold and the over-voltage threshold, the controller is configured to re-enable the electric machine and set the VVC to a normal-operation mode. The limited operation-mode enables the vehicle to maintain vehicle propulsion during the drive-cycle as the electric machine is recovered from a transient condition causing the over-voltage condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Rimma Isayeva
  • Publication number: 20140277877
    Abstract: Methods are provided to operate a battery electric drive for a combine to ensure battery charge sufficiency during operation of the drive. One method includes monitoring the actual state of charge (SOC) of the battery pack during combine operation; calculating a running average of the actual SOC over a selected time interval; and adjusting the combine power when the running average SOC deviates from a target SOC. Another method differs in that actual SOC is compared to a bell curve of time related SOC measurements having a mean and standard deviations and only adjusts the combine power when an actual SOC measurement is outside the target SOC by an amount greater than the standard deviations. An operator display includes hybrid system power, RPM gauge, a SOC gauge and a battery pack direction flow of power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventor: Deere & Company