Drive force control system

A drive force control system, comprising:

• a first motor connected to a right drive wheel;
• a second motor connected to a left drive wheel;
• an electrical power source that supplies electric power to the first motor and the second motor;
• a clutch that allows a torque transmission between the first motor and the second motor, in which a torque transmitting capacity is variable;
• and
• a controller that controls output torques from the first motor and the second motor wherein the controller is configured to:
• control the output torques of the first motor and the second motor to equalize a sum of torques transmitted to the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel to propel a vehicle while setting the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch greater than a predetermined value, to a total value of required torques of the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel,
• calculate a target output torque of the first motor and a target output torque of the second motor to minimize an output power from the electrical power source, and
• generate a torque by the first motor based on the calculated target output torque of the first motor, and generate a torque by the second motor based on the calculated target torque of the second motor,
• calculate a third reference torque as a maximum torque of a third controlled motor that is one of the first motor and the second motor,
• calculate a fourth reference torque of a fourth controlled motor that is the other one of the first motor and the second motor based on a difference between the third reference torque and the required torque,
• calculate a target torque of the third controlled motor based on the third reference torque, and
• calculate a target torque of the fourth controlled motor based on the fourth reference torque,
• control the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch,
• calculate the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch based on a difference between a torque transmitted to a second drive wheel as one of the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel connected to the third controlled motor and the required torque of the second drive wheel, when the third controlled motor generates the third reference torque, and
• calculate the fourth reference torque based on a torque transmitted to a third drive wheel as the other one of the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel via the clutch and the required torque of the third drive wheel, when the third controlled motor generates the third reference torque.

A drive force control system, comprising:

• a first motor connected to a right drive wheel;
• a second motor connected to a left drive wheel;
• an electrical power source that supplies electric power to the first motor and the second motor;
• a clutch that allows a torque transmission between the first motor and the second motor, in which a torque transmitting capacity is variable;
• and
• a controller that controls output torques from the first motor and the second motor wherein the controller is configured to:
• control the output torques of the first motor and the second motor to equalize a sum of torques transmitted to the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel to propel a vehicle while setting the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch greater than a predetermined value, to a total value of required torques of the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel,
• calculate a target output torque of the first motor and a target output torque of the second motor to minimize an output power from the electrical power source, and
• generate a torque by the first motor based on the calculated target output torque of the first motor, and generate a torque by the second motor based on the calculated target torque of the second motor,
• calculate a third reference torque as a maximum torque of a third controlled motor that is one of the first motor and the second motor,
• calculate a fourth reference torque of a fourth controlled motor that is the other one of the first motor and the second motor based on a difference between the third reference torque and the required torque,
• calculate a target torque of the third controlled motor based on the third reference torque, and
• calculate a target torque of the fourth controlled motor based on the fourth reference torque,
• calculate a plurality of third provisional torques by changing the third reference torque by a predetermined torque, and calculate a plurality of fourth provisional torques of the fourth controlled motor so that the sum is equalized to the total value,
• calculate a power consumption amount of the electrical power source to generate the third provisional torque by the third controlled motor and to generate the fourth provisional torque by a the fourth controlled motor, each time the third reference torque is changed by the predetermined torque,
• set a target torque of the third controlled motor to the third provisional torque previously calculated, when the power consumption amount of the electrical power source currently calculated is greater than the power consumption amount of the electrical power source previously calculated, and
• set a target torque of the fourth controlled motor to the fourth provisional torque previously calculated, when the power consumption amount of the electrical power source currently calculated is greater than the power consumption amount of the electrical power source previously calculated,
• control the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch,
• calculate the torque transmitting capacity of the clutch based on a difference between a torque transmitted to a fourth drive wheel as one of the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel connected to the third controlled motor and the required torque of the fourth drive wheel, when the third controlled motor generates the third provisional torque, and
• calculate the fourth provisional torque based on a torque transmitted to a fifth drive wheel as the other one of the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel via the clutch and the required torque of the fifth drive wheel, when the third controlled motor generates the third provisional torque.