# US 11,897,449 B2 · Hybrid vehicle control units configured for operation continuity

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- Number: US 11,897,449 B2
- Document ID: US11897449B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/597,205
- Filed: 2020-07-07
- Published: 2022-08-04
- Granted: 2024-02-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-07-10
- Assignees: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
- Applicants: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd.
- Inventors: Nobuyasu Kanekawa; Atsushi Arata
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11897449B2

## CPC

- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60W 20/50: Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60K 6/442: Series-parallel switching type
- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60K 6/46: Series type
- B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing
- B60L 3/00: Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption (methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00)
- B60L 50/15: with additional electric power supply (with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61)
- B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
- B60L 50/60: using power supplied by batteries (in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75)
- B60L 50/61: by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
- B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units
- B60W 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings
- B60W 50/0205: {Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models}
- B60W 50/023: Avoiding failures by using redundant parts
- B60W 50/029: Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
- B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft}
- B60W 2050/021: {Means for detecting failure or malfunction}
- B60W 2050/0292: {Fail-safe or redundant systems, e.g. limp-home or backup systems}
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A vehicle control system includes a transmission unit, first and second sources, as well as first, second, and third control units. The first control unit controls the transmission unit. The first source inputs energy to the transmission unit. The second source inputs energy to the transmission unit. The second control unit controls the first source. The third control unit controls the second source. The first control unit has a function of continuing an operation when a failure occurs. The second control unit and the third control unit have a common cause failure measure. The function mixes energy from different sources and transmits energy to the driving wheel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle control system comprising:
a transmission unit that transmits energy to a driving wheel;
a first control unit that controls the transmission unit;
a first source that inputs energy to the transmission unit;
a second source that inputs energy to the transmission unit;
a second control unit that controls the first source; and
a third control unit that controls the second source,
wherein
the first control unit has a function of continuing an operation when a failure occurs,
the second control unit and the third control unit have a common cause failure measure, and
the function mixes energy from different sources and transmits energy to the driving wheel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising
a fourth control unit that controls the input of the energy from the first source and the second source to the transmission unit,
wherein the fourth control unit performs control to input only the energy from the second source to the transmission unit when the first source or the second control unit fails, and performs control to input only the energy from the first source to the transmission unit when the second source or the third control unit fails.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein
the first control unit having the function of continuing the operation when the failure occurs has a redundant configuration.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein
the common cause failure measure is at least one of that the second control unit and the third control unit are configured using microprocessors of different semiconductor chips, that the second control unit and the third control unit are configured using different wiring boards, and that the second control unit and the third control unit are configured using different housings.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein
the transmission unit is a motor, the first source includes an engine and a generator, and the second source is a series hybrid which is a battery.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein
the transmission unit is a transmission, the first source is an engine, and the second source is a parallel hybrid including a battery and a motor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, wherein
the transmission unit is a motor, the first source includes an engine and a generator, and the second source is a series-parallel hybrid which is a battery.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle control system according to claim 1, further comprising:
a first control device including the first control unit and the second control unit; and
a second control device including the first control unit and the third control unit.

### Claim 9

A vehicle control device mounted on a vehicle comprising:
a transmission unit that transmits energy to a driving wheel;
a first control unit that controls the transmission unit;
a first source that inputs energy to the transmission unit;
a second source that inputs energy to the transmission unit;
a second control unit that controls the first source; and
a third control unit that controls the second source, the vehicle control device
performing control to input only the energy from the second source to the transmission unit when the first source or the second control unit fails, and
performing control to input only the energy from the first source to the transmission unit when the second source or the third control unit fails.