# US 12,179,837 B2 · Control method for a road vehicle with independent engines acting on the wheels of the same axle and relative road vehicle

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- Number: US 12,179,837 B2
- Document ID: US12179837B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/831,501
- Filed: 2022-06-03
- Published: 2022-12-15
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2021-06-10
- Assignees: Ferrari S.P.A.
- Applicants: FERRARI S.p.A.
- Inventors: Alessandro Flumeri; Francesca Mincigrucci
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179837B2

## CPC

- B60L 3/102: {of individual wheels}
- B62D 15/0235: {by measuring or deriving directly at the electric power steering motor}
- B60L 3/104: {by indirect measurement of vehicle speed}
- B60L 3/106: {for maintaining or recovering the adhesion of the drive wheels}
- B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
- B60W 40/09: Driving style or behaviour
- B60W 40/114: Yaw movement
- B60L 2220/42: with use of more than one motor
- B60L 2220/46: Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
- B60L 2240/16: longitudinal
- B60L 2240/18: lateral
- B60L 2240/20: angular
- B60L 2240/22: Yaw angle
- B60L 2240/441: Speed
- B60L 2240/465: Slip
- B60L 2250/26: by pedal actuation
- B60W 2510/205: Steering speed
- B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed
- B60W 2520/266: Slip values between left and right wheel
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- 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
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method to control a road vehicle driven by a driver and provided with at least a first drive wheel and a second driver wheel belonging to a same axle, each drive wheel being independently operated by a respective first and second electric motor; the control method comprises the step of controlling the torque delivered by each respective motor to the first drive wheel or to the second drive wheel as a function of a torque requested by the driver and independently of the difference in angular speed between the first and the second wheel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Control method for a road vehicle (1) driven by a driver and provided with at least a first driving wheel (3) and a second drive wheel (3) belonging to an axle (RA), each drive wheel (3) being operated independently by a respective first and second half-shaft (7);
the control method comprises controlling the torque (TL, TR) delivered to each respective first and second half-shaft (7) towards the first drive wheel (3) with a first motor (5) mechanically coupled to the first shaft (7) or towards the second drive wheel (3) with a second motor (5) mechanically coupled to the second shaft (7) as a function of a torque requested by the driver and independently of the difference in angular velocity between the first and second drive wheel (3).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of determining the variation (B′) of an attitude angle (B) of the road vehicle (1), namely the angle (B) between the longitudinal axis (x) of the road vehicle (1) and the direction of the velocity (V) of progress of the road vehicle (1) at the center of gravity (B), wherein the torque (TL, TR) delivered by each respective engine (5) towards the first or second drive wheel (3) is calculated as a function of the variation (B′) of the angle (B) of attitude.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the variation (β′) of the attitude angle (β) is calculated without resorting to a numerical derivative of the attitude angle (β) of the vehicle (1); in particular by means of a non-linear combination of yaw rate (ψ″), lateral acceleration and linear velocity (Vx) of the vehicle (1).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of detecting, by means of at least one inertial measurement unit, a velocity (ψ″) of yaw of the road vehicle (1), wherein the torque (TL, TR) delivered by each respective motor (5) towards the first or second driving wheel (3) is calculated as a function of the velocity (ψ″) of yaw.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of detecting the vertical forces (FZ) acting on the drive wheels (3), in particular rear wheels, measured with appropriate sensors or estimated by modeling the road vehicle (1); wherein the torque (TL, TR) delivered by each respective motor (5) towards the first or second driving wheel (3) is calculated as a function of the distribution (FZ %) of the vertical forces between the driving wheels.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, and comprising the further step of limiting the torque output (TL, TR) from each respective engine (5) to the first or second drive wheel (3) if a desired output exceeds a limit determined by the grip of a respective tire installed on the first or second drive wheel (3).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the torque (TL, TR) to be delivered to the first and second drive wheels (3) comprises the sum of a contribution (ATLIN) and a yawing contribution (ATNL).

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the adverse-yawing contribution (ΔTLIN) is calculated as a function of the variation (β′) of an attitude angle (β) of the road vehicle (1), the yawing speed (ψ″) and the longitudinal speed (VX) of the road vehicle (1) itself.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, wherein the yawing contribution (ΔTNL) is calculated as a function of the difference (TR-TL) of torque delivered by each respective motor (5) of the same axle (RA); in particular according to a geometric relation function of track width of said axle (RA) and radius of the first and second drive wheels (3).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the control is carried out on the first and second wheels (3) of a rear axle (RA) of the road vehicle (1).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the torque (TL, TR) delivered by the first motor (5) towards the first drive wheel (3) so as to compensate for any failure of the second motor (5) acting on the second drive wheel (3) and vice versa.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1 and comprising the further steps of monitoring one or more actuators (8, 9) other than the first and second motors (5) and the step of controlling the torques (TL, TR) delivered towards the first and/or to the second driving wheel (3) so as to compensate for any failure of the one or more actuators (8, 9) while maintaining a desired trajectory (T) of the road vehicle (1).

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

Road vehicle (1) comprising:
at least one first drive wheel (3) and one second drive wheel (3) belonging to the same axle (RA);
at least one first and one second electric motor (5) configured to respectively and independently drive the first and second drive wheels (3);
the vehicle (1) comprising a control unit (10) configured to control the torque (TL, TR) delivered towards the first electric motor (5) and the second electric motor (5) by performing the method according to claim 1.