# US 12,760,793 B2 · Drive axle system and method of control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,793 B2 - Document ID: US12760793B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/422,805 - Filed: 2024-01-25 - Published: 2025-07-31 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2024-01-25 - Assignees: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Applicants: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC - Inventors: Edvin Godo; Banuchandar Muthukumar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760793B2 ## CPC - F16H 61/0403: {Synchronisation before shifting} - B60K 1/02: comprising more than one electric motor - B60K 17/08: of mechanical type - 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 - F16H 59/18: dependent on the position of the accelerator pedal - F16H 59/38: of gearing elements - F16H 59/68: Inputs being a function of gearing status - F16H 63/46: Signals to a clutch outside the gearbox - F16H 63/502: {for smoothing gear shifts} - B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle} - B60L 2240/425: Temperature - B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters - B60L 2250/26: by pedal actuation - F16H 2059/6807: {Status of gear-change operation, e.g. clutch fully engaged} - F16H 2061/0422: {by an electric machine, e.g. by accelerating or braking the input shaft} - F16H 2061/0474: {by smoothing engagement or release of positive clutches; Methods or means for shock free engagement of dog clutches} - F16H: GEARING - 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 - 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 ## Abstract A drive axle system and a method of control. The drive axle system comprises a first axle assembly, a second axle assembly, and a control module. The control module comprises a first core and a second core. The first core controls operation of the first axle assembly. The second core controls operation of the second axle assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a drive axle system, the method comprising: providing torque with a first electric motor of a first axle assembly based on a first torque command signal generated by a first core of a control module when the first core receives a first signal from a first inverter, wherein the first inverter electrically connects the first electric motor to an electrical power source; providing torque with a second electric motor of a second axle assembly based on a second torque command signal generated by a second core of the control module when the second core receives a second signal from a second inverter, wherein the second inverter electrically connects the second electric motor to the electrical power source; and stopping torque from being provided with the first electric motor when the first core does not receive the first signal from the first inverter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising increasing torque that is provided with the second electric motor when the first core does not receive the first signal from the first inverter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising stopping torque from being provided with the second electric motor when the second core does not receive the second signal from the second inverter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein: the first axle assembly comprises a first transmission, wherein the electric motor is configured to provide torque to the first transmission; and the second axle assembly comprises a second transmission, wherein the second electric motor is configured to provide torque to the second transmission. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the control module comprises a supervisory core that communicates with the first core and the second core and coordinates operation of the first core and the second core. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the first electric motor further comprises a first stator and a first rotor that is rotatable with respect to the first stator, a first stator temperature sensor that generates a first stator temperature signal indicative of temperature of the first stator, and a first rotor temperature sensor that generates a first rotor temperature signal indicative of temperature of the first rotor, wherein the first stator temperature signal and the first rotor temperature signal are transmitted to the first core without being transmitted through the supervisory core and the second core. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the second electric motor further comprises a second stator and a second rotor that is rotatable with respect to the second stator, a second stator temperature sensor that generates a second stator temperature signal indicative of temperature of the second stator, and a second rotor temperature sensor that generates a second rotor temperature signal indicative of temperature of the second rotor, wherein the second stator temperature signal and the second rotor temperature signal are transmitted to the second core without being transmitted through the supervisory core and the first core. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein the first axle assembly further comprises a first clutch that is moveable between a first position in which a first gear ratio of the first transmission is provided and a second position in which a second gear ratio of the first transmission is provided that differs from the first gear ratio, and a first clutch actuator that is configured to actuate the first clutch between the first position and the second position, wherein the first core transmits a first shift signal to the first clutch actuator without transmitting the first shift signal to the supervisory core or the second core. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the first axle assembly further comprises a first drive pinion that is rotatable with the first clutch and a first speed sensor that generates a first speed signal indicative of a rotational speed of the first drive pinion, wherein the first speed signal is transmitted to the first core without being transmitted through the supervisory core and the second core. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the first axle assembly further comprises a first clutch position sensor that generates a first clutch position signal that is indicative of a position of the first clutch, wherein the first clutch position signal is transmitted to the first core without being transmitted through the supervisory core and the second core. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the first clutch position signal is indicative of the position of the first clutch along an axis along which the clutch is slidable to engage a gear of a transmission. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 further comprising a vehicle control module that communicates with the supervisory core and an accelerator pedal that provides a signal indicative of a request for acceleration, wherein the signal from the accelerator pedal is transmitted directly to the vehicle control module without being transmitted through the control module to reach the vehicle control module. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the second axle assembly further comprises a second clutch that is moveable between a first position in which a first gear ratio of the second transmission is provided and a second position in which a second gear ratio of the second transmission is provided that differs from the first gear ratio, and a second clutch actuator that is configured to actuate the second clutch between the first position and the second position, wherein the second core transmits a second shift signal to the second clutch actuator without transmitting the second shift signal to the supervisory core or the first core. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the second axle assembly further comprises a second clutch position sensor that generates a second clutch position signal that is indicative of a position of the second clutch, wherein the second clutch position signal is transmitted to the second core without being transmitted through the supervisory core and the first core. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the second axle assembly further comprises a second drive pinion that is rotatable with the second clutch and a second speed sensor that generates a second speed signal indicative of a rotational speed of the second drive pinion, wherein the second speed signal is transmitted to the second core without being transmitted through the supervisory core and the first core. ### Claim 16 A method of controlling a drive axle system, the method comprising: controlling, with a first core of a control module, torque that is provided by a first electric motor of a first axle assembly to a first transmission of the first axle assembly by decreasing torque that is provided by the first electric motor; controlling, with a second core of the control module, torque that is provided by a second electric motor of a second axle assembly to a second transmission of the second axle assembly by increasing torque that is provided by the second electric motor; generating, with the first core, a first shift command when a rotational speed of the first transmission of the first axle assembly is sufficiently close to a rotational speed of a first drive pinion of the first axle assembly; and actuating, with a first actuator of the first axle assembly, a first clutch of the first axle assembly based on the first shift command. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16 further comprising receiving a signal from an accelerator pedal that is indicative of a request for acceleration, wherein the signal is received by a vehicle control module; and generating a shift execution command with a supervisory core of the control module based on the signal, wherein the steps of controlling torque that is provided by the first electric motor with the first core of the control module and controlling torque that is provided by the second electric motor with the second core of the control module occurs in response to the shift execution command. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the control module includes a microprocessor, the microprocessor includes the first core, the second core, and the supervisory core that communicates with and controls operation of the first and second cores, the supervisory core directly receives the signal from the accelerator pedal, the first core controls the first electric motor and transmits a first shift signal to a first clutch actuator without transmitting the first shift signal to the supervisory core or the second core, and the second core controls the second electric motor and transmits a second shift signal to a second clutch actuator without transmitting the second shift signal to the supervisory core or the first core.