# US 2021/0242705 A1 · Method and system for producing an active short circuit condition in an electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0242705 A1 - Document ID: US20210242705A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/778,851 - Filed: 2020-01-31 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-31 - Assignees: Lear Corporation - Applicants: Lear Corporation - Inventors: Xiaoyan WANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210242705A1 ## CPC - B60L 15/007: {Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles} - H02J 7/61: against overcharge - B60K 6/24: characterised by the combustion engines - B60K 6/26: characterised by the motors or the generators - B60K 6/28: characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors - B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means - B60K 6/485: Motor-assist 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 - B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations - B60L 58/15: Preventing overcharging - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} - B60W 20/50: Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode - B60W 50/0205: {Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models} - B60W 50/029: Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts - F02D 41/021: {Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18)} - H02P 3/12: by short-circuit or resistive braking - H02P 3/22: by short-circuit or resistive braking - H02P 27/06: using DC to AC converters or inverters (H02P27/05 takes precedence) - B60K 6/36: characterised by the transmission gearings - B60K 6/38: characterised by the driveline clutches (shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36) - B60K 6/44: Series-parallel type - B60L 2240/421: Speed - B60W 2050/022: {Actuator failures} - B60W 2050/0295: {Inhibiting action of specific actuators or systems} - B60W 2510/081: Speed - B60W 2710/06: Combustion engines, Gas turbines - B60W 2710/08: Electric propulsion units - B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles - F02D 17/04: rendering engines inoperative or idling, e.g. caused by abnormal conditions (dependent on lubricating conditions F01M1/22; dependent on cooling F01P5/14) - F02N 11/084: {State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering} - H02J 2105/37: exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - 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 - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - 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 - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system for producing an active short circuit in an electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle having a traction battery includes an inverter to be provided in communication with the motor and battery, and an inverter controller to generate driver signals to operate inverter switches to produce three-phase AC for the motor or to produce DC for battery charging. In response to motor speed exceeding a threshold, the controller is configured to generate driver signals to operate the inverter switches to produce an active short circuit in the motor to prevent battery overcharging. A processor and electric circuit are each configured to independently generate an active short circuit control signal operative to effectuate generation of the driver signals, the active short circuit produced based on an active short circuit control signal from the electric circuit in an absence of an active short circuit control signal from the processor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing an active short circuit condition in an electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle including a traction battery, an inverter having a plurality of switches in electrical communication with the electric motor and the traction battery, and an inverter controller in electrical communication with the inverter and configured to generate driver signals to operate the plurality of switches of the inverter to produce three-phase alternating current for the electric motor to drive a vehicle propulsion system or to produce direct current for charging the traction battery, the method comprising: comparing a monitored speed of the electric motor to a speed threshold; and generating, in response to the monitored speed exceeding the threshold, driver signals to operate the plurality of switches to produce an active short circuit condition in the electric motor to prevent overcharging of the traction battery, wherein the inverter controller comprises a processor and an electric circuit each configured to independently generate an active short circuit control signal operative to effectuate generation of the driver signals for producing the active short circuit condition, and wherein and the active short circuit condition is produced based on an active short circuit control signal generated by the electric circuit in an absence of an active short circuit control signal generated by the processor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting, by the inverter controller, in response to an active short circuit condition in the electric motor, an active short circuit notification signal to a vehicle controller configured to generate an engine stop control signal a predetermined period of time after receipt of the active short circuit notification signal to stop an internal combustion engine in mechanical communication with the electric motor and thereby reduce circulation of electric current between the inverter and the electric motor caused by the active short circuit condition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2 wherein the predetermined period of time is based on a plurality of parameters comprising an electric motor parameter and an inverter parameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the electric motor comprises a motor shaft configured for mechanical communication with a shaft of the internal combustion engine through a belt. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the speed threshold comprises a variable speed threshold proportional to a voltage of the traction battery. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the monitored speed of the electric motor to a speed threshold and generating the driver signals is performed by the inverter controller. ### Claim 7 A system for producing an active short circuit condition in an electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle including a traction battery, the system comprising: an inverter comprising a plurality of switches, wherein the inverter is configured to be provided in electrical communication with the electric motor and the traction battery; and an inverter controller configured to be provided in electrical communication with the inverter and to generate driver signals to operate the plurality of switches of the inverter to produce three-phase alternating current for the electric motor to drive a vehicle propulsion system or to produce direct current for charging the traction battery; wherein the inverter controller is configured to compare a monitored speed of the electric motor to a speed threshold, and in response to the monitored speed exceeding the threshold, generate driver signals to operate the plurality of switches to produce an active short circuit condition in the electric motor to prevent overcharging of the traction battery; wherein the inverter controller comprises a processor and an electric circuit each configured to independently generate an active short circuit control signal operative to effectuate generation of the driver signals for producing the active short circuit condition, and wherein and the active short circuit condition is produced based on an active short circuit control signal generated by the electric circuit in an absence of an active short circuit control signal generated by the processor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the inverter controller is further configured to transmit an active short circuit notification signal to a vehicle controller configured to generate an engine stop control signal a predetermined period of time after receipt of the active short circuit notification signal to stop an internal combustion engine of the vehicle and thereby reduce circulation of electric current between the inverter and the electric motor caused by the active short circuit condition, and wherein the predetermined period of time is based on a plurality of parameters comprising an electric motor parameter and an inverter parameter. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 further comprising the vehicle controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle controller is provided in electrical communication with an engine controller configured to stop the internal combustion engine in response to receipt of the engine stop control signal from the vehicle controller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the inverter controller further comprises a gate driver configured to generate the driver signals in response to receipt of an active short circuit control signal from the processor or the electric circuit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the electric motor comprises a motor shaft configured for mechanical communication with a shaft of the internal combustion engine through a belt. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7 wherein the speed threshold comprises a variable speed threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13 wherein the variable speed threshold is proportional to a voltage of the traction battery. ### Claim 15 A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored computer executable instructions for producing an active short circuit condition in an electric motor of a hybrid electric vehicle including a traction battery, an inverter having a plurality of switches in electrical communication with the electric motor and the traction battery, and an inverter controller in electrical communication with the inverter and configured to generate driver signals to operate the plurality of switches of the inverter to produce three-phase alternating current for the electric motor to drive a vehicle propulsion system or to produce direct current for charging the traction battery, wherein execution of the instructions causes the inverter controller to: compare a monitored speed of the electric motor to a speed threshold; and generate, in response to the monitored speed exceeding the threshold, driver signals to operate the plurality of switches to produce an active short circuit condition in the electric motor to prevent overcharging of the traction battery, wherein the inverter controller comprises a processor and an electric circuit each configured to independently generate an active short circuit control signal operative to effectuate generation of the driver signals for producing the active short circuit condition, and wherein execution of the instructions causes the active short circuit condition to be produced based on an active short circuit control signal generated by the electric circuit in an absence of an active short circuit control signal generated by the processor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein execution of the instructions causes the inverter controller to transmit, in response to an active short circuit condition in the electric motor, an active short circuit notification signal to a vehicle controller configured to generate an engine stop control signal a predetermined period of time after receipt of the active short circuit notification signal to stop an internal combustion engine and thereby reduce circulation of electric current between the inverter and the electric motor caused by the active short circuit condition. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the predetermined period of time is based on a plurality of parameters comprising an electric motor parameter and an inverter parameter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16 wherein the electric motor comprises a motor shaft configured for mechanical communication with a shaft of the internal combustion engine through a belt. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 wherein the speed threshold comprises a variable speed threshold. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the variable speed threshold is proportional to a voltage of the traction battery.