US 5,450,324 AGranted

Electric vehicle regenerative antiskid braking and traction control system

AssigneeFord Motor Company

InventorSusan R. Cikanek

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Abstract

An antiskid braking and traction control system for an electric or hybrid vehicle having a regenerative braking system operatively connected to an electric traction motor, and a separate hydraulic braking system includes one or more sensors for monitoring present vehicle parameters and a processor, responsive to the sensors, for calculating vehicle parameters defining the vehicle behavior not directly measurable by the sensors and determining if regenerative antiskid braking control, requiring hydrualic braking control, or requiring traction control are required. The processor then employs a control strategy based on the determined vehicle state and provides command signals to a motor controller to control the operation of the electric traction motor and to a brake controller to control fluid pressure applied at each vehicle wheel to provide the appropriate regenerative antiskid braking control, hydraulic braking control, and traction control.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An antiskid braking and traction control system for a vehicle having at least two driven wheels, a regenerative braking system operatively connected to an electric traction motor having motor control means for controlling the operation of said motor, and a separate hydraulic braking system having brake control means for controlling fluid pressure applied at each wheel by said hydraulic braking system, said antiskid braking and traction control system comprising:

sensing means for sensing vehicle parameters representative of vehicle behavior;
and
processing means, responsive to said sensing means, for calculating vehicle parameters defining said vehicle behavior not directly measurable by said sensing means,
for determining a vehicle state of said vehicle based on said vehicle parameters, said vehicle state being any of requiring regenerative antiskid braking control, requiring hydraulic braking control, and requiring traction control,
for employing a real time control strategy based on said vehicle state, and
for providing command signals to said motor control means to control the operation of said electric traction motor and to said brake control means to control fluid pressure applied at each wheel to provide said regenerative braking control, hydraulic braking control, and traction control.

3 more elements

A method for providing antiskid braking and traction control for a vehicle having at least two driven wheels, a regenerative-braking system operatively connected to an electric traction motor having motor control means for controlling the operation of said motor, and a separate hydraulic braking system having brake control means for adjusting the fluid pressure applied at each wheel by said hydraulic braking system, said method for providing antiskid braking and traction control comprising the steps of:

sensing vehicle parameters to obtain real-time measurements defining vehicle behavior;
calculating additional vehicle parameters describing vehicle behavior not directly measured in said step of sensing vehicle parameters;
determining whether regenerative antiskid braking control, hydraulic braking control, or traction control is required based on said vehicle behavior;
generating command signals, in response to said vehicle behavior, for controlling said motor control means of said electric traction motor and said brake control means of said hydraulic braking system such that said regenerative antiskid braking control, hydraulic braking control, or traction control is provided;
and
controlling said motor control means of said electric traction motor and said brake control means of said hydraulic braking system in accordance with said command signals.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.