Apparatus and a method for controlling an electric vehicle

A control apparatus for an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• input means operable to generate a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle and a second signal independently indicative of said component;
• an electric motor arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller responsive to said first signal to control the motor, the controller including
• means for generating a control signal for controlling said motor according to said first signal,
• means for calculating a nominal expected value of a parameter of said control signal according to said second signal,
• means for comparing said expected value with an actual value of said parameter, and
• means for generating a signal indicative of an error in response to said expected and actual values differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A control apparatus for an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• input means operable to generate a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle and a second signal independently indicative of said component;
• an electric motor arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller responsive to said first signal to control the motor, the controller including
• means for generating a control signal for controlling said motor according to said first signal,
• means for generating a signal dependent on said control signal,
• means for calculating a nominal expected value of a parameter of the dependent signal according to said second signal,
• means for comparing said expected value with an actual value of said parameter, and
• means for generating a signal indicative of an error in response to said expected and actual values differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A control apparatus for an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• input means operable to generate a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle and a second signal independently indicative of said component;
• an electric motor arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller responsive to said first and second signals to control the motor, the controller including
• means for generating a control signal for controlling the motor according to said first signal,
• means for generating a further signal according to said second signal, the further signal being nominally equivalent to or a nominal inverse of said control signal,
• means for comparing a parameter of said control signal with a corresponding parameter of said further signal, and
• means for generating a signal indicative of an error in response to said parameters differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A method of controlling an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps, of:

• generating a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle;
• generating a second signal indicative of said component;
• controlling a motor according to said first signal, the motor being arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• generating a signal indicative of an actual voltage appearing across windings of the motor;
• calculating an expected value for the voltage appearing across said windings using the second signal;
• comparing the expected voltage with the actual voltage;
• and
• generating an error signal in response to the expected and actual voltages differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A method for controlling an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle;
• generating a second signal indicative of said component;
• generating a control signal according to said first signal;
• controlling a motor according to said control signal, the motor being arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• calculating a nominal expected value of a parameter of the control signal according to the second signal;
• comparing the expected value with an actual value of said parameter;
• and
• generating an error signal in response to said expected and actual values differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A method for controlling an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle;
• generating a second signal indicative of said component;
• generating a control signal according to said first signal;
• controlling a motor according to said control signal, the motor being arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• generating a signal dependent on said control signal;
• calculating a nominal expected value of a parameter of said dependent signal according to the second signal;
• comparing the expected value with an actual value of said parameter;
• and
• generating an error signal in response to said expected and actual values differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A method for controlling an electric vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first signal indicative of a component of a desired motion of the vehicle;
• generating a second signal indicative of said component;
• generating a control signal according to said first signal;
• controlling a motor according to said control signal, the motor being arranged to drive a wheel of the vehicle;
• generating a further signal according to the second signal, the further signal being nominally equivalent to or a nominal inverse of said control signal;
• comparing a parameter of the control signal with a corresponding parameter of the further signal;
• and
• generating an error signal in response to said parameters differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A control apparatus for controlling an electrical device, the apparatus comprising:

• input means operable to generate a first signal indicative of a desired operation of the device and a second signal independently indicative of
• said desired operation;
• and a controller responsive to said first signal to
• control the device, the controller including means for generating a control signal for controlling said device according to said first signal, means for generating a signal dependent on said control signal, means for calculating a nominal expected value of a parameter of the dependent signal according to said second signal, means for comparing said expected value with an actual value of said parameter, and means for generating a signal indicative of an error in response to said expected and actual values differing by more than a predetermined amount.

A method for controlling an electrical device, the method comprising the steps of:

• generating a first signal indicative of a desired operation of the device;
• generating a second signal indicative of said desired operation;
• generating a control signal according to said first signal;
• controlling the device according to said control signal;
• generating a signal dependent on said control signal;
• calculating a nominal expected value of a parameter of said dependent signal according to the second signal;
• comparing the expected value with an actual value of said parameter;
• and
• generating an error signal in response to said expected and actual values differing by more than a predetermined amount.