Control device for motor-driven 4WD vehicle and related method

A control method controlling a motor-driven four wheel drive vehicle where either of front wheels and rear wheels are driven by an engine and the others are driven by an AC motor, comprising:

• generating first three-phase AC power utilizing rotational motion of an engine;
• rectifying the first three-phase AC power to second DC power;
• stepping up and converting the second DC power that is supplied through a neutral point of the AC motor to produce third three-phase AC power;
• and
• applying the third three-phase AC power to the AC motor to rotationally drive the AC motor.

A control device for controlling a motor-driven four wheel drive vehicle where either of front wheels and rear wheels are driven by an engine and the others are driven by an AC motor, comprising:

• an electric power generator adapted to be driven by an engine assembly including an engine controller responsive to an engine speed sensor to generate a first power that is three-phase AC;
• a rectifier adapted to rectify the first power that is generated by the electric power generator to produce a second power that is DC and to supply the second power directly to a neutral point of the AC motor;
• and
• a first step-up and step-down inverter adapted to step up and convert the second power that is supplied through the neutral point to produce a third power that is three-phase AC, the AC motor being adapted to be rotationally driven by application of the third power from the first step-up and step-down inverter.