# US 7,464,780 B2 · System and method for recovering regenerative power in a vehicle, and vehicle using the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,464,780 B2 - Document ID: US7464780B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/458,775 - Filed: 2006-07-20 - Published: 2008-01-24 - Granted: 2008-12-16 - Earliest claimed: 2006-07-20 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Brandon Masterson; Walter Ortmann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7464780B2 ## CPC - B60L 7/10: Dynamic electric regenerative braking (B60L7/22 takes precedence) - B60L 15/2009: {for braking} - B60L 2240/423: Torque - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A system, method and vehicle using the same for increasing regenerative power recovered during vehicle deceleration. The system includes first and second sets of vehicle wheels, a controller, an electric machine, a regenerative power source, and a driveline. The electric machine performs as a motor/generator in a first/second mode of operation, respectively. The regenerative power source is electrically coupled to the electric machine and is configured to supply/receive power to/from the electric machine when the electric machine is in the first/second mode of operation, respectively. The driveline is coupled to the electric machine and the first set of vehicle wheels for transferring torque. The driveline includes a controllable coupling apparatus in electronic communication with the controller for selectively coupling, during vehicle deceleration, the electric machine to the second set of vehicle wheels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for recovering regenerative power in a vehicle, the system comprising: a first set of vehicle wheels; a second set of vehicle wheels; one or more controllers; an electric machine that performs as a motor in a first mode of operation and performs as a generator in a second mode of operation; a regenerative power source electrically coupled to the electric machine, the regenerative power source configured to supply power to the electric machine when the electric machine is in the first mode of operation and to receive power from the electric machine when the electric machine is in the second mode of operation; and a driveline coupled to the electric machine and the first set of vehicle wheels for transferring torque between the electric machine and the first set of vehicle wheels, the driveline including a controllable coupling apparatus in electronic communication with the one or more controllers for selectively coupling, during vehicle deceleration, the electric machine to the second set of vehicle wheels in response to a signal from the one or more controllers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more controllers are configured to: receive a set of vehicle inputs; receive a set of torque constraint inputs; determine, based at least in part on one or more members of the set of vehicle inputs, a target regenerative torque corresponding to the second set of vehicle wheels when the vehicle is operating in a regenerative mode; limit, based at least in part on one or more members of the set of torque constraint inputs, the target regenerative torque to generate a desired regenerative torque corresponding to the second set of vehicle wheels; and output a signal corresponding to the desired regenerative torque to an actuator of the controllable coupling apparatus to controllably couple the second set of vehicle wheels to the electric machine such that regenerative power from the second set of vehicle wheels is recovered by the regenerative power source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the driveline further includes a controllable decoupling apparatus for selectively decoupling the first set of vehicle wheels from the electric machine in response to a second signal from the one or more controllers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented in connection with a hybrid electric vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented in connection with a pure electric vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the controllable coupling apparatus includes an electronically actuated clutch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a rear wheel drive vehicle and the first set of vehicle wheels are rear vehicle wheels. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the first/second set of vehicle wheels are driven/non-driven, respectively, during normal operation of the vehicle. ### Claim 9 A method for recovering regenerative power in a vehicle when the vehicle is operating in a regenerative mode, the vehicle comprising a first set of vehicle wheels, a second set of vehicle wheels, one or more controllers, an electric machine coupled to the first set of vehicle wheels via a driveline, and a regenerative power source electronically coupled to the electric machine, the method comprising: receiving a set of vehicle inputs; receiving a set of torque constraint inputs; determining, based at least in part on one or more members of the set of vehicle inputs, a target regenerative torque corresponding to the second set of vehicle wheels when the vehicle is operating in the regenerative mode; limiting, based at least in part on one or more members of the set of torque constraint inputs, the target regenerative torque to generate a desired regenerative torque corresponding to the second set of vehicle wheels; and outputting a signal corresponding to the desired regenerative torque to an actuator of a controllable coupling apparatus to controllably couple the second set of vehicle wheels to the electric machine such that regenerative power from the second set of vehicle wheels is recovered by the regenerative power source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the set of vehicle inputs comprises one or more signals corresponding to at least one of brake pressure, brake pedal position, total required regenerative torque, mode of vehicle operation, and engine status. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the set of torque constraint inputs comprises one or more signals corresponding to at least one of steering angle, wheel slip, position of gas pedal, driver torque demand, anti-lock brake system mode of operation, and roll stability mode of operation. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising filtering the desired regenerative torque prior to outputting the signal corresponding to the desired regenerative torque to the actuator of the controllable coupling apparatus. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising outputting the signal corresponding to the desired regenerative torque to a friction brake controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the driveline comprises a controllable decoupling apparatus for selectively decoupling the first set of vehicle wheels from the electric machine in response to a control signal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the first/second set of vehicle wheels are driven/non-driven, respectively, during normal operation of the vehicle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the set of vehicle inputs includes a signal corresponding to at least one of a position of the controllable decoupling apparatus and regenerative torque from the first set of vehicle wheels. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising completely decoupling, via the controllable decoupling apparatus, the first set of vehicle wheels from the electric machine during vehicle deceleration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the vehicle is a rear wheel drive vehicle and the first set of vehicle wheels are rear vehicle wheels. ### Claim 19 A rear wheel drive hybrid electric vehicle comprising: a rear set of vehicle wheels; a front set of vehicle wheels; one or more controllers; an electric machine that performs as a motor in a first mode of operation and performs as a generator in a second mode of operation; a regenerative power source electrically coupled to the electric machine, the regenerative power source configured to supply power to the electric machine when the electric machine is in the first mode of operation and to receive power from the electric machine when the electric machine is in the second mode of operation; and a driveline coupled to the electric machine and the rear set of vehicle wheels for transferring torque between the electric machine and the rear set of vehicle wheels, the driveline including a transfer case in electronic communication with the one or more controllers for selectively coupling, during vehicle deceleration, the electric machine to the front set of vehicle wheels in response to a signal from the one or more controllers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19 wherein the one or more controllers are configured to: receive a set of vehicle inputs; receive a set of torque constraint inputs; determine, based at least in part on one or more members of the set of vehicle inputs, a target regenerative torque corresponding to the front set of vehicle wheels when the vehicle is operating in a regenerative mode; limit, based at least in part on one or more members of the set of torque constraint inputs, the target regenerative torque to generate a desired regenerative torque corresponding to the front set of vehicle wheels; and output a signal corresponding to the desired regenerative torque to the transfer case to controllably couple the front set of vehicle wheels to the electric machine such that regenerative power from the front set of vehicle wheels is recovered by the regenerative power source.