High speed control of motor current in distributed inverter system

Abstract

Systems, apparatus, computer-implemented methods, and / or computer program products are presented that can facilitate optimized control of an electric motor of an electric vehicle using a smart cell system. In one example, the system uses a central controller in wireless communication with a local controller connected to a cluster of battery cells configured to generate a three-phase current output to control motor torque. The central controller and the local controller execute the main control loop and control the three-phase current output at an update frequency of about 1 kHz. A local control loop having an update frequency of about 10 kHz is further implemented by a local controller within the main control loop to detect and minimize disturbances in operation of the electric machine using the estimated local control information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electric and / or hybrid electric vehicle drive technology, and more particularly to techniques for optimizing high-speed motor current control in a distributed inverter system. Background Art

[0002] Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular as a more sustainable mode of transportation. However, in order to improve the performance and efficiency of EVs, it is necessary to develop advanced control technologies for electric motors. This is because EVs require precise and fast control of motor current to achieve high speeds and accelerations while maintaining safe and reliable operation. With better control, EVs are able to achieve higher performance and acceleration, making them more competitive with traditional fossil fuel vehicles. Summary of the invention

[0003] An overview is provided below to provide a basic understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention. This summary is not intended to identify key or core elements or to delineate any scope of a particular embodiment or any scope of the claims. Its sole purpose is to present concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description presented later. In one or more embodiments described herein, a system, computer-implemented method, and / or computer program product that can facilitate optimizing high-speed motor current control in a distributed inverter system.

[0004] In one embodiment, a system can include a smart cell battery system for powering a motor of an electric vehicle, the smart cell battery system including a plurality of battery cells arranged into three strings that provide respective phase currents of three-phase currents for driving the motor; a local controller connected to a defined cluster of battery cells; and a main controller. The system also includes at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the performance of operations. The operations include receiving, by the local controller, from the main controller master control information determined by the main controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the respective phase currents. The operations also include determining, by the local controller, local control information based on the master control information and estimated phase current values ​​of the respective phase currents, and controlling, by the local controller, the current output by the battery cells to the motor according to the master control information or the local control information based on whether a difference is observed between the master control information and the local control information.

[0005] Another embodiment can include a computer-implemented method for controlling an electric motor of an electric vehicle. The computer-implemented method can include powering the electric motor via an intelligent single-cell battery system, the intelligent single-cell battery system including a plurality of battery cells arranged in three strings that provide respective phase currents of three-phase currents for driving the electric motor; a local controller connected to a defined cluster of battery cells; and a main controller. The computer-implemented method can also include receiving, by the local controller, from the main controller master control information determined by the main controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the respective phase currents, the master control information including a reference voltage value indicating the amount of voltage required to be provided to the electric motor to achieve a requested operating speed and torque. The computer-implemented method can also include determining, by the local controller using a respective processor, local control information based on the master control information and an estimated phase current value of the respective phase current, the local control information including an estimated voltage value of the required amount of voltage; and controlling, by the local controller, the current output by the battery cell to the electric motor according to the reference voltage value or the estimated voltage value based on whether a difference is observed between the reference voltage value and the estimated voltage value.

[0006] Another embodiment can include a computer program product that facilitates controlling a motor of an electric vehicle powered by a smart cell battery system, the smart cell battery system including a plurality of battery cells arranged in three strings that provide respective phase currents of a three-phase current for driving the motor; a local controller connected to a defined cluster of battery cells; and a master controller. The computer program product can include a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program instructions stored therein that are executable by respective processors of the local controllers to cause the respective processors to: receive master control information determined by the master controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the respective phase currents, the master control information including a reference voltage value indicating an amount of voltage required to be provided to the motor to achieve a requested operating speed and torque; determine local control information based on the master control information and an estimated phase current value of the respective phase current, the local control information including an estimated voltage value of the required amount of voltage; and control the current output by the battery cells to the motor according to the reference voltage value or the estimated voltage value based on whether a difference is observed between the reference voltage value and the estimated voltage value. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] One or more exemplary embodiments are described below in the detailed description section with reference to the following figures.

[0008] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a smart single-cell battery system for driving an electric motor of an electric vehicle according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown.

[0009] Figure 2An exemplary control system for controlling a motor of an electric vehicle employing a smart cell battery system is shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0010] Figure 3 A flow chart is shown of an exemplary process for controlling a motor of an electric vehicle employing a smart cell battery system according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0011] Figure 4 A high-level block diagram of an exemplary cluster board is shown according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0012] Figure 5 A flow chart is shown of an exemplary process for performing three-phase estimation according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0013] Figure 6 A graph is presented showing three-phase estimations obtained during a transition period from low speed to high speed according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0014] Figure 7 A flow chart is shown of an exemplary process for converting a measured current into a desired voltage according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0015] Figure 8 A flow chart is shown of an exemplary process for converting a measured current into a feed-forward voltage according to one or more embodiments described herein.

[0016] Fig. 9 An exemplary computer-implemented method for controlling an electric motor of an electric vehicle employing a smart cell battery system according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following detailed description is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the application or use of the embodiments and / or embodiments. In addition, it is not intended to be bound by any explicit or implicit information presented in the previous background technology or summary or detailed description.

[0018] In one or more embodiments described herein, a system, a computer-implemented method, and / or a computer program product that can facilitate optimization of high-speed motor current control in a distributed inverter system. As used herein, a distributed inverter system refers to an intelligent single-cell battery system. The intelligent single-cell battery system is intended to remove large and expensive components from a traditional powertrain and use batteries more efficiently. More specifically, the intelligent single-cell battery system is a multi-level inverter concept that is intended to replace them by integrating powertrain components such as traditional large inverters into printed circuit boards (PCBs) connected to battery cell clusters. These PCBs are wirelessly connected to a central controller that handles advanced control. These PCBs include local wireless communication hardware, processing units, memories, modulators, switches, and other electronic components that enable them to intelligently control and manage the operation of the corresponding battery cells to which they are connected (e.g., making them "intelligent"). In addition, the PCB is capable of converting direct current (DC) output from a small battery cluster into alternating current (AC) to control the motor through field-oriented control (FOC). By changing the inverter switching to an intelligent single-cell battery system, the battery pack can operate at twice the voltage level of a similar battery pack using a traditional inverter, resulting in lower current and less loss. Additionally, only the required batteries are activated, rather than all batteries needing to be activated continuously, which improves efficiency.

[0019] However, smart single-cell battery systems introduce new limitations on motor control. In particular, smart single-cell battery systems use a central controller that controls the output current of the battery cells by communicating control signals between the central controller and the corresponding PCBs connected to the battery cells using a wireless control protocol. The update rate of the control signal is limited by the maximum transmission rate of the wireless communication protocol, which is 1.0 kilohertz (kHz) in the current implementation, which translates to a maximum update rate of approximately one control signal every 1.0 milliseconds (ms) (e.g., a 1 ms update rate). In certain driving situations, the motor current must be updated at an even higher rate to minimize powertrain oscillations, improve comfort, and ensure safe operation. For example, a maximum update rate of 1 kHz may not be fast enough to capture some disturbances that may occur at high speeds (e.g., relative to the speed and torque of the motor entering weak magnetic field), such as the motor unexpectedly reducing or increasing torque.

[0020] To address the 1kHz update rate, the disclosed technology introduces a local control protocol executed by a local controller on a corresponding PCB. In addition to the main 1kHz control loop, the local control protocol also introduces a local control loop with an update frequency corresponding to a transmission rate of about 10kHz (e.g., which translates to an update rate of about 1.0 control message per 1.0 microsecond (μ)) to detect and minimize disturbances in the operation of the motor.

[0021] One or more embodiments are now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same elements throughout the text. In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, many specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of one or more embodiments. However, it is apparent that, in various cases, one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. It should be understood that when an element is referred to as "coupled" to another element, it is possible to describe one or more different types of connections, including but not limited to chemical connection, communication connection, electrical connection, electromagnetic connection, operation connection, optical connection, physical connection, thermal connection and / or another type of connection.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic top view of a smart single-cell battery system 103 for driving an electric motor (motor 102) of an electric vehicle 100 (hereinafter, vehicle 100) according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , one or more connections between the smart cell battery system 103 and the motor 102 are indicated by solid lines. The smart cell battery system 103 is configured to provide electrical energy to the motor 102 to drive the electric vehicle 100 .

[0023] In this regard, the motor 102 can include or correspond to a three-phase electric motor such as a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), which is, for example, part of a powertrain or drive of a vehicle. The PMSM is a synchronous motor that uses permanent magnets (PM) rather than electromagnetic windings to generate a magnetic field. The three-phase machine operates using a three-phase current system. The fundamental frequency of the power supply three-phase system also determines the rotor speed by controlling the rotating magnetomotive force (MMF). The MMF produces torque together with the magnetic field of the PM rotor.

[0024] The rotor consists of PMs and the three static coils are the stator windings. The stator windings are spaced 120° apart from the central PM. The stator windings can be represented as an inductor in series with a resistor. The three windings are described as phase A, phase B, and phase C, with phase currents i a 、i b and i c When current flows through the static coil, a magnetic field is generated according to Faraday's law, and the magnetic field is generated by the PM. When the electrical angle between the MMF of the stator and the rotor magnetic field is 90°, the maximum torque is generated.

[0025] In conventional systems, three-phase current is generated from a DC power source by an inverter. According to the disclosed technology, three-phase current is generated from a smart cell battery system 103 without the use of an inverter. To facilitate this, the smart cell battery system 103 includes a plurality of battery cells 110 arranged in three separate strings, providing respective phase currents of the three-phase current for driving the motor 102 (i.e., each string forms a phase when connected to the motor 102). The three separate strings are arranged in Figure 1 The battery cells 110 associated with each string are connected in series. The three phases are referred to herein as phase A generated by string 106a, phase B generated by string 106b, and phase C generated by string 106c, respectively.

[0026] The number of battery cells 110 included in each string can be customized to achieve a desired maximum voltage level (e.g., 400 volts (V), 800 V, or other desired voltage levels). The amount of direct current (DC) voltage supplied by each battery cell 110 can be the same or different. In some embodiments, the amount of DC voltage supplied by each battery cell 110 is approximately 3.7 V, but various other configurations are contemplated. The battery cells 110 can each include any type of battery cell material, such as a lithium battery cell material, a lithium ion (Li-Ion) battery cell material, a lithium metal battery cell material, a lithium sulfur (Li-S) battery cell material, a molten salt (Na-NiCl2) battery cell material, a nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery cell material, a lead-acid battery cell material, and / or another type of battery cell material.

[0027] The battery cells 110 within each string are further grouped into clusters of two or more battery cells, where each battery cell cluster is connected to a separate cluster board and independently controlled by a separate cluster board. Clustered cells can also allow for larger voltage steps on a sine wave. For example, an H-bridge can cluster multiple battery cells 110 to form a battery cell cluster. Multiple battery cell clusters can be connected in series via bus bars, and multiple battery cell clusters can be connected in series to form a cluster string that can produce one phase of a three-phase current.

[0028] Cluster board Figure 11 to 108a-n, cluster panels 108b-1 to 108b-n, and cluster panels 108c-1 to 108c-n, where "n" represents the number of cluster panels included in each string, which can be varied and scaled as needed, and where the letters "a", "b", and "c" are used to represent the specific string group or phase to which each cluster panel belongs. In some embodiments, the number of cluster panels "n" associated with each string can range from about 50 to about 100 (for example, in one embodiment, n = 96), but various other configurations are contemplated. It should be understood that although each cluster panel (generally referred to as a cluster panel 108) is shown as having three or more battery cells 110, it should be understood that each cluster panel 108 can be connected to two or more battery cells 110. In some embodiments, the number of battery cells 110 connected to each cluster panel can range from two to eight battery cells 110. Various configurations are contemplated.

[0029] In this regard, each cluster board 108 is connected to and controls a subset of battery cells 110 associated with the same string. The cluster board 108 can include or correspond to a circuit board, or more specifically a printed circuit board (PCB). Each cluster board 108 can include electronic hardware and software components that enable each cluster board 108 to intelligently control the operation of the corresponding battery cells 110 connected thereto. The electronic hardware and software components can include, but are not limited to, a processor, a memory, a wireless communication component (e.g., a transceiver, etc.), a local controller, a modulator, a DC / DC converter, one or more electronic switches (e.g., a field effect transistor (FET), a metal oxide field effect transistor (MOFET), etc.), and one or more sensors.

[0030] In this regard, each cluster board 108 can electrically control the connection and disconnection of the corresponding battery cells 110 connected thereto to produce a desired output voltage. For example, the battery cell cluster 110 connected to a single cluster board 108 can be connected via a corresponding H-bridge circuit, and the cluster board 108 can control the connection and disconnection of the corresponding battery cells in different combinations to generate different output voltage modes of the battery cell cluster, namely, a bypass mode, a positive voltage output mode, and a negative voltage output mode. For example, using a modulator, each cluster board 108 can control the closing (or disconnection) and opening (or connection) of the contactor (e.g., a FET, a MOSFET, or another type of contactor) of the battery cell 110 so that the collective output of the battery cells in the cluster is a negative voltage, a positive voltage, or a bypass mode.

[0031] With this configuration, the DC output current of the corresponding battery cells 110 of each string (of the three strings 106a, 106b, and 106c) can be selectively controlled (switched on and off) in a manner such that the output current of each string produces a sine wave corresponding to an alternating current (AC), wherein both the positive and negative poles can be used. A pulse width modulation (PWM) control scheme is used at the joining and separation of the DC clusters to smooth the 90° steps into a curved form. For example, by connecting a plurality of battery cell clusters in series to form a string (e.g., one of the strings 106a, 106b, and 106c) and controlling the positive and negative output currents of the corresponding battery cells in the same string group or string, a sinusoidal waveform can be generated, wherein the sinusoidal waveform can be a representation of the AC current generated by the string of battery cell clusters, wherein each cluster can generate one voltage step with a sine wave. Because the cluster boards 108 and their corresponding battery cells 110 are connected in three different strings, they can together generate a three-phase sinusoidal voltage output (e.g., a three-phase AC current) that can run a three-phase motor (e.g., motor 102, corresponding to a PMSM or another type of three-phase motor). In this regard, the voltage output can be controlled to achieve a desired phase current (torque) for controlling the motor 102.

[0032] The smart single-cell battery system 103 is designed to have a separate local controller at each cluster board 108, and the local controller communicates wirelessly with the master controller or main controller provided at the main board 104. In this regard, the main board 104 (or more specifically, the main controller at the main board 104) and the cluster board 108 (or more specifically, the local controller at the corresponding cluster board 108) are configured to wirelessly communicate with each other using an existing wireless communication protocol. Each local controller interprets the command from the master controller and engages the battery cells 110 accordingly.

[0033] Figure 2 An example control system 200 for controlling an electric motor (motor 102) of an electric vehicle 100 employing a smart cell battery system (eg, smart cell battery system 103) is shown according to one or more embodiments described herein. Figure 1 and Figure 2 ,like Figure 2 As shown, the main board 104 can include a main controller 202 that determines a main control signal 216 and transmits the main control signal 216 to a corresponding cluster board 108. Figure 2In the drawings, a single cluster board 108 is shown for exemplary purposes to demonstrate the control relationship between the main board 104 and a single cluster board 108 associated with a single phase or string (of strings 106a, 106b, and 106c). However, it should be understood that the main board 104 simultaneously transmits or broadcasts the master control signal 216 to all or a selected subset of the cluster boards 108a, 1-n, 108b, 1-n, and 108c, 1-n of the smart single-cell battery system 103, and the same operations performed by the cluster board 108 as described herein are also performed simultaneously by other cluster boards.

[0034] The master control signal 216 includes control information that instructs the cluster boards 108 how to operate their respective battery cells 110 (i.e., their battery cell clusters) to generate a desired output voltage to achieve a desired torque for the motor 102 to meet the motor's current speed request / torque 208 (e.g., the current requested speed by the driver of the vehicle 100). Figure 2 As shown, each of the cluster boards 108 can include a local controller 204 and a modulator 206 (and other electronic components, not shown). In one or more embodiments, the master control signal 216 includes a desired voltage value determined by the master controller 202, the desired voltage value indicating the desired voltage required to be supplied to the motor 102 to achieve the requested speed. According to the previous control strategy, the local controller 204 can be configured to provide the received desired voltage value to the modulator 206, which in turn controls the output voltage of the battery cell 110 as needed to generate the desired voltage value by connecting and / or disconnecting the battery cell 110.

[0035] The master controller 202 is able to determine the required voltage value because the main board 104 is connected (e.g., directly and / or indirectly) to the motor 102 and is able to obtain the current required to calculate the required voltage value and the requested operating parameters of the motor (e.g., measurements 212) (as discussed in more detail below). The main board 104 is further wirelessly connected to each of the cluster boards 108, which are configured to periodically measure and transmit various relevant operating parameters associated with the respective battery cluster connected to the master controller 202. The master controller 202 is also able to use the current operating parameters of the respective battery cluster to accurately determine the required voltage and other control instructions (e.g., cluster utilization priority, DC / DC set points, etc.).

[0036] Of particular importance in determining the required voltage is the phase current measurement for each phase of the three-phase current currently produced by the corresponding string 106a, 106b, and 106c associated with each cluster board 108. In this regard, on each cluster board 108, there is a measurement component (e.g., measurement component 408, including one or more sensors) that measures the phase current of the phase in which the cluster board 108 is located. Each local controller 204 of each cluster board 108 is also configured to measure the current phase measurement value and report it to the master controller 202 (e.g., wirelessly transmit) according to the defined schedule. For example, assuming that Figure 2 The cluster board 108 shown is located on the string 106a, and the cluster board 108 provides a single-phase measurement 214a for phase A, indicating the measured current of phase A corresponding to the string 106a to which the cluster board 108 is connected. Similarly, the cluster boards 108 of the other two strings 106b and 106c also report their corresponding phase current measurements (e.g., the measured current of phase B, measurement 214b, and the measured current of phase C, measurement 214c). The phase measurements provided by two or more cluster boards belonging to the same phase will be the same (e.g., because they each measure the same phase current output). The collective single-phase measurements 214a, 214b, and 214c of all three phases A, B, and C reported to the master controller 202 by the collective cluster board 108 are referred to herein as "actual three-phase measurements" (as opposed to "estimated three-phase measurements", as discussed in more detail below).

[0037] According to various embodiments, the defined schedule based on which the respective cluster boards report actual three-phase measurements is based on the maximum data transmission rate of the wireless communication protocol used by the main board 104 and the respective cluster boards 108 to communicate. The maximum transmission rate also controls the frequency or rate at which the master controller 202 can transmit the master control signal 216, which takes into account the current demand on the motor 102 during operation of the vehicle 100 and the current operating parameters of the motor 102 and the smart single-cell battery system 103. In this regard, it should be understood that according to one or more embodiments of the control system 200, the master controller 202 and the cluster board 108 operate on a continuous control loop, wherein the master controller 202 updates the master control signal 216 according to a defined update frequency / rate (referred to herein and in Figure 2The master controller 202 receives the updated actual three-phase measurement values ​​from the cluster board 108 at a defined update frequency / rate (indicated as “first update rate” in FIG. 1 ), and determines and transmits the updated main control signal 216 based on the updated actual three-phase measurement values ​​to the cluster board 108 according to the defined update frequency / rate. The cluster board 108 then receives the updated main control signal 216, and controls the output voltage of the battery cell 110 based on the updated main control signal 216 according to the defined update rate, wherein the defined update frequency / rate is controlled based on the maximum transmission rate of the wireless communication protocol. This control loop between the master controller 202 and the local controller 204 is referred to herein as the “master control loop”.

[0038] In various embodiments, the maximum transmission rate or update rate of the wireless communication protocol is approximately 1 kHz, which translates to an update rate of approximately every 1 millisecond (ms). However, at high speeds (e.g., speeds in excess of approximately 30 mph), the motor 102 can be exposed to disturbances 210 that can occur at rates greater than 1 kHz, such as the motor 102 unexpectedly reducing or increasing torque. Therefore, faster local control loops are needed to ensure safe operation of the vehicle 100. To facilitate this purpose, the disclosed technology introduces local control loops into the control system 200 in addition to the main control loop described above. In accordance with the local control loops, a local controller (e.g., local controller 204) of each cluster board 108 is configured to update at a significantly higher update rate (referred to herein and in the local control loop) relative to the update rate employed by the main control loop. Figure 2 In various embodiments, the local control loop can adopt a local update rate of about every 1.0 microsecond (1.0 μs), which translates to a transmission frequency of about 10 kHz. For example, the local controller 204 can be configured to direct the measurement component (e.g., the measurement component 408) to measure the single-phase current value of the phase to which the cluster board 108 belongs at a 10 kHz update rate. Figure 2, represented as a single-phase measurement 218 for phase A at a second update rate (assuming that the cluster board 108 belongs to phase A, string 106a in this example). In other embodiments, the update rate of the local control loop can be any update rate that is higher than the update rate employed by the main control loop (e.g., the second update rate can be any update rate that is higher than the first update rate). The local controller 204 can also be configured to estimate the other two phase current outputs (e.g., phase B and phase C in this example) using the measured current for its phase and the three-phase estimation process (described in more detail below). Then, using the three-phase current measurements (e.g., one actual, two estimated), the local controller 204 can be configured to mirror the functionality of the main controller 202 with respect to locally determining an updated version of the main control signal at a faster update rate (e.g., 10kHz or every 1.0μs). In this regard, the local controller 204 can determine the required voltage value estimated at the higher update rate based on the three-phase estimation between each reception of the main control signal 216 (e.g., received at an update rate of 1kHz). The local controller 204 can also be configured to direct the modulator 206 to apply the estimated desired voltage value between receipts of the master control signal 216 if the estimated desired voltage value is different than the last received desired voltage value included in the master control signal 216 .

[0039] In this manner, the estimated state of the three-phase system is used to generate local control signals that can assist in motor control. In other words, the local control loop uses the main controller desired voltage value as a reference point, which has a more accurate view of the vehicle systems (e.g., the motor 102, the smart single-cell battery system 103, and the vehicle's additional systems). In this regard, due to the local three-phase prediction, the local controller (e.g., the local controller 204) enables the cluster board 108 to control and correct the system transient behavior of the vehicle between updates from the main controller 202. Figure 3 Additional details regarding the main control loop and the local control loops are discussed further.

[0040] Figure 3 A flow chart of an example process 300 for controlling a motor (e.g., motor 102) of an electric vehicle (e.g., vehicle 100) using a smart cell battery system (e.g., smart cell battery system 103) according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. According to process 300, main controller 202 and local controller 204 can execute a main control loop as described above, and the local controllers of corresponding cluster boards 108 can further execute a local control loop as described above. Figure 2 Same, although Figure 3A single local controller 204 is shown, but it should be understood that each cluster board 108 of the smart single cell battery system 103 includes a local controller 204 that performs the same operations described with respect to its corresponding phase of the three-phase system. Elements of the process 300 corresponding to the local control loop are indicated by gray fill, while elements of the process 300 corresponding to the main control loop are indicated by white fill. According to the process 300, during operation of the vehicle 100, the main control loop can be continuously executed at a first update rate (meaning iteratively executed according to the first update rate), and the local control loop can be continuously executed at a second update rate (meaning iteratively executed according to the second update rate), wherein the second update rate is greater than the first update rate. In various embodiments, the first update rate is approximately every 1.0 ms (e.g., corresponding to a transmission rate of approximately 1 kHz), and the second update rate is approximately every 1.0 μs (e.g., corresponding to a transmission rate of approximately 10 kHz). For the sake of brevity, repeated descriptions of similar elements employed in various embodiments are omitted.

[0041] Reference Figure 3 , considering Figure 1 and Figure 2 According to the process 300 and the main control loop, at 302, the main controller 202 can obtain (e.g., at a first update rate) current motor measurement data (e.g., measurement values ​​212) associated with the current speed / torque request 208 of the motor 102. The current speed / torque request 208 corresponds to a signal received from the driver of the vehicle 100 indicating the desired speed for operating the vehicle 100. As described in more detail below, at 306, the main controller 202 converts the speed request into a torque request, which corresponds to the amount of torque required to accelerate or decelerate to achieve the requested speed given the current speed of the vehicle 100. Therefore, the measurement value 212 can include or correspond to the current requested speed for operating the vehicle 100 and the current speed of the vehicle. The measurement value 212 can also include the electrical angle (θr) of the rotor. At 304, the main controller receives the actual three-phase measurement values ​​214a, b, c from the corresponding cluster board 108 via the wireless communication protocol (e.g., at a first update rate); that is, the measured current of phase A (measured i a ), the measured current of phase B (measured i b ) and the measured current of phase C (measured i c ).

[0042] At 306, the master controller 202 determines the master control information based on the current motor measurement data (eg, the measurement value 212), the current speed request, and the actual three-phase measurement values ​​214a, b, c, including the reference required voltage value (ref. U 所需), the reference required voltage value indicates the amount of voltage required to be provided to the motor 102 to achieve the requested operating speed. In association with determining the master control information at 306, the master controller 202 can also determine the requested voltage (requested U in the dq coordinate system) d , U q ) and the requested current in the dq coordinate system (the requested i d 、i q ), as described below.

[0043] In this regard, the actual three-phase measurement values ​​214a, b, c are received as three separate phase measurement values ​​i a 、i b and i c , which are sinusoidal reference signals. Figure 1 As described, in various embodiments, the motor 102 corresponds to a PMSM. A control strategy for controlling the speed and torque of such a motor is called field-oriented control (FOC). The main purpose of FOC is to decouple the control of torque and flux within the motor, thereby achieving accurate and effective control of the motor performance. By operating a DC quantity instead of a sinusoidal reference signal, the control of the regulator in the FOC model is greatly simplified.

[0044] The motor magnetic field is represented in a two-dimensional rotating dq coordinate system. The d-axis is aligned with the magnetic field generated by the PM, and the q-axis is perpendicular to the d-axis. The q-axis current is proportional to the torque generated by the motor, and the d-axis current is proportional to the magnetic field. When working in the dq coordinate system and controlling the d-axis and q-axis currents, the motor's magnetic field and torque can be independently controlled.

[0045] In order to realize FOC, the instantaneous values ​​of current and voltage are required. Therefore, the three-phase current i a 、i b and i c The dynamic expression of needs to be expressed in the rotating reference frame dq coordinate system. This is mined through the Clarke and Park transforms. The Clarke transform produces a two-phase orthogonal αβ coordinate system with current i α and i β The two-phase currents are derived from the three-phase currents using Equation 1, where C is a constant and can be either power invariant or amplitude invariant. In one or more embodiments, an amplitude invariant C value is used (eg, C=2 / 3).

[0046]

[0047] Park transformation uses two-phase orthogonal current i α and i β To calculate i using equation 2 d and i q, where i d and i q is the static current component in the dq coordinate system aligned with the rotor flux, and where θ is the rotor angle.

[0048]

[0049] In addition, d and i q It can be used to calculate the electromagnetic torque T of the motor 102 using Equation 3 em , where ψ d and ψ q are the d-axis and q-axis flux linkages, ψ r is the flux linkage of the rotor excitation flux through the stator winding, and p is the number of pole pairs.

[0050]

[0051] In this regard, in one or more embodiments, at 306, the master controller 202 obtains the current speed / torque request 208 indicating the desired speed for operating the vehicle 100, and converts the speed request into a torque request corresponding to the amount of torque required to accelerate or decelerate to achieve the requested speed given the current speed of the vehicle 100. In one or more embodiments, the master controller 202 can use a speed controller such as a proportional integral (PI) controller or a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller to determine the required torque based on the current speed and the requested speed (e.g., included in the measurement 212). The speed controller can employ one or more defined transformation functions to determine the required torque based on the current speed and the requested speed, wherein coefficients are defined to enable the speed difference to be converted into a torque request based on defined motor parameters of the motor 102 (e.g., derived from testing of the motor).

[0052] The main controller 202 also uses a lookup table or similar data structure to facilitate the conversion of the requested torque into an equivalent voltage level in the dq coordinate system so that the motor 102 runs at the requested speed, that is, the requested voltage U d , U q The main controller 202 further converts the requested voltage U d , U q Converted into the required current in the dq coordinate system required to achieve the required voltage, that is, the required current I d ,I q The main controller 202 also calculates the actual three-phase current measurement value i a 、i b and i c Convert to the dq coordinate system to obtain the actual measured current i using the above Clarke and Park transformation d 、iq The main controller 202 further converts the measured current i d ,i q and the required current I d , I q The comparison is based on the measured current i d ,i q and the required current I d , I q The required voltage (ref.U 所需 ). Required voltage (ref.U 所需 ) can also be expressed in the dq coordinate system, for example (ref.Ud 所需 and Uq 所需 ). The main controller 202 determines the main control information at a first update rate.

[0053] At 308, the master controller transmits the master control signal 216 to the corresponding cluster board 108 (eg, at a first update rate). The master control signal 216 can include a reference desired voltage value (ref. U 所需 ) and other reference measurements. In one or more embodiments, in addition to the reference required voltage value (ref.U 所需 ), the main control signal 216 also includes the required voltage U d , U q , Required current I d ,I q and rotor angle θ r . Or replace the reference voltage value (ref.U 所需 ), the main control signal 216 also includes the required voltage U d , U q , Required current I d ,I q and rotor angle θ r .

[0054] At 310, the local controller 204 receives the master control signal (e.g., at a first update rate). According to the master control loop, in one or more embodiments, in response to the initial receipt of the master control signal, the local controller 204 can be configured to pass the master control signal to the modulator 206 and, at 312, direct the modulator to apply a reference desired voltage value (ref. U ) determined by the master controller. 所需 , or more specifically ref.Ud 所需 and Uq 所需 ). For example, once the main control signal is received, the U generated by the main controller is immediately 所需The value provides an accurate measurement of the instantaneous state of the system based on the receipt of the master control signal. Due to transmission delays, interference 210 may be observed during a small time window (e.g., approximately 1.0 ms) after receipt of the master control signal and a subsequent update of the master control signal. To account for such interference 210 between the receipt of the master control signal 216, after initially directing the modulator to apply the reference desired voltage value at 312, the local controller 204 can be configured to execute a local control loop and determine one or more estimated desired voltage values ​​(e.g., a number that depends on the second update rate), the one or more estimated desired voltage values ​​taking into account any observed interference 210. The local controller 204 can also be configured to direct the modulator 204 to apply the estimated desired voltage value until the next master control signal is received if the estimated desired voltage value is different from the reference desired voltage value.

[0055] In this regard, referring to the local control loop, at 314, the local controller 204 is able to obtain (e.g., using the measurement component 408) a single-phase current measurement of the phase on which the battery cell cluster controlled by the local controller 204 is located. Specifically, the local controller 204 measures the actual single-phase current value of the phase of the string (of strings 106a, 106b, and 106c) connected to the local controller 204 by measuring the actual single-phase current value of the battery cluster controlled by the local controller 204. At 316, the local controller 204 also estimates the phase current values ​​of the other two phases of the other two strings disconnected from the local controller 204 using a three-phase estimation process. The three-phase estimation process is described in more detail below.

[0056] At 318, the local controller 204 determines the phase current value based on the estimated phase current value (eg, estimated i a 、i b and i c ) and other reference measurements included in the main control signal 216 (e.g., the requested voltage U d , U q and the required current I d ,I q ) to determine an estimated required voltage value (estimated U ) of the amount of voltage required to be supplied to the motor 102 to achieve the requested operating speed 所需 For ease of description, all three phase current values ​​used by the local controller 204 at 318 are collectively referred to as estimated three-phase current values ​​(eg, estimated i a 、i b and i c ), but it should be understood that one will be the actual measured value and the other two will be estimated. In this regard, at 318, the local controller 204 can determine the three-phase current values ​​based on the estimated three-phase current values ​​(e.g., the estimated i a 、i b and ic ) and other reference measurements (e.g., request voltage U d , U q and the required current I d ,I q ), using the reference voltage value (ref.U 所需 ) to determine the estimated required voltage value (estimated U 所需 For example, the local controller 204 can use Clark and Park transformation to convert the estimated three-phase current values ​​(eg, the estimated current i a 、i b and i c ) is transformed into the dq coordinate system to obtain the estimated current i d and i q At 310, the local controller 204 can further calculate the estimated current i d ,i q and the desired current I received in the main control signal 216 d , I q The measured value is compared to the estimated current i d ,i q and the required current I d , I q The difference between the estimated required voltage (estimated U 所需 ). Estimated required voltage (estimated U 所需 ) can also be expressed in the dq coordinate system.

[0057] At 320, the local controller 204 can further calculate the estimated required voltage (estimated U 所需 ) and the reference required voltage (ref.U 所需 ) and if the local control signal is equal to the reference required voltage (ref.U 所需 ) is completely different and / or exceeds a defined threshold amount, the modulator 204 is guided to apply a local control signal, namely the estimated required voltage (estimated U 所需 ). In this way, faster motor control is achieved because local prediction enables the cluster board 108 to control and correct system transient behavior between updates from the main controller.

[0058] According to both the main control and local control loops, at 312 or 320, respectively, the local controllers 204 direct their respective modulators 206 to apply the determined desired voltage value to control the output current of their corresponding battery cell clusters. In this regard, each of the modulators 206 intelligently engages and disengages its respective battery cells 110 of their respective battery clusters to generate a sinusoidal output wave for their respective phases using PWM. Each of the modulators 206 controls a cluster of battery cells 110, wherein each battery cell cluster is capable of contributing a portion of the collective voltage amount required to achieve the desired voltage value. For example, assuming that each battery cluster includes four battery cells, each battery cell provides a voltage of approximately 3.75V, so the total maximum voltage provided by each cluster is approximately 15V. Each modulator further operates its respective battery cell cluster according to predefined priority information, which controls the order in which the respective battery clusters are used in series on the respective strings 106a, 106b, and 106c until the aggregated output voltage meets the required voltage (e.g., the determined desired voltage). The priority information can be fixed, dynamic, and determined by the main controller 202 and / or the local controller 204 based on the current battery state of charge (SoC) and various other monitored parameters associated with the battery cells (e.g., temperature; pressure (e.g., expansion); chemistry (e.g., regarding the chemistry of the electrolyte to monitor aging); acceleration (e.g., to sense a collision of, for example, an electric vehicle including the device); current (e.g., current flowing into and / or out of the device and / or active battery material); voltage (e.g., voltage potential at the battery cell material poles of the active battery cell material); and / or other parameter data of the device and / or active battery material).

[0059] In this regard, each modulator 206 is configured by using U which has been expressed in the dq coordinate system (eg, 所需 ) back to a sinusoidal form to operate as three different phases. The wave corresponds to the level of the entire phase, but needs to be divided into the range within which the cluster should operate. These operating levels correspond to the total state of charge (SoC) level of a single cluster, which means that different clusters can have different resolutions. Using the output of the modulator 204, the control signal for each switch in each H-bridge controls the output of each cluster according to the calculation of the modulator 204.

[0060] Figure 4 1 shows a high-level block diagram of an example cluster board 108 according to one or more embodiments described herein. Figures 1 to 3 And consider Figure 4, the example cluster board 108 can correspond to each of the cluster boards 108a-n, 108b-n, and 108c-n of the smart single-cell battery system 103. In this regard, it should be understood that the cluster board 108 is connected (e.g., physically and operably coupled) to a defined battery cell cluster, which includes two or more battery cells 110 located on the same string or phase. In various embodiments, the cluster board 108 can include or correspond to a PCB that is physically and operably coupled to two or more battery cells 110 of the cluster. The cluster board 108 can include electronic hardware and software components that enable the cluster board 108 to intelligently control the operating state of the battery cells 110 connected thereto according to the motor control mechanism described herein.

[0061] For example, the cluster board 108 can include at least one memory 414 storing machine and / or computer executable components or instructions, and at least one processor (e.g., processing unit 416, central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, etc.) that executes the computer executable components / instructions stored in the at least one memory 414. In one or more embodiments, the local controller 204 and the modulator 206 can include or correspond to computer executable components stored in the memory 414. In this regard, the operations described with respect to the local controller 204 and the modulator 206 can include or correspond to executable instructions that can be executed by the at least one processing unit 414. For the sake of brevity, repeated descriptions of similar elements employed in various embodiments are omitted.

[0062] The cluster board 108 can also include a measurement component 408 , other PCB electronic components 410 , a communication component 418 , and a device bus 412 that electrically couples the memory, processing unit 416 , measurement component 408 , other PCB electronic components 410 , and communication component 418 to one another.

[0063] The measurement component 408 can include or correspond to one or more sensors that enable the cluster board 108 to measure various parameters associated with the battery cells 110 to which it is connected. For example, the one or more sensors can include a sensor configured to measure the phase current (e.g., i a 、i b or cThe one or more sensors can also include sensors that can monitor and / or collect other parameter data of the cluster board 108 and / or the battery cells to which the cluster board 108 is connected, such as, but not limited to: temperature; pressure (e.g., expansion); chemical properties (e.g., regarding the chemical properties of the electrolyte to monitor aging); acceleration (e.g., to sense a collision of an electric vehicle including the device); voltage (e.g., the voltage potential across the battery material poles of the active battery material); and / or other parameter data of the cluster board 108 and / or the battery cells 110.

[0064] The communication component 418 can include or correspond to suitable hardware and / or software that enables wireless communication between the cluster board 108 and the master controller 202 and optionally other external systems and / or devices. For example, the communication component 418 can include a transmitter, a receiver, and / or a transceiver. The communication component 418 can employ any suitable proprietary and / or non-proprietary wireless communication protocol, which can include nearly any desired wired or wireless technology, including but not limited to: powerline Ethernet, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Fiber optic communications, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Enhanced General Packet Radio Service (Enhanced GPRS), 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE), 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2) Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA), Zigbee and other 802.XX wireless technologies and / or legacy telecommunication technologies, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), RF4CE protocol, WirelessHART protocol, 6LoWPAN (IPv6 over low power wireless area network), Z-Wave, ANT, ultra-wideband (UWB) standard protocol, and / or other proprietary and non-proprietary communication protocols. In such examples and as described above, the cluster board 108 thus includes hardware (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a transceiver, a decoder, an antenna, quantum hardware, a quantum processor, etc.), software (e.g., a set of threads, a set of processes, software in execution, quantum pulse scheduling, quantum circuits, quantum gates, etc.), or a combination of hardware and software that facilitates the transmission of information between the cluster board 108 and external systems, sources, and / or devices (e.g., computing devices, communication devices, etc.).

[0065] The other PCB electronic components 410 can include or correspond to various other electronic circuit elements that facilitate the operation of the cluster board. For example, the other PCB electronic components 410 can include or correspond to one or more switches, wires, ports, etc. The one or more switches can include, for example, metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) switches, which can facilitate different operating modes (e.g., off, positive, negative, bypass, etc.) of the battery cells 110 individually and / or the battery cell cluster, as controlled by the processing unit 416, the local controller 204, and the modulator 206 according to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure described herein. In various embodiments, the one or more switches can include an H-bridge electronic circuit having a plurality of switches (e.g., 4 switches including 4 MOSFET switches).

[0066] In various embodiments, although not shown, it should be understood that the motherboard 104 can also include or correspond to one or more PCBs having the same or similar electronic hardware and software components described above with respect to the cluster board 108, but customized to facilitate the operations (and additional operations) described herein with respect to the motherboard 104. In this regard, it should be understood that the motherboard 104 can include at least one memory (corresponding to the memory 414) and at least one processing unit (corresponding to the processing unit), (e.g., the main controller 202) storing computer executable instructions or components that, when executed by at least one processor, facilitate the performance of the described operations. The motherboard 104 also includes a communication component corresponding to the communication component 418 that enables wireless communication between the motherboard 104 and the corresponding cluster board using any suitable proprietary and / or non-proprietary wireless communication protocol.

[0067] Reference local controller 204 and Figure 3In one or more embodiments, the local controller 204 can include a control signal processing component 402, a three-phase estimation component 404, and local control protocol instructions 406. The control signal processing component 402 can include or correspond to computer executable instructions for performing the processing and control operations described with respect to steps 310, 312, 314, 318, and / or 320 of the process 300. The three-phase estimation component 404 can include or correspond to computer executable instructions for performing the three-phase estimation process at step 316 of the process 300. The local control protocol instructions 406 can define local control protocol rules and instructions for controlling the operation of the local controller 204 according to the main control loop and the local control loop. For example, at 312, the local control protocol instructions can define and control when and how the local controller 204 directs the modulator 206 to apply a reference desired voltage value. In various embodiments, whenever the master control signal 216 is received according to a first update rate (e.g., every 1.0 ms), the local control protocol instructions can instruct the local controller to apply the reference required voltage value at 312 in response to the initial receipt of the master control signal 216. The local control protocol instructions 406 can also direct the local controller to execute a local control loop between the receipt of the master control signal and apply the estimated required voltage value if the estimated required voltage value is completely different from the reference required voltage value or exceeds a threshold amount. The local control protocol instructions can also define the threshold amount (when applicable). The local control protocol instructions 406 can also define a second update rate. In this regard, the local control protocol instructions 406 can define the frequency at which the local controller 204 measures the single-phase current value at 218 and calculates a new estimated required voltage value to compare with the reference required voltage value between each receipt of the master control signal 216 received according to the first update rate. In various embodiments, the second update rate can correspond to a wireless transmission rate of approximately 10 kHz. In these embodiments, the second update rate can include or correspond to a rate of approximately once every 1.0 μs (eg, corresponding to executing the local control loop approximately 10 times between each receipt of the master control signal).

[0068] Now referring to the three-phase estimation component 404 and Figures 5 to 7 The three-phase estimation process performed at 316 of process 300 is further described. As described above, in the case where the local controller of the corresponding battery cluster (e.g., local controller 204) is only able to measure the phase current to which it is connected, the local controller therefore does not have access to data in dq format. Therefore, it is necessary to estimate the other two phases based on the predicted value of the measured phase, so that the Clarke-Park transformation can be used (e.g., using the three-phase estimation component 404). From this predicted three-phase system, the local controller can use the input as the measurement data.

[0069] The predicted values ​​of the other two phases follow the assumptions that the difference in phase angle θ between each phase is 120° and the amplitude A is equal between all phases. Using these assumptions, the three-phase prediction component 404 can perform three-phase prediction according to Equation 4.

[0070]

[0071] According to Equation 4, i(t) is the single-phase measured current value at time t, A is the maximum amplitude of the curve, θ is the phase angle, and is the phase shift. In this regard, i(t) is known because it is measured directly on the cluster of cells to which the local controller 204 is connected (eg, via the measurement component 408). Phase shift is also known, since the currents in a three-phase system are assumed to be phase-shifted by 120°. However, both the phase angle θ and the amplitude A need to be estimated.

[0072] Figure 5 Flowchart of an example process 500 for performing three-phase estimation according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. Specifically, process 500 presents an example process of amplitude estimation using how the three-phase estimation component 404 can estimate the data streams of θ and A, where θ^ and A^ correspond to an estimated phase angle value and an estimated amplitude value. Figures 1 to 5 As shown in process 500, in one or more embodiments, the three-phase estimation component 404 can estimate the phase angle θ^ based on the measured single-phase current value (in this example, measured for phase A, such as ia), the reference phase angle value θref, and using a zero crossing function 502. In one or more embodiments, the rotor angle θ^ can be sent in the main control signal 216 based on the rotor angle θ r To determine the reference phase angle θ ref To calculate the angle between samples, dead reckoning is applied, where it is assumed that the previous acceleration and the change in acceleration do not change much during the 0.001s between updates. In this regard, the angle θ of the rotor is measured on the motor. r and sends it to the main control signal 216. The three-phase estimation component 404 can calculate the rotor angle θ based on the knowledge of how many pole pairs the motor has. r The electrical angle θ is then used as the reference angle θ ref , to determine the respective phase shifts of the phase using the zero-crossing function 502. According to the zero-crossing function 502, the reference angle θ refis compared to the measured current zero crossing level. The difference between the reference angle to 0 or π depends on the direction it crosses. The resulting angle A^ can then be used as an input to the regulator 506 to estimate the amplitude A^. The following process explains the principle of the zero crossing function 502.

[0073] The three-phase estimation component 404 tracks the measured current (i a ) is the current moving from the positive plane to the negative plane or vice versa. Then, if the current is moving from + to - and is crossing the zero point, the difference between θ + the previously calculated offset to π is calculated and added to the previously calculated offset to update it. On the other hand, if the current is moving from - to + and is crossing the zero point, since the angle can only be between 0 and 2π, the difference between θ + the previously calculated offset to 2π or 0 depends on whether it is overestimated or underestimated. This difference is calculated and added to the previously calculated offset to update it.

[0074] In the case of estimating the phase angle θ^, the amplitude A^ of the current needs to be estimated. In one or more embodiments, the three-phase estimation component 404 can estimate the current amplitude A^ based on the phase angle θ^ using a regulator 506, for example, a PI regulator, a PID regulator, or another type of regulator (for example, where there are different advantages and disadvantages, such as the processing power and complexity required for different types of regulators). To implement the regulator 506, the three-phase estimation component 404 can use a model 504 based on Equation 4 above to generate an error between the estimated value and the measured value, where the model 504 corresponds to Equation 5 below.

[0075]

[0076] Using θ^ and A^, the three-phase estimation component 404 can estimate the phase current values ​​of the other two phases. This can be achieved by shifting the estimated phase angle θ^ by 120° according to equation 5 and model 504. For example, the estimated three-phase current values ​​can be derived according to the following equations 6, 7, and 8, respectively, where and

[0077]

[0078] By following these steps, a single-phase current measurement can be converted to a three-phase current prediction. This solution requires at least one cycle of the sinusoidal current to have occurred before the estimation is made, as the angle relies on a zero crossing to occur during which part of the control of the motor can be handled by the main controller 202 rather than the local controller 204. This is possible due to the low speeds achieved when starting from rest, where problematic high speed transients do not occur. The estimation behavior is Figure 6 Shown in.

[0079] At this point, Figure 6 A graph showing the resulting three-phase estimation over a time period of a transition from low speed to high speed is presented in accordance with one or more embodiments described herein. Figure 6 As shown, the predicted three-phase current values ​​can be accurately determined after an initialization period after initially starting the vehicle 100 and / or driving the vehicle for a short period of time (e.g., less than one second) and accelerating from a low speed to a high speed. The estimated startup behavior is due to the need to estimate the angle to a reasonable degree before the amplitude can be accurately estimated. As described above, the angle is estimated by observing the zero crossings of the measured phase and adding an offset to the rotor angle measurement. This results in the model requiring at least two zero crossings to occur before the amplitude estimation can be performed.

[0080] Reference again Figure 3 and Figure 4 Once the estimated three-phase current values ​​have been determined (e.g., estimated i a 、i b and i c ), the control signal processing component 402 is able to determine an estimated required voltage value (estimated U ) of the amount of voltage required to be provided to the motor 102 to achieve the desired operating speed as described with reference to step 318 and process 300. 所需 In this regard, the control signal processing component 402 can use Clark and Park transformation to convert the estimated three-phase current values ​​(eg, the estimated current i a 、i b and i c ) is transformed into the dq coordinate system to obtain the estimated current i d and i q At this stage, all the signals required to regulate the desired current are possible, since the required voltage U d , U q and the required current I d and I q The three-phase measured / estimated currents are converted into a dq coordinate system. In this regard, the control signal processing component 402 can further convert the estimated current i d ,i q and the desired current I received in the main control signal 216 d , I q The measured value is compared to the estimated current i d ,i q and the required current I d , I q The difference between the estimated required voltage (estimated U 所需 ). Estimated required voltage (estimated U 所需) can also be expressed in the dq coordinate system.

[0081] Figure 7 A method for converting a measured / estimated current value i into a d and i q Convert to required voltage U d or U q Flowchart of an example process 700 of . In various embodiments, process 700 can be performed by both local controller 204 (based on estimated three-phase current values) and master controller 202 (e.g., based on actual measured three-phase current values ​​reported by the respective local controllers) to determine the estimated required voltage and the reference required voltage, respectively. As shown in process 700, in one or more embodiments, control signal processing component 402 can use a current regulator function (e.g., process 700) to determine the required voltage based on the required current I d and I q , U d , U q Feedforward value, R 电机 values ​​and voltage limiters to convert the measured / estimated current in the q-coordinate system and / or the d-coordinate system. Figure 8 A method for obtaining a U used in process 700 according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. d , U q Flowchart of an example process 800 for feeding forward values. Figure 7 and Figure 8 According to process 700, R 电机 is the resistance in the rotor where the material and temperature of the winding are calculated. According to process 800, U 前馈 Use the required I d and I q According to process 700, d or q U is used depending on what is being calculated. 前馈 Finally, the voltage limiter limits the output signal to never exceed the voltage level available in the battery.

[0082] Using this local controller, the estimated U 参考 The signal obtained from the radio transmission is compared, wherein during the time between samples, the local controller 204 is in control, and when the main controller 204 is updating at the first update rate, the main controller 204 is in control. Enabling this pass-through feature of the radio protocol signal enables the local controller 202 to interrupt between each reception of the main control signal 216. Thus, U 参考 is sent to the modulator 206 where a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signal produces the sine wave required to run the motor.

[0083] According to the disclosed technology, local controllers 204 can now be placed on each cluster in the intelligent single cell battery system 103. The number of clusters is determined by the space and other external factors where the clusters are placed, rather than by the controller. Since the implementation of each cluster is the same, the system is easy to expand, because the data input to each cluster is transmitted wirelessly and is not limited by any wires or connections, and is only limited by the availability of receiving transmissions. Local controllers 204 connected to the same phase should obtain the same estimate. This is because they measure at the same phase and both receive the same data from the main controller 202. Therefore, two identical controllers with the same input will lead to the same conclusion of scaling with more cluster boards 108.

[0084] Fig. 9 An example computer-implemented method 900 for controlling a motor of an electric vehicle employing a smart cell battery system according to one or more embodiments described herein is shown. For the sake of brevity, repeated descriptions of similar elements employed in various embodiments are omitted.

[0085] Method 900 includes, at 902, supplying power to an electric motor of an electric vehicle via a smart cell battery system, the smart cell battery system including: a plurality of battery cells arranged in three strings, which provide corresponding phase currents of three-phase currents for driving the motor; a local controller connected to the defined battery cell cluster; and a main controller. At 904, receiving, by the local controller, from the main controller, main control information determined by the main controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the corresponding phase currents, the main control information including a reference voltage value indicating the amount of voltage required to be provided to the motor to achieve a requested operating speed and torque. At 906, determining, by the local controller using a corresponding processor, local control information based on the main control information and the estimated phase current value of the corresponding phase current, the local control information including an estimated voltage value of the required amount of voltage. At 908, controlling, by the local controller, the current output by the battery cell to the motor according to the reference voltage value or the estimated voltage value based on whether a difference is observed between the reference voltage value and the estimated voltage value.

[0086] One or more flow charts and / or block diagrams in the accompanying drawings show one or more possible architectures, functions and operations of one or more systems, devices and / or methods according to each embodiment described herein. In this regard, one or more blocks in one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams can represent modules, segments and / or parts of instructions, which can include one or more executable instructions for implementing specified logical functions. In one or more alternative embodiments, one or more functions mentioned in one or more of the blocks can not occur in the order shown in the figure. For example, one or more blocks shown in succession can be executed substantially simultaneously and / or one or more blocks can be executed in the order opposite to that shown, such as depending on the functions involved. It will also be noted that one or more blocks of one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams and / or one or more combinations of one or more blocks thereof can be implemented by a system based on special hardware, which can perform one or more specified functions and / or can perform one or more special hardware and / or computer instructions.

[0087] As indicated, one or more aspects are described herein with reference to one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams of one or more methods, devices and / or systems according to one or more embodiments described herein. It should be understood that one or more blocks of one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams and / or one or more combinations of blocks in one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams can be implemented by one or more computer-readable program instructions.

[0088] Computer-readable program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, and / or other programmable data processing device to produce a machine. For example, instructions that can be executed via a processor of a computer and / or other programmable data processing device can create one or more devices for implementing one or more functions and / or processes specified in one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams. Computer-readable program instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can guide a computer, a programmable data processing device, and / or other devices to function in a particular manner. For example, a computer-readable storage medium in which instructions are stored can contain an article of instruction that can implement one or more aspects of one or more functions and / or processes specified in one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams. Computer-readable program instructions can be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing devices, and / or other devices so that one or more operating actions are performed on a computer, other programmable devices, and / or other devices to produce a computer-implemented process. For example, instructions that can be executed on a computer, other programmable devices, and / or other devices can implement one or more functions and / or processes specified in one or more flow charts and / or block diagrams.

[0089] As used in this specification, the term "processor" or "processing unit" can refer to substantially any computing processing unit or device, including but not limited to a single-core processor; a single processor with software multithreaded execution capability; a multi-core processor; a multi-core processor with software multithreaded execution capability; a multi-core processor using hardware multithreading technology; a parallel platform; and a parallel platform with distributed shared memory. In addition, the processor can refer to an integrated circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic controller (PLC), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a discrete gate or transistor logic circuit, a discrete hardware component, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. In addition, the processor can utilize nanoscale architectures, such as, but not limited to, transistors, switches, and gates based on molecules and quantum dots, in order to optimize space usage or enhance the performance of user devices. The processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing processing units. As used herein, terms such as "storage", "storage", "data storage", "data storage", "database", and any other information storage component substantially related to the operation and function of the component are used to refer to a "memory component", an entity implemented with a "memory", or a component including a memory. The processor can employ distributed and / or joint machine intelligence, which can be employed to operate and / or cause one or more of the above-mentioned computer readable program instructions.

[0090] The memory and / or memory components described herein can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, and / or can include both volatile and non-volatile memory. As an illustration and not limitation, non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory or non-volatile random access memory (RAM) (e.g., ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM)). As an illustration and not limitation, RAM can be obtained in a variety of forms, such as synchronous RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), direct Rambus RAM (DRRAM), direct Rambus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM) and Rambus dynamic RAM (RDRAM). In addition, the memory components of the system or computer-implemented method disclosed herein are intended to include, but are not limited to, these and any other memories.

[0091] Described herein are only one or more examples of one or more systems and / or methods. Of course, it is not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components and / or methods of implementing the purposes of the subject matter. Nevertheless, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that one or more additional combinations and / or arrangements of the disclosed subject matter are possible. In addition, to the extent that the terms "including," "having," "having," and the like are used in the detailed description, claims, appendices, and / or drawings, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "including," as "including" is interpreted when "including" is used as a transition word in a claim.

[0092] It should be understood that when an element is referred to as being "coupled" to another element, the term "coupled" can describe one or more different types of coupling, including but not limited to chemical coupling, communication coupling, capacitive coupling, electrical coupling, electromagnetic coupling, inductive coupling, operational coupling, optical coupling, physical coupling, thermal coupling, and / or other types of coupling. As described herein, an "entity" can include a machine, a device, hardware, software, a computing device, and / or a person. According to one or more embodiments described herein, such an entity can facilitate the implementation of the subject matter disclosed herein.

[0093] In addition, the term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, "X employs A or B" is intended to mean any natural inclusive arrangement. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then "X employs A or B" is satisfied in any of the foregoing cases. In addition, unless otherwise specified or the singular form is clear from the context, the words or phrases "one" and "an" used in the subject specification and drawings should generally be interpreted to mean "one or more than one". As used herein, the terms "example" and / or "exemplary" are used to indicate use as an example, instance, and / or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited to such examples. In addition, any aspect and / or design described herein as "example" and / or "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior and / or advantageous to other aspects or designs, nor is it meant to exclude equivalent exemplary structures and / or technologies known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

[0094] The description of one or more various embodiments provided herein is presented for illustrative purposes, but is not intended to be exhaustive and / or limited to the disclosed one or more embodiments. One or more modifications and / or variations will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and / or spirit of the described embodiments. The terms used herein are selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, and / or technical improvements to technologies found on the market, and / or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0095] What has been described above includes only examples of systems and computer-implemented methods. Of course, it is not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or computer-implemented methods that describe the purposes of the present disclosure, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present disclosure are possible. In addition, to the extent that the terms "including," "having," "having," and the like are used in the detailed description, claims, appendices, and drawings, these terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term "including," as interpreted when "including" is used as a transitional word in the claims. Descriptions of various embodiments have been presented for illustrative purposes, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations are obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The terms used herein are selected to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements to technologies found on the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system comprising: A smart single-cell battery system for supplying power to an electric motor of an electric vehicle, the smart single-cell battery system comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged in three strings, which provide corresponding phase currents among three-phase currents for driving the electric motor; a local controller connected to a defined cluster of said battery cells; and Main controller; at least one processor; and at least one memory storing executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause performance of operations comprising: receiving, by the local controller from the main controller, main control information determined by the main controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the corresponding phase currents; determining, by the local controller, local control information based on the main control information and the estimated phase current values ​​of the corresponding phase currents; and Based on whether a difference is observed between the main control information and the local control information, the current output by the battery cell to the motor is controlled by the local controller according to the main control information or the local control information.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The main control information includes a reference voltage value indicating a required amount of voltage to be provided to the motor to achieve a requested operating speed and torque, wherein the local control information includes an estimated voltage value for the required amount of voltage, and wherein the control includes controlling the current output according to the reference voltage value or the estimated voltage value based on whether a difference is observed between the reference voltage value and the estimated voltage value.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises repeatedly receiving the master control information at a first update rate, and wherein the determining comprises repeatedly determining the local control information at a second update rate that is faster than the first update rate.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein: The control further includes: Whenever the master control information is received, directing, by the local controller in response to initial reception of the master control information, the battery cell to generate the current output based on the master control information; and If the local control information is different from the master control information, the local controller directs the battery cell to generate the current output based on the local control information before receiving the master control information.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein: The receiving includes receiving the master control information via a wireless communication signal transmitted by the master controller, and wherein the first update rate is based on a maximum transmission rate of a wireless communication protocol used for the wireless communication signal.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein: The maximum transmission rate is at least 1.0 kHz, and wherein the second update rate corresponds to a transmission rate of at least 10.0 kHz.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The local controllers include a first subset of local controllers connected to a first of the three strings, a second subset of local controllers connected to a second of the three strings, and a third subset of local controllers connected to a third of the three strings, and wherein the operations further include: The estimated phase current values ​​are determined by the local controller based on actual single-phase current values ​​measured by the local controller from corresponding strings of the three strings connected to the local controller.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein: Determining the estimated phase current value includes: measuring, by the local controller, a first single-phase current value of the three-phase current from a corresponding string of the three strings connected to the local controller; and Second-phase current values ​​and third-phase current values ​​of the three-phase currents of respective other strings of the three strings that are disconnected from the local controller are estimated by the local controller.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein: Determining the estimated current value further comprises: estimating, by the local controller, a phase angle associated with the first single-phase current value; and A current amplitude associated with the first single-phase current value is estimated by the local controller.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein: Estimating the angle includes estimating the angle based on a reference rotor angle included in the main control information and using a zero-crossing function.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein: Determining the estimated current value is based on the assumption that the angular difference between the respective phase currents is 120 degrees and the amplitudes of the respective phase currents are equal.

12. A method for controlling an electric motor of an electric vehicle, comprising: The electric motor is supplied with power via an intelligent single-cell battery system, the intelligent battery system comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged in three strings, which provide corresponding phase currents among three-phase currents for driving the electric motor; a local controller connected to a defined cluster of said battery cells; and Main controller; receiving, by the local controller from the main controller, main control information determined by the main controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the corresponding phase currents, the main control information including a reference voltage value indicating an amount of voltage required to be supplied to the motor to achieve a requested operating speed and torque; determining, by the local controller using a corresponding processor, local control information based on the main control information and the estimated phase current value of the corresponding phase current, the local control information including an estimated voltage value of a desired voltage amount; and Based on whether a difference is observed between the reference voltage value and the estimated voltage value, the current output by the battery cell to the motor is controlled by the local controller according to the reference voltage value or the estimated voltage value.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The receiving includes repeatedly receiving the master control information at a first update rate, and wherein the determining includes repeatedly determining the local control information at a second update rate that is faster than the first update rate.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the controlling further comprises: Whenever the master control information is received, the local controller directs the battery cell to generate the current output based on the reference voltage value in response to initial reception of the master control information; and If the estimated voltage value is different from the reference voltage value, the local controller directs the battery cell to generate the current output based on the estimated voltage value before receiving the master control information.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein: The receiving includes receiving the master control information via a wireless communication signal transmitted by the master controller, and wherein the first update rate is based on a maximum transmission rate of a wireless communication protocol used for the wireless communication signal.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The local controllers include a first subset of local controllers connected to a first string of the three strings, a second subset of local controllers connected to a second string of the three strings, and a third subset of local controllers connected to a third string of the three strings, and wherein the method further includes: The estimated phase current values ​​are determined by the local controller based on actual single-phase current values ​​measured by the local controller from corresponding strings of the three strings connected to the local controller.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Determining the estimated phase current value includes: measuring, by the local controller, a first single-phase current value of the three-phase current from a corresponding string of the three strings connected to the local controller; and Second-phase current values ​​and third-phase current values ​​of the three-phase currents of respective other strings of the three strings that are disconnected from the local controller are estimated by the local controller.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein: Determining the estimated current value further comprises: estimating, by the local controller, a phase angle associated with the first single-phase current value; and A current amplitude associated with the first single-phase current value is estimated by the local controller.

19. A computer program product for causing control of a motor of an electric vehicle powered by a smart cell battery system, the smart cell battery system comprising: a plurality of battery cells arranged in three strings, which provide corresponding phase currents among three-phase currents for driving the electric motor; a local controller connected to a defined cluster of said battery cells; and Main controller; The computer program product includes a non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored therein, the program instructions being executable by a respective processor of the local controller to cause the respective processor to: receiving primary control information determined by the primary controller based on actual phase current values ​​of the corresponding phase currents, the primary control information including a reference voltage value indicating an amount of voltage required to be supplied to the motor to achieve a requested operating speed and torque; determining local control information based on the main control information and the estimated phase current values ​​of the corresponding phase currents, the local control information including an estimated voltage value of a desired voltage amount; and Based on whether a difference is observed between the reference voltage value and the estimated voltage value, a current output by the battery cell to the motor is controlled according to the reference voltage value or the estimated voltage value.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the respective processor repeatedly receives the master control information at a first update rate, and wherein the determining comprises repeatedly determining the local control information at a second update rate that is faster than the first update rate.

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