Method, apparatus, controller and product for energy recovery of a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, a device, equipment and a medium for energy recovery of a vehicle. The method includes determining a weight of the vehicle in response to an energy recovery condition being satisfied. The method also includes determining an energy recuperation mode of the vehicle, the energy recuperation mode including at least a coasting energy recuperation mode and a braking energy recuperation mode. In addition, the method includes determining a recuperation torque of the vehicle electric machine based on the weight of the vehicle and the energy recuperation pattern. In this way, the proper recovery torque can be determined according to the actual weight of the vehicle, the recovery torque distributed to the motor can be increased when the weight of the vehicle is large, and therefore the energy recovery capacity of the motor can be fully utilized, the proportion of the actual recovery energy to the recoverable energy of the whole vehicle is increased, and the cruising ability of the vehicle is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle control, and more specifically, to methods, apparatus, controllers, and products for energy recovery in vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of vehicle control, energy recovery mainly refers to the conversion of kinetic energy generated during vehicle coasting or braking into electrical energy and storing it in the battery through a regenerative braking system. This improves the overall energy efficiency of the vehicle and increases its driving range. The working principle of a regenerative braking system is to use the vehicle's electric motor as a generator.

[0003] Normally, when a vehicle brakes, its kinetic energy is converted into heat energy due to mechanical friction, and this energy is subsequently dissipated into the environment. In vehicles that support energy recovery, when the driver releases the accelerator pedal or depresses the brake pedal, the electric motor begins to apply a reverse torque (also known as regenerative torque) to the moving wheels. This torque can generate electrical energy in the motor while decelerating the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for energy recovery in a vehicle is provided. The method includes determining the weight of the vehicle in response to satisfying energy recovery conditions. The method also includes determining an energy recovery mode for the vehicle, the energy recovery mode including at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode. Furthermore, the method includes determining the recovery torque of the vehicle's electric motor based on the vehicle's weight and the energy recovery mode.

[0005] In a second aspect of this disclosure, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a vehicle weight determination unit configured to determine the weight of a vehicle in response to satisfying energy recovery conditions. The apparatus also includes a recovery mode determination unit configured to determine an energy recovery mode of the vehicle, the energy recovery mode including at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode. Furthermore, the apparatus includes a recovery torque determination unit configured to determine the recovery torque of the vehicle's electric motor based on the vehicle's weight and the energy recovery mode.

[0006] In a third aspect of this disclosure, a controller is provided. The controller includes one or more processors; and a storage device for storing one or more programs that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method for energy recovery in a vehicle. The method includes determining the weight of the vehicle in response to satisfying energy recovery conditions. The method also includes determining an energy recovery mode of the vehicle, the energy recovery mode including at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode. Furthermore, the method includes determining the recovery torque of the vehicle's electric motor based on the vehicle's weight and the energy recovery mode.

[0007] In a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product is tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and includes machine-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to implement a method for energy recovery for a vehicle. The method includes determining the weight of the vehicle in response to satisfying energy recovery conditions. The method also includes determining an energy recovery mode of the vehicle, the energy recovery mode including at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode. Furthermore, the method includes determining the recovery torque of the vehicle's motor based on the vehicle's weight and the energy recovery mode.

[0008] It should be understood that the description in the Summary of the Invention section is not intended to limit the key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to restrict the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of this disclosure will become more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, wherein:

[0010] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example environment in which several embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented is shown;

[0011] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method for energy recovery in a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0012] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating an example of determining the regenerative torque based on the vehicle's weight in a coasting energy recovery mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0013] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating an example of the mapping relationship between vehicle weight and regenerated torque in a coasting energy recovery mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0014] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating examples of energy recovery ratios for vehicles at different weights in coasting energy recovery mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown.

[0015] Figure 6 A schematic diagram illustrating an example of the mapping relationship between vehicle weight and wheel-end torque during braking in a regenerative braking mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;

[0016] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an example system architecture for energy recovery in a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown;

[0017] Figure 8 A block diagram of an energy recovery apparatus for a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; and

[0018] Figure 9 A block diagram of a controller that can implement several embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While some embodiments of this disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that this disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of this disclosure. It should be understood that the accompanying drawings and embodiments of this disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. The embodiments of this disclosure described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only.

[0020] Energy recovery refers to the process of using an electric motor as a generator to convert a vehicle's kinetic energy into electrical energy and store it in a battery. Energy recovery can include, for example, coasting energy recovery and braking energy recovery. Coasting energy recovery occurs when the driver releases the accelerator pedal and does not press the brake pedal. In this situation, the vehicle begins to decelerate, but the deceleration is relatively light. The electric motor automatically switches to generator mode, recovering some kinetic energy by applying a slight reverse torque (also known as regenerative torque) to the wheels. Braking energy recovery occurs when the driver presses the brake pedal. At this time, the electric motor can apply a stronger reverse torque to the wheels, which not only significantly reduces the vehicle speed but also converts more kinetic energy into electrical energy.

[0021] When the reaction force exerted by the motor on the wheel ends exceeds the frictional force at the wheel ends, the vehicle may slip, leading to reduced driving safety. The frictional force at the wheel ends is related to the vehicle's weight. In other words, to prevent slippage, the greater the vehicle's weight, the greater the regenerative torque that can be allocated to the motor. Therefore, to prevent slippage, the vehicle control unit can calculate the upper limit of the motor's regenerative torque based on extreme conditions and ensure that energy recovery does not cause slippage regardless of the vehicle's current load weight. For example, the vehicle control unit can calculate the upper limit of the regenerative torque (e.g., approximately 60 Nm) based on the vehicle's weight under no-load conditions (e.g., 3 tons) and a very small coefficient of road adhesion (e.g., approximately 0.12 on icy or slippery surfaces). However, the upper limit of the regenerative torque calculated in this way is far lower than the maximum torque that the motor can provide (e.g., approximately 400 Nm).

[0022] Therefore, embodiments of this disclosure propose a scheme for energy recovery in vehicles. In embodiments of this disclosure, the scheme can determine the actual total weight of the vehicle when the vehicle meets energy recovery conditions. Then, the scheme can determine the vehicle's current energy recovery mode, for example, a coasting energy recovery mode or a braking energy recovery mode. Then, for different energy recovery modes, the scheme can determine the recovery torque to be allocated to the motor for energy recovery based on the determined actual weight of the vehicle.

[0023] In this way, the appropriate recovery torque can be determined for vehicles with varying weights, thus increasing the recovery torque even when the vehicle is heavier. This improves the conversion rate of kinetic energy into electrical energy during energy recovery, allowing for the storage of more electrical energy and increasing the vehicle's range.

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an example environment 100 in which various embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, environment 100 includes vehicle 102, which can be any vehicle equipped with an electric motor and battery system. For example, vehicle 102 can be a pure electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, a conventional hybrid electric vehicle, or a fuel cell vehicle, etc. Figure 1 As shown, vehicle 102 may include control unit 104, motor 106, rear wheels 108, and front wheels 110. Control unit 104 may be, for example, a vehicle control unit, a motor control unit, or a control unit for any subsystem of vehicle 102. In the example shown in environment 100, the rear wheels 108 of vehicle 102 are drive wheels, and when the driver depresses the accelerator pedal, motor 106 may apply forward drive torque to the rear wheels 108 to propel vehicle 102 forward. It should be understood that, for ease of illustration, the rear wheels 108 are drive wheels in environment 100, but the drive wheels could also be the front wheels 110, or both rear wheels 108 and front wheels 110.

[0025] Vehicle 102 can activate its energy recovery function when the driver releases the accelerator pedal, causing vehicle 102 to coast, or when the driver depresses the brake pedal, causing vehicle 102 to brake. When vehicle 102 is coasting, the coasting energy recovery mode is activated, and when vehicle 102 is braking, the braking energy recovery mode is activated. When vehicle 102 activates its energy recovery function, motor 106 can output recovery torque, that is, motor 106 can apply a rearward motor drag force 112 to the drive wheels (i.e., the rear wheels 108). The recovered torque can convert the kinetic energy of vehicle 102 into electrical energy, which can be stored in the battery system to increase the driving range of vehicle 102.

[0026] In addition to the motor drag force 112, the rear wheels 108 are also subjected to a forward frictional force 114. When the motor drag force 112 is greater than the frictional force 114, the vehicle 102 will slip, which will reduce driving safety. Therefore, to avoid vehicle 102 slipping, the motor drag force 112 applied by the motor 106 to the rear wheels 108 should be less than the frictional force 114. Since the frictional force 114 is related to the weight 116 of the vehicle 102, the greater the weight 116, the greater the frictional force 114, and correspondingly, the greater the allowable motor drag force 112 applied to the rear wheels 108, and the greater the allowable recovery torque. When determining the recovery torque allocated to the motor without considering the actual weight of the vehicle, it can be assumed that the vehicle weight is taken to a minimum (e.g., 3 tons) and the road adhesion coefficient is also taken to a minimum (e.g., approximately 0.1 to 0.12), and then the upper limit of the allowable recovery torque allocated to the motor can be calculated. The coefficient of friction indicates the frictional characteristics between a vehicle tire and the road surface, and can be expressed as the ratio of the adhesion force between the tire and the road surface to the pressure in the wheel's normal direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the road surface). Thus, regardless of the actual weight of the vehicle 102, the motor's drag force 112 will always be less than the friction force 114, thereby ensuring that the vehicle 102 does not slip. However, this method cannot fully utilize the energy recovery capability of the motor 106 when the vehicle 102 is heavy, resulting in a low ratio of actual recovered energy to recoverable energy.

[0027] Therefore, in the solution provided by the embodiments of this disclosure, during energy recovery, the control unit 104 can determine the actual weight 116 of the vehicle 102 and the current energy recovery mode (i.e., coasting energy recovery mode or braking energy recovery mode). Then, the control unit 104 can determine the recovery torque 118 allocated to the motor 106 based on the determined weight 116 for different energy recovery modes. The motor 106 can then apply the recovery torque 118 to the drive wheels to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy.

[0028] In this way, the appropriate recovery torque 118 can be determined based on the actual weight 116 of the vehicle 102. When the weight 116 is large, the recovery torque 118 allocated to the motor 106 can be increased, thereby making full use of the energy recovery capability of the motor 106, increasing the ratio of actual recovered energy to the recoverable energy of the motor 106, and increasing the range of the vehicle 102.

[0029] Figure 2 A flowchart of a method 200 for generating energy recovery for a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Method 200 may be, for example, by... Figure 1 The control unit 104 in the environment 100 shown performs the operation. For example... Figure 2As shown in block 202, method 200 determines the vehicle's weight in response to the fulfillment of energy recovery conditions. Energy recovery conditions are those that trigger the vehicle to perform energy recovery. For example, when the driver releases the accelerator pedal and does not depress the brake pedal, the vehicle is in a coasting state, which satisfies the conditions for entering the coasting energy recovery mode. In coasting energy recovery mode, the vehicle begins to decelerate slowly, the motor automatically switches to generator mode, and recovers some kinetic energy by applying a slight reverse torque. When the driver depresses the brake pedal, the vehicle is in a braking state, which satisfies the conditions for entering the braking energy recovery mode. In braking energy recovery mode, the motor can apply a stronger reverse torque to the wheels, which not only significantly decelerates the vehicle but also converts more kinetic energy into electrical energy. For example, in... Figure 1 In the environment 100 shown, when the vehicle 102 enters a coasting state or a braking state, the energy recovery conditions are met, and the control unit 104 can determine the current weight 116 of the vehicle 102.

[0030] In box 204, method 200 can determine the vehicle's energy recovery mode, which includes at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode. For example, in... Figure 1 In the illustrated environment 100, the control unit 104 can determine whether the energy recovery mode currently in which the vehicle 102 is in is a coasting energy recovery mode or a braking energy recovery mode. In some embodiments, if the vehicle only supports one energy recovery mode (e.g., only the coasting energy recovery mode is supported due to driving experience or cost reasons), that mode can be directly determined as the vehicle's energy recovery mode.

[0031] In box 206, method 200 can determine the regenerative torque of the vehicle motor based on the vehicle's weight and energy recovery mode. For example, in... Figure 1 In the illustrated environment 100, the control unit 104 can, for example, determine that the current energy recovery mode of the vehicle 102 is a coasting energy recovery mode, and then determine the recovery torque 118 that matches the weight 116 in the coasting energy recovery mode. The recovery torque 118 can be allocated to the motor 106 to convert kinetic energy into electrical energy. For example, in some embodiments, the control unit 104 can determine the mapping relationship between vehicle weight and recovery torque in different energy recovery modes, and then determine the recovery torque 118 based on the weight 116 and this mapping relationship.

[0032] In this way, the appropriate recovery torque can be determined based on the actual weight of the vehicle. When the vehicle is heavy, the recovery torque allocated to the motor can be increased, thereby making full use of the motor's energy recovery capability, increasing the ratio of actual recovered energy to the energy that the motor can recover, and increasing the vehicle's range.

[0033] In some embodiments, the determined actual weight of the vehicle is referred to as the target weight. If the current energy recovery mode is determined to be a coasting energy recovery mode, a mapping relationship (also referred to as a first mapping relationship) between the vehicle weight and the coasting recovery torque can be determined. Then, the recovery torque of the motor can be determined based on the target weight and this mapping relationship. In some embodiments, to determine this mapping relationship, the wheel-end torque can be determined based on a specific vehicle weight (also referred to as the first vehicle weight). Then, the coasting recovery torque corresponding to that specific vehicle weight can be determined based on the wheel-end torque. In some embodiments, to determine the wheel-end torque, the wheel radius can be determined. Then, the motor drag force can be determined based on the specific vehicle weight, thereby determining the wheel-end torque based on the wheel radius and the motor drag force. In some embodiments, to determine the motor drag force, the road adhesion coefficient can be determined, and the wheel support force corresponding to the motor can be determined based on the specific vehicle weight. Then, the motor drag force can be determined based on the road adhesion coefficient and the support force. In some embodiments, to determine the coasting recovery torque corresponding to that specific vehicle weight, the gearbox gear ratio and transmission efficiency can be obtained. Then, the coasting recovery torque can be determined based on the wheel-end torque, gear ratio, and transmission efficiency.

[0034] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of example 300 is shown, illustrating the determination of regenerative torque based on vehicle weight in a coasting energy recovery mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 3 As shown, example 300 includes vehicle 302, which may be, for example, as... Figure 1 Vehicle 102 in environment 100 shown. In some embodiments, the weight of the vehicle can be determined in real time after the vehicle is started, and this weight includes at least the vehicle's own weight and the load weight. For example, in... Figure 3 In Example 300, the gravity 316 of vehicle 302 can be determined. Gravity 316 can be determined in real time after vehicle 302 starts, and gravity 316 can indicate the vehicle 302's own weight (i.e., its weight when unloaded) and its load weight. For example, if the unloaded weight of vehicle 302 can be 3 tons and the load weight can be 1.5 tons, then gravity 316 can be 4.5 tons multiplied by gravitational acceleration. This allows the actual weight of the vehicle to be determined in real time, and the corresponding recovery torque to be determined, thereby increasing the recovered energy and improving the energy recovery ratio while ensuring that the vehicle does not slip.

[0035] like Figure 3As shown, the support force 318 of the rear wheel 308 and the support force 320 of the front wheel 310 can be determined based on gravity 316, and the sum of support force 318 and support force 320 equals gravity 316. For example, support force 318 can be determined to be two-thirds of gravity 316, and support force 320 can be determined to be one-third of gravity 316. Figure 3 In Example 300 shown, the rear wheel 308 is the drive wheel; that is, the motor only applies torque to the rear wheel 308. Therefore, the supporting force 320 of the front wheel 310 can be ignored in Example 300. Figure 3 As shown, during coasting energy recovery, the rear wheel 308 is simultaneously subjected to a rearward motor drag force 312 and a forward friction force 314. To prevent vehicle 302 from slipping, the motor drag force 312 should be less than or equal to the friction force 314, which can be determined based on the rear wheel 308's support force 318 and the road surface adhesion coefficient. This process can be represented by the following equation (1):

[0036] F drag ≤F friction max =N1*μ p (1)

[0037] Where F friction max N1 represents the maximum friction force of 314, and N1 represents the supporting force of the rear wheel 308 of 318. μ p F represents the road surface adhesion coefficient. drag This indicates the motor drag force 312 applied to the rear wheel 308.

[0038] As mentioned above, assuming that the supporting force 318 of the rear wheel 308 is two-thirds of the weight 316, the motor drag force 312 can be determined by the following equation (2):

[0039]

[0040] Where mg represents the weight of vehicle 302, which is 316.

[0041] In some embodiments, the road surface adhesion coefficient μ can be... p The value is set to a small value, such as a road adhesion coefficient of 0.12 for icy or slippery surfaces. In this way, as long as it can be ensured that the motor drag force 312 will not cause the vehicle 302 to slip on icy or slippery surfaces, it can also be ensured that the vehicle 302 will not slip on other road conditions with a larger road adhesion coefficient, thereby improving driving safety.

[0042] After determining the motor drag force 312, the wheel radius 322 of the rear wheel 308 can be obtained, and the wheel end torque at the rear wheel 308 can be determined by the following equation (3):

[0043] Trqwheel =F drag *r tire (3)

[0044] Where r tire This indicates that the rear wheel radius of the 308 is 322, Trq wheel This indicates the wheel end torque at position 308 on the rear wheel.

[0045] After determining the wheel end torque at rear wheel 308, the gear ratio and transmission efficiency of the gearbox can be obtained, and the regenerative torque of the motor can be determined by the following formula (4):

[0046]

[0047] Where i gear μ represents the gear ratio of the gearbox. gear Trq represents transmission efficiency. EM This indicates the motor's recovery torque.

[0048] As an example, suppose the rear wheel radius r of a 308 is... tire (That is, the wheel radius is 322) equals 0.375 meters, and the gearbox ratio i gear Equal to 15.1, transmission efficiency μ gear If the value is equal to 0.96, then the corresponding values ​​of the recovery torque can be determined when the vehicle weight takes different values, as shown in Table (1) below:

[0049] Vehicle weight 3 tons 4.5 tons 6 tons 7.5 tons <![CDATA[F drag (N)]]> 2352 3528 4707 5880 <![CDATA[Trq wheel (Nm)]]> 882 1323 1764 2205 <![CDATA[Trq EM (Nm)]]> 61 91 122 152

[0050] Table (1)

[0051] As shown in Table (1), as the vehicle weight increases, the recovery torque allocated to the motor also increases accordingly. At the same time, the corresponding motor drag force 312 always remains less than or equal to the friction force 314, thus ensuring that the vehicle does not slip. In this way, the maximum recovery torque under different vehicle weights can be determined while ensuring driving safety, thereby increasing the ratio of actual recovered energy to recoverable energy, increasing the recovered energy, and improving the driving range.

[0052] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of example 400 illustrates the mapping relationship between vehicle weight and regenerated torque in a coasting energy recovery mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4As shown, in Example 400, the horizontal axis represents the vehicle's rotational speed, and the vertical axis represents the regenerative torque. Curve 402 shows the relationship between regenerative torque and motor speed based on the vehicle's unloaded weight (e.g., 3 tons) without considering the vehicle's actual weight. Curve 404 shows the relationship between regenerative torque and motor speed when the vehicle weight is 4.5 tons, according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Curve 406 shows the relationship between regenerative torque and motor speed when the vehicle weight is 6 tons, according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Curve 408 shows the relationship between regenerative torque and motor speed when the vehicle weight is 7.5 tons, according to an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown by curve 402, the motor's regenerative torque reaches its maximum value (i.e., approximately 61 Nm) when the motor speed is between approximately 5000 and 6000 rpm. Since no different regenerative torque is determined for different vehicle weights, the relationship between regenerative torque and motor speed is the same as curve 402 when the vehicle weight is 3 tons, 4.5 tons, 6 tons, or 7.5 tons.

[0053] When using the scheme provided in this disclosure to determine the coasting recovery torque, for a vehicle weight of 4.5 tons, as shown in curve 404, approximately 91 Nm of recovery torque can be allocated to the motor when the motor speed is between approximately 3500 rpm and 6500 rpm. For a vehicle weight of 6 tons, as shown in curve 406, approximately 122 Nm of recovery torque can be allocated to the motor when the motor speed is between approximately 3500 rpm and 6500 rpm. For a vehicle weight of 7.5 tons, as shown in curve 408, approximately 152 Nm of recovery torque can be allocated to the motor when the motor speed is between approximately 3500 rpm and 6500 rpm. Therefore, allocating recovery torque based on the mapping relationship between weight and recovery torque shown in Example 400 can increase the allocated recovery torque when the actual weight of the vehicle is large, thereby increasing the recovered energy.

[0054] In such Figure 4 In Example 400, since the power output of the motor under certain conditions is limited to a maximum value, the regenerative torque is reduced accordingly when the speed is high in order to keep the motor's output power from exceeding the maximum limit. As the motor speed gradually decreases during vehicle coasting, the available regenerative torque increases accordingly. When the motor speed decreases to a small value, it indicates that the vehicle speed is slow, and less energy can be recovered, so the regenerative torque will also decrease accordingly.

[0055] In this way, curves 404, 406, and 408 can represent the relationship between regenerative torque and motor speed for different vehicle weights, and the vehicle's control unit (e.g., ...). Figure 1The control unit 104 shown can determine the appropriate recovery torque based on the actual weight of the vehicle and these curves, thereby increasing the energy recovered in coasting energy recovery mode.

[0056] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of example 500 shows the energy recovery ratio of a vehicle under different weights in a coasting energy recovery mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 500, when the vehicle weight is greater than 3 tons, the ratio of actual recovered energy to recoverable energy can be maintained at approximately 90% because the recovery torque can increase with increasing weight. If the recovery torque is always determined based on a weight of 3 tons without considering the vehicle weight, the ratio of actual recovered energy to recoverable energy will decrease as the weight increases.

[0057] In some embodiments, the determined actual weight of the vehicle is referred to as the target weight. If the current energy recovery mode is determined to be a braking energy recovery mode, a mapping relationship (also referred to as a second mapping relationship) between the vehicle weight and the braking recovery torque can be determined when the vehicle's electric braking system and hydraulic braking system are decoupled. The recovery torque of the motor can then be determined based on the target weight and the mapping relationship. In some embodiments, to determine this mapping relationship, the total braking torque corresponding to the brake pedal opening can be determined. The braking recovery torque corresponding to that specific vehicle weight can then be determined based on the specific vehicle weight (also referred to as the second vehicle weight), the brake pedal opening, and the total braking torque.

[0058] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of example 600, illustrating a mapping relationship between vehicle weight and wheel-end torque during braking in a regenerative braking mode according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, is shown. Regenerative braking occurs when the driver depresses the brake pedal, at which point both hydraulic braking and regenerative braking need to work in coordination to meet the vehicle's braking and energy recovery requirements. Hydraulic braking is a traditional mechanical braking method that uses hydraulic fluid to transmit pressure, driving braking components (e.g., brake discs and brake pads) to press against each other, slowing the vehicle speed through friction, thereby achieving deceleration or stopping. Electric braking can convert kinetic energy into electrical energy by switching the motor to generator mode.

[0059] In related technologies, the hydraulic braking system and the electric braking system are coupled together, with the electric braking system only allocated a braking deceleration of 0.2 times the gravitational acceleration. When the vehicle requires a braking deceleration greater than 0.2 times the gravitational acceleration (e.g., when the brake pedal opening is greater than 37%), the electric motor cannot be allocated more regenerative torque; instead, the hydraulic braking system provides the remaining required braking torque. Without considering vehicle weight, when the brake pedal opening is greater than 37%, regardless of the vehicle's actual weight, the hydraulic braking system engages in braking, thus limiting the energy recovery of the electric braking system.

[0060] like Figure 6 As shown, in Example 600, the horizontal axis represents the brake pedal opening, and the vertical axis represents the braking torque at the vehicle's wheels, where the wheel-end torque is represented by a negative number to distinguish the direction of the driving torque and the braking torque. In Example 600, curve 602 represents the total braking torque required at different brake pedal openings, and straight line 604 represents the maximum regenerative braking torque of the motor (in...). Figure 6 The regenerative torque of the electric motor is converted into the corresponding wheel-end torque. Curve 606 represents the regenerative torque that can be allocated to the motor for different brake pedal openings, without considering vehicle weight and without decoupling the hydraulic and electric braking systems. As shown in curve 606, when the brake pedal opening reaches 37%, the regenerative torque allocated to the motor reaches its maximum value (i.e., the wheel-end torque is approximately 2800 Nm, corresponding to a regenerative torque of approximately 192 Nm). As the brake pedal opening increases, the hydraulic braking system intervenes, and the regenerative torque that can be allocated to the motor cannot increase further.

[0061] Therefore, in some embodiments, the hydraulic braking system can be decoupled from the electric braking system to allow for free distribution between the hydraulic braking torque and the regenerative braking torque from the motor. In other words, after the hydraulic braking system is decoupled from the electric braking system, more regenerative torque can still be distributed to the motor when the brake pedal opening is greater than 37%. Even after decoupling the hydraulic braking system from the electric braking system, for safety, the electric braking system can still only be distributed a deceleration of 0.2 times the gravitational acceleration. However, during regenerative braking, if the vehicle's deceleration remains constant, the greater the vehicle's weight, the greater the regenerative torque required to achieve the same deceleration. Therefore, in some embodiments, a mapping relationship between vehicle weight and regenerative braking torque can be determined when the electric and hydraulic braking systems are decoupled.

[0062] like Figure 6As shown in Example 600, curve 608 represents the regenerative torque that can be allocated to the motor for each brake pedal opening when the vehicle weight is 4.5 tons, curve 610 represents the regenerative torque that can be allocated to the motor for each brake pedal opening when the vehicle weight is 6 tons, and curve 612 represents the regenerative torque that can be allocated to the motor for each brake pedal opening when the vehicle weight is 7.5 tons. As shown by curve 608, when the vehicle weight is 4.5 tons, more regenerative torque can be allocated to the motor after the brake pedal opening exceeds 37%. When the brake pedal opening reaches approximately 44%, the regenerative torque allocated to the motor reaches its maximum value; before this point, the motor's regenerative torque can approximate the vehicle's total braking torque (i.e., curve 602). As shown by curve 610, when the vehicle weight is 6 tons, more regenerative torque can also be allocated to the motor after the brake pedal opening exceeds 37%. When the brake pedal opening reaches approximately 48%, the regenerative torque allocated to the motor reaches its maximum value, which is greater than the maximum regenerative torque when the vehicle weight is 4.5 tons. Before this point, the motor's regenerative torque can approximate the total braking torque required by the vehicle. As shown in curve 612, when the vehicle weight is 7.5 tons, when the brake pedal opening reaches approximately 48%, the regenerative torque allocated to the motor is maintained at the maximum regenerative torque due to the limitation of the motor's maximum permissible regenerative torque (i.e., line 604). At this point, the hydraulic braking system can intervene to fill the gap between the motor's regenerative torque and the total braking torque.

[0063] By decoupling the hydraulic braking system and the electric braking system, it is possible to freely distribute the motor's regenerative braking torque and the hydraulic braking torque. This allows for the allocation of more regenerative braking torque to the motor when the vehicle is heavy, thereby increasing the recovered energy and extending the vehicle's range.

[0064] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an example system architecture 700 for energy recovery in a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 7 As shown, architecture 700 includes a vehicle control unit 702, a motor control unit 704, and a braking torque distribution unit 706. In architecture 700, the motor control unit 704 can determine the vehicle weight 710. For example, the motor control unit 704 can determine the vehicle weight 710 in real time when the vehicle starts or when the energy recovery function is activated. The vehicle weight 710 may include the vehicle's own weight and the load weight. The vehicle weight 710 can be determined, for example, using a trained machine learning model based on the vehicle's current operating parameters. In architecture 700, the motor control unit 704 can determine or pre-store a weight-to-recovery torque mapping relationship 712 for the coasting energy recovery mode. The weight-to-recovery torque mapping relationship 712 can be, for example, as shown in the diagram. Figure 4Example 400 shown includes curves 404, 406, and 408. During coasting energy recovery, the motor control unit 704 can determine the corresponding coasting recovery torque 716 based on the vehicle weight 710 and the weight-to-recovery torque mapping relationship 712. Furthermore, the motor control unit 704 can also determine or pre-store a weight-to-recovery torque mapping relationship 714 for the braking energy recovery mode. The weight-to-recovery torque mapping relationship 714 can be, for example, as shown... Figure 6 Example 600 shown includes curves 608, 610, and 612. During regenerative braking, the motor control unit 704 can determine the regenerative braking torque 718 based on the vehicle weight 710 and the weight-to-regenerative torque mapping relationship 714.

[0065] In some embodiments, if the current energy recovery mode is determined to be coasting energy recovery mode, the motor control unit 704 may send the determined coasting recovery torque 716 to the vehicle control unit 702. In some embodiments, if the current energy recovery mode is determined to be braking energy recovery mode, the motor control unit 704 may send the determined braking recovery torque 718 to the braking torque distribution unit 706. In the braking torque distribution unit 706, the motor recovery torque can be freely distributed for the electric braking system (i.e., the electric braking system is decoupled from the hydraulic braking system). In architecture 700, the braking torque distribution unit 706 may determine the final braking recovery torque 726 to be allocated to the motor based on the received braking recovery torque 718. The braking recovery torque 726 may be equal to the braking recovery torque 718, or it may be a recovery torque determined based on the braking recovery torque 718 and the braking torque of the hydraulic braking system. The braking torque distribution unit 706 may then send the braking recovery torque 726 to the vehicle control unit 702.

[0066] In architecture 700, vehicle control unit 702 includes selectors 722 and 724. Selector 722 determines whether the accelerator pedal is depressed. If the accelerator pedal is depressed, vehicle control unit 702 sends a forward-directing drive torque 720 to the actuator 708 of motor control unit 704. Actuator 708 controls the motor to output the corresponding torque. If the accelerator pedal is not depressed, selector 722 sends a coasting recovery torque 716 to selector 724. Selector 724 determines whether the brake pedal is depressed. If the brake pedal is not depressed, it indicates that the current mode is coasting energy recovery, and vehicle control unit 702 sends the coasting recovery torque 716 to the actuator 708 of motor control unit 704. If the brake pedal is depressed, it indicates that the current mode is braking energy recovery, and vehicle control unit 702 sends the braking recovery torque 726 to the actuator 708 of motor control unit 704.

[0067] By utilizing architecture 700, the appropriate recovery torque for the current energy recovery mode can be determined based on the vehicle's weight via motor control unit 704. Simultaneously, electric braking and hydraulic braking can be decoupled via braking torque distribution unit 706, and torque distribution decisions are then made via vehicle control unit 702. This allows for adjustment of the recovery torque according to the vehicle's actual weight, thereby maximizing energy recovery efficiency. Furthermore, the system can dynamically adjust torque output based on different driving conditions and vehicle status, enabling the vehicle to maintain optimal performance in various environments.

[0068] Figure 8 A block diagram of an energy recovery device 800 for a vehicle according to some embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 8 As shown, the device 800 includes a vehicle weight determination unit 802, configured to determine the vehicle's weight in response to meeting energy recovery conditions. The device 800 also includes a recovery mode determination unit 804, configured to determine the vehicle's energy recovery mode, which includes at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode. Furthermore, the device 800 includes a recovery torque determination unit 806, configured to determine the vehicle motor's recovery torque based on the vehicle's weight and the energy recovery mode.

[0069] In some embodiments, the weight of the vehicle is determined in real time after the vehicle is started, and the weight of the vehicle includes at least the weight of the vehicle itself and the load weight.

[0070] In some embodiments, the weight of the vehicle is a target weight, and the recovery torque determination unit 806 further includes: a coasting energy recovery mode determination unit configured to determine that the energy recovery mode is the coasting energy recovery mode; a first mapping relationship determination unit configured to determine a first mapping relationship between the vehicle weight and the coasting recovery torque; and a first mapping relationship usage unit configured to determine the recovery torque based on the target weight and the first mapping relationship.

[0071] In some embodiments, the first mapping relationship determining unit includes: a wheel-end torque determining unit configured to determine wheel-end torque based on the weight of a first vehicle; and a wheel-end torque using unit configured to determine a coasting recovery torque corresponding to the weight of the first vehicle based on the wheel-end torque.

[0072] In some embodiments, the wheel-end torque determination unit includes: a wheel radius determination unit configured to determine a wheel radius; a motor drag force determination unit configured to determine a motor drag force based on the weight of the first vehicle; and a motor drag force utilization unit configured to determine the wheel-end torque based on the wheel radius and the motor drag force.

[0073] In some embodiments, the motor drag force determination unit includes: a road surface adhesion coefficient determination unit configured to determine a road surface adhesion coefficient; a support force determination unit configured to determine a support force of a wheel corresponding to the motor based on the weight of the first vehicle; and a support force utilization unit configured to determine the motor drag force based on the road surface adhesion coefficient and the support force.

[0074] In some embodiments, the wheel-end torque utilization unit includes: a gearbox parameter determination unit configured to acquire the gearbox gear ratio and transmission efficiency; and a gearbox parameter utilization unit configured to determine the coasting recovery torque based on the wheel-end torque, the gear ratio, and the transmission efficiency.

[0075] In some embodiments, the weight of the vehicle is a target weight, and the regenerative torque determination unit includes: a brake energy recovery mode determination unit configured to determine that the energy recovery mode is the brake energy recovery mode; a second mapping relationship determination unit configured to determine a second mapping relationship between the vehicle weight and the brake regenerative torque when the vehicle's electric braking system and hydraulic braking system are decoupled; and a second mapping relationship usage unit configured to determine the regenerative torque based on the target weight and the second mapping relationship.

[0076] In some embodiments, the second mapping relationship determination unit includes: a total braking torque determination unit configured to determine a total braking torque corresponding to the brake pedal opening; and a total braking torque usage unit configured to determine a regenerative braking torque corresponding to the second vehicle weight based on the second vehicle weight, the brake pedal opening, and the total braking torque.

[0077] In some embodiments, the device 800 further includes: a first recovery mode determining subunit configured to determine that the energy recovery mode is the coasting energy recovery mode; and a first recovery torque transmitting unit configured to transmit the recovery torque to the vehicle control unit of the vehicle.

[0078] In some embodiments, the device 800 further includes: a second recovery mode determining subunit configured to determine that the energy recovery mode is the braking energy recovery mode; and a second recovery torque sending unit configured to send the recovery torque to the braking torque distribution unit of the vehicle.

[0079] It is understood that by utilizing the apparatus 1000 of this disclosure, at least one of the many advantages achievable by the methods or processes described above can be realized. For example, a suitable recovery torque can be determined based on the actual weight of the vehicle, and the recovery torque allocated to the motor can be increased when the vehicle weight is large, thereby fully utilizing the energy recovery capacity of the motor, increasing the ratio of actual recovered energy to the energy recoverable by the motor, and increasing the vehicle's range.

[0080] Figure 9 A block diagram of a controller 900 that can implement various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. The controller 900 may be, for example, as shown below. Figure 1 The control unit 104 is shown. As shown, the controller 900 includes a processor 901, which can perform various appropriate actions and processes based on computer program instructions loaded into random access memory (RAM) 903 according to computer program instructions stored in read-only memory (ROM) 902. The RAM 903 may also store various programs and data required for the operation of the controller 900. The processor 901, ROM 902, and RAM 903 are interconnected via a bus 904. An input / output (I / O) interface 905 is also connected to the bus 904.

[0081] Processor 901 can be a variety of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processing components with processing and computing capabilities. Some examples of processor 901 include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), various special-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) computing chips, various computing units running machine learning model algorithms, a digital signal processor (DSP), and any suitable processor, controller, microcontroller, etc. Processor 901 performs the various methods and processes described above, such as method 200. For example, in some embodiments, method 200 may be implemented as a computer software program tangibly contained in a machine-readable medium. In some embodiments, part or all of the computer program may be loaded and / or mounted to controller 900 via ROM 902. When the computer program is loaded into RAM 903 and executed by processor 901, one or more steps of method 200 described above may be performed. Alternatively, in other embodiments, processor 901 may be configured to perform method 200 by any other suitable means (e.g., by means of firmware).

[0082] The functions described above in this document can be performed at least in part by one or more hardware logic components. For example, exemplary types of hardware logic components that can be used, without limitation, include: field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), systems-on-a-chip (SoCs), payload programmable logic devices (CPLDs), and so on.

[0083] The program code used to implement the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a standalone software package partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0084] In the context of this disclosure, a machine-readable medium can be a tangible medium that may contain or store a program for use by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. A machine-readable medium can be a machine-readable signal medium or a machine-readable storage medium. Machine-readable media can be, but is not limited to, electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor systems, apparatus, or devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples of machine-readable storage media include electrical connections based on one or more wires, portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Furthermore, although operations are depicted in a specific order, this should be understood as requiring that such operations be performed in the specific order shown or in sequential order, or requiring that all illustrated operations be performed to achieve the desired result. In certain environments, multitasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Similarly, while several specific implementation details are included in the foregoing discussion, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Certain features described in the context of individual embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single implementation may also be implemented individually or in any suitable sub-combination in multiple implementations.

[0085] Although the subject matter has been described using language specific to structural features and / or methodological logic, it should be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or actions described above. Rather, the specific features and actions described above are merely illustrative examples of implementing the claims.

Claims

1. A method (200) for energy recovery in a vehicle, comprising: In response to meeting the energy recovery conditions, the weight of vehicle (202) is determined; Determine (204) the energy recovery mode of the vehicle, wherein the energy recovery mode includes at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode; as well as The recovery torque of the vehicle motor is determined (206) based on the weight of the vehicle and the energy recovery mode.

2. The method (200) according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the vehicle is determined in real time after the vehicle is started, and the weight of the vehicle includes at least the weight of the vehicle itself and the load weight.

3. The method (200) according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the vehicle is a target weight, and determining (206) the regenerative torque of the vehicle motor based on the weight of the vehicle and the energy recovery mode comprises: The energy recovery mode is determined to be the gliding energy recovery mode; Determine the first mapping relationship between vehicle weight and coasting recovery torque; as well as The recovery torque is determined based on the target weight and the first mapping relationship.

4. The method (200) of claim 3, wherein determining the first mapping relationship between vehicle weight and coasting recovery torque comprises: The wheel-end torque is determined based on the weight of the first vehicle. as well as The coasting recovery torque corresponding to the weight of the first vehicle is determined based on the wheel-end torque.

5. The method (200) of claim 4, wherein determining the wheel-end torque based on the weight of the first vehicle comprises: Determine the wheel radius; The motor drag force is determined based on the weight of the first vehicle. as well as The wheel-end torque is determined based on the wheel radius and the motor drag force.

6. The method (200) of claim 5, wherein determining the motor drag force based on the weight of the first vehicle comprises: Determine the road surface adhesion coefficient; The supporting force of the wheel corresponding to the motor is determined based on the weight of the first vehicle; as well as The motor drag force is determined based on the road surface adhesion coefficient and the support force.

7. The method (200) of claim 4, wherein determining the coasting recovery torque corresponding to the weight of the first vehicle based on the wheel-end torque comprises: Obtain the gear ratio and transmission efficiency of the gearbox; as well as The coasting recovery torque is determined based on the wheel-end torque, the transmission ratio, and the transmission efficiency.

8. The method (200) of claim 1, wherein the weight of the vehicle is a target weight, and determining (206) the regenerative torque of the vehicle motor based on the weight of the vehicle and the energy recovery mode comprises: The energy recovery mode is determined to be the braking energy recovery mode; A second mapping relationship between vehicle weight and regenerative braking torque is determined when the electric braking system and hydraulic braking system of the vehicle are decoupled; as well as The recovery torque is determined based on the target weight and the second mapping relationship.

9. The method (200) of claim 8, wherein determining the second mapping relationship between vehicle weight and regenerative braking torque when the electric braking system and hydraulic braking system of the vehicle are decoupled comprises: Determine the total braking torque corresponding to the brake pedal opening; as well as The regenerative braking torque corresponding to the weight of the second vehicle is determined based on the weight of the second vehicle, the brake pedal opening, and the total braking torque.

10. The method (200) according to claim 1, further comprising: The energy recovery mode is determined to be the gliding energy recovery mode; as well as The regenerative torque is sent to the vehicle control unit of the vehicle.

11. The method (200) according to claim 1, further comprising: The energy recovery mode is determined to be the braking energy recovery mode; as well as The regenerative torque is sent to the vehicle's braking torque distribution unit.

12. An energy recovery device (800) for a vehicle, comprising: The vehicle weight determination unit (802) is configured to determine the weight of the vehicle in response to the fulfillment of energy recovery conditions; The energy recovery mode determination unit (804) is configured to determine the energy recovery mode of the vehicle, the energy recovery mode including at least a coasting energy recovery mode and a braking energy recovery mode; as well as The recovery torque determination unit (806) is configured to determine the recovery torque of the vehicle motor based on the weight of the vehicle and the energy recovery mode.

13. A controller (900), comprising: At least one processor (901); as well as A memory (902) coupled to the at least one processor and having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by the at least one processor (901), cause the controller (900) to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-11.

14. A computer program product tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprising machine-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-11.

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