Electromechanical Drive Calibration, Verification, and Efficiency Improvement

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices for electric machine drive calibration, verification, and efficiency improvement are disclosed herein. A calibration electric machine controller has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to identify a frequency response of the vehicle and / or an electric machine during operation of the vehicle and to provide a source excitation based on the identified frequency response using the electric machine and a dynamic motor drive converter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to electromechanical management methods, devices, and systems, and more particularly to drive calibration, verification, and efficiency improvement of electromechanical devices.

Background Art

[0002] As used herein, the term "electromechanical device" is intended to be broadly construed to include any machine that operates either as or both an electric motor and a generator. When the electromechanical device operates as a motor, it converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. When operating as a generator, the electromechanical device converts mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] Electric motors and generators are used in a wide variety of applications and under a wide variety of operating conditions. In general, many modern electromechanical devices have a relatively high energy conversion efficiency. However, the energy conversion efficiency of most electromechanical devices varies significantly depending on the operating load. In many applications, since electromechanical devices are required to operate under a wide variety of operating load conditions, continuously operating electromechanical devices often do not operate efficiently up to their capacity limits.

[0004] For example, at any motor speed, if the load on the motor is higher or lower than the most efficient load, the efficiency of the motor tends to decrease somewhat. In certain performance regions, the efficiency of the motor tends to decrease relatively quickly.

[0005] By controlling the operating conditions of the motor so that the motor operates almost always at or near its most efficient point, the energy conversion efficiency of the motor can be significantly improved. To achieve conditions where the electromechanical device operates more frequently at its most efficient point, it has been proposed to pulse the electromechanical device during operation.

[0006] When controlling a machine in a pulsed operation, it is necessary to determine the measured or estimated value of the torque output over a certain period. One type of pulsed electromechanical management is called a dynamic motor drive (DMD).

[0007] Conventional methods for determining this torque output are, for example, to evaluate the measured or estimated torque as a function of time by using the averaging of the most recent estimated or measured values of torque or a digital filter. If these methods are used for an electromechanical machine using a pulsed operation such as a DMD process, it may lead to inaccurate torque values because it may result in inconsistent results.

[0008] Regarding the calibration of such electromechanical machines, there are significant variations in the noise, vibration, harshness (NVH) response among various vehicles using the electromechanical machines. Manually calibrating each vehicle model to reduce or minimize NVH is very time-consuming and may deter potential vehicle manufacturers from adopting DMD for their platforms. The solution according to the present proposal adds an automatic calibration and adaptation function to the DMD system.

[0009] In the current technology, it is necessary to manually calibrate the frequency selection of the DMD for different speeds and loads of the motor. This process requires extensive testing for individual models and needs to be repeated for each potential vehicle manufacturer's model.

[0010] Furthermore, in battery-driven applications such as electric vehicles, the performance of the battery is also important in order to ensure overall optimal efficiency and a battery life that can extend the vehicle's range. It has been found that under certain pulsing conditions, the power loss of the battery can be significant. It has been experimentally found that pulsed current causes power loss under certain conditions. This power loss is I 2The terminal voltage drops during the ON phase of the pulse due to the high resistive losses that are proportional to R (where I is the current and R is the internal resistance of the battery). Reducing these losses is important to maximize the DMD gain.

[0011] Furthermore, extensive pre-calibration is required to ensure that the DMD operates optimally across all possible scenarios, taking into account factors such as speed, torque, machine temperature, battery state of charge (SOC), battery temperature, and battery state of health (SOH). In some of the scenarios considered, it has not been fully considered that the operation of the DMD may increase rather than decrease power losses compared to continuous operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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[0013] The present disclosure provides a better way of using pulsed electromechanical management through drive calibration, verification, and efficiency improvement of an electromechanical device. This can be achieved by implementing a new pulsed control methodology for electromechanical devices.

[0014] Historical efforts in electromechanical control have been developed for the operation of motors targeted for continuous variable torque control. For example, if it is desired that a torque of 100 Newton meters (Nm) be supplied when an electromechanical device is operated in a continuous power application mode, a control system that controls the electromechanical device supplies an electro-motive torque of 100 Nm. However, in some aspects, advantages can be found in supplying a larger amount of torque in a shorter time (intermittently pulsing the torque supply). This pulsing operation is more efficient and thus more desirable. Such techniques are often referred to as dynamic motor drive (DMD).

[0015] In such a situation, if the desired torque output is 100 Nm over a period and the most efficient torque generation for the specific electromechanical device being used is 200 Nm, the control system will supply 200 Nm of torque for 50% of that period and supply the same total of 100 Nm over that period, which is more efficient than supplying a stable 100 Nm over the entire period. The supply of 200 Nm of torque can be done in temporally spaced pulses. For example, one period can have 20 segments, 10 of which are at 200 Nm and 10 are at 0 Nm (e.g., repeating 200 Nm, 0 Nm, 200 Nm, 0 Nm,... alternately). Other implementation schedules are possible for various other electromechanical devices, which can provide more effective vibration control, an important factor for NVH refinement, and provide more desirable operation.

[0016] This pulsing technique generally relates to the pulsed control of electromechanical devices (such as electric motors and generators) that would otherwise operate continuously. Such a pulsing technique can improve the energy conversion efficiency of the electromechanical device when the operating conditions permit. More specifically, at the selected operating conditions, the electromechanical device is intermittently driven (pulsed) at a more efficient energy conversion operating level and supplies the desired average torque more energy-efficiently than achieved by conventional continuous motor control.

[0017] The pulses can be adjusted based on pulse width modulation (changing the duration for which the electromechanical device is in the on state) or pulse density modulation (the number of pulses within a specific period). By these methods, the pulses can be adjusted considering the torque output requirements, performance, and efficiency.

[0018] Some of the goals of such parsing techniques are to produce an accurate and responsive torque supply, but torque control must also be achievable. For example, if torque is supplied in such a way that the electromechanical device operates in a performance region where it is not designed to operate due to the torque supply, this is an example of uncontrollable torque and can lead to concerns such as safety and equipment damage issues.

[0019] Many types of electromechanical devices, when used as motors to supply a desired torque output, have conventionally been driven by a continuous (albeit potentially variable) drive current. The drive current is often managed by controlling the output voltage of a power converter (e.g., an inverter) that functions as a voltage input to the motor. Conversely, the output of many types of generators is managed by controlling the strength of the magnetic field. This is achieved, for example, by controlling the excitation current supplied to the rotor coil by an exciter.

[0020] With pulse control, the output of the machine is intelligently and intermittently modulated between a "torque on" state and a "low torque" state in a manner that (1) meets the operational requirements and (2) improves the overall efficiency. In other words, under the selected operating conditions, the electromechanical device supplies the desired output by being intermittently driven at a more efficient energy conversion operating level (the "torque on" state).

[0021] Ideally, during the period between pulses, the machine generates and consumes no torque at all (the "low (e.g., zero) torque" state). Conceptually, this can be thought of as turning the electromechanical device "off".

[0022] In some embodiments, this can be achieved by effectively “turning off” the electromechanical machine, for example, by interrupting the drive current to the motor or the field current to the generator. However, in other embodiments, in the “low torque” state, the electromechanical machine can be controlled such that the torque generated by the electromechanical machine is made zero or approaches zero as long as it is practical or appropriate for a particular machine.

[0023] In particular, in a motor in which a magnetic field is induced in the rotor through the stator's electromagnetic field (“AC induction motor”), due to the time constant of magnetic field generation, it may be necessary to maintain a certain continuous “magnetic field” current in the electric motor. In some embodiments, any power converter used with the electromechanical machine can also be effectively turned off during at least a portion of the “low torque” period.

[0024] The control of the electromechanical machine (feedback, feedforward, etc.) is based on a continuous or effectively continuous control strategy. That is, at every instant during the use of the electromechanical machine, its control system utilizes a control strategy to determine whether the electromechanical machine is operating or not.

[0025] In some embodiments, the electromechanical machine is driven in a pulsed manner when the desired output is less than the specified output level for a given motor speed, and is driven continuously when the desired motor output is greater than or equal to the specified output level.

[0026] In some embodiments, a power converter is used to control the output of the electromechanical machine. Depending on the application, the power converter can take the form of an inverter, a rectifier, or other suitable power converter.

[0027] The frequency of pulsing can vary widely depending on the requirements of a particular application. As an example, in various embodiments, the electromechanical machine alternates between a first output level and a second output level at least 10 times, 100 times, or 1000 times per second.

[0028] Some embodiments discussed herein provide automatic calibration of DMD applications for NVH. Such embodiments can be used to automatically calibrate the pulsing frequency for different speeds and loads based on in-situ measurements of the NVH response, for example, using only the production sensors and actuators originally associated with the electromechanicals in the vehicle, and thus do not require additional components. For example, in one method,

[0029] Step 1: By using the E-machine inverter as a vibration source in an electric vehicle (or other applications), measure the NVH response of the vehicle and identify the resonance and high response regions. Step 2: By using the measured response curve, automatically adjust the DMD calibration to maintain acceptable NVH under all operating conditions. Step 3 (optional): Fine-tune the automatic calibration based on the operating response. In this way, automatic calibration can be achieved in a vehicle in use.

[0030] Furthermore, as described above, under certain pulsing conditions, the power loss in the battery can be significant, but it has been found that these can be minimized by appropriate selection of the torque / current modulation parameters. Various embodiments of the present disclosure utilize an equivalent circuit model (ECM) fitted to experimental data to analytically characterize the approximate losses. These can be integrated into offline or online optimization to select DMD calibration parameters that maximize system efficiency gains. The ECM can include other components and auxiliary devices of the high-voltage power distribution system in addition to the battery.

[0031] Furthermore, the real-time in-vehicle diagnostic monitors as described for various embodiments of the present disclosure help prevent situations where DMD adversely affects energy consumption.

[0032] In such an embodiment, the performance of the DMD is monitored on-site (on the vehicle) to ensure that the DMD is performing as expected. One approach described with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure is to turn the DMD on and off during a relatively stable torque / speed period and compare the battery output power / current between the DMD and the continuous mode (the DCDC converter input power / current for the 12V accessory minus the DCDC converter input power / current for the 12V accessory) to confirm that the DMD gain meets a pre-calibrated expected value within a certain threshold.

[0033] To normalize the measured power / current to the reference torque / speed, a correction factor for the torque and speed variations during the "steady period" can be applied. The inverter input power can also be used (instead of the battery power / current), but there are two potential drawbacks. That is, (1) the excessive losses of the battery are not captured. (2) The sampling rate of the inverter internal components may not be fast enough to resolve the DMD pulses for energy integration.

[0034] Separate from the on / off switching approach, in another embodiment, the stand-alone DMD power consumption can be monitored and compared with the expected power / current predicted from a pre-calibrated map. This approach is likely to be used during a relatively stable torque / speed period and can be completed more quickly because it only requires the DMD mode (i.e., no transition to the continuous mode and no sampling during the continuous mode is required).

[0035] If the DMD gain and / or DMD power consumption for continuous mode meets the expected values, no additional measures need to be taken. However, if the DMD is underperforming for continuous mode or the DMD power consumption is higher than the expected value, certain measures can be triggered. Examples of measures include stopping the use of the DMD in the tested speed / torque window, throwing an error, or changing the "on" torque of the DMD. In some embodiments, if the DMD is prohibited in some operating regions, the DMD can be re-enabled when the retest results in that region in the future show the expected DMD behavior.

[0036] Such monitoring-type algorithms are probably most useful for trimming the top (high torque / duty cycle) of the DMD operation map, but at the top, stable torque conditions may not be encountered very often (lower "cruising" torque may be more likely to be stable). However, the "DMD-only" monitoring approach may be more applicable to high torques that are stable only for a short time.

[0037] Accordingly, various embodiments of the present disclosure can capture DMD underperformance in any encountered conditions without specifically knowing the root cause of the problem, and can take mitigation measures to prevent the underperformance from increasing the vehicle's energy consumption during the operation of the electromechanical device.

[0038] A mechanical controller and an electromechanical system for implementing all of the above-described functions will be described. In various embodiments, the system can be configured to operate as a motor, a generator, or a motor / generator.

[0039] In various embodiments, the electric machine is one of the following: an induction machine, a switched reluctance electric machine, a synchronous AC electric machine, a synchronous reluctance machine, a switched reluctance machine, a permanent magnet synchronous reluctance machine, a hybrid permanent magnet synchronous reluctance machine, an externally excited AC synchronous machine, a permanent magnet synchronous machine, a brushless DC electric machine, an electrically excited DC electric machine, a permanent magnet DC electric machine, a series wound DC electric machine, a shunt DC electric machine, a brushed DC electric machine, a compound DC electric machine, an eddy current machine, an AC linear machine, an AC or DC mechanically commutated machine, or an axial flux machine.

[0040] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. The drawings illustrate, by way of example, how one or more embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

[0041] These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to implement one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that process, computerized, and / or structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0042] It is understood that numerous additional embodiments of the present disclosure can be provided by adding, exchanging, combining, and / or eliminating the elements shown in the various embodiments of this specification. The ratios and relative scales of the elements provided in the figures are intended to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be taken in a limiting sense.

[0043] The figures in this specification follow a numbering convention where the first digit(s) correspond to the figure number of the drawing and the remaining digits identify an element or component of the drawing.

[0044] As used herein, "a" or "an" can refer to one or more of such things. For example, "a number of valves" can refer to one or more valves. As used herein, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing an electromechanical control architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. There are various electromechanical machines, and each electromechanical machine has its own efficiency characteristics. Therefore, the operating regions in which pulsed control can bring about efficiency gains vary greatly depending on factors including the characteristics of a particular electromechanical machine and the current operating rotor speed.

[0046] In many applications of electromechanical devices, a power converter (e.g., an inverter) is typically used to convert the power to or from the source to the voltage, current, and waveform required by the electromechanical device. For example, an inverter is used to convert the power received from a DC power source such as a battery or a capacitor into the appropriate AC input power applied to the motor.

[0047] The energy conversion efficiency of a power converter also typically varies over the operating range of the converter. Therefore, when optimizing the control of a motor that is part of an inverter / motor combination, it is desirable to consider the energy conversion efficiency of the entire inverter / motor system rather than the energy conversion efficiency of the motor alone. Preferably, the pulse control of the electromechanical device is modeled taking into account the efficiency of any and all components that affect the energy conversion during pulsing. For example, when the power of an electric motor is drawn from a battery, in determining the motor drive signal that provides the best energy conversion efficiency, in addition to the inverter and motor efficiency, the power supply efficiency of the battery, the wiring losses between components, and other loss factors can be considered.

[0048] Generally, the overall energy conversion efficiency of a power converter / electromechanical device system is a function of the product of the conversion efficiency of the converter × the conversion efficiency of the electromechanical device × the supply efficiency of other components. Therefore, it should be understood that the parameters of the pulsed drive signal at which the energy conversion efficiency of the system is maximized may be different from the parameters at which the energy conversion efficiency of the motor itself is best.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a control architecture suitable for controlling an electromechanical device in the manner described. In this embodiment, the system 100, the machine controller 110, a number of connection components 111 (e.g., in a vehicle, the connection components can be sensors such as microphones and accelerometers that provide data to the machine controller), a pulse controller (pulse generator) 120, a power source / sink 130, a power controller / converter 150, and an electromechanical device 160 are included.

[0050] When a pulsing operation is required, the pulse controller 120 is responsible for controlling / directing the timing of the pulsing of the electromechanical device 160. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the pulse controller is shown as a separate component from the machine controller 110 to facilitate the description of its function. However, in various embodiments, the pulse controller may be implemented as part of the machine controller 110, as a separate component, as part of the power controller / converter 150, or in other suitable forms.

[0051] When the electromechanical device 160 being operated is a motor, the machine controller functions as a motor controller, and the power controller / converter 150 serves to convert the power 132 received from the power source 130 into a form suitable for driving the motor 160. In embodiments where the power source / sink can directly supply or receive power in the form required or output by the electromechanical device, the power controller 150 can conceptually take the form of a switch or a logical multiplier that facilitates the desired pulsing by simply turning the motor on and off.

[0052] The power source / sink 130 can take any suitable form. In some aspects, the power source / sink can take the form of a battery or a capacitor. In other aspects, the source can be a power grid (e.g., "wall power"), a photovoltaic system, or any other available source. Similarly, the sink can be an electrical load (an electrically operated machine or appliance, a building, a factory, a home, etc.), a power grid, or any other system that uses or stores power.

[0053] The power controller / converter 150 can also take a wide variety of different forms. When the power supply / sink 130 is a DC power supply and the electromechanical device 160 is an AC motor, the power controller / converter 150 can take the form of an inverter. Conversely, when the power supply / sink 130 is a DC power sink and the electromechanical device 160 is an AC generator, the power controller / converter 150 can take the form of a rectifier. When both the power supply / sink 130 and the electromechanical device are AC components, the power controller / converter 150 can include a bidirectional or four-quadrant power converter.

[0054] In FIG. 1, the required output is shown as 113, the torque supplied or received by the electromechanical device is shown as 161, and the motor / generator speed is shown as 164. In some embodiments, the machine controller 110 functions as a data structure 115 (e.g., as a look-up table) that defines a pulsed operation map that defines the operating regions where pulsed motor control is desired and / or appropriate, and the specific duty cycles appropriate for specific operating conditions.

[0055] Once the desired duty cycle is determined, the duration and nature of the pulses used to drive the motor can be determined / generated in a wide variety of ways. As will be described in more detail below, one relatively simple approach is to use a pulse width modulation (PWM) controller as the pulse controller 120.

[0056] In FIG. 1, AND gate 123 is shown as multiplying power level signal 119 output by machine controller 110 to pulse-width control signal 125 to generate a power converter control signal 128. AND gate 123 is shown for illustrative purposes, and it should be understood that in practice, the function of multiplier 123 can be achieved by machine controller 110, by power converter 150, or by other suitable means. For example, in some embodiments, machine controller 110 may simply set the output of power converter 150 to zero during the "off" phase of the duty cycle and set it to the desired operating output level (e.g., the most efficient output level for the current machine speed) during the "on" phase of the duty cycle.

[0057] Regarding the calibration aspect of the present disclosure, one embodiment includes real-time system identification of vehicle / power plant frequency response. In this process, electromechanical and DMD converters (e.g., inverters) are used to provide source excitation for the system identification (ID) process. For example, an inverter can be made to output a current waveform having a desired excitation frequency. These can be in the form of steady state (e.g., step, slowly swept sine wave, etc.), random, periodic (e.g., chirp, pseudo-random, periodic random, etc.), transient (e.g., burst, impact, step relaxation, etc.), or other configurations. This step does not require an external test device such as a shaker or hammer. This is beneficial because this process can be implemented on the electromechanical machine during normal operation rather than on a test platform. Such calibration embodiments can include using on-vehicle accelerometers / sensors within the vehicle to measure noise and vibration (e.g., the vehicle typically includes microphones for Bluetooth, wireless communication, and / or entertainment systems, and the accelerometer can be mounted on the vehicle for, e.g., collision detection).

[0058] Next, the electromechanical controller / vehicle control unit / computing device processes the inputs and outputs from these components and calculates the frequency response functions (e.g., regarding noise and vibration) at different locations (e.g., all or a subset of the available sensors). Through this process, resonance can be identified by detecting peaks, or data for the corresponding frequency response function (FRF) can be compared to a calibration-capable threshold. This step can be performed while the motor is operating normally even when the DMD is off. Using the principle of superposition, a small-amplitude perturbation can be added to the motor torque on top of the steady / DC torque output.

[0059] In some embodiments, automatic calibration of the frequency selection table and / or avoidance table can be utilized. These can be used, for example, in a process where the electromechanical controller scales the measured FRF with respect to torque based on an ideal DMD pulse height (the exact scaling may depend on the on / off pulsing or level 1 / level 2 pulsing strategy). This scaling process may be a time-domain convolution or multiplying the measured FRF in the frequency domain by the intended pulsing for different torque levels.

[0060] In such a process, the NVH levels are estimated for different pulsing frequencies and different motor torque levels. These estimates are then compared to a calibration-capable threshold (e.g., based on established OEM targets) for each noise / vibration measurement location. In this way, all frequency options at points violating either threshold can be excluded.

[0061] In such an embodiment, assuming that pulsing at a lower frequency is more efficient for DMD operation, the minimum frequency of pulsing that is acceptable for NVH can be selected. If the minimum frequency is not necessarily the most efficient, in another embodiment, an efficiency table as a function of the result and the pulsing frequency can be combined and the most efficient frequency acceptable for NVH can be selected based on that information.

[0062] And the response can continue to be monitored even after the initial calibration to determine if further adjustment is necessary. For example, the operating response can be re-measured along with DMD and motor parameters (such as the same NVH parameters, torque, pulsing frequency, high and low level pulsing, motor speed, vehicle speed, etc. measured above).

[0063] This information can be used for further adjustment to fine-tune the frequency selection calibration based on the operating response at different speeds and / or loads. In this way, the long-term NVH evolution for diagnostic data collection can be continuously monitored and utilized to fine-tune the calibration, which can be achieved during the normal operation of the electromechanical device without using special tools or equipment.

[0064] Therefore, these calibration embodiments enable the large-scale deployment of DMD with minimal NVH calibration effort. No extra sensors or vibration sources are required. This method is self-contained within the DMD software utilizing typical production hardware.

[0065] FIG. 2 is a graph showing a pulsed drive signal of an electromechanical device that can be used with embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows an example of pulsed electromechanical operation 222. In this particular example, the desired electromechanical torque is 10 Nm, but the most efficient torque output for the current operating motor speed is 50 Nm. Conceptually, to drive the electromechanical device to supply a net torque of 10 Nm 221, the electromechanical device can be made to supply 50 Nm of torque for 20% of the time and no torque (zero) for the remaining 80% of the time. Since the motor operates more efficiently when supplying 50 Nm than when supplying 10 Nm, the overall efficiency of the electromechanical device can be improved by pulsing the operation of the electromechanical device in the manner described. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the electromechanical device is controlled to produce a mechanical output of 50 Nm (label 224) for 1 unit of time out of every 5 units of time, and then the electromechanical device is controlled to produce zero torque for the intervening 4 units of time.

[0066] As long as the desired electromechanical output does not exceed 50 Nm, theoretically, it is possible to satisfy the desired mechanical output simply by changing the duty cycle of the electromechanical device operating at 50 Nm. For example, if the desired electromechanical output is changed to 20 Nm, the duty cycle of the electromechanical device operating at 50 Nm can be increased to 40%. If the desired electromechanical output is changed to 40 Nm, the duty cycle can be increased to 80%. If the desired electromechanical output is changed to 5 Nm, the duty cycle can be decreased to 10%, and so on. More generally, whenever the desired electromechanical torque is below the maximum efficiency, there is potentially an advantage in using pulsed operation of the electromechanical device.

[0067] As described above, in some embodiments, the waveform frequency can change. In such cases, the waveform cycle also changes. This allows for a very responsive and faithful feedback response to the controller.

[0068] For example, the scale of the time unit actually used can vary greatly based on the size, nature, and design requirements of a particular system. In fact, when an electromechanical device is switched relatively rapidly from a "torque on" state to a "low torque" state to achieve a specified duty cycle, the fact that the electromechanical device is actually switched back and forth between these states may not substantially degrade the performance of the electromechanical device from an operational perspective. In some embodiments, the scale of the period of each on / off cycle is expected to be on the order of 100 microseconds to 10 seconds (i.e., pulsed at frequencies in the range of 1 to 10,000 Hz), such as in the range of 20 to 1000 Hz, or 20 to 100 Hz.

[0069] The low torque portion of the waveform cycle can conceptually be considered to turn the electromechanical device off. However, in many cases, the motor may not actually be off during that period, or may only be off for a portion of the "low torque" interval.

[0070] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a motor control method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 shows a control flow that can be executed by a machine controller (e.g., 110 of FIG. 1) to efficiently supply a desired torque to an electromechanical device (160). For simplicity of explanation, an embodiment in which the electromechanical device (160) functions as a motor will be described. In this configuration, a power supply / sink (130) acts as a power supply, and a machine controller (110) functions as a motor controller.

[0071] First, the motor controller (110) receives the currently requested motor output (113) and the necessary motor state information such as the current motor speed (164), as represented by block 371. Next, the motor controller (110) determines whether the requested output is within the pulsed control range, as represented by decision block 372. This determination can be made in any desired manner.

[0072] [[ID=Z15]] As an example, in some embodiments, a look-up table (115) or other suitable data structure can be used to determine whether the pulsing control is appropriate. In some aspects, a simple look-up table can identify the maximum torque level at which the pulsing control is appropriate for various motor speeds. In such an implementation, the current motor speed can be used as an index to the look-up table to obtain the maximum torque level at which the pulsing control is appropriate under the current operating conditions. The retrieved maximum torque value can be compared to the required torque to determine whether the required output is within the pulse control range.

[0073] In other embodiments, the look-up table can provide additional information, such as the desired duty cycle for the pulsing operation, based on the current operating conditions. In one such implementation, the motor speed and torque requirements are used as an index to the look-up table such that each entry indicates the desired duty cycle, and interpolation is used to determine the operating duty cycle if the actual torque and / or motor speed is between the index values represented in the table.

[0074] If the required torque / current operating conditions are outside the pulsing control range for any reason, conventional (i.e., continuous / non-pulsed) motor control is used, as represented by the "no" branch exiting block 372. In this way, without using pulsing, the power converter is instructed to supply power to the motor at a level suitable to drive the motor in a conventional manner to supply the required output, as represented by block 374.

[0075] Conversely, if the required torque / current operating conditions are within the pulsing control range, pulsing control is utilized, as represented by the "yes" branch exiting block 372. In such an embodiment, the motor controller instructs the power converter to supply power to the motor in pulses.

[0076] During the "on" pulse, the power converter is instructed to supply power at a suitable output level that is at or typically close to (but not necessarily) the maximum efficiency operating level for the current motor speed. During the "off" pulse, the motor ideally outputs zero torque. In some embodiments, the timing of the pulsing is controlled by a pulse controller.

[0077] To facilitate the pulsing operation, the motor controller determines the desired output level at block 375 and, at block 376, determines the desired duty cycle for the pulsing operation at the current motor speed (which is preferably the energy conversion output level of the maximum efficiency of the system at the current motor speed or close thereto, although other energy efficiency levels can be used as appropriate). The motor controller and the pulse controller then instruct the power converter at block 378 to implement the desired duty cycle at the specified power level.

[0078] Conceptually, this can be achieved by effectively turning the power supply on and off at a relatively high frequency such that the percentage of time the motor is powered corresponds to the desired duty cycle and the power level corresponds to a suitable output level. In some embodiments, the "off" portion of the duty cycle can be implemented by driving the motor to supply zero torque as instructed to the power controller / converter.

[0079] The frequency at which the power is pulsed is preferably determined by a machine controller or a pulse controller. In some embodiments, the pulsing frequency can be fixed for all operations of the motor, while in other embodiments, it may vary based on operating conditions such as motor speed and torque requirements. For example, in some embodiments, the pulsing frequency can be determined using a look-up table.

[0080] In such embodiments, an appropriate parsing frequency for current motor operating conditions can be determined using appropriate metrics such as motor speed, torque requirements, etc. In other embodiments, the parsing frequency need not necessarily be fixed for any operating condition and may vary as directed by a pulse controller. In some specific embodiments, the parsing frequency may vary proportionally as a function of motor speed, at least in some operating regions of the motor.

[0081] Furthermore, in order to determine a desired parsing level 375 and a desired duty cycle 376, it is necessary to determine a plurality of torque values during operation of the motor. This can be achieved by utilizing the torque averaging methodology based on integer multiples described herein. Through the use of the methodology of the present disclosure, the pulsed power supply at 378 results in a more accurate power level and / or duty cycle than could have been achieved previously. It should be noted that in potential power estimation methodologies, the details of the pulsing may include several solutions for appropriately addressing vibration and / or noise while providing optimal efficiency.

[0082] Three embodiments are provided below to illustrate various concepts of the present disclosure. For example, in one vehicle embodiment, the vehicle includes an electromechanical controller, and the electromechanical controller has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable by the processor to identify the frequency response of the vehicle and / or the electromechanical system during operation of the vehicle and to select a dynamic motor drive parsing frequency based in part on the identified frequency response using the electromechanical and a dynamic motor drive converter.

[0083] In some such embodiments, the dynamic motor drive converter is an inverter and outputs a current waveform having an excitation frequency based on the identified frequency response. For example, the output current waveform having the excitation frequency is in one of the forms of steady state, random, periodic, or transient.

[0084] In various embodiments, identifying the frequency response of a vehicle and / or an electromechanical device during operation of the vehicle includes using at least one in-vehicle sensor in the vehicle to collect measured noise and vibration sensor data. This data can be collected, for example, from a microphone for Bluetooth communication by a vehicle occupant, a microphone for wireless communication by a vehicle occupant, a microphone for use of an entertainment system by a vehicle occupant, a microphone for use of a navigation system by a vehicle occupant, and / or an accelerometer for collision detection.

[0085] In some embodiments, the measured noise and vibration sensor data can be processed to calculate a frequency response function due to source excitation. This can be accomplished, for example, by instructions executed to identify resonances by detecting peaks in the calculated frequency response function or to determine peaks of a magnitude that require mitigation by comparing the frequency response to a calibration-capable threshold. In some aspects, when the instructions are executed and a peak is determined to be of a magnitude that requires mitigation, the dynamic motor drive pulsing frequency is changed.

[0086] In another embodiment, in an electromechanical controller in a vehicle, the electromechanical controller has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to calibrate a frequency selection or avoidance table. The calibration includes scaling at least one measured frequency response function for torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height. The calibration includes scaling at least one measured frequency response function for torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height. Embodiments also include instructions for estimating a number of noise, vibration, harshness (NVH) levels at different locations of the vehicle for different pulsing frequencies and different motor torque levels.

[0087] In this embodiment, the estimated NVH level is compared with at least one calibratable threshold for each different location to determine which estimated NVH level meets or exceeds the threshold, and assuming that pulsing at a lower frequency is more efficient for dynamic motor drive operation, a frequency of electromechanical pulsing that is acceptable for NVH is selected. In some aspects, the lowest frequency of electromechanical pulsing that is acceptable for NVH can be selected.

[0088] Selecting a frequency of electromechanical pulsing that is acceptable for NVH can include, for example, combining the selection result with data such as an efficiency table as a function of the pulsing frequency. In such a structure, the most efficient frequency that is acceptable for NVH can be selected.

[0089] In some embodiments, for torque, at least one measured frequency response function is achieved by time domain convolution based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height. Scaling can also be achieved, for example, by multiplying in the frequency domain one of the measured frequency response functions by the frequency domain representation of a waveform having the intended pulsing frequency for different torque levels.

[0090] In another exemplary embodiment, an electromechanical controller in a vehicle has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to: Monitor the operational NVH response after initial calibration. The initial calibration includes calibrating a frequency selection or avoidance table, where the calibration includes scaling at least one measured frequency response function for torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height. Measure the NVH operational response with one or more dynamic motor drive or electric motor parameters. Adjust the frequency selection calibration based on the measured NVH operational response at different speeds or torque loads. In various such embodiments, when the instructions are executed, continuously monitor the long-term evolution of NVH for diagnostic data collection, and the diagnostic data is stored in the memory.

[0091] In some embodiments, the one or more dynamic motor drive or electric motor parameters are selected from a group of parameters including torque, pulsing frequency, high-level pulsing, low-level pulsing, motor speed, and vehicle speed. The waveform cycle can also vary as a function of the rotational speed of the electromechanical machine.

[0092] The first level of output can be, for example, the torque level at which the motor is most efficient at its given rotational speed, and the second output level can be zero percent torque. In some embodiments, during the pulsed operation of the electromechanical machine, the electromechanical machine is turned off for at least a portion of the time when the electromechanical machine outputs zero torque.

[0093] In various embodiments, the period between the starts of successive first output level pulses can be defined as a waveform cycle. The waveform cycle can change, for example, during the operation of an electromechanical device. These embodiments can improve the performance and / or system efficiency of the electromechanical device by providing more accurate calibration and verification of power usage.

[0094] FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit model (ECM) that can be used to estimate battery system dynamics and pulse power losses and can be used with embodiments of the present disclosure. In a power system as depicted at 440 in FIG. 4, a battery (e.g., 448) is generally approximated as a voltage source 441, which is shown as an open circuit voltage (OCV or V_OC) 444, followed by a series resistance 442 and one or more parallel resistance-capacitor (RC) branches 443 as shown in FIG. 4. The number of RC branches is selected to capture the desired dynamic behavior and usually two to four branches are sufficient. Additional components (e.g., 446, 447) can be included in the ECM to capture the resistive, capacitive, and inductive behavior of the high-voltage distribution system (DC bus) and associated equipment.

[0095] OCV, resistance, capacitance, and inductance are typically determined empirically on a test stand using well-known test procedures under tightly controlled conditions. Voltage hysteresis between charge and discharge is also generally included. Alternatively, more advanced techniques can be used to calculate or adjust these parameters during normal operation. High-fidelity simulations can also be used instead of stand tests.

[0096] Figure 5 is an example of sample ECM model parameters that can be used in embodiments of the present disclosure. Table 1 shows an example of battery ECM parameters obtained from a commercially available 18650 cell (LG INR18650MJ1). These also represent functions of the battery temperature and state of health (SOH) of the battery. Although it is possible to extend the characteristics of a single cell to a multi-cell module or pack, it is valuable to directly characterize the pack's ECM to capture the effects of contact resistance and wiring / busbars.

[0097] If the ECM parameters are known, the impact of the pulse efficiency can be analytically estimated. The determination of such parameters is, for example, based on the average power supplied by the battery at a given OCV and average current

number

number

[0098]

number

[0099] where R eq is the equivalent series resistance and D is the pulse current duty cycle assuming a standard pulse width modulation signal. Thus, the equivalent series resistance R eq is an important ECM parameter necessary to calculate the standard or continuous power and pulse power, and thus the potential pulse power losses.

[0100] In a 4RC branch ECM, the impedance Z for a sinusoidal current function of frequency f is defined as follows:

[0101]

number

[0102] A capacitor or capacitor bank (C out ) can be added to the output of the battery to reduce the losses caused by high current pulses. In this case, the updated impedance Z is as follows:

[0103]

Equation

[0104] C out functions as a reactive power compensator and improves the total power loss. C out is not part of the battery itself and does not affect the algorithm, so the following calculations focus on the battery itself and ignore C out .

[0105] Along with the state of charge and voltage of 551, the resistance and capacitance used in the above equation are shown in 552 and 553 of the table in FIG. 5, respectively. The variable j is the imaginary unit representing a complex number.

[0106] FIG. 6 is an example of a pulse width modulation (PWM) rectangular waveform and its dimensional elements that can be used in an embodiment of the present disclosure. For a PWM signal, the function I(t) as depicted in FIG. 6 can be approximated using a Fourier series expansion:

[0107]

Equation

[0108] where α is the ratio of the on-time, i.e., the duty cycle, A (max) is the pulse amplitude, ω is the angular frequency (rad / s), t is the time, and n is the number of harmonics considered. Other types of waveforms can be parameterized and approximated in a similar manner.

[0109] The apparent power S can be obtained from the following equation. The actual power is given by the real component Re(S):

[0110]

Number

[0111] The equivalent resistance is calculated from the real power using the relationship of the standard resistance power:

[0112]

Number

[0113] Figure 7 shows the equivalent resistance trend and average current (C-rate) at a given frequency for the possible duty cycle ranges obtained by using the embodiments of the present disclosure. Based on these relationships, the pulse power loss 754 at various duty cycle values 755 can be calculated from the ratio of the average power under the pulsed condition to the non-pulsing, i.e., DC power, at the same average current. Figure 8 shows an example of a loss map at a given OCV, frequency, and temperature. The losses increase rapidly as the current (C-rate) and duty cycle increase.

[0114] Similar maps can also be created for the pulse frequency, cell temperature, SOC, and SOH. By using this loss factor in the optimization of the DMD system, waveform parameters can be selected that result in an overall positive efficiency gain. The algorithm for achieving this will be described in the next section.

[0115]

Number

[0116] Figure 8 is a diagram of power losses from pulse current in average current rate (C-rate) and pulse duty cycle by use of an embodiment of the present disclosure. It is necessary to perform system optimization by combining the DMD gain of the motor / inverter system and the estimated battery power loss. NVH constraints are also typically part of the optimization. A general outline of a method for adjusting the duty cycle parameters is shown below:

[0117] 1. Input the current motor speed and driver torque demand. 2. Based on a model or lookup table, determine the DMD waveform parameters (frequency, duty cycle, amplitude) to maximize motor / inverter efficiency. 3. Based on the model type or lookup table, determine the DMD efficiency gain compared to standard operation. 4. Estimate the average current of the DC bus based on the voltage (e.g., bus voltage). Estimate 5. Calculate the equivalent battery resistance for the selected DMD waveform parameters, battery SOC, SOH, and temperature. 6. Calculate the battery pulse power loss for the selected DMD waveform parameters, battery SOC, SOH, and temperature. 7. Estimate the overall system gain. 8. If the system gain is negative (loss), increase the pulse duty cycle and loop back to step 3. 9. If the system gain is positive and the slope is also positive (or the first iteration), decrease the pulse duty cycle and loop back to step 3. 10. If the system gain is positive and the slope is zero or negative, select the previous pulse duty cycle and exit the loop.

[0118] NVH constraints can enter various parts of this optimization loop depending on the control parameters. For example, if the pulse frequency is used only to reduce vibrations, the optimization of the motor-battery duty cycle is first performed, and then the allowable frequency for that torque amplitude is determined. In terms of the above method, this step is an additional step at the end. When it is necessary to optimize multiple parameters that affect both efficiency and NVH simultaneously, NVH constraints need to be considered within the loop (for example, when determining the electromechanical-inverter gain or the overall system gain).

[0119] Other parameters can also be included in the optimization as needed, and loop conditions (such as gradients) are set based on the efficiency trends associated with each parameter. The method shown above is a conceptual example for explaining the general idea. In practice, it is necessary to select an optimization process according to the characteristics of the underlying function and the accelerated convergence. For some of these, it may be beneficial to create approximation functions and derivatives using mathematical techniques known in the art.

[0120] Depending on the parameters to be considered and the available computing power from the in-vehicle computer, the optimization can be performed either online or offline. In some embodiments, offline optimization can use advanced machine learning methods to capture many inputs and non-linear effects.

[0121] Such a machine learning model also has a large computational load, so it is necessary to justify and manage it. Online optimization will have to be simpler in terms of degrees of freedom. At the same time, the flexibility to independently correct sub-components such as motor / inverter efficiency and battery power loss increases. Furthermore, online optimization is also suitable for predictive control and trajectory optimization.

[0122] Considering the additional complexity of DMD control and system impact, both the underlying model and the optimization may benefit from more advanced methods compared to existing and used methods. This can be even more decisive when components above the motor / inverter and battery are included, such as high-voltage power distribution systems and auxiliary equipment.

[0123] An example of this alternative application is to capture battery degradation and the change in internal resistance over time. In this case, online learning algorithms of machine learning and artificial intelligence can provide a mechanism for self-calibration of the battery equivalent circuit model.

[0124] With the improvement of computing power, reduced order physics-based models are also becoming more realistic to introduce into embedded systems. When properly designed and calibrated, these alternative embodiments can provide a more generalized approach for capturing the complex behavior and evolution of lithium-ion batteries under parsing conditions.

[0125] Three embodiments for explaining various concepts of the present disclosure are provided below. For example, in an electromechanical controller in a vehicle, the electromechanical controller has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, and the instructions are executable by the processor to receive the current motor speed and driver torque request, determine the maximum motor or inverter efficiency, and determine the dynamic motor drive (DMD) efficiency gain compared to the standard operation. This embodiment also includes instructions for estimating the average current, calculating the equivalent battery resistance, calculating the pulse power loss, estimating the overall system gain, determining whether the system gain is negative or positive, and adjusting the pulse duty cycle differently based on the negative or positive determination. In some aspects, the DMD waveform parameters are selected from the group including frequency, duty cycle, and amplitude.

[0126] In some embodiments, the maximum motor or inverter efficiency can be determined based on the model type or the data in the look-up table. The dynamic motor drive efficiency gain compared to the standard operation can also be determined based on the model type of the electromechanical device or the data in the look-up table.

[0127] In various aspects, the average current can be estimated, for example, based on the bus voltage measured on the DC bus. The equivalent battery resistance can be calculated for one or more selected DMD waveform parameters. The equivalent battery resistance can also be calculated for the state of charge (SOC), state of health (SOH), and / or temperature of the battery.

[0128] In another exemplary embodiment, an electromechanical controller in a vehicle has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, and the instructions are executable by the processor to receive a current motor speed and a driver torque request, determine the maximum motor or inverter efficiency, and determine the dynamic motor drive (DMD) efficiency gain compared to the standard operation. This embodiment includes instructions to estimate the average current, calculate the equivalent battery resistance, calculate the pulse power loss, estimate the overall system gain based on the calculated equivalent battery resistance and pulse power loss, determine whether the system gain is negative or positive, and adjust the pulse duty cycle differently based on the negative or positive determination.

[0129] In some aspects, the pulse power loss can be calculated, for example, for one or more selected DMD waveform parameters, state of health (SOH), state of charge (SOC), and / or temperature.

[0130] In another exemplary embodiment, an electromechanical controller in a vehicle has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to receive a current motor speed and a driver torque request, determine a maximum motor or inverter efficiency, and determine a dynamic motor drive (DMD) efficiency gain compared to standard operation. The embodiments also include instructions to estimate an average current, calculate an equivalent battery resistance, calculate a pulse power loss, estimate an overall system gain, determine whether the system gain is negative or positive, and adjust the pulse duty cycle differently based on the negative or positive determination.

[0131] In some embodiments, if the system gain is negative, the pulse duty cycle is increased and looped back to determine the DMD efficiency gain compared to standard operation. Further, if the system gain is positive and the gradient of the iterative gain is also positive, the pulse duty cycle is decreased and looped back to determine the DMD efficiency gain compared to standard operation. Also, if the system gain is positive and the gradient is zero or negative, the previous pulse duty cycle can be selected. As in the previous examples, such embodiments can improve the performance of the electromechanical and / or system efficiency by providing more accurate calibration and verification of power usage.

[0132] FIG. 9A is an example of the speed of an electromechanical machine where embodiments of the present disclosure may be beneficial. FIG. 9B is an example of the amount of torque of an electromechanical machine where embodiments of the present disclosure may be beneficial. FIG. 9C is an example of a normalization scheme for handling torque fluctuations during a sampling period according to embodiments of the present disclosure. In these example combinations, a method of normalizing torque fluctuations is shown.

[0133] Provided below are embodiments of a method according to the present disclosure, providing a methodology for the data shown in the examples of FIGS. 9A - 9C. The methods shown below illustrate embodiments where there is a comparison of parameters between DMD mode and continuous mode. The numbers on FIGS. 9A - 9C represent the element numbers given below. (For example, #1 on FIG. 9A corresponds to element #1 below, "In the warmed-up state..."). This method provides the following:

[0134] 1. Enter the torque window in the warmed-up state and set the base speed value. 2. In the case of DMD, set the flag to "Steady" and stay within the torque / speed window for X seconds (~3 seconds). 3. Record the DMD battery terminal voltage and / or current (V / I) for Y seconds (~1.5 seconds) and calculate the power. 4. Transition to continuous mode and wait for Z seconds (~1 second). 5. Record the continuous mode battery terminal V / I for Y seconds and calculate the power. 6. Resume normal DMD operation. 7. Determine and apply the normalization factor for power and / or current, and calculate the average power and / or current. 8. Calculate the expected gain for power and / or current from a pre-calibrated electromechanical map and / or look-up table (LUT). 9. Compare the DMD gain with the expected gain from the map / LUT. 10. If the DMD gain is lower than expected by a certain threshold, take measures. For example:

[0135] 1. If the torque ≧ reference torque at a given electromechanical speed / temperature / bus voltage, prohibit DMD. 2. Throw an error. 3. Change the "on" torque of DMD. 11. If the method is aborted during step 4 and the torque / speed window is re-entered later (assuming the motor temperature and voltage are sufficiently similar), the controller can save the data from steps 1 - 3 and complete steps 5 and later.

[0136] Figure 10 is another illustration of an embodiment of the DMD - continuous method according to the present disclosure. The method shown below illustrates embodiments where there is a comparison of parameters between the DMD mode and the continuous mode.

[0137] This method 1080 provides for reading input data at 1081. The input data can include, for example, the speed, torque, voltage, battery SOC, SOH, and / or temperature of an electromechanical device. This data can be obtained from sensors associated with the electromechanical device and / or the vehicle in which the electromechanical device operates, can be obtained from a memory such as a look - up table, and / or can be obtained from data input into the system from resources or computing devices outside the system.

[0138] This method also includes checks for determining at 1082 whether the electromechanical device is in a warmed - up state and at 1083 whether the speed and / or torque is stable in the DMD mode. If either of these is "no", the method returns to 1082. In the case of "yes", at least one of the battery voltage and / or current is recorded over the period of 1084.

[0139] Thereafter, for collection of continuous - mode data, the electromechanical device transitions to the continuous mode at 1085. Next, at 1086, the electromechanical device is checked to determine whether the speed and / or torque is stable in the continuous mode. If the determination is "no", the method returns to 1081. In the case of "yes", at least one of the battery voltage and / or current is recorded over the period of 1087. Thereafter, at 1088, the electromechanical device can return to normal operation.

[0140] In some embodiments, a corresponding length of time can be used to record data in the DMD mode and the continuous mode. This facilitates comparison of the data sets.

[0141] Once this data is recorded, the electromechanical controller can calculate and apply the normalization factor at 1089, as shown with respect to FIGS. 7 and 9A - 9C. The data can also be utilized at 1090 to calculate the average power and / or current value during the recording period, as well as the DMD gain based on the comparison between the DMD data and the continuous data.

[0142] This embodiment is beneficial in that the DMD gain is based on two data sets acquired during the actual operation of the electromechanical device, enabling more accurate analysis. Also, subsequent data sets can be acquired after adjustments from previous data comparisons are made, potentially allowing for better fine - tuning.

[0143] Furthermore, in this method, at 1091, the expected DMD gain can be calculated from data stored in a memory such as one or more look - up tables (LUTs). Then at 1092, the actual gain can be compared with the expected gain to determine whether the actual gain is acceptable. The determination can be, for example, whether the actual DMD gain exceeds a certain threshold based on the expected gain value.

[0144] If acceptable, the method returns to 1081. If not acceptable, the electromechanical controller can take measures 1093 to increase the DMD gain. For example, at 1094, the controller can change the DMD calibration, display an error, and / or prohibit DMD for torques above a reference torque at a given electromechanical speed, temperature, and / or voltage, or perform other possible actions.

[0145] FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of another method according to the present disclosure. The illustrated method shows an embodiment in which only the parameters of the DMD mode are utilized.

[0146] This method is similar to the method of FIG. 10, but there are several differences as described below. This method 1195 also provides for reading input data at 1181. As described above, the input data can include, for example, the speed, torque, voltage, battery SOC, SOH, and / or temperature of the electromechanical machine. This data can be obtained from sensors associated with the electromechanical machine and / or the vehicle in which the electromechanical machine operates, can be obtained from a memory such as a look-up table, and / or can be obtained from data input into the system from resources or computing devices outside the system.

[0147] This method also includes checks for determining whether the electromechanical machine is in a warmed-up state at 1182 and whether the speed and / or torque is stable in the DMD mode at 1183. If any of these are "no", the method returns to 1182. If "yes", at least one of the battery voltage and / or current is recorded over the period of 1184.

[0148] However, in this method, instead of transitioning to the continuous mode for collecting continuous mode data, the electromechanical controller calculates and applies a normalization factor at 1189 and skips collecting data in the continuous mode, as shown with respect to FIGS. 7 and 9A - 9C. As in FIG. 10, the data can also be utilized at 1190 to calculate the average power and / or current value during the recording period and the DMD gain based on comparison of the DMD data.

[0149] Furthermore, in this method, at 1191, the predicted DMD power and / or current can be calculated from data stored in a memory such as one or more look-up tables (LUTs). Next, at 1192, the actual power / current can be compared with the predicted power / current to determine whether the actual power / current is acceptable. As in the above-described embodiments, the determination can be, for example, whether the actual DMD power / current exceeds a certain threshold based on the predicted power / current value.

[0150] If it is acceptable, the method returns to 1181. If it is not acceptable, the electromechanical controller can take measures 1193 to increase the DMD gain. For example, at 1194, the controller can change the DMD calibration, display an error, and / or prohibit the DMD for torques above a reference torque at a given electromechanical speed, temperature, and / or voltage, or perform other possible operations.

[0151] Furthermore, provided below are examples of alternative embodiments that use only DMD mode parameters, which are similar to those illustrated in FIG. 11 but include some differences and refer to some exemplary components and values that may be useful in understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure. In this method, the process includes the following:

[0152] 1. Enter the torque window in the warmed-up state and set the base speed value. 2. In the case of DMD, set the flag to “Steady” and stay within the torque / speed window for X seconds (~3 seconds). 3. Record the DMD battery terminal V / I for Y seconds (~1.5 seconds) and calculate the power. 4. Apply the normalization factor for power and / or current and calculate the average power and / or current. 5. Calculate the predicted power / current from a pre-calibrated map / LUT. 6. Compare the DMD power and / or current with the predicted values from the map / LUT. 7. If the DMD power / current is higher than the prediction by a certain threshold, take measures. For example:

[0153] 1. When the torque ≥ reference torque at a given motor speed / temperature / voltage, prohibit the DMD. 2. Throw an error. 3. Change the "on" torque of the DMD.

[0154] Three embodiments are provided below to explain various concepts of the present disclosure. For example, in an electromechanical controller in a vehicle, the electromechanical controller has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, and the instructions are executable by the processor to receive electromechanical operation data including at least one of motor speed, torque, voltage, battery charge state, health state, and electric motor temperature. The controller has instructions stored in the memory, and the instructions are executable by the processor to determine whether the electromechanical is in a warmed-up state, start a torque startup window, set a base speed value, determine whether the electromechanical is in a dynamic motor drive (DMD) mode, and determine whether to stay within a first period within the torque startup window.

[0155] This embodiment also includes instructions to record one or more of the DMD battery terminal voltage and the DMD battery terminal current for a second period, then calculate the DMD power, transition to the continuous mode, wait for a third period, record one or more of the continuous mode battery terminal voltage and the continuous mode battery terminal current for a fourth period, then calculate the continuous power, and resume the normal DMD operation process.

[0156] In some such embodiments, the controller includes instructions stored in a memory, the instructions being executable by a processor to determine a normalization factor by comparing the measured DMD torque / speed to a reference torque / speed and to apply the normalization factor to the operating data to calculate an average power and / or current. Further, the controller can include instructions stored in a memory, the instructions being executable by a processor to calculate an expected gain of power and / or current based on the operating data and to compare the DMD gain to the expected gain or a threshold value.

[0157] If the DMD gain is lower than the expected gain or the threshold value, the electromechanical controller can, for example, initiate measures to modify the DMD process, prohibit DMD start for torques above a reference torque at a specific electromechanical speed, or prohibit DMD start for torques above a reference torque at a specific temperature. The temperature can be obtained, for example, from an internal sensor within the motor or the oil / coolant temperature of the motor.

[0158] Further, if the DMD gain is lower than the threshold value, the electromechanical controller can prohibit DMD start for torques above a reference torque at a specific voltage. Also, in some aspects, if the DMD gain is lower than the threshold value, the electromechanical controller can initiate an error display or initiate a change to the DMD "on" torque processing value.

[0159] In some aspects, the first period can be, for example, at least 2 seconds, the second period can be at least 1 second, the third period can be at least 1 second, and / or the second period can be the same as the fourth period. Also, in various embodiments, the setting of the base speed value can be based on, for example, determining whether the torque is a stable value at a specific speed and, if it is a stable value, setting that speed as the base speed value.

[0160] In another exemplary embodiment, an electromechanical controller in a vehicle has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to receive electromechanical operation data including at least one of motor speed, torque, voltage, battery charge state, health state, and electromechanical motor temperature. A controller in a vehicle has a processor and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to determine whether the electromechanical is in a warmed-up state, start a torque startup window, set a base speed value, determine whether the electromechanical is in a dynamic motor drive (DMD) mode, and if so, stay within the torque startup window, record a plurality of measured values of one or more of DMD battery terminal voltage and DMD battery terminal current during the torque startup window, calculate DMD power for each measured value, determine a normalization factor from the measured speed / torque value compared to the base speed / torque value, and apply the normalization factor to the operation data to calculate average power and / or current.

[0161] In various embodiments, the controller includes instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to calculate expected power and / or current based on the operation data and compare the DMD power and / or current to the expected power and / or current, or calculate the DMD average power and / or current and compare the DMD power and / or current to a threshold.

[0162] In the following exemplary embodiments, there is an electromechanical controller processor in a vehicle, and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to receive electromechanical operation data including at least one of motor speed, torque, voltage, battery charge state, health state, and electric motor temperature. The controller in the vehicle has a processor, and a memory and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to determine whether the electromechanical is in a warmed-up state, start a torque startup window to start a dynamic motor drive (DMD) mode, set a base speed value, evaluate whether the operation stays within the torque startup window for a first period, record one or more of the DMD battery terminal voltage and the DMD battery terminal current for a second period, and calculate DMD power.

[0163] The embodiments also include instructions to transition to a continuous mode, wait for a third period, record one or more of the continuous mode battery terminal voltage and the continuous mode battery terminal current for a fourth period, then calculate continuous power, compare the measured speed / torque value with the base speed / torque value to determine a normalization factor, apply the normalization factor to the operation data to calculate average power and / or current, calculate an expected gain of power and / or current based on the operation data, and compare the DMD gain with the expected gain or a threshold. If the DMD gain is lower than the expected gain or the threshold, the electromechanical controller starts measures to correct the DMD process. In various embodiments, the expected values can be determined through tests on similar machines or this particular machine.

[0164] In such embodiments, if the DMD gain is lower than the threshold, the electromechanical controller can, for example, start an error display and / or start a change in the DMD "on" torque processing value.

[0165] Embodiments of the present disclosure utilize the techniques disclosed herein to calibrate a DMD system for a vehicle. These can be used to set an initial calibration, but can also diagnostically check that calibration during the life of the vehicle.

[0166] Considering that vehicle dynamics change based on road conditions, vehicle loading, etc., it is very beneficial in some applications to not only check the DMD during vehicle use, but also perform dynamic calibration. For example, on a noisy road, by selecting a calibration that results in higher NVH, the DMD gain can be pushed up, but it can also be understood that it is low enough to mask the increase in NVH due to DMD modulation for that noisy road. This can be dynamically achieved by increasing the DMD gain as much as the current vehicle NVH allows.

[0167] This can be done by having at least one NVH sensor that detects the current NVH for use as feedback to select a pre - selected NVH calibration, feed - forward, or select an NVH calibration according to current conditions. The sensor data can be sampled periodically during vehicle use.

[0168] By periodically analyzing the data during vehicle use, it is possible to determine whether it is possible, by adjustments that raise and lower the DMD effect, to stay near but below an NVH threshold based on data parsed from at least one NVH sensor.

[0169] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, systems, and devices for electromechanical drive calibration, verification, and efficiency improvement. These embodiments can also improve the performance of the electromechanical and / or system efficiency by providing more accurate calibration and verification of power usage.

[0170] While specific embodiments have been illustrated and described in this specification, those skilled in the art will understand that any configuration calculated to implement the same technology can be substituted for the specific embodiments illustrated. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the various embodiments of this disclosure.

[0171] It should be understood that the above description is illustrative and not restrictive. Combinations of the above embodiments, as well as other embodiments not specifically described herein, will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the above description.

[0172] The scope of the various embodiments of this disclosure includes any other uses in which the above structures and methods are employed. Accordingly, the scope of the various embodiments of this disclosure should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[0173] In the foregoing detailed description, various features are grouped together in the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures for the purpose of streamlining this disclosure. This method of disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that the embodiments of this disclosure require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.

[0174] Rather, as reflected in the following claims, the inventive subject matter resides in less than all the features of a single disclosed embodiment. Accordingly, the following claims are incorporated into the detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.

Claims

1. An electromechanical controller in a vehicle, the electromechanical controller having a processor and a memory storing instructions, and in accordance with the instructions, the processor identifies the frequency response of the vehicle and / or the electromechanical device during operation of the vehicle, uses the electromechanical device and a dynamic motor drive converter to select a dynamic motor drive pulsing frequency based in part on the identified frequency response, An electromechanical controller.

2. The dynamic motor drive converter is an inverter and outputs a current waveform indicating an excitation frequency based on the identified frequency response, the electromechanical controller according to claim 1.

3. The output current waveform indicating the excitation frequency exhibits one of the forms of steady state, random, periodic, and transient, the electromechanical controller according to claim 2.

4. Identifying the frequency response of the vehicle and / or the electromechanical device during operation of the vehicle includes collecting sensor data indicating noise and vibration measured using at least one in-vehicle sensor in the vehicle, the electromechanical controller according to claim 1.

5. The at least one in-vehicle sensor in the vehicle is a microphone for Bluetooth communication used by a vehicle occupant, a microphone for wireless communication used by the vehicle occupant, a microphone for use in an entertainment system used by the vehicle occupant, a microphone for use in a navigation system used by the vehicle occupant, or an accelerometer for collision detection, the electromechanical controller according to claim 4.

6. Identifying the frequency response of the vehicle and / or the electromechanical device during operation of the vehicle includes collecting sensor data indicating noise and vibration measured using at least one in-vehicle sensor in the vehicle and calculating a frequency response function due to source excitation by processing the sensor data, the electromechanical controller according to claim 1.

7. When the instructions are executed, resonance is identified by detecting a peak of the calculated frequency response function, or a peak of a magnitude requiring mitigation is determined by comparing the frequency response to a calibration-capable threshold, the electromechanical controller according to claim 6.

8. If the command is executed and it is determined that the peak needs to be reduced in magnitude, change the dynamic motor drive parsing frequency. The electromechanical controller according to claim 7.

9. An electromechanical controller in a vehicle, the electromechanical controller having a processor and a memory for storing instructions, and according to the instructions, the processor Calibrates a frequency selection or avoidance table, wherein the calibration includes scaling at least one measured frequency response function for torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height, Estimates a number of noise, vibration, harshness (NVH) levels at different positions of the vehicle for different parsing frequencies and different motor torque levels, Compares the estimated NVH levels with at least one calibration-capable threshold for each different location, Determines which of the estimated NVH levels meet or exceed the threshold, Assuming that parsing at a lower frequency is more efficient for dynamic motor drive operation, selects a frequency of electromechanical parsing that is acceptable for NVH. Electromechanical controller.

10. The electromechanical controller according to claim 9, wherein assuming that parsing at a lower frequency is more efficient for dynamic motor drive operation, selects the lowest frequency of electromechanical parsing that is acceptable for NVH.

11. The electromechanical controller according to claim 9, wherein selecting a frequency of electromechanical parsing that is acceptable for NVH includes combining the selection result with an efficiency table as a function of the parsing frequency, and the most efficient frequency that is acceptable for NVH is selected.

12. The electromechanical controller according to claim 9, wherein scaling at least one measured frequency response function for torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height is achieved by time domain convolution.

13. Scaling at least one measured frequency response function with respect to torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height is achieved by frequency domain multiplying one of the measured frequency response functions by a frequency domain representation of a waveform having an intended parsing frequency for different torque levels, the electromechanical controller of claim 9.

14. An electromechanical controller in a vehicle, the electromechanical controller having a processor and a memory storing instructions, and in accordance with the instructions, the processor monitors the operating NVH response after initial calibration, wherein the initial calibration includes calibrating a frequency selection or avoidance table, the calibration including scaling at least one measured frequency response function with respect to torque based on an ideal dynamic motor drive pulse height, measures the NVH operating response with one or more dynamic motor drive or electric motor parameters, adjusts the frequency selection calibration based on the measured NVH operating response at different speeds or torque loads, electromechanical controller.

15. When the instructions are executed, continuously monitors the long-term evolution of NVH for diagnostic data collection, the diagnostic data being stored in the memory, the electromechanical controller of claim 14.

16. The one or more dynamic motor drive or electric motor parameters are selected from a group of parameters including torque, parsing frequency, high-level parsing, low-level parsing, motor speed, and vehicle speed, the electromechanical controller of claim 14.

17. The waveform cycle varies as a function of the rotational speed of the electromechanical, the electromechanical controller of claim 14.

18. The first level of output is the torque level at which the motor is most efficient at its given rotational speed, and the second output level is zero percent torque, the electromechanical controller of claim 14.

19. During the pulsed operation of the electromechanical, the electromechanical is turned off for at least a portion of the time when the electromechanical outputs zero torque, the electromechanical controller of claim 14.

20. The period between the starts of successive first output level pulses is a waveform cycle, and the waveform cycle changes during operation of the electromechanical machine, the electromechanical controller according to claim 14.

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