IP Library Granted Patent US 12673683
Granted Patent B2
US 12673683 · App. 18/603,720 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Method to prevent power reduction

Inventors: Michael Grossmann (Horgenzell, DE); Daniel Morgenweck (Lindau, DE); Oussama Jabloun (Friedrichshafen, DE)
Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
B60W30/1843B60L58/27B60W10/08B60W10/24B60L2240/545
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12673683
App. No.
18/603,720
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method is disclosed for preventing a power reduction in an electric drive system of a vehicle ( 3 ) during a journey of the vehicle. The method includes a component-tempering process (P 2 ) in which at least one component ( 4, 5, 6 ) of the electric drive system is tempered, such that the method comprises a power reduction prediction process (P 1 ) in which it is checked whether a power reduction is to be expected during a journey. The component-tempering process (P 2 ) is initiated as soon as the power reduction prediction process (P 1 ) has recognized that a power reduction is to be expected during the journey.

Claims (18)

1 . A method for preventing a power reduction in an electric drive system of a vehicle during a journey of the vehicle, wherein the electric drive system is configured to temper at least one component of the electric drive system, the method comprising:

determining, by the electric drive system, that a power reduction is to be expected during a journey, including estimating, based on a maximum cooling power and with the use of a temperature model of the electric drive system, whether during the journey any component of the electric drive system will exceed a respective maximum temperature; and

initiating tempering, by the electric drive system, after determining that the power reduction is to be expected during the journey.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the power reduction is to be expected during the journey includes predicting an uphill driving path or a downhill driving path.

3 . The method according claim 1 , wherein tempering the at least one component includes heating a battery.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein tempering the at least one component includes cooling one or more of an inverter, an electric motor, and a battery.

5 . The method according claim 4 , wherein tempering the at least one component includes heating the battery.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , comprising:

determining that cooling and/or heating is no longer necessary; and

terminating tempering of the at least one component.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein determining that cooling and/or heating is no longer necessary is performed using the temperature model of the electric drive system.

8 . A method for preventing a power reduction in an electric drive system of a vehicle during a journey of the vehicle, wherein the electric drive system is configured to temper at least one component of the electric drive system, and wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system and a system for taking account of one or more environmental data, the method comprising:

determining, by the electric drive system, that a power reduction is to be expected during a journey; and

initiating tempering, by the electric drive system, after determining that the power reduction is to be expected during the journey.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein determining that the power reduction is to be expected during the journey includes estimating, based on a maximum cooling power and with the use of a temperature model of the electric drive system, whether during the journey any component of the electric drive system will exceed a respective maximum temperature.

10 . An electric drive system comprising a control unit configured to carry out the method of claim 1 .

11 . A vehicle comprising a control unit configured to perform the method according to claim 1 .

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising commands which, when executed by a computer or a control unit, perform the method of claim 1 .