System and method for providing fault mitigation for vehicle systems having high and low side drivers

1. A system for providing fault mitigation in a vehicle system comprising:

a first high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off;

a plurality of first low side drivers (LSDs) associated with the first HSD;

a selected first plurality of actuators, wherein each of the selected first plurality of actuators is connected to the first HSD and connected to a respective one of the plurality of first LSDs to receive power and operate in a first operational mode of the vehicle system;

a second high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off;

a plurality of second low side drivers (LSDs) associated with the second HSD; and

a selected second plurality of actuators, wherein each of the selected second plurality of actuators is connected to the second HSD and connected to a respective one of the plurality of second LSDs to receive power and operate in a second operational mode of the vehicle system;

so that when one of the selected first plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the first HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected first plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSDs and the second HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the second operational mode; and

so that when one of the selected second plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the second HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected second plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSDs and the first HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the first operational mode.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the actuators are solenoids.

3. The system of claim 1 further including a plurality of associated devices, wherein each of the plurality of associated devices is operated by one of the selected first and second plurality of actuators respectively, so that when an associated device operated by one of the selected first plurality of actuators sets a fault, the first HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the first plurality of actuators and the second HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the second operational mode;

and so that when an associated device operated by one of the selected second plurality of actuators sets a fault, the second HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the second plurality of actuators and the first HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the first operational mode.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle system is a propulsion system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the first operational mode is a first gear state capable of enabling an electric/hybrid vehicle to be propelled.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the second operational mode is a second gear state capable of enabling an electric/hybrid vehicle to be propelled.

7. The system of claim 1 further including:

a third high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off;

a plurality of third low side drivers (LSDs) associated with the third HSD; and

a selected third plurality of actuators, wherein each of the selected third plurality of actuators is connected to the third HSD and connected to a respective one of the plurality of third LSDs to receive power and operate in a third operational mode of the vehicle system,

so that when one of the selected third plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the third HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected third plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSDs and at least one of the first and second HSDs is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in at least one of the first and second operational modes.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the actuators are solenoids.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the vehicle system is a propulsion system.

10. A method for providing fault mitigation in a vehicle system having a first high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off and a plurality of first low side drivers (LSDs) and a second HSD operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off and a plurality of second LSDs comprising:

connecting the first HSD to a selected first plurality of actuators, so that each actuator of the selected first plurality of actuators is connected to the first HSD and to a respective one of the plurality of first LSDs to receive power and operate in a first operational mode of the vehicle system;

connecting the second HSD to a selected second plurality of actuators, so that each actuator of the selected second plurality of actuators is connected to the second HSD and to a respective one of the plurality of second LSDs to receive power and operate in a second operational mode of the vehicle system;

so that when one of the selected first plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the first HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected first plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSDs and the second HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the second operational mode; and

so that when one of the selected second plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the second HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected second plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSDs and the first HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the first operational mode.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the actuators are solenoids.

12. The method of claim 10 further including a plurality of associated devices; wherein each of the plurality of associated devices is operated by one of the selected first and second plurality of actuators respectively, so that when an associated device operated by one of the selected first plurality of actuators sets a fault, the first HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the first plurality of actuators and the second HSD is turned on; and

so that when an associated device operated by one of the selected second plurality of actuators sets a fault, the second HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the second plurality of actuators and the first HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the first operational mode.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the vehicle system is a propulsion system.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first operational mode is a first gear state capable of enabling an electric/hybrid vehicle to be propelled.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the second operational mode is a second gear state capable of enabling an electric/hybrid vehicle to be propelled.

16. The method of claim 10 having a third high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off and a plurality of third LSDs further including:

connecting the third HSD to a selected third plurality of actuators, so that each actuator of the selected third plurality of actuators is connected to the third HSD and a respective one of the plurality of third LSDs to receive power and operate in a third operational mode of the vehicle system;

so that when one of the selected third plurality of actuators and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the third HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected third plurality of actuators and at least one of the first and second HSDs is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in at least one of the first and second operational mode.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the actuators are solenoids.

18. An electric/hybrid vehicle including fault mitigation using high and low side drivers comprising:

a propulsion system having:

a first high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off;

a plurality of first low side drivers (LSDs) associated with the first HSD;

a selected first plurality of solenoids, wherein each solenoid of the selected first plurality of solenoids is connected to the first HSD and connected to a respective one of the plurality of first LSDs to receive power and operate in a first operational mode of the vehicle system;

a second high side driver (HSD) operable to supply power when turned on and to disconnect power when turned off;

a plurality of second low side drivers (LSDs) associated with the second HSD;

a selected second plurality of solenoids, wherein each solenoid of the selected second plurality of solenoids is connected to the second HSD and connected to a respective one of the plurality of second LSDs to receive power and operate in a second operational mode of the vehicle system;

so that when one of the selected first plurality of solenoids and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the first HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected first plurality of solenoids and respectively connected LSDs and the second HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the second operational mode;

so that when one of the selected second plurality of solenoids and respectively connected LSD sets a fault, the second HSD is turned off thereby disconnecting power to the selected second plurality of solenoids and respectively connected LSDs and the first HSD is turned on, enabling the vehicle system to operate in the first operational mode; and

vehicle wheels propelled by the propulsion system.

19. The electric/hybrid vehicle of claim 18 wherein the first operational mode is a first gear state capable of enabling the electric/hybrid vehicle to be propelled.

20. The electric/hybrid vehicle of claim 18 wherein the second operational mode is a second gear state capable of enabling the electric/hybrid vehicle to be propelled.