IP Library Granted Patent US 12,664,834
Granted Patent B2
US 12,664,834 · App. 18/838,289 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Method for the electronic diagnosis of an electric drivetrain for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Nicolas Martinez (Caragoudes, FR); Jean-Luc Boyer (Tournefeuille, FR)
Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
G07C5/0808B60C19/00B60C2019/004
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,664,834
App. No.
18/838,289
Filed
Aug 14, 2024
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3667
USPC
701/29.4
Abstract

A method for electronically diagnosing an electric drive chain for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. The drive chain including an electric battery, an electric machine, an inverter connected between the battery and the electric machine, and a link capacitor connected in parallel between the battery and the inverter. The diagnosis method includes: i) continuously controlling the increase in the control frequency of the electric machine; ii) determining the variation in the Fourier transform of the current variation between the assembly comprising the battery and the link capacitor and between the inverter; iii) for each control frequency: 1) detecting an anomaly; 2) otherwise, determining when the control frequency value is optimal.

Claims (15)

1 . A method for electronically diagnosing an electric drive chain for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, the drive chain comprising an electric battery, an electric machine, an inverter connected between the battery and the electric machine, and a link capacitor connected in parallel between the battery and the inverter, the diagnosis method comprising:

i) continuously controlling an increase in a control frequency of the electric machine from a minimum value to a maximum value;

ii) continuously measuring a value of a current between an assembly comprising the battery and the link capacitor and between the inverter during the continuously controlling step;

iii) determining the variation in a Fourier transform of a current variation as a function of the control frequency; and

iv) for each increase in control frequency:

1) detecting an anomaly if at least one value of the Fourier transform is outside a predefined Fourier transform interval for said control frequency;

2) otherwise, determining when said control frequency value is optimal if the value of the Fourier transform for said control frequency is below a predefined threshold.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising, before the step of controlling the increase in the control frequency, a step of detecting when a speed of the vehicle is substantially constant.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the minimum value of the control frequency ranges between 18.0 and 19.5 KHz and the maximum value of the control frequency ranges between 20.5 and 22.0 KHz.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the minimum value of the control frequency ranges between 18.0 and 19.5 KHz and the maximum value of the control frequency ranges between 20.5 and 22.0 KHz.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , the electric machine comprising at least two coils, the inverter comprising at least two power circuits, each power circuit comprising a first switch, called “high” switch, connected between the battery and a midpoint specific to said power circuit, and a second switch, called “low” switch, connected between the midpoint and ground, each power circuit being able to supply an alternating current at the respective midpoint, each power circuit being connected to a coil of the electric machine via the respective midpoint, each high switch and each low switch being characterized by a switching frequency, the continuously controlling the control frequency of the electric machine designating controlling the respective switching frequency of the switches of each power circuit of the inverter.

6 . A control unit for an electric drive chain for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, the drive chain comprising an electric battery, an electric machine, an inverter connected between the battery and the electric machine, and a link capacitor connected in parallel between the battery and the inverter, the electric machine comprising at least two coils, the inverter comprising at least three power circuits, each power circuit comprising a first switch, called “high” switch, connected between the battery and a midpoint specific to said power circuit, and a second switch, called “low” switch, connected between the midpoint and ground, each power circuit being able to supply an alternating current at the respective midpoint, each power circuit being connected to a coil of the electric machine via the respective midpoint, each high switch and each low switch being characterized by a switching frequency, the control unit being able to implement the method as claimed in claim 5 .

7 . A computer program product, comprising a set of program code instructions, which, when the program code instructions are executed by one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to implement a method as claimed in claim 1 .

8 . A control unit for an electric drive chain for an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, the drive chain comprising an electric battery, an electric machine, an inverter connected between the battery and the electric machine, and a link capacitor connected in parallel between the battery and the inverter, the control unit being able to implement the method as claimed in claim 1 .

9 . A motor vehicle comprising an electric drive chain, the drive chain comprising an electric battery, an electric machine, an inverter connected between the battery and the electric machine, a link capacitor connected in parallel between the battery and the inverter, and a control unit as claimed in claim 8 .

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2025
From: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 072774/0843 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GBMH SHOULD BE VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH. PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 68278 FRAME 743. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Feb 21, 2025
From: MARTINEZ, NICOLAS; BOYER, JEAN-LUC
To: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
Reel/Frame 070498/0234 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2024
From: MARTINEZ, NICOLAS; BOYER, JEAN-LUC
To: VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GBMH
Reel/Frame 068278/0743 →
Priority Claims (1)
FR 2202911 · Mar 31, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250148845A1 · May 8, 2025
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