Granted Patent B2

US 7,368,886 · App. 10/846,000 · Granted May 6, 2008

Abstract

Claims (67)

1. A method of testing an electric motor that is adapted to provide a desired electric motor output torque to a vehicle powertrain system comprising an engine and the electric motor which are operatively and selectively coupled to a transmission, comprising:

determining an initial motor speed of the electric motor;

determining a motor torque command as a function of the initial motor speed;

applying the motor torque command to the electric motor to produce an output torque from the electric motor;

measuring a resultant motor speed of the electric motor; and

establishing a motor status as a function of the resultant motor speed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the initial motor speed comprises measuring the initial motor speed using a motor speed sensor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the initial motor speed comprises calculating the initial motor speed from motor parameters.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the motor torque command also comprises determining a torque magnitude, wherein the torque magnitude is a function of an ambient temperature related to the vehicle powertrain system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the motor torque command is a positive torque command if the initial motor speed is positive and a negative torque command if the motor speed is negative, wherein positive and negative torque and positive and negative rotational speed are determined with respect to a rotational reference.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying the motor torque command comprises applying the torque command for a predetermined torque application interval.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein if the motor command is a positive torque command, establishing a motor status as a function of the resultant motor speed, further comprises:

determining whether the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less a first predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status; and

determining whether the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, determining a revised motor torque command by incrementing the motor torque command by a predetermined torque increment;

applying the revised motor torque command to the electric motor to produce a corresponding revised output torque from the electric motor;

determining a revised resultant motor speed of the electric motor;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the first predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status; and

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, repeating the preceding steps of this claim for a plurality of cycles which is less than or equal to a motor test cycle limit until the motor status is determined to be pass or fail or the test cycle limit is attained.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein if the motor command is a negative torque command, establishing a motor status as a function of the resultant motor speed, further comprises:

determining whether the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a first predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus the first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status; and

determining whether the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, determining a revised motor torque command by incrementing the motor torque command by a predetermined torque increment;

applying the revised motor torque command to the electric motor to produce a corresponding revised output torque from the electric motor;

determining a revised resultant motor speed of the electric motor;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a first predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status; and

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, repeating the preceding steps of this claim for a plurality of cycles which is less than or equal to a motor test cycle limit until the test status is determined to be pass or fail or the test cycle limit is attained.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the predetermined torque increment has a magnitude which is a function of an ambient temperature related to the vehicle powertrain system.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the predetermined torque increment has a magnitude which is a function of an ambient temperature related to the vehicle powertrain system.

13. A method of testing a plurality of electric motors that are each adapted to provide a desired motor output torque to a vehicle powertrain system comprising an engine and the plurality of electric motors which are operatively and selectively coupled to a transmission, comprising:

determining an order of testing each of the respective ones of the plurality of electric motors, wherein each of the respective ones is then tested according to the order of testing in the following manner, and wherein reference to the electric motor refers to each of the respective ones as it is tested;

determining an initial motor speed of the electric motor;

determining a motor torque command as a function of the initial motor speed;

applying the motor torque command to the electric motor to produce an output torque from the electric motor;

measuring a resultant motor speed of the electric motor; and

establishing a motor status as a function of the resultant motor speed.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the initial motor speed comprises measuring the initial motor speed using a motor speed sensor.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the initial motor speed comprises calculating the initial motor speed from motor parameters.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the motor torque command also comprises determining a torque magnitude, wherein the torque magnitude is a function of an ambient temperature related to the vehicle powertrain system.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the motor torque command is a positive torque command if the motor speed is positive and a negative torque command if the initial motor speed is negative, wherein positive and negative torque and positive and negative rotational speed are determined with respect to a rotational reference.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein applying the motor torque command comprises applying the torque command for a predetermined torque application interval.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein if the motor command is a positive torque command, establishing a motor status as a function of the resultant motor speed, further comprises:

determining whether the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less a first predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status; and

determining whether the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, determining a revised motor torque command by incrementing the motor torque command by a predetermined torque increment;

applying the revised motor torque command to the electric motor to produce a corresponding revised output torque from the electric motor;

determining a revised resultant motor speed of the electric motor;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the first predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status; and

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, repeating the preceding steps of this claim for a plurality of cycles which is less than or equal to a motor test cycle limit until the motor status is determined to be pass or fail or the test cycle limit is attained.

21. The method of claim 17 , wherein if the motor command is a negative torque command, establishing a motor status as a function of the resultant motor speed, further comprises:

determining whether the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a first predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus the first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status; and

determining whether the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status.

22. The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, determining a revised motor torque command by incrementing the motor torque command by a predetermined torque increment;

applying the revised motor torque command to the electric motor to produce a corresponding revised output torque from the electric motor;

determining a revised resultant motor speed of the electric motor;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a first predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is greater than or equal to the initial motor speed plus a first predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a fail status;

determining whether the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less a second predetermined limit value, wherein if the revised resultant motor speed is less than or equal to the initial motor speed less the second predetermined limit value, the motor status is set to a pass status; and

if the motor status is neither pass nor fail, repeating the preceding steps of this claim for a plurality of cycles which is less than or equal to a motor test cycle limit until the test status is determined to be pass or fail or the test cycle limit is attained.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the predetermined torque increment has a magnitude which is a function of an ambient temperature related to the vehicle powertrain system.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the predetermined torque increment has a magnitude which is a function of an ambient temperature related to the vehicle powertrain system.

Assignments (13)