Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to motors in vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for identifying a type of motor installed in a vehicle and a method thereof.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicles, such as electric or hybrid vehicles, comprise at least one motor for powering at least one of the wheels of the vehicle to propel the vehicle. This motor may be of several types and their variants. The variant of the motor installed in an individual vehicle is selected based on several parameters such as, but not limited to, rated power, torque, efficiency, power density, and so on. Considering that various variants of the motors are available for installation in the vehicle, it becomes essential to identify the type of motor compatible with the vehicle.
[0003] The motor may be installed in the vehicle in two different instances. Firstly, the motor may be installed in the vehicle during the assembly of the vehicle in a factory. Secondly, the motor may be installed in the vehicle at the time of servicing the vehicle by replacing the factory-installed motor. At the time of motor replacement in the vehicle, relying only on visual identification of the motor type may lead to identical-looking motor variants, but with different performance characteristics, being installed in the vehicle. This may lead to a perceptible change in the performance of the vehicle or other malfunctions of the vehicle causing customer dissatisfaction. The existing solutions for identifying the type of motor in the vehicle is not a robust method since it involves identifying motors in a factory setup through Radio Frequency Identification RFID, for example, and relying on visual inspection alone during replacement while servicing.
[0004] The methods implemented for identifying types of motors installed in the vehicle known in the state of the art are mostly manual and include visual inspection by an operator. Such methods are prone to human errors since they are dependent on the operator’s knowledge, skill, and attentiveness. In addition, the existing solutions for identifying types of motors are limited to only two variants of motors and do not include any identification methods for more than two motors. If more motor variants are added to a manufacturing program, the existing methods may not work. Similarly, relying only on motor part number recording based on an enterprise software, such as System, Application and Products (SAPTM), at a factory does not allow for the identification of the motor variant at any other location outside the factory, for example, while servicing of the vehicle.
[0005] Therefore, in view of the problems mentioned above, it is advantageous to provide a method for identifying a motor of a predefined type in a vehicle to overcome the limitations known in the method used in the state of the art and also to provide a system for achieving this method.
SUMMARY

[0006] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.
[0007] To overcome, or at least mitigate, one of the problems mentioned above in the state of the art, a motor identification system and a method for identifying a motor of a predefined type is needed. It is preferable to have a robust way of identifying the motor automatically when it is first integrated into a vehicle at a factory as well as when replacing it during servicing, to ensure that the designated motor is installed in the right vehicle.
[0008] In an aspect of the present invention, a method for identifying a motor of a predefined type, in a vehicle, is disclosed. The method includes receiving, by a controller, a voltage from the motor each time the controller is commanded for operation. The received voltage is based on a resistance value of a pre-installed resistor in the motor. The method includes verifying, by the controller, that the received voltage is within a predefined voltage range and outputting, by the controller, one of, a signal confirming that the motor is of the predefined type, when the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range, and a signal indicating that the motor is different from the predefined type, when the voltage is outside the predefined voltage range. The phrase “commanded for operation” may mean starting the vehicle. The term pre-installed may mean a resistor installed in the motor at the time of manufacturing the motor.
[0009] In another aspect of the present invention, a motor identification system for identifying a motor of a predefined type in a vehicle is disclosed. The motor identification system includes a controller with an electronic control unit circuit. The electronic control unit circuit includes a transient voltage suppression diode, a series diode, and a resistor divider network supplied with a bias voltage. The electronic control unit circuit is configured to be connected to the motor such that the resistor divider network electrically connects to a pre-installed resistor of the motor. The controller is configured for, verifying that a voltage received from the motor is within a predefined voltage range and outputting, one of, a signal confirming that the motor is of the predefined type, when the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range and a signal indicating that the motor is different from the predefined type, when the voltage is outside the predefined voltage range.
[00010] It may be noted that the act outputting a signal indicating that the motor is not of the predefined type may also be referred to as “flagging the error” or “raise an error flag” or “error is flagged” and all these terms mean the same.
[00011] To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00012] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
[00013] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a two-wheeled vehicle (vehicle), according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[00014] Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of a motor identification system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[00015] Figure 3 illustrates an electronic circuit of the motor identification system for identifying the motor of the predefined type in the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[00016] Figure 4 illustrates a functionality to determine a predetermined voltage range with a motor identification module of the motor identification system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[00017] Figure 5 illustrates a workflow of the system, in the vehicle, for identifying the motor of the predefined type, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[00018] Figure 6 illustrates a representative use case of the motor identification system of Figure 4 and Figure 5, implemented in the vehicle, for identifying a motor of a predefined type, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[00019] Figure 7 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method for identifying the motor of the predefined type in the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and
[00020] Figure 8 illustrates a flowchart depicting an exemplary method for identifying the motor of the predefined type in the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00021] Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[00022] For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will now be made to the various embodiments and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the present disclosure is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the present disclosure as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure relates.
[00023] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are explanatory of the present disclosure and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.
[00024] Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do not preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language including, but not limited to, “there needs to be one or more…” or “one or more elements is required.”
[00025] Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements of the present disclosure. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of explaining one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the proposed disclosure fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.
[00026] Use of the phrases and/or terms including, but not limited to, “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or other variants thereof do not necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or in the context of more than one embodiment, or in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.
[00027] Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should not necessarily be taken as limiting factors to the proposed disclosure.
[00028] The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components proceeded by “comprises... a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices or other sub-systems or other elements or other structures or other components or additional devices or additional sub-systems or additional elements or additional structures or additional components.
[00029] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[00030] For the sake of clarity, the first digit of a reference numeral of each component of the present disclosure is indicative of the Figure number, in which the corresponding component is shown. For example, reference numerals starting with digit “1” are shown at least in Figure 1. Similarly, reference numerals starting with digit “2” are shown at least in Figure 2.
[00031] Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a motor identification system comprising at least one controller with a motor identification module configured for identifying a motor in the vehicle. The components of the disclosed motor identification system are configured to minimize dependence on human intervention for a particular motor identification in a vehicle during the assembly of the motor in a factory and as well as at the time of the replacement of the motor during the servicing.
[00032] Figure 1 illustrates a side view of a two-wheeled vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The two-wheeled vehicle 100 may be an electric vehicle, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In the subsequent paragraphs, the two-wheeled vehicle 100 may be interchangeably referred to as the electric vehicle (EV) or a battery powered vehicle 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The two-wheeled vehicle 100 may include a motor identification system 104, a frame 106, a battery 108, a traction motor 110, a dashboard 116, a transmission system 118, a charging infrastructure 120, and an on-board charger 122.
[00033] The EV 100 may include, but not limited to, two-wheelers, such as scooters, mopeds, and motorbikes/motorcycles primarily working on the principle of driving the traction motor 110 using the power from the batteries provided within the EV 100. In the subsequent paragraphs, the traction motor 110 may be interchangeably referred as to a motor 110, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the EV 100 may have the at least one wheel 112, 114 which may be electrically powered to traverse the EV 100. The at least one wheel 112, 114 may include a front wheel 112 and a rear wheel 114. The term ‘wheel’ may be referred to any ground-engaging member which allows traversal of the EV 100 over a path. The types of EV 100 may include, but not limited to, Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Range Extended Electric Vehicle. However, for the sake of brevity and merely as an exemplary scenario, the subsequent paragraphs pertain to the different elements of a BEV.
[00034] In construction, the EV 100 typically comprises the battery 108 or a battery pack enclosed within a battery casing and includes a Battery Management System (BMS), the on-board charger 122, a Motor Controller Unit (MCU), the motor 110, and the electric transmission system 118. The primary function of the above-mentioned elements is detailed in the subsequent paragraphs: The battery 108 of the EV 100 (also known as Electric Vehicle Battery (EVB) or traction battery) may be re-chargeable in nature and may be the primary source of energy required for the operation of the EV 100, wherein the battery 108 may be typically charged using the electric current taken from the grid through the charging infrastructure 120. The battery 108 may be charged using Alternating Current (AC) or Direct Current (DC), wherein in case of AC input, the on-board charger 122 converts the AC signal to DC signal after which the DC signal may be transmitted to the battery 108 via the BMS. However, in case of DC charging, the on-board charger 122 may be bypassed, and the current may be transmitted directly to the battery 108 via the BMS.
[00035] The battery 108 may be made up of a plurality of cells which are grouped into a plurality of modules in a manner in which the temperature difference between the cells does not exceed 5 degrees Celsius. The terms “battery”, “cell”, and “battery cell” may be used interchangeably and may refer to any of a variety of different rechargeable cell compositions and configurations including, but not limited to, lithium-ion (e.g., lithium iron phosphate, lithium cobalt oxide, other lithium metal oxides, etc.), lithium-ion polymer, nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium, nickel hydrogen, nickel-zinc, silver zinc, or other battery type/configuration. The term “battery pack” as used herein may be referred to multiple individual batteries enclosed within a single structure or multi-piece structure. The individual batteries may be electrically interconnected to achieve a desired voltage and capacity for a desired application. The Battery Management System (BMS) may be an electronic system whose primary function is to ensure that the battery 108 may be operating safely and efficiently. The BMS continuously monitors different parameters of the battery such as temperature, voltage, current and so on, and communicates these parameters to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and the Motor Controller Unit (MCU) in the EV 100 using a plurality of protocols including and not limited to Controller Area Network (CAN) bus protocol which facilitates the communication between the ECU/MCU and other peripheral elements of the EV 100 without the requirement of a host computer.
[00036] The MCU primarily controls/regulates the operation of the motor 110 based on the signal transmitted from the battery 108 of the vehicle 100, wherein the primary functions of the MCU include starting of the motor 110, stopping the motor 110, controlling the speed of the motor 110, enabling the vehicle 100 to move in the reverse direction and protect the motor 110 from premature wear and tear. The primary function of the motor 110 is to convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, wherein the converted mechanical energy is subsequently transferred to the transmission system 118 of the EV 100 to facilitate movement of the EV 100. Additionally, the motor 110 also acts as a generator during regenerative braking (i.e., kinetic energy generated during vehicle braking/deceleration is converted into potential energy and stored in the battery 108 of the EV 100). The types of motors generally employed in EVs include, but are not limited to DC series motor, Brushless DC motor (also known as BLDC motors), Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM), Three Phase AC Induction Motors, and Switched Reluctance Motors (SRM).
[00037] The transmission system 118 of the EV 100 facilitates the transfer of the generated mechanical energy by the motor 110 to the wheels 112, 114 of the EV 100. Generally, the transmission systems 118 used in EVs include single speed transmission system and multi-speed (i.e., two-speed) transmission system, wherein the single speed transmission system comprises a single gear pair whereby the EV 100 is maintained at a constant speed. However, the multi-speed/two-speed transmission system comprises a compound planetary gear system with a double pinion planetary gear set and a single pinion planetary gear set thereby resulting in two different gear ratios which facilitate higher torque and vehicle speed.
[00038] In one embodiment, all data pertaining to the EV 100 and/or charging infrastructure 120 are collected and processed using a remote server (known as cloud), wherein the processed data is indicated to the rider/driver of the EV 100 through a display unit present in the dashboard 116 of the EV 100. In an embodiment, the display unit may be an interactive display unit. In another embodiment, the display unit may be a non-interactive display unit.
[00039] In addition to the hardware components/elements, the EV 100 may be supported with software modules comprising intelligent features including and not limited to navigation assistance, hill assistance, cloud connectivity, Over-The-Air (OTA) updates, adaptive display techniques and so on. The firmware of the EV 100 may also comprise Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML) driven modules which enable the prediction of a plurality of parameters such as and not limited to driver/rider behaviour, road condition, charging infrastructures 120/charging grids 120 in the vicinity and so on. The data pertaining to the intelligent features may be displayed through the display unit present in the dashboard 116 of the EV 100. In one embodiment, the display unit may contain a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen of a predefined dimension. In another embodiment, the display unit may contain a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) screen of a predefined dimension. The display unit may be a water-resistant display supporting one or more User-Interface (UI) designs. The EV 100 may support multiple frequency bands such as 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G, and so on. Additionally, the EV 100 may also be equipped with wireless infrastructure such as, and not limited to Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and so on to facilitate wireless communication with other EVs or the cloud. Further, the vehicle 100 may include a motor identification system 104 configured to identify the motor 110 in the vehicle 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the motor identification system 104 may be referred as a system 104, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the motor 110 may be referred as the motor, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Further, the constructional and operational details of the system 104 are explained in subsequent paragraphs in conjunction with Figures 2 to 5, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[00040] Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram depicting the system 104 for the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 illustrates an electronic circuit 300 of the system 104 for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type in the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 illustrates a functionality to determine a predetermined voltage range with a motor identification module 210 of the motor identification system 104, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 illustrates workflow 500 of the system 104, in the vehicle 100, for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[00041] Referring to Figure 2, the system 104 may be deployed in the vehicle 100 to identify the predefined type of the motor 110 installed/disposed in the vehicle 100. In an embodiment, the system 104 may be configured to identify whether the motor 110 installed in the vehicle 100 may be compatible or not with respect to the vehicle 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[00042] Referring to Figure 2, the system 104 may be configured to be connected to the motor 110 of the vehicle 100. The system 104 may include, but is not limited to, a controller 202 and an electronic control unit circuit 204.
[00043] In an embodiment, the electronic control unit circuit 204 may be connected with each of the motor 110 and the controller 202, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[00044] In an embodiment, the controller 202 may include, but is not limited to, memory unit(s) 206, module(s) 208, and a database 212.
[00045] The controller 202 may be configured to communicate via communication protocols including, but not limited to, a CAN protocol, Serial Communication Interface (SCI) protocol and so on. The sequence of programmed instructions and data associated therewith may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium such as the memory unit(s) 206 or a storage device which may be any suitable memory apparatus such as, but not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, disk drive, and the like. In one or more embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, non-transitory computer-readable storage media may be embodied with a sequence of programmed instructions for monitoring and controlling the operation of different components of the vehicle 100.
[00046] The controller 202 may include any computing system which includes, but is not limited to, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), an Application Processor (AP), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Visual Processing Unit (VPU), and/or an AI-dedicated processor such as a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). In an embodiment, the controller 202 may be a single processing unit or several units, all of which could include multiple computing units. The controller 202 may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions.
[00047] Among other capabilities, the controller 202 may be configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions and data stored in the memory 206. The instructions may be compiled from source code instructions provided in accordance with a programming language such as Java, C++, C#.net, or the like. The instructions may also comprise code and data objects provided in accordance with, for example, the Visual Basic™ language, LabVIEW, or another structured or object-oriented programming language. The one or a plurality of processors control the processing of the input data in accordance with a predefined operating rule or artificial intelligence (AI) model stored in the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory. The predefined operating rule or artificial intelligence model is provided through training or learning algorithms which include, but are not limited to, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning.
[00048] Furthermore, the modules 208, processes, systems, and devices may be implemented as a single processor or as a distributed processor. Also, the processes, the modules 208, and sub-modules described in the various figures of and for embodiments herein may be distributed across multiple computers or systems or may be co-located in a single processor or system. Further, the modules 208 may be instructions executed by the controller 202. The controller 202 may comprise a computer, a processor, such as the processor, a state machine, a logic array, or any other suitable devices capable of processing instructions.
[00049] In an embodiment, the controller 202 may be a general-purpose processor which executes instructions to cause the general-purpose processor to perform the required tasks/functions/processes discussed herein or, the controller 202 may be dedicated to performing the required functions. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the modules 208 may be machine-readable instructions (software) which, when executed by the processor/controller 202, perform any of the described functionalities. The database 322 serves, amongst other things, as a repository for storing data processed, received, and generated by the modules 208.
[00050] Exemplary structural embodiment alternatives suitable for implementing the modules 208, sections, systems, means, or processes described herein are provided below. In an implementation, the module(s) 208 may include a motor identification module 210.
[00051] In an embodiment, the motor identification module 210 may be connected to the electronic control unit circuit 204. Further, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to operate with the electronic control unit circuit 204 to identify the motor 110 of the predefined type in the vehicle 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[00052] Referring to Figure 4, in an embodiment, the electronic control unit circuit 204 may establish a connection between the controller 202 and the motor 110, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the controller 202 may be communicatively coupled with the electronic control unit circuit 204 and the motor 110 having a pre-installed resistor 302. In the illustrated embodiment, for clarity, the motor 110 and the electronic control unit circuit 204 may be separated by a vertical dotted line AA’. Further, components disposed at a left side of the vertical dotted lines form part of the controller 202, and components disposed at a right side of the vertical dotted line AA’ form part of the motor 110.
[00053] In an embodiment, the electronic control unit circuit 204 may include a transient voltage suppression diode 304, a series diode 306, a resistor divider network 308 supplied with a bias voltage 310, and a capacitor 312. The bias voltage 310 may be maintained differently to decrease the susceptibility of logic voltages to external surges and noises. The bias voltage 310 may be also sensed by a motor control unit 314 to account for power supply voltage variations in determining the variations in the voltage developed by the resistor divider network 308 and the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110.
[00054] The motor 110 may include the pre-installed resistor 302 that is unique for a particular variant of the motor 110. The transient voltage suppression diode 304 may be added at the interface with a motor connector. The diode 306 may be added in series to identification lines to protect a circuitry of the motor control unit 314 from external voltage surges.
[00055] Referring to Figure 4, in an embodiment, the electronic control unit circuit 204 may be electrically connected to the motor 110 such that the resistor divider network 308 may be electrically connected to the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110. This configuration changes the voltage at a junction of the resistors of the voltage divider 308.
[00056] In an embodiment, once the connection may be established, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to generate an output when the electronic control unit 204 may be connected to the motor 110. This configuration electrically connects the resistor divider network 308 to the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110 and thus, generates the voltage. Further, the controller 202 may be configured to receive the generated voltage. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 202 with the electronic control unit circuit 204, i.e., particularly, the motor modification module 210 may be configured to receive the voltage from the motor 110 whenever (each time) the controller 202 may be commanded/instructed for operation. Further, the received voltage may be based on a resistance value of the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110.
[00057] Further, the motor modification module 210 may be configured to verify that the voltage received from the motor 110 may be within a predefined voltage range. In an embodiment, the predefined voltage range may be the voltage range determined for various types of the motor (for example, the motor 110).
[00058] In an embodiment, the predefined voltage range for each motor 110 may be determined based on several factors. In one embodiment, the several factors may include a tolerance on a forward voltage of the series diode 306, a tolerance on resistor values in the resistor divider network 308 in the electronic control unit circuit 204 of the controller 202, a tolerance on resistor value of the resistor 302 pre-installed in the motor 110, temperature coefficients of resistance of each of the resistors in the voltage divider network 308 and the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110, and a temperature coefficient of the forward voltage of the series diode 306 and an expected range of operational voltages and tolerance on the bias voltage 310. The components of the circuit shown in Figure 3, may be assembled in such a manner, the electronic control unit circuit may not be impacted from the noise generated on the vehicle 100.
[00059] Further, in an embodiment, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to verify that the received voltage may be within the predefined voltage range by performing operations as mentioned in the subsequent paragraphs.
[00060] The motor identification module 210 may be configured to receive voltage from the motor 110 whenever (each time) the controller 202 may be commanded/instructed to operate. The motor identification module 210 may be configured to convert the received voltage into its digital equivalent by an Analog to Digital Converter within the controller 202. Further, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to compare the received voltage with the predefined voltage range determined for the motor 110 of the predefined type that may be an input to the controller 202 during installation of the motor 110 of the vehicle 100.
[00061] Further, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to provide output, i.e., a signal confirming that the motor 110 may be of the predefined type, when the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range.
[00062] Further, the module identification may be also configured to provide output, i.e., a signal indicating that the motor 110 may be different from the predefined type, when the voltage is outside the predefined voltage range.
[00063] In an embodiment, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to identify the predefined type of the motor 110 by performing operations as provided in subsequent paragraphs.
[00064] The motor identification module 210 may be configured to store the predefined voltage range and dead bands for the motor of the predefined type. Further, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to compare the predefined voltage range and the dead bands for the motor 110 with digital equivalent of the voltage received from the motor 100, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[00065] In an embodiment, the dead bands may be defined between adjacent ranges of voltages received through the electronic control unit circuit 204, for fault management in the system 104. The electronic control unit circuit 204 is configured to raise an error flag if the measured voltage falls in the dead bands. The details of defining the dead bands for fault management may be shown and explained, subsequently, with reference to Figures 4 and 5.
[00066] Referring to Figures 4 and 5, in an embodiment, a predefined dead band may be provided between any two consecutive predefined voltage ranges for voltages received from the electronic control unit circuit 204 by the system 104, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[00067] In one example, as the value of the pre-installed resistor 302 may be unique for each variant of the motor 110, the voltage at a pin of a motor control unit may also lie in a unique range for each motor variant. The pin of the motor control unit 314 may be configured for analog to digital (analog to digital converter) functionality 512. This ensures that the pin of the motor control unit 314 may read voltages in a range of 0 V to the bias voltage 310 (for example, 3V, or 3.3V), with a desired digital resolution, (configured as, for example, 8, 10, or 12 bits) 514. Once the voltage may be read, the voltage may be compared against a predetermined set of voltage ranges defined for each motor variant. Referring to Figure 4, and considering an example, for a given motor variant, the predefined voltage range may be set as 560 mv to 820 mv with the nominal value calculated as 690 mV. In case the voltage received and read by the controller 202 may be 561mv, then an error may be flagged as the received voltage lies outside the predefined voltage range and lies in the predefined dead band. As mentioned above, the dead bands may be defined between each predefined voltage range, where the electronic control unit circuit 204 may be configured to raise error flags if the measured voltage falls in the dead band. In one example, the dead band for the given motor variant may be defined as 560 mV to 540 mV at the lower end of the predefined voltage range and 820 mV to 840 mV for the upper end of the predefined voltage range.
[00068] Referring to Figure 5, the motor identification module 210 may be configured to identify the motor 110, when the vehicle 100 may be switched on through a key 502. The motor identification module 210 may be configured to initialize the peripherals of the vehicle 100 and motor configuration dependent subsystems 504, based on the voltage received and the motor identified.
[00069] The steps shown in Figure 5 may be explained with an example. In one example, when the vehicle 100 may be switched on through the key 502, the motor identification module 210 may be configured for identifying 520 the motor 110 of the predefined type, by verifying that the received voltage may be within the predefined voltage range 514. The steps for the identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type may be explained herein. The motor identification module 210 may be configured for receiving the voltage from the motor 110, whenever (each time) the controller 202 may be commanded/instructed for operation. The motor identification module 210 may be configured for converting the received voltage into its digital equivalent by the Analog to Digital Converter within the controller 202. The motor identification module 210 may be configured for comparing the digital value of the received voltage with the predefined voltage range determined for the motor 110 of the predefined type that is input to the controller 202 during installation of the motor on the vehicle 100. In one example, for replacing the motor, during the servicing of the vehicle, the stored code may be compared against the code of the motor 100, that is replaced, and thus, verifies and allows the replacement of motor 110 only in case of a match.
[00070] Figure 6 illustrates a representative use case 600 of the system 104 as described with reference to Figure 4 and 5, implemented in the vehicle 100, for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type, according to an embodiment of the present invention. As mentioned above, the motor 110 may be installed in the vehicle 100 in two instances. Firstly, the motor 110 may be installed in the vehicle 100 during assembling the vehicle 100. Secondly, the motor 110 may be installed in the vehicle 100 at the time of replacement of the motor 110 during the servicing of the vehicle 100. For example, during servicing of the vehicle 100, there may be a need for replacing the motor 110 due to a fault in the motor 110, where the motor 110 may be replaced by a technician at a service centre.
[00071] In an exemplary scenario, the vehicle 100 may be manufactured and assembled at the factory. The pre-installed resistor 302 may contain the voltage. Further, the voltage may be received at a specified pin of the controller 202 or any other microcontroller of the motor control unit 314. Further, the motor identification module 210 for that motor 110 may be stored in a memory of motor control unit 314 of the vehicle 100.
[00072] At the time of servicing of the vehicle 100, there may be a need for the replacement of the motor 110 in the vehicle 100. In such situation, there may be a possibility, that the technician may install a different variant of the motor 110, as compared to the motor 110 installed in the vehicle at the time of manufacturing of the vehicle 100. Further, the motor identification module 210 in the controller 202, may be configured to flag an error. The error may be flagged as the voltage received from the motor 110 through the electronic control unit circuit 204 may be different from the corresponding voltage for the original variant of the motor 110 installed on the vehicle 100.
[00073] For every variant of the motor 110, the value of resistance may be fixed and the pre-installed resistor 302 may be mounted on a PCB in the motor 110. The voltage from the pre-installed resistor 302 may be available, once the key 502 (as shown in Figure 5) may be switched to operate the vehicle 100. Once the key 305 may be turned on and the voltage may be available from battery 108, then the controller 202 may be configured to read voltage.
[00074] Figure 7 illustrates a flowchart depicting a method 700 for identifying the motor of the predefined type in the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The order in which the method steps are described below is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described steps can be combined in any appropriate order to execute the method, or an alternative method based on the principles of the invention disclosed herein. Additionally, individual steps may be deleted from the method, without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter disclosed herein.
[00075] The method 700 may be performed by the controller 202 as described with reference to Figure 2, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The method 700 includes steps for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type in the vehicle 100. The method 400 includes steps for identifying the motor 110 automatically when the motor may be firstly integrated into the vehicle 100 at a factory as well as when replaced during servicing, to ensure that the designated motor 110 may be installed in the vehicle 100. Each step is described in detail below.
[00076] At step 702, the method 700 includes receiving, by the controller 202, the voltage from the motor 110 each time the controller 202 may be commanded/instructed for the operation. The received voltage may be based on the resistance value of the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110. The controller 202 may be commanded for operation when the vehicle 100 may be switched-on for riding.
[00077] At step 704, the method 700 may include verifying, by the controller 202, that the received voltage may be within a predefined voltage range. The predefined voltage range may be a voltage range determined for various types of the motor that maybe installable in the vehicle 100. In an embodiment, the predefined voltage range for each motor may be determined based on, the tolerance on the forward voltage of the series diode 306, the tolerance on resistor values in the resistor divider network 308 in the electronic control unit circuit 204 of the controller 202, the tolerance on resistor value of the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110, the temperature coefficients of the resistance of each of the resistors in the voltage divider network and the pre-installed resistor 302 in the motor 110, and the temperature coefficient of the forward voltage of the series diode 306 and a tolerance on the bias voltage.
[00078] Further, in an embodiment, the method 700 may include converting, by the motor identification module 210, the received voltage into its digital equivalent by the Analog to Digital Converter within the controller 202. Further, the method 700 may include comparing, by the motor identification module 210, the received voltage with the predefined voltage range determined for the motor 110 of the predefined type that is the input to the controller 202 during installation of the motor 110 on the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the method 700 may include verifying that the received voltage may be within the predefined voltage range based on the comparison.
[00079] At step 706, the method 700 may include outputting, by the controller, one of, the signal confirming that the motor 110 may be of the predefined type, when the received voltage may be within the predefined voltage range and the signal indicating that the motor 110 may be different from the predefined type, when the voltage may be outside the predefined voltage range.
[00080] Figure 8 illustrates a flowchart depicting an exemplary method 800 for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type in the vehicle 100, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The steps of method 800 are executed by the motor identification module 210, that is embedded in the controller 202 in the vehicle 100. The order in which the method steps are described below is not intended to be construed as a limitation, and any number of the described method steps can be combined in any appropriate order to execute the method or an alternative method. Additionally, individual steps may be deleted from the method, without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject matter disclosed herein.
[00081] The method 800 may be performed by at least the motor identification module 210 in the controller 202 as described with reference to Figure 3 and Figure 5, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The method 800 includes steps for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type in the vehicle 100. In one example, the motor identification module 210 may be embedded in the controller 202 that may be configured to execute the steps for identifying the motor 110 of the predefined type in the vehicle 100. Each step may be described in detail below.
[00082] At step 802, the method 800 includes reading the voltage received at a motor pin in Analog to Digital Converter channel. At this step, the controller 202 may be configured to read the appropriate voltage level from a designated motor identification pin that may be a part of the printed circuit board (PCB) of the motor 110. The method 800 includes identifying the designated motor 110 through a unique resistor that corresponds to a unique voltage range.
[00083] At step 804, the method 800 includes detecting the voltage range. Based on the predefined voltage range and the vehicle 100, the motor identification module 210 loads corresponding motor parameters into the motor controller electronic control unit circuit 204. The voltage read and received may be translated to the voltage level and then converted to an appropriate motor code. The motor code is then stored in the vehicle's electronic control unit circuit 204 once at the time of assembly of the vehicle 100 in the factory.
[00084] Several variants of the motor 110 may be installed in the vehicle 100. In one example, the electrical characteristics of the various types of motor 110 installed in the vehicle 100 may be the same, however, a type of rotor encoder or a type of temperature sensor installed in the motor 110 may be different and hence the motor variant may be different. In another example, the motor 110 installed in the vehicles may be from different manufacturers and hence the parameters of the motor 110 may vary and hence the motor variant may be different.
[00085] The vehicle 100 is subject to change to meet the requirements of cost, efficiency, and many other such factors. As a result, the use of motor variants across each vehicle 100 may be different. It is to be noted that the type of motor 110 installed in the vehicle 100 may vary to meet certain requirements such as supply chain management, inventory, and cost, for example, subject to substantially uniform performance between vehicles.
[00086] At step 806, the method 800 includes verifying that the voltage read and received (at step 804) lies in the predefined voltage range. Based on the output of the step 806, the motor identification module 210 either executes the step 808 for detecting the motor variant or executes the step of flagging the error 810.
[00087] The method 700 and the system 104 as disclosed herein are oriented towards minimising or eliminating reliance on an inspector’s skill. The components of the system 104 are selected such that, the system 104 is configured to automatically identify the motor 110 when the motor is installed in the vehicle 100. The method 700 and the motor identification system 104 as disclosed are an intelligent and automated system configured to identify the motor 110 as soon as it is connected to the vehicle 100 and the power to the controller 202 is turned on.
[00088] It will be appreciated that the modules, processes, systems, and devices described above can be implemented in hardware, hardware programmed by software, software instruction stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium or a combination of the above. Embodiments of the methods, processes, modules, devices, and systems (or their sub-components or modules), may be implemented on a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a programmed microprocessor or microcontroller and peripheral integrated circuit element, an ASIC or other integrated circuit, a digital signal processor, a hardwired electronic or logic circuit such as a discrete element circuit, a programmed logic circuit such as a programmable logic device (PLD), programmable logic array (PLA), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable array logic (PAL) device, or the like. In general, any process capable of implementing the functions or steps described herein can be used to implement embodiments of the methods, systems, or computer program products (software program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium).
[00089] Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosed methods, processes, modules, devices, systems, and computer program products may be readily implemented, fully or partially, in software using, for example, object or object-oriented software development environments that provide portable source code that can be used on a variety of computer platforms. Alternatively, embodiments of the disclosed methods, processes, modules, devices, systems, and computer program products can be implemented partially or fully in hardware using, for example, standard logic circuits or a very-large-scale integration (VLSI) design. Other hardware or software can be used to implement embodiments depending on the speed and/or efficiency requirements of the systems, the particular function, and/or particular software or hardware system, microprocessor, or microcomputer being utilized.
[00090] In this application, unless specifically stated otherwise, the use of the singular includes the plural and the use of “or” means “and/or.” Furthermore, use of the terms “including” or “having” is not limiting. Any range described herein will be understood to include the endpoints and all values between the endpoints. Features of the disclosed embodiments may be combined, rearranged, omitted, etc., within the scope of the invention to produce additional embodiments. Furthermore, certain features may sometimes be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.
[00091] List of reference numerals:
Components Reference Numerals
Charging Infrastructure 120
Dashboard 116
On-board charger 122
At least one wheel 112, 114
Battery 108
Frame 106
Motor 110
Transmission System 118
System 104
Controller 202
Memory 206
Motor Identification Module 210
Database 212
Electronic Control Unit Circuit 204
Pre-installed register 302
Transient voltage suppression diode 304
Series Diode 306
Resistor divider network 308
Bais Voltage 310
Capacitor 312
Motor control unit 314
Electronic circuit 300
Key 502
Initializing peripherals and motor configuration dependent subsystems
504 , Claims:1. A method (700) for identifying a motor (110) of a predefined type in a vehicle (100), the method (700) comprising:
receiving (702), by a controller (202), a voltage from the motor (110) each time the controller (202) is commanded for operation, wherein the received voltage is based on a resistance value of a pre-installed resistor (302) in the motor (110);
verifying (704), by the controller (202), that the received voltage is within a predefined voltage range; and
outputting (706), by the controller (202), one of,
a signal confirming that the motor (110) is of the predefined type, when the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range, and
a signal indicating that the motor (110) is different from the predefined type, when the voltage is outside the predefined voltage range.

2. The method (700) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the predefined voltage range is the voltage range determined for various types of the motor (110), and the predefined voltage range is determined based on at least one of,
a tolerance on a forward voltage of a series diode (306)
a tolerance on resistor values in a resistor divider network (308) in an electronic control unit circuit (204) of the controller (202),
a tolerance on resistor value of the pre-installed resistor (302) in the motor (110),
temperature coefficients of resistance of the resistors in the voltage divider network and the pre-installed resistor (302) in the motor (110), and
a temperature coefficient of the forward voltage of the series diode (302)

3. The method (700) as claimed in Claim 1, wherein verifying that the received voltage is within the predefined voltage comprising:
receiving , by a motor identification module (210) of the controller (202), the voltage from the motor (110) each time the controller (202) is commanded for operation,
converting, by the motor identification module (210) the received voltage into its digital equivalent by an Analog to Digital Converter within the controller (202),
comparing, by a motor identification module (210), the received voltage with the predefined voltage range determined for the motor (110) of the predefined type that is input to the controller (202) during installation of the motor (110) on the vehicle; and
verifying that the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range based on the comparison.

4. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a predefined dead band is provided, between any two consecutive predefined voltage ranges for voltages received from the motor (110).

5. A motor identification system (104) for identifying a motor (110) of a predefined type in a vehicle (100), the system (104) comprising:
a controller (202) with an electronic control unit circuit (204), the circuit (204) comprising:
a transient voltage suppression diode (304), a series diode (306) and a resistor divider network (308) supplied with a bias voltage (310), wherein the electronic control unit circuit (204) is configured to be connected to the motor (110) such that the resistor divider network (308) electrically connects to a pre-installed resistor (302) of the motor (110),
wherein the controller (202) is configured for,
verifying that a voltage received from the motor (110) is within a predefined voltage range; and
outputting, one of,
a signal confirming that the motor (110) is of the predefined type, when the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range and
a signal indicating that the motor (110) is different from the predefined type, when the voltage is outside the predefined voltage range.

6. The motor identification system (104) as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the controller (202) with the electronic control unit circuit (204) is configured for receiving the voltage from the motor (110) each time the controller (202) is commanded for operation, wherein the received voltage is based on a resistance value of the pre-installed resistor (302) in the motor (110).

7. The motor identification system (104) as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the predefined voltage range is the voltage range determined for various types of the motor (110), and the predefined voltage range is determined based on,
a tolerance on a forward voltage of the series diode (306)
a tolerance on resistor values in the resistor divider network (308) in the electronic control unit circuit (204) of the controller (202),
a tolerance on a resistor value of the pre-installed resistor (302) in the motor (110),
temperature coefficients of resistance of the resistors in the voltage divider network (308) and the pre-installed resistor (302) in the motor (110), and
a temperature coefficient of the forward voltage of the series diode (306).

8. The motor identification system (104) as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the controller (202) is configured for verifying that the received voltage is within the predefined voltage range, by a motor identification module (210) of the controller (202), wherein the motor identification module (210) is configured for executing the steps of:
receiving the voltage from the motor (110) each time the controller (202) is commanded for operation,
converting the received voltage into its digital equivalent by an Analog to Digital Converter within the controller (202), and
comparing the received voltage with the predefined voltage range determined for the motor (110) of the predefined type that is input to the controller (202) during installation of the motor (110) on the vehicle.

9. The motor identification system (104) as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the motor identification module (325) is configured for identifying the predefined type of motor (110) by,
storing the predefined voltage range and dead bands for the motor (100) of the predefined type,
for comparing with digital equivalent of the voltage received from the motor (110).

10. The motor identification system (104) as claimed in Claim 5, wherein a predefined dead band is provided, between any two consecutive predefined voltage ranges for voltages received from the electronic control unit circuit (204) by the motor identification system (104)