An Extended Approach for Validation and Optimization of Position Sensor Signal Processing in Electric Drive Trains

Due to the increasing electrification of automotive drive train systems, accurate position and speed sensors play an important role to achieve an optimum drive train performance and driving range. These sensor systems determine the rotor shaft position to deliver exact data for efficient drive train control. The system itself must be reliable, sufficiently accurate and cost efficient at the same time. In this way, the design process of the sensor system is influenced by a trade-off, which influences the system performance in view of different parameters, e.g., resolution and data processing accuracy. The focus of the present work is to introduce a method for benchmarking the performance of not only the rotor shaft position sensor, but the whole electric drive train sensor systems by use of a highly accurate reference system on a specifically developed test bench. To achieve a significant benchmark statement by determination of the rotor position angle error, the independent measuring systems, the automotive drive train system and the reference system are synchronized by the use of a common trigger/clock signal. The mentioned signal defines the time steps of the system under test rotor position angle capturing procedure and those of the reference system simultaneously. This enables a common time-base for two independent working measurement systems. This publication provides information about a concept for enhanced rotor position sensor evaluation that enables the merging of real-time data processing with test bench measurement. This procedure provides an important basis for the selection and optimization of position sensor systems for sophisticated electric powertrains.