Patent ID: 7281595

Claim:
A hybrid diesel-electric vehicle comprising: a power takeoff system; a thermal engine; a traction motor/generator; a clutch for selectively engaging and disengaging the traction motor/generator and the engine to one another; a transmission coupled to the power takeoff system and mechanically coupled to the traction motor/generator for the bidirectional transfer of torque, the transmission having a plurality of operational modes including a neutral state and a torque coupling state; a battery for supplying power to the traction motor/generator for operation as a motor and for receiving power from the traction motor/generator when operating as a generator; an inverter connected between the battery and the traction motor/generator for regulating power flow between the battery and the traction motor generator; a control system for selectively engaging and disengaging the clutch, for selecting an operational mode for the transmission, and for energizing the traction motor/generator from the battery responsive to requests for energization and operation of the power takeoff system; the control system including a body computer, a transmission controller, at least a first remote power module, a hybrid controller, a public datalink for communication between the body computer and the transmission controller, a first proprietary datalink for communication between the transmission controller and the hybrid controller and a second proprietary datalink for communication between said at least first remote power module and body computer, where the remote power module is connected to the power takeoff system to supply control signals thereto and to receive control and data inputs therefrom, the body computer and said at least first remote power module generate control signals for the power takeoff system and the body computer generates motive power requests for the power takeoff system and applies these to the public datalink from which they are read by the transmission controller and passed to the hybrid controller over the first proprietary datalink.