Patent ID: 7634338

Claim:
A method for regulating a vehicle drive mechanism and controlling a steering behavior of the vehicle, the drive mechanism including a combustion engine (Vm) driving a first pair of wheels of the vehicle and at least one electric motor (Em) driving a second pair of wheels of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: receiving driver input control measuring values (w_ 1 -w_ 3 ) representing a driver control input; determining at least one value for a desired drive torque (M) corresponding to the driver input control measuring values (w_ 1 -w_ 3 ); receiving at least one of drive measuring values (h 1 -h 3 ) representing outputs of the at least one electric motor (Em) and of the combustion engine (Vm); and determining a first distribution degree (V_h) as a function of drive measuring values (h 1 -h 3 ) wherein the first distribution degree (V_h) is a ratio of the torque of at least one electric motor (M_Em) to the desired drive torque (M); determining at least one of steering measuring values (f 1 -f 3 ) representing a steering behavior of the vehicle; and determining a second distribution degree (V_f) from steering measuring values (f 1 -f 3 ) wherein the second distribution degree (V_f) is a driving mechanism function relating vehicle steering behavior to the distribution of driving torque to the vehicle wheels; determining a distribution degree (V) of torque to the wheels of the vehicle according to a combination of the first and the second distribution degrees (V_h and V_f) wherein the first distribution degree determines a distribution of torque to the wheels from the at least one electric motor (Em) and the combustion engine (Vm) according to adjustment limits of the at least one electric motor (Em) and the combustion engine (Vm) so that, the sum of the torques (M_Em and M_Vm) for the at least one electric motor (Em) and the combustion engine (Vm) corresponds to the desired drive torque (M) and so that the sum of the torques (M_Em and M_Vm) are within the adjustment limits of the at least one electric motor (Em) and the combustion engine (Vm); and the torque to the vehicle wheels is distributed according to the second distribution degree (V_f) to provide a desired steering behavior of the vehicle.