Paice has been at the forefront of the hybrid vehicle industry for nearly 20 years, developing technology capable of significantly improving driving performance, maximizing fuel efficiency, reducing harmful emissions and lowering costs. Its inventions have been recognized with 11 U.S. patents and numerous foreign patents relating to hybrid vehicle technology. Its first patent (U.S. Patent No. 5,343,970) was issued in 1994.

The ‘970 Patent

The ‘970 patent — ranked as the second most dominant hybrid vehicle patent in the world — is related to a hybrid electric vehicle that includes both an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. The invention describes a system that uses an electronic control system to receive control inputs and determine whether the internal combustion engine, the electric motor, or both should provide torque to the wheels. It also describes a system that includes a powerful electric motor that receives energy from a battery at high voltage and low current to dramatically increase the efficiency and performance of the system.

Additional Patents

The Paice team spent years working to improve on Dr. Severinsky’s original invention. As a result of that work, Paice has been awarded 10 additional U.S. patents since 2001. This family of patents builds on Dr. Severinsky’s original concepts and describe several key elements that have helped further improve performance and reduce costs in today’s hybrid vehicles.

Specifically, these patents describe:

• The use of a dual propulsion system (mechanical and electrical) that can power the vehicle and recharge the battery.

• The use of an electronic control system to arbitrate between various operating modes based on the vehicle’s instantaneous torque requirements as demanded by the driver for propelling the vehicle (also called “road load”).

• The state of charge of the battery and other operating parameters.
• Limiting the rate of change of torque output by the engine, and using a traction motor to supply any shortfall in torque. This, together with starting the engine at relatively high RPM, improves fuel economy and reduces emissions by allowing combustion to take place at the stoichiometric ratio.
• The use of a control system to track the road load over time, allowing the engine to operate in a manner that prevents unnecessary starting and stopping.
• The use of a turbocharger that is activated when the load exceeds the engine’s maximum torque output for an extended period, and the use of a two-speed transmission to broaden the vehicle’s load range.
• The use of a hybrid brake system to provide regenerative braking, and the use of a control system to provide linear brake feel under varying circumstances.

The inventions described in this family of patents combine road load concepts with a high voltage and relatively low current electrical system to enhance the overall performance and efficiency of the system.

The patented technology developed by Paice facilitated the development of more efficient and cost effective hybrid vehicles.