System and method for propulsion system control

• US 10,017,170 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert L
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US15/398,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20180186359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/465 Slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/44 by parameter estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/104 by indirect measurement of vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0037 Mathematical models of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0041 of the drive line
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 : Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 : Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 : Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/82 : Four wheel drive systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a vehicle that includes a first propulsion system with a first torque generator and coupled to a first drive member, a second propulsion system with a second torque generator and coupled to a second drive member. The method includes measuring a speed of the first drive member, estimating a speed of the first drive member using a model of the first propulsion system that includes a modeled first rotational inertia and a modeled first translational inertia that are rigidly connected to each other and a model of a first coupling between the modeled first propulsion system and a model of the second propulsion system, and comparing the measured speed of the first drive member to the estimated speed of the first drive member.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a first propulsion system that includes a first torque generator, a first transmission in communication with the first torque generator, and a first drive member in communication with the first transmission;

a second propulsion system that includes a second torque generator, a second transmission in communication with the second torque generator, and a second drive member in communication with the second transmission;

a first speed sensor that measures a speed of the first drive member; and

a controller programmed to;

estimate a speed of the first drive member using at least one linear equation that models the first propulsion system with coefficients corresponding to a first rotational inertia and a first translational inertia and a first coupling between the first propulsion system and the second propulsion system;

compare the estimated speed of the first drive member to the measured speed of the first drive member;

determining an estimated speed error signal based upon the comparison; and

control the torque generated by the first propulsion system based upon the estimated speed error signal.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first translational inertia comprises a translational inertia of a portion of a mass of the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the portion of the mass of the vehicle comprises one half of the mass of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the model of the first coupling comprises a model of a slip coupling between the modeled first propulsion system and the modeled second propulsion system.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first torque generator comprises a first electric motor and wherein the controller controls the first propulsion system by controlling a torque of the first electric motor.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first torque generator comprises a first brake and wherein the controller controls the first propulsion system by controlling the first brake.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein controlling the first propulsion system dampens oscillations within the first propulsion system.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the model of the second propulsion system includes a modeled second rotational inertia and a modeled second translational inertia that are rigidly connected to each other.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to estimate a speed of the second drive member based upon the model of the second propulsion system that includes a modeled second rotational inertia and a modeled second translational inertia.

10. A method for controlling a vehicle that includes a first propulsion system with a first torque generator and coupled to a first drive member, a second propulsion system with a second torque generator and coupled to a second drive member, the method comprising:

measuring a speed of the first drive member;

estimating a speed of the first drive member using at least one linear equation that models the first propulsion system with coefficients corresponding to a first rotational inertia and a first translational inertia and a first coupling between the first propulsion system and the second propulsion system;

comparing the measured speed of the first drive member to the estimated speed of the first drive member;

determining an estimated speed error signal based upon the comparison; and

controlling the torque generated by the first propulsion system based upon the estimated speed error signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first translational inertia comprises a translational inertia of a portion of a mass of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the portion of the mass of the vehicle comprises one half of the mass of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the model of the first coupling comprises a model of a slip coupling between the modeled first propulsion system and the modeled second propulsion system.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first torque generator comprises a first electric motor and wherein controlling the first propulsion system comprises controlling a torque of the first electric motor.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first torque generator comprises a first brake and wherein controlling the first propulsion system comprises controlling the first brake.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the first propulsion system dampens oscillations within the first propulsion system.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the model of the second propulsion system includes a modeled second rotational inertia and a modeled second translational inertia that are rigidly connected to each other.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

measuring a speed of the second drive member;

estimating a speed of the second drive member using at least one linear equation that models the second propulsion system with coefficients corresponding to a second rotational inertia and a second translational inertia and the first coupling between the first propulsion system and the second propulsion system; and

comparing the measured speed of the second drive member to the estimated speed of the second drive member;

determining a second estimated speed error signal based upon the comparison; and

controlling the torque generated by the second propulsion system based upon the second estimated speed error signal.