Integrated power train control system for a motor vehicle

• US 20060258505A1
• Filed: 04/18/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R.F. Societa Consortile Per Azioni
• Original Assignee: Cefla Societa' Cooperativa
• Inventors: Lupo, Savino Luigi, Morra, Gianluca, Perotto, Aldo, Einaudi, Gianpiero, Vafidis, Constantinos, Elia, Corrado, Pennese, Michele, Osella, Giancarlo
• Granted Patent: US 7,758,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/30 Control strategies involving selection of transmission gear ratio control of change speed gearings, together with other vehicle sub-units B60W10/10; HEV transmission gearing B60K6/36; gearings and control thereof F16H
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0275 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0283 Clutch input shaft speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1015 Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 : Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/26 : Wheel slip
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 : Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 : Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 : Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 : Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/188 : Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A powertrain control system is described for a motor vehicle provided with at least one engine and a gearbox of servo-assisted type, connectable to the drive shaft of the engine (ICE) via at least one servo-controlled clutch, to which are associated respective control modules arranged to perform an automatic control procedure for control of the traction as a function of signals or data indicative of commands imparted by a motor vehicle driver, and predetermined state parameters of the engine and the gearbox; the system including a module for management and supervision of the said control modules, arranged to manage the powertrain of the vehicle, and in particular to: determine in a predetermined manner, the power to be applied to the drive wheels of the vehicle as a function of signals or data indicative of commands imparted by the driver, of state parameters and of possible requirements from the control modules and/or supplementary on board vehicle traction/drive control systems; calculate, as a function of the determined value of the power to be applied to the drive wheels, of the state parameters and of the requirements of the control modules and the traction/drive control systems, the transmission ratio to use at the gearbox, the torque transmissible by the clutch of the gearbox and the torque required at the engine drive shaft for each operative condition of the gearbox and transmit to the control modules respective signals or data indicative of the torque to be delivered at the engine drive shaft, the torque transmissible by the clutch and the required transmission ratio.

Claims

1. A powertrain control system for a motor vehicle provided with

at least one engine with which are associated first control means operable to control it in such a way that the said engine delivers a variable drive torque;

and

a gearbox of servo-assisted type, connectable to a drive shaft of the engine via at least one servo-controlled clutch with which are associated second control means operable to control the said gearbox and the said clutch in such a way as to effect engagement and disengagement of selected transmission ratios;

the said first and second control means being arranged to perform an automatic traction control procedure as a function of signals or data indicative of commands imparted by a driver of the motor vehicle, and pre-established parameters of the state of the engine and of the gearbox;

the system including vehicle powertrain management processor means for management and supervision of the said first and second control means, arranged for;

determining, in a predetermined manner, the power to be applied to the drive wheels of the vehicle as a function of the said signals or data indicative of commands imparted by the driver, of the said state parameters and of possible requirements of the said first and second control means and/or of supplementary onboard traction/drive control systems of the vehicle;

calculating, as a function of the determined value of the power to be applied to the drive wheels, of the said state parameters and of the said requirements from the said first and second control means and/or from the said traction/drive control systems, the transmission ratio to be selected at the gearbox, the torque transmissible by the clutch of the gearbox and the torque required at the engine drive shaft for each operative condition of the gearbox and

transmitting respective signals or data indicative of the torque to be delivered at the engine drive shaft, the torque transmissible by the clutch and the transmission ratio required to the said first and second control means respectively.

2. A system according to claim 1, in which the said first control means comprise an engine control logic module and at least one module for actuation of the commands to the engine.

3. A system according to claim 1, in which the said second control means comprise a logic module for control of the gearbox and modules for operation of the clutch and selection of the transmission ratio.

4. A system according to claims 2 and 3, in which the said engine control logic module and gearbox control logic module are integrated into a single electronic control unit.

5. A system according to claim 2, including auxiliary torque delivery means coupled to the engine, and in that the said engine control logic module is arranged to distribute the request for delivery of torque respectively to a first command actuator module for a prime mover and to a second command actuator module for the auxiliary torque delivering means.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said prime mover comprises an internal combustion engine and said auxiliary torque delivering means comprise an electric machine.

7. A system according to claim 6, in which the said electric machine is interposed between the internal combustion engine and the gearbox and coupled to this latter by means of a second clutch.

8. A system according to claim 6, in which the said electric machine is coupled to the internal combustion engine by means of a transmission belt.

9. A system according to claim 6, in which the said electric machine is arranged to act on the wheels not driven by the thermal engine.

10. A system according to any of claims 7 to 9, wherein said electric machine is a reversible electric machine, adapted to operate as a generator and as an electric motor.

11. A system according to claim 1, in which the said supplementary traction/drive control systems of the vehicle mounted onboard include at least one system belonging to the set comprising:

ABS system;

ASR system;

ESP system;

VDC system.

12. A system according to claim 1, in which the said state parameters comprise at least one of the parameters belonging to the set comprising:

net torque delivered by the engine shaft;

angular velocity of the engine shaft, of the gearbox input shaft and/or of the gearbox output shaft;

transmission ratio engaged;

state of the clutch and net torque transmissible by the clutch;

achieved jerk;

longitudinal velocity and/or acceleration of the vehicle;

lateral acceleration of the vehicle;

inclination of the road;

battery state;

required electric power.

13. A system according to claim 1, in which the said supervision and management processor means are further connected to onboard systems provided for control and actuation of vehicle braking operations, and are arranged to:

determine, in a predetermined manner, the braking force as a function of signals or data indicative of the commands imparted by the driver, of the said state parameters and possible requirements of the said first and second control means and/or of the said onboard vehicle traction/drive control systems; and

transmit respective signals or data indicative of the determined braking force to the vehicle braking system.

14. A system according to claim 1, in which the said supervision and management processing means are further connected to onboard systems arranged to control and perform of steering operations and are arranged to:

determine, in a predetermined manner, the steering movements as a function of signals or data indicative of the commands imparted by the driver, the said state parameters, and possible requirements of the said first and second control means and/or of the said onboard vehicle traction/drive control systems; and

transmit respective signals or data indicative of the determined steering movements to the said vehicle steering system.

15. A system according to claim 12, including a plurality of interface modules operable to detect the said state parameters and connected to the input of the said supervision and management processor means.

16. A system according to claim 1, including memory and calculation means associated with the said supervision and management processor means, in which are stored data able to define the power to be applied to the drive wheels of the vehicle as a function of the magnitude of predetermined commands imparted by the driver, predetermined state parameters of the vehicle and possible requirements of the said first and second control means and/or of the supplementary onboard traction/drive control systems, whereby the supervision and management means are arranged to determine the power to be applied to the drive wheels on the basis of data stored in the said memory means.