CONTROL ARCHITECTURE FOR OPTIMIZATION AND CONTROL OF A HYBRID POWERTRAIN SYSTEM

• US 20080120000A1
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Heap, Anthony H., Cawthorne, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,691,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• 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 10/101 Infinitely variable gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/115 with planetary gears
• 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 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1022 Input torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0866 Power split variators with distributing differentials, with the output of the CVT connected or connectable to the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/102 the input or output shaft of the transmission is connected or connectable to two or more differentials
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/104 Power split variators with one end of the CVT connected or connectable to two or more differentials
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/106 : with switching means to provide two variator modes or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

There is provided a control system for a powertrain system including an electro-mechanical transmission that is selectively operative in a plurality of fixed gear modes and continuously variable modes. The control system is adapted to execute the following steps in the sequence set forth as follows. A preferred operating range state is selected. A shift and an engine start/stop operation are selectively executed to achieve the preferred operating range state. A commanded input torque from the internal combustion engine is determined. Commanded output torques of the first and second electrical machines are determined.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a powertrain comprising an internal combustion engine and first and second electrical machines and an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative in one of a plurality of operating range states to transmit torque therebetween, the method comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:

first, selecting a preferred operating range state;

then,

selectively executing a transmission gear shift and an engine start/stop operation to achieve the preferred operating range state;

then,

determining an input torque from the internal combustion engine and an actual operating range state; and

, then,

determining commanded motor torques for the first and second electrical machines.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the operating range state comprises operating the transmission in one of two continuously variable modes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the operating range state further comprises operating the transmission in one of four fixed gear modes.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selectively operating the transmission in one of two continuously variable modes and four fixed gear modes comprises selectively actuating a plurality of torque-transfer clutches.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating range state further comprises one of the internal combustion engine on and off during operation of the powertrain in each of the two continuously variable modes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the internal combustion engine being off comprises rotation of a crankshaft of the engine being substantially stopped.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred operating range state is selected based upon an output of the transmission and an operator torque request.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein selectively executing a shift and an engine start/stop operation to achieve the preferred operating range state comprises actuating selected ones of the torque-transfer clutches and deactivating selected ones of the torque-transfer clutches based upon the preferred operating range state and a desired input speed from the engine.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a targeted input speed based upon the desired operating range state and the desired input speed from the engine.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the input torque from the internal combustion engine is determined based upon a transmission output speed, a transmission input speed, an operator torque request, and a current operating range state of the transmission.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling the input torque from the internal combustion engine comprises controlling operation of the engine to a preferred load operating point to achieve the input torque.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the commanded output torques of the first and second electrical machines are determined based upon a transmission input speed and a targeted input speed, an input torque, an operator torque request, a current operating range state, and torque transmitted by the selectively actuated torque-transfer clutches.

13. A method for controlling torque output from a powertrain comprising an internal combustion engine and first and second electrical machines and an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative to transmit torque therebetween and selectively operative in one of a plurality of operating range states, the method comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:

first, selecting a preferred operating range state;

then,

determining an actual operating range state;

then,

determining an actual input torque from the internal combustion engine and estimating torque transmitted by selectively actuated clutches; and

, then,

determining motor torque commands for the first and second electrical machines.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the determined motor torque command for one of the first and second electrical machines comprises an electrical regenerative torque command.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the determined motor torque command for one of the first and second electrical machines comprises a motive torque command.

16. Article of manufacture, comprising a storage medium having a computer program encoded therein for effecting a method to control a powertrain system comprising an internal combustion engine and first and second electrical machines and an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative to transmit torque therebetween and selectively operative in one of a plurality of operating range states, the program comprising the following steps in the sequence set forth:

code to first select a preferred operating range state;

then,

code to selectively execute a shift and an engine start/stop operation to achieve the preferred operating range state;

then,

code to determine an input torque from the internal combustion engine and an actual operating range state; and

then,

code to determine commanded motor torques for the first and second electrical machines.

17. Control system for a hybrid powertrain, comprising:

a distributed control module architecture comprising a plurality of signally connected control modules operatively connected to an internal combustion engine and an electro-mechanical transmission and each of first and second electrical machines the powertrain selectively operative in one of a plurality of operating range states;

the control system adapted to execute a plurality of algorithms contained therein to effect the following steps in the sequence set forth, the algorithms comprising;

first, code to select a preferred operating range state;

then,

code to selectively execute a transmission gear shift and an engine start/stop operation to achieve the preferred operating range state;

then,

code to determine an input torque from the internal combustion engine and an actual operating range state; and

then,

code to determine commanded motor torques for the first and second electrical machines.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein the code to select the preferred operating range state comprises code to select one of two continuously variable modes and four fixed gear modes.

19. The control system of claim 18, wherein the preferred operating range state further comprises one of the internal combustion engine on and off during operation of the powertrain in each of the two continuously variable modes.

20. The control system of claim 17, wherein the code to determine the actual operating range state comprises code to determine which of the torque-transfer clutches are currently actuated.

21. The control system of claim 20, wherein the code to determine the commanded motor torques of the first and second electrical machines is based upon a transmission input speed and a targeted input speed, an input torque, an operator torque request, the actual operating range state of the transmission, and, torque transmitted by the selectively actuated torque-transfer clutches.