Variable Displacement Engine Powertrain Fuel Economy Mode

• US 20080287253A1
• Filed: 05/18/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gibson, Alex O'Connor, Kolmanovsky, Ilya V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,785,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 477/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/206 related or induced by the engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/027 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/145 for controlling slip, e.g. approaching target slip value
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/143 using electric control means

Abstract

A vehicle drive system comprising of a variable displacement engine including a plurality of cylinders, where at least one of the plurality of cylinders selectively deactivates to decrease engine displacement; a torque converter operatively coupled to the variable displacement engine configured to operate with variable slip; a driver interface for receiving a preference setting from a driver; a control system for receiving the driver preference setting, and adjusting torque converter slip based on the driver preference setting.

Claims

1. A vehicle drive system, comprising:

a variable displacement engine including a plurality of cylinders, where at least one of

the plurality of cylinders selectively deactivates to decrease engine displacement;

a torque converter operatively coupled to the variable displacement engine configured to operate with variable slip;

a

a driver interface for receiving a preference setting from a driver;

a control system for receiving the driver preference setting, and adjusting torque converter slip based on the driver preference setting.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system further adjusts cylinder deactivation based on the driver preference setting.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the driver interface includes a first setting indicating increased fuel economy and a second setting indicating reduced noise and/or vibration.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the first setting and the second setting indicate a trade-off between fuel economy and noise and/or vibration.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one cylinder includes deactivatable cylinder valves.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the control system decreases slip operation and increases cylinder deactivation operation for increased fuel economy.

7. A method for controlling vehicle operation including receiving a driver preference from a driver by a driver interface, the interface reflecting a preference for fuel economy and noise/vibration;

and adjusting cylinder deactivation and torque converter slip based on the driver preference.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the driver interface includes a plurality of settings, and the settings indicate different fuel economy and noise/vibration trade-offs.

9. The method according to claim 8, where adjusting slip includes adjusting a torque converter lock-up clutch.

10. The method according to claim 9, where adjusting the torque converter lock-up clutch includes adjusting a torque converter locked and unlocked state.

12. The method according to claim 10, where adjusting the torque converter includes adjusting torque converter to lock and unlock at different operating conditions depending on said drive preference setting.

13. The method according to claim 10, where selectively activating/deactivating one or more cylinders includes adjusting a cylinder to be activated and deactivated at different operating conditions depending on said drive preference setting.

14. The method according to claim 10 further comprising coordinating torque converter lock-up and cylinder activation/deactivation.

15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the drive preference settings indicate a driver'"'"'s preference for a fuel economy versus NVH trade-off.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein the driver interface comprises a dial.

17. The method according to claim 10 wherein the driver interface comprises a touch

screen.

18. The method according to claim 10 wherein the driver interface comprises a voice

Recognition system.

11. A method for controlling vehicle operating parameters of a variable displacement engine having a torque converter and a driver interface, comprising:

sensing vehicle operating condition;

selectively activating/deactivating one or more cylinders based on the vehicle operating condition and based on a drive preference setting selected by a driver through the driver interface;

adjusting torque converter lock-up based on sensed vehicle operating conditions and based on said drive preference setting selected by said driver through the driver interface.