METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PRIORITIZE TRANSMISSION OUTPUT TORQUE AND INPUT ACCELERATION FOR A HYBRID POWERTRAIN SYSTEM

• US 20090118915A1
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG), Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: BMW AG (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG), Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG), GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust), Chrysler LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Heap, Anthony H., Sah, Jy-Jen F., Kaminsky, Lawrence A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,093 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/51
• 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: 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 10/105 of electric type
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/106 with switching means to provide two variator modes or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0422 by an electric machine, e.g. by accelerating or braking the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2306/48 Synchronising of new gear
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0403 Synchronisation before shifting
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/502 for smoothing gear shifts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A powertrain includes an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member. A method for controlling the powertrain includes operating the transmission in an operating range state wherein input speed can operate independent of output speed and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through the transmission. The method further includes monitoring commands affecting a requested output torque, monitoring a calculated output torque, and prioritizing between an input acceleration of the transmission and an output torque of the transmission based upon whether operating the transmission in the operating range state is in transient operation or stable operation.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member, the method comprising:

operating said transmission in an operating range state wherein input speed can operate independent of output speed and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through said transmission;

monitoring commands affecting a requested output torque;

monitoring a calculated output torque; and

prioritizing between an input acceleration of said transmission and an output torque of said transmission based upon whether said operating said transmission in said operating range state is in transient operation or stable operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing between said input acceleration of said transmission and said output torque of said transmission comprises:

when said operating range state includes transient operation, prioritizing said input acceleration over said output torque based upon said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and a zero torque.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein prioritizing said input acceleration of said transmission over said output torque of said transmission comprises:

determining a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and said zero torque;

determining a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said range of output torques; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises:

determining an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said input acceleration profile.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein prioritizing said input acceleration of said transmission over said output torque of said transmission comprises:

determining a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and said zero torque and including calibratable reserves at either end of said range;

determining a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said range of output torques; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises:

determining an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said input acceleration profile.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing between said input acceleration of said transmission and said output torque of said transmission comprises:

when said operating range state includes stable operation, prioritizing said output torque of said transmission over said input acceleration of said transmission based upon said requested output torque and said calculated output torque.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein prioritizing said output torque of said transmission over said input acceleration of said transmission comprises:

determining a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque and said calculated output torque;

determining a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said range of output torques; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises:

determining an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said input acceleration profile.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein prioritizing said output torque of said transmission over said input acceleration of said transmission comprises:

determining a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque and said calculated output torque and including calibratable reserves at either end of said range;

determining a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said range of output torques; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein controlling said powertrain based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises:

determining an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration; and

controlling said powertrain based upon said input acceleration profile.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a range of output torques includes scaling said calibratable reserves based upon an accelerator pedal position.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a range of output torques includes scaling said calculated output torque based upon an accelerator pedal position.

14. Method for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member, the method comprising:

operating said transmission in an operating range state wherein input speed can operate independent of output speed and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through said transmission;

monitoring commands affecting a requested output torque;

monitoring a calculated output torque;

when said operating range state includes transient operation, prioritizing an input acceleration of said transmission over an output torque of said transmission based upon said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and a zero torque; and

when said operating range state includes stable operation, prioritizing said output torque of said transmission over said input acceleration of said transmission based upon said requested output torque and said calculated output torque.

15. Apparatus for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member, the apparatus comprising:

said transmission including a gear configuration operating in an operating range state wherein input speed can operate independent of output speed and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through said transmission; and

a shift execution module, including programming to monitor commands affecting a requested output torque, monitor a calculated output torque,

when said operating range state includes transient operation, prioritize an input acceleration of said transmission over an output torque of said transmission based upon said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and a zero torque, and

when said operating range state includes stable operation, prioritize said output torque of said transmission over said input acceleration of said transmission based upon said requested output torque and said calculated output torque.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said programming to prioritize said input acceleration of said transmission over said output torque of said transmission comprises programming to

determine a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and said zero torque,

determine a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said range of output torques spanning said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and zero torque, and

control said powertrain through said operating range state including transitory operation based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said programming to control said powertrain through said operating range state including transient operation based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises programming to

determine an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration, and

control said powertrain based upon said input acceleration profile.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said programming to prioritize said output torque of said transmission over said input acceleration of said transmission comprises programming to

determine a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque and said calculated output torque,

determine a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said range of output torques spanning said requested output torque and said calculated output torque, and

control said powertrain through said operating range state including stable operation based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said programming to control said powertrain through said operating range state including stable operation based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises programming to

determine an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration, and

control said powertrain based upon said input acceleration profile.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said programming to determine a range of output torques spanning said requested output torque and said calculated output torque includes modulating said calculated output torque based upon an accelerator pedal position.