METHOD FOR DEVELOPING A TRIP COST STRUCTURE TO UNDERSTAND INPUT SPEED TRIP FOR A HYBRID POWERTRAIN SYSTEM

• US 20090118951A1
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• 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), GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company), Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG), Chrysler LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Mcconnell, Jason J., Heap, Anthony H., Kim, Kee Yong
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/56
• 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 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2054 by controlling transmissions or clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 10/115 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/082 Speed change rate
• 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 30/188 : Controlling power parameters of the driveline, e.g. determining the required power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 : Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• 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 2200/201 : with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2041 : with four engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• 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 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A powertrain system includes an engine mechanically coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative in one of a plurality of transmission operating range states and one of a plurality of engine states. A method for controlling the powertrain system includes determining a current transmission operating range state and engine state, determining at least one potential transmission operating range state and engine state, determining preferability factors associated with the current and potential transmission operating range state and the engine state wherein the preferability factors associated with potential transmission operating range states include transmission input speed trip preferability factors, preferentially weighting the preferability factors for the current transmission operating range state and engine state, and selectively commanding changing the present transmission operating range state and engine state based upon the preferability factors.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a powertrain system including an engine mechanically coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative in one of a plurality of transmission operating range states and one of a plurality of engine states, comprising:

determining a current transmission operating range state and engine state;

determining at least one potential transmission operating range state and engine state;

determining preferability factors associated with the current transmission operating range state and engine state, and potential transmission operating range states and engine states, wherein said preferability factors associated with potential transmission operating range states include transmission input speed trip preferability factors;

preferentially weighting the preferability factors for the current transmission operating range state and engine state; and

selectively commanding changing the current transmission operating range state and engine state based upon said preferability factors.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining input speed trip preferability factors comprises:

providing a first plurality of numerical values representing trip costing factors for at least two potential changes in transmission operating range state;

providing a plurality of difference values between different transmission input speeds associated with different potential transmission operating states for a point in time; and

combining each of said difference values with a trip costing factor for a potential change in transmission operating range state.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said difference values are the difference between monitored current transmission input speed values and desired transmission input speed values of non-current transmission operating range states.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said trip costing factor is determined using a multiplication operation involving a trip direction weighting constant.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein combining each of said difference values with a trip costing factor comprises a multiplication operation.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said preferability factors associated with potential transmission operating range states and potential engine states include new desired preferability factors.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein selectively commanding changing the current transmission operating range state and engine state occurs as the result of selection of a numerical value present in said new desired preferability factors selected from the group consisting of:

the lowest numerical value present in said new desired preferability factors and the highest numerical value present in said new desired preferability factors.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising periodically repeating the method of claim 1 to provide successive iterations.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein determining preferability factors associated with the current transmission operating range state and engine state utilizes new desired preferability factors from a previous iteration.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein one of the preferability factors present in the new desired preferability factors is used in providing information to a shift execution module.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said shift execution module provides numerical values for the current transmission operating range state and engine state in successive iterations.

12. A method according to claim 8 wherein said preferability factors associated with potential transmission operating range states and engine states include new desired preferability factors.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein said preferability factors are arranged in an array.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein said preferability factors are selected from a matrix.

15. A method according to claim 4 wherein the operating range states include a plurality of fixed gear operations and a plurality of continuously variable modes and wherein suggested input speeds for modes of said transmission are provided at regular intervals by a microprocessor, based on data gathered from at least one on-board vehicle sensor, as a basis for generating said difference values.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein said suggested input speeds for modes of said transmission are filtered to reduce noise, to provide an accurate representation of a suggested input speed at desired range transitions.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein preferentially weighting the preferability factors for the current transmission operating range state and engine state effectively precludes non-allowable transmission operating range states from being selected.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein determining preferability factors includes combining preferability factors associated with said current transmission operating range state and engine state, and preferability factors associated with the desired transmission operating range state of and engine state.

19. Method for determining a new desired operating range state and engine state for an electro-mechanical transmission comprising:

providing a first plurality of numerical values representing preferability factors for at least two potential transmission operating range states and engine states;

providing a second plurality of numerical values representing preferability factors for at least two potential transmission operating range states and engine states, wherein said second plurality of numerical values are at least one plurality of numerical values representing preferability factors for a transmission operating range and engine state selected from the group consisting of;

the current transmission operating range states and engine states, and the desired transmission operating range states and said engine states;

combining said first plurality of numerical values and said second plurality of numerical values to provide a third plurality of numerical values, said third plurality comprising preferability factors for at least two potential transmission operating range states and engine states; and

selecting a numerical value from said third plurality as a basis on which to make a decision concerning potential changes to the current transmission operating range state and engine state,

wherein said preferability factors associated with potential transmission operating range states include transmission input speed trip preferability factors.

20. A method for determining a new desired operating range state and engine state for an electro-mechanical transmission, which comprises periodic repetitions of the method of claim 19 to provide successive iterations.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein providing a second plurality of numerical values utilizes numerical values present in said third plurality as the desired operating range in successive iterations.

22. A method according to claim 19 wherein said second plurality of numerical values is a combination of the current transmission operating range state and engine state, and the desired operating range state and engine state.

23. A system for controlling a powertrain system including an engine mechanically coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission selectively operative in one of a plurality of transmission operating range states and one of a plurality of engine states, comprising:

a microprocessor configured to receive data and provide an output, said data including

a first set of preferability factors,

a second set of preferability factors relating to desired operating range states of said transmission,

a third set of preferability factors relating to current operating range states of said transmission, and

a fourth set of preferability factors comprising input speed trip preferability factors;

a control module configured to control shifting events in said transmission, said control module having inputs and outputs, wherein output from said microprocessor is provided as input to said control module, said control module being configured to provide said third set of preferability factors to said microprocessor as an input thereto; and

an electro-mechanical transmission in effective electrical communication with output from said control module.