SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VEHICLE PERFORMANCE CONTROL

• US 20110015807A1
• Filed: 07/15/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Young, Henry Todd, Kumar, Ajith
• Granted Patent: US 8,774,994 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/172 Determining control parameters used in the regulation, e.g. by calculations involving measured or detected parameters B60T8/17551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/18 responsive to vehicle weight or load, e.g. load distribution using electrical circuitry on regulation means B60T8/17; B60T8/30 takes precedence; responsive to weight and speed condition B60T8/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/1882 characterised by the working point of the engine, e.g. by using engine output chart
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/145 Haulage vehicles, trailing trucks
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling a drivetrain of a vehicle which includes a prime mover operatively connected to at least one tractive element. The method includes: (a) determining the vehicle'"'"'s total weight; and (b) using an electronic controller carried by the vehicle, causing the prime mover to apply power to the tractive element so as to propel the vehicle, the magnitude of the power being a function of the vehicle'"'"'s total weight.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a drivetrain of a vehicle which includes a prime mover operatively connected to at least one tractive element, the method comprising:

(a) determining the vehicle'"'"'s total weight; and

(b) using an electronic controller carried by the vehicle, causing the prime mover to apply power to the tractive element so as to propel the vehicle, the magnitude of the power being the vehicle'"'"'s total weight.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

(a) the prime mover is coupled to drive a power source;

(b) at least one traction motor is electrically coupled to the power source; and

(c) the traction motor is coupled to the at least one tractive element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the power is applied in a predetermined ratio per unit weight of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the power is applied in a ratio per unit weight of the vehicle which is determined by a dispatcher located remote from the vehicle and transmitted to the electronic controller.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising controlling the drivetrain of a plurality of vehicles as recited in steps (a) and (b) so that the vehicles travel at substantially equal speeds.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined ratio is substantially lower than a ratio of the maximum power available from the prime mover divided by an empty weight of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the power is modulated so as to maintain a substantially constant vehicle speed.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the substantially constant speed is substantially lower than the maximum speed of the vehicle when it is empty of payload.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle'"'"'s total weight is determined by a payload sensor carried by the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to a boost command, temporarily increasing the tractive effort applied to the tractive element.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the boost command is transmitted from a dispatcher remote from the vehicle to the controller.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the controller stores a record of the number of times a boost command is received.

13. A method of controlling operation of a drivetrain of a vehicle which includes at least one tractive element coupled to an electric traction motor, at least one electric energy absorbing device coupled to the traction motor, and at least one power source driven by a prime mover and coupled to the traction motor, the method comprising:

(a) using an electronic controller, causing the traction motor to apply a retarding force to the tractive element, which is no greater than a predetermined baseline retarding force, and coupling the traction motor to the electric energy absorbing device so as to dissipate the current generated thereby;

(b) using the electronic controller, determining the vehicle'"'"'s speed with reference to a retard envelope;

(c) in response to the vehicle speed exceeding the boundaries of the retard envelope, applying an increased retarding force to the tractive element; and

(d) when the vehicle'"'"'s speed has returned to the boundaries of the retard envelope, reducing the retarding force to the baseline.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising maintaining the increased retard force so as to decelerate the vehicle to a speed which is within the boundaries of the retard envelope by a predetermined margin.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the margin is sufficient to permit the vehicle speed to be maintained using the baseline level retard effort.

16. A system for controlling a drivetrain of a vehicle, comprising:

(a) a prime mover coupled to a power source;

(b) at least one electric traction motor electrically coupled to the power source, the traction motor coupled to at least one tractive element; and

(c) an electronic controller operably connected to the traction motor, the controller configured to;

(i) determine the vehicle'"'"'s total weight;

(ii) cause the traction motor to apply power to the tractive element so as to propel the vehicle, the magnitude of the power application being proportional to the vehicle'"'"'s total weight.

17. The system of claim 16 where the power is applied in a predetermined ratio per unit weight of the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the power is applied in a ratio per unit weight of the vehicle, the ratio being received by the controller from a dispatcher located remote from the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 16 further including a vehicle weight sensor carried by the vehicle and operatively coupled to the controller.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller is further programmed, in response to a boost command, to temporarily increase the power applied to the tractive element.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller is programmed to store a record of the number of times a boost command is received.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the controller is further programmed to:

(a) cause the traction motor to apply a predetermined baseline retarding force to the tractive element, and coupling the traction motor to an electric energy absorbing device;

(b) determine the vehicle'"'"'s speed with reference to a retard envelope; and

(c) in response to the vehicle speed exceeding the boundaries of the retard envelope, apply an increased retarding force to the tractive element; and

(d) when the vehicle'"'"'s speed has returned to the boundaries of the retard envelope, reduce the retarding force to the baseline.