Transmission Turbine Acceleration Control for Managing Vehicle Acceleration

• US 20120296538A1
• Filed: 07/31/2012
• Published: 11/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John P. Kresse
• Original Assignee: John P. Kresse
• Inventors: Kresse, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/026 of lock-up clutches
• 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 20/30 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 2510/1015 Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/165 Rate of change
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/024 of torque converter lock-up clutch
• 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: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing acceleration of a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission by controlling transmission turbine acceleration are provided. A desired transmission turbine acceleration is determined based on vehicle speed, turbine speed, and other information obtained from the vehicle transmission. One or more torque limits are determined as a function of the turbine acceleration. The torque limits are applied to manage acceleration of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A transmission for a motor vehicle comprising:

a torque conversion apparatus couplable to a vehicle mover,

a gear arrangement operably coupled to the torque conversion apparatus,

a gear control assembly operably coupled to the gear arrangement, and

a control module operable to control operation of the transmission, the control module including a processor and circuitry configured to receive a first value representative of a transmission turbine speed, determine a second value representative of a desired transmission turbine acceleration based on the first value, compute at least one torque limit as a function of the second value, and output the torque limit for use by another control module to manage acceleration of the vehicle.

2. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the vehicle mover comprises an engine and a motor, and the control module is configured to compute a first torque limit, output the first torque limit for use by the engine, compute a second torque limit, and output the second torque limit for use by the motor.

3. The transmission of claim 2, wherein the first torque limit for use by the engine and the second torque limit for use by the motor are proportional to the propulsive torque being produced by the engine and the motor, respectively.

4. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the transmission comprises an automatic transmission.

5. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to receive the first value and output the torque limit by a communication link comprising a wireless communication link.

6. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to control operation of both the transmission and the vehicle mover.

7. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to output the torque limit as a vehicle mover torque limit and provide the vehicle mover torque limit directly to the vehicle mover.

8. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to receive inputs from a vehicle mover control module.

9. The transmission of claim 1, comprising a range selector operable to initiate shifting of the transmission from one gear range to another, wherein the control module is operable to automatically initiate a range change in response to a change in vehicle speed.

10. A transmission for a motor vehicle comprising:

a torque conversion apparatus couplable to a vehicle mover,

a gear arrangement operably coupled to the torque conversion apparatus,

a gear control assembly operably coupled to the gear arrangement, and

a control module operable to control operation of the transmission, the control module including a processor and circuitry configured to receive one or more values representative of a desired transmission turbine acceleration limit, a vehicle gear ratio, and a vehicle mass;

compute a torque limit based on the one or more values; and

output the torque limit for use by another control module to manage acceleration of the vehicle.

11. The control module of claim 10, wherein the control module is configured to adjust the value representative of the vehicle mass to include a factor for a road grade.

12. The control module of claim 11, wherein the control module is configured to estimate the road grade based on the vehicle mass and a tractive effort of the motor vehicle.

13. The control module of claim 10, wherein the control module is configured to compute the value representative of the desired transmission turbine acceleration limit as a function of a transmission output speed to vehicle speed ratio.

14. The control module of claim 10, wherein the control module is configured to compute the value representative of the desired transmission turbine acceleration limit by multiplying the gear ratio by the transmission output speed to vehicle speed ratio by a desired vehicle acceleration.

15. The control module of claim 14, wherein the control module is configured to determine the desired vehicle acceleration by applying a value representative of vehicle speed to a vehicle acceleration curve.

16. The control module of claim 14, wherein the control module is configured to compute the gear ratio as a function of a transmission output speed and a transmission input speed.

17. A transmission for a motor vehicle comprising:

a torque conversion apparatus couplable to a vehicle mover,

a gear arrangement operably coupled to the torque conversion apparatus,

a gear control assembly operably coupled to the gear arrangement, and

a control module operable to receive data representative of a transmission turbine speed and a current vehicle speed, select a vehicle acceleration mode by determining at least one of whether a request to move the vehicle forward has been received and whether a low torque condition is present, calculate at least one transmission input torque limit based on the selected vehicle acceleration control mode, and output the at least one transmission input torque limit for use by another control module to manage acceleration of the vehicle.

18. The control module of claim 17, wherein the control module is configured to calculate the at least one transmission input torque limit including a feedforward component and a ramp component in response to a request to move the vehicle forward being received.

19. The control module of claim 17, wherein the control module is configured to calculate the at least one transmission input torque limit including a feedforward component and not including a ramp component and not including a feedback component in response to a low torque condition being detected.

20. The control module of claim 17, wherein the control module is configured to calculate the at least one transmission input torque limit including a feedforward component and a feedback component in response to a shift in progress condition not being detected and a low torque condition not being detected.