SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING VEHICLE PERFORMANCE

• US 20140149017A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Szwabowski, Steven Joseph, Michelini, John Ottavio, Filev, Dimitar Petrov, Hodorek, Craig Thomas, Hrovat, Davor, Tseng, Eric Hongtei
• Granted Patent: US 10,570,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/50 said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/10 for acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/2451 characterised by what is learned or calibrated

Abstract

Methods and systems for adjusting vehicle operation in response to vehicle weight are described. In one example, an adaptive driver demand correction is adjusted in response to vehicle weight. The methods and systems may provide for more consistent powertrain response and lower vehicle emissions at lower vehicle weights.

Claims

1. A method for operating an engine of a vehicle, comprising:

providing a driver input device for determining a driver demand torque;

transforming a signal from the driver input device into a driver demand torque via a transfer function that is based on operating the vehicle at a gross vehicle weight; and

adapting the transfer function in response to vehicle weight being less than a gross vehicle weight.

2. The method of claim 1, where the driver input device is an accelerator pedal, and further comprising estimating the vehicle mass via a vehicle height sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, where the transfer function is adapted in response to barometric pressure.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a performance factor adjustment in response to vehicle weight being less than the gross vehicle weight.

5. The method of claim 1, where a position of the driver input device changes with rotation of a driver'"'"'s foot, and further comprising adapting values of the transfer function that exceed a present value of the transfer function.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adapting the transfer function for vehicle environmental conditions including barometric pressure.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising not adapting the transfer function in response to a parameter being outside of predetermined limits.

8. A method for operating an engine of a vehicle, comprising:

providing a driver input device for determining a driver demand torque;

transforming a signal from the driver input device into a driver demand torque via a transfer function that is based on operating the vehicle at a gross vehicle weight;

adapting the transfer function at a first rate in response to a vehicle parameter being greater than a first threshold; and

resetting the transfer function to a base transfer function in response to the vehicle parameter being less than a second threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, where the transfer function is reset to the base transfer function immediately in response to the vehicle parameter being less than the second threshold.

10. The method of claim 8, where the transfer function is adapted after a tip-out.

11. The method of claim 10, where the transfer function is adapted in response to the driver input device being in a base position.

12. The method of claim 8, where a value of the transfer function is adapted before the driver input device is operated at position that corresponds to the value.

13. The method of claim 8, where values of the transfer function are adjusted in increments less than a first value when the driver input device is applied to a first amount greater than a first threshold value, and where values of the transfer function are adjusted in increments greater than the first value when the driver input device is applied to a second amount less than the first threshold value.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising adjusting a performance factor in response to desired vehicle performance.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising limiting vehicle acceleration in response to vehicle weight being less than the gross vehicle weight, vehicle acceleration being limited to vehicle acceleration at gross vehicle weight.

16. An engine system, comprising:

an engine;

a turbocharger coupled to the engine; and

a controller including instructions stored in a non-transitory medium to adjust a driver input variable and an actuator in response to a vehicle launch metric being greater than a threshold value that is based on a gross vehicle weight.

17. The engine system of claim 16, further comprising resetting a parameter immediately to a base value in response to the vehicle launch metric being less than a first threshold value.

18. The engine system of claim 17, further comprising adjusting the parameter at a predetermined rate in response to the vehicle launch metric being greater than a second threshold value.

19. The engine system of claim 16, where the actuator is a turbocharger waste gate, and where exhaust pressure is reduced in response to the vehicle launch metric being greater than the threshold value.

20. The engine system of claim 16, where the actuator is a valve timing actuator, and where the valve timing actuator is adjusted to reduce vehicle acceleration to less than a vehicle acceleration described by the vehicle launch metric.