SYSTEM AND METHOD OF VEHICLE TRANSIENT TORQUE MANAGEMENT

• US 20140257669A1
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Industries Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated), Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.), PACCAR Incorporated
• Original Assignee: An Wu, Howard R. Frost, Kenneth Follen, Phani Vajapeyazula, Vivek A. Sujan
• Inventors: WU, An, SUJAN, Vivek A., VAJAPEYAZULA, Phani, FOLLEN, Kenneth, FROST, Howard R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,802,597 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/501 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/702 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/26 by applying a torque limit
• 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: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/124 Information about road conditions, e.g. road inclination or surface

Abstract

A system for establishing a torque limit for a vehicle is provided. The system uses impending terrain and speed conditions to determine an optimum torque, which improves engine efficiency and reduces fuel consumption.

Claims

1. A method of operating a torque management system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

determining one or more segments of a route of a vehicle;

receiving a plurality of inputs for each segment of the route, wherein the plurality of inputs includes at least one of route parameter data, a desired vehicle speed, vehicle parameter data, and vehicle operating condition data;

determining a power output limit for an engine of the vehicle for each segment of the route;

determining an engine torque output limit based on the power output limit; and

providing the determined engine torque output limit to a vehicle device to limit an engine torque output for a route segment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a power output limit is determined each time the vehicle reaches a subsequent segment of the route.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the power output limit is a maximum amount of power required for the vehicle to travel through each route segment while substantially maintaining the desired vehicle speed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the plurality of inputs for each segment of the route occurs while the vehicle is traveling the route.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined engine torque output limit is less than a maximum available torque of the engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inputs further includes a vehicle operator input, the vehicle operator input including at least one of an engine torque output limit and an identification of a route of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the operator inputted torque output limit is a minimum engine torque output limit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the route parameter data, vehicle parameter data, and vehicle operating condition data includes an estimated parameter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the one or more segments is based on at least one of a distance and a change in altitude of the route.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the change in altitude includes a substantially flat portion, a substantially uphill portion, and a substantially downhill portion.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle device includes at least one of an operator interface module, the engine of the vehicle, a transmission of the vehicle, a transmission control unit, and an engine control module.

12. A torque management system, comprising:

a vehicle, the vehicle including an internal combustion engine and a transmission; and

a processor coupled to the internal combustion engine and the transmission, the processor configured to;

determine one or more segments of a route of the vehicle;

receive a plurality of inputs for each segment of the route, wherein the plurality of inputs includes at least one of route parameter data, a desired vehicle speed, vehicle parameter data, and vehicle operating condition data;

determine a power output limit for the engine for each segment of the route;

determine an engine torque output limit based on the power output limit; and

provide the determined engine torque output limit to a vehicle device to limit an engine torque output for a route segment.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a power output limit is determined each time the vehicle reaches a subsequent segment of the route.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the power output limit is a maximum amount of power required for the vehicle to travel through each route segment while substantially maintaining the desired vehicle speed.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein receiving the plurality of inputs for each segment of the route occurs while the vehicle is traveling the route.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the determined engine torque output limit is less than a maximum available torque of the engine.

17. A computer-readable storage medium having machine instructions stored therein, the instructions being executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:

receiving identification of a route of travel of a vehicle

determining one or more segments of the route;

receiving a plurality of inputs for each segment of the route, wherein the plurality of inputs includes at least one of route parameter data, a desired vehicle speed, vehicle parameter data, and vehicle operating condition data;

determining a power output limit for an engine of the vehicle for each segment of the route;

determining an engine torque output limit based on the power output limit; and

providing the determined engine torque output limit to a vehicle device to limit an engine torque output for a route segment.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising determining a power output limit each time the vehicle reaches a subsequent segment of the route.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the power output limit is a maximum amount of power required for the vehicle to travel through each route segment while substantially maintaining the desired vehicle speed.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the determined engine torque limit is less than a maximum available torque of the engine.