Control system for regulating output torque of an internal combustion engine
First Claim
1. A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing the torque in accordance with a fueling rate provided to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, a drive axle and a propeller shaft coupling the transmission to the drive axle, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining a first engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission;
determining a second engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum operating torque capacity of the propeller shaft;
defining an actual engine fueling rate as a minimum of said first and second engine fueling rates; and
fueling the engine in accordance with said actual engine fueling rate.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An engine control system is operable to provide an engine fueling rate equal to the larger of a first engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and a second engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a nominal input torque capacity of the transmission. The foregoing technique can be enabled at all times, or alternatively only after determination that the vehicle is experiencing deceleration under heavy engine load conditions. The engine control system may be further operable to determine a third engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum operating torque capacity of the transmission propeller shaft, as well as a fourth engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum operating torque capacity of the drive axle connected thereto. The actual engine fueling rate is then chosen to be the minimum of the larger of the first and second engine fueling rates, the third engine fueling rate, and the fourth engine fueling rate. This technique can be enabled either at all times, or alternatively only when the presently engaged gear ratio is one of a set of lower gear ratios of the transmission.
61 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing the torque in accordance with a fueling rate provided to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, a drive axle and a propeller shaft coupling the transmission to the drive axle, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a first engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission; determining a second engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum operating torque capacity of the propeller shaft; defining an actual engine fueling rate as a minimum of said first and second engine fueling rates; and fueling the engine in accordance with said actual engine fueling rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, a drive axle and a propeller shaft coupling the transmission to the drive axle, the system comprising:
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a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith; means for determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and providing a gear ratio signal corresponding thereto; and a processor responsive to said gear ratio signal to determine a first engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio, said processor further determining a second engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of the propeller shaft, said processor providing said fueling rate signal to said fueling system as the smaller of said first and second engine fueling rate signals. - View Dependent Claims (9, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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10. The control system of clam 9 wherein said processor is operable to determine said second and third engine fueling rates and provide said fueling rate signal to said fueling system as the smaller of said first, second and third engine fueling rate signals only if said presently engaged gear ratio corresponds to a lower gear ratio of the transmission, and otherwise defining said providing said fueling rate signal to said fueling system as said first engine fueling rate signal.
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15. A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing the torque in accordance with a fueling rate provided to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission; setting said presently engaged gear ratio to a lowest one of the gear ratios of the transmission if the vehicle is stationary; determining a regulated engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission; and fueling the engine in accordance with said regulated engine fueling rate. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:
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a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith; means for determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and providing a gear ratio signal corresponding thereto; a vehicle speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed and producing a vehicle speed signal corresponding thereto; and a processor receiving said gear ratio signal and determining validity thereof, said processor responsive to a valid gear ratio signal to determine a first engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio, said processor responsive to an invalid gear ratio signal and to said vehicle speed signal to determine a second engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of a lowest of the engageable gear ratios of the transmission if said vehicle speed signal is below a predefined vehicle speed signal level, said processor providing said fueling rate signal as one of said first and second engine fueling rate signals. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing the torque in accordance with a fueling rate provided to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining a default engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a nominal input torque capacity of the transmission; determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission; determining a regulated engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission; determining an acceleration value corresponding to an acceleration rate of the vehicle; determining an engine power value corresponding to engine operating power; defining an actual engine fueling rate as said regulated engine fueling rate if said acceleration value is less than a predefined acceleration rate and said engine power value is greater than a threshold value, and otherwise defining said actual engine fueling rate as said default engine fueling rate; and fueling the engine in accordance with said actual engine fueling rate.
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20. A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:
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a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith; means for determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and providing a gear ratio signal corresponding thereto; an engine speed sensor for sensing engine speed and producing an engine speed signal corresponding thereto; a vehicle speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed and producing a vehicle speed signal corresponding thereto; and a processor responsive to said gear ratio signal to determine a first engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio, said processor further determining a second engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a nominal input torque capacity of the transmission, said processor responsive to said vehicle speed signal to determine vehicle acceleration rate, and further to said engine speed signal to determine engine operating power, said processor providing said fueling rate signal as said first engine fueling rate signal if said vehicle acceleration is less than a predefined acceleration rate and said engine operating power is greater than a threshold value, and otherwise as said second engine fueling rate signal. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:
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a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith; a first processor associated with the transmission, said first processor determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and producing a regulated engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio; a second processor associated with the engine, said second processor determining a default fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a nominal input torque capacity of the transmission, said second processor receiving said regulated fueling rate signal from said first processor and providing said fueling rate signal to said fueling system as the larger of said regulated fueling rate signal and said default fueling rate signal. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification