Control system for hybrid powertrain

• US 7,154,236 B1
• Filed: 02/13/2006
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Heap, Anthony H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/352,771
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 318/9, 318 11- 15, 180/54.1, 180 651- 657, 180/337, 700/90, 700/95, 700/117
• US Class Current: 318/9
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• 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 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0866 Power split variators with distributing differentials, with the output of the CVT connected or connectable to the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/102 the input or output shaft of the transmission is connected or connectable to two or more differentials
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/104 Power split variators with one end of the CVT connected or connectable to two or more differentials
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/106 with switching means to provide two variator modes or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/201 with three sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2041 with four engaging means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining a preferred operating range for a plurality of torque-generative devices is provided. Each device is operable to provide motive torque to a transmission. The invention includes defining a first and a second operating range in a first operating space. The first operating range and the second operating range are mathematically transformed to a second operating space. The preferred operating range is defined in the second operating space based upon the transformed first operating range and the transformed second operating range. The first operating range is defined based upon torque output for each of the torque-generative devices. The second operating range is defined based upon output of an electrical energy storage device operable to provide electrical energy to each of the torque-generative devices.

Claims

1. Article of manufacture comprising:

a storage medium having a computer program encoded therein for effecting a method to determine a preferred operating range for a plurality of torque-generative devices, each torque-generative device operable to provide motive torque to a torque transmission device, said program comprising;

code for defining a first operating range in a first operating space;

code for defining a second operating range in the first operating space;

code for transforming the first operating range and the second operating range to a second operating space; and

,

code for defining the preferred operating range in the second operating space based upon the transformed first operating range and the transformed second operating range.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the code for defining the first operating range comprises code for defining the first operating range based upon torque output for each of the torque-generative devices.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the code for defining the second operating range comprises code for defining the second operating range based upon output of an electrical energy storage device operable to provide electrical energy to each of the torque-generative devices.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 3, wherein the code for defining the operating range based upon output of the electrical energy storage device further comprises code for limiting electrical energy transmission to the electrical energy storage system to limit charging of the electrical energy storage device.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 3, wherein the code defining the operating range based upon electrical energy system constraints further comprises code for limiting electrical energy transmission from the electrical energy storage system to limit discharging of the electrical energy storage device.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the code for transforming the first operating range and the second operating range to the second operating space comprises code for linearly transforming the first operating range and the second operating range from a radial dimension to an XY dimension.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, further comprising:

code for retransforming the defined preferred operating range to the first operating space.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the computer program encoded for effecting the method to determine the preferred operating range for the plurality of torque-generative devices is executed during a cycle time less than about twelve milliseconds.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the torque-generative devices comprise a pair of electrical machines.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 9, wherein the torque transmission device comprises a two-mode compound split hybrid electro-mechanical transmission.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the two-mode compound split hybrid electro-mechanical transmission is operable to transmit motive torque to a driveline of a vehicle.

12. Method to determine a preferred operating range for a plurality of torque-generative devices, each torque-generative device operable to provide motive torque to a torque transmission device, comprising:

defining a first operating range in a first operating space;

defining a second operating range in the first operating space;

transforming the first operating range and the second operating range to a second operating space; and

,

defining the preferred operating range in the second operating space based upon the transformed first operating range and the transformed second operating range.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein defining the first operating range comprises defining an operating range based upon torque output for each of the torque-generative devices.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein defining the second operating range comprises defining an operating range based upon output of an electrical energy storage device operable to provide electrical energy to each of the torque-generative devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein defining the operating range based upon output of the electrical energy storage device further comprises limiting electrical energy transmission to the electrical energy storage system to limit charging of the electrical energy storage.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein defining the operating range based upon electrical energy system constraints further comprises limiting electrical energy transmission from the electrical energy storage system to limit discharging of the electrical energy storage device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein transforming the first operating range and the second operating range to the second operating space comprises linearly transforming the first operating range and the second operating range from a radial dimension to an XY dimension.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

retransforming the defined preferred operating range to the first operating space.

19. Control system for a powertrain comprising an internal combustion engine and a pair of electrical machines operably coupled to a two-mode compound-split electro-mechanical transmission, comprising:

a plurality of electronic controllers signally interconnected via a local area network and operable to control the engine and the transmission based upon operator inputs determinable via a user interface;

the control system including a storage medium having a computer program encoded therein operable to determine a preferred operating range for each of the electrical machines, said program comprising;

code for defining a first operating range in a first operating space;

code for defining a second operating range in the first operating space;

code for transforming the first operating range and the second operating range to a second operating space; and

,

code for defining the preferred operating range in the second operating space based upon the transformed first operating range and the transformed second operating range.

20. The control system of claim 19, further comprising:

code for retransforming the defined preferred operating range to the first operating space.