System and method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle

• US 7,236,873 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kuang, Ming, Syed, Fazal, Tseng, Eric, Patil, Prabhakar
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo; Hieu T.
• Application Number:
  US11/161,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20060016631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 701/110, 701/114, 701/101, 701/102, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 477/14, 477/15, 477/20, 477/5
• US Class Current: 701/110
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 Combustion engine

Abstract

A system and method of controlling engine torque in a hybrid electric vehicle. The method includes comparing an engine speed command to a maximum engine speed command, comparing an engine speed value to the engine speed command, and adjusting the engine torque command if the engine speed command is within a predetermined threshold to the maximum engine speed command and the engine speed exceeds the engine speed command by at least a predetermined amount.

Claims

1. A system for controlling torque in a hybrid electric vehicle, the system comprising:

primary and secondary power sources;

a power transfer system adapted to be powered by at least one of the primary and secondary power sources to drive a vehicle traction wheel; and

a control system for controlling operation of the power transfer system and primary and secondary power sources, the control system being configured to process signals indicative of a primary power source speed command, a maximum primary power source speed command, and a primary power source speed;

wherein the control system decreases output torque of the primary power source when the primary power source speed command is sufficiently close to the maximum primary power source speed command and the primary power source speed exceeds the primary power source speed command by at least a predetermined amount.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an accelerator pedal sensor and a brake pedal sensor, wherein the primary power source speed command is based on signals from the accelerator pedal sensor, brake pedal sensor, and a state of charge signal indicative of a state of charge of the secondary power source.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the power transfer system includes a powersplit transmission.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the maximum primary power source speed command is based on signals indicative of a speed of the hybrid electric vehicle and a selected gear ratio of the powersplit transmission.

5. A method of controlling engine torque in a hybrid electric vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether an engine speed command is within a predetermined range of a maximum engine speed command;

determining whether an engine speed exceeds the engine speed command by at least a predetermined amount;

calculating an error value when the engine speed command is within the predetermined range and the engine speed exceeds the engine speed command by at least the predetermined amount;

determining a torque adjustment value based on the error value; and

updating an engine torque command value based on the torque adjustment value to reduce engine speed.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the error value is based on the engine speed, engine speed command, and second predetermined constant value.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the engine torque adjustment value is based on the error value and proportional and integral gain values.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the hybrid electric vehicle further comprises an accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, and a secondary power source, and wherein the engine torque command is based on signals from the accelerator pedal sensor, brake pedal sensor, and a state of charge signal indicative of a state of charge of the secondary power source.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the hybrid electric vehicle further comprises an accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, and a secondary power source, and wherein the engine speed command is based on signals from the accelerator pedal sensor, brake pedal sensor, and a state of charge signal indicative of a state of charge of the secondary power source.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the hybrid electric vehicle further comprises a power transfer unit adapted to be driven by the engine, and wherein the maximum engine speed command is based on at least one of a vehicle speed value and a selected gear ratio of the power transfer unit.

11. A method of controlling engine torque in a hybrid electric vehicle, the method comprising:

comparing an engine speed command to a maximum engine speed command;

comparing an engine speed value to the engine speed command; and

adjusting an engine torque command to control engine speed when the engine speed command is within a predetermined threshold to the maximum engine speed command and the engine speed value exceeds the engine speed command by at least a predetermined amount.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the engine torque command is not adjusted if the engine speed command is not sufficiently close to the maximum engine speed command.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the engine torque command is not adjusted if the engine speed value does not exceed the engine speed command by at least the predetermined amount.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the engine speed command is within the predetermined threshold to the maximum engine speed command if the engine speed command is greater than the maximum engine speed command reduced by a first predetermined constant value.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of adjusting the engine torque command further comprises calculating an error value and calculating an engine torque adjustment value based on the error value.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the error value is based on the engine speed and the engine speed command.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the engine torque reduction value is based on the error value and proportional and integral gain values.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of adjusting the engine torque command further comprises decreasing the engine torque command by the engine torque adjustment value.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising applying the engine torque command to decrease engine output torque.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of adjusting the engine torque command further comprises adjusting an engine output torque based on the engine torque command.