Method and apparatus for managing torque inputs to an electro-mechanical transmission

• US 7,774,109 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Bajwa, Manpreet S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith; Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib; Rami
• Application Number:
  US11/858,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20090076672A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 180 6521- 6529, 180/65.275, 180/65.285, 701/200
• US Class Current: 701/22
• 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: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• 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 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/085 Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A hybrid-electric vehicle powertrain control is trained to predefined trips, enabling efficient use of torque events during such trips.

Claims

1. A method to operate a powertrain, the powertrain comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric machine mechanically-operatively coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission to transmit mechanical power to a driveline and the electric machine electrically-operatively coupled to an energy storage system for electric power flow therebetween, the operation of which is controlled by a control module, the method comprising:

utilizing the control module for determining occurrence of a pre-defined trip;

utilizing the control module for monitoring an operator torque request, an operator braking request, and a state of charge of the energy storage system;

utilizing the control module for determining a projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system as a result of regenerative braking for a braking event occurring during the pre-defined trip;

utilizing the control module for determining a requested torque output from the electric machine based upon the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system as a result of regenerative braking for the braking event; and

utilizing the control module for controlling torque outputs from the electric machine and the engine based upon the requested torque output from the electric machine and the operator torque request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the braking event occurring during the pre-defined trip comprises an elapsed distance, a gain in the state of charge, and a probability of occurrence.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the probability of occurrence of the braking event is determined based upon occurrences of the braking event during a plurality of previous iterations of the pre-defined trip.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the projected gain in the state of charge is determined based upon gains in the state of charge of the energy storage system during previous iterations of the pre-defined trip at the elapsed distance for the braking event.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system is further determined based upon the probability of occurrence of the braking event.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the torque output from the electric machine based upon the state of charge.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining occurrence of the pre-defined trip comprises determining the operator indicating the occurrence via a control input to a trip identifier device.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising updating the pre-defined trip during successive iterations of the pre-defined trip.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the pre-defined trip comprises a total distance traveled, and a plurality of braking events.

10. A method to control electric power flow in a powertrain comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric machine mechanically-operatively coupled to an electro-mechanical transmission operative to transmit mechanical power flow to a driveline, the electric machine electrically-operatively coupled to an energy storage system for electric power flow therebetween, the operation of which is controlled by a control module;

the method comprising;

utilizing the control module for determining occurrence of a pre-defined trip;

utilizing the control module for monitoring an operator torque request, an operator braking request, and a state of charge of the energy storage system;

utilizing the control module for determining a projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system as a result of regenerative braking for a subsequent braking event occurring during the pre-defined trip; and

utilizing the control module for determining a requested torque output from the electric machine based upon the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system as a result of regenerative braking for the subsequent braking event and controlling torque output from the electric machine prior to the subsequent braking event based upon the requested torque output.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the braking event is characterized by an elapsed distance, a gain in the state of charge, and a probability of occurrence of the braking event.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the probability of occurrence of the braking event is determined based upon occurrences of the braking event during a plurality of previous iterations of the pre-defined trip.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system for a subsequent braking event occurring during the pre-defined trip is determined based upon the probability of occurrence of the subsequent braking event and gains in the state of charge during a plurality of previous iterations of the pre-defined trip.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a torque output from the electric machine based upon the state of charge; and

determining and controlling torque output from the internal combustion engine based upon the torque output from the electric machine and the operator torque request.

15. A method for managing torque to an electro-mechanical transmission from an electric machine mechanically-operatively coupled thereto to transmit mechanical power to a driveline, the electric machine electrically-operatively coupled to an energy storage system for electric power flow therebetween, the operation of which is controlled by a control module, the method comprising:

utilizing the control module for determining occurrence of a pre-defined trip, the pre-defined trip comprising a total distance traveled, and a plurality of projected braking events;

utilizing the control module for monitoring an operator braking request, and a state of charge of the energy storage system;

utilizing the control module for determining a projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system as a result of regenerative braking for a subsequently occurring braking event; and

utilizing the control module for determining a requested torque output from the electric machine based upon the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system as a result of regenerative braking for the subsequently occurring braking event and controlling torque output from the electric machine to the electro-mechanical transmission based upon the requested torque output.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

monitoring an operator torque request; and

managing torque input to the electro-mechanical transmission from an internal combustion engine mechanically-operatively coupled thereto to transmit mechanical power to the driveline based upon the torque output from the electric machine and the operator torque request.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein each of the projected braking events is defined based upon an elapsed distance, a projected gain in state of charge of the energy storage system, and a probability of occurrence.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the probability of occurrence of the projected braking events is determined based upon occurrences of projected braking events during a plurality of previous iterations of the pre-defined trip.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system is determined based upon gains in the state of charge of the energy storage system during previous iterations of the pre-defined trip.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the projected gain in the state of charge of the energy storage system is further determined based upon the probability of occurrence of the braking event.