Method and apparatus for securing an operating range state mechanical transmission

• US 8,099,219 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG), Chrysler Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company), Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG), Chrysler LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Buur, Hanne, Kaminsky, Lawrence A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US12/244,820
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/29, 701/31, 701/51, 701/55, 701/56, 701/60, 701/61, 701/102, 180/65.21, 180/65.23, 180/65.235, 180/65.265, 180/65.275, 477 2- 8
• US Class Current: 701/55
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/115 with planetary gears
• 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 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid powertrain system includes a transmission operative in a plurality of operating range states. An operating range state can be secured, including assigning each operating range state to a group that can be verified, monitoring a transition path from a first to a second operating range state, and monitoring a torque equation for the present operating range state.

Claims

1. A method to secure a transmission operating range state for a hybrid powertrain system selectively operative in one of a plurality of discrete operating range states, comprising:

determining a preferred transition path between a first main operating range state and a second operating range state;

monitoring a transition path from the first main operating range state to the second main operating range state;

determining whether the monitored transition path from the first main operating range state to the second main operating range state conforms to the preferred transition path; and

identifying a fault when the monitored transition path from the first main operating range state to the second main operating range state does not conform to the preferred transition path.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred transition path comprises the first main operating range state, a preferred transitional operating range state and the second main operating range state.

3. A method to secure an operating range state for a transmission selectively operative in one of a plurality of discrete operating range states including fixed gear and continuously variable operating range states, comprising:

assigning each of the discrete operating range states to one of a plurality of valid groups;

determining a present operating range state;

determining whether a present operating range state group is one of the valid groups;

determining whether the present operating range state is assigned to the present operating range state group;

monitoring a transition path from a first operating range state to a second operating range state;

determining whether the transition path from the first operating range state to the second operating range state conforms to a predetermined transition path from the first operating range state to the second operating range state;

determining a specific torque equation governing operation of the transmission; and

rationalizing the specific torque equation governing operation of the transmission against a set of supported torque equations associated with the operating range state presently being executed.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining the operating range state in a first control module;

securing the operating range state command;

communicating the operating range state command to a second control module; and

securing communicating the operating range state command from the first control module to the second control module.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising identifying a fault when it is determined that the present operating range state is not assigned to the present operating range state group.

6. The method of claim 3, comprising identifying a fault when the transition path from the first operating range state to the second operating range state does not conform to a predetermined transition path from the first operating range state to the second operating range state.

7. The method of claim 3, comprising identifying a fault when results of executing the specific torque equation governing operation of the transmission is not consistent with output of the set of supported torque equations.

8. The method of claim 3, further comprising executing remedial action when a fault is identified in one of the operating range state group and the transition path from the first operating range state to the second operating range state.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising executing the remedial action by operating the transmission in a neutral operating range state.

10. A method to monitor a distributed control module system operative to control a hybrid powertrain system including a transmission operative in one of a plurality of operating range states through selective application of a plurality of torque transfer clutches, comprising:

determining an operating range state command in a first control module;

securing the operating range state command;

communicating the operating range state command to a second control module;

securing communicating the operating range state command from the first control module to the second control module; and

selectively applying the torque transfer clutches based upon the operating range state command.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein securing the operating range state command comprises dual-storing the operating range state command in the first control module.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing a rationality check of the dual-stored operating range state command.