Method and apparatus for monitoring regenerative operation in a hybrid powertrain system

• US 8,112,194 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2008
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2007
• 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, Cawthorne, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US12/245,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20090111640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,221 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/29
• 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 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/18 including control of braking systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/029 Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid powertrain system includes an engine and a torque actuator coupled to a driveline to transfer tractive power to a wheel including a friction brake. A method includes monitoring an operator braking request and determining a request for regenerative braking torque. Operation of the torque actuator to react tractive power is inhibited when a fault is detected in the monitored request for regenerative braking torque and achieved regenerative braking torque.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a powertrain system including an engine and a torque actuator coupled to an output member, the output member coupled to a driveline to transfer tractive power to a wheel including a friction brake, the torque actuator operative to react tractive power transferred from the wheel, the method comprising:

monitoring an operator braking request and determining a request for regenerative braking torque;

monitoring the request for regenerative braking torque;

commanding the torque actuator to react tractive power based upon the monitored request for regenerative braking torque;

monitoring achieved regenerative braking torque; and

inhibiting operation of the torque actuator when a fault is detected in one of the monitored request for regenerative braking torque and the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring communications and inhibiting operation of the torque actuator when a communications fault is detected, wherein said communications include the request for regenerative braking torque and the achieved regenerative braking torque.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising ramping down the request for regenerative braking torque to a zero value to inhibit operation of the torque actuator.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising setting a regenerative braking capacity to a zero value to inhibit operation of the torque actuator.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

subsequently determining the fault in one of the monitored request for regenerative braking torque and the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque is inactive, and thereafter setting the regenerative braking capacity to a regenerative braking capacity corresponding to an ability of the torque actuator to react tractive power transferred from the wheel; and

ramping in the request for regenerative braking torque.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing a rationality check of the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque and ramping down the achieved regenerative braking torque when a fault is detected in the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a distributed control module system comprising a first control module operatively connected to the friction brake, a second control module operatively connected to the torque actuator, and a hybrid control module operative to command operation of the first and second control modules;

establishing a serial communications link to transmit signals between the first control module and the hybrid control module;

determining the operator braking request and generating signals comprising the request for regenerative braking torque and a friction braking torque command in the first control module;

monitoring the signal comprising the request for regenerative braking torque in the first control module;

generating and verifying a signal comprising the achieved regenerative braking torque in the hybrid control module;

transmitting the signal comprising the request for regenerative braking torque from the first control module to the hybrid control module and verifying the transmitted signal in the hybrid control module; and

transmitting the signal comprising the achieved regenerative braking torque from the hybrid control module to the first control module and verifying the transmitted signal in the first control module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein verifying the signal comprises redundantly storing the signal at first and second memory locations in a memory device of the one of the hybrid control module and the first control module and comparing signals at the first and second memory locations prior to redundantly storing the signals.

9. Method for controlling a powertrain system including an engine, a transmission and a plurality of torque actuators connected to an energy storage device, the transmission operative to transfer power between the engine and the torque actuators and an output member, the output member coupled to a driveline to transfer tractive power to a wheel including a friction brake, one of the torque actuators operative to react tractive power transferred from the wheel to the driveline to the transmission, the method comprising:

monitoring an operator braking request;

determining a request for regenerative braking torque;

monitoring the request for regenerative braking torque;

commanding the torque actuator to react tractive power based upon the monitored request for regenerative braking torque;

monitoring achieved regenerative braking torque; and

inhibiting operation of the torque actuator when a fault is detected in one of the monitored request for regenerative braking torque and the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising controlling the friction brake based upon the operator braking request and the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising monitoring communications and inhibiting operation of the torque actuator when a communications fault is detected, wherein said communications include the request for regenerative braking torque and the achieved regenerative braking torque.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising ramping down the request for regenerative braking torque to a zero value to inhibit operation of the torque actuator.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising setting a regenerative braking capacity to a zero value to inhibit operation of the torque actuator.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

subsequently determining the fault in one of the monitored request for regenerative braking torque and the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque is inactive, and thereafter setting a regenerative braking capacity to a regenerative braking capacity corresponding to an ability of the torque actuators to react tractive power transferred from the wheel; and

ramping in the request for regenerative braking torque.

15. Method for controlling a powertrain system including a torque actuator operative to transfer tractive power to a wheel including a friction brake and operative to react tractive power transferred from the wheel, the method comprising:

monitoring an operator braking request and determining a request for regenerative braking torque;

monitoring the request for regenerative braking torque;

commanding the torque actuator to react the tractive power transferred from the wheel based upon the request for regenerative braking torque;

monitoring achieved regenerative braking torque; and

inhibiting operation of the torque actuator when a fault is detected in one of the request for regenerative braking torque and the achieved regenerative braking torque.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising monitoring communications and inhibiting operation of the torque actuator when a communications fault is detected, wherein said communications include the request for regenerative braking torque and the achieved regenerative braking torque.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising ramping down the request for regenerative braking torque to a zero value to inhibit operation of the torque actuator.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising setting a regenerative braking capacity to a zero value to inhibit operation of the torque actuator.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

subsequently determining the fault in one of the monitored request for the regenerative braking torque and the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque is inactive, and thereafter setting the regenerative braking capacity to a regenerative braking capacity corresponding to an ability of the torque actuator to react tractive power transferred from the wheel; and

ramping in the request for regenerative braking torque.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising executing a rationality check of the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque, and ramping down the achieved regenerative braking torque when a fault is detected in the monitored achieved regenerative braking torque.