Method for controlling a powertrain system based upon torque machine temperature

• US 8,200,383 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2007
• 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 Group LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Heap, Anthony H.
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/253,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20090118884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,332 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 180/54.1, 180/65.31, 180/337, 180/339
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• 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: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0022 Gains, weighting coefficients or weighting functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/087 Temperature
• 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 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0677 : Engine power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/086 : Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 : Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• 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 3/728 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A powertrain system includes an engine coupled to an input member of a transmission device operative to transmit torque between the input member and a torque machine and an output member. The torque machine is connected to an energy storage device. A method for controlling the powertrain system include monitoring a temperature of the torque machine, selecting a candidate powertrain system operating point, determining an electrical power input and a motor power output of the torque machine for the candidate powertrain system operating point, determining a power loss for the torque machine associated with the motor power output of the torque machine and the electrical power input, and determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at the candidate powertrain system operating point associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature of the torque machine.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a powertrain system comprising an engine coupled to an input member of a transmission device operative to transmit torque between the input member and a torque machine and an output member, the torque machine connected to an energy storage device, the method comprising:

monitoring a temperature of the torque machine;

selecting a candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining an electrical power input and a motor power output of the torque machine for the candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining a power loss for the torque machine associated with the motor power output of the torque machine and the electrical power input;

executing a temperature cost modifier value of the torque machine accessed from a look-up table based on the monitored temperature of the torque machine to bias operation away from powertrain system operating points that generate increased temperature within the torque machine; and

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at the candidate powertrain system operating point associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature cost modifier value of the torque machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring a temperature of the torque machine comprises monitoring a temperature of a motor of the torque machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring a temperature of the torque machine comprises monitoring a temperature of an inverter of a torque machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an operating cost based upon the torque machine by multiplying the temperature cost modifier value by the power loss value of the torque machine.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining a preferred temperature range for the torque machine; and

determining the temperature cost modifier value based on a proximity of the temperature of the torque machine to the preferred temperature range.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring multiple temperatures of the torque machine; and

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at the candidate powertrain system operating point associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon multiple temperatures of the torque machine.

7. Method for controlling a powertrain system comprising an engine coupled to an input member of a transmission device operative to transmit torque between the input member and a torque machine and an output member, the torque machine connected to an energy storage device, the method comprising:

monitoring a temperature of the torque machine;

selecting a candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining an electrical power input and a motor power output of the torque machine for the candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining a power loss for the torque machine associated with the motor power output of the torque machine and the electrical power input;

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at the candidate powertrain system operating point associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature of the torque machine;

iteratively selecting candidate powertrain system operating points;

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at each candidate powertrain system operating point associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature of the torque machine; and

selecting a preferred powertrain system operating point comprising the candidate powertrain system operating point having a minimum operating cost for operating the powertrain system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

iteratively selecting candidate engine operating points;

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at each candidate engine operating point associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature of the torque machine; and

selecting a preferred engine operating point comprising the candidate engine operating point having a minimum operating cost for operating the powertrain system.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

iteratively selecting candidate engine operating points including candidate engine states and candidate engine input power;

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at each candidate engine state and candidate engine input power associated with the power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature of the torque machine; and

selecting a preferred engine state and engine input power comprising the candidate engine state and candidate engine input power having a minimum operating cost for operating the powertrain system.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the candidate engine state includes a fueled, all-cylinder engine state, a fuel-cutoff deactivation engine state, an fuel-cutoff all-cylinder engine state, and a fuel-cutoff cylinder deactivation engine state.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising

iteratively selecting transmission operating range states;

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at each candidate transmission operating range state based associated with power loss from the torque machine and based upon the temperature of the torque machine; and

selecting a preferred transmission operating range state comprising the candidate transmission operating range state having a minimum operating cost for operating the powertrain system.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the candidate transmission operating range state includes a fixed gear operating range state and a continuously variable operating range state.

13. Method for controlling a powertrain system comprising an engine coupled to an input member of a transmission device operative to transmit torque between the input member and first and second torque machines and an output member, the torque machines connected to an energy storage device, the method comprising:

monitoring a temperature of the first electric machine;

monitoring a temperature of the second electric machine;

selecting a candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining a electric power output and a motor power output of the first electric machine for the candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining a electric power output and a motor power output of the second electric machine for the candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining a power loss value of the first electric machine based upon the first motor power output and the first electric power output;

determining a power loss value of the second electric machine based upon the second motor power output and the second electric power output; and

determining an operating cost for operating the powertrain system associated with the power loss value from the first electric machine, the power loss value from the second electric machine, the temperature of the first electric machine, and the temperature of the second electric machine.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein monitoring a temperature of the first electric machine comprises monitoring a temperature of a motor of the first electric machine.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein monitoring a temperature of the first electric machine comprises monitoring a temperature of an inverter of the first electric machine.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining a preferred temperature range for the first electric machine; and

determining the cost modifier value based on a proximity of the temperature of the first electric machine to the preferred temperature range.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the candidate powertrain system operating point comprises at least one of a candidate engine operating point and a candidate transmission operating range state.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the candidate engine operating point comprises at least one of a candidate engine state, a candidate engine speed, a candidate engine torque, and a candidate engine power.

19. Method for controlling a powertrain system comprising an engine coupled to an input member of a transmission device operative to transmit torque between the input member and first and second electric machines and an output member, the first and second electric machines connected to an energy storage device, the method comprising:

monitoring temperatures of the first and second electric machines;

iteratively selecting candidate powertrain operating points;

determining an electrical power input and a motor power output of the first and second electric machines for each candidate powertrain system operating point;

determining a power loss for the first and second electric machines associated with the motor power output and the electrical power input and the temperatures of the first and second electric machines;

determining operating costs for operating the powertrain system at the candidate powertrain system operating point associated with the power loss for the first and second electric machines;

selecting a preferred powertrain operating point comprising the candidate powertrain operating point having a minimum operating cost for operating the powertrain system; and

controlling operation of the powertrain system based upon the preferred powertrain operating point.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the candidate powertrain operating point comprises a candidate engine state, a candidate engine power, and a candidate transmission operating range state.