Method and apparatus to prioritize transmission output torque and input acceleration for a hybrid powertrain system

• US 8,214,093 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2008
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• 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., Kaminsky, Lawrence A., Sah, Jy-Jen F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US12/254,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20090118915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/35, 701/208, 701/211, 701/213, 701/300, 701/84, 180/65.21, 180 651- 658, 340/995.1, 340/995.19, 903/930
• 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: 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 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/105 of electric type
• 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 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/104 Output speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/19 Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/106 with switching means to provide two variator modes or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/0422 by an electric machine, e.g. by accelerating or braking the input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2306/48 Synchronising of new gear
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0403 Synchronisation before shifting
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/502 for smoothing gear shifts
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A powertrain includes an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member. A method for controlling the powertrain includes operating the transmission in an operating range state wherein input speed can operate independent of output speed and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through the transmission. The method further includes monitoring commands affecting a requested output torque, monitoring a calculated output torque, and prioritizing between an input acceleration of the transmission and an output torque of the transmission based upon whether operating the transmission in the operating range state is in transient operation or stable operation.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member, wherein a microprocessor performs the following steps:

operating said transmission in an operating range state wherein an input speed of an input shaft of said transmission can operate independently of an output speed of said output member and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through said transmission;

monitoring commands affecting a requested output torque;

monitoring a calculated output torque;

determining said operation of said transmission to comprise one of stable operation and transient operation;

if said operation comprises stable operation, controlling said engine and said electric machine based upon said commands affecting said requested output torque; and

if said operation comprises transient operation,

determining a permissible range of output torque values based upon said commands affecting said requested output torque and said calculated output torque;

determining an input acceleration immediate command for controlling acceleration of said input shaft based upon said permissible range; and

controlling said engine and said electric machine based upon said input acceleration immediate command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

determining said permissible range is further based upon a zero output torque value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

determining said input acceleration immediate command comprises:

determining a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said permissible range; and

determining said input acceleration immediate command based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining said input acceleration immediate command based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration comprises:

determining an input acceleration profile based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein

determining said permissible range is further based upon calibratable reserves located at either end of said permissible range.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining said permissible range includes calibratable reserves which are scaled based upon an accelerator pedal position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining said permissible range includes scaling said calculated output torque based upon an accelerator pedal position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining said operation of said transmission to comprise one of stable operation and transient operation comprises:

monitoring a command to shift said transmission; and

determining said operation to comprise transient operation based upon a required change in speed of said input shaft corresponding to said command to shift said transmission.

9. A method for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member, wherein a microprocessor performs the following steps:

operating said transmission in an operating range state wherein an input speed of an input shaft of said transmission can operate independently of an output speed of said output member and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through said transmission;

monitoring commands affecting a requested output torque;

monitoring a calculated output torque;

determining said operation of said transmission to comprise one of stable operation and transient operation;

if said operation comprises stable operation, controlling said engine and said electric machine based upon said commands affecting said requested output torque; and

if said operation comprises transient operation,

determining a permissible range of output torque values based upon a minimum value and a maximum value selected from said commands affecting said requested output torque, said calculated output torque, and a zero output torque value;

determining an input acceleration immediate command for controlling acceleration of an input shaft of said transmission based upon said permissible range; and

controlling said engine and said electric machine based upon said input acceleration immediate command.

10. An apparatus for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member, the apparatus comprising:

said transmission including a gear configuration operating in an operating range state wherein input speed can operate independent of output speed and wherein a reactive torque is transmitted through said transmission; and

a shift execution module, including a microprocessor configured to perform the following steps to

monitor commands affecting a requested output torque,

monitor a calculated output torque,

determine said operation of said transmission to comprise one of stable operation and transient operation;

if said operation comprises stable operation, control said engine and said electric machine based upon said commands affecting said requested output torque; and

if said operation comprises transient operation,

determine a permissible range of output torque values based upon said commands affecting said requested output torque and said calculated output torque;

determine an input acceleration immediate command for controlling acceleration of an input shaft of said transmission based upon said permissible range; and

control said engine and said electric machine based upon said input acceleration immediate command.

11. The apparatus of claim 10,

wherein said microprocessor configured to perform the step to determine said permissible range further comprises the microprocessor configured to perform a step to determine said permissible range further based upon a zero output torque value.

12. The apparatus of claim 11,

wherein the microprocessor configured to perform the step to determine said input acceleration immediate command comprises:

the microprocessor configured to perform a step to determine a minimum input acceleration and a maximum input acceleration based upon said permissible range; and

the microprocessor configured to perform a step to determine said input acceleration immediate command based upon said minimum input acceleration and said maximum input acceleration.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said logic to determine a permissible range includes logic to modulate said calculated output torque based upon an accelerator pedal position.