Electro-mechanical transmission control system

• US 8,357,074 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Wu, Peter E., Martini, Ryan D., Naqi, Syed, Sah, Jy-Jen F., Almasri, Osama, Buur, Hanne, Zettel, Andrew M., Van Horn, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US12/956,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 477/3, 477/5, 477/117, 477/127, 477/128, 477/129, 477/906, 477/907, 701/57, 701/58, 701/60, 701/62, 701/63
• US Class Current: 477/5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• 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 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• 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 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 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0225 Clutch actuator position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• 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 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 : Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 : Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 : Speed
• 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 2061/1208 : with diagnostic check cycles; Monitoring of failures
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/1276 : the failing part is a friction device, e.g. clutches or brakes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/728 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/12 : Detecting malfunction or potential malfunction, e.g. fail safe in control of hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4192; Circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/907 : Redundant

Abstract

A system for robust fault detection in an electrically variable, hydraulically controlled transmission includes independently monitoring hydraulic pressure within a hydraulic control circuit and electric machine rotation for detecting clutch state faults.

Claims

1. A transmission system for transmitting mechanical power flow originating from an engine and an electric machine to an output, comprising:

an input, planetary gear sets, torque transfer clutches, a hydraulic circuit, and first and second control modules;

the input operatively connected to one of the planetary gear sets;

the hydraulic circuit comprising flow management valves and pressure control solenoids selectively operative to apply the torque transfer clutches;

the torque transfer clutches selectively actuable to control operation in one of a fixed gear operating range state and a continuously variable operating range state;

the first control module;

a) operatively connected to the flow management valves and the pressure control solenoids to selectively apply the torque transfer clutches;

b) directly signally connected to pressure monitoring devices adapted to monitor the hydraulic circuit;

c) operative to execute algorithmic code to detect a fault in the torque transfer clutches affecting the mechanical power flow to the output based upon the signal outputs of the pressure monitoring devices; and

,

d) operative to execute remedial control upon fault detection; and

the second control module;

a) operatively connected to an electric power inverter to control electric power flow to the electric machine,

b) directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation of the electric machine;

c) directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation of the output of the transmission;

d) operative to execute algorithmic code to detect a fault affecting the mechanical power flow to the output of the transmission based upon the rotation of the electric machine and output of the transmission; and

,

e) operative to execute remedial control of the electric machine upon detection of a fault.

2. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the first control module and the second control module are mutually independent.

3. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the first control module operative to execute remedial control upon fault detection comprises the first control module operative to selectively control the flow management valves and pressure control solenoids to control transmission operation in a continuously variable operating range state.

4. The transmission of claim 1, wherein the second control module operative to execute remedial control of the electric machine upon detection of a fault comprises the second control module operative to control mechanical power output from the electric machine.

5. The transmission of claim 1, further comprising:

the transmission operative to transmit mechanical power originating from a plurality of electric machines to the output; and

the second control module;

a) operatively connected to respective electric power inverters to control electric power flow to each of the electric machines,

b) directly signally connected to respective sensing systems operative to monitor rotation of each of the electric machines, and,

c) directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation of the output of the transmission;

d) operative to execute algorithmic code to detect a fault affecting the mechanical power flow to the output of the transmission based upon the rotations of the electric machines and output of the transmission, and,

e) operative to execute remedial control of the electric machines upon detection of a fault.

6. The transmission of claim 5, wherein the second control module operative to execute remedial control of the electric machines upon detection of a fault comprises the second control module operative to control mechanical power output of each of the electric machines.