Vehicle launch using a transmission clutch

• US 8,398,526 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2010
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hrovat, Davor D., Fodor, Michael G., Jiang, Hong, Oldknow, Ian, Asgari, Jahan
• Primary Examiner(s): ESTREMSKY, SHERRY LYNN
• Application Number:
  US12/652,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 477/180, 477/181
• US Class Current: 477/180
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1015 Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/027 Clutch torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18027 Drive off, accelerating from standstill
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30406 Clutch slip
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30421 Torque of the output shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3067 Speed of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3109 Vehicle acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3144 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50224 Drive-off
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/50287 Torque control
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7044 Output shaft torque
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70454 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70496 Vehicle acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70605 : Adaptive correction; Modifying control system parameters, e.g. gains, constants, look-up tables
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7082 : of the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/06 : Control by electric or electronic means, e.g. of fluid pressure

Abstract

A method for controlling a transmission input clutch during a vehicle launch includes determining a desired clutch torque, a desired engine torque, a desired vehicle acceleration and a desired engine speed, determining a change in clutch torque and a change in engine torque with reference to the first and second errors and current operating conditions, applying to the clutch an updated clutch torque capacity whose magnitude is the sum of the desired clutch torque and the change in engine torque, and producing an updated engine torque whose magnitude is the sum of the desired engine torque and the change in engine torque.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a clutch during a vehicle launch comprising:

(a) determing commanded clutch torque and commanded engine torque using respective errors between vehicle acceleration and desired vehicle acceleration, and between engine speed and desired engine speed;

(b) changing clutch capacity to a sum of desired clutch torque and the commanded clutch torque;

(c) changing engine torque to a sum of desired engine torque and the commanded engine torque.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using a current accelerator pedal position, engine speed, and transmission input speed to determine a desired clutch torque, a desired engine torque, a desired vehicle acceleration and a desired engine speed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises:

determining a first error between the desired vehicle acceleration and a current vehicle acceleration;

using the first error and current vehicle operating conditions to determine a change in clutch torque that minimizes the first error.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises:

determining a second error between the desired engine speed and a current engine speed;

using the second error and vehicle operating conditions to determine a change in engine torque that minimizes the second error.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises:

determining a first error between the desired vehicle acceleration and a current vehicle acceleration;

determining a second error between the desired engine speed and a current engine speed; and

using the first and second errors and current vehicle operating conditions to determine a change in clutch torque and a change in engine torque that minimizes the first and second errors.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises:

determining the desired clutch torque that emulates performance of one of a viscous coupling, a hydraulic torque converter and a hydraulic coupling.

7. A method for controlling a transmission input clutch during a vehicle launch comprising the steps of:

(a) using open loop control to determine a desired clutch torque, a desired engine torque, a desired vehicle acceleration and a desired engine speed;

(b) determining a first error between the desired vehicle acceleration and current vehicle acceleration;

(c) determining a second error between the desired engine speed and current engine speed;

(d) using closed loop control to determining a commanded clutch torque and a commanded engine torque with reference to the first and second errors;

(e) applying to the clutch an updated clutch torque capacity whose magnitude is the sum of the desired clutch torque and the commanded clutch torque; and

(f) producing an updated engine torque whose magnitude is the sum of the desired engine torque and the commanded engine torque.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (a) further comprises:

determining the desired clutch torque that emulates performance of one of a viscous coupling, a hydraulic torque converter and a hydraulic coupling.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein step (a) further comprises:

using current accelerator pedal position, engine speed, and transmission input speed to determine desired clutch torque, desired engine torque, desired vehicle acceleration and desired engine speed.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein step (d) further comprises:

using the first error and current vehicle operating conditions to determine a change in clutch torque that minimizes the first error.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein step (d) further comprises:

using the second error and current vehicle operating conditions to determine a change in engine torque that minimizes the second error.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein step (d) further comprises:

using the first and second errors and current vehicle operating conditions to determine a change in clutch torque and a change in engine torque that minimizes the first and second errors.

13. A method for controlling a transmission input clutch during a vehicle launch comprising the steps of:

(a) using open loop control to determine a desired clutch torque, a desired engine torque, a desired vehicle acceleration and a desired engine speed;

(b) determining a first error between the desired vehicle acceleration and a current vehicle acceleration;

(c) determining a second error between the desired engine speed and a current engine speed;

(d) using closed loop control to determining a commanded clutch torque and a commanded engine torque with reference to the first and second errors;

(e) applying to the clutch an updated clutch torque capacity whose magnitude is the sum of the desired clutch torque and the commanded clutch torque; and

(f) producing an updated engine torque whose magnitude is the sum of the desired engine torque and the commanded engine torque;

(g) determining the desired clutch torque that emulates performance of one of a viscous coupling, a hydraulic torque converter and a hydraulic coupling.