Closed loop transmission torque control

• US 8,473,170 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 06/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Stoller, Jason, Vaccari, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US12/884,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20120072084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,012 Days
• Field of Search: 701 51- 55, 701 58- 61, 703/2, 700 40- 45, 700/71, 700/72, 700/275
• US Class Current: 701/60
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0011 Proportional Integral Differential [PID] controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0012 Feedforward or open loop systems
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/472 for achieving a target output torque

Abstract

The described system and method provide improved transmission performance and response with closed loop torque feedback by implementing situational gain scheduling and nonlinear control techniques for continuously variable transmissions. The system uses contextual information regarding the operation of the machine to determine a gain to be applied in associated PID control logic. In an embodiment, the determined gain is applied in the integral portion of the closed loop controller.

Claims

1. A method for providing, in a machine including a hydrostatic transmission, output torque control having situation-based system response, the method comprising:

maintaining a plurality of state-based gain schedules associated with situational states of the machine;

determining machine operational values for the machine;

determining, by a situational state calculator, a situational state of the machine based on the machine operational values;

selecting, by a situational gain scheduler, a gain value based on the situational state of the machine, the selecting including at least specifying one of the plurality of state-based gain schedules based upon the situational state of the machine; and

executing output torque control of the hydrostatic transmission via a closed loop control module and an open loop control module, wherein the closed loop control module applies the gain value to render a closed loop torque control output value.

2. The method for providing output torque control according to claim 1, wherein the closed loop control module executes a PID control strategy, and wherein the closed loop control module applies the gain value in an integral stage of the PID control strategy.

3. The method for providing output torque control according to claim 2, wherein the machine operational values include a value indicating activation of a machine control.

4. The method for providing output torque control according to claim 3, wherein the machine control is one of the group consisting of:

a transmission shift control, a deceleration control, and an acceleration control.

5. The method for providing output torque control according to claim 2, further comprising detecting activation of a machine control and resetting the integral stage of the PID control strategy based on the detected activation.

6. The method for providing output torque control according to claim 5, wherein the activated machine control is one of the group consisting of:

a transmission shift control, a deceleration control, and an acceleration control.

7. The method for providing output torque control according to claim 1, wherein executing output torque control of the hydrostatic transmission includes providing actuation signals to one or more hydraulic pressure valves to control a swash plate actuator of a variator.

8. A controller for providing, in a machine including a hydrostatic transmission, output torque control having situation-based system response, the controller comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having thereon computer executable instructions executed by the controller to facilitate performing the steps comprising:

maintaining a plurality of state-based gain schedules associated with situational states of the machine;

determining machine operational values for the machine;

determining, by a situational state calculator, a situational state of the machine based on the machine operational values;

selecting, by a situational gain scheduler, a gain value based on the situational state of the machine, the selecting including at least specifying one of the plurality of state-based gain schedules based upon the situational state of the machine; and

executing output torque control of the hydrostatic transmission via a closed loop control module and an open loop control module, wherein the closed loop control module applies the gain value to render a closed loop control output value.

9. The controller for providing output torque control according to claim 8, wherein the closed loop control module executes a PID control strategy, and wherein the closed loop control module applies the gain value in an integral stage of the PID control strategy.

10. The controller for providing output torque control according to claim 9, wherein the machine operational values include a value indicating activation of a machine control.

11. The controller for providing output torque control according to claim 10, wherein the machine control is one of the group consisting of:

a transmission shift control, a deceleration control, and an acceleration control.

12. The controller for providing output torque control according to claim 9, further comprising instructions for detecting activation of a machine control and for resetting the integral stage of the PID control strategy based on the detected activation.

13. The controller for providing output torque control according to claim 12, wherein the machine control is one of the group consisting of:

a transmission shift control, a deceleration control, and an acceleration control.

14. The controller for providing output torque control according to claim 8, wherein the instructions for executing output torque control of the hydrostatic transmission include instructions for providing actuation signals to one or more hydraulic pressure valves to control a swash plate actuator of a variator.

15. A machine for employing transmission, in a machine, output torque control having situation-based system response, the machine comprising:

a hydrostatic transmission;

a plurality of user input elements operable by a machine user to affect the operation of the hydrostatic transmission;

a plurality of state-based gain schedules associated with situational states of the machine;

a measurement facility for determining machine operational values for the machine; and

a controller configured with a non-transitory computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions facilitating;

determining a situational state of the machine based on the machine operational values,

selecting a gain value based on the situational state of the machine, the selecting including at least specifying one of the plurality of state-based gain schedules based upon the situational state of the machine, and

executing output torque control of the hydrostatic transmission via a closed loop control module and an open loop control module, wherein the closed loop control module applies the gain value to render a closed loop control output value.

16. The machine for employing transmission output torque control according to claim 15, wherein the closed loop control module executes a PID control strategy, and wherein the closed loop control module applies the gain value in an integral stage of the PID control strategy.

17. The machine for employing transmission output torque control according to claim 16, wherein the machine operational values include a value indicating activation of a machine control.

18. The machine for employing transmission output torque control according to claim 17, wherein the machine control is one of the group consisting of:

a transmission shift control, a deceleration control, and an acceleration control.

19. The machine for employing transmission output torque control according to claim 16, further comprising detecting activation of a machine control and resetting the integral stage of the PID control strategy based on the detected activation.

20. The machine for employing transmission output torque control according to claim 15, wherein executing output torque control of the hydrostatic transmission includes providing actuation signals to one or more hydraulic pressure valves to control a swash plate actuator of a variator.