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System and method for vehicle performance control

  • US 8,774,994 B2
  • Filed: 07/15/2009
  • Issued: 07/08/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • determining a total vehicle weight that includes a weight of the vehicle and a weight of a load carried by the vehicle; and

    using an electronic controller carried by the vehicle, accepting a driver command for power output from a drivetrain of the vehicle that includes a prime mover operatively connected to at least one tractive element, and in response to the driver command, causing the prime mover to apply power to the at least one tractive element so as to propel the vehicle, wherein a magnitude of total power supplied to the at least one tractive element of the vehicle is proportional to the total vehicle weight and is limited by the electronic controller to a predetermined ratio of power per unit of the total vehicle weight regardless of a magnitude of the driver command, the predetermined ratio being substantially lower than a ratio of a maximum power available from the prime mover divided by the weight of the vehicle without the weight of the load,wherein the vehicle is included in a sequence of plural vehicles having different maximum powers and traveling together in a trip, and wherein the predetermined ratio of power per unit of the total vehicle weight is determined using at least one electronic controller carried by at least one of the vehicles and for the vehicle having at least one of a smallest maximum power or heaviest total vehicle weight and is used to limit the magnitudes of the total powers supplied by the vehicles in the sequence.

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