Methods and system for operating a hybrid vehicle in cruise control mode

• US 9,517,764 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gibson, Alexander O'Connor, McCallum, James William Loch, Nedorezov, Felix, Wang, Xiaoyong, Shelton, Matthew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kiswanto, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US14/522,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20160114792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/4825 Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/507 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0208 Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/021 Clutch engagement state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/103 Speed profile
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 : Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/105 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/06 : Improving the dynamic response of the control system, e.g. improving the speed of regulation or avoiding hunting or overshoot
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/143 : Speed control
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/91 : Battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/48 : Vibration dampers, e.g. dual mass flywheels
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

Systems and methods for reducing driveline mode change busyness for a hybrid vehicle are presented. The systems and methods may delay a driveline mode change in response to a time since a change from a first desired vehicle speed to a second vehicle speed, or alternatively, driveline mode changes may be initiated in response to an estimated time to change from the first desired vehicle speed to the second desired vehicle speed.

Claims

1. A method for a controller, comprising:

during a closed-loop vehicle speed control mode, delaying a change in propulsion sources providing torque to a driveline of a vehicle or absorbing torque from the driveline via the controller in response to a determined amount of time since a change in a desired vehicle speed of the vehicle, where the propulsion sources include an engine of the vehicle and a driveline integrated starter generator (DISG) of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delaying the change in propulsion sources includes delaying, via the controller, actuation of a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG and where the change in desired vehicle speed is a decrease in vehicle speed.

3. The method of claim 1, where the change in propulsion sources is from an engine only operating mode to a driveline integrated starter/generator only mode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying the change in propulsion sources providing torque to the driveline in further response to an estimated time to change vehicle speed from a present speed to a new speed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising delaying an engine deactivation time in response to the determined amount of time since the change in the desired vehicle speed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising upshifting a transmission in response to the determined amount of time since the change in the desired vehicle speed.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying entering the engine into a deceleration fuel shut off mode where a driveline disconnect clutch is closed in response to a time since the change in the desired vehicle speed.

8. A method for a controller, comprising:

during a closed-loop vehicle speed control mode, delaying a change in propulsion sources of a vehicle via the controller, the propulsion sources including an engine and a driveline integrated starter generator (DISG), providing torque to a driveline of the vehicle or absorbing torque from the driveline in response to a determined estimate of a time to change from a present vehicle speed of the vehicle to a new vehicle speed.

9. The method of claim 8, where the new vehicle speed is greater than the present vehicle speed and wherein delaying the change in propulsion sources includes delaying, via the controller, actuation of a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG.

10. The method of claim 8, where the new vehicle speed is less than the present vehicle speed.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising delaying opening a driveline disconnect clutch in response to the determined estimate of the time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed.

12. The method of claim 8, where the closed-loop vehicle speed control mode adjusts vehicle speed based on a difference between a desired vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising upshifting a transmission to adjust speed of the DISG to a speed where maximum DISG torque is available in response to the estimate of time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the driveline disconnect clutch is mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG.

15. A system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine;

a driveline integrated starter generator (DISG);

a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG;

a transmission; and

a controller including instructions to change from a first driveline mode to a second driveline mode in response to an estimate of a time to change from a present vehicle speed to a new vehicle speed while the hybrid vehicle is operating in a closed-loop vehicle speed control mode.

16. The system of claim 15, where the first mode is an engine only mode and where the second mode is a DISG only mode.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to close the driveline disconnect clutch in response to the estimate of time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to upshift the transmission in response to DISG speed being greater than a DISG speed where maximum DISG torque is available.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to operate the engine in a deceleration fuel shut off mode in response to the time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to delay the change from the first driveline mode to the second driveline mode in response to a time since a change from a first desired vehicle speed to a second desired vehicle speed.