Power train controller and associated memory device

• US 9,970,532 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allison Transmission Incorporated (Allison Transmission Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Allison Transmission Incorporated (Allison Transmission Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Litscher, Christian M., Rues, Jeanne O., Howenstein, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Application Number:
  US14/978,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20160109018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/00 Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units arrangement or mounting in vehicles of electrical gearing, in which an electrical machine serves only as reduction gearing and not as the prime mover and in which no electrical storing means are used B60K17/12; control and regulation of purely electrical prime movers B60L; prime-movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors in a common engine block or housing per se F02B65/00; electric motors or motor-generators used for starting the combustion engine F02N11/04; electric motors for synchronising gearing F16H3/12 Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 17/221 Procedure or apparatus for checking or keeping in a correct functioning condition of brake systems hydraulic pressure systems in general F15B19/00, F15B21/04; testing structures or apparatus G01M
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0006 Digital architecture hierarchy
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0098 Details of control systems ensuring comfort, safety or stability not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/02 Ensuring safety in case of control system failures, e.g. by diagnosing, circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0204 for gearshift control, e.g. control functions for performing shifting or generation of shift signal
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/28 for testing brakes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/48 Analogue computers for specific processes, systems or devices, e.g. simulators
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A power train subsystem for a motorized vehicle and methods of programming such power train controllers of the power train subsystem are disclosed. The power train subsystem may include a power train component, a controller, and a memory device. The controller may be coupled to the power train component to control operation of the power train component. The memory device may include boot code, application software, standard calibration parameters, and custom calibration parameters. The boot code provides an environment upon which the application software executes per the standard calibration parameters and custom calibration parameters. The standard calibration provides parameters which configure the controller for a range of vehicular applications. The custom calibration parameters provide parameters which configure the controller for a particular vehicular application in the range of vehicular applications.

Claims

1. A power train subsystem for a motorized vehicle, the power train subsystem comprising:

a power train component to drive a drive assembly,

a controller coupled to the power train component to control operation of the power train component,

a memory device separate from the controller, and

a connector located on a shift selector of the motorized vehicle and communicatively coupled to the controller, the connector having a memory slot sized to receive the memory device,

wherein (i) the connector communicatively couples the memory device to the controller when the memory device is received in the memory slot and (ii) the memory device is removable from the memory slot.

2. The power train subsystem of claim 1, wherein the memory device comprises a boot code executable by the controller to define an operating environment, application software to provide the controller with commands to control the power train component, standard calibration parameters which configure the controller and power train component for a range of vehicular applications, and custom calibration parameters which configure the controller and power train component for a particular vehicular application of the range of vehicular applications.

3. The power train subsystem of claim 2, wherein the power train component comprises a torque converter.

4. The power train subsystem of claim 1, wherein (i) the power train component comprises a transmission and (ii) the controller comprises a transmission control module.

5. The power train subsystem of claim 4, wherein the memory device is common to a second power train subsystem separate from the power train subsystem.

6. The power train subsystem of claim 5, wherein the second power train subsystem comprises (i) an engine and (ii) an engine control unit coupled to the engine to control operation of the engine.

7. The power train subsystem of claim 6, wherein the transmission control module is externally coupled to the transmission.

8. The power train subsystem of claim 6, wherein the transmission control module is integrated into the transmission.

9. The power train subsystem of claim 1, wherein (i) the power train component comprises an engine and (ii) the controller comprises an engine control unit.