Throttle ramp rate control system for a vehicle

• US 20050171679A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 08/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Markyvech, Ronald K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,121,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/110
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 11/105 characterised by the function converting demand to actuation, e.g. a map indicating relations between an accelerator pedal position and throttle valve opening or target engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/10 for acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 9/02 concerning induction conduits throttle valves, or arrangements thereof in conduits F02D9/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 477/90 Control signal is vehicle weight

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a throttle ramp rate of a vehicle. According to an embodiment of the invention, the controlling of a throttle ramp rate of a vehicle is accomplished by determining the target engine speed for a vehicle during a vehicle launch. If it is determined that there is a high throttle demand upon the engine of the vehicle, a throttle ramp rate offset amount is determined, which is based upon an estimated weight of the vehicle. A default high throttle ramp rate may then be adjusted based upon the determined throttle ramp rate offset.

Claims

1. A system for controlling fueling of a vehicle engine coupled to a transmission system during launch of the vehicle, comprising:

a control unit selectively coupled to a throttle sensor of said engine, wherein said control unit is configured to obtain an estimated weight of said vehicle and receive inputs from said throttle sensor and said engine to detect a high throttle demand to reach a high target engine speed during launch of said vehicle;

wherein said control unit is configured to, upon detecting said high throttle demand, adjust a default high throttle ramp rate associated with engine speed based upon said estimated weight of said vehicle.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said estimated vehicle weight comprises a gross vehicle weight of said vehicle.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said estimated vehicle weight is obtained by mathematical derivation using sensor readings communicated to said control unit.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said estimated vehicle weight comprises a gross combined weight.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said sensor readings measure an acceleration of said vehicle.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said detection of said high throttle demand is based upon a positional state of an accelerator pedal.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said control unit adjusts said default high throttle ramp rate by adding an offset amount, said offset amount based upon said estimated weight of said vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein said control unit is configured to confirm that said offset amount is reasonable by comparing said offset amount to at least one predetermined offset value.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein said control unit is configured to reduce said amount of offset upon determining that said offset amount is outside a predetermined range.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising an engine control unit communicating with said control unit by at least one data link, wherein said engine control unit directly controls an operation of said engine based upon instructions generated by said control unit.

11. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a clutch coupling said vehicle engine to said transmission system;

wherein said clutch comprises one of a non-frictional clutch or a frictional clutch.

12. A system for controlling powering of a prime mover, including a throttle sensor, coupled to a transmission system by a clutch, comprising:

a control unit configured to be selectively coupled with at least said throttle sensor and said prime mover, said control unit being configured to obtain an estimated weight of said vehicle and to detect a high throttle demand to reach a high target engine speed during vehicle launch;

wherein said control unit is configured to, upon detecting said high throttle demand during vehicle launch, adjust a default high throttle ramp rate associated with engine speed based upon said estimated weight of said vehicle, determine whether said adjustment to said default high throttle ramp rate is reasonable, and reduce said high throttle ramp rate adjustment upon determining that said ramp rate adjustment amount is outside a predetermined range.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said prime mover comprises a motor.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said control unit is configured to obtain an estimated weight of said vehicle by mathematical derivation using sensor readings.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein said sensor readings comprise acceleration of said vehicle.

16. A method of controlling fueling of an engine during a vehicle launch, comprising the steps of:

determining whether there is a high throttle demand upon said engine to reach a high target engine speed during vehicle launch;

calculating a throttle ramp rate offset based on an estimated weight of said vehicle when said high throttle demand is present; and

adjusting a default high throttle ramp rate associated with engine speed based upon said calculated throttle ramp rate offset.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of validating said estimated vehicle weight.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein said high throttle demand is determined by an operating parameter of a throttle of said vehicle.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein said estimated weight of said vehicle comprises a gross combined weight of said vehicle.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of determining a target engine speed for said engine based on said adjusted high throttle ramp rate.