Torque converter clutch virtual adapt learn method and system

• US 7,510,507 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sieffert, Jean, Trush, Christopher J., Holtz, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): PANG, ROGER L
• Application Number:
  US11/496,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20080032859A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 477/70, 477/166, 477/168, 477/169, 477/174, 477/175, 477/180, 192/3.21, 192/3.33, 701/58, 701/59
• US Class Current: 477/180
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/143 using electric control means

Abstract

A method of adapting a pressurized fluid supply to a torque converter clutch is provided. The method includes: learning a first pressure point related to an average of ramp pressure and an average of engine torque over a first time period; learning a second pressure point related to a second average of ramp pressure and a second average of engine torque over a second time period; determining a plurality of adapt values based on at least one of an extrapolation and an interpolation between the first pressure point and the second pressure point; and adapting the pressurized fluid to the torque converter clutch based on the plurality of adapt values.

Claims

1. A method of adapting a pressurized fluid supply to a torque converter clutch, comprising:

learning a first pressure point related to an average ramp pressure and an average engine torque over a first time period;

learning a second pressure point related to a second average ramp pressure and a second average engine torque over a second time period;

determining a plurality of adapt values based on at least one of an extrapolation and an interpolation between the first pressure point and the second pressure point; and

adapting the pressurized fluid to the torque converter clutch based on the plurality of adapt values.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining comprises:

calculating a slope (m) based on the first pressure point and the second pressure point;

defining a line based on the slope and at least one of the first pressure point and the second pressure point;

interpolating and extrapolating a plurality of points from the line; and

storing the plurality of points in memory as the plurality of adapt values.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the learning the second pressure point occurs after a change in engine torque is greater than a predetermined maximum delta.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the storing the plurality of points comprises storing the plurality of points in a table including a plurality of cells, wherein the table is indexed by engine torque and the related pressure is stored in the cells.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the learning the first pressure point and the learning the second pressure point is performed when engine stability criteria are met.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising limiting the values of the plurality of pressure points to be within a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the slope (m) is calculated from the average ramp pressure for the first pressure point (VirtualRamp¹), the second average ramp pressure for the second pressure point (VirtualRamp²), the average engine torque for the first pressure point (VirtualTorque¹), the second average engine torque for the second pressure point (VirtualTorque²), and based on an equation:

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the interpolating and extrapolating can be performed based on the slope (m), the average ramp pressure for the first pressure point (VirtualRamp¹), the average engine torque for the first pressure point (VirtualTorque¹), a selected engine torque (AdaptCell(x)Torque), and based on an equation:

AdaptCell(x)value=[m●

(AdaptCell(x)Torque−

VirtualTorque¹)]+VirtualRamp¹.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of points are stored in non-volatile memory.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising adapting the pressurized fluid to the torque converter clutch based on ramp pressure until all of the plurality of points are stored.

11. A torque converter clutch control system for a vehicle including an automatic transmission, comprising:

at least one valve that controls the flow of pressurized fluid to the torque converter;

at least one solenoid that controls a position of the at least one valve; and

a controller that sends a signal to the solenoid based on a pressure value, wherein the pressure value is adapted based on an adapt value determined from first and second operating points that are learned by averaging ramp pressure and engine torque over a first and second time periods and a slope value calculated from the first and second operating points.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the slope (m) is determined from the average ramp pressure for the first time period (VirtualRamp¹), the average ramp pressure for the second time period (VirtualRamp²), the average engine torque for the first time period (VirtualTorque¹), the average engine torque for the second time period (VirtualTorque²), and based on an equation:

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the adapt value is determined by at least one of interpolating and extrapolating a value from the first and second operating points.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the adapt value is determined from the slope (m), the average ramp pressure for the first time period (VirtualRamp¹), the average engine torque for the first time period (VirtualTorque¹), a selected engine torque (AdaptCell(x)Torque), and based on an equation:

AdaptCell(x)value=[m●

(AdaptCell(x)Torque−

VirtualTorque¹)]+VirtualRamp¹.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the adapt value is limited to be within a predetermined maximum and a predetermined minimum.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller includes non-volatile memory and wherein the adapt value is stored in and retrieved from the non-volatile memory.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the controller determines the adapt value when engine stability criteria are met.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the engine stability criteria are based on at least one of engine speed, throttle position, shift status, status of a torque converter clutch, turbine speed, and engine torque.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the second time period begins at a time where a change in engine torque is greater than a predetermined maximum delta.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein a plurality of adapt pressure values are stored in a table indexed by engine torque.

21. The system of claim 11 wherein the pressure value is adapted based on ramp pressure until the adapt value is determined.