Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110053733 | ENGINE STARTING CONTROL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR A HYBRID VEHICLE - A hybrid powertrain includes an engine having a crankshaft, and a hybrid transmission having an input member, an output member, and at least one motor/generator operable to provide or receive torque. A damper connects the crankshaft with the input member. A bi-directional rotational position sensing system operatively connects with either the crankshaft or an input side of the damper, and is configured to sense the rotational position and direction of the crankshaft, and provide a position signal indicative thereof. At least one controller is configured to receive the position signal and to provide a torque command to the motor/generator based at least in part on the position signal. The torque command is operable to cause the motor/generator to substantially cancel an expected engine torque pulse associated with the sensed rotational position during starting of the engine with the damper open. A method for controlling the hybrid powertrain is provided. | 03-03-2011 |
20110066308 | PREDICTIVE ENERGY MANAGEMENT CONTROL SCHEME FOR A VEHICLE INCLUDING A HYBRID POWERTRAIN SYSTEM - A method for controlling a vehicle having a hybrid powertrain includes monitoring vehicle navigation and traffic patterns associated with a predicted travel path. It extends the powertrain instantaneous controller into a predictive control framework, and utilizes previewed traffic and geographic information based on on-board sensing and navigation information. An impending road load is predicted from which a fuel cost factor is optimized under a model predictive control framework. A state-of-charge trajectory is predicted from the impending road load and operation of the hybrid powertrain system is controlled in response thereto. | 03-17-2011 |
20110301791 | ELECTRIC LAUNCH OF A HYBRID VEHICLE HAVING A BELT ALTERNATOR STARTER AND A DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION - A controller-executable method provides an electric-only (EV) launch mode in a vehicle having an accelerator pedal, an engine, a motor generator unit (MGU), a dual-clutch transmission (DCT), and a belt alternator starter system adapted for selectively rotating the crankshaft using motor torque from the MGU. Execution of the method uses motor torque from the MGU, while the engine is off, to accelerate the crankshaft to above a calibrated launch speed when a threshold minimum force is applied to the pedal. A designated one of the odd- and even-gear clutches of the DCT are controlled until input torque to the DCT equals a calibrated level. The other DCT clutch may be modulated to dampen drivetrain oscillations. The vehicle launches in the EV launch mode via the designated DCT clutch when the crankshaft speed exceeds an input speed of the DCT. The vehicle and controller are also provided. | 12-08-2011 |
20120083950 | ENHANCED STABILITY CONTROL FOR AN ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN - A vehicle having an electric powertrain includes a control system for executing a driveline stability control method. A host machine determines vehicle speed prior to an electric-only (EV) mode or EV mode shift/transition, filters an initial motor torque command to the traction motor via a notch filter as a function of vehicle speed to generate a filtered motor torque command, and controls the motor during the EV mode or transition using the filtered motor torque command. The notch filter may have a center frequency and/or a damping coefficient tunable to changing vehicle speed. A control system for the vehicle includes the host machine, a notch filter, and optionally a vehicle speed-based active damping module. The host machine controls the motor during the EV mode or transition using the filtered motor torque command from the filter, and may provide the damping control during the EV mode or transition. | 04-05-2012 |
20120083951 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING AN EV MODE TRANSITION IN A TWO-MODE HYBRID VEHICLE - A method of executing an electric-only (EV) mode transition in a vehicle includes determining vehicle operating values using a control system, processing the values to identify the transition, and executing the transition to or from the first or second EV mode. The transition is executed by selectively engaging and disengaging the input brake to zero, and by using the first and/or second traction motor to synchronize slip across the input brake. When the transition is from the first to the second EV mode or vice versa, the control system may use multiple speed and torque control phases to enter multiple intermediate modes, e.g., a pair of engine-on electrically-variable transmission modes and a fixed gear mode. A vehicle includes an engine, an input brake, first and second traction motors, and a transmission driven via the motors in a first and second EV mode. The vehicle includes the control system noted above. | 04-05-2012 |
20120130574 | ELECTRICALLY ASSISTED VARIABLE-K CONTROL - A vehicle includes a transmission, a motor configured to provide a motor torque to the transmission, and an engine configured to provide an engine torque to the transmission. A torque converter is operably disposed between the transmission and the motor, the engine, or both. The torque converter is configured to at least partially transfer at least one of the motor torque and the engine torque to the transmission in accordance with a plurality of k-factors. The torque converter includes a clutch configured to at least partially engage to change the effective k-factor applied by the torque converter. A control processor is configured to blend the plurality of k-factors and at least partially engage the clutch based on the blended k-factor. | 05-24-2012 |
20120150371 | CONTROL OF A HYBRID VEHICLE WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION - A vehicle includes a transmission that receives torque from an engine and/or a motor. A clutch assembly that may be actuated by a driver is operably disposed between the transmission and the motor, the engine, or both. A controller is configured to control the torque provided by the motor and the engine to prevent engine stall, excessive engine flare, or both, during manual actuation of the clutch assembly by the driver of the vehicle. | 06-14-2012 |
20120174570 | TRANSMISSION HYDRAULIC CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING FLOW AUGMENTATION - A system for providing pressurized hydraulic fluid includes an engine driven main pump and an electrical motor driven auxiliary pump. The auxiliary pump provides hydraulic fluid at line pressure to shift control subsystems during a vehicle launch while the main pump provides hydraulic fluid to cooler or lubrication subsystems during the vehicle launch. A pressure regulation valve regulates the pressure of the hydraulic fluid from the main pump. Once the main pump reaches a critical speed, the main pump provides hydraulic fluid at line pressure to the hydraulic control system and the auxiliary pump is turned off. | 07-12-2012 |
20120178567 | DUAL DAMPER ISOLATION FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE HYBRID POWERTRAIN - A hybrid transmission has an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes. The input member is driven by an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. | 07-12-2012 |
20120178585 | FRICTION LAUNCH STRATEGY FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE POWERTRAIN - A control strategy for launching a motor vehicle includes using an electric motor to provide high torque at low speeds during synchronization of launch clutches. An internal combustion engine is started and connected with the electric motor to provide additional torque capacity. Selective engagement and disengagement of an engine disconnect clutch prevents the engine start from interfering with the motor vehicle launch. | 07-12-2012 |
20120259490 | OPEN MODULAR ELECTRIC POWERTRAIN AND CONTROL ARCHITECTURE - A system to control a powertrain includes an energy management layer monitoring a plurality of potential energy storage devices and determining a reference available power for each of the potential energy storage devices. The system further includes a power management layer monitoring the reference available power for the potential energy storage devices, a power demanded of the powertrain, and an electric power constraint for the potential energy storage devices, and determining a power split based upon the monitored reference available power for the potential energy storage devices, the power demanded of the powertrain, and the electric power constraint for the potential energy storage devices. The system further includes a torque control layer controlling torque generation based upon the determined power split. | 10-11-2012 |
20120289376 | HYBRID VEHICLE WITH DUAL CLUTCH TRANSMISSION - A vehicle includes an engine that generates an engine torque and a motor that generates a motor torque. A transmission can receive the engine torque, the motor torque, or both. The transmission includes a first gear set and a second gear set, as well as a first clutch that at least partially engages to transfer torque to the gears in the first gear set and a second clutch that at least partially engages to transfer torque to the gears in the second gear set. A controller can control the engine torque and the motor torque to control a speed of the engine to follow a desired speed profile. The controller can also control the engagement of the first clutch and the second clutch to optimize a desired gear state to minimize system losses. | 11-15-2012 |
20130023379 | FLUID COUPLING FOR A HYBRID POWERTRAIN SYSTEM - A hybrid powertrain system includes an internal combustion engine, an electric machine coupled to a transmission, a fluid coupling including an impeller and a turbine wherein the impeller is mechanically coupled to a rotatable member of the electric machine and the turbine is mechanically coupled to a rotatable member of the internal combustion engine. The fluid coupling is effective to fluidically couple torque from the electric machine to the internal combustion engine when the impeller and turbine are not mechanically locked. | 01-24-2013 |
20140074329 | VEHICLE ELECTRIC RANGE ESTIMATION - A method and system of dynamically displaying a plurality of electric drive range estimations for a vehicle having an electric motor and an energy storage system configured to provide electric power to the electric motor. The display providing information to a driver such that an electric drive range of the vehicle can be optimized. | 03-13-2014 |
20140372053 | TECHNIQUES FOR ESTIMATING BATTERY PACK PARAMETERS - A method for a battery pack controller of an electrified vehicle, the battery pack controller including one or more processors, includes identifying N battery cells of a battery pack that includes M battery cells, the N battery cells being weakest battery cells of the battery pack, wherein N is an integer greater than zero and less than M. The method includes determining one or more first parameters for each of the N battery cells, each of the one or more first parameters indicating a parameter for a specific battery cell. The method includes estimating one or more second parameters for the battery pack based on the one or more first parameters for each of the N battery cells, each of the one or more second parameters indicating a parameter for the battery pack. The method also includes outputting the one or more second parameters for the battery pack. | 12-18-2014 |