Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft

Daimler Ag

Chrysler Group LLC

Chrysler Corporation

Ali K Naqvi

Jy-Jen F Sah

Lawrence A Kaminsky

Pinaki Gupta

Syed Naqi

Besim Demirovic

Anthony H Heap

Sean W McGrogan

Michael D Foster

Eric S Tryon

Peter E Wu

Aniket P Kothari

Jonathan M Bolenbaugh

Vincent Rawls

William Joseph Gourlay

Silva Hiti

Nitinkumar R Patel

Andrew M Zettel

Robert L Morris

Ryan D Martini

Krunal P Patel

Bryan R Snyder

Alexander K Rustoni

Jean Marie Miller

Nicholas Kokotovich

Shaun C Bowman

Lisa M Talarico

Scott T Weisgerber

George Robison

Mindy L Barth

Patrick M Prihoda

James R Bartshe

Rebecca Trierweiler

Christopher A Laurent

Sasa Lucic

Method for detecting a fault condition in a vehicular hydraulic circuit during a drive cycle using an electric pump includes monitoring an actual pump torque and monitoring a desired pump torque. A current confidence factor is determined based on the actual pump torque and the desired pump torque. An average confidence factor is iteratively calculated based on the current confidence factor and previously determined confidence factors. The average confidence factor is compared to a fault condition threshold. An absence of the fault condition in the hydraulic circuit is detected when the average confidence factor is at least the fault condition threshold, and a presence of the fault condition in the hydraulic circuit is detected when the average confidence factor is less than the fault condition threshold.

Method to detect loss of fluid or blockage in a hydraulic circuit using exponentially weighted moving average filter

A powertrain system includes a transmission employing an electrically-powered hydraulic pump providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic circuit. A method of operating the powertrain system includes monitoring a temperature of the hydraulic pump. In response to the temperature exceeding a threshold temperature, power output from an electrically-powered motor coupled to the hydraulic pump is derated, which includes decreasing rotational speed of the hydraulic pump and maintaining hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic circuit.

Method and apparatus for controlling an electrically powered hydraulic pump in a powertrain system

A method for operating a powertrain through selective application of a hydraulically actuated clutch includes monitoring a state of a pressure control switch operatively coupled the clutch, monitoring a hydraulic line pressure utilized by the pressure control switch to fill the clutch, determining a hydraulic flow rate flowing to the clutch based upon the state of the pressure control switch and the hydraulic line pressure, tracking a clutch fill volume of the clutch based upon the hydraulic flow rate, and controlling operation of the clutch based upon the clutch fill volume.

Method for model based clutch control and torque estimation

A method for controlling hydraulic line pressure of a hydraulic control system in transmission includes determining an available flow from a plurality of hydraulic pumps, determining a flow consumption of functions served by the hydraulic control system, determining an estimated hydraulic line pressure based upon the flow from the pumps and the flow consumption, determining a desired hydraulic line pressure, and controlling the hydraulic pumps based upon the desired hydraulic line pressure and the estimated hydraulic line pressure.

Method and apparatus to control hydraulic line pressure in an electro-mechanical transmission

A transmission includes a plurality of synchronously operated clutches selectably transmitting torque from a torque generative device to an output member. A method to control the transmission through a shift event includes monitoring a desired shift event including monitoring a clutch to be engaged, determining a time at which the clutch to be engaged will be synchronized, determining a required clutch fill time for the clutch to be engaged, and actuating an on-off hydraulic control switch selectably providing pressurized hydraulic fluid to the clutch to be engaged based upon coordinating the time at which the clutch to be engaged will be synchronized and the required clutch fill time.

Method to control a hybrid transmission using on-off switches controlling hydraulic flow to a clutch

A method of controlling a fluid pump to supply lubricating fluid to a plurality of fluid requiring components in a hybrid vehicle powertrain includes selecting a component-required flow rate for each respective component using a determined operating speed and torque for that respective component. Once the each component-required flow rate is selected, the system flow rate is set to the maximum component-required flow rate of the plurality of component-required flow rates. The fluid pump is then commanded to supply fluid to each of the plurality of fluid requiring components at the system flow rate.

Vehicle lubrication flow control

A powertrain system includes an internal combustion engine, a first electric machine and an electro-mechanical transmission operative to transmit torque to a driveline. A method for controlling the powertrain system in the presence of a controlled neutral operation of the electro-mechanical transmission being selected includes monitoring vehicle speed, and only when the monitored vehicle speed is indicative of a low-speed zone restricting a transition from a current engine operating state.

Method for providing a controlled neutral in lieu of a conventional neutral in an electro-mechanical transmission

A vehicle includes a powertrain with an engine, first and second torque machines, and a hybrid transmission. A method for operating the vehicle includes operating the engine in an unfueled state, releasing an off-going clutch which when engaged effects operation of the hybrid transmission in a first continuously variable mode, and applying a friction braking torque to a wheel of the vehicle to compensate for an increase in an output torque of the hybrid transmission resulting from releasing the off-going clutch. Subsequent to releasing the off-going clutch, an oncoming clutch which when engaged effects operation of the hybrid transmission in a second continuously variable mode is synchronized. Subsequent to synchronization of the oncoming clutch, the oncoming clutch is engaged.

Control system for a hybrid powertrain system

A method is provided to detect the presence of hydraulic line pressure in a hydraulic control system in an electromechanical transmission. The method includes determining an estimated hydraulic line pressure of the hydraulic control system based upon an input flow and an output flow of hydraulic fluid. The input flow and output flow are regulated with a pressure control device, which is energizable on operator demand. A pressure detection device is fluidly connected to the pressure control device to detect the presence of hydraulic pressure. An override module is applied to the estimated hydraulic line pressure to determine a corrected hydraulic line pressure. The override module sets the corrected hydraulic line pressure to predetermined values based on the operating state indicated by the pressure detection device. The override module corrects for an over-estimation of hydraulic line pressure in operating conditions such as low environmental temperatures.

Method and apparatus to detect the presence of hydraulic pressure in a transmission

A hybrid transmission includes first and second electric machines. A method for operating the hybrid transmission in response to a command to execute a shift from an initial continuously variable mode to a target continuously variable mode includes increasing torque of an oncoming clutch associated with operating in the target continuously variable mode and correspondingly decreasing a torque of an off-going clutch associated with operating in the initial continuously variable mode. Upon deactivation of the off-going clutch, torque outputs of the first and second electric machines and the torque of the oncoming clutch are controlled to synchronize the oncoming clutch. Upon synchronization of the oncoming clutch, the torque for the oncoming clutch is increased and the transmission is operated in the target continuously variable mode.

Method and apparatus for executing an asynchronous clutch-to-clutch shift in a hybrid transmission

A method for adjusting hydraulic line pressure applied to one or more clutch devices in an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and at least one electric machine includes predicting a first plurality of powertrain parameters for an upcoming event. For each of a plurality of engine torques, a predicted output torque and a predicted clutch load are determined that minimize a total powertrain operating cost based on an operator torque request and the predicted first plurality of powertrain parameters. Hydraulic line pressure is adjusted based on the engine torque having a lowest powertrain operating cost among the plurality of available engine torques.

Method for predicting reactive clutch loads and preemptively adjusting line pressure

An example vehicle includes an engine and a motor-generator configured to generate a torque in a first direction. A torque limiter clutch is configured to dissipate a torque in a second direction that opposes the first torque. The torque in the second direction may be caused by a force event. A control processor is configured to detect a possible force event and control the torque limiter clutch in response to detecting the possible force event. A method of controlling the torque limiter clutch includes detecting a possible force event, reducing fluid pressure to the torque limiter clutch in response to detecting the possible force event, confirming the possible force event, maintaining the reduced fluid pressure to the torque limiter clutch if the force event is confirmed, and increasing the fluid pressure to the torque limiter clutch if the force event is not confirmed.

Method and apparatus to protect powertrain components from excessive force damage due to wheel lockup

A method for reducing occurrence of clutch slip in electromechanical transmission adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member through selective application of a hydraulically actuated clutch includes monitoring operation of said clutch, identifying an indication of clutch wear based upon said monitoring said operation, and increasing a minimum clamping force applied to said clutch based upon said indication of clutch wear.

Method and apparatus to control clutch pressures in an electro-mechanical transmission

A powertrain includes an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and first and second electric machines adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member. An apparatus for controlling the powertrain includes the first and second electric machines, a first electric machine cooling circuit directing a cooling hydraulic flow to the first electric machine, a second electric machine cooling circuit directing a cooling hydraulic flow to the second electric machine, a hydraulic control system receiving a hydraulic flow and selectively channeling the hydraulic flow to the first and second electric machine cooling circuits, and an active electric machine cooling control system monitoring temperatures of the first and second electric machines, monitoring operation of the hydraulic control system, and selectively controlling the hydraulic control system.

Method and apparatus to control motor cooling in an electro-mechanical transmission

A method for controlling driveline stability in a vehicle includes generating an activation signal indicative of a predetermined vehicle maneuver, which may include a hard braking maneuver on a low coefficient of friction surface. A quick automatic shift to a neutral gear state is executed with a rapid dumping or bleeding off of clutch pressure in a designated output clutch of the vehicle. An activated state of an antilock braking system (ABS) may be used as part of the activation signal. The shift to the neutral gear state may occur only when a current transmission operating state is associated with the high level of driveline inertia. A vehicle includes a transmission and a control system configured to execute the above method.

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White Lake, MI, United States of America

Ali K Naqvi