Caterpillar Inc.

Brian Dean Kuras

Michael G Cronin

Michael John Barngrover

Thomas M Sopko

Frank A DeMarco

Ankit Sharma

Lance Mathew Cowper

Sangameshwar Sonth

Mustafa Guven

Michael E Vanderham

Kevin Jay Lueschow

Thomas Michael Sopko, Jr

Charles Earl Rose

Brian Douglas Hoff

Hongliu Du

Adam Martin Nackers

Jerry D Marr

Frank Anthony DeMarco

Maria-Magdalena Dilimot

Jonathan William Anders

Brian Eugene Lister

Adam Vaccari

Eric D Stemler

Kent Allen Casey

Kevin Anthony Davis

Glen Patrick Calvert

Alberto Martinez, Jr

Christopher P Braet

Thomas Gregory Pusch

Robert Paul Bertsch

Saurabh Pandey

Tyler Bowman

Sean Cameron Landers

Tyler Bowan

Tom Sopko

Thomas Michael Sopko Jr

Tony Arida

Matthew Garnett

A braking system is disclosed. The braking system may include a controller configured to determine a speed threshold that is based on a deceleration of an output speed of a powertrain of a machine caused in part by engagement of one or more brakes of the machine during a directional shift in a movement of the machine, the speed threshold being the output speed of the powertrain at which the one or more brakes are to be commanded to disengage. The controller may be configured to command disengagement of the one or more brakes based on a determination that the output speed of the powertrain satisfies the speed threshold.

Directional shift variable brake disengagement

An electronic control unit to control an engine control module of an engine is disclosed. The electronic control unit may receive a machine input associated with the engine. The electronic control unit may select, based on the machine input, a lug mapping from a plurality of lug mappings for controlling a load of the engine. The electronic control unit may control, using the lug mapping, power output of the engine and power to a propulsion module of the machine to satisfy a drawbar power/torque threshold and steering power torque threshold associated with the machine.

Control of an engine for a machine with a dual path powertrain

A braking system is disclosed. The braking system may include a controller configured to determine a power limit for one or more brakes of a machine based on a temperature of the one or more brakes during engagement of the one or more brakes according to a commanded power. The power limit may be a power at which the temperature of the one or more brakes ceases to increase. The controller may be configured to determine a speed adjustment for the machine based on the power limit and the commanded power, and cause adjustment to a speed of the machine based on the determined speed adjustment.

Brake power derating

An electronic control unit to control an engine control module of an engine is disclosed. The electronic control unit may receive, from a load monitoring device, power command information associated with a load of an engine. The electronic control unit may determine, based on the power command information, a total power command of the engine. The electronic control unit may determine, based on the total power command, a target engine speed for the engine. The electronic control unit may cause an engine control module to control the engine to operate in association with the target engine speed.

Control of an engine of a machine based on detected load requirements of the machine

A device that includes a memory and a processor is disclosed. The processor may be configured to receive a control signal for operating a plurality of traction motors of a work machine. The control signal may include information relating to an actual speed of the work machine, a target speed of the work machine, and a generator speed of a generator operatively coupled to the traction motors. The processor may be configured to determine respective torque commands associated with the traction motors based on the actual speed and the target speed, and determine a generator power limit based on the generator speed. The processor may be configured to determine a threshold based on the respective torque commands and the generator power limit, adjust the respective torque commands based on the threshold, and cause the traction motors to be operated based on the adjusted respective torque commands.

Control system for DC bus regulation

A control system for controlling operation of a drive motor includes an input device for providing a command signal that is indicative of a desired speed and direction of rotation of the drive motor. A sensor is associated with the drive motor and adapted to provide a sensor signal indicative of current rotational speed of the drive motor. A controller receives the command signal, and determine whether the command signal is indicative of a desired zero speed to be associated with the drive motor. The controller also receives the sensor signal, and determine whether the current rotational speed of the drive motor is within a pre-defined range of difference from the desired zero speed. The controller then generates a de-rated torque command signal having a reduced gain factor, and reduce the current rotational speed of the drive motor based on the de-rated torque command signal.

Control system for controlling operation of a drive motor

A propulsion control system provides different levels of jerk as a function of operator inputs and actual measured operational parameters in a machine. The system includes a power source, a continuously variable transmission (CVT) coupled to an output of the power source, a plurality of input/output devices, a plurality of sensors configured to generate signals indicative of operational parameters of the machine, and a controller communicatively coupled with the power source, the CVT, the input/output devices, and the sensors. The controller includes a database stored in a memory with a plurality of jerk values mapped to different operations of the machine selected from at least one of activation of a brake by an operator for an aggressive stop, a directional shift request from an operator to select one of forward, reverse, or neutral, and a set of operating conditions of the machine indicative of a blade load shedding mode. A jerk selection module is programmed to select at least one of a jerk value, an acceleration limit value, and a deceleration limit value based on a current operation of the machine. A speed command generating device is programmed to integrate a selected jerk value twice to generate a desired speed command. A proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control device is configured to continuously calculate a control error between the desired speed command and an actual speed of the machine. An output command control module is configured to output a control command for implementing a change in an output torque to at least one of the power source and the CVT to reduce the control error.

Propulsion control system with varying aggressiveness of response

A control system for a machine having at least one control element is disclosed. The control system includes multiple input sensors in communication with the control element. The input sensor generates an input signal based on an input to the control element. The control system includes multiple actuating members to control operations of the machine. The control system includes a controller in communication with the input sensors and the actuating members. The controller receives the input signal from the input sensor and determines an imposed hysteresis level corresponding to the input signal based on a hysteresis input function. The controller is further configured to generate a hysteresis conditioned input signal based on the imposed hysteresis level.

Control system for controlling operation of a machine by imposing shaped hysterisis

A steering control system is disclosed for use with a machine. The steering control system may have left and right motors, at least one input device configured to generate first and second signals indicative of desired speed and desired steering, a left speed sensor configured to generate a third signal, and a right speed sensor configured to generate a fourth signal. The steering control system may further have a controller configured to determine a difference between desired and actual steering based on the second, third, and fourth signals, to determine a steering command change that should be implemented based on the difference, and to determine a gain based on the second signal. The controller may also be configured to adjust the steering command change as a function of the gain, and to selectively apply the adjusted steering command change to one of the left and right motors.

Steering control system for multi-path electric drive

A system and method are provided for maintaining hydraulic steering for a machine during engine out or engine lugging conditions. The machine includes a torque-controlled transmission driven by an engine, the engine further being linked to a hydraulic steering pump that provides hydraulic power to a steering actuator. The machine may be, for example, a wheel loader or an off highway truck. The system and method include detecting an undesirable reduction of engine speed while the machine is travelling, and responsively reducing the transmission power to maintain the engine speed at a desired level to power the hydraulic steering pump. When the reduced requested transmission power reaches zero, a power reversal through the transmission is commanded to maintain the engine speed at the desired level to power the hydraulic steering pump.

Primary steering enabler during engine failure

A system and method are provided for controlling a movable element in accordance with a speed command. The movable element, which may be an excavator swing platform, is moved via an actuator that is driven in accordance with a torque command. The speed of the movable element is sensed, and a torque command is generated via PID control based on the speed command and the sensed speed. The PID control uses a set of gains including a P-gain, an I-gain, and a D-gain. At least one of these gains is set based on a counter, and the counter is set, cleared, incremented, or decremented based on one or more of the speed command, the torque command and the sensed speed. In this way, the movable element responds aggressively to operator input, but stability is maintained.

Aggressive and stable speed control

A method regulates the torque output and/or speed output of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) in a manner that may simulate a clutch. The CVT may be incorporated in a machine and maybe operatively coupled to a power source and to a propulsion device. The method utilizes an unaltered torque-to-speed curve that relates the torque output to the speed output of the CVT. The method may receive an operator input signal indicating a desire to change operation of the machine. The torque-to-speed curve may be shifted in response to the operator input signal to limit the torque output available. In an aspect, an under-run curve may be applied to the torque-to-speed curve, the under-run curve corresponding to a target speed. The operator input signal may also shift the under-run curve to reduce the target speed.

Torque and speed control in a machine with continuously variable transmission

A machine is described that includes an engine, a multi-clutch transmission and a controller. The controller is configured with computer-executable instructions for managing operation of the multi-clutch transmission to avoid autoengagement of a disengaged clutch. The computer-executable instructions configure the controller to receive sensor signals indicative of current operating status of the machine; determine, based upon the sensor signals, a configured minimum engine speed needed to avoid autoengagement of the disengaged clutch; and conditionally increase an engine speed based upon a comparison of the configured minimum engine speed and a sensed current engine speed. The machine includes a continuously variable transmission coupled to the multi-clutch transmission, and the controller is configured to adjust the continuously variable transmission ratio to counter the engine speed increase and thus maintain a current clutch output speed when increasing the engine speed to avoid autoengagement of a disengaged clutch.

Continuously variable transmission clutch anti-autoengagement in multi-clutch vehicle transmission arrangement

A variator torque control system adjusts a variator output so that the actual output torque of the variator closely matches an expected output torque. In an example, pressure values of an existing torque control map are supplemented in real time with calculated pressure supplement values based on the current operation of the variator. The pressure supplement value for each mapped pressure value may be derived based on a prior application of the same or another map value.

Open-loop torque control with closed-loop feedback

A system and method for variator control employs positively directed electronic make-up and flushing relief valves for more precise torque control of a hydraulic variator, especially during torque reversal, as well as improved cold weather operation. This can improve machine response during periods of severe torque change. The ability to more tightly control variator torque allows more precise torque management algorithms for power control and engine matching purposes. Moreover, the ability to positively control venting of the hydraulic circuit for purposes of fluid cooling allows for more consistent machine response regardless of ambient temperature.

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East Peoria, IL, United States of America

Brian Dean Kuras