Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Maruthi Ravichandran

Rajit Johri

Jason Meyer

Akshay Bichkar

Jeffrey Allen Doering

Fazal Urrahman Syed

Naginder Gogna

Marin Assaliyski

Corey James Blue

Mary Catherine Farmer

Judhajit Roy

Calvin Trescott

Ravikumar Tumu

Sassan Farahmand

Nicholas David Moore

Bhavesh Paradkar

Ralph Wayne Cunningham

Bradley Dean Riedle

Daniel Scott Colvin

Steven Anatole Frait

Francis Thomas Connolly

Shunsuke Okubo

Kevin Ruybal

Minku Lee

Justin Panhans

Alec Bolthouse

Karthik Pillutla

Ravi Kumar Tumu

Methods and systems are provided for an electric vehicle are provided. In one example, a method for an electric vehicle having a first prime mover for supplying a torque to a first axle and a second prime mover for supplying a torque to a second axle comprises transitioning the first prime mover and the second prime mover to cross a lash zone one before the other, where the lash zone of the second prime mover does not overlap with the lash zone of the first prime mover. In one example, the first prime mover is controlled with a first electronic controller and the second prime mover is controlled with a second electronic controller positioned separately in the vehicle from the first electronic controller. In one example, the method further comprises communicating information from the first electronic controller to the second electronic controller via a communication area network.

System and method to coordinate lash crossing transitions in multi-axle electrified drivetrains

Methods and systems are provided for a drivetrain system comprising: a first prime mover for supplying a torque to a front axle; a second prime mover for supplying a torque to a rear axle; and a controller configured to, in response to a torque reversal, command the front axle and the rear axle to cross lash zones sequentially.

Clunk and shuffle management in multi-motor, multi-axle electrified drivetrains

Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an integrated starter/generator (ISG) is operated in a speed control mode after an engine stop request. The ISG is prevented from stopping while engine rotational speed is greater than a threshold engine rotational speed so that the engine may be restarted via the ISG.

System and method for restarting an engine

Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an electrically driven transmission fluid pump may be deactivated in response to an engine pull-up request so that a driveline disconnect clutch may provide more consistent torque transfer capacity during closing of the driveline disconnect clutch.

System and method for starting an engine

Systems and methods for selecting which of a plurality of engine starting devices starts an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, engine starting devices may be selected and operated while a vehicle is operating in a creep mode. The system and method may place a driveline disconnect clutch in a wait state or engage a flywheel starter to improve engine starting.

System and method for controlling engine starting devices

Systems and methods for managing starting of an internal combustion engine during shifting of a transmission of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, torque converter impeller speed or a torque multiplication ratio may be indicative of an unintended transmission downshift during engine starting so that an engine starting device may be switched to improve vehicle operation.

System and method for controlling engine starting during a downshift

Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, torque capacity of a driveline disconnect is coordinated with torque control of an electric machine immediately following engine starting. The electric machine and the driveline disconnect clutch may assist starting of an engine, or alternatively, the engine may be started via a starter motor.

System and method for coordinating disconnect clutch and electric machine torque

Systems and methods for operating a driveline of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a boost phase of a procedure to close a driveline disconnect clutch may be cut short in response to an engine changing state from not rotating to rotating so that the engine may be restarted in an alternative way. The system and methods may also predict a degraded engine start from a low engine cranking speed or a long cranking time duration so that the engine may be started in an alternative way to increase a possibility of starting the engine and decrease the severity of degraded driveline disturbance.

Driveline disconnect clutch operating methods and system

Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an integrated starter/generator (ISG) provides torque to restart an engine after the engine has been shut down and before engine speed is zero. An opening of a throttle is delayed to reduce driveline torque disturbances during engine restarting.

Systems and methods for starting an engine of a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the method starts an engine according to vehicle conditions that are within a range that is defined by one or more thresholds. The thresholds may be adjusted based on a history of individual driving patterns.

Methods and system to prepare a disconnect clutch for starting an engine

Systems and methods for starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, the internal combustion is started via closing a driveline disconnect clutch and limiting a torque output rate of an electric machine so that vehicle speed may increase continuously without decreasing during engine cranking and run-up periods.

Systems and methods to coordinate clunk and shuffle management with engine starts in MHT drivetrains

Systems and methods for starting an engine of a hybrid vehicle are described. In one example, the method selects one or more electric machines to start an engine. The method may reference a data structure, such as a matrix or table, and the matrix or table outputs which of the one or more electric machines is applied to start the engine.

Methods and system for starting an engine

Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch is de-stroked in a particular way so that the driveline disconnect clutch may be de-stroked more consistently. The de-stroking process may be followed by boosting and stroking the driveline disconnect clutch so as to preposition the driveline disconnect clutch or holding the clutch at an offset below stroke pressure to minimize drag.

System and method for driveline disconnect clutch de-stroking and prepositioning

Systems and methods for selecting and scheduling which of a plurality of engine starting devices starts an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a scheduled start of the internal combustion engine via a driveline disconnect clutch is withdrawn during conditions when both a transmission gear shift is requested or in process and when a driver urgency level is greater than a threshold level.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Maruthi Ravichandran