Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Wei Liang

Ming Lang Kuang

Xiaoyong Wang

Mark Steven Yamazaki

Rajit Johri

Ryan Abraham McGee

Jeffrey Allen Doering

Bernard D Nefcy

Hai Yu

Francis Thomas Connolly

Daniel Scott Colvin

Qing Wang

Dennis C Reed

Yanan Zhao

Scott James Thompson

Adam Nathan Banker

Felix Nedorezov

Walter Joseph Ortmann

David Oshinsky

Thomas Chrostowski

Fazal Urrahman Syed

Christopher Alan Lear

Jianbo Lu

Marvin Paul Kraska

Chen Zhang

Zhengyu Dai

Carol Louise Okubo

Jonathan Andrew Butcher

Anthony Mark Phillips

Todd Mccullough

Wei Wu

Joseph Gerald Supina

George Edmund Walley

Robert Wright

David Farrell

Derek Taylor

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a battery, and at least one controller. The vehicle may further comprise a port for supplying power to a load external to the vehicle. The controller is programmed to operate the engine at a power level based on a difference between a battery voltage and a reference voltage such that a power output by the electric machine reduces the difference. The power level may define an engine operating point that minimizes fuel consumption. The operating point may be an engine torque and an engine speed. The power level may be further based on a state of charge of the battery. The electric machine may be operated to cause the engine to rotate at an engine speed corresponding to the selected power level. The difference may be caused by varying power drawn by a load external to the vehicle.

Hybrid-electric vehicle plug-out mode energy management

Methods and systems are provided for improving engine restart operations occurring during a transmission shift in a hybrid vehicle. Engine speed is controller during cranking and run-up to approach a transmission input shaft speed that is based on the future gear of the transmission shift. Engine speed is controlled via adjustments to spark, throttle, and/or fuel, to expedite engine speed reaching the synchronous speed.

Methods and systems for starting an engine

A vehicle includes a step-ratio automatic transmission having clutches engageable to provide forward and reverse gears, an electric machine selectively coupled to the transmission, a main pump powered by the electric machine and supplying oil to actuate selected transmission clutches, a gear selector configured for selecting a transmission gear, and a controller configured to stop the electric machine when the gear selector selects park or neutral, to operate the electric machine in a speed control mode using a higher controller gain in response to the gear selector selecting forward or reverse while the electric machine is stopped until the electric machine and the main pump reach a first speed threshold to reduce engagement delay of at least one of the transmission clutches, and to operate the electric machine using a lower controller gain when the electric machine and the main pump exceed the first speed threshold.

Hybrid/electric vehicle motor control during step-ratio transmission engagement

In at least one embodiment, a vehicle powertrain includes an engine and an electric machine mechanically coupled by a clutch. The powertrain also includes a torque converter configured to fluidly couple the electric machine to an output shaft. A controller is programmed to command a rotational speed output of the electric machine to the torque converter based on a predicted torque delivered across the clutch. The controller is further programmed to modify the command based on a difference between the commanded rotational speed output and an actual rotational speed output of the electric machine.

Hybrid powertrain speed control

A stability control system for a vehicle that has an electric traction motor that provides torque to an axle through a differential. The traction motor responds to an instability event that is sensed by sensors on the vehicle by initially reducing the torque provided to the traction wheels to regain steering control. The traction motor then pulses increased torque in sequence with the application of braking force to provide enhanced direct yaw moment control.

Electronic stability control system for electric drive vehicle

Systems and methods for transitioning a torque source between speed control and torque control modes during a vehicle creep mode are disclosed. In one example, torque of an electric machine is adjusted in response to a torque converter model. The torque converter model provides for a locked or unlocked torque converter clutch.

Methods and system for transitioning between control modes while creeping

A vehicle includes an engine having a crankshaft, a transmission having an input, and a torque converter mechanically coupled to the input. The vehicle further includes an electric machine mechanically coupled to the torque converter, a clutch configured to mechanically couple the electric machine and crankshaft, and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers are programmed to, in response to the transmission being in a drive or reverse gear and a speed of the vehicle being less than a predetermined value in an absence of driver demand, control the electric machine to achieve a target speed to cause the torque converter to output torque such that the speed of the vehicle approaches a generally constant speed less than or equal to the predetermined value when the vehicle is on a generally flat grade.

Hybrid vehicle idle and creep control

Systems and methods for operating a hybrid vehicle driveline that includes an engine and a motor are presented. In one example, the systems and methods include one or more speed control modes where torque output of a motor is adjusted responsive to different control parameters in the different control modes.

Methods and system for operating a vehicle transmission

A shift strategy is provided for a hybrid electric vehicle to cause a speed of a motor to approach a target motor speed to increase fuel economy for an engine operating in a hybrid drive mode. A controller shifts the transmission according to a magnitude of a driver torque demand, the current rotor or impeller speed, and whether the motor is consuming or producing current. The controller shifts the transmission according to one shift schedule when the motor is motoring, and according to another shift schedule when the motor is generating power.

Step-ratio transmission control for a hybrid vehicle

A method according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, controlling a torque output of an electric machine of an electrified vehicle during a vehicle creep condition, the torque output calculated based at least on a road grade estimate and a vehicle mass estimate.

Creep compensation using road grade and mass estimation

A hybrid electric vehicle having a motor and an engine that are selectively connected on a driveline and controlled by a controller. The controller is configured to schedule additional motor torque to compensate for engine inertia drag based upon a clutch pressure value and a clutch slip speed value during a period of clutch engagement. The controller is also configured to maintain vehicle acceleration using a proportional integral controller to adjust the motor torque during a period of clutch engagement.

Feed forward and feedback adjustment of motor torque during clutch engagement

A method includes controlling a torque output of an electric machine of an electrified vehicle based on estimated loads present during a transmission engagement of the electrified vehicle. Controlling the torque output may include merging a first feed-forward torque with a feedback torque if an input shaft of a transmission gearbox is spinning, or merging a second, different feed-forward torque with the feedback torque if the input shaft is not spinning.

Vehicle system and method for controlling torque delivery during transmission engagements with road grade and mass estimation

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Farmington Hills, MI, United States of America

Wei Liang