Systems and methods for engine and transmission control in response to look ahead data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034352-B2
Application number	US-201916596186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Oct 8, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A control system, apparatus, and method integrates management of vehicle torque limits and gear shifting of a vehicle by determining future engine power requirements from the forward-looking route conditions to improve performance and drivability of the vehicle over what is achievable through default and/or currently selected torque limits and gear state shifting strategies.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
an engine configured to output torque;
a transmission structured to receive torque from the engine and to output torque to propel the vehicle system;
an electronic control system operatively coupled with the engine and the transmission, the electronic control system being structured to:
determine a modified torque limit for the engine in response to look ahead route information for at least part of a route to be traveled by the vehicle system, the modified torque limit comprising a torque limit of the engine that is greater than a current torque limit, wherein the current torque limit is a user-selected torque limit;
determine a performance mode request defining a gear state of the transmission different from a default shift schedule gear state; and
control the engine and the transmission in response to the modified torque limit and the performance mode request.

2. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control system is structured to determine the modified torque limit in order to allow an increased speed or acceleration of the vehicle system as compared to the current torque limit.

3. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control system is structured to determine the performance mode in order to maintain a current gear state in a lower gear for a longer duration than the default shift schedule gear state as the speed of the vehicle system increases.

4. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein the electronic control system is structured to determine the performance mode request in order to delay an upshift from the current gear state of the transmission as the speed of the vehicle system increases.

5. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control system is structured to determine the modified torque limit and the performance mode request in order to provide modified operation of the engine with decreased fuel economy relative to unmodified operation of the engine in response to the current torque limit and default shift schedule.

6. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the electronic control system is structured to disable the user-selected torque limit in response to the look ahead route information indicating an increased projected engine power requirement for the engine.

7. The vehicle system according to claim 6 , wherein the look ahead route information indicating the increased power requirement is an on-ramp.

8. The vehicle system according to claim 6 , wherein the look ahead route information indicating the increased power requirement is an up-hill grade.

9. The vehicle system according to claim 6 , wherein the user-selected torque limit provides a greater fuel economy than the modified torque limit.

10. A method of controlling a vehicle system including an engine, a transmission coupled with the engine and an electronic control system coupled with the engine and the transmission, the method comprising operating the electronic control system to perform the acts of:
determining a modified torque limit setting in response to look ahead route information for at least part of a route to be traveled by the vehicle system, the modified torque limit comprising a torque limit of the engine that is greater than a current torque limit, wherein the current torque limit is a user-selected torque limit;
determining a performance mode request defining a gear state of the transmission different from a default shift schedule gear state; and
controlling the engine and the transmission in response to the modified torque limit and the performance mode request.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein:
the electronic control system is structured to disable the user-selected torque limit in response to the look ahead route information indicating an increased projected engine power requirement for the engine; and
the modified torque limit allows an increased speed or acceleration of the vehicle system as compared to the current torque limit.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the performance mode request maintains a current gear state in a lower gear for a longer duration than the default shift schedule gear state as the speed of the vehicle system increases.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the performance mode request delays an upshift from the current gear state of the transmission as the speed of the vehicle system increases.

14. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the modified torque limit and the performance mode request provide modified operation of the engine with increased fuel consumption relative to unmodified operation of the engine in response to the current torque limit and default shift schedule.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the look ahead route information indicating the increased power requirement is one at least one of an on-ramp and an up-hill grade.

16. An apparatus comprising:
an electronic control system configured to control operation of an engine and a transmission of a vehicle system by executing instructions stored in a non-transitory controller-readable medium to perform the acts of:
determining a modified torque limit setting in response to look ahead route information for at least part of a route to be traveled by the vehicle system, the modified torque limit comprising a torque limit of the engine that is greater than a current torque limit, wherein the current torque limit is a user-selected torque limit;
determining a performance mode request defining a gear state of the transmission different from a default shift schedule gear state; and
controlling the engine and the transmission in response to the modified torque limit and the performance mode request.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein:
wherein the electronic control system is structured to disable the user-selected torque limit in response to the look ahead route information indicating an increased projected engine power requirement for the engine; and
the modified torque limit allows an increased speed or acceleration of the vehicle system as compared to the current torque limit.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the performance mode request maintains a current gear state in a lower gear for a longer duration than the default shift schedule gear state as the speed of the vehicle system increases.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the performance mode request delays an upshift from the current gear state of the transmission as the speed of the vehicle system increases.

20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the modified torque limit and the performance mode request provide modified operation of the engine with decreased fuel economy relative to unmodified operation of the engine in response to the current torque limit and default shift schedule.

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• Shah Nirav
• Dempsey Daniel Reed

Classifications

• B60W10/06 Primary

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B60W30/182

  Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes · CPC title

• B60W50/0097

  Predicting future conditions · CPC title

• B60W10/11

  Stepped gearings · CPC title

• B60W2710/0666

  Engine torque · CPC title