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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11458953-B2
Application number	US-201916717470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2019
Priority date	Dec 17, 2019
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a machine input for an engine of a machine and a direction input corresponding to a direction of travel of the machine;
selecting, by the one or more processors and based on the machine input and the direction input, a lug mapping, from a plurality of lug mappings, that identifies designated maximum power outputs of the engine for target engine speeds of the engine; and
controlling, by the one or more processors and according to the lug mapping and a target engine speed of the machine, power output of the engine and power to a powertrain associated with the engine to satisfy, during an operation of the machine, a drawbar power/torque threshold and a steering power/torque threshold associated with steering the machine.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the machine input comprises at least one of:
a throttle position input, or
an operation mode input.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining the target engine speed from an engine speed mapping that maps the target engine speeds for the engine with one or more of:
throttle position inputs corresponding to throttle positions of an operator interface,
direction inputs corresponding to directions of travel of the machine,

steering inputs associated with steering the machine,
operations being performed by the machine,
operating modes of the machine, or
operating conditions determined by a sensor system of the machine.

4. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein individual lug mappings of the plurality of lug mappings are configured for respective throttle position inputs.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the power output comprises:
monitoring an instantaneous power output relative to the drawbar power/torque threshold and the steering power/torque threshold,
wherein the instantaneous power output is monitored based on at least one of:
a power output measurement from a sensor system that is monitoring an engine output of the engine, or
power command information from a load monitoring device associated with one or more loads of the machine.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the designated maximum power outputs are less than a maximum possible power output of the engine when operating at the target engine speeds, and
wherein the drawbar power/torque threshold and the steering power/torque threshold are not satisfied when an instantaneous power output of the engine exceeds a designated maximum power output, of the designated maximum power outputs, for a particular target engine speed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the power output and the power to the powertrain comprises:
until the power output satisfies a designated maximum power output, of the designated maximum power outputs, for the target engine speed according to the lug mapping, iteratively:
determining, based on a difference between the power output and the designated maximum power output, a power reduction; and
decreasing the power to the powertrain.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the powertrain comprises a dual path powertrain, wherein the power is provided to a propulsion module of the powertrain, and wherein the propulsion module is one of a pair of electric motors or one of a pair of hydraulic motors.

9. A device for a machine, comprising:
a memory to store a plurality of lug mappings for corresponding machine inputs associated with an engine of the machine; and
a processor configured to:
receive a machine input during an operation of the machine;
select, based on the machine input, a lug mapping from the plurality of lug mappings;
determine, according to the lug mapping, whether an instantaneous power output of the engine satisfies a drawbar power/torque threshold and a steering power/torque threshold for the operation of the machine; and
limit, based on whether the instantaneous power output satisfies the drawbar power/torque threshold and the steering power/torque threshold, power output of the engine to control power to a powertrain associated with the engine.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of lug mappings are associated with corresponding directions of travel of the machine, and the processor is configured to:
receive a direction input corresponding to one of the corresponding directions of travel,
wherein the lug mapping is selected based on the direction input and the machine input.

11. The device of claim 9 , wherein the machine input comprises at least one of:
a throttle position input, or
an operating mode input.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the processor determines whether the instantaneous power output satisfies the drawbar power/torque threshold and the steering power/torque threshold based on whether a difference between an instantaneous engine speed of the engine and a target engine speed of the lug mapping satisfies a threshold speed difference.

13. The device of claim 9 ,
wherein the powertrain is a dual path powertrain,
wherein the dual path powertrain comprises an outside propulsion module, relative to a steering maneuver of the machine, and
wherein the power is provided to the outside propulsion module, and
wherein, when limiting the power output of the engine, the processor is configured to:
when the instantaneous power output exceeds the steering power/torque threshold during the steering maneuver of the machine, reduce an amount of the power provided to the outside propulsion module.

14. The device of claim 9 ,
wherein the powertrain is a dual path powertrain,
wherein the dual path powertrain comprises an outside propulsion module relative to a steering maneuver of the machine, and
wherein the power is provided to the outside propulsion module, and
wherein the processor is configured to:
when the instantaneous power output does not exceed the steering power/torque threshold during the steering maneuver of the machine, increase an amount of the power provided to the outside propulsion module.

15. A system to control a machine, the system comprising:
an engine;
a dual path powertrain; and
an electronic control unit to:
receive a machine input associated with the engine;
select, based on the machine input, a lug mapping from a plurality of lug mappings for controlling a load of the engine; and
control, using the lug mapping, power output of the engine and power to the dual path powertrain to satisfy a drawbar power/torque threshold and a steering power/torque threshold associated with the machine.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
determine a direction of travel of the machine,
wherein the lug mapping is selected based on the direction of travel and the machine input.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the electronic control unit is configured to:
determine a target engine speed based on the machine input,
wherein the machine input comprises a throttle position input and/or an operating mode of the machine, and
wherein the power is provided to a propulsion module of a plurality of propulsion modules of the dual path powertrain, and
wherein the power output and the power to the propulsion module are controlled according to the lug mapping and the target engine speed.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein, for respective machine inputs of the engine, the plurality of lug mappings individually include designated maximum power outputs of the engine for corresponding target engine speeds of the engine.

19. The system

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Kuras Brian
• Arida Tony
• Garnett Matthew
• Pusch Thomas G
• Cowper Lance

Classifications

• B60W2300/17

  Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• F02D41/021

  Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine (conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18) · CPC title

• B60W10/08

  including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators · CPC title

• B60W20/40 Primary

  Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} · CPC title