IP Library Granted Patent US 8,209,097
Granted Patent B2
US 8,209,097 · App. 12/250,181 · Granted Jun 26, 2012

Method and control architecture to determine motor torque split in fixed gear operation for a hybrid powertrain system

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,209,097
App. No.
12/250,181
Granted
Jun 26, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electro-mechanical transmission is operative to transmit mechanical torque originating from an engine and first and second electric machines to an output member. The electric machines are electrically-operatively connected to an energy storage system for electrical power flow therebetween. A Method for operating the electro-mechanical transmission includes operating the electro-mechanical transmission in a fixed gear operating range state, determining a minimum power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines to meet an operator torque request based upon electrical power constraints and motor torque constraints, commanding a motor torque from the first electric machine based upon the minimum power flow, and commanding a motor torque from the second electric machine based upon the minimum power flow, a torque input from the engine and the commanded motor torque from the first electric machine to meet the operator torque request in the fixed gear operating range state.

Claims (89)

1. Method for operating an electro-mechanical transmission operative to transmit an output torque originating from an engine and first and second electric machines to an output member, the electric machines electrically-operatively connected to an energy storage system for electrical power flow therebetween, the method comprising:

operating the electro-mechanical transmission in a fixed gear operating range state;

determining a minimum power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines to meet an operator torque request based upon electrical power constraints and motor torque constraints comprising developing a mathematical formula representative of the power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines based upon clutch reaction torques, transmission speed ratios, and the motor torques from the first and second electric machines and the torque input from the engine, executing a partial derivative of the mathematical formula with respect to output torque to determine said minimum power flow, and equating said partial derivative to zero and solving for the output torque;

controlling-a motor torque from the first electric machine based upon the minimum power flow; and

controlling a motor torque from the second electric machine based upon the minimum power flow, a torque input from the engine and the motor torque from the first electric machine to meet the operator torque request in the fixed gear operating range state.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining the motor torque output from the first electric machine based upon the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device and a motor torque output from the second electric machine that minimizes electric power flow between the energy storage system and the first electric machine.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining the motor torque output from the first electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon the electrical power constraints and motor torque constraints.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein determining the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device comprises determining maximum and minimum electrical power outputs from the energy storage device based upon a battery state of charge, a battery temperature, and an electric current throughput.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining minimum power flows between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines to meet the operator torque request based upon the electrical power constraints and the motor torque constraints and based upon the torque input from the engine.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising determining a relationship between the motor torque from the first electric machine and the motor torque from the second electric machine based upon the partial derivative of the mathematical formula.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising linearly transforming the mathematical formula representative of the output torque to a second operating space.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising precalibrating the motor torques for the first and second electric machines for a given output torque.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device;

determining a range of motor torques from the first electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device;

determining a range of motor torques from the second electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device;

identifying a minimum motor torque from the first electric machine within the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device and within the range of motor torques from the first electric machine; and

identifying a motor torque from the second electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon the electrical power constraints of the energy storage device and the identified minimum motor torque from the first electric machine and within the range of motor torques from the second electric machine.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selectively applying torque-transmitting clutches to operate the electro-mechanical transmission in the fixed gear operating range state.

11. Method for operating a powertrain including an internal combustion engine, first and second electric machines, and an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to transmit torque to an output member to meet an operator torque request, the first and second electric machines electrically-operatively connected to an energy storage system for electrical power flow therebetween, the method comprising:

operating the electro-mechanical transmission in a fixed gear operating range state;

determining optimal electrical power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines based upon maximum and minimum electrical power potentials of the energy storage system and output torque constraints of the first and second electric machines comprising developing a mathematical formula representative of the power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines based upon clutch reaction torques, transmission speed ratios, and motor torques from the first and second electric machines and the torque input from the engine, executing a partial derivative of the mathematical formula with respect to output torque to determine said optimal electrical power flow, and equating said partial derivative to zero and solving for the output torque;

controlling a motor torque from the first electric machine based upon the optimal electrical power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines; and

controlling a motor torque from the second electric machine based upon a torque input from the engine and the commanded motor torque from the first electric machine to meet the operator torque request.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the optimal electrical power flow between the energy storage system and the first electric machine is determined based upon the maximum and minimum electrical power potentials from the energy storage device and the commanded motor torque from the second electric machine.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining the maximum and minimum electrical power potentials of the energy storage device;

determining a range of motor torques from the first electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon the maximum and minimum electrical power potentials of the energy storage device; and

identifying a preferred torque output from the first electric machine corresponding to the minimum electrical power potential of the energy storage device and the commanded motor torque from the second electric machine.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

determining a range of motor torques from the second electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon constraints of the energy storage device;

identifying a motor torque from the first electric machine corresponding to the minimum power within the constraints of the energy storage device and within the range of motor torques from the first electric machine; and

identifying a motor torque from the second electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon constraints of the energy storage device and the identified motor torque from the first electric machine corresponding to the minimum power and within the range of motor torques from the second electric machine.

15. Method for determining an output from an electric machine operative to transmit torque to an electro-mechanical transmission, comprising:

operating the electro-mechanical transmission in a fixed gear operating range state and monitoring an operator torque request;

determining an input from an engine operative to transmit power to the electro-mechanical transmission;

determining electrical power constraints of an energy storage device operative to transmit power to the electric machine to meet the operator torque request;

determining a range of motor torques from the electric machine to meet the operator torque request based upon the power constraints of the energy storage device;

optimizing power output from the energy storage device; and

determining a torque output from the electric machine corresponding to the optimized power output from the energy storage device;

wherein optimizing power output from the energy storage device comprises developing a mathematical formula representative of the power output from the energy storage device based upon clutch reaction torques, transmission speed ratios, and the torque output from the electric machine and the torque input from the engine, executing a partial derivative of the mathematical formula with respect to output torque to determine said minimum power flow, and equating said partial derivative to zero and solving for the output torque.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising optimizing the power output from the energy storage device based upon the electrical power constraints from the energy storage device and a motor torque from a second electric machine operative to transmit torque to the electro-mechanical transmission to meet the operator torque request.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the electric power constraints of the energy storage device are based upon a battery state of charge, a battery temperature, and an electric current throughput.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein developing a mathematical formula representative of the power flow between the energy storage system and the first and second electric machines comprises developing a mathematical formula in accordance with the following relationship:

P BAT =( A 1 T A +A 2 ) 2 +( B 1 T B +B 2 ) 2 +C

wherein T A represents motor torque from the first electric machine,

T B represents motor torque from the second electric machine, and

A 1 , A 2 , B 1 , B 2 , and C represent scalar values determined in relation to the clutch reaction torques and transmission speed ratios; and

wherein executing the partial derivative of said mathematical formula with respect to the output torque to determine said minimum power flow to determine said minimum power flow comprises executing a partial derivative of said mathematical formula with respect to the output torque in accordance with the following relationship:

P

BAT

T

O

=

2

a

1

(

a

1

T

O

+

a

2

)

+

2

b

1

(

b

1

T

O

+

b

2

)

wherein T o is the output torque, and

a 1 , a 2 , b 1 and b 2 represent scalar values determined in relation to the clutch reaction torques and transmission speed ratios.

Assignments (17)
MASTER TRANSACTION AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 8, 2016
From: CHRYSLER LLC
To: NEW CARCO ACQUISITION LLC
Reel/Frame 038031/0127 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 8, 2016
From: NEW CARCO ACQUISITION LLC
To: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
Reel/Frame 038032/0799 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 8, 2016
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: FCA US LLC
Reel/Frame 038033/0025 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 30, 2015
From: CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
To: FCA US LLC
Reel/Frame 035553/0356 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034189/0065 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0245 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0515 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0046 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0909 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0237 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0313 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023126/0914 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 21, 2009
From: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023155/0769 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR BANK PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES; CITICORP USA, INC. AS AGENT FOR HEDGE PRIORITY SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 022554/0538 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0405 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.; DAIMLER AG; CHRYSLER LLC; BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 022163/0249 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 13, 2008
From: HEAP, ANTHONY H.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021673/0843 →