Granted Patent B2

US 8,175,785 · App. 12/340,806 · Granted May 8, 2012

Abstract

Claims (19)

1. A method for performance launch control of a vehicle having an engine and a clutch, the method comprising:

receiving a user-selected driving condition setting;

calculating an engine speed limit in response to the user-selected driving condition setting, the engine speed limit representing a maximum speed for the engine during initial launch conditions;

calculating a total available tire traction value from the user-selected driving condition setting;

collecting real-time vehicle status data during operation of the vehicle;

generating a baseline target wheel slip profile from the vehicle status data;

adjusting the baseline target wheel slip profile, using the user-selected driving condition setting, to obtain an adjusted target wheel slip profile; and

estimating, based on the real-time vehicle status data, a real-time tire traction value corresponding to lateral force tire traction potential;

computing a remaining tire traction value by subtracting the estimated real-time tire traction value from the calculated total available tire traction value, to obtain a surplus tire traction capacity for current real-time operating conditions;

calculating a torque limit for the engine, based on the remaining tire traction value;

detecting initial launch conditions for the vehicle;

enabling the engine speed limit until subsequent engagement of the clutch; and

limiting actual engine torque of the vehicle using the torque limit.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising disabling the engine speed limit following initial launch of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving step receives a user-selected driving condition setting that is selected from the group consisting of: a wet road setting; a dry road setting; a race track setting; a snowy road setting; and an icy road setting.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sensing when the clutch is engaged; and

in response to the sensing step, disabling the engine speed limit.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle status data includes data selected from the group consisting of: yaw rate; pitch rate; roll rate; lateral acceleration; longitudinal acceleration; vertical acceleration; velocity; throttle position; engine speed; rotational wheel velocity; wheel slip; wheel position; clutch position; clutch pedal position; clutch pedal velocity; and clutch engagement status.

Assignments (12)