Method for detecting powertrain torque output

1. Method for monitoring torque in a powertrain including a transmission coupled to a driveline, the method comprising:

monitoring signals from first and second rotational sensors located at respective first and second rotationally-coupled positions of the driveline separated by a distance along the driveline;

determining rotation of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions from said signals;

determining a twist angle derived from a difference between the rotations of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions;

calculating a driveline torque corresponding to the twist angle; and

controlling operation of the powertrain in response to the driveline torque;

wherein signals from said rotational sensors comprise periodic signals, and wherein determining rotation of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions from said signals comprises, for each respective rotationally-coupled position,

determining an initial phase angle corresponding to an initial signal within a predetermined sample window;

determining a final phase angle corresponding to a final signal within the predetermined sample window;

determining an intermediate phase angle corresponding to the number of full signals between the initial signal and the final signal; and

determining the rotation of the driveline at the respective rotationally-coupled position as a summation of the initial phase angle, the final phase angle and the intermediate phase angle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial signal within the predetermined sample window consists of a partial signal.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the final signal within the predetermined sample window consists of a partial signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the initial signal and the final signal consists of a respective partial signal.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the sum of the initial phase angle and the final phase angle is equivalent to an angle corresponding to a full signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rotationally-coupled position of the driveline comprise a position on a transmission output member proximal to the transmission and wherein the second rotationally-coupled position of the driveline comprise a position on a half-shaft.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first rotationally-coupled position of the driveline comprises a position on a transmission output member proximal to the transmission and wherein the second rotationally-coupled position of the driveline comprises a position on the transmission output member distal relative to the first rotationally-coupled position.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the powertrain further includes an electric machine and the first rotational sensor comprises a resolver configured to monitor rotation of the electric machine.

9. Method for monitoring torque in a powertrain including a transmission coupled to a driveline, the method comprising:

monitoring signals from first and second rotational sensors located at respective first and second rotationally-coupled positions of the driveline separated by a distance along the driveline;

determining rotation of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions from said signals;

determining a twist angle derived from a difference between the rotations of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions;

calculating a driveline torque corresponding to the twist angle; and

controlling operation of the powertrain in response to the driveline torque;

wherein determining the twist angle derived from the difference between the rotations of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions comprises determining an error correction by a modulation function.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said correction by the modulation function comprises comparing a physical relationship between the rotations at the first and second positions.

11. Method for monitoring torque in a powertrain including a transmission coupled to a driveline, the method comprising:

monitoring periodic signals from first and second rotational sensors located at respective first and second rotationally-coupled positions of the driveline, said first rotationally-coupled position located on a transmission output member proximal to the transmission, and said second rotationally-coupled position located on a half-shaft;

determining for each respective rotational sensor a respective initial phase angle corresponding to a respective initial signal within a predetermined sample window;

determining for each respective rotational sensor a respective final phase angle corresponding to a respective final signal within the predetermined sample window;

determining for each respective rotational sensor a respective intermediate phase angle corresponding to the respective number of full signals between the respective initial signal and the respective final signal;

determining the rotation of the driveline at the respective rotationally-coupled position as a summation of the respective initial phase angle, the respective final phase angle and the respective intermediate phase angle;

determining a twist angle from a difference between the rotations of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions;

calculating a driveline torque corresponding to the twist angle; and

controlling operation of the powertrain in response to the driveline torque.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the initial signal within the predetermined sample window consists of a partial signal, wherein the final signal within the predetermined sample window consists of a partial signal, and wherein the sum of the initial phase angle and the final phase angle is equivalent to an angle corresponding to a full signal.

13. Method for monitoring torque in a powertrain including a transmission coupled to a driveline, the method comprising:

monitoring periodic signals from first and second rotational sensors located at respective first and second rotationally-coupled positions of the driveline, said first rotationally-coupled position located on a transmission output member proximal to the transmission, and said second rotationally-coupled position located on the transmission output member distal relative to the first rotationally-coupled position;

determining for each respective rotational sensor a respective initial phase angle corresponding to a respective initial signal within a predetermined sample window;

determining for each respective rotational sensor a respective final phase angle corresponding to a respective final signal within the predetermined sample window;

determining for each respective rotational sensor a respective intermediate phase angle corresponding to the respective number of full signals between the respective initial signal and the respective final signal;

determining the rotation of the driveline at the respective rotationally-coupled position as a summation of the respective initial phase angle, the respective final phase angle and the respective intermediate phase angle;

determining a twist angle from a difference between the rotations of the driveline at the first and second rotationally-coupled positions;

calculating a driveline torque corresponding to the twist angle; and

controlling operation of the powertrain in response to the driveline torque.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the initial signal within the predetermined sample window consists of a partial signal, wherein the final signal within the predetermined sample window consists of a partial signal, and wherein the sum of the initial phase angle and the final phase angle is equivalent to an angle corresponding to a full signal.