Control apparatus and method for a hydrostatically actuated vehicle

1. A method for controlling operation of an engine in a hydrostatically driven vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring an engine mode control input having at least a high mode setting and an economy mode setting;

monitoring a propel control input associated with a propel pump operably coupled to the engine, the propel control input having a neutral position and a drive position;

monitoring a propel pump sensor disposed to measure a displacement of the propel pump and generate a propel pump displacement signal, the displacement of the propel pump having a maximum displacement position;

operating the engine in an economy mode when the engine mode control input is in the economy mode setting, the economy mode including:

operating the engine at a fixed propel neutral speed when the propel control input is in the neutral position;

operating the engine at a fixed propel drive speed when the propel control input is in the drive position and the propel pump displacement signal indicates the propel pump displacement is less than the maximum displacement position, the fixed propel drive speed being greater than the fixed propel neutral speed; and

operating the engine at a variable drive speed when the propel control input is in the drive position and the propel pump displacement signal indicates the maximum displacement position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring an implement control input associated with an implement pump operably coupled to the engine, the implement pump being operably coupled to an implement, the implement control input having a disengaged position and an engaged position;

wherein the economy mode further includes operating the engine at a fixed implement drive speed when the implement control input is in the engaged position, the fixed implement drive speed being greater than the fixed propel drive speed.

3. The method of claim 2 , in which the implement comprises a vibratory system.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a parking brake control input having an engaged position and a disengaged position;

wherein the economy mode further includes operating the engine at a fixed parking brake speed when the parking brake control input is in the engaged position, the fixed parking brake speed being less than the fixed propel neutral speed.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a steering control input associated with a steering drive, the steering control input having an engaged position and a disengaged position;

wherein the economy mode further includes operating the engine at a fixed steering initiated speed when the propel control input is in the neutral position and the steering control input is in the engaged position, the fixed steering initiated speed being greater than the fixed propel neutral speed and less than the fixed propel drive speed.

6. The method of claim 1 , in which the economy mode further comprises:

initiating a speed reduction timer and setting a peak command speed in response to a falling propel drive signal; and

reducing engine speed at a reduction rate when a current propel drive signal remains below the peak command speed and the speed reduction timer exceeds a reduced speed timer limit.

7. The method of claim 6 , in which the reduction rate is approximately 5 rpm/second.

8. The method of claim 7 , in which the reduced speed timer limit is approximately 30 seconds.

9. The method of claim 1 , in which the economy mode further includes:

initiating a propel neutral timer in response to the propel control input moving from the drive position to the neutral position; and

reducing engine speed to a low idle speed when the propel control input remains in the neutral position and the propel neutral timer exceeds a propel neutral limit.

10. The method of claim 9 , in which the low idle speed is approximately 1000 rpm.

11. The method of claim 9 , in which the propel neutral limit is approximately 10 seconds.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a parking brake control input having an engaged position and a disengaged position;

operating the engine in a high mode when the engine mode control input is in the high mode setting, the high mode including:

initiating a high mode propel neutral timer when the parking brake control input is in the disengaged position and the propel control input is in the neutral position; and

automatically switching the engine from the high mode setting to the economy mode setting when the propel control input remains in the neutral position and the high mode propel neutral timer exceeds a high mode propel neutral limit.

13. The method of claim 12 , in which the high mode propel neutral limit is approximately 5 minutes.

14. The method of claim 12 , in which the high mode further includes automatically switching the engine from the high mode setting to the economy mode setting when the parking brake control input is in the engaged position.

15. A hydrostatically driven vehicle, comprising:

an engine;

an engine mode control input having at least an economy mode setting;

a propel pump operably coupled to the engine, the propel pump having a variable displacement output having a maximum displacement position;

a propel pump sensor disposed to measure the variable displacement output and generate a propel pump displacement signal;

a propel pump actuator operably coupled to the propel pump and configured to adjust the variable displacement output of the propel pump;

a propel control input operably coupled to the propel pump, the propel control input having a neutral position and drive position;

a controller operatively coupled to the engine, the engine mode control input, the propel pump sensor, the propel pump actuator, and the propel control input, the controller being configured to operate in an economy mode in response to the engine mode control input being placed in the economy mode setting, in which the controller:

operates the engine at a fixed propel neutral speed when the propel control input is in the neutral position;

operates the engine at a fixed propel drive speed when the propel control input is in the drive position and the propel pump displacement signal indicates the propel pump displacement is less than the maximum displacement position, the fixed propel drive speed being greater than the fixed propel neutral speed; and

operates the engine at a variable drive speed when the propel control input is in the drive position and the propel pump displacement signal indicates the maximum displacement position.

16. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:

an implement pump operably coupled to the engine, and

an implement control input operably coupled to the implement pump and having a disengaged position and an engaged position, the implement pump being operably coupled to an implement;

wherein the controller is operably coupled to the implement control input and is further configured to operate the engine at a fixed implement drive speed when the implement control input is in the engaged position, the fixed implement drive speed being greater than the fixed propel drive speed.

17. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 16 , in which the implement comprises a vibratory system.

18. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:

a parking brake; and

a parking brake control input operably coupled to the parking brake and having an engaged position and a disengaged position;

wherein the controller is operably coupled to the parking brake control input and is further configured to operate the engine at a fixed parking brake speed when the parking brake control input is in the engaged position, the fixed parking brake speed being less than the fixed propel neutral speed.

19. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising:

a steering drive; and

a steering control input operably coupled to the steering drive and having an engaged position and a disengaged position;

wherein the controller is operably coupled to the steering control input and is further configured to operate the engine at a fixed steering initiated speed when the propel control input is in the neutral position and the steering control input is in the engaged position, the fixed steering initiated speed being greater than the fixed propel neutral speed and less than the fixed propel drive speed.

20. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 15 , in which the controller, when controlling the engine at a variable drive speed, is further configured to:

initiate a speed reduction timer and set a peak command speed in response to a falling propel drive signal; and

reduce engine speed at a reduction rate when a current command speed remains below the peak command speed and the speed reduction timer exceeds a reduced speed timer limit.

21. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 20 , in which the reduction rate is approximately 5 rpm/second.

22. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 21 , in which the reduced speed timer limit is approximately 30 seconds.

23. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 15 , in which the controller is further configured to:

initiate a propel neutral timer in response to the propel control input moving from the drive position to the neutral position; and

reduce engine speed to a low idle speed when the propel control input remains in the neutral position and the propel neutral timer exceeds a propel neutral limit.

24. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 23 , in which the low idle speed is approximately 1000 rpm.

25. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 23 , in which the propel neutral limit is approximately 10 seconds.

26. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 15 , further comprising a parking brake control input operably coupled to the controller and having an engaged position and a disengaged position;

in which the engine mode control input further includes a high mode setting, and in which the controller is further configured to operate with the engine mode control input in the high mode setting by:

initiating a high mode propel neutral timer when the parking brake control input is in the disengaged position and the propel control input is in the neutral position; and

automatically switching the engine from the high mode setting to the economy mode setting when the propel control input remains in the neutral position and the high mode propel neutral timer exceeds a high mode propel neutral limit.

27. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 26 , in which the high mode propel neutral limit is approximately 5 minutes.

28. The hydrostatically driven vehicle of claim 26 , in which the controller is further configured to operate with the engine mode control input in the high mode setting by automatically switching the engine from the high mode setting to the economy mode setting when the parking brake control input is in the engaged position.