ROBUST CONTROL FOR ENGINE ANTI-STALL

1 . A method comprising:

identifying an initial engine speed of an industrial vehicle;

monitoring a rate of change in engine speed;

controlling a hydraulic pump to vary a hydraulic flow associated with a hydraulic system based, in part, on the rate of change in the engine speed; and

maintaining the engine speed at or below the initial engine speed while the hydraulic flow is being varied.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the engine speed is maintained above an engine stall speed while the hydraulic flow is being varied.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a constant hydraulic pressure associated with the hydraulic system while varying the hydraulic flow.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

measuring an instantaneous engine speed;

multiplying the instantaneous engine speed by a first constant to obtain a first input;

multiplying the rate of change in engine speed by a second constant to obtain a second input; and

combining the first input with the second input to obtain a sliding control, wherein the hydraulic flow is varied based, in part, on the sliding control.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first constant and the second constant are fixed constants that are predefined for the industrial vehicle.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein varying the hydraulic flow comprises varying the hydraulic flow independent of a hydraulic load, wherein the rate of change in engine speed indicates an engine response to the hydraulic load.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising managing a flow command to a control valve to indirectly control the hydraulic pump.

8 . A system comprising:

a processing device configured to:

identify an initial engine speed of an industrial vehicle; and

monitor a rate of change in engine speed; and

a variable hydraulic flow device configured to vary a hydraulic flow associated with a hydraulic system based, in part, on the rate of change in the engine speed, wherein the engine speed is maintained at or below the initial engine speed while the hydraulic flow is varied.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the initial engine speed corresponds to an idle engine speed of the industrial vehicle.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the initial engine speed further corresponds to an operation of the industrial vehicle without hydraulic load.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the hydraulic flow is varied according to a mapped response to the rate of change in the engine speed.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the variable hydraulic flow device comprises a control valve.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the hydraulic flow device comprises a variable displacement pump.

14 . An apparatus, comprising:

means for identifying an initial engine speed of an industrial vehicle;

means for monitoring a rate of change in engine speed;

means for varying a hydraulic flow associated with a hydraulic system based, in part, on the rate of change in the engine speed; and

means for maintaining the engine speed at or below the initial engine speed while the hydraulic flow is being varied.

15 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the engine speed is maintained above an engine stall speed while the hydraulic flow is being varied.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising means for measuring an amount of change in the engine speed and a length of time associated with the amount of change in the engine speed to obtain an engine response, wherein the hydraulic flow is varied based, in part, on the engine response.

17 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the amount of change in the engine speed corresponds to a difference between the initial engine speed and an instantaneous engine speed.

18 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the rate of change in the engine speed is monitored while the industrial vehicle is lifting a load.

19 . The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the rate of change in the engine speed is monitored while the industrial vehicle is stationary.

20 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein a constant hydraulic pressure associated with the hydraulic system is maintained while the hydraulic flow is varied.