IP Library Granted Patent US 8,010,265
Granted Patent B2
US 8,010,265 · App. 12/191,919 · Granted Aug 30, 2011

Effective driveline vibration detection algorithm in transmission TCC slip control

Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,010,265
App. No.
12/191,919
Granted
Aug 30, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for adjusting the slip of a torque converter for a plurality of selected engine speeds, transmission gears and engine torque. A sensor is used to determine vibrations transmitted through the torque converter to the driveline of the vehicle. The sensor signal is sent to a controller where it is converted to the frequency domain. If the amplitude of the frequency signal exceeds a threshold, then the algorithm increases/decreases the converter slip until the driveline vibrations equal a threshold.

Claims (33)

1. A method for determining a desired torque converter slip for a torque converter that transfers torque between a vehicle engine and a vehicle transmission, said method comprising:

setting a predetermined minimum converter slip for the torque converter for a certain transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque;

providing a sensor signal from a sensor at an output of the transmission that measures transmission output behavior;

transforming the sensor signal to a frequency signal;

determining whether an amplitude of the frequency signal exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

increasing the minimum converter slip a predetermined amount if the frequency signal does exceed the predetermined threshold, or decreasing the minimum converter slip predetermined amount if the frequency signal is below the predetermined threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising calculating a torsional amplitude from the sensor signal using a bandpass filter.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein transforming the sensor signal to a frequency signal includes fast Fourier transforming the sensor signal.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein setting a predetermined minimum converter slip includes populating a table with converter slips for a plurality of different transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque combinations, and wherein increasing the minimum converter slip and decreasing the minimum converter slip includes changing the converter slip in the table for that certain transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque combination.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the method for determining the desired torque converter slip is performed in real-time during operation of the vehicle.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein increasing the minimum converter slip and decreasing the minimum converter slip is performed by a feedback controller.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the feedback controller computes an error between the amplitude of the frequency signal and a predetermined threshold that is a function of gear state, engine speed and engine torque.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining whether the amplitude of the frequency signal exceeds a scaled reference value.

9. A method for determining a desired torque converter slip in real-time for a torque converter that transfers torque between a vehicle engine and a vehicle transmission, said method comprising:

setting a predetermined minimum converter slip for the torque converter for a selected transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque;

providing a sensor signal from a sensor that measures transmission output behavior;

analyzing the sensor signal to determine whether the predetermined minimum converter slip would cause significant engine disturbance signals to be transferred to the transmission through the torque converter; and

increasing the minimum converter slip a predetermined amount if the predetermined minimum converter slip would cause significant engine disturbance signals to be transferred to the transmission through the torque converter.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein analyzing the sensor signal includes transforming the sensor signal to a frequency signal.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein transforming the sensor signal to a frequency signal includes fast Fourier transforming the sensor signal.

12. The method according to claim 9 wherein the converter slip for the torque converter is controlled by a torque converter clutch.

13. The method according to claim 9 further comprising calculating a torsional amplitude from the sensor signal using a bandpass filter.

14. A system for determining a desired torque converter slip for a torque converter that transfers torque between a vehicle engine and a vehicle transmission, said system comprising:

means for setting a predetermined minimum converter slip for a torque converter for a particular transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque;

means for providing a sensor signal from a sensor at an output of the transmission that measures transmission output behavior;

means for transforming the sensor signal to a frequency signal; and

means for increasing or decreasing the minimum converter slip by a predetermined amount so that the driveline vibrations are near a predetermined threshold.

15. The system according to claim 14 further comprising means for calculating a torsional amplitude from the sensor signal using a bandpass filter.

16. The system according to claim 14 wherein the means for transforming the sensor signal to a frequency signal fast Fourier transforms the sensor signal.

17. The system according to claim 14 wherein the means for setting a predetermined minimum converter slip includes means for populating a table with converter slips for a plurality of different transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque combinations, and wherein the means for increasing or decreasing the minimum converter slip includes changing the converter slip in the table for that certain transmission gear, engine speed and engine torque combination.

18. The system according to claim 14 wherein the means for increasing or decreasing the minimum converter slip is a feedback controller.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the feedback controller computes an error between the amplitude of the frequency signal and a predetermined threshold that is a function of gear state, engine speed and engine torque.

20. The system according to claim 14 wherein the system determines the desired torque converter slip in real-time.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034384/0758 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0211 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0475 →
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 022201/0448 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2008
From: SAMIE, FARZAD; LEE, CHUNHAO J.; OTANEZ, PAUL G.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 021394/0170 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61012194 · Dec 7, 2007
Related Publication 20090150032A1 · Jun 11, 2009