Granted Patent B2

US 8,073,610 · App. 12/233,924 · Granted Dec 6, 2011

Abstract

Claims (51)

1. A method of controlling an internal combustion engine during an operating cycle, said engine fluidly connected to an exhaust aftertreatment system and operatively connected to a transmission to transmit tractive power to a driveline, the method comprising;

monitoring ambient operating conditions and engine operating conditions;

determining a temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system;

determining a preferred engine operation to achieve a preferred temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system and to minimize a total energy loss during the engine operating cycle;

controlling the engine to the preferred engine operation; and

controlling the transmission to achieve a torque output based upon the preferred engine operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a preferred engine operation comprises:

estimating a future energy loss;

determining a total power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss; and

wherein determining a preferred engine operation minimizes the total power loss and the rate of change in the estimated future energy loss.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

iteratively generating a plurality engine speed states and engine torque states, wherein determining a total power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss determines a corresponding plurality of total power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss; and

determining minimum ones of the plurality of total power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss;

wherein determining a preferred engine operation comprises determining the ones of the plurality of engine speed states and an engine torque states corresponding to the minimum ones of the plurality of total power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the preferred engine operation further comprises one of an all-cylinder operation and a cylinder-deactivation operation.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the preferred engine operation further comprises one of a stoichiometric air/fuel ratio operation and a rich air/fuel ratio operation.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein iteratively generating a plurality engine speed states and engine torque states comprise codes executing a two-dimensional search engine.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the total power loss includes an engine power loss and other powertrain losses.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the engine power loss comprises a nominal power loss and a power loss correction.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the power loss correction is based upon an engine air/fuel ratio mode, an engine cylinder activation state, and an engine operating temperature mode.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said transmission comprises an electro-mechanical transmission including first and second electric machines selectively operative to transmit torque to the transmission to generate the torque output.

11. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with a program to control an internal combustion during an engine operating cycle, said engine fluidly connected to an exhaust aftertreatment system and operatively connected to a transmission to transmit tractive power to a driveline, the program comprising;

code to monitor ambient operating conditions and engine operating conditions;

code to determine a temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system;

code to determine a preferred engine operation to achieve a preferred temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system and minimize a total energy loss during the engine operating cycle; and

code to control the engine to the preferred engine operation.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , wherein said code to determine a preferred engine operation comprises:

code to estimate a future energy loss;

code to determine a total power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss; and

wherein the code to determine a preferred engine operation minimizes the total power loss and the rate of change in the estimated future energy loss.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12 , further comprising:

code to iteratively generate a plurality engine speed states and engine torque states, wherein the code to determine a total power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss determines a corresponding plurality of total power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss; and

code to determine minimum ones of the plurality of total power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss;

wherein the code to determine a preferred engine operation comprises code to determine the ones of the plurality of engine speed states and an engine torque states corresponding to the minimum ones of the plurality of total power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 11 , further comprising code to control the transmission to achieve a torque output based upon the preferred engine operation.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14 , wherein said transmission comprises an electro-mechanical transmission including first and second electric machines selectively operative to transmit torque to the transmission to generate the torque output.

16. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer-readable medium encoded with a program to control an internal combustion engine during an engine operating cycle, said engine fluidly connected to an exhaust aftertreatment system and operatively connected to an electro-mechanical transmission, the program comprising:

code to determine a preferred engine operation to achieve a preferred temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system and minimize a total energy loss during the engine operating cycle;

code to control the engine to the preferred engine operation; and

code to control the electro-mechanical transmission to achieve a torque output based upon the preferred engine operation.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16 , wherein said code to determine a preferred engine operation comprises:

code to estimate a future energy loss for the engine operating cycle;

code to determine a power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss; and

wherein the code to determine a preferred engine operation minimizes the power loss and the rate of change in the estimated future energy loss.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17 , wherein the code to determine the preferred engine operation to minimize the power loss and the rate of change in the estimated future energy loss comprises:

code to iteratively generate a plurality of engine speed states and engine torque states, wherein the code to determine a power loss and a rate of change in the estimated future energy loss determines a corresponding plurality of power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy; and

code to determine the minimum ones of the plurality of power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss;

wherein the code to determine a preferred engine operation comprises code to determine the ones of the plurality of engine speed states and an engine torque states corresponding to the minimum ones of the plurality of power loss and rate of change in the estimated future energy loss.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18 , wherein each of the plurality of rate of change in the estimated future energy is determined based upon a change in energy determined based upon a change in temperature of the exhaust aftertreatment system.

Assignments (17)