IP Library Granted Patent US 7,254,472
Granted Patent B2
US 7,254,472 · App. 11/054,678 · Granted Aug 7, 2007

Coordinated torque control security method and apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,254,472
App. No.
11/054,678
Granted
Aug 7, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of preventing undesirable vehicle behavior in a vehicle torque control system that includes determining an expected axle torque based on a vehicle speed, a powerplant profile, an accelerator pedal position and/or a cruise control signal. The method also includes estimating an actual axle torque of a powerplant based on a powerplant maximum torque, a throttle position and powertrain inefficiencies and converting the expected axle torque to an expected acceleration and the actual axle torque to an actual acceleration based on a wheel radius and a road load. The method further includes regulating a torque output of a powerplant when a rate-of-change in a difference between the expected acceleration and the estimated actual acceleration is greater than a first threshold.

Claims (44)

1. A method of preventing undesirable vehicle behavior in a vehicle torque control system comprising:

determining an expected axle torque based on a vehicle speed, a powerplant profile and one of an accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal;

estimating an actual axle torque of a powerplant based on a powerplant maximum torque, an engine speed and engine system inefficiencies;

converting said expected axle torque to an expected acceleration based on a wheel radius and a road load;

converting said actual axle torque to an actual acceleration based on said wheel radius and said road load; and

regulating a torque output of a powerplant when a rate-of-change in a difference between said expected acceleration and said actual acceleration is greater than a first threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing said actual axle torque to an idle range.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising regulating said torque output when said actual axle torque is not within said idle range during a first time period after said vehicle control system detects an idle torque request.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising detecting said idle torque request from one of said accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising setting an idle range flag when said actual axle torque is within said idle range.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising setting an idle torque request flag when the vehicle control system detects an idle torque request.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising regulating said torque output when said idle range flag is not detected during a second time period after said vehicle control system detects said idle torque request flag is set.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein regulating said torque output includes one of setting a service code and reducing said torque output.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining said expected axle torque is further based on one of a driver history, a powerplant status and environmental factors.

10. A torque control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a powerplant that produces a torque output;

operator inputs including one of an accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal; and

a control module that controls said powerplant, that determines an expected axle torque based on a vehicle speed, a powerplant profile and one of an accelerator position and a cruise control signal, that estimates an actual axle torque of a powerplant based on a powerplant maximum torque, an engine speed and engine system inefficiencies, that converts said expected axle torque to an expected acceleration based on a wheel radius and a road load, that converts said actual axle torque to an actual acceleration based on said wheel radius and said road load, and that regulates said torque output of said powerplant when a rate-of-change in the difference between said expected acceleration and said actual acceleration is greater than a first threshold.

11. The torque control system of claim 10 wherein said control module compares said actual axle torque to an idle range.

12. The torque control system of claim 11 wherein said control module regulates said torque output of said powerplant when said actual axle torque is not within said idle range during a first time period after said control module detects an idle torque request.

13. The torque control system of claim 12 wherein said control module detects said idle torque request from one of said accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal.

14. The torque control system of claim 11 wherein said control module sets an idle range flag when said powerplant torque is within said idle range.

15. The torque control system of claim 14 wherein said control module sets an idle torque request flag when said control module detects an idle torque request.

16. The torque control system of claim 10 wherein said control module regulates said torque output when said idle range flag is not detected during said first time period after said idle torque request flag is set.

17. The torque control system of claim 10 wherein said control module regulates said torque output by one of setting a service code and reducing said torque output.

18. The torque control system of claim 10 wherein said control module further determines said expected axle torque based on one of a driver history, a powerplant status, environmental factors, a brake pedal position and a telematics system signal.

19. A method of preventing undesirable vehicle behavior in a vehicle torque control system comprising:

estimating an actual axle torque of a powerplant based on a powerplant maximum torque, an engine speed and engine system inefficiencies;

comparing said actual axle torque to an idle torque range; and

regulating a torque output of a powerplant when said actual axle torque is not within said idle torque range during a first time period after said vehicle torque control system detects an idle torque request.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising detecting said idle torque request from one of said accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising setting an idle torque range flag when said actual axle torque is within said idle torque range.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising setting an idle torque request flag when the vehicle control system detects said idle torque request.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising regulating said torque output when said idle torque range flag is not detected during said first time period said idle torque request flag is set.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein regulating said torque output includes one of setting a service code and reducing said torque output.

25. A torque control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a powerplant that produces a torque output;

operator inputs including one of an accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal; and

a control module that controls said powerplant, that estimates an actual axle torque of a powerplant based on a powerplant maximum torque, an engine speed and engine system inefficiencies, that compares if said actual axle torque to an idle torque range and that regulates said torque output when said actual axle torque is not within said idle torque range during a first time period after said control module detects an idle torque request.

26. The torque control system of claim 25 wherein said control module detects said idle torque request from one of said accelerator pedal position and a cruise control signal.

27. The torque control system of claim 25 wherein said control module sets an idle torque range flag when said powerplant torque is within said idle torque range.

28. The torque control system of claim 27 wherein said control module sets an idle torque request flag when said control module detects an idle torque request.

29. The torque control system of claim 25 wherein said control module regulates said torque output when said idle torque range flag is not detected during said first time period after said idle torque request flag is set.

30. The torque control system of claim 25 wherein said control module regulates said powerplant torque by one of setting a service code and reducing torque output.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034371/0676 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025780/0936 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025327/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025311/0770 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0442 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0052 →
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 023127/0468 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0429 →
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 022553/0446 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0610 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2009
From: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 022117/0022 →
RE-RECORD TO CORRECT ON REEL/FRAME 016024/0299 Recorded May 31, 2005
From: DI MARCO, GENE; LARSEN, JOHN F.; ENDER, TOM C.; HARTREY, TIMOTHY J.
To: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016314/0429 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2005
From: DI MARCO, GENE; LARSEN, JOHN F.; ENDER, TOM C.; HARTREY, TIMOTHY J.
To: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 016024/0299 →