IP Library Granted Patent US 8,010,275
Granted Patent B2
US 8,010,275 · App. 11/950,704 · Granted Aug 30, 2011

Secured throttle position in a coordinated torque control system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,010,275
App. No.
11/950,704
Granted
Aug 30, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A throttle control module comprises a primary throttle position module, a redundant throttle position module, and a remedial action module. The primary throttle position module transforms a primary throttle area signal indicating desired throttle area into a primary throttle position signal indicating a first desired throttle position of a throttle valve. The throttle valve is actuated based upon the primary throttle position signal. The redundant throttle position module transforms a redundant throttle area signal indicating desired throttle area into a redundant throttle position signal indicating a second desired throttle position of the throttle valve. The remedial action module selectively generates a remedial action signal based upon a comparison of the first and second desired throttle positions.

Claims (31)

1. A throttle control module comprising:

a primary throttle position module that transforms a primary throttle area signal indicating desired throttle area into a primary throttle position signal indicating a first desired throttle position of a throttle valve, wherein said throttle valve is actuated based upon said primary throttle position signal;

a redundant throttle position module that transforms a redundant throttle area signal indicating desired throttle area into a redundant throttle position signal indicating a second desired throttle position of said throttle valve; and

a remedial action module that selectively generates a remedial action signal based upon a comparison of said first and second desired throttle positions,

wherein said remedial action module suspends generating said remedial action signal when a service input signal is received.

2. A method comprising:

transforming a primary throttle area signal indicating desired throttle area into a primary throttle position signal indicating a first desired throttle position of a throttle valve;

actuating said throttle valve based upon said primary throttle position signal;

transforming a redundant throttle area signal indicating desired throttle area into a redundant throttle position signal indicating a second desired throttle position of said throttle valve;

selectively generating a remedial action signal based upon a comparison of said first and second desired throttle positions; and

suspending said generating said remedial action signal when a service input signal is received.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising transforming said first and second throttle area signals into said first and second throttle position signals based upon a first lookup table having a mapping from throttle area to segment value and a second lookup table having a mapping from segment value to throttle position.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising actuating said throttle valve to a predetermined throttle position after said remedial action signal is generated,

wherein said predetermined throttle position is a high-idle position.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising actuating said throttle valve to a lesser throttle position after said remedial action signal is generated,

wherein said lesser throttle position is one of said first and second desired throttle positions that corresponds to a lesser opening of said throttle valve.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising generating said remedial action signal when said remedial action signal is not generated and said first and second desired throttle positions differ by more than a predetermined percentage,

wherein said predetermined percentage corresponds to a maximum allowable calculation imprecision.

7. The throttle control module of claim 1 further comprising nonvolatile memory that includes data for transforming throttle area to throttle position,

wherein said primary and redundant throttle position modules transform said first and second desired throttle positions, respectively, based upon said data.

8. The throttle control module of claim 7 wherein said data comprises:

a first lookup table having a mapping from throttle area to segment value; and

a second lookup table having a mapping from segment value to throttle position.

9. The throttle control module of claim 1 further comprising a throttle actuation module that controls an electronic throttle control (ETC) motor that actuates said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle actuation module instructs said ETC motor to actuate said throttle valve to a predetermined throttle position after said remedial action signal is generated, and

wherein said predetermined throttle position is a high-idle position.

10. The throttle control module of claim 1 further comprising a throttle actuation module that controls an electronic throttle control (ETC) motor that actuates said throttle valve,

wherein said throttle actuation module instructs said ETC motor to actuate said throttle valve to a lesser throttle position said remedial action signal is generated, and

wherein said lesser throttle position is one of said first and second desired throttle positions that corresponds to a lesser opening of said throttle valve.

11. The throttle control module of claim 1 wherein said remedial action module generates said remedial action signal when said first and second desired throttle positions differ by more than a predetermined percentage, and

wherein said predetermined percentage corresponds to a maximum allowable calculation imprecision.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2014
From: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 034185/0587 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 10, 2011
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 025781/0035 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 8, 2010
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
Reel/Frame 025324/0057 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2010
From: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025315/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2010
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 025245/0780 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UAW RETIREE MEDICAL BENEFITS TRUST
Reel/Frame 023162/0187 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 023156/0215 →
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 023155/0880 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 023124/0670 →
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 022554/0479 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2009
From: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
To: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Reel/Frame 022201/0363 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 7, 2007
From: BAUERLE, PAUL A.; COSTIN, MARK H.
To: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 020214/0838 →