Patent · US9446757B2 · B2 · US

Active motor damping control of a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain

(11) Publication number

US9446757B2

(21) Application number

14/197,653

(22) Filing date

2014-03-05

(30) Priority date

2014-03-05

(43) Publication date

2016-09-20

(45) Date of grant

2016-09-20

(51) IPC

B60L 15/20; B60W 20/00; B60K 6/48; B60W 10/00; B60W 10/02; B60W 10/08; B60W 30/20

(52) CPC

B60W Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function; control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles; road vehicle drive control systems for purposes not related to the control of a particular sub-unit: 20/108, 10/02, 10/026, 10/08, 20/15, 2050/0008, 2510/081, 2710/081, 2710/083, 30/20
B60K Arrangement or mounting of propulsion units or of transmissions in vehicles; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers in vehicles; auxiliary drives for vehicles; instrumentation or dashboards for vehicles; arrangements in connection with cooling, air intake, gas exhaust or fuel supply of propulsion units in vehicles: 2006/4825, 6/48
B60L Propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles; supplying electric power for auxiliary equipment of electrically-propelled vehicles; electrodynamic brake systems for vehicles in general; magnetic suspension or levitation for vehicles; monitoring operating variables of electrically-propelled vehicles; electric safety devices for electrically-propelled vehicles: 15/20, 15/2045, 15/2054, 2240/421, 2240/423, 2240/486, 2240/507, 2260/42, 2270/142, 2270/147, 50/16
Y02T Climate change mitigation technologies related to transportation: 10/62, 10/6221, 10/6252, 10/64, 10/70, 10/7072, 10/72, 10/7258
Y10S Technical subjects covered by former uspc cross-reference art collections [xracs] and digests: 903/903

(73) Assignee

Ford Global Technologies LLC

(72) Inventors

Wei Liang; Mark Steven Yamazaki; Rajit Johri; XiaoYong Wang; Ryan Abraham McGee; Ming Lang Kuang

(54) Title

Active motor damping control of a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain

(57) Abstract

A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine and an electric motor both configured to generate a vehicle powertrain torque and a controller programmed to control the powertrain torque for a limited duration in anticipation of a powertrain torque variation scenario using a damping function, wherein the damping function adjusts the vehicle powertrain torque based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed using the electric motor to counteract a powertrain speed oscillation.

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Claims (20)

A hybrid electric vehicle comprising: an engine and an electric motor both configured to generate a vehicle powertrain torque; and a controller programmed to control the powertrain torque for a limited duration in response to a powertrain torque variation scenario using a damping function that adjusts the torque of the electric motor based on a difference between a measured motor speed, that is received by the controller via signals from a sensor measuring the speed of the electric motor, and a desired motor speed, that is estimated by the controller based on a curve-fitting interpolation of the measured motor speed, in order to counteract powertrain speed oscillations and to drive the measured motor speed towards the desired motor speed.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is at least one of: an engine start, a gear shift, a tip-in, a tip-out, or a large torque command.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a launch clutch.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a torque converter bypass clutch.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the damping function includes a notch filter in a forward loop to limit the damping function to within a predefined frequency range of the powertrain speed oscillations.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the damping function includes a feedback loop that generates a motor torque adjustment, which is subtracted from a desired motor torque resulting in an actual motor torque, the motor torque adjustment being based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the feedback loop includes a derivative term which is proportional to a derivative of a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed and a proportional term which is proportional to the difference.
The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the limited duration is based upon either a predetermined elapsed time or when a speed error reduces below a predetermined threshold, the speed error being a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.
A hybrid vehicle control method comprising: measuring an electric motor speed; interpolating a desired motor speed by applying a curve-fitting algorithm to the measured motor speed; and in response to a torque variation scenario, adjusting powertrain torque for a limited duration using the motor to counteract powertrain speed oscillations and drive measured motor speed towards desired motor speed using a damping function based on a difference between the measured and desired motor speeds.
The method of claim 9, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is at least one of: an engine start, a gear shift, a tip-in, a tip-out, or a large torque command.
The method of claim 9, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a launch clutch.
The method of claim 9, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a torque converter bypass clutch.
The method of claim 9, wherein the damping function includes a notch filter in a forward loop to limit the damping function to within a predefined frequency range of the powertrain speed oscillations.
The method of claim 9, wherein the damping function includes a feedback loop that generates a motor torque adjustment, which is subtracted from a desired motor torque resulting in an actual motor torque, the motor torque adjustment being based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.
The method of claim 14, wherein the feedback loop includes a derivative term which is proportional to a derivative of a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed and a proportional term which is proportional to the difference.
The method of claim 9, wherein the limited duration is based upon either a predetermined elapsed time or when a speed error reduces below a predetermined threshold, the speed error being a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.
A method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle comprising: controlling motor torque for a limited duration in anticipation of a powertrain torque variation scenario based on a damping function, the damping function comprising: a notch filter in a forward loop to limit the damping function to within a predefined frequency range of powertrain speed oscillations; a feedback loop that generates a motor torque adjustment, which is subtracted from a desired motor torque resulting in an actual motor torque, the motor torque adjustment being based on an adjustment algorithm that is based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed, wherein the measured motor speed is received from a sensor and the desired motors speed is interpolated by applying a curve-fitting algorithm to the measured motor speed; and adjusting a vehicle powertrain torque with the damping function using an electric motor to counteract powertrain speed oscillations and to drive the measured motor speed towards the desired motor speed.
The method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is at least one of: an engine start, a partially or a completely closing of a launch clutch, a gear shift, a tip-in, a tip-out, a large torque command, or a partially or a completely closing of a torque converter bypass clutch.
The method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the feedback loop includes a derivative term which is proportional to a derivative of a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed and a proportional term which is proportional to the difference.
The method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the limited duration is based upon either a predetermined elapsed time or a speed error becoming less than a corresponding threshold, the speed error being a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.

Description

The present disclosure relates to active motor damping in hybrid electric vehicles.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) utilize both an engine and an electric motor, which may operate in unison or alone, to provide torque to the vehicle powertrain. All vehicles, hybrid and non-hybrid alike, experience vehicle powertrain speed oscillations that disrupt the smooth vehicle operation and vehicle drivability. Powertrain resonance is one of the major reasons that a driver feels unsmooth behavior. Typically, the unsmooth behavior is triggered by the powertrain resonance that occurs during transient events in the powertrain torque. Therefore, it is essential to damp the powertrain speed oscillation during transient events around the powertrain resonant frequency, which is a typical task in most automotive powertrain controls.

In a HEV application the electric motor can be used to damp powertrain speed oscillations. This is sometimes referred to as active motor damping (AMD). It is known, that some transient events contribute more to the powertrain resonance causing unsmooth behavior than other transient events. For example, a vehicle that uses a launch clutch to engage the power source (engine or electric motor) to the transmission gearbox may experience a larger speed disruption due to the powertrain speed oscillation while engaging the launch clutch, than a vehicle that uses a hydraulic torque converter to couple the power source to the transmission gearbox. This is because automatic transmissions with hydraulic torque converters have a large natural viscous damping effect.

Citations (7)

US6196345B1
US7292917B2
US7024290B2
US20110053733A1
US20120262102A1
US20140257617A1
US8538643B1

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US9446757B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Active motor damping control of a hybrid electric vehicle powertrain",
  "abstract": "A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine and an electric motor both configured to generate a vehicle powertrain torque and a controller programmed to control the powertrain torque for a limited duration in anticipation of a powertrain torque variation scenario using a damping function, wherein the damping function adjusts the vehicle powertrain torque based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed using the electric motor to counteract a powertrain speed oscillation.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A hybrid electric vehicle comprising: an engine and an electric motor both configured to generate a vehicle powertrain torque; and a controller programmed to control the powertrain torque for a limited duration in response to a powertrain torque variation scenario using a damping function that adjusts the torque of the electric motor based on a difference between a measured motor speed, that is received by the controller via signals from a sensor measuring the speed of the electric motor, and a desired motor speed, that is estimated by the controller based on a curve-fitting interpolation of the measured motor speed, in order to counteract powertrain speed oscillations and to drive the measured motor speed towards the desired motor speed.",
    "2. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is at least one of: an engine start, a gear shift, a tip-in, a tip-out, or a large torque command.",
    "3. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a launch clutch.",
    "4. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a torque converter bypass clutch.",
    "5. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the damping function includes a notch filter in a forward loop to limit the damping function to within a predefined frequency range of the powertrain speed oscillations.",
    "6. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the damping function includes a feedback loop that generates a motor torque adjustment, which is subtracted from a desired motor torque resulting in an actual motor torque, the motor torque adjustment being based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.",
    "7. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 6, wherein the feedback loop includes a derivative term which is proportional to a derivative of a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed and a proportional term which is proportional to the difference.",
    "8. The hybrid electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein the limited duration is based upon either a predetermined elapsed time or when a speed error reduces below a predetermined threshold, the speed error being a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.",
    "9. A hybrid vehicle control method comprising: measuring an electric motor speed; interpolating a desired motor speed by applying a curve-fitting algorithm to the measured motor speed; and in response to a torque variation scenario, adjusting powertrain torque for a limited duration using the motor to counteract powertrain speed oscillations and drive measured motor speed towards desired motor speed using a damping function based on a difference between the measured and desired motor speeds.",
    "10. The method of claim 9, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is at least one of: an engine start, a gear shift, a tip-in, a tip-out, or a large torque command.",
    "11. The method of claim 9, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a launch clutch.",
    "12. The method of claim 9, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is a partially or a completely closing of a torque converter bypass clutch.",
    "13. The method of claim 9, wherein the damping function includes a notch filter in a forward loop to limit the damping function to within a predefined frequency range of the powertrain speed oscillations.",
    "14. The method of claim 9, wherein the damping function includes a feedback loop that generates a motor torque adjustment, which is subtracted from a desired motor torque resulting in an actual motor torque, the motor torque adjustment being based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, wherein the feedback loop includes a derivative term which is proportional to a derivative of a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed and a proportional term which is proportional to the difference.",
    "16. The method of claim 9, wherein the limited duration is based upon either a predetermined elapsed time or when a speed error reduces below a predetermined threshold, the speed error being a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed.",
    "17. A method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle comprising: controlling motor torque for a limited duration in anticipation of a powertrain torque variation scenario based on a damping function, the damping function comprising: a notch filter in a forward loop to limit the damping function to within a predefined frequency range of powertrain speed oscillations; a feedback loop that generates a motor torque adjustment, which is subtracted from a desired motor torque resulting in an actual motor torque, the motor torque adjustment being based on an adjustment algorithm that is based on a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed, wherein the measured motor speed is received from a sensor and the desired motors speed is interpolated by applying a curve-fitting algorithm to the measured motor speed; and adjusting a vehicle powertrain torque with the damping function using an electric motor to counteract powertrain speed oscillations and to drive the measured motor speed towards the desired motor speed.",
    "18. The method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the powertrain torque variation scenario is at least one of: an engine start, a partially or a completely closing of a launch clutch, a gear shift, a tip-in, a tip-out, a large torque command, or a partially or a completely closing of a torque converter bypass clutch.",
    "19. The method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the feedback loop includes a derivative term which is proportional to a derivative of a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed and a proportional term which is proportional to the difference.",
    "20. The method for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle of claim 17, wherein the limited duration is based upon either a predetermined elapsed time or a speed error becoming less than a corresponding threshold, the speed error being a difference between a measured motor speed and a desired motor speed."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to active motor damping in hybrid electric vehicles.\n\nHybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) utilize both an engine and an electric motor, which may operate in unison or alone, to provide torque to the vehicle powertrain. All vehicles, hybrid and non-hybrid alike, experience vehicle powertrain speed oscillations that disrupt the smooth vehicle operation and vehicle drivability. Powertrain resonance is one of the major reasons that a driver feels unsmooth behavior. Typically, the unsmooth behavior is triggered by the powertrain resonance that occurs during transient events in the powertrain torque. Therefore, it is essential to damp the powertrain speed oscillation during transient events around the powertrain resonant frequency, which is a typical task in most automotive powertrain controls.\n\nIn a HEV application the electric motor can be used to damp powertrain speed oscillations. This is sometimes referred to as active motor damping (AMD). It is known, that some transient events contribute more to the powertrain resonance causing unsmooth behavior than other transient events. For example, a vehicle that uses a launch clutch to engage the power source (engine or electric motor) to the transmission gearbox may experience a larger speed disruption due to the powertrain speed oscillation while engaging the launch clutch, than a vehicle that uses a hydraulic torque converter to couple the power source to the transmission gearbox. This is because automatic transmissions with hydraulic torque converters have a large natural viscous damping effect.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60W 20/108",
    "B60K 2006/4825",
    "B60K 6/48",
    "B60L 15/20",
    "B60L 15/2045",
    "B60L 15/2054",
    "B60L 2240/421",
    "B60L 2240/423",
    "B60L 2240/486",
    "B60L 2240/507",
    "B60L 2260/42",
    "B60L 2270/142",
    "B60L 2270/147",
    "B60L 50/16",
    "B60W 10/02",
    "B60W 10/026",
    "B60W 10/08",
    "B60W 20/15",
    "B60W 2050/0008",
    "B60W 2510/081",
    "B60W 2710/081",
    "B60W 2710/083",
    "B60W 30/20",
    "Y02T 10/62",
    "Y02T 10/6221",
    "Y02T 10/6252",
    "Y02T 10/64",
    "Y02T 10/70",
    "Y02T 10/7072",
    "Y02T 10/72",
    "Y02T 10/7258",
    "Y10S 903/903"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60L 15/20",
    "B60W 20/00",
    "B60K 6/48",
    "B60W 10/00",
    "B60W 10/02",
    "B60W 10/08",
    "B60W 30/20"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ford Global Technologies LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Wei Liang",
    "Mark Steven Yamazaki",
    "Rajit Johri",
    "XiaoYong Wang",
    "Ryan Abraham McGee",
    "Ming Lang Kuang"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2014-03-05",
  "publication_date": "2016-09-20",
  "grant_date": "2016-09-20",
  "priority_date": "2014-03-05",
  "application_number": "US-201414197653-A",
  "family_id": "53884182",
  "cited_by_count": 5,
  "citations": [
    "US6196345B1",
    "US7292917B2",
    "US7024290B2",
    "US20110053733A1",
    "US20120262102A1",
    "US20140257617A1",
    "US8538643B1"
  ]
}

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