# US 10,119,453 B2 · Systems and methods for controlling a variable speed water pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,453 B2 - Document ID: US10119453B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/216,544 - Filed: 2016-07-21 - Published: 2016-11-10 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-01 - Assignees: PACCAR Inc - Applicants: Tristan Pyle; René M. P. A. Nevels - Inventors: Tristan Pyle; René M. P. A. Nevels - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119453B2 ## CPC - F01P 7/164: {by varying pump speed} - B60H 1/00764: {the input being a vehicle driving condition, e.g. speed (B60H1/00828, B60H1/00864 take precedence)} - B60H 1/00807: {the input being a specific way of measuring or calculating an air or coolant temperature} - B60H 1/00885: {Controlling the flow of heating or cooling liquid, e.g. valves or pumps (B60H1/00899 takes precedence; constructions of valves B60H1/00485)} - B60H 1/08: from other radiator than main radiator - F01P 3/20: Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence) - F04B 49/20: by changing the driving speed - F24F 11/85: using variable-flow pumps - F01P 7/16: by thermostatic control - F01P 2025/12: Cabin temperature - F01P 2025/13: Ambient temperature - F01P 2025/40: Oil temperature - F01P 2025/62: Load - F01P 2060/045: for transmissions - F01P 2060/06: Retarder - F01P 2060/08: Cabin heater - F24F 11/30: for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring - F24F 2110/00: Control inputs relating to air properties - F25B 49/00: Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices - F25B 2600/02: Compressor control - F25B 2600/025: by controlling speed - F25B 2600/0253: with variable speed - F25B 2600/13: Pump speed control - F25B 2700/00: Sensing or detecting of parameters; Sensors therefor - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract Systems and methods for providing an improved strategy for controlling a variable speed water pump in a vehicle. In some embodiments, more than one water pump speed function is calculated based on values obtained from vehicle sensors, and a controller chooses among the water pump speed function results to set a water pump speed. In some embodiments, the water pump speed is increased when driveline torque is greater than a threshold amount for an amount of time that varies based on the driveline torque. In some embodiments, ambient temperature is considered while determining whether the water pump should provide full coolant flow to an auxiliary coolant loop of a trailer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a gear box cooler; a variable speed pump configured to provide coolant flow to the gear box cooler; and a pump controller configured to: monitor an amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle; and in response to determining that the amount of driveline torque has exceeded a threshold amount of torque for at least a threshold amount of time, varying a speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the pump controller is further configured to determine the threshold amount of time based on the amount of driveline torque. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the threshold amount of time is a first value when the amount of driveline torque is above an activation torque threshold and below a lower torque threshold, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases between the lower torque threshold and an upper torque threshold, and wherein the threshold amount of time is a second value when the amount of driveline torque is above the upper torque threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the monitored amount of driveline torque is an absolute value of the amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein varying the speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque includes using a hysteresis value to prevent pump cycling. ### Claim 7 A method of controlling a speed of a variable-speed pump configured to provide coolant flow to a gear box cooler, the method comprising: monitoring an amount of driveline torque produced by a vehicle; and in response to determining that the amount of driveline torque has exceeded a threshold amount of torque for at least a threshold amount of time, varying a speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising determining the threshold amount of time based on the amount of driveline torque. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the threshold amount of time is a first value when the amount of driveline torque is above an activation torque threshold and below a lower torque threshold, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases between the lower torque threshold and an upper torque threshold, and wherein the threshold amount of time is a second value when the amount of driveline torque is above the upper torque threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the monitored amount of driveline torque is an absolute value of the amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein varying the speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque includes using a hysteresis value to prevent pump cycling. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a pump controller of a vehicle, cause the pump controller to perform actions to control a speed of a variable-speed pump configured to provide coolant flow to a gear box cooler of the vehicle, the actions comprising: monitoring an amount of driveline torque produced by a vehicle; and in response to determining that the amount of driveline torque has exceeded a threshold amount of torque for at least a threshold amount of time, varying a speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the actions further comprise determining the threshold amount of time based on the amount of driveline torque. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the threshold amount of time is a first value when the amount of driveline torque is above an activation torque threshold and below a lower torque threshold, wherein the threshold amount of time decreases as the amount of driveline torque increases between the lower torque threshold and an upper torque threshold, and wherein the threshold amount of time is a second value when the amount of driveline torque is above the upper torque threshold. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the monitored amount of driveline torque is an absolute value of the amount of driveline torque produced by the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein varying the speed of the pump based on the amount of driveline torque includes using a hysteresis value to prevent pump cycling.