# US 10,479,349 B2 · Methods and system for launching a hybrid vehicle

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- Number: US 10,479,349 B2
- Document ID: US10479349B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/618,972
- Filed: 2017-06-09
- Published: 2018-12-13
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-06-09
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Rajit Johri; Minku Lee; Justin Panhans
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479349B2

## CPC

- B60W 20/19: for achieving enhanced acceleration
- B60K 6/38: characterised by the driveline clutches (shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36)
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60W 10/026: {of lock-up clutches}
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/13: in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
- B60W 30/18027: {Drive off, accelerating from standstill}
- F16H 61/48: hydrodynamic
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2520/30: Wheel torque
- B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position
- B60W 2540/12: Brake pedal position
- B60W 2710/027: Clutch torque
- B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque
- B60W 2710/083: Torque
- B60W 2710/1011: Input shaft speed, e.g. turbine speed
- B60W 2710/1083: pressure of control fluid
- B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles
- F16H 59/18: dependent on the position of the accelerator pedal
- F16H 59/54: dependent on signals from the brakes, e.g. parking brakes
- F16H 2312/02: Driving off
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- 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
- 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
- F16H: GEARING
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

Systems and methods for launching a hybrid vehicle that includes a motor/generator and an automatic transmission with a torque converter are described. The systems and methods may permit improved vehicle acceleration to enhance hybrid vehicle performance during specific vehicle launch conditions. The launch conditions may be established based on brake pedal position and accelerator pedal position.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle operating method, comprising:
adjusting speed of a torque converter impeller from a first speed to a second predetermined speed in response to contemporaneously applying a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal, where the second predetermined speed is a speed where an engine and an electric machine have capacity to provide a combined first torque, the combined first torque greater than combined maximum torque output capacity of the engine and the electric machine operating at any speed other than the second predetermined speed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, where the second predetermined speed is a function of braking torque of driven wheels, and further comprising:
starting an engine in response to contemporaneously applying the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising adjusting torque of the engine and torque of the electric machine after starting the engine to rotate the torque converter impeller at the second predetermined speed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, where the torque of the engine and the torque of the electric machine are adjusted responsive to a battery state of charge.

### Claim 5

A vehicle operating method, comprising:
adjusting speed of a torque converter impeller from a first speed to a second predetermined speed in response to contemporaneously applying a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal, where the first speed is a speed of a pump equal to or above which the pump provides hydraulic line pressure greater than a threshold pressure.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, where the threshold pressure is a pressure sufficient to fully close transmission clutches.

### Claim 7

A vehicle operating method, comprising:
adjusting speed of a torque converter impeller from a first speed to a second predetermined speed in response to contemporaneously applying a brake pedal and an accelerator pedal; and
adjusting output torque of an engine to provide a threshold torque in response to releasing the applied brake pedal, where adjusting speed of the torque converter impeller from the first speed to the second predetermined speed includes adjusting speed of the torque converter impeller only after accelerator pedal position exceeds a threshold while a vehicle that includes the engine is stopped.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, where the threshold torque is greater than maximum engine torque at any engine speed other than an engine speed where the threshold torque is provided.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, where the second predetermined speed is a threshold speed based on a stall speed of a torque converter, the stall speed based on driven wheel braking torque.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, where adjusting speed of the torque converter impeller from the first speed to the second predetermined speed includes adjusting speed of the torque converter impeller only after a threshold driven wheel braking torque is provided by applying the brake pedal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising reducing torque delivered to a powertrain via brake pedal torque.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising limiting wheel slip to less than a threshold via modulating torque of an electric machine after releasing the brake pedal.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting torque of an electric machine to provide a desired torque converter impeller torque while contemporaneously applying the brake pedal and the accelerator pedal, the desired torque converter impeller torque is a torque that rotates the torque converter impeller at the second predetermined speed.

### Claim 14

A system, comprising:
an engine;
a motor/generator;
a transmission mechanically coupled to the engine and the motor/generator, the transmission including a torque converter impeller; and
a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to:
adjust speed of the torque converter impeller from a first speed to a second predetermined speed in response to contemporaneously applying a brake pedal to provide greater than a threshold amount of driven wheel braking torque and applying an accelerator pedal to a position that is greater than a threshold; and
cancel torque requested via the accelerator pedal in response to torque requested via the brake pedal when the accelerator pedal is at a position that is less than the threshold.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising additional instructions stored in non-transitory memory to operate the engine at wide open throttle in response to releasing the applied brake pedal.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions stored in non-transitory memory to modulate torque of an electric machine to control wheel slip in response to releasing the applied brake pedal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, further comprising additional instructions stored in non-transitory memory to adjust torque of the motor/generator to provide a desired torque converter impeller torque that rotates the torque converter impeller at the second predetermined speed.