Closed-loop control of an infinitely variable transmission
AssigneeUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
InventorsWeidong Zhu, Xuefeng Wang, Gang Li
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A nonlinear closed-loop control combined with an integral time-delay feedback control is disclosed to adjust a speed ratio of an infinitely variable transmission (IVT) system. A speed ratio control for an IVT system involves a forward speed controller and a crank length controller for different speed ranges. The time-delay control is designed to reduce speed fluctuations of the output speed of an IVT with an accurate speed ratio. The speed ratio of an IVT with the disclosed control strategy can achieve an excellent tracking response for the desired constant output speed and reduce speed fluctuations of the output speed of an IVT by the time-delay feedback control.
Claims18
A method for controlling an infinitely variable transmission, the method comprising:
- configuring a crank length controller comprising electronic components to:
- determine a desired output rotation speed of the infinitely variable transmission;
- and
- determine a control signal for a crank length control mechanism based on the determined output rotation speed;
- and
- configuring a crank length control mechanism to:
- receive the control signal;
- and
- control the crank length of the infinitely variable transmission based on the control signal,
- wherein the crank length control mechanism is further configured to (i) determine an estimated output rotation speed of the infinitely variable transmission and (ii) determine the control signal for the crank length control mechanism based on the estimated output rotation speed.
A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to control an infinitely variable transmission by:
- configuring a crank length controller comprising electronic components to (i) determine a desired output rotation speed of the infinitely variable transmission;
- and (ii) determine a control signal for a crank length control mechanism based on the determined output rotation speed;
- and
- generating an output representative of the control signal for input into the crank length control mechanism, and
- wherein the crank length control mechanism receives the control signal and determines (I) an estimated output rotation speed of the infinitely variable transmission and (II) determines the control signal for the crank length control mechanism based on the estimated output rotation speed.
A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computing device to cause the computing device to control an infinitely variable transmission by:
- configuring a forward speed controller comprising electronic components to determine a crank length for the infinitely variable transmission, a desired modulated input speed of an input-control module, and an output torque of an output shaft of the infinitely variable transmission, wherein the input-control module is configured to control a motion conversion module of an infinitely variable transmission;
- and
- outputting a control signal to the input-control module based on the determined crank length, the desired modulated input speed, and the output torque.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.