# US 11,993,266 B1 · Transmission control system and method for an electric vehicle

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- Number: US 11,993,266 B1
- Document ID: US11993266B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/239,614
- Filed: 2023-08-29
- Published: 2024-06-13
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2022-12-07
- Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
- Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation
- Inventors: Dongwon Jeoung; Sunghyun Cho; Sangmo Ha; Jongyun Park; Jungwoo Seo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993266B1

## CPC

- B60W 30/19: Improvement of gear change, e.g. by synchronisation or smoothing gear shift
- B60L 15/2054: {by controlling transmissions or clutches}
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 10/11: Stepped gearings
- B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position
- B60W 2710/022: Clutch actuator position
- B60W 2710/083: Torque
- F16H 2061/0474: {by smoothing engagement or release of positive clutches; Methods or means for shock free engagement of dog clutches}
- 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
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

A transmission control system of an electric vehicle includes a motor configured to generate drive torque; a transmission configured to perform multi-stage shifting using a dog clutch in a restraint relationship with a one-way clutch configured to transmit forward power of the motor; a speed sensor configured to measure a rotation speed on an output side of the transmission; a motor control unit configured to control the drive torque from the motor according to a driver's accelerator position signal (APS) value; and a vehicle control unit configured to control the multi-stage shifting of the transmission according to a torque command based on the APS value, and to perform clutch alignment control by moving up a sleeve in a reverse direction to contact a hub through a reverse rotation operation of gear teeth by applying reverse rotation torque of predetermined drive force through the motor in a pre-engagement state of the dog clutch.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A transmission control system of an electric vehicle, the transmission control system comprising:
a motor configured to generate a drive torque;
a transmission configured to perform multi-stage shifting using a dog clutch in a restraint relationship with a one-way clutch configured to transmit forward power of the motor;
a speed sensor configured to measure a rotation speed on an output side of the transmission;
a motor control unit configured to control the drive torque from the motor according to a driver's accelerator position signal (APS) value; and
a vehicle control unit configured to control the multi-stage shifting of the transmission according to a torque command based on the APS value, and to perform clutch alignment control of moving up a sleeve in a reverse direction so as to contact a hub through a reverse rotation operation of gear teeth by applying reverse rotation torque of a predetermined drive force through the motor in a pre-engagement state of the dog clutch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The transmission control system of claim 1, wherein the transmission comprises:
an input shaft IN configured to receive power from the motor;
an output shaft OUT installed in parallel with the input shaft IN and configured to transmit power through a multi-stage shift gear; and
a drive shaft installed in parallel with the output shaft OUT and configured to transmit power transmitted through a final-stage gear to a drive wheel, and
wherein the multi-stage shift gear comprises a first-stage gear and a second-stage gear installed to be circumscribed with each other along a longitudinal direction of the input shaft IN and the output shaft OUT.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The transmission control system of claim 2, wherein:
the one-way clutch is applied to the first-stage gear of the output shaft OUT to operate as a forward power transmission element; and
wherein the dog clutch is connected to a rear end of the one-way clutch to operate as a reverse power transmission element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The transmission control system of claim 3, wherein the dog clutch is configured to transmit forward power together with the one-way clutch by engaging the sleeve with the gear teeth, and to return to a hub side to transmit reverse power after disengaging the engagement for regenerative braking.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The transmission control system of claim 2, wherein the transmission further comprises:
a friction clutch applied to the second-stage gear of the output shaft OUT and configured to prevent speed synchronization and shift shock at both ends through mechanical slip.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The transmission control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control unit is further configured to increase clutch alignment control speed by limiting forward torque generation of the motor and increasing an amount of reverse rotation torque when an accelerator is operated or forward torque by a driver's setting is input during the clutch alignment control.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The transmission control system of claim 6, wherein the vehicle control unit is further configured to determine that the clutch alignment control is completed, and to terminate reverse rotation torque control through the motor when the rotation speed on the output side of the transmission is detected from the speed sensor during the clutch alignment control.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The transmission control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle control unit is further configured to control the dog clutch to engagement, disengagement, and pre-engagement states by horizontally moving the sleeve using a sleeve actuator.

### Claim 9

A transmission control method for an electric vehicle configured to perform multi-stage shifting and including a dog clutch in a restraint relationship with a one-way clutch configured to transmit forward power of a motor, the transmission control method comprising:
collecting real-time driving information of a vehicle and controlling the dog clutch to a pre-engagement state when the vehicle is stopped;
starting clutch alignment control for disengagement of the dog clutch in a driving situation after completion of the pre-engagement control;
moving up a sleeve in a reverse direction so as to contact a hub through a reverse rotation operation of gear teeth of the dog clutch by applying reverse rotation torque of a predetermined drive force through the motor; and
terminating reverse rotation torque control through the motor when the clutch alignment control is completed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The transmission control method of claim 9, further comprising:
increasing clutch alignment control speed by limiting forward torque generation of the motor and increasing an amount of reverse rotation torque when an accelerator is operated or forward torque requirement by a driver's setting is input during the clutch alignment control.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The transmission control method of claim 9, wherein the controlling to the pre-engagement state completes pre-engagement control in a state of being engaged with gear teeth by moving the sleeve of the dog clutch using a sleeve actuator.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The transmission control method of claim 9, wherein the clutch alignment control performs element alignment of the dog clutch until a rotation speed signal value on an output side of the transmission is received from a speed sensor in the pre-engagement state.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The transmission control method of claim 12, wherein the clutch alignment control process comprises:
applying a reverse target torque command to a motor control unit in the pre-engagement state of the dog clutch;
reversely rotating the gear teeth of the dog clutch by reverse rotation of the motor,
bringing upper surfaces of gear teeth of the sleeve moving in a reverse direction by the reverse rotation of the gear teeth into contact with lower surfaces of gear teeth of the hub; and
completing the clutch alignment control when a rotation speed signal on the output side of the transmission resulting from the contact between the gear teeth of the sleeve and the hub is received.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The transmission control method of claim 9, wherein the clutch alignment control process comprises:
applying a reverse target torque command to a motor control unit in the pre-engagement state of the dog clutch;
reversely rotating the gear teeth of the dog clutch by reverse rotation of the motor;
bringing upper surfaces of gear teeth of the sleeve moving in a reverse direction by the reverse rotation of the gear teeth into contact with lower surfaces of gear teeth of the hub; and
completing the clutch alignment control when a rotation speed signal on an output side of the transmission resulting from the contact between the gear teeth of the sleeve and the hub is received.