# US 12,128,870 B2 · Hybrid vehicle creep control > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,128,870 B2 - Document ID: US12128870B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/791,702 - Filed: 2021-01-10 - Published: 2023-02-09 - Granted: 2024-10-29 - Earliest claimed: 2020-01-09 - Assignees: Jaguar Land Rover Limited - Applicants: Jaguar Land Rover Limited - Inventors: Rodolfo Oliveira Jaccoud; Matthew Hancock; Olivier Jean Brice Roques - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12128870B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/20: the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs - B60W 20/11: using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance {(utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12)} - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60K 6/52: Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive - B60L 15/2063: {for creeping} - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} - B60W 30/18063: {Creeping} - B60W 40/076: Slope angle of the road - B60W 40/105: Speed - B60K 2001/001: {one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle} - B60L 2240/36: Temperature of vehicle components or parts - B60L 2240/421: Speed - B60L 2240/423: Torque - B60L 2240/441: Speed - B60L 2240/485: Temperature - B60L 2240/662: Temperature - B60W 2050/0039: {of the propulsion unit} - B60W 2050/0041: {of the drive line} - B60W 2510/0208: Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged - B60W 2510/0638: Engine speed - B60W 2510/081: Speed - B60W 2510/083: Torque - B60W 2510/087: Temperature - B60W 2510/1005: Transmission ratio engaged - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2710/083: Torque - B60Y 2300/18058: Creeping - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility - Y02T 90/16: Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles - 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 - 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 - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method and a control system for controlling movement of a vehicle to provide vehicle creep, the vehicle having an engine and an electric traction motor, and the control system having one or more controllers. The control system is configured to: while a torque path between the engine and a first set of vehicle wheels is disconnected, control the electric traction motor to provide tractive torque to a second set of vehicle wheels to automatically move the vehicle to provide electric vehicle creep. The electric vehicle creep is controlled by a mathematical model of engine creep torque that would be provided by the engine when the torque path between the engine and the first set of vehicle wheels is connected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control system for controlling movement of a vehicle to provide vehicle creep, the vehicle comprising an engine and an electric traction motor, the control system comprising one or more controllers, wherein the control system is configured to: while a torque path between the engine and a first set of vehicle wheels is disconnected, control the electric traction motor to provide tractive torque to a second set of vehicle wheels to automatically move the vehicle to provide electric vehicle creep, wherein the torque for providing electric vehicle creep is controlled in dependence on a mathematical model of engine creep torque that would be provided by the engine when the torque path between the engine and the first set of vehicle wheels is connected. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers collectively comprise: at least one electronic processor having an electrical input for receiving information; and at least one electronic memory device electrically coupled to the at least one electronic processor and having instructions stored therein; and wherein the at least one electronic processor is configured to access the at least one memory device and execute the instructions thereon so as to cause the control system to control the electric traction motor in dependence on the information. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, configured to control the electric traction motor to provide the electric vehicle creep while the engine is in a deactivated state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the mathematical model is dependent on vehicle speed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the mathematical model is dependent on at least one of: ambient temperature; operating temperature; ambient pressure; humidity; or engine accessory load. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the mathematical model is dependent on a simulated engine idle speed variable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The control system of claim 6, wherein the mathematical model is dependent on one of a difference between, and a ratio between, the simulated engine idle speed variable and a vehicle speed variable. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control system of claim 7, wherein the mathematical model is dependent on a simulated torque converter characteristic dependent on said difference or said ratio. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the mathematical model is dependent on one or both of: an operating temperature associated with torque converter fluid, and a simulated gear ratio for an automatic transmission operable to provide vehicle creep in different forward gears and/or in different reverse gears. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, wherein the automatically moving the vehicle comprises controlling the tractive torque of the electric traction motor to reduce a difference between vehicle speed and a vehicle creep speed target determined by the mathematical model. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the vehicle creep speed target is a function of at least: simulated engine idle speed; simulated automatic transmission ratio; differential ratio; and wheel size. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The control system of claim 10, wherein the mathematical model is configured to limit the tractive torque of the electric traction motor, based on the modeled engine creep torque, to enable an external environment to slow the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control system of claim 12, wherein the controlling the tractive torque to enable the external environment to slow the vehicle comprises saturating the tractive torque of the electric traction motor to a torque limit determined by the mathematical model, wherein the torque limit is configured to enable the vehicle speed to reach the vehicle creep speed target when the vehicle is on level ground and is configured to cause the vehicle speed to be incapable of reaching or maintaining the vehicle creep speed target when the vehicle is on an up-slope. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the torque limit is a function of at least: the vehicle creep speed target; vehicle speed; simulated automatic transmission ratio; and a torque converter transfer function that emulates, as a function of slip ratio, capacity factor and/or torque ratio and/or torque converter efficiency. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The control system of claim 14, wherein the torque limit is defined according to the equation: Torque limit=(Vehicle Creep Speed Target/Vehicle Speed){circumflex over ( )}2*Torque Converter Transfer Function*Automatic Transmission Ratio. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The control system of claim 1, configured to: receive a signal indicative of a requirement to transition the engine from a first mode to a second mode during electric vehicle creep, wherein in the first mode the engine is in a deactivated state and the torque path is disconnected and the electric traction motor provides electric vehicle creep, and wherein in the second mode the engine is in an activated state and the torque path is connected and the engine provides, at least in part, vehicle creep; and cause connection of the torque path and activation of the engine in dependence on receiving the signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control system of claim 16, wherein the first mode is an electric vehicle mode and the second mode is a hybrid electric vehicle mode, wherein in the hybrid electric vehicle mode the electric traction motor is operable to provide tractive torque to the second set of vehicle wheels, and wherein the control system is configured to control the electric traction motor to increase tractive torque in response to falling vehicle speed causing engine speed to fall below an engine idle speed target. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A vehicle comprising the control system, the engine and the electric traction motor of claim 1. ### Claim 19 A method of controlling an engine and an electric traction motor of a vehicle, the method comprising: while a torque path between the engine and a first set of vehicle wheels is disconnected, controlling the electric traction motor to provide tractive torque to a second set of vehicle wheels to automatically move the vehicle to provide electric vehicle creep, wherein the torque for providing the electric vehicle creep is controlled in dependence on a mathematical model of engine creep torque that would be provided by the engine when the torque path between the engine and the first set of vehicle wheels is connected. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer software that, when executed, is arranged to perform the method according to claim 19.