Electro-mechanical transmission control system

An electromechanical transmission control system, comprising:

• the electromechanical transmission, including a planetary gear set, a hydraulic circuit, and a plurality of hydraulically-actuated torque transfer clutches, said transmission operative to transmit mechanical power originating from an engine and an electric machine to an output through selective application of the torque transfer clutches;
• a first subsystem including a control module directly signally connected to a plurality of pressure monitoring devices adapted to monitor the hydraulic circuit, the first subsystem operative to control and monitor application of the torque transfer clutches, and, operative to execute a first remedial control operation upon detection of a fault in application of the torque transfer clutches;
• a second subsystem including a control module directly signally connected to a sensor operative to monitor rotation of the electric machine, directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation of the output of the transmission, said second subsystem operative to control electric power to the electric machines, and operative to detect a fault in application of the torque transfer clutches;
• and, operative to execute a second remedial control operation upon detection of a fault in the application of the torque transfer clutches.

A transmission system for transmitting mechanical power flow originating from an engine and an electric machine to an output, comprising:

• an input, planetary gear sets, torque transfer clutches, a hydraulic circuit, and first and second control modules;
• the input operatively connected to one of the planetary gear sets;
• the hydraulic circuit comprising flow management valves and pressure control solenoids selectively operative to apply the torque transfer clutches;
• the torque transfer clutches selectively actuable to control operation in one of a fixed gear operating range state and a continuously variable operating range state;
• the first control module:
• a) operatively connected to the flow management valves and the pressure control solenoids to selectively apply the torque transfer clutches;
• b) directly signally connected to pressure monitoring devices adapted to monitor the hydraulic circuit;
• c) operative to execute algorithmic code to detect a fault in the torque transfer clutches affecting the mechanical power flow to the output based upon the signal outputs of the pressure monitoring devices;
• and,
• d) operative to execute remedial control upon fault detection;
• and
• the second control module:
• a) operatively connected to an electric power inverter to control electric power flow to the electric machine,
• b) directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation of the electric machine;
• c) directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation of the output of the transmission;
• d) operative to execute algorithmic code to detect a fault affecting the mechanical power flow to the output of the transmission based upon the rotation of the electric machine and output of the transmission;
• and,
• e) operative to execute remedial control of the electric machine upon detection of a fault.

System for redundantly detecting a fault in application of a torque transfer clutch in an electromechanical transmission, comprising:

• the electromechanical transmission including planetary gear sets, a hydraulic circuit, and a plurality of hydraulically-actuated torque transfer clutches, said transmission operative to transmit mechanical power flow originating from an engine and electric machines to an output through selective application of the torque transfer clutches;
• a first subsystem directly signally connected to a plurality of pressure monitoring devices adapted to monitor the hydraulic circuit, to control application of the torque transfer clutches, and to detect a fault in application of the torque transfer clutches based upon the pressure monitoring devices;
• a second subsystem directly signally connected to sensors operative to monitor rotation of the electric machines, directly signally connected to a sensing system operative to monitor rotation the output of the transmission, operative to control electric power to the electric machines, and operative to detect a fault based upon the rotation of the output of the transmission and the rotation of the electric machines;
• and
• the first and second subsystems mutually independent.