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US 2014/0236443 A1Published application
Automatic control of driveline states
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAshok E. Rodrigues, Andreas E. Perakes, Richard D. Bruns, Derek K. Ward, Jim Koppenol, Nicholas E. McCubbin, Peter J. Grutter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for controlling a vehicle driveline uses sensors to estimate a need for powering secondary wheels for each of a plurality of conditions. The estimates are scaled and the scaled estimates summed. Only primary wheels are powered when the summed estimates are less than a reference value. Both the primary and secondary wheels are powered when the summed estimates exceed the reference value.
Claims20
A method for controlling a vehicle driveline comprising:
- determining demands to power secondary wheels for each of a plurality of vehicle related conditions detected by sensors;
- scaling the demands for each condition;
- summing the scaled demands;
- powering only primary wheels when the summed demands are less than a reference value;
- powering the primary and secondary wheels when the summed demands equal or exceed the reference value.
2 more elements
A method for controlling a vehicle driveline comprising:
- using current vehicle, road, and weather conditions to determine a probability as to whether powering secondary wheels is needed;
- powering only primary wheels when the probability is low and a forced connect condition is absent;
- powering only the primary wheels when the probability is high and a forced disconnect condition is present;
- powering the primary and secondary wheels when the probability is high and a forced disconnect condition is absent;
- powering the primary and secondary wheels when the probability is low and a forced connect condition is present.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.