Method of unlocking a planetary gearing when driving a vehicle

A computer program product for controlling a vehicle,

• wherein said vehicle comprises a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide power to operate the vehicle, a planetary gear comprising three components in the form of a sun wheel, a ring gear and a planetary wheel carrier, wherein a first input shaft in the planetary gear is connected with a first of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such first of said components, wherein a second output shaft of the planetary gear, for transmission of torque for the propulsion of the vehicle, is connected with a second of said components in the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such second of said components, wherein the power unit configuration comprises a first electrical machine with a stator and a rotor, which is connected with a third of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of the rotor leads to a rotation of such third of said components, and wherein the drive system also comprises a first locking means, which may be moved between a locked position in which two of said components are locked together so that the three components rotate with the same speed, and a release position in which the components are allowed to rotate with different speeds, wherein the vehicle comprises said power unit configuration, which also comprises a second electrical machine with a stator and a rotor connected with said input shaft of the planetary gear, which is being controlled, and
• wherein the computer program product is stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and comprises computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions configured to, when the vehicle is driven with the first locking means in a locked position, move such locking means to the release position, wherein the executable portion comprises computer code to cause an electronic processor to:
• a) control said power unit configuration, in order to achieve torque balance between the components locked together by said first locking means;
• and
• b) shift said first locking means to a release position when said torque balance prevails.

An electronic control device for controlling a vehicle,

• wherein said vehicle comprises a drive system comprising a power unit configuration adapted to provide power to operate the vehicle, a planetary gear comprising three components in the form of a sun wheel, a ring gear and a planetary wheel carrier, wherein a first input shaft in the planetary gear is connected with a first of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such first of said components, wherein a second output shaft of the planetary gear, for transmission of torque for the propulsion of the vehicle, is connected with a second of said components in the planetary gear, so that a rotation of such shaft leads to a rotation of such second of said components, wherein the power unit configuration comprises a first electrical machine with a stator and a rotor, which is connected with a third of said components of the planetary gear, so that a rotation of the rotor leads to a rotation of such third of said components, and wherein the drive system also comprises a first locking means, which may be moved between a locked position in which two of said components are locked together so that the three components rotate with the same speed, and a release position in which the components are allowed to rotate with different speeds, wherein the vehicle comprises said power unit configuration, which also comprises a second electrical machine with a stator and a rotor connected with said input shaft of the planetary gear, which is being controlled,
• wherein said electronic device comprises:
• a storage device;
• an electronic processor operatively coupled to the storage device;
• and
• a computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium on the storage device and comprising computer-readable program code portions embodied therein, the computer-readable program code portions configured to, when the vehicle is driven with the first locking means in a locked position, move such locking means to the release position, wherein the executable portion comprises computer code to cause an electronic processor to:
• a) control said power unit configuration, in order to achieve torque balance between the components locked together by said first locking means;
• and
• b) shift said first locking means to a release position when said torque balance prevails.