Systems and methods for controlling torque in a vehicle
AssigneePACCAR Inc
InventorsRiley Sparman Kilfoyle, Christopher Balton, Charles Wayne Reinhardt Swart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques are disclosed herein that provide for controlling torque in a vehicle. In some embodiments, desired torque values are generated and are compared to an amount of torque currently being generated by an engine. If a different amount of torque is desired, an engine speed target is altered in a linear fashion, and then converted back to a torque request to be provided to an engine ECU for implementation. Techniques disclosed herein may cause changes in torque demand to be limited in such a way to cause predictable and smooth changes in engine speed, even when engine speed and torque do not have a linear relationship to each other.
Claims20
A vehicle, comprising:
- an engine;
- an engine electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control torque output by the engine in response to received torque request values;
- and at least one electronic control unit (ECU) configured to:
- determine a desired torque value;
- use the desired torque value, a current engine speed target value, and a current torque value to determine a subsequent engine speed target value, wherein the current torque value represents an amount of torque being generated by the engine;
- convert the subsequent engine speed target value to a torque request value;
- and
- provide the torque request value to the engine ECU.
A method of processing torque requests in a vehicle, the method comprising:
- determining a desired torque value;
- using the desired torque value, a current engine speed target value, and a current torque value to determine a subsequent engine speed target value, wherein the current torque value represents an amount of torque being generated by an engine of the vehicle;
- converting the subsequent engine speed target value to a torque request value;
- and
- providing the torque request value to an engine electronic control unit (ECU) to control the amount of torque being generated by the engine.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by at least one electronic control unit of a vehicle, cause the at least one electronic control unit to perform actions comprising:
- determining a desired torque value;
- using the desired torque value, a current engine speed target value, and a current torque value to determine a subsequent engine speed target value, wherein the current torque value represents an amount of torque being generated by an engine of the vehicle;
- converting the subsequent engine speed target value to a torque request value;
- and
- providing the torque request value to an engine electronic control unit (ECU) to control the amount of torque being generated by the engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.