# US 2021/0277987 A1 · Control System for Opportunistic Heating of Transmission Fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0277987 A1 - Document ID: US20210277987A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/809,705 - Filed: 2020-03-05 - Published: 2021-09-09 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-05 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Nicholas David Moore; Rian Edman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210277987A1 ## CPC - F16H 57/0413: {Controlled cooling or heating of lubricant; Temperature control therefor} - B60H 1/14: other than from cooling liquid of the plant - F16H 57/0415: {Air cooling or ventilation; Heat exchangers; Thermal insulations} - F16H 57/0435: {Pressure control for supplying lubricant; Circuits or valves therefor} - F16H 59/72: dependent on oil characteristics, e.g. temperature, viscosity - F16H 57/0417: {Heat exchangers adapted or integrated in the gearing} - F16H: GEARING - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES ## Abstract A thermal management for a hybrid vehicle is provided. The system includes an engine coolant to cabin air heat exchanger in a first heat exchange loop and being operably coupled to an engine coolant circuit and cabin air in the vehicle, respectively, a transmission fluid to engine coolant heat exchanger in a second heat exchange loop and being operably coupled to a transmission fluid circuit and the engine coolant circuit, respectively, a control valve operable to control a flow of engine coolant through at least the second heat exchange loop, and a control module configured to selectively operate the control valve to initiate or restrict the flow through the second heat exchange loop to provide heat to the transmission fluid circuit based on ambient temperature, transmission fluid temperature and engine coolant temperature. The control module is further configured to enable control functions associated with transmission operation and hybrid functions based on the transmission fluid temperature. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A thermal management system for a hybrid vehicle, the system comprising: an engine coolant to cabin air heat exchanger in a first heat exchange loop, the engine coolant to cabin air heat exchanger being operably coupled to an engine coolant circuit and cabin air in the vehicle, respectively; a transmission fluid to engine coolant heat exchanger in a second heat exchange loop, the transmission fluid to engine coolant heat exchanger being operably coupled to a transmission fluid circuit and the engine coolant circuit, respectively; a control valve operable to control a flow of engine coolant through at least the second heat exchange loop; and a control module configured to selectively operate the control valve to initiate or restrict the flow through the second heat exchange loop to provide heat to the transmission fluid circuit based on ambient temperature, transmission fluid temperature and engine coolant temperature, wherein the control module is further configured to enable control functions associated with transmission operation and hybrid functions based on the transmission fluid temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, during operation of the vehicle, responsive to cabin air temperature being below a first threshold when engine coolant temperature is below a second threshold, the control module is configured to determine whether to provide parallel flows through the first and second heat exchange loops, or provide flow through only the first heat exchange loop based on a status of a climate system configured to control heating of the cabin air and the engine coolant temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The thermal management system of claim 2, wherein, when the climate system is off or faulted, the control valve is operated to provide the flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature is greater than an engine coolant threshold temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The thermal management system of claim 3, wherein the control valve is operated to stop flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature falls below a target value. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The thermal management system of claim 3, wherein the control module periodically checks the engine coolant temperature and maintains flow through the second heat exchange loop until the engine coolant temperature falls below a target value. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The thermal management system of claim 2, wherein, when the climate system is on, the control valve is operated to provide the flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature is greater than a target value associated with indicating excess heat being generated by the climate system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein the control module is configured to stop flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature is less than the target value associated with indicating excess heat being generated by the climate system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The thermal management system of claim 6, wherein the control module is configured to operate the control valve to stop flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature falls below a second target value, and wherein the control module periodically checks the engine coolant temperature and maintains flow through the second heat exchange loop until the engine coolant temperature falls below the second target value. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein, when the vehicle is not operational, the control module is configured to initiate flow through the first and second heat exchange loops in series via operation of the control valve and an auxiliary pump. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The thermal management system of claim 9, wherein the control module is configured to determine a start time for initiating the flow through the first and second heat exchange loops based on a projected departure time for the vehicle. ### Claim 11 A control module for a thermal management system for a hybrid vehicle, the thermal management system comprising an engine coolant to cabin air heat exchanger in a first heat exchange loop and being operably coupled to an engine coolant circuit and cabin air in the vehicle, respectively, a transmission fluid to engine coolant heat exchanger in a second heat exchange loop and being operably coupled to a transmission fluid circuit and the engine coolant circuit, respectively, and a control valve operable to control a flow of engine coolant through at least the second heat exchange loop, wherein the control module comprises processing circuitry configured to selectively operate the control valve to initiate or restrict the flow through the second heat exchange loop to provide heat to the transmission fluid circuit based on ambient temperature, transmission fluid temperature and engine coolant temperature, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to enable control functions associated with transmission operation and hybrid functions based on the transmission fluid temperature. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The control module of claim 11, wherein, during operation of the vehicle, responsive to cabin air temperature being below a first threshold when engine coolant temperature is below a second threshold, the processing circuitry is configured to determine whether to provide parallel flows through the first and second heat exchange loops, or provide flow through only the first heat exchange loop based on a status of a climate system configured to control heating of the cabin air and the engine coolant temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The control module of claim 12, wherein, when the climate system is off or faulted, the processing circuitry is configured to operate the control valve to provide the flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature is greater than an engine coolant threshold temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control module of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate the control valve to stop flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature falls below a target value. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control module of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry periodically checks the engine coolant temperature and maintains flow through the second heat exchange loop until the engine coolant temperature falls below a target value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The control module of claim 12, wherein, when the climate system is on, the processing circuitry is configured to operate the control valve to provide the flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature is greater than a target value associated with indicating excess heat being generated by the climate system. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The control module of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to stop flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature is less than the target value associated with indicating excess heat being generated by the climate system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The control module of claim 16, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to operate the control valve to stop flow through the second heat exchange loop when the engine coolant temperature falls below a second target value, and wherein the processing circuitry periodically checks the engine coolant temperature and maintains flow through the second heat exchange loop until the engine coolant temperature falls below the second target value. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The control module of claim 11, wherein, when the vehicle is not operational, the processing circuitry is configured to initiate flow through the first and second heat exchange loops in series via operation of the control valve and an auxiliary pump. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The control module of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine a start time for initiating the flow through the first and second heat exchange loops based on a projected departure time for the vehicle.