# US 7,743,860 B2 · Holding a hybrid electric vehicle on an inclined surface

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- Number: US 7,743,860 B2
- Document ID: US7743860B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/869,126
- Filed: 2007-10-09
- Published: 2009-04-09
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2007-10-09
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Ihab S. Soliman; Andrew J. Silveri
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7743860B2

## CPC

- B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)}
- B60K 6/442: Series-parallel switching type
- B60K 6/485: Motor-assist type
- B60K 6/52: Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 30/18118: {Hill holding}
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- B60L 2240/425: Temperature
- B60L 2240/443: Torque
- B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters
- B60L 2260/167: of motors or generators
- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60W 2050/0012: {Feedforward or open loop systems}
- B60W 2510/0216: Clutch engagement rate
- B60W 2510/0291: Clutch temperature
- B60W 2510/0657: Engine torque
- B60W 2510/083: Torque
- B60W 2510/087: Temperature
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed
- B60W 2540/12: Brake pedal position
- B60W 2552/00: Input parameters relating to infrastructure
- B60W 2552/15: Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
- B60W 2710/0666: Engine torque
- B60W 2710/083: Torque
- B60Y 2400/428: Double clutch arrangements; Dual clutches
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

In a powertrain that includes wheels supporting a vehicle, an engine, a first machine able to operate alternately as an electric motor and electric generator, a second machine electric able to operate as an electric motor, and an electric storage battery having a variable state of charge, a method for holding the vehicle stationary on an incline including determining a magnitude of torque at the wheels required to hold the vehicle on the incline, determining whether the state of charge is low or high relative to a reference state of charge, determining whether a temperature of the first machine is low or high relative to a first reference temperature, and whether a temperature of the second machine is low or high relative to a second reference temperature, using the engine and the machines in various combinations to produce the required torque at the wheels.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a vehicle powertrain to hold the vehicle stationary on a grade, comprising the steps of:
(a) if a state of charge of a battery is lower than a reference, and temperature of a first and a second electric machine is higher than a respective reference temperature, using an engine to produce torque required to hold the vehicle;
(b) if the state of charge is higher than the reference, and neither machine alone can produce said torque, using the engine in combination with the machines if the temperature of the first and second machines is lower than the reference temperature to produce said torque; and
(c) if the state of charge is higher than the reference, one of the machines can produce said torque, and temperature of said one of the machines is lower that its reference temperature, using said one of the machines to produce said torque.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining that the temperature of the first machine is lower than its reference temperature and the temperature of the second machine is lower than its reference temperature;
using the engine to drive the first machine;
operating the first machine as a generator to supply electric power to the second machine;
using the second machine to drive the wheels and produce the required torque at the wheels.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
determining that the state of charge is lower that the reference;
determining that the temperature of the first machine is lower than its reference temperature and the temperature of the second machine is lower than its reference temperature;
operating the first machine as a generator to supply electric power to the second machine;
using the engine to drive the first machine and to produce a first portion of said torque at the wheels; and
using the second machine to drive the wheels and produce a second portion of said torque at the wheels.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises the steps of:
determining that the temperature of the first machine is lower than its reference temperature and the temperature of the second machine is high higher than its reference temperature;
operating the first machine as a generator to charge the battery; and
using the engine to drive the first machine and to produce said torque at the wheels.

### Claim 5

A method for controlling a vehicle powertrain to hold the vehicle stationary on a grade, comprising the steps of:
(a) if a state of charge of a battery is lower than a reference, and temperature of a first and a second electric machine is higher than a respective reference temperature, using an engine to produce torque required to hold the vehicle;
(b) if the state of charge is higher than the reference, and neither machine alone can produce said torque, using the engine in combination with the machines if the temperature of the first and second machines is lower than the reference temperature to produce said torque;
(c) if the state of charge is higher than the reference, one of the machines can produce said torque, and temperature of said one of the machines is lower that its reference temperature, using said one of the machines to produce said torque;
(d) determining that the state of charge is lower than the reference;
(e) determining that the first machine can produce said torque at the wheels in combination with the second machine;
(f) determining that the temperature of the first machine is-lower than its reference temperature and the temperature of the second machine is lower than its reference temperature; and
(g) using the first machine and the second machine concurrently to drive the wheels and produce said torque at the wheels.

### Claim 6

A method for controlling a vehicle powertrain to hold the vehicle stationary on a grade, comprising the steps of:
(a) if a state of charge of a battery is lower than a reference, and temperature of a first and a second electric machine is higher than a respective reference temperature, using an engine to produce torque required to hold the vehicle;
(b) if the state of charge is higher than the reference, and neither machine alone can produce said torque, using the engine in combination with the machines if the temperature of the first and second machines is lower than the reference temperature to produce said torque;
(c) if the state of charge is higher than the reference, one of the machines can produce said torque, and temperature of said one of the machines is lower that its reference temperature, using said one of the machines to produce said torque; and
(d) using the engine in combination with the first machine if the temperature of the first machine is lower than the respective reference temperature, or the second machine if the temperature of the second machine is lower than the respective reference temperature, or both machines if the temperature of the first machine is lower than the respective reference temperature and the temperature of the second machine is lower than the respective reference temperature, to produce said torque.