Method of controlling vehicle wheel axle torque and control system for same

A method of controlling wheel axle torque comprising:

• determining an operator-selected direction of motion for a vehicle;
• determining vehicle speed;
• determining an actual direction of motion of the vehicle;
• comparing at least one torque intervention request to a predetermined axle torque limit for the vehicle speed and the actual direction of motion;
• calculating via a controller an arbitrated axle torque;
• wherein the arbitrated axle torque is based on an operator-requested axle torque and said at least one torque intervention request if said at least one torque intervention request is greater than the predetermined axle torque limit;
• wherein the arbitrated axle torque is based on the operator-requested axle torque and the predetermined axle torque limit if said at least one torque intervention request is not greater than the predetermined axle torque limit;
• and
• applying the arbitrated axle torque to a wheel axle of the vehicle, thereby preventing motion of the vehicle in a direction opposite the operator-selected direction of motion.

A method of controlling torque on a wheel axle comprising:

• comparing at least one torque intervention request to a predetermined minimum axle torque for a current vehicle speed and a current direction of motion of the vehicle;
• wherein the predetermined minimum axle torque decreases as vehicle speed in an operator-selected direction of motion increases;
• calculating via a controller an arbitrated axle torque based on an operator-requested axle torque, the current vehicle speed, the current direction of motion, and the greater of said at least one torque intervention request and the predetermined minimum axle torque;
• applying axle torque to the wheel axle based at least partially on the arbitrated axle torque;
• wherein the predetermined minimum axle torque is limited to a value greater than a predetermined threshold value for all vehicle speeds, thereby limiting maximum vehicle deceleration;
• and
• wherein said predetermined minimum axle torque functions as a creep coast system torque limit at vehicle speeds below a first threshold speed.