# US 9,517,764 B2 · Methods and system for operating a hybrid vehicle in cruise control mode > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,764 B2 - Document ID: US9517764B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/522,199 - Filed: 2014-10-23 - Published: 2016-04-28 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-23 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Alexander O'Connor Gibson; James William Loch McCallum; Felix Nedorezov; Xiaoyong Wang; Matthew John Shelton - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517764B2 ## CPC - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - 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 10/10: including control of change-speed gearings - B60W 20/10: Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand - 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)} - B60W 30/143: {Speed control (B60W30/16 takes precedence)} - B60W 40/105: Speed - B60W 50/06: Improving the dynamic response of the control system, e.g. improving the speed of regulation or avoiding hunting or overshoot - B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft} - B60L 2240/12: Speed - B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters - B60W 2510/0208: Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2540/00: Input parameters relating to occupants - B60W 2556/00: Input parameters relating to data - B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state - B60W 2710/06: Combustion engines, Gas turbines - B60W 2710/0644: Engine speed - B60W 2720/103: Speed profile - B60Y 2300/143: Speed control - B60Y 2300/91: Battery charging - B60Y 2400/112: Batteries - B60Y 2400/48: Vibration dampers, e.g. dual mass flywheels - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 Systems and methods for reducing driveline mode change busyness for a hybrid vehicle are presented. The systems and methods may delay a driveline mode change in response to a time since a change from a first desired vehicle speed to a second vehicle speed, or alternatively, driveline mode changes may be initiated in response to an estimated time to change from the first desired vehicle speed to the second desired vehicle speed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for a controller, comprising: during a closed-loop vehicle speed control mode, delaying a change in propulsion sources providing torque to a driveline of a vehicle or absorbing torque from the driveline via the controller in response to a determined amount of time since a change in a desired vehicle speed of the vehicle, where the propulsion sources include an engine of the vehicle and a driveline integrated starter generator (DISG) of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein delaying the change in propulsion sources includes delaying, via the controller, actuation of a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG and where the change in desired vehicle speed is a decrease in vehicle speed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the change in propulsion sources is from an engine only operating mode to a driveline integrated starter/generator only mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying the change in propulsion sources providing torque to the driveline in further response to an estimated time to change vehicle speed from a present speed to a new speed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising delaying an engine deactivation time in response to the determined amount of time since the change in the desired vehicle speed. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising upshifting a transmission in response to the determined amount of time since the change in the desired vehicle speed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising delaying entering the engine into a deceleration fuel shut off mode where a driveline disconnect clutch is closed in response to a time since the change in the desired vehicle speed. ### Claim 8 A method for a controller, comprising: during a closed-loop vehicle speed control mode, delaying a change in propulsion sources of a vehicle via the controller, the propulsion sources including an engine and a driveline integrated starter generator (DISG), providing torque to a driveline of the vehicle or absorbing torque from the driveline in response to a determined estimate of a time to change from a present vehicle speed of the vehicle to a new vehicle speed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the new vehicle speed is greater than the present vehicle speed and wherein delaying the change in propulsion sources includes delaying, via the controller, actuation of a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the new vehicle speed is less than the present vehicle speed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising delaying opening a driveline disconnect clutch in response to the determined estimate of the time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the closed-loop vehicle speed control mode adjusts vehicle speed based on a difference between a desired vehicle speed and an actual vehicle speed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising upshifting a transmission to adjust speed of the DISG to a speed where maximum DISG torque is available in response to the estimate of time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the driveline disconnect clutch is mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG. ### Claim 15 A system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: an engine; a driveline integrated starter generator (DISG); a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically coupled to the engine and the DISG; a transmission; and a controller including instructions to change from a first driveline mode to a second driveline mode in response to an estimate of a time to change from a present vehicle speed to a new vehicle speed while the hybrid vehicle is operating in a closed-loop vehicle speed control mode. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, where the first mode is an engine only mode and where the second mode is a DISG only mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to close the driveline disconnect clutch in response to the estimate of time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to upshift the transmission in response to DISG speed being greater than a DISG speed where maximum DISG torque is available. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to operate the engine in a deceleration fuel shut off mode in response to the time to change from the present vehicle speed to the new vehicle speed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to delay the change from the first driveline mode to the second driveline mode in response to a time since a change from a first desired vehicle speed to a second desired vehicle speed.