Control system for regulating output torque of an internal combustion engine

A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, a drive axle and a propeller shaft coupling the transmission to the drive axle, the system comprising:

• a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith;
• means for determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and providing a gear ratio signal corresponding thereto;
• and
• a processor responsive to said gear ratio signal to determine a first engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio, said processor further determining a second engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of the propeller shaft, said processor providing said fueling rate signal to said fueling system as the smaller of said first and second engine fueling rate signals.

A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing the torque in accordance with a fueling rate provided to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission;
• setting said presently engaged gear ratio to a gear ratio of a lowest one of the gear ratios gears of the transmission if the vehicle is stationary;
• determining a regulated engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission;
• and
• fueling the engine in accordance with said regulated engine fueling rate.

A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:

• a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith;
• means for determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and providing a gear ratio signal corresponding thereto;
• a vehicle speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed and producing a vehicle speed signal corresponding thereto;
• and
• a processor receiving said gear ratio signal and determining validity thereof, said processor responsive to a valid gear ratio signal to determine a first engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio, said processor responsive to an invalid gear ratio signal and to said vehicle speed signal to determine a second engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of a lowest of the engageable gear ratios gears of the transmission if said vehicle speed signal is below a predefined vehicle speed signal level, said processor providing said fueling rate signal as one of said first and second engine fueling rate signals.

A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing the torque in accordance with a fueling rate provided to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a default engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a nominal input torque capacity of the transmission;
• determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission;
• determining a regulated engine fueling rate at which the resulting engine torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission;
• determining an acceleration value corresponding to an acceleration rate of the vehicle;
• determining an engine power value corresponding to engine operating power;
• defining an actual engine fueling rate as said regulated engine fueling rate if said acceleration value is less than a predefined acceleration rate and said engine power value is greater than a threshold value, and otherwise defining said actual engine fueling rate as said default engine fueling rate;
• and
• fueling the engine in accordance with said actual engine fueling rate.

A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:

• a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling rate signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith;
• means for determining a presently engaged gear ratio of the transmission and providing a gear ratio signal corresponding thereto;
• an engine speed sensor for sensing engine speed and producing an engine speed signal corresponding thereto;
• a vehicle speed sensor for sensing vehicle speed and producing a vehicle speed signal corresponding thereto;
• and
• a processor responsive to said gear ratio signal to determine a first engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a maximum input torque capacity of said presently engaged gear ratio, said processor further determining a second engine fueling rate signal corresponding to a fueling rate at which the resulting engine output torque is limited by a nominal input torque capacity of the transmission, said processor responsive to said vehicle speed signal to determine vehicle acceleration rate, and further to said engine speed signal to determine engine operating power, said processor providing said fueling rate signal as said first engine fueling rate signal if said vehicle acceleration is less than a predefined acceleration rate and said engine operating power is greater than a threshold value, and otherwise as said second engine fueling rate signal.

A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:

• a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith;
• a first processor associated with the transmission, said first processor containing a maximum input torque capacity of each of said gear ratios;
• and
• a second processor associated with the engine;
• wherein said first processor provides said maximum input torque capacities to said second processor;
• and
• wherein said second processor receives said maximum input torque capacities from said first processor, produces a regulated engine fueling signal as a function of the maximum input torque capacity of a presently engaged gear ratio, and provides said regulated engine fueling signal to said fueling system.

A control system for regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train of a vehicle by an internal combustion engine, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios, the system comprising:

• a fueling system associated with the engine and responsive to a fueling signal to provide engine output torque in accordance therewith;
• a first processor associated with the transmission, said first processor producing a regulated engine fueling rate signal as a function of the maximum input torque capacity of a presently engaged gear ratio;
• and
• a second processor associated with the engine, said second processor receiving said regulated engine fueling rate signal from said first processor, converting said regulated engine fueling rate signal into a regulated fueling signal, and providing said regulated fueling signal to said fueling system.

A method of regulating torque applied to an automotive drive train by an internal combustion engine, the engine producing torque in accordance with a fueling signal provided by an engine controller to a fueling system thereof, the drive train including a transmission coupled to the engine and having a plurality of engageable gear ratios and a transmission controller, the method comprising:

• storing a torque command in said transmission controller for each of said gear ratios;
• detecting a presently engaged gear ratio;
• transmitting the torque command corresponding to said presently engaged gear ratio from said transmission controller to said engine controller;
• converting said torque command into a first fueling signal in said engine controller;
• and
• providing said first fueling signal to said fueling system.