Interrelated power delivery controls, including engine control inventions 04/09

20090111640 - Method and apparatus for monitoring regenerative operation in a hybrid powertrain system: A hybrid powertrain system includes an engine and a torque actuator coupled to a driveline to transfer tractive power to a wheel including a friction brake. A method includes monitoring an operator braking request and determining a request for regenerative braking torque. Operation of the torque actuator to react tractive... Agent: Cichosz & Cichosz, PLLC

20090111644 - Method and apparatus for clutch torque control in mode and fixed gear for a hybrid powertrain system: A method for controlling hydraulic line pressure of a hydraulic control system in an electromechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an internal combustion engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member via selective application of a plurality of hydraulically-applied torque transfer clutches includes monitoring... Agent: Cichosz & Cichosz, PLLC

20090111643 - Method and apparatus to control clutch fill pressure in an electro-mechanical transmission: A method to control a powertrain including a transmission, an engine, and an electric machine includes applying through a series of clutch fill events a series of incrementally changing command pressures in a pressure control solenoid controllably connected to a clutch within the transmission, monitoring a pressure switch fluidly connected... Agent: Cichosz & Cichosz, PLLC

20090111642 - Method and apparatus to control clutch stroke volume in an electro-mechanical transmission: A method for controlling a powertrain comprising a transmission coupled to an engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member via selective application of a plurality of hydraulically actuated torque transfer clutches includes filling one of the hydraulic clutches to a reference fill... Agent: Cichosz & Cichosz, PLLC

20090111645 - Method and apparatus to create a pseudo torque phase during oncoming clutch engagement to prevent clutch slip for a hybrid powertrain system: A method for controlling a powertrain comprising an electro-mechanical transmission mechanically-operatively coupled to an engine and an electric machine adapted to selectively transmit mechanical power to an output member through selective application of a plurality of torque-transfer clutches includes monitoring a clutch slip speed, synchronizing an oncoming clutch, and constraining... Agent: Cichosz & Cichosz, PLLC

20090111641 - Rear wheel drive apparatus for four wheel drive (4wd) hybrid electric vehicle: A real wheel drive apparatus for a four wheel drive hybrid electric vehicle includes: a motor generator (1) for driving rear wheels; a reduction gear set (10) for reducing an output speed of the motor generator (1) and transmitting the reduced output speed; a differential gear set (20) interposed between... Agent: Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP

20090111646 - Hydraulic control system of eight-speed automatic transmission for a vehicle: A hydraulic control system of an eight-speed automatic transmission for a vehicle. Four clutches and two brakes can by independently controlled by six proportional control solenoid valves by employing pressure control valves and pressure switching valves.... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20090111648 - Method for automatically controlling a neutral position and a parking lock of a motor vehicle transmission: A method of automatically controlling a neutral position and parking lock of an motor-vehicle transmission to immobilize the vehicle depending on a drive position of the transmission selected by the driver with a selector device and subject to other operating parameters of the motor vehicle. Only when simultaneously the vehicle... Agent: Davis & Bujold, P.l.l.c.

20090111649 - Method for selecting a neutral position of a motor vehicle transmission and for selecting a parking device of the motor vehicle: It is proposed that only if the motor vehicle has come at least approximately to a stop and simultaneously an ignition circuit acting on a driving motor of the motor vehicle is electrically interrupted and simultaneously a “Neutral” (N) position is specified by way of the selector device, an N-holding... Agent: Davis & Bujold, P.l.l.c.

20090111647 - Method for selecting a neutral position of a motor vehicle transmission and for selecting a parking gear of a motor vehicle: It is proposed that only if the motor vehicle is at least almost stopped and simultaneously an ignition circuit acting on the drive motor vehicle is electrically interrupted and simultaneously a “Neutral (N) gear is selected on a selector device, an N-holding phase, in which the transmission is in a... Agent: Davis & Bujold, P.l.l.c.

20090111650 - Method for compensating hydraulic pressure of automatic transmission: Faster shifting operation and reduced shift shock in response to a braking operation during a lift-Foot-up shifting may be achieved when an automatic transmission is controlled by a method for compensating a hydraulic pressure that includes: determining whether a lift-foot-up shifting of the automatic transmission is under control; calculating a... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20090111651 - Transmission temperature sensing and control: As one example, a propulsion system for a vehicle is provided, comprising: a propulsion device configured to provide mechanical work via a crankshaft; a transmission having an input shaft coupled with the crankshaft and an output shaft, wherein said transmission includes a plurality of selectable gear ratios between the input... Agent: Alleman Hall Mccoy Russell & Tuttle, LLP

20090111652 - Vehicle speed limiting via engine control commands issued by electronic transmission controller: A machine includes a drive train with an electronically controlled transmission in communication with an electronic engine controller. The machine ground speed is limited by executing a vehicle speed limit algorithm in the electronic transmission controller. This algorithm generates an engine control message that is communicated to the electronic engine... Agent: Caterpillar C/o Liell, Mcneil & Harper

20090111653 - Clutch control apparatus for vehicle: A clutch control apparatus for a vehicle provided with a hydraulic clutch in the middle of a power transmission path between an engine and a drive wheel. Before the clutch of the vehicle is brought into an engagement state, intermittent hydraulic pressure Y is applied to the clutch while maintaining... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20090111654 - Method for the automatic control of a neutral position and a parking lock of a motor vehicle transmission: It is proposed that a N-holding phase in which the transmission is in a friction-force-free neutral position can be activated by way of a separate operating device provided in addition to the selector device, only when the motor vehicle is at least almost at rest and at the same time... Agent: Davis & Bujold, P.l.l.c.

20090111655 - Device and method for controlling engine and hydraulic pump of working vehicle: An engine of a working vehicle in which an adverse effect of oil temperature rise is avoided, by decreasing a load applied to an accelerator when the working vehicle moves while lifting a boom and approaches a place where the load in a bucket is to be dumped during dump... Agent: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.

20090105037 - Method and system for controlling a propulsion system of an alternatively powered vehicle: Inverters of a hybrid electric vehicle are cooled by a coolant. Expected temperature differences between the inverters and the coolant are determined based on vehicle parameters. Actual temperature differences between the inverters and the coolant are compared to the expected temperature differences. A maximum output torque is reduced if the... Agent: Brooks Kushman P.C./fgtl

20090105040 - Hybrid drive device: An output shaft of a rotating electrical machine and a drive device input shaft are disposed at different shaft center positions. A first gear meshing with a second gear provided on the output shaft of the rotating electrical machine for reducing rotation and transmitting the reduced rotation to a transmission... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20090105038 - Hybrid drive having a separating clutch which assists a direct start: A method for operating a hybrid drive of a vehicle, having an internal combustion engine and having at least one electric drive, to which at least one traction battery is assigned, as well as to a hybrid drive, especially a parallel hybrid drive. The internal combustion engine is able to... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20090105039 - Method for model based clutch control and torque estimation: A method for operating a powertrain through selective application of a hydraulically actuated clutch includes monitoring a state of a pressure control switch operatively coupled the clutch, monitoring a hydraulic line pressure utilized by the pressure control switch to fill the clutch, determining a hydraulic flow rate flowing to the... Agent: Cichosz & Cichosz, PLLC

20090105041 - Method for controlling a vehicle powertrain having step ratio gearing and a continuously variable transmission to achieve optimum engine fuel economy: A method is disclosed for controlling overall transmission ratios in a vehicle powertrain with an engine, fixed multiple-ratio gearing and infinitely variable ratio components. For a given vehicle speed and for a given vehicle traction wheel horsepower, the fixed multiple-ratio gearing and the infinitely variable ratio components are controlled to... Agent: Donald J. Harrington Brooks Kushman P.C.

20090105042 - Driving unit for vehicle: A driving unit for a vehicle includes a transmission, a motor generator and a centrifugal release mechanism. The transmission is employed for transmitting a driving torque outputted from an engine to an output shaft operatively connected to a plurality of driving wheels. The motor generator is connected to the output... Agent: Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC

20090105043 - Power output apparatus, control method of power output apparatus, and vehicle equipped with power output apparatus: The drive control of the invention executed in a vehicle sets a correction coefficient keg, based on an intake air temperature and an atmospheric pressure reflecting the density of intake air supplied to an engine, and multiplies a power demand required for the vehicle by the set correction coefficient keg... Agent: Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

20090105044 - Method and an apparatus for controlling shifting of an automatic transmission: A method of controlling an automatic transmission includes determining whether a coast-down control condition is met, and performing coast-down control if the condition is met. The coast-down control includes selectively downshifting, such that engine speed is maintained above a fuel-cut threshold speed. The coast-down control condition may include a throttle... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20090105045 - Method and apparatus for controlling a line pressure of an automatic transmission: An apparatus and method for controlling line pressure of an automatic transmission. A driving information detection unit obtains information. A shift control unit determines if a power-on downshift is requested based on the information of the driving information detection unit, and controls the line pressure based on if the power-on... Agent: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (sf)

20090098977 - Hybrid drive arrangement and method for controlling and/or regulating a starting process with a hybrid drive arrangement: A method is proposed for controlling and/or regulating a starting process in a hybrid drive arrangement of a vehicle, in which at least one control unit (8) is used by means of which a combustion engine (1), at least one electric machine (3), a transmission (4) and a first clutch... Agent: Mikael Aronowitsch

20090098976 - Hybrid powertrain system having selectively connectable engine, motor/generator, and transmission: A hybrid powertrain having an engine, multi-speed transmission connected to a final drive and not continuously connected to the engine, a single motor/generator connected to an energy storage device and a controller and not continuously connected to the engine or transmission, and three clutches. The first clutch is connected to... Agent: Quinn Law Group, PLLC

20090098978 - Torque converter control method and apparatus: A method for controlling a torque converter having an internal lockup clutch includes detecting vehicle operating conditions and executing one of a stored plurality of torque converter clutch modes each corresponding to a different set of vehicle operating conditions. A fully-released mode corresponds to vehicle pre-launch, a partially-engaged mode corresponds... Agent: Quinn Law Group, PLLC

20090093337 - Holding a hybrid electric vehicle on an inclined surface: 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... Agent: Macmillan, Sobanski & Todd, LLC

20090093336 - Vehicle creep control in a hybrid electric vehicle: In a powertrain that includes wheels for driving a vehicle, an engine including a crankshaft, a machine driveably connected to the crankshaft and able to operate alternately as an electric motor and electric generator, a transmission including an input clutch driveably connected to the crankshaft and an output driveably connected... Agent: Macmillan, Sobanski & Todd, LLC

20090093338 - Hydraulic control unit: A hydraulic control system of a friction device where fail-safe is required is provided with one oil pressure switch and one pressure changeover valve. The pressure changeover valve is switched by auxiliary oil pressure based on an operation of the oil pressure control valve. When an auxiliary port communicates with... Agent: Nixon & Vanderhye, PC

20090093339 - Torque converter clutch control: A powertrain for a vehicle includes an engine having an output and a transmission selectively driven by the output of the engine. A torque converter is disposed between the engine and the transmission for selectively coupling the output of the engine to the transmission. A controller is in communication with... Agent: Ralph E. Smith Chrysler LLC

20090093340 - Shift control device for work vehicle: A shift control device for a work vehicle that has a stepped automatic transmission includes: a control device that controls an engine rotation rate at the work vehicle and the stepped automatic transmission; a forward/reverse switchover member that outputs a forward/reverse switchover command for the work vehicle; and an operation... Agent: Crowell & Moring LLP Intellectual Property Group