System and method for maintenance regeneration of particulate filter

Abstract

A system includes an engine, a torque converter connected to the engine, a transmission connected to the torque converter via an input shaft, a particulate filter connected to the engine, an engine control module connected to the engine, the transmission, and the particulate filter, the engine control module is configured to perform a maintenance regeneration operation to lock the input shaft to the transmission and increase engine speed to delay spark in the engine and increase temperature in the particulate filter.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to engine systems and methods and exhaust systems thereof, and more particularly, to engine systems and methods employing a transmission system lock for maintenance regeneration of a particulate filter (PF) due to soot loading. Background Art

[0002] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the background of the present disclosure. To the extent described in this section, the work of the presently named inventors, as well as aspects of the description that may not qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted to be prior art with respect to the present disclosure.

[0003] The PF often requires maintenance regeneration due to soot loading. One method for PF maintenance regeneration is to put the vehicle in park or neutral, increase the engine speed, and retard the spark in the engine to allow the temperature of the PF to reach above a predetermined temperature to burn and remove the soot. This method is very time consuming. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a more efficient and effective system and method for PF maintenance regeneration. Summary of the invention

[0004] One aspect of the present invention provides a system for a vehicle, the system including an engine, a torque converter connected to the engine, a transmission connected to the torque converter via an input shaft, a particulate filter connected to the engine, an engine control module connected to the engine, the transmission and the particulate filter, the engine control module configured to perform a maintenance regeneration operation including: determining whether the particulate filter is above a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, determining whether the transmission is in park or neutral, and if the particulate filter is above the predetermined maintenance regeneration limit and the transmission is in park or neutral, performing a maintenance regeneration operation including locking the input shaft to the transmission and increasing the engine speed to retard spark in the engine and increase the temperature in the particulate filter.

[0005] Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to burn the soot in the particulate filter. The engine control module may be configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to above 600°C.

[0006] If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, the engine control module may be configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

[0007] If the engine control module determines that the transmission is in a forward gear or a reverse gear, the engine control module may be configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

[0008] The engine may be a gasoline engine.

[0009] Maintenance regeneration operation results in a torque converter slip equal to the engine speed.

[0010] Another aspect of the present invention provides a system including an engine, a torque converter connected to the engine, a transmission connected to the torque converter via an input shaft, a particulate filter connected to the engine, an engine control module connected to the engine, the transmission, and the particulate filter, the engine control module configured to perform a maintenance regeneration operation to lock the input shaft to the transmission and increase the engine speed to retard spark in the engine and increase the temperature in the particulate filter.

[0011] Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to burn the soot in the particulate filter. The engine control module may be configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to above 600°C.

[0012] If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, the engine control module may be configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

[0013] If the engine control module determines that the transmission is in a forward gear or a reverse gear, the engine control module may be configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

[0014] The engine may be a gasoline engine.

[0015] Maintenance regeneration operation results in a torque converter slip equal to the engine speed.

[0016] Another aspect of the present invention provides a system including an engine control module (ECM) configured to perform a maintenance regeneration operation including determining whether a particulate filter is above a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, determining whether a transmission is in park or neutral, and if the particulate filter is above the predetermined maintenance regeneration limit and the transmission is in park or neutral, locking an input shaft to the transmission and increasing the speed of the engine to retard spark in the engine and increase temperature in the particulate filter.

[0017] Implementations of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to burn the soot in the particulate filter. The engine control module may be configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to above 600°C.

[0018] If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, the engine control module may be configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

[0019] If the engine control module determines that the transmission is in a forward gear or a reverse gear, the engine control module may be configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

[0020] The engine may be a gasoline engine.

[0021] The details of one or more embodiments of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 1 is a functional diagram of a vehicle including a powertrain having a transmission lock according to an exemplary configuration;

[0024] Figure 2 According to various configurations Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a power system of a vehicle having a system with a transmission lock;

[0025] Figure 3 According to various configurations Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a torque converter region of a powertrain; and

[0026] Figure 4 It is used to achieve various configurations Figure 1-3 Flow chart of the process of maintenance regeneration of a particle filter of a device having a transmission lock system.

[0027] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be implemented in many different forms, and that the specific details and exemplary configurations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

[0029] refer to Figure 1, a vehicle 10 is shown having a power system 12 according to an exemplary configuration. The power system 12 includes an engine 14 using internal combustion, which is controlled to optimize fuel economy and emissions based on a requested load. The requested load may be based on a driver request or an autonomous input of torque and / or speed. In order to transmit the requested torque and / or speed, a transmission 16 is coupled to the engine 14. The transmission 16 is operable to provide a plurality of speed ratios for forward operation of the vehicle 10, reverse operation of the vehicle 10, and output of the engine 14, wherein power may be transmitted to the wheels of the vehicle 10. The transmission 16 may also be selectively placed in a parking state and a neutral state, in which power is not transmitted to the wheels of the vehicle 10.

[0030] In some configurations, the vehicle 10 includes an automobile. It should be understood that the vehicle 10 can be any of a variety of different types of automobiles, such as a sedan, van, truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV), and can be two-wheel drive (2WD) (i.e., rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive), four-wheel drive (4WD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), and / or various other types of vehicles in some configurations. The vehicle 10 may also include a truck, a boat, an airplane, and / or one or more other types of vehicles. In addition, in various configurations, it should also be understood that the vehicle 10 may include any number of other types of mobile platforms having an engine system (e.g., a power system 12).

[0031] In the illustrated configuration, the vehicle 10 includes a body that substantially surrounds the other components of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 also includes a plurality of axles and wheels. Each wheel is rotatably coupled to one or more axles near a respective corner of the body to facilitate movement of the vehicle 10. In one configuration, the vehicle 10 includes four wheels, although this may vary in other configurations (e.g., for trucks and certain other vehicles).

[0032] The vehicle 10 also includes a control system 18 associated with the power system 12 and other systems of the vehicle 10. The power system 12 can drive the wheels to rotate forward or backward. The power system 12 generally includes multiple components and subsystems, including an engine 14, a transmission 16, an ignition system 20, an intake system 22, an exhaust system 24, a fuel system 26, and a valve system 28. In various configurations, the power system 12 is a four-stroke internal combustion engine, in which the piston in each cylinder completes an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a combustion stroke, and an exhaust stroke to drive the engine 14. Any number of cylinders may be included in the engine 14. The intake system 22 delivers air to the cylinder and controls the mass flow of the air, for example, through a throttle. The fuel system 26 delivers fuel to the cylinder and controls its timing and quantity through multiple injectors. The valve system 28 includes multiple valves to control the flow of air / gas into and out of the cylinder. The valves may have variable timing. The ignition system 20 is operated to control the timing of combustion in the cylinder and start combustion. Exhaust system 24 routes combustion gases from engine 14 to the atmosphere and may include aftertreatment devices.

[0033] In various configurations, the control system 18 provides instructions for controlling various aspects of the vehicle 10, including for controlling the powertrain 12. The control system 18 includes an engine control unit (ECU) for the engine 14, and selectively controls the operation of the engine system 12 to achieve optimized fuel economy and minimized emissions while achieving desired torque and speed outputs. The control system 18 is based on the following in combination with Figure 4 The steps of method 400 described further provide these functions.

[0034] Continue to refer Figure 1 The control system 18 includes a controller 30 (also referred to as an engine control unit or engine control module) and a sensor array 32. The sensor array 32 includes sensors for measuring observable conditions including those of the power system 12 and generating sensor data based thereon. Figure 1As shown, the sensor array 32 includes one or more engine sensors 34. The engine sensors 34 are attached to, disposed within, or otherwise disposed near the power system 12 to measure various temperatures, positions, speeds, and other observable parameters. The sensor array 32 includes one or more exhaust system sensors 36. The exhaust system sensors 36 are attached to, disposed within, or otherwise disposed near the exhaust system 24 to measure various temperatures, concentrations, and other observable parameters. In one configuration, the sensor array 32 may also include one or more other sensors 38, such as monitoring the operation of other systems and devices of the engine 14 and / or the vehicle 10. For example, the other sensors 38 may include one or more ignition sensors for detecting when the engine 14 is turned on and / or running, one or more torque request sensors for detecting a load request of the engine 14, such as a throttle position sensor, and other sensors as needed.

[0035] The controller 30 is coupled to the sensor array 32 and provides instructions for controlling the power system 12 and the exhaust system 24 through commands based on the sensor data. Figure 1 As shown, the controller 30 includes a computer system. In some configurations, the controller 30 may also include a sensor array 32 and / or one or more other vehicle components. In addition, it should be understood that the controller 30 may be different from Figure 1 For example, controller 30 may be coupled to or otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems, such as as part of one or more of the vehicle devices and systems described above.

[0036] Continue to refer Figure 1 , the computer system of controller 30 includes a processor 42, a memory 44, an interface 48, a storage device 50, and a bus 52. Processor 42 performs the computational and control functions of controller 30 and may include any type of one or more processors, a single integrated circuit such as a microprocessor, or any suitable number of integrated circuit devices and / or circuit boards that work together to implement the functions of the processing unit. During operation, processor 42 executes one or more programs 54 contained in memory 44 and, as such, controls the overall operation of controller 30 and the computer system of controller 30 in performing the processes described herein, such as those described below in conjunction with Figure 4 Method 200 is discussed further.

[0037] Memory 44 may be any type of suitable memory. For example, memory 44 may include various types of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), such as SDRAM, various types of static RAM (SRAM), and various types of non-volatile memory (PROM, EPROM, and flash memory). In some examples, memory 44 may be located and / or co-located on the same computer chip as processor 42. Figure 1 As shown, the memory 44 stores the above-mentioned program 54 and stored values ​​56 (including, for example, predetermined thresholds for controlling emissions).

[0038] The bus 52 is used to transfer programs, data, status and other information or signals between the various components of the computer system of the controller 30. The interface 48 allows communication with the computer system of the controller 30, such as from a system driver and / or another computer system, and is implemented using any suitable method and device. In one embodiment, the interface 48 obtains various data from the sensor array 32, the power system 12, the exhaust system 24 and / or one or more other components and / or systems of the vehicle 10. The interface 48 may include one or more network interfaces to communicate with other systems or components. The interface 48 may also include one or more network interfaces to communicate with technicians, and / or one or more storage interfaces to connect to storage devices, such as storage devices 50.

[0039] The storage device 50 may be any suitable type of storage device, including various types of direct access memory and / or other storage devices. In an exemplary embodiment, the storage device 50 includes a program product from which the memory 44 receives a program 54 for executing one or more embodiments of one or more processes of the present disclosure, such as the following in conjunction with Figure 4 The steps of method 200 are discussed further below. In another exemplary embodiment, the program product may be directly stored in and / or otherwise accessed by memory 44 and / or storage device 50 and / or other storage devices.

[0040] The bus 52 may be any suitable physical or logical means of connecting computer systems and components. This includes, but is not limited to, direct hard-wired connections, optical fiber, infrared, and wireless bus technologies. During operation, the program 54 is stored in the memory 44 and executed by the processor 42.

[0041] It will be understood that although the exemplary configuration is described in the context of a fully functional computer system, those skilled in the art will recognize that the mechanisms of the present disclosure are capable of being distributed as a program product in which one or more types of non-transitory computer-readable signal-bearing media are used to store the program and its instructions and to perform its distribution, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium that carries the program and contains computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor (e.g., processor 42) to execute the program. Such a program product may take a variety of forms, and the present disclosure applies equally regardless of the specific type of computer-readable signal-bearing medium used to perform the distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include recordable media, such as floppy disks, hard disks, memory cards, and optical disks, as well as transmission media, such as digital and analog communication links. It should be understood that cloud-based storage and / or other technologies may also be utilized in certain configurations. It will be similarly appreciated that the computer system of controller 30 may also differ in other ways. Figure 1 The illustrated configuration, such as the computer system of controller 30, may be coupled to or may otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems.

[0042] refer to Figure 2 , the power system 12 includes an engine 14, which in this configuration is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine that consumes gasoline and air. In other configurations, the engine 14 can have any suitable number of cylinders. The engine 14 can be naturally aspirated as shown, or can include a turbocharger or supercharger to pump air into the engine for combustion purposes. The power system 12 also includes a transmission 16, which is housed in a case 39 and is coupled to the engine 14 via a torque converter 40. The torque converter 40 can be a hydraulic torque converter having an impeller coupled to the engine 14, the impeller fluid driving a turbine coupled to the transmission 16. The turbine extracts energy from the fluid pumped by the impeller to drive the transmission 16, and ultimately drives a drive shaft 41 coupled to one or more wheels of the vehicle 10.

[0043] The power system 12 includes or is associated with an exhaust system 24, which is used to transport exhaust gases from the combustion chamber of the engine 14 to the tail pipe 55 for discharge into the atmosphere. A pair of pipe sections 57, 58 extend from the engine 14, for example, respectively from its exhaust manifolds 60, 62, in a dual arrangement, and reach the aftertreatment system including the aftertreatment system 70 through a joint 64 and a common pipe section 66. In this configuration, the aftertreatment system 70 includes a dual-element arrangement with catalytic converters 72 and 74. The aftertreatment system 70 may also include or be referred to as a particulate filter (PF). In other configurations, any suitable number of catalytic converters / elements may be included. The catalytic converter may be a binary or ternary type. When the catalytic converters 72, 74 are configured as a binary type, they convert two components (including CO and HC) in the exhaust flow into other components. When the catalytic converters 72, 74 are configured as a ternary type, they convert three components in the airflow into other elements or compounds, including converting CO, HC and nitrogen oxides into harmless elements or compounds. Catalytic converters 72, 74 may include catalysts 76, 78, such as platinum, palladium, or other materials. The rate at which catalysts 76, 78 assist in the conversion of exhaust gases may vary with respect to temperature. For example, in cold / cool temperatures, the conversion rate may decrease.

[0044] The power system 12 is spark-ignition operated and therefore includes an ignition system 20 having an individual spark plug 118 disposed in each cylinder 81-88. The ignition system 20 also includes a sensor 80 operable by a key, interface, or remote transmitter. The sensor 80 may be coupled to the controller 30 to initiate operation of the vehicle 10.

[0045] The power system 12 includes an intake system 22 having an air inlet 90, an air filter 92, and an intake manifold 94. The intake manifold 94 supplies air to the cylinders 81-88 of the engine 14 under the control of an intake valve (not shown). The exhaust system 24 delivers the combusted gases from the cylinders 81-88 to the atmosphere through the tail pipe 55 under the control of an exhaust valve (not shown). An air mass flow sensor 95, an intake throttle valve 96, and an intake manifold pressure sensor 97 are sequentially arranged in the intake system 22 downstream of the air filter 92 and upstream of the intake manifold 94. The engine 14 is liquid-cooled and includes a coolant temperature sensor 98 to provide data on the operating temperature of the engine. As used herein, upstream and downstream mean the relative position of something in the air / gas flow from the air inlet 90 to the tail pipe 55 through the power system 12. For example, the air inlet 90 is upstream of the air filter 92 and the catalytic converter 74 is downstream of the joint 64.

[0046] The power system 12 includes a fuel system 26 for supplying fuel to the cylinders 81-88. In the current configuration, the engine 14 is a gasoline direct injection engine having fuel rails 102, 104 supplying fuel from a fuel pump 105 to injectors 106-113. The power system 12 also includes a control system 18, which generally includes a controller 30 coupled to various actuators and sensors.

[0047] The controller 30 may receive various signals from the sensor array 32 and send control signals to various actuators for operation of the power system 12 and its associated systems. In the current configuration, the sensor array 32 includes exhaust system sensors 36, which may include oxygen sensors 124 and 126, and an exhaust temperature sensor 128, such as upstream of the PF 70. The location of the exhaust temperature sensor 128 is selected to measure the temperature of the exhaust gas entering the catalytic converter 74. In other configurations, the exhaust temperature sensor 128 may be located downstream of the PF 70, or at another location in the exhaust system 24. In further configurations, two exhaust temperature sensors 128 may be included, one upstream of the PF 70 and the other downstream of the PF 70. The oxygen sensors 124, 126 measure the oxygen content of the exhaust gas leaving the engine 14 (i) before the PF 70 and (ii) after the catalytic converter 74 - before the catalytic converter 72. The oxygen sensors 124, 126 provide data to determine the amount of CO remaining in the airflow at their location in the exhaust system 24. The oxygen sensors 124, 126 may be exhaust / oxygen / wide range air-fuel (WRAF) sensors. The signals from the oxygen sensors 124, 126 vary according to changes in the oxygen content of the exhaust gas and are used to determine the unburned oxygen (indicative of CO content) in the exhaust gas. The signals from the oxygen sensors 124, 126 may also be used to determine the fuel / air ratio and other parameters for the controller 30 to operate the engine 14.

[0048] The sensor array 32 includes an engine sensor 34, which includes engine system sensors, such as a mass air flow sensor 95, an intake manifold pressure sensor 97, a coolant temperature sensor 98, and an engine speed sensor 130. For example, the engine speed sensor 130 can sense the crankshaft position, providing an input about the changing position, from which the speed of the engine 14, particularly the angular velocity of the crankshaft, can be determined. The engine speed sensor 130 can be configured to transmit a rotational speed signal of the speed of the engine 14, for example, in revolutions per minute. Other sensors 38 can include any number of sensors of the vehicle 10, and include a sensor 80 for sensing an engine request / state. The sensor 80 can be an ignition switch or another type of device for detecting the engine according to the request / state. Other sensors 38 include a transmission shift sensor 79. The transmission shift sensor can sense the position of an element of the transmission 16 or its shift linkage to indicate whether the transmission 16 is in one of various states, such as neutral, forward gear, low gear, reverse gear, or park gear.

[0049] In the present configuration, the actuators may include a plurality of responsive devices associated with controlling the operation of the powertrain system 12 and / or the vehicle 10. These actuators may include the intake throttle 96, the fuel injectors 106-113, the spark plugs 118, the fuel pump 105, and one or more clutches 120 of the transmission 16. The actuators may include any number of additional devices, such as variable valve actuators, etc.

[0050] In the depicted configuration, the controller 30 includes a processor 42 and a memory 44, and is coupled to a storage device 50. The controller 30 commands the amount of fuel delivered to each cylinder 81-88 via the fuel system 100. The fuel-to-air ratio is the ratio of the mass of fuel delivered to the engine 14 to the mass of air delivered to the engine 14. Given the current operating state of the engine 14, the commanded amount of fuel is generally related to the amount required for stoichiometric operating conditions. Stoichiometric operation provides the exact amount of air required to completely burn the fuel delivered to the cylinders 81-88, thereby converting all of the delivered fuel into carbon dioxide and water. Therefore, the fuel-to-air ratio that provides the appropriate amount of air to completely burn the delivered fuel is referred to as the stoichiometric ratio.

[0051] The power system 12, control system 18, intake system 22, and exhaust system 24 affect the processing of various working fluids to achieve desired results. For example, intake air and fuel are processed through the engine 14, where the air / fuel ratio is delivered to the cylinders in a closed loop control, using input from various sensors including sensors in the exhaust system 24 to correct for efficient operation and air / fuel consumption. In addition, exhaust from the engine 14 is efficiently processed through the exhaust system 24 under control to quickly achieve an efficient reaction rate in the PF 70.

[0052] refer to Figure 3 , schematically illustrating a torque converter 40. The torque converter 40 includes a blade portion including an impeller 140 and a turbine 142, and includes a stator 144. The impeller 140 and the turbine 142 each include a plurality of blades and corresponding housing portions 146, 148, which fit together to contain a fluid. The impeller 140 operates to pump the fluid, and the turbine 142 operates to extract energy from the pumped fluid. The stator 144 is disposed between the impeller 140 and the turbine 142, and changes the direction of the pumped fluid, thereby facilitating torque multiplication.

[0053] The impeller 140 of the torque converter 40 is coupled to an output member 150 of the engine 14 via one or more torque transfer elements including a housing portion 146. The turbine 142 is coupled to an input shaft 152 of the transmission 16 via one or more torque transfer elements including a housing portion 148. The stator 144 of the torque converter 40 is directly or indirectly grounded, for example to the housing 39 of the transmission 16. In some configurations, the grounding may be through a clutch (not shown) that is operable to selectively allow or prevent the stator 144 from rotating under certain operating conditions. The stator 144 may also include a plurality of blades that change the direction of the fluid to capture kinetic energy, thereby allowing the torque converter 40 to multiply torque.

[0054] The input shaft 152 of the transmission 16 is coupled to the output shaft 160 via a path that may include a variable series of torque transfer elements 162 that may include any combination of shafts, gears, clutches, plates, frames, or other components to provide various gear ratios. The clutch 120 is disposed between the input shaft 152 and the housing 39 via a path that may be direct or, as in this configuration, via a torque transfer element 164 that may be a gear, plate, frame, or other component. For purposes of this disclosure, the clutch 120 is any device that is selectively operated to alternately lock and unlock the input shaft 152 and / or the turbine 142. For example, the clutch 120 may be a clutch, brake, arm, stopper, or other device that prevents the turbine 142 from rotating. The clutch 120 may be generally referred to as a lock. The clutch 120 is coupled to the controller 30 and may be activated to lock the input shaft 152 to the housing 39, thereby selectively preventing the turbine 142 from rotating. With the engine 14 running, preventing the turbine 142 from rotating as the impeller spins and pumps fluid creates a load on the engine 14 , causing the engine 14 to work harder and transfer more heat into the exhaust system 24 .

[0055] refer to Figure 4 , generally illustrating a method 400 for maintenance regeneration of the PF 70 . The method 400 may be implemented by the controller 30 and its control of one or more components of the control system 18 .

[0056] The method 400 includes a step 402 of providing a maintenance regeneration of the PF 70. At step 404, the controller 30 determines whether the PF 70 is above a maintenance regeneration limit. For example, the maintenance regeneration limit may be a predetermined limit based on time, mileage, amount of carbon deposits in the PF 70, or any combination of the foregoing. If the controller 30 determines at step 404 that the PF 70 is not above the maintenance regeneration limit, the controller 30 terminates the maintenance regeneration process 400 at step 406. If the controller 30 determines at step 404 that the PF 70 is above the maintenance regeneration limit, the controller 30 continues the maintenance regeneration process 400 at step 408 to determine whether the transmission is in park or neutral.

[0057] If the controller 30 determines at step 408 that the transmission is not in park or neutral, the controller 30 terminates the maintenance regeneration process 400 at step 406. If the controller 30 determines at step 408 that the transmission is in park or neutral, the controller 30 continues the maintenance regeneration process 400 at step 410 to enable the transmission input lock. As described above, the clutch 120 is coupled to the controller 30 and can be activated to lock the input shaft 152 to the housing 39, thereby selectively preventing the turbine 142 from rotating so that the torque converter slip is equal to the engine speed. With the engine 14 running, preventing the turbine 142 from rotating as the impeller rotates and pumps fluid creates a load on the engine 14, delaying the spark, and causing it to work harder and transfer more heat into the exhaust system 24.

[0058] At step 412, the controller initiates maintenance regeneration by increasing the speed of the engine 14 and retarding the spark to create a load on the engine 14 and increase the temperature of the PF 70. At a certain temperature (e.g., approximately 600° C.), the soot accumulated in the PF 70 begins to burn and is exhausted from the tail pipe 55. After a predetermined amount of time, or after a sufficient amount of soot has been burned and removed, the controller 30 terminates the maintenance regeneration process 400.

[0059] The terms used herein are only for describing specific exemplary configurations, not for limiting. As used herein, the singular articles "a", "an" and "the" may also be intended to include plural forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprise", "include", "contain" and "have" are inclusive, thus specifying the presence of features, steps, operations, elements and / or parts, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, parts and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes and operations described herein should not be interpreted as necessarily requiring them to be performed in the specific order discussed or shown, unless specifically identified as an execution order. Additional or alternative steps may be adopted.

[0060] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on another element or layer," "engaged to," "connected to," "attached to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, attached to, or coupled to another element or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly on another element or layer," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," "directly attached to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0061] The terms first, second, third, etc. can be used here to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts. These elements, components, regions, layers and / or parts should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish each element, component, region, layer or part. Terms such as "first", "second" and other numerical terms do not imply order or sequence unless the context clearly indicates. Therefore, the first element, component, region, layer or part discussed below can be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer or part, without departing from the teaching of the example configuration.

[0062] In this application, including the definitions below, the term module may be replaced by the term circuit. The term "module" may refer to or be part of an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or include an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog / digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor; other suitable hardware components that provide the functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system on a chip.

[0063] The term code used above may include software, firmware and / or microcode, and may refer to a program, a routine, a function, a class and / or an object. The term shared processor includes a single processor that executes some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group processor includes a processor that executes some or all of the code from one or more modules in combination with an additional processor. The term shared memory includes a single memory that stores some or all of the code from multiple modules. The term group memory includes a memory that stores some or all of the code from one or more modules in combination with an additional memory. The term memory may be a subset of the term computer-readable medium. The term computer-readable medium does not include transient electrical signals and electromagnetic signals propagated through the medium and can therefore be considered to be tangible non-transitory memory. Non-limiting examples of non-transitory memory include tangible computer-readable media, including non-volatile memory, magnetic memory, and optical memory.

[0064] The apparatus and methods described in this application may be implemented in part or in whole by one or more computer programs executed by one or more processors. The computer program includes processor executable instructions stored on at least one non-transitory tangible computer readable medium. The computer program may also include and / or rely on stored data.

[0065] Software applications (i.e., software resources) may refer to computer software that enables a computing device to perform tasks. In some examples, software applications may be referred to as "applications," "apps," or "programs." Example applications include, but are not limited to, system diagnostic applications, system management applications, system maintenance applications, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, messaging applications, media streaming applications, social networking applications, and gaming applications.

[0066] Non-transitory memory can be a physical device used to temporarily or permanently store programs (e.g., instruction sequences) or data (e.g., program state information) for use by a computing device. Non-transitory memory can be volatile and / or non-volatile addressable semiconductor memory. Examples of non-volatile memory include, but are not limited to, flash memory and read-only memory (ROM) / programmable read-only memory (PROM) / erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) / electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) (e.g., commonly used for firmware, such as bootloaders). Examples of volatile memory include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), phase change memory (PCM), and disk or tape.

[0067] These computer programs (also referred to as programs, software, software applications, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and may be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages ​​and / or assembly / machine languages. As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any computer program product, non-transitory computer-readable medium, apparatus, and / or device (e.g., disk, optical disk, memory, programmable logic device (PLD)) for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term "machine-readable signal" refers to any signal for providing machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor.

[0068] Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be realized in digital electronic and / or optical circuits, integrated circuits, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementations in one or more computer programs executable and / or interpretable on a programmable system comprising at least one programmable processor, which may be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from a storage system, and to send data and instructions to the storage system.

[0069] The processes and logic flows described in this specification can be performed by one or more programmable processors, also known as data processing hardware, executing one or more computer programs to perform functions by operating on input data and generating outputs. These processes and logic flows can also be performed by dedicated logic circuits, such as FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) or ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits). For example, processors suitable for executing computer programs include general-purpose and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Typically, the processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The basic elements of a computer are a processor for executing instructions and one or more storage devices for storing instructions and data. Typically, a computer will also include or be operably connected to one or more large-capacity storage devices for storing data, such as magnetic disks, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks, to receive data from the large-capacity storage device or to transmit data to it, or both. However, a computer does not need to have such a device. Computer-readable media suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and storage devices, including, for example, semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, such as internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and memory may be supplemented by or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry.

[0070] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects of the present disclosure may be implemented on a computer having a display device for displaying information to the user, such as a CRT (cathode ray tube), LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, or touch screen, and an optional keyboard and pointing device, such as a mouse or trackball, through which the user can provide input to the computer. Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including sound, voice, or tactile input. In addition, the computer may interact with the user by sending documents to and receiving documents from a device used by the user; for example, by sending a web page to a web browser on a user's client device in response to a request received from the web browser.

[0071] Many embodiments have been described. However, it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, other embodiments are also within the scope of the following claims.

[0072] The foregoing description has been provided for the purpose of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but where applicable, they are interchangeable and can be used in a selected configuration even if not specifically shown or described. This can also be varied in a variety of ways. Such variations should not be considered a departure from the present disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising: engine; a torque converter connected to the engine; a transmission connected to a torque converter via an input shaft; a particulate filter connected to the engine; An engine control module coupled to the engine, transmission, and particulate filter, the engine control module configured to perform a maintenance regeneration operation including: determining whether a particulate filter is above a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit; determining whether the transmission is in park or neutral; and If the particulate filter is above a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit and the transmission is in park or neutral, a maintenance regeneration operation is performed including locking the input shaft to the transmission and increasing the engine speed to retard spark in the engine and increase the temperature in the particulate filter.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to above 600° C., which is sufficient to burn soot in the particulate filter.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein: If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, the engine control module is configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein: If the engine control module determines that the transmission is in a forward gear or a reverse gear, the engine control module is configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The maintenance regeneration operation causes torque converter slip to be equal to the engine speed.

6. A system comprising: engine; a torque converter connected to the engine; a transmission connected to a torque converter via an input shaft; a particulate filter connected to the engine; as well as An engine control module coupled to the engine, the transmission, and the particulate filter, the engine control module configured to perform a maintenance regeneration operation to lock the input shaft to the transmission and increase the engine speed to retard spark in the engine and increase temperature in the particulate filter.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein: The engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to above 600° C., which is sufficient to burn soot in the particulate filter.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein: If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined maintenance regeneration limit, the engine control module is configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

9. The system according to claim 6, wherein: If the engine control module determines that the transmission is in a forward gear or a reverse gear, the engine control module is configured to not perform a maintenance regeneration operation.

10. The system according to claim 6, wherein: The maintenance regeneration operation causes torque converter slip to be equal to the engine speed.

Images