Controller and method for enabling a shift in a vehicle without disconnecting a clutch

Abstract

A vehicle (100) includes an engine (104), an intake duct (102) connected between an inlet of the engine (104) and a throttle body (112). The clutch is operably engaged between the engine (104) and the transmission (118). The controller (110) is configured to detect a shift intent based on at least one of the gear sensor and the shift assist sensor, and to determine a target engine output corresponding to the detected shift intent and other operating conditions for allowing smooth shift without disengagement of the clutch, and to adjust engine operation without disengagement of the clutch. The target engine output is obtained, characterized in that the adjustment in the engine operation is carried out in a sequential manner within at least two engine duty cycles. The sequential control approach provides additional control levels to provide a smooth shift experience for the driver. A method for enabling a shift in a vehicle (100) without disengaging a clutch is also provided.

Description

[0001] Full instructions:

[0002] The following description describes and identifies the nature of the present invention and its embodiments: Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to a controller and method that enables gear shifting in a vehicle without disengaging a clutch. Background Art

[0004] The Engine Management System (EMS) is designed to assist in gear shifting without pressing the clutch lever when the rider's intention to shift is recognized. The gear shift is recognized by a gear position sensor or a separate shift assist sensor. Based on the direction of the shift and the current engine torque, an increase or decrease in torque will be achieved and controlled accordingly by the EMS. The torque change is achieved by a change in ignition, air or fuel, or any combination thereof. In a system with a mechanical throttle body (MTB), the EMS has very little control over the air, which in turn will have very little effect on the torque change to be achieved, compared to an Electronic Throttle Control (ETC) system / drive-by-wire. In addition, the control using the change in ignition, air or fuel is done instantaneously, which affects the vehicle's drivability. There is a need to improve the vehicle's drivability while changing the engine output.

[0005] Patent document GB2504835 discloses a motorcycle shift assembly and a method therefor, the motorcycle shift assembly having a shift assist device for changing the gear without actuating the clutch. The motorcycle shift assembly has a shift assist device, which includes a conversion device for converting the rotational movement performed by means of a shift lever, and facilitates a method for changing the gear on a motorcycle shift assembly without actuating the clutch, the method comprising the steps of moving the shift lever and compressing a spring. A sensor detects that the movement of the lever exceeds a predetermined amount, and accelerates the engine or interrupts ignition as required, thereby allowing the shift shaft to rotate by releasing the spring, thereby changing the gear without operating the clutch. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described with reference to the following drawings:

[0007] Figure 1 A block diagram of a controller that enables gear shifting in a vehicle without disengaging a clutch according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, and

[0008] Figure 2 A method for enabling gear shifting in a vehicle without disengaging a clutch according to an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0009] Figure 1 A block diagram of a controller that enables shifting in a vehicle without disengaging the clutch according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The vehicle 100 includes an engine 104, an intake duct 102 connected between an inlet of the engine 104 and a throttle body 112. The engine 104 is operably engaged with a transmission 118 via a clutch (not shown). The operably engaged corresponds to the engagement and disengagement of the clutch between the engine 104 and the transmission 118 for shifting gears according to the driver / rider's request. The controller 110 is configured to detect a shift intention based on at least one of a gear position sensor and a shift assist sensor 106, and determine a target engine output corresponding to the detected shift intention and operating conditions, and adjust the engine operation to obtain the target engine output and allow smooth shifting without disengaging the clutch, characterized in that the adjustment in the engine operation is achieved in a sequential manner within at least two engine operating cycles. The operating conditions used to determine the target engine output include engine speed, engine temperature, ambient conditions, rider demand, current engine torque, post-shift engine torque, vehicle speed, inclination of the road, and other known variables of the engine, which are used based on demand and / or their availability in the vehicle 100. It is noted that the engine speed sensor and other sensors required to calculate the engine output are not explained, but are used in embodiments of the present invention. These operating conditions are known in the art and therefore are not explained to keep the description simple. The smooth shifting function without clutch release / operation is also referred to as quick shifting.

[0010] Detecting the shift intention by the at least one of the gear sensor or the shift assist sensor 106 includes detecting thresholds 1082, ..., 1084 from the corresponding sensor. The thresholds 1082, 1084 are different for each gear present in the gearbox of the vehicle 100, that is, different for different gears. The adjustment in the engine operation includes using at least one parameter to change, that is, increase or decrease the output of the engine 104, the parameter including fuel injection, ignition timing and intake air. Specifically, using at least one parameter includes increasing or decreasing the amount of fuel injection, advancing or retarding the ignition timing, and controlling the amount of intake air by an electronic actuator (e.g., an electronic throttle or an idle air control valve) located in the intake duct 102 or a bypass path. The bypass path is a diversion from the intake duct 102 for idling or other purposes. The adjustment in the engine operation includes using the controller 110 to control the intake air by controlling the electronic actuator, controlling the amount of fuel injection by controlling the fuel injector 114, controlling the ignition mode by controlling the ignition system 116, etc.

[0011] The controller 110 includes: an input / output interface with pins or ports; a memory element 108, such as a random access memory (RAM) and / or a read-only memory (ROM); an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and a reverse digital-to-analog converter (DAC); a clock; a timer; and at least one processor (capable of implementing machine learning), which are connected to each other and to other components through a communication bus channel. The memory element 108 is pre-stored with logic or instructions or programs or applications and / or thresholds 1082, 1084 or predetermined sequences, which are accessed by the at least one processor according to a defined routine. The internal components of the controller 110 are not explained because they are prior art, and they should not be understood in a restrictive manner. The controller 110 may also include a communication unit to communicate with a server or cloud by wireless or wired means, such as by a global system for mobile communications (GSM), 3G, 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, serial network, etc.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 110 is any one of an engine management system (EMS) controller 110, a transmission control unit (TCU) or other internal control units capable of executing instructions, or an external control unit that interfaces with the controller 110, for example, via a controller area network (CAN).

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the controller 110 may be implemented in a vehicle 100, including a two-wheeled vehicle, such as a motorcycle, a moped, etc. Generally speaking, the controller 110 may be used in those vehicles 100 that involve manual gear changes, such as quad bikes, snowmobiles, water sports or power sports vehicles 100, and other vehicles 100.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, adjustments in engine operation are achieved by distributing the adjustments in at least two engine working / operating cycles in a sequential manner from the moment the target engine output is determined. The sequential manner is selected from at least one of a continuous sequence, an alternating sequence, an interleaved sequence and a configurable sequence, wherein each of the at least two engine working cycles includes an intake stroke to an exhaust stroke. The configurable sequence means that a customized sequence is possible based on specific needs. The engine operation is adjusted within a shift phase corresponding to the determined target engine output. The shift phase is a predetermined time interval from the detection of the intention to shift until the time when the shift must be completed. The shift phase is the same or different for different gears.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the throttle body 112 is any one of a manual throttle body (MTB) system and an electronic throttle control (ETC) system. Controlling fuel injection, ignition timing, and intake air control through a bypass path is applicable to the MTB system, and controlling fuel injection, ignition timing, and intake air through both the intake duct 102 and the bypass path is applicable to the ETC system.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the engine output corresponds to the engine torque, which is increased or decreased based on the upshift or downshift request detected by the controller 110. Now, in order to facilitate seamless clutchless (without operating or separating the clutch) shifting in the vehicle 100, the torque change request can be implemented in the following manner. The reduction of torque is through fuel cut-off or dilution, which is completed in an instant or dispersed in a series of engine working cycles. In an alternative, the ignition timing is completely or sequentially delayed or cut off. In another alternative, the bypass air path is completely closed or closed in a sequential manner. Based on the configuration and operating point, any combination of intake air control, fuel injection and ignition timing is used to achieve torque changes. Torque reduction is applicable to both MTB systems and ETC systems.

[0017] Similar to the torque reduction described above, the torque increase is explained below. In a vehicle 100 with a bypass air feature, the bypass path can be opened during a clutchless shift in a full or sequential manner to meet the additional torque request. Alternatively, additional fuel / enrichment is provided during the shift in a full or sequential manner. In yet another alternative, the spark timing is advanced, again in a full or sequential manner. Furthermore, based on the controller 110, any combination of bypass air, fuel enrichment, or spark advance is used to achieve the torque change.

[0018] According to the present invention, the operation of the controller 110 is explained to explain the sequential control using the waveform 120 in detail. The waveform 120 is only for representation purposes and should not be understood in a limiting manner. The X-axis is the number of engine operating cycles, and the Y-axis represents the output control according to the torque change request in percentage. In the sequential control, parameters, namely air quantity, fuel injection and ignition timing, are used. The leaning / enriching or cutting of the fuel or the delay / advance or cutting of the ignition timing or the increase / reduction of the air quantity are performed in a staged / sequential manner over the time period of the engine operating cycle until the torque is matched according to the shift and the driver's demand. For example, if the driver shifts the gear from the 3rd gear to the 2nd gear, the controller 110 first detects the shift intention before the gear change. The controller 110 determines the target engine torque based on the detected gear change and other operating conditions, which assumes a conversion to a 50% torque reduction. The controller 110 performs injection cutting / reduction and / or ignition delay / cutting and / or air quantity reduction once every five engine operating cycles instead of continuously until the target engine torque is achieved. If the reduction in torque is 10% or 90%, injection cut-off and / or ignition delay / cut-off and / or air quantity reduction are performed once every nine cycles or each alternating engine working cycle, respectively. Similar steps are adopted by controller 110 for air quantity increase, fuel enrichment and ignition advance. The engine working cycle that realizes torque reduction or increase can be changed based on engine speed, load and drivability. The first waveform 122 shows the manipulation of air quantity or fuel injection or ignition in every ten engine working cycles. Waveform 124 shows the manipulation of air quantity or fuel injection or ignition in a pattern sequence including at the fourth cycle and twice in two alternating cycles. Then the pattern of the sequence continues. Waveform 126 shows that the air quantity / fuel injection / ignition is increased / reduced or advanced / delayed at each alternating engine working cycle. Waveform 128 shows that the air quantity / fuel injection / ignition is manipulated after every two alternating engine working cycles, and then there is no manipulation in two consecutive engine working cycles. Waveform 130 shows the manipulation of air quantity / fuel injection / ignition once in five engine working cycles. Thus, manipulation is performed by varying the percentage of duty cycle of air control / fuel injection / ignition to adjust engine operation in a sequential manner.

[0019] Figure 2A method for enabling a shift in a vehicle without disengaging a clutch according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The vehicle 100 includes an engine 104, an intake duct 102 connected between an inlet of the engine 104 and a throttle body 112. The engine is operably engaged with a transmission 118 via a clutch. The method includes a plurality of steps, wherein step 202 includes detecting a shift intention based on at least one of a gear position sensor and a shift assist sensor, and determining a target engine output corresponding to the detected shift intention and other operating conditions. Step 204 includes adjusting engine operation so as to obtain a target engine output and allow smooth shifting without disengaging the clutch. Step 204 of the method is characterized in that the adjustment in engine operation is achieved in a sequential manner within at least two engine operating cycles. The transmission 118 remains engaged with the engine 104 via a clutch.

[0020] Adjustments in engine operation include using at least one parameter to change, i.e., increase or decrease, the output of the engine 104, including fuel injection, ignition timing, and intake air. In addition, using the at least one parameter includes increasing or decreasing the amount of fuel injection, advancing or retarding the ignition timing, and controlling the amount of intake air through an electronic actuator located in the intake duct 102 or a bypass path.

[0021] According to the present invention, the adjustment in the engine operation is achieved by distributing the adjustment in at least two engine working cycles in a sequential manner from the moment when the target engine output is determined. The sequential manner is selected from at least one of a continuous sequence, an alternating sequence, a staggered sequence and a configurable sequence, wherein each of the at least two engine working cycles includes an intake stroke to an exhaust stroke. The configurable sequence means that a customized sequence is possible based on specific needs. The engine operation is adjusted within a shift phase corresponding to the determined target engine output. In addition, the throttle body 112 is any one of a manual throttle body (MTB) system and an electronic throttle control (ETC) system. The intake air, fuel injection and ignition timing through the bypass path are applicable parameters for the MTB system, while the fuel injection, ignition timing and the intake air through the intake duct 102 and the bypass path are applicable parameters for the ETC system.

[0022] According to the present invention, a controller 110 and method are used to enable clutchless shifting in an engine management system (EMS) in a vehicle 100. The present invention can be retrofitted to an existing vehicle 100. The sequential control approach provides an additional level of control to provide a smooth shifting experience for the driver.

[0023] It should be understood that the embodiments explained above in this specification are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the invention. Many such embodiments and other modifications and changes in the embodiments explained in this specification may be envisioned. The scope of the invention is limited only by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A controller (110) for enabling gear shifting in a vehicle (100) without disengaging a clutch, the vehicle (100) comprising an engine (104), an intake conduit (102) connected between an inlet of the engine (104) and a throttle body (112), the engine (104) being operatively engaged with a transmission (118) via the clutch, the controller (110) being configured to: detecting a shift intention based on at least one of a gear position sensor and a shift assist sensor, and determining a target engine output corresponding to the detected shift intention, and adjusting engine operation to achieve the target engine output and to allow smooth gear shifting without disengaging the clutch, It is characterized in that The adjustments in engine operation are effected in a predetermined sequential manner over at least two engine operating cycles.

2. The controller (110) according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustment in engine operation includes changing, ie increasing or decreasing, the output of the engine (104) using at least one parameter including fuel injection, ignition timing and intake air.

3. The controller (110) according to claim 2, wherein: Using the at least one parameter includes increasing or decreasing the amount of fuel injection, advancing or retarding the ignition timing, and controlling the amount of intake air via an electronic actuator located in the intake conduit (102) or a bypass path.

4. The controller (110) according to claim 1, wherein: The adjustment in engine operation is achieved by distributing the adjustment within the at least two engine working cycles in a sequential manner starting from the moment when the target engine output is determined, wherein the sequential manner is selected from at least one of a continuous sequence, an alternating sequence, a staggered sequence and a configurable sequence, wherein each of the at least two engine working cycles includes an intake stroke to an exhaust stroke, and wherein the engine operation is adjusted within a shift phase corresponding to the determined target engine output.

5. The controller (110) according to claim 2, wherein: The throttle body (112) is any one of a manual throttle body (MTB) system and an electronic throttle control (ETC) system, wherein intake air, fuel injection and ignition timing through a bypass air path are applicable to the MTB system, and fuel injection, ignition timing and intake air through an intake duct (102) and a bypass path are applicable to the ETC system.

6. A method for enabling a gear shift in a vehicle (100) without disengaging a clutch, the vehicle (100) comprising an engine (104), an intake duct (102) connected between an inlet of the engine (104) and a throttle body (112), the engine (104) being operatively engaged with a transmission (118) via the clutch, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a shift intention based on at least one of a gear position sensor and a shift assist sensor (106), and determining a target engine output corresponding to the detected shift intention, and adjusting engine operation so as to achieve the target engine output for allowing smooth gear shifting without disengaging the clutch, It is characterized in that The adjustments in engine operation are accomplished in a sequential manner over at least two engine operating cycles.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The adjustment in engine operation includes changing, ie increasing or decreasing, the output of the engine (104) using at least one parameter including fuel injection, ignition timing and intake air.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: Using the at least one parameter includes increasing or decreasing the amount of fuel injection, advancing or retarding the ignition timing, and controlling the amount of intake air via an electronic actuator located in the intake conduit (102) or a bypass path.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The adjustment in engine operation is achieved by distributing the adjustment within the at least two engine working cycles in a sequential manner starting from the moment when the target engine output is determined, wherein the sequential manner is selected from at least one of a continuous sequence, an alternating sequence, a staggered sequence and a configurable sequence, wherein each of the at least two engine working cycles includes an intake stroke to an exhaust stroke, and wherein the engine operation is adjusted within a shift phase corresponding to the determined target engine output.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The throttle body (112) is any one of a manual throttle body (MTB) system and an electronic throttle control (ETC) system, wherein intake air, fuel injection and ignition timing through a bypass air path are applicable to the MTB system, and fuel injection, ignition timing and intake air through an intake duct (102) and a bypass path are applicable to the ETC system.

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