PARTICLE FILTER MAINTENANCE REGENERATION SYSTEM

Abstract

System for a vehicle (10), comprising: a power machine (14); a torque converter (40) connected to the engine (14); a transmission (16) connected to the torque converter (40) via an input shaft (152); a particulate filter (PF) connected to the engine (14); and an engine control module (30) connected to the engine (14), the transmission (16), and the particulate filter (PF), the engine control module (30) configured to perform maintenance regeneration operations comprising: Determining whether the particulate filter (PF) is above a predetermined service regeneration limit; Determining whether the transmission (16) is in the park or neutral position; and if the particulate filter (PF) is above a predetermined service regeneration limit and the transmission (16) is in park or neutral, performing service regeneration operations including locking the input shaft (152) to the transmission (16) and increasing engine speed to retard an ignition spark in the engine (14) and increase a temperature in the particulate filter (PF).

Description

INTRODUCTION

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

[0002] Due to soot buildup, particulate filters require routine maintenance regeneration. It is generally known to regenerate particulate filters by increasing the exhaust gas temperature during certain operating phases. It is also known to determine whether regeneration is currently required (and possible). Current transmission parameters can also be recorded and appropriate adjustments made. Examples of such procedures can be found in the publications DE 10 2013 020 658 A1, DE 10 2009 030 430 A1, DE 10 2019 126 143 A1, and US 2008 / 0 053 074 A1.

[0003] A method for maintenance regeneration of a PF includes placing a vehicle in park or neutral, increasing engine speed, and retarding the ignition spark in the engine to achieve a temperature of the PF above a predetermined temperature to burn and remove soot.

[0004] Such a process can be very time-consuming. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide more efficient and effective systems and methods for the maintenance regeneration of PFs. SUMMARY

[0005] According to the invention, a system for a vehicle is presented which is characterized by the features of claim 1.

[0006] The 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, and an engine control module connected to the engine, the transmission, and the particulate filter, wherein the engine control module is configured to perform maintenance regeneration operations that include determining whether the particulate filter is above a predetermined service regeneration limit, determining whether the transmission is in park or neutral, and, if the particulate filter is above a predetermined service regeneration limit and the transmission is in park or neutral, performing maintenance regeneration operations that include locking the input shaft to the transmission and increasing engine speed,to retard the ignition spark in the engine and increase the temperature in the particulate filter.

[0007] Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following optional features. According to some implementations, the engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to combust 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.

[0008] If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined service regeneration limit, the engine control module may be configured not to perform service regeneration operations.

[0009] When the engine control module determines that the transmission is in Drive or Reverse, the engine control module may be configured not to perform service regeneration operations.

[0010] The engine can be a gasoline engine.

[0011] The maintenance regeneration operations may cause the torque converter slip to equal the engine speed.

[0012] Further described is 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, and an engine control module connected to the engine, the transmission, and the particulate filter, wherein the engine control module is configured to perform maintenance regeneration operations to lock the input shaft into the transmission and increase engine speed to retard spark in the engine and increase temperature in the particulate filter.

[0013] Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following optional features. According to some implementations, the engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to combust 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.

[0014] If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined service regeneration limit, the engine control module may be configured not to perform service regeneration operations.

[0015] When the engine control module determines that the transmission is in Drive or Reverse, the engine control module may be configured not to perform service regeneration operations.

[0016] The engine can be a gasoline engine.

[0017] The maintenance regeneration operations may cause the torque converter slip to equal the engine speed.

[0018] Further described is another system including an engine control module (ECM) configured to perform maintenance regeneration operations including determining whether a particulate filter is above a predetermined service regeneration limit, determining whether the transmission is in park or neutral, and, if the particulate filter is above a predetermined service regeneration limit and the transmission is in park or neutral, locking the input shaft to the transmission and increasing engine speed to retard the ignition spark in the engine and increase the temperature in the particulate filter.

[0019] Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following optional features. According to some implementations, the engine control module is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter to a temperature sufficient to combust 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.

[0020] If the engine control module determines that the particulate filter is below a predetermined service regeneration limit, the engine control module may be configured not to perform service regeneration operations.

[0021] When the engine control module determines that the transmission is in Drive or Reverse, the engine control module may be configured not to perform service regeneration operations.

[0022] The engine can be a gasoline engine.

[0023] The details of one or more implementations of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Further aspects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the description and drawings, and the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The drawings described here are for illustrative purposes only and show selected configurations; they show: Fig. 1 is a functional diagram of a vehicle including a powertrain system with a transmission lock according to an example configuration; Fig. 2 a schematic illustration of the powertrain system of the vehicle according to Fig. 1 with the system with a gear lock according to different configurations; Fig. 3 a schematic illustration of a torque converter area of the powertrain system according to Fig. 2 according to different configurations; and Fig. 4 a flowchart of a process for implementing a maintenance regeneration of a particulate filter of the system with the transmission lock for the device according to the Fig. 1-3 according to different configurations.

[0025] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In Fig. 1 illustrates a vehicle 10 having a powertrain system 12 with an example configuration. The powertrain system 12 includes an engine 14 that utilizes internal combustion and is controlled to optimize fuel economy and emissions based on a requested load. The requested load may be based on a driver demand or on an autonomous input for torque and / or speed. To deliver the desired torque and / or speed, a transmission 16 is coupled to the engine 14. The transmission 16 may operate to provide forward operation of the vehicle 10, reverse operation of the vehicle 10, and a number of gear ratios for the output of the engine 14, which power may be transferred to the wheels of the vehicle 10.The transmission 16 can also be selectively placed in a park state and a neutral state with no power being supplied to the wheels of the vehicle 10.

[0027] According to certain configurations, vehicle 10 comprises a motor vehicle. As will be appreciated, vehicle 10 may be any of a number of different types of motor vehicles, such as a sedan, station wagon, truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV), and may have two-wheel drive (2WD) (i.e., rear-wheel drive or front-wheel drive), four-wheel drive (4WD), or all-wheel drive (AWD), and / or may be various other types of vehicles in certain configurations. Vehicle 10 may also comprise a truck, a watercraft, an aircraft, and / or one or more other types of vehicles. Additionally, it will be appreciated that vehicle 10 may comprise any number of other types of mobile platforms having a prime mover system, such as powertrain system 12, according to various configurations.

[0028] According to the illustrated configuration, the vehicle 10 includes a body that substantially encloses the other components of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 also includes a plurality of axles and wheels. The wheels are each pivotally coupled to one or more of the axles near a corresponding corner of the body to enable movement of the vehicle 10. According to one configuration, the vehicle 10 includes four wheels, although this may vary in other configurations (e.g., for trucks and certain other vehicles).

[0029] The vehicle 10 further includes a control system 18 associated with the powertrain system 12 and other systems of the vehicle 10. The powertrain system 12 can drive the vehicle wheels to rotate in a forward direction or a reverse direction. The powertrain system 12 generally includes a number of components and subsystems, including the engine 14, the transmission 16, an ignition system 20, an intake system 22, an exhaust system 24, a fuel system 26, and a valve system 28. According to various configurations, the powertrain system 12 is a four-stroke internal combustion engine, with a piston in each cylinder performing an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke to drive the engine 14. The engine 14 can include any number of cylinders. The intake system 22 supplies air and controls the mass air flow to the cylinders, such asvia a throttle valve. The fuel system 26 supplies fuel to the cylinders and controls its timing and quantity via a number of fuel injectors. The valve system 28 includes a number of valves to control the flow of air / gases into and out of the cylinders. The valves may have variable timing. The ignition system 20 operates to control the timing of combustion in the cylinders and to initiate combustion in the cylinders. The exhaust system 24 carries the combustion gases from the engine 14 to the atmosphere and may include aftertreatment devices.

[0030] According to various configurations, the control system 18 provides instructions for controlling various aspects of the vehicle 10, including controlling the powertrain system 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 the desired torque and speed outputs. The control system 18 provides these functions according to the steps of method 400, which is described below in connection with Fig. 4 is further described.

[0031] Continue in Fig. 1, the control system 18 includes a controller 30 (also referred to as an engine control unit or engine control module) and a sensor assembly 32. The sensor assembly 32 includes sensors for measuring observable conditions including the powertrain system 12 and generating sensor data based thereon. As shown in Fig. 1, the sensor assembly 32 includes one or more engine sensors 34. The engine sensors 34 are attached to, disposed within, or otherwise located near the powertrain system 12 such that various temperatures, positions, speeds, and other observable parameters are measured. The sensor assembly 32 includes one or more exhaust system sensors 36. The exhaust system sensors 36 are attached to, disposed within, or otherwise located near the exhaust system 24 such that various temperatures, concentrations, and other observable parameters are measured. According to one configuration, the sensor assembly 32 may also include one or more other sensors 38 that monitor, for example, the operation of the engine 14 and / or other systems and devices of the vehicle 10. The other sensors 38 may, for example,one or more ignition sensors for detecting when the engine 14 is on and / or running, one or more torque request sensors, such as a throttle position sensor, for detecting the load requests of the engine 14, and other sensors as desired.

[0032] The controller 30 is coupled to the sensor assembly 32 and provides instructions for controlling the powertrain system 12 and the exhaust system 24 via commands based on the sensor data. As shown in Fig. 1, the controller 30 includes a computer system. According to certain configurations, the controller 30 may also include the sensor assembly 32 and / or one or more other vehicle components. In addition, it is recognized that the controller 30 is different from the Fig. 1. For example, the 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 identified above.

[0033] Continue in Fig. 1, the computer system of the controller 30 includes a processor 42, a memory 44, an interface 48, a storage device 50, and a bus 52. The processor 42 performs the computation and control functions of the controller 30 and may include any type of processor or multiple processors, individual integrated circuits, such as a microprocessor, or any suitable number of integrated circuit devices and / or printed circuit boards that cooperate to perform the functions of a processing unit. During operation, the processor 42 executes one or more programs 54 contained within the memory 44 and, as such, controls the general operation of the controller 30 and the computer system of the controller 30 in carrying out the methods described herein, such as the method 200 described below in connection with Fig. 4 will be discussed further.

[0034] The memory 44 may be any suitable type of memory. For example, the 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). According to certain examples, the memory 44 may be located on the same computer chip as the processor 42 and / or may be co-located with it on the same computer chip. As shown in Fig. 1, the memory 44 stores the programs 54 referred to above, along with stored values 56 (e.g., including predetermined thresholds for controlling emissions).

[0035] Bus 52 is used to transfer programs, data, status, and other information or signals between the various components of the computer system of controller 30. Interface 48 enables communication with the computer system of controller 30, such as from a system driver and / or another computer system, and is implemented using any suitable method and apparatus. According to one embodiment, interface 48 receives the various data from sensor assembly 32, powertrain system 12, exhaust system 24, and / or one or more other components and / or one or more systems of vehicle 10. 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 for communicating with technicians and / or one or more storage interfaces for connecting to storage devices, such as the storage device 50.

[0036] The storage device 50 may be any suitable type of storage device, including various different types of random access memory and / or other storage devices. According to an exemplary embodiment, the storage device 50 includes a program product from which the memory 44 receives the programs 54 that execute one or more embodiments of one or more processes of the present invention, such as the steps of the method 200 described below in connection with Fig. 4. According to another exemplary embodiment, the program product may be stored directly in memory 44 and / or storage device 50 and / or other storage devices and / or may otherwise be accessed through memory 44 and / or storage device 50 and / or other storage devices.

[0037] Bus 52 may be any suitable physical or logical means for connecting computer systems and components. This includes, but is not limited to, direct hard-wired connections, fiber optic, infrared, and wireless bus technologies. During operation, programs 54 are stored in memory 44 and executed by processor 42.

[0038] It will be appreciated that while this 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 invention may be distributed as a program product having one or more types of non-transitory computer-readable signal-bearing media used to store the program and its instructions and to carry out its distribution, such as a non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying the program and having computer instructions stored therein for causing a computer processor (such as processor 42) to execute and execute the program. Such a program product may take various forms, with the present invention equally applicable regardless of the particular type of computer-readable signal-bearing media used to carry out the distribution.Examples of signal-bearing media include writable media, such as floppy disks, hard disk drives, memory cards, and optical disks, and transmission media, such as digital and analog communication links. It is recognized that cloud-based storage and / or other technologies may also be used according to certain configurations. It is similarly recognized that the computer system of controller 30 may also otherwise differ from the embodiment shown in FIG. Fig. 1 in that, for example, the computer system of the controller 30 may be coupled to or otherwise utilize one or more remote computer systems and / or other control systems.

[0039] In Fig. 2, the powertrain system 12 includes the engine 14, which in the present configuration is an eight-cylinder internal combustion engine that consumes gasoline and air. According to other configurations, the engine 14 may have any suitable number of cylinders. The engine 14 may be non-supercharged, as illustrated, or may include a turbocharger or supercharger to pump air into the engine for combustion. The powertrain system 12 also includes the transmission 16 contained within a housing 39 and coupled to the engine 14 through a torque converter 40. The torque converter 40 may be a hydraulic torque converter having an impeller coupled to the engine 14 that fluidly drives a turbine coupled to the transmission 16.The turbine wheel extracts energy from the fluid pumped by the impeller to drive the transmission 16 and ultimately a drive shaft 41 coupled to one or more wheels of the vehicle 10.

[0040] The powertrain system 12 includes or is associated with the exhaust system 24 for conveying the exhaust gases from the combustion chambers of the engine 14 to an exhaust pipe 55 for discharge to the atmosphere. A pair of pipe sections 57, 58 extend from the engine 14, such as from its exhaust manifolds 60, 62, in a dual arrangement and through a merge 64 and a common pipe section 66 to an aftertreatment system including an aftertreatment system 70. According to this configuration, the aftertreatment system 70 includes a two-element arrangement with catalysts 72 and 74. The aftertreatment system 70 may also include, or be referred to as, a particulate filter (PF). According to other configurations, any suitable number of catalysts / elements may be included. The catalysts may be a two-way or three-way type.When the catalysts 72, 74 are configured as a two-way type, they convert two components in the exhaust stream, including CO and HC, into other components. When the catalysts 72, 74 are configured as a three-way type, they convert three components in the exhaust stream into other elements or compounds, including converting CO, HC, and nitrogen oxides into harmless elements or compounds. The catalysts 72, 74 may include catalysts 76, 78, such as platinum, palladium, or other materials. The rates at which the catalysts 76, 78 assist in converting the exhaust gases may vary with temperature. For example, the conversion rates may decrease at cold / chilly temperatures.

[0041] The powertrain system 12 is spark-ignited and, as such, includes an ignition system 20 with individual spark plugs 118 disposed in each of the cylinders 81-88. The ignition system 20 also includes a sensor 80 that can be operated by a key, an interface, or a remote transmitter. The sensor 80 can be coupled to the controller 30 to initiate operation of the vehicle 10.

[0042] The powertrain system 12 includes the intake system 22 with an air intake 90, an air cleaner 92, and an intake manifold 94. The intake manifold 94 supplies air to the cylinders 81-88 of the engine 14, which is controlled by the intake valves (not shown). The exhaust system 24 carries the combusted gases from the cylinders 81-88 through the exhaust pipe 55 to the atmosphere, which is controlled by the exhaust valves (not shown). Disposed within the intake system 22, downstream of the air cleaner 92 and upstream of the intake manifold 94, in that order, are a mass air flow sensor 95, an intake throttle 96, and an intake manifold pressure sensor 97. The engine 14 is liquid-cooled and includes a coolant temperature sensor 98 to provide data on the engine's operating temperature.Upstream and downstream, as used herein, mean the relative location of something in the flow of air / gases through the powertrain system 12 from the air intake 90 to the exhaust pipe 55. For example, the air intake 90 is located upstream of the air cleaner 92, while the catalytic converter 74 is located downstream of the merge 64.

[0043] The powertrain system 12 includes the fuel system 26 for supplying fuel to the cylinders 81-88. According to the present configuration, the engine 14 is a gasoline direct injection engine with fuel rails 102, 104 that supply fuel from a fuel pump 105 to the injectors 106-113. The powertrain system 12 also includes the control system 18, which generally includes the controller 30 coupled to the various actuators and sensors.

[0044] The controller 30 may receive various signals from the sensor assembly 32 and send control signals to various actuators for operating the powertrain system 12 and its associated systems. According to the current configuration, the sensor assembly 32 includes the exhaust system sensors 36, which may include the oxygen sensors 124 and 126, and an exhaust temperature sensor 128, such as upstream of the PF 70. The position of the exhaust temperature sensor 128 is selected to measure the temperature of the exhaust gas entering the catalyst 74. According to other configurations, the exhaust temperature sensor 128 may be located downstream of the PF 70 or at another location in the exhaust system 24. According to 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 gases (i) leaving the engine 14, before the PF 70, and (ii) after the catalyst 74—before the catalyst 72. The oxygen sensors 124, 126 provide data to determine the amount of remaining CO in the gas stream at their locations in the exhaust system 24. The oxygen sensors 124, 126 may be exhaust / oxygen / wide-range air-fuel ratio (WRAF) sensors. The signals from the oxygen sensors 124, 126 vary according to the changing oxygen levels in the exhaust gas and provide for the determination of the unburned oxygen in the exhaust gas, which is indicative of the CO content. The signals from the oxygen sensors 124, 126 may also be used to determine the air / fuel ratio and other parameters at which the engine 14 is operated by the controller 30.

[0045] The sensor assembly 32 includes the engine sensors 34, which include the engine system sensors, such as the mass air flow sensor 95, the intake manifold pressure sensor 97, the engine coolant temperature sensor 98, and an engine speed sensor 130. The engine speed sensor 130, for example, may sense crank position, which provides input about the changing positions from which the speed of the engine 14, and in particular, the angular velocity of the crankshaft, may be determined. The engine speed sensor 130 may be configured to provide a speed signal for the speed of the engine 14, such as in revolutions per minute. The other sensors 38 may include any number of sensors of the vehicle 10 and include the sensor 80 for sensing an engine for demand / condition.Sensor 80 may be an ignition switch or another type of engine demand / condition sensing device. The other sensors 38 include a transmission shift sensor 79. The transmission shift sensor may sense a 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, drive, low, reverse, or park.

[0046] According to the current configuration, the actuators may include a number 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 and others.

[0047] The controller 30, according to the illustrated configuration, includes the processor 42 and the memory 44 and is coupled to the storage device 50. The controller 30 commands an amount of fuel to be delivered to each cylinder 81-88 by the fuel system 100. A fuel-to-air ratio is the mass of fuel delivered to the engine 14 over the mass of air delivered to the engine 14. The commanded amount of fuel is generally correlated to the amount required for stoichiometric operating conditions at the current operating state of the engine 14. During stoichiometric operation, the exact amount of air required to result in complete combustion of the fuel delivered to the cylinders 81-88 to convert all of the delivered fuel into carbon dioxide and water is delivered.Accordingly, a fuel to air ratio that provides the correct amount of air to completely burn the supplied fuel is called stoichiometric.

[0048] The powertrain system 12, control system 18, intake system 22, and exhaust system 24 effect the processing of multiple working fluids to achieve desired results. For example, intake air and fuel are processed by the engine 14 at an air / fuel ratio that is delivered to the cylinders in a closed-loop control using inputs from the various sensors, including those in the exhaust system 24, to make corrections for efficient operation and air / fuel consumption. Additionally, the exhaust gas from the engine 14 is efficiently processed by the exhaust system 24 with a controller to quickly achieve effective reaction rates in the PF 70.

[0049] In Fig. 3, the torque converter 40 is shown schematically. The torque converter 40 includes the vane sections containing an impeller 140 and a turbine 142, and includes a stator 144. The impeller 140 and the turbine 142 each include a number of vanes and a corresponding housing section 146, 148 that mate to contain a fluid. The impeller 140 operates to pump a fluid, while 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 redirects the pumped fluid, thereby assisting in torque multiplication.

[0050] The impeller 140 of the torque converter 40 is coupled to an output member 150 of the engine 14 through one or more torque-transmitting members, including the housing portion 146. The turbine 142 is coupled to an input shaft 152 of the transmission 16 through one or more torque-transmitting members, including the housing portion 148. The stator 144 of the torque converter 40 is grounded directly or indirectly, such as to the housing 39 of the transmission 16. According to some configurations, grounding may be via a clutch (not shown), which may operate to selectively permit or prevent rotation of the stator 144 under certain operating conditions. The stator 144 may also include a number of vanes that redirect the fluid to capture kinetic energy to enable the torque converter 40 to multiply torque.

[0051] The input shaft 152 of the transmission 16 is coupled to an output shaft 160 through a path that may include a variable sequence of torque-transmitting elements 162, which may include any combination of shafts, gears, clutches, plates, frames, or other elements to provide various gear ratios. The clutch 120 is disposed between the input shaft 152 and the housing 39 through a path that may be direct or, as in this configuration, through a torque-transmitting element 164, which may be a gear, plate, frame, or other element. For the purposes of this invention, the clutch 120 is any device that is selectively actuated to alternately lock and unlock the input shaft 152 and / or the turbine wheel 142. The clutch 120 may, for example, be a clutch, a brake, an arm, a stop, or other device to prevent rotation of the turbine wheel 142.Clutch 120 may generally be referred to as a lock. Clutch 120 is coupled to controller 30 and can be activated to lock input shaft 152 to housing 39 to selectively prevent rotation of turbine wheel 142. Preventing rotation of turbine wheel 142, which rotates the impeller during operation of engine 14 and pumps fluid, creates a load on engine 14, causing it to work harder and dissipate more heat into exhaust system 24.

[0052] In Fig. 4, a method 400 for maintenance regeneration of the PF 70 is generally shown. The method 400 may be implemented via the controller 30 and its control of one or more components of the control system 18.

[0053] Method 400 includes a step 402 to provide a service regeneration of the PF 70. In step 404, the controller 30 determines whether the PF 70 is above the service regeneration limit. The service regeneration limit may, for example, be a predetermined limit based on time, miles driven, the amount of soot buildup in the PF 70, or any combination of the foregoing. If the controller 30 determines in step 404 that the PF 70 is not above the service regeneration limit, then the controller 30 ends the service regeneration process 400 in step 406. If the controller 30 determines in step 404 that the PF 70 is above the service regeneration limit, then the controller 30 continues with the service regeneration process 400 in step 408 to determine whether the transmission is in park or neutral.

[0054] If the controller 30 determines in step 408 that the transmission is not in park or neutral, then the controller 30 ends the service regeneration process 400 in step 406. If the controller 30 determines in step 408 that the transmission is in park or neutral, the controller 30 proceeds to the service regeneration process 400 in step 410 to activate the transmission input lock. As stated above, the clutch 120 is coupled to the controller 30 and can be activated to lock the input shaft 152 to the housing 39 to selectively prevent rotation of the turbine 142 such that the torque converter slip is equal to the engine speed.Preventing the turbine wheel 142 from rotating, whereby the impeller rotates and pumps the fluid during operation of the engine 14, creates a load on the engine 14, retards the ignition spark, and causes it to work harder and dissipate more heat into the exhaust system 24.

[0055] In step 412, the controller begins the maintenance regeneration by increasing the speed of the engine 14 and retarding the ignition 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 built up in the PF 70 begins to burn off, being exhausted from the exhaust pipe 55. After a predetermined period of time, or after a sufficient amount of the built-up soot has been burned and removed, the controller 30 terminates the maintenance regeneration process 400.

Claims

[1] System for a vehicle (10), comprising: a power machine (14); a torque converter (40) connected to the engine (14); a transmission (16) connected to the torque converter (40) via an input shaft (152); a particulate filter (PF) connected to the engine (14); and an engine control module (30) connected to the engine (14), the transmission (16), and the particulate filter (PF), the engine control module (30) configured to perform maintenance regeneration operations comprising: Determining whether the particulate filter (PF) is above a predetermined service regeneration limit; Determining whether the transmission (16) is in the park or neutral position; and if the particulate filter (PF) is above a predetermined service regeneration limit and the transmission (16) is in park or neutral, performing service regeneration operations including locking the input shaft (152) to the transmission (16) and increasing engine speed to retard an ignition spark in the engine (14) and increase a temperature in the particulate filter (PF). [2] The system of claim 1, wherein the engine control module (30) is configured to increase the temperature in the particulate filter (PF) to a temperature above 600°C sufficient to combust soot in the particulate filter (PF). [3] The system of claim 1, wherein the engine control module (30) is configured not to perform maintenance regeneration operations when the engine control module (30) determines that the particulate filter (PF) is below a predetermined service regeneration limit. [4] The system of claim 1, wherein the engine control module (30) is configured not to perform maintenance regeneration operations when the engine control module (30) determines that the transmission (16) is in the drive or reverse position. [5] The system of claim 1, wherein the maintenance regeneration operations result in a torque converter slip equal to the engine speed.

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