Gear shifting method for vehicle, and vehicle and program product

Abstract

Disclosed in the present invention are a gear shifting method for a vehicle, and a vehicle and a computer program product. In the gear shifting method of the present invention, when a battery is at a first power level, only the torque of a second power source is increased, so as to reduce a front axle torque to zero; and when the battery is at a second power level, in order to avoid battery overcurrent, the second power source and an engine are controlled to jointly reduce the front axle torque to zero. When the front axle torque is zero and the torque of a main power source is not zero, this indicates that the main power source can still provide partial energy for vehicle driving, which can effectively solve the problem of power loss. In this case, the gear shifting process of gear disengagement-speed regulation-gear engagement can be triggered. In order to ensure the quality of speed regulation, only the second power source is controlled to implement the speed regulation process, and the front axle torque is restored after gear engagement is performed. The method can avoid power loss during a gear shifting stage, thereby improving the vehicle driving smoothness, thus ensuring the driving safety and improving the user experience.

Description

Vehicle gear shifting methods, vehicles and software products Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure pertains to the field of vehicle technology, and particularly relates to a method for shifting gears in a vehicle, a vehicle, and a computer program product.

[0002] Background of the Invention

[0003] With the development of technology, vehicles have become an indispensable means of transportation in people's daily lives, which in turn leads to higher requirements for vehicle performance. However, some vehicles with transmission system architectures, especially hybrid powertrain architectures, may experience power loss during gear shifts. This not only affects the user experience but may also reduce driving smoothness and even threaten driving safety. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a method for shifting gears in a vehicle, a vehicle, and a computer program product that can prevent power loss, improve the smoothness of vehicle driving, and thus enhance the user experience while ensuring driving safety.

[0005] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a method for shifting gears in a vehicle, comprising: upon receiving a shift request, adjusting the torque of a power source based on an initial torque value of the front axle torque of the vehicle to reduce the front axle torque; when the front axle torque is zero and the torque of the power source is not zero, generating a shift authorization command based on the shift request; the shift authorization command including a target speed and a target gear; shifting the current gear of the vehicle to neutral based on the shift authorization command; and controlling the power source to adjust the speed to the target speed to shift from neutral to the target gear.

[0006] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides a vehicle including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0007] Thirdly, this disclosure provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, implements the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0008] The first aspect of this disclosure, compared to the prior art, offers the following advantages: This disclosure discovers that the power loss phenomenon during gear shifting stems from the prior art's practice of reducing the torque of the active power source to zero for direct-drive gear shifting, resulting in the vehicle's driving force being provided by an auxiliary power source. However, the auxiliary power source relies on a battery; when the battery's capacity is insufficient, the vehicle's driving force will decrease, or even result in power loss. Therefore, upon receiving a gear shift request, to ensure a smooth shift, the vehicle first reduces the front axle torque value to zero based on the active power source. During this process, to effectively solve the power loss problem, it is ensured that the torque of the active power source is not zero, thereby avoiding reducing the torque of the active power source to zero during gear shifting, thus preventing clutch disengagement and allowing the active power source to still provide some energy for vehicle driving.

[0009] Gear shifting is triggered when the current axle torque is zero. The specific steps include: generating a shift authorization command containing the target speed and gear based on the shift request; precisely coordinating the output of the power source based on this command to achieve the shift. To avoid mechanical shocks or an uneven driving experience caused by torque changes, the vehicle can first shift its current gear to neutral to temporarily disconnect power transmission, preparing for the subsequent shift operation; then, the power source is controlled to adjust its speed to the target speed to match the speed required for the target gear, ensuring the vehicle can smoothly enter the target gear after the shift and guaranteeing smooth and stable power output. Finally, neutral is shifted to the target gear to complete the shift process. This gear shifting method allows the power source to still provide some energy for the vehicle's drive during the shift phase, effectively solving the power loss problem, improving vehicle driving stability, and thus ensuring driving safety and enhancing the user experience.

[0010] The beneficial effects of the second and third aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0011] Brief description of the attached figures

[0012] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle gear shifting method provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the torque adjustment of the engine and P2 under the first power of the battery provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the torque adjustment of the engine and P2 under the second power of the battery provided in the embodiment of this disclosure;

[0016] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the gear shifting device for a vehicle provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0017] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the vehicle provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0018] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle gear shifting method according to another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0019] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle gear shifting method provided in another embodiment of this disclosure;

[0020] Figure 8 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle gear shifting method provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0021] Figure 9 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle gear shifting method provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 10 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle gear shifting method provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 11 is a schematic flowchart of a vehicle gear shifting method provided in another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle transmission architecture provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0025] Methods of implementing the present invention

[0026] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, so as to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this disclosure. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this disclosure with unnecessary detail.

[0027] In related technologies, some vehicles with transmission system architectures, especially hybrid powertrain architectures, may experience power loss during gear shifts. This not only affects the user experience but may also impact driving smoothness and even threaten driving safety. Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle transmission architecture provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 12, this hybrid architecture is a dual-motor series-parallel electric four-wheel drive configuration on both the front and rear axles. Furthermore, the vehicle's drive mode mainly consists of power equipment such as an engine, a P2 (Power Take-off 2) motor, a P4 (Power Take-off 4) motor, and an AMT transmission (not shown in the figure). The P2 motor is connected to the input shaft gear of the transmission, and the P2 motor is connected to the engine via a clutch. The output gear of the transmission is connected to one axle of the vehicle. The output end of the P4 motor is connected to the input end of the AMT transmission, and the output end of the AMT transmission is connected to the other axle of the vehicle.

[0028] This disclosure reveals that, due to limitations in the hardware structure of the Transmission Control Unit (TCU), during gear shifting, the torque of the main power source at both ends of the clutch needs to be reduced to zero to disengage the clutch. The TCU then controls downshifting, speed adjustment, and upshifting to complete the gear shift. Because the torque of the main power source needs to be reduced to zero to achieve direct-drive shifting, the vehicle's driving force is provided by an auxiliary power source at this time. This auxiliary power source relies on a battery; when the battery capacity is insufficient, the vehicle's driving force decreases or even disappears.

[0029] Based on this, in order to solve the problem of power loss during gear shifting, this disclosure proposes a vehicle gear shifting method. Addressing the root cause of power loss, by optimizing the gear shifting process, power loss can be avoided, improving vehicle driving stability, and thus enhancing the user experience while ensuring driving safety. The gear shifting method proposed in this disclosure will be described below through specific embodiments.

[0030] The gear shifting method for vehicles provided in this disclosure can be mainly applied to hybrid or pure electric vehicles, especially vehicles with a hybrid architecture. Of course, other electronic devices can also be used, such as mobile phones, tablets, in-vehicle devices, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) devices, laptops, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc., that can establish a communication connection with the vehicle. This disclosure does not impose any limitations on the specific type of electronic device.

[0031] To illustrate the technical solutions proposed in this disclosure, the following description will use a vehicle as the implementing entity to illustrate various embodiments.

[0032] Figure 1 shows a schematic flowchart of the gear shifting method for a vehicle provided in this disclosure, which includes:

[0033] Step 110: Upon receiving a shift request, adjust the torque of the power source based on the initial torque value of the front axle torque of the vehicle to reduce the front axle torque.

[0034] When a shift request is received, to ensure a smooth shift, the vehicle first adjusts the torque of the drive power source based on the initial value of the current front axle torque, thereby reducing the torque transmitted to the front axle. By reducing the front axle torque, excessive load can be avoided from affecting the shifting process.

[0035] Step 120: When the front axle torque is zero and the torque of the active power source is not zero, the vehicle generates a shift authorization command based on the shift request.

[0036] Given that the root cause of power loss during gear shifting is that the vehicle's driving force is provided solely by the auxiliary power source, which relies on the battery to provide driving force, insufficient battery capacity will reduce the vehicle's driving force and may even lead to power loss.

[0037] Insufficient battery capacity refers to a situation where the battery cannot meet the vehicle's driving force requirements under current conditions. This can be categorized as limited power output, insufficient instantaneous current, inadequate energy reserves, or excessively high power demands. To illustrate more clearly why insufficient battery capacity can easily lead to a decrease in vehicle driving force, or even a loss of power, examples will be provided.

[0038] Under low charge or extreme temperatures, the battery's maximum output power may be limited, making it difficult to support sufficient driving force from auxiliary power sources (such as motors). During gear shifts, the battery's discharge capacity may not meet high instantaneous power demands. Furthermore, to protect battery life, the Battery Management System (BMS) may actively limit the battery's power output, thus affecting the response performance of the auxiliary power source. Since the auxiliary power source is the vehicle's sole power source during direct-drive gear shifts, this can easily lead to a decrease in overall vehicle driving force, or even a loss of power.

[0039] To address this issue, during gear shifts, the vehicle employs two strategies: firstly, reducing the front axle torque to zero to ensure smooth shifting; secondly, by preventing the active power source's torque from dropping to zero, it ensures the active power source continues to provide partial driving force, thereby reducing the vehicle's dependence on auxiliary power sources and battery performance. This process eliminates the need for additional clutch operation, such as disengaging and re-engaging the clutch, effectively preventing power loss during shifts and improving shift smoothness and overall vehicle performance.

[0040] Therefore, the vehicle can use the zero torque of the front axle and the non-zero torque of the main power source as a signal to allow shifting, and generate a shift authorization command based on the shift request so that the vehicle can continue to execute the subsequent shifting process based on the shift command.

[0041] The shift authorization command can include the target speed and the target gear, which is used to precisely coordinate the output of the power source to complete the gear shift and ensure a smooth and efficient shifting process.

[0042] Step 130: The vehicle shifts its current gear to neutral based on the shift authorization command.

[0043] Based on the shift authorization command, the vehicle can perform a gear shift operation. To prepare for the subsequent shift, power transmission can be temporarily disconnected, meaning the vehicle can shift the current gear to neutral. When the vehicle is in neutral, the power source will no longer transmit power to the drive shaft, avoiding mechanical shocks or an uneven driving experience caused by torque changes.

[0044] Step 140: The vehicle control power source adjusts the speed to the target speed in order to shift from neutral to the target gear.

[0045] Once the vehicle is in neutral, to ensure a smooth transition to the target gear and consistent power delivery, the vehicle adjusts the engine speed of its power source to match the required speed for the target gear. After the vehicle controls the power source to adjust its speed to the target speed, the vehicle can seamlessly shift from neutral to the target gear.

[0046] In this embodiment, upon receiving a shift request, to ensure a smooth shift, the vehicle first reduces the front axle torque to zero based on the active power source. During this process, to effectively address power loss, the torque of the active power source is ensured to be non-zero, thus avoiding reducing the torque to zero during the shift phase and preventing clutch disengagement, allowing the active power source to still provide some energy for vehicle drive. The shift is triggered when the front axle torque reaches zero. Specific steps include: generating a shift authorization command containing the target speed and target gear based on the shift request, and precisely coordinating the output of the active power source based on this command to achieve the shift. To avoid mechanical shocks or an uneven driving experience caused by torque changes, the vehicle can first shift its current gear to neutral to temporarily disconnect power transmission, preparing for the subsequent shift operation; then, the active power source is controlled to adjust its speed to the target speed to match the speed required for the target gear, ensuring the vehicle can smoothly enter the target gear after the shift and guaranteeing smooth and stable power output. Finally, neutral is shifted to the target gear to complete the shift process. This gear shifting method allows the main power source to still provide some energy for the vehicle's drive during gear shifting, effectively solving the power loss problem, improving the vehicle's driving stability, and thus ensuring driving safety and enhancing the user experience.

[0047] In some embodiments, the primary power source includes an engine and a secondary power source (Power Take-off 2, P2). To provide more efficient power transmission, the rotation directions of the engine and P2 are typically opposite. During gear shifting, to fully utilize the primary power source, referring to Figure 6, step 110 specifically includes:

[0048] Step A1: Determine the power characteristics of the vehicle's battery.

[0049] Batteries have different output limitations depending on their power characteristics. For example, high power and low power have different output capabilities.

[0050] Based on this, the vehicle can first determine the power characteristics of the battery, and then adopt corresponding active power source torque adjustment strategies according to the different power characteristics of the battery, so as to avoid power loss due to limited battery output.

[0051] Step A2: Determine the first torque value and the second torque value based on the power characteristics.

[0052] Step A3: Reduce the engine torque based on the first torque value, and increase the torque of the second power source based on the second torque value.

[0053] Given that the main power sources include the engine and P2, the vehicle's torque adjustment strategy primarily involves adjusting the torque of the engine and the torque of P2 separately. Specifically, after clarifying the battery's power characteristics, the vehicle can determine two key torque values ​​based on the battery's current power characteristics: a first torque value and a second torque value. This allows for targeted adjustments to the torque of the engine and P2 during gear shifts, reducing the front axle torque to zero and ensuring a smooth gear transition. The first torque value is used to reduce the engine's torque, while the second torque value is used to increase the torque of P2.

[0054] In this embodiment, by first determining the battery's power characteristics, the vehicle can flexibly adjust the torque distribution between the engine and P2 according to the battery's different power states, reducing the front axle torque to zero while ensuring that the main power source can still provide some driving force to the vehicle. This not only improves the overall energy utilization of the vehicle but also avoids power loss due to limited battery output, thereby ensuring that the vehicle can perform smooth gear shifting operations.

[0055] In some embodiments, since power loss primarily occurs when the battery is at low power, the battery's power characteristics can be broadly categorized into two types: first power and second power. In other words, first power corresponds to high battery power, and second power corresponds to low battery power. The battery's first and second power states reflect its output capability under different operating conditions. In the first power state, the battery output is less restricted, providing greater instantaneous power to support the vehicle's dynamic needs, such as rapid acceleration or hill climbing. In the second power state, due to low charge state, extreme temperatures, or the battery management system's (BMS) protection strategies, the battery's maximum output power is limited, making it difficult to meet higher power demands. These two states directly affect the driving force performance of the auxiliary power source and the overall vehicle's power response.

[0056] To accurately determine the power characteristics of the vehicle's battery, referring to Figure 7, the vehicle may perform the following steps:

[0057] Step B1: Obtain the battery status parameters.

[0058] Step B2: Determine the power characteristics based on the state parameters.

[0059] Status parameters can include data such as voltage, current, temperature, and SOC. After acquiring this data, the vehicle can analyze the battery's power characteristics and determine whether the battery is in the first or second power state, so as to take appropriate torque adjustment strategies according to the actual situation of the battery.

[0060] For example, the vehicle can acquire battery voltage and current data. If analysis determines that the battery voltage is high and the current output capability is strong, the battery can be judged to be in a first power state. Conversely, if analysis determines that the battery voltage is low and the current output is significantly limited, the battery can be judged to be in a second power state.

[0061] For example, a vehicle can determine the battery's power characteristics in several ways. For instance, in Sport mode, the vehicle's demand for acceleration increases, and the Battery Management System (BMS) allows the battery to provide higher power output to meet dynamic driving needs. Therefore, when the vehicle is in Sport mode or has acceleration requirements, the battery's power characteristics can be determined as the first power. Conversely, in Eco mode, the vehicle prioritizes energy conservation and smooth driving, and the BMS limits the battery's power output to optimize energy efficiency and extend driving range. Therefore, when the vehicle is in Eco mode or smooth driving mode, the battery's power characteristics can be determined as the second power.

[0062] In other words, as long as it can be accurately determined whether the battery is at the first power or the second power, the specific determination method is not limited in this embodiment.

[0063] In this embodiment, the vehicle can acquire and analyze the battery status to accurately identify the battery's power characteristics, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the torque adjustment strategy and thus ensuring the reliability of the vehicle's gear shifting.

[0064] In some embodiments, when the battery's power characteristics are at a first power level, its output limitation is relatively small. In this case, to efficiently adjust the torque of the active power source to reduce front axle torque and utilize battery charging during gear shifts to improve overall vehicle energy utilization, the following steps can be taken to determine two torque values: Referring to Figure 8, the vehicle can determine two torque values ​​through the following steps:

[0065] Step C1: When the power characteristic is the first power, the first torque value is set to zero.

[0066] Step C2: Determine the second torque value as the initial torque value.

[0067] Because the engine's torque response is less sensitive than that of an electric motor, to efficiently regulate the torque of the main power source, the engine torque can be kept constant, and the front axle torque can be adjusted solely by controlling P2. Specifically, the first torque value can be set to zero, keeping the engine torque constant; simultaneously, the second torque value can be set to the initial torque value of the front axle, causing P2 to reduce the front axle torque to zero based on this value. This method not only precisely controls power distribution, ensuring smoothness and efficiency during gear shifts, but also allows for energy recovery during gear shifts by converting some kinetic energy into electrical energy through energy feedback from P2 (such as regenerative braking or other methods) to charge the battery, thereby improving the overall energy utilization rate of the vehicle.

[0068] In some embodiments, when the battery's power characteristics are at the second power level, its output limitation is relatively large. To avoid battery overcurrent caused by excessive charging current from P2 during gear shifting, referring to Figure 9, the vehicle can determine two torque values ​​through the following steps:

[0069] Step D1: When the power characteristic is the second power, determine the second torque value based on the current power of the battery.

[0070] Step D2: The battery determines the first torque value based on the second torque value and the initial torque value.

[0071] When the battery is at its second power setting, its output is significantly limited. If P2 is adjusted according to the two torque values ​​under the first power setting, the charge generated by P2 may exceed the battery's capacity, leading to battery overcurrent. To avoid this problem, the vehicle can reasonably determine the second torque value based on the battery's current power characteristics, and further calculate the first torque value based on the second torque value and the initial torque value of the front axle.

[0072] Specifically, based on the battery's power characteristics, the torque of P2 is increased to a second torque value, while the engine torque is reduced to a first torque value. This gradually reduces the front axle torque to zero, ensuring smooth gear shifting. During this process, the front axle's generator converts kinetic energy into electrical energy to safely charge the battery and provide driving force to the rear axle. This compensates for the deficiency that the auxiliary power source relies solely on the battery for drive energy, improving the vehicle's overall energy utilization efficiency and enhancing the flexibility and reliability of gear shifting.

[0073] For example, a pre-established correspondence between battery parameters at the second power level and the torque of P2 can be constructed to ensure safe charging of the battery via P2. Thus, when the battery is determined to be at the second power level, the vehicle can look up the second torque value in a table based on relevant battery parameters, such as the maximum charging current, to ensure that the current output by P2 matches the battery's current power characteristics. This method dynamically adjusts torque distribution according to the actual state of the battery, avoiding overcurrent due to excessive torque demand and ensuring the safety and stability of energy recovery.

[0074] In some embodiments, to ensure the quality of speed adjustment, referring to Figure 10, the vehicle can adjust its speed through the following steps:

[0075] Step E1: Adjust the speed to the target speed based on the second power source, while keeping the engine torque unchanged.

[0076] Given that engine speed regulation involves complex operations such as fuel injection, its precision is lower compared to P2. To ensure speed regulation quality and maintain constant engine torque, the vehicle only needs to adjust the speed of P2 to match the target speed. This avoids fluctuations caused by changes in engine load, thereby achieving more precise speed control and more stable power output through P2.

[0077] In some embodiments, referring to FIG11, after shifting from neutral to the target gear, the method further includes:

[0078] Step F1: Generate a shift end command to complete the shift request.

[0079] Once the vehicle's gear shifts from neutral to the target gear, the current shifting process is complete. At this point, to provide a clear execution signal for subsequent torque recovery and power output adjustment, a shift end command can be generated, thus ensuring that the vehicle's shifting operation is a closed-loop control.

[0080] Step F2: Control the active power source to increase the torque so that the front axle torque is increased from zero to the initial torque value.

[0081] Upon receiving the shift completion command, the vehicle controls the torque adjustment of the main power sources (including the engine and P2), gradually increasing the front axle torque from its previous zero state during the shift to its initial value. This smoothly restores the vehicle's driving force, avoiding jerking or sudden power changes after shifting, thus ensuring smoothness and stability during driving.

[0082] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 2, if the battery is at the first power, the current engine torque is T1, the initial value of the front axle torque is T2, the P2 torque is T3, the speed ratio of the engine and the motor is 1, and the vehicle needs to shift from 1st gear to 2nd gear, or from 2nd gear to 1st gear. Ideally, the engine torque T1 = −T3. However, given that the engine's torque response is less sensitive than the motor's, and to utilize the battery charging during gear shifts to improve overall vehicle energy efficiency, it is preferable to keep the engine torque constant and only adjust the P2 torque to -T1, making it change according to the gradient change of the front axle torque, reducing the front axle torque to zero. The vehicle can then generate a shift authorization command containing the target speed and target gear based on the shift request to trigger subsequent downshift-speed adjustment-upshift.

[0083] First, to prepare for the subsequent gear shift, based on the shift authorization command, power transmission can be temporarily disconnected, meaning the vehicle can shift the current gear to neutral. When the vehicle is in neutral, the power source will no longer transmit power to the drive shaft, thus avoiding mechanical shocks or an uneven driving experience caused by torque changes.

[0084] Then, when the vehicle is in neutral, to ensure a smooth shift into the target gear and a stable power output, the vehicle adjusts the engine speed of the power source to match the required speed for the target gear. To ensure the quality of speed adjustment, the engine torque remains constant; the vehicle only adjusts the speed of P2 to match the target speed. This avoids fluctuations caused by changes in engine load, thereby achieving more precise speed control and more stable power output through P2.

[0085] Next, once the engine speed in P2 is adjusted to the target speed, the vehicle can seamlessly shift from neutral to the target gear, marking the completion of the current shift process. At this point, to provide a clear execution signal for subsequent torque recovery and power output adjustment, a shift end command can be generated, thus ensuring that the vehicle's shifting operation is a closed-loop control.

[0086] Finally, based on the shift completion command, the vehicle controls the torque adjustment of the main power sources (including the engine and P2), gradually increasing the front axle torque from zero during the shift until it returns to its initial value. This smoothly restores the vehicle's driving force, avoiding jerking or sudden power changes after shifting, thus ensuring smoothness and stability during driving.

[0087] In some embodiments, referring to Figure 3, if the battery is at the second power setting, the current engine torque is T1, the initial front axle torque is T2, the P2 torque is T3, the engine and motor speed ratio is 1, and the vehicle needs to shift from 1st gear to 2nd gear or from 2nd gear to 1st gear. Considering that if the engine torque is to remain constant at this time, adjusting the P2 torque to -T1 could easily lead to battery overcurrent (the battery at the second power setting cannot accept a large charging current), to ensure the safety of battery charging during gear shifting, the safe charging current of the battery can be determined by looking up a table based on relevant battery parameters, such as the battery's state of charge (SOC), and then the target torque T4 can be calculated. By adjusting the P2 torque to T4, the current generated by P2 can be matched with the current SOC of the battery, thereby avoiding battery overcurrent during charging and ensuring charging safety; correspondingly, the engine torque can be adjusted to -T4 so that the front axle torque is zero, thereby generating a shift authorization command containing the target speed and target gear according to the shift request, triggering subsequent downshift-speed adjustment-upshift.

[0088] Since the subsequent downshift-speed adjustment-upshift steps are the same as the downshift-speed adjustment-upshift steps when the battery is at the first power, please refer to the above description and will not be repeated here.

[0089] The reason why power loss occurs during gear shifting is that in related technologies, gear shifting requires reducing the torque of the active power source to zero for direct drive shifting. At this time, the vehicle's driving force is provided by an auxiliary power source, which relies on the battery. If the battery capacity is insufficient, the vehicle's driving force will decrease, or even be lost. Therefore, the above embodiments differentiate the battery's power characteristics to adopt different shifting procedures. Specifically, under the first battery power condition, only the torque of P2 is increased to reduce the front axle torque to zero; under the second battery power condition, to avoid battery overcurrent, both P2 and the engine are controlled to reduce the front axle torque to zero. If the front axle torque is zero and the sum of the torques of P2 and the engine is not zero, a downshift-speed adjustment-upshift is triggered. To ensure speed adjustment quality, only P2 is controlled for speed adjustment, and after upshifting, P2 is controlled to restore the front axle torque value. This method does not directly reduce the torque of the main power source to zero during the gear shifting phase, i.e., it does not disengage the clutch. This allows the main power source to provide some energy for the vehicle's drive, which can effectively solve the problem of power loss, improve the stability of vehicle driving, and thus enhance the user experience while ensuring driving safety.

[0090] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0091] Corresponding to the vehicle gear shifting method in the above embodiments, FIG4 shows a structural block diagram of the vehicle gear shifting device 4 provided in the present disclosure embodiment. For ease of explanation, only the parts related to the present disclosure embodiment are shown.

[0092] Referring to Figure 4, the gear shifting device 4 of the vehicle includes:

[0093] The vehicle control unit 41 is used to adjust the torque of the active power source based on the initial torque value of the front axle torque of the vehicle to reduce the front axle torque when a shift request is received; when the front axle torque is zero and the torque of the active power source is not zero, it generates a shift authorization command based on the shift request and sends the shift authorization command to the transmission control unit; the shift authorization command includes the target speed and the target gear.

[0094] The transmission control unit 42 is used to shift the vehicle's current gear to neutral based on a shift authorization command; and to control the power source to adjust the speed to a target speed so as to shift from neutral to the target gear.

[0095] Optionally, the primary power source includes an engine rotating in the opposite direction and a secondary power source; the vehicle control unit 41 is used for:

[0096] Determine the power characteristics of the vehicle's battery;

[0097] The first torque value and the second torque value are determined based on the power characteristics, and the sum of the first torque value and the second torque value is the initial torque value;

[0098] The engine torque is reduced based on the first torque value, and the torque of the second power source is increased based on the second torque value.

[0099] Optionally, the vehicle control unit 41 is specifically used for:

[0100] Obtain the battery status parameters;

[0101] Power characteristics are determined based on state parameters.

[0102] Optionally, the power characteristics include a first power, and the vehicle control unit 41 is specifically used for:

[0103] When the power characteristic is the first power, the first torque value is determined to be zero;

[0104] The second torque value is determined as the initial torque value.

[0105] Optionally, the power characteristics include a second power, and the vehicle control unit 41 is specifically used for:

[0106] When the power characteristic is the second power, the second torque value is determined based on the current power of the battery;

[0107] The first torque value is determined based on the second torque value and the initial torque value.

[0108] Optionally, the transmission control unit 42 is specifically used for:

[0109] The engine speed is adjusted to the target speed based on the second power source, while the engine torque remains unchanged.

[0110] Optionally, the transmission control unit 42 is specifically used for:

[0111] After shifting from neutral to the target gear, a shift end command is generated to complete the shift request;

[0112] Control the active power source to increase torque so that the front axle torque is increased from zero to the initial torque value.

[0113] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this disclosure. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0114] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the physical structure of a vehicle provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. As shown in Figure 5, the vehicle 5 of this embodiment includes: at least one processor 50 (only one processor is shown in Figure 5), a memory 51, and a computer program 52 stored in the memory 51 and executable on at least one processor 50. When the processor 50 executes the computer program 52, it implements the steps in the above-described embodiment of the gear shifting method for any vehicle, such as steps 110-140 shown in Figure 1.

[0115] The processor 50 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or it may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0116] In some embodiments, memory 51 may be an internal storage unit of vehicle 5, such as a hard disk or memory of vehicle 5. In other embodiments, memory 51 may also be an external storage device of vehicle 5, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc. equipped on vehicle 5.

[0117] Furthermore, the memory 51 may include both internal storage units and external storage devices within the vehicle 5. The memory 51 is used to store operating devices, application programs, bootloaders, data, and other programs, such as program code for computer programs. The memory 51 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0118] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the above device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0119] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps described in the various method embodiments above.

[0120] This disclosure provides a computer program product that, when run on a vehicle, enables the vehicle to perform the steps described in the various method embodiments.

[0121] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to the photographing device / vehicle, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0122] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0123] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0124] In the embodiments provided in this disclosure, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / network devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / network device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0125] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0126] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure, and are not intended to limit it. Although this disclosure has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, and should all be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for shifting gears in a vehicle, comprising: Upon receiving a shift request, the torque of the power source is adjusted based on the initial torque value of the front axle torque of the vehicle to reduce the front axle torque; When the front axle torque is zero and the torque of the power source is not zero, a shift authorization command is generated based on the shift request; the shift authorization command includes the target speed and the target gear. Based on the shift authorization command, the vehicle's current gear is shifted to neutral; The active power source is controlled to adjust the rotation speed to the target rotation speed, so as to switch the neutral gear to the target gear.

2. The gear shifting method as described in claim 1, wherein, The active power source includes an engine rotating in opposite directions and a second power source; adjusting the torque of the active power source based on an initial torque value of the front axle torque of the vehicle includes: Determine the power characteristics of the vehicle's battery; A first torque value and a second torque value are determined based on the power characteristics, and the sum of the first torque value and the second torque value is the initial torque value; The torque of the engine is reduced based on the first torque value, and the torque of the second power source is increased based on the second torque value.

3. The gear shifting method as described in claim 2, wherein, Determining the power characteristics of the vehicle's battery includes: Obtain the state parameters of the battery; The power characteristics are determined based on the state parameters.

4. The gear shifting method as described in claim 3, wherein, The battery's state parameters include at least one of the following: battery voltage, battery current, battery temperature, and battery state of charge.

5. The gear shifting method as described in claim 4, wherein, The state parameters of the battery include the battery voltage and the battery current; Determining the power characteristics based on the state parameters includes: The power characteristics are determined based on the battery voltage and the battery current.

6. The gear shifting method as described in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein, The power characteristics include a first power, and determining a first torque value and a second torque value based on the power characteristics includes: When the power characteristic is the first power, the first torque value is determined to be zero; The second torque value is determined as the initial torque value.

7. The gear shifting method as described in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein, The power characteristic includes a second power, and determining a first torque value and a second torque value based on the power characteristic includes: When the power characteristic is the second power, the second torque value is determined based on the current power of the battery; The first torque value is determined based on the second torque value and the initial torque value.

8. The gear shifting method as described in claim 7, wherein, Before determining the second torque value based on the current power of the battery, the method further includes: Establish the correspondence between the maximum charging current of the battery at the second power and the torque of the second power source.

9. The gear shifting method as described in claim 8, wherein, Determining the second torque value based on the current power of the battery includes: The second torque value is determined based on the maximum charging current of the battery and the correspondence between the maximum charging current and the torque of the second power source.

10. The gear shifting method as described in any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein, The step of controlling the active power source to adjust the rotation speed to the target rotation speed includes: The engine speed is adjusted to the target speed based on the second power source, while the engine torque remains unchanged.

11. The gear shifting method as described in any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein, After shifting the neutral gear to the target gear, the method further includes: Generate a shift end command to complete the shift request; The active power source is controlled to increase the torque so that the front axle torque is increased from zero to the initial torque value.

12. The gear shifting method as described in any one of claims 2 to 11, wherein, The output range of the battery varies depending on the power characteristics described.

13. The gear shifting method as described in any one of claims 12, wherein, The output range of the battery corresponding to the first power is greater than the output range of the battery corresponding to the second power.

14. A vehicle comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the gear shifting method of the vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, implements the gear shifting method of a vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

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