A method for operating a drive device for a motor vehicle including an internal combustion engine and an electrical machine. A drive shaft of the internal combustion engine can be coupled to a machine shaft of the electrical machine by a shift clutch. The shift clutch is opened in a first shift state for decoupling the internal combustion engine and the electrical machine, and is closed in a second shift state for coupling the internal combustion engine and the electrical machine. When a switching occurs from the first shift state to the second shift state, a clutch target torque that is set at the shift clutch is determined in a first mode of operation by a closed-loop control, and in a second mode of operation is determined by an open-loop control.

A controller according to an embodiment that controls a control object by driving a motor includes an estimation unit and a switching unit. The estimation unit estimates a load of the control object on the basis of a value of a current applied to the motor. The switching unit switches control contents between learning control in which learning is performed on the basis of the load estimation and normal control other than the learning control. The control contents in the learning control cause the current fluctuation in the learning control to be further reduced than that in the normal control using other control contents.

In order to pre-stage a clutch piston in preparation for clutch engagement, a controller commands a high current to a Casting Integrated Direct Acting Solenoid (CIDAS) valve. This staging is performed in two distinct phases wherein the current is higher in the first phase than in the second phase. Staging the piston in this manner reduces the staging time and reduces the variability of the staging time. The duration of the first phase may be adjusted based on a number of parameters including, the length of a preceding engine off period, the number of clutch applications since the engine off period, a fluid temperature, and a length of time since a preceding engagement of the clutch.

At the time when a hydraulic actuator is operated to engage a dog clutch, after it is detected that a hydraulic pressure for operating the hydraulic actuator is higher than or equal to a predetermined hydraulic pressure, it is determined whether the dog clutch is not engaged. Therefore, non-engagement determination due to insufficient hydraulic pressure for operating the hydraulic actuator is prevented. Thus, at the time when the hydraulic actuator is operated to engage the dog clutch, it is possible to prevent consumption of time to engage the dog clutch due to unnecessary re-engagement operation.

A system and method for operating a vehicle equipped with an automatic stop and start system is disclosed. The vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an automatic transmission and a fluid launch device with an impeller disconnect clutch. A controller may initiate an automatic stop or start of the engine under certain operating conditions. During an engine start/stop event, the engine is automatically shut down and the impeller clutch of the fluid launch device may be disengaged to decouple the engine and transmission from the driveline to provide for improved fuel economy and reduced emissions.

A hybrid drive vehicle having: at least one driving wheel; an internal combustion engine provided with a drive shaft; an electric machine provided with its own shaft; a gearbox which transmits motion to the driving wheel; a disengagable coupling which acts as a synchroniser and is interposed, to establish a disconnectable mechanical connection, between the drive shaft and the shaft of the electric machine; and a transmission shaft interposed, to establish a permanent mechanical connection, between the shaft of the electric machine on the opposite side to the coupling and the gearbox.

A vehicle having a clutch which connects an engine with a driveline which includes a multi-ratio gearbox, the clutch having an actuator which can be operated by a vehicle driver to engage and disengage the clutch, the actuator also having a control system arranged to move the clutch between fully engaged and fully released positions through a range of positions allowing variable levels of clutch slip in order to automatically reduce torsional vibrations in the driveline. The control system is configured to recognize a plurality of predetermined Vehicle Operation Modes defined by the combination of a Clutch Slip Status criterion as hereinbefore defined with one or more of the hereinbefore defined operating criteria of Manual Clutch Position Control Input Interface Status, Release Bearing Position Status and Slip Velocity Demand Status and, dependent on the recognized Vehicle Operation Mode, the control system applies a different clutch control strategy to achieve the required level of clutch slip to damp vibration in the driveline and provide transition between the different Vehicle Operation Modes without exciting an uncomfortable level of vibration in the driveline.

A method for operating a drive device for a motor vehicle including an internal combustion engine and an electrical machine. A drive shaft of the internal combustion engine can be coupled to a machine shaft of the electrical machine by a shift clutch. The shift clutch is opened in a first shift state for decoupling the internal combustion engine and the electrical machine, and is closed in a second shift state for coupling the internal combustion engine and the electrical machine. When a switching occurs from the first shift state to the second shift state, a clutch target torque that is set at the shift clutch is determined in a first mode of operation by a closed-loop control, and in a second mode of operation is determined by an open-loop control.

A method for automatic detection of need for clutch calibration includes registering and storing in a data memory, before or in connection with engine shut down, a value of a clutch operating parameter, registering a corresponding value of the clutch operating parameter in connection with subsequent engine start up, and determining need for clutch calibration if the difference between the stored value of the clutch operating parameter and the corresponding value of the clutch operating parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

A method for determining a connection state of an engine clutch includes: a stroke sensing operation of sensing, by a controller, a change of an actuator stroke of the engine clutch; a first pressure comparing operation of determining whether or not an actuator pressure of the engine clutch exceeds a first set pressure and is then changed to below the first set pressure when the actuator stroke is increased; a torque comparing operation of comparing transfer a torque of the engine clutch with a set torque when the actuator pressure exceeds the first set pressure and is then operated to below the first set pressure; and an open determining operation of determining that the engine clutch is in an open state when the transfer torque of the engine clutch is the set torque or less.