Patent ID: 8756912

Claim:
A method of controlling a vehicle, the method comprising: providing a control module operable to control a regeneration temperature setpoint for a particulate filter of an exhaust gas treatment system, including: classifying a current vehicle operating mode as one of a driving mode or an idle mode; defining the regeneration temperature setpoint to include an idle temperature setpoint when the current vehicle operating mode is classified as the idle mode, and defining the regeneration temperature setpoint to include a driving temperature setpoint when the current vehicle operating mode is classified as the driving mode, wherein the idle temperature setpoint and the driving temperature setpoint are derived individually of and separately from each other and based on different operating criteria; wherein defining the regeneration temperature setpoint when the current vehicle operating mode is classified as the driving mode includes relating an estimated exhaust mass flow of the vehicle to a temperature setpoint associated with the estimated exhaust mass flow to define the driving temperature setpoint; wherein defining the regeneration temperature setpoint when the current vehicle operating mode is classified as the idle mode includes relating an elapsed time spent in the idle mode to a temperature setpoint associated with the elapsed time spent in the idle mode to define the idle temperature setpoint; adjusting the defined driving temperature setpoint or the defined idle temperature setpoint based on an estimated percent soot load of the particulate filter; adjusting the defined driving temperature setpoint or the defined idle temperature setpoint based on a regeneration completion percentage of the particulate filter; determining whether the vehicle is operating in a coastdown mode or in a non-coastdown mode; relating the estimated exhaust mass flow of the vehicle to an adjustment value associated with the estimated exhaust mass flow; and modifying the driving temperature setpoint by the adjustment value associated with the estimated exhaust mass flow when the vehicle is operating in the coastdown mode.