Patent ID: 8847426

Claim:
Method for controlling a powertrain system comprising a transmission operative to transfer power between a plurality of power actuators and an output member, and an energy storage device, the method comprising: regularly establishing a first set of electric power limits and a second set of electric power limits for the energy storage device, said first set of electric power limits comprising a first minimum and a first maximum electric power limit, said second set of electric power limits comprising a second minimum and a second maximum electric power limit; determining a preferred input torque from a first power actuator based upon the first set of electric power limits; determining a first set of power constraints for constraining the input torque from the first power actuator to the transmission and determining a second set of power constraints for constraining output torque from the transmission to the output member based upon the second set of electric power limits; and controlling operation of the powertrain system responsive to the preferred input torque, the first set of power constraints, and the second set of power constraints.