Patent ID: 7480555

Claim:
A method for controlling engagement of a centrifugal master clutch in a vehicle powertrain having a throttle-controlled internal combustion engine, a multiple-ratio transmission and a master clutch controller for controlling clutch engagement during launch and acceleration as torque from the engine is delivered to a torque input member of the transmission, and an engine controller responding to operating variables that are determined in successive control loops, the engine having a driver operated vehicle acceleration pedal, the method comprising: calculating an engine speed request; converting the engine speed request to an engine torque request; developing an engine control command that is responsive to changes in engine torque request whereby launch of the vehicle is characterized by controlled and timed clutch engagement that effects engagement smoothness; the step of converting the engine speed request to an engine torque request comprising establishing a target acceleration feed forward value by converting the engine speed request using a precalculated acceleration gain factor; integrating the target acceleration feed forward value to obtain a target engine speed; comparing target engine speed to actual engine speed to determine a speed error; converting speed error to a speed error feed forward torque; converting the target acceleration feed forward value to an inertia feed-forward torque; and combining speed error feed-forward torque, inertia feed-forward torque and an engine friction feed-forward torque, to effect the torque request.