Drive train slip for vibration mitigation during skip fire operation

Abstract

A variety of methods and devices for mitigating power train vibration during skip fire operation of an engine are described. In one aspect, the slip of a drive train component (such as a torque converter clutch) is based at least in part upon a skip fire characteristic (such as firing fraction, selected firing sequence/pattern, etc.) during skip fire operation of an engine. The modulation of the drive train component slip can also be varied as a function of one or more engine operating parameters such as engine speed and/or a parameter indicative of the output of fired cylinders (such as mass air charge).

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of mitigating power train vibration during skip fire operation of an engine, the method comprising:
 operating an engine in a skip fire operational mode; and   modulating slip of a drive train component based at least in part upon a skip fire characteristic.