Abstract: A hybrid drive system has a battery and a combustion engine for energy sources. The system has a traction motor, a generator, a variable voltage converter (VVC), a motor inverter, a generator inverter, a bus coupling the VVC to the inverters, and a controller. The controller regulates engine speed, motor torque, and generator torque. The engine speed is determined according to a driver torque demand. In normal conditions, 1) the controller regulates the engine speed by modifying a generator torque command, and 2) the bus voltage is regulated using the VVC and battery. When the controller detects a fault in which the battery and VVC become unavailable for regulating the bus voltage, then the controller regulates a motor inverter power output to match a sum of a generator inverter power output and an estimated power loss of the inverters in order to regulate the bus voltage.

Abstract: The subject of the present invention is a method for remote starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The method includes detecting a wireless remote start signal; after detecting the wireless remote start signal, communicating with a garage door opener to determine if a garage door is closed; remote starting the engine if no closed garage door indication is received; transmitting a wireless garage door open signal and remote starting the engine if a closed garage door indication is received; monitoring a time since remote starting the engine; monitoring for vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle; and if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches a predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was transmitted when the engine was remote started, automatically transmitting a wireless garage door close signal and automatically turning off the engine.

Abstract: The subject of the present invention is a method for remote starting an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The method includes detecting a wireless remote start signal; after detecting the wireless remote start signal, communicating with a garage door opener to determine if a garage door is closed; remote starting the engine if no closed garage door indication is received; transmitting a wireless garage door open signal and remote starting the engine if a closed garage door indication is received; monitoring a time since remote starting the engine; monitoring for vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle; and if no vehicle operator interaction with the vehicle is detected before the monitored time reaches a predetermined amount of time and the wireless garage door open signal was transmitted when the engine was remote started, automatically transmitting a wireless garage door close signal and automatically turning off the engine.