Abstract: In a driven state phase, target input torque is limited to a first limit value, whereas in a backlash-elimination state phase, the target input torque is limited to a second limit value and target engine torque and torque of a motor-generator are controlled according to the target input torque. In the backlash-elimination state phase, the target input torque is limited to the second limit value that is suitable for mitigating rattling shock, so that rattling shock can be appropriately mitigated. Meanwhile, in the driven state phase, the target input torque is limited to the relatively high first limit value, so that an MG rotation speed can be quickly increased to eliminate a rotational difference, which enhances the responsiveness of driving power up to when required driving power is obtained after elimination of the backlash.

Abstract: A controller is employed in a vehicle including an engine, a motor generator, and a hydraulically-driven clutch. The controller includes a CPU that executes: a first starting process that starts, when starting the engine under a condition in which an increase amount of a torque request value is less than an increase amount determination value, combustion in the engine after increasing an engine rotation speed to a motor rotation speed by engaging the clutch; and a second starting process that starts, when starting the engine under a condition in which the increase amount of the torque request value is greater than or equal to the increase amount determination value, combustion in the engine after the crankshaft starts to be rotated by engaging the clutch, the combustion being started before the engine rotation speed reaches the motor rotation speed.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes an engine as a drive power source, a rotating machine as an electric power generator, and an electric storage device. The control apparatus executes an automatic drive control for automatically controlling a torque of the drive power source in accordance with a requested drive torque without requiring an acceleration/deceleration operation by a driver of the vehicle. During an engine running of the vehicle, the rotating machine is rotated by the engine to generate an electric power, and a charging amount, by which the electric storage device is to be charged, is controlled by controlling the electric power generated by the rotating machine. The control apparatus is configured, during an automatic driving of the vehicle, to set the charging amount such that the charging amount is smaller when the requested drive torque is small than when the requested drive torque is large.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes an engine, an electric motor, a clutch for separating connection between the engine and the electric motor, and a fluid-type transmission device including a lockup clutch and transmitting drive powers of the engine and the electric motor to drive wheels. The control apparatus includes (a) a portion configured, during motor running of the vehicle with the clutch being released, to calculate a predicted value of a rotational speed of the electric motor, depending on an operation state of the lockup clutch; (b) a portion configured to calculate a predicted value of an outputtable maximum torque of the electric motor, by using the predicted value of the rotational speed of the electric motor; (c) a portion configured to determine whether start of the engine is requested or not, by using the predicted value of the outputtable maximum torque of the electric motor.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle of the disclosure includes an engine, a motor that outputs a torque to a driving system, a hydraulic clutch that connects the engine with the motor and disconnects the engine from the motor, and a control device that performs slip control of the hydraulic clutch in response to satisfaction of a start condition of the engine and controls the motor to output at least a cranking torque to the engine. The control device sets a target value of a rotation speed difference between the engine and the motor during execution of the slip control, and increases at least one of a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic clutch, an output torque of the motor and an output torque of the engine when a difference between the rotation speed difference and the target value is out of an allowable range. This configuration ensures good startability of the engine.

Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle of the disclosure includes a clutch controller configured to perform slip control of a hydraulic clutch in response to satisfaction of a start condition of an engine and to perform pressure increase control of increasing a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic clutch with elapse of time after a rotation speed difference between the engine and a motor enters a predetermined range; and an engine controller configured to start fuel injection and ignition of the engine before the rotation speed difference enters the predetermined range, to control the engine such that the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to a target rotation speed after the start of the fuel injection and the ignition, and to increase the target rotation speed of the engine as an angular acceleration of the motor becomes larger during execution of the pressure increase control.

Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, motor that receives power from the engine via an engine connecting and disconnecting device, and automatic transmission, starts the engine in a first starting method in which the engine performs ignition and rotates by itself after the engine speed is increased to be equal to or higher than a predetermined rotational speed through slipping engagement of the engine connecting and disconnecting device, or a second starting method in which the engine performs ignition and rotates by itself from a stage before the engine speed reaches the predetermined rotational speed, and controls the automatic transmission to permit a lower gear position to be established according to shift conditions when the engine is started in the second starting method during a downshift of the automatic transmission, as compared with when the engine is started in the first starting method during the downshift.

Abstract: A clutch is disengaged when a torque condition is satisfied at a predetermined time when a system is stopped as a fuel supply to an engine is stopped from a state where the engine is operating with the clutch being engaged. The torque condition is a condition under which torque acting on an output shaft of the engine is torque in a direction in which an engine speed of the engine is decreased and torque output to a rotary shaft of a motor is torque in a direction in which a motor speed of the motor is decreased.

Abstract: In a driven state phase, target input torque is limited to a first limit value, whereas in a backlash-elimination state phase, the target input torque is limited to a second limit value and target engine torque and torque of a motor-generator are controlled according to the target input torque. In the backlash-elimination state phase, the target input torque is limited to the second limit value that is suitable for mitigating rattling shock, so that rattling shock can be appropriately mitigated. Meanwhile, in the driven state phase, the target input torque is limited to the relatively high first limit value, so that an MG rotation speed can be quickly increased to eliminate a rotational difference, which enhances the responsiveness of driving power up to when required driving power is obtained after elimination of the backlash.

Abstract: A control device executes, when a jump-down shifting is executed, shifting control in which, after engaging elements establishing a pre-shifting gear position are released, an intermediate gear position that is a gear position between the pre-shifting gear position and a post-shifting gear position is established, and after the intermediate gear position is established, the post-shifting gear position is established. When an engaging element able to reduce a rotation speed difference between two rotating bodies connected by engaging elements establishing the intermediate gear position is regarded as a speed difference reducing element, the control device executes a pre-engaging process for generating a torque capacity in the speed difference reducing element while the shifting control is being executed and before establishing the intermediate gear position.

Abstract: A control device executes, when a jump-down shifting is executed, shifting control in which, after engaging elements establishing a pre-shifting gear position are released, an intermediate gear position that is a gear position between the pre-shifting gear position and a post-shifting gear position is established, and after the intermediate gear position is established, the post-shifting gear position is established. When an engaging element able to reduce a rotation speed difference between two rotating bodies connected by engaging elements establishing the intermediate gear position is regarded as a speed difference reducing element, the control device executes a pre-engaging process for generating a torque capacity in the speed difference reducing element while the shifting control is being executed and before establishing the intermediate gear position.

Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, motor that receives power from the engine via an engine connecting and disconnecting device, and automatic transmission, starts the engine in a first starting method in which the engine performs ignition and rotates by itself after the engine speed is increased to be equal to or higher than a predetermined rotational speed through slipping engagement of the engine connecting and disconnecting device, or a second starting method in which the engine performs ignition and rotates by itself from a stage before the engine speed reaches the predetermined rotational speed, and controls the automatic transmission to permit a lower gear position to be established according to shift conditions when the engine is started in the second starting method during a downshift of the automatic transmission, as compared with when the engine is started in the first starting method during the downshift.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle that includes an engine, an electric motor, a clutch for separating connection between the engine and the electric motor, and a fluid-type transmission device including a lockup clutch and transmitting drive powers of the engine and the electric motor to drive wheels. The control apparatus includes (a) a portion configured, during motor running of the vehicle with the clutch being released, to calculate a predicted value of a rotational speed of the electric motor, depending on an operation state of the lockup clutch; (b) a portion configured to calculate a predicted value of an outputtable maximum torque of the electric motor, by using the predicted value of the rotational speed of the electric motor; (c) a portion configured to determine whether start of the engine is requested or not, by using the predicted value of the outputtable maximum torque of the electric motor.

Abstract: A clutch is disengaged when a torque condition is satisfied at a predetermined time when a system is stopped as a fuel supply to an engine is stopped from a state where the engine is operating with the clutch being engaged. The torque condition is a condition under which torque acting on an output shaft of the engine is torque in a direction in which an engine speed of the engine is decreased and torque output to a rotary shaft of a motor is torque in a direction in which a motor speed of the motor is decreased.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle of the disclosure includes an engine, a motor that outputs a torque to a driving system, a hydraulic clutch that connects the engine with the motor and disconnects the engine from the motor, and a control device that performs slip control of the hydraulic clutch in response to satisfaction of a start condition of the engine and controls the motor to output at least a cranking torque to the engine. The control device sets a target value of a rotation speed difference between the engine and the motor during execution of the slip control, and increases at least one of a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic clutch, an output torque of the motor and an output torque of the engine when a difference between the rotation speed difference and the target value is out of an allowable range. This configuration ensures good startability of the engine.

Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle of the disclosure includes a clutch controller configured to perform slip control of a hydraulic clutch in response to satisfaction of a start condition of an engine and to perform pressure increase control of increasing a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic clutch with elapse of time after a rotation speed difference between the engine and a motor enters a predetermined range; and an engine controller configured to start fuel injection and ignition of the engine before the rotation speed difference enters the predetermined range, to control the engine such that the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to a target rotation speed after the start of the fuel injection and the ignition, and to increase the target rotation speed of the engine as an angular acceleration of the motor becomes larger during execution of the pressure increase control.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle provided with a step-variable transmission which is disposed between drive wheels and a drive power source including at least an engine, and which is shifted by changing operating states of coupling devices, the control apparatus including an engine stability time estimating portion configured to estimate a length of stability time required for stabilization of an output state of the engine, when a determination to implement a power-on shift-down action of the step-variable transmission is made, and a control portion configured to delay a moment of generation of a shift-down command to implement the power-on shift-down action of the step-variable transmission, with respect to a moment of the determination to implement the power-on shift-down action, where the estimated length of stability time is longer than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle includes a vehicle driving control portion configured to permit reverse driving of the vehicle in a reverse direction while the automatic transmission is placed in a forward-drive low-speed gear position, with the motor/generator being operated in a negative direction to generate a negative torque, and a transmission shifting control portion configured to implement a control for promotion to establish the forward-drive low-speed gear position, when switching from forward driving of the vehicle to its reverse driving of the vehicle is required in the process of a shifting action of the automatic transmission to the forward-drive low-speed gear position. The transmission shifting control portion implements the control for promotion to establish the forward-drive low-speed gear position, according to a state of control of the engaging-side coupling device to be brought into its engaged state for establishing the forward-drive low-speed gear position.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes a shifting delay control portion configured to delay a moment of generation of a shift-down command to implement a power-on shift-down action of the step-variable transmission, with respect to a moment of determination to implement the power-on shift-down action, for thereby reducing a shifting shock of the step-variable transmission in the process of the power-on shift-down action. The shifting delay control portion adjusts a delay time from the moment of determination to implement the power-on shift-down action to the moment of generation of the shift-down command, on the basis of at least one of an output state of the drive power source; an inertia power required in the process of the power-on shift-down action; a consumption power to be consumed by the coupling devices; and a state of a battery to and from which an electric power is respectively supplied from and to the motor/generator.

Abstract: A control apparatus (80) for a vehicular drive system (12; 105) having a step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) which is shifted to a selected one of speed positions having respective speed ratio values, with engaging and releasing actions of coupling devices (B, C), and a drive power source portion (39; 103) operatively connected to an input shaft (30) of the step-variable transmission portion, the control apparatus being configured to implement a speed synchronizing control upon a shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion in a coasting run of a vehicle (10; 100), wherein an input shaft speed of the step-variable transmission portion is raised with an input shaft torque transmitted from the drive power source portion to the input shaft, from a pre-shift-down synchronizing speed to a post-shift-down synchronizing speed.