Including Automatic Engine Stop Patents (Class 123/179.4)
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Patent number: 8290691Abstract: A method is provided for optimizing the cycling frequency between engine on/off states in a vehicle having a controller and auto start/auto stop functionality. The method includes detecting an engine state cycling event, measuring a plurality of vehicle operating values, and using the controller to optimize the cycling frequency via at least one of: automatically adjusting an interval between an auto start event and an auto stop event when each of a first set of the vehicle operating values exceeds a corresponding threshold, and temporarily inhibiting the auto start/auto stop functionality when any value in a second set of the vehicle operating values falls outside of a hysteresis band created around the second set. A vehicle includes an engine and a controller having an algorithm for optimizing the cycling frequency between engine on/off states as set forth above.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2009Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Chihang Lin, Allen J. Lehmen, James B. Nicholson, Kevin J. Smith
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Publication number: 20120247414Abstract: A method and system for dealing with a change of mind event during an automatic shut-down of an engine 6 having a dual mass flywheel 8 is provided that reduces or eliminates the risk of excessive dual mass resonance during a restart of the engine 6 is disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2012Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Nicholas Dashwood Crisp, Mark Richard Skilling, Chris Connelly
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Patent number: 8271156Abstract: When determined that a driver's accelerator operation is rough during the turn-on condition of an ECO switch 88 while a hybrid vehicle 20 is driven without an operation of an engine 22 (Step S120), a threshold value Pref with respect to a power demand P* is set to a value P2 that is larger than a value P1 of the turn-off condition of the ECO switch 88 so as to give priority to fuel consumption of the engine 22 (Step S140). Then, the engine 22, motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled with a start of the engine 22 as necessary so as to ensure torque equivalent to a torque demand Tr* (Steps S150-S230).Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2007Date of Patent: September 18, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiko Jinno, Tadashi Nakagawa, Masahiko Maeda, Hideaki Yaguchi
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Patent number: 8265860Abstract: The stop-start control apparatus (20) is applied to the spark ignition type internal combustion engine (1), stops the internal combustion engine 1 in a case that a prescribed stop condition is fulfilled, and restarts the internal combustion engine (1) in a case that a prescribed restart condition is fulfilled. The control apparatus cuts spark ignition for the internal combustion engine 1 in response to the fulfillment of the stop condition, and carries on fuel supply to the internal combustion engine (1). When a restart condition is fulfilled after the fulfillment of a stop condition and prior to a complete stop of the internal combustion engine (1), the control apparatus restarts the internal combustion engine (1) by resuming spark ignition for the internal combustion engine (1) in order that fuel supplied after the fulfillment of the stop condition burns.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2008Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Ichinose, Takayuki Otsuka, Rentaro Kuroki
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Patent number: 8256399Abstract: An automatic management and control system for controlling a transport motored vehicle engine idle conditions, operation of vehicle accessories and engine controls when the vehicle is at a rest condition. This system has a controlled unit with a programmable computer having a memory for storing instructions for execution of an interactive management control program by the control unit. The control unit is conditioned by the operator of the vehicle to operate in a cabin heating mode or a cabin air-conditioning mode. The control unit is also conditioned by the control program to enable a defeat protection circuit to control a fast idle switch function in the cabin to prevent a vehicle operator person to attempt to override a idle shut-down mode of the control module when enabled for a set time period whereby to ensure autonomous automatic engine control by the control unit when the vehicle is in the rest condition with the control unit enabled to thereby optimize fuel efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: J.M. Bastille Transport Inc.Inventors: Gaétan Gamache, Alain Gamache
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Patent number: 8251035Abstract: An engine control apparatus is provided that controls an engine which is restarted using an AC motor. The engine control apparatus comprises an engine rotational direction determining section, a restart command determining section and an engine restart prohibiting section. The engine rotational direction determining section is configured to determine a rotational direction of the engine. The restart command determining section is configured to determine if a restart command occurred while a rotational speed of the engine is decreasing due to an idle stop command. The engine restart prohibiting section is configured to selectively prohibit the engine from being restarted by the AC motor in response to the restart command upon determining the engine is rotating backward.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2010Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Hirano, Yasushi Takeda
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Publication number: 20120209501Abstract: A method and device for determining a starter speed of a starter of a start-stop system. At least one electrical variable of the starter is ascertained during a run-up of the starter, and the current starter speed of the starter is determined as a function of it.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2010Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Stefan Tumback, Falco Sengebush
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Publication number: 20120204827Abstract: A method for restarting an internal combustion engine with the aid of direct start and cylinder deactivation, a control unit, and such an internal combustion engine are provided, it being possible to switch between a cylinder deactivation mode, in which at least one cylinder of the internal combustion engine is deactivated, and a full count mode, and the internal combustion engine being operatable in an automatic start-stop strategy having subsequent direct start. The method includes an automatic stop, the cylinders which participate in the subsequent direct start are operated without combustion in the cylinder deactivation mode during the previous driving operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2010Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Udo Sieber, Klaus Ries-Mueller
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Patent number: 8244449Abstract: In an apparatus for detecting a state of a battery serving as a power source for cranking an internal combustion engine, a detecting unit and an internal resistance calculating unit are installed. The detecting unit detects a current and a voltage of the battery during a cranking period of the internal combustion engine, and outputs a parameter associated with at least one of the detected current and voltage of the battery. When a degree of change in the parameter within a specified period included in the cranking period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the internal resistance calculating unit calculates an internal resistance of the battery based on values of the current and voltage of the battery, the values of the current and the voltage being detected within the specified period.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Satoru Mizuno
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Patent number: 8244448Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2009Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Kevin L. Newman
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Publication number: 20120199090Abstract: Provided is an engine starting device enabling the meshing engagement of a pinion gear and a ring gear to be quickly and quietly achieved in an automatic idle-stop system while an engine is rotating by inertia. The engine starting device includes: a ring gear connected to a crankshaft of an engine; a starter motor for starting the engine; a pinion gear for transmitting rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; pinion-gear moving portion for moving the pinion gear so as to achieve meshing engagement with the ring gear; and starter control portion for executing any one of a plurality of control modes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2010Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Masahiko Kurishige, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara, Naohito Kaneda
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Patent number: 8239121Abstract: A stop-time target phase setting unit sets a target phase CAr for an intake valve to a target phase, which is used when an engine is stopped, in response to issuance of an engine stop command. An engine stop control unit generates a series of control commands for an engine stop process in response to issuance of the engine stop command. A motoring command unit generates a first MG control command for rotating the engine using a motor for a predetermined period Tm that is counted by a timer in response to issuance of the engine stop command. Thus, the engine idles even after fuel combustion stops. In this way, the period in which the valve phase can be changed by a VVT mechanism is increased. As a result, a valve phase when the engine stops is reliably brought to the target phase that is suitable for next engine starting.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2008Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayoshi Hattori, Tsukasa Abe
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Patent number: 8225771Abstract: In a startup operation of an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is started by supplying fuel to only a first cylinder group formed of a portion of cylinders, from among a plurality of cylinders that make up the internal combustion engine, when a startup condition of the internal combustion engine has been satisfied, and then fuel starts to be supplied to a second cylinder group formed of the remaining cylinders after the internal combustion engine has started. Meanwhile, in a stopping operation of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is stopped when a shutoff condition of the internal combustion engine is satisfied, by first stopping the supply of fuel to the second cylinder group and then stopping the supply of fuel to the first cylinder group after the supply of fuel to the second cylinder group has been stopped.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2011Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Aso, Hiroshi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8229656Abstract: An engine starting device for controlling an engine start of a vehicle by driving a starter relay of the vehicle with a battery of the vehicle as a power supply has a control processing unit and a step-up circuit for stepping up the output of the battery and outputting a drive voltage for driving the control processing unit and the starter relay.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventors: Yoshihiro Ikushima, Kenichi Kinbara
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Patent number: 8226525Abstract: A hybrid powertrain includes an engine having a crankshaft, and a hybrid transmission having an input member, an output member, and at least one motor/generator operable to provide or receive torque. A damper connects the crankshaft with the input member. A bi-directional rotational position sensing system operatively connects with either the crankshaft or an input side of the damper, and is configured to sense the rotational position and direction of the crankshaft, and provide a position signal indicative thereof. At least one controller is configured to receive the position signal and to provide a torque command to the motor/generator based at least in part on the position signal. The torque command is operable to cause the motor/generator to substantially cancel an expected engine torque pulse associated with the sensed rotational position during starting of the engine with the damper open. A method for controlling the hybrid powertrain is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2009Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Shawn H. Swales, Hong Yang, Antonio E. Bartolomeo
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Patent number: 8196558Abstract: In a system, a starter includes a motor for rotatably driving an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator that shifts the pinion toward a ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A monitor unit monitors a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine drops after an automatic control for stop of the engine. When an engine restart request occurs with the rotational speed being within a preset range during the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine dropping by the automatic control for stop of the engine, a drive unit drives the actuator to shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. The drive unit rotatably drives the motor with the pinion being engaged with the ring gear to thereby crank the crankshaft.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2011Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
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Publication number: 20120138006Abstract: An ISG system prevents fuel consumption due to unnecessary idling, by controlling the start of an engine, in accordance with engine stop conditions and restart conditions of a vehicle equipped with an automatic transmission. A method includes determining whether prior conditions for engine stop in an engine controller when an engine is in operation is satisfied, determining whether the engine can be stopped, when the prior conditions for engine stop are satisfied, determining whether engine stop conditions is satisfied, when the engine can be stopped, stopping the engine that is in operation, when the engine stop conditions are satisfied, determining whether key start conditions are satisfied, when the engine is stopped, determining whether restart is possible, when the key start conditions are not satisfied, determining whether conditions for restart are satisfied, when restart is possible, and restarting the engine, when the restart conditions are satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicants: Kia Motors Corporation, Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Chongah Gwon, Sejun Kim, Jiyong Yu, Junghwan Bang
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Patent number: 8181619Abstract: In a device for controlling idling stop of an engine in which the idling stop is carried out when a temperature of the engine that is about to be stopped by the idling stop is higher than a threshold value, when the start improvement device does not function normally, the idling stop is prohibited regardless of engine temperature. Thus, the problem in which the engine cannot be restarted satisfactorily does not occur.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 2006Date of Patent: May 22, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naofumi Magarida, Fumiaki Hattori, Koichiro Nakatani, Michio Furuhashi, Tomoyuki Kogo, Shinobu Ishiyama
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Patent number: 8171908Abstract: An engine start system which may be employed in automotive idle stop systems. The engine start system includes a pinion gear to be pushed to a ring gear coupled to an engine for achieving meshing engagement with the ring gear. After the pinion gear engages the ring gear, the engine start system starts to rotate the pinion gear using a starter motor to crank the engine. Specifically, when an engine restart request is made following an engine stop request, the engine start system waits until after the speed of the engine drops below a preselected gear engagable speed and then moves the pinion gear toward the ring gear without rotating the pinion gear. This minimizes the consumption of fuel in the vehicle in supplying electric power to the starter motor and a maximum level of mechanical noise arising from the engagement of the pinion gear with the ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Takashi Senda, Akira Kato, Kazushige Okumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
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Publication number: 20120103292Abstract: An apparatus including an engine control unit which is configured to: start to supply electricity to a starter motor and start measurement of a power supply period; supply electricity to a solenoid when an absolute value of a rpm difference between an rpm of the engine and an estimated rpm of a pinion gear determined from a rpm table based on the measured power supply period becomes smaller than a rpm difference threshold value at which the pinion gear and a ring gear can be engaged with each other; judge that the engine is self-resumed when the engine becomes a state capable of self rotation with only fuel supply in a case where the rpm of the engine is larger than the estimated rpm of the pinion gear; and finish supplying electricity to the starter motor and finish measuring the power supply period, and finish supplying electricity to the solenoid.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2011Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Michitaka FUJIWARA, Tsuneo TANABE
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Patent number: 8170778Abstract: On incompletion of port learning, an auto stop-permitting water temperature is set to a temperature which is higher than a temperature set on completion of the port learning and is higher than a port injection temperature as an upper limit temperature that enables an engine to be driven in a port injection drive mode. This arrangement increases the opportunity of continuing the operation of the engine with fuel injection from a port fuel injection valve without an auto stop, thus increasing the opportunity of the port learning.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2007Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Daigo Ando, Kazuhiro Ichimoto, Shinji Yamanaka
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Patent number: 8162801Abstract: A control system includes an auto-stop module, an auto-start module, and a starter module. The auto-stop module stops an engine when a brake pedal position is greater than a threshold position and a transmission is in a drive gear. The auto-start module starts the engine when the brake pedal position is less than a minimum position and the engine stop is initiated. When the engine start is initiated and an engine speed is greater than zero, the starter module engages a pinion gear of a starter with a ring gear of an engine by reciprocally actuating the pinion gear N times between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein N is an integer greater than two.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2010Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Inventors: Sharon Liu, Henry A. Hainer, Michael Simon, Joshua D Cowgill, Douglas R. Verner
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Patent number: 8160804Abstract: A system and method for controlling an internal combustion engine of a vehicle during an automatic shutdown process, in particular to cool the engine to a predetermined safe shutdown temperature, includes the steps of determining that vehicle-idle conditions exist and whether an engine-associated temperature exceeds a predetermined first threshold temperature value, for which a cooling fan is operated to cool the engine, or higher second threshold temperature, for which at least one of the cooling fan and a coolant pump is operated above idle levels and the engine speed may be increased above idle to cool the engine. Cooling fan and/or coolant pump operation is reduced when the engine temperature is determined to have decreased to below the first threshold temperature value. Finally, engine shutdown is completed when predetermined shutdown conditions are fulfilled.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Volvo Group North America, LLCInventors: Wesley Chominsky, Ronald C. Dehart
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Patent number: 8160800Abstract: A method to operate a vehicle equipped with an electronic controlled internal combustion engine. The engine fan is used as a dynamic fan brake when the vehicle exceeds a minimum predetermined operating parameter for a predetermined period of time, and is disabled once the vehicle is operating within predetermined operating parameters.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2007Date of Patent: April 17, 2012Assignee: Detroit Diesel CorporationInventors: Jeffery S. Hawkins, Todd C. Slater, Charles C. Blake, Miguel Menoyo-Alonso, Darren P. Aherne, Matthew T. Baird
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Publication number: 20120080001Abstract: An engine control apparatus is configured to perform engine automatic stop to automatically stop an engine when predetermined engine stop conditions are satisfied and automatically restart the engine when predetermined engine restart conditions are satisfied. The stop conditions including that a vehicle speed decreases below a predetermined stop permission speed. The engine control apparatus includes a variation amount detection means for detecting a variation amount of a brake operation being performed by the vehicle driver during a deceleration period from when the vehicle has started to decelerate to when the vehicle speed has decreased below the stop permission speed, and a stop determination means for determining whether the engine automatic stop should be performed when the engine stop conditions are satisfied based on the variation amount detected by the variation amount detection means.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 22, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Tatsuya SAITO, Nobuhiko SHIMA, Tetsuo MORITA
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Patent number: 8141533Abstract: A control apparatus includes a detection unit that detects a stop request to an engine, a throttle closing control unit that, when the stop request is detected, adjusts an opening amount of a throttle valve to an engine-stop throttle valve opening amount smaller than a current opening amount an engine stop detection unit that detects a stop of the engine, an engine-stop exhaust valve control unit that adjusts an opening/closing characteristic of an exhaust valve of a cylinder that will be placed initially in an intake stroke when the engine is restarted so that, when the opening amount of the throttle valve is adjusted to the engine-stop throttle valve opening amount and a stop of the engine is detected, the exhaust valve has an engine-stop exhaust valve opening/closing characteristic by which a closing timing of the exhaust valve is more delayed than a current closing timing of the exhaust valve.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2007Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Takayuki Demura
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Patent number: 8141534Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle system including an engine that is selectively deactivated during engine idle-stop conditions. One example method includes, during a first condition, engaging an engine starter, without applying a starter current, to the deactivated rotating engine after the engine speed drops below a threshold speed. The method further includes, during a second condition, engaging the starter and adjusting a starter motor switch to apply a starter braking torque to the rotating engine.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2010Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Xiangying Liu, Henry W. Patterson, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Alex O'Connor Gibson, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
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Patent number: 8136497Abstract: A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one embodiment, the method skips combustion in at least one cylinder, according to the engine combustion order, to control engine speed when an engine is automatically restarted. The skipped combustion event may be related to a level of IMEP when combustion in a cylinder occurs under an operating condition.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2011Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Henry W. Patterson
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Patent number: 8131452Abstract: In a system, an angle sensor outputs a pulse each time an output shaft of an internal combustion engine rotates by a preset angle, and a calculator calculates speed-change information indicative of a change in a speed of rotation of the output shaft based on the pulses outputted from the angle sensor. A determiner determines, based on the speed-change information, whether at least one of the pulses outputted from the angle sensor represents a proper timing for a preset of a pinion of a starter with a ring gear mounted on the output shaft. A pinion engaging unit shifts the pinion toward the ring gear so that the pinion is engaged with the ring gear when it is determined that the at least one of the pulses outputted from the angle sensor represents the proper timing for the preset of the pinion with the ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2010Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Takashi Senda, Akira Kato, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kenji Kawahara, Hideya Notani
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Patent number: 8131453Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for expediting engine spin-down in an engine that is shutdown during engine idle-stop conditions and restarted during restart conditions. In one example, the method comprises, during an automatic engine idle-stop, turning off spark, operating a first cylinder with a rich ratio of air to injected fuel richer than a rich flammability limit, operating a second cylinder with a lean ratio of air to injected fuel leaner than a lean flammability limit, and mixing un-combusted exhaust from the first and second cylinders with exhaust, the exhaust mixture being substantially stoichiometric.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2011Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, John D. Russell
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Patent number: 8112185Abstract: A remote engine start confirmation and vehicle monitoring and control system includes a transmitter and a controller capable of receiving and processing transmitter signals, the controller comprising a monitoring circuit for detecting a first pulsed voltage pattern and a second pulsed voltage pattern across the battery during an engine start procedure, a signaling circuit for signaling the disengagement of the starter from the engine after a detection of the termination of the first pulsed voltage pattern and the start of the second pulsed voltage pattern, and an initiation circuit for initiating the monitoring of a vehicle condition, such as overheating or low fuel, after the detection. A method for controlling the vehicle operation includes detecting an occurrence of a vehicle condition and performing an operation based on the detection, such as terminating ignition voltage or fuel supply or notifying the operator of the vehicle condition via the transmitter.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2006Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: DEI Headquarters, Inc.Inventor: Anthony M. Wu
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Patent number: 8095299Abstract: A method for starting a vehicle engine includes determining a throttle angle command output based on a throttle adjustment parameter. The throttle angle command output may be further adjusted based on a learned compensation adder and may be based on a number of vehicle engine starts. A throttle angle corresponding to the throttle angle command output is provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2009Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Douglas Raymond Martin, Khang Thanh Hong, William David Treharne, Tobias John Pallett, Jonathan Andrew Butcher
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Patent number: 8095298Abstract: In a variable valve actuation system of an internal combustion engine employing a variable valve actuator capable of variably adjusting at least intake valve closure timing depending on engine operating conditions, a processor of a control unit is programmed to phase-advance the intake valve closure timing to a predetermined timing value after a piston top dead center position and before a piston bottom dead center position on intake stroke during at least one of an engine starting period and an engine stopping period. The variable valve actuator includes a biasing device by which the intake valve closure timing is permanently biased toward the predetermined timing value.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2010Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Seinosuke Hara
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Publication number: 20110315108Abstract: Provided is a control device for an engine which is capable of purifying NOx with high efficiency at a restart after an idle stop without deteriorating purification efficiency of HC and CO. At the restart after the idle stop, an air-fuel ratio is controlled to be rich, and an atmosphere inside of a catalyst is estimated on the basis of a required time ?T from a time point at which an output value (VO2—2) of first oxygen concentration detection means upstream of the catalyst exceeds a predetermined value A1 to a time point at which an output value (VO2—2) of second oxygen concentration detection means downstream of the catalyst exceeds a predetermined value A2, whereby an air-fuel ratio at next and subsequent restarts is corrected so that the atmosphere inside of the catalyst is optimized at the next and subsequent restarts.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2010Publication date: December 29, 2011Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.Inventors: Shinji Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Kanetoshi, Kouzo Katougi, Takanobu Ichihara, Minoru Ohsuga, Hiroyuki Takamura
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Publication number: 20110308490Abstract: The invention relates to a starting method for internal combustion engines in motor vehicles, comprising a start-stop system, and to a starting device (10) for carrying out said method, said starting device comprising a starter motor (11) and an insertion device (12, 20) which axially inserts a slip-on pinion (13) into a crown gear (14) of the internal combustion engine when a stop cycle begins. In order to minimize the period until the engine can be restarted, the pinion (13) is resiliently inserted into the still rotating crown gear (14) by means of a pressure spring (25) when the stop phase begins, once the internal combustion engine (15) is switched off but before it comes to a standstill and with the starter motor (11) switched off.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2009Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Sven Hartmann, Juergen Gross, Stefan Tumback
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Patent number: 8082079Abstract: In a case where an engine ECU determines that the engine is started (restarted), the engine ECU notifies an EPSECU that cranking is to be performed to start the engine before performing the cranking. When such a notification is received, the EPSECU gradually reduces a current command limit value I*_lim and a boost voltage limit value Vbp_lim before the cranking is started.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2009Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventor: Tomoya Nakai
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Patent number: 8079340Abstract: In a system for cranking a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, a starter is provided with a motor working to, when energized, rotatably drive an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator working to, when energized, shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A power supply is electrically connected to the motor and operative to output electrical power. A first mechanical relay is electrically connected between the power supply and the motor, and works to turn on and off a supply of a current based on the electrical power to the motor for rotating the pinion. A switching element is electrically connected across the first mechanical relay, and works to turn on and off the supply of the current to the motor for rotating the pinion.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2009Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
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Patent number: 8069832Abstract: In a system, a starter includes a motor for rotatably driving an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator that shifts the pinion toward a ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A monitor unit monitors a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine drops after an automatic control for stop of the engine. When an engine restart request occurs with the rotational speed being within a preset range during the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine dropping by the automatic control for stop of the engine, a drive unit drives the actuator to shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. The drive unit rotatably drives the motor with the pinion being engaged with the ring gear to thereby crank the crankshaft.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
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Publication number: 20110295494Abstract: An engine system includes a stop-start module that generates a shut down signal to shut down an engine. A friction module that generates a friction signal based on the engine shut down signal. The friction signal indicates an estimate of a sum of friction forces between components of the engine. A position module estimates a position of the engine and generates a position signal. An energy module estimates kinetic energy of the engine based on the friction signal and the position signal. A cylinder deactivation module stops the engine based on the kinetic energy in at least one of (i) a predetermined position and (ii) a predetermined range.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Qi Ma, Robert Douglas Shafto
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Publication number: 20110290216Abstract: A control system for an auto-stop/start vehicle includes a transmission load module, a target engine speed module, and an actuator control module. The transmission load module determines a load imposed on an engine through a transmission. The target engine speed module selectively determines a target engine speed during an engine startup event based on the load. The actuator control module controls at least one engine actuator based on the target engine speed during the engine startup event.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: GM CLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Qi Ma, Robert Douglas Shafto
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Publication number: 20110290212Abstract: A control system for a vehicle that includes an engine includes an engine-stop module and a fuel control module. The engine-stop module determines whether to stop the engine based on at least one of input from a driver of the vehicle and vehicle operating parameters. The fuel control module stops the engine and controls a rate of engine speed decay by disabling fueling to cylinders of the engine according to a predetermined sequence.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Amin Abboud, Norman Schoenek, Qi Ma, Gary E. McGee, Joseph R. Dulzo
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Patent number: 8065069Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle 20, when an ECO switch 88 is turned off while an intermittent operation of an engine 22 is prohibited in response to a warm-up demand of the engine 22 according to a cooling water temperature Tw or a heating demand, the engine 22 is autonomously operated at a target rotational speed Ne* derived and set from a normal autonomous rotational speed setting map (Steps 170, S190). When the ECO switch 88 is turned on while the warm-up is demanded, the engine 22 is autonomously operated at the target rotational speed Ne* set based on an ECO mode autonomous rotational speed setting map so as to be not more than the value derived from the normal autonomous rotational speed setting map (Steps 180, S190).Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2007Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiko Jinno, Tadashi Nakagawa, Masahiko Maeda, Hideaki Yaguchi
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Publication number: 20110271927Abstract: Starting and stopping an engine is automatically controlled based on a load without using a relay. An inverter engine-driven power generator has an alternator, a rectifying circuit, a DC/DC converter, and an inverter circuit. A load detection circuit is connected to an output of the inverter circuit in parallel. A load detection line of the load detection circuit is connected to an output line of the inverter circuit in parallel via resistors. A power supply formed of a battery is connected to the load detection line. A decision circuit outputs a load detection signal when a current having a preset value or more flows through the load detection line. A drive/stop CPU starts the engine in response to the load detection. The resistors are set at a resistance value which does not influence a load to which a generator output is supplied.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Masanori Ueno, Makoto Ogawa
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Patent number: 8049605Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at allowing a vehicle to idle for a predetermined amount of time before shutdown. In accordance with one embodiment, a method is provided that accepts input from the vehicle operator to initiate a countdown to vehicle shutdown. When the input is received, a countdown is initiated that is regularly updated to reflect the passage of time. During the countdown, a vehicle ignition bus is maintained in an active state and a countdown value that reflects the time remaining before shutdown is presented on a graphical display. Then, in response to expiration of the countdown, the method allows the vehicle ignition bus to transition into an inactive state.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2011Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: PACCAR IncInventors: Martin Jay Caspe-Detzer, Andrew Joseph Ressa, Phu Vi Tran, Ian David O'Connor, John William Espinosa, Paul Stephen Crowe
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Patent number: 8047173Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a stop and automatic restart device for a thermal engine of a vehicle, comprising electric energy storage means and a reversible alternator connected to the thermal engine. The method comprises: comparing (16, 18) the temperature of the alternator (10) with a first predetermined temperature detecting (16, 18) the occurrence of at least one of the two following conditions concerning the electric energy storage means: a temperature (12) lower than a second predetermined temperature and a charge level (14) lower than a predetermined threshold; and if the alternator temperature is higher than the first predetermined temperature and if at least one of said two conditions occurs, inhibiting (26) the automatic restart of the engine.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SAInventor: Philippe Jourdes
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Patent number: 8050851Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle, once an engine is started in response to prohibition of an operation stop of the engine based on a deterioration factor, the operation stop of the engine is not allowed irrespective of the value of the deterioration factor D until elapse of a certain time period since the start of the engine. The deterioration factor has an increase according to discharge of a battery and a decrease according to charge of the battery and represents start of deterioration of the battery when exceeding a specific reference value. Such prohibition of the engine operation stop prevents a stop of the engine within a relatively short time period after a start of the engine based on the deterioration factor. This arrangement effectively prevents the driver from feeling odd and uncomfortable due to frequent stops and starts of the engine based on the deterioration factor, which is not apparently correlated to the driver's accelerating operations.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2009Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takanori Aoki, Tomokazu Nomura
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Patent number: 8036815Abstract: In a system, a starter includes a motor for rotatably driving an output shaft with a pinion and an actuator that shifts the pinion toward a ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. A monitor unit monitors a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine drops after an automatic control for stop of the engine. When an engine restart request occurs with the rotational speed being within a preset range during the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine dropping by the automatic control for stop of the engine, a drive unit drives the actuator to shift the pinion toward the ring gear to be engaged with the ring gear. The drive unit rotatably drives the motor with the pinion being engaged with the ring gear to thereby crank the crankshaft.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
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Publication number: 20110239974Abstract: An internal-combustion-engine automatic stop and restart system according to the present invention is provided with a restarting control unit that performs restarting control of the internal combustion engine by making the pinion pushing unit push out the pinion gear so as to engage the pinion gear with the ring gear, when the restarting condition is satisfied in a time period from a time instant when the automatic stopping condition is satisfied to a time instant when the rotation of the internal combustion engine stops; and a throttle valve control unit that opens the throttle valve even when the restarting condition has not been satisfied and stops control of the throttle valve in a time period from a time instant when the rotation of the internal combustion engine stops to a time instant when the restarting condition is satisfied, when the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine becomes lower than a predetermined value in a time period from a time instant when the automatic stopping condition isType: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2010Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Tomohisa SHODA, Osamu Ishikawa
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Publication number: 20110232597Abstract: A method and a device (5) for controlling an engine stop/restart system (1) to be mounted on an automobile. The device (5) includes a control module (6) that obtains at least one parameter (Tbat, Ubat, Ibat) representative of the state of an energy storage unit (8), determines information on the energetic state of the energy storage unit (8) from said at least one obtained parameter (Tbat, Ubat, Ibat), and controls the engine stop/restart system (1) based on the determined energetic state information. The energetic state information is set at a predetermined value when the method controls a stop authorization of the engine stop/restart system (1).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2008Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: VALEO EQUIPEMENTS ELECTRIQUES MOTEURInventors: Daniel Benchetrite, Benoit Soucaze-Guillous, Ertugrul Taspinar, Magali Laurence, Paul Eric Chupin, Frédéric Devanne, Brice Lecole, Benoit Gareil
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Patent number: 8000885Abstract: Target rotation speed at a reference point, which is set at a top dead center (TDC) preceding a target stop position of engine rotation by a predetermined crank angle, is set. A target trajectory of an engine rotation behavior extending since an engine rotation stop behavior starts until the target rotation speed at the reference point is reached is calculated based on the target rotation speed at the reference point and an engine friction. Torque of an alternator (electric machinery) is controlled to conform the engine rotation behavior to the target trajectory during the engine rotation stop behavior. The target rotation speed at the reference point is set to rotation speed that is equal to or lower than lower limit rotation speed of a rotation speed range, where the torque of the alternator is generated, and that is close to the lower limit rotation speed.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2009Date of Patent: August 16, 2011Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Nakai