Including Automatic Engine Stop Patents (Class 123/179.4)
  • Publication number: 20110180031
    Abstract: An ECM 2 performs an idle-stop operation on a vehicle internal combustion engine 4 in an idle operation state. The ECM 2 is supplied with power from a battery 3. The ECM 2 restarts the internal combustion engine 4 upon request by supplying power from the battery 3 to the starter motor 5. The ECM 2 is programmed to determine if the ECM 2 has experienced an unexpected restart during an engine start-up operation (S1, S2), and prevent the idle-stop operation from being executed on the internal combustion engine 4 when the determination is affirmative. Thus, starting failure of the internal combustion engine 4 from an operation-ceased state can be prevented without preventing the idle-stop operation from being executed excessively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Inventor: Shouta HAMANE
  • Publication number: 20110174255
    Abstract: In a method of a start-stop control for an internal combustion engine including briefly stopping and starting the internal combustion engine using an electric machine as a starter, the internal combustion engine is switched off by an engine control when switch-off conditions obtain, and the start-stop control queries whether a start signal exists on the basis of switch-on conditions. In order to ensure that a restart of the internal combustion engine is able to be performed more quickly, the start-stop control acts on the internal combustion engine using an operating strategy within a time period t until the internal combustion engine comes to a standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Martin Neuburger, Karl-Otto Schmidt, Apostolos Tsakiris
  • Publication number: 20110174256
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Aso, Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7983833
    Abstract: At a time of stopping operation of an engine, after elapse of a preset time period since start of self-sustaining operation of the engine at a stop rotation speed Nstop, the drive control sets a torque command Tm1* of a motor MG1 to a rotation speed-decreasing, vibration-suppressing torque and starts decreasing a rotation speed Ne of the engine (steps S100, S140, S150, S170, and S180). The rotation speed-decreasing, vibration-suppressing torque is set to smoothly decrease the rotation speed of the engine and suppress the potential vibration caused by the decreased rotation of the engine. A correction torque Tmod is set based on a crank angle CA and an engine water temperature Tw at the rotation speed Ne of the engine decreasing to a preset reference speed Nref (step S200). The torque command Tm1* of the motor MG1 is then set by adding the set correction torque Tmod to the rotation speed-decreasing, vibration-suppressing torque (step S210).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shinichi Sugai
  • Publication number: 20110132308
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Xiangying Liu, Henry W. Patterson, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Alex O'Connor Gibson, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 7949461
    Abstract: In a motor vehicle with idle stop function, upon satisfaction of preset engine restart conditions (step S205), automatic engine restart control refers to a preset map representing a variation in amount of fuel Q1, which is to be initially injected into a cylinder Cyin stopping in an intake stroke, against the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin, and specifies the amount of fuel Q1 corresponding to the detected piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin (step S220). The automatic engine restart control then controls an injector to inject the specified amount of fuel Q1 into an intake port of the cylinder Cyin (step S230). Under the condition that the piston stop position Pin of the cylinder Cyin suggests low gas intake performance, the increased amount of fuel Q1 is injected into the intake port of the cylinder Cyin. This arrangement desirably reduces a misfire rate at the timing of first combustion and thereby improves the startability of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Shigenori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7941266
    Abstract: In a method for controlling an internal combustion engine (1) for a motor vehicle in stop-start operation, the internal combustion engine (1) is operated in the idling operating state. If there is a request for switch-off of the internal combustion engine (1) the torque produced by the internal combustion engine (1) is reduced while fuel continues to be injected. The fuel injection is switched off if the speed of the internal combustion engine (1) reaches a predetermined minimum value. The torque produced by the internal combustion engine (1) is increased again if the request for switching off the internal combustion engine (1) is canceled before the minimum speed is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Bayerle, Frank Hacker
  • Publication number: 20110100326
    Abstract: Provided is an engine control unit which is capable of determining whether or not a sudden change in ETC characteristic has occurred, timely learning the ETC characteristic, and thus suppressing excessive racing of an engine and enhancing torque realizing accuracy thereof, at a time other than the opportunity of a regular air quantity learning in a vehicle having no idle state or a less frequent opportunity of the idle state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Yoshida, Atsushi Komuro
  • Patent number: 7937212
    Abstract: A device is provided with which it is made possible to rapidly determine that an internal combustion engine is in a stop state and to prevent an erroneous determination of starting. In a stop determination device provided with a detection unit that detects the rotation direction of the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, it is determined that the internal combustion engine is in a stop state, in the case where a signal from the detection unit is not inputted for a predetermined time or in the case where a rotation-direction signal from the detection unit continuously reverses thrice or more times. Additionally, in the case where, from the detection unit, a signal of the same rotation direction is continuously inputted twice or more times, a determination that an internal combustion engine is in a stop state is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuyoshi Hori
  • Patent number: 7931002
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Henry W. Patterson
  • Patent number: 7933711
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Norman Ulrey, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, John D. Russell
  • Publication number: 20110088647
    Abstract: In a method for starting an internal combustion engine (60) having multiple combustion chambers (62, 64, 66, 68), wherein said internal combustion engine (60) has a starting system (50) and is operated using a start-stop function, and wherein said starting system (50) is actuated after a stop phase in operation of said internal combustion engine (60) to restart said internal combustion engine (60), a combustion chamber (62, 64, 66, 68) to be ignited first of the multiple combustion chambers (62, 64, 66, 68) is determined upon a restart of the internal combustion engine (60), and after a first ignition of the combustion chamber (62, 64, 66, 68) to be ignited first, speed data for the internal combustion engine (60) are detected, and a starter release of the starting system (50) is caused if the detected speed data meet a predetermined starter release criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: Robert Bosch GMBH
    Inventors: Ruediger Weiss, Jean-Marc Tonye Djon, Jochen Laubender, Manfred Dietrich, Elias Calva, Karsten Kroepke
  • Publication number: 20110061628
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine is ignition-combustion started with or without cranking by controlling the ignition-combustion based on combustion chamber pressure, or engine temperature, or piston position, or the time elapsed since the engine was stopped, or a combination of these considerations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hidehiro Fujita, Naoki Osada, Yoshitaka Matsuki, Masahiko Yuya, Atsushi Mitsuhori, Tadanori Yanai, Takatsugu Katayama, Shouta Hamane
  • Publication number: 20110056450
    Abstract: In a system, a pinion shift unit starts shift of a pinion to a ring gear for engagement therebetween during an internal combustion engine coasting in a forward direction after an automatic stop of the internal combustion engine. An engagement determining unit determines whether the pinion and the ring gear have any one of first and second positional relationships therebetween. The first positional relationship represents that the pinion is at least partly engaged with the ring gear. The second positional relationship represents that the pinion is in abutment with the ring gear. When an engine restart condition is met before it is determined that the pinion and the ring gear have any one of first and second positional relationships therebetween after the start of the shift of the pinion to the ring gear, a rotation adjusting unit adjusts a start timing of rotation of the pinion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hideya NOTANI
  • Patent number: 7898401
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: PACCAR Inc
    Inventors: Martin Jay Caspe-Detzer, Andrew Joseph Ressa, Phu Vi Tran, Ian David O'Connor, John William Espinosa, Paul Stephen Crowe
  • Patent number: 7890243
    Abstract: A method controls an automatic shut-off process of an internal combustion engine having a start/stop device, when predetermined shut-off conditions are satisfied by corresponding influential variables, and controls a start-up process, when predetermined start-up conditions are satisfied by corresponding influential variables. Variables influencing the evaluation of the shut-off and/or start-up conditions include the presence of a vehicle key, the state of a tank ventilation system, the fuel tank fill level, the state of a diesel particulate filter, an activity state of a workshop mode, works mode, service mode and/or production mode, the current ambient temperature outside the vehicle, an evaluation of a device for detecting the occupancy, the detection of a cylinder synchronization process, an activity state of a driving speed control system, an auto hold function in vehicles with automatic transmissions, an electric parking brake, and/or a hill hold function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Dirk Abendroth
  • Publication number: 20110017165
    Abstract: An engine start control system is provided that includes a controller configured to perform an idle stop control to stop an engine based on an establishment of a condition. The system further includes a motor configured to reverse-rotationally drive a crankshaft to a predetermined position for normal-rotational or reverse-rotational driving, after engine stop. The controller includes a reverse-rotational drive controller configured to reverse-rotationally drive the motor at a rewinding control duty ratio immediately after the engine is stopped. The controller further includes a reverse-rotation stop condition processor configured to detect whether the crankshaft is rewound to the predetermined position by the reverse-rotational drive controller. Further, the controller includes a motor brake controller configured to apply a brake to the crankshaft by reverse-rotationally driving the motor when it is detected that the crankshaft is rewound to the predetermined position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshifumi OSAWA, Toshiya NAGATSUYU, Kanichiro OGIYA
  • Publication number: 20110005486
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle system automatically stops an internal combustion engine of a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is satisfied and automatically starts the automatically stopped internal combustion engine when a predetermined start condition is satisfied. A stop point detection unit detects a stop point, at which the vehicle possibly stops, while the vehicle travels based on map information stored in a map information storage unit. A traveling information control unit stores traveling information, which includes a state of the vehicle stopping at a stop point and a state of the vehicle passing by the stop point, in the traveling information storage unit. A stop determination unit determines whether to stop the internal combustion engine when the vehicle stops at a stop point based on the traveling information of the stop point stored in the traveling information storage unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuo Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7861683
    Abstract: After an engine automatic stop processing is started, a diagnosis of a starter is started at a time of t1 when an engine speed drops to a diagnosis starting speed. Before the engine speed drops to the lower limit speed at which an engine can be restarted without being cranked by the starter, the diagnosis of the starter is conducted. In the diagnosis of the starter, it is determined whether the starter is faulty based on a current passing through the starter when a relay is turned off to stop energization of the starter before the starter actually rotates after the relay is turned on. Thereby, a malfunction of the starter can be detected before the engine is automatically stopped. It is avoided to automatically stop the engine which is incapable of being automatically restarted due to the malfunction of the starter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Soichi Saitoh, Eijirou Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100326389
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
  • Patent number: 7826961
    Abstract: In an engine ECU (60), a threshold line LS1 and a threshold line LS2 are set as threshold lines used when stopping of an engine is prohibited based on a coolant temperature Tw. The threshold line LS1 is set to ensure a predetermined heating capacity. The threshold value on the threshold line LS2 is higher than the threshold value on the threshold line LS1. When the vehicle is moving, the threshold line LS2 is selected to prohibit/permit stopping of the engine. This increases the amount of heat stored in an engine coolant. When the vehicle is stopped, the threshold line LS1 is selected to prohibit/permit stopping of the engine. This decreases the frequency of starting the engine in the stopped vehicle, while maintaining the predetermined heating capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Jinno
  • Publication number: 20100269776
    Abstract: An ECU in an automatic engine control device predicts a maximum discharging current to be supplied from a battery to a starter during a next restart of the engine based on a present voltage, an internal resistance value of the battery, and a starter total resistance value during automatic engine stop. The ECU further predicts a minimum voltage of the battery during a period until the next restart of the engine based on the present voltage, the present internal resistance value of the battery, and the predicted maximum discharging current. The ECU judges whether or not execution of the next restart of the engine during the automatic engine stop based on the predicted minimum voltage of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoru MIZUNO
  • Publication number: 20100242889
    Abstract: A method automatically starts an internal combustion engine having variable valve lift. The internal combustion engine is shut down temporarily in certain driving operating states in order to save fuel and being re-started in the event of a change in the driving operating state. During the engine run-down, the inlet valve is actuated such that the closing time is shifted, with the cylinder being opened via the inlet valve until a pressure compensation has taken place in the cylinder in which an under-pressure would prevail during the engine run-down.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ruben Van Den Bergh
  • Patent number: 7801672
    Abstract: A pressure reducing valve is provided for reducing fuel pressure in a high-pressure fuel system, which supplies high-pressure fuel from a high-pressure pump to an injector, after an engine stops. An ECU detects or estimates an engine stop position when the engine stops and sets after-stop target fuel pressure in accordance with the detected or estimated engine stop position. The ECU controls a valve opening action of the pressure reducing valve to reduce the fuel pressure in the high-pressure fuel system to the after-stop target fuel pressure after the engine stops. In the control, the ECU sets the after-stop target fuel pressure to be lower as a piston position of a cylinder in a compression stroke at the engine stop position is closer to a top dead center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Kuniaki Ueda
  • Patent number: 7801663
    Abstract: Method for identifying the thresholds at which pollutant gases are emitted with a view to controlling the operation in “stop and start” mode by stopping an engine just before and while a motor vehicle is stationary, whereby, upon each re-start, the amount of fuel injected is calculated, and the difference between the amount of fuel injected and the normal amount of fuel needed is calculated, the said resulting quantity being considered to represent the amount of fuel that was injected but not burnt; the said amount of fuel injected but not burnt is then compared against a predetermined threshold value, according to the distance covered, and finally, “stop and start” operation is or is not inhibited according to whether the said amount of fuel injected but not burnt is above or below the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventor: Jean-Christophe Denis
  • Publication number: 20100229815
    Abstract: In a system installed in a vehicle, an automatic stop of an engine is carried out when an engine automatic stop condition is met during the vehicle being decelerated. The automatically stopped engine is restarted when an engine restart condition is met before the vehicle is stopped. A vehicle speed obtaining unit obtains a vehicle speed, and a threshold determining unit determines a threshold based on a predetermined-timing value of the vehicle speed. The predetermined-timing value is obtained at a predetermined timing when or after the engine restart condition is met. The threshold is used to determine whether to enable a next automatic stop of the engine. A stop enabling unit enables the next automatic stop of the engine when the speed of the vehicle obtained after the engine restart condition is met is equal to or higher than the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi SENDA, Kenji KAWAHARA
  • Publication number: 20100224157
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoru MIZUNO
  • Patent number: 7788023
    Abstract: A hybrid electronic control unit sends a combustion start command to an engine ECU when the rotation speed of an engine reaches a combustion start rotation speed by engine cranking. The engine ECU sends an initial explosion advance notification to the hybrid electronic control unit when the crank position of the engine reaches a specific position prior to an ignition timing of an initial explosion cylinder by a preset crank angle ?ec. Ignition of the initial explosion cylinder is performed at a timing when the crank position is further rotated by the preset crank angle ?ec. The hybrid electronic control unit sends a torque command in view of a counter torque T? to a motor ECU after elapse of a preset time period tv.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daigo Ando, Fumikazu Satou, Takeshi Kanayama
  • Publication number: 20100180849
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi SENDA, Akira KATO, Mitsuhiro MURATA, Masami NIIMI, Kenji KAWAHARA, Hideya NOTANI
  • Publication number: 20100174473
    Abstract: Method and systems are provided for controlling a vehicle system including an engine that is selectively deactivated during engine idle-stop conditions. One example method comprises, adjusting a brake torque applied to a deactivated rotating engine after an engine restart request, the brake torque applied to slow the engine to at least a predetermined threshold speed without stopping the engine, and engaging a starter to the still rotating engine to increase the engine speed and restart the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Gopichandra Surnilla, Donald Lewis, Joseph Norman Ulrey, John D. Russell
  • Patent number: 7751964
    Abstract: A control unit and method are provided for controlling an automatic shut-off process of a vehicle power plant in a motor vehicle, wherein the control unit emits a shut-off signal for initiating corresponding shut-off measures for automatically shutting off the vehicle power plant, when predetermined shut-off request conditions are fulfilled, and no predetermined shut-off inhibiting condition is fulfilled. The control unit sends to a memory unit a memory signal for storing at least one memory entry, allocated to a shut-off inhibiting condition, when predetermined conditions are fulfilled. In an analogous manner, a control unit and method are designed for controlling an automatic start-up process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Volker Dietz
  • Patent number: 7739018
    Abstract: A stopping position control apparatus of an internal combustion engine includes an engine friction model for calculating the friction around a crankshaft, which calculates friction in the internal combustion engine, and a transmission friction model for calculating the friction around the crankshaft, which calculates friction in a transmission. When a clutch arranged between the internal combustion engine and the transmission is engaged, a crankshaft stopping position is calculated based on the friction calculated by both the engine friction model and the transmission friction model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Noriyasu Adachi
  • Patent number: 7725246
    Abstract: A method and a start control device are provided for controlling an automatic start-up process of a drive unit of a motor vehicle. The drive unit is automatically started when all of the predetermined start-up conditions are fulfilled. However, even in the event that an absence of the driver is detected, the drive unit automatically starts when the speed of the motor vehicle is greater than a predetermined limit speed and all other start-up conditions are fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengelsellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Abendroth, Peter Straehle
  • Publication number: 20100116236
    Abstract: An engine start control device includes a starter energizing circuit that has two transistors connected in series and energizes a starter relay, and an idling stop ECU that performs energization control to turn on a transistor and energizes the starter relay when automatic start requirements are satisfied. Prior to the energization control, the idling stop ECU sequentially performs OFF failure detection and ON failure detection in one of the transistors, and OFF failure detection and ON failure detection in the other one of the transistors. The failure detection is aborted when failure is found. With this structure, ON failure in the two transistors can be detected with accuracy, and inadvertent driving of the starter can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuhi Yamaguchi, Yoshimi Takatori
  • Patent number: 7711471
    Abstract: A fuel injection control method for controlling fuel injection to a plurality of cylinders of an engine is disclosed. The method involves the use of a fuel injection control device that includes a key switch, an engine rotation sensor, and a controller, wherein the key switch initiates an engine stopping operation, engine rotation sensor recognizes fuel injection to a specific cylinder, and then the controller stops fuel injection. A phase difference is provided between fuel injection of the specific engine and that of another engine so as to control fuel injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Yanmar Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Takahashi, Takao Kawabe
  • Patent number: 7706961
    Abstract: In a process of automatically stopping a diesel engine upon fulfillment of automatic engine stop conditions, an ECU cuts off fuel injection when the engine speed equals a preset first engine speed N1. The ECU limits the amount of intake air at the first engine speed N1 and, then, increases the amount of intake air at a point in time when the engine speed equals a second engine speed N2, at which point a piston in a cylinder which will be on a compression stroke at engine stop is expected to transfer to a last intake stroke, so that the piston in the compression stroke cylinder at engine stop stops at a point within a specified range closer to the bottom dead center than a piston in a cylinder which will be on an expansion stroke at engine stop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Masayuki Tetsuno
  • Patent number: 7699034
    Abstract: A method is provided for controlling an automatic shut-off process of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle. An automatic shut-off process of the internal combustion engine is inhibited as a function of predetermined operating conditions. The automatic shut-off process of the internal combustion engine is inhibited, if the internal combustion engine was started by a tow start process within a current operating cycle or within a predetermined number of previous operating cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Dirk Abendroth, Werner Weigl, Peter Straehle
  • Patent number: 7702451
    Abstract: A programmable engine-start system which includes a controller for mounting on a dashboard and which includes an input device for inputting a start time, a clock for keeping accurate time, a safety circuit for shutting off the engine, a display panel for displaying engine start status, a first wiring between the controller and the ignition switch, and a second wiring between the controller and a battery source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Inventor: Jeffrey Crossley
  • Patent number: 7698053
    Abstract: An economy running system having: a function of stopping an internal combustion engine of a vehicle when the vehicle stops and all of stop conditions are satisfied; and a function of restarting the internal combustion engine of the vehicle. The economy running system includes: a control unit that judges whether the vehicle stops or not, and judges whether each of the stop conditions is satisfied or not; and a notification unit. When the control unit judges that the vehicle stops and that at least one of the stop conditions is not satisfied, the control unit causes the notification unit to notify to a user first notification information concerned with the at least one of the stop conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Naoto Mori
  • Publication number: 20100083926
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
  • Patent number: 7681545
    Abstract: An idling stop control of the invention attains an auto start and an auto stop of an engine. At a time point t1, pre-set stop conditions are met to cut off a fuel supply to the engine. Preset starting conditions may be met at a time point t2 when the engine still continues rotating in a normal direction by the inertial force. In this state, the idling stop control starts cranking the engine. The preset starting conditions may be met at a time point t4 when a piston does not complete a compression cycle immediately before a stop of the engine but is pressed back by the compressed air to rotate the engine in a reverse direction. In this state, the idling stop control waits until cancellation of the reverse rotation of the engine and then starts cranking the engine. The arrangement of the invention desirably ensures a quick start of the engine, while effectively preventing an excess stress from acting on a gear mechanism, which connects a starter motor to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Taki, Minoru Kato
  • Patent number: 7681546
    Abstract: A device for controlling the operating state of a system for the automatic starting/stopping of a heat engine of a vehicle. The invention is characterized in that the device comprises at least one operating state indicator (F1, F2) which is associated with an operating mode of the system and which can adopt a first position (B1, P1) in an operating mode inhibition state, a second position (B2, P2) in an operating mode activation state and a third position (B3, P3) in an operating mode intermediate state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Brice Lecole, Magali Laurence
  • Publication number: 20100059007
    Abstract: 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 engageble 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: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Senda, Akira Kato, Kazushige Okumoto, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
  • Publication number: 20100050970
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazushige Okumoto, Akira Kato, Takashi Senda, Mitsuhiro Murata, Masami Niimi, Kiyokazu Haruno
  • Patent number: 7669569
    Abstract: A method of regulating a crankshaft position in a hybrid electric vehicle includes deactivating cylinders of an internal combustion engine, driving a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine using an electric machine, and determining a target crankshaft position when a rotational speed of the crankshaft crosses a first threshold. The crankshaft is driven towards the target crankshaft position at a nudge rotational speed, and rotation of the crankshaft is braked using the electric machine when a brake crankshaft position is achieved at the target rotational speed. Rotation of the crankshaft is arrested at the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Goro Tamai, Mark A. Zerbini, James L. Worthing
  • Patent number: 7668642
    Abstract: An electronic control unit executes a delay control and a load compensation control. In the delay control, the period from when an engine stop request for an engine is made to when the engine is actually stopped is extended. In the load compensation control, the engine power is adjusted according to the driving load of auxiliary devices. Further, if the engine stop request is made during operation of a compressor, which is one of the auxiliary devices, the electronic control unit executes a power reduction control, in which ignition timing is retarded to temporarily reduce the engine power. As a result, in an internal combustion engine that executes the delay control, sudden increases in the engine speed that are likely to occur when an engine stop request is made during operation of auxiliary devices are reliably suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Naohide Fuwa, Masanori Abino, Tomohiro Sato
  • Patent number: 7653478
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine stop position in a hybrid electric vehicle having a motor capable of controlling engine speed is provided. The method includes: a) reducing the engine speed according to an first engine speed reduction rate using the motor in a state where fuel supplied to the engine is cut off; b) after the engine speed is reduced to first reference speed, adjusting an actual engine speed reduction rate according to second engine speed reduction rate using the motor, and monitoring a current crank position to count the number of times when the current crank position coincides with a given target engine stop position; and c) if the number of times is more than a predetermined number and if the actual engine speed is equal to or below second reference speed, stopping the engine using the motor when the current crank position coincides with the target engine stop position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Young Kug Park
  • Publication number: 20100000487
    Abstract: An ECU restarts a diesel engine without using a starter by injecting fuel into one of a plurality of cylinders, which is stopped in an expansion stroke, when an in-cylinder temperature of the one of the plurality of cylinders, which is stopped in the expansion stroker is equal to or higher than a preset temperature. Furthermore, the ECU restarts the diesel engine by using the starter when the in-cylinder temperature of the one of the plurality of cylinders, which is stopped in the expansion stroke, is lower than the preset temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shogo Hoshino, Satoshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7637250
    Abstract: Fuel management system for operation of a spark ignition gasoline engine. The system includes a gasoline engine powering the vehicle and a source of gasoline for introduction into the engine. A source of an anti-knock fuel such as ethanol is provided. An injector directly injects the anti-knock fuel into a cylinder of the engine and the control system shuts down the engine by stopping gasoline and anti-knock agent flow into the engine during vehicle deceleration and idling and restarts the engine upon driver demand. Direct ethanol injection and engine shutdown results in efficiencies similar to those of full hybrid vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Ethanol Boosting Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Leslie Bromberg, Paul Blumberg, Daniel R. Cohn, John Heywood
  • Patent number: 7631710
    Abstract: In the case where predetermined abnormality detection performed with operation of an engine, such as abnormality detection of a fuel system and an ignition system of the engine and various sensors, has not been completed (in the case where an abnormality detection completion flag F is zero), self-sustaining operation of the engine is performed to continue the operation (S280) when the engine is being operated and a power demand Pe* of the engine is less than a threshold Pstop1 for stopping the operation of the engine in normal time (S130) but is a threshold Pstop2 or more smaller than the threshold Pstop1 (S200 and S210), and the engine is started when the engine is not being operated and the power demand Pe* is a threshold Pstart2 or more smaller than a threshold Pstart1 for starting the engine in normal time (S310 and S320). This ensures performance of the predetermined abnormality detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsuko Utsumi