Engine Stop, Fuel Shutoff Patents (Class 701/112)
  • Patent number: 10429448
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present technology may comprise methods and apparatus to measure a route resistance of a battery. The method and apparatus may comprise utilizing various parameters, such as known resistance characteristics, voltage, and current to calculate the route resistance of the battery. In various embodiments, the route resistance may be used to provide a more accurate estimate of the relative state of charge (RSOC).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR COMPONENTS INDUSTRIES, LLC
    Inventor: Hideo Kondo
  • Patent number: 10408183
    Abstract: Systems and methods for restarting an engine are presented. In one example, an engine may be automatically stopped and started in response to thresholds that may be adjusted as a distance traveled by the vehicle increases. The thresholds may be adjusted responsive to useful life consumed of an engine starter that may participate in automatic engine starting and stopping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Kenneth James Miller, Eric Michael Rademacher, Alexander O'Connor Gibson
  • Patent number: 10402772
    Abstract: Electronic components may be integrated in objects used by the trucking industry, such as truck, tractor trailer, cargo, and loading bay. These objects may then communicate with each other and with a gateway device to transmit or receive data or commands. The gateway may be configured to attach to the truck, such as by securing to the truck frame or securing to an interior of the truck cab. The gateway may couple to one or more input devices, and receive sensor data through the one or more input devices. The gateway may execute steps that allow the gateway to perform geofencing to prevent conflict between cargo in the vehicle and cargo in another vehicle or in areas of a loading bay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kevin Terwilliger, Andrew Tosh, Jefferson Walter Wirtz, Rex Bryan
  • Patent number: 10363933
    Abstract: A method of controlling a stop-start vehicle includes, in response to an engine being in an auto-stopped condition and a signal indicative of a driver exiting the vehicle, maintaining the engine in the auto-stopped condition. The method additionally includes securing vehicle wheels against rotation and reducing a convenience feature power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Mathew Alan Boesch, Mark Edward Zyskowski, Mohannad Hakeem, Allen Magolan
  • Patent number: 10273895
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a hybrid powertrain that includes an engine and a motor/generator are described. The systems and methods provide a way of determining whether or not an engine has stalled while a vehicle may be propelled via the motor/generator. In one example, an engine stall may be indicated responsive to a first estimated engine torque and a second estimated engine torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rajit Johri, Fazal Urrahman Syed, Joseph A. Zamora, Paul Stephen Bryan, Minku Lee
  • Patent number: 10221822
    Abstract: A vehicle and method of controlling a vehicle having an engine and braking system having an associated braking pressure include stopping the engine responsive to the brake pressure being above a first threshold, restarting the engine responsive to the brake pressure falling below a second threshold, reducing the second threshold for a predetermined time after the vehicle speed falls below a speed threshold, and resetting the second threshold after the predetermined time. The predetermined time may be modified based on input from a user interface or a user-selected vehicle operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Edward Pedlar, David Hesketh, Gary David Paisley, Dilli Raj Poudel
  • Patent number: 10214107
    Abstract: An ECU includes: a control section for controlling an engine such that the engine is operated in an intermediate load state during electric power feed to the outside of a vehicle; a learning section for learning a control parameter based on a detected state quantity; and a determination section for determining whether a learning condition that the learning section learns the control parameter is established. When the learning condition is established during the electric power feed from the electric power feed section to the outside of the vehicle, the engine is controlled such that a state thereof is changed from the intermediate load state to either an idle state or a low load state, and the control parameter regarding the engine in the idle state or the low load state is learned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Fushiki, Toshio Inoue, Keita Fukui, Tomoaki Honda, Hidekazu Nawata, Yuta Niwa, Taichi Osawa
  • Patent number: 10163277
    Abstract: A method for operating an engine based on cabin temperature includes determining a quantity of fuel in a fuel tank, determining a minimum amount of fuel to remain in the fuel tank, receiving a predetermined cabin temperature value, calculating an engine idle time in response to the minimum amount of fuel and the predetermined cabin temperature value, and controlling engine starting and stopping in response to the engine idle time and the predetermined cabin temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: CUMMINS INC.
    Inventor: Jennifer K. Light-Holets
  • Patent number: 10138770
    Abstract: An electronic control unit stores a vehicle load at the time when the vehicle is switched into an ignition off state, stops operation of an electric oil pump when the vehicle load is small, and operates the electric oil pump when the vehicle load is large. Thus, a decrease in service life due to an increase in the number of times of the start of the electric oil pump is suppressed, and, when it is estimated that the vehicle load is large, the response of the start of a vehicle, which makes a driver experience a feeling of strangeness, is improved by starting the electric oil pump together with switching the vehicle into an ignition on state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masami Yamahata, Akiko Nishimine, Takuya Kodama, Kenji Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10138858
    Abstract: An engine control method includes determining an intention of a driver for acceleration during vehicle traveling, stopping fuel supply to an engine when a determination is made that the driver does not have the intention for acceleration, detecting a speed of the vehicle during inertial traveling, with fuel supply to the engine kept stopped, permitting restart of the engine when a determination is made that the driver has the intention for acceleration after stopping the fuel supply to the engine, prohibiting the restart of the engine until an engine rotational speed drops to or below a predetermined rotational speed threshold, even when the restart of the engine is permitted, restarting the engine after the engine rotational speed drops to or below the predetermined rotational speed threshold, and changing the rotational speed threshold depending on the detected speed. The rotational speed threshold increases with increase in the detected speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yusuke Nakane
  • Patent number: 10086704
    Abstract: A method of controlling power to a vehicle accessory gradually shuts down power to the vehicle accessory and gradually restores power to the vehicle accessory. After a request for an auto-shutdown of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle is detected, power to the vehicle accessory is reduced on a predetermined schedule responsive to such detection. The occurrence of a restart of the internal combustion engine of a vehicle is determined, and power supplied to the vehicle accessory is increased on a predetermined schedule responsive to the restart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Farouq Mozip, Jonathan Wentworth, Eric Gerd Schaefer, James C. Rollinson
  • Patent number: 10086826
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine includes: a limiting unit configured to limit an output of the internal combustion engine when temperature of cooling water for cooling the internal combustion engine is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature; a discharging unit configured to discharge, when internal pressure of a fuel tank is equal to or higher than predetermined pressure, fuel evaporative gas in the fuel tank into an intake passage of the internal combustion engine while the internal combustion engine is being driven; and a prioritizing unit configured to prioritize the limiting of the output of the internal combustion engine by the limiting unit over the discharging of the fuel evaporative gas by the discharging unit, when the discharging unit is to discharge the fuel evaporative gas and the limiting unit is to limit the output of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Sato, Shigetoshi Hirano, Tadayoshi Hirao, Takahiro Oguma
  • Patent number: 10037634
    Abstract: An idle state determination system and method are disclosed for a work vehicle having an engine and at least one movable work implement. The movable work implement includes a load bin. The idle state determination system includes a source of work vehicle data that indicates one or more operational parameters of the work vehicle, including at least a speed, a state of an engine and a position of the load bin. The idle state determination system including a source of idle state classifications that include a plurality of idle states associated with the work vehicle, and the plurality of idle states including at least a waiting idle state and a loading idle state. The idle state determination system includes a controller that processes the work vehicle data to determine an idle state of the work vehicle. The controller classifies the idle state as one of the plurality of idle states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Craig A. Christofferson, Keith N. Chaston, Madeline T. Oglesby, Todd F. Velde, Francois Stander
  • Patent number: 10030624
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for automatically switching off an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle, in particular in a motor vehicle having an automatic transmission, by means of a stop/start device, which initiates measures for automatically switching off the internal combustion engine if the vehicle has been braked to a stop and advantageously held at a stop by actuation of the brake pedal for a predefined time interval. The invention is characterized in that the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine is changed, in particular reduced, at a defined point in time before the measures for automatically switching off the internal combustion engine are initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Till Scheffler, Stefan Uhl, Johann Hofmann, Georg Meder
  • Patent number: 10006390
    Abstract: An engine starting system includes an electronic control unit configured to: automatically stop an engine in response to an engine stop request, and restart the engine in response to an engine restart request; calculate, in the course of automatically stopping the engine, a throttle opening degree based on at least one of a vehicle speed or an input rotational speed of a transmission, such that the throttle opening degree when the at least one of the vehicle speed or the input rotational speed is high is larger than the throttle opening degree when the at least one of the vehicle speed or the input rotational speed is low; carry out scavenging of each cylinder by opening a throttle valve to the calculated throttle opening degree in the course of automatically stopping the engine; and restart the engine through ignition-based engine starting in response to the engine restart request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Murakami, Koki Matsushita
  • Patent number: 10006351
    Abstract: A controller is provided, which detects operating conditions of an internal combustion engine on the basis of detection results from a group of sensors and drives an actuator that modifies an opening position of a wastegate valve on the basis of the operating conditions. When driving the wastegate valve to a fully closed opening, the controller initially drives the actuator toward a preset provisional fully closed position, and after determining on the basis of a detection result from a position sensor that an actual opening of the wastegate valve has reached the provisional fully closed opening, switches a target opening to the fully closed opening and drives the actuator accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki Maruo, Takahiko Ono, Takafumi Nishio
  • Patent number: 9908533
    Abstract: The systems and methods provided herein are directed to exiting a vehicle from transport mode using a sequence or operation performed by two or more users. In an illustrative embodiment, the vehicle may include a first system and a second system. The first system may be activated by a sequence of pedal presses to either the brake or acceleration pedal. The second system may be activated by a trunk open request or battery connection. A control system within the vehicle may exit the transport mode when the first system and second system have been activated within a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be based on a distance between the first system and the second system such that a single user may not activate both systems. The predetermined time may be less than a time to travel a distance between the first system and the second system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kevin Hawkins, Atsushi Kurauchi, Charles J Franklin, II, Kiyomi Catalina Ito
  • Patent number: 9856801
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device of a vehicle provided with a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine comprising a catalyst in an exhaust passage. When a state of an ignition switch has been changed from an on-state to an off-state and a rotation of the engine has stopped, the control device causes a fuel injector to inject fuel into a combustion chamber of a particular cylinder in which an intake valve is closed and an exhaust valve is open and causes an ignition device to ignite the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Susumu Kojima, Yusuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9771076
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to allow cranking of an engine by increasing clutch torque at a time a deceleration request is detected during free running in which a vehicle is allowed to run in a state in which a clutch is disengaged and the engine is stopped, and makes an increasing rate of the clutch torque larger at a time when a negative pressure of a brake booster is small than at a time when the negative pressure of the brake booster is large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yokokawa, Masami Kondou, Youhei Hareyama
  • Patent number: 9664136
    Abstract: A stop/start vehicle includes an engine and a stop/start system that prevents an auto stop of the engine when a speed of the vehicle is approximately zero in response to the vehicle being located within a specified distance from a body of water or in response to the vehicle being located in a user identified geographic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mathew Alan Boesch, George Edmund Walley, John Anthony Lockwood, Sangeetha Sangameswaran
  • Patent number: 9657658
    Abstract: A method for controlling an air control valve in a diesel hybrid vehicle includes an engine stop detection step for detecting whether a diesel engine is stopped and a vehicle speed is less than a predetermined speed, a first noise and vibration blockade step for controlling a throttle valve to be closed when the diesel engine is stopped and the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined speed, and a first throttle valve control step for closing and then opening again the throttle valve for a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Ho-Kyun Chun, Hwa-Yong Jang
  • Patent number: 9624847
    Abstract: A method for controlling operation of a multi-mode powertrain system includes periodically determining a power cost difference between a first power cost and a second power cost. This includes determining the first power cost associated with operating the powertrain system with the engine operating in a presently commanded engine state in response to an operator torque request and determining the second power cost associated with an expected powertrain operation with the engine operating in a non-commanded engine state in response to the operator torque request. The first power cost is compared with the second power cost, and successive iterations of the periodically determined power cost difference between the first power cost and the second power cost are integrated to determine an integrated power cost difference. A transition to the non-commanded engine state is commanded when the integrated power cost difference is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Kee Yong Kim, Anthony H. Heap, John Janczak, Samantha Victoria Lado, YaoYao Wei
  • Patent number: 9604635
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine and a motor that are both capable of powering the wheels. While a vehicle is being driven, the vehicle's driving condition data is monitored. The driving condition data can include steering wheel angle or position, accelerator pedal position, driver torque or power demands, or road grade or incline. The vehicle includes a controller with a specific control scheme to receive the driving condition data, and subject the data to a moving average or a weighted moving average. Based on the averaged driving condition data, the engine is inhibited from stopping under certain conditions to reduce the frequency of the engine turning on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rajit Johri, Xiaoyong Wang, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Mark Steven Yamazaki, Ming Lang Kuang, Jason Meyer
  • Patent number: 9574506
    Abstract: A current is supplied to a driving relay that drives a bypass relay when restarting an engine after idle reduction, and the current supply to the driving relay is interrupted when the engine is started for the first time based on operation of a driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motoyuki Hattori, Yuuichi Hosaka, Masaya Furushou, Toshihiko Ootsuka, Hiromoto Shimizu, Ryo Sano
  • Patent number: 9567966
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of controlling an automatic engine stop of an automotive system, during a coasting phase. A dynamic speed threshold is calculated as a minimum value of a plurality of dynamic speed values. Each dynamic speed value is calculated as a function of an automotive system parameter such as a steering wheel angle, a steering wheel angle rate, a wheel speed difference, an antilock braking system status, or an electronic stability control status (p5) and/or a road condition such as road grade. The automatic engine stop is enabled when a vehicle speed is lower than the dynamic speed threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Roberto Romanato
  • Patent number: 9523337
    Abstract: An idling stop control device of the invention acquires an index (SOCx) indicating a magnitude of a remaining charged electric power amount of a battery (41), restarts an operation of an engine (25) by operating a starter (43) when the index becomes smaller than a predetermined restart threshold (SOCstart) while an automatic stop of the operation of the engine has been carried out, and changes the threshold from a first threshold (SOC1) to a second threshold (SOC2) when an operation of an electric actuator (31) is started while the automatic stop has been carried out. The first threshold is a threshold set immediately before the operation of the actuator is started and the second threshold is smaller than the first threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Majima
  • Patent number: 9518287
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for improving engine exhaust emissions while enabling exhaust catalyst regeneration following an engine lean event. Prior to a VDE event, or prior to an engine idle-stop, ammonia is produced and stored on an exhaust underbody SCR catalyst. Then, during the engine restart after the VDE mode or the idle-stop, the stored ammonia is used to treat exhaust NOx species while an upstream exhaust underbody three-way catalyst is regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Robert Theis, James Michael Kerns, Michael James Uhrich, Giovanni Cavataio, Thomas G. Leone, Jeffrey Allen Doering, Todd Anthony Rumpsa
  • Patent number: 9488120
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for calibrating injection of fuel into at least one combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine comprises at least one fuel injector and a fuel rail. The fuel rail is pressurized to a fuel rail pressure. The method comprises steps of (a) calculating an indicated torque for the internal combustion engine operating at a target fuelling from inputs comprising a fuelling command; (b) calculating a friction torque for the internal combustion engine from inputs comprising the target engine speed; (c) calculating a torque error from a difference between the indicated torque and the friction torque; and (d) determining a pulse-width correction factor for a first baseline pulse-width applied to actuate the at least one fuel injector whereby the torque error is below a predetermined threshold when the internal combustion engine is operating at the target fuelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: WESTPORT POWER INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Thompson, Olivier P. M. Lebastard
  • Patent number: 9388750
    Abstract: Vehicles capable of operating in an energy conserving mode may include an interface for conveying inhibitors preventing activation of the energy conserving mode. The system may identify the inhibiting features and prompt an operator of the vehicle for authorization to disable the inhibiting features or adjust the feature states to enable the energy conserving mode. In response to receiving authorization, the system may automatically control feature interfaces to remove inhibits to the energy conserving mode. The interface may communicate active inhibitors to an operator using a display or a speaker, or both. Additionally, the interface may query the operator to approve automatic deactivation of the inhibiting features and facilitate the receipt of operator input to the query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Tuan Anh Be, Mark Douglas Malone, Kirk Pebley, Hank L. Kwong, William Najib Mansur
  • Patent number: 9376970
    Abstract: In a vehicle control device for performing control to stop and start an engine according to a traveling state of a vehicle regardless of an operation of stopping and starting the engine by a driver, the stopping of the engine is limited based on a starting endurance ability of the engine. Thus, an endurance number of years of a starter can be ensured. If a contribution degree in improving a fuel economy by the stopping of the engine at the time of parking is high, the effect of improving the fuel economy can be suppressed from reducing by prohibiting the automatic stopping of the engine 4 during traveling. The effect of improving the fuel economy by stopping the engine can be enhanced by ensuring the endurance number of years of the starter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Chika Tsumori
  • Patent number: 9284920
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating an engine including a DEGR system during start-stop and DFSO conditions. In one example, the DEGR cylinder may be deactivated prior to deactivating the non-DEGR cylinder group and stopping the engine, to purge EGR from the intake system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Chris Paul Glugla, James Alfred Hilditch, Michael Damian Czekala, Daniel Joseph Styles
  • Patent number: 9267447
    Abstract: An engine restart control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a brake system includes: a negative pressure detector configured to detect booster negative pressure; an engine restart controller configured to restart the engine after a stop of the engine; and a storage memory configured to store the booster negative pressure detected by the negative pressure detector. The engine restart controller restarts the engine when the booster negative pressure is reduced by a first set value or more from a reference booster negative pressure, which is detected at a predetermined timing after the stop of the engine, among booster negative pressures stored in the storage memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junichi Morimura, Yasunari Kido, Masaki Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 9243570
    Abstract: A stop/start vehicle includes an engine and a stop/start system that prevents an auto stop of the engine when the speed of the vehicle is approximately zero in response to the vehicle being located at a service location or in response to the vehicle being located in a user identified geographic region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mathew Alan Boesch, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, John Anthony Lockwood, George Edmund Walley
  • Patent number: 9216735
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device provided with an engine idle unit for maintaining an engine rotation speed at an idle rotation speed by an engine, a motor idle unit for maintaining the engine rotation speed at the idle rotation speed by a motor generator, a switching unit for switching an idle control between execution of engine idle control and execution of motor idle control in accordance with an operation state of the hybrid vehicle, and an idle control changing unit for changing from the idle control to the engine idle control by adding a load torque portion of the motor generator having been inputted into the engine for maintaining the engine rotation speed at the idle rotation speed during the motor idle control to an output torque of the engine when the idle control is switched from the motor idle control to the engine idle control during the idle operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Watanabe, Takeshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 9211888
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes an engine and a motor generator, and controls a hybrid vehicle in which the engine is started by starting torque outputted from the motor generator. The apparatus includes a prestart control section which makes the motor generator output prestart torque smaller than the starting torque before the engine is started by the starting torque, a balance determination section which determines whether or not compression torque caused by pressure in a cylinder of the engine and the prestart torque are balanced with each other, and a start-up control section which makes the motor generator output the starting torque, after the balance determination section determines that the compression torque and the prestart torque are balanced with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Gotou, Kazunari Izumi
  • Patent number: 9206753
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for restarting an internal combustion engine, in which a first cylinder (ZYL1) has a low air level and a second cylinder (ZYL2) has a high air level, and wherein a predefined speed threshold value (ns) is selected as a function of said air levels. A method for the restart is selected and carried out as a function of a comparison of the determined speed (n) of the internal combustion engine with the predefined speed threshold value (ns).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Elias Calva, Karthik Rai, Norbert Mueller, Ruediger Weiss, Manfred Dietrich
  • Patent number: 9199632
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle includes a portion determining whether an engine torque is necessary, a portion controlling a motor to make a motor torque be a target torque, an engine rotation speed control portion controlling an engine output shaft to rotate at a target engine rotation speed for sudden start/reacceleration while the clutch being disengaged after starting the engine and before an actual rotation speed of the engine output shaft exceeds a reference target engine rotation speed in a case where the engine torque is necessary, a control portion engaging the clutch after the actual rotation speed exceeds the reference target engine rotation speed, and a portion controlling the engine so that the engine torque is assumed to be a target torque by canceling the control by the engine rotation speed control portion after the actual rotation speed exceeds the reference target engine rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomomitsu Terakawa, Yasuhiro Hosoi, Yuichiro Kitamura, Yoshihide Suzuki, Katsunori Ueda, Shigeyuki Yoshida, Shunichi Hirao
  • Patent number: 9199648
    Abstract: In a method for operating a motor vehicle which includes a control device for automatically and driver independently switching at least one drive unit of the motor vehicle on or off at standstill, as a function of at least one item of position related road information which relates to the actual position of the motor vehicle on a road and the presence of at least one further boundary condition, only the at least one item of position related road information is determined and, when the at least one position related road information satisfies at least one road related criteria, the presence of the at least one further boundary condition is not queried.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Michael Bär
  • Patent number: 9181895
    Abstract: A start-stop retrofit kit includes a start-stop module configured to monitor one or more parameters of a vehicle, configured to automatically stop an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle is idling during operation, and configured to automatically start the engine when the vehicle is not idling during operation. The retrofit kit further includes a wire harness configured to couple the start-stop module to a switch disposed between a starter motor and an ignition of the engine of the vehicle, wherein the switch is disposed in parallel with an existing connection between the ignition and the starter motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company
    Inventors: Jason Lee Roberts, Thomas Mark Watson, Steven J. Wood, Marvin Eric Taylor, Sepehr Shirazi, Ramelle Leigh Gilliland, Kari J. Gilbertson
  • Patent number: 9171536
    Abstract: Noise control for a vehicle is implemented by identifying sources of noise that are indicative of vehicle noise producing components. The sources of noise include a thermal management device of a hybrid-electric component of the vehicle and non-hybrid-electric components of the vehicle. The noise control is further implemented by determining a decibel value of the noise produced by each of the vehicle noise producing components, selecting the decibel value of one of the vehicle noise producing components having a highest decibel value as a mask limit, and determining an operational limit for the thermal management device. The operational limit includes a lowest threshold operating value which, when implemented, maintains a threshold level operating efficiency of the hybrid-electric component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher D.S. Ballnik, Keith D. Buford, Stephen L. Shen
  • Patent number: 9149670
    Abstract: A machine operator safety system for selectively providing hydraulic power to a boom assembly of an aerial device upon attaching a lanyard. The machine operator safety system comprises a set of upper boom controls within the utility platform, a lanyard anchor housing with a lanyard anchor therein, an actuator for selectively positioning the lanyard anchor housing in either a first position or a second position, and a hydraulic valve. When the lanyard anchor housing is in the first position, which conceals the lanyard anchor, the hydraulic valve blocks the flow of hydraulic power to the set of upper boom controls. When the lanyard anchor housing is in the second position, which exposes the lanyard anchor for attachment of the lanyard, the hydraulic valve directs the flow of hydraulic power to the set of upper boom controls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Altec Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Elizabeth K. Walker, Robert J. Crowder, Benjamin J. Southern
  • Patent number: 9145864
    Abstract: A stop/start system of a vehicle can issue auto stop commands and auto start commands. An engine of the vehicle is auto stopped in response to the auto stop commands and auto started in response to the auto start commands. The stop/start system can prevent an auto stop of the engine based on a predicted stop duration for a predicted stop location for the vehicle such that the engine remains running when the predicted stop duration is less than a threshold duration and the vehicle is stopped in a vicinity of the predicted stop location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Johannes Geir Kristinsson, Hai Yu
  • Patent number: 9145118
    Abstract: A system and method for conserving vacuum within a vehicle is described. In one example, a vacuum level in a working chamber of a vacuum operated brake booster is controlled so as to limit vacuum consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ralph Wayne Cunningham, Ross Dykstra Pursifull, Russ William Ferguson
  • Patent number: 9127603
    Abstract: A system for a vehicle includes a rate of change module, a period estimation module, a deceleration fuel cutoff (DFCO) module, and an injection control module. The rate of change module determines a rate of change of an engine speed. While an engine is being fueled, the period estimation module determines an estimated period of a next DFCO event based on the rate of change of the engine speed. The DFCO control module selectively generates a DFCO signal based on the estimated period. The injection control module cuts off fuel to the engine when the DFCO signal is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Inventors: Ronald W. Knoebel, Krishnendu Kar, Ryan Goode
  • Patent number: 9096210
    Abstract: A monitoring module selectively generates a request to at least one of: transition from providing rich fueling an engine to operating the engine in a fuel cutoff (FCO) state; and transition from operating the engine in the FCO state to providing rich fueling to the engine. In response to a response to the request, the monitoring module: selectively controls fueling to the engine to perform the at least one of the transitions; and selectively determines whether a fault is present in a component based on a response to the at least one of the transitions. A hybrid control module controls an electric motor of the hybrid vehicle and that selectively generates the response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Christopher E. Whitney, Anthony H. Heap, John W. Siekkinen, Michael John Dokter, Stephen Paul Levijoki
  • Patent number: 9050967
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving operation of a vehicle are presented. In one example, automatic engine stopping is inhibited in response to a driver communicating a desire to not automatically stop an engine. The driver communicates intentions to allow or inhibit automatic engine stopping via a brake pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Peter Mitchell Lyon, Andrew Clement Dame, Peter Douglas Kuechler, Alan Robert Dona
  • Patent number: 9047719
    Abstract: Provided are a vehicle diagnostic system, a vehicle diagnostic method, and an external diagnostic device that are capable of readily or promptly confirming or diagnosing whether or not a malfunction related to non-execution of idle stop in a vehicle having an idle stop control system has occurred. The external diagnostic device has recorded therein a plurality of idle stop conditions for executing idle stop of an engine in a vehicle. Idle stop conditions that are not fulfilled when idle stop has not executed are displayed in a prescribed display unit, when stopping the vehicle when the external diagnostic device has been connected to the vehicle and the vehicle has been driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Yagi, Masami Haishima, Katsuhisa Doi, Wataru Endo
  • Patent number: 9043123
    Abstract: There is provided an engine restart control device. A controller is configured to stop an engine which is adapted to generate a driving force for running a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is met and configured to restart the engine when a predetermined restart condition is met after stopping the engine. A steering torque detector is configured to detect a steering torque of a steering wheel which is adapted to be operated by a driver. The controller includes an origin torque setting unit configured to set the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector when the predetermined stop condition is met and the engine is stopped as an origin torque. The controller restarts the engine when the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector exceeds a predetermined threshold with reference to the origin torque set by the origin torque setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroshi Urabe
  • Patent number: 9039571
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for controlling an engine system with a variable cam timing device. In one example, the variable cam timing device is operated to adjust engine valve timing differently at engine stop based on whether the engine stop is in response to an operator request or in response to an automatic controller initiated engine stop without an operator request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Allen Doering, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Alex O'Connor Gibson
  • Patent number: 9043065
    Abstract: A vehicle is supplied by a first electrical energy storage unit on board the vehicle, and a ground electrical network providing an energy supply by application of a supply voltage through electrical distribution. The first energy storage unit is controllable under a generator regime or a receiver regime. The supply voltage is adjusted, in the generator regime, by applying an algebraically additive supply voltage originating from the first electrical storage unit to the distribution, to maintain a supply voltage above a minimum threshold. In the receiver regime, if a surplus of supply voltage originating at least partially from a second storage unit in the generator regime is detected above the minimum threshold, this surplus is channeled energetically to the first energy storage unit of the vehicle if it is required for operating the vehicle and enables maintaining the supply voltage below a maximum threshold and above the minimum threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens S.A.S.
    Inventors: Xavier Bavard, Eric Chattot, Jean-Noël Verhille