Starting, Warmup Patents (Class 701/113)
  • Publication number: 20130317728
    Abstract: An idle stop control system and method for a vehicle includes at least one electronic control unit disposed within the vehicle that is configured to determine whether an idle stop condition for the vehicle is satisfied and whether the vehicle is in a stopped condition. The at least one electronic control unit is further configured to idle stop an engine of the vehicle when determined that both the idle stop condition is satisfied and that the vehicle is in the stopped condition. The at least one electronic control unit is also configured to determine whether an engine restart condition is satisfied after the engine is idle stopped and to restart the engine when determined that the engine restart condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chris Hall, Junichi Kanemaru
  • Patent number: 8594913
    Abstract: A method and a device for determining, ascertaining and predicting at least one starting torque or starting torque characteristic curve required for starting an internal combustion engine for a vehicle, especially a hybrid vehicle having at least one internal combustion engine and at least one additional motor. The determination and the ascertainment of the starting torque or the starting torque characteristic curve are carried out during the operation of the vehicle. A method for operating at least one motor in a hybrid vehicle is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Frank Steuernagel
  • Publication number: 20130311074
    Abstract: A device detects ignition on and ignition off events in a vehicle with an internal combustion engine. Ignition events are detected by reading data from the vehicle's data bus. While the ignition is off, the device awakes from time to time to either listen to or poll the data bus. Waking of the device may be triggered by the expiry of a timer or by the detection of a voltage fluctuation of the battery which provides power to both the engine and the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: WEBTECH WIRELESS INC.
    Inventor: Juhani Siira
  • Publication number: 20130304362
    Abstract: A system according to the principles of the present disclosure includes a stop-start module and a throttle control module. The stop-start module stops an engine when a driver depresses a brake pedal while an ignition system is on and the engine is idling. The throttle control module selectively opens a throttle valve when fuel injection in the engine is stopped while the ignition system is on based on engine speed and a manifold pressure within an intake manifold. The stop-start module starts the engine when the driver releases the brake pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Halim G. Santoso, Robert Douglas Shafto, James R. Yurgil
  • Patent number: 8583351
    Abstract: A method of operating a vehicle including an engine is provided. The engine may include at least one cylinder, a boosting device to boost intake air to the at least one cylinder, a fuel tank, a fuel vapor canister to store fuel vapors vented from the fuel tank, and an emission control device to treat exhaust gas from the engine. The boosting device includes a compressor at least partially driven by an electric motor. The method includes during an engine cold start condition, operating the electric motor of the boost device to boost intake air, directing the boosted intake air through the fuel vapor canister to release a fuel vapor stored in the fuel vapor canister, directing the fuel vapor from the fuel vapor canister to the engine, and performing combustion in the at least one cylinder using the fuel vapor during the engine starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, James Michael Kerns, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Patent number: 8583321
    Abstract: An electric control unit is used to generate control signals for the alternator-starter assembly on the basis of first information signals representative of a state of the vehicle and a control unit is used to generate control signals for power circuits on the basis of diagnosis signals representative of the state of the alternator-starter assembly. The control signals are generated using the electronic control unit also on the basis of at least one first diagnosis signal, and control signals are generated using the control circuit also on the basis of second information signals from a data communication bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Equipments Electriqyues Moteur
    Inventors: Marc Ranier, Brice Lecole, Regis Gubian
  • Publication number: 20130297194
    Abstract: A system for remote starting a vehicle equipped with a keyless go system. The keyless go system is adapted to start the vehicle upon receipt of a proper response to a challenge emitted by the keyless go system, the response being computed by a key fob. A first interface is located proximate the keyless go system, the first interface being adapted to relay the challenge from the keyless go system to a second interface, and to receive the response from the second interface and relay the response to the keyless go system. A second interface is located proximate the key fob, the second interface being adapted to receive the challenge and relay the challenge to the key fob and being adapted to receive the response and relay the response to the first interface. The car can be remote started from a distant location, without having to disable the on-board security system of the car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: LIGHTWAVE TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Jack Wisnia, Rob Nelson
  • Patent number: 8577583
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a glow plug with the engine running, wherein an effective voltage is generated from a vehicle electrical system voltage by pulse width modulation, the effective voltage is applied to the glow plug and changed as a function of engine parameters, a target value of the effective voltage that is dependent on the engine parameters and to which the effective voltage is changed is specified, a maximum increment for a change of the actual value of the effective voltage in at least one direction is specified, and a change of the actual value in at least one direction to a target value that deviates from the actual value by more than the maximum increment is carried out in several steps. The invention further relates to a controller which carries out such a method during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: BorgWarner BERU Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Kernwein, Joerg Stoeckle
  • Patent number: 8573182
    Abstract: A method for improving starting of an engine that may be automatically started is provided. In one example, spark timing of an automatically started engine is in advance of spark timing for an operator requested engine start. The approach may reduce vehicle driveline disturbances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: David Bruce Reiche, Steven Wooldridge, Curtis McGuire, Brad Alan VanDerWege
  • Patent number: 8577575
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle, where the vehicle includes control means for stopping an engine automatically when a stopping condition is met, and restarting the engine after the automatic stoppage of the engine, when a predetermined restarting condition is met, a braking device that is actuated to apply braking force to a drive wheel, and a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices involved in operations of the vehicle. The apparatus includes abnormality detection means for determining whether or not there exists an abnormality in at least one of the vehicle-mounted devices, and fail-safe means for, when during the automatic stoppage of the engine it is determined by the abnormality detection means that there exists an abnormality in at least one of the vehicle-mounted devices, restarting the engine forcibly. The apparatus enables the user to take suitable measures in the presence of an abnormality in the vehicle-mounted devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masayuki Tomura, Kenji Kawahara
  • Patent number: 8577582
    Abstract: An ISG entry apparatus and method is capable of operating ISG logic without employing a battery sensor. The ISG entry apparatus includes a starting voltage detection unit detecting a starting voltage of an ISG vehicle having no battery sensor mounted therein, a cooling water detection unit detecting a cooling water temperature of the ISG vehicle, an ISG entry frequency detection unit detecting an ISG entry frequency of the ISG vehicle, an accumulated charge amount detection unit detecting an accumulated charge amount of the ISG vehicle during driving, a starting number counting unit counting the starting number of the ISG vehicle, and an engine control unit determining whether or not to enter a mode in which an ISG operation is performed based on the starting voltage, the cooling water temperature, the ISG entry frequency, the accumulated charge amount, and the starting number and performing an ISG operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jiyong Yu, Sejun Kim, Chongah Gwon, Sungjin Park, Junghwan Bang
  • Publication number: 20130289857
    Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine is proposed, the engine comprising an exhaust system with a DOC and a DPF and, downstream thereof a SCR catalyst. The ECU is configured to allow operation in at least one of a normal mode and a heat-up mode. A predicted temperature evolution of said second exhaust after treatment means is regularly determined based on a thermal model taking into account the thermal inertia of the exhaust system and having as input the current temperatures of the DOC/DPF and SCR. The predicted temperature evolution of SCR is indicative of the temperature that the SCR may reach during a simulated time period in case the operating mode. The engine operating mode is changed depending on the predicted temperature evolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Julien Schmitt, Michael Parmentier
  • Publication number: 20130289856
    Abstract: A start control system stores a map M1 that associates an accelerator position with an initial target speed of an engine and a map M2 that associates an accelerator position with a final target speed of the engine. If it is determined that a vehicle is in a start control period, a target speed of the engine is set to the initial target speed. When the engine speed reaches the initial target speed, the engine target speed is set to the final target speed. The initial target speed is set to a larger value than the final target speed for the same accelerator position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhiro Arai
  • Publication number: 20130289855
    Abstract: Provided is an engine starting device, including: starter control means for causing, when the restart condition is established during a period in which a meshing inhibition condition for a ring gear and a pinion gear is established, the pinion gear and the ring gear to mesh with each other after the meshing inhibition condition is released, thereby restarting the engine. The starter control means determines the meshing permission condition and the meshing inhibition condition based on at least an engine rotation speed, and determines the release of the meshing inhibition condition before the engine completely stops based on at least one of the engine rotation speed and an elapsed time after the establishment of the meshing inhibition condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Daisuke Mizuno, Yuhei Tsukahara, Osamu Ishikawa, Takeru Okabe, Koichiro Kamei
  • Patent number: 8569908
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle which has a plurality of drives, of which in particular one drive is a combustion engine and the other is an electric drive, all the drive control units, if appropriate even a transmission control unit, require enabling by an immobilizer control unit before the first control unit outputs control commands to communicate a torque request, input by a vehicle driver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Audi AG
    Inventors: Johann Graf, Martin Steinbrueck
  • Publication number: 20130282262
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine (1) has a throttle (23) for controlling an intake air amount and performs start-up through cranking. As the cranking is initiated, an atmospheric pressure is detected and an initial opening is set accordingly. The controller (31) controls the throttle (23) to the initial opening when the cranking is initiated, and controls the throttle to start to increase the throttle opening from the initial opening at a predetermined timing after the cranking initiation. By setting the initial opening based on one or both of the atmospheric pressure and the temperature at the time of cranking initiation, the intake negative pressure and the intake air amount are optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2011
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Hideaki Takahashi, Hajime Yasuda, Kenichi Satou, Tohru Shibata, Hiroyuki Itoyama, Hirotada Muraki, Susumu Shimasaki
  • Patent number: 8565957
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes: a catalytic device configured to be electrically heatable to purify exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine; a main power supply device that supplies the motor drive unit with power supply voltage; a power supply device provided for a catalyst, and receiving electric power from the main power supply device and supplying the catalytic device with electric power to heat the catalytic device; and a control device. The control device has a first control mode and a second control mode more immune to variation of the power supply voltage than the first control mode as modes applied to control the motor drive unit. If electric power supplied to the catalytic device from the power supply device for the catalyst is to be changed, the control device previously controls the motor drive unit in the second control mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Wanleng Ang
  • Patent number: 8560210
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is provided, which is capable of suppressing deterioration of exhaust emission due to an unburned fuel contained in oil which enters a combustion chamber during valve stop control while preventing inflow of fresh air to a catalyst, at a time of valve return following return from fuel cut. Variable valve operating apparatuses having valve stop mechanisms capable of changing operation states of an intake valve and an exhaust valve between valve operation states and valve closed and stopped states are included. Valve stop control that changes the operation states of the intake valve and the exhaust valve to the valve closed and stopped states is performed, at a time of execution of the fuel cut. When a return request from the fuel cut with the valve stop control is detected, a fuel is supplied to a combustion chamber before the operation state of the exhaust valve is returned to the valve operation state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keisuke Sano, Norihisa Nakagawa, Takashi Nishikiori
  • Patent number: 8560209
    Abstract: The present invention includes an automobile including an enrichment delivery system. The enrichment delivery system includes an engine, a catalytic converter, multiple sensors, a memory, and a control unit. The engine includes an enrichment delivery unit, which delivers base fuel and enrichment to the engine. The engine generates an output which can be received by the catalytic converter. Reactions occur within the catalytic converter, and are outputted by the catalytic converter. The sensors detect an air-fuel ratio from the output of the engine, and the output of a catalytic converter. The sensors detect temperature data for the catalytic converter. The memory stores an enrichment curve indicating that an amount of enrichment supplied to the engine should be gradually increased based on the enrichment curve until a target enrichment amount is reached, or a predetermined target enrichment time is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Heraldo F. Stefanon
  • Publication number: 20130268182
    Abstract: A method, comprising propelling a vehicle with an engine and a motor starting the engine if energy stored in an energy storage device is greater than an upper threshold level when a contaminant amount in the engine oil is greater than a threshold amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: William David Treharne, Sangeetha Sangameswaran, Ted Haladyna
  • Patent number: 8554444
    Abstract: Described is a method for operating an internal combustion engine (1), in which method at least one parameter of the exhaust gas flowing in an exhaust-gas duct (10) is detected by at least one exhaust-gas probe (30; 32), wherein the internal combustion engine (1) is at least temporarily turned over by a starting device (3), during which an injection and combustion of fuel does not take place, and during and/or after which the exhaust-gas probe (30; 32) is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Hasslacher, Rainer Peck, Christian Kriechbaum, Michael Schenk, Haris Delic, Stefan Motz, Steffen Meyer-Salfeld, Micha Muenzenmay, Bjoern Alexander Schuetz, Horst Mueller, Harry-Alexander Kempf, Ruediger Schaller
  • Patent number: 8554453
    Abstract: A starter includes a pinion gear that can be engaged with a ring gear coupled to a crankshaft of an engine, an actuator to move the pinion gear to a position where the pinion gear is engaged with the ring gear in a driven state, and a motor to rotate the pinion gear. When the engine is started in response to a driver's start intention, any mode of an engagement mode in which the actuator causes the pinion gear to engage with the ring gear before the motor is driven and a rotation mode in which the motor is driven before the actuator is driven is selected. When the engine is started not in response to a driver's start intention, the engagement mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouki Moriya, Jumpei Kakehi, Hasrul Sany Bin Hashim
  • Publication number: 20130261941
    Abstract: A vehicle controller is installed in a vehicle and controls one or more operations of the vehicle. The vehicle controller includes a control unit that: (i) outputs a first code for authentication to a judging apparatus which judges whether to permit starting of a driving apparatus of the vehicle when a request for starting the driving apparatus is obtained from an information processor which is located outside the vehicle, (ii) controls locking and unlocking of doors of the vehicle when a request for door lock control is obtained from the information processor, and (iii) obtains from the judging apparatus an authentication result of whether the first code and a second code for authentication which the judging apparatus uses are identical. When obtaining the request for door lock control, the control unit controls the locking and unlocking of the doors based on the authentication result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryuji NISHIMURA, Akira TAKEE, Shingo TAGUCHI, Takeshi SAKAMOTO, Tetsuya NOMURA, Satoshi HARUMOTO
  • Patent number: 8544449
    Abstract: A device for feeding fuel from a fuel tank (33) to a multi-fuel engine (12) that uses fuel in which alcohol and gasoline are mixed in an arbitrary ratio. The internal volume of a connecting line (84) provided between a fuel pressure governor (85) and a fuel injection device (50) is a volume equal to or greater than the amount of fuel consumed from startup of the engine until an oxygen sensor (88) reaches a measurement-enabling temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasufumi Yokura, Atsushi Ito, Yoichi Takahashi, Tsuyoshi Izaki
  • Publication number: 20130253806
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes a drive system that outputs a driving force for a vehicle. The control device further includes an accelerator operation section which operates an accelerator, and a control section that is configured to control the driving force output by the drive system, in accordance with an operation amount of the accelerator operated by the accelerator operation section. The control section is configured to start the drive system if a change in the operation amount of the accelerator is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Ayumu Ueno
  • Publication number: 20130245925
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine and a stop/start system that selectively auto stops and auto starts the engine, detects an auto stop inhibit condition that prevents the engine from being auto stopped, and in response, generates output based on the auto stop inhibit condition if the auto stop inhibit condition falls within a predetermined class of auto stop inhibit conditions. The vehicle also includes an interface that displays or plays the output to inform a driver of the vehicle about the detected auto stop inhibit condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mark Douglas Malone, Scott R. Caudill, William Najib Mansur, Joseph Andrew Zamora, Kirk Pebley
  • Patent number: 8534253
    Abstract: A remote starting device starts up an engine when receiving an RF signal instructing to start up the engine from a remote control terminal. A first switch is provided in parallel to an accessory switch which is disposed in a first power supply line connecting a battery to an electrical device for controlling accessories. A second switch is provided in parallel to an ignition switch which is disposed in a second power supply line connecting the battery to an electrical device for controlling non-accessories. A first controller controls the second switch to be turned on when starting up the engine. A first detector detects an insertion state of a key into a key cylinder by a user. A second detector detects an electrical connection state in the first power supply line. A second controller controls the first switch to be turned off when the first detector detects that the key is inserted in a state where the engine is started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Manabu Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20130238227
    Abstract: A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one example, fuel injection timing is selectively adjusted based on engine stop position and amount of time the engine is stopped. The method may improve engine starting and lower engine noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alex O'Connor Gibson, Jeffrey Allen Doering, John Eric Rollinger
  • Publication number: 20130238226
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a fuel system configured to deliver a gaseous fuel to an engine. While the engine is shutdown, diagnostic routines may be performed to identify fuel system leaks or breaches. When the engine is subsequently restarted, fuel rail pre-priming is adjusted based on the presence of fuel system leaks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Jamie Terence Slaymaker, Andrew Paul Chee Aun Wong, Adam Nolan, Phuoc (Bui) Buiquang, Michael Lanksch
  • Patent number: 8532913
    Abstract: An object is to provide a technology that enables starting of fuel injection under a condition that allows injected fuel to ignite and burn at the time of start-up of an internal combustion engine. To achieve the object, a start-up control system for an internal combustion engine according to the invention estimates, at the time of start-up of the internal combustion engine, the amount of rotation of a crankshaft in a period since the start of cranking until a crank position sensor outputs an effective pulse signal and determines, based on the stopping position of the crankshaft specified by the value thus estimated, whether or not fuel is to be injected at the first fuel injection time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Hirai, Yoshinori Futonagane
  • Patent number: 8532843
    Abstract: A roadside communicator in a roadside around an intersection transmits, to vehicles around the intersection, traffic light information on traffic light at the intersection and mobile object information on vehicles and pedestrians around the intersection. An in-vehicle communicator mounted in a subject vehicle acquires the traffic light information and the mobile object information. An in-vehicle engine start determination section mounted in the subject vehicle determines a permission or prohibition of a start of an engine of the subject vehicle based on the traffic light information and mobile object information. The engine start determination section determines an engine start time in consideration of a display of the traffic light, and states of mobile objects that pass through the intersection. An in-vehicle engine control section in the subject vehicle starts the engine when the engine start determination section permits the start of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Michinaga Nagura, Naoe Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20130226439
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling an engine that may be automatically stopped and started are presented. In one example, a method adjusts an amount of current to an electric device applying torque to an engine to adjust an amount of air that is pumped through the engine to a catalyst. The methods and systems may reduce engine emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Sam Hashemi
  • Publication number: 20130226440
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, an electrical load and a stop/start system. The stop/start system selectively auto stops the engine when a speed of the vehicle is approximately zero, and in response to a request to activate the electrical load while the engine is auto stopped, auto starts the engine prior to activating the electrical load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Eric Michael Rademacher, Kirk Pebley, Filip Tomik, David Celinske, David Anthony Symanow
  • Patent number: 8521404
    Abstract: The fuel injection apparatus includes: a fuel injector having a leading end that has an internal space in which fuel is accumulated and has a fuel injection port; and an adsorbent, capable of selectively adsorbing an alcohol component in a blended fuel of gasoline and alcohol, disposed in the internal space. The fuel injection apparatus controls an injection amount from the fuel injector such that an air-fuel ratio is a controlled target air-fuel ratio based on an alcohol concentration of a blended fuel supplied to the fuel injector. In this fuel injection apparatus, a fuel pressure is brought to a predetermined high fuel pressure during cold starting of the internal combustion engine. At this time, an adsorbed amount of alcohol on the adsorbent is estimated and any deviation in the air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is corrected based on the adsorbed amount of alcohol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumito Chiba, Mamoru Yoshioka, Takahiro Tsukagoshi, Ryota Onoe
  • Publication number: 20130218442
    Abstract: When an engine is being cranked, a maximum slope value is set on the basis of a slope value of an output voltage of an air-fuel ratio sensor, a normalized maximum slope value is set by normalizing the set maximum slope value, and a learned value of a responsiveness of the air-fuel ratio sensor is calculated using the set normalized maximum slope value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2013
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Inventors: Kazuya Miyaji, Toshikazu Kato
  • Patent number: 8515605
    Abstract: A power supply device for a vehicle that is chargeable from an external power supply (90) provided external to the vehicle, including a main battery (BA) and a battery pack (39) that is attachable to and detachable from the vehicle. The battery pack (39) includes a sub battery (BB1) for driving electric loads (inverters 14 and 22) common to the main battery (BA) and the sub battery (BB1), and a connector (52) provided with a first storage unit storing information related to the sub battery (BB1). The power supply device for the vehicle further includes a control device (30) performing control related to the main battery (BA), and reading the information from the first storage unit and performing control related to the sub battery (BB1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshifumi Takaoka
  • Patent number: 8515653
    Abstract: A drive control method of a flow rate control valve in a common rail type fuel injection control apparatus, in which an integral value of a difference between a target current and an actual current is used in feedback control of an energization current of the flow rate control valve such that the actual current of the flow rate control valve becomes closer to the target current, the flow rate control valve controlling an amount of fuel supplied to a high pressure pump that pressure feeds high pressure fuel to a common rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Shoko Tanida
  • Patent number: 8510023
    Abstract: A method of controlling the ignition of a gasoline engine having an ignition coil which generates a spark on a spark plug, whereby the instant when coil charging starts is determined for each engine cycle as a function of the angular position of the crankshaft and the rotation speed of the engine, by calculating the ratio between the crankshaft angle of rotation still to pass through before the crankshaft reaches the angular position at which the ignition spark is to be produced, and the time required to charge the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Automotive France
    Inventors: Olivier Huyard, Benoit Jazeron
  • Patent number: 8504279
    Abstract: When an engine automatic stop judgment unit (101) judges that an engine automatic stop condition is satisfied so that a fuel injection control unit (105) stops fuel supply to an engine and an ignition control unit (106) stops ignition of the engine, and when an engine restart judgment unit (102) judges that an engine restart condition is satisfied before the engine stops, the pinion gear is driven to rotate. Then, engagement between the ring gear and the pinion gear is started when a deviation between an rpm of the engine detected by an engine rpm calculation unit (104) and an rpm of the pinion gear becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold value. Ignition by an ignition control unit (106) is inhibited during a period from start of the engagement until an engagement completion judgment unit (103) judges that the engagement is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Ishikawa, Tomohisa Shoda
  • Patent number: 8504278
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling engine operation includes a timer module that determines a time period from when a catalyst light-off mode is entered to when an oxygen sensor signal reaches an oxygen sensor threshold and a comparison module that generates an error signal and determines when the time period is above a time threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Douglas R. Verner, Jonathan T. Shibata, Allen B. Rayl, Halim G Santoso, Kenneth J. Buslepp
  • Publication number: 20130197788
    Abstract: A method of verifying a default state of a control parameter in an automobile engine includes checking engine controller performance with the control parameter in both a default state and an alternate state. The results of the tests are then compared to verify which state is the appropriate state for the particular engine being tested. A third engine controller performance check can be made to ensure that the controller and engine perform in a repeatable manner prior to setting the state of the control parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventors: Brian P. Gebby, Travis T. Hamilton, Fadi S. Kanafani
  • Patent number: 8498801
    Abstract: A 720-degree motor stage storage means for holding the result of stroke discrimination for the engine E also in the period for carrying out an idle stop control is provided. At the time of restarting the engine E from an idle stop state, a new stroke discriminating processing is not conducted, but the result of stroke discrimination stored in the 720-degree motor stage storage means is used, to thereby drive a fuel injection system and an ignition device. A stage decision unit for allocating a period of two revolutions of a crankshaft to 720-degree motor stages based on the result of stroke discrimination, a fuel injection and ignition stage correlation table having predetermined correlations of 720-degree motor stages with fuel injection stages and ignition stages, and restarting time motor stage conversion means for conversion of a 720-degree motor stage into a fuel injection stage and an ignition stage, are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Toshiya Nagatsuyu, Toshifumi Osawa, Katsuhiro Utsugi
  • Patent number: 8498798
    Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising an exhaust gas cleaning system that includes a SCR catalyst. In conjunction with a cold start and/or a warm-up of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is operated using a cold start engine operation method having predefineable values for predefineable operating parameters of the internal combustion engine. An amount of nitrogen oxides stored in the SCR catalyst is estimated, and the cold start engine operation method is activated when the estimation indicates that the nitrogen oxide storage amount exceeds a predefineable nitrogen oxide storage amount limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Koch, Alexander Massner, Anke Traebert
  • Publication number: 20130191012
    Abstract: An engine start control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes: an engine start control section configured to crank the engine by using the motor as a starter motor while the hydraulic clutch is slip-engaged when the discharge pressure from the oil pump is ensured by driving the motor, when the engine is started after an ignition switch is switched to an ON state, the engine start control section being configured to drive the oil pump by the motor at a no load during a predetermined time period after the engine is stopped when the ignition switch is in an OFF state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: JATCO LTD
    Inventor: JATCO LTD
  • Publication number: 20130191013
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for using a device for starting a heat engine of a motor vehicle. The method comprises a step in which a theoretical hold time T, is determined by a monitoring computer (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: PEUGEOT CITROEN AUTOMOBILES SA
    Inventors: Olivier Daunas, Philippe Bastiani
  • Publication number: 20130184970
    Abstract: A method is provided and may include monitoring operation of an engine of a vehicle, determining if the engine is started, and determining if the engine was started via an ignition or via a remote signal. The method may further include controlling operation of the engine at a first temperature if the engine was started via the ignition and controlling operation of the engine at a second temperature—different than the first temperature—if the engine was started via the remote signal. The second temperature may be higher than the first temperature to increase a temperature of coolant circulating within the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Inventor: Fadi S. Kanafani
  • Patent number: 8489311
    Abstract: A method is implemented in a vehicle having an electronic control unit (15), vehicle sensors, a data communication bus (16), and an on-board electrical network. The micro-hybrid system (1) comprises at least one rotary electrical machine (2) which is provided with a device (8) for detection of rotation, power circuits (14) comprising an inverter (7) and an excitation circuit (4) which supplies the rotary electrical machine (2), and a rectifier (11) which is supplied by the said rotary electrical machine (2), energy conversion circuits (12) which are connected to an energy storage device (9) which is supplied by the rectifier (11), a first circuit (13) to control the power circuits (14), and a second circuit (25) to control the energy conversion circuits (12). The method generates control signals (Dd. Exc., Dd. Ond., Auth. Exc., Auth. Ond.) on the basis of first information signals (Capt. Véh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Valeo Equipments Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: Marc Ranier, Brice Lecole, Regis Gubian
  • Patent number: 8489267
    Abstract: In a hybrid-electric vehicle that includes a cabin, methods and systems are provided for modifying a first curve for engine coolant temperature (ECT) warm-up trajectory. The system includes a processor configured to execute software instructions, and a memory configured to store software instructions accessible by the processor. In one embodiment, the software instructions comprise an offset lookup table that is configured to generate, based on a calculated thermal power loss across a heater core and an ambient air temperature, an offset value for modifying the first curve for ECT warm-up trajectory to produce a desired curve for ECT warm-up trajectory that is offset from the first curve. The desired curve for ECT warm up trajectory is used to adjust temperature in the cabin so that fuel consumption can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Paul S. Lombardo, Allen J. Lehmen
  • Patent number: 8489310
    Abstract: In an apparatus for controlling a general-purpose internal combustion engine having an electronic control unit (ECU) mounted on an electronic circuit board installed near a body of the engine and being connectable to a load such as an operating machine that consumes power generated by the engine, there are equipped with a first temperature sensor installed on the board at a position remote from the body and a second temperature sensor installed on the board at a position closer to the body than the first temperature sensor. A warm-up time period is determined based on an output of the first temperature sensor and a difference between outputs of the first and second temperature sensors, and an engine speed is controlled to a predetermined operating speed when the determined warm-up time period has elapsed (S18, S22), thereby improving the fuel efficiency and preventing engine stall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Hideaki Shimamura, Takao Tamechika, Atsuhisa Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20130179054
    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: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GmbH
    Inventors: Elias Calva, Karthik Rai, Norbert Mueller, Ruediger Weiss, Manfred Dietrich