Starting, Warmup Patents (Class 701/113)
  • Patent number: 8401760
    Abstract: A system and method of monitoring oil consumption in a gas turbine engine system are provided. When the gas turbine engine is not running the reservoir oil level, reservoir oil temperature, and reservoir attitude are sensed. The current gas turbine engine system oil quantity is determined based on at least the sensed reservoir oil level, the sensed reservoir oil temperature, and the sensed reservoir attitude. When a predetermined event has occurred, an average gas turbine engine system oil quantity is automatically calculated. The gas turbine engine system oil consumption rate is determined from a plurality of the average oil quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Payne, Harold Riley
  • Patent number: 8401768
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling an engine in a vehicle, the engine being coupled to a transmission. One example method comprises, under selected braking conditions, shutting-off the engine and spinning-down the engine to rest while the vehicle is traveling, and in response to a foot-off-brake event, restarting the engine by at least partially engaging the transmission to assist in spinning-up of the engine from rest while the vehicle is traveling. In this manner, vehicle inertia can be used to assist in spinning-up the engine from rest when the vehicle is moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, Gopichandra Surnilla, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 8401769
    Abstract: A control method of restarting an engine of an AT ISG vehicle may include a first step of restarting the engine when a state of the vehicle satisfies a restart condition after an idle-stop, a second step of keeping a throttle valve constant at a first critical value or less when a positional value of an acceleration pedal may be equal to a second critical value or more after the first step, and a third step of opening a throttle valve until the positional value of the acceleration pedal detected by the acceleration pedal position sensor and a positional value of the throttle valve detected by a throttle valve position sensor may be matched after a critical time passes, a shifting may be completed after the restarting, or when the acceleration pedal may be pressed down less than at the second critical value after the first step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jiyong Yu, Sejun Kim, Chongah Gwon, Junghwan Bang
  • Publication number: 20130066539
    Abstract: An engine system and method for improving engine starting are disclosed. In one example, engine port throttles are adjusted differently during automatic and operator initiated engine starts. The system and method may improve engine torque control during an engine start.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Leone, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20130066541
    Abstract: A method is described for operating a system, in particular a starter device for starting an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in the system a real-time signal for achieving an activation state of an actuating device being transmitted from a controller to the actuating device via a real-time communication device with the aid of real-time interfaces. To increase flexible control of the system, for example for a start-stop operation of a vehicle, using a simple configuration, the actuating device and the controller each have a data interface via which data information is transmitted with the aid of a data communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Harald Schueler, Markus Roessle, Sven Hartmann
  • Publication number: 20130066540
    Abstract: An engine system and method for improving engine starting are disclosed. In one example, two engine cylinder port throttles are adjusted differently during engine starting. The system and method may improve engine torque control during an engine start.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Donald J. Lewis, Thomas G. Leone, Ralph Wayne Cunningham
  • Publication number: 20130060455
    Abstract: An engine control method includes: a step of running the engine in a forward direction by driving a motor that applies a torque to a crank of the engine in the forward direction in a case where the crank angle of the engine does not lie in the first section; a step of removing any load from the motor in a case where the crank angle of the engine lies in the first section; a step of braking the motor in a case where it is determined in the sixth step that the crank angle of the engine lies in the second section; and a step of running the engine in the forward direction by driving the motor in the forward direction in a case where it is determined that there is the request for restart of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: SHINDENGEN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING CO
  • Publication number: 20130060454
    Abstract: Embodiments for heating a catalyst are provided. In one example, a method for controlling an internal combustion engine having an exhaust-gas aftertreatment device during a cold-start phase comprises adjusting a temperature of cooling water to a setpoint operating temperature as a function of a degree of aging of the exhaust-gas aftertreatment device of the internal combustion engine, wherein the temperature of the cooling water is increased more quickly as a present degree of aging of the exhaust-gas aftertreatment device increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Yasser Mohamed sayed Yacoub
  • Patent number: 8392097
    Abstract: A hybrid powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, an electro-mechanical transmission and an electric machine. In an engine starting routine, flow control devices located proximate each combustion chamber in the engine initially restrict airflow into the cylinders to allow for a starter motor to rotate the engine at lower expansion and compression torque whereafter rotation of the engine is transitioned to the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Qi Ma, Robert Douglas Shafto, Michael Simon, Julian R. Verdejo
  • Publication number: 20130041572
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for actuating a starter device (10), wherein the starter device (10) comprises a starting pinion (22) which is to be meshed with a toothed ring (25) of an internal combustion engine (210), the internal combustion engine (210) having a drive shaft (222). The invention is characterized in that a) first a rotational speed (n, n1, n2, n3) of the drive shaft (222) is determined, b) said rotational speed (n, n1, n2, n3) is then compared to a predefined rotational speed value (nG), and c) in the case that the rotational speed (n, n1, n2, n3) is less than or equal to the predefined rotational speed value (nG), the starting pinion (22) is toed in the direction of the toothed ring (25).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Cwik, Markus Roessle, Ewald Mauritz, Stefan Tumback
  • Publication number: 20130035845
    Abstract: In a vehicle that includes an electrically heatable first catalyst EHC (140) in an exhaust passageway of an engine and a second catalyst UFC (145) disposed downstream of the EHC, an ECU (150) predicts that the load following starting of the engine will be higher than the load that corresponds to the exhaust gas purification capability of the EHC, and starts an engine motoring control of forcing the engine to turn via an electric motor (S32), if, during a pre-heating control of electrically controlling the EHC prior to starting of the engine, the demanded drive force F is greater than a predetermined value F1 and the amount of increase ?F of the demanded drive force F per unit time is greater than a predetermined amount ?F1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Takara
  • Publication number: 20130035840
    Abstract: A method of starting an internal combustion engine includes sensing a temperature of an engine coolant at an engine block of the internal combustion engine, and sensing a temperature of a secondary engine component remote from the engine block when the internal combustion engine is not running. A numerical difference between the temperature of the engine coolant and the temperature of the secondary engine component is calculated. A start parameter setting used to control the start of the internal combustion engine is adjusted based upon both the sensed temperature of the engine coolant and the numerical difference between the sensed temperature of the engine coolant and the sensed temperature of the secondary engine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Timothy J. Holbert, Scott Alan Westfall
  • Publication number: 20130030679
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of properly determining timing for restarting the engine in a stopped state when idle stop control of the engine is executed during a heating operation of an air conditioner, thereby making it possible to ensure marketability and fuel economy performance in a well-balanced manner. The control system executes the idle stop control of the engine during the heating operation of the air conditioner. The control system includes an ECU. The ECU sets a lower limit blowout temperature, calculates an estimated blowout temperature, and controls the engine such that the engine is restarted when the estimated blowout temperature has become not higher than the lower limit blowout temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichirou WAKOU, Yoshihisa TSUCHIYA, Masanobu EGUCHI, Shinji YASUNO, Kanao KOGURE, Nobuyuki AKAHOSHI
  • Publication number: 20130030678
    Abstract: A particulate matter sensor (8) is installed in an exhaust path (4) of an internal combustion engine (2) to generate an output in accordance with the amount of particulate matter in a gas. Disclosed is a control device (10) that includes means for detecting the output of the particulate matter sensor (8), means for detecting information about the operating status of the internal combustion engine (2), and means for correcting the output in accordance with the information during a predetermined period from the startup to warm-up of the internal combustion engine. Correcting the output at the start of the internal combustion engine as described above suppresses the output variations of the particulate matter sensor (8), which occur due to the differences in particulate matter diameter and sensor temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichiro Aoki, Hiroki Nishijima
  • Publication number: 20130025263
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a power unit equipped with an internal combustion engine and outputs a power. The control apparatus according to the invention starts engine operation when the required power becomes equal to or larger than an engine start threshold during engine stop, and stops engine operation when the required power becomes equal to or smaller than an engine stop threshold during engine operation. The internal combustion engine is equipped with a catalyst. When the purification capacity of the catalyst is lower than a start threshold correction threshold, a value smaller than a reference engine start threshold is set as the engine start threshold. When the purification capacity of the catalyst is equal to or higher than the start threshold correction threshold, a value equal to the reference engine start threshold or a value larger than the reference engine start threshold is set as the engine start threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Amano
  • Patent number: 8364386
    Abstract: A stop-start control apparatus for a port injection engine (1) including cylinders (2) stops the engine (1) by stopping fuel injection from each injector (13), when a predetermined stop condition is fulfilled. An estimated position of a piston (5) in each cylinder (2) after the engine (1) is stopped is determined during a stop process period from when the predetermined stop condition is fulfilled until when the engine (1) is stopped, and a compression stroke cylinder in which the piston (5) is to be stopped in a compression stroke is identified. An amount of fuel to be injected from the injector (13) for the compression stroke cylinder during the stop process period is set based on the estimated position of the piston (5) in the compression stroke cylinder. The injector (13) injects the fuel in the set fuel amount so that the fuel is contained in the compression stroke cylinder when the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Rentaro Kuroki, Hiroki Ichinose, Takayuki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 8355859
    Abstract: An engine with vacuum and coolant pumps is disclosed. In one example, the vacuum and coolant pumps are mechanically coupled together and driven by a single motor. The approach may reduce system cost and complexity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Cliff Maki, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Patent number: 8355860
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Xiangying Liu, Henry W. Patterson, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Alex O'Connor Gibson, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20130013176
    Abstract: The present concept is method of controlling a vehicle's engine idle and includes the steps of monitoring a vehicles operating parameters with a controller and comparing parameters to preselected shutdown conditions. In the event shutdown conditions are met and the key is not in the ignition, the controller warns operator of impending shutdown. The controller intercepts the ignition key signal and simulates the vehicle key to be in the run position such that vehicle functions are operable as if key is in run position. The controller shuts down engine. The method may also include the steps of: the controller intercepting the ignition key signal and simulating the vehicle key to be in the accessory position such that vehicle functions are operable as if key is in accessory position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Inventor: Brian Bassindale
  • Patent number: 8352166
    Abstract: Systems and methods of operating an engine, the engine including an injector configured to directly inject fuel into an engine cylinder. One example method comprises, during an engine cold start, performing compression direct fuel injection, and retarding a timing of the compression injection as a fuel alcohol content of the fuel increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, David Karl Bidner, Peter Charles Moilanen
  • Patent number: 8352154
    Abstract: In a control unit, a method, a computer program and a computer program product for operating an internal combustion engine in the context of a combined direct and manifold injection, fuel is injected by at least one first injection valve into an induction manifold and/or by at least one second injection valve directly into a combustion chamber for combustion. In at least one predefined operating state of the internal combustion engine, fuel is only injected by the at least one first injection valve into the induction manifold for a predetermined number of successive combustion cycles. In a subsequent combustion cycle, fuel is injected by the at least one first injection valve into the induction manifold and by the at least one second injection valve directly into the combustion chamber or only by the at least one second injection valve directly into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Mallebrein, Michael Frank, Alexander Schenck Zu Schweinsberg, Helerson Kemmer, Wolfgang Samenfink
  • Publication number: 20130006507
    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: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Michael James Uhrich, James Michael Kerns, Gopichandra Surnilla
  • Publication number: 20130006503
    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: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: David Bruce Reiche, Steven Wooldridge, Curtis McGuire, Brad Alan VanDerWege
  • Patent number: 8342143
    Abstract: Disclosed is a spark ignition type internal combustion engine, which comprises a variable compression ratio mechanism capable of changing a mechanical compression ratio, and a variable valve timing mechanism capable of controlling the closing timing of an intake valve. The intake air flow to be fed to the inside of a combustion chamber is controlled mainly by changing the closing timing of an intake valve so that the mechanical compression ratio is set higher at an engine low-load running time than that at an engine high-load running time. The mechanical compression ratio at the engine low-load running time before completion of the warm-up of the internal combustion engine is set lower than that at the engine low-load running time after completion of the warm-up of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mamoru Yoshioka, Daisuke Akihisa, Eiichi Kamiyama, Yukihiro Nakasaka
  • Patent number: 8346461
    Abstract: Method for controlling a start-up of an internal combustion engine, an actuation of the internal combustion engine being begun and maintained by an electric machine in order to set the internal combustion engine into independent motion, thereby characterized, in that the actuation of the internal combustion engine is concluded before an initial combustion in the internal combustion engine takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: David Moessner
  • Patent number: 8346421
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for initiating starting of an engine in a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) for a first time since a vehicle drive start request. Based on a predetermined fluid temperature and a powertrain fluid temperature from at least one of the powertrain elements in the HEV, it is determined whether energy from the engine is demanded. When the energy from the engine is demanded, the engine is started to provide energy for at least one of heating of a cabin compartment in the HEV and lubrication of a portion of powertrain elements in the HEV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul S. Bryan, Christopher A. Lear, Mike P. Lindlbauer, Linda K. Ringlein, William David Treharne
  • Publication number: 20120330539
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are described for controlling a NOx sensor coupled to an engine exhaust system in a motor vehicle. One example method comprises generating an offset of the sensor based on an ambient air flow drawn into the exhaust system, the ambient air flow having circumvented cylinders of the engine, and adjusting an output of the sensor based on the generated offset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: David Charles Weber
  • Publication number: 20120330538
    Abstract: An electrical system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine with start/stop capability includes a primary battery connectible to an engine starter motor; a secondary battery, an alternator, and an electrical load in parallel with one another and selectively connectible in parallel with the primary battery by a charge switch; in parallel with the secondary battery, a DC/DC converter in series with a third electrical energy source; and a bypass switch operable to selectively bypass the DC/DC converter. The bypass switch allows for selective bypassing the DC/DC converter and charging/discharging of the third electrical energy source during start/stop operation, to ensure a sufficient voltage level over the additional vehicle electrical loads when the internal combustion engine and consequently the alternator are not running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: VOLVO CAR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Oerjan Spjuth, Torbjoern Larsson, Daniel Midholm, Fredrik Ulmhage
  • Patent number: 8333179
    Abstract: The invention deals with a method for operating an internal combustion engine with engine oil as the lubricant, wherein a fuel mass flow outgassing from the engine oil is ascertained and is taken into account via a map-based pilot control during the metering of a quantity of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine and wherein a fuel/air ratio supplied to the internal combustion engine is determined. Provision is made in the method according to the invention for a mass flow offset determined from the deviation of the fuel/air ratio supplied to the internal combustion engine from a nominal value to be taken into account when the metering of the quantity of fuel supplied to the internal combustion engine occurs during an effective duration of the map-based pilot control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Mallebrein, Federico Buganza, Carlos Koster, Kai Jakobs, Juergen Pfeiffer, Emilie Hincker-Piocelle, Pierre-Yves Crepin
  • Patent number: 8326519
    Abstract: An engine control system comprises an intake valve deactivation module and an exhaust valve deactivation module. The intake valve deactivation module deactivates an intake valve of a cylinder of an engine based on an engine stop request such that the intake valve remains closed. The exhaust valve deactivation module deactivates an exhaust valve of the cylinder after the intake valve deactivation module deactivates the intake valve such that the exhaust valve remains closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventors: Mike M. McDonald, William C. Albertson
  • Patent number: 8326520
    Abstract: A process and a corresponding system are provided for automatically turning off and starting an internal-combustion engine in a motor vehicle via a start-stop device, which automatically turns off the internal-combustion engine if the vehicle is braked to a stop and is held in the stopped position by the operation of the brake pedal, and which, if the internal-combustion engine is automatically turned off and the operated brake pedal is released, automatically starts the internal-combustion engine. If the internal-combustion engine is automatically turned off, an automatic starting of the internal-combustion engine by releasing the brake is prevented if the brake pedal was increasingly depressed beforehand while the internal-combustion engine was turned-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Marcus Bollig, Juergen Poggel
  • Publication number: 20120303251
    Abstract: A control apparatus and a control method diagnose whether an internal-combustion engine is rotated in forward or reverse directions is being properly implemented. Specifically, based on a pulse width WIPOS of a rotation signal POS output by a crank angle sensor, it is determined whether a crankshaft is rotated in the forward or the reverse directions. Based on the determination of the rotating direction of the crankshaft, a counter CNTPOS, which denotes a count value of rotation signal POS, is updated. At the time of restarting the engine, counter CNTPOS is updated, using a value on counter CNTPOSz at the time of stopping the engine as an initial value. If the value on counter CNTPOS at a crank angle position determined after the starting of the engine differs from an expected value, then the function for determining the rotating direction of the crankshaft is diagnosed to be abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventor: Hirokazu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8319616
    Abstract: A system and method for authorizing a remote device amongst multiple remote devices for passive functions, such as passive entry and passive start, includes a vehicle having a plurality of strategically located antennas, combinations of which transmit a query signal and receive query responses, a challenge antenna amongst the plurality of antennas for transmitting a challenge signal to at least one of the multiple remote devices in accordance with a challenge order, and a control unit having a controller in communication with the antennas for determining the challenge order based upon the query responses. The controller can determine whether a remote device is located in an authorization zone, out of an authorization zone, or whether the remote device's location is indeterminate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Hilton W. Girard, III, Nikolay Yakovenko, Riad Ghabra
  • Patent number: 8315781
    Abstract: In a method for starting an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, an injection timing point is specified for each chamber at which a first fuel injection pulse is carried out and an ignition timing point is specified at which a first ignition pulse is to be carried out in the chamber. A crankshaft is caused to rotate by a starter device. For all chambers in which the injection timing point takes place in time after the ignition pulse, the respectively specified ignition timing point is adjusted in terms of reduced torque output. Thereafter, in each combustion chamber the injection pulse is carried out at the respectively specified injection timing point and the ignition pulse is carried out at the respectively specified ignition timing point. In this way, any potentially present fuel residue is combusted and at the same time the torque produced thereby is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Friedl, Oswald Schumann
  • Patent number: 8312710
    Abstract: A method for starting an engine of a motor vehicle, the engine having an intake manifold, an intake throttle controlling admission of air into the intake manifold, and a plurality of combustion chambers communicating with the intake manifold, the method comprising providing a reduced pressure of air in the intake manifold prior to delivering fuel or spark to the engine, the reduced pressure of air responsive to a temperature of the engine; delivering fuel to one or more of the plurality of combustion chambers in an amount based on the reduced pressure of air; and delivering spark to the one or more combustion chambers to start the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20120283937
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first switch turned ON in response to depression of a pedal, and OFF in response to depression being released; a second switch that assumes a first state in response to depression of the pedal, and a second state in response to pedal release; and a control unit that determines whether the first switch is in the first state. The control unit starts the engine, if in the first state and if the engine start switch is operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA ENGINEERING KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi Kawamoto, Sumiaki Hazama, Takashi Ue, Tadao Ohwaki, Yusuke Nomura
  • Publication number: 20120283936
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for accurately determining cylinder fueling errors during an automatic engine restart. Fueling errors may be learned during a preceding engine restart on a cylinder-specific and combustion event-specific basis. The learned fueling errors may then be applied during a subsequent engine restart on the same cylinder-specific and combustion event-specific basis to better anticipate and compensate for engine cranking air-to-fuel ratio deviations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Sam Hashemi, Payam Naghshtabrizi
  • Publication number: 20120277983
    Abstract: An octane rating estimating section estimates the octane rating of fuel on the basis of detection signals from intake air temperature, water temperature, fuel and knock sensors. A pre-ignition occurrence index calculating section calculates a pre-ignition occurrence index on the basis of the estimated octane rating; and a pre-ignition occurrence index correcting section corrects the pre-ignition occurrence index such that pre-ignition occurs more easily. An automatic idling stopping determining section determines automatic idling stopping on the basis of a determination result of an automatic idling stopping prohibition determining section which determines the prohibition of automatic idling stopping on the basis of the pre-ignition occurrence index, an operation signal from the air conditioner, and steering information; and a fuel injection control section which controls fuel injection per the automatic idling stopping determination result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomokazu MAKINO
  • Patent number: 8301361
    Abstract: Provided is a crank angle detection unit configured to output respective recognition signals from a plurality of intermediate positions each flanked with the positions corresponding to the respective top dead centers of the pistons of a plurality of cylinders and to differentiate the kinds of the respective recognition signals output from the adjacent intermediate positions. Also included is a piston position determination unit that determines the stopping position of the piston when the internal combustion engine stops, based on the crank angle range stored in a crank angle range storage unit and a crank angle corresponding to the position of the recognition signal outputted by the crank angle detection unit. A cylinder to which a fuel is to be initially supplied when the internal combustion engine restarts is determined, based on the stopping position of the piston determined by the piston position determination means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 8296041
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus is provided which is operative in an automatic engine stop mode to stop an engine automatically and in an engine restart mode to restart the engine automatically after the engine is stopped in the automatic engine stop mode so as to output a predetermined reference engine torque immediately after the engine is started. The vehicle control apparatus works to determine the travel performance of the vehicle required immediately after the engine has been restarted in the engine restart mode and control the torque outputted by the engine based on the determined travel performance so as to ensure the drivability of the vehicle after the engine is restarted automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Yamamura, Kenji Kawahara
  • Publication number: 20120265427
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of an engine of a motor vehicle is disclosed in which the engine is restarted while the vehicle is in motion by bump starting it if the speed of the vehicle falls within predetermined speed limits but is otherwise restarted using a starter motor. The number of starts for which the starter motor is used is thereby reduced advantageously reducing wear of the starter motor and increasing the life and/or reducing the duty cycle of the battery or source of power used for the starter motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Themi Philemon Petridis, Peter George Brittle, Ian Halleron
  • Patent number: 8290692
    Abstract: An engine-starting device for stopping the engine after satisfaction of an idling-stop condition during idling of a vehicle, starting rotation of a starter-motor upon satisfaction of a starter-motor rotation start condition, and causing a pinion gear to mesh with a ring gear upon satisfaction of a pinion gear meshing condition, includes the ring gear to be connected to a crank shaft, the pinion gear for transmitting the starter-motor rotation, a plunger for causing the pinion gear to mesh with the ring gear, and a starter control section for instructing energization of the starter-motor, in which the starter-motor is energized to be rotated upon the satisfaction of the starter-motor rotation start condition prior to clearing of the idling-stop condition in response to a restart request, and the pinion gear is caused to mesh with the ring gear by the plunger upon the satisfaction of the pinion gear meshing condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Masahiko Kurishige, Akihiko Imagi, Daisuke Mizuno, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara, Naohito Kaneda
  • Patent number: 8290693
    Abstract: An internal-combustion-engine automatic stop and restart system performs restarting control by making the pinion pushing unit push out the pinion gear so as to engage with the ring gear, when the restarting condition is satisfied in a time period from a time when the automatic stopping condition is satisfied to a time when the rotation of the internal combustion engine stops. A throttle valve control unit opens the throttle valve even when the restarting condition has not been satisfied and stops control of the throttle valve in a time period from when the rotation of the internal combustion engine stops to when the restarting condition is satisfied, when the rotation speed of the internal combustion engine becomes lower than a predetermined value in a time period from when the automatic stopping condition is satisfied to when the rotation of the internal combustion engine stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohisa Shoda, Osamu Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20120259534
    Abstract: A stop control system for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of restarting the engine automatically stopped, in optimum timing, thereby making it possible to positively prevent occurrence of fogging of window glass of a vehicle compartment and improve fuel economy. The engine is connected to a compressor of an air conditioner. According to the stop control system, during idle stop, window glass temperature is calculated, and according to the calculated window glass temperature, limit humidity below which fogging of the window glass does not occur is set. When determining compartment humidity becomes equal to or higher than the limit humidity, the idle stop is terminated and the engine is restarted. When the weather is rainy or snowy, the determining compartment humidity is corrected. When vehicle compartment temperature is not lower than a first predetermined temperature, the window glass temperature is corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichirou WAKOU, Yoshihisa Tsuchiya, Masanobu Eguchi, Shinji Yasuno, Kanao Kogure, Nobuyuki Akahoshi
  • Publication number: 20120259535
    Abstract: A method and a device for improving the restart of a vehicle equipped with start-stop operation. In order to accelerate the restart, in a stop phase of the start-stop operation a control unit provides control signals on the basis of which the excitation winding is supplied with a pre-excitation current in the stop phase. In addition, given the presence of a restart request occurring during the slowdown of the internal combustion engine, the control unit checks whether an immediate restart is possible and sensible, and, in the case in which an immediate restart is possible and sensible, initiates an immediate restart, and delays the restart in the case in which an immediate restart is not possible or not sensible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Inventors: Rolf Jaros, Julian Roesner
  • Patent number: 8280616
    Abstract: Disclosed is a remote starter system for remotely starting an engine of a vehicle. The remote starter system may comprise an integrated universal bypass module that allows the remote starter system to be utilized with vehicles equipped with a passive anti-theft system such as a transponder-based vehicle security system or a resistance-based vehicle security system. Alternatively, the remote starter system may comprise a kit comprising a remote starter system for remotely starting an engine of a vehicle and a universal bypass module that allows the remote starter system to be utilized with vehicles equipped with an anti-theft system such as a transponder-based vehicle security system or a resistance-based vehicle security system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Access 2 Communications, Inc.
    Inventor: Brett Barta
  • Publication number: 20120245830
    Abstract: In a method for monitoring a coolant temperature sensor and/or a cylinder head temperature sensor of a motor vehicle, during a start (t=tSt) of an internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle an actual value (TCOist=TCOSt) of a coolant temperature (TCO) is determined by a coolant temperature sensor, and an actual value (TCYLHist=TCYLHSt) of the cylinder head temperature (TCYLH) is determined by a cylinder head temperature sensor, wherein the coolant temperature sensor and/or the cylinder head temperature sensor are diagnosed as functional sensors when the actual values (TCOist, TCYLHist) of the coolant temperature (TCO) and the cylinder heat temperature (TCYLH) deviate in the same direction upward in relation to an outside temperature (TAM) and/or an intake air temperature (TIA). By a control device, particularly a motor control device, a method can be and is carried out accordingly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Gerhard Eser, Stefan Seyfferth
  • Publication number: 20120245831
    Abstract: A method for improving starting of an engine that may be repeatedly stopped and started is presented. In one embodiment, the method disengages a starter in response to a first predicted combustion in a cylinder of the engine. The method may reduce one-way clutch degradation of a starter. Further, the method may reduce current consumption during engine starting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Henry W. Patterson, Alex O`Connor Gibson, David Oshinsky, Joseph Norman Ulrey, Xiangying Liu
  • Patent number: 8275538
    Abstract: Various example approaches are described, one of which includes a method for controlling injection of gaseous and liquid fuel to a cylinder during engine starting. Specifically, gaseous fuel is injected during or before an intake stroke of the cycle to form a well-mixed overall lean air-fuel mixture, and then liquid fuel is directly injected to the cylinder at least during one of a compression and expansion stroke of the engine cycle to form a rich air-fuel cloud near the spark plug, where a spark initiates combustion of the injected fuels. In one example, the rich cloud enables additional spark retard, and thus faster catalyst light-off, while maintain acceptable combustion stability of the gaseous fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gopichandra Surnilla, Ross Dykstra Pursifull
  • Publication number: 20120239280
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine that performs learning of a throttle opening degree during idle operation, at which a target idle speed can be obtained, the control system comprising a control section that is configured to use a first learned value and a second learned value as learned values of the throttle opening degree during idle operation and to update the first learned value when a state of combustion is not deteriorated, and update the second learned value when the state of combustion is deteriorated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukio Kobayashi