Engine start/stop function management
First Claim
1. A method for controlling, by a controller of a vehicle system that includes an engine and a power storage device, automatic starting and automatic stopping of the operation of the engine, the method comprising:
- determining, by the controller and while the engine is stopped, the occurrence of at least one primary condition, the at least one primary condition related to a condition of the power storage device;
based on the occurrence of the at least one primary condition, operating the controller to automatically start the operation of the engine;
after the engine has been automatically started, suspending the ability of the controller to automatically stop the operation of the engine until at least one secondary condition is satisfied; and
upon satisfaction of the at least one secondary condition, re-enabling the ability of the controller to at least automatically stop the operation of the engine.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling automatic start/stop operations for an engine. While the engine is shutdown, operation of the engine may be automatically started upon expiration of a threshold time limit or in response to one or more adverse or deteriorated conditions of a power storage device, such as, for example, a state of health, state of function, or state of charge of the power storage device. After the engine has been automatically started, the ability of the controller to subsequently automatically stop the operation of the engine may be disabled until at least one secondary condition is satisfied. Upon satisfaction of the at least one secondary condition, the controller may again be enabled to at least automatically stop the operation of the engine.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for controlling, by a controller of a vehicle system that includes an engine and a power storage device, automatic starting and automatic stopping of the operation of the engine, the method comprising:
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determining, by the controller and while the engine is stopped, the occurrence of at least one primary condition, the at least one primary condition related to a condition of the power storage device; based on the occurrence of the at least one primary condition, operating the controller to automatically start the operation of the engine; after the engine has been automatically started, suspending the ability of the controller to automatically stop the operation of the engine until at least one secondary condition is satisfied; and upon satisfaction of the at least one secondary condition, re-enabling the ability of the controller to at least automatically stop the operation of the engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling, by a controller of a vehicle system that includes an internal combustion engine and a power storage device, automatic starting and automatic stopping of the operation of the internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
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determining, by the controller and while the internal combustion engine is stopped, the satisfaction of a primary condition relating to one or more conditions of the power storage device; automatically starting, in response to the satisfaction of the primary condition, the operation of the internal combustion engine; suspending, in response to automatically starting the operation of the internal combustion engine, the ability of the controller to issue commands that cause the automatic stopping of the internal combustion engine; determining, by the controller and while the automatically started internal combustion engine is operating, whether one or more secondary conditions have been satisfied; and enabling, if the controller determines the one or more secondary conditions are satisfied, the ability of the controller to issue commands that cause the automatic stopping of the internal combustion engine. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for controlling automatic start/stop operations of an engine based at least in part on the conditions of a power storage device, the system comprising:
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an engine start/stop control module adapted to control the automatic starting and automatic stopping of the operations of the engine, the engine start/stop control module including, a constraints module adapted to suspend the engine start/stop control module from being able to automatically stop the operation of the engine following a directly preceding automatic start of the operation of the engine that was in response to one or more adverse conditions of the power storage device, the constraints module further adapted to subsequently re-enable the ability of the engine start/stop control module to automatically stop the operation of the engine after determining that one or more secondary conditions are satisfied, and a timer module configured to provide information relating to a time period during which the engine start/stop control module has been disabled following the automatic start of the engine; and a power storage device management system configured to provide information relating to the one or more adverse conditions of the power storage device to the constraints module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification