Systems and methods of engine stop/start control of an electrified powertrain

• US 10,435,007 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Follen, Kenneth M., Gopal, Arun Prakash Thunga, Sujan, Vivek A., Tulpule, Pinak Jayant, Sane, Mugdha S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US15/269,428
• Publication Number:
  US 20170080919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 701 53, 701 36, 701112, 701113, 701 22, 180 65275, 180 6521, 903902
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00778 the input being a stationary vehicle position, e.g. parking or stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/65 Data transmitted between vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0806 Air condition state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/122 Atmospheric temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/123 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation systems or GPS signals
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/124 Information about road conditions, e.g. road inclination or surface
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/125 Information about other vehicles, traffic lights or traffic congestion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods disclosed provide for receiving internal information, external static information, and external dynamic information of a hybrid vehicle, and selectively enable or disable a stop/start function for the engine of the hybrid vehicle based on the internal hybrid vehicle information, external static information, and external dynamic information. The stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an internal information module structured to receive internal information regarding operation of a hybrid vehicle;

an external static information module structured to receive external static information for a route of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the external static information is based on a position of the hybrid vehicle on the route;

an external dynamic information module structured to receive external dynamic information for the route of the hybrid vehicle, wherein the external dynamic information is based on the position and a time of travel of the hybrid vehicle at the position; and

an engine stop/start module communicably coupled to each of the internal information module, the external static information module, and the external dynamic information module, wherein the engine stop/start module is structured to;

selectively enable and disable a stop/start function for the engine of the hybrid vehicle based on at least one of the internal information, the external static information, and the external dynamic information; and

disable the stop/start function for the engine if an instantaneous road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold, wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external static information includes at least one of GPS location and map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to determine an upcoming road grade based on the at least one of GPS location and map-based database, and to disable the stop/start function for the engine if the upcoming road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external static information includes at least one of a GPS information and a map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to determine an upcoming turn based on the at least one of the GPS information and the map-based database, and to disable the stop/start function for the engine if a power steering requirement is needed for the upcoming turn.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the external dynamic information includes an ambient temperature, and wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to disable the stop/start function based on a difference between the ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding a predetermined threshold.

2. A system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

an engine; and

a controller communicably and operatively coupled to the engine, the controller structured to;

receive at least one of internal information, external static information, and external dynamic information;

selectively enable and disable a stop/start function for the engine based on at least one of the internal information, the external static information, and the external dynamic information;

disable the stop/start function for the engine if an instantaneous road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold, wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising a telematics unit and a motor/generator, wherein each of the motor/generator and the telematics unit are coupled to the controller.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.

14. The system of claim 2, wherein the external dynamic information includes ambient temperature, and wherein the controller is further structured to disable the stop/start function based on a difference between the ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding a predetermined threshold.

15. The system of claim 2, wherein the external static information includes at least one of a GPS information and a map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to determine an upcoming road grade based on the at least one of the GPS information and the map-based database, and to disable the stop/start function for the engine if the upcoming road grade exceeds the predetermined road grade threshold.

16. The system of claim 2, wherein the external static information includes at least one of a GPS information and a map-based database, wherein the engine stop/start module is further structured to determine an upcoming turn based on the at least one of the GPS information and the map-based database, and to disable the stop/start function for the engine if a power steering requirement is needed for the upcoming turn.

7. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a controller of a hybrid vehicle, internal hybrid vehicle information, external static information, and external dynamic information;

selectively enabling or disabling a stop/start function for an engine of the hybrid vehicle based on at least one of the internal hybrid vehicle information, the external static information, and the external dynamic information; and

disabling the stop/start function for the engine if an instantaneous road grade exceeds a predetermined road grade threshold, wherein the stop/start function controls selective activation and deactivation of the engine during operation of the hybrid vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the external static information includes at least one of a GPS information and a map-based database, wherein the method further comprises:

determining, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, an upcoming road grade based on the at least one of the GPS information and the map-based database; and

disabling the stop/start function for the engine at each location where the upcoming road grade exceeds the predetermined road grade threshold.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the external static information includes at least one of a GPS information and a map-based database, and the method further comprising:

determining, by the controller of the hybrid vehicle, an upcoming turn based on the at least one of the GPS information and the map-based database; and

disabling the stop/start function for the engine responsive to a power steering requirement determined to be needed for the upcoming turn.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the external dynamic information includes traffic conditions.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the external dynamic information includes an ambient temperature, and wherein said disabling includes disabling the stop/start function for the engine based on a difference between the ambient temperature and a set point of a HVAC exceeding a predetermined threshold.