Automatic engine stopping and starting for a parked vehicle

• US 10,451,020 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Siddiqui, Siraj, Awadi, Ahmed, Rademacher, Eric, Makkiya, Hussam, Khafagy, Hafiz
• Primary Examiner(s): Mo, Xiao En
• Application Number:
  US15/906,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20190264645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0814 comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating an engine that may be automatically stopped and started responsive to vehicle operating conditions are disclosed. In one example, the engine may be automatically started after it has been automatically stopped in response to a driver applying a brake pedal while the vehicle'"'"'s transmission is engaged in park. The engine may be started to increase transmission pump pressure prior to engaging a gear to reduce vehicle launch time.

Claims

1. A vehicle operating method, comprising:

automatically stopping an engine via a controller without receiving specific input from a driver via a dedicated engine start/stop input; and

automatically starting the engine via the controller in response to applying a brake pedal while the engine is automatically stopped and a transmission is engaged in park.

2. The method of claim 1, where the brake pedal is applied via the driver when the transmission is engaged in park, and further comprising determining that the brake pedal is applied via the controller.

3. The method of claim 1, where the engine is automatically stopped while the transmission is engaged in drive.

4. The method of claim 1, where the engine is automatically stopped while the transmission is in neutral.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving an indication at the controller that the brake pedal is released after automatically stopping the engine and before automatically starting the engine in response to applying the brake pedal.

6. The method of claim 1, where the engine is automatically stopped while the transmission is engaged in park, and where all gear clutches of the transmission are fully released when the transmission is engaged in park.

7. The method of claim 1, where automatically stopping the engine includes stopping the engine while the brake pedal is not applied and the transmission is engaged in park.

8. The method of claim 1, where automatically stopping the engine includes stopping the engine while the brake pedal is applied and the transmission is engaged in park.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an indication at the controller that the brake pedal is released after automatically stopping the engine and before automatically starting the engine in response to applying the brake pedal.

10. A vehicle operating method, comprising:

automatically stopping an engine via a controller without receiving specific input from a driver via a dedicated engine start/stop input; and

automatically starting the engine via the controller in response to a brake pedal being applied for more than a threshold amount of time, and without the brake pedal having been at least partially released, while the engine is automatically stopped and a transmission is engaged in park.

11. The method of claim 10, where the engine is automatically restarted while the brake pedal is applied.

12. The method of claim 10, where all gear clutches of the transmission are fully released when the transmission is engaged in park.