ENGINE START CONTROLLER

• US 20080210187A1
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: FUNAKOSHI, Hiroshi, SUGANO, Norihiko, TADANAGA, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,677,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 123/179.3
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0862 characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/103 according to the vehicle transmission or clutch status
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2250/02 Battery voltage drop at start, e.g. drops causing ECU reset
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/30 characterised by the use of digital means

Abstract

An engine start controller having a starter motor that is driven by battery to start engine, an activation switch that sends to the starter motor a START command for starting the engine, an activation circuit that connects the starter motor to the battery to supply a drive current, and an engine start control unit that issues an OPERATE command for operating the activation circuit when receiving the START command from the activation switch, and supplies the drive current to the starter motor. The controller is provided with a bypass circuit that directly sends to the activation circuit the START command that has been sent from the activation switch.

Claims

1. An engine start controller, comprising:

a battery;

a starter motor that is driven by the battery to start an engine;

an activation switch that sends a START command for starting the engine to the starter motor;

an activation circuit that connects the starter motor to the battery to supply a drive current; and

an engine start control unit that issues an OPERATE command for operating the activation circuit when receiving the START command issued by the activation switch, and supplies the drive current to the starter motor, the engine start controller further including;

a bypass circuit that directly sends to the activation circuit the START command that has been sent from the activation switch.

2. The engine start controller according to claim 1, wherein:

the bypass circuit has an intercept unit that intercepts an OPERATE command if the OPERATE command is sent from the engine start control unit to the activation circuit without the START command from the activation switch.

3. The engine start controller according to claim 1, wherein:

the engine start control unit has revolution-detecting means that detects a revolution of the engine; and

the engine start control unit issues the OPERATE command when the engine start control unit receives the START command from the activation switch, and the revolution-detecting means detects the revolution of the engine.

4. The engine start controller according to claim 3, further including:

complete explosion start-detecting means that detects a complete explosion start of the engine on the basis of a detection result of the revolution-detecting means, wherein;

the intercept unit intercepts the OPERATE command from the engine start control unit when the complete explosion start-detecting means detects the complete explosion start of the engine.

5. The engine start controller according to claim 3, further including:

complete explosion start-detecting means that detects a complete explosion start of the engine on the basis of a detection result of the revolution-detecting means, wherein;

the engine start control unit inactivates the OPERATE command when the complete explosion start-detecting means detects the complete explosion start of the engine.

6. The engine start controller according to claim 1, further including:

monitoring means that monitors the operation of the activation circuit; and

error-detecting means that detects an error of at least either one of the intercept unit and the engine start control unit on the basis of a monitoring result of the monitoring means.

7. The engine start controller according to claim 6, wherein:

the error-detecting means determines that the intercept unit has an error when the monitoring means detects the operation of the activation circuit in spite that the engine start control unit inactivates the OPERATE command after the intercept unit intercepts the OPERATE command sent from the engine start control unit.

8. The engine start controller according to claim 6, wherein:

the error-detecting means determines that the engine start control unit has an error when the monitoring means detects the operation of the activation circuit in spite of absence of the START command from the activation switch in a situation where the intercept unit intercepts the OPERATE command after the engine start control unit inactivates the OPERATE command.

9. The engine start controller according to claim 8, further including:

storage means that stores the START command from the activation switch, characterized in that;

the error-detecting means alternately detects an error of the intercept unit and that of the engine start control unit on the basis of a storage result of the storage means each time the engine is activated by the activation switch.

10. The engine start controller according to claim 6, wherein:

the engine start control unit inactivates the OPERATE command when the error-detecting means detects an error of the intercept unit or that of the engine start control unit once or more than once.

11. The engine start controller according to claim 1, further including:

an ignition switch that issues an ACTIVATE command and a STOP command with respect to the engine independently of the activation switch, wherein;

when the ignition switch is OFF, the OPERATE command sent from the engine start control unit and the OPERATE command from the intercept unit are intercepted at the same time.