SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRICALLY HEATED CATALYST FOR A HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20100212981A1
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Spohn, Brain, Roos, Bryan Nathaniel, Gonze, Eugene V., Santoso, Halim G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.275
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/12 Catalyst or filter state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/192 Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0097 the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2013 using electric or magnetic heating means
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2033 using a fuel burner or introducing fuel into exhaust duct
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/503 Battery correction, i.e. corrections as a function of the state of the battery, its output or its type
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0807 Remote means
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0833 Vehicle conditions F02N11/0822, F02N11/0825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/061 Battery state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A system and control module for controlling an electrically heated catalyst includes a remote start module generating a remote start signal, a catalyst control module controlling the electrically heated catalyst based on the remote start signal and an engine control module starting the engine after preheating and/or when required by the vehicle to honor a request as defined in this document.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vehicle comprising:

generating a remote start signal;

in response to the remote start signal, initiating preheating of an electrically heated catalyst; and

starting an engine after initiating preheating.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising after a predetermined time after generating a remote start signal, generating a remote start off signal.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising when the ignition is in a run position, determining a battery state-of-charge.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein initiating comprises initiating preheating based on the state-of-charge.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising when the vehicle is not autostop-capable, determining a battery state-of-charge and electrically controlling the catalyst in response to the state-of-charge and wherein starting an engine comprises starting the engine for at least one of additional catalyst heating, a cabin temperature request and a component warm-up.

6. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising when a door unlock signal is generated, turning off the engine.

7. A method as recited in claim 5 further comprising when a door unlock signal is generated, turning off the engine when the vehicle is autostop-capable and a state-of-charge is not in or near a charge-sustaining mode.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein when the vehicle is autostop-capable, and a battery state-of-charge is near charge-sustaining operation, deactivating the electrically heated catalyst and, thereafter, starting the engine.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein when the vehicle is in autostop mode and a battery state-of-charge is not near charge-sustaining operation, electrically maintaining the heated catalyst.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein when a cabin temperature request cannot be met, heating the catalyst electrically until starting the engine.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein initiating preheating comprises initiating preheating from a hybrid battery.

12. A control module for controlling an electrically heated catalyst comprising:

a remote start module generating a remote start signal;

a catalyst control module controlling the electrically heated catalyst based on the remote start signal; and

vehicle control module starting the engine after preheating.

13. A system comprising:

the electrically heated catalyst; and

a control module as recited in claim 12.

14. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

the system as recited in claim 13; and

a hybrid battery in communication with the electrically heated catalyst.

15. A control module as recited in claim 12 further comprising a state-of-charge module determining a state-of-charge of a battery.

16. A control module as recited in claim 15 further comprising an engine control module starting the engine when the state-of-charge is near a charge-sustaining mode.

17. A control module as recited in claim 15 further comprising an engine control module starting the engine based on the state-of-charge and a cabin temperature request.

18. A control module as recited in claim 15 further comprising an engine control module starting the engine when a vehicle is not autostop-capable.

19. A control module as recited in claim 18 further comprising a door lock module generating a door unlock signal turning off the engine in response to the door unlock signal.

20. A control module as recited in claim 12 further comprising a hybrid battery in communication with the electrically heated catalyst.