Engine Control Device and Method for a Hybrid Vehicle

• US 20100280737A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 11/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Justin Ewert, Chris Scott Ewert
• Original Assignee: Andrew Justin Ewert, Chris Scott Ewert
• Inventors: Ewert, Chris Scott, Ewert, Andrew Justin
• Granted Patent: US 8,290,682 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/194 related to low temperature conditions, e.g. high viscosity of hydraulic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0802 Temperature of the exhaust gas treatment apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/024 to increase temperature of the exhaust gas treating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/068 for warming-up
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/123 the fuel injection being cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/1497 With detection of the mechanical response of the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/263 the program execution being modifiable by physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

The invention comprises an engine control device and method for use in a vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine and a motor that are capable of transmitting motive power to an axle. The device has an engine utilization reduction portion configured to reduce the power supplied by the engine when a requested engine power is above a predefined engine power minimum value when the device is in a hybrid mode thereby increasing power provided by the electric motor. The device also may have a computer readable engine off portion configured to prevent the engine from starting or consuming fuel thereby causing the vehicle to be directionally powered by the electric motor only. The device may also have a warm up portion configured to operate the engine in warmup mode and limit the power supplied by the engine when the engine temperature is below a predefined engine operating temperature thereby reducing emissions during engine warmup.

Claims

7-1. The engine control device of claim 1, wherein the input portion is configured to intercept an engine control message having an engine torque request;

and wherein the engine utilization reduction portion comprises an engine power request modification portion configured prevent the engine from starting or consuming fuel when the engine torque request value represents an engine power request less than an available motor torque.

12. An engine control device for a vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine and a motor that are capable of transmitting motive power to an axle, comprising:

an input means for intercepting a computer readable message;

an engine utilization reduction means for reducing the power supplied by the engine when a requested engine power is above a predefined engine power minimum value when the device is in a hybrid mode;

an output means for transmitting a computer readable message; and

the engine utilization reduction means is signal connected to the input and the output.

13. The engine control device of claim 12, comprising:

a mode control means configured to selectively switch the device between an electric only mode where the device prevents the engine from consuming fuel and the hybrid mode where the device permits the engine and the motor power the vehicle; and

an engine off means for preventing the engine from starting or consuming fuel when the device is in the electric only mode;

the engine off means signal connected the input and the output.

14. The engine control device of claim 12, wherein the input means is connected to a vehicle main controller and the output means is connected to a second engine controller and wherein the engine control device intercepts at least one type of engine control message or an engine request message traveling between the vehicle main controller and second engine controller.

15. The engine control device of claim 13, wherein the input means is configured to intercept an engine control message capable of having an engine power request value;

and wherein the engine off means comprises an engine power request modification means configured prevent the engine from starting or consuming fuel when the engine power request represents an engine power request greater than zero.

16. The engine control device of claim 12, wherein the input means is configured to intercept an engine control message having an engine torque request;

and wherein the engine utilization reduction means comprises an engine power request modification means configured prevent the engine from starting or consuming fuel when the engine torque request value represents an engine power request less than an available motor torque.

17. The engine control device of claim 12, wherein the input means is configured to intercept an engine control message having an engine torque request;

and wherein the engine utilization reduction means comprises an engine torque request modification means to reduce the power supplied by the engine to a reduced torque output, where the engine utilization reduction means is configured to calculate the reduced torque output by subtracting the engine torque request from an available motor torque.

18. The engine control device of claim 12, comprising a warmup mode and a warmup means, wherein the mode control means is configured to selectively switch between the electric only mode, the enhanced hybrid mode, and the warmup mode;

the warm up means is configured to operate the engine in warmup mode and limit the power supplied by the engine when a second engine controller signal connected to the engine control device requests to operate the engine in warmup mode and when a main vehicle controller signal connected to the engine control device indicates the vehicle is in a drive mode.

19. A method of controlling an engine of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a motor that are capable of transmitting motive power to an axle, comprising the steps of:

reducing the power supplied by the engine when a requested engine power is above a predefined engine power minimum value while there is an available motor torque.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of reducing comprises the steps of:

intercepting an engine control message from a main vehicle controller having an engine torque request;

calculating a new engine torque request by subtracting the engine torque request from an available motor torque; and

powering the engine at the new engine torque if the new engine torque is greater than zero torque.