CATALYST TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HYBRID VEHICLES

• US 20110047981A1
• Filed: 09/01/2009
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Roos, Bryan Nathaniel, Santoso, Halim G., Spohn, Brian, Gonze, Eugene V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/286
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0093 the purifying devices are of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/0097 the purifying devices are arranged in a single housing
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/104 Battery status
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/12 said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1602 Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2900/1631 Heat amount provided to exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/101 Three-way catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2026 directly electrifying the catalyst substrate, i.e. heating the electrically conductive catalyst substrate by joule effect
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/00 Electrical control of exhaust gas treating apparatus monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00; conjoint electrical control of two or more combustion engine functions F02D43/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A catalyst temperature control system of the present disclosure includes a vehicle start anticipation module and an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) control module. The vehicle start anticipation module determines whether a vehicle start is anticipated based on at least one of a plurality of vehicle conditions before an ignition switch is turned on. The EHC control module activates an EHC based on the determination.

Claims

1. A catalyst temperature control system comprising:

a vehicle start anticipation module that determines whether a vehicle start is anticipated based on at least one of a plurality of vehicle conditions before an ignition switch is turned on; and

an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) control module that activates an EHC based on the determination.

2. The temperature control system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of vehicle conditions include at least one of status of vehicle doors, status of door locks, status of a vehicle trunk, presence of a driver in a vehicle, detection of a key fob, and insertion of a key in an ignition switch.

3. The temperature control system of claim 2 further comprising a heat output estimation module that estimates a desired preheating output of the EHC based on the vehicle conditions.

4. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 3 wherein when a vehicle door is unlocked and a person'"'"'s presence in a vehicle is not detected, the EHC generates a first preheating output, and wherein when a person'"'"'s presence in the vehicle is detected, the EHC generates a second preheating output that is higher than the first preheating output.

5. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 1 further comprising a battery state of charge determination module that determines a state of charge (SOC) of a battery.

6. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 5 wherein the EHC control modules activates the EHC based on the SOC of the battery.

7. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 6 wherein the EHC control module deactivates the EHC when the SOC is near a charge sustaining mode.

8. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 6 wherein the EHC control module activates the EHC when the SOC is in a charge depleting mode.

9. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 1 further comprising a heat output estimation module that estimates a desired maintenance heat output of the EHC based on the SOC.

10. The catalyst temperature control system of claim 9 wherein the maintenance heat output maintains a catalytic converter at or above a predetermined temperature after a vehicle start.

11. A method of controlling catalyst temperature comprising:

determining whether a vehicle start is anticipated based on at least one of a plurality of vehicle conditions before an ignition switch is turned on; and

activating an electrically heated catalyst (EHC) based on the determination.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of vehicle conditions include at least one of an unlock status of a door lock, an open status of vehicle doors, an open status of a vehicle trunk, presence of a person inside a vehicle, detection of a key fob, and insertion of a key in the ignition switch.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising estimating a desired heat output of the EHC based on the vehicle conditions.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a first heat output when the door lock is unlocked and when a person'"'"'s presence in a vehicle is not detected, and determining a second heat output when a person'"'"'s presence in the vehicle is detected, wherein the second heat output is higher than the first heat output.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising determining a state of charge (SOC) of a battery and activating the EHC based on the SOC.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising deactivating the EHC when the SOC is near a charge sustaining mode.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising activating the EHC when the SOC is in a charge depleting mode.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising estimating a desired heat output of the EHC based on the SOC.