ENGINE RESTART CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20130197787A1
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: URABE, Hiroshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/112
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/18 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18018 Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam

Abstract

There is provided an engine restart control device. A controller is configured to stop an engine which is adapted to generate a driving force for running a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is met and configured to restart the engine when a predetermined restart condition is met after stopping the engine. A steering torque detector is configured to detect a steering torque of a steering wheel which is adapted to be operated by a driver. The controller includes an origin torque setting unit configured to set the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector when the predetermined stop condition is met and the engine is stopped as an origin torque. The controller restarts the engine when the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector exceeds a predetermined threshold with reference to the origin torque set by the origin torque setting unit.

Claims

1. An engine restart control device comprising:

a controller configured to stop an engine which is adapted to generate a driving force for running a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is met and configured to restart the engine when a predetermined restart condition is met after stopping the engine; and

a steering torque detector configured to detect a steering torque of a steering wheel which is adapted to be operated by a driver,

wherein the controller includes an origin torque setting unit configured to set the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector when the predetermined stop condition is met and the engine is stopped as an origin torque, and

wherein the controller restarts the engine when the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector exceeds a predetermined threshold with reference to the origin torque set by the origin torque setting unit.

2. The engine restart control device according to claim 1, wherein the origin torque setting unit updates the origin torque on the basis of the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector when an absolute value of the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector becomes smaller than an absolute value of the set origin torque.

3. An engine restart control device comprising:

a controller configured to stop an engine which is adapted to generate a driving force for running a vehicle when a predetermined stop condition is met and configured to restart the engine when a predetermined restart condition is met after stopping the engine; and

a steering angle detector configured to detect a steering angle of a steering wheel which is adapted to be operated by a driver,

wherein the controller includes an origin angle setting unit configured to set the steering angle detected by the steering angle detector when the predetermined stop condition is met and the engine is stopped as an origin angle, and

wherein the controller restarts the engine when the steering angle detected by the steering angle detector exceeds a predetermined threshold with reference to the origin angle set by the origin angle setting unit.

4. The engine restart control device according to claim 3, further comprising a steering torque detector configured to detect a steering torque of a steering wheel which is adapted to be operated by the driver,

wherein the controller includes an origin torque setting unit configured to set the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector when the predetermined stop condition is met and the engine is stopped as an origin torque, and

wherein the origin angle setting unit updates the origin torque on the basis of the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector and updates the origin angle on the basis of the steering angle detected by the steering angle detector when an absolute value of the steering torque detected by the steering torque detector becomes smaller than an absolute value of the set origin torque.