Method in a Motor Vehicle Having at Least One Drive Engine

• US 20130325273A1
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: REUTER, Frank, HETZENECKER, Ulrich, BONFIM, Clemente de Castro, OBERPRILLER, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,090,257 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/182 Brake pressure, e.g. of fluid or between pad and disc
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/00 Purposes of road vehicle drive control systems not related to the control of a particular sub-unit, e.g. of systems using conjoint control of vehicle sub-units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• 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: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2312/20 Start-up or shut-down
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/08 Range selector apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/50 Signals to an engine or motor

Abstract

In a motor vehicle having at least one drive engine, the vehicle is made ready for travel, at least as concerns the starting of the drive engine and preferably also the establishment of a frictional connection between the drive engine and driven wheels, by way of a combination operating element which is actuated manually by the driver, without relying on a manually actuated operating element provided for at least the first starting of the drive engine upon the operational start of the vehicle. The vehicle is made ready for travel when at least one manually generated command to select a gear is given by the driver via actuation of the combination operating element.

Claims

1. A method of operating a motor vehicle having at least one drive engine, the method comprising the acts of:

making the motor vehicle ready for travel at least to an extent of automatically starting the drive engine via an electronic control device and a combination operating element manually actuatable by a driver without relying on an operating element provided primarily for manually starting and stopping the drive engine; and

wherein the motor vehicle is made ready for travel when at least one manually generated command to select a gear is received via driver actuation of the combination operating element.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the act of making the motor vehicle ready for travel comprises a travel readiness state both in a form of an automatic starting of the drive engine and an automatic engagement of a frictional connection between the drive engine and driven wheels of the motor vehicle.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the combination operating element is a drive position operating element or a gear selector operating element of the motor vehicle;

and

wherein a state of travel readiness is established upon selecting a drive position via the drive position operating element or a gear via the gear selector operating element.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the combination operating element is a drive position operating element or a gear selector operating element of the motor vehicle;

and

wherein a state of travel readiness is established upon selecting a drive position via the drive position operating element or a gear via the gear selector operating element.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the travel readiness state is only established via the electronic control device upon selecting the drive position or the gear if a vehicle blocking function is active during a preparation phase for the establishment of the travel readiness state.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the travel readiness state is only established via the electronic control device upon selecting the drive position or the gear if a vehicle blocking function is active during a preparation phase for the establishment of the travel readiness state.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

starting from the travel readiness state, ending the state via the electronic control device upon selecting a neutral position or a park position of the drive position operating element or the gear selector operating element if a vehicle speed is below a defined threshold and/or the neutral position or the park position remains selected for longer than a predefined time window.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein:

starting from the travel readiness state, ending the state via the electronic control device upon selecting a neutral position or a park position of the drive position operating element or the gear selector operating element if a vehicle speed is below a defined threshold and/or the neutral position or the park position remains selected for longer than a predefined time window.

9. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive engine;

an electronic control device operatively configured to automatically start the drive engine to make the motor vehicle ready for travel;

a combination operating element manually actuatable by a driver;

wherein;

without relying on a manually actuated operating element provided exclusively for starting and stopping the drive engine, establishing the travel readiness state by at least first starting the drive engine via the combination operating element initiating a command to select a gear.