INITIATING PREPARATIONS FOR ENGINE AUTOSTOP PRIOR TO VEHICLE STOP

• US 20140046577A1
• Filed: 08/07/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaoyong, McGee, Ryan Abraham
• Granted Patent: US 9,682,691 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 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0683 Engine manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/305 target power to auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/181 Preparing for stopping
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0801 Vehicle speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/101 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A stop/start vehicle includes at least one controller that, in response to predicting a vehicle stop, initiates an engine pre-shutdown protocol such that vehicle subsystems begin to prepare for engine shutdown prior to a speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero to reduce time between the speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero and engine shutdown.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a vehicle component; and

at least one controller configured to (i) issue auto stop commands and auto start commands, wherein the engine is shutdown in response to the auto stop commands and started in response to the auto start commands, and (ii) in response to predicting a vehicle stop, initiate an engine pre-shutdown protocol such that the vehicle component begins to prepare for engine shutdown prior to a speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero to reduce time between the speed of the vehicle reaching approximately zero and engine shutdown.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle component is an intake manifold in fluid communication with the engine and wherein beginning to prepare for engine shutdown includes beginning a purge of the intake manifold.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle component is an electrical bus and wherein beginning to prepare for engine shutdown includes beginning to reduce a voltage on the electrical bus to a predetermined value.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle component is an automatic transmission mechanically coupled with the engine and wherein beginning to prepare for engine shutdown includes beginning to shift gears of the automatic transmission.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the vehicle component is an electric pump and wherein beginning to prepare for engine shutdown includes beginning to activate the electric pump.

6. A stop/start vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an electrical bus; and

at least one controller configured to initiate a reduction in voltage on the electrical bus to a predetermined value when a speed of the vehicle is greater than approximately zero and less than a predetermined speed and to initiate a stop of the engine after the speed of the vehicle is approximately zero and the voltage is approximately equal to the predetermined value.

7. The stop/start vehicle of claim 6 further comprising an intake manifold in fluid communication with the engine and wherein the at least one controller is further configured to initiate a purge of the intake manifold when the speed of the vehicle is greater than approximately zero and less than the predetermined speed.

8. The stop/start vehicle of claim 6 further comprising an automatic transmission mechanically coupled with the engine and wherein the at least one controller is further configured to initiate a shifting of gears of the automatic transmission when the speed of the vehicle is greater than approximately zero and less than the predetermined speed.

9. The stop/start vehicle of claim 6 further comprising an electric pump and wherein the at least one controller is further configured to initiate activation of the electric pump when the speed of the vehicle is greater than approximately zero and less than the predetermined speed.

10. A method for operating a stop/start vehicle comprising:

in response to predicting a vehicle stop, initiating engine pre-shutdown preparations for at least one vehicle component prior to vehicle speed reaching approximately zero to reduce time between the vehicle speed reaching approximately zero and shutting down the engine; and

in response to the vehicle speed reaching approximately zero and completion of the engine pre-shutdown preparations, shutting down the engine.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one vehicle component is an intake manifold in fluid communication with the engine and wherein initiating engine pre-shutdown preparations includes initiating a purge of the intake manifold.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one vehicle component is an electrical bus and wherein initiating engine pre-shutdown preparations includes initiating a reduction in voltage on the electrical bus to a predetermined value.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one vehicle component is an automatic transmission mechanically coupled with the engine and wherein initiating engine pre-shutdown preparations includes initiating a shifting of gears of the automatic transmission.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the at least one vehicle component is an electric pump and wherein initiating engine pre-shutdown preparations includes initiating activation of the electric pump.