ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM USING ISG

• US 20170037825A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 02/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Construction Equipment AB (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: CHUNG, Yun-Hyun
• Application Number:
  US15/304,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20170037825A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0833 Vehicle conditions F02N11/0822, F02N11/0825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/10 said parameters being related to driver demands or status
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/106 Driver presence, e.g. detected by door lock, seat sensor or belt sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/12 said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/125 Information about other vehicles, traffic lights or traffic congestion
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

An ISG control system for construction equipment for implementing an ISG (Idle Stop and Go) system under a work standby situation of the construction equipment and a control method thereof are disclosed. The ISG control system provides a switching function between an auto idle mode and an ISG mode by an operator'"'"'s selection or under a specific condition when the work of the construction equipment is in a standby state. Further, the ISG control system controls a stop and a restart of an engine through sensing of the existence of corresponding work equipment within a predetermined range, and controls the stop and the restart of the engine through sensing of an operator'"'"'s operation and gesture. After the engine stop, the ISG control system continuously senses the state of the equipment and provides a switching function to a low idle mode having a low RPM at a time when performance of a primary work is expected. The ISG control system controls the idling mode, engine stop, and engine start according to detailed requirements to prevent fuel consumption due to unnecessary no-load rotation.

Claims

1. An ISG control method for construction equipment comprising:

receiving, by a sensor module, an external environment signal to determine an engine stop condition for ISG (Idle Stop and Go) when a work of the construction equipment is in a standby state;

detecting, by a vehicle control unit, whether corresponding work equipment exists based on the received external environment signal;

transmitting, by an engine control unit, an ISG signal to an engine drive controller to stop an engine if the existence of the corresponding work equipment is not detected; and

switching, by the engine control unit, an engine RPM of the construction equipment to an auto idle engine RPM if the existence of the corresponding work equipment is detected,

wherein the vehicle control unit determines that the corresponding work equipment exists if at least one of the followings are satisfied.

a) a case where a distance measurement sensor of the construction equipment senses an access of the corresponding work equipment within a predetermined range;

b) a case where an operation recognition sensor at a front/rear position recognizes a target object;

c) a case where a target object is recognized through mutual direct/indirect proximity signal exchange with the corresponding work equipment;

d) a case where the corresponding work equipment is sensed by a mechanical device that can be directly contacted at a specific position in front of a work spot;

e) a case where the corresponding work equipment is sensed by a sensor that can sense a pass signal through an electrical signal transfer device; and

f) a case where the corresponding work equipment is sensed through radar irradiation at a specific angle

2. The ISG control method according to claim 1, wherein after the existence of the corresponding work equipment is not detected and thus the engine is stopped, the vehicle control unit continuously checks the existence of the corresponding work equipment using the a) to f), and if the existence of the corresponding work equipment is sensed, restarts the engine with a preset low idle engine RPM.

7. The ISG control method according to claim 1, wherein either an auto idle mode or an ISG mode can be selected by the operator when the work is in the standby state.

9. The ISG control method according to claim 2, further comprising a step of entering into a low idle mode by moving, by an operator, an operation lever with a predetermined strength or more, or by using an on-off switch in a state when the engine is stopped in an ISG mode.

3. An ISG control method for construction equipment comprising:

receiving, by a sensor module, an external environment signal to determine an engine stop condition for ISG (Idle Stop and Go) when a work of the construction equipment is in a standby state;

determining, by a vehicle control unit, an operator'"'"'s state based on the received external environment signal;

transmitting, by an engine control unit, an ISG signal to an engine drive controller to stop an engine if it is determined that the operator'"'"'s state is a non-working state; and

switching, by the engine control unit, an engine RPM of the construction equipment to an auto idle engine RPM if it is determined that the operator'"'"'s state is a working state.

4. The ISG control method according to claim 3, wherein, in the step of determining the operator'"'"'s state through the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit senses an operation and a gesture of the operator using a 3D camera or a sensor, and determines the operator'"'"'s non-working state or working state.

5. The ISG control method according to claim 3, wherein, in the step of determining the operator'"'"'s state through the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit senses an access to an actuator control device using a 3D camera or a sensor, and determines the operator'"'"'s non-working state or working state.

6. The ISG control method according to claim 3, wherein, in the step of determining the operator'"'"'s state through the vehicle control unit, the vehicle control unit senses the contact of an actuator operation device in a cab using at least one of a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, and a proximity sensor, and determines the operator'"'"'s non-working state or working state.

8. The ISG control method according to claim 3, wherein after the operator'"'"'s state is determined to be a non-working state and thus the engine is stopped, the vehicle control unit continuously checks the operator'"'"'s state, and if it is determined that the operator'"'"'s state is changed from the non-working state to the working state, restarts the engine with a preset low idle engine RPM.

10. An ISG control apparatus for construction equipment comprising:

a sensor module receiving an external environment signal using at least one of a distance measurement sensor, a motion recognition sensor, a proximity sensor, a contact sensor, and a laser sensor to determine an engine stop condition for ISG (Idle Stop and Go) when a work of the construction equipment is in a standby state;

a vehicle control unit determining whether corresponding work equipment exists within a preset range from the construction equipment based on the received external environment signal; and

an engine control unit transmitting an ISG signal to an engine driving controller to stop an engine if the existence of the corresponding work equipment is not detected, and switching an engine RPM of the construction equipment to an auto idle engine RPM if the existence of the corresponding work equipment is detected.

11. The ISG control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein after the existence of the corresponding work equipment is not detected and thus the engine is stopped, the vehicle control unit continuously checks the existence of the corresponding work equipment, and if the existence of the corresponding work equipment is detected, restarts the engine with a preset low idle engine RPM.

12. An ISG control apparatus for construction equipment comprising:

a sensor module sensing an operation and a gesture of an operator using at least one of a 3D camera, a temperature sensor, a motion sensor, and a proximity sensor to determine an engine stop condition for ISG (Idle Stop and Go) when a work of the construction equipment is in a standby state;

a vehicle control unit determining an operator'"'"'s state based on the received operation and gesture of the operator; and

an engine control unit transmitting an ISG signal to an engine driving controller to stop an engine if it is determined that the operator'"'"'s state is a non-working state, and switching an engine RPM of the construction equipment to an auto idle engine RPM if it is determined that the operator'"'"'s state is a working state.

13. The ISG control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein after the operator'"'"'s state is determined to be a non-working state and thus the engine is stopped, the vehicle control unit continuously checks the operator'"'"'s state, and if it is determined that the operator'"'"'s state is changed from the non-working state to the working state, restarts the engine with a preset low idle engine RPM.