Engine control system and method

• US 6,358,180 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Oki, Hideyuki, Izumiura, Atsushi, Kuroda, Shigetaka, Nakaune, Kan, Sawamura, Kazutomo, Kiyomiya, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky, Sherry
• Application Number:
  US09/637,209
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 477/4, 477/183, 477/203
• US Class Current: 477/4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 Continuously variable

Abstract

An engine control system and method is disclosed, which reduces driver'"'"'s feeling of unease relating to the operation of driving a vehicle which is idle-controlled so as to reduce the exhaust gas discharge, thereby improving the driving operability. The method comprising the steps of detecting a switch of the driving mode of the vehicle from a first normal driving range to a second normal driving range different from the first normal driving range; detecting whether the engine is currently in a stopped state due to an automatic stop operation; detecting whether a brake for stopping the vehicle is currently being operated; and automatically starting the engine if it is determined that the engine is currently in a stopped state due to the automatic stop operation, and that the driving mode has been switched to the second normal driving range, and that the brake is not currently being operated.

Claims

1. An engine control system for automatically stopping/starting an engine according to conditions of a vehicle, the system comprising an engine start/stop control device and an automatic transmission, wherein:

the automatic transmission, having driving modes of a first normal driving range and a second normal driving range different from the first normal driving range, comprises;

a driving mode switch detecting section for detecting a switch of the driving mode from the first normal driving range to the second normal driving range;

an automatic stop detecting section for detecting whether the engine is currently in a stopped state due to an automatic stop operation; and

a brake state detecting section for detecting whether a brake for stopping the vehicle is currently being operated, and

the engine start/stop control device comprises;

a control section for automatically starting the engine if it is determined by the automatic stop detecting section that the engine is currently in a stopped state due to the automatic stop operation, and if it is determined by the driving mode switch detecting section that the driving mode has been switched to the second normal driving range, and if it is determined by the brake state detecting section that the brake is not currently being operated.

2. An engine control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engine is automatically stopped while the idling operation is performed.

3. An engine control method for automatically stopping/starting an engine according to conditions of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

detecting a switch of the driving mode of the vehicle from a first normal driving range to a second normal driving range different from the first normal driving range;

detecting whether the engine is currently in a stopped state due to an automatic stop operation;

detecting whether a brake for stopping the vehicle is currently being operated; and

automatically starting the engine if it is determined that the engine is currently in a stopped state due to the automatic stop operation, and that the driving mode has been switched to the second normal driving range, and that the brake is not currently being operated.

4. An engine control method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the engine is automatically stopped while the idling operation is performed.