Control strategy for an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle

• US 7,110,904 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2002
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lippa, Allan J., Xu, Lifeng, Brehob, Diana D., Yang, Jialin
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLFE JR, WILLIS RAY
• Application Number:
  US10/157,690
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,574 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.1, 123/41.31, 123/142.5 E, 701/102, 701/103, 701/114, 701/115, 602/74, 602/77, 602/99, 603/00, 603/01, 603/03, 606/98, 603/11, 607/16, 607/18, 607/19, 602/85, 237/2.A
• US Class Current: 702/102
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/3208 Vehicle drive related control of the compressor drive means, e.g. for fuel saving purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/08 Prime-movers comprising combustion engines and mechanical or fluid energy storing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/10 by means of a chargeable mechanical accumulator, e.g. flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/105 the accumulator being a flywheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/12 by means of a chargeable fluidic accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0671 Engine manifold pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0622 Air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/476 Regeneration of particle filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2570/04 Sulfur or sulfur oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2570/14 Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/02 the substance being ammonia or urea
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/03 the substance being hydrocarbons, e.g. engine fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/023 using means for regenerating the filters, e.g. by burning trapped particles by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 : Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/027 : to purge or regenerate the exhaust gas treating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/083 : taking into account engine load variation, e.g. air-conditionning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for operating an internal combustion engine disposed in a hybrid vehicle, in which engine operation is selected to provide secondary vehicular functions, such as cabin heating, cabin cooling, and exhaust aftertreatment of exhaust components.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

at least two machines capable of being coupled to driving wheels of the vehicle, one of said machines being a diesel internal combustion engine, and another of said machines being an electric motor;

at least one catalyst coupled to said engine for reducing NOx generated by the internal combustion engine depending on exhaust gas air/fuel ratio; and

an engine controller operably connected to said machines to determine when conditions should be adjusted based on conditions of said catalyst and to determine whether a current engine operating condition is within an acceptable engine operating range.

2. The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said catalyst is a lean NOx trap.

3. The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said catalyst is a lean NOx catalyst.

4. The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said catalyst is a three-way catalyst configured to convert carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and NOx in a stoichiometric exhaust.

5. The vehicle system of claim 1 further comprising a particulate filter.

6. The vehicle system of claim 1 further comprising an energy reservoir configured to store energy generated from at least one of said machines.

7. The vehicle system of claim 1 wherein said controller further adjusts an engine operating condition based on said conditions of said catalyst.

8. The vehicle system of claim 7 wherein energy reservoir comprises a battery.