Engine autostop and autorestart control

• US 7,610,143 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Boesch, Mathew Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin; Stephen K
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMAOUI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US12/135,389
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 123/198.DB, 123/456, 123/491, 701/110, 701/112
• US Class Current: 701/112
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/211 Fuel quality, e.g. water content due to age of fuel
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/06 Ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 : Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18009 : related to particular drive situations
• 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 30/194 : related to low temperature conditions, e.g. high viscosity of hydraulic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0602 : Fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/0606 : Fuel temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 : for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 : at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3809 : Common rail control systems common rail apparatus F02M55/025, F02M63/0225
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/3836 : Controlling the fuel pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0829 : related to special engine control, e.g. giving priority to engine warming-up or learning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for controlling engine operation of an engine that may be shut-down during engine idle stop conditions. The engine may include a high pressure direct injection fuel system. In one embodiment, a method comprises during at least a first fuel rail temperature below a threshold, automatically stopping engine operation during a selected engine idle stop condition; and during at least a second fuel rail temperature above the threshold, maintaining engine operation during the selected engine idle stop condition.

Claims

1. A method of controlling engine operation of an engine that may be shut-down during engine idle stop conditions, the engine including a high pressure direct injection fuel system, the method comprising:

during at least a first fuel rail temperature below a threshold, automatically stopping engine operation during a selected engine idle stop condition without a driver requesting engine shut-down and restarting the engine at a first engine output torque amount; and

during at least a second fuel rail temperature above the threshold, automatically stopping engine operation during the selected engine idle stop condition without the driver requesting engine shut-down and restarting the engine at a second engine output torque amount greater than the first engine output torque amount.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising charging a battery with the increased engine output torque, thereby maintaining desired idle speed in both conditions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein during the at least a second fuel rail temperature above the threshold, increasing fuel pulse widths of fuel injectors compared to fuel pulse widths of fuel injectors during the at least a first fuel rail temperature below the threshold, thereby enabling accurate fuel injection control.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein during the at least a second fuel rail temperature above the threshold, reducing the second engine output torque amount once fuel rail pressure decreases.