Methods and systems for launching a vehicle

• US 8,924,061 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Reed, Dennis Craig, Gibson, Alex O'Connor, Doering, Jeffrey Allen, Banker, Adam Nathan, Lee, Seung-Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): MARC-COLEMAN, MARTHE Y
• Application Number:
  US13/776,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20130297118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/36, 701/105, 180/65.265, 180/65.1, 903/902
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/023 Fluid clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/026 of lock-up clutches
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/206 related or induced by the engine
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18118 Hill holding
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/20 Reducing vibrations in the driveline
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0032 Controlling the purging of the canister as a function of the engine operating conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02P 5/1508 with particular means during idling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/60 Other road transportation technologies with climate change mitigation effect
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 : Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

Systems and methods for improving operation of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, an engine is started and idled before engine torque is required so that driveline torque response may be improved.

Claims

1. A driveline operating method, comprising:

providing torque to a driveline via a driveline integrated starter/generator (DISG) in response to a desired torque; and

starting an engine and idling the engine without providing engine torque to the driveline in response to a driver demand torque being within a threshold range of an engine cranking torque.

2. The method of claim 1, where the threshold range is greater than 75% of engine cranking torque.

3. The method of claim 1, where a DISG torque is provided to a torque converter.

4. The method of claim 1, where the engine is started via the DISG.

5. The method of claim 1, where a driveline disconnect clutch is in an open state while idling the engine.

6. The method of claim 1, where the desired torque is based on a driver demand torque.

7. The method of claim 1, where the engine cranking torque is an amount of torque to accelerate the engine from zero speed to a speed less than 300 RPM.

8. A driveline operating method, comprising:

providing torque to a driveline via a driveline integrated starter/generator (DISG) in response to a driver demand torque;

starting an engine and idling the engine without providing engine torque to the driveline in response to the driver demand torque being within a threshold range of an engine cranking torque; and

accelerating the engine to DISG speed in response to the driver demand torque increasing to a threshold DISG torque.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising closing a driveline disconnect clutch in response to the engine reaching the DISG speed.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing engine torque to the DISG after closing a driveline disconnect clutch.

11. The method of claim 8, where the engine is started via a starter other than the DISG.

12. The method of claim 8, where the engine is started via the DISG.

13. The method of claim 8, where the engine is idled at a sailing mode idle speed.

14. The method of claim 13, where spark supplied to the engine while the engine is operating at the sailing mode idle speed is more advanced than when the engine is operated at a base idle speed.

15. A vehicle system, comprising:

an engine;

a dual mass flywheel including a first side mechanically coupled to the engine;

a driveline disconnect clutch mechanically including a first side coupled to a second side of the dual mass flywheel;

a driveline integrated starter/generator (DISG) including a first side coupled to a second side of the driveline disconnect clutch;

a transmission selectively coupled to the engine via the driveline disconnect clutch; and

a controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to accelerate a vehicle from zero speed via the DISG without starting the engine, and instructions to start the engine in response to a desired torque exceeding a threshold engine cranking torque.

16. The vehicle system of claim 15, further comprising additional instructions to idle the engine at a sailing idle speed without providing engine torque to the driveline.

17. The vehicle system of claim 16, further comprising additional instructions to accelerate the engine from the sailing idle speed in response to an increasing desired torque.

18. The vehicle system of claim 17, further comprising additional instructions to close the driveline disconnect clutch in response to engine speed reaching DISG speed.

19. The vehicle system of claim 18, further comprising additional instructions to increase engine torque after closing the driveline disconnect clutch.

20. The vehicle system of claim 19, where the engine cranking torque is an amount of torque to accelerate the engine from zero rotational speed to an engine speed of less than 300 RPM.