System and method for controlling a stop/start system for a vehicle engine

• US 9,056,606 B1
• Filed: 12/05/2013
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rademacher, Eric Michael, Griffin, Chad Everette, Pebley, Kirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Pang, Roger
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Tinh
• Application Number:
  US14/097,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20150158480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 477/92, 477/94, 477/99, 477/107, 477/199, 477/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/11 Stepped gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/184 with wheel brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0833 Vehicle conditions F02N11/0822, F02N11/0825 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/2011 Control involving a delay; Control involving a waiting period before engine stop or engine start
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a stop/start system for an engine in a vehicle include auto starting the engine in response to a transmission gear lever being shifted out of DRIVE when the engine has been auto stopped while the gear lever is in DRIVE. The auto starting is further in response to the gear lever being shifted into another gear and a vehicle brake being released within a predetermined time interval after the gear lever is moved into the other gear.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a stop/start system for an engine in a vehicle, comprising:

auto starting the engine in response to a transmission gear lever being shifted out of DRIVE and into another gear and a vehicle brake being released within a predetermined time interval after the gear lever is shifted into the another gear when the engine has been auto stopped with the gear lever in DRIVE.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the another gear is NEUTRAL, and the predetermined time interval is a first predetermined time interval after the gear lever is shifted into NEUTRAL.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

alerting a driver to press the vehicle brake in response to the gear lever being shifted into NEUTRAL, the vehicle brake being released after the first predetermined time interval, and the gear lever being subsequently shifted into REVERSE; and

auto starting the engine in response to the vehicle brake being pressed after alerting the driver.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the another gear is REVERSE, and the predetermined time interval is a second predetermined time interval after the gear lever is shifted into REVERSE.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising auto starting the engine in response to the gear lever being shifted into REVERSE and left in REVERSE for at least the second predetermined time interval.

6. A vehicle having a stop/start system controlling an engine, comprising:

a brake pedal;

a transmission gear lever; and

a controller configured to auto start the engine in response to the transmission gear lever being shifted out of DRIVE and into another gear and the brake pedal being released within a predetermined time interval after the gear lever is shifted into the another gear when the engine has been auto stopped with the vehicle in DRIVE.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the another gear is NEUTRAL, and the predetermined time interval is a first predetermined time interval after the gear lever is shifted into NEUTRAL.

8. The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to signal an alert instructing a driver to press the brake pedal to start the engine, the signaling being in response to the gear lever being shifted into NEUTRAL, the brake pedal being released after the first predetermined time interval, and the gear lever being subsequently shifted into REVERSE.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to auto start the engine in response to the brake pedal being pressed while the alert is signaled.

10. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the another gear is REVERSE, and the predetermined time interval is a second predetermined time interval after the gear lever is shifted into REVERSE.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to auto start the engine in response to the gear lever being shifted into REVERSE and left in REVERSE for at least the second predetermined time interval.

12. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine configured to auto stop and auto start;

a brake pedal;

a gear lever controlling a transmission; and

a controller configured to auto start the engine in response to the gear lever being shifted from DRIVE into NEUTRAL and the brake being released within a first calibratable time interval after the gear lever is shifted into NEUTRAL, to auto start the engine in response to the gear lever being shifted from DRIVE into REVERSE and the brake being released within a second calibratable time interval after the gear lever is shifted into REVERSE, and to auto start the engine in response to the gear lever being shifted from DRIVE into REVERSE and being left in reverse for the second calibratable time interval after the gear lever is shifted into reverse.

13. The hybrid vehicle of claim 12, wherein the controller is further configured to:

signal a driver to press the brake pedal to start the engine, the signaling being in response to the gear lever being shifted from DRIVE into NEUTRAL, the brake being released after the first calibratable time interval expires, and the gear lever being subsequently shifted into REVERSE; and

auto start the engine in response to the brake being depressed after signaling the driver.