System and method for controlling an automatic stop-start engine system in an automotive vehicle having an electric parking brake

• US 9,062,618 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2013
• 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, Pebley, Kirk, Hesseler, Karl-Peter, Symanow, David Anthony, Bell, Donna L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin, Stephen K
• Assistant Examiner(s): MO, XIAO EN
• Application Number:
  US13/766,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• Field of Search: 701/112, 701/102, 123/179.3, 123/179.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 35/00 Controlling engines, dependent on conditions exterior or interior to engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0803 Parking brake state
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A system and method for controlling an automatic stop-start system of an automotive vehicle is disclosed. The system monitors the status of the parking brake to determine if the parking brake is in a state of transition between an applied state and a released state (in either direction). If the parking brake is in a state of transition, then the automatic re-starting of the engine is inhibited until the parking brake is no longer in a state of transition.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an automatic stop-start system of an automotive vehicle having an engine and an electrically-actuated parking brake, comprising:

in response to the engine being auto-stopped and a parking brake being in a transition state from an applied state to a released state or from a released state to an applied state, inhibiting the automatic re-starting of the engine until a time when the parking brake is not in a transition state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to the engine running and a parking brake being in a transition state from an applied state to a released state or from a released state to an applied state, inhibiting the automatic stopping of the engine until a time when the parking brake is not in a transition state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein inhibiting the automatic stopping of the engine comprises inhibiting the automatic stopping of the engine until at least one of the following conditions is true:

(i) the parking brake is not in a transition state, and (ii) a pre-determined period of time elapses.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein inhibiting the automatic re-starting of the engine comprises inhibiting the automatic re-starting of the engine until at least one of the following conditions is true:

(i) the parking brake is not in a transition state, and (ii) a pre-determined period of time elapses.

5. A system for controlling an engine of an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an engine configured to be automatically stopped and started;

an electrically-actuated parking brake configured to be selectively applied and released in response to a control signal; and

an electronic controller configured to inhibit the re-starting of the engine in response to the engine being automatically stopped and the parking brake being in a state of transition between an applied state and a released state;

the state of transition comprises a transition from a state wherein the parking brake is applied to a state wherein the parking brake is released or a transition from a state wherein the parking brake is in a released state to a state wherein the parking brake is applied.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to, in response to the engine running and the parking brake being in a state of transition between an applied state and a released state, inhibit the automatic stopping of the engine until a time when the parking brake is not in a state of transition.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to inhibit the automatic stopping of the engine until at least one of the following conditions is true:

(i) the parking brake is not in a state of transition, and (ii) a pre-determined period of time elapses.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to inhibit the automatic re-starting of the engine until at least one of the following conditions is true:

(i) the parking brake is not in a state of transition, and (ii) a pre-determined period of time elapses.