Engine idling control system for hybrid vehicle

• US 9,074,572 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2008
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Albertson, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, DANIEL LAWSON
• Application Number:
  US12/128,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20090299549A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,596 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/22, 701/36, 701/70, 701/112, 701/117, 701/119, 701/2, 123/3, 123/4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• 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 2555/60 Traffic rules, e.g. speed limits or right of way
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18018 Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0837 Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/125 Information about other vehicles, traffic lights or traffic congestion
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/306 with external senders or receivers, e.g. receiving signals from traffic lights, other vehicles or base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An engine idling control system includes a receiver module and a timing module. The receiver module receives a signal indicative of a traffic light status. The timing module communicates with an engine and the receiver module and selectively starts and stops the engine based on the signal.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an engine during idling comprising:

receiving an optical signal generated by a traffic light;

determining a status of the traffic light based on the optical signal; and

selectively starting and stopping the engine based on the traffic light status, a speed of a vehicle, and depression of a brake pedal, wherein the traffic light status overrides the vehicle speed and brake pedal depression for selectively starting and stopping the engine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the traffic light status is either a first status indicating that the vehicle can proceed or a second status indicating that the vehicle should stop.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising starting the engine when the brake pedal depression is less than a predetermined amount.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising keeping the engine stopped when the brake pedal depression is less than the predetermined amount and the traffic light status is the second status.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising stopping the engine when the brake pedal depression is greater than or equal to a predetermined amount and the vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising keeping the engine running when the brake pedal depression is greater than or equal to the predetermined amount, the vehicle speed is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, and the traffic light status is the first status.