Vehicle control device and vehicle control method

• US 9,284,910 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jatco Limited (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Jatco Limited (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tatewaki, Keichi, Miyazono, Masayuki, Wakayama, Hideshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAJMUDDIN, RAZA NEHAL
• Application Number:
  US13/693,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20130151129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.4, 123/179.3, 701/112, 701/113
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/107 with endless flexible members
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/108 pressure of control fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/18016 Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/46 Engine injection cut at coasting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 45/00 Electrical control not provided for in groups F02D41/00 - F02D43/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0844 with means for restarting the engine directly after an engine stop request, e.g. caused by change of driver mind
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/022 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/683 Sensing pressure in control systems or in fluid controlled devices, e.g. by pressure sensors for hydrostatic transmissions F16H2059/6861
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0025 Supply of control fluid; Pumps therefore
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle includes a drive source control unit adapted to output a command for automatically stopping a drive source when a first predetermined condition is satisfied and output a command for restarting the drive source when a second predetermined condition is not satisfied after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output, a drive source restart determination unit adapted to determine that the drive source has restarted when a third predetermined condition is satisfied after the command for restarting the drive source is output, and a restart determination prohibition unit adapted to prohibit a restart determination by the drive source restart determination unit at least until the third predetermined condition is no longer satisfied when the third predetermined condition is satisfied and the command for restarting the drive source is output.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle including a transmission to which a torque is transmitted from a drive source, comprising:

a drive source control unit adapted to output a command for automatically stopping the drive source when a first predetermined condition is satisfied and to output a command for restarting the drive source when a second predetermined condition is not satisfied after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output;

a drive source restart determination unit adapted to determine that the drive source has restarted when a third predetermined condition is satisfied after the command for restarting the drive source is output;

a restart determination prohibition unit adapted to prohibit a restart determination by the drive source restart determination unit at least until the third predetermined condition is no longer satisfied when the third predetermined condition is satisfied and the command for restarting the drive source is output,

a hydraulic pressure supply unit adapted to be driven by the drive source and to supply a hydraulic pressure to the transmission; and

a hydraulic pressure detection unit adapted to detect the hydraulic pressure supplied by the hydraulic pressure supply unit,

wherein the drive source restart determination unit is adapted to determine that the drive source has restarted, assuming that the third predetermined condition has been satisfied, when the hydraulic pressure detected by the hydraulic pressure detection unit becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined hydraulic pressure; and

wherein the restart determination prohibition unit is adapted to prohibit the restart determination at least until the hydraulic pressure becomes less than the predetermined hydraulic pressure after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation speed detection unit adapted to detect a rotation speed of the drive source, wherein:

the restart determination prohibition unit is adapted to determine that the hydraulic pressure becomes less than the predetermined hydraulic pressure upon an elapse of a predetermined time after the rotation speed reaches a predetermined rotation speed following the output of the command for automatically stopping the drive source.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined rotation speed is an idle rotation speed of the drive source.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 2, further comprising a starter unit adapted to start the drive source, wherein:

the predetermined time is a time after which the drive source is started by the starter unit.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the restart determination prohibition unit is adapted to prohibit the restart determination until a predetermined time elapses after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output.

6. The vehicle control device according to claim 5, further comprising a rotation speed detection unit adapted to detect a rotation speed of the drive source, wherein:

the predetermined time becomes longer as the rotation speed when the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output increases.

7. A vehicle control method for controlling a vehicle including a transmission to which a torque is transmitted from a drive source, comprising:

outputting a command for automatically stopping the drive source when a first predetermined condition is satisfied and outputting a command for restarting the drive source when a second predetermined condition is not satisfied after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output;

determining that the drive source has restarted when a third predetermined condition is satisfied after the command for restarting the drive source is output; and

prohibiting the determination at least until the third predetermined condition is no longer satisfied while the third predetermined condition is satisfied and the command for restarting the drive source is output, and

detecting a hydraulic pressure supplied by a hydraulic pressure supply unit adapted to be driven by the drive source and to supply the hydraulic pressure to the transmission,

wherein the drive source is determined to have been restarted, assuming that the third predetermined condition has been satisfied, when the detected hydraulic pressure becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined hydraulic pressure; and

wherein the restart determination is prohibited at least until the hydraulic pressure becomes less than the predetermined hydraulic pressure after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output.

8. The vehicle control method according to claim 7, further comprising detecting a rotation speed of the drive source, wherein:

the hydraulic pressure is determined to become less than the predetermined hydraulic pressure upon an elapse of a predetermined time after the rotation speed reaches a predetermined rotation speed following the output of the command for automatically stopping the drive source.

9. The vehicle control method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined rotation speed is an idle rotation speed of the drive source.

10. The vehicle control method according to claim 8, further comprising starting the drive source, wherein:

the predetermined time is a time after which the drive source is started.

11. The vehicle control method according to claim 7, wherein the restart determination is prohibited until a predetermined time elapses after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output.

12. The vehicle control method according to claim 11, further comprising detecting a rotation speed of the drive source, wherein:

the predetermined time becomes longer as the rotation speed when the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output increases.

13. A vehicle control device for controlling a vehicle including a transmission to which a torque is transmitted from a drive source, comprising:

drive source control means for outputting a command for automatically stopping the drive source when a first predetermined condition is satisfied and outputting a command for restarting the drive source when a second predetermined condition is not satisfied after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output;

drive source restart determination means for determining that the drive source has restarted when a third predetermined condition is satisfied after the command for restarting the drive source is output;

restart determination prohibition means for prohibiting a restart determination by the drive source restart determination means at least until the third predetermined condition is no longer satisfied when the third predetermined condition is satisfied and the command for restarting the drive source is output,

hydraulic pressure supply means for being driven by the drive source and for supplying a hydraulic pressure to the transmission; and

hydraulic pressure detection means for detecting the hydraulic pressure supplied by the hydraulic pressure supply means,

wherein the drive source restart determination means is adapted to determine that the drive source has restarted, assuming that the third predetermined condition has been satisfied, when the hydraulic pressure detected by the hydraulic pressure detection means becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined hydraulic pressure; and

wherein the restart determination prohibition means is adapted to prohibit the restart determination at least until the hydraulic pressure becomes less than the predetermined hydraulic pressure after the command for automatically stopping the drive source is output.