Control of vehicle electrical loads during engine auto stop event

• US 9,303,613 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Issued: 04/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• 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, Tomik, Filip, Celinske, David, Symanow, David Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Gimie, Mahmoud
• Application Number:
  US13/404,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 701/113, 701/112, 701/114, 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 123/179.1, 123/179.28
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/612 Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/40 Physical or chemical protection
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0818 Conditions for starting or stopping the engine or for deactivating the idle-start-stop mode
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0825 related to prevention of engine restart failure, e.g. disabling automatic stop at low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/084 State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/063 Battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/08 said parameters being related to the vehicle or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0809 Electrical loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, an electrical load and a stop/start system. The stop/start system selectively auto stops the engine when a speed of the vehicle is approximately zero, and in response to a request to activate the electrical load while the engine is auto stopped, auto starts the engine prior to activating the electrical load.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a motor arranged to move a window of the vehicle; and

a stop/start system including one or more controllers configured to, in response to a request to activate the motor while the engine is auto stopped, selectively auto start the engine prior to activating the motor based on a battery voltage.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein selectively auto starting the engine prior to activating the motor based on a battery voltage includes auto starting the engine provided that the battery voltage is less than a predetermined value.

3. A method for controlling a motor of a stop/start vehicle, the method comprising:

in response to receiving, while an engine of the vehicle is auto stopped, a request to activate a motor arranged to adjust a position of a seat of the vehicle, auto starting the engine prior to activating the motor provided that a voltage of a battery arranged to supply current to the motor is less than a predetermined value.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising activating the motor provided that the voltage of the battery is greater than or equal to the predetermined value.

5. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

an entertainment system; and

a stop/start system configured to selectively auto stop the engine when a speed of the vehicle is approximately zero, and in response to a request to activate the entertainment system while the engine is auto stopped, to auto start the engine prior to activating the entertainment system.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 further comprising a battery arranged to provide current to the entertainment system, wherein the stop/start system is further configured to auto start the engine prior to activating the entertainment system provided that a voltage of the battery is less than a predetermined value.