System and method for optimizing availability of vehicle energy conserving modes

• US 9,388,750 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Be, Tuan Anh, Malone, Mark Douglas, Pebley, Kirk, Kwong, Hank L., Mansur, William Najib
• Primary Examiner(s): Cronin, Stephen K
• Assistant Examiner(s): MO, XIAO EN
• Application Number:
  US13/832,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20140278019A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 123/179.3, 123/179.4, 701/112, 701/113, 701/102, 701/101
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2041/228 Warning displays
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/02 peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers
• 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 11/084 State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

Vehicles capable of operating in an energy conserving mode may include an interface for conveying inhibitors preventing activation of the energy conserving mode. The system may identify the inhibiting features and prompt an operator of the vehicle for authorization to disable the inhibiting features or adjust the feature states to enable the energy conserving mode. In response to receiving authorization, the system may automatically control feature interfaces to remove inhibits to the energy conserving mode. The interface may communicate active inhibitors to an operator using a display or a speaker, or both. Additionally, the interface may query the operator to approve automatic deactivation of the inhibiting features and facilitate the receipt of operator input to the query.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a controller, input indicating vehicle propulsion conditions for auto-stopping an engine are satisfied;

receiving, at the controller, input indicating one or more auto-stop inhibitors are present preventing the engine from auto-stopping when an automatic start-stop system is enabled by an automatic start-stop switch, the input further indicating that all of the auto-stop inhibitors relate to operator-controllable features;

outputting at least one message identifying the auto-stop inhibitors via a user interface, the message including a prompt for authorization to automatically remove the auto-stop inhibitors;

receiving, at the user interface, input indicative of authorization to automatically remove the auto-stop inhibitors in response to the message prompt; and

automatically controlling the operator-controllable features to remove the auto-stop inhibitors and enable an auto-stop event to occur.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the auto-stop inhibitors includes automatically deactivating the related operator-controllable features.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the auto-stop inhibitors includes automatically adjusting the related operator-controllable features to a level sufficient to enable the engine to auto-stop.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator-controllable features return to their original state at the conclusion of the auto-stop event.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the authorization to automatically remove the auto-stop inhibitors for recall during a subsequent auto-stopping event.

6. A method comprising:

receiving, at a controller, input indicating propulsion conditions for operating a vehicle in an energy-conserving mode are satisfied and at least one inhibitor is present preventing the energy-conserving mode when an automatic start-stop system is enabled;

receiving, at the controller, authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor to enable the vehicle to operate in the energy-conserving mode; and

automatically controlling, via the controller, conditions to remove the inhibitor and enable the energy-conserving mode responsive to the authorization.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one inhibitor is associated with an operator-controllable feature.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor comprises:

outputting a message identifying the inhibitor and prompting for authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor; and

receiving input indicative of authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor in response to the message prompt.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

saving the authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor to a memory device for recall when propulsion conditions for operating the vehicle in the energy-conserving mode are subsequently met.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor comprises:

recalling the authorization from a memory device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the authorization was previously received during a prior energy-conserving mode opportunity in response to a message identifying the inhibitor and prompting for authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying a settings menu during a configuration sequence of energy-conserving mode settings; and

receiving input indicative of the authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor during the configuration sequence of the energy-conserving mode settings;

wherein the authorization is recalled from the energy-conserving mode settings.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy-conserving mode settings indicate authorization to disable the inhibitor when propulsion conditions for operating the vehicle in the energy-conserving mode are satisfied.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the energy-conserving mode settings indicate authorization to automatically adjust the associated operator-controllable feature to a pre-set level selected by an operator.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically controlling, via the controller, vehicle features to remove the inhibitor and enable the energy-conserving mode responsive to the authorization comprises:

automatically controlling, via the controller, the associated operator-controllable features to remove the at least one inhibitor and enable the energy-conserving mode responsive to the authorization.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the associated operator-controllable features includes automatically deactivating the associated operator-controllable features.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the associated operator-controllable features includes automatically adjusting the associated operator-controllable features to a level sufficient to enable the energy-conserving mode.

18. A control system comprising:

a controller configured to receive input indicative of vehicle propulsion conditions and a presence of at least one inhibitor associated with an operator-controllable feature preventing activation of an energy-conserving mode when an automatic start-stop system is enabled; and

an interface, in communication with the controller, configured to output a message identifying the inhibitor and prompting for operator authorization to automatically remove the inhibitor.

19. The control system of claim 18, wherein the controller is further configured to receive input indicative of authorization to automatically remove the at least one inhibitor and control the associated operator-controllable features to remove the at least one inhibitor in response to the authorization.

20. The control system of claim 19, wherein controlling the associated operator-controllable features to remove the at least one inhibitor includes automatically deactivating the associated operator-controllable features or adjusting the associated operator-controllable features to a level sufficient to enable the energy-conserving mode.