Device and method for determining the starting capability of an internal combustion engine

• US 9,689,367 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2011
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schramme, Martin, Gering, Horst, Mnch, Matthias, Klement, Thomas, Graf, Hans-Michael, Weigert, Wolfgang, Tendler, Reinhard, Friedrichsohn, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASTRO, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US13/885,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20150345458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• 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 11/0862 characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/108 for diagnosis of the starter or its components
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/486 for measuring temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A method for determining the starting capability of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, which can be started by an electric motor powered by a battery, including detecting first battery parameter values during a successful starting sequence of the internal combustion engine at a first time, detecting second battery parameter values at a second time following the first time, determining at the second time the expected battery voltage for a starting sequence of the internal combustion engine taking place at a third time based on the detected first and second battery parameter values, and comparing the battery voltage expected at the third time with a predetermined threshold value in order to derive therefrom the starting capability of the internal combustion engine.

Claims

1. A method for determining a starting capability of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle that is started by an electric motor supplied by a battery, comprising:

detecting, by at least one sensor, first battery parameter values at a first time during a successful first starting process of the internal combustion engine;

detecting, by the at least one sensor, second battery parameter values at a second time following the first time;

determining, at the second time, by a computerized evaluation unit, based on the detected first and second battery parameter values, what a battery voltage will be during a starting process of the internal combustion engine occurring at a third time after the second time, such that the battery voltage of the third time is calculated based on a state of charge of the battery and battery temperature or change of the state of charge of the battery and change of the battery temperature;

comparing, by the computerized evaluation unit, the determined battery voltage for the third time with a predefined threshold value;

deriving, by the computerized evaluation unit, what a starting capability of the internal combustion engine will be at the third time based on the comparing; and

performing control of the running of the vehicle at the second time based on the derivation of what the starting capability of the internal combustion engine will be at the third time,

wherein if the internal combustion engine is running at the second time, the internal combustion engine is stopped at the second time only if the starting capability of the internal combustion engine will be present at the third time,

wherein an internal combustion engine that is stopped at the second time is restarted before the third time if the starting capability of the internal combustion engine will no longer be present at the third time,

wherein the state of charge of the battery and/or the change in the state of charge of the battery are calculated by a numerical model that takes into account the battery size and an estimated battery current, wherein the state of charge of the battery and/or the change in the state of charge of the battery is determined by the integral of an estimated battery current, wherein the estimated battery current is estimated from voltage measurements as follows;

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second parameters comprise at least one selected from the group consisting of a battery voltage and a battery temperature.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second parameters further comprise a voltage between a negative pole of the battery and a point on a vehicle bodywork through which current flow is measured.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor has a power resistor connected in parallel with the battery so as to cause an additional current to be applied to the battery for a predetermined period of time such that the battery state can be inferred from the voltage response to the additional current.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the change of state of charge of the battery is determined based on battery voltage.

6. A device for determining a starting capability of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle that is started by an electric motor supplied by a battery, comprising:

at least one sensor configured to;

detect first battery parameter values during a successful starting process of the internal combustion engine at a first time; and

detect second battery parameter values at a second time following the first time; and

an evaluation unit configured to;

determine, at the second time, based on the detected first and second battery parameter values what a battery voltage will be during a starting process of the internal combustion engine occurring at a third time after the second time, such that the battery voltage of the third time is calculated based on a state of charge of the battery and battery temperature or change of the state of charge of the battery and change of the battery temperature;

compare the determined battery voltage for the third time with a predefined threshold value to derive what a starting capability of the internal combustion engine will be at the third time based on the comparing; and

perform control of the running of the vehicle at the second time based on the derivation of what the starting capability of the internal combustion engine will be at the third time,

wherein if the internal combustion engine is running at the second time, the internal combustion engine is stopped at the second time only if the starting capability of the internal combustion engine will be present at the third time, and

wherein an internal combustion engine that is stopped at the second time is restarted before the third time if the starting capability of the internal combustion engine will no longer be present at the third time,

wherein the state of charge of the battery and/or the change in the state of charge of the battery are calculated by a numerical model that takes into account the battery size and an estimated battery current, wherein the state of charge of the battery and/or the change in the state of charge of the battery is determined by the integral of an estimated battery current, wherein the estimated battery current is estimated from voltage measurements as follows;

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to actuate the at least one sensor to detect the first and second battery parameter values at the first and second times.

8. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one sensor has a power resistor connected in parallel with the battery so as to cause an additional current to be applied to the battery for a predetermined period of time such that the battery state can be inferred from the voltage response to the additional current.

9. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the change of state of charge of the battery is determined based on battery voltage.