Vehicle control device

• US 9,821,805 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsushita, Koki
• Primary Examiner(s): Estremsky, Sherry L
• Application Number:
  US15/049,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20160264140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/1809 Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0685 Engine crank angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/1005 Transmission ratio engaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/101 Transmission neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/021 Clutch engagement state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18072 Coasting
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0803 characterised by means for initiating engine start or stop F02N11/0814 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/005 Aiding engine start by starting from a predetermined position, e.g. pre-positioning or reverse rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/102 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 99/002 Starting combustion engines by ignition means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle control device includes a controller configured to perform: ignition starting of an engine when a detected crank angle is within a first area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a first predetermined value; and the ignition starting of the engine while increasing an engine speed by engaging a clutch to transmit torque of a drive wheel to a crankshaft when the crank angle is within a second area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, the instruction is output based on a signal indicating that a braking unit is turned on, and a gear of a transmission is not in neutral.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device adapted for controlling a vehicle including:

an engine;

a starting device capable of starting the engine;

a clutch which connects or blocks a power transmission path between the engine and a drive wheel by being engaged or disengaged;

a transmission capable of outputting driving force input from the engine after changing a speed;

a crank angle measuring unit which detects a crank angle on a crankshaft of the engine when the engine stops; and

a braking unit which puts a brake on the vehicle, wherein the vehicle is configured to continuously travel in a state in which the clutch is disengaged and the engine is stopped, the vehicle control device comprising;

a controller to which the crank angle detected by the crank angle measuring unit is input when an instruction to restart the engine is input during travel with the clutch disengaged and the engine stopped, the controller being configured to perform;

ignition starting of the engine when the crank angle is within a first area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a first predetermined value; and

the ignition starting of the engine while increasing an engine speed by engaging the clutch to transmit torque of the drive wheel to the crankshaft when the crank angle is within a second area in which the ignition starting of the engine may be performed with probability not smaller than a second predetermined value smaller than the first predetermined value and smaller than the first predetermined value, the instruction is output based on a signal indicating that the braking unit is turned on, and a gear of the transmission is not in neutral.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit restarts the engine by the starting device when the crank angle is within the second area and the instruction is not based on the signal indicating that the braking unit is turned on.