Method and system for enabling electrical loads during an engine auto start

• US 9,834,194 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sangameswaran, Sangeetha, Pebley, Kirk, Harpenau, Kevin Roy, Rademacher, Eric Michael, Celinske, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Berona, Kimberly
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fei, Jordan S
• Application Number:
  US13/204,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20130041556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,311 Days
• Field of Search: 701 1, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0814 comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/0809 Electrical loads
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An automotive vehicle includes an engine, a plurality of electrical load subsystems, and at least one controller. During an auto start of the engine, the at least one controller detects a starter disengage condition. In response to detecting the starter disengage condition, the at least one controller periodically determines a value of an operating parameter associated with the vehicle, causes a first subset of the electrical load subsystems to be enabled when the value of the operating parameter falls with a first predefined range of values, and causes a second subset of the electrical load subsystems to be enabled when the value of the operating parameter falls within a second predefined range of values.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

after occurrence of a starter disengage condition during an engine autostart and before completion of the autostart,

supplying power from an alternator to a first set of vehicle electrical subsystems responsive to engine speed achieving a first threshold, and

supplying power from the alternator to a second set of vehicle electrical subsystems responsive to the engine speed achieving a second threshold greater than the first threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of vehicle electrical subsystems includes an electric power steering assist system, an electric park brake system, an HVAC blower system, or a heated windshield system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of vehicle electrical subsystems includes an electric power steering assist system, an electric park brake system, an HVAC blower system, or a heated windshield system.

4. A method comprising:

after occurrence of a starter disengage condition during an engine autostart and before completion of the autostart,

supplying power from an integrated starter generator (ISG) to a first set of vehicle electrical subsystems responsive to engine speed achieving a first threshold, and

supplying power from the ISG to a second set of vehicle electrical subsystems responsive to the engine speed achieving a second threshold greater than the first threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first set of vehicle electrical subsystems includes an electric power steering assist system, an electric park brake system, an HVAC blower system, or a heated windshield system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the second set of vehicle electrical subsystems includes an electric power steering assist system, an electric park brake system, an HVAC blower system, or a heated windshield system.