Apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle

• US 6,612,386 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Risse, Patrick L., Tamai, Goro, Hoang, Tony T., Aldrich, William Leonard III
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLEBE, GERALD B
• Application Number:
  US09/870,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20020179347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.8, 290/40.A, 290/40.C, 318/139, 322/11, 322/12, 322/13, 701/22, 701/99
• US Class Current: 180/65.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• 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 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/06 Ignition switch
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/503 : Battery correction, i.e. corrections as a function of the state of the battery, its output or its type
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/062 : for starting F02D41/061 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 : the motors being associated with current generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/08 : Circuits or control means specially adapted for starting of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0848 : with means for detecting successful engine start, e.g. to stop starter actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 : comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/103 : according to the vehicle transmission or clutch status
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/022 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/023 : Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/061 : Battery state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 : Stepped shift

Abstract

A propulsion system for use in a hybrid vehicle, the propulsion system includes an internal combustion engine, an electric motor/generator operatively coupled to the internal combustion engine, an electric storage medium, and a propulsion system controller for actuating the propulsion system. The propulsion system controller varies the operating conditions of the electric motor/generator system in response to operating conditions of the vehicle. The propulsion system controller further varies the operating conditions of the electric motor/generator during an engine cranking sequence.

Claims

1. A method for operating a propulsion system of a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

determining if an engine starting command has been requested;

sensing the state of charge of an electric storage medium;

sensing the temperature of an engine coolant of an internal combustion engine;

operating a motor/generator in a first mode of operation for providing a starting force to said internal combustion engine and in a second mode of operation for generating an electrical charge; and

varying the rate of a prime pulse during a starting sequence of said internal combustion engine, said prime pulse being varied in response to the value of the state of charge of said electrical storage medium and the engine coolant temperature of said internal combustion engine.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said first mode of operation of said motor/generator is varied in response to the engine coolant temperature of said internal combustion engine.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said first mode of operation of said motor/generator is varied in response to the state of charge of said electric storage medium.

4. The method as in claim 3, wherein said first mode of operation of said motor/generator is varied in response to the engine coolant temperature of said internal combustion engine.

5. The method as in claim 4, further including:

varying the rate of a prime pulse and the starting force being applied to said internal combustion engine during a starting sequence of said internal combustion engine.

6. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a low RPM and a prime pulse when the state of charge is below a predetermined value indicating a low state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is below a predetermined value indicating a low engine coolant temperature.

7. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a low RPM and a medium prime pulse when the state of charge is below a predetermined value indicating a low state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is in a range defined by predetermined values indicating a medium engine coolant temperature.

8. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a low RPM and a minimal prime pulse when the state of charge is below a predetermined value indicating a low state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is above a predetermined value indicating a medium engine coolant temperature.

9. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a low RPM and a prime pulse when the state of charge is in a medium range defined by a pair of predetermined values indicating a medium state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is below a predetermined value indicating a low engine coolant temperature.

10. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a medium RPM and a minimal prime pulse when the state of charge is in a medium range defined by a pair of predetermined values indicating a medium state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is in a medium temperature range defined by a pair of predetermined values.

11. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a medium RPM when the state of charge is in a medium range defined by a pair of predetermined values indicating a medium state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is above a medium temperature range defined by a pair of predetermined values.

12. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a high RPM when the state of charge is above a medium range defined by a pair of predetermined values indicating a medium state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is above a low temperature defined by a predetermined value.

13. The method as in claim 5, wherein said internal combustion engine is started with a low RPM and a prime pulse when the state of charge is above a medium range defined by a pair of predetermined values indicating a medium state of charge and the engine coolant temperature is below a low temperature defined by a predetermined value.

14. A method for operating a propulsion system of a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

determining if an engine starting command has been requested;

sensing the state of charge of an electric storage medium;

sensing the temperature of an engine coolant of an internal combustion engine;

operating a motor/generator in a first mode of operation for providing a starting force to said internal combustion engine and in a second mode of operation for generating an electrical charge;

varying the starting speed of said motor/generator in said first mode in response to the state of charge of said electric storage medium; and

varying the rate of the prime pulse during a starting sequence of said internal combustion engine, said prime pulse being varied in response to the value of the state of charge of said electrical storage medium and the engine coolant temperature of said internal combustion engine.

15. The method for operating a propulsion system as in claim 14, wherein the step of determining if an engine starting command has been requested includes monitoring the position of a shifter of said vehicle, monitoring said internal combustion engine RPM, monitoring the position of an ignition key, monitoring the voltage of said electric storage medium.

16. The method for operating a propulsion system as in claim 14, wherein said starting force of said motor/generator in said first mode is varied in response to the speed of said internal combustion engine over time during a starting sequence.