Engine idle stop control system for vehicles

• US 6,947,827 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fuse, Toru, Nakazawa, Takashi, Nagaishi, Hatsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US09/980,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20020107632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 701/110, 701/112, 701/113, 123/179.4
• US Class Current: 701/110
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2250/18 Control of the engine output torque
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/042 for stopping the engine
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/065 at hot start or restart F02D41/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/04 the motors being associated with current generators
• 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 2200/0802 Transmission state, e.g. gear ratio or neutral state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/101 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2300/104 Control of the starter motor torque
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An engine 1 is stopped according to conditions when a vehicle has stopped, and the engine 1 is started by starting a motor/generator 2 when a request to restart the engine 1 which has stopped, is determined. Engine torque is absorbed by the motor/generator 2 so that that the starting torque according to an accelerator pedal depression after restart, is effectively the same torque for starting from the engine stop state as for starting from the engine idle state. In this way, the same starting performance is obtained when the vehicle starts from the engine stop state as when the vehicle starts from the engine idle rotation state.

Claims

1. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an engine,

a motor/generator connected to the engine,

an automatic transmission which transmits a rotation of the engine to a drive wheel,

a sensor which detects a vehicle stationary state,

a sensor which detects an accelerator pedal depression amount, and

a microprocessor which is programmed to;

stop the engine according to conditions when the vehicle has been stationary,

restart the engine by starting the motor/generator when a request to restart the engine which has stopped is determined, and

control absorption of the engine torque by the motor/generator so that a vehicle starting torque according to the same accelerator pedal depression is effectively the same torque for the vehicle starting from an engine stop state by restarting the engine as for the vehicle starting from an engine idle rotation state.

2. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the torque absorbed by the motor/generator is set to correspond to the engine torque produced according to a difference between a real air volume aspirated by the engine when the vehicle starts from the engine stop state, and the real air volume aspirated by the engine when the vehicle starts from the engine idle state.

3. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the real air volume absorbed by the engine according to the accelerator pedal depression amount when the vehicle starts from the engine stop state is calculated by smoothing an initial value of an air volume equivalent signal, calculated when a throttle is fully open, according to a time until the accelerator is depressed after the engine starts depending on an air flow meter output and a response delay of an intake air system.

4. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the real air volume aspirated by the engine according to the accelerator pedal depression amount when the vehicle starts from the engine idle rotation state is calculated by smoothing an initial value of an air volume equivalent signal, calculated when a throttle is closed, according to a time depending on the air flow meter output and a response delay of an intake air system.

5. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a fuel injection amount is controlled according to the real air volume aspirated by the engine.

6. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the motor/generator shifts to absorption torque control by the generator when the motor torque for starting the engine becomes smaller than the absorbed engine torque corresponding to the difference of the aforesaid two real air volumes.

7. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the absorption torque control of the motor/generator continues until complete combustion of the engine is determined.

8. An engine idle stop control system for a vehicle, comprising:

an engine,

a motor/generator connected to the engine,

an automatic transmission which transmits a rotation of the engine to a drive wheel,

means for detecting a vehicle stationary state,

means for detecting an accelerator pedal depression amount,

means for stopping the engine according to conditions when the vehicle has been stationary,

means for restarting the engine by starting the motor/generator when a request to restart the engine which has stopped, is determined, and

means for controlling to make the motor/generator absorb engine torque so that the vehicle starting torque according to the same accelerator pedal depression is effectively the same torque for the vehicle starting from an engine stop state by restarting the engine as for the vehicle starting from an engine idle rotation state.