Automatic stop/start controller for engine and method for controlling automatic stop and automatic start

• US 7,083,020 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2004
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Morimoto, Kazuhiko, Noda, Norihiro, Mori, Tatsuji, Itoh, Yoshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLLADO, CYNTHIA FRANCISCA
• Application Number:
  US10/761,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20040159479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/287, 123/179.4, 477/2, 477/3
• US Class Current: 180/65.26
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/104 Driver's intention to turn, e.g. by evaluating direction indicators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

An automatic stop/start controller for an engine which automatically stops and starts the engine without operation of an ignition key. In automatically stopping the engine without operation of the ignition key, a control means prevents an automatic stop of the engine if a direction indicator of the vehicle is activated. If the direction indicator is activated after the engine is automatically stopped, the control means immediately automatically starts the engine without operation of the ignition key. The control means also prevents an automatic stop of the engine unless the distance traveled by a vehicle, after the engine has automatically started, is greater than a predetermined automatic stop prohibit distance.

Claims

1. An automatic stop/start controller for a vehicle which automatically stops and starts a vehicle engine without operation of an ignition key, wherein:

a control unit automatically stops the engine without operation of the ignition key when a condition of vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed, when a condition of distance of travel of the vehicle is more than or equal to a predetermined automatic stop prohibit distance before stop, and when a condition in which a direction indicator of the vehicle is deactivated, are at least satisfied;

the control unit automatically starts the engine immediately without operation of the ignition key if the direction indicator is activated after the engine is automatically stopped without operation of the ignition key; and

the control unit prevents another automatic stop of the engine until a distance traveled by the vehicle after the engine is automatically started due to activation of the direction indicator is greater than or equal to a predetermined automatic stop prohibit distance after automatic start that is preset with a distance longer than the automatic stop prohibit distance before stop.

2. The automatic stop/start controller as defined in claim 1, wherein a motor generator assists the engine in generating power at least while the vehicle is running.

3. An automatic stop/start controller for a vehicle which automatically stops and starts a vehicle engine without operation of an ignition key, wherein:

a control unit automatically stops the engine in a normal automatic stop condition without operation of the ignition key when vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed, when distance of travel of the vehicle is more than or equal to a predetermined automatic stop prohibit distance before stop, and when a direction indicator of the vehicle is deactivated, are all at least satisfied;

the control unit automatically starts the engine immediately without operation of the ignition key if the direction indicator is activated after the engine is automatically stopped without operation of the ignition key; and

after the automatic start of the engine due to activation of the direction indicator, the control unit provides a different stop condition for stopping the engine than the normal automatic stop condition.

4. The automatic stop/start controller as defined in claim 3, wherein a motor generator assists the engine in generating power at least while the vehicle is running.

5. A method for controlling an automatic stop and an automatic start of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle having an electric motor-generator drivingly coupled to the engine, a control unit that selectively and automatically stops and starts the engine without use of an ignition key, and a direction indicator for selectively indicating a turning direction of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

automatically stopping the engine without operation of the ignition key when at least;

a sensed vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed;

a sensed distance of travel of the vehicle is more than or equal to a predetermined automatic prohibit distance before stop; and

a direction indicator of the vehicle is deactivated;

automatically starting the engine without operation of the ignition key when the direction indicator is activated after the engine is automatically stopped without operation of the ignition key; and

after the engine is automatically started by activation of the direction indicator, preventing automatic stopping of the engine until the vehicle travels a predetermined prohibit distance that is greater than the predetermined automatic prohibit distance before stop.