# US 10,864,815 B2 · Method for detecting combustion irregularities of an internal combustion engine unit coupled to an electric propulsion unit, of a hybrid motor vehicle

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- Number: US 10,864,815 B2
- Document ID: US10864815B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/485,614
- Filed: 2018-03-14
- Published: 2019-12-05
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-24
- Assignees: Continental Automotive France; Continental Automotive GmbH
- Applicants: Continental Automotive France; Continental Automotive GmbH
- Inventors: Stéphane Eloy; Nathalie Raud
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864815B2

## CPC

- B60K 6/485: Motor-assist type
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/50: Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
- B60W 50/0205: {Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models}
- B60W 2510/0666: Engine power
- B60W 2510/085: Power
- B60W 2710/0677: Engine power
- B60W 2710/086: Power
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT

## Abstract

A method for detecting combustion irregularities in a combustion engine coupled to an electric engine of a hybrid vehicle having a management unit for determining the respective powers to be supplied by these engines, and for delivering setpoint data dependent on these power distributions, including determining a threshold value corresponding to a percentage of the power supplied by the electric engine, such that values of this percentage less than or equal to the threshold value correspond to operation of the electric engine that is not liable to falsify the results of the combustion irregularity detection diagnostics, and, for the purpose of launching a diagnostic procedure, when the percentage of the power supplied by the electric engine is greater than the threshold value, delivering setpoint data suitable for fixing the value of the power percentage at a setpoint value less than the threshold.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for detecting combustion irregularities in an internal combustion engine unit, called a combustion engine, coupled to an electric propulsion unit, called an electric engine, of a hybrid motor vehicle having a management unit designed to determine the respective powers PMth and PMe to be supplied by each of said combustion engine and electric engine, and to deliver to said engines setpoint data dependent on these power distributions, said method comprising:
in a preliminary phase, determining using control electronics a threshold value S1 corresponding to a value of the percentage % PMe=PMe/(PMe+PMth) of the power supplied by the electric engine, such that values of % PMe less than or equal to S1 correspond to operation of said electric engine that is not liable to falsify the results of the combustion irregularity detection diagnostics, namely leading to a maximum admissible interference,
for the purpose of launching, at a time t=T1, a combustion irregularity detection diagnostic procedure, comparing using the control electronics, with the threshold value S1, the value of the percentage % PMe of the power supplied by the electric engine, determined by the setpoint data, and:
when the percentage % PMe of the power supplied by the electric engine is less than or equal to the threshold value S1:
delivering setpoint data suitable for fixing the value of said power percentage at a setpoint value S2, such that 0≤S2≤S1+ΔS1, where S1+ΔS1 is the maximum value of the threshold value S1 beyond which the operation of the electric engine falsifies the results of the combustion irregularity detection diagnostics,
launching the diagnostic procedure to detect combustion irregularities in the combustion engine, the combustion irregularities including combustion misfires or partial combustions,
re-establishing a nominal hybrid operating mode at the end of the diagnostic procedure,
when the percentage % PMe of the power supplied by the electric engine remains greater than the threshold value S1 for a predetermined time interval t=T2−T1, where T2>T1, delivering setpoint data suitable for fixing the value of said power percentage at the setpoint value S2, and then launching the diagnostic procedure to detect combustion irregularities in the combustion engine, the combustion irregularities including combustion misfires or partial combustions, and re-establishing the nominal hybrid operating mode at the end of the diagnostic procedure,
wherein in each case the re-establishing of the nominal hybrid operating mode at the end the diagnostic procedure comprises, when combustion irregularities are detected, implementation of preventive measures dependent on a nature and severity of said combustion irregularities, including optionally alerting a driver.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the launches of the irregularity detection diagnostic procedures are commanded periodically with a predetermined period T1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a setpoint value S2 is selected so as to be at least substantially equal to the threshold value S1.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The detection method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a setpoint value S1 at least substantially equal to 10% is selected.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The detection method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a setpoint value S2 is selected so as to be at least substantially equal to the threshold value S1.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The detection method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a setpoint value S1 at least substantially equal to 10% is selected.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The detection method as claimed in claim 3, wherein a setpoint value S1 at least substantially equal to 10% is selected.