# US 11,078,854 B2 · Systems and methods for utilizing cylinder deactivation when a vehicle is in a reverse operating mode > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,078,854 B2 - Document ID: US11078854B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/990,764 - Filed: 2020-08-11 - Published: 2021-02-18 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2019-08-12 - Assignees: Cummins Inc.; Tula Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cummins Inc. - Inventors: Aaron William Beinborn; J. Steven Kolhouse - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11078854B2 ## CPC - F02D 41/0087: {Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation (deceleration cut-off F02D41/123)} - F02D 13/06: Cutting-out cylinders - F02D 41/0225: {in relation with the gear ratio or shift lever position} - F02D 41/1446: {the characteristics being exhaust temperatures} - F02D 2041/1412: {using a predictive controller} - F02D 2200/1002: Output torque - F02D 2200/602: Pedal position - F02D 2200/702: Road conditions - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A controller for a vehicle includes at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to perform various operations. The operations include determining that the vehicle is in reverse and in response, initiating a cylinder deactivation mode for an engine of the vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A controller for a vehicle comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to: determine that the vehicle is in reverse; and in response, initiate a cylinder deactivation (“CDA”) mode for an engine of the vehicle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the CDA mode corresponds to a predetermined number of cylinders being deactivated. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein in response to an accelerator pedal being depressed by more than a threshold amount, the controller is structured to exit the CDA mode. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein in response to a requested torque amount being greater than an available torque or preset threshold amount, the controller is structured to exit the CDA mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein response to an exhaust gas temperature being below a predefined exhaust gas temperature threshold, the controller is structured to maintain the CDA mode for the engine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The controller of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to maintain the CDA mode based on periodically evaluating operation data associated with the vehicle while the vehicle is in reverse. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The controller of claim 6, wherein the operation data comprises look-ahead data, the look-ahead data comprising at least one of route road curvature, grade, elevation, and speed limit, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to periodically adjust a number of active cylinders based on the look-ahead data while the vehicle is in reverse. ### Claim 8 A method, comprising: acquiring, by a controller of a vehicle, operation data regarding operation of the vehicle while an engine of the vehicle is in a cylinder deactivation (“CDA”) mode; determining, by the controller, that the vehicle is in a reverse operation mode based on the operation data; and maintaining, by the controller, the CDA mode for the vehicle in response to determining that the vehicle is in the reverse operation mode. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein a number of cylinders deactivated during the CDA mode when the reverse operation mode is determined is greater than a number of cylinders deactivated during the CDA mode before the reverse operation mode is determined. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the CDA mode is maintained during the reverse operation mode based on an exhaust gas temperature being below a predefined threshold exhaust gas temperature. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the operation data includes a transmission setting indicating that the vehicle is in the reverse operation mode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving, by the controller, a torque request greater than an available torque amount; and cancelling, by the controller, the torque request to limit a power output from the engine of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: receiving, by the controller, look-ahead data comprising at least one of route road curvature, grade, elevation, and speed limit; and adjusting a number of active cylinders based on the look-ahead data while the vehicle is in reverse. ### Claim 14 A non-transitory computer-readable media comprising instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, causing a vehicle computing system to perform operations comprising: acquire operation data regarding operation of a vehicle; determine that the vehicle is in a reverse operation mode based on the operation data; and initiate a cylinder deactivation (“CDA”) mode for the vehicle in response to determining that the vehicle is in the reverse operation mode. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein a number of cylinders deactivated during the CDA mode when the reverse operation mode is determined is greater than a number of cylinders deactivated during a CDA mode before the reverse operation mode is determined. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the operation data comprises look-ahead data comprising at least one of route road curvature, grade, elevation, and speed limit, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the vehicle computing system to perform further operations comprising periodically adjust a number of active cylinders during the CDA mode based on the look-ahead data while the vehicle is in the reverse operation mode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the CDA mode is maintained during the reverse operation mode based on an exhaust gas temperature being below a predefined threshold exhaust gas temperature. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the operation data includes a transmission setting indicating that the vehicle is in the reverse operation mode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, the operations further comprising: receive a torque request greater than an available torque amount; and cancel the torque request to limit a power output from the engine of the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the vehicle computing system to perform operations further comprising maintain the CDA mode based on periodically evaluating the operation data associated with the vehicle while the vehicle is in the reverse operation mode.