# US 12,214,774 B2 · Control device for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,774 B2 - Document ID: US12214774B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/075,906 - Filed: 2022-12-06 - Published: 2023-08-31 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-25 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Guodong Tan; Takao Oki; Yoshio Hasegawa; Masashi Ikemura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214774B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means - B60W 20/40: Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60W 10/023: {Fluid clutches} - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 30/1884: {Avoiding stall or overspeed of the engine} - B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing - B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft} - B60W 2510/0241: Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds - B60W 2510/0638: Engine speed - B60W 2510/0657: Engine torque - B60W 2510/081: Speed - B60W 2710/023: Clutch engagement rate - B60W 2710/025: Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The control device of the vehicle performs slip control for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch as an instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch by the hydraulic control mechanism after the internal combustion engine is started by the starter, as an instruction hydraulic pressure for maintaining the speed of the internal combustion engine at a higher speed than a lower limit speed for avoiding the stop of the internal combustion engine. Further, the control device of the vehicle performs engagement completion control of raising an instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch from an instruction hydraulic pressure in the slip control to an instruction hydraulic pressure for completing engagement of the connection and disconnection clutch when a difference between the speed of the internal combustion engine and the speed of the electric motor becomes smaller than a preset threshold value. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A control device for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising: an internal combustion engine; an electric motor connected to a power transmission path between the internal combustion engine and a drive wheel so as to be able to transmit power; a connection and disconnection clutch that is provided in the power transmission path and disconnects connection between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor by being in a released state; a starter for starting the internal combustion engine; and a hydraulic control mechanism for controlling a hydraulic pressure supplied to the connection and disconnection clutch, wherein the control device of the vehicle is configured to perform slip control in which the connection and disconnection clutch is engaged by supplying an instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch by the hydraulic control mechanism as an instruction hydraulic pressure for maintaining a speed of the internal combustion engine to a speed higher than a lower limit speed for avoiding stop of the internal combustion engine, after the internal combustion engine is started by the starter, and perform engagement completion control in which the instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch by the hydraulic control mechanism is increased from the instruction hydraulic pressure in the slip control to an instruction hydraulic pressure in which engagement of the connection and disconnection clutch is completed when a difference between the speed of the internal combustion engine and a speed of the electric motor becomes smaller than a preset threshold value. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The control device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to further perform, prior to the slip control, preparation control for increasing the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic control mechanism for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch from a hydraulic pressure before the starter is driven, after the internal combustion engine is started by the starter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The control device for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the instruction hydraulic pressure in the preparation control is an instruction hydraulic pressure equal to or higher than the instruction hydraulic pressure at a start point of the slip control. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The control device for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein an end of a period in which the preparation control is performed is a period in which at least one of a decrease in the speed of the internal combustion engine and an increase in the speed of the electric motor is detected. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The control device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the instruction hydraulic pressure in the slip control is given by a pulse wave in which the instruction hydraulic pressure repeatedly increases and decreases. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The control device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the control device is configured such that, in the slip control, when the speed of the internal combustion engine becomes equal to or lower than a lower limit avoidance speed set to a value higher than the lower limit speed, the instruction hydraulic pressure for engaging the connection and disconnection clutch is reduced from an instruction hydraulic pressure when the speed equal to or lower than the lower limit avoidance speed is indicated. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control device for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the instruction hydraulic pressure in the engagement completion control is set in accordance with rotational torque of the internal combustion engine.