# US 12,594,929 B2 · Apparatus and method for controlling hybrid electric vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,594,929 B2 - Document ID: US12594929B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/410,245 - Filed: 2024-01-11 - Published: 2025-05-01 - Granted: 2026-04-07 - Earliest claimed: 2023-10-30 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Jung Yong Choi; Jae Hyoung Jeong; Hyung Min Kim; Hyeok Jun Kwon; Sang Won Lee; Yeon Bok Kim; Jung Suk Han - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12594929B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/442: Series-parallel switching type - 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 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means - B60K 6/48: Parallel type - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 10/023: {Fluid clutches} - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft} - B60W 2510/0208: Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged - B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed - B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position - B60W 2540/12: Brake pedal position - B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state - 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 A method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle includes checking a vehicle driving state and determining whether to satisfy a predetermined engine clutch engagement prohibition condition, by a controller, generating and outputting a control command for prohibiting engine clutch engagement and maintaining an engine clutch in an open state, by the controller, when it is determined that the predetermined engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is satisfied from the vehicle driving state, and controlling to maintain the engine clutch in the open state that is a power cut-off state, by the control command output from the controller. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle, the method comprising: checking, by a controller, a vehicle driving state and determining whether to satisfy a predetermined engine clutch engagement prohibition condition, wherein the engine clutch engagement prohibition condition includes a condition in which an engine clutch is in an open state, a condition in which the vehicle creeps with a motor, and a condition in which an engine is on; generating and outputting, by the controller, a control command for prohibiting engine clutch engagement and maintaining the engine clutch in the open state, when it is determined that the predetermined engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is satisfied from the vehicle driving state; and maintaining the engine clutch in the open state that is a power cut-off state, by the control command output from the controller. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle driving state comprises an engine clutch state, a vehicle travel state, and an engine state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the controller determines that the engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is not satisfied, when a brake is on as the vehicle driving state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the controller generates and outputs a control command to prohibit the engine clutch engagement and maintain the engine clutch in the open state, when it is determined that the engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is satisfied when the control command for the engine clutch engagement is generated, in the generating and outputting the control command for maintaining the engine clutch in the open state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the engine clutch engagement is necessary from the determined travel mode of the vehicle, when a driver demand torque is determined and the travel mode of the vehicle is determined, by the controller; generating and outputting the control command to engage the engine clutch, by the controller, when it is determined that the engine clutch engagement is necessary; and controlling the engine clutch to be in a closed state by the control command for the engine clutch engagement output from the controller. ### Claim 6 An apparatus for controlling a hybrid electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a driving information detection part configured to detect vehicle driving information; and a controller configured to perform engine clutch engagement prohibition control logic; wherein the controller is further configured to: check a vehicle driving state from the detected vehicle driving information, and determine whether to satisfy a predetermined engine clutch engagement prohibition condition, wherein the engine clutch engagement prohibition condition, as a condition for the vehicle driving state, includes a condition in which an engine clutch is in an open state, a condition in which the vehicle creeps with a motor, and a condition in which an engine is on; generate and output a control command for prohibiting engine clutch engagement and maintain the engine clutch in the open state, when it is determined that the predetermined engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is satisfied from the vehicle driving state; and maintain the engine clutch in the open state which is a power cut-off state. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the vehicle driving state comprises an engine clutch state, a vehicle travel state, and an engine state. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is not satisfied, when a brake is on as the vehicle driving state. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to generate and output a control command to prohibit the engine clutch engagement and to maintain the engine clutch in the open state, when it is determined that the engine clutch engagement prohibition condition is satisfied when the control command for the engine clutch engagement is generated. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine whether the engine clutch engagement is necessary from the determined travel mode of the vehicle, when a driver demand torque is determined and the travel mode of the vehicle is determined; generate and output the control command to engage the engine clutch, when it is determined that the engine clutch engagement is necessary; and control the engine clutch to be in a closed state by the control command for the engine clutch engagement output from the controller.