US 2006/0080027 A1Published application

Engine starting assist system

AssigneeDenso Corporation

InventorsYasuhiro Tanaka, Makoto Kawatsu, Nobutomo Takagi, Naoki Maeda

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An engine starting assist system includes an auxiliary ECU having a voltage booster, an engine ECU, a starter relay, and a starter that allows the engine to be started when a current flows through the starter relay. The auxiliary ECU and the engine ECU are powered by a battery and supply currents to the starter relay. When the engine ECU resets the supply of the current to the starter relay because of a voltage drop of the battery during starting of the engine, the auxiliary ECU increases the voltage supplied from the battery using the booster, thereby supplying the current to the starter relay.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An assist system for starting an engine of a vehicle comprising:

a starter;
a power source which supplies a first electric current to the starter;
a load driving unit which controls the first current;
an engine control unit which is supplied with electric power from a power supply device and supplies a second electric current to the load driving unit during starting of the engine;
and
an auxiliary current supply unit which is supplied with the electric power from the power supply device and supplies a third electric current to the load driving unit during starting of the engine, wherein
the first current is supplied to the starter when at least one of the second current and the third current is supplied to the load driving unit,
the engine control unit resets the supply of the second current when the voltage of the power supply device becomes lower than a first predetermined level, and
the auxiliary current supply unit supplies the third current irrespective of whether the engine control unit resets the supply of the second current.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/246,275Filed 11 Oct 2005
Priority: JP 2004-29759412 Oct 2004
Published: 13 Apr 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

F02N 11/0862
Circuits specially adapted for starting of engines: characterised by the electrical power supply means, e.g. battery
F02D 41/266
Using computer, e.g. microprocessor: the computer being backed-up or assisted by another circuit, e.g. analogue
F02N 2250/02
Problems related to engine starting or engine's starting apparatus: battery voltage drop at start, e.g. drops causing ECU reset
F02N 2300/30
Control related aspects of engine starting: characterised by the use of digital means

Family

US 7,216,617 B2Related patent
US 2006/0080027 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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