Method and device to provide adaptive oil priming functionality

A device for operating a pre-lubrication system for an internal combustion engine (ICE) of a hybrid electrical vehicle after vehicle start up, wherein the hybrid electrical vehicle comprises an electric engine (EE) and the ICE, wherein the EE is adapted to be turned on at vehicle start up and the ICE is adapted to be turned on at vehicle start up or after a period of time after vehicle start up at least when the driver requests, or is presumed to request, torque equal to or higher than a predetermined torque threshold, and wherein the ICE is usable together with the EE or instead of the EE, the device for operating the pre-lubrication system comprising:

• an engine control function for controlling the ICE, monitoring the torque requested by the driver and storing information regarding when the driver requests torque equal to or higher than the predetermined torque threshold as torque/time information data set, and wherein the device for operating the pre-lubrication system is configured to perform the following operations, which are controllable and initiatable by the engine control function:
• after vehicle start up and EE start up, control the stored torque/time information data set;
• based on selected data from the stored torque/time information data set, estimate when the driver will request the predetermined torque threshold, being an estimated time of ICE torque delivery;
• based on the estimated time of ICE torque delivery, initiate a cranking operation of the engine in order to build up oil pressure in the ICE and fill an engine oil circuit with oil, such that the cranking operation is initiated and completed before the estimated time of ICE torque delivery;
• and
• monitor when the driver requests at least the predetermined torque threshold, being an actual time of ICE torque delivery, and store the actual time of ICE torque delivery together with the torque/time information data set.

A method for operating a pre-lubrication system for an internal combustion engine (ICE) of a hybrid electrical vehicle after vehicle start up, wherein the hybrid electrical vehicle also comprises an electric engine (EE), wherein the EE is turned on at vehicle start up and the ICE is turned on at vehicle start up or after a period of time after vehicle start up at least when the driver requests, or is presumed to request, torque equal to or higher than a predetermined torque threshold, wherein the ICE is used together with the EE or instead of the EE, and wherein the pre-lubrication system is configured to control the ICE, monitor the torque requested by the driver and store information regarding when the driver requests torque equal to or higher than the predetermined torque threshold as torque/time information data set, the method comprising the following:

• after vehicle start up and EE start up, controlling the stored torque/time information data set;
• based on selected data from the stored torque/time information data set, estimating when the driver will request the predetermined torque threshold, being an estimated time of ICE torque delivery;
• based on the estimated time of ICE torque delivery, initiating a cranking operation of the engine in order to build up oil pressure in the ICE and filling an engine oil circuit with oil, wherein the cranking operation in order to build up oil pressure in the ICE and filling an engine oil circuit with oil is initiated and completed before the estimated time of ICE torque delivery;
• and
• monitoring when the driver requests at least the predetermined torque threshold, being an actual time of ICE torque delivery, and storing the actual time of ICE torque delivery together with the torque/time information data set.