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US 2017/0282674 A1Published application
Engine start-up method for hybrid vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMark G. SMITH
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle includes an engine, a climate control system, a cabin, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to the climate control system supplying heat to a vehicle cabin and receiving a request for an economy mode, decrease an engine coolant temperature engine start threshold. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the engine coolant temperature becoming less than the threshold, start the engine.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- an engine;
- a climate control system having a blower;
- and
- a controller programmed to,
- in response to the climate control system supplying heat to a cabin via the blower and receiving a request for an economy mode, decrease an engine coolant temperature engine start, threshold, cut blower power, and channel heated ram air into the cabin, and
- in response to the engine coolant temperature becoming less than the threshold, start the engine.
3 more elements
(canceled)
A vehicle controller comprising:
- input channels configured to receive signals indicative of a request for cabin heating, a request for an economy mode, and an engine coolant temperature;
- a first output channel configured to provide a command to start an engine;
- a second output channel configured to provide a command to operate a blower to heat a cabin;
- and
- control logic programmed to,
- in response to the requests for cabin heating and the economy mode, generate the command to start the engine when the engine coolant temperature becomes less than a first, threshold, generate the command to cut power to the blower, and channel heated ram air into the cabin, and
- in response to the request for cabin heating and an absence of the request for the economy mode, generate the command to start the engine when the engine coolant temperature becomes less than a second threshold, wherein the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.
4 more elements
(canceled)
An engine starting method comprising:
- in response to a climate control system supplying heat to a cabin and receiving a request for an economy mode, starting an engine when the engine coolant temperature becomes less than a first;
- threshold, powering off a blower of the climate control system that delivers heated air into the cabin, and channeling heated ram air into the cabin;
- and
- in response to an absence of the request for an economy mode, starting the engine when the engine coolant temperature becomes less than a second threshold that is greater than the first threshold.
1 more element
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.