# US 2018/0022353 A1 · Methods and system for starting an engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022353 A1 - Document ID: US20180022353A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/213,908 - Filed: 2016-07-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Scott James Thompson; Todd McCullough - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022353A1 ## CPC - B60W 30/18018: {Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam} - B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means - B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing - B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - B60W 10/115: with planetary gears - B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} - 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)} - B60W 30/194: related to low temperature conditions, e.g. high viscosity of hydraulic fluid - F02D 41/26: using computer, e.g. microprocessor - F02N 11/04: the motors being associated with current generators - F02N 11/0822: {related to action of the driver} - F02N 11/0851: {characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear} - F16D 41/00: Freewheels or freewheel clutches (cycle brakes controlled by back-pedalling B62L5/00 {; one-way linear clutches F16B7/16}) - B60K 2006/268: {Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor} - B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft} - B60W 2510/082: Speed change rate - B60W 2510/087: Temperature - B60W 2510/108: pressure of control fluid - B60W 2510/244: Charge state - B60W 2510/246: Temperature - B60Y 2200/92: Hybrid vehicles - B60Y 2300/18016: Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam - F02D 41/062: {for starting (F02D41/061 takes precedence)} - F02N 15/022: {the starter comprising an intermediate clutch} - F02N 15/08: the gearing being of friction type - F02N 2200/101: Accelerator pedal position - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles - Y10S 903/903: having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor - 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 - 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 - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F16D: COUPLINGS FOR TRANSMITTING ROTATION; CLUTCHES; BRAKES - B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract Systems and methods for starting an engine of a hybrid powertrain or driveline that includes an engine and a driveline disconnect clutch are described. In one example, a motor/generator rotates one side of an open driveline disconnect clutch that is coupled to a transmission, and then closes the open driveline disconnect clutch in response to motor/generator acceleration being less than a threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A powertrain operating method, comprising: commanding a motor to a speed via a controller in response to an engine start request; and closing a driveline disconnect clutch via the controller in response to acceleration of the motor being less than a threshold after commanding the motor to the speed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising commanding gear clutches of a transmission to an open state in response to the engine start request. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising deactivating an electrical device in response to the engine start request. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, where the electrical device is a DC/DC converter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising closing the driveline disconnect clutch in further response to a line pressure output from a transmission pump exceeding a threshold pressure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, where the threshold pressure is based on a torque capacity of the driveline disconnect clutch to rotate an engine at a desired cranking speed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where the speed is a maximum speed the motor rotates at when supplied power from an electric energy storage device at a maximum power limit of the electric energy storage device. ### Claim 8 A powertrain operating method, comprising: commanding a motor to a speed via a controller, the speed based on an available amount of power that may be supplied by an electrical energy storage device at a time of an engine start request; and closing a driveline disconnect clutch via the controller in response to acceleration of the motor being less than a threshold a predetermined amount of time after commanding the motor to the speed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the driveline disconnect clutch is positioned between an engine and the motor and further comprising commanding the driveline disconnect clutch to the closed position in further response to a line pressure of a transmission pump being greater than a threshold pressure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, where commanding the driveline disconnect clutch to the closed position includes commanding the driveline disconnect clutch via a step change in commanded motor speed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the motor is commanded to the speed in response to a degraded condition of the electric energy storage device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the motor is commanded to the speed in response to a degraded condition of a low voltage starter motor. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the motor is commanded to the speed in response to a degraded condition of a belt integrated starter/generator. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where the motor is commanded to the speed in response to a temperature of the motor being greater than a threshold temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, where commanding the driveline disconnect clutch to the closed position occurs before the motor achieves the speed. ### Claim 16 A system, comprising: an engine; a transmission coupled to the engine; a first motor/generator coupled to the engine via a belt; a second motor/generator positioned in a driveline between the engine and the transmission; a disconnect clutch positioned in a driveline between the engine and the second motor/generator; an electric energy storage device electrically coupled to the second motor/generator; and a vehicle system controller including executable instructions stored in non-transitory memory to start the engine in a first mode via closing the driveline disconnect clutch in response to a the electrical energy storage device supplying power to the second motor/generator at a maximum power output limit of the electrical energy storage device and speed of the second motor/generator being within a threshold speed of a maximum speed of the second motor/generator when the second motor/generator is supplied electrical power at the maximum power output limit of the electrical energy storage device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, further comprising additional instructions to activate the first mode in response to a temperature less than a threshold. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, further comprising additional instructions to start the engine in a second mode via rotating the first motor/generator. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, further comprising additional instructions to start the engine in the first mode in response to degradation of the first motor/generator. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, further comprising additional instructions to start the engine in the first mode in response to degradation of the electric energy storage device.