Control mechanism for an electric generator motor in an internal combustion engine

A controller for vehicle electric generator motor operating as a generator to supply electric power to an electrical storage device during at least vehicle braking and operating as a motor to apply torque to an internal combustion engine responsive to a torque application instruction, said controller comprising:

• vehicle state detection means for detecting a vehicle state including a vehicle speed;
• capacity detection means for detecting a present capacity of said electrical storage device;
• restorable electrical power quantity calculation means for calculating an amount of electrical power restorable to said electrical storage device based on said vehicle state;
• and
• first control means for selectively operating said electric generator motor as an electric generator when a sum of said restorable electrical power and said present capacity is smaller than a specified reference capacity, said specified reference capacity being less than a full-charge capacity of said electrical storage device.

A controller for an electric generator motor in an internal combustion engine, said controller operating said generator motor as a generator to supply electric power to an electrical storage device during vehicle braking and operating said generator motor as a motor to apply torque to an internal combustion engine in response to a torque application instruction, said controller comprising:

• vehicle state detection means for detecting a vehicle state including a vehicle speed;
• capacity detection means for detecting a present capacity of said electrical storage device;
• restorable electrical power quantity calculation means for calculating an amount of electrical power restorable to said electrical storage device based on said vehicle state;
• and
• control means for operating said motor generator as a motor to apply torque to said internal combustion engine when a total of said calculated amount of restorable electrical power and said present capacity is larger than a specified minimum capacity value.