Engine-starting discrimination system for hybrid vehicle

A system for discriminating engine-starting of a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a generator-motor connected to the engine to rotate the engine to start and to be rotated to generate electric power after the engine is started, comprising;

• engine speed detecting means for detecting a speed of the engine;
• current command value determining means for determining a current command value necessary for rotating the engine at a desired engine-starting speed in response to an engine-starting instruction and for beginning supply of current based on the determined current command value to the generator-motor;
• fuel supply means for supplying fuel to the engine;
• time measuring means for measuring elapse of time after the current command value supplied to the generator-motor has become less than a reference value;
• combustion-completion determining means for determining whether the detected engine speed is greater or equal to a combustion-completion discriminating speed after the measured time has reached a predetermined value;
• and
• engine-starting discriminating means for discriminating that the engine is started when the detected engine speed is determined to be greater or equal to the combustion-completion engine speed.