# US 7,610,891 B2 · Method for controlling the start-up phase of a motor vehicle

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- Number: US 7,610,891 B2
- Document ID: US7610891B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/578,170
- Filed: 2005-04-14
- Published: 2007-07-12
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2004-04-16
- Assignees: AVL List GmbH
- Inventors: Martin Seufert; Frank Thullner; Ralph Richter; Josef Glatthaar; Roberto Tirelli; Vincenzo De Gioia; Reinhard Klein; Jürgen Wagner; Richard Schneider; Gusztav Gulyas; Peter Ebner; Stefan Strobl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7610891B2

## CPC

- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60K 6/405: Housings
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- 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 30/18018: {Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam}
- B60W 30/18027: {Drive off, accelerating from standstill}
- B60W 30/192: Mitigating problems related to power-up or power-down of the driveline, e.g. start-up of a cold engine
- B60W 50/06: Improving the dynamic response of the control system, e.g. improving the speed of regulation or avoiding hunting or overshoot
- F02N 11/0851: {characterised by means for controlling the engagement or disengagement between engine and starter, e.g. meshing of pinion and engine gear}
- F02N 15/022: {the starter comprising an intermediate clutch}
- F02N 19/005: {Aiding engine start by starting from a predetermined position, e.g. pre-positioning or reverse rotation}
- B60K 2006/268: {Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor}
- B60K 2006/4808: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox output shaft}
- B60K 2006/4825: {Electric machine connected or connectable to gearbox input shaft}
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- B60W 2510/0685: Engine crank angle
- B60W 2710/027: Clutch torque
- B60W 2710/0616: Position of fuel or air injector
- B60W 2710/0644: Engine speed
- B60W 2710/083: Torque
- F02N 5/04: of inertia type
- F02N 2300/2002: using different starting modes, methods, or actuators depending on circumstances, e.g. engine temperature or component wear
- F16H 3/089: all of the meshing gears being supported by a pair of parallel shafts, one being the input shaft and the other the output shaft, there being no countershaft involved
- F16H 2003/0818: {comprising means for power-shifting}
- F16H 2200/0052: the gear ratios comprising six forward speeds
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- 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
- F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- F16H: GEARING
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling the start-up phase of a motor vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine (12). The internal combustion engine (12) is started by an electrical machine (16) that can be operated as a motor, and there is a preferably automatically actuatable clutch (50) in the drive train (11) between the internal combustion engine (12) and the electrical machine (16). A faster start-up response can be achieved if the internal combustion engine (12) is driven by the electrical machine (16) when the clutch (50) is engaged during start-up, and if the clutch capacitance (MK) is reduced according to a defined parameter, preferably the engine speed, the time or the torque (ME) of the electrical machine (16) or similar.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for starting an internal combustion engine for a vehicle, with the crankshaft of the internal combustion engine being connected via at least one separable clutch to a drive train comprising a transmission, which drive train comprises at least one electrical machine, with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine being brought to a predefined start rotating position in a start preparation phase by the electrical machine, with the angular speed and the angular position of the crankshaft being determined by a vehicle rotational speed sensor during operation, said rotational speed sensor being capable of providing a signal of the rotational angle position of the crankshaft, wherein a means for a precise determination of a rotational angle position of the electrical machine is provided, wherein a synchronization between the rotational speed sensor and the means for the precise determination of the rotational angle position of the electrical machine is performed with closed clutch and at a crankshaft speed above a predetermined minimum speed, with said means being adjusted to the speed sensor, and wherein an assumption of the start rotating position is checked and controlled by means of the means for determining the rotational angle position of the electrical machine after the synchronization process.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining the rotational angle position is formed by a position sensor of the electrical machine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the means for determining the rotational angle position is formed by a sensor-free process.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the crankshaft is driven by the electrical machine for assuming the starting position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the crankshaft is braked for assuming the starting position by the electrical machine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

An apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine for a vehicle for performing the method according to claim 1, with a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine being connected via a separable clutch to a drive train comprising a transmission, which drive train comprises at least one electrical machine, with a rotational speed sensor for determining a crankshaft speed, said rotational speed sensor being capable of providing a signal of the rotational angle position of the crankshaft, wherein the electrical machine is equipped with a means for determining a rotational angle position, and that with rotating crankshaft and closed clutch the means for determining the rotational angle position of the electrical machine can be synchronized with the rotational speed sensor and in a start preparation phase the crankshaft can be brought to a predetermined start rotating position by the electrical machine under supervision of the means for determining the rotational angle position of the electrical machine.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for determining the rotational angle position is formed by a position sensor of the electrical machine.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for determining the rotational angle position is formed by a sensor-free process.