# US 8,783,395 B2 · Method and apparatus for starting an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle drive

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- Number: US 8,783,395 B2
- Document ID: US8783395B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/942,170
- Filed: 2007-11-19
- Published: 2008-06-05
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-21
- Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Nils Sauvlet; Marco Fleckner; Markus Goehring; Dieter Kraxner
- Inventors: Nils Sauvlet; Marco Fleckner; Markus Goehring; Dieter Kraxner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8783395B2

## CPC

- B60W 20/10: Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
- B60K 6/00: Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing
- B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
- B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/024: {including control of torque converters}
- B60W 10/04: including control of propulsion units
- 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)}
- B60L 2240/12: Speed
- B60L 2240/421: Speed
- B60L 2240/423: Torque
- B60L 2240/441: Speed
- B60L 2240/507: Operating parameters
- B60W 2510/081: Speed
- B60W 2710/0644: Engine speed
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/64: Electric machine technologies in electromobility
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management 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
- 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
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A method is employed for starting an internal combustion engine in a hybrid vehicle drive which is driven by an electric motor. A speed of the internal combustion engine is adjusted to a target speed. The internal combustion engine speed exceeds the target speed over a predefined time by a predetermined speed differential.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for starting an internal combustion engine in a hybrid sports vehicle that is driven by an electric motor, comprising: providing a driver operable selector switch for selecting one of a gentle engine starting mode and a predetermined sports car engine noise mode; using an engine control unit to determine when driving dynamics require the internal combustion engine to supplement the electric motor; starting the internal combustion engine when the engine control unit determines driving dynamics require the internal combustion engine; adjusting a speed of the internal combustion engine to a target speed corresponding to a speed of the electric motor when the driver operable selector switch is in the gentle engine starting mode; adjusting the speed of the internal combustion engine to a sports car engine noise mode speed that exceeds the target speed of the internal combustion engine over a predetermined time by a predetermined speed differential while simultaneously decreasing a coupling strength of a clutch between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor when the driver operable selector switch is in the sports car engine noise mode for generating a speed overswing, and thereby producing a predetermined acoustical characteristic as a function of the speed overswing; and reducing the internal combustion engine speed to the target speed after a predetermined time of operating with the predetermined acoustical characteristic and then increasing the coupling strength of the clutch between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method claim 1, wherein the adjusting further comprises:
(a) monitoring at least one start criterion for starting the internal combustion engine;
(b) coupling the internal combustion engine to the electric motor; and
(c) igniting the internal combustion engine.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the speed differential is from 200 to 500 revolutions per minute.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined time is in a range from 0.5 to 1 second.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising suppressing a gear change of a transmission of the hybrid vehicle during switching to the internal combustion engine.

### Claim 6

A method for starting an internal combustion engine in a hybrid sports vehicle that is driven by an electric motor, comprising:
receiving measurement and control signals from components of the vehicle to determine driving dynamics;
determining from the received measurement and control signals whether conditions require a starting of the internal combustion engine;
determining whether a driver operable selector switch has been set to a sports car engine noise mode;
using the electric motor for starting the internal combustion engine when the measurement and control signals indicate driving dynamics requiring the internal combustion engine;
adjusting an operating speed of the internal combustion engine substantially to an operating speed of the electric motor when the driver operable selector switch has not been set to the sports car engine noise mode;
adjusting the operating speed of the internal combustion engine to a speed sufficiently in excess of the operating speed of the electric motor when the driver operable selector switch has been set to the sports car engine noise mode to produce a noise by the internal combustion engine that is acoustically different from a noise of the internal combustion engine while simultaneously decreasing a coupling strength of a clutch between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor when the driver operable selector switch has been set to the sports car engine noise mode; and
reducing the operating speed of the internal combustion engine to a target speed substantially corresponding to the operating speed of the electric motor after a predetermined time and then increasing the coupling strength of the clutch between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor when the driver operable selector switch has been set to the sports car engine noise mode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of adjusting the operating speed of the internal combustion engine to a speed in excess of the operating speed of the electric motor comprises exceeding the speed of the electric motor by approximately one-third.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein the predetermined time period is in a range of 0.5 to 1 second.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of adjusting the operating speed of the internal combustion engine to a speed in excess of the operating speed of the electric motor comprises exceeding the speed of the electric motor by a speed differential in a range of from 200 to 500 revolutions per minute.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined time period is in a range of 0.5 to 1 second.