# US 9,751,516 B2 · Informational based engine stop/start sensitivity control for micro-HEV > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,516 B2 - Document ID: US9751516B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/192,034 - Filed: 2014-02-27 - Published: 2015-08-27 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-27 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Hai Yu; Johannes Geir Kristinsson; Ryan Abraham McGee; Mathew Alan Boesch - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751516B2 ## CPC - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/18: including control of braking systems - F02N 11/0822: {related to action of the driver} - F02N 11/0837: {Environmental conditions thereof, e.g. traffic, weather or road conditions} - F02N 2200/102: Brake pedal position - F02N 2200/125: Information about other vehicles, traffic lights or traffic congestion - F02N 2300/2006: using prediction of future conditions - F02N 2300/2011: Control involving a delay; Control involving a waiting period before engine stop or engine start - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - 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 - F02N: STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A controller may be configured to adjust a brake apply and release detection calibration based on a detection sensitivity associated with a predicted driver start/stop intention for a vehicle and an associated confidence level indicative of a likelihood of the predicted driver intention; and perform at least one of engine startup and engine shutdown according to the adjusted brake pedal detection calibration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hybrid vehicle comprising: an engine configured for automatic shutdown and restart; and a controller configured to adjust a brake apply and release detection calibration based on a brake detection sensitivity level associated with a predicted driver start/stop intention for the vehicle and a confidence level indicative of a likelihood of the predicted driver intention derived from classified driving situation and event information, the calibration including a first brake pedal pressure threshold value at which the engine is shutdown, and a second brake pressure threshold value at which the engine is started; and perform at least one of startup of the engine and shutdown of the engine according to the adjusted brake pedal calibration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the predicted driver intention is based on at least one of information received from road infrastructure, information received from nearby vehicles, and information received from driver inputs other than brake pedal input. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the predicted driver intention includes one of a preference for keeping the vehicle in stop, a preference for starting the vehicle, or neither a preference keeping the vehicle in stop nor a preference for starting the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to at least one of: (i) when the predicted driver intention indicates a preference for keeping the vehicle in stop, decrease the sensitivity level of the brake apply and release detection calibration as the confidence level increases; and (ii) when the predicted driver intention indicates a preference for starting the vehicle, increase the sensitivity level of the brake apply and release detection calibration as the confidence level increases. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the brake apply and release detection calibration by retrieving a predefined detection calibration associated with the sensitivity level. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the brake apply and release detection calibration to default settings if at least one of (i) the confidence level is below a threshold level and (ii) the predicted driver intention is neither a preference keeping the vehicle in stop nor a preference for starting the vehicle. ### Claim 7 A hybrid vehicle method comprising: adjusting a brake apply and release detection calibration by a vehicle controller based on a brake detection sensitivity level associated with a predicted driver start/stop intention for the vehicle and a confidence level indicative of a likelihood of the predicted driver intention derived from classified driving situation and event information; and performing at least one of engine startup and engine shutdown according to the adjusted brake pedal detection calibration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the predicted driver intention is based on at least one of information received from road infrastructure, information received from nearby vehicles, and information received from driver inputs other than brake pedal input. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the predicted driver intention includes one of a preference for keeping the vehicle in stop, a preference for starting the vehicle, or neither a preference keeping the vehicle in stop nor a preference for starting the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising at least one of: (i) when the predicted driver intention indicates a preference for keeping the vehicle in stop, decreasing the sensitivity level of the brake apply and release detection calibration as the confidence level increases; and (ii) when the predicted driver intention indicates a preference for starting the vehicle, increasing the sensitivity level of the brake apply and release detection calibration as the confidence level increases. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting the brake apply and release detection calibration by retrieving a predefined detection calibration associated with the sensitivity level. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising adjusting the brake apply and release detection calibration to default settings if at least one of (i) the confidence level is below a threshold level and (ii) the predicted driver intention is neither a preference keeping the vehicle in stop nor a preference for starting the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the calibration includes a first brake pedal pressure threshold value at which an engine of the vehicle is shutdown, and a second brake pressure threshold value at which the engine of the vehicle is started. ### Claim 14 A hybrid vehicle powertrain control system comprising: at least one controller configured to adjust a brake apply and release detection calibration based on a brake detection sensitivity level associated with a predicted driver start/stop intention for a vehicle and a confidence level indicative of a likelihood of the predicted driver intention derived from classified deriving situation and event information; and performing at least one of engine startup and engine shutdown according to the adjusted brake pedal calibration. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the predicted driver intention is based on at least one of information received from road infrastructure, information received from nearby vehicles, and information received from driver inputs other than brake pedal input. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the predicted driver intention includes one of a preference for keeping the vehicle in stop, a preference for starting the vehicle, or neither a preference keeping the vehicle in stop nor a preference for starting the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to at least one of: (i) when the predicted driver intention indicates a preference for keeping the vehicle in stop, decrease the sensitivity level of the brake apply and release detection calibration as the confidence level increases; and (ii) when the predicted driver intention indicates a preference for starting the vehicle, increase the sensitivity level of the brake apply and release detection calibration as the confidence level increases. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the brake apply and release detection calibration by retrieving a predefined detection calibration associated with the sensitivity level. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the brake apply and release detection calibration to default settings if at least one of (i) the confidence level is below a threshold level and (ii) the predicted driver intention is neither a preference keeping the vehicle in stop nor a preference for starting the vehicle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The powertrain control system of claim 14, wherein the calibration includes a first brake pedal pressure threshold value at which an engine of the vehicle is shutdown, and a second brake pressure threshold value at which the engine of the vehicle is started.