Apparatus and method for learning touch point of engine clutch of hybrid electric vehicle

An apparatus for learning a touch point of an engine clutch of a hybrid electric vehicle having a motor connected to a transmission and an engine selectively connected to the motor through the engine clutch, comprising:

• a driving information detector configured to detect a running state of the hybrid electric vehicle;
• and
• a controller configured to couple or release the engine clutch based on a signal from the driving information detector,
• wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a learning condition is satisfied when an engine clutch coupling after shifting is required and learn the touch point of the engine clutch by increasing a coupling pressure of the engine clutch when the learning condition is satisfied,
• wherein the controller is configured to compare a changing amount of an engine torque based on the increased coupling pressure of the engine clutch with a predetermined value, and learn the touch point of the engine clutch when the changing amount of the engine torque is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, and
• wherein the controller is configured to determined that the engine clutch coupling after shifting is required when a demand torque of a driver is greater than or equal to a predetermined torque and a current motor speed is less than or equal to a target speed after shifting in consideration of discharging power of a battery.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a controller for learning a touch point of an engine clutch of a hybrid electric vehicle having a motor connected to a transmission and an engine selectively connected to the motor via the engine clutch, the computer readable medium comprising:

• program instructions that determine whether an engine clutch coupling after shifting is required;
• program instructions that determine whether a learning condition based on a running state of the hybrid electric vehicle is satisfied when the engine clutch coupling after shifting is required;
• program instructions that increase a coupling pressure of the engine clutch when the learning condition is satisfied;
• program instructions that compare a changing amount of an engine torque based on the increased coupling pressure of the engine clutch with a predetermined value;
• and
• program instructions that learn the touch point of the engine clutch when the changing amount of the engine torque is greater than or equal to the predetermined value,
• wherein the engine clutch coupling after shifting is required when a demand torque of a driver is greater than or equal to a predetermined torque and a current motor speed is less than or equal to a target speed after shifting in consideration of discharging power of a battery.