Engine Stop-Start Inhibition for Low-Speed Hybrid Driving
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Solution Overview
Problem
Frequent automatic engine stopping and starting in hybrid vehicles can disturb vehicle occupants and lead to increased wear of engine starting devices, despite providing fuel economy and emission benefits.
Innovation Solution
Inhibit automatic engine stopping when vehicle speed is below certain threshold speeds and adjust a timer-based mechanism to prevent frequent restarts, ensuring the engine remains operational during low-speed conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If automatic engine stopping is implemented to increase fuel economy, then fuel consumption is reduced, but engine stopping and starting frequency increases causing disturbance to occupants and increased wear on starting devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts engine stop/start behavior based on real-time vehicle operating conditions. A timer mechanism is implemented that prevents automatic engine stopping for a predetermined duration after the vehicle has been started, allowing the system to adapt between fuel economy mode and reliability protection mode based on operational context
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors vehicle operating parameters and uses feedback signals to determine when to permit or inhibit automatic engine stopping. The timer-based inhibition mechanism provides feedback control by tracking engine start events and preventing subsequent stops within the inhibition period, thereby reducing wear on starting devices while maintaining fuel economy benefits
2Object-generated harmful factors
If automatic engine stopping is implemented to reduce emissions, then emission levels are reduced, but frequent engine restarts occur causing occupant disturbance
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by pre-establishing a timer-based inhibition period that is activated upon engine start. This preliminary timer mechanism proactively prevents frequent engine restarts by blocking automatic stopping commands during the inhibition period, thereby reducing occupant disturbance before it can occur while maintaining emission reduction benefits
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for inhibiting automatic stopping of an internal combustion engine are described. In one example, inhibiting of automatic engine stopping may be prevented in response to vehicle speed and/or an amount of time since the most recent time inhibiting of automatic engine stopping was permitted. Further, the inhibiting of automatic engine starting may be based on vehicle speed and engine starting when vehicle speed is less than two threshold speeds.