Vehicle Stop Start Engine Control Logic

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing Stop & Start engine function in vehicles faces challenges in managing efficient engine starting and stopping, particularly in ensuring driving safety and proper vehicle management, especially in urban areas where frequent stops occur.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize a vehicular control unit to monitor and manage engine states based on vehicle speed, pedal positions, and battery conditions, allowing manual or automatic activation/deactivation of the Stop & Start function, with specific conditions for starting and stopping the engine, including emergency, safe-mode, and driver presence checks to prevent false triggers and ensure safe operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If the Stop & Start function is activated to stop the engine at temporary stops, then fuel consumption is reduced and pollution is decreased, but driving safety and proper vehicle management may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel consumptionVSAvoiddriving safety
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continuously monitors multiple vehicle parameters (clutch pedal position, vehicle speed, gear position, handbrake status, battery charge level) and uses this feedback to dynamically determine whether to start or stop the engine. This ensures the engine is only stopped when all safety conditions are met, resolving the contradiction between fuel savings and driving safety.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary checks of multiple conditions (clutch pedal fully pressed, vehicle speed below threshold, gear in neutral or park, handbrake engaged, battery charge above minimum level) before activating the engine stop function. This preliminary verification ensures safety is established before energy savings are implemented.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If multiple conditions are monitored for engine starting and stopping, then driving safety and vehicle management are improved, but the complexity of the control system increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle managementVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single control unit integrates multiple functions: monitoring clutch pedal position, vehicle speed, gear position, handbrake status, and battery charge level, then making the start/stop decision. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into one unified control unit, managing complexity while maintaining comprehensive vehicle management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the engine is stopped frequently at temporary stops, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the risk of false triggers and improper operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefuel efficiencyVSAvoidoperation stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary checks of multiple conditions (clutch pedal fully pressed, vehicle speed below threshold, gear in neutral or park, handbrake engaged, battery charge above minimum level) before activating the engine stop function. This preliminary verification prevents false triggers while enabling frequent stops for fuel efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit continuously monitors multiple vehicle parameters and uses this feedback to dynamically determine whether to start or stop the engine. This ensures the engine is only stopped when all safety conditions are met, preventing improper operation while maximizing fuel efficiency benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2199595B1Method for the starting and the stopping of an engine by means of a stop and start function of a vehicle, and relative device
Publication Date: 2013.12.18 IVECO SPA
  • EP2199595B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2199595B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2199595B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for the starting and the stopping of the engine by means of the stop and start function of a vehicle which comprises, if the engine is started the steps of: check if the vehicle speed is lower than a first speed threshold (Vehicle speed < v_stop); check if the clutch pedal is completely released (Accelerator pedal released); check if the engine speed is lower than a certain engine speed threshold (Engine speed < n-stop); check if the time passed from the previous engine starting is higher than a certain threshold (Time from last cranking > t-SSstop_min); if all the previous conditions are checked as positive, then the engine is stopped (S&S Engine STOP), otherwise if and until even only one of the previous conditions is checked as negative, the engine is left on (Engine ON).