Controller and control method for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11536169-B2
Application number	US-202117482878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2021
Priority date	Sep 30, 2020
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

A controller for a vehicle that includes an internal combustion includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry obtains a predicted temperature outside the vehicle and estimates the viscosity of a lubricating oil based on the oil pressure and the oil temperature of the lubricating oil when the internal combustion engine satisfies a specific operation condition. When the processing circuitry determines that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine on condition that the predicted temperature is less than a threshold value that is based on the viscosity, the processing circuitry outputs a notification signal indicating that that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A controller for a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine, the controller comprising:
processing circuitry configured to execute
a temperature acquisition process that obtains a predicted temperature outside the vehicle,
a viscosity estimation process that estimates viscosity of a lubricating oil based on an oil pressure and an oil temperature of the lubricating oil when the internal combustion engine satisfies a specific operation condition, wherein the lubricating oil is supplied to the internal combustion engine to lubricate the internal combustion engine,
a cranking determination process that determines that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine on condition that the predicted temperature obtained in the temperature acquisition process is less than a threshold value that is based on the viscosity, and
a notification process that outputs a notification signal indicating that that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine when the cranking determination process determines that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine.

2. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to execute a time acquisition process that obtains a scheduled cranking time at which the internal combustion engine will be cranked next, and
the processing circuitry is configured to obtain a temperature outside the vehicle at the scheduled cranking time, which is obtained in the time acquisition process, as the predicted temperature in the temperature acquisition process.

3. The controller according to claim 2 , wherein
the vehicle includes a communication device capable of performing communication with an external device that is located outside the vehicle,
the processing circuitry is configured to execute a data acquisition process that obtains temperature data of a future temperature outside the vehicle through the communication device, and
the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the predicted temperature in the temperature acquisition process by obtaining the predicted temperature at the scheduled cranking time from the temperature data, which is obtained in the data acquisition process.

4. The controller according to claim 2 , wherein
the vehicle includes a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature outside the vehicle, and
the processing circuitry is configured to obtain the predicted temperature in the temperature acquisition process by obtaining the predicted temperature at the scheduled cranking time based on a change in the temperature in the past over a fixed period, which is obtained by the temperature sensor.

5. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to execute a threshold value setting process that sets the threshold value that is increased as the viscosity estimated in the viscosity estimation process increases.

6. The controller according to claim 1 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured so that the viscosity of the lubricating oil estimated in the viscosity estimation process increases as a traveled distance of the vehicle from when the lubricating oil is changed increases.

7. A method for controlling a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
storing an oil pressure of a lubricating oil for the internal combustion engine as a specified oil pressure when the internal combustion engine satisfies a specific operation condition;
storing an oil temperature of the lubricating oil as a specified oil temperature when the internal combustion engine satisfies the specific operation condition;
estimating a specified viscosity of the lubricating oil based on the specified oil pressure and the specified oil temperature;
correcting the specified viscosity based on a traveled distance of the vehicle from when the lubricating oil is changed;
setting a threshold value based on the specified viscosity that has been corrected;
obtaining a predicted temperature outside the vehicle;
determining that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine when the predicted temperature is less than the set threshold value; and
outputting a notification signal indicating a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine when determined that there is a likelihood of a cranking failure occurring in the internal combustion engine.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Higashi Takahiro

Classifications

• G01W1/10

  Devices for predicting weather conditions (computers per se G06; display devices G09) · CPC title

• F01M1/18 Primary

  Indicating or safety devices (concerning lubricant level F01M11/06, F01M11/12) · CPC title

• G01K1/024

  for remote indication · CPC title

• F16N2200/12

  Viscosity · CPC title

• F01M1/06

  Lubricating systems characterised by the provision therein of crankshafts or connecting rods with lubricant passageways, e.g. bores (crankshafts, connecting-rods, per se F16C) · CPC title