Engine restart control apparatus, vehicle and vehicle control method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9267447-B2
Application number	US-201213994886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2012
Priority date	Jan 23, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

An engine restart control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a brake system includes: a negative pressure detector configured to detect booster negative pressure; an engine restart controller configured to restart the engine after a stop of the engine; and a storage memory configured to store the booster negative pressure detected by the negative pressure detector. The engine restart controller restarts the engine when the booster negative pressure is reduced by a first set value or more from a reference booster negative pressure, which is detected at a predetermined timing after the stop of the engine, among booster negative pressures stored in the storage memory.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An engine restart control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a brake system including a brake booster, the engine restart control apparatus comprising:
a negative pressure detector configured to detect booster negative pressure of the brake booster;
an engine restart controller configured to restart the engine after a stop of the engine; and
a master pressure detector configured to detect master pressure that is a fluid pressure inside a master cylinder included in the brake system,
a storage memory configured to store the booster negative pressure detected by the negative pressure detector,
wherein the engine restart controller restarts the engine when the booster negative pressure is reduced by a first set value or more from a reference booster negative pressure, the reference booster negative pressure being selected among booster negative pressures stored in the storage memory as a pressure value detected at a predetermined timing after the stop of the engine, and the engine restart controller restarts the engine when the master pressure decreases to or below a second set value.

2. The engine restart control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the master pressure detector sequentially detects master pressure in time series, and
the engine restart controller uses a booster negative pressure detected upon appearance of a peak of the master pressure, as the reference booster negative pressure.

3. The engine restart control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the storage memory stores a track record of the booster negative pressure detected by the negative pressure detector, and
the engine restart controller uses a booster negative pressure detected at a predetermined time before the master pressure decreases to or below the second set value, as the reference booster negative pressure.

4. The engine restart control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotational speed detector configured to detect a rotational speed of the engine,
wherein the engine restart controller uses a booster negative pressure detected when the rotational speed of the engine decreases to or below a third set value, as the reference booster negative pressure.

5. The engine restart control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the engine restart controller restarts the engine when the booster negative pressure is reduced by the first set value or more from the reference booster negative pressure during hill start assist control of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle having an engine and a brake system including a brake booster, the vehicle comprising:
a negative pressure detector configured to detect booster negative pressure of the brake booster;
an engine restart controller configured to restart the engine after a stop of the engine; and
a master pressure detector configured to detect master pressure that is a fluid pressure inside a master cylinder included in the brake system,
a storage memory configured to store the booster negative pressure detected by the negative pressure detector,
wherein the engine restart controller restarts the engine when the booster negative pressure is reduced by a first set value or more from a reference booster negative pressure, the reference booster negative pressure being selected among booster negative pressures stored in the storage memory as a pressure value detected at a predetermined timing after the stop of the engine, and the engine restart controller restarts the engine when the master pressure decreases to or below a second set value.

7. A vehicle control method of controlling a vehicle that has an engine and a brake system including a brake booster, the vehicle control method comprising the steps of:
(i) detecting booster negative pressure of the brake booster and detecting master pressure that is a fluid pressure inside a master cylinder included in the brake system; and
(ii) restarting the engine when the master pressure decreases to or below a second set value and the booster negative pressure is reduced by a first set value or more from a reference booster negative pressure, the reference booster negative pressure being detected at a predetermined timing after a stop of the engine.

Assignees

• Morimura Junichi
• Kido Yasunari
• Matsunaga Masaki
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Morimura Junichi
• Kido Yasunari
• Matsunaga Masaki

Classifications

• F02N2200/0807

  Brake booster state · CPC title

• F02N11/084

  State of vehicle accessories, e.g. air condition or power steering · CPC title

• B60W10/06

  including control of combustion engines · CPC title

• B60W2510/0671

  Engine manifold pressure · CPC title

• B60W30/18018

  Start-stop drive, e.g. in a traffic jam · CPC title