IP Library Granted Patent US 7,585,250
Granted Patent B2
US 7,585,250 · App. 10/553,415 · Granted Sep 8, 2009

Method for operating a motor vehicle

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,585,250
App. No.
10/553,415
Granted
Sep 8, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine which has an automatic start/stop device, and a controllable brake device at the start of and during an automatic stop phase, the effect of a braking torque which is greater than a threshold value is ensured. For this purpose, the brake device can increase the braking torque. The threshold value is previously calculated in such a way that the motor vehicle is reliably prevented from rolling away. As a result, the internal combustion engine can be stopped frequently, and at the same time unintentional rolling away of the motor vehicle during the stop phase can be avoided.

Claims (39)

1. A method for operating a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an automatic start/stop device for the internal combustion engine, a controllable brake device by means of which a braking torque can be applied to the motor vehicle, and a brake pedal which can be activated by a vehicle driver; wherein the brake device is actuated by a control device in an automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine as a function of a degree of activation of the brake pedal, and the control device can increase the braking torque independently of the degree of activation of the brake pedal; said method comprising:

determining a threshold value as a function of at least one of state variables and operating variables of the motor vehicle, before the brake device is actuated;

at the start of and during said automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine, checking whether a currently acting braking torque is smaller than the threshold value; and

increasing the brake torque to a value which is greater than or equal to the threshold value when said currently acting braking torque is smaller than the threshold value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device determines the threshold value as a function of environmental variables before the brake device is actuated.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device:

determines a specific braking torque (M Brake — stop ) which is necessary to stop the motor vehicle; and

sets the aforesaid threshold value to a value which is greater than or equal to the specific braking torque (M Brake — stop ).

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the control device:

determines a specific braking torque (M Brake — stop ) which is necessary to stop the motor vehicle; and

sets the aforesaid threshold value to a value which is greater than or equal to the specific braking torque (M Brake — stop ).

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device increases the braking torque before the internal combustion engine starts.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the control device increases the braking torque before the internal combustion engine starts.

7. The method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the control device increases the braking torque before the internal combustion engine starts.

8. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the control device increases the braking torque before the internal combustion engine starts.

9. A method for operating a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an automatic start/stop device for the internal combustion engine, a controllable brake device by means of which a braking torque can be applied to the motor vehicle, and a brake pedal which can be activated by a vehicle driver; wherein the brake device is actuated by a control device in an automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine as a function of a degree of activation of the brake pedal, and the control device can increase the braking torque independently of the degree of activation of the brake pedal; said method comprising:

the control device determining a threshold value as a function of at least one of state variables and operating variables of the motor vehicle, before the brake device is actuated;

at the start of and during an automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine, the control device checking whether a currently acting braking torque is smaller than the threshold value; and

when there is a positive result of the check, the control device increasing the brake torque to a value which is greater than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein:

during the stop phase the control device monitors whether the motor vehicle is moving; and

in case of a movement, the control device actuates the brake device in such a way that the braking torque is increased.

10. A method for operating a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an automatic start/stop device for the internal combustion engine, a controllable brake device by means of which a braking torque can be applied to the motor vehicle, and a brake pedal which can be activated by a vehicle driver; wherein the brake device is actuated by a control device in an automatic stop chase of the internal combustion engine as a function of a degree of activation of the brake pedal, and the control device can increase the braking torque independently of the degree of activation of the brake pedal; said method comprising:

the control device determining a threshold value as a function of at least one of state variables and operating variables of the motor vehicle, before the brake device is actuated;

at the start of and during an automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine, the control device checking whether a currently acting braking torque is smaller than the threshold value;

when there is a positive result of the check, the control device increasing the brake torque to a value which is greater than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein:

the control device determines the threshold value as a function of environmental variables before the brake device is actuated;

during the stop phase the control device monitors whether the motor vehicle is moving; and

in case of a movement, the control device actuates the brake device in such a way that the braking torque is increased.

11. A method for operating a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an automatic start/stop device for the internal combustion engine, a controllable brake device by means of which a braking torque can be applied to the motor vehicle, and a brake pedal which can be activated by a vehicle driver; wherein the brake device is actuated by a control device in an automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine as a function of a degree of activation of the brake pedal, and the control device can increase the braking torque independently of the degree of activation of the brake pedal; said method comprising:

the control device determining a threshold value as a function of at least one of state variables and operating variables of the motor vehicle, before the brake device is actuated;

at the start of and during an automatic stop phase of the internal combustion engine, the control device checking whether a currently acting braking torque is smaller than the threshold value; and

when there is a positive result of the check, the control device increasing the brake torque to a value which is greater than or equal to the threshold value;

wherein:

the control device codetermines a specific braking torque (M Brake — stop ) which is necessary to stop the motor vehicle;

the control device sets the aforesaid threshold value to a value which is greater than or equal to the specific braking torque (M Brake — stop );

during the stop phase the control device monitors whether the motor vehicle is moving; and

in case of a movement, the control device actuates the brake device in such a way that the braking torque is increased.

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NO. 10/567,810 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 020976 FRAME 0889. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF NAME. Recorded Jul 1, 2020
From: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG
To: DAIMLER AG
Reel/Frame 053583/0493 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 14, 2008
From: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG
To: DAIMLER AG
Reel/Frame 020976/0889 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2006
From: BRAUN, HARALD; EBNER, NORBERT; FISCHER, MICHAEL; MOWLL, DEBORAH; SCHOLT, TORSTEN; SCHOPPER, MICHAEL
To: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG
Reel/Frame 018320/0795 →