IP Library Granted Patent US 8,275,534
Granted Patent B2
US 8,275,534 · App. 12/641,767 · Granted Sep 25, 2012

Method and computer program for operating an internal combustion engine, and control unit

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,275,534
App. No.
12/641,767
Granted
Sep 25, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method makes it possible to measure and evaluate the efficiency of a start-stop system of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, and on the basis of the measurement, to optimize the efficiency in a vehicle-specific fashion or with regard to the driving behavior of the driver.

Claims (16)

1. A method of operating an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, the method which comprises:

automatically starting the internal combustion engine in dependence on at least one activation condition and/or automatically deactivating the internal combustion engine in dependence on at least one deactivation condition;

measuring the at least one activation condition and/or the at least one deactivation condition while the motor vehicle is at a standstill; and

storing a presence of the activation conditions and/or deactivation conditions in a memory and evaluating the presence of the activation conditions and/or deactivation conditions in order to diagnose a control of the internal combustion engine;

starting a first time counter when the vehicle comes to a standstill, and stopping the first time counter when the vehicle starts moving; and

prohibiting a deactivation of the internal combustion engine if a value of the first time counter is higher than a predefined threshold value.

2. The method according to claim 1 , which comprises querying a first group of conditions for a deactivation stop of the internal combustion engine and incrementing a first counter by a value if all conditions of the first group of conditions are met.

3. The method according to claim 2 , which comprises querying a second group of conditions for a deactivation of the internal combustion engine, incrementing a second counter by a value if all the conditions of the second group of conditions are met, and initiating a deactivation of the internal combustion engine.

4. The method according to claim 3 , which comprises starting a second time counter when the internal combustion engine is deactivated, and stopping the second time counter when the internal combustion engine is re-activated.

5. The method according to claim 1 , which comprises storing in the memory a cause for prohibiting the deactivation of the internal combustion engine together with a time indication.

6. The method according to claim 1 , which comprises automatically activating the internal combustion engine if at least one activation condition is present, and storing a cause for the presence of the at least one activation condition in memory together with a time indication.

7. The method according to claim 4 , which comprises forming a ratio from a value of the first time counter and a value of the second time counter.

8. The method according to claim 3 , which comprises forming a ratio from a value of the first counter and a value of the second counter.

9. The method according to claim 1 , which comprises carrying out the method for each driving cycle and/or over an entire operating duration of the vehicle.

10. The method according to claim 1 , which comprises forming further conditions in dependence on one or more operating variables of the internal combustion engine and/or of a motor vehicle containing the internal combustion engine and/or of a system of the motor vehicle or of ambient conditions.

11. The method according to claim 10 , which comprises selecting ambient conditions from the group consisting of a temperature, an air pressure, and a geodetic height.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 11, 2010
From: PORSCHE ZWISCHENHOLDING GMBH
To: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AG
Reel/Frame 025346/0895 →
MERGER Recorded Nov 10, 2010
From: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AG
To: PORSCHE ZWISCHENHOLDING GMBH
Reel/Frame 025339/0949 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2010
From: BERR, TOBIAS MARIA
To: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AG
Reel/Frame 025328/0849 →