IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,994,222
Granted Patent B2
US 9,994,222 · App. 15/284,095 · Granted Jun 12, 2018

Vehicle and start/stop method for a vehicle

Inventors: Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy (Dearborn, MI); Eric Michael Rademacher (Royal Oak, MI); Yunjiao Cai (South Lyon, MI); Hank L. Kwong (Farmington Hills, MI); Hussam Makkiya (Troy, MI)
Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
B60W30/18054B60W10/06B60W10/182F02N11/0833F16H63/50B60W2510/101B60W2520/06B60W2550/142B60W2710/186F16H61/32
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,994,222
App. No.
15/284,095
Granted
Jun 12, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, automatic transmission, and a controller. The engine is configured to auto-start and auto-stop. The automatic transmission has a shift-by-wire gear selector. The controller is programmed to, in response to shifting the gear selector to a neutral position while the engine is running, command the engine to auto-stop.

Claims (29)

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine configured to auto-start and auto-stop;

an automatic transmission having a shift-by-wire gear selector; and

a controller programmed to,

in response to shifting the gear selector to a neutral position while the engine is running, command the engine to auto-stop, and

in response to detecting reverse motion of the vehicle while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic parking brake, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to detecting reverse motion of the vehicle while the gear selector is in the neutral position, activate the electronic parking brake.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to, in response a road gradient being greater than a threshold while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 , further comprising an electronic parking brake, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to the road gradient being greater than a threshold while the gear selector is in the neutral position, activate the electronic parking brake.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to detecting a vehicle fault while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising an electronic parking brake, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to detecting the vehicle fault while the gear selector is in the neutral position, activate the electronic parking brake.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to a battery charge being less than a threshold while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to activation of an HVAC system while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the gear selector is shifted from a drive position to the neutral position.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the gear selector is shifted from a reverse position to the neutral position.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the gear selector is shifted from a park position to the neutral position.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the gear selector is shifted from a sport position to the neutral position.

13. A vehicle comprising:

an engine configured to auto-start and auto-stop;

an automatic transmission having a shift-by-wire gear selector; and

a controller programmed to, in response to shifting the gear selector to a neutral position while the engine is auto-stopped, inhibit the engine from being auto-started.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising an electronic parking brake, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to detecting reverse motion of the vehicle while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start and activate the electronic parking brake.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising an electronic parking brake, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to a road gradient being greater than a threshold while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start and activate the electronic parking brake.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising an electronic parking brake, wherein the controller is programmed to, in response to detecting a vehicle fault while the gear selector is in the neutral position, command the engine to auto-start and activate the electronic parking brake.

17. A vehicle engine start/stop control method comprising:

shifting an automatic transmission to a neutral position via a shift-by-wire gear selector while a vehicle engine is running;

auto-stopping the engine in response to the shifting; and

auto-starting the engine while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position in response to a road gradient exceeding a threshold.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising auto-starting the engine while the engine is auto-stopped and the gear selector is in the neutral position in response to detecting reverse motion of the vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 4, 2016
From: KHAFAGY, HAFIZ SHAFEEK; RADEMACHER, ERIC MICHAEL; CAI, YUNJIAO; KWONG, HANK L.; MAKKIYA, HUSSAM
To: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 039931/0736 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180093669A1 · Apr 5, 2018