Hybrid vehicle and method of controlling engine start

1. A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

determining, by a hybrid controller, a first torque, which is a required torque at a current time;

determining, by the hybrid controller, a second torque to be generated at a future time, or a predicted acceleration at the future time;

determining, by the hybrid controller, a predicted speed at the future time based on a current speed and the second torque or the predicted acceleration;

when one of an engine start condition or a shift condition is satisfied at the current time based on at least one of the first torque or the current speed, determining, by the hybrid controller, whether a remaining one of the engine start condition or the shift condition is satisfied at the future time; and

when the remaining one is satisfied, controlling, by the hybrid controller, an event corresponding to a satisfied condition between the engine start condition or the shift condition at the current time to be delayed or an event corresponding to the satisfied condition at the future time to be advanced, wherein the event is a gear shift or an engine start,

wherein the step of controlling comprises:

performing a shift intervention control; and

controlling at least a part of electric power recovered in the shift intervention control to be transferred, without charging a battery, to a starter/generator motor for an engine start, and

wherein an interval, during which a regeneration occurs due to a reverse torque applied to a motor, an inertia phase of a transmission, and a cranking interval of the starter/generator motor at least partially overlap each other.

2. The method according to claim 1 , when the engine start condition is satisfied at the current time and the shift condition is satisfied at the future time,

wherein the step of controlling comprises:

delaying an engine start, or performing an early shift.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein when the shift condition is satisfied at the current time and the engine start condition is satisfied at the future time,

the step of controlling comprises:

delaying a shift, or performing an early engine start.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a first torque comprises:

determining positions of an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal; and

determining the first torque using the determined positions.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of determining a second torque or a predicted acceleration comprises:

determining a predicted value of an acceleration/deceleration intention of a driver using an acceleration/deceleration prediction model having at least one of driver propensity information, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) information, navigation information, or vehicle speed information as an input value; and

determining the second torque or the predicted acceleration using the predicted value of the acceleration/deceleration intention.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the predicted value of the acceleration/deceleration intention comprises position information of an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal at the future time.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the engine start condition at the future time is satisfied when the second torque or the predicted acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined HEV mode transition torque.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the shift condition at the future time is satisfied when the predicted speed is equal to or greater than a shift occurrence reference speed that varies according to the second torque.

9. A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

determining, by a hybrid controller, whether an engine start condition is satisfied based on at least one of a vehicle speed, a battery charging state, an accelerator pedal position, a required torque, or a required power;

predicting, by the hybrid controller, whether an upper shift condition is satisfied within a predetermined time from a current time, based on at least one of the vehicle speed, the battery charging state, the accelerator pedal position, the required torque, or the required power; and

when the engine start condition is satisfied and the shift condition is predicted to be satisfied within the predetermined time during an EV mode driving, increasing engine speed due to an engine start and a decrease in the rotational speed of a motor due to an upper shift to be at least partially overlapped in time by delaying the engine start or by advancing the upper shift;

performing a shift intervention control; and

controlling at least a part of electric power recovered in the shift intervention control to be transferred, without charging a battery, to a starter/generator motor for an engine start,

wherein an interval, during which a regeneration occurs due to a reverse torque applied to the motor, an inertia phase of a transmission, and a cranking interval of the starter/generator motor at least partially overlap each other.

10. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

a driving information detection system configured to interoperate with various sensors of the hybrid vehicle and configured to detect driving information of the hybrid vehicle;

a driver acceleration/deceleration prediction processor configured to generate a predicted value of a future acceleration/deceleration intention of a driver reflecting a driving environment of the hybrid vehicle, based on information transmitted from the driving information detection system by utilizing an acceleration/deceleration prediction model; and

a hybrid controller configured to:

determine a first torque, which is a required torque at a current time,

determine a second torque to be generated at a future time, or a predicted acceleration at the future time,

determine a predicted speed at the future time based on a current speed and the second torque or the predicted acceleration,

when it is determined that one of an engine start condition or a shift condition is satisfied at the current time based on at least one of the first torque or the current speed, determine whether a remaining one of the engine start condition or the shift condition is satisfied at the future time,

when the remaining one is satisfied, control an event corresponding to a satisfied condition between the engine start condition or the shift condition at the current time to be delayed or an event corresponding to the satisfied condition at the future time to be advanced, wherein the event is a gear shift or an engine start,

perform a shift intervention control, and

control at least a part of electric power recovered in the shift intervention control to be transferred, without charging a battery, to a starter/generator motor for an engine start,

wherein an interval, during which a regeneration occurs due to a reverse torque applied to a motor, an inertia phase of a transmission, and a cranking interval of the starter/generator motor at least partially overlap each other.

11. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , when the engine start condition is satisfied at the current time and the shift condition is satisfied at the future time,

wherein the hybrid controller is further configured to delay an engine start, or perform an early shift.

12. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , when the shift condition is satisfied at the current time and the engine start condition is satisfied at the future time,

wherein the hybrid controller is further configured to delay a shift, or perform an early engine start.

13. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the hybrid controller is further configured to determine the first torque by determining positions of an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal, and determining the first torque using the determined positions.

14. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the hybrid controller is further configured to determine the second torque by determining a predicted value of an acceleration/deceleration intention of a driver using an acceleration/deceleration prediction model having at least one of driver propensity information, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) information, navigation information, or vehicle speed information as an input value, and determining the second torque or the predicted acceleration using the predicted value of the acceleration/deceleration intention.

15. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 14 , wherein the predicted value of the acceleration/deceleration intention comprises position information on an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal at the future time.

16. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the engine start condition at the future time is satisfied when the second torque or the predicted acceleration is equal to or greater than a predetermined HEV mode transition torque.

17. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the shift condition at the future time is satisfied when the predicted speed is equal to or greater than a shift occurrence reference speed that varies according to the second torque.

18. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the shift intervention control is performed while changing transmission gears.

19. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 9 , wherein the shift intervention control is performed while changing transmission gears.

20. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 10 , wherein the shift intervention control is performed while changing transmission gears.