Method and device for controlling an internal combustion engine with an automatic engine cut-off and starting system
In a control method suitable for an internal combustion engine ( 1 ) of a motor vehicle with an automatic engine cut-off and starting system ( 33 ) by which the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) can be cut off and started independently from the driver of the motor vehicle, the starting of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) is detected and a variable determined, which represents a measure for the work performed by the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) since it has been started. The cut-off of the internal combustion engine ( 1 ) is controlled by the automatic engine cut-off and starting system ( 33 ) according to the variable.
1. A method for controlling an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle having an automatic engine cut-off and starting system, operable to cut off and start the internal combustion engine independently from the driver of the motor vehicle, comprising:
detecting a start-up of the internal combustion engine,
determining the value of a variable corresponding to work performed by the internal combustion engine since the start-up, and
cutting off the internal combustion engine by the automatic engine cut-off and starting system based at least in part on the value of the variable.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the variable represents a quantity of fuel which was metered into the internal combustion engine since the last start-up.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the variable represents a fresh air quantity which was fed to the internal combustion engine since the last start-up.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the variable represents a torque produced by the internal combustion engine and further comprising cutting off the internal combustion engine based at least in part on a temporal integral of the variable.
5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising cutting off the internal combustion engine if the value of the variable exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the threshold value determined as a function of a temperature of a coolant of the internal combustion engine during start-up.
7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the threshold value determined as a function of a downtime of the internal combustion engine until the start-up.
8. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising the threshold value determined as a function of an ambient temperature during start-up.
9. A control device for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle with an automatic engine cut-off and starting system, which cuts off and starts the internal combustion engine independently from a driver of the motor vehicle, wherein the control device is operable to:
detect a start-up of the internal combustion engine,
determine a variable, which represents a measure of the work performed by the internal combustion engine since the start-up, and
control the automatic engine cut-off and starting system to cut-off the internal combustion as a function of the variable.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the variable being the quantity of fuel which was metered into the internal combustion engine since the last start-up.
11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the variable being the fresh air quantity, which was fed to the internal combustion engine since the last start-up.
12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the torque produced by the internal combustion engine being determined and the variable being the temporal integral of the torque produced by the internal combustion engine since the start-up.
13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the cut-off of the internal combustion engine taking place by means of the automatic engine cut-off and starting system if the variable exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the control device is further operable to determine the threshold value as a function of the temperature of a coolant of the internal combustion engine during start-up.
15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the control device is further operable to determine the threshold value as a function of the downtime of the internal combustion engine until the start-up.
16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the control device is further operable to determine the threshold value as a function of the ambient temperature of the motor vehicle during start-up.
17. A system for controlling an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle comprising:
an automatic engine cut-off and starting system, operable to cut off and start the internal combustion engine independently from the driver of the motor vehicle,
a software controlled control device coupled with said internal combustion engine via sensors and actuators,
wherein the software controlled control device receives at least one sensor signal to detect a start-up of the internal combustion engine, and is operable to determine a value for a variable corresponding to the work performed by the internal combustion engine since the start-up, and
wherein the software controlled control device controls said automatic engine cut-off and starting system to cut off the internal combustion engine as a function based at least in part on the determined value of the variable.
18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the variable represents a quantity of fuel metered into the internal combustion engine since the last start-up.
19. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the variable represents a fresh air quantity fed to the internal combustion engine since the last start-up.
20. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the control device receives at least one sensor signal corresponding to a torque produced by the internal combustion engine and the function includes a temporal integral of the torque produced by the internal combustion engine since the start-up.