A vehicle control apparatus includes a condition determining unit, a mode switching controller, and a notification controller. The condition determining unit is configured to determine whether enabling conditions set to enable a switching control to an engine stop mode are satisfied. The engine stop mode stops an engine of a vehicle in a driving state. The mode switching controller is configured to perform the switching control to the engine stop mode in response to that the condition determining unit determines that the enabling conditions are satisfied. The notification controller is configured to compare a measured time value and a threshold both related to the enabling condition which the condition determining unit determines as not being satisfied. The notification controller is configured to perform, in response to that the measured time value exceeds the threshold, a control of making notification that the switching control is in a disabled state.

A control device for a vehicle includes a semiconductor switch, and opens and closes a connection between a capacitor connected to one end of the semiconductor switch and an on-board battery connected to another end of the semiconductor switch by turning ON/OFF the semiconductor switch. The control device includes: a wiring for applying a drive voltage for turning ON the semiconductor switch; a drive switch for short-circuiting the wiring to turn OFF the semiconductor switch; a Zener diode having an anode connected to the one end of the switching circuit, and a cathode connected to the wiring; a voltage detection unit detects a voltage at the one end of the switching circuit; and a control unit that controls the drive switch from OFF to ON, and determines whether or not the semiconductor switch is defective by comparing the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit with a threshold value.

A method for controlling a start of a mild hybrid vehicle that includes an engine, a starter-generator starting the engine or generating electricity by an output of the engine, a starter starting the engine, and a battery supplying electric power to the starter-generator may include: determining, by a controller configured for controlling an operation of the vehicle, whether a start of the vehicle is requested; checking, by the controller, current limit data of the battery when the start of the vehicle is requested; checking, by the controller, start torque current data of the starter-generator according to state data of the vehicle; comparing, by the controller, the current limit data with the start torque current data; and starting, by the controller, the engine using the starter-generator or the starter according to a result of the comparing, by the controller, the current limit data with the start torque current data.

A present invention is a power supply device, comprising a battery unit, a heater configured to generate heat on the basis of power of the battery unit, and a driving unit configured to drive the heater with a driving force according to a temperature of the battery unit.

A vehicle controlling apparatus includes an engine processor, an electric motor, an electric power storage, an SOC detector, an internal resistance detector, and a resistance threshold setting unit. The engine processor is configured to stop an engine of a vehicle on the basis of a stop condition, and start the engine on the basis of a start condition. The engine processor is configured to prohibit a stop of the engine based on the stop condition based on determining that an internal resistance of the electric power storage detected by the internal resistance detector is equal to or greater than a resistance threshold set by the resistance threshold setting unit on the basis of a state of charge of the electric power storage, and permit the stop of the engine based on determining that the internal resistance is less than the resistance threshold.

It is possible to accurately estimate a starting current and calculate a precise starting minimum voltage without being influenced by a change in a storage battery state or a starting state by updating a current/voltage correlation characteristic corresponding to a deterioration state of a storage battery each time a current/voltage data set obtained when a starter is driven is newly stored in association with the deterioration state of the storage battery and by calculating the starting current corresponding to a present voltage immediately before start in accordance with the current/voltage correlation characteristic corresponding to the present deterioration state of the storage battery when determination is made as to whether or not to drive the starter.

A method of enabling operation of an ignition system for outdoor power equipment may include monitoring status of a plurality of switches associated with respective components of the equipment where at least one of the respective components corresponds to one or more binary start fault operators, and setting a start enabling status for the one or more 5 binary start fault operators responsive to actuation of a start fault clearance operator.

An alternator voltage may be controlled based on a proportional gain scheduling in response to an engine load of an internal combustion engine and/or a state of charge (SOC) deviation for a battery based on a target SOC of the battery and an actual SOC of the battery. The alternator voltage may be a voltage less than a current battery voltage under high engine loads to enable the battery to power an accessory system and the alternator voltage may be a voltage greater than a voltage of the battery under low engine loads or engine loads less than high engine loads to enable the alternator to charge the battery.

A method for estimating the aging of a battery of a motor vehicle with a combustion engine, the vehicle including an electric starter, a temperature sensor for the temperature of the coolant, a speed sensor for the speed of the combustion engine and a computer for managing the drive system of the vehicle. The method includes, each time the combustion engine is started, the steps of the computer determining the value of the speed of the combustion engine and the value of the temperature, if the determined value of the speed is higher than a speed threshold, incrementing a first counter, if the determined value of the speed is lower than the speed threshold, incrementing a second counter, detecting the aging of the battery when the value of the second counter is higher than a predetermined alert threshold.

A vehicle controlling apparatus includes an engine processor, an electric motor, an electric power storage, an SOC detector, an internal resistance detector, and a resistance threshold setting unit. The engine processor is configured to stop an engine of a vehicle on the basis of a stop condition, and start the engine on the basis of a start condition. The engine processor is configured to prohibit a stop of the engine based on the stop condition based on determining that an internal resistance of the electric power storage detected by the internal resistance detector is equal to or greater than a resistance threshold set by the resistance threshold setting unit on the basis of a state of charge of the electric power storage, and permit the stop of the engine based on determining that the internal resistance is less than the resistance threshold.