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.

A starting assistance method and device for an internal combustion engine supplied with a fuel that may contain ethanol, and including a fluid connection pipe between an intake manifold and a braking assistance device. The method including determining the engine temperature, determining the outdoor air temperature, blocking the pipe between the intake manifold and the braking assistance device for a given duration during a phase of starting the engine when the temperature of the engine is lower than a first threshold value and the outdoor air temperature is lower than a second threshold value, and freeing the pipe between the intake manifold and the braking assistance device when the engine is rotating autonomously.

A system for predicting a negative pressure of a brake booster of a vehicle includes: a driving information detector detecting driving information related to driving of the vehicle; and a controller determining a negative pressure of an intake manifold based on a pressure of the intake manifold and an atmospheric pressure which is the driving information and including a booster negative pressure predictor predicting the negative pressure of the brake booster by integrating over time a change rate according to a charging rate and a discharging rate of the negative pressure determined using a negative pressure of the brake booster determined in a previous cycle according to a logic for predicting the negative pressure of the brake booster and the negative pressure of the intake manifold of a current cycle and an imitated brake pedal force signal of the current cycle imitating an acceleration of the vehicle.

A system for predicting a negative pressure of a brake booster of a vehicle includes: a driving information detector configured to detect driving information according to driving of the vehicle; and a controller configured to calculate a negative pressure of an intake manifold based on a pressure of the intake manifold and an atmospheric pressure that is the driving information and including a booster negative pressure predictor configured to predict the negative pressure of the brake booster by integrating over time a change rate according to a charging rate and a discharging rate of the negative pressure calculated using a previous negative pressure of the brake booster calculated in a previous cycle according to a logic for predicting the negative pressure of the brake booster and the negative pressure of the intake manifold and a brake pedal force of a current cycle.

The electronic control unit determines whether or not an battery state of charge is equal to or above a first state of charge, and determines, based on the result of a determination, whether or not to allow a next automatic stop of an engine while the engine is driven by automatic restart after each automatic stop of the engine. The electronic control unit allows the next automatic stop of the engine when determining that the battery state of charge is equal to or above the first state of charge, and prohibits automatic stop of the engine until the vehicle starts traveling, when determining that the battery state of charge is less than the first state of charge.

A method for operating a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, a service brake, a brake booster, a parking brake, a wheel-speed sensor and an inclination sensor is disclosed. The method including measuring the speed of motor vehicle using the wheel-speed sensor to create a speed signal. An inclination of the motor vehicle with respect to the direction the motor vehicle is sensed and an angle signal is created. The internal combustion engine is started when the speed measured is greater than zero and the inclination of the motor vehicle is greater than a predetermined value, such that the internal combustion engine creates a partial vacuum to power the brake booster to assist with the operation of the service brake.

A stop-start system and method for a motor vehicle include a controller configured to shut down an engine of the motor vehicle automatically when the motor vehicle is moving and a predetermined engine shut down condition is achieved, to perform a rolling stop-start operation; and a mechanically driven auxiliary vacuum pump coupled to a transmission gear or output shaft and configured to provide vacuum pressure to a brake booster of the motor vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to operate the auxiliary vacuum pump during the rolling stop-start operation.

Methods for controlling vacuum within a brake booster by modifying powertrain operation include determining an intake manifold vacuum in response to actuation of a brake pedal. Increasing the intake manifold vacuum if the brake booster vacuum is less than a desired brake booster vacuum. In some embodiments, the transmission is downshifted to increase engine speed and intake manifold vacuum.

An automatic engine stop-start system of a vehicle having an engine includes a controller in signal communication with the engine and configured to command automatically stopping and starting the vehicle engine, a first sensor in signal communication with the controller and configured to generate a first signal indicative of a grade of a road the vehicle is located on, and a master brake cylinder having a pressure sensor in signal communication with the controller, the pressure sensor configured to generate a pressure signal indicative of a master cylinder brake pressure. The controller is further configured to determine a pressure threshold based on the first signal and the pressure signal. When the pressure signal exceeds the pressure threshold, thereby indicating a driver is releasing a brake pedal of the vehicle, the controller commands automatically restarting the vehicle engine.

Methods and systems are provided for a vehicle engine including a turbocharger coupled to a hydraulic pump and hydraulic accumulator. In one example, a method may include, in response to the vehicle coming to a stop, supplying pressure to a hydraulic braking system of the vehicle from the accumulator coupled to a hydraulic pump coupled to a shaft of a turbocharger of an engine installed in the vehicle, and automatically shutting down the engine while the vehicle is stopped.