When a temperature increasing process is performed, a CPU sets a target temperature of a catalyst to be lower when a coolant temperature is low than when the coolant temperature is high. The CPU decreases an increase coefficient of fuel in the temperature increasing process when a value obtained by subtracting an estimated value of a temperature of the catalyst from the target temperature is equal to or less than a first prescribed value.

System and methods are described for optimizing exhaust flow rate and temperature during specified operational periods warm-up and keep-warm conditions, by minimizing or maximizing heat flux during those specified operational periods.

A controller executes a first suspending process or a second suspending process when a vehicle satisfies a predetermined first condition or a predetermined second condition. The controller executes an integration process that, during execution of the first suspending process or the second suspending process, obtains an integrated value of an intake air amount of the internal combustion engine from when the first suspending process or the second suspending process that is being executed was started. When the integrated value is greater than or equal to a threshold, the controller stops the first suspending process or the second suspending process that is being executed. When the amount of particular matter deposited in a filter is the same, a first threshold, which is the threshold for the first suspending process, is greater than a second threshold, which is the threshold for the second suspending process.

A start-up method for heating a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) module in a hybrid propulsion system of a vehicle. An internal combustion engine is in fluid communication with an exhaust aftertreatment system having an exhaust. An SCR module is disposed in the exhaust passage downstream of the engine and an electric motor. The method includes operating the engine in a start-up mode with a torque restriction on the engine, allowing the SCR module to convert NOx emission; supplying a surplus amount of a reducing agent to the exhaust gas at a position between the engine and the SCR module, the surplus amount of the reducing agent being larger than a required amount of reducing agent for converting NOx emission from the engine; heating said SCR module to a working temperature; and terminating the start-up mode.

A vehicle comprises an aftertreatment system configured to reduce constituents of an exhaust gas. The vehicle also includes a controller configured to determine a predicted load on the vehicle during a route, and adjust at least one of a temperature of the aftertreatment system or an amount of a reductant inserted into the aftertreatment system based on the predicted load.

A skip fire engine controller and method of control is described wherein during transitions from a first firing density to a second firing density, a firing density and a pumping density are separately set so as to balance the conflicting demands of (a) torque control, (b) Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH), (c) air flow through the engine and (d) air-fuel ratio.

A method for actuating a heat source for a component of an exhaust system of a drive of a motor vehicle is described. The method includes providing information items relating to a future traveling route of the motor vehicle; ascertaining a chronological sequence of a multiplicity of temperature values in the component within a predefined future time segment, where the ascertainment of the chronological sequence is based on the provided information items; determining a point in time within the time segment on the basis of the ascertained chronological sequence, where a temperature value of the multiplicity of temperature values which is assigned to the point in time is intended to satisfy a predefined criterion; and actuating the heat source before the point in time such that the temperature value satisfies the specified criterion at the point in time.

A skip fire engine controller and method of control is described wherein during transitions from a first firing density to a second firing density, a firing density and a pumping density are separately set so as to balance the conflicting demands of (a) torque control, (b) Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH), (c) air flow through the engine and (d) air-fuel ratio.

A catalyst having an oxygen storage capacity is provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. A catalyst temperature calculating device calculates an oxygen storage amount of the catalyst to a value greater than or equal to zero and less than or equal to than a maximum value based on an amount of oxygen and an amount of unburned fuel components in a fluid flowing into the catalyst. A temperature calculation process calculates a temperature of the catalyst assuming that an amount of temperature rise of the catalyst is larger when an increase amount of the oxygen storage amount is large than when the increase amount of the oxygen storage amount is small in a case where the oxygen storage amount increases.

System and methods are described for optimizing exhaust flow rate and temperature during specified operational periods warm-up and keep-warm conditions, by minimizing or maximizing heat flux during those specified operational periods.