When an engine is started by causing a first motor coupled to first drive wheels to motor the engine while a hybrid vehicle is turning with the engine stopped, an electronic control unit controls output torque of a second motor, in such a direction as to curb change of a steering characteristic of the hybrid vehicle due to change of drive torque of the first drive wheels induced by motoring of the engine by the first motor.

According to some embodiments, a start-stop system for a vehicle is disclosed. The start-stop system includes a first energy storage device coupled to a starter motor. The start-stop system also includes a first DC-to-AC inverter coupled to the first energy storage device, a starter/alternator coupled to the first DC-to-AC inverter, and a second DC-to-AC inverter coupled to the starter/alternator. The start-stop system further includes a second energy storage device coupled to the second DC-to-AC inverter. The start-stop system finally includes a controller configured to control the two DC-to-AC inverters such that either the starter motor or starter/alternator starts the vehicle based on the state of charge of the second energy storage device.

A motor vehicle includes a hybrid drive having an internal combustion engine and an electric drive motor, and an air conditioning system having a compressor configured to compress a refrigerant, and an electric motor configured to operate the compressor and to start the internal combustion engine as electric starter when being coupled with the internal combustion engine. The electric motor has an inverter to operate the electric motor directly with high voltage of a high-voltage onboard electrical system of the motor vehicle so as to enable the electric motor to apply a mechanical torque for re-staring the internal combustion engine in case of need in the absence of any assistance from the electric drive motor. A clutch device mechanically couples the electric motor of the air conditioning system with the internal combustion engine in response to a control signal.

A system for controlling an operating point of a power source for a propulsive e-machine in a hybrid electric vehicle, including: a power train including a power source and at least one propulsive e-machine, wherein the power source includes an integrated starter generator and an internal combustion engine; at least one desired operating point for the power source including at least one characteristic parameter; an operating point component configured to query the at least one desired operating point and to selectively distribute the control of the at least one desired operating point to a control of the internal combustion engine or to a control of the integrated starter generator control.

Systems and methods for starting an engine of a hybrid vehicle are disclosed. The systems and methods disclosed may apply to series or parallel hybrid driveline configurations. In one example, engine cranking torque may be adjusted in response to a variety of operating conditions so that the engine may be started faster or slower.

A hybrid vehicle controlling method is provided. In response to an engine startup demand, when a vehicle target driving force is below a given value, an instruction hydraulic pressure for a hydraulic control circuit is set to a first pressure at which an increase rate in an engagement pressure at a start of engaging of a friction engagement element becomes below a given rate and maintained for a given time period, then set to a second pressure at which an engine-startup engagement pressure is applied to the friction engagement element and maintained until the engine startup is completed, and then set to a third pressure for setting the friction engagement element to an engaged state. When the target driving force is above the given value, the instruction hydraulic pressure is set to the second pressure and maintained until the engine startup is completed, and then set to the third pressure.

A control strategy is provided for a hybrid vehicle that will increase drivability during low or decreasing driver demands. Coordination between shifting the transmission and stopping or (non-demand) starting of the engine can increase drivability. The vehicle includes a motor/generator with one side selectively coupled to the engine and another side selectively coupled to the transmission. The control strategy acts when an engine start or stop is requested while driver demand is decreasing and a shift of the transmission is demanded. To inhibit these events from proceeding simultaneously, the control strategy delays the engine from starting or stopping until the transmission has finished shifting, or vice versa.

A transmission system suitable for operation with a drive machine includes an input shaft for a drive power, at least one output shaft for outputting drive power, a power-split transmission section having at least one variable transmission branch and a mechanical transmission branch, a manual transmission, a transmission system controller, and at least one first and second electric machine for generator and motor operation. The electric machines are electrically connected to one another. The drive power is divided up and conducted by the mechanical and variable transmission branch. An input-coupled, magnetically electric epicyclic gear stage brings together the variable transmission branch and mechanical transmission branch, and is activated by the second electric machine such that the output shaft of the transmission system rotates counter to a direction of rotation at the input shaft to provide a forward and reverse operation of the transmission system.

A starting control device for an internal combustion engine is provided with a hard cranking device and a soft cranking device that are respectively capable of and incapable of cranking the internal combustion engine to a target idle rotation speed. The starting control device includes: a starting mode determination unit determining whether to carry out starting in a non-combustion pressure mode whereby starting is carried out with the hard cranking device, or in a combustion pressure combination mode whereby starting is carried out through cranking with the soft cranking device while using a combustion pressure generated by supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine in combination; and an intake air amount control unit making an amount of intake air during cranking differ between a case where starting is carried out in the non-combustion pressure mode and a case where starting is carried out in the combustion pressure combination mode.

A method of automatically starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle includes defining a rotational engine speed profile to represent a desired engine speed during a starting event with a hybrid system controller, and communicating the rotational engine speed profile to an engine controller. The internal combustion engine is rotated with an electric propulsion motor of the hybrid vehicle. A spark correction offset is calculated with the engine controller based on the rotational engine speed profile. The internal combustion engine is fired with the calculated spark correction offset for a pre-determined number of firing events, with the engine controller, as the rotational speed of the engine increases. The rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is controlled with the hybrid system controller after the pre-determined number of firing events.