METHOD FOR OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE PROVIDED WITH A HYBRID DRIVE APPARATUS AND A CORRESPONDING MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for operating a motor vehicle provided with a hybrid drive apparatus. The hybrid drive device is equipped with an internal combustion engine that can be operated with a fuel, as well as with an electric engine, and a lubricant is supplied at least intermittently to the internal combustion engine. At the same time, a lubricant dilution value is determined with a dilution of the lubricant so that the internal combustion engine is started when a first threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, and when the motor vehicle is located on a regeneration route of an anticipated driving route of the motor vehicle and the regeneration route is sufficient to reduce the lubricant dilution value by a specified value.

Claims

1. A method for operating a motor vehicle provided with a hybrid drive device, wherein the hybrid drive apparatus is equipped with an internal combustion engine that can be operated with fuel, as well as with an electric engine, and a lubricant is supplied at least intermittently to the internal combustion engine, comprising: determining a lubricant dilution value with a dilution of the lubricant, wherein the internal combustion engine is started when a first threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value when the motor vehicle is located on a regeneration route of an anticipated driving route of the motor vehicle and the regeneration route is sufficient in order to reduce the lubricant dilution value by a specified value.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in order to determine whether the regeneration route is sufficient to reduce the lubricant dilution value by a specified value, a route profile of the regeneration is evaluated, wherein the route profile comprises a speed profile, a height profile and a road class profile.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a second threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, the internal combustion engine is started when the anticipated driving route does not contain any regeneration route.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein when a second threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, the starting of the internal combustion engine is delayed until the regeneration route is reached when the anticipated driving route is provided with the regeneration route.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the starting of the internal combustion engine is delayed only when a predicted lubricant dilution value is lower than a lubricant dilution limiting value.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein when a third threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, the internal combustion engine is started when an electric drive priority value is different from a maximum value.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when a fourth threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, the internal combustion engine is always started.

8. A motor vehicle, comprising: a hybrid drive apparatus which is equipped with an internal combustion engine that can be operated with a fuel, as well as with an electric engine, wherein a lubricant is supplied at least intermittently to the internal combustion engine, wherein the motor vehicle is configured to determine a lubricant dilution value of a dilution of the lubricant by the motor vehicle, wherein when a first threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, the internal combustion engine is started when the motor vehicle is located on a regeneration route of an anticipated driving route of the motor vehicle and the regeneration route is sufficient to reduce the lubricant dilution value by a specified value.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0034] The invention will be next explained with reference to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, without any limitation of the invention. The single FIGURE shows the following:

[0035] FIG. 1 indicates a motor vehicle on a driving route of the motor vehicle that is divided into several partial sections.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a vehicle 1 which is provided with a hybrid apparatus having an internal combustion engine. Fuel and lubricant are used in order to operate the internal combustion engine. The motor vehicle 1 travels on a specified driving route 2. The driving route 2 is preferably determined by a navigation system, not shown, of the motor vehicle 1. For this purpose, the starting point 3 can correspond to the position of the motor vehicle 1 at the beginning of its operation, so that the destination point 4 is or has been set by the driver of the motor vehicle. The navigation system then divides the driving route 2 into several partial routes 5, 6 and 7.

[0037] A route profile is assigned to the driving route 2, and in this respect also to the partial routes 5, 6 and 7, which comprises for example a speed profile, a height profile and/or a road category profile. Based on the route profile it is then determined whether one of the partial routes of the driving route 2 is present in the form of a regeneration route during which it is possible for the motor vehicle 1 to reduce a lubricant dilution value.

[0038] The lubricant dilution value describes the dilution of the lubricant by the fuel, which can occur in particular during a warm-up operation of the internal combustion engine.

[0039] Different measures can be introduced depending on the lubricant dilution value. So for example, the internal combustion machine is started when the first threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant diluting value, in particular only when the motor vehicle is located on a regeneration route (here for example the partial route 5) of the anticipated driving route 2 of the motor vehicle 1 and the regeneration route is sufficient to reduce the lubricant diluting value by a specified value.

[0040] On the other hand, if the lubricant dilution value exceeds a second threshold value, which is higher than the first threshold value, the internal combustion engine is started when the anticipated driving route does not have a regeneration route. However, if the partial route 6 is provided as a regeneration route, the starting of the internal combustion engine is delayed until this regeneration route is reached. The same is applicable also if the partial route 7 is provided as a regeneration route or if it has been identified as such.

[0041] If a third threshold value or a fourth threshold value is exceeded, the anticipated driving route is not considered. Therefore, when the third threshold value is exceeded by the lubricant dilution value, the internal combustion engine is always started when the electric drive priority value is different from a maximum value. If, on the other hand, the lubricant dilution value is above even the fourth threshold value, the internal combustion engine is always operated, or put into operation in order to reduce the lubricant dilution value.