Device and Method for Automatically Switching Off and Starting a Drive Machine

Abstract

A device and method automatically switches off and starts a drive machine in a motor vehicle. The device includes a sensor unit for sensing a noise level and/or a vibration level of the environment of the motor vehicle and an electronic control unit for controlling an engine start-stop automatic system. The signals of the sensor unit are captured and are compared with at least one defined threshold value. The drive machine is automatically switched off when a predefined condition exists. The drive machine, having been automatically switched off, is automatically started again at the latest when the signals of the sensor unit exceed the at least one defined threshold value.

Claims

1.-5. (canceled)

6. A device for automatically switching off and starting a drive machine in a motor vehicle, comprising: a sensor unit for detecting a noise and/or a vibration level signals in an area surrounding the motor vehicle; and an electronic control unit for controlling an automatic engine start-stop system, the electronic control unit being operatively configured to: detect the signals from the sensor unit and compare said signals with at least one defined threshold value, automatically switch off the drive machine when a prescribed condition exists, and automatically start again the drive machine, which has been automatically switched off, when said signals from the sensor unit overshoot the at least one defined threshold value.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the prescribed condition is a vehicle speed of substantially zero.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the prescribed condition is said signals from the sensor unit undershooting the at least one defined threshold value.

9. A method for automatically switching off and starting a drive machine in a motor vehicle, the method comprising: detecting, via a sensor unit, noise and/or vibration level signals in an area surrounding the motor vehicle; and controlling, via an electronic control unit, an automatic engine start-stop system, wherein the signals from the sensor unit are detected and compared with at least one defined threshold value, the drive machine is automatically switched off when a prescribed condition exists, and the drive machine, which has been automatically switched off, is automatically started again when the signals from the sensor unit overshoot the at least one defined threshold value.

10. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prescribed condition is a vehicle speed of substantially zero.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein the prescribed condition is said signals from the sensor unit undershooting the at least one threshold value.

12. A control unit, comprising: an electronic control unit for automatically switching off and starting a drive machine in a motor vehicle, the electronic control unit comprising a detection and evaluation unit that: detects a noise and/or vibration level, stores a defined threshold value, and compares the detected noise and/or vibration level with the defined threshold value so as to: automatically switch off the drive machine when a prescribed condition exists, and automatically start again the drive machine, which has been automatically switched off, when the noise or vibration level overshoots the defined threshold value.

Description

[0018] The drawing shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Here, the single FIGURE schematically shows the most important components for the device according to the invention and the associated method.

[0019] A motor vehicle (ego vehicle) has a drive machine 1, in particular an internal combustion engine, a sensor unit 4 for detecting a noise and/or a vibration level L in the area surrounding the motor vehicle and an electronic control unit 2 for controlling an automatic engine start/stop system MSA. The control unit 2 preferably detects the position of an accelerator pedal 3.

[0020] The control unit 2 comprises a detection and evaluation unit 5 for detecting a noise and/or vibration level L, for storing at least one defined threshold value S and for comparing the detected noise and/or vibration level L with the defined threshold value S. The threshold value S relates, for example, to a volume level L in [dB].

[0021] The sensor unit 4 may be a microphone, for example.

[0022] The drive machine 1 is automatically switched off when a prescribed condition exists and according to the invention is automatically started again when the signals from the sensor unit 4 or the noise and/or vibration level L overshoot the at least one threshold value S.

[0023] A prescribed condition may be a vehicle speed v of at least virtually zero (v=0). Furthermore, a prescribed condition may be an accelerator pedal 3 not being actuated. Finally, a prescribed condition for automatically switching off the drive machine 1 may also be the signals from the sensor unit 4 or the level L undershooting the at least one threshold value S—or else another second threshold value.