Powertrain delta current estimation method

• Main Authors: Gibson Alexander O'Connor, Rademacher Eric Michael, Grant Robert Michael
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.09.2016
• Subjects: BLASTING; CALCULATING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; COMBUSTION ENGINES; COMPUTING; CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES; COUNTING; ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PHYSICS; STARTING AIDS FOR SUCH ENGINES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; STARTING OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; WEAPONS

A vehicle includes an engine, electrical loads, and at least one controller. While the engine is on, the controller calculates the change in current demand of the electrical loads expected from turning the engine off. The decision to command the engine off is then based on the expected change in current demand. Electrical loads that will change state from on to off when the engine is turned off will increase the expected change in current demand. Electrical loads that will change state from off to on when the engine is turned off will decrease the expected change in current demand. Operating conditions associated with the electrical loads, such as operating voltage, temperature, and speed, may affect the expected change in current demand.