Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Daikyo Co., Ltd.

Daimon Okada

Takashi Suzuki

Naoto Suzuki

Toshifumi Takaoka

Akira Shimonishi

Junichiro Shirai

Ryuji Takashina

The priority sequence in a control of adjusting the drive power with respect to a vehicle drive power request is set in the sequence of: (1) an engine output increase, (2) a motor output increase, and (3) a gear speed change in a gear ratio increasing direction. More specifically, a gear speed of a least gear ratio is selected within such a range that an engine revolution speed higher than or equal to a predetermined lower limit revolution speed is attainable. A requested drive power is achieved singly by an engine output with the gear speed selected. When the requested drive power is not achievable singly by the engine output, the requested drive power is achieved by the engine output and a motor output. When the requested drive power is not achievable by the engine output and the motor output, the gear speed is changed in a gear ratio increasing direction.

Control apparatus for transmission-equipped hybrid vehicle, and control method for the same

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor as drive power sources has a transmission between the engine and a vehicle drive wheel, that changes drive power transmission by selecting from a plurality of gear speeds. The control apparatus detects the drive power requested for the vehicle drive wheel and, as a result, sets a gear speed of the transmission to cause the engine to operate in a predetermined high-efficiency operation state, such that any difference between the requested vehicle drive power and the engine output is compensated by either a drive operation of the motor, or a regenerative operation of the motor.

In a vehicle equipped with a motor generator and a starter, if an ignition key has been switched from OFF to ON, preferably an engine is started by using the starter. However, if the temperature T of the engine is high (B&lE;T), the engine is started by the motor generator. When the engine is restarted after automatic stop thereof, preferably the engine is started by using the motor generator. However, if the temperature T of the engine is low (T&lE;A), the engine is started by using the starter. The engine is started by suitably selecting between the starter and the motor generator, whereby it becomes possible to improve responsive characteristics and startability and abate oscillatory noise.

Vehicular engine starting control apparatus and vehicular engine starting control method

In a vehicular engine control apparatus, the engine is stopped upon fulfillment of a predetermined stopping condition even in the case where the shift position of the vehicle is a running position, and the engine is restarted afterwards upon fulfillment of a predetermined starting condition. The predetermined starting condition is switched depending on whether the detected shift position is a running position or a non-running position. This reduces a sense of incongruity or unpleasantness caused to the driver in stopping and starting an engine during operation of a vehicle and thereby improves driveability of the vehicle.

Engine control apparatus and engine control method

A control apparatus for a motor vehicle detects a catalyst temperature during fuel cut. If the catalyst temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, the control apparatus almost completely opens a throttle valve and increases an amount of intake air to thereby reduce pumping loss. If the catalyst temperature is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature, the throttle valve is almost completely closed. Thereby it becomes possible to reduce pumping loss of the engine while preventing an excessive decrease in catalyst temperature.

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Ikeda, Japan

Daimon Okada