Detroit Diesel Corporation

Richard Avery

Tomislav Ivo Golub

Marleen F Thompson

Thomas Diefenbaker

S Miller Weisman, Ii

John Edward Longnecker

A vehicle engine control having an automatic start and stop feature for idling the engine to maintain the battery charge includes adjustment for the battery voltage threshold at which the engine is started to recharge the battery. Preferably, the adjustment results from use of an ambient air temperature sensor and a look up table in the control that varies the threshold based on a predetermined relationship between battery voltage and ambient air temperature.

Battery voltage threshold adjustment for automatic start and stop system

An engine control practices a method for engine control in a vehicle control system having an automated start and stop system that keeps a battery charged and an engine temperature in a preselected range, the run time for the engine being extended beyond a preset run time when said control senses that a time interval between start up and the last shut off is shorter than a preset start up time limit.

Engine run time change for battery charging issues with automatic restart system

A control system for vehicle engines includes an automatic start and stop idling feature. The control starts engine running in response to detected engine conditions such as oil temperature of battery voltage in at least one mode, and in response to a thermostatic mode by a comfort thermostat in a cabin in at least a thermostat mode of operation. The thermostat mode operation is modified to terminate responses to inputs from the thermostat after an extended period for operation matches programmed threshold representative of no occupation in the area with the thermostat.

Automatic thermostat mode time limit for automatic start and stop engine control

A system and method for detecting tampering with a vehicle speed sensor input signal include determining a current gear ratio, comparing the current gear ratio to at least one reference gear ratio to determine a gear ratio difference value, and generating an error signal indicating tampering with the vehicle speed sensor signal when the gear ratio difference value exceeds a first threshold. In one embodiment the step of generating an error signal is performed only when the gear ratio difference value exceeds the first threshold for an elapsed time greater than a predetermined time period. One embodiment includes determining a current engine speed, current vehicle speed, and current transmission gear ratio and storing values for the current engine speed, vehicle speed, and transmission gear ratio in the memory whenever at least one predetermined criterion is satisfied. The system and method calculate difference values between the current engine speed, vehicle speed, and transmission gear ratio and corresponding previously stored respective values. A signal indicating tampering is generated when at least one of the difference values exceeds a corresponding threshold.

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Richard Avery