Patent ID: 7997365
Filing Date: 2011-08-16
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,F01N,F02D,F02N,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A power output apparatus that outputs power to a driveshaft, said power output apparatus comprising: an internal combustion engine that has an output shaft connected to the driveshaft; an emission control catalyst that treats an exhaust from the internal combustion engine by catalytic conversion; an oxygen concentration measurement unit that is provided downstream of the emission control catalyst and has an output varying with a variation in concentration of oxygen included in the treated exhaust after the catalytic conversion by the emission control catalyst; and a control module that controls the internal combustion engine to be driven under no load, upon satisfaction of a predetermined auto stop condition of the internal combustion engine during a catalyst degradation detection time when degradation detection of the emission control catalyst is performed according to the variation in output of the oxygen concentration measurement unit, wherein the predetermined auto stop condition is satisfied when a power demand of the engine during the catalyst degradation detection time is less than a preset reference power, the preset reference power being set close to a lower power limit in a relatively efficient operating range of the engine.