Patent ID: 6765306
Filing Date: 2004-07-20
Classification: F02D,F02N

Abstract:
A method for automatically jump-starting an internal combustion engine of a land-based vehicle using equipment on-board the vehicle, the method comprising:providing at least two distinct sources of electrical energy on-board the vehicle; monitoring each of the at least two distinct sources to determine the occurrence of a fault condition in any respective one of the two sources, the fault condition generally indicative of inability of the one source to perform an engine cranking event; determining whether a state-of-charge in the other one of the two sources is sufficient to supply an amount of electrical energy selected for re-energizing the respective one of the two sources with the fault condition to a predetermined level of re-energization in order to successfully perform the engine cranking event; selecting a re-energization strategy based on the respective characteristics of the source to supply the electrical energy relative to the source to be re-energized; performing an engine cranking event to start the internal combustion engine of the vehicle, the cranking event being performed once the one source being re-energized has reached the predetermined level of re-energization.