Patent ID: 8239121
Filing Date: 2012-08-07
Classification: B60K,B60L,B60W,F02D,F16H,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A control unit for a variable valve timing mechanism that changes opening/closing timing of at least one of an intake valve and an exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine by a change amount that corresponds to an operation amount of an actuator, the internal combustion engine being mounted in a vehicle that is provided with a rotary electric machine having an output shaft that is connected to an output shaft of the internal combustion engine via a gear, the control unit comprising: an actuator control unit that controls the operation amount of the actuator based on a deviation of a current value of the opening/closing timing from a target value of the opening/closing timing; a stop-time position setting unit that sets the target value to a predetermined value in response to a command to stop the internal combustion engine; a combustion stop processing unit that stops fuel combustion in the internal combustion engine in response to the command to stop the internal combustion engine; and a motoring command unit that rotates the internal combustion engine using the rotary electric machine for a predetermined period in response to the command to stop the internal combustion engine, wherein the vehicle is configured to travel in a cruise mode that is selected from among cruise modes including a first cruise mode in which the vehicle travels using drive power generated by the internal combustion engine and a second cruise mode in which the internal combustion engine is stopped and the vehicle travels using drive power generated by a drive power source that differs from the internal combustion engine, wherein the command to stop the internal combustion engine is a first stop command that is automatically generated based on a vehicle state or a second stop command that is issued in response to an operation performed by a driver, and the control unit further comprises: a stop process retardation unit that retards the command to stop the internal combustion engine for a predetermined period and then transmits the command to the combustion stop processing unit; and a switching unit that transmits the command to stop the internal combustion engine to the combustion stop processing unit via the stop process retardation unit and that does not transmit the command to stop the internal combustion engine to the motoring command unit, when the first stop command is issued, wherein the switching unit transmits the command to stop the internal combustion engine to the motoring command unit and transmits the command to stop the internal combustion engine to the combustion stop processing unit in such a manner that the command does not pass through the stop process retardation unit, when the second stop command is issued.