Patent ID: 6351703
Filing Date: 2002-02-26
Classification: B60R,B60W,F02N

Abstract:
A method for controlling an internal combustion engine installed in a vehicle having an electronic engine controller in communication with a starter motor and a plurality of fuel injectors, the electronic engine controller including a programmable memory for storing instructions and parameters for controlling the engine, the method comprising:determining a current day and/or date and time; comparing the current day and/or date and time to a day and/or date and time previously stored in the programmable memory for automatically starting the engine; determining whether current conditions are acceptable for automatically starting the engine including determining whether the vehicle is stationary; and controlling the starter motor and fuel injectors to automatically start the engine beginning at the previously stored day and/or date and time for automatically starting the engine and continuing for a predetermined time thereafter while the current conditions are acceptable for automatically starting the engine or until the engine has started.