Patent ID: 8753246

Claim:
A method for starting an internal combustion engine of a hybrid drive train having an internal combustion engine and at least one additional machine, which is an electric machine, the method comprising: when a high-voltage battery is essentially discharged, performing the following operations to start the internal combustion engine: (a) if not already disengaged, disengaging the separating clutch; (b) accelerating the additional machine in an acceleration operation; (c) engaging, after conclusion of the acceleration operation of the additional machine, the separating clutch, so that the internal combustion engine is also accelerated; and (d) as soon as a crankshaft angle sensor system supplies a favorable crankshaft angle, starting the internal combustion engine by direct start; wherein there is a separating clutch between the internal combustion engine and the additional machine, wherein the crankshaft angle sensor system is provided for detecting the instantaneous crankshaft angle of the internal combustion engine.