Patent ID: 7806801

Claim:
A method for operating a drivetrain, the drivetrain including an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, and a torque converter with a converter bypass clutch, and the method which comprises the following steps: in an electric operating mode in which the internal combustion engine is deactivated and the electric motor is activated, and/or during a recuperation operating mode in which the internal combustion engine is deactivated and the electric motor is operated as a generator, closing without slipping the converter bypass clutch, at least between shift processes of the transmission, for bypassing the torque converter; and driving a hydraulic medium pump, which supplies hydraulic medium at operating pressure to a hydraulic actuating device for actuating the converter bypass clutch, and which is drive-coupled to the drivetrain, by way of an electric auxiliary motor below a predetermined limit rotational speed of the drivetrain and/or below a predetermined limit pressure in the hydraulic medium.