Patent ID: 8197383

Claim:
A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle, comprising: an internal combustion engine configured to produce an engine output, said engine operatively coupled with one or more drive wheels of the vehicle via a transmission; a motor configured to produce a motor output, said motor operatively coupled with said one or more drive wheels of the vehicle; an energy storage device configured to selectively supply energy to the motor; a control system configured to, in response to a tip-in: increase a level of propulsive effort provided to said one or more drive wheels during a lower state of charge of the energy storage device by reducing a number of strokes performed by the engine per combustion cycle to increase the engine output produced by the engine, while maintaining a gear ratio of the transmission; and increase the level of propulsive effort provided to said one or more drive wheels during a higher state of charge of the energy storage device by increasing an amount of energy supplied to the motor from the energy storage device to increase the motor output produced by the motor while increasing the gear ratio of the transmission.