Patent ID: 8676479

Claim:
A vehicle system, comprising: a powertrain including wheels, an engine having a starter, a torque converter having a lock-up clutch, and an automatic transmission including a forward clutch; an alternator including an alternator clutch; an air conditioner including a compressor clutch; a cylinder deactivation mechanism for deactivating at least a cylinder valve of a cylinder; and a control system configured to deactivate the engine during engine idle-stop conditions and selectively restart the engine in response to an operator engine restart request, the restart request received during an idle-stop operation where the engine is not yet stopped, wherein selectively restarting the engine includes, adjusting a brake torque applied to the engine to slow the engine to at least a predetermined threshold speed, and once the predetermined threshold speed is attained, engaging the starter to the still rotating engine to increase engine speed and restart the engine when engine speed at a time of the restart request is above the predetermined threshold speed; and removing the brake torque applied to the engine and engaging the starter to the still rotating engine to increase engine speed and restart the engine when the engine speed at the time of the restart request is at or below the predetermined threshold speed.