Controller of hybrid vehicle

• US 10,239,517 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Naoki, Ikoma, Norihiko, Kamachi, Makoto, Shimizu, Ryo, Abe, Hironori
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein
• Assistant Examiner(s): Berns, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US15/462,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20170282905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/165 of converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/13 using AC generators and AC motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/16 using ac induction motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/085 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 : Batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 29/68 : based on the temperature of a drive component or a semiconductor component
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A controller of a hybrid vehicle includes: a control unit configured to activate a starter device for starting any one of a drive motor and an engine by stepping up electric power from a battery by a voltage transformer. The control unit includes a limitation part that limits passing power of the voltage transformer when the temperature of the voltage transformer rises, and a calculation part that obtains a maximum electric power that can be supplied to the drive motor when the starter device is activated, by subtracting a consumed power of the starter device from limited power during limitation of passing power by the limitation part. The control unit activates the starter device and starts the engine, when required power of the drive motor reaches the maximum electric power calculated by the calculation part during limitation of passing power by the limitation part.

Claims

1. A controller of a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a control unit configured to activate a drive motor or a starter for starting an engine by stepping up electric power from a battery by a voltage transformer, wherein;

the control unit includes a processor and a memory storing a program that causes the processor to;

limit passing power of the voltage transformer when the temperature of the voltage transformer rises, and

obtain a maximum electric power that can be supplied to the drive motor when the starter is activated, by subtracting a consumed power of the starter from limited power during limitation of passing power by the limiting step; and

the control unit activates the starter device to start the engine, when required power of the drive motor reaches the maximum electric power calculated by the obtaining step during limitation of passing power by the limiting step.

2. The controller of a hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the obtaining step obtains the maximum electric power by subtracting the consumed power of the starter and a predetermined allowance amount from the limited power of the limiting step.

3. The controller of a hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the allowance amount is set larger for a higher temperature of the voltage transformer.

4. The controller of a hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the allowance amount is set larger for a lower remaining battery level of the battery.

5. The controller of a hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the allowance amount is set larger for a lower remaining battery level of the battery.