Control apparatus for energy storage device in motor vehicle

• US 20030139859A1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanada, Hideto, Kawai, Takashi, Tsujii, Hiroshi, Kuretake, Ken, Sugiura, Masanori
• Granted Patent: US 6,904,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0866 comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0885 Capacitors, e.g. for additional power supply
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2011/0888 DC/DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/063 Battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/064 Battery temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A control apparatus for use in a vehicle for controlling an energy storage device adapted to discharge electric power that varies with a temperature is provided. The control apparatus includes a temperature sensor that measures a temperature associated with the energy storage device, and a voltage control unit that sets a minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device to a relatively high voltage level when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined temperature, as compared with a voltage level to which the minimum storage voltage is set when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for use in a vehicle for controlling an energy storage device adapted to discharge electric power that varies with a temperature, comprising:

a temperature sensor that measures a temperature associated with the energy storage device; and

a voltage control unit that sets a minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device to a first voltage level when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined temperature, the first voltage level being higher than a second voltage level to which the minimum storage voltage is set when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

2. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle includes an electrical device adapted to be driven with electric power supplied from the energy storage device; and

the voltage control unit sets the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device to the first voltage level higher than the second voltage level, when the temperature measured before the electrical device is actuated is lower than the predetermined temperature.

3. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle further includes another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device.

4. The control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

the energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of static electricity, and said another energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of chemical energy; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a storage voltage of said another energy storage device.

5. The control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electrical device comprises a starter motor that is operable to rotate an internal combustion engine installed on the vehicle.

6. The control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle further includes another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device.

7. The control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of static electricity, and said another energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of chemical energy; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a storage voltage of said another energy storage device.

8. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle further includes a regenerating unit that recovers electric power by converting kinetic energy of the vehicle into electric energy, and charges the energy storage device with the recovered electric power.

9. The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle further includes another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device; and

the voltage control unit controls a quantity of electric power discharged from the energy storage device to said another storage device so as to control a voltage of the energy storage device to the minimum storage voltage.

10. A system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

an energy storage device adapted to discharge electric power that varies with a temperature;

a temperature sensor that measures a temperature associated with the energy storage device; and

a voltage control unit that sets a minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device to a first voltage level when the temperature measured by the temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined temperature, the first voltage level being higher than a second voltage level to which the minimum storage voltage is set when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

an electrical device adapted to be driven with electric power supplied from the energy storage device, wherein

the voltage control unit sets the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device to the first voltage level higher than the second voltage level, when the temperature measured before the electrical device is actuated is lower than the predetermined temperature.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein:

the energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of static electricity, and said another energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of chemical energy; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a storage voltage of said another energy storage device.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein the electrical device comprises a starter motor that is operable to rotate an internal combustion engine installed on the vehicle.

15. The system according to claim 14, further comprising another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein:

the energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of static electricity, and said another energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of chemical energy; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a storage voltage of said another energy storage device.

17. The system according to claim 10, further comprising a regenerating unit that recovers electric power by converting kinetic energy of the vehicle into electric energy, and charges the energy storage device with the recovered electric power.

18. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device, wherein

the voltage control unit controls a quantity of electric power discharged from the energy storage device to said another storage device so as to control a voltage of the energy storage device to the minimum storage voltage.

19. A method of controlling an energy storage device adapted to discharge electric power that varies with a temperature in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

sensing a temperature associated with the energy storage device; and

setting a minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device to a first voltage level when the temperature measured is lower than a predetermined temperature, the first voltage level being higher than a second voltage level to which the minimum storage voltage is set when the temperature is higher than the predetermined temperature.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein:

the vehicle includes an electrical device adapted to be driven with electric power supplied from the energy storage device; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is set to the first voltage level higher than the second voltage level, when the temperature measured before the electrical device is actuated is lower than the predetermined temperature.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein:

the vehicle further includes another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device;

the energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of static electricity, and said another energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of chemical energy; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a storage voltage of said another energy storage device.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein:

the vehicle further includes another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device;

the energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of static electricity, and said another energy storage device is operable to store electric power in the form of chemical energy; and

the minimum storage voltage of the energy storage device is higher than a storage voltage of said another energy storage device.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein:

the vehicle further includes another energy storage device adapted to be charged when selectively receiving electric power from the energy storage device; and

a quantity of electric power discharged from the energy storage device to said another storage device is controlled so as to control a voltage of the energy storage device to the minimum storage voltage.