Control apparatus and control method of vehicle

• US 20060180362A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueoka, Kiyoshiro, Yamazaki, Makoto, Harada, Osamu, Nishigaki, Takahiro, Ichimoto, Kazuhiro, Yamaguchi, Katsuhiko, Kobayashi, Yukio, Tomatsuri, Mamoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,520,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.235
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/20 the prime-movers consisting of electric motors and internal combustion engines, e.g. HEVs
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/15 Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• 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

Abstract

A control method of a vehicle includes a step of running the vehicle in an EV running mode in accordance with an operation of a driver, a step of performing a warming-up running, when it is determined that warming up is required, and a step of prohibiting the EV running mode such that the warming up running can be performed.

Claims

1. A control apparatus of a vehicle equipped with an electric motor generating drive power, a charging mechanism supplying electric power to said electric motor, and a catalyst purifying gases emitted as the drive power of said vehicle is generated, comprising:

first control means for running the vehicle by the electric motor supplied with electric power from said charging mechanism in accordance with an operation of a driver;

determination means for determining whether said catalyst requires to be warmed up or not;

second control means for running the vehicle by the electric motor supplied with electric power from said charging mechanism, when it is determined that the catalyst requires to be warmed up; and

prohibition means for prohibiting control by said first control means based on a predetermined condition as to whether execution of control by said second control means is possible or not.

2. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

an engine generating drive power is mounted on said vehicle, and

said catalyst purifies gases emitted from said engine.

3. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said predetermined condition is a condition that a remaining amount of said charging mechanism is smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.

4. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said predetermined condition is a condition that a remaining amount of said charging mechanism is smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.

5. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising

information means for informing a driver that control by said first control means is prohibited, when control by said first control means is prohibited.

6. A control apparatus of a vehicle equipped with an electric motor generating drive power, a charging mechanism supplying electric power to said electric motor, and a catalyst purifying gases emitted as the drive power of said vehicle is generated, comprising:

a first control unit running the vehicle by the electric motor supplied with electric power from said charging mechanism in accordance with an operation of a driver;

a determination unit determining whether said catalyst requires to be warmed up or not;

a second control unit running the vehicle by the electric motor supplied with electric power from said charging mechanism, when it is determined that the catalyst requires to be warmed up; and

a prohibition unit prohibiting control by said first control unit based on a predetermined condition as to whether execution of control by said second control unit is possible or not.

7. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

an engine generating drive power is mounted on said vehicle, and

said catalyst purifies gases emitted from said engine.

8. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

said predetermined condition is a condition that a remaining amount of said charging mechanism is smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.

9. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said predetermined condition is a condition that a remaining amount of said charging mechanism is smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.

10. The control apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising

an information unit informing a driver that control by said first control unit is prohibited when control by said first control unit is prohibited.

11. A control method of a vehicle equipped with an electric motor generating drive power, a charging mechanism supplying electric power to said electric motor, and a catalyst purifying gases emitted from said vehicle, comprising:

a step of running the vehicle by the electric motor supplied with electric power from said charging mechanism in accordance with an operation of a driver;

a step of determining whether said catalyst requires to be warmed up or not;

a step of running the vehicle by the electric motor supplied with electric power from said charging mechanism, when it is determined that the catalyst requires to be warmed up; and

a step of prohibiting control by the step of running the vehicle in accordance with an operation of a driver based on a predetermined condition as to whether execution of control by the step of running the vehicle when it is determined that the catalyst requires to be warmed up is possible or not.

12. The control method of a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

an engine generating drive power is mounted on said vehicle, and

said catalyst purifies gases emitted from said engine.

13. The control method of a vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

said predetermined condition is a condition that a remaining amount of said charging mechanism is smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.

14. The control method of a vehicle according to claim 11, wherein

said predetermined condition is a condition that a remaining amount of said charging mechanism is smaller than a predetermined remaining amount.

15. The control method of a vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising

a step of informing a driver that control by said step of running the vehicle in accordance with an operation of a driver is prohibited, when control by said step of running the vehicle in accordance with an operation of a driver is prohibited.