Power control apparatus, power control method

• US 20070213921A1
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Kazuhi
• Granted Patent: US 7,696,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/115
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/305 Power absorbed by auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/086 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1446 in response to parameters of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

A battery requiring power generation determining unit is operable to determine first power required by the battery depending on a battery condition. An electric component using power determining unit is operable to determine second power used by the electric components. An feeding indispensable power determining unit is operable to determine feeding indispensable power. A power generation determining unit is operable to determine a first power generation to be generated by the generator based on the first power, the second power, and the feeding indispensable power. The feeding indispensable power determining unit determines the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which charges a battery provided on a vehicle and feeds to electric components provided on the vehicle, the power control apparatus comprising:

a battery requiring power generation determining unit operable to determine first power required by the battery depending on a battery condition;

an electric component using power determining unit operable to determine second power used by the electric components;

an feeding indispensable power determining unit operable to determine feeding indispensable power; and

a power generation determining unit operable to determine a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power, the second power, and the feeding indispensable power,

wherein the feeding indispensable power determining unit determines the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

2. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a charging mode determining unit operable to determine a charging mode depending on the battery condition; and

a charging control method determining unit operable to determine a charging control method depending on the charging mode and the running mode,

wherein the battery requiring power generation determining unit determines the first power depending on the charging control method and the battery condition.

3. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a feeding control requiring power generation determining unit operable to determine a feeding control requiring power generation amount based on the second power and the feeding indispensable power; and

a feeding control judging unit operable to judge whether a feeding restriction is performed depending on the feeding control requiring power generation amount and actual power generation amount of the generator.

4. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an external information detection unit operable to detect external information;

a predicting unit operable to predict transition of parameters related to the power generation control for each area based on the detected external information; and

a power generation calculating unit operable to calculate second power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on predicted the transition of the parameters,

wherein third power generation amount is determined by adjusting the first power generation amount based on the second power generation amount.

5. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 4,

wherein the third power generation amount is determined depending on a difference between the first power generation amount and the second power generation amount.

6. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

a drive characteristic detecting unit operable to detect drive characteristic of a driver,

wherein the predicted transition of the parameters are corrected based on the detected drive characteristic.

7. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the feeding indispensable power is power required in a case where electric components related to safety system of the vehicle is activated.

8. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1,

wherein the feeding indispensable power is power required in a case where a predetermined electric component is activated.

9. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control apparatus comprising:

a power generation determining unit operable to determine first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components and feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component related to safety system of the vehicle is activated,

wherein the power generation determining unit changes the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

10. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 9,

wherein the electric component related to the safety system includes at least one of an airbag system, an anti-brake system, a pre-crush system, and skidding prevention system.

11. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control apparatus comprising:

a power generation determining unit operable to determine first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components and feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component which is currently deactivated is activated,

wherein the power generation determining unit changes the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

12. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components including a navigation system, the power control apparatus comprising:

an electric component using power determining unit operable to detect first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;

an electric component using power predicting unit operable to predict second power consumed by an electric component which is predicted to be activated in the electric components based on a running mode of the vehicle and external information acquired from the navigation system; and

a power generation determining unit operable to determine a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the detected first power and the predicted second power.

13. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which charges a battery provided on a vehicle and feeds to electric components provided on the vehicle, the power control method comprising:

determining first power required by the battery depending on a battery condition;

determining second power used by the electric components;

determining feeding indispensable power; and

determining a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power, the second power, and the feeding indispensable power,

wherein the feeding indispensable power is determined depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

14. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control method comprising:

determining first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;

determining feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component related to safety system of the vehicle is activated;

determining first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power and the feeding indispensable power,

wherein the feeding indispensable power is changed depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

15. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control method comprising:

determining first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;

determining feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component which is currently deactivated is activated; and

determining first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power and the feeding indispensable power,

wherein the feeding indispensable power is changed depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

16. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components including a navigation system, the power control method comprising:

detecting first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;

predicting second power consumed by an electric component which is predicted to be activated in the electric components based on a running mode of the vehicle and external information acquired from the navigation system; and

determining a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the detected first power and the predicted second power.