Hybrid Vehicle

• US 20090044995A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nexgen Control Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Tomohiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,083,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/65.210
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• 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 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/18 Distance travelled
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/072 Curvature of the road
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/076 Slope angle of the road
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle which can determine slope ascending and slope descending without using GPS radio waves. The hybrid vehicle includes a control unit determines a slope ascending state or a slope descending state of the vehicle by making use of an inclination sensor which detects an inclination with respect to a horizontal surface in the running direction of the vehicle or a vehicle drive sensor. Alternatively, the control unit obtains slope ascending information or slope descending information of the road by making use of a driver operation panel or a bus location system. The control unit sets a charge rate target value of an energy storage device based on these slope ascending state, slope ascending information, slope descending state, and slope descending information and controls charging to the energy storage device.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a generator which is driven by the engine;

an energy storage device; and

a drive motor which drives a vehicle, and is configured such that the drive motor drives the vehicle upon receiving a generation output of the generator and an energy storage output of the energy storage device and, further, the energy storage device is charged with the generation output of the generator and a regeneration output of the drive motor, wherein

the hybrid vehicle includes a control unit which controls the generation output of the generator and controls the charging to the energy storage device, and an inclination sensor which detects an inclination in the running direction of the vehicle with respect to a horizontal surface, and the control unit includes a means which determines a slope ascending state and a slope descending state of the vehicle based on an inclination sensor output of the inclination sensor, and a means which sets a charge rate control target value with respect to the energy storage device based on the slope ascending state of the vehicle and the slope descending state of the vehicle.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the hybrid vehicle further includes a charge sensor which outputs a charge rate of the energy storage device, and the control unit controls the generation output of the generator based on the charge rate and the charge rate control target value.

6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the control unit controls driving and stopping of the engine and performs an ON/OFF control of the generation Output of the generator.

7. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the hybrid vehicle further includes a power converter which controls the generation output of the generator, and the control unit controls the generation output of the generator by controlling the power converter.

2. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a generator which is driven by the engine;

an energy storage device; and

a drive motor which drives a vehicle, and is configured such that the drive motor drives the vehicle upon receiving a generation output of the generator and an energy storage output of the energy storage device and, further, the energy storage device is charged with the generation output of the generator and a regeneration output of the drive motor, wherein

the hybrid vehicle includes a control unit which controls the generation output of the generator and controls the charging to the energy storage device, and a vehicle drive sensor which detects a driving condition of the vehicle, and the control unit includes a means which determines a slope ascending state and a slope descending state of the vehicle based on a drive sensor output of the vehicle drive sensor, and a means which sets a charge rate control target value with respect to the energy storage device based on the slope ascending state of the vehicle and the slope descending state of the vehicle.

8. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the hybrid vehicle further includes a charge sensor which outputs a charge rate of the energy storage device, and the control unit controls the generation output of the generator based on the charge rate and the charge rate control target value.

3. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a generator which is driven by the engine;

an energy storage device; and

a drive motor which drives a vehicle, and is configured such that the drive motor drives the vehicle upon receiving a generation output of the generator and an energy storage output of the energy storage device and, further, the energy storage device is charged with the generation output of the generator and a regeneration output of the drive motor, wherein

the hybrid vehicle includes a control unit which controls the generation output of the generator and controls the charging to the energy storage device, and a driver operation panel which inputs a traveling planed road of the vehicle, and the control unit includes a means which sets a charge rate control target value with respect to the energy storage device based on a slope ascending state and a slope descending state with respect to the traveling planed road.

9. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the hybrid vehicle further includes a charge sensor which outputs a charge rate of the energy storage device, and the control unit controls the generation output of the generator based on the charge rate and the charge rate control target value.

4. A hybrid vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a generator which is driven by the engine;

an energy storage device; and

a drive motor which drives a vehicle, and is configured such that the drive motor drives the vehicle upon receiving a generation output of the generator and an energy storage output of the energy storage device and, further, the energy storage device is charged with the generation output of the generator and a regeneration output of the drive motor, and performs a route service with respect to a preset traveling route wherein

the hybrid vehicle includes a control unit which controls the generation output of the generator and controls the charging to the energy storage device, a route information storage device which stores route information on respective service intervals of the traveling route, and an information acquisition device which acquires positional information from beacons arranged along the traveling route, and the control unit includes a means which reads the route information of the service interval in which the vehicle travels next and sets a charge rate control target value with respect to the energy storage device based on the route information.

10. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the hybrid vehicle further includes a charge sensor which outputs a charge rate of the energy storage device, and the control unit controls the generation output of the generator based on the charge rate and the charge rate control target value.