VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR FAILURE DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE

• US 20090306841A1
• Filed: 05/15/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Kinomura, Shigeki, Miwa, Koji, Atsumi, Yoshiaki, Osawa, Koichi
• Application Number:
  US12/312,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20090306841A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/54 Windings for different functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• 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: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 20/50 : Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle (100) includes: a battery (B1, B2); a motor generator (MG2) driven by electric power stored in the battery (B1); a coupling unit (41) for electrically coupling the battery (B1, B2) to an external commercial power supply (55); and a controller (60) for operating an electrical component (43) and performing failure diagnosis of the electrical component (43) in a case where the vehicle and the external power supply can be electrically coupled by operating the coupling unit (41). As a result, there can be provided a vehicle that can be charged from outside and allows early detection of a failure without reducing a distance that can be traveled, and a method for failure diagnosis of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a power storage device;

a motor driven by electric power stored in said power storage device;

a coupling unit for electrically coupling said power storage device to an external power supply; and

a control unit for operating an electrical component and performing failure diagnosis of said electrical component in a case where the vehicle and said external power supply can be electrically coupled by operating said coupling unit.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when said power storage device is being charged by using electric power supplied from outside through said coupling unit, said control unit performs said failure diagnosis in parallel with charging by using the electric power supplied from outside through said coupling unit or the electric power charged in said power storage device.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said coupling unit includes a connector for electrically connecting said external power supply and said vehicle, and

said vehicle further includes a transmitting unit for transmitting information about said failure diagnosis to the outside of the vehicle through a cable connected between said connector and said external power supply.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said coupling unit includes a connector for electrically connecting said external power supply and said vehicle, and

said vehicle further includes a receiving unit for receiving a control program of said electrical component from outside of the vehicle through a cable connected between said connector and said external power supply.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

an internal combustion engine, wherein

said electrical component is a component related to at least one of intake and discharge of air in said internal combustion engine.

6. A vehicle, comprising:

a power storage device;

a motor driven by electric power stored in said power storage device;

a coupling unit for electrically coupling said power storage device to an external power supply; and

a control unit for operating an electrical component by using electric power supplied from at least any one of said power storage device and said external power supply, and performing failure diagnosis of said electrical component, in a state where said coupling unit and said external power supply are physically connected.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said control unit performs failure diagnosis of said electrical component when a charging cost in a case where said power storage device is charged by said external power supply is lower than a reference value.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said control unit determines a state of charge of said power storage device, and upon determining that said state of charge is not less than a prescribed value, said control unit performs failure diagnosis of said electrical component.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

said control unit performs failure diagnosis of said electrical component when a charging cost in a case where said power storage device is charged by said external power supply is lower than a reference value.

10. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said coupling unit includes a connector for electrically connecting said external power supply and said vehicle, and

said vehicle further includes a transmitting unit for transmitting information about said failure diagnosis to the outside of the vehicle through a cable connected between said connector and said external power supply.

11. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said coupling unit includes a connector for electrically connecting said external power supply and said vehicle, and

said vehicle further includes a receiving unit for receiving a control program of said electrical component from outside of the vehicle through a cable connected between said connector and said external power supply.

12. The vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising:

an internal combustion engine, wherein

said electrical component is a component related to at least one of intake and discharge of air in said internal combustion engine.

13. A method for failure diagnosis of a vehicle having a power storage device, a motor driven by electric power stored in said power storage device, and a coupling unit for electrically coupling said power storage device and an external power supply, comprising the steps of:

determining that the vehicle and said external power supply can be electrically coupled by operating said coupling unit; and

operating an electrical component and performing failure diagnosis of said electrical component in a case where the vehicle and said external power supply can be electrically coupled.

14. The method for failure diagnosis of a vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising the step of:

charging said power storage device by using electric power supplied from outside through said coupling unit, wherein

in said step of performing failure diagnosis, said failure diagnosis is performed in parallel with charging by using the electric power supplied from outside through said coupling unit or the electric power charged in said power storage device.