Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, program for causing computer to execute vehicle control method, and recording medium having program recorded thereon

• US 20090326750A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ang, Wanleng
• Granted Patent: US 8,285,433 B2
• 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: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/04 including control of propulsion units
• 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 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• 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 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 : Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 : Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 : Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 : Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 : specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 : Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle control method having an HV driving mode in which operation of an internal combustion engine is permitted and an EV driving mode in which a vehicle is driven by using a motor with the internal combustion engine stopped includes the steps of: setting a destination; setting a driving route from a starting point to the destination; dividing the driving route and associating any of the driving modes with each section of the divided driving route; fixing the division of the driving route and the driving mode associated with each section based on an instruction from an operator; and causing the vehicle to travel each section in the associated driving mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device having a plurality of driving modes, comprising:

a destination setting portion setting a destination;

a route setting portion setting a driving route from a starting point to said destination;

a driving route dividing portion dividing said driving route;

a driving mode fixing portion fixing a driving mode by associating any of the driving modes with for each section of the divided driving route, based on an instruction from an operator; and

a driving control portion causing a vehicle to travel said each section in the associated driving mode,

said driving route dividing portion dividing the driving route from said starting point to said destination into sections appropriate for each of said plurality of driving modes and provisionally deciding a driving mode for each divided section, and

said driving mode fixing portion changing the driving mode associated with each section into another driving mode based on the instruction from the operator.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle is a hybrid vehicle driven by using an internal combustion engine and a motor, and

said plurality of driving modes include

an HV driving mode in which operation of said internal combustion engine is permitted, and

an EV driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by using said motor with said internal combustion engine stopped.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, further comprising

an information reading portion reading information including said destination, said driving route, divided said each section, and said driving mode associated with each section from outside the vehicle, wherein

said driving control portion is configured such that the vehicle can travel based on said information.

4. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle includes a display portion displaying said driving route, and

said driving mode fixing portion causes the driving mode associated with each section and another driving mode to pop up on said display portion based on the instruction from said operator specifying any of the sections of said divided driving route, and changes the driving mode based on a mode selection instruction from said operator.

5. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle includes a display portion displaying said driving route, and

said driving mode fixing portion changes a position of a selected boundary point at which said driving route is divided, based on an input by the said operator for selecting the boundary point displayed on said display portion at which said driving route is divided, and moving the boundary point along said driving route.

6. A vehicle control device having a plurality of driving modes, comprising:

means for setting a destination;

means for setting a driving route from a starting point to said destination;

means for dividing said driving route;

means for fixing a driving mode by associating any of the driving modes for each section of the divided driving route, based on an instruction from an operator; and

means for causing a vehicle to travel said each section in the associated driving mode,

said means for dividing said driving route dividing the driving route from said starting point to said destination into sections appropriate for each of said plurality of driving modes and provisionally deciding a driving mode for each divided section, and

said means for fixing a driving mode changing the driving mode associated with each section into another driving mode based on the instruction from the operator.

7. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein

said vehicle is a hybrid vehicle driven by using an internal combustion engine and a motor, and

said plurality of driving modes include

an HV driving mode in which operation of said internal combustion engine is permitted, and

an EV driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by using said motor with said internal combustion engine stopped.

8. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, further comprising

means for reading information including said destination, said driving route, divided said each section, and said driving mode associated with each section from outside the vehicle, wherein

said means for causing a vehicle to travel is configured such that the vehicle can travel based on said information.

9. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein

said vehicle includes means for displaying said driving route, and

said means for fixing a driving mode causes the driving mode associated with each section and another driving mode to pop up on said display portion based on the instruction from said operator specifying any of the sections of said divided driving route, and changes the driving mode based on a mode selection instruction from said operator.

10. The vehicle control device according to claim 6, wherein

said vehicle includes means for displaying said driving route, and

said means for fixing a driving mode changes a position of a selected boundary point at which said driving route is divided, based on an input by the said operator for selecting the boundary point displayed on said display portion at which said driving route is divided, and moving the boundary point along said driving route.

11. A vehicle control method having a plurality of driving modes, comprising the steps of:

setting a destination;

setting a driving route from a starting point to said destination;

dividing said driving route;

fixing a driving mode by associating any of the driving modes with for each section of the divided driving route, based on an instruction from an operator; and

causing a vehicle to travel said each section in the associated driving mode,

in said step of dividing said driving route, the driving route from said starting point to said destination being divided into sections appropriate for each of said plurality of driving modes and a driving mode for each divided section being provisionally decided, and

in said step of fixing a driving mode, the driving mode associated with each section being changed into another driving mode based on the instruction from the operator.

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

said vehicle is a hybrid vehicle driven by using an internal combustion engine and a motor, and

said plurality of driving modes include

an HV driving mode in which operation of said internal combustion engine is permitted, and

an EV driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by using said motor with said internal combustion engine stopped.

13. The vehicle control method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of

reading information including said destination, said driving route, divided said each section, and said driving mode associated with each section from outside the vehicle, wherein

in said step of causing a vehicle to travel, the vehicle is caused to travel based on said information.

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

said vehicle includes a display portion displaying said driving route, and

in said step of fixing a driving mode, the driving mode associated with each section and another driving mode is caused to pop up on said display portion based on the instruction from said operator specifying any of the sections of said divided driving route, and the driving mode is changed based on a mode selection instruction from said operator.

15. The vehicle control method according to claim 11, wherein

said vehicle includes a display portion displaying said driving route, and

in said step of fixing a driving mode, a position of a selected boundary point at which said driving route is divided is changed based on an input by the said operator for selecting the boundary point displayed on said display portion at which said driving

route is divided, and moving the boundary point along said driving route.

16. A computer-readable recording medium having a program for causing a computer to execute the vehicle control method according to claim 11 recorded thereon.

17. A program for causing a computer to execute the vehicle control method according to claim 11.