VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM HAVING AUTOMATIC ENGINE STOP FUNCTION SELECTIVELY ENABLED/DISABLED BASED ON ESTIMATED CHARGE AMOUNT IN BATTERY
First Claim
1. A vehicle control system installed in a motor vehicle having a rechargeable battery, said vehicle control system incorporating an automatic engine control apparatus having an automatic engine stop function and said vehicle control system comprising judgement circuitry configured to judge a charge condition of said battery and to selectively enable and inhibit said automatic engine stop function based upon said charge condition;
- wherein said judgement circuitry is configured to;
at a first time point while said engine is running, calculate a predicted charging current integral by calculating successive values of a predicted charging current of said battery within a prediction interval extending from said first time point to a final time point at which said predicted charging current attains a predetermined final value, and integrating said predicted charging current with respect to time over said prediction interval, to obtain a predicted charging current integral, said predicted charging current values being calculated assuming a condition of constant-voltage charging of said battery at a predetermined voltage throughout said prediction interval, and said charging current final value and said predetermined voltage, in combination, being indicative of a predetermined value of charge stored in said battery,subtract said predicted charging current integral from a difference between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value of charge stored in said battery, to obtain an initial allowable discharge amount, andsubsequent to said first time point, calculate an actual current integral by integrating successive measured values of charge and discharge current of said battery with respect to time, from said first time point up to a current time point;
said judgement circuitry being configured to selectively enable and inhibit said automatic engine stop function, subsequent to said engine starting, based upon said actual current integral in conjunction with said initial allowable discharge anoint.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Each time that starting of a vehicle engine is completed, a vehicle control system derives an estimated amount by which the charge in the vehicle battery is less than a predetermined upper limit value of stored charge, and subtracts the estimated amount from the difference between the upper limit value and a lower limit value of stored charge, to obtain an initial allowable discharge amount. An automatic engine stop/restart function is thereafter enabled or inhibited in accordance with whether a net amount of discharge from the battery, to since completion of the preceding engine start, exceeds the initial allowable discharge amount.
32 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A vehicle control system installed in a motor vehicle having a rechargeable battery, said vehicle control system incorporating an automatic engine control apparatus having an automatic engine stop function and said vehicle control system comprising judgement circuitry configured to judge a charge condition of said battery and to selectively enable and inhibit said automatic engine stop function based upon said charge condition;
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wherein said judgement circuitry is configured to; at a first time point while said engine is running, calculate a predicted charging current integral by calculating successive values of a predicted charging current of said battery within a prediction interval extending from said first time point to a final time point at which said predicted charging current attains a predetermined final value, and integrating said predicted charging current with respect to time over said prediction interval, to obtain a predicted charging current integral, said predicted charging current values being calculated assuming a condition of constant-voltage charging of said battery at a predetermined voltage throughout said prediction interval, and said charging current final value and said predetermined voltage, in combination, being indicative of a predetermined value of charge stored in said battery, subtract said predicted charging current integral from a difference between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value of charge stored in said battery, to obtain an initial allowable discharge amount, and subsequent to said first time point, calculate an actual current integral by integrating successive measured values of charge and discharge current of said battery with respect to time, from said first time point up to a current time point; said judgement circuitry being configured to selectively enable and inhibit said automatic engine stop function, subsequent to said engine starting, based upon said actual current integral in conjunction with said initial allowable discharge anoint. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vehicle control system installed in a motor vehicle having a rechargeable battery, said vehicle control system comprising judgement circuitry configured to judge a charge condition of said battery and a battery charging control apparatus configured to control a charging current of said battery based upon said charge condition;
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wherein said judgement circuitry is configured to at a first time point while said engine is running, calculate a predicted charging current integral by calculating successive values of a predicted charging current of said battery with respect to a prediction interval, said prediction interval extending from said first time point to a final time point at which said predicted charging current attains a predetermined final value, and integrating said predicted charging current over said prediction interval to obtain a predicted charging current integral, said predicted charging current values being calculated assuming a condition of constant-voltage charging of said battery at a predetermined voltage throughout said prediction interval, and said charging current final value and said predetermined voltage, in combination, being indicative of a predetermined value of charge stored in said battery, subtract said predicted charging current integral from a difference between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value of charge stored in said battery, to obtain an initial allowable discharge amount expressing a maximum allowable reduction of said stored charge at said first time point, and subsequent to said first time point, calculate an actual current integral by integrating successive measured values of charge and discharge current of said battery from said first time point up to a current time point; and wherein said battery charging control apparatus is configured to control a charging current of said battery based upon said initial allowable discharge amount and said actual current integral. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification