METHOD FOR MANAGING FUEL CONSUMPTION OF A HYBRID VEHICLE AND VEHICLE ADAPTED TO SUCH A METHOD

• US 20100274426A1
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Truck Corporation (Volvo AB)
• Original Assignee: Renault Trucks (Volvo AB)
• Inventors: Valayer, Richard, Le Brusq, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0236 for economical driving
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/30 Driving style
• 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 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility

Abstract

This method is for managing fuel consumption of a hybrid vehicle on a given trip, the vehicle including an internal combustion engine, an electric energy storage arrangement and at least an electric machine adapted to work as a generator or as a motor. This method includes:

• • a) determination, for the given trip, of a target value of a parameter representative of fuel economy resulting from the use of the electric machine,
  • b) determination of an actual value of the parameter when the vehicle is running on the trip,
  • c) comparison of said target value and the actual value, and
  • d) information of a user of the result of the comparison, at least at the end of the trip.

The vehicle is provided with a computation arrangement and display for allowing steps c) and d) to take place onboard.

Claims

1. A method for managing fuel consumption of a hybrid vehicle on a given trip, vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, electric energy storage means and at least an electric machine adapted to work as a generator or as a motor, this method comprising at least the following steps:

a) determination, for trip, of a target value of a parameter representative of fuel economy resulting from the use of the electric machine,

b) determination of an actual value of parameter when the vehicle is running on trip,

c) comparison of target value and actual value, and

d) information of a user of result of the comparison, at least at the end of trip.

2. Method according to claim 1, step a) includes at least the following sub-steps:

a1) performance of at least a trial run on trip, with vehicle and recordal of a dataset on trial run,

a2) computation, on the basis of at least dataset, of a first energy needs value of vehicle to travel trip when only an internal combustion engine is used,

a3) computation, on the basis of a least dataset, of a second energy needs value of vehicle to travel trip when internal combustion engine, storage means and electric machine are used, and

a4) computation of a target value of parameter, on the basis of first and second energy needs values.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in the dataset recorded in step a1) is representative of the trip and of the operation of the vehicle on trip.

4. Method according to one of claims 2, the dataset recorded in step a1) includes at least a velocity profile of the vehicle along the trip.

5. Method according to claim 1, step a) includes at least the following steps:

a′

1) generation of a model of trip and vehicle,

a′

2) computation, on the basis of the model, of a first energy needs value of vehicle to travel trip when only an internal combustion engine is used,

a′

3) computation, on the basis of model, of a second energy needs value of vehicle to travel trip when internal combustion engine, storage means and electric machine are used, and

a′

4) computation of a target value of parameter, on the basis of first and second energy needs values.

6. Method according to claim 2, steps a2) to a4) or a′

2) to a′

4) take place in an off board computer.

7. Method according to claim 1 , target value is stored onboard vehicle after it has been determined.

8. Method according to one of the previous claims, step b) is performed onboard vehicle on the basis of the actual working conditions of internal combustion engine, storage means and electric machine, when vehicle is running on trip.

9. Method according to claim 1, step c) is performed onboard vehicle and the driver, in step d), is informed onboard of the result of comparison.

10. Method according to claim 9, step d) takes place at the end of trip.

11. Method according to claim 9, step d) occurs several times or continuously when vehicle is running on trip.

12. Method according to claim 1, in step d), information is sent to a remote computer with respect to the result of comparison of step c).

13. Method according to claim 1, parameter is a ratio of the energy needs of vehicle for trip corresponding to the energy savings resulting from the use of storage means and electric machine.

14. Hybrid automotive vehicle adapted to the method of claim 1, vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, electric energy storage means, at least an electric machine adapted to work as a generator or as a motor, a memory adapted to store target value, computation means, adapted to determine actual value and to make the comparison of step c), and display means adapted to allow information of the driver, according to step d).

15. Vehicle according to claim 14, display means are adapted to display graphically a ratio of the actual value to the target value of the parameter representative of fuel economy.