HYBRID VEHICLE, METHOD OF NOTIFICATION FOR HYBRID VEHICLE, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM HAVING PROGRAM STORED THEREON FOR CAUSING COMPUTER TO EXECUTE METHOD OF NOTIFICATION FOR HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20110010030A1
• Filed: 08/13/2008
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Shigeo
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,803 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 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0031 Mathematical model of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A hybrid vehicle is configured to be capable of traveling with fuel and electric power serving as energy sources. A charger receives electric power from an external power supply connected to a charging port to charge a power storage device. An ECU calculates a distance traveled per unit amount of electric power supplied from the external power supply by the charger and a distance traveled per unit amount of fuel consumed by an engine. A notification unit notifies a user of each distance traveled, as calculated by the ECU.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A hybrid vehicle traveling with fuel and electric power as energy sources, comprising:

a charging device configured to be capable of charging a power storage device from a power supply external to the vehicle, said power storage device storing said electric power;

a calculation unit for calculating a first physical quantity involved in consuming first electric power supplied from outside the vehicle by said charging device and a second physical quantity involved in consuming said fuel; and

a notification unit for notifying a user of information based on said first and second physical quantities calculated by said calculation unit.

37. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said power storage device stores second electric power of electrical energy converted from energy attributed to the fuel; and

said calculation unit calculates said second physical quantity using said second electric power.

38. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a value having a correlation with a ratio of an amount of electric power supplied from said power supply and a distance traveled on said amount of electric power; and

said second physical quantity is a value having a correlation with a ratio of an amount of said fuel and a distance traveled on said amount of said fuel.

39. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

the information based on said first and second physical quantities is a value having a correlation with a ratio of a sum of a physical quantity corresponding to an amount of electric power supplied from said power supply and a physical quantity corresponding to an amount of said fuel and a sum of a distance traveled on said amount of electric power and a distance traveled on said fuel.

40. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a first distance traveled indicating a distance traveled per unit amount of electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a second distance traveled indicating a distance traveled per unit amount of said fuel.

41. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 40, further comprising:

an internal combustion engine supplied with said fuel;

an electric motor supplied with said electric power for causing the vehicle to travel; and

a traveling mode control unit for controlling switching between traveling modes including a first mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine stopped and a second mode including a mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine operated, wherein

said calculation unit in said first mode calculates said first distance traveled and in said second mode calculates said second distance traveled.

42. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 41, wherein said calculation unit calculates said first distance traveled, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said first mode by said electric motor is assumed as electric power supplied from said power supply, recovered, and said calculation unit calculates said second distance traveled, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said second mode is assumed as an amount of fuel equivalent to said regenerated electric power converted in terms of fuel, recovered.

43. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a first cost indicating a cost, per unit distance traveled, of electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a second cost indicating a cost of said fuel per unit distance traveled.

44. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 43, further comprising:

an internal combustion engine supplied with said fuel;

an electric motor supplied with said electric power for causing the vehicle to travel; and

a traveling mode control unit for controlling switching between traveling modes including a first mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine stopped and a second mode including a mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine operated, wherein

said calculation unit in said first mode calculates said first cost and in said second mode calculates said second cost.

45. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 44, wherein said calculation unit calculates said first cost such that regenerated electric power recovered in said first mode by said electric motor is assumed as electric power supplied from said power supply, recovered, and said calculation unit calculates said second cost such that regenerated electric power recovered in said second mode is assumed as an amount of fuel equivalent to said regenerated electric power converted in teens of fuel, recovered.

46. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 43, wherein said notification unit further notifies the user of a sum of said first and second costs.

47. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a value having a correlation with an amount of carbon dioxide emitted corresponding to electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a value having a correlation with an amount of carbon dioxide emitted corresponding to said fuel consumed.

48. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a first amount of carbon dioxide emitted indicating an amount of carbon dioxide emitted, per unit distance traveled, attributed to electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a second amount of carbon dioxide emitted indicating an amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance traveled on said fuel.

49. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 48, further comprising:

an internal combustion engine supplied with said fuel;

an electric motor supplied with said electric power for causing the vehicle to travel; and

a traveling mode control unit for controlling switching between traveling modes including a first mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine stopped and a second mode including a mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine operated, wherein

said calculation unit in said first mode calculates said first amount of carbon dioxide emitted and in said second mode calculates said second amount of carbon dioxide emitted.

50. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 49, wherein said calculation unit calculates said first amount of carbon dioxide emitted, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said first mode by said electric motor is assumed as electric power supplied from said power supply, recovered, and said calculation unit calculates said second amount of carbon dioxide emitted, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said second mode is assumed as an amount of fuel equivalent to said regenerated electric power converted in terms of fuel, recovered.

51. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 48, wherein said notification unit further notifies the user of a sum of said first and second amounts of carbon dioxide emitted.

58. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 51, wherein:

the step of calculating said first distance traveled includes calculating said first distance traveled, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said first mode by said electric motor is assumed as electric power supplied from said power supply, recovered; and

the step of calculating said second distance traveled includes calculating said second distance traveled, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said second mode is assumed as an amount of fuel equivalent to said regenerated electric power converted in terms of fuel, recovered.

69. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 36, wherein:

said power storage device is configured to be capable of storing said first electric power supplied from outside the vehicle and second electric power of electrical energy converted from energy attributed to the fuel; and

said calculation unit manages an amount of said second electric power stored in said power storage device separately from an amount of said first electric power stored in said power storage device and calculates said second physical quantity based on the amount of said second electric power stored in said power storage device.

52. A method of notification for a hybrid vehicle traveling with fuel and electric power as energy sources, said hybrid vehicle including a charging device configured to be capable of charging a power storage device from a power supply external to said vehicle, said power storage device storing said electric power, the method comprising the steps of:

calculating a first physical quantity involved in consuming first electric power supplied from outside the vehicle by said charging device;

calculating a second physical quantity involved in consuming said fuel; and

notifying a user of information based on said first and second physical quantities calculated.

53. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

said power storage device stores second electric power of electrical energy converted from energy attributed to the fuel; and

said second physical quantity is calculated using said second electric power.

54. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a value having a correlation with a ratio of an amount of electric power supplied from said power supply and a distance traveled on said amount of electric power; and

said second physical quantity is a value having a correlation with a ratio of an amount of said fuel and a distance traveled on said amount of said fuel.

55. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

the information based on said first and second physical quantities is a value having a correlation with a ratio of a sum of a physical quantity corresponding to an amount of electric power supplied from said power supply and a physical quantity corresponding to an amount of said fuel and a sum of a distance traveled on said amount of electric power and a distance traveled on said fuel.

56. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a first distance traveled indicating a distance traveled per unit amount of electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a second distance traveled indicating a distance traveled per unit amount of said fuel.

57. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 56, wherein:

said hybrid vehicle has mounted therein an internal combustion engine supplied with said fuel and an electric motor supplied with said electric power for causing the vehicle to travel and is capable of traveling in one of a first mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine stopped and a second mode including a mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine operated; and

in said first mode, said first distance traveled is calculated in the step of calculating said first distance traveled;

in said second mode, said second distance traveled is calculated in the step of calculating said second distance traveled.

59. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a first cost indicating a cost, per unit distance traveled, of electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a second cost indicating a cost of said fuel per unit distance traveled.

60. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 59, wherein:

said hybrid vehicle has mounted therein an internal combustion engine supplied with said fuel and an electric motor supplied with said electric power for causing the vehicle to travel and is capable of traveling in one of a first mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine stopped and a second mode including a mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine operated; and

in said first mode, said first cost is calculated in the step of calculating said first cost;

in said second mode, said second cost is calculated in the step of calculating said second cost.

61. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 60, wherein:

the step of calculating said first cost includes calculating said first cost such that regenerated electric power recovered in said first mode by said electric motor is assumed as electric power supplied from said power supply, recovered; and

the step of calculating said second cost includes calculating said second cost such that regenerated electric power recovered in said second mode is assumed as an amount of fuel equivalent to said regenerated electric power converted in terms of fuel, recovered.

62. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 59, further comprising the step of notifying the user of a sum of said first and second costs.

63. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a value having a correlation with an amount of carbon dioxide emitted corresponding to electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a value having a correlation with an amount of carbon dioxide emitted corresponding to said fuel consumed.

64. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, wherein:

said first physical quantity is a first amount of carbon dioxide emitted indicating an amount of carbon dioxide emitted, per unit distance traveled, attributed to electric power supplied from said power supply; and

said second physical quantity is a second amount of carbon dioxide emitted indicating an amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit distance traveled on said fuel.

65. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 64, wherein:

said hybrid vehicle has mounted therein an internal combustion engine supplied with said fuel and an electric motor supplied with said electric power for causing the vehicle to travel and is capable of traveling in one of a first mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine stopped and a second mode including a mode causing the vehicle to travel with said internal combustion engine operated; and

in said first mode, said first amount of carbon dioxide emitted is calculated in the step of calculating said first amount of carbon dioxide emitted;

in said second mode, said second amount of carbon dioxide emitted is calculated in the step of calculating said second amount of carbon dioxide emitted.

66. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 65, wherein:

the step of calculating said first amount of carbon dioxide emitted includes calculating said first amount of carbon dioxide emitted, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said first mode by said electric motor is assumed as electric power supplied from said power supply, recovered; and

the step of calculating said second amount of carbon dioxide emitted includes calculating said second amount of carbon dioxide emitted, such that regenerated electric power recovered in said second mode is assumed as an amount of fuel equivalent to said regenerated electric power converted in terms of fuel, recovered.

67. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 64, further comprising the step of notifying the user of a sum of said first and second amounts of carbon dioxide emitted.

68. A computer-readable storage medium having a program stored thereon for causing a computer to execute the method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52.

70. The method of notification for a hybrid vehicle according to claim 52, said power storage device being configured to be capable of storing said first electric power supplied from outside the vehicle and second electric power of electrical energy converted from energy attributed to the fuel, the method further comprising the steps of:

calculating an amount of said first electric power stored in said power storage device; and

calculating an amount of said second electric power stored in said power storage device, wherein

the step of calculating said second physical quantity includes the step of calculating said second physical quantity based on the amount of said second electric power stored in said power storage device.