Driving power control apparatus for vehicle and method for controlling vehicle

• US 20110071712A1
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Mizuno, Yuusuke, Yamada, Kazunao, Sakai, Tadashi
• Application Number:
  US12/805,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20110071712A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/42 by adaptive correction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• 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 20/13 : in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 : Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 : Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A driving power control apparatus for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor includes a charge specifying unit and a schedule specifying unit. When determining that congestion exists ahead based on received wireless information, the charge specifying unit specifies a required charge quantity of a battery, which is needed at a congestion start, such that a charge quantity of the battery remains more than a predetermined quantity at a congestion end after traveling through the congestion using the motor. The schedule specifying unit extracts a partial section in advance of the congestion start. The schedule specifying unit further specifies a schedule of a control index in the partial section, such that the charge quantity of the battery at the congestion start is more than the required charge quantity.

Claims

1. A driving power control apparatus for controlling a driving power of an internal combustion engine and an electric motor of a vehicle according to a schedule of a specified control index, the driving power control apparatus comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive wireless information;

a required charge specifying unit configured to, when determining that a congestion exists ahead based on the wireless information received by the receiving unit, specify a required charge quantity of a battery needed at a congestion start for driving the motor, such that a charge quantity of the battery remains more than a predetermined quantity at a congestion end after traveling through the congestion using the motor; and

a schedule specifying unit configured to;

extract a partial section in advance of the congestion start; and

specify a schedule of a control index in the partial section, such that the charge quantity of the battery at the congestion start is more than the required charge quantity.

2. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a condition storing unit configured to;

retrieve a traveling condition for specifying the schedule of the control index; and

cause a storing unit to store the retrieved traveling condition, wherein

the schedule specifying unit is further configured to;

read a retrieved traveling condition of a specific section from the storing unit, the specific section being in advance of a position of the vehicle; and

specify a schedule of a control index in a partial section in advance of the congestion start on assumption to travel in the same condition as the traveling condition.

3. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power arithmetic unit configured to calculate a required electric power needed for the battery to drive the motor when traveling through the congestion using the motor, based on the congestion information, wherein

the required charge specifying unit is further configured to specify the required charge quantity needed at the congestion start, based on the required electric power, such that the charge quantity of the battery is more than a predetermined quantity at the congestion end when traveling through the congestion using the motor.

4. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power arithmetic unit is further configured to calculate the required electric power by using a traveling model, which specifies a traveling pattern in the congestion.

5. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the power arithmetic unit is further configured to:

specify a slope in the congestion from the congestion information; and

correct the required electric power based on the specified slope.

6. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an in-congestion determination unit configured to determine whether the vehicle is traveling in a congestion, wherein

the power arithmetic unit is further configured to, when the in-congestion determination unit determines that the vehicle is traveling in a congestion, calculate the required electric power based on a traveling history retrieved while traveling in the congestion.

7. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the required charge specifying unit is further configured to, when determining that a plurality of congestions exist ahead based on the wireless information received by the receiving unit, specify the required charge quantity needed at a congestion start for each of the plurality of congestions,

the schedule specifying unit is further configured to:

extract a partial section in advance of the congestion start of each of the plurality of congestions; and

specify the schedule of the control index for the extracted partial section in advance of the congestion start of each of the plurality of congestions.

8. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the required charge specifying unit is further configured to, when determining that a plurality of congestions exist ahead on a single road based on the wireless information received by the receiving unit, specify the required charge quantity needed at a congestion start for each of the plurality of congestions,

the schedule specifying unit is further configured to:

extract a partial section in advance of the congestion start of each of the plurality of congestions; and

specify the schedule of the control index for the extracted partial section in advance of the congestion start of each of the plurality of congestions.

9. The driving power control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the required charge specifying unit is further configured to, when determining that a plurality of congestions exist ahead on a plurality of branched roads based on the wireless information received by the receiving unit, specify the required charge quantity needed at a congestion start for each of the plurality of congestions,

the schedule specifying unit is further configured to:

extract a partial section in advance of the congestion start of each of the plurality of congestions; and

specify the schedule of the control index for the extracted partial section in advance of the congestion start of each of the plurality of congestions.

10. A method for controlling a vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, the method comprising:

receiving wireless information;

determining whether a congestion exists ahead based on the received wireless information;

specifying, when it is determined that a congestion exists ahead, a required charge quantity of a battery needed at a congestion start for driving the motor, such that a charge quantity of the battery remains more than a predetermined quantity at a congestion end after traveling through the congestion using the motor;

extracting a partial section in advance of the congestion start;

specifying a schedule of a control index in the extracted partial section, such that the charge quantity of the battery at the congestion start is more than the required charge quantity; and

manipulating a driving power of the internal combustion engine and the electric motor according to the specified schedule of the control index.