VEHICLE, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING ENGINE

• US 20120310458A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fushiki, Shunsuke, Yamazaki, Makoto, Nawata, Hidekazu
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 10/30 including control of auxiliary equipment, e.g. air-conditioning compressors or oil pumps
• 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 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0694 Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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: Y10S 903/902 Prime movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A vehicle provided with a motor generator as a driving source includes a battery to supply electric power to the motor generator, an engine, and an ECU to control the vehicle in one of a CS mode and a CD mode in which opportunity for operation of the engine is limited compared to in the CS mode. The ECU controls the engine in accordance with a condition different from a condition used to control the engine in the CS mode, if the engine is started at least due to decrease in a state of charge of the battery while the vehicle is controlled in the CD mode.

Claims

1. A vehicle provided with an electric motor as a driving source, comprising:

a power storage device to supply electric power to said electric motor;

an engine; and

a control unit to control said vehicle in one of a first control mode and a second control mode in which opportunity for operation of said engine is limited compared to in said first control mode, wherein

said control unit controls said engine in accordance with a condition different from a condition used to control said engine in said first control mode, if said engine is started at least due to decrease in a state of charge of said power storage device while said vehicle is controlled in said second control mode.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a catalyst to purify gas exhausted from said engine, wherein

said control unit warms up said catalyst until a temperature of said catalyst attains a first value in said first control mode, and warms up said catalyst until the temperature of said catalyst attains a second value higher than said first value if said engine is started at least due to the decrease in the state of charge of said power storage device while said vehicle is controlled in said second control mode.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit stops said engine with a temperature of coolant of said engine being higher than a first value in said first control mode, and stops said engine with the temperature of the coolant of said engine being higher than a second value higher than said first value, if said engine is started at least due to the decrease in the state of charge of said power storage device while said vehicle is controlled in said second control mode.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit controls said engine in accordance with the condition different from the condition used to control said engine in said first control mode, if said control unit has controlled said vehicle in said second control mode since a point in time when said control unit was activated, and said engine is started at least due to the decrease in the state of charge of said power storage device while said vehicle is controlled in said second control mode.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit turns a flag on when said vehicle has been controlled in said second control mode since a point in time when said control unit was activated, and controls said engine in accordance with the condition different from the condition used to control said engine in said first control mode if said engine is started with said flag being ON.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit controls said vehicle in said first control mode when the state of charge of said power storage device is lower than a threshold value, and controls said vehicle in said second control mode when the state of charge of said power storage device is equal to or higher than said threshold value.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said control unit determines a parameter of said vehicle in accordance with operation by a driver, stops said engine when said parameter is smaller than a predetermined first value and operates said engine when said parameter is equal to or greater than said first value in said first control mode, and stops said engine when said parameter is smaller than a second value greater than said first value and operates said engine when said parameter is equal to or greater than said second value in said second control mode.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

said parameter is power.

9. A method of controlling an engine incorporated in a vehicle provided with an electric motor as a driving source, and a power storage device to supply electric power to said electric motor, comprising the steps of:

controlling said vehicle in one of a first control mode and a second control mode in which opportunity for operation of said engine is limited compared to in said first control mode; and

controlling said engine in accordance with a condition different from a condition used to control said engine in said first control mode, if said engine is started at least due to decrease in a state of charge of said power storage device while said vehicle is controlled in said second control mode.

10. A device of controlling an engine incorporated in a vehicle provided with an electric motor as a driving source, and a power storage device to supply electric power to said electric motor, comprising:

means for controlling said vehicle in one of a first control mode and a second control mode in which opportunity for operation of said engine is limited compared to in said first control mode; and

means for controlling said engine in accordance with a condition different from a condition used to control said engine in said first control mode, if said engine is started at least due to decrease in a state of charge of said power storage device while said vehicle is controlled in said second control mode.