CONTROL METHOD OF HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20130038271A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Park, Hyongjoon
• Application Number:
  US13/307,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20130038271A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• 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 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 Batteries
• 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: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for controlling a hybrid vehicle when the state of charge of a high voltage battery is sufficiently low. In particular, a motor unit is connected to an engine via a rotation element, a high voltage battery is electrically connected to the motor unit to provide power thereto, and a low voltage battery is electrically connected to the high voltage battery through a two-way converter. Advantageously, a control portion is configured to boost voltage of the low voltage battery to supply the high voltage battery with high voltage through the two-way converter when the state of charge of the high voltage battery falls below a first predetermined value.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a motor unit connected to an engine via a rotation element;

a high voltage battery electrically connected to the motor unit to operate the motor unit;

a low voltage battery electrically connected to the high voltage battery through a two-way converter; and

a control portion configured to boost voltage of the low voltage battery to charge the high voltage battery with high voltage through the two-way converter when a state of charge of the high voltage battery is less than a first predetermined value.

2. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a detecting portion configured to detect the state of charge of the high voltage battery, wherein the control portion is configured to boost the voltage of the low voltage battery through the two-way converter, supply the high voltage battery with high voltage, and control the motor unit to start the engine, when it is determined that the state of charge is less than the first predetermined value.

3. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor unit includes:

a first motor having one side thereof connected to the engine and another side thereof connected to a transmission; and

a second motor configured to start the engine or use the torque from the engine to generate electricity, wherein the control portion uses the first motor or the second motor to start the engine.

4. The hybrid vehicle of claim 3, wherein the high voltage battery provides power to the first motor through the first inverter and the high voltage battery provides power to the second motor through the second inverter.

5. The hybrid vehicle of claim 2, wherein the control portion controls the high voltage battery to charge the low battery through the two-way convertor, when the state of charge is detected by the detecting portion to be greater than a second predetermined value.

6. The hybrid vehicle of claim 2, wherein the control portion is configured to generate an emergency signal to activate an emergency charging mode, when the state of charge is detected by the detecting portion to be less than the first predetermined value.

7. The hybrid vehicle of claim 6, wherein the motor unit is configured to utilize the torque of the engine to charge the high voltage battery and the control portion is configured to generate a release signal to release the emergency charging mode, when the state of charge that is detected by the detecting portion is greater than the second predetermined value.

8. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, wherein the two-way converter is a two-way Direct Current/Direct Current (DC/DC) converter that transforms DC low voltage to DC high voltage or DC high voltage to DC low voltage.

9. The hybrid vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a temperature detecting portion configured to detect and monitor a temperature of the high voltage battery, wherein the control portion boosts the voltage of the low voltage battery and operates the motor unit to start the engine, when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting portion is less than a third predetermined value.

10. A method, comprising:

determining, by a control portion, whether the state of charge of a high voltage battery in a hybrid vehicle is less than a predetermined value;

in response to the state of charge of the high voltage battery falling below a predetermined value, boosting, by the control portion, voltage of a low voltage battery to charge the high voltage battery with high voltage through the two-way converter; and

starting an engine through via a motor unit powered by the high voltage battery as a result the high voltage battery receiving an electrical charge from the low voltage battery.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising boosting the voltage of the low voltage battery through a two-way converter;

supplying the high voltage battery with high voltage via the two-way converter, and controlling, by the control portion, the motor unit to start the engine, when it is determined that the state of charge is less than the predetermined value.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing power to a first motor through the first inverter and providing by the high voltage battery, power to a second motor through the second inverter, wherein the motor unit include the first motor and the second motor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the control portion controls the high voltage battery to charge the low battery through the two-way convertor, when the state of charge is detected by the detecting portion to be greater than a second predetermined value.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the control portion is configured to generate an emergency signal to activate an emergency charging mode, when the state of charge is detected by the detecting portion to be less than the first predetermined value.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising utilizing the torque of the engine to charge the high voltage battery and generating a release signal to release the emergency charging mode, when the state of charge that is detected is greater than the second predetermined value.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting and monitoring a temperature of the high voltage battery, and boosting the voltage of the low voltage battery and operating the motor unit to start the engine, when the temperature detected is less than a third predetermined value.