VEHICULAR CONTROL DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20130090797A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Izumi, Junta
• Granted Patent: US 9,511,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/24 Steering angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/54 related to batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• 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 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/441 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00716 in response to integrated charge or discharge current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 : Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An ECU executes a program including the steps of: performing shipping electric charging control when an electric charging plug is connected and a condition is also established for performing the shipping electric charging control; and if the condition for performing the shipping electric charging control is not established, performing full electric charging control.

Claims

1. A vehicular control device mounted in a vehicle including a rotating electric machine serving as a driving source, a plurality of power storage devices for supplying said rotating electric machine with electric power, and an electric charging device for electrically charging said plurality of power storage devices from an external power supply, said plurality of power storage devices being connected in parallel, the vehicular control device comprising:

an input unit for inputting an instruction of a user of said vehicle; and

a control unit for

performing first electric charging control for electrically charging said plurality of power storage devices to have a state of charge to attain an electrically fully charged state when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device, and

performing second electric charging control rather than said first electric charging control when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device and in addition an instruction is input to said input unit by the user for performing said second electric charging control,

said second electric charging control being electric charging control using said external power supply to electrically charge said plurality of power storage devices to each have a state of charge equal to a threshold value smaller than an upper limit value set for a state of charge corresponding to said electrically fully charged state.

2. The vehicular control device according to claim 1, wherein when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device and in addition said instruction is input to said input unit for performing said second electric charging control, said control unit uses said external power supply to start electrically charging a first power storage device of said plurality of power storage devices, and when said first power storage device attains a state of charge equal to or larger than said threshold value, said control unit uses said external power supply to electrically charge a second power storage device different from said first power storage device to attain a state of charge equal to or larger than said threshold value.

3. The vehicular control device according to claim 1, wherein:

said input unit includes

a brake pedal, and

a detection unit for detecting an amount of an operation of said brake pedal; and

said control unit performs said second electric charging control when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device, and, in addition, how many times said brake pedal is depressed and released repeatedly for a predetermined period of time is a predetermined number of times, based on a result detected by said detection unit.

4. The vehicular control device according to claim 1, wherein:

a connection terminal is attached to said vehicle for connecting said external power supply to said electric charging device;

said input unit includes

a button provided at said connection terminal for unlocking and thus disconnecting said external power supply from said electric charging device, and

a detection unit for detecting whether said button has been operated; and

said control unit performs said second electric charging control when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device, and, in addition, how many times said button is operated for a predetermined period of time is a predetermined number of times, based on a result detected by said detection unit.

5. The vehicular control device according to claim 1, wherein said second electric charging control is performed when said vehicle is shipped from a factory.

6. The vehicular control device according to claim 1, wherein said threshold value corresponds to an amount of electric power charged to ensure:

first electric power consumed by electronics mounted in said vehicle while said vehicle is stored; and

second electric power consumed by said plurality of power storage devices as said plurality of power storage devices self-discharge while said vehicle is stored.

7. The vehicular control device according to claim 6, wherein said threshold value corresponds to an amount of electric power charged to ensure said first electric power and said second electric power, and in addition thereto third electric power required to move said vehicle when said vehicle is shipped from the factory.

8. The vehicular control device according to claim 1, wherein said threshold value corresponds to an amount of electric power charged when electrically charging said plurality of power storage devices is continued until a period of time elapses that is required to confirm whether said plurality of power storage devices can be normally electrically charged.

9. A vehicular control method for a vehicle including a rotating electric machine serving as a driving source, a plurality of power storage devices for supplying said rotating electric machine with electric power, and an electric charging device for electrically charging said plurality of power storage devices from an external power supply, said plurality of power storage devices being connected in parallel, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an instruction of a user of said vehicle; and

performing first electric charging control for electrically charging said plurality of power storage devices to have a state of charge to attain an electrically fully charged state when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device, whereas performing second electric charging control when said external power supply is connected to said electric charging device and in addition an instruction is received from the user to perform said second electric charging control,

said second electric charging control being electric charging control using said external power supply to electrically charge said plurality of power storage devices to each have a state of charge equal to a threshold value smaller than an upper limit value set for a state of charge corresponding to said electrically fully charged state.