VEHICLE CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20150046011A1
• Filed: 03/26/2012
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Imai, Keita, Imamura, Tatsuya, Matsubara, Tooru, Kitahata, Takeshi, Kumazaki, Kenta, Hiasa, Yasuhiro, Kato, Shunya, Tabata, Atsushi, Okuda, Kouichi
• Granted Patent: US 9,457,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/44 Series-parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/52 Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• 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 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 2710/244 Charge state
• 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

Abstract

A control device of a vehicle is configured to select motor running by one motor, motor running by two motors, and engine running. A charging capacity of an electric storage device allowing selection of the motor running by two motors is higher than a charging capacity allowing selection of the motor running by one motor. In the motor running by two motors and the engine running, a drive force larger than in the motor running by one motor is generated. When the motor running by one motor is performed with a charging capacity equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and a driver'"'"'s drive request amount is increased, if the charging capacity is equal to or greater than a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value, the motor running by two motors is selected, while if the charging capacity is less than the second threshold value, the engine running is selected.

Claims

1. A control device of a vehicle, the vehicle including a first electric motor outputting a starting torque for an engine start, a second electric motor coupled to wheels, an electric storage device giving/receiving electric power to/from each of the first and second electric motors and the control device of a vehicle configured to select motor running by one motor using only the second electric motor, motor running by two motors using the first electric motor and the second electric motor, and engine running using a drive force source including the engine,

a charging capacity of the electric storage device allowing selection of the motor running by two motors being higher than a charging capacity of the electric storage device allowing selection of the motor running by one motor, wherein in the motor running by two motors and the engine running, a drive force larger than the motor running by one motor is-being generated,

while the motor running by one motor is performed with a charging capacity of the electric storage device equal to or greater than a first threshold value defined in advance, when a driver'"'"'s drive request amount to the vehicle is increased,

when the charging capacity of the electric storage device is equal to or greater than a second threshold value defined higher than the first threshold value, the motor running by two motors being selected, and

when the charging capacity of the electric storage device is less than the second threshold value, the engine running being selected.

2. The control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the motor running by one motor is selectable when a charging capacity of the electric storage device is equal to or greater than a first threshold value defined in advance, wherein

the motor running by two motors is selectable when a charging capacity of the electric storage device is equal to or greater than a second threshold value defined in advance, and wherein

the second threshold value is higher than the first threshold value.

4. The control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

when a continuous operation time under a high load running state is longer, the second threshold value is made higher as compared to when the time is shorter.

5. The control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

when a decrease speed of the charging capacity of the electric storage device is faster, the threshold value is made higher as compared to when the speed is slower.

6. The control device of a vehicle of claim 4, wherein

a future running distance attainable by the motor running by one motor is longer, the second threshold value is made lower as compared to when the distance is shorter.

7. The control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

a differential mechanism is included that has a plurality of rotating elements respectively coupled to the first electric motor, the second electric motor, and the engine, wherein

the differential mechanism has a rotating element coupled to the first electric motor, a rotating element that is an output rotating member coupled to the wheels in a power transmittable manner, and a rotating element coupled to a crankshaft of the engine as the plurality of the rotating elements, wherein

the second electric motor is coupled to the wheels in a power transmittable manner, wherein

a lock mechanism is further included that couples one of the rotating elements other than the rotating elements coupled to the first electric motor and the second electric motor to a non-rotating member through a lock actuation, and wherein

when the engine is started during the motor running using the output torques from both the first electric motor and the second electric motor during a state of the lock actuation of the lock mechanism, the lock mechanism is caused to perform a non-lock actuation to output a cranking torque starting the engine by the first electric motor and to compensate a reaction torque of the cranking torque by the second electric motor.

8. The control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein

the vehicle includes a differential mechanism having a plurality of rotating elements respectively coupled to the first electric motor, the second electric motor, and the engine, and a clutch connecting/disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and the rotating element coupled to the first electric motor, wherein

a rotating element coupled to none of the first and second electric motors is used as an output rotating member, and wherein

when the engine is started during the motor running while the vehicle is running with the clutch released, the starting torque is output by the first electric motor coupled to the clutch while the clutch is engaged.

9. The control device of a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle having the electric storage device chargeable from an external power source.

3. (canceled)

10. A control device of a vehicle including a first electric motor outputting a starting torque for an engine start, a second electric motor coupled to wheels, and an electric storage device giving/receiving electric power to/from each of the first and second electric motors, the control device of a vehicle configured to select motor running by two motors using the first electric motor and the second electric motor and engine running using a drive force source including the engine, wherein

the engine running is started when a charging capacity of the electric storage device is less than a predetermined third threshold value, wherein

the motor running by two motors can be selected when the charging capacity of the electric storage device is equal to or greater than a predetermined fourth threshold value, wherein

the fourth threshold value is higher than the third threshold value, and wherein

the motor running by two motors can be selected until the charging capacity of the electric storage device reaches a value less than the third threshold value during the motor running by two motors.