Generator output controller for electric vehicle with mounted generator

• US 5,650,931 A
• Filed: 02/16/1995
• Issued: 07/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nii, Yoshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/389,810
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 364/423.098, 364/424.026, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 318/139, 290/14, 290/16, 290/17
• 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 50/10 using propulsion power supplied by engine-driven generators, e.g. generators driven by combustion engines
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An output memory unit 26a stores data for the necessary average output of a generator 20 for a pattern obtained from the past in-travel-pattern power consumption. Therefore, in the case of a travel pattern, the output of the generator 20 is set in accordance with the stored data. Moreover, the power consumption in the travel pattern is examined to update the necessary average output of the generator 20.

Claims

1. A generator output controller for a vehicle mounted with a generator in addition to a battery, comprising:

travel-pattern recognition means for recognizing a travel pattern repeated in accordance with a specific pattern;

a travel-pattern power consumption memory unit for storing data for power consumption during travel in the travel pattern; and

travel-pattern power generation control means for controlling an output of said generator during travel in the travel-pattern to generate power corresponding to the power consumption in the travel pattern read out of the travel-pattern power consumption memory unit when the travel pattern is recognized by the travel-pattern recognition means.

2. The controller according to claim 1, wherein the travel-pattern recognition means includes travel-pattern start input means for inputting a travel-pattern start and travel-pattern end input means for inputting a travel-pattern end.

3. The controller according to claim 2, further comprising travel-pattern power consumption detection means for detecting the power consumption of said vehicle during travel in the travel-pattern and update means for updating a target power generation stored in the travel-pattern power consumption memory unit in accordance with the detected power consumption of said vehicle during travel in the travel pattern.

4. The controller according to claim 3, wherein the update means averages accumulated travel pattern power consumptions including the detected travel pattern power consumption and updates said target power generation in accordance with the averaged power consumption.

5. The controller according to claim 1, wherein said controller further comprises starting time detection means for detecting a starting time of said vehicle, and wherein the travel-pattern power consumption memory unit stores the power consumption during travel in the travel pattern by relating the power consumption with the starting time of the vehicle, and the travel-pattern power generation control means controls said generator in accordance with the power consumption related with the starting time of the vehicle for the travel pattern.

6. The controller according to claim 5, further comprising an update means for updating a target power generation in accordance with the travel-pattern power consumptions.

7. The controller according to claim 5, further comprising detection means for detecting travel-pattern power consumption during travel in the travel-pattern and duration detection means for detecting a duration of travel of said vehicle, wherein said travel-pattern recognition means recognizes the travel pattern from stored data when a journey is repeated a predetermined number of times by storing the starting time, the power consumption, and the duration of travel of said vehicle when the vehicle travels.

8. The controller according to claim 6, wherein the update means updates the target power generation stored in the travel-pattern power consumption memory unit in accordance with detected power consumption of said vehicle for the recognized travel pattern.

9. The controller according to claim 8, wherein the update means averages the travel-pattern power consumptions including the detected travel pattern power consumption and updates said target power generation in accordance with the averaged power consumption.

10. The controller according to claim 6, wherein the update means averages accumulated travel pattern power consumptions including a detected travel pattern power consumption and updates said target power generation in accordance with the averaged power consumption.

11. A generator output controller for an electric vehicle mounted with a generator in addition to a battery, comprising:

power consumption detection means for detecting a power consumption of said electric vehicle during travel of the electric vehicle;

generator output data value decision means for deciding which data value the detected power consumption is included in among predetermined data values;

data value usage frequency detection means for counting an appearance frequency for each data value; and

power generation control means for controlling output of said generator to a target generator output corresponding to a power consumption data value with the highest usage frequency in accordance with a detection result of the data value usage frequency detection means.

12. The controller according to claim 11, wherein said power generation control means includes state-of-charge detection means for detecting a state of charge of said battery and correction means for correcting generator output so as to one of decrease and increase an output in accordance with the detected state of charge when the detected state of charge is one of higher than a predetermined upper limit and lower than a predetermined lower limit, respectively.

13. A generator output controller of an electric vehicle mounted with a generator in addition to a battery, comprising:

power consumption detection means for detecting a power consumption of the electric vehicle during travel of the electric vehicle;

power consumption averaging means for averaging power consumptions of different travel patterns of the electric vehicle; and

power generation control means for controlling generator output in accordance with the averaged power consumption calculated by the power consumption averaging means.

14. The controller according to claim 13, wherein said power generation control means includes state-of-charge detection means for detecting a state of charge of said battery and correction means for correcting generator output so as to one of decrease and increase an output when the detected state of charge is one of higher than a predetermined upper limit and lower than a predetermined lower limit, respectively.