Control system for hybrid vehicle

• US 6,408,968 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2000
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Matsubara, Atsushi, Kayano, Morio, Wakashiro, Teruo, Watanabe, Kazunori, Kitajima, Shinichi, Nakaune, Kan
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUM VANNUCCI, LEE SIN YEE
• Application Number:
  US09/638,071
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65-- 6, 180/65.8, 701/22, 701/99
• US Class Current: 180/65.26
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/27 by heating
• 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 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0685 Engine crank angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1415 with a generator driven by a prime mover other than the motor of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• 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: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 : with transmission for changing gear ratio

Abstract

In vehicle operation under cruise mode, the battery, which is in a low temperature state, is caused to rise in temperature at an early stage, and the assistance amount and the regeneration power generation amount by means of the motor are caused to increase. During vehicle operation in cruise mode, in the case in which one or the other of the battery temperature and the engine water temperature have failed to reach a predetermined temperature, the cruise power generation amount is raised to a predetermined level, and charging of the battery is continued until both the battery temperature and the engine water temperature have reached predetermined temperatures. When a determination has been made that there is no further room in the battery to accept further charge, power generation and assistance is conducted by the motor so as to cancel periodic fluctuations in the drive force of the engine, and vibration damping control is conducted for suppressing vibrations generated by the engine in accordance with the fluctuations in the drive force of the engine.

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle control system of a vehicle having an engine providing propulsion force to said vehicle;

a motor assisting said engine in providing propulsion force of said vehicle in accordance with an operational state of said vehicle; and

an electricity storage device storing energy generated when said motor is employed as a generator driven by said engine, and storing energy generated during a regenerative state of said motor when said vehicle decelerates, said hybrid vehicle control system comprising;

an electricity storage device temperature detector for detecting temperature of said electricity storage device;

an engine water temperature detector for detecting water temperature of said engine; and

a power generation increasing device for increasing an amount of energy generated by said motor when said motor is used as a generator driven by said engine, either when said electricity storage device temperature is detected at or below a predetermined electricity storage device temperature by said electricity storage device temperature detector, or when said engine water temperature is detected at or below a predetermined temperature by said engine water temperature detector.

2. A hybrid vehicle control system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a remaining capacity detector for detecting remaining capacity of said electricity storage device; and

an overcharge correcting device for raising a power generation suppression threshold to suppress generation of electricity by said motor upon detecting said remaining capacity is in an overcharged state by said remaining capacity detector while the amount of energy generated by said motor is being increased by said power generation increasing device.

3. A hybrid vehicle control system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

a vibration suppressing controller for suppressing vibration of said engine resulting from fluctuations in the driving force of said engine, by using said motor as a generator when said driving force is increasing and by running said motor to assist said engine when said driving force is decreasing so as to cancel periodic amounts of fluctuation in the driving force of said engine, when said remaining capacity is detected by said remaining capacity detector to be in excess of a predetermined remaining capacity threshold value.