Control device of a hybrid vehicle

• US 6,452,286 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2000
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Mikio, Kubo, Asami, Goto, Kenichi, Tamura, Hideyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/652,261
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40.C, 290/31, 290/19, 318/139, 318/140, 322/16, 322/13, 701/36, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.8
• US Class Current: 290/40.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

When a vehicle is decelerating a controller of a motor-generator (2) computes a target charging current according to a charge state of a high voltage battery by a target charging current computing unit (23), and limits this current by a first limiter (24) having a limiter value. An electrical load current supplied to vehicle-mounted electrical loads is computed by an electrical load current detecting unit (27). A target generation current produced by the motor-generator (2) is computed by adding the target charging current and electrical load current, by a target generation current detecting unit (28, 30). This computed value is limited by a second limiter (31) having a limiter value which varies according to an engine rotation speed, ON/OFF state of an air-conditioner and speed ratio. When the vehicle is decelerating the motor-generator (2) is made to function as a generator driven by recovery energy, the high voltage battery and a low voltage battery for the vehicle-mounted electrical loads are charged without overcharging and excessive vehicle deceleration is prevented.

Claims

1. A control device of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine as a power source for running the vehicle together with an electric motor, a high voltage battery which supplies electric current for driving the electric motor, and a low voltage battery which supplies electric current for a vehicle-mounted electrical load, the control device comprising:

a sensor for detecting a vehicle running state, and

a microprocessor programmed to;

determine a deceleration state of the vehicle,

cause the electric motor to function as a generator in the deceleration state,

perform control to charge the high voltage battery and low voltage battery by the current generated by the electric motor,

limit the current generated by the electric motor by a limiter,

cause the electric motor to generate a limited current, and

vary the limited current according to the running state.

2. The control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle running state detecting sensor comprises a sensor which detects an ON/OFF state of the vehicle-mounted electrical load, and the microprocessor is further programmed to vary the limited current according to the ON/OFF state of the vehicle-mounted electrical load.

3. The control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is provided with a transmission, the vehicle running state detecting sensor comprises a sensor which detects a speed ratio of the transmission, and the microprocessor is further programmed to vary the limited current according to the speed ratio of the transmission.

4. The control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the vehicle running state detecting sensor comprises a sensor which detects a rotation speed of the engine and the microprocessor is further programmed to vary the limited current according to the engine rotation speed.

5. The control device as defined in claim 4, wherein the vehicle running state detecting sensor further comprises a sensor which detects an ON/OFF state of the vehicle-mounted electrical load, and the microprocessor is further programmed to vary the limited current according to the ON/OFF state of the vehicle-mounted electrical load.

6. The control device as defined in claim 4, wherein the vehicle is provided with a transmission, the vehicle running state detecting sensor comprises a sensor which detects a speed ratio of the transmission, and the microprocessor is further programmed to vary the limited current according to the speed ratio of the transmission.

7. The control device as defined in claim 1, wherein the high voltage battery comprises a lead-acid battery.

8. A control device of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine as a power source for running the vehicle together with an electric motor, a high voltage battery which supplies electric current for driving the electric motor, and a low voltage battery which supplies electric current for a vehicle-mounted electrical load, the control device comprising:

a sensor which detects a state of charge of the high voltage battery, and

a microprocessor programmed to;

compute a target charging current to charge the high voltage battery according to the state of charge of the high voltage battery,

compute an electrical load current supplied to the vehicle-mounted electrical load,

compute a target generation current generated by the electric motor by adding the target charging current and the electrical load current,

limit the target generation current by a limiter, and

limit the target generation current by another limiter.

9. The control device as defined in claim 8, wherein the control device further comprises a sensor which detects a battery temperature and a sensor with detects a battery deterioration degree, and the microprocessor is further programmed to set a limiter value due to the other limiter according to the battery state of charge, the battery temperature and the battery deterioration degree.

10. A control device of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine as a power source for running the vehicle together with an electric motor, a high voltage battery which supplies electric current for driving the electric motor, and a low voltage battery which supplies electric current for a vehicle-mounted electrical load, the control device comprising:

means for detecting a vehicle running state,

means for determining a deceleration state of the vehicle,

means for causing the electric motor to function as a generator in the deceleration state,

means for performing control to charge the high voltage battery and low voltage battery by the current generated by the electric motor, and

means for limiting the current generated by the electric motor by a limiter,

means for causing the electric motor to generate a limited current, and

means for varying the limited current according to the running state.