Control system and method of hybrid vehicle

• US 6,561,295 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• 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, Wakashiro, Teruo, Izumiura, Atsushi, Kitajima, Shinichi, Kuroda, Shigetaka, Sawamura, Kazutomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanaman, Frank
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swenson, Brian L
• Application Number:
  US09/692,306
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 180/65.8
• US Class Current: 180/65.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• 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 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 2510/0604 Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 Traffic density
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• 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

A control system and method applied to a hybrid vehicle by which an excessive decrease of the remaining battery charge can be prevented while driving in a traffic jam. In the method, the remaining battery charge of the battery device is detected; and whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam is determined; and the charging device is made to charge the battery device if the detected remaining battery charge of the battery device is below a first predetermined value, and if it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

Claims

1. A control system of a hybrid vehicle, wherein said hybrid vehicle comprises an engine and a motor for outputting force for driving the vehicle, a battery device, and a charging device for charging the battery device, said control system comprising:

a remaining battery charge detecting section for detecting the remaining battery charge of the battery device;

a traffic jam drive determining section for determining whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam; and

a control section for making the charging device charge the battery device when the remaining battery charge of the battery device, detected by the remaining battery charge detecting section, is below a first predetermined value, and when it is determined by the traffic jam drive determining section that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam,

wherein the traffic jam drive determining section comprises;

a maximum speed detecting section for detecting a maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation from the vehicle start to stop; and

a throttle opening-degree detecting section for detecting a degree of throttle opening of the engine,

wherein the traffic jam drive determining section determines that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam when the maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation is equal to or below a predetermined value, and when the degree of throttle opening is equal to or below a predetermined value.

3. A control system as claimed in either one of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein after the traffic jam drive determining section determines that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam, the traffic jam drive determination is released when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or above a predetermined value, or when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined value and the degree of throttle opening becomes equal to or above a predetermined value.

4. A control system as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the motor also functions as the charging device, and

wherein the battery device stores energy generated using the motor as a generator driven by the engine, and energy regenerated via a regenerating operation performed by the motor when the vehicle is decelerated.

5. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control section sets the amount of the charge performed by the charging device to a high charge level when the remaining battery charge is below the first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

11. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control section prohibits the operation of outputting force by the motor when the remaining battery charge is below the first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

12. A control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control section restricts the operation of outputting force by the motor when the remaining battery charge is below the first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

2. A control system of a hybrid vehicle, wherein said hybrid vehicle comprises an engine and a motor for outputting force for driving the vehicle, a battery device, and a charging device for charging the battery device, said control system comprising:

a remaining battery charge detecting section for detecting the remaining battery charge of a battery device;

a traffic jam drive determining section for determining whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam; and

a control section for making the charging device charge the battery device when the remaining battery charge of the battery device, detected by the remaining battery charge detecting section, is below a first predetermined value, and when it is determined by the traffic jam drive determining section that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam,

wherein the traffic jam drive determining section comprises;

a maximum speed detecting section for detecting a maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation from the vehicle start to stop,

wherein the traffic jam drive determining section determines that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam when the maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation is equal to or below a predetermined value, and when the remaining battery charge of the battery device, detected by the remaining battery charge detected section, is equal to or below a second predetermined value which is smaller than the first predetermined value.

6. A control method of a hybrid vehicle, wherein said hybrid vehicle comprises an engine and a motor for outputting force for driving the vehicle, a battery device, and a charging device for charging the battery, said control method comprising the steps of:

detecting the remaining battery charge of the battery device;

determining whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam; and

making the charging device charge the battery device when the detected remaining battery charge of the battery device is below a first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam,

wherein the steps of determining whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam comprises the steps of;

detecting a maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation from the vehicle start to stop;

detecting a degree of throttle opening of the engine; and

determining that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam when the maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation is equal to or below a predetermined value, and when the degree of throttle opening is equal to or below a predetermined value.

8. A control method as claimed in one of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein after it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam, the traffic jam drive determination is released when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or above a predetermined value, or when the vehicle speed is below a predetermined value and the degree of throttle opening becomes equal to or above a predetermined value.

9. A control method as claimed in either one of claim 6 or claim 7,

wherein the motor also functions as the charging device; and

wherein the battery device stores energy generated using the motor as a generator driven by the engine, and the energy via a generating operation performed by the motor when the vehicle is decelerated.

10. A control method as claimed in either one of claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the amount of the charge performed by the charging device is set to a high charge level when the remaining battery charge is below the first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

13. A control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the operation of outputting force by the motor is prohibited when the detected remaining battery charge of the battery device is below the first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

14. A control method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the operation of outputting force by the motor is restricted when the remaining battery charge is below the first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam.

7. A control method of a hybrid vehicle, wherein said hybrid vehicle comprises an engine and a motor for outputting force for driving the vehicle, a battery device, and a charging device for charging the battery, said control method comprising the steps of:

detecting the remaining battery charge of the battery device;

determining whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam; and

making the charging device charge the battery device and prohibiting operation of outputting force by the motor when the detected remaining battery charge of the battery device is below a first predetermined value, and when it is determined that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam,

wherein the step of determining whether the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam comprises the steps of;

detecting a maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation from the vehicle start to stop; and

determining that the vehicle is driving in a traffic jam when the maximum vehicle speed during a single driving operation is equal to or below a predetermined value, and when the detected remaining battery charge of the battery device is equal to or below a second predetermined value which is smaller than the first predetermined value.