Control apparatus and method for hybrid vehicle

• US 7,101,308 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Joe, Shinichiro, Kawabe, Taketoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Ha
• Application Number:
  US10/768,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20040162182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 477/2, 477/3, 477/7, 180/65.3, 180/65.6, 180/65.7, 701/22
• US Class Current: 477/3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• 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 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• 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 10/10 including control of change-speed gearings
• 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 2050/001 Proportional integral [PI] controller
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/16 Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0661 Speed change rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0666 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/086 Power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1061 Output power
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/103 : Power split variators with each end of the CVT connected or connectable to a Ravigneaux set
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/727 : with at least two dynamo electric machines for creating an electric power path inside the gearing, e.g. using generator and motor for a variable power torque path special adapted for a hybrid electric vehicle B60K6/20
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

In control apparatus and method for a hybrid vehicle, a target driving power and a target driving torque are calculates from at least one of detected values and estimated values of both of a vehicle speed and an accelerator opening angle, a target engine speed is calculated from the target driving power; and target values of motor torques of the first and second motors/generators and of an engine torque are set from at least one of revolution speed variation rates of any two revolution elements of a power transmission mechanism of the hybrid vehicle and a running resistance torque, the target engine speed, an engine speed, the target driving power, and the target driving torque in such a manner that no excessive lack in the driving torque for the target driving torque occurs and a deviation between the target engine speed and the engine speed is decreased.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power transmission mechanism that is constituted by one or more of planetary gear units, that transmits a driving force developed in an engine to a drive axle and whose dynamic characteristic is represented in revolution two-degrees-of-freedom system;

a first motor/generator that supplies a power to the drive axle via the power transmission mechanism;

a second motor/generator that supplies the power at least one of directly and via the power transmission mechanism to the drive axle;

a target driving force generating section that calculates a target driving power and a target driving torque from at least one of detected values and estimated values of both of a vehicle speed and an accelerator opening angle;

a target engine speed calculating section that calculates a target engine speed from the target driving power; and

a target torque calculating section that sets target values of motor torques of the first and second motors/generators and of an engine torque from at least one of revolution speed variation rates of any two revolution elements of the power transmission mechanism and a running resistance torque, the target engine speed, an engine speed, the target driving power, and the target driving torque in such a manner that no excessive lack in the driving torque for the target driving torque occurs and a deviation between the target engine speed and the engine speed is decreased.

2. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target torque calculating section calculates a quantity corresponding to the revolution speed variation of any two revolution elements of the power transmission mechanism from the running resistance torque, an engine torque, and the motor torques of the first and second motors/generators.

3. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target torque calculating section comprises:

a target engine torque generating section that calculates a target engine torque from the target driving power, a first motor torque calculating section that determines the target value of the first motor torque of the first motor/generator in such a manner that the deviation between the target engine speed and the engine speed is decreased and a second motor torque calculating section that determines the target value of the second motor torque from the target driving torque, the engine torque, the running resistance torque, and the first motor torque, using a transient relationship from among the driving torque, the engine torque, the running resistance torque, the first motor torque, and the second motor torque.

4. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target torque calculating section comprises:

a first target torque calculating section that calculates any one target value of the engine torque, the target value of the first motor torque of the first motor/generator, and the target value of the second motor torque of the second motor/generator;

a second target torque calculating section that calculates the remaining two torque target values from among the engine torque, the first motor torque, and the second motor torque which are not determined by the target torque generating section from the torque target value determined by the target torque generating section, a target engine revolution acceleration, the target driving torque, and the running resistance torque, using two relationships of a transient relationship among an engine revolution acceleration, the engine torque, the running resistance torque, the first motor torque, and the second motor torque, and another transient relationship among the driving torque, the engine torque, the running resistance torque, the fist motor torque, and the second motor torque.

5. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control apparatus further comprises an engine torque detecting section that detects or estimates the engine torque and wherein the first target torque calculating section calculates a target value of the engine torque from the target driving power and the second target torque calculating section calculates the target values of the first motor torque and the second motor torque from the engine torque, the target engine revolution acceleration, the target driving torque, and the running resistance torque.

6. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the running resistance torque (T_R) is estimated by a running resistance torque estimating section using a disturbance observer from the revolution speeds of any two revolution elements of the power transmission mechanism, and the engine torque, the first and second motor torques.

7. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target driving force generating section calculates the target driving torque (To*) at an output axle of the power transmission mechanism by referring to a predetermined map representing a driving torque-to-vehicle speed with the accelerator opening angle (AP) as a parameter and, thereafter, calculates the target driving power (PO*) from the calculated target driving torque (To*) and a revolution speed (ω

o) of the output axle of the power transmission mechanism.

8. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the vehicle speed (VSP) is estimated from the revolution speed (ω

o) at the output axle of the power transmission mechanism.

9. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein the target driving force generating section comprises a target value generating section that calculates the target engine speed (ω

_E*) using a driving force-to-engine speed map from the calculated target driving power (Po*).

10. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the target driving force generating section calculates the target engine torque (T_E*) as follows:

T_E*=Po*/ω

_E*.

11. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 10, wherein the control apparatus further comprises a torque target value calculating section including an engine revolution controlling section that determines the target value of the first motor torque (T₁*) as follows to decrease the deviation between the target engine speed (ω

_E*) and an actual engine speed (ω

_E);

T₁*={Kp+(K_I/s)}·

(ω

_E*−

ω

_E), wherein K_p denotes a proportional gain, K_I denotes an integration gain, and s denotes a Laplace transform operator.

12. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 11, wherein the torque target value calculating section comprises a driving force controlling section that calculates the second motor target torque (T₂*) to achieve the target driving torque (To*) at the output axle of the power transmission mechanism, the set engine torque (T_E), a target engine acceleration (ω

′

_E*), and an actual revolution acceleration (ω

o′

) of the output axle of the power transmission mechanism.

13. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the engine torque (T_E) is replaced with the calculated target engine torque (T_E*).

14. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the target torque calculating section comprises a driving force controlling section that calculates the target value of the second motor torque (T₂*) on the basis of a target driving torque (To*), a first target torque (T₁*), the engine torque (T_E), the running resistance torque (T_R), the engine speed (ω

_E) and the revolution speed (ω

o) of an output axle of the power transmission mechanism.

15. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control apparatus further comprises a target engine revolution acceleration calculating section that calculates the target engine revolution acceleration (ω

_E′

*) from the deviation between the target engine revolution speed (ω

_E*) and the engine speed (ω

_E) in such a manner that the deviation therebetween becomes decreased.

16. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the target torque calculating section comprises a target value generating section that sets the target second motor torque (T₂*) on the basis of the target driving power (Po*) in such a manner that operating points of the engine (ENG) and first and second motors/generators (MG1, MG2) are most favorable energy efficient operating points.

17. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 15, wherein the target torque calculating section comprises a torque distributing section that determines the target first motor torque (T₁*) of the first motor/generator and the target second motor torque (T₂*) of the second motor/generator to achieve the target driving torque (To*) at an output axle of the power transmission mechanism from the running resistance torque (T_R), the target engine revolution acceleration (ω

_E′

*), the engine torque (T_E), and target driving torque (To*).

18. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 16, wherein the target torque calculating section comprises a torque distributing section that determines the target first motor torque (T₁*) and the target engine torque (T_E*) to achieve the target driving torque (To*) from the target engine revolution acceleration (ω

_E′

*), the target driving torque (To*) at an output axle of the power transmission mechanism, the running resistance torque (T_R), and the target second motor torque (T₂*) of the second motor/generator.

19. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a power transmission mechanism that is constituted by one or more of planetary gear units, that transmits a driving force developed in an engine to a drive axle and whose dynamic characteristic is represented in revolution two-degrees-of-freedom system;

a first motor/generator that supplies a power to the drive axle via the power transmission mechanism;

a second motor/generator that supplies the power at least one of directly and via the power transmission mechanism to the drive axle;

target driving power generating means for calculating a target driving power and a target driving torque from at least one of detected values and estimated values of both of a vehicle speed and an accelerator opening angle;

target engine speed calculating means for calculating a target engine speed from the target driving power; and

target torque calculating means for setting target values of motor torques of the first and second motors/generators and of an engine torque from at least one of revolution speed variation rates of any two revolution elements of the power transmission mechanism and a running resistance torque, the target engine speed, an engine speed, the target driving power, and the target driving torque in such a manner that no excessive lack in the driving torque for the target driving torque occurs and a deviation between the target engine speed and the engine speed is decreased.

20. A control method for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

providing a power transmission mechanism that is constituted by one or more of planetary gear units, that transmits a driving force developed in an engine to a drive axle and whose dynamic characteristic is represented in revolution two-degrees-of-freedom system;

providing a first motor/generator that supplies a power to the drive axle via the power transmission mechanism;

providing a second motor/generator that supplies the power at least one of directly and via the power transmission mechanism to the drive axle;

calculating a target driving power and a target driving torque from at least one of detected values and estimated values of both of a vehicle speed and an accelerator opening angle;

calculating a target engine speed from the target driving power; and

setting target values of motor torques of the first and second motors/generators and of an engine torque from at least one of revolution speed variation rates of any two revolution elements of the power transmission mechanism and a running resistance torque, the target engine speed, an engine speed, the target driving power, and the target driving torque in such a manner that no excessive lack in the driving torque for the target driving torque occurs and a deviation between the target engine speed and the engine speed is decreased.