Control apparatus for variable-cylinder engine, and control apparatus for automotive vehicle including variable-cylinder engine

• US 7,243,010 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Tabata, Atsushi, Nagano, Shuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby; Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/621,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20040158365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/70, 701/1, 701/51, 701/78, 701/81, 701/84, 701/101, 701/110, 180 651- 658, 477/2, 477/3, 477/4, 318/139
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/543 the transmission being a continuously variable transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/16 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/485 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/525 Temperature of converter or components thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/16 for vehicles comprising converters between the power source and the motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/20 Braking by supplying regenerated power to the prime mover of vehicles comprising engine-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/026 of lock-up clutches
• 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 10/18 : including control of braking systems
• 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 2050/143 : Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0225 : Clutch actuator position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0604 : Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0619 : Air-fuel ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0628 : Inlet air flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 : Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/068 : Engine exhaust temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0685 : Engine crank angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/10 : Change speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/107 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 : Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/16 : Ratio selector position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0605 : Throttle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0616 : Position of fuel or air injector
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/083 : Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 : Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18136 : Engine braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/435 : Supercharger or turbochargers
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/04 : using engine as brake
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/06 : Cutting-out cylinders
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0087 : Selective cylinder activation, i.e. partial cylinder operation deceleration cut-off F02D41/123
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/123 : the fuel injection being cut-off
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0814 : comprising means for controlling automatic idle-start-stop
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 19/004 : Aiding engine start by using decompression means or variable valve actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/0047 : the gear ratios comprising five forward speeds
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2200/2012 : with four sets of orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 3/725 : with means to change ratio in the mechanical gearing
• 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: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/905 : Combustion engine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/908 : Fuel cell
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/91 : Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 : with transmission for changing gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/918 : Continuously variable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/919 : Stepped shift
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/945 : Characterized by control of gearing, e.g. control of transmission ratio
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/947 : Characterized by control of braking, e.g. blending of regeneration, friction braking

Abstract

Providing a control apparatus for a variable-cylinder engine or a vehicle control apparatus, which permits a further improvement in the fuel economy of the vehicle

Decompression-state setting means 102 is arranged to place appropriate ones of non-operating cylinders of the variable-cylinder engine 10 in the decompression state, on the basis of regenerative braking state of vehicle detected by regenerative-braking-state detecting means 100, so that only a required minimum number of the non-operating cylinders of the variable-cylinder engine 10 is/are placed in the decompression state, depending upon the detected regenerative braking state of the vehicle, making it possible to not only improve fuel economy of the vehicle but also assure sufficient engine braking of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for a vehicle to be driven by at least one of an engine and an electric generator, as a drive power source, comprising:

a vehicle-deceleration detecting device operable to determine whether the vehicle is in a decelerating state; and

a drive-power-source braking control means device, operable when said vehicle-deceleration detecting device determines that the vehicle is in a deceleration state, for controlling a braking torque produced by said drive power source, on the basis of a regenerative braking torque produced by said electric generator, and an amount of decompression of non-operating cylinders of said engine.

2. A control apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a desired-deceleration calculating device operable when said vehicle-deceleration detecting device determines that the vehicle is in the decelerating state, to calculate a desired deceleration value of the vehicle under deceleration, on the basis of an actual running speed of the vehicle and a reset deceleration value preset by the operator of the vehicle, and according to a stored predetermined relationship among said desired deceleration value, said actual running seed and said preset deceleration value,

and wherein said drive-power-source braking control device is operable to control said drive-power source braking torque, on the basis of the regenerative braking torque produced by said electric generator and the decompression state of said non-operating cylinders of said engine such that said actual deceleration value of the vehicle coincides with the desired deceleration value calculated by said desired-deceleration calculating device.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive-power-source braking control means includes:

a regenerative-braking-torque control device operable to control an amount of regenerative braking torque produced by said motor/generator;

a decompression-state setting device operable to place selected ones of the cylinders of said engine in a decompression state; and

a decompression-amount control device operable to control a resistance of those selected cylinders to an rotary motion of said engine.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle includes a fluid-coupling device disposed between said engine and a transmission, said control apparatus further comprising:

a regenerative-braking-adjustment detecting device operable to determine whether it is necessary to adjust a regenerative braking operation of said electric generator; and

a lock-up clutch releasing device operable to place said fluid-coupling device in a released or partially slipping state, when said regenerative-operation-adjustnient detecting device determines that it is necessary to adjust said regenerative braking operation.