Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method

• US 7,463,958 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2003
• Issued: 12/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cuong H
• Application Number:
  US10/464,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/1, 701/9, 701/29, 701/30, 701/36, 701/31, 180/170, 180/179, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.6, 123/349, 123/350, 318/139, 318/140, 318/440, 318/558, 320/132, 903902-903
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/16 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/12 of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 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 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 : Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 : Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/0644 : Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/081 : Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 : Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/41 : Construction vehicles, e.g. graders, excavators
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/413 : Compactors
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus which starts an engine to generate electric power, and charges a battery for supplying electric power to a motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge (SOC) of the battery is reduced. The vehicle control apparatus starts the engine earlier when a load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value than when the load is not larger than the predetermined set value.

Claims

1. A vehicle control apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle that runs using at least one of driving forces of an internal combustion engine and a motor, comprising:

a controller;

which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charges a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery is reduced to a reference value for determining whether there is a request for starting the internal combustion engine, and

which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier and sets the reference value to a higher value, when a load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value, than when the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value,

wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines the load of the vehicle based on the load of the battery, and

wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines that, as a decreased amount of the state of charge of the battery per a unit time is larger, the load of the vehicle is larger.

2. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the load of the vehicle is the load of the battery.

3. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle control apparatus drives the internal combustion engine such that an electric generator mounted in the vehicle generates electric power.

4. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the motor is used also as the electric generator.

5. A vehicle control apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle that runs using at least one of driving forces of an internal combustion engine and a motor, comprising:

a controller;

which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charges a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery is reduced, and

which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier when a load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value, than when the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value,

wherein the vehicle control apparatus estimates a magnitude of the load of the vehicle when the vehicle is running only by the driving force of the motor,

wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines the load of the vehicle based on the load of the battery, and

wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines that, as a decreased amount of the state of charge of the battery per a unit time is larger, the load of the vehicle is larger.

6. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the load of the vehicle is the load of the battery.

7. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle control apparatus drives the internal combustion engine such that an electric generator mounted in the vehicle generates electric power.

8. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the motor is used also as the electric generator.

9. A vehicle control apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle that runs using at least one of driving forces of an internal combustion engine and a motor, comprising:

a controller;

which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charges a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery is reduced, and

which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier when a load of the vehicle at the moment when the vehicle is running by the driving force of the motor is larger than a predetermined set value, than when the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value,

wherein the vehicle control apparatus calculates power requested by the vehicle based on a sum of power requested for running the vehicle and electric power requested for charging the battery, determines that the state of charge of the battery is reduced and starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power when the power becomes larger than a predetermined value, and sets the predetermined value concerning the power to a smaller value when the load of the vehicle is larger than the predetermined set value, than when the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value.

10. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines the load of the vehicle based on the load of the battery.

11. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the load of the vehicle is the load of the battery.

12. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle control apparatus drives the internal combustion engine such that an electric generator mounted in the vehicle generates electric power.

13. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the motor is used also as the electric generator.

14. A control method for a vehicle which runs using at least a driving force of a motor, comprising:

driving an internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charging a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery is reduced;

determining a load of the vehicle based on a load of a battery when the vehicle is running only by the driving force of the motor;

determining whether the load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value;

wherein the step of determining the load of the vehicle includes determining that as a decreased amount of the state of charge of the battery per a unit time is larger, the load of the vehicle is larger; and

starting the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is larger than the predetermined set value, than when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value.

15. A control method for a vehicle which runs using at least a driving force of a motor, comprising:

driving an internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charging a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery is reduced;

determining a load of the vehicle based on a load of a battery;

determining whether the load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value;

wherein the step of determining the load of the vehicle includes determining that as a decreased amount of the state of charge of the battery per a unit time is larger, the load of the vehicle is larger;

starting the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is larger than the predetermined set value, than when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value;

determining whether a state of charge of the battery has been reduced to a reference value for determining whether there is a request for starting the internal combustion engine; and

starting the internal combustion engine to generate electric power and charging the battery with the generated electric power when a determination is made that the state of charge of the battery is reduced to the reference value, wherein the reference value is set to a higher value when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value, than when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value.

16. A control method for a vehicle which runs using at least a driving force of a motor, comprising:

driving an internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charging a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery is reduced;

determining a load of the vehicle based on a load of a battery;

determining whether the load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value;

wherein the step of determining the load of the vehicle includes determining that as a decreased amount of state of charge of the battery per a unit time is larger, the load of the vehicle is larger;

starting the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is larger than the predetermined set value, than when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value,

calculating power requested by the vehicle; and

determining whether the calculated power is larger than a predetermined value;

wherein when the calculated power is larger than the predetermined value, a determination is made that the state of charge of the battery is reduced, and the internal combustion engine is started to generate electric power; and

the predetermined value is set to a smaller value when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is larger than the predetermined set value, than when a determination is made that the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value.

17. A vehicle control apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle that runs using at least a driving force of a motor, comprising:

a controller which determines a reference value based on a load of the vehicle in comparison to a predetermined set value, and which starts a control of an internal combustion engine to charge a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with electric power when a state of charge of the battery becomes equal to or lower than the reference value for starting the control of the internal combustion engine, wherein the load of the vehicle is based on at least one of an amount of change per unit time in altitude of the vehicle, and a weight of a load placed on the vehicle,

wherein said controller estimates the amount of change in the altitude per a unit time based on an opening degree of an accelerator pedal and a vehicle speed.

18. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the control of the internal combustion engine is a control for starting the internal combustion engine.

19. A vehicle control apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle that runs using at least a driving force of a motor, comprising:

a controller;

wherein said controller calculates power requested by a vehicle based on a load of the vehicle and starts a control of an internal combustion engine, to charge a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with electric power, based on the calculated power, wherein the load of the vehicle is based on at least one of an amount of change per unit time in altitude of the vehicle, and a weight of a load placed on the vehicle, and

said controller calculates an estimate of the amount of change in an altitude per a unit time based on an opening degree of an accelerator pedal and a vehicle speed.

20. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the control of the internal combustion engine is a control for starting the internal combustion engine.

21. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 20, wherein in the control of the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine is started when the calculated power becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value, and

the controller determines the predetermined value based on the load of the internal combustion engine.

22. A vehicle control apparatus which is mounted in a vehicle that runs using at least a driving force of a motor, comprising:

a controller which starts an internal combustion engine to generate electric power, and charges a battery for supplying electric power to the motor with the generated electric power when a state of charge of the battery discharges at a rate greater than a reference rate, and which starts the internal combustion engine to generate electric power earlier when a load of the vehicle is larger than a predetermined set value, than when the load of the vehicle is not larger than the predetermined set value,

wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines the load of the vehicle based on the load of the battery, and

wherein the vehicle control apparatus determines that, as a decreased amount of the state of charge of the battery per a unit time is larger, the load of the vehicle is larger.