Congestion-based control of vehicle hybrid propulsion system

• US 7,806,210 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gauthier, Greg, Kuang, Ming, Proietty, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): AVERY, BRIDGET D
• Application Number:
  US11/462,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20080029318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,524 Days
• Field of Search: 180/170, 180/178, 180/179, 180/6.5, 180/65.25, 180/65.1, 180/65.26, 180/65.21, 180/65.28, 180/65.7, 701/112, 701/113
• US Class Current: 180/65.21
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• 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 20/11 using model predictive control [MPC] strategies, i.e. control methods based on models predicting performance utilising navigation and traffic information in the control strategy B60W20/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A method of controlling a hybrid propulsion system of a vehicle, the hybrid propulsion system including an internal combustion engine and an alternate powertrain torque source capable of propelling the vehicle while the engine is turned off, the method comprising of detecting congestion by receiving and analyzing data that is external to the vehicle, and controlling a transition of the hybrid propulsion system between a first propulsion mode and a second propulsion mode based on said detecting of congestion.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a hybrid propulsion system of a vehicle, the hybrid propulsion system including an internal combustion engine and an alternate powertrain torque source capable of propelling the vehicle while the engine is turned off, the method comprising:

operating the hybrid propulsion system with the engine turned off during a first level of congestion;

during the first level of congestion, generating an engine start request upon at least one of (1) an accelerator pedal exceeding a threshold position, and (2) a driver power demand exceeding a threshold;

detecting a change in congestion to a second level of congestion; and

modifying the threshold respective in response to detecting the second level of congestion and, while the engine is turned off during the second level of congestion, generating an engine start request upon the exceeding of such modified threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting congestion by receiving and analyzing data that is external to the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, where the second level of congestion is higher than the first level of congestion.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling transitions of the hybrid propulsion system based on detecting of congestion.

5. The method of claim 2, where receiving and analyzing data that is external to the vehicle includes receiving sensor data indicative of a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle.

6. The method of claim 2, where receiving and analyzing data which is external to the vehicle includes receiving data via a global positioning system.

7. The method of claim 3, where modifying the threshold includes increasing an amount of accelerator pedal depression required to generate the engine start request during the second level of congestion.

8. The method of claim 3, where modifying the threshold includes increasing an amount of requested power required to generate the engine start request during the second level of congestion.

9. A method of controlling a hybrid propulsion system of a vehicle, the hybrid propulsion system including an internal combustion engine and an alternate powertrain torque source capable of propelling the vehicle while the engine is turned off, the method comprising:

detecting congestion by receiving and analyzing data that is external to the vehicle; and

controlling a transition of the hybrid propulsion system between a first propulsion mode and a second propulsion mode based on said detecting of congestion, wherein controlling of the transition includes modifying generation of an engine start request based on said detecting of congestion, such that at a first level of congestion, the engine start request is generated upon an operating parameter exceeding a first value, and at a second, higher, level of congestion, the engine start request is generated upon the operating parameter exceeding a second value which is different than the first value.

10. The method of claim 9, where the internal combustion engine is turned on in the first propulsion mode and turned off in the second propulsion mode.

11. The method of claim 9, where the operating parameter is a position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 9, where the operating parameter is a driver power demand.

13. The method of claim 9, where modifying generation of the engine start request based on said detecting of congestion includes requiring that a driver power demand be higher to generate the engine start request when the second, higher, level of congestion is detected than when the first level of congestion is detected.

14. The method of claim 9, where receiving and analyzing data which is external to the vehicle includes receiving sensor data indicative of a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle.

15. The method of claim 9, where receiving and analyzing data which is external to the vehicle includes receiving data via a global positioning system.

16. The method of claim 11, where modifying generation of the engine start request based on said detecting of congestion includes requiring the accelerator pedal to be depressed further to generate the engine start request when the second, higher, level of congestion is detected than when the first level of congestion is detected.

17. A vehicle, comprising:

a hybrid propulsion system having an internal combustion engine and an alternate powertrain torque source capable of propelling the vehicle while the internal combustion engine is turned off; and

an electronic engine controller configured to;

receive external data indicative of congestion; and

control a transition of the hybrid propulsion system from a first propulsion mode to a second propulsion mode based on said external data, said control modifying generation of an engine start request based on detection of congestion, such that at a first level of congestion, the engine start request is generated upon an operating parameter exceeding a first value, and at a second, higher, level of congestion, the engine start request is generated upon the operating parameter exceeding a second value which is different than the first value.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, where the internal combustion engine is turned on in the first propulsion mode and turned off in the second propulsion mode.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, where the operating parameter is a position of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle.

20. The vehicle of claim 17, where the operating parameter is a driver power demand.

21. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising a sensor configured to obtain the external data, said external data being indicative of a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle.

22. The vehicle of claim 17, further comprising a receiver configured to receive GPS data and thereby generate the external data.

23. The vehicle of claim 19, where the electronic engine controller is configured to modify the engine start request by requiring the accelerator pedal to be depressed further to generate the engine start request when the second, higher, level of congestion is detected than when the first level of congestion is detected.

24. The vehicle of claim 20, where the electronic engine controller is configured to modify the engine start request by requiring that the driver power demand be higher to generate the engine start request when the second, higher, level of congestion is detected than when the first level of congestion is detected.