Hybrid vehicle and method of controlling the same

• US 8,091,663 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US12/464,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20090277705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.265, 180/65.21, 180/65.29, 180/65.275, 180/65.285
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/268 Electric drive motor starts the engine, i.e. used as starter 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 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/12 of exhaust
• 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 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/182 : Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 11/00 : Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus , e.g. for catalytic activity safety, indicating or supervising devices for internal combustion engines F02B77/08; testing of machines G01M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2550/02 : Catalytic activity of catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2013 : using electric or magnetic heating means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 : Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

In a charge mode (YES in S10), before charging of the electricity storage device by an external power source is started, electricity is supplied from an electricity storage device to an electrically-heated catalyzer (EHC) (S20) and an electrical resistance of the EHC is determined (S30). When it is determined based on the determined electrical resistance that there is no abnormality in the EHC (NO in S40), charging of the electricity storage device by the external power source is started (S50) and electricity is supplied from the external power source to the EHC (S60). When it is determined that there is an abnormality in the EHC (YES in S40), electricity is not supplied to the EHC (S70).

Claims

1. A hybrid vehicle, which is driven by motive power output from at least one of an internal combustion engine and a vehicle-driving electric motor, the hybrid vehicle comprising:

an electricity storage device that stores electric power to be supplied to the electric motor;

an electricity receiving portion that receives electric power supplied from an external power source outside of the vehicle;

a charging device that performs voltage conversion of the electric power input through the electricity receiving portion to charge the electricity storage device;

an electrically-heated catalyzer that is provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine and is capable of electrically heating a catalyst for purifying exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine; and

a controller that determines an occurrence of an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer by supplying electricity from the electricity storage device to the electrically-heated catalyzer before charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is started and that, when it is determined that there is no abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, performs electric power control so that charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is started and electricity is supplied from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer.

2. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the electrically-heated catalyzer is electrically connected to the charging device; and

the controller controls the charging device so that electricity is supplied from the electricity storage device to the electrically-heated catalyzer before charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is started, and when it is determined that there is no abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, the controller controls the charging device so that the electricity storage device is charged by the power source and electricity is supplied from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer.

3. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs electric power control so that when it is determined that there is an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, supplying electricity from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer is inhibited.

4. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the controller performs electric power control so that when it is determined that there is an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, supplying electricity from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer is inhibited and the electricity storage device is charged by the power source.

5. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines the occurrence of an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer by determining an electrical resistance of the electrically-heated catalyzer when electricity is supplied from the electricity storage device to the electrically-heated catalyzer.

6. The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electricity generator that generates electricity with the use of kinetic energy produced by the internal combustion engine to charge the electricity storage device; and

a drive mode control section that controls switching between a first drive mode in which, until a state of charge of the electricity storage device falls to a predetermined level after charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is completed, the internal combustion engine is stopped and the vehicle is driven by the electric motor, and a second drive mode in which, when the state of charge falls to the predetermined level, the internal combustion engine is started and the vehicle is driven with the state of charge kept at a predetermined target level,

wherein, when a requested driving force of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value, the drive mode control section starts the internal combustion engine even in the first drive mode.

7. A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle, which is driven by motive power output from at least one of an internal combustion engine and a vehicle-driving electric motor, the hybrid vehicle including:

an electricity storage device that stores electric power to be supplied to the electric motor;

an electricity receiving portion that receives electric power supplied from an external power source outside of the vehicle;

a charging device that performs voltage conversion of electric power input through the electricity receiving portion to charge the electricity storage device; and

an electrically-heated catalyzer that is provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine and is capable of electrically heating a catalyst for purifying exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine,

the method comprising;

performing a determination of occurrence of an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer by supplying electricity from the electricity storage device to the electrically-heated catalyzer before charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is started; and

when it is determined that there is no abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, performing electric power control so that charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is started and electricity is supplied from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer.

8. The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 7, wherein:

the electrically-heated catalyzer is electrically connected to the charging device;

in performing the determination of occurrence of an abnormality, the charging device is controlled so that electricity is supplied from the electricity storage device to the electrically-heated catalyzer before charging of the electricity storage device by the power source is started; and

when it is determined that there is no abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, in performing the electric power control, the charging device is controlled so that the electricity storage device is charged by the power source and electricity is supplied from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer.

9. The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 7, wherein when it is determined that there is an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, supplying electricity from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer is inhibited.

10. The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 9, wherein when it is determined that there is an abnormality in the electrically-heated catalyzer, electric power control is performed so that supplying electricity from the power source to the electrically-heated catalyzer is inhibited and the electricity storage device is charged by the power source.

11. The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the determination of occurrence of an abnormality is performed by determining an electrical resistance of the electrically-heated catalyzer when electricity is supplied from the electricity storage device to the electrically-heated catalyzer.