Indication apparatus for hybrid vehicle

• US 8,359,152 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2007
• Issued: 01/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Jinno, Kunihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): EL CHANTI, HUSSEIN A
• Application Number:
  US12/445,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/29, 701/30, 701/36, 701/123
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/14 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/28 Accelerator pedal thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0076 relating to braking
• 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: B60L 58/15 : Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 : for controlling the temperature of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 : by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/26 : Controlling the braking effect
• 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 2050/146 : Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 : Regenerative braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 : Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 : Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• 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 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

An ECU executes a program including: steps of detecting an SOC and a temperature TB of a traction battery; when an EV switch is on, a step of calculating a temperature correction coefficient α from TB; when EV switch not on, a step of calculating a temperature correction coefficient α from TB; steps of calculating an EV traveling allowed power value WOUT based on the SOC and the temperature correction coefficients; and a step of transmitting EV traveling allowed power value WOUT to a meter ECU in order to indicate EV traveling allowed power value WOUT on a power meter.

Claims

1. An indication apparatus for a hybrid vehicle employing, as traveling sources for the vehicle, an engine and a rotating electric machine being actuated by electric power supplied from a power storage mechanism, comprising:

an electronic control unit configured to calculate an index with which the vehicle is allowed to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine; and

an indicator configured to provide an indication of said index, which is calculated by said electronic control unit, so as to inform a driver of said index and to provide a pointer;

the indication having a length, and the pointer pointing within the length of the indication when the hybrid vehicle is able to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine.

2. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said electronic control unit is configured to calculate said index to be larger in a case where the driver requests a drive mode in which the vehicle is allowed to travel without actuating said engine than in a case where the driver does not request the drive mode in which the vehicle is allowed to travel without actuating said engine.

3. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said power storage mechanism is a secondary battery, and

said electronic control unit is configured to calculate said index based on a state of said secondary battery.

4. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

said electronic control unit is configured to calculate said index based on a temperature of said secondary battery.

5. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said indicator is configured to indicate said index in an instrument panel in front of a driver'"'"'s seat.

6. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the pointer points out of the length of the indication when the engine is actuated.

7. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the index indicates accelerator operation.

8. An indication apparatus for a hybrid vehicle employing, as traveling sources for the vehicle, an engine and a rotating electric machine being actuated by electric power supplied from a power storage mechanism, comprising:

calculation means for calculating an index with which the vehicle is allowed to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine; and

indication means for providing an indication of said index, which is calculated by said electronic control unit, so as to inform a driver of said index and for providing a pointer;

the indication having a length, and the pointer pointing within the length of the indication when the hybrid vehicle is able to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine.

9. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

said calculation means includes means for calculating said index to be larger in a case where the driver requests a drive mode in which the vehicle is allowed to travel without actuating said engine than in a case where the driver does not request the drive mode in which the vehicle is allowed to travel without actuating said engine.

10. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

said power storage mechanism is a secondary battery, and

said calculation means includes means for calculating said index based on a state of said secondary battery.

11. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

said calculation means includes means for calculating said index based on a temperature of said secondary battery.

12. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

said indication means includes means for indicating said index in an instrument panel in front of a driver'"'"'s seat.

13. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the pointer points out of the length of the indication when the engine is actuated.

14. The indication apparatus for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the index indicates accelerator operation.

16. The indication method for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

said calculating said index with which the vehicle is allowed to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine comprises calculating said index to be larger in a case where the driver requests a drive mode in which the vehicle is allowed to travel without actuating said engine than in a case where the driver does not request the drive mode in which the vehicle is allowed to travel without actuating said engine.

15. An indication method for a hybrid vehicle employing, as traveling sources for the vehicle, an engine and a rotating electric machine being actuated by electric power supplied from a power storage mechanism, comprising:

calculating an index with which the vehicle is allowed to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine by an electronic control unit;

providing an indication of said index, which is calculated by said electronic control unit, so as to inform a driver of said index; and

providing a pointer;

the indication having a length, and the pointer pointing within the length of the indication when the hybrid vehicle is able to travel by said rotating electric machine without actuating said engine.

17. The indication method for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

said power storage mechanism is a secondary battery, and

said index is calculated based on a state of said secondary battery.

18. The indication method for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 17, wherein

said index is calculated based on a temperature of said secondary battery.

19. The indication method for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

said index is indicated in an instrument panel in front of a driver'"'"'s seat.

20. The indication method for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the pointer points out of the length of the indication when the engine is actuated.

21. The indication method for the hybrid vehicle according to claim 20, wherein the index indicates accelerator operation.