Vehicle and control method of vehicle

• US 8,424,624 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Oyama, Shunsuke, Tanaka, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): EBNER, KATY MEYER
• Application Number:
  US12/527,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20100065357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,890 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.265, 180/65.28, 180/65.285, 180/65.29
• US Class Current: 180/65.265
• 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: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/547 the transmission being a stepped gearing
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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: 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 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/1061 Output power
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/24 Energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2037/0866 Power split variators with distributing differentials, with the output of the CVT connected or connectable to the output shaft
• 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 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

The charge-discharge power demand is set to the charging power, when the state of charge of the battery is less than the reference value or when the state of charge of the battery is more than or equal to the reference value and less than the reference value while the vehicle power demand is less than reference value. The charge-discharge power demand is set to the discharging power, when the state of charge of the battery is more than or equal to the reference value or when the state of charge of the battery is more than or equal to the reference value and less than the reference value and while the vehicle power demand is more than or equal to the reference value. The charge-discharge power demand is set without change in value to the last set the charge-discharge power demand, when the state of charge of the battery is more than or equal to the reference value and less than the reference value while the vehicle power demand is more than or equal to the reference value and less than the reference value. The engine and the motors are so controlled as the battery is charged or discharged with the charge-discharge power demand and the vehicle is driven with vehicle power demand.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine capable of outputting power for driving the vehicle;

a motor constructed to input and output power for driving the vehicle;

an accumulator unit designed to transmit electric power to and from the motor;

a power demand setting module configured to set a power demand required for driving the vehicle; and

a controller programmed to, in a repeatedly run control routine, at a temperature raising time that is a time when the accumulator unit is raised in temperature and a state of charge of the accumulator unit is within a predetermined range, control the internal combustion engine, charging or discharging of the accumulator unit, and the motor so that;

(i) if the set power demand is more than or equal to a first power, then the accumulator unit is discharged;

(ii) if the set power demand is less than a second power which is smaller than the first power, then the accumulator unit is charged;

(iii) if the set power demand is less than the first power and more than or equal to the second power, then the accumulator unit keeps being charged or discharged based on the power demand set in the last execution of the control routine.

2. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, the vehicle further having:

a remaining capacity measurement unit configured to measure a remaining capacity that indicates an amount dischargeable from the accumulator unit,

wherein the controller, at the temperature raising time, controls the internal combustion engine and the motor so that the accumulator unit is charged or discharged based on the measured remaining capacity.

3. The vehicle in accordance with claim 2, wherein the controller, at the temperature raising time, is programmed to control the internal combustion engine and the motor so that:

if the measured remaining capacity is more than or equal to a first amount, the accumulator unit is discharged regardless of the set power demand, and

if the measured remaining capacity is less than a second amount which is smaller than the first amount, the accumulator unit is charged regardless of the set power demand.

4. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controller, at the temperature raising time, controls the internal combustion engine and the motor so that the accumulator unit is charged by a predetermined charging power to charge the accumulator unit, and controls the internal combustion engine and the motor so that the accumulator unit is discharged by a predetermined discharging power to discharge the accumulator unit.

5. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, the vehicle further having:

an electric power-mechanical power input output assembly connected with a driveshaft linked to an axle of the vehicle and with an output shaft of the internal combustion engine in such a manner as to be rotatable independently of the driveshaft and configured to input and output power to and from the driveshaft and the output shaft through input and output of electric power and mechanical power, and constructed to transmit electric power to and from the accumulator unit,

wherein the motor is so connected with the driveshaft as to input and output power to and from the driveshaft.

6. The vehicle in accordance with claim 5, wherein the electric power-mechanical power input and output assembly has:

a generator connected with the accumulator unit and constructed to input and output power; and

a three shaft-type power input output structure connected to three shafts, the driveshaft, the output shaft of the internal combustion engine, and a rotating shaft of the generator, and designed to input and output power to residual shaft based on powers input from and output to any two shafts among the three shafts.

7. The vehicle in accordance with claim 1, wherein the controller, at the temperature raising time, controls the internal combustion engine and the motor so that a charging power into the accumulator unit or a discharging power from the accumulator unit is maintained to keep charging or discharging the accumulator unit.

8. A vehicle, comprising:

a power generation unit designed to receive a supply of fuel and generate electric power;

a motor constructed to input and output power for driving the vehicle;

an accumulator unit designed to transmit electric power to and from the motor;

a power demand setting module configured to set a power demand required for driving the vehicle; and

a controller programmed to, in a repeatedly run control routine, at a temperature raising time that is a time when the accumulator unit is raised in temperature and a state of charge of the accumulator unit is within a predetermined range, control the internal combustion engine, charging or discharging of the accumulator unit, and the motor so that;

(i) if the set power demand is more than or equal to a first power, then the accumulator unit is discharged;

(ii) if the set power demand is less than a second power which is smaller than the first power, then the accumulator unit is charged;

(iii) if the set power demand is less than the first power and more than or equal to the second power, then the accumulator unit keeps being charged or discharged based on the power demand set in the last execution of the control routine.

9. The vehicle in accordance with claim 8, the vehicle further having:

a remaining capacity measurement unit configured to measure a remaining capacity that indicates an amount dischargeable from the accumulator unit,

wherein the controller, at the temperature raising time, is programmed to control the power generation unit and the motor so that;

if the measured remaining capacity is more than or equal to a first amount, the accumulator unit is discharged regardless of the set power demand, and

if the measured remaining capacity is less than a second amount which is smaller than the first amount, the accumulator unit is charged regardless of the set power demand.

10. The vehicle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the power generation unit has:

an internal combustion engine; and

a generator designed to receive output power of the internal combustion engine and generate electric power.

11. The vehicle in accordance with claim 8, wherein the power generation unit has fuel cells.

12. A control method of a vehicle, the vehicle having:

an internal combustion engine capable of outputting power for driving the vehicle;

a motor constructed to input and output power for driving the vehicle; and

an accumulator unit designed to transmit electric power to and from the motor,

the control method for repeatedly running a control routine, at a temperature raising time that is a time when the accumulator unit is raised in temperature and a state of charge of the accumulator unit is within a predetermined range, controlling the internal combustion engine, charging or discharging of the accumulator unit, and the motor so that;

(i) if the required power demand for driving the vehicle is more than or equal to a first power, then the accumulator unit is discharged;

(ii) if the required power demand for driving the vehicle is less than a second power which is smaller than the first power, then the accumulator unit is charged;

(iii) if the required power demand for driving the vehicle is less than the first power and more than or equal to the second power, then the accumulator unit keeps being charged or discharged based on the power demand set in the last execution of the control routine.

13. The control method of the vehicle in accordance with claim 12, the control method, at the temperature raising time, controlling the internal combustion engine and the motor so that:

if a remaining capacity that indicates an amount dischargeable from the accumulator unit is more than or equal to a first amount, the accumulator unit is discharged regardless of the required power demand, and

if the remaining capacity is less than a second amount which is smaller than the first amount, the accumulator unit is charged regardless of the required power demand.

14. A control method of a vehicle, the vehicle having:

a power generation unit designed to receive a supply of fuel and generate electric power;

a motor constructed to input and output power for driving the vehicle; and

an accumulator unit designed to transmit electric power to and from the motor,

the control method for repeatedly running a control routine, at a temperature raising time that is a time when the accumulator unit is raised in temperature and a state of charge of the accumulator unit is within a predetermined range, controlling the internal combustion engine, charging or discharging of the accumulator unit, and the motor so that;

(i) if the required power demand for driving the vehicle is more than or equal to a first power, then the accumulator unit is discharged;

(ii) if the required power demand for driving the vehicle is less than a second power which is smaller than the first power, then the accumulator unit is charged;

(iii) if the required power demand for driving the vehicle is less than the first power and more than or equal to the second power, then the accumulator unit keeps being charged or discharged based on the power demand set in the last execution of the control routine.

15. The control method of the vehicle in accordance with claim 14, the control method, at the temperature raising time, controlling the power generation unit and the motor so that:

if a remaining capacity that indicates an amount dischargeable from the accumulator unit is more than or equal to a first amount, the accumulator unit is discharged regardless of the required power demand, and

if the remaining capacity is less than a second amount which is smaller than the first amount, the accumulator unit is charged regardless of the required power demand.