Hybrid vehicle having multi-mode controller

• US 8,478,466 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Luo, HongBing, Zhou, XuGuang, Tang, XiaoHua, Zhang, XinXin, Luo, Ting
• Primary Examiner(s): Keith, Jack
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khatib, Rami
• Application Number:
  US12/341,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/54, 701/69, 701/99, 701/101, 701/102, 701/110, 701/112, 903902-960, 180 651- 6523, 180 6524- 6531
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/387 Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/442 Series-parallel switching type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/02 including control of driveline clutches
• 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 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/081 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1024 combined with hydraulic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/1066 Hybrid
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/3024 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/30401 On-off signal indicating the engage or disengaged position of the clutch
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7027 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/70406 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2500/7041 : Position
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/66 : the elements being metallic, e.g. in the form of coils
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 48/02 : Control by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/912 : Drive line clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch

Abstract

A control system for a hybrid vehicle controls the various operating modes of the hybrid vehicle. Operating modes of the hybrid vehicle include an electric-only power mode, a series hybrid mode, a series hybrid dual-power mode, and a parallel hybrid tri-power mode. The control system selects one of the operating modes for the hybrid vehicle based on one or more inputs and comparisons. Examples of inputs for the control system include a gear-mode, a present battery storage capacity, a present velocity of the hybrid vehicle, and the previous operating mode of the hybrid power system. The control system may also take into account whether a user has selected the electric-only power mode. The control system may also control the operations of one or more components of the hybrid vehicle while operating in one of the operating modes.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling operating modes of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a first electric motor-generator;

an electric traction motor;

a battery pack;

a clutch physically disposed between the engine and the first electric motor-generator and configured to selectively engage and disengage the engine from the traction motor; and

a user-selectable switch configured to permit an operator to select an electric-only power mode and override a hybrid driving mode; and

the control system comprising;

a vehicle controller operative to;

receive a gear mode indicator, an electric-only power mode indicator, and a present battery storage capacity;

compare the present battery storage capacity with a battery threshold;

select an operating mode based on the gear-mode indicator, the electric-only power mode indicator, and a result of the comparison; and

output a selected operating mode to control the engine, the first electric motor-generator, and the electric traction motor, so that the vehicle operates according to the selected mode.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the battery threshold is an electric-only minimum battery threshold; and

the vehicle controller selects the electric-only power mode as an operating mode when;

the gear-mode indicator indicates either a neutral, a drive, or a reverse gear-mode;

the electric-only power mode indicator indicates that the electric-only power mode has been selected; and

the present battery storage capacity is greater than the electric-only minimum battery threshold.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein:

the battery threshold is a minimum electric starting capacity threshold; and

the vehicle controller is further operative to;

compare the present battery storage capacity with the minimum electric starting capacity threshold;

determine a previous operating mode of the vehicle; and

select an operating mode based on the comparison between the present battery storage capacity and the minimum electric starting capacity threshold, and the determined previous operating mode.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle controller selects an electric-only power mode as the operating mode.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein the vehicle controller selects a series mode as the operating mode.

6. The control system of claim 3, wherein:

the vehicle controller is further operative to;

compare the present battery storage capacity with an efficient operating battery threshold; and

select the series mode as the operating mode when;

the gear-mode indicator indicates a drive or a reverse gear-mode;

the electric-only power mode indicator indicates that the electric-only power mode is not selected;

the present battery storage capacity is not greater than the efficient operating battery threshold; and

the present battery storage capacity is less than the minimum electric starting capacity threshold.

7. The control system of claim 6, wherein the selected series mode is a series dual-power mode.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is further operative to:

receive a velocity input signal that indicates a velocity of the hybrid vehicle;

compare a value of the velocity input signal with an upper velocity threshold; and

further select the operating mode of the vehicle based on the comparison of the value of the velocity input signal with the upper velocity threshold.

9. The control system of claim 8, wherein:

the battery threshold is an efficient operating battery threshold; and

the vehicle controller selects a parallel tri-power mode as the operating mode when;

the gear-mode of the hybrid vehicle is a drive or reverse gear-mode;

the electric-only power mode selection indicates that the electric-only power mode has not been selected;

the present battery storage capacity is not greater than the efficient operating battery threshold; and

the value of the velocity input signal is greater than the upper velocity threshold.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is further operative to:

receive a velocity input signal that indicates the velocity of the hybrid vehicle;

receive a lower velocity threshold;

determine a previous operating mode of the vehicle; and

further select the operating mode of the vehicle based on a comparison of a value of the velocity input signal with the lower velocity threshold, and the determined previous operating mode.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein:

the battery threshold is an efficient operating battery threshold; and

the vehicle controller selects a series mode as the operating mode when;

the gear-mode of the hybrid vehicle is a drive or reverse gear-mode;

the electric-only power mode selection indicates that the electric-only power mode has not been selected;

a comparison of the present battery storage capacity and the efficient operating battery threshold indicates that the present battery storage capacity is less than the efficient operating battery capacity threshold;

the determined previous operating mode of the hybrid power system is a parallel tri-power mode; and

the value of the velocity input signal is less than the lower velocity threshold.

12. The control system of claim 10, wherein:

the battery threshold is an efficient operating battery threshold; and

,

the vehicle controller selects a parallel tri-power mode as the operating mode when;

the gear-mode indicator of the vehicle indicates a drive or reverse gear-mode;

the electric-only power mode selection indicates that the electric-only power mode has not been selected;

the present battery storage capacity is not greater than the efficient operating battery threshold;

the determined previous operating mode is the series hybrid mode; and

the value of the velocity input signal is greater than the upper velocity threshold.

13. The control system of claim 1, where the operating mode of the vehicle is selected from an operating mode group comprising:

the electric-only power mode defined by operating the fraction motor to provide torque to a set of driving wheels using power supplied solely by the battery pack in communication with the traction motor;

a series mode defined by operating the traction motor to provide torque to the set of driving wheels using power supplied by the motor-generator in communication with the traction motor, wherein excess power generated by the motor-generator is provided to charge the battery pack;

a series dual-power mode defined by operating the traction motor to provide torque to the set of driving wheels using power supplied by the motor-generator and power supplied by the battery pack;

a parallel dual-power mode defined by operating the traction motor to provide torque to the set of driving wheels using power supplied by the battery pack, and by operating the internal combustion engine to provide additional torque, wherein excess power generated by the motor-generator is provided to charge the battery pack; and

a parallel tri-power mode defined by operating the traction motor and the motor-generator to provide torque to the set of driving wheels using power supplied by the battery pack, and by operating the internal combustion engine to provide additional torque.

14. A method for controlling operating modes of a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle having:

an internal combustion engine;

a first electric motor-generator;

an electric traction motors;

a battery pack;

a clutch physically disposed between the engine and the first electric motor-generator and configured to selectively engage and disengage the engine from the traction motor; and

a user-selectable switch configured to permit an operator to select an electric-only power mode and override a hybrid driving modes;

the method comprising;

receiving a gear mode indicator, an electric-only power mode indicator, and a present battery storage capacity;

comparing the present battery storage capacity with a battery threshold;

selecting an operating mode based on the gear-mode indicator, the electric-only power mode indicator, and a result of the comparison; and

selecting an operating mode to control the engine, the first electric motor-generator, and the electric traction motor, so that the vehicle operates according to the selected mode.