Hybrid electric vehicle preferred mode

• US 9,315,190 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Yu, Hai
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Application Number:
  US14/265,455
• Publication Number:
  US 20150314776A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• 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 2510/0208 Clutch engagement state, e.g. engaged or disengaged
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/06 Combustion engines, Gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/08 Electric propulsion units
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18 Propelling the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A vehicle may include a controller programmed to adjust operational parameters defining conditions during which the vehicle is to be operated in electric mode in response to user input selecting an electric mode intensity. A frequency and total duration with which the vehicle is operated in electric mode increases for a given drive cycle as the electric mode intensity increases.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a controller programmed to, in response to user input designating an electric mode intensity, adjust a state of charge threshold at which the vehicle is to transition from EV mode to HEV mode during a drive cycle such that a total duration with which the vehicle is operated in EV mode increases for the drive cycle as the electric mode intensity increases.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to increase the electric mode intensity such that the vehicle is operated in electric mode while at a predetermined location.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to operate the vehicle in HEV mode such that battery state of charge is increased while proximate a predetermined location.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to an electric mode intensity increase, decrease a vehicle speed threshold such that HEV mode operation occurs at a decreased vehicle speed.

5. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

reducing, by a controller, a state of charge threshold at which the vehicle is to transition from EV mode to HEV mode during a drive cycle in response to user input designating an increase in electric mode intensity such that a duration with which the vehicle is operated in electric mode increases for the drive cycle.

6. A method of controlling a vehicle comprising:

increasing, by a controller, a state of charge threshold at which the vehicle is to transition from EV mode to HEV mode during a drive cycle in response to user input designating a decrease in electric mode intensity such that a duration with which the vehicle is operated in electric mode decreases for the drive cycle.