Control device for hybrid vehicle

• US 9,415,768 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Okada, Yuruki, Wada, Yasuhiko, Yamasaki, Hisanori, Hatanaka, Keita
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US14/434,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 320/103
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• 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 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• 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 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• 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 10/10 : including control of change-speed gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 : for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 20/13 : in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 : Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/30 : Railway vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/06 : Power storing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B61C 17/12 : Control gear; Arrangements for controlling locomotives from remote points in the train or when operating in multiple units control from points outside the train B61L3/00; fluid-actuated telemotors, servomotors F15B; control devices in general G05
• 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 30/00 : Transportation of goods or passengers via railways, e.g. energy recovery or reducing air resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A high-order control unit provided in a control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an elevation MAP that is used in common for up and down lines and in which at least two predetermined elevation values on a running track are described, and an energy estimation unit that estimates a target charge/discharge amount SOC_ref with respect to a power storage device on the basis of a traveling direction signal Rev expressing a traveling direction of a vehicle, distance information Dis from a distance translation unit, and information on the elevation MAP, to control a power generation device on the basis of the target charge/discharge amount SOC_ref.

Claims

1. A controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle that is applied to a hybrid railroad vehicle drive system including a power storage, a power generator that is electrically connected to the power storage, and a load that drives a vehicle by using power from the power storage and the power generator, wherein the controller comprises

a high-order controller that controls charge and discharge with respect to the power storage through the power generator, wherein

the high-order controller includes a traveling-direction generator that generates a traveling direction signal expressing a traveling direction (forward/reverse) of a vehicle,

the traveling-direction generator generates the traveling direction signal by using a vehicle-direction switching signal generated when a traveling direction of a vehicle is switched, and

the high-order controller controls the power generator by calculating an amount of charge/discharge with respect to the power storage, on a basis of the traveling direction signal output every time a target point is reached.

2. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling-direction generator is provided to a cab and is based on a signal for specifying forward/reverse of a vehicle operated by a driver.

3. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling-direction generator generates the traveling direction signal by using information which is obtained from signal information from an operation controller installed in a vehicle.

4. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling-direction generator generates the traveling direction signal by using information which is obtained from radio signal information from an operation controller installed outside a vehicle.

5. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the high-order controller is provided in a vehicle that constitutes the hybrid railroad vehicle.

6. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the power generator includes

a power generator driven by an engine,

a converter that converts AC power output from the power generator to DC power,

an engine controller that controls an operation of the engine, and

a power-generation controller that controls an operation of the converter.

7. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the high-order controller is provided outside the hybrid railroad vehicle.

8. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the high-order controller includes a height database that is used in common for up and down lines and in which height information on two points including at least any of the highest altitude point and a lower altitude point on a running track is described, and controls the power generator by calculating an amount of charge/discharge with respect to the power storage, on a basis of running distance information, and information on the height database.

9. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the height database sets a point in time where the traveling direction signal is input as a reference point.

10. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the height database sets a final point of a running track as a target point.

11. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the high-order controller includes

an energy estimator that sets a target charge/discharge amount at a target point on a basis of the traveling direction signal, the running distance information, and the information on the height database, and

a power-generation command-value generator that determines a charge/discharge amount of the power storage device on a basis of the target charge/discharge amount and a state of charge of the power storage.

12. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the energy estimator calculates the target charge/discharge amount when the traveling direction signal is input.

13. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the energy estimator calculates position energy from height data obtained from the height database and calculates the target charge/discharge amount on a basis of the position energy.

14. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the power-generation command-value generator calculates charge-discharge amount difference information by using the target charge/discharge amount and a state of charge of the power storage when the traveling direction signal is input and determines an output command to an engine and a power generation command to a converter on a basis of the charge-discharge amount difference information.

15. The controller for a hybrid railroad vehicle according to claim 9, wherein

the energy estimator includes

an abnormality detector that detects an abnormal state of the running distance information, and

a protection switch that switches a target charge/discharge amount to a battery-protection charge/discharge amount command value set within a range in which a battery is not over-charged or over-discharged, on a basis of a determination result from the abnormality detector.