Vehicle and method of controlling vehicle

• US 9,522,601 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Endo, Hiroki, Yamamoto, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Santana, Eduardo Colon
• Assistant Examiner(s): COOK, CORTEZ M
• Application Number:
  US14/365,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20150002053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 477/7, 318/271, 180/443
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• 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 2240/461 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/463 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 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/26 by pedal actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/72 Constructional details of fuel cells specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 : for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An ECU determines whether or not first operation for limiting an upper limit value of discharge power of a power storage device for supplying electric power to a rotating electric machine for generating a driving force of a vehicle has been received, by setting a first threshold value of an operation duration of an operation device required to determine the reception of the first operation to be greater than a second threshold value of operation duration of the operation device required to determine the reception of second operation for canceling the limitation of the upper limit value.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a rotating electric machine configured to generate a driving force of a vehicle;

a power storage device configured to supply electric power to said rotating electric machine;

an operation device configured to receive operation of varying an upper limit value of discharge power of said power storage device; and

a controller configured to control said discharge power so that said upper limit value of said discharge power is limited when said operation device receives first operation for limiting said upper limit value, and the limitation of said upper limit value is canceled when said operation device receives second operation for canceling the limitation of said upper limit value,

said controller being configured to determine whether or not said first operation has been received based on an amount of operation of said operation device, the amount of operation required to determine the reception of said first operation being greater than the amount of operation required to determine the reception of said second operation,

said controller being configured to determine that said first operation has been received when a number of operations of said operation device is equal to or larger than a first threshold value, and determines that said second operation has been received when said number of operations is equal to or larger than a second threshold value, and

said first threshold value being greater than said second threshold value.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said controller varies said upper limit value of said discharge power so that variation in said upper limit value of said discharge power when said upper limit value is limited in response to the reception of said first operation is more gradual than variation when the limitation of said upper limit value of said discharge power is canceled in response to the reception of said second operation.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when said first operation is received, said controller selects a predetermined running mode from a plurality of running modes, and limits said upper limit value of said discharge power to a degree greater than when another running mode is selected, and when said second operation is received, said controller cancels the selection of said predetermined running mode, and cancels the limitation of said upper limit value of said discharge power.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising an internal combustion engine for charging said power storage device, wherein

said plurality of running modes include a first running mode, a second running mode as said predetermined running mode, and a third running mode,

both of said first and second running modes are running modes in which said vehicle is controlled under execution conditions for executing, with priority, control of running said vehicle with said internal combustion engine being stopped, and

said third running mode is a running mode in which said vehicle is controlled under execution conditions for executing, with priority, control of running said vehicle with said internal combustion engine being operated.

5. A method of controlling a vehicle, used for a vehicle including a rotating electric machine configured to generate a driving force, a power storage device configured to supply electric power to said rotating electric machine, and an operation device configured to receive operation of varying an upper limit value of discharge power of said power storage device, comprising the steps of:

controlling said discharge power so that said upper limit value of said discharge power is limited when said operation device receives first operation for limiting said upper limit value;

controlling said discharge power so that the limitation of said upper limit value is canceled when said operation device receives second operation for canceling the limitation of said upper limit value;

determining whether or not said first operation has been received based on an amount of operation of said operation device, the amount of operation required to determine the reception of said first operation being greater than the amount of operation required to determine the reception of said second operation; and

determining that said first operation has been received when a number of operations of said operation device is equal to or larger than a first threshold value, and determines that said second operation has been received when said number of operations is equal to or larger than a second threshold value, and

said first threshold value being greater than said second threshold value.