Hybrid electric vehicle controller and method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle
First Claim
1. A controller for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having an engine and an electric machine and an energy storage device, the controller being configured to start the engine if a state of charge (SoC) of the energy storage device is below a SoC minimum level (SoCmin),the controller being further configured, upon initial start-up of the vehicle in which the vehicle is controlled to transition from a not ready state to a ready state, to determine whether the SoC of the energy storage device is below an EV-start SoC threshold (SoCEV-start) instead of SoCmin;
- if the SoC of the energy storage device is below an EV-start SoC threshold the vehicle is controlled to start the engine, andif the SoC of the energy storage device is not below an EV-start SoC threshold the vehicle is controlled to start in EV mode, wherein SoC EV-start is greater than SoCmin and comprises at least one of;
a value sufficient to allow the vehicle to travel a prescribed distance before the SoC falls below SoCmin; and
a value sufficient to allow the vehicle to operate for a prescribed time period before the SoC falls below SoCmin.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a controller for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having an engine and an electric machine, the controller being configured upon start-up to control an electric machine to provide torque to drive a vehicle with an engine off if a state of charge (SoC) of an energy storage device is above an EV-start SoC threshold and to start an engine if a SoC of an energy storage device is below the EV-start SoC threshold, wherein the EV-start SoC threshold is determined to be one selected from amongst a value sufficient to allow a vehicle to travel a prescribed distance before a SoC falls below a SoC minimum level at which an engine is started and a value sufficient to allow a vehicle to operate for a prescribed time period before a SoC falls below the SoC minimum level.
17 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A controller for a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) having an engine and an electric machine and an energy storage device, the controller being configured to start the engine if a state of charge (SoC) of the energy storage device is below a SoC minimum level (SoCmin),
the controller being further configured, upon initial start-up of the vehicle in which the vehicle is controlled to transition from a not ready state to a ready state, to determine whether the SoC of the energy storage device is below an EV-start SoC threshold (SoCEV-start) instead of SoCmin; -
if the SoC of the energy storage device is below an EV-start SoC threshold the vehicle is controlled to start the engine, and if the SoC of the energy storage device is not below an EV-start SoC threshold the vehicle is controlled to start in EV mode, wherein SoC EV-start is greater than SoCmin and comprises at least one of; a value sufficient to allow the vehicle to travel a prescribed distance before the SoC falls below SoCmin; and a value sufficient to allow the vehicle to operate for a prescribed time period before the SoC falls below SoCmin. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of controlling a hybrid electric vehicle having an engine and an electric machine, the method comprising:
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upon initial start-up of the vehicle in which the vehicle is controlled to transition from a not ready state to a ready state, determining whether a SoC of an energy storage device of the vehicle is below an EV-start SoC threshold (SoCEV-start) instead of a SoC minimum level (SoCmin); if the SoC of the energy storage device is below the EV-start SoC threshold, controlling the vehicle to start the engine, and if the SoC of the energy storage device is not below the EV-start SoC threshold, controlling the vehicle to start in EV mode, wherein SoC EV-start is greater than SoCmin and comprises at least one of; a value sufficient to allow the vehicle to travel a prescribed distance before the SoC falls below SoCmin; and a value sufficient to allow the vehicle to operate for a prescribed time period before the SoC falls below SoCmin. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification