Control apparatus for plug-in hybrid vehicle, and control method for the same

• US 9,678,495 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2013
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fushiki, Shunsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Jerrah
• Application Number:
  US14/432,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20150286199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2637 Vehicle, car, auto, wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2639 Energy management, use maximum of cheap power, keep peak load low
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A control apparatus for a plug-in hybrid vehicle having a secondary battery that can be charged with external power includes a stoppage period acquisition unit and a battery control unit. The stoppage period acquisition unit obtains an engine stoppage period in which an internal combustion engine is stopped. The battery control unit controls charging/discharging of the secondary battery. The battery control unit sets an upper limit value of a storage amount of the secondary battery to be lower when the engine stoppage period equals or exceeds a predetermined period than when the engine stoppage period is shorter than the predetermined period.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling a plug-in hybrid vehicle including a secondary battery that can be charged with external power, the control apparatus performing control so as to drive the vehicle using only a motor at the beginning of a journey and to start an internal combustion engine when a storage amount of the secondary battery falls to or below a predetermined value to drive the vehicle using the motor and the internal combustion engine concomitantly, the control apparatus comprising:

at least one ECU configured to;

obtain an engine stoppage period in which an internal combustion engine is stopped,

control charging and discharging of the secondary battery, and

set an upper limit value of a storage amount of the secondary battery to be lower when the engine stoppage period equals or exceeds a predetermined period than when the engine stoppage period is shorter than the predetermined period,

wherein the control apparatus is configured to classify journeys of the vehicle into a plurality of travel patterns corresponding to respective consumption amounts of electricity stored in the second battery, on the basis of an average value of required output during travel using only the motor at the beginning of a single journey, and a travel distance, and the control apparatus predicts a travel pattern of a subsequent journey on the basis of an appearance frequency of the classified travel pattern, and

the ECU is configured to set the upper limit value of the storage amount used when the engine stoppage period equals or exceeds the predetermined period at a value determined in accordance with the predicted travel pattern.

2. A control method for a plug-in hybrid vehicle including the control apparatus of claim 1 and a secondary battery that can be charged with external power, the control method comprising:

obtaining, by the ECU, an engine stoppage period in which an internal combustion engine is stopped;

controlling, by the ECU, charging and discharging of the secondary battery; and

setting, by the ECU, an upper limit value of a storage amount of the secondary battery to be lower when the engine stoppage period equals or exceeds a predetermined period than when the engine stoppage period is shorter than the predetermined period.

3. The control method according to claim 2, further comprising:

driving, by the ECU, the plug-in hybrid vehicle using only a motor at the beginning of a journey;

starting, by the ECU, the internal combustion engine when the storage amount of the secondary battery falls to or below a predetermined value such that the plug-in hybrid vehicle is driven using the motor and the internal combustion engine concomitantly;

classifying, by the ECU, journeys of the plug-in hybrid vehicle into a plurality of travel patterns corresponding to respective consumption amounts of electricity stored in the secondary battery;

predicting, by the ECU, a travel pattern of a subsequent journey on the basis of a journey history; and

setting, by the ECU, the upper limit value of the storage amount used when the engine stoppage period equals or exceeds the predetermined period at a value determined in accordance with the predicted travel pattern.