Method for recharging a battery of a hybrid vehicle when the vehicle is stationary

• US 9,682,630 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Auzas, Frederic, Chupin, Paul-Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitmore, Stacy
• Application Number:
  US14/405,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20150217652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 320104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/22 Standstill, e.g. zero speed
• 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 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/56 Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• 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 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]

Abstract

A method for controlling recharging of a battery of a hybrid vehicle when the vehicle is stationary, the vehicle including a heat engine and at least one electric machine that can simultaneously or independently generate movement of the vehicle in electric, thermal, and hybrid operating modes, according to rolling conditions and a state of charge of a traction battery providing a power supply of the electric machine. The recharging of the battery is activated when the vehicle is stationary, at request of a driver acting on a dedicated interface.

Claims

1. A method for controlling recharging of a battery of a hybrid vehicle when the hybrid vehicle is stationary, the hybrid vehicle including a heat engine and at least one electric machine that can simultaneously or independently generate movement of the hybrid vehicle in electric, thermal, and hybrid operating modes, according to driving conditions and a state of charge of a traction battery providing a power supply of the at least one electric machine, the method comprising:

receiving a command, based on a first request of a driver to a dedicated recharging interface to activate recharging of the battery using at least the heat engine, when the hybrid vehicle is stationary; and

activating recharging of the battery using at least the heat engine when the hybrid vehicle is stationary, responsive to said receiving the command based on the first request of the driver to the dedicated recharging interface,

wherein the recharging of the battery when the hybrid vehicle is stationary is interrupted below a reserve level of fuel in a tank, and resumed responsive to authorization from the driver that consumption of fuel below the reserve level is acceptable to recharge the battery.

2. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a start-up of the hybrid vehicle is refused without prior recharging of the battery when the hybrid vehicle is stationary if the state of charge of the battery is below a critical threshold.

3. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a start-up of the stationary hybrid vehicle is authorized with a prompt beforehand to recharge the battery when the hybrid vehicle is stationary if the state of charge of the battery is between a critical threshold and a safety threshold, which is higher than the critical threshold.

4. The control method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the start-up of the stationary hybrid vehicle is authorized with the prompt beforehand to recharge the battery when the hybrid vehicle is stationary if the state of charge of the battery is above the safety threshold, but a number of possible start-ups in electric mode with this state is below a determined threshold.

5. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recharging when the hybrid vehicle is stationary is only activated when a gear stick of the hybrid vehicle is in a neutral position.

6. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver is informed during driving of a need to stop the hybrid vehicle to recharge the battery if the state of charge is below a critical threshold.

7. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the driver is prompted during driving to stop the hybrid vehicle to recharge the battery if the state of charge is between a safety threshold and the critical threshold.

8. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recharging of the battery is refused when the battery is already fully charged, or is stopped automatically once the battery is fully charged.

9. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recharging of the battery when the hybrid vehicle is stationary is deactivated when an amount of fuel available in the tank of the hybrid vehicle is insufficient to raise the state of charge of the battery beyond a critical threshold.

10. The control method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the recharging of the battery also uses said at least one electric machine.

11. The control method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising deactivating the recharging of the battery, prior to the battery reaching a fully charged state, in response to a second request of the driver to the dedicated recharging interface.