Method and system for variably adjusting voltage of LDC for hybrid vehicle

• US 9,873,334 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2015
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group), Kia Motors Corporation (Kia Corp.)
• Inventors: Shin, Dong Jun, Choi, Yong Kak, Noh, Soung Han, Hwang, Hwan, Park, Jun Yeon, Ryu, Chang Ryeol
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, ANA D
• Application Number:
  US14/860,956
• Publication Number:
  US 20160121725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/16 for vehicles comprising converters between the power source and the motor
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A method and system are provided for variably adjusted voltage of the LDC applied with an IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor). The LDC output voltage control mode is determined in each of three driving modes, and the high electric loads are separated into two or more groups. The LDC output voltage value and the order priority are differentiated based on the durability of the auxiliary battery. Additionally, an LDC output voltage order table is generated according to the driving mode and the SOC state based on the auxiliary battery SOC information obtained from an IBS. Thus, consumed energy of the LDC and an energy consumption amount of the auxiliary battery are minimized, thus improving fuel efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for variably adjusting voltage of a low voltage direct current-direct current converter (LDC) for a hybrid vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by a controller, an LDC output voltage control mode for each three driving modes including an electric vehicle (EV) mode, an engine charge mode, and a regenerative braking mode;

separating, by the controller, high electric loads into two or more groups and determining LDC output voltage based on a voltage consumption amount of each of the groups; and

variably adjusting, by the controller, the LDC output voltage by generating a LDC output voltage order table based on temperature information of the auxiliary battery and state of charge (SOC) information sensed by an intelligent battery sensor (IBS) mounted on a terminal of the auxiliary battery.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the three driving modes are determined based on a gear lever position, existence of fuel injection, a vehicle speed, power of a motor, and an engagement amount of an accelerator pedal, and a LDC reference output voltage for charging the auxiliary battery is determined for each of the three driving modes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a priority of the LDC output voltage is determined for each of loads requiring high voltage and loads requiring low voltage.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the loads requiring the high voltage include a blower in a maximum stage and a cooling fan in a high stage;

and the loads requiring the low voltage include a headlamp, a wiper, and a rear defogger.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, when the loads requiring the high voltage and the loads requiring the low voltage are actuated simultaneously, the LDC is configured to output an output voltage suitable for the loads requiring the high voltage with priority.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the SOC information of the auxiliary battery sensed by the IBS is separated into three stages and transition among the respective stages is based on a hysteresis.

7. A system for variably adjusting voltage of a low voltage direct current-direct current converter (LDC) for a hybrid vehicle, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store program instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the program instructions, the program instructions when executed configured to;

determine an LDC output voltage control mode for each three driving modes including an electric vehicle (EV) mode, an engine charge mode, and a regenerative braking mode;

determine high electric loads into two or more groups and determining LDC output voltage based on a voltage consumption amount of each of the groups; and

variably adjust the LDC output voltage by generating a LDC output voltage order table based on temperature information of the auxiliary battery and state of charge (SOC) information sensed by an intelligent battery sensor (IBS) mounted on a terminal of the auxiliary battery.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the three driving modes are determined based on a gear lever position, existence of fuel injection, a vehicle speed, power of a motor, and an engagement amount of an accelerator pedal, and a LDC reference output voltage for charging the auxiliary battery is determined for each of the three driving modes.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein a priority of the LDC output voltage is determined for each of loads requiring high voltage and loads requiring low voltage.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the loads requiring the high voltage include a blower in a maximum stage and a cooling fan in a high stage;

and the loads requiring the low voltage include a headlamp, a wiper, and a rear defogger.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the SOC information of the auxiliary battery sensed by the IBS is separated into three stages and transition among the respective stages is based on a hysteresis.