System and method for controlling LDC voltage of hybrid vehicle

• US 9,969,398 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2015
• 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, Noh, Soung Han, Park, Jun Yeon, Yoo, Chang Ryeol, Hwang, Hwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US14/960,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20160368480A1
• Time in Patent Office: 892 Days
• Field of Search: 701 22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/15 with additional electric power supply with capacitors charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/40; with batteries charged by engine-driven generators B60L50/61
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/20 Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18127 Regenerative braking
• 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

A system and method for controlling a low-voltage DC-DC converter (LDC) voltage of a hybrid vehicle are provided. The LDC voltage is optimally adjusted based on which driving mode the vehicle enters, thereby improving fuel efficiency. The method includes determining whether the hybrid vehicle is driven in a regenerative braking mode and whether a value of a state of charge (SOC) of an auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a first critical value set as a value when charging of the auxiliary battery is unnecessary during the driving in the regenerative braking mode. When the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the predetermined first critical value, the driving mode is switched from the regenerative braking mode to an electric vehicle (EV) mode, and to variably adjust an LDC target voltage in the EV mode.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a low-voltage direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter (LDC) voltage of a hybrid vehicle having a high-voltage battery and an auxiliary battery separately, comprising:

determining, by a controller, whether the hybrid vehicle is driven in a regenerative braking mode;

determining, by the controller, whether a value of a state of charge (SOC) of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a first critical value set as a value charging of the auxiliary battery is unnecessary during the driving in the regenerative braking mode; and

when the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the set first critical value, switching, by the controller, the driving mode of the vehicle from the regenerative braking mode to an electric vehicle (EV) mode, and variably adjusting an LDC target voltage based on the voltage of the auxiliary battery in the EV mode,

wherein the LDC target voltage is adjusted to be decreased when the hybrid vehicle enters into the regenerative braking mode in which the SOC the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when a regenerative braking on time for which the regenerative braking mode is maintained in the state in which the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the first critical value is equal to or greater than a predetermined second critical value, the driving mode of the vehicle is switched from the regenerative braking mode to the EV mode to delay the entry into the EV mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the LDC target voltage is variably adjusted in the EV mode during a regenerative braking off time for which the entry into the EV mode is maintained, and when the regenerative braking off time is equal to or greater than a predetermined third critical value, the driving mode of the vehicle is switched from the EV mode to the regenerative braking mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the regenerative braking on time for which the regenerative braking mode is maintained in the state in which the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the first critical value is less than the predetermined second critical value, the LDC target voltage is variably adjusted in the regenerative braking mode.

5. A system for controlling a low-voltage direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter (LDC) voltage of a hybrid vehicle having a high-voltage battery and an auxiliary battery separately, 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 whether the hybrid vehicle is driven in a regenerative braking mode;

determine whether a value of a state of charge (SOC) of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a first critical value set as a value charging of the auxiliary battery is unnecessary during the driving in the regenerative braking mode; and

when the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the set first critical value switch the driving mode of the vehicle from the regenerative braking mode to an electric vehicle (EV) mode, and variably adjusting an LDC target voltage based on the voltage of the auxiliary battery in the EV mode,

wherein the LDC target voltage is adjusted to be decreased when the hybrid vehicle enters into the regenerative braking mode in which the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein when a regenerative braking on time for which the regenerative braking mode is maintained in the state in which the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the first critical value is equal to or greater than a predetermined second critical value, the driving mode of the vehicle is switched from the regenerative braking mode to the EV mode to delay the entry into the EV mode.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the LDC target voltage is variably adjusted in the EV mode during a regenerative braking off time for which the entry into the EV mode is maintained, and when the regenerative braking off time is equal to or greater than a predetermined third critical value, the driving mode of the vehicle is switched from the EV mode to the regenerative braking mode.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein when the regenerative braking on time for which the regenerative braking mode is maintained in the state in which the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the first critical value is less than the predetermined second critical value, the LDC target voltage is variably adjusted in the regenerative braking mode.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

program instructions that determine whether a hybrid vehicle having a high-voltage battery and an auxiliary battery separately is driven in a regenerative braking mode;

program instructions that determine whether a value of a state of charge (SOC) of an auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a first critical value set as a value charging of the auxiliary battery is unnecessary during the driving in the regenerative braking mode; and

program instructions that when the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the set first critical value switch the driving mode of the vehicle from the regenerative braking mode to an electric vehicle (EV) mode, and variably adjusting a low-voltage direct current-direct current converter (LDC) target voltage based on the voltage of the auxiliary battery in the EV mode,

wherein the LDC target voltage is adjusted to be decreased when the hybrid vehicle enters into the regenerative braking mode in which the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein when a regenerative braking on time for which the regenerative braking mode is maintained in the state in which the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the first critical value is equal to or greater than a predetermined second critical value, the driving mode of the vehicle is switched from the regenerative braking mode to the EV mode to delay the entry into the EV mode.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the LDC target voltage is variably adjusted in the EV mode during a regenerative braking off time for which the entry into the EV mode is maintained, and when the regenerative braking off time is equal to or greater than a predetermined third critical value, the driving mode of the vehicle is switched from the EV mode to the regenerative braking mode.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein when the regenerative braking on time for which the regenerative braking mode is maintained in the state in which the value of the SOC of the auxiliary battery is equal to or greater than the first critical value is less than the predetermined second critical value, the LDC target voltage is variably adjusted in the regenerative braking mode.