Process for Operating a Hybrid Vehicle

• US 20110196559A1
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Published: 08/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: PREUSS, Florian
• Application Number:
  US13/089,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20110196559A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• 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 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/215 Selection or confirmation of options
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions

Abstract

A process for operating a hybrid vehicle is provided wherein a change from an internal-combustion-engine operating mode to an electric motor operating mode, at least under some operating conditions, takes place as a function of location information locally present along the driving route. By way of a user interface, at least one location information can be defined or selected, in the presence of which a change is to be triggered from the internal-combustion engine operating mode to the electric motor operating mode.

Claims

1. A process for operating a hybrid vehicle having an internal-combustion engine operating mode, an electric motor operating mode, and a hybrid internal-combustion engine and electric motor operating mode, the process comprising the acts of:

receiving, via a user interface, at least one location information definable or selectable by a user;

determining an occurrence or presence of the at least one location information along a driving route of the hybrid vehicle; and

initiating a change from the internal-combustion engine operating mode to the electric motor operating mode upon determining the occurrence or presence of the at least one location information.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the receiving act occurs via a user interface of a navigation system of the hybrid vehicle.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the receiving of the at least one location information occurs via a data interface, and the at least one location information is stored into an electronic memory of the hybrid vehicle;

and further wherein the user interface by which the at least one location information is definable or selectable being located outside of the hybrid vehicle.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the receiving act further comprises the act of receiving at least one location and an assigned location environment definable or selectable by the user within which driving is to occur in the electric motor operating mode.

5. The process according to claim 2, wherein the receiving act further comprises the act of receiving at least one location and an assigned location environment definable or selectable by the user within which driving is to occur in the electric motor operating mode.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the receiving act further comprises the act of receiving a category of locations and an assigned environment or environments definable or selectable by the user within which driving is to occur in the electric motor operating mode.

7. The process according to claim 2, wherein the receiving act further comprises the act of receiving a category of locations and an assigned environment or environments definable or selectable by the user within which driving is to occur in the electric motor operating mode.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the receiving act further comprises the act of receiving a destination of a driving route and an environment around said destination that is definable or selectable by the user within which driving is to occur in the electric motor operating mode.

9. The process according to claim 2, wherein the receiving act further comprises the act of receiving a destination of a driving route and an environment around said destination that is definable or selectable by the user within which driving is to occur in the electric motor operating mode.

10. The process according to claim 4, wherein the assigned location environment is defined by a defined radius around the location.

11. The process according to claim 6, wherein the assigned location environment is defined by a defined radius around the location.

12. The process according to claim 8, wherein the assigned location environment is defined by a defined radius around the location.

13. The process according to claim 1, further comprising the acts of:

determining a driving route to be traveled via a navigation system;

determining in an anticipatory manner at least a next route section of the driving route during which driving is to be in the electric motor operating mode; and

providing an energy accumulator of the hybrid vehicle with a sufficiently high charge state, if possible, in order to operate the hybrid vehicle in the electric motor operating mode during the drive through the next route section.

14. A process for operating a hybrid vehicle having an internal-combustion engine operating mode, an electric motor operating mode, and a hybrid operating mode, the process comprising the acts of:

actively defining or selecting location information via a user interface; and

causing a change from the internal-combustion engine operating mode to the electric motor operating mode when the defined or selected location information occurs or is present along a driving route of the hybrid vehicle.

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the location information comprises at least one location and an assigned location environment.

16. The process according to claim 14, wherein the location information comprises a category of locations and an assigned environment or assigned environments.

17. The process according to claim 14, wherein the location information comprises a driving route destination and an environment around said destination.