METHOD FOR OPERATING A HYBRID VEHICLE

• US 20110213517A1
• Filed: 03/01/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Laws, Larry D., Blanchard, John P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,971,865 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/04 Monitoring the functioning of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A method that may be used to operate a hybrid vehicle in a mountainous or other environment where roads have significant grades or inclines. In this kind of setting, standard methods for managing power within the hybrid vehicle may be insufficient when driving the hybrid vehicle up and down substantial inclines and declines; this can be particularly true if the driver attempts to maintain the hybrid vehicle at higher speeds. Thus, this method may use a power management scheme that is specifically adapted to address this kind of situation and can adjust or change target values accordingly, such as those that pertain to a state-of-charge (SOC) for the hybrid vehicle battery.

Claims

1. A method for operating a hybrid vehicle having a primary power source and an auxiliary power source, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining if the hybrid vehicle enters a steep grade environment;

(b) if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment, then making a first set of adjustments to a power management scheme that controls one or more aspects of the primary power source and/or the auxiliary power source; and

(c) operating the hybrid vehicle according to the power management scheme with the first set of adjustments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises monitoring at least one primary power source parameter that is selected from the group consisting of:

a speed, torque or output power of an electric motor or a downstream component, or a battery condition; and

using the primary power source parameter to determine if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises monitoring at least one vehicle performance parameter that is selected from the group consisting of:

a vehicle position, velocity or acceleration; and

using the vehicle performance parameter to determine if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises monitoring at least one primary power source parameter and at least one vehicle performance parameter;

and using the primary power source parameter and the vehicle performance parameter to determine if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein step (a) further comprises monitoring an electric motor output and a vehicle acceleration;

and comparing the electric motor output to a minimum threshold and comparing the vehicle acceleration to a maximum threshold, if the electric motor output is greater than the minimum threshold and the vehicle acceleration is less than the maximum threshold then determining that the hybrid vehicle has entered the steep grade environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment, then step (b) further comprises making a first set of adjustments to the power management scheme, and the first set of adjustments includes increasing a target value for a battery that is part of the primary power source.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the target value for the battery includes at least one value that is related to the point at which the auxiliary power source is turned ‘

on’ and

/or ‘

off’ and

is selected from the group consisting of;

a state-of-charge (SOC) setpoint, a state-of-charge (SOC) setpoint window, or a range for the state-of-charge (SOC) setpoint window.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the increased target value for the battery causes the auxiliary power source to charge the battery to a state-of-charge (SOC) level that is higher than that experienced during normal vehicle operation.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the increased target value for the battery is related to the difference between a required output power of the primary power source and an amount of output power available from the auxiliary power source.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the increased target value is at least 20%.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein step (b) further comprises presenting a vehicle user with the option of accepting the increase to the target value of the battery before making the first set of adjustments to the power management scheme.

12. A method for operating a hybrid vehicle having a primary power source and an auxiliary power source, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining if the hybrid vehicle enters a steep grade environment;

(b) if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment, then increasing a target value for a battery that is part of the primary power source; and

(c) using the auxiliary power source to charge the battery to the increased target value.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein step (a) further comprises monitoring at least one primary power source parameter and at least one vehicle performance parameter;

and using the primary power source parameter and the vehicle performance parameter to determine if the hybrid vehicle enters the steep grade environment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein step (a) further comprises monitoring an electric motor output and a vehicle acceleration;

and comparing the electric motor output to a minimum threshold and comparing the vehicle acceleration to a maximum threshold, if the electric motor output is greater than the minimum threshold and the vehicle acceleration is less than the maximum threshold then determining that the hybrid vehicle has entered the steep grade environment.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the target value for the battery includes at least one value that is related to the point at which the auxiliary power source is turned ‘

on’ and

/or ‘

off’ and

is selected from the group consisting of;

a state-of-charge (SOC) setpoint, a state-of-charge (SOC) setpoint window, or a range for the state-of-charge (SOC) setpoint window.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the increased target value for the battery causes the auxiliary power source to charge the battery to a state-of-charge (SOC) level that is higher than that experienced during normal vehicle operation.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the increased target value for the battery is related to the difference between a required output power of the primary power source and an amount of output power available from the auxiliary power source.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the increased target value is at least 20%.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein step (b) further comprises presenting a vehicle user with the option of accepting the increase to the target value of the battery before making the first set of adjustments to the power management scheme.