VEHICLE, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING VEHICLE, AND CONTROL DEVICE OF VEHICLE

• US 20140163801A1
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sato, Keita
• Granted Patent: US 9,266,525 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• 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 20/14 in conjunction with braking regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/06 Improving the dynamic response of the control system, e.g. improving the speed of regulation or avoiding hunting or overshoot
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A vehicle includes an engine, a battery storing electric power generated by operating the engine, and an ECU allowing the engine to stop in the state where a remaining capacity of the battery is larger than a first threshold value. When the engine is started by a factor different from a reduction in the remaining capacity of the battery in the state where the remaining capacity of the battery is smaller than the first threshold value, ECU causes the engine to operate and causes the battery to be charged until the remaining capacity of the battery increases to a second threshold value which is larger than the first threshold value.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a power storage device storing electric power generated by operating said engine; and

a control device allowing said engine to stop in the state where a remaining capacity of said power storage device is larger than a first threshold value,

when said engine is started by a factor different from a reduction in the remaining capacity of said power storage device in the state where the remaining capacity of said power storage device is smaller than said first threshold value, said control device causing said engine to operate and causing said power storage device to be charged until the remaining capacity of said power storage device increases to a second threshold value which is larger than said first threshold value.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when said engine is started by a driver'"'"'s operation of an accelerator pedal in the state where the remaining capacity of said power storage device is smaller than said first threshold value, said control device causes said engine to operate and causes said power storage device to be charged until the remaining capacity of said power storage device increases to said second threshold value.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when the remaining capacity of said power storage device decreases to a third threshold value which is smaller than said first threshold value with said engine stopped, said control device causes said engine to be started, and causes said engine to operate and causes said power storage device to be charged until the remaining capacity of said power storage device increases to said second threshold value.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein when said engine is started in the state where the remaining capacity of said power storage device is larger than said first threshold value, said control device allows said engine to stop in the state where the remaining capacity of said power storage device is smaller than said second threshold value.

5. A method for controlling a vehicle including an engine and a power storage device storing electric power generated by operating said engine, comprising the steps of:

allowing said engine to stop in the state where a remaining capacity of said power storage device is larger than a first threshold value; and

when said engine is started by a factor different from a reduction in the remaining capacity of said power storage device in the state where the remaining capacity of said power storage device is smaller than said first threshold value, operating said engine and charging said power storage device until the remaining capacity of said power storage device increases to a second threshold value which is larger than said first threshold value.

6. A control device of a vehicle including an engine and a power storage device storing electric power generated by operating said engine, comprising:

means for allowing said engine to stop in the state where a remaining capacity of said power storage device is larger than a first threshold value; and

means for, when said engine is started by a factor different from a reduction in the remaining capacity of said power storage device in the state where the remaining capacity of said power storage device is smaller than said first threshold value, operating said engine and charging said power storage device until the remaining capacity of said power storage device increases to a second threshold value which is larger than said first threshold value.