Power output apparatus having a battery with a high charge-discharge efficiency

• US 6,166,449 A
• Filed: 09/11/1997
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Takaoka, Toshifumi, Taga, deceased, Yoshiaki, Taga, heiress, by Takiko, Yoshizaki, Kouji, Kinugasa, Yukio, Taga, heir, by Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): ENAD, ELVIN GENARGUE
• Application Number:
  US08/927,496
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 290/40 A, 290/40 B, 290/40 C, 290/40 D, 290/40 E, 290/40 F, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 180/65.4, 364/424.01, 364/431.01, 364/431.11, 701/22
• US Class Current: 290/40.00B
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2006/262 the motor or generator are used as clutch, e.g. between engine and driveshaft
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/26 characterised by the motors or the generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/52 Clutch motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• 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 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• 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 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 2554/00 : Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/40 : Altitude
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/105 : Output torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 : Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 : Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/914 : Actuated, e.g. engaged or disengaged by electrical, hydraulic or mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/946 : Characterized by control of driveline clutch
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/951 : Assembly or relative location of components

Abstract

A mean vehicle speed Va and a mean variation ΔVa are factors reflecting a current driving condition and an expected driving condition of a vehicle, which relate to a charge-discharge amount of a battery. A target state SOC* of the battery is calculated from the mean vehicle speed Va and the mean variation ΔVa. The charge-discharge amount of the battery increases with an increase in mean vehicle speed Va and mean variation ΔVa. The lower charging state of the battery results in the higher charge-discharge efficiency. The structure of the present invention sets the target state SOC* of the battery and controls the actual state of the battery to the target state SOC*, thereby enhancing the charge-discharge efficiency of the battery and ensuring a sufficient supply of electric power required for driving the vehicle.

Claims

1. A power output apparatus mounted on a vehicle for outputting power to a drive shaft, said power output apparatus comprising:

a motor for outputting power to said drive shaft;

an engine to output mechanical power, said motor converting at least a portion of the mechanical power output by the engine to mechanical energy as the power output to the drive shaft;

a generator for converting at least part of said mechanical power output from said engine to electrical energy, the generator regenerating a portion of the mechanical power output from the engine while the motor is outputting power to the drive shaft;

accumulator means being charged with the electrical energy converted by said generator and being discharged to supply electrical energy required for driving said motor;

state detection means for detecting a state of said accumulator means;

driving condition predicting means for predicting a driving condition of said vehicle at various positions, including predicted positions, of a route;

target state setting means for setting a target state of said accumulator means based on the predicted driving condition, said target state set at each of the various positions, including the predicted positions along the route while driving; and

charge-discharge control means for controlling said engine and said generator to enable the state of said accumulator means to become equal to said target state.

2. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising vehicle speed measurement means for measuring speed of said vehicle,

wherein said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said speed.

3. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising target power setting means for setting a target power to be output to said drive shaft, as said target state,

wherein said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said target power.

4. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising state variation calculation means for calculating a variation in state of said accumulator means based on the state of said accumulator means,

wherein said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said variation in state of said accumulator means.

5. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising altitude measurement means for measuring an altitude,

wherein said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said altitude measured by said altitude measurement means.

6. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising:

map storage means for storing a map, said map including road information; and

driving position detection means for detecting a current driving position of said vehicle,

wherein said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said current driving position of said vehicle and said map.

7. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 6, wherein said map includes district information regarding a plurality of districts having different driving conditions,

said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said current driving position of said vehicle and said district information included in said map.

8. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising:

a driving distance measurement means for measuring a driving distance of said vehicle; and

driving schedule input means for inputting a driving schedule, said driving schedule including, as information, an expected driving distance to a destination, boundaries of a plurality of districts, into which said expected driving distance is divided, and a road condition of each said district, the boundaries comprising positions along the route,

wherein said driving condition predicting means predicts said driving condition of said vehicle, based on said driving distance measured by said driving distance measurement means and the driving schedule input by said driving schedule input means.

9. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said target state setting means comprises:

means for setting a first state as said predicted target state, when said driving condition of said vehicle requires a power of greater than a predetermined level, and setting a second state as the target state, when said predicted driving condition of said vehicle requires a power of not greater than said predetermined level, said second state having a higher charge-discharge efficiency of said accumulator means than that of said first state.

10. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said generator is a pair-rotor motor comprising a first rotor connecting with an output shaft of said engine and a second rotor connecting with said drive shaft, said second rotor being rotatable relative to said first rotor, said first and second rotors being electromagnetically connected with each other, whereby power is transmitted between said output shaft of said engine and said drive shaft via an electromagnetic coupling of said first rotor with said second rotor and electric power is regenerated in response to a slip of the electromagnetic coupling of said first rotor with said second rotor.

11. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said motor is a pair-rotor motor comprising a first rotor connecting with an output shaft of said engine and a second rotor connecting with said drive shaft, said second rotor being rotatable relative to said first rotor, said first and second rotors being electromagnetically connected with each other, whereby power is transmitted between said output shaft of said engine and said drive shaft via an electromagnetic coupling of said first rotor with said second rotor,

said generator being attached to either one of said output shaft of said engine and said drive shaft.

12. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising three shaft-type power input/output means having three shafts respectively linked with said drive shaft, an output shaft of said engine, and a rotating shaft, said three shaft-type power input/output means determining power input to and output from a residual one shaft, based on predetermined powers input to and output from any two shafts among said three shafts,

wherein said generator is linked with said rotating shaft.

13. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said power output apparatus further comprising three shaft-type power input/output means having three shafts respectively linked with said drive shaft, an output shaft of said engine, and a rotating shaft, said three shaft-type power input/output means determining power input to and output from a residual one shaft, based on predetermined powers input to and output from any two shafts among said three shafts,

wherein said generator is linked with said drive shaft and said motor is linked with said rotating shaft.

14. A power output apparatus mounted on a vehicle for outputting power to a drive shaft, said power output apparatus comprising:

a motor for outputting power to said drive shaft;

an engine to output mechanical power, said motor converting at least a portion of the mechanical power output by the engine to mechanical energy as the power output to the drive shaft;

a generator for converting at least part of said mechanical power output from said engine to electrical energy, the generator regenerating a portion of the mechanical power output from the engine while the motor is outputting power to the drive shaft;

accumulator means being charged with the electrical energy converted by said generator and being discharged to supply electrical energy required for driving said motor;

state detection means for detecting a state of said accumulator means;

map storage means for storing a map, said map including road information including district information regarding a plurality of districts having different driving conditions;

driving route setting means for specifying a driving route in said map, based on an instruction of a driver;

target state setting means for setting a target state of said accumulator means at each position in said driving route, said target state setting means comprising means for setting said target state of said accumulator means at each position in said driving route based on said district information at each position in said driving route;

driving position detection means for detecting a current driving position of said vehicle; and

charge-discharge control means of controlling said engine and said generator, based on said current driving position and said target state at each position in said driving route to enable said state of said accumulator means to become equal to said target state at the current driving position.

15. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said map includes altitude information regarding an altitude at each position in said driving route,

said target state setting means comprises means for estimating a charge-discharge amount of said accumulator means at each position in said driving route based on said altitude at each position in said driving route and sets said target state of said accumulator means at each position in said driving route based on said estimated charge-discharge amount.

16. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said map includes slope information regarding a slope at each position in said driving route,

said target state setting means comprises means for estimating a charge-discharge amount of said accumulator means at each position in said driving route based on the slope at each position in said driving route and sets said target state of said accumulator means at each position in said driving route based on said estimated charge-discharge amount.

17. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said generator is a pair-rotor motor comprising a first rotor connecting with an output shaft of said engine and a second rotor connecting with said drive shaft, said second rotor being rotatable relative to said first rotor, said first and second rotors being electromagnetically connected with each other, whereby power is transmitted between said output shaft of said engine and said drive shaft via an electromagnetic coupling of said first rotor with said second rotor and electric power is regenerated in response to a slip of the electromagnetic coupling of said first rotor with said second rotor.

18. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said motor is a pair-rotor motor comprising a first rotor connecting with an output shaft of said engine and a second rotor connecting with said drive shaft, said second rotor being rotatable relative to said first rotor, said first and second rotors being electromagnetically connected with each other, whereby power is transmitted between said output shaft of said engine and said drive shaft via an electromagnetic coupling of said first rotor with said second rotor,

said generator being attached to either one of said output shaft of said engine and said drive shaft.

19. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 14, said power output apparatus further comprising three shaft-type power input/output means having three shafts respectively linked with said drive shaft, an output shaft of said engine, and a rotating shaft, said three shaft-type power input/output means determining power input to and output from a residual one shaft, based on predetermined powers input to and output from any two shafts among said three shafts, and output from any two shafts among said three shafts,

wherein said generator is linked with said rotating shaft.

20. A power output apparatus in accordance with claim 14, said power output apparatus further comprising three shaft-type power input/output means having three shafts respectively linked with said drive shaft, an output shaft of said engine, and a rotating shaft, said three shaft-type power input/output means determining power input to and output from a residual one shaft, based on predetermined powers input to and output from any two shafts among said three shafts,

wherein said generator is linked with said drive shaft and said motor is linked with said rotating shaft.

21. A method of controlling a state of a battery mounted on a vehicle to a target state, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a motor for outputting power to a drive shaft, an engine for outputting mechanical power, said motor converting at least a portion of the mechanical power output by the engine to mechanical energy as the power output to the drive shaft, and a generator for converting at least part of said mechanical power output from said engine to electrical energy, the generator regenerating a portion of the mechanical power output from the engine while the motor is outputting power to the drive shaft;

(b) connecting said battery to said generator and said motor so as to be charged with the electrical energy converted by said generator and discharged to supply electrical energy required for driving said motor;

(c) detecting said state of said battery;

(d) predicting a driving condition of said vehicle at various positions, including predicted positions, along a route;

(e) setting said target state of said battery at each position along the route while driving based on said predicted driving condition; and

(f) controlling said engine and said generator to enable said state of said battery to become equal to said target state.

22. A method of controlling a state of a battery mounted on a vehicle to a target state, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a motor for outputting power to said drive shaft, an engine for outputting mechanical power, said motor converting at least a portion of the mechanical power output by the engine to mechanical energy as the power output to the drive shaft, and a generator for converting at least part of said mechanical power output from said engine to electrical energy, the generator regenerating a portion of the mechanical power output from the engine while the motor is outputting power to the drive shaft;

(b) connecting said battery to said generator and said motor so as to be charged with said electrical energy converted by said generator and discharged to supply electrical energy required for driving said motor;

(c) detecting a state of said battery;

(d) storing a map, said map including road information to include district information regarding a plurality of districts having different driving conditions;

(e) storing a driving route in said map specified by an instruction of a driver;

(f) setting a target state of said battery at each position in said driving route, said target state being set at each position, including predicted positions, in said driving route based on said district information at each position in said driving route;

(g) detecting a current driving position of said vehicle; and

(h) controlling said engine and said generator, based on said current driving position and said target state at each position in said driving route to enable said state of said battery to become equal to said target state at said current driving position.