Method for controlling a drive train of a hybrid vehicle

• US 6,687,607 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Probst, Gregor, Knorr, Rainer, Graf, Hans-Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANCHO, RONNIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/166,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20030009269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 701/202, 701/22, 701/204, 701/117-123, 290/40.C, 290/40.D, 290/51, 318/139, 180/65.2, 180/65.3, 477/7
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/485 Motor-assist type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/22 Yaw angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/62 Vehicle position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/64 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/642 Slope of road
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/647 Surface situation of road, e.g. type of paving
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/665 Light intensity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/667 Precipitation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by 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 20/12 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 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/14 : Yaw
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 : Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/16 : Driving resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/00 : Input parameters relating to infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/05 : Type of road, e.g. motorways, local streets, paved or unpaved roads
• 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 2552/30 : Road curve radius
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/35 : Road bumpiness, e.g. potholes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/40 : Coefficient of friction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 : Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/406 : Traffic density
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2555/20 : Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 : of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/02 : Control of vehicle driving stability
• 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 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• 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 903/917 : with transmission for changing gear ratio

Abstract

An operating strategy for the components of the drive train is defined as a function of data which characterizes a route to be traveled along. Depending on the operating strategy and the route data, expected energy consumption and a time period for which the energy can be made available are calculated. If the time period is detected as being sufficient, the drive train is controlled in accordance with the operating strategy. If the calculated time period is detected as not being sufficient, an alternative operating strategy is defined and the resulting time period is checked again.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a drive train in a hybrid vehicle comprising, requesting data which characterizes at least a portion of a route to be traveled;

defining an operating strategy for individual components of the drive train as a function of said data;

calculating expected energy consumption as a function of said data, and/or the defined operating strategy;

determining a time period for which the calculated energy consumption can be made available;

checking whether the time period which is determined is sufficient for the operating strategy;

controlling the individual components of the drive train in accordance with the operating strategy where the time period is determined to be sufficient; and

defining an alternative operating strategy and re-checking of the resulting time period if the time period is determined not to be being sufficient.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the data which characterizes at least a portion of the route to be traveled is requested from a data source when required.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the length of the portion of the route for which data is requested is dependent on the charge state of an energy accumulator and/or on storage capacity of the energy accumulator.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operating strategy is defined as a function of one or more of the following, the efficiency of the individual components of the drive train, energy consumption, and emission values.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein when a change in route data which has already been transferred is detected at a particular time, updated data is transferred and a new operating strategy is defined as a function of the updated data.