Abnormality diagnostic apparatus for vehicle

• US 9,381,815 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2014
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Yamanaka, Yasuhiro, Nonaka, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): CASS, JEAN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US14/149,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/42 with use of more than one motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/28 Four wheel or all wheel drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

An abnormality diagnostic apparatus for a vehicle, which can accurately determine whether or not there is an abnormality in a voltage detection unit, while curtailing a cost increase, is provided. Output voltages Va, Vb, Vc outputted from voltage detection units are acquired, and differences |Va−Vb|, |Vb−Vc|, |Vc−Va| between the acquired output values are calculated. If any of the calculation results is greater than a determination threshold value, it is determined that there is an abnormality in any of the voltage detection units.

Claims

1. An abnormality diagnostic apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a battery loaded on a vehicle;

a plurality of rotating electric machines electrically connected to the battery, the plurality of rotating electric machines including a front motor, a rear motor, and a generator driven by an engine to generate electricity;

a plurality of rotating electric machine control units for controlling the rotating electric machines;

a plurality of voltage detection units, provided in the rotating electric machine control units, for detecting voltages of power lines connecting the battery and the rotating electric machines;

a difference calculation unit for acquiring output values outputted from the voltage detection units and calculating differences between the acquired output values, when all of the plurality of rotating electric machine control units are stopped; and

an abnormality determination unit which, when any of results of calculations by the difference calculation unit is greater than a preset determination threshold value, determines that there is an abnormality in any of the voltage detection units,

wherein a driving force of the front motor is transmitted to front wheels,

a driving force of the rear motor is transmitted to rear wheels,

the plurality of rotating electric machine control units include a front motor control unit, a rear motor control unit, and a generator control unit,

the plurality of voltage detection units include,

a first voltage detection unit, shared by the front motor control unit and the generator control unit, that detects a voltage of a first power line extending from the battery and connected, in parallel, to the front motor and the generator, and outputs a first output value, and

a second voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of a second power line extending from the battery and connected to the rear motor, and outputs a second output value, and

the difference calculation unit acquires the first output value outputted from the first voltage detection unit, and the second output value outputted from the second voltage detection unit, and calculates a difference between the first and second output values to determine abnormality in any of the first and second voltage detection units,

wherein the abnormality determination unit determines whether or not there is the abnormality by further determining that a shift range of a transmission of the vehicle is in a parking range or a neutral range.

2. The abnormality diagnostic apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a threshold value correction unit for making a correction for decreasing the determination threshold value in accordance with a state of the battery.

3. An abnormality diagnostic apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a battery loaded on a vehicle;

a plurality of rotating electric machines electrically connected to the battery, the plurality of rotating electric machines including a front motor, a rear motor, and a generator driven by an engine to generate electricity;

a plurality of rotating electric machine control units for controlling the rotating electric machines;

a plurality of voltage detection units, provided in the rotating electric machine control units, for detecting voltages of power lines connecting the battery and the rotating electric machines;

a difference calculation unit for acquiring output values outputted from the voltage detection units and calculating differences between the acquired output values, when all of the plurality of rotating electric machine control units are stopped; and

an abnormality determination unit which, when any of results of calculations by the difference calculation unit is greater than a preset determination threshold value, determines that there is an abnormality in any of the voltage detection units,

wherein a driving force of the front motor is transmitted to front wheels,

a driving force of the rear motor is transmitted to rear wheels,

the plurality of rotating electric machine control units include a front motor control unit, a rear motor control unit, and a generator control unit,

the plurality of voltage detection units include,

a first voltage detection unit, shared by the front motor control unit and the generator control unit, that detects a voltage of a first power line extending from the battery and connected, in parallel, to the front motor and the generator, and outputs a first output value, and

a second voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of a second power line extending from the battery and connected to the rear motor, and outputs a second output value., and

the difference calculation unit acquires the first output value outputted from the first voltage detection unit, and the second output value outputted from the second voltage detection unit, and calculates a difference between the first and second output values to determine abnormality in any of the first and second voltage detection units,

wherein the abnormality determination unit determines whether or not there is the abnormality by further determining that a shift range of a transmission of the vehicle is in a drive range, and the rotating electric machine control unit is not rotating.

4. The abnormality diagnostic apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising:

a threshold value correction unit for making a correction for decreasing the determination threshold value in accordance with a state of the battery.