# US 10,369,985 B2 · Control apparatus for hybrid vehicle, hybrid vehicle, and control method for hybrid vehicle

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- Number: US 10,369,985 B2
- Document ID: US10369985B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/450,253
- Filed: 2017-03-06
- Published: 2017-09-14
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-08
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Masaya Yamamoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369985B2

## CPC

- B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC]
- B60K 6/26: characterised by the motors or the generators
- B60K 6/28: characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
- B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion
- B60K 6/46: Series type
- B60K 6/52: Driving a plurality of drive axles, e.g. four-wheel drive
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 10/26: for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
- B60W 20/13: in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
- B60W 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes
- B60W 30/1843: {Overheating of driveline components (B60W30/186 takes precedence)}
- B60W 50/082: {Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling}
- B60W 50/085: {Changing the parameters of the control units, e.g. changing limit values, working points by control input}
- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60L 2240/54: related to batteries
- B60L 2260/28: Four wheel or all wheel drive
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2540/215: Selection or confirmation of options
- B60W 2710/244: Charge state
- B60W 2720/403: between front and rear axle
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- Y02T 10/84: Data processing systems or methods, management, administration
- Y10S 903/906: Motor or generator
- Y10S 903/907: Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor
- Y10S 903/91: Orbital, e.g. planetary gears
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

An electronic control unit executes control such that a ratio of driving force output from a second motor in requested driving force when a hybrid vehicle travels in a charge depleting mode becomes larger than the ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in a charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by a mode selector switch. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress overheating of the second motor while cooling a first motor. When the mode selector switch is operated to select the charge depleting mode again, the second motor has already been cooled, so that performance of the second motor can sufficiently be demonstrated without a driving restriction due to overheating being imposed thereon. And, it becomes possible to suppress overheating of the second motor while achieving enhanced energy efficiency of the vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including
a pair of front wheels,
a pair of rear wheels,
an engine and a first motor configured to output a first driving force to one pair of wheels out of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels,
a second motor configured to output a second driving force to the other pair of wheels out of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels,
a battery configured to supply electric power to the first motor and the second motor, and
a mode selector switch configured to switch between a charge depleting mode and a charge sustaining mode,
the control apparatus comprising
an electronic control unit configured to:
control the engine, the first motor, and the second motor such that the hybrid vehicle travels with requested driving force requested for traveling of the hybrid vehicle; and
execute control such that a first driving force ratio becomes larger than a second driving force ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode, the first driving force ratio being a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode, the second driving force ratio being a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode changed from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to control the first motor and the second motor so as to minimize a loss of the first motor and the second motor when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to:
control the first motor and the second motor with a first driving-force distribution ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode, the first driving-force distribution ratio being a driving-force distribution ratio in accordance with travel performance requirements; and
control the first motor and the second motor with one driving-force distribution ratio selected from the first driving-force distribution ratio and a second driving-force distribution ratio, the second driving-force distribution ratio being a driving-force distribution ratio with which a loss of the first motor and the second motor is minimized when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to execute control such that the second driving force ratio becomes smaller than a third driving force ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch, the third driving force ratio is a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode due to decrease in a state of charge of the battery.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to execute control to output the second driving force from the second motor, only when the electronic control unit determines that four-wheel-drive traveling is required when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch.

### Claim 6

A hybrid vehicle comprising:
a pair of front wheels;
a pair of rear wheels;
an engine and a first motor configured to output a first driving force to one pair of wheels out of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;
a second motor configured to output a second driving force to the other pair of wheels out of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels;
a battery configured to supply electric power to the first motor and the second motor; and
a mode selector switch configured to switch between a charge depleting mode and a charge sustaining mode; and
an electronic control unit configured to
control the engine, the first motor, and the second motor such that the hybrid vehicle travels with requested driving force requested for traveling of the hybrid vehicle, and
execute control such that a first driving force ratio becomes larger than a second driving force ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode, the first driving force ratio being a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode, the second driving force ratio being a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to control the first motor and the second motor so as to minimize a loss of the first motor and the second motor when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to:
control the first motor and the second motor with a first driving-force distribution ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode, the first driving-force distribution ratio being a driving-force distribution ratio in accordance with travel performance requirements; and
control the first motor and the second motor with one driving-force distribution ratio selected from the first driving-force distribution ratio and a second driving-force distribution ratio, the second driving-force distribution ratio being a driving-force distribution ratio with which a loss of the first motor and the second motor is minimized when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to execute control such that the second driving force ratio becomes smaller than a third driving force ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch, the third driving force ratio is a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode due to decrease in a state of charge of the battery.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to execute control to output the second driving force from the second motor, only when the electronic control unit determines that four-wheel-drive traveling is required when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch.

### Claim 11

A control method for a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid vehicle including
a pair of front wheels,
a pair of rear wheels,
an engine and a first motor configured to output a first driving force to one pair of wheels out of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels,
a second motor configured to output a second driving force to the other pair of wheels out of the pair of front wheels and the pair of rear wheels,
a battery configured to supply electric power to the first motor and the second motor, and
a mode selector switch configured to switch between a charge depleting mode and a charge sustaining mode, and
an electronic control unit,
the control method comprising:
controlling, by the electronic control unit, the engine, the first motor, and the second motor such that the hybrid vehicle travels with requested driving force requested for traveling of the hybrid vehicle; and
executing, by the electronic control unit, control such that a first driving force ratio becomes larger than a second driving force ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode, the first driving force ratio being a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode, the second driving force ratio being a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The control method according to claim 11, further comprising
controlling, by the electronic control unit, the first motor and the second motor so as to minimize a loss of the first motor and the second motor when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The control method according to claim 11, further comprising:
controlling, by the electronic control unit, the first motor and the second motor with a first driving-force distribution ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode, the first driving-force distribution ratio being a driving-force distribution ratio in accordance with travel performance requirements; and
controlling, by the electronic control unit, the first motor and the second motor with one driving-force distribution ratio selected from the first driving-force distribution ratio and a second driving-force distribution ratio, the second driving-force distribution ratio being a driving-force distribution ratio with which a loss of the first motor and the second motor is minimized when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge depleting mode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The control method according to claim 11, further comprising
executing, by the electronic control unit, control such that the second driving force ratio becomes smaller than a third driving force ratio when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch, the third driving force ratio is a ratio of the second driving force to the requested driving force when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode due to decrease in a state of charge of the battery.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The control method according to claim 11, further comprising
executing, by the electronic control unit, control to output the second driving force from the second motor, only when the electronic control unit determines that four-wheel-drive traveling is required when the hybrid vehicle travels in the charge sustaining mode switched from the charge depleting mode by the mode selector switch.