# US 10,479,186 B2 · Hybrid car in P0- or P1-configuration

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- Number: US 10,479,186 B2
- Document ID: US10479186B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/759,647
- Filed: 2016-09-21
- Published: 2019-02-07
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-25
- Assignees: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
- Applicants: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
- Inventors: André Körner; Marc Nalbach; Sebastian Kahnt
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10479186B2

## CPC

- B60K 6/485: Motor-assist type
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/10: Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
- 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)}
- B60W 30/18072: {Coasting}
- B60K 6/48: Parallel type
- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60W 2030/18081: {With torque flow from driveshaft to engine, i.e. engine being driven by vehicle}
- B60W 2030/1809: {Without torque flow between driveshaft and engine, e.g. with clutch disengaged or transmission in neutral}
- B60W 2510/244: Charge state
- B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid 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

## Abstract

A method for controlling a car with a parallel hybrid system comprising at least a combustion engine and an electrical machine in P0- or P1-configuration, with a clutch for connecting the combustion engine's output shaft with at least one drive shaft. Steps include determining a power demand Pd, and decoupling the combustion engine from the drive shaft if the power demand Pd is below a first threshold P1. Coupling the combustion engine with the drive shaft when the power demand Pd is above the first threshold P1 provides additional fuel savings when the method further comprises shutting off the combustion engine and providing power to the drive shaft by providing electrical power to the electrical machine to drive the car, when the power demand Pd is between the first threshold P1 and a second threshold P2. The second threshold P2 is greater than the first threshold P1, i.e. if P1<Pd<P2.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for controlling a vehicle with a parallel hybrid system that includes at least a combustion engine and an electrical machine in at least one of a P0- and P1 configuration with a clutch for connecting the combustion engine's output shaft with at least one drive shaft, wherein the method comprises:
determining a power demand (Pd),
decoupling the combustion engine from the at least one drive shaft when the power demand (Pd) is below a first threshold P1,
coupling the combustion engine with the at least one drive shaft when the power demand (Pd) is above the first threshold P1,
shutting off the combustion engine and providing power to the at least one drive shaft by providing electrical power to the electrical machine to drive the vehicle, when the power demand (Pd) is between said first threshold P1, and a second threshold P2, wherein said second threshold P2 is greater than the first threshold P1, i.e. P1<Pd<P2.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the combustion engine is restarted when the power demand (Pd) is greater or equal than the second threshold P2, i.e. if Pd≥P2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the second threshold P2 is a function of a state of charge (SOC) of the vehicle's battery.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the combustion engine is shut-off when the power demand (Pd) is below the first threshold P1 and if at the same time a state of charge (SOC) of the vehicle's battery system is above a first SOC threshold (SOC1).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein when the power demand (Pd) is below the second threshold P2, the combustion engine is stopped only if at the same time a state of charge of the vehicle's battery is above a first SOC threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises calculating a predictive energy demand value (Ep) and in that the second threshold P2 is a function of the predictive energy demand value (Ep).

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein a predictive energy demand value (Ep) is calculated based on geographical information about an intended or expected route.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein when the power demand (Pd) is below the first threshold and below a negative power threshold (Pne), i.e. Pd<Pne<P1 a clutch is closed to couple at least one wheel with the combustion engine's output shaft which drives the electrical machine to convert kinetic power provided by wheels to the electrical machine into electrical power.

### Claim 9

A controller for controlling at least a combustion engine and an electrical machine of a vehicle's parallel hybrid system wherein said combustion engine and said electrical machine are in at least one of a P0- and P1-configuration, wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a power demand (Pd),
provide a signal to a clutch to thereby decouple the combustion engine from at least one drive shaft if the power demand (Pd) is below a first threshold P1,
provide a signal to the clutch to thereby couple the combustion engine with the at least one drive shaft if the power demand is above the first threshold P1
wherein the controller shuts the combustion engine off and provides power to the at least one drive shaft by providing electrical power to the electrical machine to drive the vehicle when the power demand (Pd) is between said first threshold P1 and a second threshold P2, wherein said second threshold P2 is greater than the first threshold P1, i.e. P1<Pd<P2.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The controller of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured:
to run the combustion engine when the power demand (Pd) is greater or equal than the second threshold P2, i.e. if Pd≥P2 and/or to close the clutch to thereby couple at least one wheel with the combustion engine's output shaft and to control the electrical machine to convert kinetic power provided by wheels to the electrical machine into electrical power when the power demand (Pd) is below the first threshold and below a negative power threshold (Pne), i.e. Pd<Pne<P1.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The controller of claim 9 wherein the controller determines the second threshold P2 as a function of at least one variable Vj.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The controller of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to shut-off the combustion engine when the power demand (Pd) is below the first threshold P1 and if at the same time the state of charge (SOC) of the vehicle's battery system is above a first SOC threshold (SOC1).

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The controller of claim 9 wherein the controller is configured for comparing the power demand (Pd) with the second threshold P2 and a state of charge of the vehicle's battery with a first SOC threshold and to stop the engine in case the power demand (Pd) is below the second threshold P2 and the state of charge is above the first SOC threshold and to run the combustion engine in case the state of charge is below or equal to the first SOC threshold.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The controller of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to determine a predictive energy demand value (Er) based on geographical and/or traffic information about an intended or expected route and in that the second threshold P2 is a function of the predictive energy demand value (Ep).