# US 10,864,794 B2 · Hybrid electric vehicle and heating control method for the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,794 B2 - Document ID: US10864794B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/183,394 - Filed: 2018-11-07 - Published: 2019-05-09 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-07 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Inventors: Jea Mun Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864794B2 ## CPC - B60H 1/004: {for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles} - B60H 1/00771: {the input being a vehicle position or surrounding, e.g. GPS-based position or tunnel} - B60K 6/442: Series-parallel switching type - B60W 20/10: Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand - B60W 20/15: Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect - B60W 50/0097: {Predicting future conditions} - F01P 7/00: Controlling of coolant flow - F01P 7/167: {by adjusting the pre-set temperature according to engine parameters, e.g. engine load, engine speed} - B60H 1/00878: {the components being temperature regulating devices} - B60W 2554/00: Input parameters relating to objects - B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain - B60W 2556/50: of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data - B60W 2710/0688: Engine temperature - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF 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 - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) ## Abstract A passenger compartment of a hybrid electric vehicle is heated without operating an engine when passing through a specific zone using information about a route to a destination and a heating control method. The heating control method includes, when determined that a specific zone related to discharge of exhaust gas is present on a traveling route, determining a target coolant temperature, which is a coolant temperature to be reached when entering the specific zone, determining a coolant temperature increase distance necessary to reach the target coolant temperature, determining the time at which to start temperature increase control using the determined coolant temperature increase distance, and operating an engine from the time at which to start the temperature increase control until entering the specific zone. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heating control method for a hybrid electric vehicle, the method comprising: determining a specific zone related to discharge of exhaust gas is present on a traveling route, when determined that the specific zone related to the discharge of exhaust gas is present on the traveling route, determining a target coolant temperature to be reached when entering the specific zone; determining a coolant temperature increase distance that is indicative of a vehicle's traveling distance to increase the coolant temperature to the target coolant temperature; determining a time at which to start temperature increase control using the determined coolant temperature increase distance; and operating an engine from the time at which to start the temperature increase control until entering the specific zone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heating control method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the target coolant temperature comprises adding an expected coolant temperature decrease due to heating without operating the engine while passing through the specific zone to a coolant temperature in a state in which the engine is on. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The heating control method according to claim 2, wherein the step of determining the target coolant temperature comprises: determining a coolant temperature reduction rate per unit time; determining an estimated traveling time in the specific zone; and determining the expected coolant temperature decrease using the coolant temperature reduction rate per unit time and the estimated traveling time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heating control method according to claim 3, wherein the coolant temperature reduction rate per unit time is determined using at least one of an outdoor temperature, a heating setting temperature, or an indoor temperature, and the estimated traveling time is determined using at least one of a traveling distance in the specific zone, a vehicle speed limit, an amount of traffic, or signal information. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heating control method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the coolant temperature increase distance is performed using a required temperature increase, an average vehicle speed in the specific zone, and a temperature increase time per unit temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The heating control method according to claim 5, wherein the required temperature increase corresponds to a difference between the target coolant temperature and a current coolant temperature. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The heating control method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the time at which to start the temperature increase control comprises determining the time at which to start the temperature increase control when a remaining distance to the specific zone becomes equal to or less than the coolant temperature increase distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The heating control method according to claim 1, further comprising switching to an electric vehicle (EV) mode when entering the specific zone. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heating control method according to claim 1, wherein the specific zone comprises a zone in which a reduction in the discharge of exhaust gas is required. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A computer-readable recording medium containing a program for performing the heating control method for the hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 1. ### Claim 11 A hybrid electric vehicle comprising: a navigation system for, in a case in which at least one specific zone related to discharge of exhaust gas is present on a traveling route, acquiring information about the traveling route comprising the at least one specific zone; and a hybrid control unit for determining a target coolant temperature, which is a coolant temperature to be reached when entering the specific zone, using the information received from the navigation system, determining a coolant temperature increase distance necessary to reach the target coolant temperature, determining a time at which to start temperature increase control based on the determined coolant temperature increase distance, and performing control so as to operate an engine from the time at which to start the temperature increase control until entering the specific zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the hybrid control unit adds an expected coolant temperature decrease due to heating without operating the engine while passing through the specific zone to a coolant temperature in a state in which the engine is on in order to determine the target coolant temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 12, wherein the hybrid control unit determines the expected coolant temperature decrease using a coolant temperature reduction rate per unit time and an estimated traveling time in the specific zone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the coolant temperature reduction rate per unit time is determined using at least one of an outdoor temperature, a heating setting temperature, or an indoor temperature, and the estimated traveling time is determined using at least one of a traveling distance in the specific zone, a vehicle speed limit, an amount of traffic, or signal information. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the hybrid control unit determines the coolant temperature increase distance using a required temperature increase, an average vehicle speed in the specific zone, and a temperature increase time per unit temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the required temperature increase corresponds to a difference between the target coolant temperature and a current coolant temperature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the hybrid control unit determines the time at which to start the temperature increase control when a remaining distance to the specific zone becomes equal to or less than the coolant temperature increase distance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the hybrid control unit performs control such that switching to an electric vehicle (EV) mode is performed when entering the specific zone. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The hybrid electric vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the specific zone comprises a zone in which a reduction in the discharge of the exhaust gas is required.