# US 11,440,533 B2 · Control system for hybrid vehicle

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- Number: US 11,440,533 B2
- Document ID: US11440533B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/896,697
- Filed: 2020-06-09
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-18
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; DENSO TEN Limited
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha; DENSO TEN Limited
- Inventors: Yukari Okamura; Yasuhiro Oshiumi; Yumeto Shiraki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440533B2

## CPC

- B60K 6/547: the transmission being a stepped gearing
- 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)}
- B60K 6/365: with the gears having orbital motion
- B60K 6/387: Actuated clutches, i.e. clutches engaged or disengaged by electric, hydraulic or mechanical actuating means
- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60W 10/02: including control of driveline clutches
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/20: Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
- B60K 2006/381: {characterized by driveline brakes}
- B60W 10/115: with planetary gears
- B60W 2510/081: Speed
- B60W 2520/10: Longitudinal speed
- B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position
- B60W 2540/106: Rate of change
- B60W 2710/021: Clutch engagement state
- B60W 2710/025: Clutch slip, i.e. difference between input and output speeds
- B60W 2710/081: Speed
- B60W 2710/1005: Transmission ratio engaged
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/92: Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for 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 control system for a hybrid vehicle that reduces delay in engagement of a clutch when shifting an operating mode by manipulating the clutch. A controller is configured to adjust a speed of a first motor to a first standby speed at which the speed difference in a first clutch is reduced when an operating mode will be shifted from a single-motor mode to a first mode, and adjust a speed of the first motor to a second standby speed at which a speed difference in the second clutch is reduced when the operating mode will be shifted from the single-motor mode to a second mode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A control system for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:
a prime mover including an engine, a first motor, and a second motor;
a first differential mechanism that performs a differential action among a first rotary element that is connected to the engine, a second rotary element that is connected to the first motor, and a third rotary element that transmits torque to a pair of drive wheels;
a second differential mechanism that performs a differential action among a fourth rotary element that is connected to the second motor, a fifth rotary element that is connected to the third rotary element, and a sixth rotary element;
a first engagement device that selectively connects the first rotary element to the sixth rotary element; and
a second engagement device that selectively connects any of the fourth rotary element, the fifth rotary element, and the sixth rotary element,
wherein a speed of the first engagement device and the second engagement device are controlled respectively by the first motor when engaged, and
an operating mode is selected from a plurality of modes including
a first mode established by engaging the first engagement device,
a second mode established by engaging the second engagement device, in which the torque delivered to the drive wheels is smaller compared to the first mode, and
a single-motor mode established by disengaging both of the first engagement device and the second engagement device, in which the hybrid vehicle is propelled only by a drive torque generated by the second motor,
each of the first engagement device and the second engagement device comprises an input element and an output element engaged to each other to transmit the torque, and
a speed difference between the input element and the output element of each of the first engagement device and the second engagement device is controlled by the first motor,
the control system comprising:
a controller that controls the first motor,
wherein the controller is configured to
estimate an operating mode to be shifted from the single-motor mode to the first mode and the second mode,
adjust a speed of the first motor to a first standby speed at which the speed difference between the input element and the output element of the first engagement device is reduced, when the controller estimates that the operating mode will be shifted from the single-motor mode to the first mode, and
adjust the speed of the first motor to a second standby speed at which the speed difference between the input element and the output element of the second engagement device is reduced, when the controller estimates that the operating mode will be shifted from the single-motor mode to the second mode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to
determine a satisfaction of a condition to adjust the speed of the first motor to the first standby speed or the second standby speed, and
adjust the speed of the first motor to the first standby speed or the second standby speed upon satisfaction of the condition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to
detect a speed of the hybrid vehicle,
determine that the condition to adjust the speed of the first motor to the first standby speed or the second standby speed is satisfied if the detected speed of the hybrid vehicle is higher than a first predetermined speed, and
determine that the condition to adjust the speed of the first motor to the first standby speed or the second standby speed is not satisfied if a detected speed of the hybrid vehicle is equal to or lower than the first predetermined speed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to
detect a speed of the hybrid vehicle,
detect a required drive force to propel the hybrid vehicle, and
estimate the operating mode to be shifted from the single-motor mode based on at least any one of the speed of the hybrid vehicle and the required drive force.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to
detect a speed of the hybrid vehicle,
detect a required drive force to propel the hybrid vehicle, and
calculate the first standby speed and the second standby speed based on the speed of the hybrid vehicle or the required drive force and the estimated operating mode to be shifted from the single-motor mode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to
estimate the operating mode to be shifted from the single-motor mode based on the required drive force,
estimate that the operating mode is to be shifted from the single-motor mode to the first mode when the required drive force is less than a predetermined value, and
estimate that the operating mode is to be shifted from the single-motor mode to the second mode when the required drive force is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to
estimate the operating mode to be shifted from the single-motor mode based on the speed of the hybrid vehicle,
estimate that the operating mode is to be shifted from the single-motor mode to the first mode when the speed of the hybrid vehicle is higher than the first predetermined speed but lower than a second predetermined speed, and
estimate that the operating mode is to be shifted from the single-motor mode to the second mode when the speed of the hybrid vehicle is equal to or higher than the second predetermined speed.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the first standby speed is set in a forward direction corresponding to a rotational direction of the engine, and
the second standby speed is set in a reverse direction opposite to the rotational direction of the engine.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to
increase the first standby speed in the forward direction with an increase on a speed of the hybrid vehicle, and
increase the second standby speed in the reverse direction with an increase on the speed of the hybrid vehicle.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The control system for the hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to
detect a position of an accelerator pedal,
detect a required drive force to propel the hybrid vehicle, and
estimate that the operating mode is shifted from the single-motor mode to the first mode when the position of the accelerator pedal is changed at a rate equal to or higher than a predetermined change rate, or when the required drive force is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.