# US 12,214,773 B2 · Vehicle control device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,214,773 B2 - Document ID: US12214773B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/076,913 - Filed: 2022-12-07 - Published: 2023-06-22 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-12-21 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Hiroto Kusaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12214773B2 ## CPC - B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type - B60W 20/20: Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration - B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines - B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators - 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 30/182: Selecting between different operative modes, e.g. comfort and performance modes - B60L 15/20: for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed - B60L 50/16: with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion - B60W 2510/244: Charge state - B60W 2540/10: Accelerator pedal position - B60W 2555/20: Ambient conditions, e.g. wind or rain - B60W 2556/00: Input parameters relating to data - B60W 2710/083: Torque - 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 - 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 - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A vehicle control device for a vehicle includes an engine; and a power converter, so that the vehicle travels by selectively executing one of a first traveling mode, a second traveling mode, and a third traveling mode in which the vehicle travels by a torque of both the engine and the rotation electric machine. Further, in a case where an air pressure around the vehicle and a system voltage are in a predetermined area of a preset map indicating a relationship between the air pressure and the system voltage, the vehicle control device is configured to reduce a switching speed of a switching element of the power converter to be lower than a normal speed, and cause the engine to operate, limit a torque of the rotation electric machine, and execute the third traveling mode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle control device for a vehicle, comprising: an engine; and a power converter that converts power of an electrical storage device into a driving power of a rotation electric machine for traveling, so that the vehicle travels by selectively executing one of a first traveling mode in which the vehicle travels only by a torque generated by the engine, a second traveling mode in which the engine is stopped and the vehicle travels only by a torque generated by the rotation electric machine, and a third traveling mode in which the vehicle travels by a torque of both the engine and the rotation electric machine, wherein, an air pressure around the vehicle and a system voltage are in a predetermined area of a preset map, the predetermined area corresponding with an operation mode, the preset map indicating a relationship between the air pressure and the system voltage; and wherein, in response to determining the air pressure around the vehicle and the system voltage are in the predetermined area, the vehicle control device is configured to execute the operation mode to reduce a switching speed of a switching element of the power converter to be lower than a normal speed, and cause the engine to operate, limit a torque of the rotation electric machine, and execute the third traveling mode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein an intermittent operation of the engine is prohibited in the predetermined area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein the preset map may include a plurality of predetermined areas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle control device according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of predetermined areas may correspond with a plurality of operation modes.