Control apparatus of hybrid vehicle and control method thereof

A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle including:

• an internal combustion engine;
• a stepwise variable transmission capable of automatic shifting;
• a clutch that is disposed between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission and that discontinues and establishes a power transfer between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission;
• and an electric motor that is disposed between the stepwise variable transmission and a drive wheel and that drives the drive wheel and performs regenerative power generation using the drive wheel, the control apparatus comprising:
• a controller that recognizes an outputtable maximum torque that the electric motor is able to output;
• a shift controller that performs a shifting operation of the stepwise variable transmission at a start of elimination of a drive power of the internal combustion engine caused by disengaging the clutch, recovers the drive torque of the internal combustion engine by re-engaging the clutch, and recognizes an automatic shifting operation, when the hybrid vehicle is running based on at least the drive torque generated by the internal combustion engine;
• and
• a motor controller that changes an amount of torque assist from the electric motor in accordance with a requested drive torque and the outputtable maximum torque during an automatic shifting operation of the stepwise variable transmission.

A control method for a hybrid vehicle including:

• an internal combustion engine;
• a stepwise variable transmission capable of automatic shifting;
• a clutch that is disposed between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission and that discontinues and establishes a power transfer between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission;
• and an electric motor that is disposed between the stepwise variable transmission and a drive wheel and that drives the drive wheel and performs regenerative power generation using the drive wheel, the control method comprising:
• predicting an automatic shifting operation timing based on at least one of an accelerator operation amount and a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle;
• gradually decreasing the drive torque of the electric motor prior to a start of an automatic shifting operation of the stepwise variable transmission, and gradually increasing the drive torque of the electric motor between elimination of the drive torque of the internal combustion engine and an end of the elimination;
• and
• gradually decreasing the drive torque of the electric motor prior to an end of the automatic shifting operation of the stepwise variable transmission, and gradually increasing the drive torque of the electric motor following an end of a recovery of the drive torque of the internal combustion engine.

A control method for a hybrid vehicle including:

• an internal combustion engine;
• a stepwise variable transmission capable of automatic shifting;
• a clutch that is disposed between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission and that discontinues and establishes a power transfer between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission;
• and an electric motor that is disposed between the stepwise variable transmission and a drive wheel and that drives the drive wheel and performs regenerative power generation using the drive wheel, the control method comprising:
• predicting an automatic shifting operation timing based on at least one of an accelerator operation amount and a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle;
• and
• gradually decreasing the drive torque of the electric motor prior to a start of an automatic shifting operation of the stepwise variable transmission, and gradually increasing the drive torque of the electric motor between elimination of the drive torque of the internal combustion engine and an end of the elimination.

A control method for a hybrid vehicle including:

• an internal combustion engine;
• a stepwise variable transmission capable of automatic shifting;
• a clutch that is disposed between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission and that discontinues and establishes a power transfer between the internal combustion engine and the stepwise variable transmission;
• and an electric motor that is disposed between the stepwise variable transmission and a drive wheel and that drives the drive wheel and performs regenerative power generation using the drive wheel, the control method comprising:
• predicting an automatic shifting operation timing based on at least one of an accelerator operation amount and a vehicle speed of the hybrid vehicle;
• and
• gradually decreasing the drive torque of the electric motor prior to an end of the automatic shifting operation of the stepwise variable transmission, and gradually increasing the drive torque of the electric motor following an end of a recovery of the drive torque of the internal combustion engine.