# US 2021/0276535 A1 · Hybrid vehicle and control method thereof

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- Number: US 2021/0276535 A1
- Document ID: US20210276535A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/188,026
- Filed: 2021-03-01
- Published: 2021-09-09
- Earliest claimed: 2020-03-06
- Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Kazunari Kawata; Ben Leslie Vogler; Benjamin Michael Geller; Mitsuhiro Fukao
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210276535A1

## CPC

- B60K 6/445: Differential gearing distribution type
- B60W 20/15: Control strategies specially adapted for achieving a particular effect
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/13: in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
- B60W 20/20: Control strategies involving selection of hybrid configuration, e.g. selection between series or parallel configuration
- B60W 30/18072: {Coasting}
- B60W 2510/081: Speed
- B60W 2510/083: Torque
- B60W 2710/0644: Engine speed
- B60W 2710/081: Speed
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y02T 10/72: Electric energy management in electromobility
- 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

The control device controls the first MG and the second MG so that the input power to the power storage device does not exceed the input limit Win. Further, the control device controls the first MG and the engine so that the rotational speed of the engine approaches the target when the engine is operating under load, when the input limit Win is lowered in a situation where the second MG moves backward while generating torque in the forward direction, and the engine is operating under load, the control device suppresses the amount of power generated by the first MG.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hybrid vehicle, comprising:
an internal combustion engine;
a first rotating electrical machine;
a planetary gear mechanism in which the internal combustion engine, the first rotating electrical machine, and an output shaft are connected;
a second rotating electrical machine connected to the output shaft;
a power storage device capable of storing electric power generated by the first rotating electrical machine and electric power generated by the second rotating electrical machine; and
a control device that controls the internal combustion engine and the first and second rotating electrical machines, wherein
the control device
controls the first and second rotating electrical machines so that input power to the power storage device does not exceed an input limit value indicating a limit of the input power,
controls the first rotating electrical machine and the internal combustion engine so that a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine approaches a target when the internal combustion engine is operating under load, and
under a situation of a vehicle downhill movement where the hybrid vehicle moves backward while generating torque in a forward direction by the second rotating electrical machine, when the input limit value is equal to or less than a threshold value and the internal combustion engine is operating under load, the control device suppresses a power generation amount of the first rotating electrical machine to be equal to or less than a predetermined value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein under the situation of the vehicle downhill movement, when the input limit value is lower than or equal to the threshold value and the internal combustion engine is operating under load, the control device suppresses a regenerative torque of the first rotating electrical machine to be equal to or less than a predetermined limit value.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined limit value is calculated based on the input limit value and a required power of the second rotating electrical machine.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1, wherein under the situation of the vehicle downhill movement, when the input limit value is lower than or equal to the threshold value and the internal combustion engine is operating under load, the control device suppresses a rate of change of the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine to be equal to or less than a predetermined limit value when the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is lowered.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The hybrid vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined limit value is calculated based on a friction torque of the internal combustion engine.

### Claim 6

A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle,
the hybrid vehicle including:
an internal combustion engine;
a first rotating electrical machine;
a planetary gear mechanism in which the internal combustion engine,
the first rotating electrical machine, and an output shaft are connected;
a second rotating electrical machine connected to the output shaft; and
a power storage device capable of storing electric power generated by the first rotating electrical machine and electric power generated by the second rotating electrical machine,
the method comprising:
controlling the first and second rotating electrical machines so that input power to the power storage device does not exceed an input limit value indicating a limit of the input power;
controlling the first rotating electrical machine and the internal combustion engine so that a rotational speed of the internal combustion engine approaches a target when the internal combustion engine is operating under load; and
suppressing a power generation amount of the first rotating electrical machine to be equal to or less than a predetermined value, under a situation of a vehicle downhill movement where the hybrid vehicle moves backward while generating torque in a forward direction by the second rotating electrical machine, when the input limit value is equal to or less than a threshold value and the internal combustion engine is operating under load.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein, under the situation of the vehicle downhill movement, when the input limit value is lower than or equal to the threshold value and the internal combustion engine is operating under load, the suppressing includes suppressing a regenerative torque of the first rotating electrical machine to be equal to or less than a predetermined limit value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined limit value is calculated based on the input limit value and a required power of the second rotating electrical machine.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 6, wherein under the situation of the vehicle downhill movement, when the input limit value is lower than or equal to the threshold value and the internal combustion engine is operating under load, the suppressing includes suppressing a rate of change of the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine to be equal to or less than a predetermined limit value when the rotational speed of the internal combustion engine is lowered.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of controlling a hybrid vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined limit value is calculated based on a friction torque of the internal combustion engine.