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US RE47,625 E1Granted
Hybrid vehicle and method for controlling hybrid vehicle
AssigneeToyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMasayuki Komatsu, Kazuyoshi Obayashi, Hiroki Sawada
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An EV priority switch is configured to allow a user to request a change between an EV priority mode and an HV mode. If an SOC of a power storage device is less than a first threshold value when the change to the HV mode is requested from the EV priority switch during the EV priority mode, an ECU changes the running mode to attain the HV mode and controls the SOC to be close to the SOC at the moment of a request for the change to the HV mode. If the SOC is greater than or equal to the first threshold value, the ECU maintains the EV priority mode. If the SOC reaches a second threshold value less than the first threshold value, the ECU forcefully changes the running mode to attain the HV mode.
Claims39
A hybrid vehicle comprising:
- a chargeable and dischargeable power storage device;
- an internal combustion engine;
- a power generation device configured to be capable of generating generate electric power using kinetic energy produced by said internal combustion engine to charge said power storage device;
- a charging device configured to be capable of receiving receive a supply of electric power from a power source outside the vehicle to charge said power storage device;
- an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from said power storage device to produce driving force for the vehicle;
- a running mode control unit for controlling changing in a running mode including a first mode of running without maintaining a state quantity indicative of a state of charge of said power storage device and a second mode of running with said state quantity maintained at a predetermined target;
- and
- a running-mode-change request switch configured to allow a user to request a change in said running mode, wherein
- when the change to said second mode is requested from said running-mode-change request switch during said first mode, said running mode control unit changes said running mode to attain said second mode if said state quantity is less than a first prescribed value, and said running mode control unit maintains said first mode if said state quantity is greater than or equal to said first prescribed value.
6 more elements
A hybrid vehicle comprising:
- a chargeable and dischargeable power storage device;
- an internal combustion engine;
- a power generation device configured to be capable of generating generate electric power using kinetic energy produced by said internal combustion engine to charge said power storage device;
- an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from said power storage device to produce driving force for the vehicle;
- a running mode control unit for controlling changing in a running mode including a first mode of running without maintaining a state quantity indicative of a state of charge of said power storage device and a second mode of running with said state quantity maintained at a predetermined target;
- a running-mode-change request switch configured to allow a user to request the change in said running mode;
- and
- a reporting unit for reporting to the user a history current state of an operation input from said running-mode-change request switch irrespective of control of changing said running mode executed by said running mode control unit, wherein
- when the change to said second mode is requested from said running-mode-change request switch during said first mode, said running mode control unit maintains said first mode if said state quantity is greater than or equal to a first prescribed value, and even if said first mode is maintained since said state quantity is greater than or equal to said first prescribed value, said reporting unit reports that the change to said second mode has been requested from said running-mode-change request switch.
6 more elements
A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, wherein
- said hybrid vehicle comprises:
- a chargeable and dischargeable power storage device;
- an internal combustion engine;
- a power generation device configured to be capable of generating generate electric power using kinetic energy produced by said internal combustion engine to charge said power storage device;
- a charging device configured to be capable of receiving receive a supply of electric power from a power source outside the vehicle to charge said power storage device;
- and
- an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from said power storage device to produce driving force for the vehicle,
- said method comprising:
- a first step of, during a first mode of running without maintaining a state quantity indicative of a state of charge of said power storage device, determining whether or not a change to a second mode of running with said state quantity maintained at a predetermined target has been requested by a user;
- a second step of determining whether or not said state quantity is less than a first prescribed value when it is determined that the change to said second mode has been requested;
- a third step of changing said running mode to attain said second mode when it is determined that said state quantity is less than said first prescribed value;
- and
- a fourth step of maintaining said first mode when it is determined that said state quantity is greater than or equal to said first prescribed value.
10 more elements
A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, wherein
- said hybrid vehicle comprises:
- a chargeable and dischargeable power storage device;
- an internal combustion engine;
- a power generation device configured to be capable of generating generate electric power using kinetic energy produced by said internal combustion engine to charge said power storage device;
- an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from said power storage device to produce driving force for the vehicle;
- and
- a running-mode-change request switch configured to allow a user to request a change in a running mode including a first mode of running without maintaining a state quantity indicative of a state of charge of said power storage device and a second mode of running with said state quantity maintained at a predetermined target,
- said method comprising:
- a first step of executing control of changing said running mode based on an operation input from said running-mode-change request switch;
- a second step of reporting to the user a history current state of the operation input from said running-mode-change request switch irrespective of the control of changing said running mode;
- a third step of determining whether or not the change to said second mode has been requested from said running-mode-change request switch during said first mode;
- a fourth step of determining whether or not said state quantity is greater than or equal to a first prescribed value when it is determined in said third step that the change to said second mode has been requested;
- and
- a fifth step of maintaining said first mode when it is determined in said fourth step that said state quantity is greater than or equal to said first prescribed value, wherein even if said first mode is maintained in said fifth step, it is reported to the user in said second step that the change to said second mode has been requested from said running-mode-change request switch.
11 more elements
A control device for a hybrid vehicle including:
- (i) an internal combustion engine, (ii) a chargeable and dischargeable power storage device, and (iii) an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from the power storage device to produce a driving force for the vehicle, the control device comprising:
- an electronic control unit programmed to:
- change between a first mode in which a state of charge (SOC) of the power storage device is not maintained and a second mode in which the state of charge is maintained at a predetermined target, and
- each of the first and second modes having a state where the internal combustion engine is operated and a state where the internal combustion engine is shut down;
- and
- a storage medium that stores:
- a first threshold value indicative of a start threshold value for starting the internal combustion engine in the first mode, and
- a second threshold value indicative of a start threshold value for starting the internal combustion engine in the second mode,
- wherein the first threshold value is larger than the second threshold value.
6 more elements
A control device for a hybrid vehicle including:
- (i) an internal combustion engine, (ii) a chargeable and dischargeable power storage device, and (iii) an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from the power storage device to produce a driving force for the vehicle, the control device comprising:
- an electronic control unit programmed to:
- change between a first condition in which a state of charge (SOC) of the power storage device is not maintained and a second condition in which the state of charge is maintained at a predetermined target, and
- each of the first and second conditions having a state where the internal combustion engine is operated and a state where the internal combustion engine is shut down;
- and
- a storage medium that stores:
- a first start threshold value for starting the internal combustion engine in the first condition, and
- a second start threshold value for starting the internal combustion engine in the second condition,
- wherein the first start threshold value is larger than the second start threshold value.
6 more elements
A hybrid vehicle comprising:
- a chargeable and dischargeable battery;
- an internal combustion engine;
- a charging device configured to be capable of receiving a supply of electric power from a power source outside the vehicle to charge the battery;
- an electric motor for receiving a supply of electric power from the battery to produce driving force for the vehicle;
- and
- an electronic control unit configured to control a running mode of the vehicle to switch between at least a first mode of running without maintaining a state quantity indicative of a state of charge of the battery and a second mode of running with the state quantity maintained at a predetermined target, each of the first and second modes having a state where the internal combustion engine is operated and a state where the internal combustion engine is shut down, wherein the electronic control unit uses a first start threshold value for starting the internal combustion engine in the first mode, and a second start threshold value for starting the internal combustion engine in the second mode, the second start threshold value being smaller than the first start threshold value.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.