Apparatus for controlling a vehicle and method of controlling a vehicle provided with an electric supercharger

Abstract

The present application relates to an apparatus for controlling a vehicle and a method of controlling a vehicle provided with an electric supercharger. An apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle, the apparatus including: an engine; a drive motor; a battery; an electric supercharger configured to be installed in an intake line in which intake air supplied to a combustion chamber of the engine flows; a navigation device configured to calculate a travel route from a start point to an end point and travel information; a controller configured to calculate a driving load from the travel route and the travel information calculated by the navigation device, determine an optimal SOC (state of charge) for each section from the start point to the end point based on the driving load, determine a driving mode of the vehicle based on a required torque of a driver and a driving mode of the battery to follow the optimal SOC for each section, and adjust an operating point of the engine.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0118425, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on September 15, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle, and more specifically, to an apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle capable of stably managing the state of charge (SOC) of a battery by predicting driving information of the hybrid vehicle. Background Technology

[0004] Hybrid vehicles are vehicles that use two or more power sources, and generally refer to hybrid electric vehicles driven by both an engine and a motor. Hybrid electric vehicles can have various configurations that use two or more power sources, including an engine and a motor.

[0005] Generally, hybrid electric vehicles use a powertrain with a transmission-mounted electronic device (TMED), in which the drive motor, transmission, and drive shaft are connected in series.

[0006] Furthermore, a clutch is positioned between the engine and the motor, and depending on whether the clutch is engaged, the hybrid electric vehicle can be driven in electric vehicle (EV) mode, hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode, or engine-only mode. EV mode is in which the vehicle is driven solely by the drive torque of the drive motor, HEV mode is in which the vehicle is driven by the drive torque of both the drive motor and the engine, and engine mode is in which the vehicle is driven solely by the drive torque of the engine.

[0007] The operating point of a hybrid vehicle is determined based on the driver's torque requirements, but it is important to maintain a constant state of charge (SOC), i.e., the state of charge of the battery, based on the vehicle's driving conditions.

[0008] Generally, hybrid vehicles operate at the engine's optimal operating point. When the driver's required torque is greater than the engine's optimal operating point, the drive motor assists in filling the difference between the required torque and the engine torque at the optimal operating point. Conversely, when the driver's required torque is less than the engine torque at the optimal operating point, the drive motor's regenerative braking charges the difference between the required torque and the engine torque at the optimal operating point into the battery.

[0009] However, when the engine cannot operate at its optimal operating point to charge the battery due to a lack of State of Charge (SOC), the vehicle's fuel efficiency deteriorates. On the other hand, when the engine operates continuously at its optimal operating point, battery charging and discharging losses occur.

[0010] The information disclosed in this background section is intended only to enhance the understanding of the background technology of this disclosure, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art in this country. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure provide devices and methods for controlling hybrid vehicles, wherein charging and discharging losses of the battery are minimized.

[0012] An apparatus for controlling a vehicle (e.g., a hybrid vehicle) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: an engine configured to burn fuel to generate power; a drive motor configured to assist the engine's power and selectively operate as a generator to generate electrical energy; a battery configured to supply electrical energy to the drive motor or to be charged by the electrical energy generated by the drive motor; an electric supercharger configured to be installed in an intake line in which intake air supplied to the engine's combustion chamber flows; a navigation device configured to calculate a driving path and driving information from a starting point to an end point; and a controller configured to calculate a drive load from the driving path and driving information calculated by the navigation device, determine an optimal SOC (State of Charge) for each segment from the starting point to the end point based on the drive load, determine a driving mode of the vehicle to follow the optimal SOC for each segment based on the required torque of the driver (i.e., a person who presses the accelerator pedal and drives the vehicle, or, in the case of an autonomous vehicle, a controller who controls the operation of the accelerator pedal, etc.) and the battery's driving mode, and adjust the engine's operating point.

[0013] The vehicle's driving modes may include: EV (Electric Vehicle) mode, in which the vehicle travels using only the driving force of the drive motor; Engine-only mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the engine when no boost air is supplied to the electric supercharger; Supercharged Engine mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the engine by receiving boost air from the electric supercharger; Normal Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor and the driving force of the engine when no boost air is supplied by the electric supercharger; and Supercharged HEV mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor and the driving force of the engine when boost air is supplied by the electric supercharger.

[0014] When the driver's required torque is less than a predetermined value and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as EV mode. This predetermined value is less than the engine torque in the optimal operating line.

[0015] When the driver's required torque is less than a predetermined value and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as engine-only mode, where the predetermined value is less than the engine torque in the optimal operating line.

[0016] When the driver's required torque is less than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as normal HEV mode.

[0017] When the driver's required torque is less than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as normal HEV mode.

[0018] When the driver's required torque is greater than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as normal HEV mode.

[0019] When the driver's required torque is greater than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as turbocharged engine mode.

[0020] When the driver's required torque exceeds the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as boost HEV mode.

[0021] When the driver's required torque exceeds the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the controller can determine the vehicle's drive mode as turbocharged engine mode.

[0022] A method for controlling a hybrid vehicle equipped with an electric supercharger according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: calculating a driving path and driving information from a starting point to a destination by a navigation device; calculating a drive load by a controller based on the driving path and driving information; calculating the optimal SOC (state of charge) of the battery for each road segment by the controller based on the drive load; determining the vehicle's driving mode by the controller based on the driver's required torque and the battery's driving mode to follow the optimal SOC for each road segment; and adjusting the engine's operating point by the controller.

[0023] The vehicle's driving modes may include: EV (Electric Vehicle) mode, in which the vehicle travels using only the driving force of the drive motor; Engine-only mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the engine when no boost air is supplied to the electric supercharger; Supercharged Engine mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the engine by receiving boost air from the electric supercharger; Normal Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor and the driving force of the engine when no boost air is supplied by the electric supercharger; and Supercharged HEV mode, in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor and the driving force of the engine when boost air is supplied by the electric supercharger.

[0024] When the driver's required torque is less than a predetermined value and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as EV mode, where the predetermined value is less than the engine torque in the optimal operating line.

[0025] When the driver's required torque is less than a predetermined value and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined to be engine-only mode, where the predetermined value is less than the engine torque in the optimal operating line.

[0026] When the driver's required torque is less than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as normal HEV mode.

[0027] When the driver's required torque is less than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as normal HEV mode.

[0028] When the driver's required torque is greater than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as normal HEV mode.

[0029] When the driver's required torque is greater than the reference torque in the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as turbocharged engine mode.

[0030] When the driver's required torque exceeds the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is in discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as boost HEV mode.

[0031] When the driver's required torque exceeds the optimal operating line and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as turbocharged engine mode.

[0032] The apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure can minimize battery charging and discharging losses by following the optimal SOC level for each road segment based on the drive load. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Since the accompanying drawings are used for reference to describe exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, the technical spirit of this disclosure should not be construed as being limited by the drawings.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of a device for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the relationship between the engine and the electric supercharger of a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a device for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the optimal SOC for each road segment according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a diagram used to explain the method for calculating average charge and average discharge according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figures 7 to 11 This is a diagram used to explain a method for determining the driving mode of a vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 12 and Figure 13 This is a diagram used to explain a method for correcting operating points according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0042] It should be understood that the terms "vehicle" or "vehicular" or other similar terms as used herein include motor vehicles in a broad sense (such as SUVs, buses, trucks, passenger vehicles of various commercial vehicles, vessels of various small and sea vessels; spacecraft, etc.), and include hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles, and other alternative fuel vehicles (e.g., derived from fuels other than petroleum). As mentioned herein, a hybrid vehicle is a vehicle with two or more power sources, such as a gasoline-powered vehicle and an electric-powered vehicle.

[0043] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit this disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms “comprising” and / or “including” specify the presence of stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Throughout the specification, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the word “comprise” and variations such as “comprises” or “comprising” will be understood to imply inclusion of stated elements but not exclusion of any other elements. Furthermore, the terms “unit,” “device,” “component,” and “module” described in the specification refer to a unit for performing at least one function and operation and may be implemented by hardware components or software components and combinations thereof.

[0044] Furthermore, the control logic of this disclosure can be embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing executable program instructions that are executed by a processor, controller, etc. Examples of computer-readable media include, but are not limited to, ROM, RAM, optical disc (CD)-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash drive, smart card, and optical data storage device. The computer-readable medium can also be distributed across a network-coupled computer system, such that the computer-readable medium is distributed for example, by a telematics server or a controller area network (CAN).

[0045] In the following description, the present disclosure will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated. As those skilled in the art will recognize, the described embodiments may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.

[0046] The accompanying drawings and description are to be considered exemplary rather than limiting in nature, and throughout the description, the same reference numerals denote the same elements.

[0047] Furthermore, for the purposes of understanding and ease of description, the dimensions and thicknesses of each configuration shown in the accompanying drawings are arbitrarily illustrated, but this disclosure is not limited thereto, and the thicknesses have been added to clearly illustrate certain parts and areas.

[0048] In the following, an apparatus for controlling a vehicle (e.g., a hybrid vehicle) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0049] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of a device for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 2 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the relationship between the engine and the electric supercharger of a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a device for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0050] The hybrid vehicle described below, based on an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, uses a transmission-mounted electric device (TMED) scheme as an example. However, the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto, and it can certainly be applied to hybrid vehicles in other embodiments.

[0051] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, a hybrid vehicle using an apparatus for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include: an engine 10, a hybrid starter generator (HSG) 40, a drive motor 50, a clutch 60, a battery 70, an accelerator pedal sensor 100, a navigation device 110, and a controller 90.

[0052] An engine generates the power needed to drive a vehicle by burning fuel.

[0053] refer to Figure 2 The intake air supplied to the combustion chamber 11 of the engine 10 is supplied through the intake line 21, and the exhaust gas discharged from the combustion chamber 11 of the engine 10 is discharged to the outside through the exhaust manifold 15 and the exhaust line 17. In this case, a catalytic converter 19, which includes a catalyst for purifying exhaust gas, is installed in the exhaust line 17.

[0054] An electric supercharger 31, installed in the intake line 20, supplies boosted air to the combustion chamber 11 and includes a motor and an electric compressor. The electric compressor is operated by the motor and compresses external air according to operating conditions, and supplies the compressed external air to the combustion chamber 11.

[0055] Intercooler 36 can be installed in intake line 21. The boosted air compressed by electric supercharger 31 is cooled by intercooler 36.

[0056] An air filter 29 for filtering outside air introduced from the outside is installed in the inlet of the air intake line 20.

[0057] Intake air introduced through intake line 20 is supplied to combustion chamber 11 via intake manifold 13. Throttle valve 14 is installed on intake manifold 13 to regulate the amount of air supplied to combustion chamber 11.

[0058] Return to reference Figure 1 HSG 40 starts engine 10 and selectively operates as a generator while engine 10 is generating electrical energy.

[0059] The drive motor 50 assists the engine 10 in providing power and can be selectively operated as a generator to produce electrical energy.

[0060] The drive motor 50 is operated by using electrical energy charged in the battery 70, and the electrical energy generated in the drive motor 50 and HSG 40 is charged into the battery 70.

[0061] The battery management system (BMS) 71 manages the overall operation and status of the battery 70 and sends the status of the battery 70 (e.g., SOC) to the controller 90.

[0062] Accelerator pedal sensor (APS) 100 detects the driver's operation of the accelerator pedal. The accelerator pedal position detected by accelerator pedal sensor 100 is sent to controller 90. Controller 90 can determine the torque requirement based on the driver's acceleration intention from the accelerator pedal position detected by the accelerator pedal sensor and selectively switch the vehicle's drive mode to EV mode, HEV mode, and engine single mode.

[0063] The navigation device receives the starting point and destination from the driver, calculates the vehicle's driving route, and sends driving information, including congestion and gradient of the driving route, to the controller 90.

[0064] The controller 90 controls the vehicle's components, including the engine 10, HSG 40, drive motor 50, electric supercharger 31, battery 70, and clutch 60.

[0065] For this purpose, the controller 90 may be configured as one or more processors operated by a setup program, and the setup program may perform each operation of the method for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] The clutch 60 is located between the engine 10 and the drive motor 50, and the hybrid vehicle is operated in engine 10 mode, EV mode, or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode depending on the engagement of the clutch 60. EV mode is the mode in which the vehicle travels using only the driving force of the motor, HEV mode is the mode in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of both the motor and the engine 10, and engine-only mode is the mode in which the vehicle travels using only the driving force of the engine 10.

[0067] The drive modes of a device for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to exemplary embodiments of this disclosure may include EV mode, engine single mode, turbocharged engine mode, normal HEV mode, and turbocharged HEV mode.

[0068] EV mode is the mode in which the vehicle, as described above, travels using only the driving force of the drive motor 50.

[0069] Engine Single Mode is a mode in which the vehicle travels using only the driving force of the engine 10 without the assistance of the drive motor 50, and it can be a naturally aspirated (NA) engine mode.

[0070] The turbocharged engine mode is a mode in which the vehicle travels by receiving boosted air from the electric supercharger 31 and using the driving force of the engine 10.

[0071] The normal HEV mode is the mode in which the vehicle, as described above, travels using the driving force of the drive motor 50. In the normal HEV mode, the air pressurized by the electric supercharger 31 is not supplied to the engine 10.

[0072] The boosted HEV mode is a mode in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor 50 and the engine 10. In boosted HEV mode, air boosted by the electric supercharger 31 is supplied to the engine 10.

[0073] The driving force output from the engine 10 and drive motor 50 is transmitted to the drive wheels located in the vehicle. In this case, a transmission 80 is located between the clutch 60 and the drive wheels. Transmission gears are mounted inside the transmission 80, causing the torque output from the engine 10 and drive motor 50 to change according to the transmission gear stages.

[0074] In the following, a method for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0075] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a hybrid vehicle according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0076] like Figure 4 As shown, when the driver inputs the starting point and destination into the navigation device 110, the navigation device 110 calculates or predicts the driving route to the destination, calculates driving information including the congestion of the driving route, the gradient of the driving route, the travel distance and the estimated time to the destination, and sends the driving information to the controller 90 in step S10.

[0077] In step S20, the controller 90 determines the optimal SOC (State of Charge) of the battery 70 for each road segment based on driving information. At this time, the controller 90 can calculate the drive load for each road segment based on the vehicle speed of each segment, calculated from factors such as traffic congestion, slope, distance traveled, and estimated time to the destination. The controller 90 then calculates the optimal SOC of the battery 70 from the drive load of each road segment.

[0078] like Figure 5 As shown, due to the low congestion and high vehicle speed on flat roads, the optimal SOC can be gradually increased (reference). Figure 5 Section 1). Due to moderate congestion and slow vehicle speeds on uphill sections, optimal SOC can be quickly reduced (see reference). Figure 5 Section 2). On flat sections of road with high congestion and slow vehicle speeds, the optimal SOC can be increased quickly (see reference). Figure 5 Section 3). On downhill sections with low congestion and high vehicle speeds, the optimal SOC can be gradually increased (refer to...). Figure 5 Section 4). Furthermore, in the uphill section of Section 5, where congestion is low and vehicle speeds are relatively faster than in Section 2, the optimal SOC can be gradually reduced (see reference). Figure 5 Section 5). The optimal SOC can be determined through repeated experiments.

[0079] When the vehicle starts moving, in step S30, the controller 90 determines the driver's required torque from the position of the accelerator pedal sensor 100.

[0080] In step S40, the controller 90 determines the vehicle's driving mode and the engine 10's operating point based on the battery's driving mode, charging mode, and discharging mode, to follow the driver's required torque and optimal SOC.

[0081] As described above, the vehicle's driving modes may include EV mode, engine single mode, turbocharged engine mode, normal HEV mode, and turbocharged HEV mode.

[0082] The controller 90 calculates the average charge and / or average discharge to follow the optimal SOC for each road segment. At this point, the average charge and average discharge can be calculated from the change in SOC per unit distance. Typically, SOC is expressed as a percentage, but since SOC is converted via the battery's output voltage, the unit of SOC can be expressed as voltage.

[0083] refer to Figure 6 The average charge and average discharge amounts used to follow the optimal SOC can be determined from Equation 1 below.

[0084] [Equation 1]

[0085]

[0086] In equation 1, W ref The SOC (State of Charge / Discharge) is expressed in kW, d(SOC) / dL represents the change in SOC per unit distance, and I(SOC) represents the current supplied to battery 70. For those skilled in the art, the units of torque and power can be freely converted. In this specification, the units of torque and power can be mixed and used.

[0087] The vehicle's drive mode can be determined as follows.

[0088] refer to Figure 7 When the driver's required torque is less than a first predetermined value and the battery's driving mode, which follows the optimal SOC, is in discharge mode, the vehicle's driving mode can be determined as EV mode. And when the driver's required torque is less than the first predetermined value and the battery's driving mode is in charging mode, the vehicle's driving mode can be determined as engine-only mode. Here, the first predetermined value can be a value where the driver's required torque is less than the engine's optimal operating line (OOL) or optimal operating range (OOR).

[0089] When the vehicle is traveling in EV mode with the battery in discharge mode, it follows the optimal SOC (State of Charge) by outputting the driver's required torque from the drive motor and releasing the electricity charged in the battery. In this case, the driver's required torque output from the drive motor can be the average discharge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0090] When the vehicle is operating in engine-only mode, the battery is charged with the optimal SOC because the engine operates at its optimal operating point and the charging torque corresponding to the difference between the engine torque at the optimal operating point and the required torque is applied. In this case, the charging torque can be considered as the average discharge rate while maintaining the optimal SOC.

[0091] refer to Figure 8When the driver's required torque is less than the reference torque and the battery's drive mode is in discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as normal HEV mode, provided that the driver's required torque is within OOL (optimal operating line) or OOR (optimal operating range).

[0092] Furthermore, when the driver's required torque is greater than the reference torque and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as engine-only mode, provided that the driver's required torque is within the OOL (optimal operating line) or OOR (optimal operating range).

[0093] Here, the reference torque can be the torque used to switch the vehicle's drive mode from engine single mode to turbocharged engine mode.

[0094] When the vehicle is traveling in normal HEV mode with the battery in discharge mode, the engine operates at an optimal operating point where the torque is less than the required torque, and the drive motor outputs a discharge torque equal to the difference between the engine torque at the optimal operating point and the required torque. That is, in normal HEV mode, the engine torque is less than the required torque, and the optimal SOC is followed when the drive motor assists in discharging the torque between the engine torque and the required torque. At this time, the discharge torque can be the average discharge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0095] When the vehicle is traveling in engine-only mode while the battery is in charging mode, the engine is operated at an optimal operating point that exceeds the driver's required torque. The charging torque, representing the difference between the engine torque and the required torque at the optimal operating point, is then supplied to the battery, following the optimal state of charge (SOC). In this case, the charging torque can be the average charge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0096] refer to Figure 9 When the driver's required torque is less than the required torque and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as normal HEV mode.

[0097] Furthermore, when the driver's required torque is greater than or equal to the reference torque and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as turbocharged engine mode.

[0098] When the vehicle is traveling in normal HEV mode with the battery in discharge mode, the engine operates at its optimal operating point, which is less than the required torque. The drive motor outputs a discharge torque equal to the difference between the engine torque at the optimal operating point and the required torque. In other words, in normal HEV mode, the engine torque is less than the required torque, and the optimal SOC is followed when the drive motor assists in discharging the difference between the engine torque and the required torque. At this time, the discharge torque can be considered the average discharge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0099] Furthermore, when the vehicle is traveling in turbocharged engine mode while the battery is in charging mode, the electric supercharger operates the engine at an optimal operating point greater than the driver's required torque, and the charging torque follows the difference between the engine torque and the required torque at the optimal operating point, based on the optimal SOC. In this case, the charging torque can be the average charge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0100] Here, in order to prevent the engine's fuel efficiency from deteriorating, the engine's operating point can be limited to not exceeding the optimal operating point (or optimal operating range).

[0101] refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11 When the driver's required torque exceeds OOL or OOR and the battery's drive mode is discharge mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined as boost HEV mode (see reference). Figure 10 ).

[0102] Furthermore, when the driver's required torque exceeds OOL or OOR and the battery's drive mode is charging mode, the vehicle's drive mode can be determined to be turbocharged engine mode (see [link]). Figure 11 ).

[0103] When the vehicle is traveling in boosted HEV mode with the battery in discharge mode, the electric supercharger is operated and the engine outputs maximum torque in OOL (Out of Hour). The optimal SOC (State of Charge) is followed when the difference between the engine torque and the required torque is discharged, assisted by the drive motor. In this case, the optimal SOC is followed as the battery discharges through the operation of the drive motor and the electric supercharger. The discharge torque at this time can be the average discharge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0104] Furthermore, when the vehicle is traveling in turbocharged engine mode while the battery is in charging mode, the engine outputs torque greater than the driver's required torque through the operation of the electric supercharger. The charging torque, representing the difference between the engine torque and the required torque, is then supplied to the battery, following the optimal state of charge (SOC). In this case, the charging torque can be the average charge amount following the optimal SOC.

[0105] Meanwhile, if the driver requests an instantaneous change in torque and a deviation occurs between the optimal SOC and the current SOC (or the measured SOC), the controller 90 adjusts the engine's operating point in step S50 to correct the deviation between the optimal SOC and the current SOC.

[0106] refer to Figure 12 and Figure 13 When the driver's required torque decreases instantaneously and the battery's discharge capacity decreases (e.g., when the output torque of the drive motor decreases in HEV mode), the current SOC becomes lower than the optimal SOC, and a deviation dV1 may occur between the current SOC and the optimal SOC. In this case, to increase the battery's discharge capacity, the engine's operating point can be adjusted in the direction of increasing the discharge torque, which is the difference between the driver's required torque and the engine torque. Therefore, the battery's SOC decreases, and the current SOC follows the optimal SOC.

[0107] Conversely, if the driver's required torque increases instantaneously and the battery discharge increases (e.g., when the drive motor's output torque increases in HEV mode), the current SOC exceeds the optimal SOC, and a deviation dV2 between the current and optimal SOC may occur. In this case, to reduce the battery discharge, the engine's operating point can be adjusted in the direction of reducing the discharge torque, which is the difference between the driver's required torque and the engine torque. Therefore, the battery's SOC increases, and the current SOC follows the optimal SOC.

[0108] While this disclosure has been described in conjunction with exemplary embodiments that are now considered practical, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Rather, this disclosure is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an engine configured to combust a fuel to generate a power; a drive motor configured to assist the power of the engine and selectively operate as a generator to generate an electric power; a battery configured to supply the electric power to the drive motor or charge by the electric power generated by the drive motor; an electric supercharger configured to be installed in an intake line in which intake air supplied to a combustion chamber of the engine flows; a navigation device configured to calculate a travel path and travel information from a start point to an end point; a controller configured to calculate a drive load from the travel path and the travel information calculated by the navigation device, determine an optimum state of charge for each section from the start point to the end point based on the drive load, determine a drive mode of the vehicle based on a required torque of a driver and a drive mode of the battery and adjust an operation point of the engine to follow the optimum state of charge for each section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the drive mode of the vehicle includes: an electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle travels using only a driving force of the drive motor; an engine only mode in which the vehicle travels using a driving force of the engine without supplying supercharged air of the electric supercharger; a supercharged engine mode in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the engine by receiving the supercharged air from the electric supercharger; a normal hybrid electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor and the driving force of the engine without supplementing the supercharged air by the electric supercharger; and a supercharged hybrid electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle travels using the driving force of the drive motor and the driving force of the engine with supplementing the supercharged air by the electric supercharger.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the required torque of the driver is less than a predetermined value and the drive mode of the battery is a discharge mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the electric vehicle mode, the predetermined value being less than an engine torque in an optimum operation line.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the required torque of the driver is less than a predetermined value and the drive mode of the battery is a charge mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the engine only mode, the predetermined value being less than an engine torque in an optimum operation line.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the required torque of the driver is less than a reference torque in an optimum operation line and the drive mode of the battery is a discharge mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the drive mode of the battery is a charging mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the driver's required torque is greater than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the drive mode of the battery is a discharging mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the driver's required torque is greater than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the drive mode of the battery is a charging mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the engine only mode.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the driver's required torque exceeds an optimal operation line and the drive mode of the battery is a discharging mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the supercharged hybrid electric vehicle mode.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: when the driver's required torque exceeds an optimal operation line and the drive mode of the battery is a charging mode, the controller determines the drive mode of the vehicle to be the supercharged engine mode.

11. A method of controlling a hybrid vehicle provided with an electric supercharger, the method comprising: calculating, by a navigation device, a travel path and travel information from a start point to an end point; calculating, by a controller, a driving load based on the travel path and the travel information; calculating, by the controller, an optimal state of charge of a battery for each route section based on the driving load; determining, by the controller, a drive mode of the vehicle based on a driver's required torque and a drive mode of the battery and adjusting, by the controller, an operation point of an engine to follow the optimal state of charge for each route section.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein, the drive mode of the vehicle includes: an electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle travels using only driving force of a drive motor; an engine only mode in which the vehicle travels using driving force of the engine without supplying supercharged air of the electric supercharger; a supercharged engine mode in which the vehicle travels using driving force of the engine by receiving the supercharged air from the electric supercharger; a normal hybrid electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle travels using driving force of the drive motor and driving force of the engine without supplementing the supercharged air by the electric supercharger; and a supercharged hybrid electric vehicle mode in which the vehicle travels using driving force of the drive motor and driving force of the engine with supplementing the supercharged air by the electric supercharger.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a predetermined value and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the electric vehicle mode, the predetermined value being less than an engine torque in an optimal operation line.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a predetermined value and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the electric vehicle mode, the predetermined value being less than an engine torque in an optimal operation line.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque is less than a reference torque in an optimal operation line and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the normal hybrid electric vehicle mode.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque exceeds an optimal operation line and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the supercharged hybrid electric vehicle mode.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein: when the driver's required torque exceeds an optimal operation line and the battery's driving mode is a discharging mode, the vehicle's driving mode is determined to be the supercharged hybrid electric vehicle mode.

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