Vehicle control devices

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and an internal combustion engine control device, which suppress environmental degradation near the boundary of a low emission zone where the internal combustion engine is required to stop. The vehicle (1, 1', 1") control device includes a position estimation unit (15) for estimating the position of the vehicle and a power output unit (16) for controlling the internal combustion engine and electric motor of the vehicle to output power for driving. The power output unit determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone by dispersing the starting positions of the internal combustion engine among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone where the internal combustion engine is required to stop.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle control device and an internal combustion engine control device. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in order to reduce air pollution, low emission zones (LEZs) have been set up in places such as cities with heavy traffic, which require the internal combustion engine to be stopped when the vehicle is traveling. When a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as a driving power source travels in such a low emission zone, it is necessary to stop the internal combustion engine and use only the electric motor to output the driving power.

[0003] In this regard, Patent Document 1 describes that if it is determined that the position of the vehicle is within a low emission zone (“an air pollution prevention enhancement area” in Patent Document 1), the internal combustion engine is stopped.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 07-075210 Summary of the invention

[0007] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0008] That is, in a low-emission zone, only the electric motor is driven to output power for traveling, and the power consumption during traveling increases. Therefore, after the vehicle leaves the low-emission zone, the internal combustion engine needs to be operated to charge the battery of the vehicle. However, if the internal combustion engine is started near the boundary of the low-emission zone in many vehicles, the environment near the boundary of the low-emission zone may be deteriorated due to noise, exhaust emissions, etc.

[0009] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to suppress environmental degradation near the boundary of a low emission zone where the stop of an internal combustion engine is required.

[0010] Means for solving problems

[0011] The gist of the present disclosure is as follows.

[0012] (1) A vehicle control device, which is provided on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a battery and controls the vehicle, wherein the device comprises: a position estimating unit for estimating the position of the vehicle; and a power output unit for controlling the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for driving, wherein the power output unit determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone in which the internal combustion engine is required to stop, by dispersing the starting positions of the internal combustion engine among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone.

[0013] (2) According to the vehicle control device described in (1) above, the power output unit uses a random number to determine a starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone.

[0014] (3) According to the control device of the vehicle described in (1) above, the vehicle is equipped with an inter-vehicle communication device, and the power output unit uses inter-vehicle communication with other vehicles to determine the starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone in a manner that the starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle does not overlap with the starting position of the internal combustion engine of the other vehicle in the vicinity of the low emission zone.

[0015] (4) According to the vehicle control device described in (1) above, the power output unit determines a starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone based on a predetermined condition.

[0016] (5) According to the vehicle control device described in (4) above, the predetermined condition includes a time or a day of the week when the vehicle exits the low emission zone or identification information of the vehicle.

[0017] (6) The vehicle control device according to (4) above further comprises a charge rate calculation unit for calculating a charge rate of the battery, wherein the predetermined condition includes the charge rate of the battery when the vehicle exits the low emission zone.

[0018] (7) According to the vehicle control device described in (1) above, the vehicle also has a communication device capable of communicating with a server, and the power output unit determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone according to the control command from the server.

[0019] (8) According to the vehicle control device described in any one of (1) to (7) above, the power output unit starts the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone and then gradually increases the output of the internal combustion engine.

[0020] (9) According to the control device of a vehicle described in any one of (1) to (8) above, the power output unit determines the stopping position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle enters the low emission zone by dispersing the stopping positions of the internal combustion engine among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone.

[0021] (10) An internal combustion engine control device, comprising a communication device and a control device capable of communicating with a plurality of vehicles, wherein the plurality of vehicles are respectively equipped with an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a battery, wherein the control device determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine when each of the plurality of vehicles exits a low emission zone by dispersing the starting positions of the internal combustion engine among the plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone where the internal combustion engine is required to stop, and transmits the starting position as a control command to each of the plurality of vehicles via the communication device.

[0022] (11) According to the internal combustion engine control device described in (10) above, the control device determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine of each of the multiple vehicles when they exit the low emission zone in such a manner that the proportion of vehicles whose internal combustion engines have been started after exiting the low emission zone increases as the position is farther away from the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0023] Effects of the Invention

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to suppress environmental degradation near the boundary of a low emission zone where the stop of an internal combustion engine is required. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Figure 1 This is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a vehicle to which the vehicle control device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0026] Figure 2 It is a diagram showing an example of a powertrain of a vehicle.

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Functional block diagram of the ECU.

[0028] Figure 4 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 It is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a vehicle to which a vehicle control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0031] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of an internal combustion engine operation process in a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 8 It is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle control system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Fig. 9 It is schematically shown Figure 8 Diagram of the structure of the vehicle.

[0034] Fig.10 This is a diagram schematically showing an example of the ratio of vehicles whose internal combustion engines are started in the vicinity of a low emission zone.

[0035] Fig.11 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the start position determination process in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Fig.12 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Fig.13 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of an internal combustion engine operation process in a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Description of symbols

[0039] 1, 1', 1" vehicle

[0040] 6 Internal combustion engine

[0041] 7 Electric Motor

[0042] 10 Electronic Control Unit (ECU)

[0043] 15Position estimation unit

[0044] 16 Power output

[0045] 24 batteries DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the following description, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components.

[0047] <First Embodiment>

[0048] First, refer to Figure 1 to Figure 4 A first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0049] <Overall vehicle description>

[0050] Figure 1 FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of a vehicle to which a vehicle control device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 1As shown, the vehicle 1 includes a GNSS receiver 2, a map database 3, a navigation device 4, a sensor 5, an internal combustion engine 6, an electric motor 7, and an electronic control unit (ECU (Electronic Control Unit)) 10. The GNSS receiver 2, the map database 3, the navigation device 4, the sensor 5, the internal combustion engine 6, and the electric motor 7 are connected to the ECU 10 in a communicable manner via an in-vehicle network in accordance with a standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network).

[0051] The GNSS receiver 2 captures a plurality of positioning satellites and receives radio waves transmitted from the positioning satellites. The GNSS receiver 2 calculates the distance to the positioning satellite based on the difference between the transmission time and the reception time of the radio waves, and detects the current position of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the latitude and longitude of the vehicle 1) based on the distance to the positioning satellite and the position of the positioning satellite (orbital information). The output of the GNSS receiver 2 is sent to the ECU 10, and the ECU 10 obtains the current position of the vehicle 1 from the GNSS receiver 2. It should be noted that GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a general term for satellite positioning systems such as the GPS of the United States, the GLONASS of Russia, the Galileo of Europe, the QZSS of Japan, the BeiDou of China, and the IRNSS of India. That is, the GNSS receiver 2 includes a GPS receiver.

[0052] The map database 3 stores map information. The ECU 10 acquires the map information from the map database 3 .

[0053] The navigation device 4 sets a driving route of the vehicle 1 to a destination based on the current position of the vehicle 1 detected by the GNSS receiver 2, map information in the map database 3, input by the driver, etc. The driving route set by the navigation device 4 is sent to the ECU 10. It should be noted that the GNSS receiver 2 and the map database 3 may also be incorporated into the navigation device 4.

[0054] The sensor 5 detects state quantities related to the vehicle 1 , and includes a vehicle speed sensor, a gyro sensor, an SOC sensor described later, etc. The output of the sensor 5 is sent to the ECU 10 , and the ECU 10 acquires the state quantities detected by the sensor 5 .

[0055] The internal combustion engine 6 and the electric motor 7 each output power for traveling, and function as a drive device for the vehicle 1. That is, the vehicle 1 is a hybrid vehicle including the internal combustion engine 6 and the electric motor 7 as power sources for traveling.

[0056] Figure 21 is a diagram showing an example of a powertrain of the vehicle 1. Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle 1 includes an internal combustion engine 6 , a first motor generator 21 , a power split mechanism 22 , a second motor generator 7 a , a power control unit (PCU) 23 , a battery 24 , and a speed reducer 27 .

[0057] The internal combustion engine 6 burns a mixture of fuel and air in a cylinder to output power, and is, for example, a gasoline engine or a diesel engine. The output shaft (crankshaft) of the internal combustion engine 6 is mechanically connected to the power split mechanism 22, and the output of the internal combustion engine 6 is input to the power split mechanism 22.

[0058] The power distribution mechanism 22 is configured as a well-known planetary gear mechanism including a sun gear, a ring gear, a pinion gear, and a planetary carrier. The power distribution mechanism 22 distributes the output of the internal combustion engine 6 to the first motor generator 21 and the speed reducer 27. The output of the internal combustion engine 6 distributed to the speed reducer 27 is transmitted to the wheels 29 as the power for running via the axle 28. Therefore, the internal combustion engine 6 can output the power for running.

[0059] The first motor generator 21 functions as a generator and a motor. When the first motor generator 21 functions as a generator, the output of the internal combustion engine 6 is supplied to the first motor generator 21 via the power split mechanism 22. The first motor generator 21 generates electric power using the output of the internal combustion engine 6. The electric power generated by the first motor generator 21 is supplied to at least one of the second motor generator 7a and the battery 24 via the PCU 23.

[0060] On the other hand, when the first motor generator 21 functions as a motor, the power stored in the battery 24 is supplied to the first motor generator 21 via the PCU 23. The output of the first motor generator 21 is supplied to the output shaft of the internal combustion engine 6 via the power split mechanism 22, thereby starting the internal combustion engine 6.

[0061] The second motor generator 7a functions as a motor and a generator. When the second motor generator 7a functions as a motor, at least one of the power generated by the first motor generator 21 and the power stored in the battery 24 is supplied to the second motor generator 7a. The output of the second motor generator 7a is supplied to the speed reducer 27, and the output of the second motor generator 7a supplied to the speed reducer 27 is transmitted to the wheels 29 via the axle 28 as the power for driving. Therefore, the second motor generator 7a can output the power for driving. The second motor generator 7a is Figure 1 An example of an electric motor 7.

[0062] On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 is decelerating, the second motor generator 7a is driven by the rotation of the wheels 29 and functions as a generator. At this time, so-called regeneration is performed, and the regenerative power generated by the second motor generator 7a is supplied to the battery 24 via the PCU 23 .

[0063] The PCU 23 includes an inverter, a boost converter, and a DCDC converter, and is electrically connected to the first motor generator 21, the second motor generator 7a, and the battery 24. The PCU 23 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 24 into AC power, and converts the AC power generated by the first motor generator 21 or the second motor generator 7a into DC power.

[0064] The battery 24 is supplied with electric power generated by the first motor generator 21 using the output of the internal combustion engine 6 and regenerative electric power generated by the second motor generator 7a using regenerative energy. Therefore, the battery 24 can be charged by the output of the internal combustion engine 6 and the regenerative energy. The battery 24 is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel-hydrogen battery.

[0065] In addition, the vehicle 1 includes a charging port 25 and a charger 26, and the battery 24 can also be charged by an external power source 30. Figure 2 The vehicle 1 shown is a so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV).

[0066] The charging port 25 is configured to receive power from the external power source 30 via a charging connector 32 of a charging cable 31. When the battery 24 is charged by the external power source 30, the charging connector 32 is connected to the charging port 25. The charger 26 converts the power supplied from the external power source 30 into power that can be supplied to the battery 24.

[0067] In addition, an SOC sensor 5a for detecting the state quantity (voltage, current, etc.) of the battery 24 for calculating the charge rate (SOC) of the battery 24 is provided in the battery 24. The output of the SOC sensor 5a is sent to the ECU 10, and the ECU 10 obtains the state quantity of the battery 24 detected by the SOC sensor 5a, and calculates the SOC of the battery 24 based on the state quantity of the battery 24.

[0068] It should be noted that the first motor generator 21 may be a generator that does not function as a motor. Also, the second motor generator 7a may be a motor that does not function as a generator. Also, the charging port 25 may be connected to the PCU 23 and the PCU 23 may function as a charger 26 .

[0069] <Vehicle control device>

[0070] Figure 1 The ECU 10 shown is provided in the vehicle 1 and performs various controls of the vehicle 1. That is, in the present embodiment, the ECU 10 functions as a control device of the vehicle 1 that controls the vehicle 1. It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, one ECU 10 is provided, but a plurality of ECUs may be provided for each function.

[0071] like Figure 1 As shown, the ECU 10 includes a communication interface 11, a memory 12, and a processor 13. The communication interface 11, the memory 12, and the processor 13 are connected to each other via a signal line.

[0072] The communication interface 11 has an interface circuit for connecting the ECU 10 to an in-vehicle network conforming to a standard such as CAN. The ECU 10 communicates with other in-vehicle devices as described above via the communication interface 11 .

[0073] The memory 12 includes, for example, a volatile semiconductor memory (eg, RAM) and a nonvolatile semiconductor memory (eg, ROM), and stores programs executed by the processor 13 and various data used when the processor 13 executes various processes.

[0074] The processor 13 includes one or more CPUs (Central Processing Units) and peripheral circuits thereof, and executes various processes. It should be noted that the processor 13 may also include a calculation circuit such as a logic calculation unit or a numerical calculation unit.

[0075] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 1. Functional block diagram of ECU 10. In the present embodiment, ECU 10 includes a position estimation unit 15, a power output unit 16, and a charging rate calculation unit 17. Position estimation unit 15, power output unit 16, and charging rate calculation unit 17 are functional modules implemented by a processor 13 of ECU 10 executing a program stored in a memory 12 of ECU 10.

[0076] The position estimating unit 15 estimates the position of the vehicle 1 . The power output unit 16 controls the internal combustion engine 6 and the electric motor 7 to output power for traveling. The charging rate calculating unit 17 calculates the SOC of the battery 24 .

[0077] In the present embodiment, the power output unit 16 switches the driving mode of the vehicle 1 between the EV mode and the HV mode. In the EV mode, the power output unit 16 stops the internal combustion engine 6 and drives only the electric motor 7. On the other hand, in the HV mode, the power output unit 16 drives at least the internal combustion engine 6. For example, in the HV mode, the power output unit 16 drives the internal combustion engine 6 and the electric motor 7 in such a way that the SOC of the battery 24 calculated by the charge rate calculation unit 17 reaches a target value.

[0078] In order to reduce air pollution, low emission zones (LEZs) are set up in places such as cities with heavy traffic, which require the internal combustion engine to stop when the vehicle is driving. In such low emission zones, the driving of the internal combustion engine is prohibited or restricted, and in principle, only vehicles that can drive without emitting exhaust gas (for example, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles, etc.) are allowed to pass. If the internal combustion engine is driven in a low emission zone, the driver of the vehicle will be fined.

[0079] Therefore, when the vehicle 1 travels in the low emission zone, it is necessary to stop the internal combustion engine 6. Therefore, when the position of the vehicle 1 estimated by the position estimating unit 15 is within the low emission zone, the power output unit 16 stops the internal combustion engine 6 and outputs the power for traveling only by the electric motor 7, as long as the power of the battery 24 is not insufficient. That is, the power output unit 16 selects the EV mode as the traveling mode in preference to the HV mode in the low emission zone.

[0080] As a result, the amount of power consumed during traveling in the low emission zone increases, and the SOC of the battery 24 decreases. Therefore, after the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone, the internal combustion engine 6 needs to be operated in order to restore the SOC of the battery 24. However, if the internal combustion engine is started near the boundary of the low emission zone in many vehicles, the environment near the boundary of the low emission zone may be deteriorated due to noise, exhaust emissions, etc.

[0081] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the power output unit 16 determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone in a manner that disperses the starting positions of the internal combustion engine among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone. Thus, it is possible to suppress the starting positions of the internal combustion engine from being concentrated near the boundary of the low emission zone, thereby suppressing environmental degradation near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0082] For example, the power output unit 16 uses a random number to determine the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone. Thus, since the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 is randomly determined, it is possible to prevent the internal combustion engine 6 from always being started near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0083] <Internal combustion engine operation processing>

[0084] Below, use Figure 4 The control for determining the operating state of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Figure 4 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the first embodiment of the present invention. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 10 .

[0085] First, in step S101, the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 is located in a low emission zone based on the output of the GNSS receiver 2 or the like. For example, the position estimation unit 15 estimates the position of the vehicle 1 using the output of the GNSS receiver 2, the map information of the map database 3, and the known autonomous navigation (dead reckoning navigation). In this case, the position estimation unit 15 determines a reference point (base point) on the map based on the output of the GNSS receiver 2 and the map information of the map database 3, and estimates the position of the vehicle 1 by calculating the moving distance and moving direction of the vehicle 1 relative to the reference point based on the output of the sensor 5 such as the vehicle speed sensor and the gyro sensor. The position information of the low emission zone is stored in the map information of the map database 3, and the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 is located in the low emission zone by comparing the estimated position of the vehicle 1 with the range of the low emission zone.

[0086] If it is determined in step S101 that the vehicle 1 is located in a low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step 102. In step S102, the power output unit 16 stops the internal combustion engine 6 regardless of the required output, and outputs the power for traveling using only the electric motor 7. That is, the power output unit 16 sets the traveling mode of the vehicle 1 to the EV mode. After step S102, the control routine ends.

[0087] On the other hand, when it is determined in step S101 that the vehicle 1 is not located in the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S103. In step S103, the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 has exited the low emission zone. In other words, the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 has moved from the inside of the low emission zone to the outside of the low emission zone. This determination is performed based on the output of the GNSS receiver 2, etc., as in step S101. It should be noted that, when a signal indicating that the vehicle 1 has exited the low emission zone is sent to the vehicle 1 from a device such as a roadside machine provided at the exit of the low emission zone, the determination in step S103 can also be performed based on the signal.

[0088] If it is determined in step S103 that the vehicle 1 has exited the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the power output unit 16 uses a random number to determine the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1. For example, the power output unit 16 generates a random number within a specified range, and sets the position where the driving distance from the boundary of the low emission zone becomes a distance equivalent to the generated random number as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6. It should be noted that the power output unit 16 may also generate a random number within a specified range, and set the position reached by the vehicle 1 after a time equivalent to the generated random number has passed as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6.

[0089] Next, in step S105, the power output unit 16 starts the internal combustion engine 6 at the start position determined in step S104. That is, the power output unit 16 switches the travel mode of the vehicle 1 from the EV mode to the HV mode at the start position determined in step S104. After step S105, this control routine ends.

[0090] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S103 that the position of the vehicle 1 is maintained outside the low emission zone, the present control routine proceeds to step S106. In step S106, the power output unit 16 controls the operating state of the internal combustion engine 6 according to the vehicle state (required output, SOC of the battery 24, etc.) of the vehicle 1. That is, the power output unit 16 selects the driving mode of the vehicle 1 according to the vehicle state of the vehicle 1. After step S106, the present control routine ends.

[0091] <Second Embodiment>

[0092] The vehicle control device of the second embodiment is basically the same as the vehicle control device of the first embodiment except for the following points. Therefore, the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0093] In the second embodiment, the power output unit 16 determines the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone according to prescribed conditions in a manner that disperses the start positions of the internal combustion engine among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone. The prescribed conditions include the time or day of the week when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone, identification information of the vehicle 1, or the SOC of the battery 24. Thus, since the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 is dispersed according to the prescribed conditions, it is possible to prevent the internal combustion engine 6 from always being started near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0094] <Internal combustion engine operation processing>

[0095] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the second embodiment of the present invention. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 10 .

[0096] Steps S201 to S203 and S206 and Figure 4 Steps S101 to S103 and S106 are the same, and thus their description is omitted. If it is determined in step S203 that the vehicle 1 has exited the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S204.

[0097] In step S204, the power output unit 16 determines the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1 according to the prescribed condition. When the prescribed condition is the time when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone, for example, different places are pre-assigned as the start position for each time period (6:00 to 9:00, etc.). In this case, the power output unit 16 sets the place assigned relative to the time when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6.

[0098] In addition, when the prescribed condition is the day of the week when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone, for example, a different place is pre-assigned as the start position for each day of the week. In this case, the power output unit 16 sets the place assigned to the day of the week when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6.

[0099] In addition, when the predetermined condition is the identification information of the vehicle 1 (for example, the number or characters at the end of the license plate, the manufacturer, the model, the color, etc.), for example, a different place is pre-assigned as the start position for each identification information of the vehicle 1. In this case, the power output unit 16 sets the place assigned to the identification information of the vehicle 1 as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6. The identification information of the vehicle 1 is stored in the memory 12 of the ECU 10, etc.

[0100] In addition, when the predetermined condition is the SOC of the battery 24 when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone, for example, the power output unit 16 sets the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 in such a manner that the distance between the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 and the boundary of the low emission zone becomes longer as the SOC of the battery 24 increases. It should be noted that different locations may be allocated in advance as the start position for each range of SOC (0 to 20%, etc.), and the power output unit 16 may set the location allocated to the value of the SOC of the battery 24 when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6. The SOC of the battery 24 when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone is calculated by the charge rate calculation unit 17 based on the output of the SOC sensor 5a, etc.

[0101] In addition, as the place allocated according to the specified conditions, a location on a road not adjacent to a building (for example, a road passing through a forest, a field, a wasteland, etc.) can also be selected. In this way, since the internal combustion engine is started in a place with few people, the impact of environmental degradation on people can be further reduced.

[0102] Next, in step S205, Figure 4 Similarly to step S105, the power output unit 16 starts the internal combustion engine 6 at the start position determined in step S204. After step S205, this control routine ends.

[0103] <Third Embodiment>

[0104] The vehicle control device of the third embodiment is basically the same as the vehicle control device of the first embodiment except for the following points. Therefore, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0105] Figure 6 FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a structure of a vehicle to which a vehicle control device according to a third embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 6 As shown, the vehicle 1' includes a GNSS receiver 2, a map database 3, a navigation device 4, a sensor 5, an internal combustion engine 6, an electric motor 7, and an ECU 10, and also includes an inter-vehicle communication device 8. The GNSS receiver 2, the map database 3, the navigation device 4, the sensor 5, the internal combustion engine 6, the electric motor 7, and the inter-vehicle communication device 8 are connected to the ECU 10 in a communicable manner via an in-vehicle network in accordance with a standard such as CAN.

[0106] The inter-vehicle communication device 8 is a wireless device that can realize communication between the vehicle 1' and other vehicles around the vehicle 1' using a predetermined frequency band (e.g., 700 MHz frequency band, 5.8 GHz frequency band, etc.). In the third embodiment, the power output unit 16 uses inter-vehicle communication with other vehicles to determine the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1' when the vehicle 1' exits the low emission zone in such a way that the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1' in the vicinity of the low emission zone does not overlap with the start position of the internal combustion engine of other vehicles. Thus, since the start position of the internal combustion engine is dispersed between the vehicle 1' and other vehicles, it is possible to suppress the start position of the internal combustion engine from being concentrated near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0107] <Internal combustion engine operation processing>

[0108] Figure 7 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the third embodiment of the present invention. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 10 .

[0109] Steps S301 to S303 and S306 and Figure 4 Steps S101 to S103 and S106 are the same, and thus their description is omitted. If it is determined in step S303 that the vehicle 1 has exited the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S304.

[0110] In step S304, the power output unit 16 uses inter-vehicle communication with other vehicles to determine the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1' when the vehicle 1' exits the low emission zone. For example, the power output unit 16 obtains the start position of the internal combustion engine of the other vehicle through inter-vehicle communication, and sets a position different from the start position of the internal combustion engine of the other vehicle as the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1'.

[0111] It should be noted that the power output unit 16 may also obtain the SOC of the battery of other vehicles through inter-vehicle communication, and set the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1' in such a way that the distance between the starting position of the internal combustion engine and the boundary of the low emission zone is longer for vehicles with higher battery SOC. In addition, the power output unit 16 may also obtain the driving route of other vehicles through inter-vehicle communication, and set the location where the driving route of the vehicle 1' is different from the driving route of other vehicles as the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1'.

[0112] Next, in step S305, Figure 4 Similarly, in step S105, the power output unit 16 starts the internal combustion engine 6 at the start position determined in step S304. After step S305, this control routine ends.

[0113] <Fourth Embodiment>

[0114] The vehicle control device of the fourth embodiment is basically the same as the vehicle control device of the first embodiment except for the following points. Therefore, the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0115] Figure 8 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a vehicle control system 100 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle control system 100 includes a plurality of vehicles 1 ″ and a server 40 capable of communicating with the plurality of vehicles 1 ″.

[0116] like Figure 8 As shown, the server 40 is arranged outside the plurality of vehicles 1", and includes a communication interface 41, a storage device 42, a memory 43, and a processor 44. It should be noted that the server 40 may also include an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse, an output device such as a display, and the like. In addition, the server 40 may also be composed of a plurality of computers. The server 40 is an example of an internal combustion engine control device.

[0117] The communication interface 41 is capable of communicating with multiple vehicles 1", so that the server 40 can communicate with multiple vehicles 1". Specifically, the communication interface 41 has an interface circuit for connecting the server 40 to the communication network 50. The server 40 communicates with multiple vehicles 1" via the communication interface 41, the communication network 50 and the wireless base station 60. The communication interface 41 is an example of a communication device.

[0118] The storage device 42 includes, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), an optical recording medium, etc. The storage device 42 stores various data, for example, a computer program for the processor 44 to execute various processes.

[0119] The memory 43 has a semiconductor memory such as a random access memory (RAM), and stores various data used when the processor 44 executes various processes.

[0120] The communication interface 41, the storage device 42 and the memory 43 are connected to the processor 44 via a signal line. The processor 44 has one or more CPUs and their peripheral circuits to perform various processes. It should be noted that the processor 44 may also have an operation circuit such as a logic operation unit or a numerical operation unit. The processor 44 is an example of a control device.

[0121] Fig. 9 It is schematically shown Figure 8 The structure of the vehicle 1 is shown in FIG. Fig. 9 As shown, the vehicle 1" includes a communication module 9 in addition to a GNSS receiver 2, a map database 3, a navigation device 4, a sensor 5, an internal combustion engine 6, an electric motor 7 and an ECU 10. The GNSS receiver 2, the map database 3, the navigation device 4, the sensor 5, the internal combustion engine 6, the electric motor 7 and the communication module 9 are connected to the ECU 10 in a communicative manner via an in-vehicle network in accordance with a standard such as CAN.

[0122] The communication module 9 is a wireless device that can use a specified frequency band (for example, an 800 MHz band, a 2.4 GHz band, etc.) to realize communication between the vehicle 1” and the outside of the vehicle 1” (for example, a server 40). The communication module 9 is, for example, a data communication module (DCM: Data Communication Module) that can communicate with the communication network 50 via the wireless base station 60. The communication module 9 is an example of a communication device that can communicate with the server 40. It should be noted that as the communication device, a portable terminal (for example, a smart phone, a tablet terminal, etc.) electrically connected to the vehicle 1” (especially the ECU 10) can also be used.

[0123] In a fourth embodiment, the processor 44 of the server 40 determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of each of the multiple vehicles 1" when it exits the low emission zone by dispersing the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 among the multiple vehicles 1" around the low emission zone, and sends the starting position as a control instruction to each of the multiple vehicles 1" via the communication interface 41. On the other hand, the power output unit 16 of the vehicle 1" determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1" when the vehicle 1" exits the low emission zone according to the control instruction from the server 40. Thereby, the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 can be prevented from being concentrated near the boundary of the low emission zone, and the environmental deterioration near the boundary of the low emission zone can be suppressed.

[0124] For example, the processor 44 of the server 40 determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of each of the multiple vehicles 1" when they exit the low emission zone in such a manner that the proportion of vehicles 1" with started internal combustion engines 6 among the vehicles 1" after exiting the low emission zone increases as the position moves away from the boundary of the low emission zone. Fig.10 FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the ratio of vehicles with internal combustion engines started in the vicinity of a low emission zone. Fig.10 As shown, by increasing the proportion of vehicles with the internal combustion engine started as the position of the vehicle moves away from the boundary of the low emission zone (hatched portion), it is possible to suppress the start position of the internal combustion engine from being concentrated in a narrow area near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0125] <Start Position Determination Processing>

[0126] Fig.11 4 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the startup position determination process in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the processor 44 of the server 40.

[0127] First, in step S401 , the processor 44 receives the position of the vehicle 1 ″ from each of the plurality of vehicles 1 ″ via the wireless base station 60 , the communication network 50 , and the communication interface 41 . The position of the vehicle 1 ″ is estimated by the position estimating unit 15 of the vehicle 1 ″.

[0128] Next, in step S402, the processor 44 determines whether there is a vehicle 1" that has exited the low emission zone based on the temporal change in the positions of multiple vehicles 1". When it is determined that there is no vehicle 1" that has exited the low emission zone, the control routine ends. On the other hand, when it is determined that there is a vehicle 1" that has exited the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S403. It should be noted that when a signal indicating that the vehicle 1" has exited the low emission zone is sent to the vehicle 1" from a device such as a roadside machine set at the exit of the low emission zone, the determination of step S403 can also be made based on the signal.

[0129] In step S403, the processor 44 determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1" after exiting the low emission zone. For example, the processor 44 determines the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1" in such a manner that the proportion of vehicles 1" with started internal combustion engines 6 among the vehicles 1" after exiting the low emission zone increases as the position is farther away from the boundary of the low emission zone in the periphery of the low emission zone.

[0130] It should be noted that the processor 44 can be used with Figure 4Step S104 also uses a random number to determine the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1". In addition, the processor 44 can also obtain the SOC of the battery 24 of the vehicle 1" and set the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 in such a way that the higher the SOC of the battery 24, the longer the distance between the starting position of the internal combustion engine 6 and the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0131] Next, in step S404, the processor 44 sends the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 determined in step S403 as a control command to the vehicle 1" after exiting the low emission zone. After step S404, this control routine ends.

[0132] <Internal combustion engine operation processing>

[0133] Fig.12 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the fourth embodiment of the present invention. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 10 of the vehicle 1 ″.

[0134] Steps S501 to S503 and S506 and Figure 4 Steps S101 to S103 and S106 are the same, and thus their description is omitted. If it is determined in step S503 that the vehicle 1 has exited the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S504.

[0135] In step S504, the power output unit 16 receives a control command from the server 40 via the communication network 50, the wireless base station 60 and the communication module 9, and determines the start position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1" according to the control command.

[0136] Next, in step S505, Figure 4 Similarly, in step S105, the power output unit 16 starts the internal combustion engine 6 at the start position determined in step S504. After step S505, this control routine ends.

[0137] <Fifth Embodiment>

[0138] The vehicle control device of the fifth embodiment is basically the same as the vehicle control device of the first embodiment except for the following points. Therefore, the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described below, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0139] As described above, in a low emission zone, the amount of power consumed during traveling increases, and the SOC of the battery 24 decreases. Therefore, it is preferable to charge the battery 24 using the internal combustion engine 6 before the vehicle 1 enters a low emission zone. However, if the internal combustion engine is continuously operated until near the boundary of the low emission zone in many vehicles, the environment near the boundary of the low emission zone may be deteriorated due to noise, exhaust emissions, etc.

[0140] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the power output unit 16 determines the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1 when the vehicle 1 enters the low emission zone in such a manner that the stop positions of the internal combustion engines are dispersed among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone. Thus, it is possible to suppress the stop positions of the internal combustion engines from being concentrated near the boundary of the low emission zone, and further suppress environmental degradation near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0141] <Internal combustion engine operation processing>

[0142] Fig.13 1 is a flowchart showing a control routine of the internal combustion engine operation process in the fifth embodiment of the present invention. This control routine is repeatedly executed by the ECU 10 .

[0143] Steps S601 to S605 and Figure 4 Steps S101 to S105 are the same, and thus their description is omitted. If it is determined in step S603 that the position of the vehicle 1 is maintained outside the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S606.

[0144] In step S606, the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 will enter the low emission zone. In other words, the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 is scheduled to move from the outside of the low emission zone to the inside of the low emission zone. For example, the position estimation unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 1 will enter the low emission zone based on the driving route set by the navigation device 4. In this case, if the driving route includes the low emission zone, it is determined that the vehicle 1 will enter the low emission zone.

[0145] If it is determined in step S606 that the vehicle 1 will enter the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S607. In step S607, the power output unit 16 determines the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1. For example, the power output unit 16 sets the position where the SOC of the battery 24 reaches a prescribed value as the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6. The prescribed value is predetermined or calculated based on the expected power consumption in the low emission zone. The expected power consumption in the low emission zone is calculated based on, for example, the travel route set by the navigation device 4, the past travel history of the vehicle 1, and the like.

[0146] It should be noted that the power output unit 16 may also use a random number to determine the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6. For example, the power output unit 16 generates a random number within a specified range, and sets the position at which the driving distance from the boundary of the low emission zone becomes a distance equivalent to the generated random number as the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6. It should be noted that the power output unit 16 may also generate a random number within a specified range, and set the position at which the vehicle 1 reaches when a time equivalent to the generated random number has passed as the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6.

[0147] In addition, the power output unit 16 may determine the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6 according to a predetermined condition. When the predetermined condition is the time when the vehicle 1 enters the low emission zone, for example, different places are pre-assigned as the stop position for each time period (6:00 to 9:00, etc.). In this case, the power output unit 16 sets the place assigned relative to the time when the vehicle 1 enters the low emission zone as the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6.

[0148] In addition, when the prescribed condition is the day of the week when the vehicle 1 enters the low emission zone, for example, different places are pre-assigned as the stop position for each day of the week. In this case, the power output unit 16 sets the place assigned to the day of the week when the vehicle 1 exits the low emission zone as the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6.

[0149] In addition, when the predetermined condition is the identification information of the vehicle 1 (for example, the number or characters at the end of the license plate, the manufacturer, the model, the color, etc.), for example, a different place is pre-assigned as the stop position for each identification information of the vehicle 1. In this case, the power output unit 16 sets the place assigned to the identification information of the vehicle 1 as the stop position of the internal combustion engine 6. The identification information of the vehicle 1 is stored in the memory 12 of the ECU 10, etc.

[0150] Next, in step S608, the power output unit 16 stops the internal combustion engine 6 at the stop position determined in step S607. That is, the power output unit 16 switches the travel mode of the vehicle 1 from the HV mode to the EV mode at the stop position determined in step S607. After step S608, this control routine ends.

[0151] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S606 that the vehicle 1 will not enter the low emission zone, the control routine proceeds to step S609. Figure 4 Similarly, in step S106, the power output unit 16 controls the operating state of the internal combustion engine 6 according to the vehicle state (required output, SOC of the battery 24, etc.) of the vehicle 1. After step S609, this control routine ends.

[0152] <Other Embodiments>

[0153] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the claims.

[0154] For example, the charging port 25 and the charger 26 may be omitted from the vehicle 1, 1', 1". That is, the vehicle 1, 1', 1" may be a hybrid vehicle of a type in which the battery 24 is not charged by an external power source. Figure 2The illustrated vehicle 1 is a so-called series-parallel hybrid vehicle, but the vehicles 1, 1', 1" may be other types of hybrid vehicles such as series and parallel hybrid vehicles as long as they can travel without operating the internal combustion engine.

[0155] In addition, the power output unit 16 may also gradually increase the output of the internal combustion engine 6 after starting the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1, 1', 1" when the vehicle 1, 1', 1" exits the low emission zone. As a result, the positions where the output of the internal combustion engine 6 increases after the internal combustion engine 6 is started are dispersed at locations away from the boundary of the low emission zone, thereby further suppressing environmental deterioration near the boundary of the low emission zone.

[0156] In addition, the above-mentioned embodiments can be implemented in any combination. Fig.13 In the case of the control routine of Figure 5 Steps S204 and S205, Figure 7 Steps S304 and S305 or Fig.12 Steps S504 and S505.

[0157] In addition, the processor 44 of the server 40 may also determine the stopping position of the internal combustion engine 6 of each of the multiple vehicles 1" when entering the low emission zone by dispersing the stopping positions of the internal combustion engine 6 among the multiple vehicles 1" around the low emission zone, and send the stopping position as a control instruction to each of the multiple vehicles 1" via the communication interface 41. In this case, the power output unit 16 of the vehicle 1" determines the stopping position of the internal combustion engine 6 of the vehicle 1" when the vehicle 1" enters the low emission zone according to the control instruction from the server 40. Thereby, the stopping position of the internal combustion engine 6 can be prevented from being concentrated near the boundary of the low emission zone, and the environmental deterioration near the boundary of the low emission zone can be prevented.

Claims

1. A vehicle control device, which is provided in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a battery and controls the vehicle, wherein: have: a position estimating unit for estimating the position of the vehicle; and a power output unit that controls the internal combustion engine and the electric motor to output power for traveling, The power output unit determines the start position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone in such a manner that the start positions of the internal combustion engine are dispersed among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone where the internal combustion engine is required to stop. The power output unit determines a starting position of an internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle exits the low emission zone according to a predetermined condition. The prescribed conditions include the time or day of the week when the vehicle exits the low emission zone or identification information of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1, The power output unit starts the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle leaves the low emission zone and then gradually increases the output of the internal combustion engine.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 or 2, The power output unit determines the stop position of the internal combustion engine of the vehicle when the vehicle enters the low emission zone so as to distribute the stop positions of the internal combustion engine among a plurality of vehicles around the low emission zone.

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