METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INTELLIGENT POWER CONTROL OF FUEL CELL VEHICLES USING FORWARD DRIVING INFORMATION

Abstract

A method for controlling the power generation of a fuel cell may include: receiving at least one or more of the following information: a vehicle speed limit of a forward driving route, whether an incline exists, or incline data as forward driving information; calculating a total value of the expected battery output energy based on the received forward driving information; and determining a power value of the power generation of a fuel cell in a current driving segment in order to charge or discharge a battery based on the total value of the expected battery output energy.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method and a device for controlling the power generation of a fuel cell using forward driving information from a fuel cell vehicle, and in particular to a method and a device for controlling the power generation of a fuel cell for predictive control of a battery state of charge (SOC) taking into account a vehicle speed limit of a forward driving route, whether the forward driving route has a gradient and / or gradient data obtained from a peripheral device of a vehicle. BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, a moving object (e.g., a vehicle, which could refer to a manned vehicle, an unmanned vehicle, a mobile robot, etc.) is controlled depending on the current state of the moving object and the current intention of the driver. In a conventional method for controlling power generation by fuel cells for a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), a fuel cell current map can be determined according to the state of charge (SOC) of a high-voltage battery by calculating the vehicle's power requirements based on the degree of accelerator pedal actuation by the driver and the output power of vehicle accessories.

[0003] Specifically, a conventional FCEV controls the fuel cell's power generation by calculating the vehicle's power requirements based on the driver's accelerator pedal input and the power output of the vehicle's accessories, thus determining a fuel cell power map depending on the high-voltage battery's state of charge. In this case, even if an upcoming section of road is a long uphill or downhill stretch, a problem can arise: the required battery state of charge for the future driving section cannot be adequately ensured, as power generation is based solely on the fuel cell power map corresponding to the current driving section.

[0004] In the case of a fuel cell vehicle (e.g., a large fuel cell truck or bus), high output power is required for driving uphill at high speed due to the vehicle's weight. However, the output power of the two fuel cells used in the vehicle may be insufficient, forcing the battery to continue utilizing its output power. This can lead to excessive discharge of the battery's state of charge (SOC). Conversely, this can result in the battery's SOC becoming too low, causing problems at low speeds due to insufficient output power.

[0005] If a fuel cell vehicle (FCV) uses regenerative braking while driving down a long downhill stretch to maintain a constant speed, the problem may be that the battery's state of charge (SOC) becomes overcharged and regenerative braking can no longer be performed after the battery's SOC is fully charged, so that the vehicle speed can be maintained using a mechanical retarder or wheel brakes.

[0006] This means that an existing fuel cell vehicle has the problem that the battery's state of charge (SOC) is not sufficiently secured to be charged and discharged for future journeys, because the fuel cell power generation depends on a fuel cell power map that is determined based on the vehicle's power requirements and the battery's SOC, without taking into account whether a future forward driving section is uphill or downhill. SUMMARY

[0007] The following summary is a simplified overview of certain features. It is not a comprehensive summary and is not intended to identify important or critical elements.

[0008] Systems, devices, and methods for intelligent power control of fuel cell vehicles using information about future journeys are described. A method for controlling fuel cell power generation may include: determining information about upcoming journey segments for a vehicle traveling on a current journey segment of a road, wherein this information for an upcoming journey segment of the road includes: a vehicle speed limit for the upcoming journey segment of the road and at least one gradient leading to the upcoming journey segment of the road, or gradient data for the upcoming journey segment of the road;Determine, based on information about the upcoming driving segment, a total amount of expected battery energy to be output by the vehicle's battery while driving on the upcoming driving segment; and charge or discharge the battery while the vehicle is driving on the current driving segment, based on a fuel cell power generation power value associated with the upcoming driving segment and the total amount of expected battery output energy.

[0009] A device of a vehicle for controlling the fuel cell power generation for the vehicle by controlling a battery output may include: a peripheral device configured to determine information about an upcoming driving segment, including: a vehicle speed limit of an upcoming driving segment of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, and at least one gradient of the upcoming driving segment or gradient data of the upcoming driving segment; a processor; and a memory configured to store at least one instruction.The at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, configures the device to: determine, based on information about the upcoming driving segment, a total amount of expected battery output energy to be output by a battery of the vehicle while driving on the upcoming driving segment, and, while the vehicle is driving on a current driving segment of the road, to charge or discharge the battery based on a fuel cell power generation power value associated with the upcoming driving segment and on the total amount of expected battery output energy.

[0010] A procedure performed by a vehicle may include: identifying, by the vehicle traveling on an initial section of the road, an expected vehicle speed for an upcoming section of the road and gradient information for that section; determining, based on the expected vehicle speed and gradient information, a total amount of expected battery output energy from the vehicle's battery while driving on the upcoming section; and controlling the vehicle to charge or discharge the battery prior to driving on the upcoming section, based on the expected fuel cell power generation output of the vehicle's fuel cell connected to the upcoming section and the total amount of expected battery output energy.

[0011] These and other features and advantages are described in more detail below. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES Fig. Figure 1 shows a block diagram illustrating the individual modules of a movable object equipped with a fuel cell power generation control device according to an example of the present disclosure. Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B shows flowcharts of a method for controlling the power generation by fuel cells for a moving object according to another example of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 3 shows a view of the prediction of a change in the SOC value of a battery when a forward driving distance is a long incline, according to an example in the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 4 shows a view of the prediction of a change in a battery SOC value when a forward travel distance is a long descent, according to an example in the present disclosure. Fig. 5A and Fig. Figure 5B shows a predictive control process for a battery SOC prediction value of a passenger car hybrid vehicle by a fuel cell control device according to another example of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 6 shows a block diagram representing a current characteristic map for passenger cars according to an example in the present disclosure. Fig. 7A and Fig. Figure 7B shows a predictive control process for a battery SOC value of an FC vehicle by a fuel cell control device according to another example of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 8 shows, by way of example, a flowchart of an operating mechanism of a fuel cell power generation control device according to another example of the present disclosure. Fig. Figure 9 shows a view that represents an estimated result for a change in a battery SOC value based on an on / off fuel cell control device according to another example of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Examples of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, such that those skilled in the art can easily implement this disclosure. However, the examples in this disclosure can be implemented in various ways, meaning that this disclosure is not limited to the examples described herein.

[0013] In describing examples of the present disclosure, known functions or constructions were not described in detail, as a detailed description would have unnecessarily obscured the core of the present disclosure. Identical components in the drawings are identified by the same reference numerals, and repeated or duplicate descriptions of the same elements have been omitted.

[0014] When, in the present disclosure, an element is simply described as "connected with," "coupled with," or "linked with" another element, this may mean that an element is "directly connected with," "directly coupled with," or "directly linked with" another element, or it may mean that an element is connected, coupled, or linked with another element, with another element interposed. Furthermore, when an element "includes" or "has" another element, this means that an element may include another element without excluding another component, unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0015] In this disclosure, the terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used merely to distinguish one element from another and do not restrict the order or degree of importance between the elements unless expressly stated otherwise. Accordingly, a first element in one example may be referred to as a second element in another example, and similarly, a second element in one example may be referred to as a first element in another example, without this departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0016] In this disclosure, the elements are distinguished from one another in order to clearly describe their individual features; however, this does not necessarily mean that the elements are separate from one another. In other words, several elements may be integrated into a single hardware or software unit, or an element may be distributed across and formed by several hardware or software units. Therefore, such integrated or distributed examples fall within the scope of this disclosure, even if not explicitly stated otherwise.

[0017] For the purposes of this application and the claims, the exemplary phrase "at least one of: A; B; or C" or "at least one of A, B or C" means "at least one A or at least one B or at least one C or any combination of at least one A, at least one B and at least one C". Furthermore, exemplary expressions such as "A, B and C", "A, B or C", "at least one of A, B and C", "at least one of A, B or C", etc., as used herein, can mean any of the listed elements or any possible combination of the listed elements. For example, "at least one of A or B" can refer to (1) at least one A; (2) at least one B; or (3) at least one A and at least one B.

[0018] In this disclosure, references to components, units, or modules generally refer to elements that can logically be grouped together to perform a function or a group of related functions. Identical reference numerals generally refer to identical or similar components. Components, units, and modules may be implemented in software, hardware, or a combination of both. The components, units, modules, and / or functions described above may be implemented and / or executed by one or more processors.The components, units, and / or modules may include, for example, processor(s), microprocessor(s), graphics processing unit(s), logic circuit(s), dedicated circuit(s), application-specific integrated circuit(s), programmable array logic, field-programmable gate array(s), control unit(s), microcontrollers, and / or other suitable hardware. The components, units, and / or modules may also include software control modules, which may be implemented, for example, with a processor or logic circuit. The components, units, and / or modules may include or otherwise access one or more non-transient, computer-readable storage media, such as...A random access memory, a read-only memory, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory, a resettable programmable read-only memory, one or more flash or other storage devices, one or more data registers, one or more databases, and / or other suitable hardware. One or more storage media may include one or all of the tangible memory of computers, processors, or the like, or their associated modules, such as various semiconductor memories, tape drives, disk drives, and the like, which can provide non-transitory memory for software programming at any time.

[0019] In the present revelation, the elements described in the various examples do not necessarily represent essential elements, and some of them may be optional. Therefore, an example consisting of a subset of the elements described in an example also falls within the scope of protection of the present revelation. Furthermore, examples that contain additional elements beyond those described in the various examples are also included within the scope of protection of the present revelation.

[0020] The advantages and features of this disclosure, and the means of achieving them, should become clear to those skilled in the art with reference to examples of this disclosure, which are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the examples of this disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and should not be understood as being limited to those presented here. Rather, the examples described herein serve to make this disclosure more complete and to convey the scope of protection afforded by this disclosure to those skilled in the art in the field to which it relates.

[0021] Electrical devices for charging and discharging the battery of a moving object are described, including a drive motor and a starter generator (HSG) that can charge the battery by converting the braking and inertial energy of the vehicle into electrical energy during regenerative braking or deceleration.

[0022] This document describes a method for charging or discharging a battery state of charge (SOC) prior to an uphill or downhill section by controlling the amount of fuel cell (FC) current generated during a current driving segment, in order to solve various problems discussed herein. Such a method can calculate the battery SOC required for a future driving segment by using information about the road ahead, which can be obtained from a vehicle peripheral device that includes the battery.

[0023] In this case, a procedure can be proposed that minimizes driving problems caused by intelligent power management by limiting the state of charge (SOC) change of the target battery or adjusting the battery's charge / discharge rate based on route reliability. Route reliability refers to the confidence in the gradient information of the current route received by the intelligent power management logic. Even if the route changes, reliability can be considered high if the gradient information is similar, for example, if the route goes from uphill to downhill. However, if the gradient information changes significantly, for example, from uphill to downhill, there is a possibility that the route change causes a gradient reversal; in this case, reliability is considered low.

[0024] The following refers to Fig. 1 a fuel cell power generation control unit of a vehicle according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. is a block diagram showing the individual modules of a vehicle equipped with a fuel cell power generation control device according to an example of the present disclosure.

[0026] A fuel cell power generation control device can be installed in a hydrogen-powered electric vehicle, such as a large hydrogen-powered truck. An intelligent power control device can manage a vehicle's power output by taking into account information about the road gradient at a point located a predetermined distance or further ahead of the vehicle.

[0027] The fuel cell power generation control device (fuel cell power generation control device) may include a peripheral device (e.g., a peripheral computing device) which may comprise a navigation unit 101, a speed measuring instrument 103 (e.g., a speedometer), an inclination sensor 105, an acceleration sensor 107, a drive torque sensor 109, a battery management unit 111, and / or a memory 113. The peripheral device may be a device for obtaining information about the forward motion of the vehicle and may also include various other devices besides those described in Fig. The peripheral device comprises the components shown in section 1. For example, the peripheral device may be and / or include a Connected Car Navigation Cockpit (ccNc) that may be configured to perform the function of obtaining forward driving information. Accordingly, the forward driving information can be obtained from the ccNc as described in this disclosure.

[0028] The Navigation Unit 101 can transmit and / or receive road information and / or information about repeated routes. Road information may include a speed limit for a road ahead on which a vehicle is traveling. Information about repeated routes may be a user-registered route (e.g., searched for, saved, or requested by the user) and / or an automatically registered route (e.g., stored / detected) that is automatically recorded based on the vehicle repeatedly driving the route (e.g., a predetermined number of times). The Navigation Unit may include, for example, a device and / or component of a Global Positioning System (GPS) or other computing equipment that is loaded with and / or capable of receiving / determining road and / or route / position information.

[0029] The speedometer 103 can measure / detect the vehicle's speed. The accelerometer 107 can measure the vehicle's acceleration, which may be in a direction other than the direction of travel (e.g., when the vehicle is decelerating and / or turning). Furthermore, the vehicle's weight can be determined / calculated using information from the accelerometer 107 and the drive torque sensor 109. The vehicle's weight can also be determined, or alternatively, using information about the vehicle (e.g., stored in memory) and / or other information about the current load and / or passengers. However, determining the vehicle's weight based on acceleration and drive torque may be more accurate at any given moment.

[0030] The Battery Management Unit 111 can be configured to improve energy efficiency by managing the state of charge (SOC) of a vehicle battery (e.g., optimizing the SOC of the vehicle battery). Such a Battery Management Unit can be implemented as a Battery Management System (BMS). The Battery Management Unit can monitor the voltage, current, and / or temperature of a vehicle battery (e.g., in real time or near real time) using one or more sensors configured to acquire / measure / report these battery values. Through monitoring, the Battery Management Unit can prevent overcharging and / or over-discharging of a vehicle battery. Furthermore, the Battery Management Unit can calculate the state of charge of a vehicle battery (battery SOC) based on the current and / or voltage measured by the sensors.A vehicle battery can supply power to an electrical device installed in the vehicle, e.g., an electronic control unit (ECU) and / or a drive motor.

[0031] Memory 113 can store instructions (e.g., from an application and / or program) and / or various types of data for controlling the vehicle. This data can be accessed upon request from a processor (e.g., processor 115 / VCU in the VCU). Fig. 1) It can load the application or read and record data. The memory can include non-volatile memory and volatile memory.

[0032] The processor 115 can assume overall control of the vehicle. The processor 115 can have at least one processing module. Each control-related function of the vehicle and / or as discussed herein can be implemented in a single processing module or in a corresponding processing module among a plurality of modules. With regard to the present disclosure, the processor 115 can control the vehicle to manage power generation by fuel cells by executing instructions (e.g., an application) and / or accessing data stored in memory.

[0033] In particular, the Processor 115 can obtain / determine forward driving information while the vehicle is in motion. This forward driving information can include at least one of the following: a speed limit for the vehicle on a forward driving path, whether the forward driving path currently and / or in an upcoming section has an incline, or incline data for the upcoming section. Based on the forward driving information obtained, the Processor 115 can determine / calculate the total amount of expected battery output energy. The Processor 115 can initiate battery charging or discharging based on a determined power value of the fuel cell power generation in a current driving segment and the total amount of expected battery output energy.

[0034] The fuel cell power generation control device of the vehicle according to the present disclosure can be a device configured to implement the processing of the fuel cell power generation control by a processor 115, comprising at least the speedometer 103, the navigation 101, the tilt sensor 105, the accelerometer 107, the drive torque 109, the memory 113, and / or the battery management unit 111. The processing can be implemented by at least one part of the processor 115, such as at least one processing module (e.g., processor), and the memory can function as a VCU. The processor processing described above is further detailed by Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B described.

[0035] Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B are flowcharts of a method for controlling the power generation by fuel cells of a vehicle according to another example of the present disclosure.

[0036] Referring to Fig. 2A A method for controlling the fuel cell power generation of a vehicle according to the present disclosure may include obtaining at least one of the following information: a vehicle speed limit (~limit) of a forward driving route, whether the forward driving route has a gradient, or gradient data as forward driving information (201), determining / calculating a total amount of expected battery output energy based on the data obtained (203), and determining a fuel cell power generation power value in a current driving segment in order to charge or discharge a battery based on the total amount of expected battery output energy (205).

[0037] Obtaining at least one of the following pieces of information: the speed limit of the forward route, whether the forward route has an incline, and the incline data as forward driving information (S201) can be done by vehicle peripherals (e.g., as in Fig. 1) be carried out.

[0038] For example, a navigation unit (e.g., navigation unit 101) can provide information about a speed limit for a road ahead (e.g., for a current section of road the vehicle is traveling on and / or an upcoming section of the road the vehicle is traveling on). A speedometer (e.g., speedometer 103) can provide the vehicle's speed. An inclination sensor (e.g., inclination sensor 105) can provide information about whether the road ahead has an incline and / or inclination data about the angle of the incline / road, and the like. An acceleration sensor (e.g., acceleration sensor 107) and / or a drive torque sensor (e.g., 109) can provide information for calculating the vehicle's weight.

[0039] Determining and / or calculating the total amount of expected battery output energy based on the received forward driving information (S203) can be done by multiplying an expected battery charge and / or discharge power value (hereinafter referred to as the expected battery charge / discharge power value) by an expected future driving time. The expected future driving time can be a value obtained by dividing a forward distance (e.g., an upcoming driving segment and / or an upcoming driving segment with an incline) by a vehicle speed and / or a received vehicle speed limit. A required battery power value can be determined by dividing the total amount of expected battery output energy by an expected driving time of a current segment.

[0040] Regarding the expected battery power value, an expected battery charging power value can be an expected battery discharging power value if a vehicle's forward travel path, detected by a tilt sensor, is uphill (e.g., an ascending road section, such as a road climbing over at least one threshold section). The expected battery discharging power value can be obtained by subtracting an expected fuel cell power generation power value from an expected gradient travel power value (e.g., when a vehicle is driven over the uphill road section).

[0041] If the vehicle's forward movement detected by the tilt sensor is downhill (e.g., a descending road section, such as a downhill slope over at least one threshold section), the expected battery power value can be an expected battery charging power value. In this case, the expected battery charging power value can be an expected gradient driving power value during regenerative braking (e.g., over the descending road section).

[0042] The determination of the power value of the fuel cell power generation in the current driving segment for charging or discharging the battery based on the total amount of expected battery output energy (S205) can be carried out as in Fig. 2B will be shown and carried out.

[0043] With reference to Fig. 2B may include S205 determining / calculating the total amount of expected battery output energy based on the expected battery power value (2051), calculating a required battery charging or discharging power value based on the total amount of expected battery output energy (2053), and determining a fuel cell power generation power value by correcting the required battery charging or discharging power value by a required vehicle power for driving (2055).

[0044] According to Fig. 2B The total amount of expected battery output energy can be determined / calculated based on the expected battery power value (2051). The total amount of expected battery output energy can be determined by multiplying an expected battery charge / discharge power value and an expected future driving time.

[0045] The expected battery power value can be determined by a VCU using a vehicle dynamics equation, and the vehicle dynamics equation can be, for example, Equation 1 below. Fraction=(Fdrag+Froll+Fgrade) =0.5*ρ*Cd*A*V2+mg*(Crcos θ+sinθ)

[0046] F is involved Traktion the tensile force, F Luftwiderstand air resistance, F Roll rolling resistance and F Steigung The climbing ability. m is the vehicle weight, g is the acceleration due to gravity, ρ is the air density, Cd is the drag coefficient, A is the frontal area, and Cr is the rolling resistance coefficient.

[0047] The calculation of the required battery charging or discharging power value based on the total amount of expected battery output energy (2053) can be performed by dividing an expected battery charging / discharging energy value by an expected future time of a vehicle (e.g., a time at which / by which the vehicle will complete a current road segment and begin traveling on an upcoming uphill / downhill section). The expected future travel time of the vehicle can be a value obtained by dividing a current segment distance by a vehicle speed.

[0048] Determining the power output of the fuel cell power generation by correcting the required battery charge or discharge power by the required vehicle power for driving (2055) can be done by adding a required vehicle power value to the required battery charge / discharge power value of the current section, which is determined in step 2053. The required vehicle power value can be a value determined / calculated based on the amount of accelerator pedal input by the driver (e.g., detected by a sensor connected to the accelerator pedal) and / or an operating output power of vehicle accessories of the fuel cell vehicle (e.g., currently in mass production or otherwise).

[0049] Fig. 3 is a view of predicting a change in a battery SOC value when a forward travel distance is a long incline, according to another example in the present disclosure.

[0050] Fig. 4 is a view of predicting a change in the SOC value of a battery when a forward travel distance is a long descent, according to another example in the present disclosure.

[0051] With reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. A processor of a fuel cell power generation control device can receive forward information via a vehicle peripheral device, determine / calculate a battery SOC required for a future driving segment, control a fuel cell power generation quantity in a current driving segment, and charge or discharge a battery SOC in advance of the future driving segment.

[0052] When the vehicle moves from point A to point B, the route is uphill, as shown in the diagram above. Fig. 3 shown. In the lower illustration of Fig. 3. A change in the battery state of charge (SOC) value in the existing control system for fuel cell vehicles is represented by the solid line. In the existing control system, uphill driving is not performed on a forward route (e.g., a future road segment) but on a current driving segment, using a fuel cell current map. In this case, the battery's SOC capacity to be discharged during uphill driving is not guaranteed in advance, and the battery's SOC value is reduced below a lower SOC threshold. This means that if a forward route is uphill, a lower SOC threshold may be exceeded with the existing battery management system for fuel cell vehicles, but an upper SOC threshold may not be relevant.

[0053] In the present disclosure, information obtained from a vehicle peripheral device, when it is determined that a forward route (e.g., an upcoming road segment) is uphill (e.g., over at least one threshold distance and / or gradient angle), allows the battery state of charge (SOC) required for driving on an uphill road to be pre-charged (e.g., while driving on a current route segment). A corresponding change in the battery SOC value is shown in the lower part of Fig. 3 is represented by the dashed line. In this case, unlike the existing battery management control of fuel cell vehicles, which is based on the existing fuel cell current map, the battery's SOC value can be maintained without falling below the lower SOC threshold, even when driving on the long uphill stretch.

[0054] The fuel cell current map used in existing vehicles can be a control algorithm of a fuel cell system that is based on the state of charge of a high-voltage battery and on the required vehicle power, which is calculated from the degree of accelerator pedal application by the driver and the operating power of vehicle accessories.

[0055] Fig. Figure 4 shows an example of the vehicle's journey from point A to point B when the road from point A to point B includes an upcoming downhill section (e.g., a forward-moving section) (e.g., over at least one threshold distance and / or gradient angle, or at all). A change in the battery state of charge (SOC) value in the existing control system of series-production fuel cell vehicles is shown in the lower part of Fig. Figure 4 is represented by the solid line. In the existing control system, downhill driving is carried out by the power generation of a battery cell based on a battery cell current map of the current driving segment (e.g., without considering a forward route, also referred to as an upcoming road segment or driving segment). In the present case, the battery state of charge (SOC) capacity to be charged by downhill driving is not ensured / achieved in such a way that the battery SOC value is increased above an upper SOC threshold. Unlike uphill driving, only the upper threshold is relevant for downhill driving, while the lower threshold is irrelevant.

[0056] In the present disclosure, based on information obtained from a vehicle peripheral device, when it is determined that a forward-moving road descends (e.g., over at least one threshold and / or incline, or at all), a battery state of charge (SOC) required for the upcoming descent can be pre-discharged (e.g., while driving on a current segment of the route). A corresponding change in the battery SOC is represented by the dashed line. In this case, unlike existing fuel cell vehicles based on the existing fuel cell current map, the battery SOC can be maintained without exceeding the upper SOC limit, even during a long downhill stretch.

[0057] Fig. 5A and Fig. Figure 5B shows a predictive control process for the battery SOC of a passenger car hybrid vehicle by a fuel cell control device according to another example in the present disclosure.

[0058] With reference to Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B A fuel cell control method according to the present disclosure can change a charge quantity or a discharge quantity by inputting a corrected SOC value, obtained by adding or subtracting an excess or deficit SOC value to or from an actual SOC value received from a battery management unit, into a current map of a passenger car when an overcharge or overdischarge is expected, based on whether a forward-moving road (e.g. an upcoming road segment) has an incline.

[0059] Fig. Figure 5A illustrates a process for controlling fuel cell power generation when the route ascends and an over-discharge of the battery's state of charge (SOC) is anticipated based on the detected upcoming incline. The difference in SOC between a preset reference point and an over-discharge reference point is called the deficit SOC value and can be expressed by β. A corrected battery SOC value can be obtained by subtracting an expected deficit battery SOC value (β) (e.g., an expected deficit below the over-discharge reference point while driving on a future section of the route) from an actual battery SOC value. The resulting corrected battery SOC value can be entered into a vehicle current map, and the battery can be further charged by selecting any desired battery SOC value.

[0060] Fig. Figure 5B shows a process for controlling fuel cell power generation when driving forward downhill and an overcharge of the battery's state of charge (SOC) is expected based on the detected upcoming downhill section. A difference in SOC between a preset reference point and an overcharge reference point is referred to here as excess SOC and denoted by . A corrected battery SOC can be obtained by adding an excess battery SOC (α) (e.g., beyond the overcharge reference point while driving on a future route / section) to an actual battery SOC. As shown in Fig. 5A, the corrected battery SOC value obtained in this way can be entered into a current map of the vehicle, and the battery can be further discharged by selecting any battery SOC value.

[0061] Fig. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing a current characteristic map for passenger cars according to another example in the present disclosure.

[0062] Referring to Fig. 6. The current map of the passenger car can consist of a multitude of stages corresponding to a required state of charge (SOC) of the battery, and a battery SOC value can be output by selecting any value from the multitude of stages. The stages can include, for example, a setting for a very large SOC discharge, a setting for a large SOC discharge, a setting for maintaining the SOC range, a setting for a large SOC charge, and a setting for a very large SOC charge. However, this is only an example, and a current map of a passenger car according to the present disclosure can be divided into a multitude of stages that differ from these stages and / or have a different number of stages than 5. For example, the current map for a passenger car can have 5 stages or more (e.g., 10 stages, 12 stages).

[0063] A corrected state of charge (SOC) value, which can be entered into the vehicle's electrical map, can be determined / calculated based on an actual SOC value of the battery (e.g., from a battery management system (BMS) or battery management unit) and a SOC value that is intended to be either excess or deficit. The battery in the BMS could, for example, be a rechargeable battery system such as a lithium-ion battery.

[0064] Fig. 7A and Fig. Figure 7B shows a predictive control process for a battery SOC value of an FC vehicle by a fuel cell control device according to examples in the present disclosure.

[0065] With reference to Fig. 7A and Fig. 7B allows an expected amount of battery state of charge (SOC) change to be determined / calculated based on whether a forward-moving road (e.g., an upcoming road segment) has an incline. This expected amount can be converted into a required battery charging / discharging power in a current driving segment (e.g., used to determine fuel cell power generation power). In this way, it is possible to secure a SOC value high enough to be used in a forward-moving driving segment (e.g., an upcoming road segment).

[0066] Fig. Figure 7A shows a method for controlling power generation by fuel cells when driving uphill and battery state of charge (SOC) depletion is expected. To obtain a required battery charging power value for a current driving segment, an expected battery charging power value for the uphill section can first be calculated. This expected battery charging power value can be the expected uphill driving power value during regenerative braking. The required battery charging power value for the current segment can be determined by dividing the expected battery charging power value by the expected driving time of the current segment.

[0067] In Fig. 7A is a driving segment divided into a current driving segment (Seg 0) and a future driving segment (e.g., a future road segment). The future driving segment is further subdivided into a first future driving segment (Seg 1) and a second future driving segment (Seg 2). In the current driving segment (Seg 0), the expected amount of the battery state of charge (SOC) change in the upcoming driving segment (Seg 1 and Seg 2) of a vehicle can be calculated / determined, and charging can be carried out in advance. With a state-of-the-art control method, it is possible that a battery SOC change value will not be maintained but will fall below a preset reference point, potentially leading to discharge.The first future driving segment Seg 1 may be slightly uphill, with the battery's SOC value slightly discharged at the preset reference point, and the second future driving segment Seg 2 may be steeply uphill, with the battery's SOC value at the preset reference point being more drastically discharged than in the first future driving segment Seg 1.

[0068] In the case of a fuel cell energy management system, the charge during a current driving segment can be as high as the change in the battery's state of charge (SOC), so that even driving up a long incline does not cause discharge and the battery's SOC does not drop below a preset reference value. The first future driving segment, Seg 1, is a long, gentle incline where, compared to the second future driving segment, Seg 2, both the existing control system and the fuel cell power generation control system can exhibit a slight change in the battery's SOC. On the other hand, the second future driving segment, Seg 2, is a steep incline where the change in the battery's SOC can also be relatively drastic.

[0069] Fig. Figure 7B shows a method for controlling fuel cell power generation when driving downhill and expecting the battery state of charge (SOC) to increase. To obtain a required battery charging power value for a current driving segment, an expected battery discharge power value for a long descent can first be calculated. The expected battery discharge power value can be calculated by subtracting an expected fuel cell power generation value from an expected gradient driving power value while the vehicle is in motion. The required battery charging power value for the current segment can be determined by dividing the expected battery discharge power value by the expected driving time of the current segment.

[0070] In Fig. For example, in 7B, a driving segment is divided into a current driving segment (Seg 0) and a forward driving segment. The forward driving segment is further subdivided into a first future driving segment (Seg 1) and a second future driving segment (Seg 2). In the current driving segment (Seg 0), the expected amount of battery state (SOC) change in the upcoming driving segment can be calculated / determined, and the discharge can be performed in advance. With existing battery maintenance, it is possible that the expected amount of battery SOC change will not be met, but will exceed a preset reference point, potentially leading to overcharging.The first future driving section Seg 1 is a gentle slope where the battery SOC value can be easily charged to the preset reference point, and the second future driving section Seg 2 is a steep slope where the battery SOC value can be charged to the preset reference point more drastically than in the second future driving section Seg 2.

[0071] Since the fuel cell power control device presented here allows discharge during a current driving segment to occur in proportion to the change in the battery's state of charge (SOC), even driving on a long and / or steep descent cannot lead to overcharging, and the battery's SOC cannot be increased beyond a preset reference value. In the illustrated example, the first future driving segment, Seg 1, is a long, gentle incline where, compared to the second future driving segment, Seg 2, both the existing control system and the fuel cell power generation control system can exhibit a small change in the battery's SOC. Conversely, the second future driving segment, Seg 2, is a steep incline where the change in the battery's SOC can be relatively drastic.

[0072] Fig. Figure 8 shows a flowchart of an operating mechanism of a fuel cell power generation control device according to another example of the present disclosure. For the sake of simplicity, Fig. Section 8 describes an example where the steps are executed by a processor circuit. One, some, or all steps of the example procedure of Fig. 8 or parts thereof can be performed by one or more other circuits. One or some steps of the example procedure of Fig. 8 can be omitted, performed in a different order and / or otherwise modified, and / or one or more additional steps can be added.

[0073] A method for operating a control device for electricity generation by fuel cells can be described with reference to Fig. 8 can be described as follows. Information about a speed limit for a future forward driving section, whether the section has a gradient, gradient data, and a distance (route) can be entered from a vehicle peripheral device (801). Alternatively, a vehicle weight can also be determined (e.g., by input and / or based on a vehicle acceleration sensor and / or drive torque).

[0074] Using the equation for vehicle dynamics shown in Equation 1, for example, a gradient performance value for the future driving segment can be determined / calculated (803). The expected gradient performance value can be an expected required battery power value.

[0075] The expected gradient driving performance value and the expected value for power generation by the fuel cell can be compared (805). If the expected gradient driving performance value is greater (805-Y), it can be determined that the forward driving segment (e.g., the upcoming road segment) is uphill, and an expected battery discharge power value can be determined / calculated (807). The expected battery discharge power value can be determined / calculated by multiplying a battery efficiency by a value obtained by subtracting the expected fuel cell power generation power value from the expected gradient driving performance value.

[0076] If the expected gradient driving power value is less than or equal to the expected fuel cell power generation power value (805-N), it can be determined whether the expected gradient driving power value is a negative number (809). If the value is a negative number (809-Y), it can be determined that the forward driving section is downhill, and an expected battery charging power value can be calculated (811). The expected battery charging power value can be a value obtained by dividing the expected gradient driving power value by a battery efficiency. If the expected gradient driving power value is less than or equal to the expected fuel cell power generation power value, but the expected gradient driving power value is not negative (809-N), the intelligent current control process for fuel cell power generation control disclosed herein can be terminated (823).

[0077] Based on the expected battery charge / discharge power value (e.g., in 807 or 811), an expected battery charge / discharge energy value can be calculated / determined (813). The expected battery charge / discharge energy value can be obtained (e.g., calculated / determined) by multiplying the expected battery charge / discharge power value and an expected future driving time.

[0078] It can be determined whether the calculated expected battery charge / discharge energy value is greater than a preset value to determine whether fuel cell power generation control should be performed (815). If the expected battery charge / discharge energy value is greater than or equal to (815-Y), a required battery charge / discharge power value for a current segment can be calculated / determined (817). The required battery charge / discharge power value for the current segment can be a value obtained by dividing the expected battery charge / discharge energy value by an expected driving time of the current segment.If the expected battery charge / discharge energy value is less than the preset value for determining whether to perform fuel cell power generation control (815-N), intelligent power control for fuel cell power generation control cannot be performed, and the operating mechanism can be terminated (823).

[0079] Based on the required battery charge / discharge power value of the current segment (e.g., obtained from 817), a required fuel cell power generation power value for the current segment can be determined / calculated (819). The required fuel cell power generation power value for the current segment can be a value resulting from the addition of a required vehicle power value and the required battery charge / discharge power value of the current segment.

[0080] By controlling a fuel cell via the power output of the fuel cell, the fuel cell power generation can be controlled to ensure a required battery state of charge (SOC) for a future forward leg of the journey. The operating mechanism for controlling the fuel cell power generation can then be terminated. In principle, the fuel cell power generation control device can operate constantly / continuously / repeatedly during travel, but the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to this (e.g., it can be enabled / disabled based on user inputs and / or settings such as default and / or participant settings).

[0081] Fig. Figure 9 is a view showing an estimated result for a change in a battery SOC value based on an on / off control device for fuel cell power generation according to another example in the present disclosure. Depending on whether a vehicle according to the present disclosure controls fuel cell power generation, the estimated results for the battery SOC values ​​during actual driving are compared and described (see Figure 9). Fig. 9).

[0082] In Fig.Figure 9 is (a) a view showing the reduction in driving speed for each driving segment of a vehicle, (b) a view showing the gradient of each driving segment in percent (%), and (c) a view showing the expected value of the high-voltage battery charge / discharge energy calculation corresponding to the gradient of each driving segment. Furthermore, (d) a view showing the tax amount for fuel cell power generation calculated from view (c) according to the on / off switching of the fuel cell power generation control, and (e) a graph comparing changes in battery state of charge (SOC) values ​​according to the on / off switching of a fuel cell power generation control device based on the values ​​above.

[0083] For example, if the forward driving information received from a vehicle's peripheral device indicates a segment distance of 2,400 m and a gradient of 2.2%, and a long incline is expected, an expected gradient driving power value is first calculated. Based on this expected gradient driving power value, an expected value for the required high-voltage battery charging energy can be calculated. In this case, the expected value for the required high-voltage battery charging energy could be 4,000 Wh.

[0084] Based on the expected required high-voltage battery charge value, the fuel cell current generation control value can be increased when the fuel cell current control device is switched on, compared to when the fuel cell current control device is switched off. Thus, the state of charge (SOC) of the vehicle battery can be increased when the fuel cell current control device is switched on.

[0085] On the other hand, if the forward driving information received by the vehicle's peripheral device specifies a segment distance of 13,600 m and a gradient of -3.4%, and a long descent is expected, then an expected gradient driving performance value is calculated as in the case of a long incline. Based on the expected gradient driving performance value, an expected value for the required high-voltage battery discharge energy can be calculated. In this case, the expected value of the required high-voltage battery discharge energy can be -6,000 Wh.

[0086] Based on the expected value of the required high-voltage battery discharge energy, the control value for fuel cell power generation can be reduced when the fuel cell power control device is activated, compared to the value when the fuel cell power control device is deactivated. Thus, the state of charge (SOC) reduction value of the vehicle's battery can be increased when the fuel cell power control device is activated.

[0087] The present disclosure makes it possible, based on the information obtained about a forward travel route, to pre-charge the battery state of charge (SOC) if the forward travel route includes an uphill section (e.g., a long uphill section greater than a threshold length), and to maintain a vehicle speed during a long uphill section in such a way that the vehicle's driving performance can be improved. Alternatively, if the forward travel route also includes a downhill section (e.g., a long downhill section greater than a threshold length), the battery state of charge can be pre-discharged, thus improving performance during a long downhill section, and reducing maintenance costs due to reduced brake pad wear.

[0088] The present disclosure is technically directed to providing a method and a device for controlling the fuel cell power generation of a vehicle by efficiently controlling a battery SOC value based on information about a forward driving route obtained from a peripheral device of the vehicle.

[0089] The technical problems solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not described here will be clearly understood by a person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs, based on the following description.

[0090] According to the present disclosure, a method for controlling the power generation of fuel cells is provided. The method may include: obtaining at least one or more of the following information: a vehicle speed limit of a forward driving route, whether an incline is present, or incline data as forward driving information; calculating a total value of the expected battery output energy based on the obtained forward driving information; and determining a fuel cell power generation power value in a current driving segment in order to charge or discharge a battery based on the total value of the expected battery output energy.

[0091] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method of claim 1 is, wherein the total value of the expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying an expected battery discharge power value and an expected future driving time, and

[0092] where a required battery power value is determined by dividing the total value of the expected battery output energy by an expected driving time of the current section.

[0093] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method of claim 2 is, wherein, based on the fact that the forward driving distance is a long incline, the expected battery power value is an expected battery discharge power value, and wherein the expected battery discharge power value is calculated by subtracting an expected fuel cell power generation value from an expected incline driving power value.

[0094] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method of claim 2 is, wherein, based on the fact that the forward driving distance is a long descent, the expected battery power value is an expected battery charging power value, and wherein the expected battery charging power value is an expected gradient driving power value during regenerative braking.

[0095] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method of claim 2 is, wherein the total value of the expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying the expected battery charging or discharging power value and the expected future driving time.

[0096] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method of claim 2 further comprises determining a fuel cell power generation value by correcting the required battery charging or discharging power value by a required vehicle power value for driving, and wherein the fuel cell power generation value is determined by adding the required vehicle power value to the required battery charging or discharging power value.

[0097] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method is one according to claims 1 to 6, wherein the vehicle is a fuel cell vehicle.

[0098] An example of the method of the present disclosure is the method according to claim 2, wherein, based on the fact that the vehicle is a passenger car hybrid vehicle, the required battery power value is converted into a battery charging or discharging power value by selecting a stage from a plurality of current map stages for passenger cars.

[0099] According to an example of the method of the present disclosure, the method of claim 2 is, wherein the expected battery charging or discharging power value is compared with an expected fuel cell power generation power value, and wherein, based on the expected battery charging or discharging power value being less than the expected gradient driving power value, the intelligent current control for the fuel cell power generation control is terminated.

[0100] An example of the method of the present disclosure is the method according to claim 1, wherein the determination of whether or not to control the power generation of the fuel cell is made by comparing the total value of the expected battery output energy with a preset reference value.

[0101] According to another example in the present disclosure, a device is provided which controls a battery power value by means of forward driving information.The device may comprise: a peripheral device configured to receive at least one or more of the following information: a vehicle speed limit of a forward driving route, whether there is an incline or gradient data as forward driving information; a memory configured to store at least one instruction; and a processor configured to execute the at least one instruction stored in the memory, the processor further being configured to calculate a total value of the expected battery output energy based on the forward driving information input from the peripheral device and to determine a fuel cell power generation power value in a current driving distance in order to charge or discharge a battery based on the total value of the expected battery output energy.

[0102] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 11, wherein the total value of the expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying an expected battery discharge power value and an expected future driving time, and

[0103] where a required battery power value is determined by dividing the total value of the expected battery output energy by an expected driving time of the current section.

[0104] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 12, wherein, based on the fact that the forward driving distance is a long incline, the processor is further configured to calculate the expected battery power value based on the input data, wherein the expected battery power value is an expected battery discharge power value, and wherein the expected battery discharge power value is calculated by subtracting an expected fuel cell power generation value from an expected incline driving power value.

[0105] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured, based on the fact that the forward travel distance is a long downhill section, to calculate an expected battery power value based on the input data, wherein the expected battery power value is an expected battery charging power value, and wherein the expected battery charging power value is an expected gradient driving power value during regenerative braking.

[0106] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 12, wherein the total value of the expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying the expected battery charging or discharging power value and the expected future driving time.

[0107] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a fuel cell power generation power value by correcting the required battery charging or discharging power value by a required vehicle power value for driving, and wherein the fuel cell power generation power value is determined by adding the required vehicle power value to the required battery charging or discharging power value.

[0108] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claims 12 to 16, wherein the vehicle is a fuel cell vehicle.

[0109] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 12, wherein, based on the fact that the vehicle is a passenger car hybrid vehicle, the required battery power value is converted into a battery charging or discharging power value by selecting a stage from a plurality of current map stages for passenger cars.

[0110] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 12, wherein the expected battery charging or discharging power value is compared with an expected fuel cell power generation power value, and wherein, based on the expected battery charging or discharging power value being less than the expected gradient driving power value, the intelligent current control for the fuel cell power generation control is terminated.

[0111] An example of the device of the present disclosure is the device according to claim 11, wherein the decision as to whether or not to control the power generation of the fuel cell is made by comparing the total value of the expected battery output energy with a preset reference value.

[0112] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a method and a device for controlling a fuel cell power generation of a vehicle by calculating a battery SOC required for a future driving segment from forward driving information obtained from a peripheral device of the vehicle, charging or discharging a battery SOC in advance by controlling an amount of fuel cell power generation in a current driving segment, and thus controlling a battery SOC value.

[0113] The effects obtainable through this disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned here will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art based on the following descriptions.

[0114] Although the processes described above in this disclosure are presented as a series of operations for the sake of clarity, the order in which the steps are carried out is not restricted. The steps described above can be performed simultaneously or in different orders, as required. To carry out the process according to this disclosure, the described steps may include further different or other steps, may include remaining steps in addition to some of the steps, or may include other additional steps in addition to some of the steps.

[0115] The various examples in this revelation do not constitute an enumeration of all possible combinations, but rather serve to describe representative aspects of this revelation. The aspects or characteristics described in the various examples can be applied independently of one another or in combination with two or more.

[0116] Furthermore, various examples of the present disclosure can be implemented in hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof. In the case of hardware implementation of the present disclosure, it can be implemented using application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), general-purpose processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, etc.

[0117] The scope of the disclosure includes software or machine-executable instructions (e.g., an operating system, an application, firmware, a program, etc.) that enable operations to be carried out on a device or computer according to the methods of various examples, as well as a non-volatile, computer-readable medium on which such software or instructions are stored and which can be executed on the device or computer.

Claims

[1] Method for controlling electricity generation by fuel cells, the method comprising: Determine, for a vehicle traveling on a current section of a road, information about an upcoming section of the road, which includes: a speed limit for the upcoming section of road, and at least one of these, whether there is a gradient to the upcoming section of road, or gradient data of the upcoming section of road; Determine, based on information about the upcoming driving segment, a total amount of expected battery output energy to be delivered by the vehicle's battery while driving on the upcoming driving segment; and Charging or discharging the battery during the journey on the current journey segment based on a value for power generation by the fuel cell assigned to the upcoming journey segment and the total amount of expected battery output energy. [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein the total amount of expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying an expected battery power value by an expected future driving time, where the expected battery power value corresponds to an expected battery discharge power, and where a required battery power value is determined by dividing the total amount of expected battery output energy by an expected driving time of the current driving segment. [3] Method according to claim 2, wherein the expected battery power value is determined as an expected battery discharge power value based on the information about the upcoming driving section, which indicates that the upcoming driving section is uphill, and wherein the expected battery discharge power value is obtained by subtracting an expected fuel cell power generation value from an expected gradient driving power value. [4] Method according to claim 2, wherein the expected battery power value is determined as an expected battery charging power value based on the information about the upcoming driving section, which indicates that the upcoming driving section is downhill, and wherein the expected battery charging power value is based on an expected gradient driving power value during regenerative braking. [5] Method according to claim 2, wherein the total amount of expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying the expected battery charging or discharging power value and an expected future driving time, and wherein the expected battery power value corresponds to an expected battery charging power or an expected battery discharging power. [6] The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining the power output of the fuel cell power generation by matching the required battery power output to a required vehicle power output for driving on the upcoming driving segment, and wherein the power output of the fuel cell power generation is determined by adding the required vehicle power output to the required battery power output. [7] Method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell power generator. [8] The method of claim 2, further comprising, based on the fact that the vehicle is a passenger car hybrid vehicle, converting the required battery power value into a battery power value by selecting a stage from a plurality of passenger car current map stages, wherein the battery power value corresponds to a battery charging power or a battery discharging power. [9] Method according to claim 2, further comprising that the intelligent current control for fuel cell power generation is terminated based on the expected battery power value, which is smaller than an expected gradient driving power value, which is associated with the information about an upcoming driving section. [10] Method according to claim 1, wherein a comparison between the total amount of expected battery output energy and a preset reference value determines whether the power generation of the fuel cell should be controlled or not. [11] Device of a vehicle for controlling the power generation by fuel cells for the vehicle by controlling battery power, the device comprising: a peripheral device that is set up to obtain information about upcoming journey sections, which includes the following a speed limit for an upcoming section of a road on which the vehicle is traveling, and at least one of these, whether there is a gradient of the upcoming driving section or gradient data for the upcoming driving section; a processor; and a memory configured to store at least one instruction which, when executed by the processor, configures the device: based on information about the upcoming driving segment, to determine a total amount of expected battery output energy to be delivered by the vehicle's battery while driving on the upcoming driving segment, and While the vehicle is driving on a current section of the road, the battery is charged or discharged based on a value for power generation by the fuel cell assigned to the upcoming section of the journey and based on the total amount of expected battery output energy. [12] Device according to claim 11, wherein the total amount of expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying an expected battery power value by an expected future driving time, where the expected battery performance value corresponds to an expected battery discharge power, and where a required battery power value is determined by dividing the total amount of expected battery output energy by an expected driving time of the current driving segment. [13] Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, on the basis of the information about the upcoming driving section indicating that the upcoming driving section is uphill, further configures the device to determine the expected battery power value as an expected battery discharge power value by subtracting an expected fuel cell power generation value from an expected gradient driving power value. [14] Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, on the basis of the information about the upcoming driving section indicating that the upcoming driving section is downhill, further configures the device to determine the expected battery power value as an expected battery charging power value based on an expected gradient driving power value during regenerative braking. [15] Device according to claim 11, wherein the total amount of expected battery output energy is determined by multiplying an expected battery power value and an expected future driving time, and wherein the expected battery power value corresponds to an expected battery charging power or an expected battery discharging power. [16] Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, further configures the device to determine the power value of the fuel cell power generation by comparing the required battery power value with a required vehicle power value for driving on the upcoming driving segment, and wherein the power value of the fuel cell power generation is determined by adding the required vehicle power value to the required battery power value. [17] Device according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle is a fuel cell vehicle equipped with a fuel cell power generator. [18] Device according to claim 12, wherein, based on the fact that the vehicle is a passenger car hybrid vehicle, the device, when executed by the processor, at least one instruction sets up the required battery power value into a battery power value by selecting a stage from a plurality of passenger car current map stages, and wherein the battery power value corresponds to a battery charging power or a battery discharging power. [19] Device according to claim 12, wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, further configures the device to terminate the intelligent power control for fuel cell power generation based on the expected battery power value, which is less than an expected gradient driving power value, which is associated with the information about the upcoming driving section. [20] Device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one instruction, when executed by the processor, further configures the device to determine, by comparison between the total amount of expected battery output energy and a preset reference value, whether the power generation of the fuel cell should be controlled or not.

Images