Hybrid vehicle charging control system

Abstract

To provide a hybrid vehicle charging control system capable of supplying electric power from a power supply device to a battery while reducing the number of battery cells.SOLUTION: A hybrid vehicle charging control system comprises: a battery capable of storing electric power; an engine which is driven through fuel combustion; a generator which charges the battery with the electric power generated through the drive of the engine; a charging section which charges the battery with the electric power supplied from an external power supply device; and a processor which drives the engine to cause the generator to charge the battery when voltage of the battery is equal to or lower than operating voltage of the power supply device and charges the battery with the charging section with the electric power supplied from the power supply device when the voltage of the battery is larger than the operating voltage of the power supply device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging control system for a hybrid vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, hybrid vehicles such as plug-in hybrid vehicles that can supply power from an external power supply device to charge a battery are known. In hybrid vehicles, when the battery voltage falls below the operating voltage of the power supply device, the power supply device cannot supply power to the battery. Therefore, a battery in which multiple battery cells are connected in series is used so that the battery voltage does not fall below the operating voltage of the power supply device.

[0003] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 describes a technique for charging a battery (first secondary battery) with a second secondary battery when power cannot be supplied from a power supply device to the battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-087403 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In hybrid vehicles, there is a demand to reduce the number of battery cells in order to reduce costs.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and has an object to provide a charging control system for a hybrid vehicle that is capable of reducing the number of battery cells in a battery and supplying power from a power feeding device to the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The charging control system for a hybrid vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a battery capable of storing electric power, an engine driven by burning fuel, a generator that charges the battery with electric power generated by driving the engine, a charging unit that charges the battery with electric power supplied from an external power supply device, and a processor configured to drive the engine to charge the battery with the generator when the voltage of the battery is equal to or lower than the operating voltage of the power supply device, and to supply electric power from the power supply device and charge the battery with the charging unit when the voltage of the battery is higher than the operating voltage of the power supply device. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to realize a charging control system for a hybrid vehicle that can reduce the number of battery cells in the battery and supply power from a power supply device to the battery. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a charging control system for a hybrid vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process for charging a hybrid vehicle. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process for charging a hybrid vehicle according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] A charging control system for a hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the components in the following embodiments include those that are easily replaceable by a person skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) [Hybrid vehicle] First, a charging control system for a hybrid vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a charging control system for a hybrid vehicle according to the first embodiment. In the charging control system 100 according to the present embodiment, the hybrid vehicle 1 is, for example, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), but may also be a range extended electric vehicle (REEV), and various hybrid vehicles equipped with an engine can be adopted. The hybrid vehicle 1 is basically a vehicle that runs by preferentially using electric power supplied from a battery or a generator over fuel such as gasoline or diesel.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the hybrid vehicle 1 includes a battery 11, an engine 12, a generator 13, a charging unit 14, a motor 15, and an ECU 16.

[0013] The battery 11 is configured to be able to store electric power. The battery 11 may have a small number of battery cells, and when the charge amount of the battery 11 is small, the voltage of the battery 11 may be equal to or lower than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21.

[0014] The battery 11 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium-ion battery. A charging device is provided between the battery 11 and the charging unit 14, which converts external power input from the power supply device 21 into power that can be charged into the battery 11 and outputs the power to the battery 11. For example, a PCU (Power Control Unit) is connected to the battery 11. The PCU converts DC power stored in the battery 11 into AC power that can drive the motor 15 and the generator 13, and converts AC power generated by the motor 15 and the generator 13 into DC power that can be stored in the battery 11.

[0015] The engine 12 is an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, and is driven by burning fuel to output torque. The engine 12 is controlled by a control signal from the ECU 16. The power generated by the engine 12 is transmitted to the wheels or a generator 13.

[0016] The generator 13 is a three-phase AC rotating electric machine or the like that is driven by the ECU 16. The generator 13 charges the battery 11 with electric power generated by the engine 12 being driven.

[0017] The charging unit 14 is configured to be connectable to a connector 22 of a power supply device 21 outside the vehicle, and charges the battery 11 with power supplied from the external power supply device 21. The power supply device 21 is connected to a system power supply, and is configured to be able to supply power from the system power supply to the hybrid vehicle 1 connected to the connector 22.

[0018] The motor 15 is a three-phase AC rotating electric machine or the like that is powered by the battery 11 and driven by the ECU 16. The motor 15 outputs torque using electric power and transmits it to the wheels. This allows the hybrid vehicle 1 to run using the motor 15. The motor 15 generates driving force for the hybrid vehicle 1 using at least one of electric power stored in the battery 11 and electric power generated by the generator 13. The motor 15 regenerates electric power using the kinetic energy of the hybrid vehicle 1 transmitted from the drive wheels during coasting in an accelerator-off state, in which the driver is not stepping on the accelerator pedal. The regenerated electric power generated by the motor 15 is collected in the battery 11.

[0019] The ECU 16 includes a control unit and a storage unit. Specifically, the control unit includes a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and a main storage unit such as a random access memory (RAM) and a read-only memory (ROM). The storage unit includes a storage medium selected from an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), and a removable medium. The removable medium is, for example, a universal serial bus (USB) memory, or a disk storage medium such as a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), or a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc (BD). The storage unit can store an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, and the like. In the ECU 16, the control unit loads the programs stored in the storage unit into a working area of ​​the main storage unit and executes them, and controls each component through the execution of the programs. Specifically, the ECU 16 can realize functions that meet a predetermined purpose by controlling the battery 11, the engine 12, the generator 13, the motor 15, and the like.

[0020] The ECU 16 has a communication unit capable of communicating with an external network. The network is, for example, a public communication network such as the Internet, and may include other communication networks such as a Wide Area Network (WAN), a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, and a wireless communication network such as WiFi. The hybrid vehicle 1 is configured to be able to transmit and receive various information to and from an external communication center via the network by the communication unit of the ECU 16. In this embodiment, the external communication center is, for example, a server of a business operator that provides electric power through the power supply device 21.

[0021] When the voltage of the battery 11 is equal to or lower than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21, the ECU 16 drives the engine 12 to charge the battery 11 using the generator 13, and when the voltage of the battery 11 is higher than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21, the ECU 16 supplies power from the power supply device 21 to charge the battery 11 using the charging unit 14.

[0022] [Charging control method] Next, a charging control method for a hybrid vehicle will be described. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a process for charging a hybrid vehicle. As shown in Fig. 2, first, ECU 16 detects that connector 22 of power supply device 21 is connected to charging unit 14 (step S1).

[0023] Then, the ECU 16 determines whether or not the voltage of the battery 11 is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 (step S2). The voltage of the battery 11 is, for example, an open circuit voltage (OVC).

[0024] When the ECU 16 determines that the voltage of the battery 11 is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 (step S2: Yes), the ECU 16 supplies power from the power supply device 21 to charge the battery 11 using the charging unit 14 (step S3).

[0025] On the other hand, if the ECU 16 determines in step S2 that the voltage of the battery 11 is not greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 (step S2: No), the ECU 16 drives the engine 12 to charge the battery 11 with the generator 13 (step S4).

[0026] Thereafter, the ECU 16 waits for a predetermined time (step S5). The predetermined time is the time required for sufficient polarization relaxation of the battery 11. After waiting for the predetermined time, the process returns to step S2 and continues.

[0027] According to the above-described first embodiment, when the voltage of the battery 11 is not greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21, the generator 13 charges the battery 11 and raises the OVC of the battery 11. After that, when the voltage of the battery 11 is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21, the power supply device 21 supplies power to charge the battery 11 by the charging unit 14. As a result, it is possible to realize a charging control system 100 that can reduce the number of battery cells of the battery 11 and supply power from the power supply device 21 to the battery 11.

[0028] The voltage of the battery 11 may be a closed circuit voltage (CCV). In this case, the waiting time of step S5 is not required. In addition, as the voltage of the battery 11 in step S2, OVC may be used for the first determination, and CCV may be used for the second and subsequent determinations.

[0029] (Embodiment 2) In the second embodiment, the configuration of the charging control system 100 may be the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a process for charging a hybrid vehicle according to the second embodiment.

[0030] First, the ECU 16 accepts an input of a destination (step S11). The ECU 16 cooperates with, for example, a car navigation system to accept an input of a destination desired by a user.

[0031] Next, the ECU 16 acquires the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 at the destination (step S12). The ECU 16 acquires the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 installed at the destination using a network such as the Internet.

[0032] Furthermore, the ECU 16 calculates the voltage of the battery 11 at the destination (step S13). The ECU 16 estimates the distance from the current location to the destination from the destination accepted in step S1. Furthermore, the ECU 16 calculates the amount of power consumption to the destination from the distance to the destination. After that, the ECU 16 subtracts the calculated amount of power consumption from the current charge amount of the battery 11 to calculate the voltage of the battery 11 at the destination.

[0033] Then, the ECU 16 determines whether or not the voltage of the battery 11 at the destination is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 at the destination (step S14).

[0034] If ECU 16 determines that the voltage of battery 11 at the destination is greater than the operating voltage of power supply device 21 at the destination (step S14: Yes), ECU 16 detects that the vehicle has arrived at the destination and that connector 22 of power supply device 21 installed at the destination has been connected to charging unit 14 (step S15), and supplies power from power supply device 21 to charge battery 11 using charging unit 14 (step S16).

[0035] On the other hand, if in step S14 the ECU 16 determines that the voltage of the battery 11 at the destination is not greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 at the destination (step S14: No), the ECU 16 controls the charging of the power supply device 21 so that the voltage of the battery 11 is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 at the destination (step S17). The ECU 16, for example, drives the engine 12 to charge the battery 11 using the generator 13, and stops driving the engine 12 after the battery 11 is sufficiently charged so that the voltage of the battery 11 is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 at the destination. At this time, the ECU 16 may manage the temperature of the battery 11 so that charging can be started from the power supply device 21 immediately after arriving at the destination.

[0036] According to the second embodiment described above, by managing the charge amount of the battery 11 in advance so that the voltage of the battery 11 is greater than the operating voltage of the power supply device 21 at the destination, it is possible to supply power from the power supply device 21 and charge the battery 11 by the charging unit 14 immediately after arriving at the destination.

[0037] Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Thus, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 1 Hybrid vehicles 11 Battery 12 Engine 13. Generator 14 Live parts 15 Motor 16 ECU 21 Power supply device 22 Connectors 100 Charging control system

Claims

[Claim 1] A battery capable of storing power; An engine driven by the combustion of fuel; a generator that charges the battery with electric power generated by driving the engine; a charging unit that charges the battery with power supplied from an external power supply device; a processor configured to drive the engine to charge the battery using the generator when the voltage of the battery is equal to or lower than the operating voltage of the power supply device, and to supply power from the power supply device to charge the battery using the charging unit when the voltage of the battery is higher than the operating voltage of the power supply device; A charging control system for a hybrid vehicle.

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