Hybrid vehicle

Abstract

To provide a hybrid vehicle which cannot be switched to be in a motor travel mode when heating of a crew cabin by remote control is requested.SOLUTION: A control device for a hybrid vehicle executes a travel support control for travelling on the basis of: a plan based on map information included as information on a motor travel area registered as an area to perform motor travel by a location registration, and an own vehicle position; or a travel support plan allocating a motor travel mode or a normal travel mode to each travel section using information on each travel section of an estimated travel route. The control device prohibits switch over to the motor travel mode even when a current place is in a motor travel area when system movement is performed by remote control via a communication device during system stop and also the crew cabin is heated by the air conditioning device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to hybrid vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of hybrid vehicle, one that starts the engine in accordance with a remote signal transmitted from a remote controller to heat the passenger compartment has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). When this hybrid vehicle starts heating the passenger compartment in accordance with the remote signal, the vehicle control mode is set to a driving prohibition mode that disables driving operations on the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-103652 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In hybrid vehicles, a motor-driven area is sometimes set to include a location registered by point registration. When remote heating of the passenger compartment within the motor-driven area is performed, the current location may be located within the motor-driven area, causing the vehicle to switch to motor-driven mode, preventing the engine from starting, and preventing the passenger compartment from being heated.

[0005] The hybrid vehicle of the present disclosure has a primary objective of not switching to the motor driving mode when a remote request is made to heat the passenger compartment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hybrid vehicle of the present disclosure employs the following measures to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The hybrid vehicle of the present disclosure includes an engine capable of outputting power for driving, a motor capable of outputting power for driving, an electricity storage device capable of exchanging electric power with the motor, an air conditioning device that heats a passenger compartment using heat from the engine, a communication device, and a control device that controls the engine and the motor by switching between a motor driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by power from the motor while the engine is stopped, and a normal driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by power from the engine and the motor as needed, and that controls the engine and the motor by switching between a motor driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by power from the engine and the normal driving mode as needed, and a control device ... motor and the normal driving mode and a control device that executes driving assistance control for driving based on a driving assistance plan that assigns the motor driving mode or the normal driving mode to each driving section using information on each driving section of the map information, wherein the map information includes information on motor driving areas that have been registered as areas where motor driving is required by point registration, and the control device prohibits switching to the motor driving mode even when the current location is within the motor driving area when the system is moved by remote control via the communication device while the system is stopped and the passenger compartment is heated by the air conditioning device.

[0008] In the hybrid vehicle disclosed herein, driving assistance control is performed based on a driving assistance plan that assigns a motor driving mode or a normal driving mode to each driving section using map information including information on motor driving areas registered as areas where motor driving is required by point registration and information on each driving section of a planned or estimated driving route based on the vehicle's position. Furthermore, when the system is moved remotely via a communication device while the system is stopped and the passenger compartment is heated by the air conditioning system, the control device prohibits switching to the motor driving mode even when the current location is within the motor driving area. This makes it possible to prevent switching to the motor driving mode when a remote request for passenger compartment heating is made, thereby more reliably heating the passenger compartment remotely. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hybrid vehicle 20 according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of driving support control. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Next, a mode (embodiment) for carrying out the present disclosure will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hybrid vehicle 20 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, focusing on a hybrid electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as a hybrid ECU) 50. As illustrated, the hybrid vehicle 20 of the embodiment includes an engine EG and a motor MG as power sources. The hybrid vehicle 20 of the embodiment has two driving modes: a motor driving mode in which the vehicle runs on power from the motor MG with the engine EG stopped, and a normal driving mode in which the vehicle runs on power from the engine EG and the motor MG by operating the engine EG as needed. The normal driving mode includes a CD mode (Charge Depleting mode) that prioritizes electric driving so as to reduce the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 44, and a CS mode (Charge Sustaining mode) that combines electric driving and hybrid driving so as to maintain the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 44 at a target rate.

[0011] In addition to the power source, the hybrid vehicle 20 of this embodiment is equipped with an ignition switch 21, a GPS (Global Positioning System, Global Positioning Satellite) 22, an on-board camera 24, a millimeter-wave radar 26, an acceleration sensor 28, a vehicle speed sensor 30, an accelerator sensor 32, a brake sensor 34, a mode selector switch 36, an air conditioner electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as the air conditioner ECU) 38, an air conditioner compressor 40, a battery actuator 42, a battery 44, a charger 46, a hybrid ECU 50, an accelerator actuator 60, a brake actuator 62, a brake device 64, a display device 66, a driving status indicator 67, a DCM (Data Communication Module) 70, a navigation system 80, and the like.

[0012] The air conditioner ECU 38 is configured as a microcomputer centered around a CPU (not shown), and in addition to the CPU, is equipped with ROM, RAM, flash memory, input ports, output ports, communication ports, etc. The air conditioner ECU 38 is incorporated into an air conditioner that uses heat from the engine EG to heat the passenger compartment during heating, and controls the drive of an air conditioner compressor 40 in the air conditioner so that the passenger compartment temperature becomes a set temperature.

[0013] The battery actuator 42 detects the state of the battery 44, such as the terminal voltage, charge / discharge current, and battery temperature, and manages the battery 44 based on these. The battery actuator 42 calculates the power storage ratio SOC as the ratio of the remaining power storage capacity to the total power storage capacity based on the charge / discharge current, and calculates the maximum allowable output power (output limit Wout) that may be output from the battery 44 and the maximum allowable input power (input limit Win) that may be input to the battery 44 based on the power storage ratio SOC, battery temperature, etc. The battery 44 may be, for example, a lithium-ion battery. The charger 46 charges the battery 44 using power from an external power source 110, such as a commercial power source.

[0014] The engine EG is configured as, for example, an internal combustion engine. The motor MG is configured as, for example, an electric motor that also functions as a generator, such as a synchronous motor. The motor MG is connected to a battery 44 via an inverter (not shown), and can output driving force using power supplied from the battery 44 and charge the battery 44 with the generated power.

[0015] The hybrid ECU 50 is configured as a microcomputer centered around a CPU (not shown), and sets the driving mode and also sets the target operating point (target rotation speed and target torque) of the engine EG and the torque command of the motor MG based on the set driving mode, the accelerator opening from the accelerator sensor 32, the brake position from the brake sensor 34, and the output and input limits from the battery actuator 42.

[0016] When driving by motor, hybrid ECU 50 sets a torque command for motor MG based on the accelerator opening from accelerator sensor 32 and the vehicle speed from vehicle speed sensor 30, and sends the set torque command to accelerator actuator 60. When driving by hybrid, hybrid ECU 50 sets a target operating point for engine EG and a torque command for motor MG so as to output a required driving force and a required power to the vehicle, and sends the target operating point and torque command to accelerator actuator 60. When the brake pedal is depressed, hybrid ECU 50 sets a required braking force based on the brake position from brake sensor 34 and the vehicle speed from vehicle speed sensor 30, and sets a regenerative torque command for regenerative control of motor MG and a target braking force by the brake device based on the required braking force and the vehicle speed, and sends the torque command to accelerator actuator 60 and the target braking force to brake actuator 62.

[0017] The accelerator actuator 60 controls the intake air amount, fuel injection, ignition, intake valve opening / closing timing, etc. so that the engine EG is operated at a target operating point (target rotation speed and target torque). The accelerator actuator 60 controls the switching of switching elements of an inverter that drives the motor MG so that a torque corresponding to a torque command is output from the motor MG. The brake actuator 62 controls the brake device 64 so that a target braking force is applied to the vehicle by the brake device 64.

[0018] The DCM (Data Communication Module) 70 communicates with the traffic information management center 100 at predetermined intervals (for example, every 30 seconds, every minute, or every two minutes), transmits information about the vehicle to the traffic information management center 100, and receives road traffic information from the traffic information management center 100. Examples of the vehicle information include the vehicle's position, vehicle speed, driving power, and driving mode. Examples of the road traffic information include information about current and future congestion, information about the current average vehicle speed and predicted future average vehicle speed in sections along the travel route, information about traffic regulations, information about weather, information about road surface conditions, and information about maps.

[0019] The DCM 70 communicates with a customer management center 200 and communicates with a mobile terminal 210 owned by a user via the customer management center 200. The mobile terminal 210 is configured, for example, as a smartphone having a microcomputer function and a telephone function. An air-conditioning startup application 212 is installed on the mobile terminal 210 as application software for remotely activating the system of the hybrid vehicle 20 and conditioning the air in the passenger compartment, and the mobile terminal 210 communicates with the customer management center 200 via a communication network such as the Internet or a telephone line through processing by the air-conditioning startup application 212. The customer management center 200 includes a user authentication unit that authenticates the user of the vehicle 20 with the air-conditioning startup application 130 of the mobile terminal 120, and an air-conditioning startup unit that communicates information required for activating the system of the hybrid vehicle 20 and remotely controlling the drive of the air-conditioning ECU 38 and the engine EG with the air-conditioning startup application 212 of the mobile terminal 210 and the hybrid ECU 5030 of the hybrid vehicle 20. The air conditioning startup application 212 transmits a heating request or a cooling request to the hybrid ECU 50 of the hybrid vehicle 20 via the customer management center 200 based on the passenger compartment temperature set by the user.

[0020] The navigation system 80 includes a display unit 82 and a map information database 84. The display unit 82 is a functional block having a function of displaying the route to the destination, the vehicle's position, and the like on the display device 66 based on map information. When the destination and waypoints are set, the navigation system 80 sets a route based on the information about the destination and waypoints, information about the current location (current vehicle position) acquired by the GPS 22, and information stored in the map information database 84. When providing route guidance, the navigation system 80 generates, as look-ahead information, information about each traveling section within the traveling route and information about the traveling load, which are included in the road traffic information acquired from the traffic information management center 100, as well as load information required to travel each traveling section based on the vehicle's speed, the vehicle's traveling power, the vehicle's traveling mode, and the like, and transmits the information to the hybrid ECU 50. The look-ahead information includes information about the vehicle, such as the vehicle's position, vehicle speed, driving power, and driving mode, as well as information about current and future traffic congestion, information about the current average vehicle speed and predicted future average vehicle speed for sections of the driving route, information about traffic regulations, information about weather, information about road surface conditions, and information about maps. The map information also includes areas where motor driving is required (motor driving areas) designated by municipalities and the like. The navigation system 80 can also set a motor driving area by specifying an area, such as an area near the user's home, through user operation.

[0021] Next, the operation of the hybrid vehicle 20 configured as described above, particularly the operation when the passenger compartment is heated by remote start, will be described. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing an example of driving support control executed by the hybrid ECU 50. This flowchart is executed when the ignition is turned on (system startup).

[0022] When driving assist control is executed, the hybrid ECU 50 first determines whether the ignition was turned on by a remote start (step S100), and if it determines that a remote start has been performed, it determines whether a heating request has been made (step S110). If it determines that a heating request has been made, the assistance history is turned off (step S120). On the other hand, if it determines that a remote start has not been performed, or if it determines that a remote start has been performed but that a heating request has not been made, the assistance history is maintained and not turned off. The assistance history is turned on when motor running is requested by driving assist control, and is turned off when motor running is canceled. When the ignition is turned off (the system is stopped) in the motor running range, the assistance history in the on state is maintained.

[0023] Next, it is determined whether the look-ahead information transmitted from the navigation system 80 has been updated (step S130). If it is determined that the look-ahead information has been updated, information on a planned or estimated driving route within a predetermined range from the current location is acquired (step S140). The predetermined range can be 10 km, 20 km, or up to the destination. The planned driving route is a driving route planned by the navigation system 80 as route guidance from the current location to the destination when the destination is set, and the estimated driving route is a driving route estimated to be taken from the current location.

[0024] Next, a driving assistance plan is created (step S150). The driving assistance plan can be created by, for example, assigning the motor driving mode to the motor driving sections of each driving section of the driving route, and for the other driving sections, calculating the total energy Esum as the sum of the energy consumption E(n) of each driving section of the driving route from the current location to the control end section (destination), subtracting the energy consumption E(n) of the driving section (motor driving section) assigned the motor driving mode from the total energy Esum to calculate the total remaining energy Eev, and assigning the CD mode to all driving sections when the total remaining energy Eev is equal to or less than the remaining charge of the battery 44, and when the total remaining energy Eev is greater than the remaining charge of the battery 44, sorting the other driving sections in order of decreasing driving load, and assigning them to the CD mode in order of decreasing driving load until the sum of the energy consumption En of the assigned driving sections exceeds the remaining charge of the battery 44, and assigning the remaining driving sections to the CS mode. Then, the driving mode is controlled in accordance with the driving assistance plan (step S160).

[0025] When it is determined in step S130 that the look-ahead information has not been updated, or when it is determined in step S130 that the look-ahead information has been updated, a cruise assist plan is created, and control of the driving mode in accordance with the cruise assist plan is started, it is determined whether or not the current location is in the motor driving range (step S170). When it is determined that the current location is in the motor driving range, it is determined whether or not the assistance history is on (step S180). When it is determined that the assistance history is on, motor driving is requested (step S190). When motor driving is requested, the hybrid ECU 50 switches to motor driving mode and performs motor driving. When it is determined in step S170 that the current location is not in the motor driving range, or when it is determined that the current location is in the motor driving range but the assistance history is off (step S180), motor driving is not requested (step S200). In other words, motor driving is prohibited.

[0026] Then, it is determined whether or not the control termination condition is satisfied (step S210). If it is determined that the control termination condition is not satisfied, the process returns to the process of determining whether or not the look-ahead information has been updated in step S130, and if it is determined that the control termination condition is satisfied, the driving support control is terminated.

[0027] Now, consider the case where a driver returns home with the area including his or her home set as the motor driving area, stops the system, and then turns on the ignition. In this case, if remote start is not in effect, the current location is the home within the motor driving area, and the assistance history is on, so motor driving is immediately requested and the driving mode is set to motor driving mode. Next, consider the case where remote start is performed under similar conditions to heat the passenger compartment at home. In this case, because the heating request is due to remote start, the assistance history is turned off in step S120, no request for motor driving is made, the engine EG starts, and the passenger compartment is heated using the heat from the engine EG.

[0028] In the hybrid vehicle 20 of the embodiment described above, when the passenger compartment is heated by remote start, the assistance history is turned off and motor running is prohibited. This prevents a situation in which the motor running mode is set and the passenger compartment cannot be heated when the vehicle is in the motor running range and an attempt is made to heat the passenger compartment by remote start. As a result, the passenger compartment can be heated more reliably by remote start.

[0029] The present disclosure has been described above using embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and can, of course, be embodied in various forms within the scope of the gist of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0030] The present disclosure is applicable to the hybrid vehicle manufacturing industry and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 20 Hybrid vehicles, 38 Air conditioning electronic control units (air conditioning ECUs), 40 Air conditioning compressors, 44 Batteries, 50 Hybrid electronic control units (hybrid ECUs), EG engines, MG motors.

Claims

[Claim 1] a control device that executes driving assistance control for driving the vehicle based on a driving assistance plan in which the motor driving mode or the normal driving mode is assigned to each driving section of a planned or estimated driving route based on map information and a vehicle position, when controlling the engine and the motor by switching between a motor driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by power from the motor with the engine stopped and a normal driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by power from the engine and the motor as needed, The map information includes information on motor driving areas registered as areas where motor driving is required by location registration, and the control device prohibits switching to the motor driving mode even when the current location is within the motor driving area when the system is moved by remote control via the communication device while the system is stopped and the passenger compartment is heated by the air conditioning device.

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