Battery temperature control system and vehicle

Abstract

To secure life support and comfort of an occupant even when a vehicle is left for a long time by reducing power consumption of a battery by battery temperature adjustment by appropriately adjusting the temperature of the battery to a temperature at which necessary electric energy can be output without performing the battery temperature adjustment on the assumption of traveling when the vehicle cannot travel or does not travel.SOLUTION: A battery temperature control system includes a battery, an auxiliary unit, and a control unit, wherein the auxiliary unit includes at least an air-conditioning unit, and the control unit determines whether a vehicle is in a travel-disabled state or a travel-not-required state, calculates first energy required to drive the auxiliary unit when it is determined that the vehicle is in the travel-disabled state or the travel-not-required state, and controls a temperature of the battery to a first battery temperature appropriate for the battery to output the first energy.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a battery temperature control system for a vehicle and a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] An electric vehicle is equipped with a large-capacity battery that supplies the electrical energy necessary for running the vehicle and for driving various auxiliary machinery parts provided on the vehicle. The temperature of the battery is regulated to an appropriate temperature range, for example, 20 to 30°C, which allows the battery to efficiently output the electrical energy necessary for running the vehicle (see Patent Document 1 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-083451 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional electric vehicles, in order to enable continuous driving, the battery temperature is regulated to an appropriate temperature range that allows the output of electrical energy required to drive the drive unit. However, in cases where the vehicle cannot drive, such as when the vehicle is stranded due to snow accumulation in extremely cold regions, the battery temperature is regulated to the above temperature range even under such conditions in order to enable continuous driving.

[0005] However, the optimum temperature for obtaining the electrical energy output required to drive the drive unit is relatively high, and maintaining the battery temperature at such a temperature, especially in extremely cold regions, results in increased battery power consumption. If the vehicle is unable to run for a long period of time, the battery's power is consumed by maintaining the battery temperature, making it impossible to secure the electrical energy required to operate equipment such as the air conditioning unit, which has functions necessary for maintaining the lives of occupants, or to satisfy occupant needs. This poses a risk to the lives of occupants and reduces comfort when the vehicle is stranded for a long period of time.

[0006] The present invention was proposed to address such circumstances. That is, when a vehicle cannot or will not run, the battery temperature is not regulated based on the assumption that the vehicle will run, but the battery temperature is regulated to a temperature that can output the necessary electrical energy as needed, reducing the battery power consumption due to battery temperature regulation and ensuring the survival and comfort of occupants even if the vehicle is stranded for a long period of time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve such problems, the battery temperature control system of the present invention comprises a battery, an auxiliary unit, and a control unit, wherein the auxiliary unit includes at least an air conditioning unit, and the control unit determines whether the vehicle is in an inoperative state or an inoperative state, and if it determines that the vehicle is in an inoperative state or an inoperative state, calculates a first energy required to drive the auxiliary unit, and controls the temperature of the battery to an appropriate first battery temperature for the battery to output the first energy. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] With a battery temperature control system having these characteristics, when the vehicle cannot or will not run, the battery temperature is not controlled assuming that the vehicle will run, but rather the battery temperature is controlled to a temperature that can output the necessary electrical energy as needed, reducing battery power consumption due to battery temperature control and ensuring the survival and comfort of occupants even if the vehicle is stranded for a long period of time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle equipped with a battery temperature control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating a control process of the battery temperature adjustment system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 10 is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the configuration of a vehicle equipped with a battery temperature control system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a first embodiment of a modified control process of the battery temperature adjustment system according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a second modified example of the control process of the battery temperature adjustment system according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals denote parts having the same functions, and duplicated descriptions in the drawings will be omitted as appropriate.

[0011] 1, a battery temperature control system 1 in this embodiment is configured with a plurality of control target devices mounted on a vehicle 2 and ECUs (Electronic Control Units) that are control units for these control target devices. The control target devices and the ECUs are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other via an in-vehicle network 4 such as a Controller Area Network (CAN) or a Local Interconnect Network (LIN) and a central gateway (CGW) 3 that serves as a relay device. Note that the system may also be configured without the CGW 3, in which the ECUs communicate with each other directly or indirectly.

[0012] In the battery temperature control system 1, information indicating the operating state of the controlled device is output from each ECU to the in-vehicle network 4. Furthermore, each ECU controls the operation of the controlled device based on information from other ECUs acquired from the in-vehicle network 4.

[0013] Each ECU includes a processor, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), which executes various processes. Each ECU also includes volatile storage elements, such as RAM (Random Access Memory) that temporarily processes data used by the processor, and non-volatile storage elements, such as ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores programs executed by the processor. Note that some or all of the operations executed by each ECU can also be implemented by hardware, such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).

[0014] 1 illustrates, among the multiple ECUs, a battery ECU 10, a temperature control ECU 20, a sensor ECU 30, a communication ECU 40, a drive ECU 50, an air conditioning ECU 60, and other ECUs 70. Also illustrated, among the multiple controlled devices, is a battery 11, a battery temperature control unit 21, a sensor unit 31, a communication unit 41, a drive unit 51, an air conditioning unit 61, and other auxiliary units 71. In this embodiment, detailed explanations and illustrations of ECUs and controlled devices that are not involved in the function and operation of the battery temperature control system 1 will be omitted even if they are included in the battery temperature control system 1.

[0015] 1, the battery ECU 10 includes a CPU 101, a ROM 102, a RAM 103, and an I / F 104, and controls the battery 11 and the like by executing various processes based on programs stored in the ROM 102 by the CPU 101. The ROM 102, which is provided as a non-volatile storage element, stores a program for controlling the battery 11 and the like based on information acquired from other ECUs via the in-vehicle network 4, and various data required to execute the program.

[0016] The RAM 103, which is provided as a volatile storage element, is used as a work area when the CPU 101 executes various processes. Therefore, various pieces of information output from the ECUs and the like are temporarily stored in the RAM 103 as needed.

[0017] The I / F 104 controls the input and output of various information and control signals used in the battery ECU 10. That is, the I / F 104 receives input of information output from each ECU to the in-vehicle network 4. The I / F 104 also outputs control signals generated in the CPU 101 to an output destination according to the control content.

[0018] The CPU 101 performs control in the battery temperature adjustment system 1 by loading the program stored in the ROM 102 into a memory such as the RAM 103 and executing it.

[0019] Although illustrations and explanations will be omitted in the following description, the temperature control ECU 20, sensor ECU 30, communication ECU 40, drive ECU 50, air conditioning ECU 60, and other ECUs 70 are also equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and I / F, similar to the battery ECU 10, and control the controlled equipment by having the CPU execute various processes based on programs stored in the ROM.

[0020] The battery ECU 10 may store a power consumption map. The power consumption map is information about the temperature or temperature range of the battery that allows the output of electrical energy required to drive controlled devices, etc. The electrical energy that the battery 11 can output varies depending on the temperature; as the temperature of the battery 11 decreases, the internal resistance increases and the electrical energy that the battery 11 can output decreases. The use of the power consumption map will be specifically described later.

[0021] The battery 11 outputs electric energy under the control of the battery ECU 10. The battery 11 mounted on the vehicle 2 is, for example, a lithium-ion battery, and is charged by power supplied from an external power source outside the vehicle 2, such as a quick charger. Each ECU outputs information about the electric energy required to drive the control target devices that it controls to the in-vehicle network 4. The battery ECU 10 controls the battery 11 based on information from each ECU acquired via the in-vehicle network 4, and outputs electric energy to each control target device.

[0022] The battery temperature regulator 21 regulates the temperature of the battery 11. The battery 11 outputs electrical energy to drive the drive unit 51 (described later) and the auxiliary unit 71 including the air conditioning unit 61 provided in the vehicle 2, so the battery temperature regulator 21 regulates the temperature of the battery 11 to an appropriate temperature range. The cooling and heating of the battery 11 by the battery temperature regulator 21 is adjusted taking into consideration the effects of the external and ambient temperatures on the battery 11.

[0023] The battery temperature adjustment unit 21 may be, for example, a heat medium circuit (not shown) or a refrigerant circuit (not shown) that is part of the air conditioning unit 61, in which a flow path is formed to enable heat exchange between the heat medium or refrigerant and the battery 11; a cooling air duct (not shown) that can control the flow rate of the traveling air that cools the battery 11; a radiator fan (not shown) that directly cools the battery 11; or a heater (not shown) that directly heats the battery 11. Alternatively, the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 may be a controlled device that is controlled by an ECU mounted on the vehicle 2 and has a function of heating and cooling the battery 11, or a combination thereof. The ECU that controls these controlled devices functions as the temperature adjustment ECU 20. The battery temperature adjustment unit 21 that adjusts the temperature of the battery 11 is also driven by electrical energy output from the battery 11. Specific control details of these controlled devices, which are given as examples of the battery temperature adjustment unit 21, will not be described here.

[0024] The sensor ECU 30 outputs detection information from the sensor unit 31 to the in-vehicle network 4. The sensor unit 31 includes, for example, a battery temperature sensor 311 that detects the temperature of the battery 11, an outside air temperature sensor 312 that detects the outside air temperature, and a snow accumulation sensor 313 that detects whether there is a certain amount of snow accumulated on the roof of the vehicle 2. The battery ECU 10 determines whether the vehicle 2 is in an inoperable state based on, for example, the detection information from the snow accumulation sensor 313 acquired via the in-vehicle network 4. The inoperable state refers to, for example, a state in which the vehicle 2 is stranded due to snow accumulation or the like and cannot be driven. The battery temperature regulator 21 regulates the temperature of the battery 11 while feeding back information about the temperature of the battery 11 detected by the battery temperature sensor 311. The battery temperature sensor 311 includes, for example, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a temperature sensor, and the like, and is capable of acquiring the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 11.

[0025] The communication ECU 40 controls the communication unit 41 to communicate between the vehicle 2 and the outside of the vehicle 2. The communication unit 41 has a function of receiving at least the location information, weather information, traffic congestion information, disaster information, etc. of the vehicle 2. The communication ECU 40 outputs the information received by the communication unit 41 to the in-vehicle network 4. The battery ECU 10 determines whether the vehicle 2 is in an incapable state of traveling, and whether the incapable state of traveling of the vehicle 2 will be resolved, based on the information received by the communication unit 41 obtained via the in-vehicle network 4. Specific control will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0026] The drive ECU 50 controls the drive unit 51 to control the running of the vehicle 2. Specifically, the drive unit 51 is configured to include an accelerator pedal (not shown), a brake pedal (not shown), etc., and a drive system that transmits the output of a motor (not shown) to drive wheels (not shown), and the drive ECU 50 controls the running of the vehicle 2 by controlling the drive unit 51 that includes these components. The drive ECU 50 outputs information related to the operation of the drive unit 51 and information related to the electrical energy required to drive the drive unit 51 to the in-vehicle network 4.

[0027] The air conditioning ECU 60 controls the air conditioning unit 61 to condition the interior of the vehicle 2. The air conditioning ECU 60 controls the air conditioning unit 61 based on settings input by an occupant of the vehicle 2 and information detected by sensors. Illustration and description of sensors that acquire information necessary for air conditioning are omitted. The air conditioning unit 61 includes, for example, a compressor (not shown), a blower (not shown), a high-voltage heater (not shown), a circulation pump (not shown), and an electronic valve (not shown) that switches the circulation flow paths of the refrigerant and heat medium in a circulation flow path through which the refrigerant and heat medium circulate, and the air conditioning ECU 60 conditions the interior of the vehicle 2 by controlling these controlled devices. The air conditioning ECU 60 also outputs information about the electrical energy required to drive these controlled devices to the in-vehicle network 4.

[0028] As described above, an example of the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 is the heat medium circuit (not shown) of the air conditioning unit 61. The heat medium circuit circulates the heat medium using a circulation pump and heats the heat medium using a high-voltage heater. A heat exchanger that exchanges heat between the battery 11 and the heat medium is provided in the circulation path of the heat medium, and the temperature of the battery 11 can be adjusted by exchanging heat between the heat medium flowing through the heat exchanger and the battery 11. In this way, the heat medium circuit, which is a part of the air conditioning unit 61, functions as the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 in the battery temperature adjustment system 1. When the heat medium circuit functions as the battery temperature adjustment unit 21, the air conditioning ECU 60 functions as the temperature adjustment ECU 20.

[0029] The auxiliary unit 71 refers to other controlled devices not shown in FIG. 1 that are driven by electrical energy output from the battery 11. The communication unit 41 and the air conditioning unit 61 shown in FIG. 1 are also examples of the auxiliary unit 71. The ECU 70 is shown as a control unit for the auxiliary unit 71. In the description of this embodiment, the controlled devices that are driven by electrical energy output from the battery 11 will be described as the drive unit 51 and the auxiliary units 71 other than the drive unit 51.

[0030] The battery temperature adjustment system 1 is configured by the controlled devices and the ECUs that are the control units of the controlled devices described above using Fig. 1. Next, the control processing of the battery temperature adjustment system 1 in this embodiment will be described using Fig. 2.

[0031] The battery ECU 10 determines whether the vehicle 2 is in an undriveable state based on the detection information of the sensor unit 31, the received information of the communication unit 41, and the drive information of the drive unit 51, which are acquired from each ECU via the in-vehicle network 4 (step A01). The determination of whether the vehicle 2 is in an undriveable state may be made, for example, by determining that the vehicle 2 is stranded and in an undriveable state when the snow accumulation sensor 313 detects a certain amount of snow on the roof of the vehicle 2 and the drive unit 51 has not been driven for a certain period of time or more. Alternatively, the communication unit 41 may receive information such as location information and disaster information, and determine that the vehicle 2 is stranded and in an undriveable state when the drive unit 51 has not been driven for a certain period of time or more while the vehicle 2 is in a disaster area.

[0032] When the battery ECU 10 determines that the vehicle 2 is in a state where it cannot travel (step A01—YES), it calculates the first energy (step A02). The first energy here refers to the total amount of electric energy required to drive the auxiliary units 71 and the like that are being driven by the electric energy output from the battery 11, excluding the drive unit 51. The battery ECU 10 calculates the first energy required to drive the auxiliary units 71 and the like that are being driven, excluding the drive unit 51, based on information acquired from each ECU via the in-vehicle network 4.

[0033] After calculating the first energy, the first battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery 11 appropriate for the battery 11 to output the first energy, is acquired (step A03). The first battery temperature may be acquired by calculating it based on the first energy each time, or may be acquired from a stored power consumption map. After acquiring the first battery temperature, the battery ECU 10 outputs information about the first battery temperature to the in-vehicle network 4. After acquiring the information about the first battery temperature via the in-vehicle network 4, the temperature control ECU 20 controls the temperature of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature (step A04).

[0034] Thereafter, the battery ECU 10 estimates the time when the travel-disabled state of the vehicle 2 will be resolved based on the received information acquired via the in-vehicle network 4 and received by the communication unit 41 (step A05). Specifically, the estimation may be based on weather information, traffic congestion information, other disaster information, and the like received by the communication unit 41. For example, in an extremely cold region, when the vehicle 2 is stranded due to snow accumulation, the time when the snow accumulation will ease and the vehicle 2 will be able to travel may be estimated based on weather information. The time when the travel-disabled state of the vehicle 2 will be resolved may also be estimated based on traffic congestion information or disaster information. These estimation means are merely examples, and other means may be used to estimate the time when the travel-disabled state of the vehicle 2 will be resolved based on information detected by the sensor unit 31, information received by the communication unit 41, and the like. In addition, in conjunction with other means that enable the estimation of the time when the travel-disabled state of the vehicle 2 will be resolved, the sensor unit 31 and the communication unit 41 may be provided with a sensor that detects necessary information as appropriate and a function for receiving necessary information.

[0035] Based on the estimated time, the battery ECU 10 determines whether the driving-disabled state will be resolved after a predetermined time (step A06). The predetermined time may be, for example, about 5 to 10 minutes, as long as it is a time that allows the temperature of the battery 11 to be adjusted to a second battery temperature (described later) before the driving-disabled state is resolved. If it is determined that the driving-disabled state will not be resolved after the predetermined time (step A06-NO), the process returns to step A02, and the temperature of the battery 11 continues to be adjusted to the first battery temperature based on the first energy.

[0036] On the other hand, if it is determined that the driving disable state will be resolved after the predetermined time (step A06—YES), or if it is determined in step A01 that the vehicle 2 is not in the driving disable state (step A01—NO), the battery ECU 10 calculates the second energy (step A07). The second energy here refers to the total amount of electric energy output to drive the drive unit 51 and the auxiliary unit 71, etc., which are driven by the electric energy output from the battery 11.

[0037] After calculating the second energy, the second battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery 11 appropriate for the battery 11 to output the second energy, is acquired (step A08). The second battery temperature may be acquired by calculating it based on the second energy each time, or may be acquired from a stored power consumption map. After acquiring the second battery temperature, the battery ECU 10 outputs information about the second battery temperature to the in-vehicle network 4. After acquiring the information about the second battery temperature via the in-vehicle network 4, the temperature control ECU 20 controls the temperature of the battery 11 to the second battery temperature (step A09), and thereafter returns to step A01, and repeats the controls of steps A01 to A09 described above.

[0038] When the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 adjusts the temperature of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature and the second battery temperature, the temperature adjustment ECU 20 adjusts the temperature of the battery 11 while minimizing power consumption as much as possible. For example, in an extremely cold region where the outside air temperature is below the lower limit of the temperature range of the first battery temperature, if it is expected that the temperature of the battery 11 will naturally fall below the lower limit of the first battery temperature due to the influence of the outside air and surrounding devices that affect the temperature of the battery 11, the temperature adjustment ECU 20 adjusts the temperature of the battery 11 with the lower limit of the first battery temperature as the target temperature. On the other hand, if the temperature of the battery 11 naturally falls within the temperature range of the first battery temperature due to the influence of the outside air and surrounding devices that affect the temperature of the battery 11, the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 does not need to adjust the temperature. The same applies to temperature adjustment to the second battery temperature. The temperature influence of the outside air and devices surrounding the battery 11 on the battery 11 may be determined based on information from, for example, the outside air temperature sensor 312 or a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in each controlled device.

[0039] Furthermore, when adjusting the temperature of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature and the second battery temperature, the electric energy required by the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 is reflected in the first energy and the second energy while feedbacking information output from the temperature adjustment ECU 20 to the in-vehicle network 4, and the first battery temperature and the second battery temperature based on the fed-back first energy and second energy are acquired to perform temperature adjustment. Since the electric energy required to drive the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 varies depending on the outside air temperature and the current temperature of the battery 11, the electric energy required to drive the battery temperature adjustment unit 21 is fed back to the first energy based on detection information from the outside air temperature sensor 312 and the battery temperature sensor 311, and the first battery temperature is acquired to perform temperature adjustment of the battery 11. The control of the temperature adjustment ECU 20 is similar to that of the battery temperature adjustment system 1A described later.

[0040] As described above, in the battery temperature control system 1 of this embodiment, for example, when it is determined that the vehicle 2 is stranded due to snow accumulation or the like and the vehicle 2 is in a state where it cannot be driven, the temperature of the battery 11 is not controlled to enable the drive unit 51 to be driven, but the temperature of the battery 11 is controlled based on the electrical energy required to drive the auxiliary units 71 that are currently being driven, excluding the drive unit 51.

[0041] The temperature range in which a lithium ion battery such as battery 11 can efficiently output electrical energy when the vehicle is running is approximately 20°C to 30°C, and in vehicle 2, battery 11 is also temperature-controlled to, for example, 20°C to 30°C (second battery temperature) in order to output the electrical energy required to drive drive unit 51 and air conditioning unit 61.

[0042] On the other hand, the electrical energy required to drive the air conditioning unit 61 and other auxiliary units 71 is very small compared to the electrical energy required to drive the drive unit 51. The electrical energy that the battery 11 can output depends on the temperature, but if only the air conditioning unit 61 and other auxiliary units 71 are to be driven, the battery 11 can output the electrical energy required to drive these auxiliary units 71, etc. even if the temperature is not within the 20°C to 30°C range (second battery temperature). For example, in an extremely low temperature environment, the battery 11 can output the electrical energy required to drive the air conditioning unit 61 even at approximately -10°C (an example of the lower limit temperature of the first battery temperature). Therefore, controlling the temperature of the battery 11 to within the 20°C to 30°C range when driving the air conditioning unit 61 would be unnecessary temperature control. For example, in an extremely low temperature environment where the outside air temperature is below the lower limit temperature of the first battery temperature, the power consumed to regulate the temperature of battery 11 differs when regulating the temperature of battery 11 to 20°C (an example of the lower limit temperature of the second battery temperature) and when regulating the temperature to -10°C (an example of the lower limit temperature of the first battery temperature), and in such a case, continuing to regulate the temperature to 20°C will increase the power consumption of battery 11.

[0043] In such a case, the battery temperature adjustment system 1 appropriately adjusts the temperature based on the electrical energy required for driving, thereby reducing the power consumption required for adjusting the temperature of the battery 11.

[0044] The method of determining whether the vehicle 2 is in a non-drivable state given as an example in the description of step A01 is just one example, and other means may be used to determine whether the vehicle 2 is in a non-drivable state based on information from the sensor unit 31, communication unit 41, drive unit 51, etc. Furthermore, although the sensor unit 31 is described as including a snow accumulation sensor 313 as a means for determining whether the vehicle 2 is in a non-drivable state, other determination means may be provided with a sensor capable of detecting necessary information as appropriate. For example, when determining whether the vehicle 2 is in a non-drivable state due to being stuck in an extremely cold region, frozen mirror motors of the vehicle 2 may be detected from the resistance of the motor, and the detection information may be used to determine whether the vehicle is in a non-drivable state. Furthermore, tire freezing may be detected from the resistance of a small torque applied to the tires, and the detection information may be used to determine whether the vehicle is in a non-drivable state. It is desirable to be able to more accurately determine whether the vehicle is in a non-drivable state using various other information.

[0045] Furthermore, when it is determined that the vehicle 2 is in a non-travelable state, the output of the air conditioning unit 61 and other auxiliary units 71 may be partially restricted, and the temperature of the battery 11 may be controlled to a temperature that can output the minimum amount of electrical energy required to drive the auxiliary units 71 to sustain the lives of the occupants of the vehicle 2. By performing such control, it is possible to reduce the power consumed to drive the auxiliary units 71 and to control the temperature of the battery 11, and to maintain the state of charge SOC of the battery 11 for as long as possible.

[0046] Furthermore, during control in a driving-disabled state, when the time when the driving-disabled state will be resolved is estimated, the output of the air conditioning unit 61 and other auxiliary units 71 may be controlled based on the state of charge of the battery 11, and the temperature of the battery 11 may be adjusted to a temperature at which the required electrical energy can be output based on the control. Specifically, when the vehicle 2 is stalled, the state of charge of the battery 11 may be referenced, and the output of the auxiliary units 71 may be controlled to maintain the state of charge of the battery 11 until the time when the estimated driving-disabled state will be resolved, and to ensure a state of charge SOC that enables the vehicle 2 to travel from its current location to the nearest charging station, and the temperature of the battery 11 may be adjusted to a temperature at which the required electrical energy can be output based on the control. By performing such control, it is possible to prevent the battery 11 from running out, thereby providing a sense of security to the occupants of the vehicle 2.

[0047] Next, a battery temperature adjustment system 1A, which is a modified example of the battery temperature adjustment system 1 in this embodiment, will be described.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 3, the battery temperature control system 1A includes a temperature control mode change switch 12. The temperature control mode change switch 12 may be, for example, a touch-operable switch displayed on a CID (Center Information Display) (not shown) or the like provided in the vehicle 2. Also, as shown in Fig. 3, the temperature control mode change switch 12 is connected to the battery ECU 10. The battery temperature control system 1A performs temperature control of the battery 11 when the battery ECU 10 detects operation of the temperature control mode change switch 12. Specific control details will be described later using Fig. 4. The configuration of the battery temperature control system 1A other than the temperature control mode change switch 12 is the same as that of the battery temperature control system 1, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0049] Next, the control process of the battery temperature adjustment system 1A in a modified example of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0050] The battery ECU 10 monitors whether the temperature control mode change switch 12 has been turned ON (step B01). The temperature control mode change switch 12 is operated when an occupant of the vehicle 2 determines that driving the vehicle 2 is impossible or unnecessary. When the battery ECU 10 detects that the temperature control mode change switch 12 has been turned ON (step B01—YES), it calculates the first energy (step B02). The first energy is the same as in the battery temperature control system 1, so a description thereof will be omitted. When the battery ECU 10 does not detect that the temperature control mode change switch 12 has been turned ON (step B01—NO), it proceeds to step B06.

[0051] When the ON operation of the temperature control mode change switch 12 is detected and the first energy is calculated, a first battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery 11 appropriate for the battery 11 to output the first energy, is acquired (step B03). The first battery temperature may be acquired by calculating it based on the first energy each time, or may be acquired from a stored power consumption map. When the battery ECU 10 acquires the first battery temperature, it outputs information about the first battery temperature to the in-vehicle network 4. When the temperature control ECU 20 acquires the information about the first battery temperature via the in-vehicle network 4, it controls the temperature of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature (step B04).

[0052] Thereafter, the battery ECU 10 monitors whether the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 is turned OFF (step B05). The temperature adjustment of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature based on the first energy continues until the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 is turned OFF (step B05-NO).

[0053] If the battery ECU 10 does not detect an ON operation of the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 in step B01 (step B01—NO), or if the battery ECU 10 detects an OFF operation of the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 in step B05 (step B05—YES), it calculates the second energy (step B06). The second energy is the same as in the battery temperature adjustment system 1, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0054] Once the second energy is calculated, a second battery temperature, which is the temperature of battery 11 appropriate for outputting the second energy, is acquired (step B07). The second battery temperature may be acquired by calculating it based on the second energy each time, or may be acquired from a stored power consumption map. Upon acquiring the second battery temperature, battery ECU 10 outputs information about the second battery temperature to in-vehicle network 4. Upon acquiring the information about the second battery temperature via in-vehicle network 4, temperature control ECU 20 controls battery 11 to the second battery temperature (step B08), and thereafter returns to step B01, and repeats the controls of steps B01 to B08 described above.

[0055] 3, the battery temperature adjustment system 1A of the modified example determines whether the vehicle 2 is in a state where it cannot be driven or where it is not necessary to drive based on detection of operation of the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 by an occupant of the vehicle 2. If operation of the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 is detected and it is determined that the vehicle 2 is in a state where it cannot be driven or where it is not necessary to drive, the temperature of the battery 11 is not adjusted to drive the drive unit 51, but is adjusted to an appropriate temperature range for driving the auxiliary units 71 that are currently being driven, including the air conditioning unit 61.

[0056] In this way, in the battery temperature adjustment system 1A, which is a modified example, the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 is provided, so that unnecessary temperature adjustment of the battery 11 can be suppressed at the will of the occupant. As a result, it is possible to reduce the power consumption required for temperature adjustment of the battery 11 by not performing unnecessary temperature adjustment of the battery 11 not only when the vehicle 2 is stalled, but also for other long periods of time, such as when the vehicle 2 is sleeping in the vehicle, while the air conditioning unit 61 etc. is operating and the vehicle 2 is not traveling.

[0057] The occupant of the vehicle 2 may also be able to set the scheduled travel time when turning on the temperature control mode change switch 12. The control processing of the battery temperature control system 1A when setting the scheduled travel time will be described using Figure 5. In the description of the control in Figure 5, the description of parts that overlap with the control described in Figure 4 will be omitted.

[0058] The battery ECU 10 monitors whether the temperature control mode change switch 12 has been turned ON (step C01). When the battery ECU 10 detects that the temperature control mode change switch 12 has been turned ON (step C01-YES), it determines whether or not a scheduled travel time has been set (step C02). The occupant of the vehicle 2 can set a scheduled travel time when the temperature control mode change switch 12 is turned ON.

[0059] When the temperature control mode change switch 12 is turned ON and the planned travel time is set by the occupant of the vehicle 2, if the battery ECU 10 determines that the planned travel time has been set (step C02 - YES), it calculates the first energy (step C03). The first energy is the same as in the battery temperature control system 1, so a description thereof will be omitted. After calculating the first energy, the battery ECU 10 obtains a first battery temperature, which is the temperature of the battery 11 appropriate for the battery 11 to output the first energy (step C04). The first battery temperature may be obtained by calculating it based on the first energy each time, or may be obtained from a stored power consumption map.

[0060] When the battery ECU 10 acquires the first battery temperature, it outputs information about the first battery temperature to the in-vehicle network 4. When the temperature control ECU 20 acquires the information about the first battery temperature via the in-vehicle network 4, it controls the temperature of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature (step C05).

[0061] The battery ECU 10 determines whether the scheduled travel time will arrive after a predetermined time based on the scheduled travel time set by the occupant of the vehicle 2 (step C06). The predetermined time here may be, for example, about 5 to 10 minutes, as long as it is a time that allows the temperature of the battery 11 to be adjusted to the second battery temperature by the scheduled travel time. If it is determined that the scheduled travel time will not arrive after the predetermined time (step C06-NO), the process returns to step C03 and the temperature adjustment of the battery 11 to the first battery temperature based on the first energy is continued.

[0062] On the other hand, if it is determined that the scheduled travel time will arrive after a predetermined time (step C06—YES), or if operation of the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 is not detected in step C01 (step C01—NO), the battery ECU 10 calculates the second energy (step C11). Thereafter, steps C11 to C13 perform the same processing as steps B06 to B08 described using Figure 4. Also, if the scheduled travel time is not set by the occupant of the vehicle 2 when the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 is turned ON and it is determined that the scheduled travel time has not been set (step C02—NO), the process proceeds to step C07, and steps C07 to C10 perform the same processing as steps B02 to B05 described using Figure 4.

[0063] As described above, the battery temperature control system 1A described with reference to FIG. 5 allows the occupant of the vehicle 2 to set a scheduled travel time. When the ON operation of the temperature control mode change switch 12 is detected and it is determined that the vehicle 2 is in a state where it is not possible to travel or where it is not necessary to travel, the temperature of the battery 11 is controlled to a first battery temperature for driving the auxiliary machinery 71 excluding the drive unit 51. When a scheduled travel time is set, the temperature of the battery 11 is controlled to a second battery temperature for driving the auxiliary machinery 71 including the drive unit 51 in accordance with the scheduled travel time. This allows the temperature of the battery 11 to be controlled to the second battery temperature required for travel in accordance with the departure time the next day, for example, when the occupant is staying overnight in the vehicle. This prevents unnecessary temperature control of the battery 11 and allows the occupant to start traveling of the vehicle 2 without any hassle.

[0064] As described above in detail with reference to the drawings, the battery temperature control systems 1 and 1A in the present embodiment include the battery 11, the auxiliary machinery unit 71, and a control unit (ECU), where the auxiliary machinery unit 71 includes at least the air conditioning unit 61. The control unit (ECU) determines whether the vehicle 2 is in an untravelable state or an unnecessary travel state, and if it determines that the vehicle 2 is in an untravelable state or an unnecessary travel state, calculates a first energy required to drive the auxiliary machinery unit 71 and controls the temperature of the battery 11 to a first battery temperature based on the first energy. By performing such processing, it is possible to suppress unnecessary power consumption of the battery 11 without controlling the temperature of the battery 11 to drive the drive unit 51 when the vehicle 2 is in an untravelable state or an unnecessary travel state.

[0065] Furthermore, in the battery temperature regulation system 1 of this embodiment, the control unit (ECU) estimates the time when the vehicle 2 will no longer be able to travel, calculates the second energy required for traveling of the vehicle 2 and for driving the auxiliary machinery unit 71, and regulates the temperature of the battery 11 to a second battery temperature based on the second energy by the estimated time. By performing such processing, the temperature of the battery 11 can be regulated to the second battery temperature for driving the drive unit 51 in accordance with the time when the stranded vehicle 2 will be able to travel, thereby improving the convenience of traveling the vehicle 2.

[0066] Furthermore, in the battery temperature adjustment system 1 of this embodiment, the control unit (ECU) determines that the vehicle 2 is in a state where it cannot be driven or where it is not necessary to drive when it detects that the temperature adjustment mode change switch 12 has been turned ON. By using such a determination means, the temperature adjustment control of the battery 11 can be changed at the discretion of the occupant of the vehicle 2, and power consumption required for temperature adjustment of the battery 11 can be reduced by not performing unnecessary temperature adjustment of the battery 11 when the vehicle 2 is stranded or, for example, for long periods of time, such as when the vehicle 2 is sleeping in the car, while the air conditioning unit 61 etc. is operating and the vehicle 2 is not driven.

[0067] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above in detail with reference to the drawings, but the specific configuration is not limited to the described embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like within the scope of the present invention that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 1, 1A: Battery temperature control system, 2: Vehicle, 3: Central gateway, 4: In-vehicle network, 10: Battery ECU, 11: Battery, 12: Temperature control mode change switch, 20: Temperature control ECU, 21: Battery temperature control unit, 30: Sensor ECU, 31: Sensor unit, 40: Communication ECU, 41: Communication unit, 50: Drive ECU, 51: Drive unit, 60: Air conditioning ECU, 61: Air conditioning section, 70: ECU, 71: Auxiliary equipment, 101: CPU, 102: ROM, 103: RAM, 104: I / F, 311: Battery temperature sensor, 312: Outside air temperature sensor, 313: Snow accumulation sensor, SOC: Charging rate

Claims

1. The vehicle includes a battery, an auxiliary unit, and a control unit. the auxiliary unit includes at least an air conditioning unit, The control unit Determine whether the vehicle is in a non-driving state or a non-driving state; If it is determined that the vehicle is in a state where it is not possible to drive or where it is not necessary to drive, calculating a first energy required to drive the auxiliary unit; a battery temperature regulation system that regulates the temperature of the battery to a first battery temperature appropriate for the battery to output the first energy;

2. The control unit Estimate the time when the vehicle's non-travelable state will be resolved; calculating a second energy required for running the vehicle and for driving the auxiliary machinery unit; The battery temperature regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the battery is regulated to a second battery temperature appropriate for the battery to output the second energy by the estimated time.

3. The control unit When estimating the time when the vehicle's non-traveling state will be resolved, The battery temperature regulation system according to claim 1 , wherein the auxiliary unit is driven based on the time and the charging rate of the battery.

4. The control unit When the temperature control mode change switch is turned ON, The battery temperature control system according to claim 1 , wherein the battery temperature control system determines that the vehicle is in an inoperable state or an inoperable state.

5. A vehicle equipped with the battery temperature control system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images