control device

Abstract

The present invention provides a control device that can suppress the temperature rise of the object being cooled while suppressing a decrease in drivability. [Solution] The control device 7 includes a control unit that controls the charging output of a generator that generates power to charge a battery mounted on the vehicle. The control unit does not increase the limit amount that restricts the charging output if the temperature detected by a water temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water circulating between the inverter that drives the rotating electric machine for the vehicle's traction and the cooling device that cools the inverter is below a certain threshold, but increases the limit amount if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a control device.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a cooling system for a HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle). The cooling system for the HEV suppresses excessive temperature rise of an inverter, a motor, etc. by radiating heat generated by the inverter, the motor, etc., that is, loss, to the atmosphere from a radiator, which is a heat radiator, through cooling water. The amount of heat generated by the inverter, the motor, etc. is determined by the motor operating point, and the absolute value of the loss increases as the motor output increases. Since the performance of the radiator varies greatly depending on the amount of air flowing through the radiator, it is important how to increase the running air. For example, when the vehicle is traveling at about 60 km / h, since there is a lot of running air, the amount of air flowing through the radiator increases, and the amount of heat exchange between the radiator and the cooling water increases. However, in situations where running air cannot be expected, such as when the vehicle is stopped or traveling at low speed, the amount of heat exchange decreases. Therefore, in such a situation, in order to increase the amount of heat exchange, it is necessary to operate the radiator fan by forcibly operating the fan motor to supplement the air volume.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In situations where the road is narrow and the incline is steep, the vehicle may travel at a low speed of, for example, 10 km / h for extended periods. In such situations, airflow cannot be expected, and the amount of heat dissipated by the radiator may be insufficient to compensate for the losses incurred by the PCU (Power Control Unit) and motor generator that make up the HEV, potentially causing the water temperature to rise. Even in this case, as mentioned above, the airflow can be compensated for by forcibly operating the radiator fan, but in situations where airflow cannot be expected, the radiator fan alone may not be able to compensate for the heat dissipation, and the water temperature may continue to rise. In some cases, the output of the PCU may be limited to protect it, meaning that the object being cooled may enter an emergency state. As a result, drivability may decrease, potentially causing anxiety to the driver. Thus, conventional technology has room for improvement in suppressing the temperature rise of the object being cooled while suppressing the decrease in drivability.

[0005] This disclosure provides a control device that can suppress the temperature rise of the object being cooled while suppressing a decrease in drivability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control unit that controls the charging output of a generator that generates power to charge a battery mounted on a vehicle, wherein the control unit does not increase the limiting amount that limits the charging output when the temperature detected by a water temperature sensor that detects the temperature of cooling water circulating between an inverter that drives a rotating electric machine for the vehicle to move and a cooling device that cools the inverter is below a certain threshold, and increases the limiting amount when the temperature exceeds the certain threshold. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a control device that can suppress the temperature rise of the object being cooled while suppressing a decrease in drivability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1]Figure 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle 100 including a control device 7 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows the time change of water temperature detected by the water temperature sensor 212. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is a diagram illustrating the general operation of the control device 7. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is a diagram illustrating the general operation of the control device 7. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 7. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of sensor group 200. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the CPU 71A of the control device 7. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows the timing of control switching by the control unit 712. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a control map. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the control device 7. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, one aspect of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements shown in the drawings do not necessarily correspond to reality. Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited in any way to the following embodiments, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of this disclosure.

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle 100 including a control device 7 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle 100 is an HEV, and specifically, the vehicle 100 is a series hybrid automobile that uses the internal combustion engine 1 solely for power generation.

[0011] Vehicle 100 includes an internal combustion engine 1, a rotating electric machine 2 which is a motor generator driven by the internal combustion engine 1 to generate electricity, a battery 3 which stores the electricity generated by the rotating electric machine 2, and a rotating electric machine 4 which is a motor generator for driving the drive wheels of vehicle 100, supplied with power from the battery 3. Vehicle 100 also includes a PCU 5, a drivetrain 6, a control device 7, an oil cooler 8, and a cooling system 9.

[0012] The internal combustion engine 1 and the drive wheels are mechanically disconnected. The internal combustion engine 1 can rotate or stop independently of the rotating electric motor 4 and the drive wheels. In a vehicle 100 with the ignition switch (power switch or ignition key) turned ON, if the battery 3 has stored sufficient power, when the driver presses the accelerator pedal, the vehicle 100 can run using the rotating electric motor 4 as the power source without operating the internal combustion engine 1.

[0013] The rotational driving force from the internal combustion engine 1 is input to the rotating electric machine 2, which then generates electricity. The generated electricity is supplied to the battery 3 and the rotating electric machine 4.

[0014] The rotating electric machine 4 is a main motor, a three-phase AC motor, or the like, that generates the driving force for the vehicle's movement. The driving force of the rotating electric machine 4 may be input to the drive wheels via the drivetrain 6. The rotating electric machine 4 may generate regenerative power by rotating in accordance with the rotation of the drive wheels. The drivetrain 6 may include a power transmission system, tires, etc.

[0015] The PCU5 is equipped with inverters 51 and 52. Inverter 51 converts the AC power generated by the rotating electric machine 2 into DC power and inputs this DC power to the battery 3 and inverter 52. Inverter 52 converts the DC power supplied from the battery 3 and inverter 51 into AC power and inputs this AC power to the rotating electric machine 4. In addition, during regenerative braking of the vehicle, inverter 52 converts the AC power generated by the rotating electric machine 4 into DC power and inputs this DC power to the battery 3.

[0016] The battery 3 is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. The battery 3 charges and stores the electric power generated by each of the rotating electrical machines 2 and 4. The battery 3 also supplies electric power for rotating the rotating electrical machine 4 to the inverter 52.

[0017] The control device 7 is a hybrid ECU (Electronic Control Unit) that generates commands for setting the outputs of the rotating electrical machine 2 and the rotating electrical machine 4. Based on information from the sensor group mounted on the vehicle 100, the control device 7 generates torque commands, speed commands, position commands, etc. for the rotating electrical machine 2 and the rotating electrical machine 4, thereby controlling the current, voltage, electric power, etc. for driving them.

[0018] For example, based on the detection from the sensor group mounted on the vehicle 100, the control device 7 calculates the target torque of the rotating electrical machine 4 corresponding to the accelerator opening, and generates and outputs a command for controlling the rotating electrical machine 4 with a torque corresponding to the target torque. Based on the temperature detected by the water temperature sensor 212, the control device 7 calculates the charging output of the rotating electrical machine 2, and generates and outputs a command (charging output command) for controlling the rotating electrical machine 2 with a torque corresponding to the charging output. The details of the configuration of the control device 7 will be described later.

[0019] The cooling device 9 is a radiator that cools the rotating electrical machine 2, the rotating electrical machine 4, the PCU 5, etc. by radiating the heat of the cooling water 300 circulating through the cooling device 9, the oil cooler 8, and the PCU 5 into the atmosphere. The oil cooler 8 is a device that cools the oil circulating through, for example, the rotating electrical machine 2, the rotating electrical machine 4, and the transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the rotating electrical machine 4 to the drive train 6. When the cooling water 300 passes through the oil cooler 8, heat exchange is performed between the oil flowing through the oil cooler 8 and the cooling water 300.

[0020] The amount of heat exchanged between the cooling device 9 and the coolant 300 increases as the airflow rate passing through the cooling device 9 increases. The airflow rate passing through the cooling device 9 increases as the vehicle 100's speed increases. The airflow rate passing through the cooling device 9 can also be increased by the rotation of the radiator fan 91 connected to the fan motor 92, which is activated by the forced operation of the fan motor 92.

[0021] The fan motor 92 may be controlled by the control device 7 based on the temperature of the cooling water 300, for example, or other functions may be controlled based on the temperature of the cooling water 300. By increasing the amount of heat exchange, for example, the heat generated by at least one of the inverters 51 and 52 included in the PCU 5 can be effectively radiated into the atmosphere, thereby suppressing the temperature rise of the PCU 5. Hereinafter, the temperature of the cooling water 300 may be simply referred to as the water temperature.

[0022] Here, we will explain the changes in water temperature when vehicle 100 is traveling at a low speed up a narrow, steep incline. Figure 2 shows the change in water temperature over time as detected by the water temperature sensor 212. In Figure 2, the vertical axis represents water temperature and the horizontal axis represents time. When vehicle 100 was driven at about 15 km / h on an actual road with a gradient of about 21% (for example, Kuragari Pass), even with the fan motor 92 in the ON state, the water temperature rose by about 3°C ​​every 60 seconds, as shown in Figure 2. In other words, in situations where airflow cannot be expected, the radiator fan 91 alone may not be able to compensate for the heat dissipation, and the water temperature may continue to rise.

[0023] The control device 7 of this disclosure is configured to suppress the increase in losses, i.e., the increase in heat, caused by the operation of the PCU 5, by generating a control command that increases the limit on the charging output by the rotating electric machine 2 for power generation when there is a possibility that the water temperature will continue to rise in a situation in which airflow cannot be expected. Losses caused by the operation of the PCU 5 include, for example, the heat generated by the rotation of the rotating electric machine 2 and the heat generated by the switching operation of IGBTs and other components that make up the inverter 51.

[0024] Figures 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the operation overview of the control device 7. Figures 3A and 3B show the work done by the driving rotating electric machine 4 and the work done by the power generating rotating electric machine 2. Figure 3A shows the work done by the rotating electric machine 2 when the control device 7 has not increased the limit on the charging output by the rotating electric machine 2. Figure 3B shows the work done by the rotating electric machine 2 when the control device 7 has increased the limit on the charging output by the rotating electric machine 2.

[0025] The work done by the rotating electric machine 2 includes work A for charging the battery 3, work B for transmission losses from the rotating electric machine 2 to the rotating electric machine 4, and work C for supplying the power required by the rotating electric machine 4 for driving. Work A fluctuates according to the charge state of the battery 3, i.e., the State of Charge (SOC).

[0026] By limiting the charging output, the amount of work A decreases, which reduces the switching operation of IGBTs and other components, and thus reduces the amount of heat generated by the inverter 51. This reduction in the amount of heat generated by the inverter 51 prevents situations where the output of the PCU 5 needs to be limited to protect the PCU 5.

[0027] Furthermore, measures such as adding a dedicated cooler in anticipation of situations where sufficient airflow cannot be expected become unnecessary. This helps to suppress the increase in manufacturing costs of vehicle 100 that would otherwise be incurred by adding a dedicated cooler. In addition, since there is no longer a need to secure space in vehicle 100, PCU5, etc., for the dedicated cooler, it does not hinder the miniaturization of vehicle 100 and PCU5, and thus helps to suppress the increase in manufacturing costs of vehicle 100 and PCU5.

[0028] Furthermore, since there is no need to replace the dedicated cooler with measures such as improving the cooling performance of the cooling device 9, the increase in the manufacturing cost of the cooling device 9 can be suppressed.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the control device 7 of this disclosure, it is possible to suppress the increase in losses occurring in the PCU 5 without using expensive components such as SiC semiconductor switching elements with low switching losses in the inverter 51, for example. Therefore, it is possible to suppress both the decrease in drivability and the temperature rise of the object being cooled while suppressing the increase in the manufacturing cost of the PCU 5.

[0030] Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 7 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the control device 7. The control device 7 comprises a control unit 71, a communication unit 72, and a storage unit 73.

[0031] The control unit 71 consists of a device including a general-purpose computer. The control unit 71 includes a CPU 71A, ROM 71B, RAM 71C, and an input / output interface (I / O) 71D. The CPU 71A, ROM 71B, RAM 71C, and I / O interface 71D are connected to each other via a bus 71E. The bus 71E includes a control bus, an address bus, and a data bus, etc.

[0032] The input / output interface 71D is connected to the communication unit 72, the memory unit 73, and the sensor group 200. The communication unit 72 is an interface for communicating with external devices such as the PCU 5, brake ECU, and EPS.

[0033] The memory unit 73 is composed of a non-volatile external storage device such as a hard disk. The memory unit 73 stores the control program 73A.

[0034] CPU71A is an example of a computer. Here, "computer" refers to a processor in a broad sense, and may include general-purpose processors or specialized processors (e.g., GPU: Graphics Processing Unit, ASIC: Application Specific Integrated Circuit, FPGA: Field Programmable Gate Array, programmable logic device, etc.).

[0035] The control program 73A may be stored in the storage unit 73 by being stored on a non-volatile, non-transitory recording medium or distributed via a network and installed appropriately on the control device 7. Furthermore, the control program 73A may be updated as appropriate via so-called OTA (Over The Air).

[0036] Examples of non-volatile, non-transitional recording media include CD-ROMs (Compact Disc Read Only Memory), magneto-optical disks, HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), DVD-ROMs (Digital Versatile Disc Read Only Memory), flash memory, and memory cards.

[0037] Vehicle 100 may be equipped with numerous sensors for measuring various physical quantities. Figure 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a sensor group 200. The sensor group 200 includes a wheel speed sensor 201, an acceleration sensor 202, a current sensor 203, an external camera 204, an accelerator sensor 205, an external temperature sensor 206, and a gradient sensor 207. The sensor group 200 may also include a brake sensor 208, a parking sensor 209, a yaw rate sensor 210, a rotation speed sensor 211, and a water temperature sensor 212.

[0038] The wheel speed sensor 201 is a sensor for measuring the number of rotations of the wheel per unit time. The acceleration sensor 202 is a sensor for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle 100. The current sensor 203 is a sensor for detecting the value of the current flowing through the rotating electric machine 4. The signal indicating the value of the drive current detected by the current sensor 203 is input to the control device 7. Based on the input value of the drive current, the control device 7 can determine the magnitude of the driving force generated by the rotating electric machine 4.

[0039] The external camera 204 is a camera that photographs the area around the vehicle 100, and is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) camera. The accelerator sensor 205 is a sensor that detects the amount of accelerator pedal operation, i.e., the accelerator opening angle. The signal indicating the amount of accelerator pedal operation detected by the accelerator sensor 205 is input to the control device 7.

[0040] The external temperature sensor 206 is a sensor that detects the external temperature of the vehicle 100. The gradient sensor 207 is a sensor that detects the gradient of the road surface on which the vehicle 100 is traveling. The brake sensor 208 is a sensor that detects the brake hydraulic pressure of the brake system. The parking sensor 209 is a sensor that detects whether the parking brake of the vehicle 100 is on or off. The yaw rate sensor 210 is a sensor for detecting the yaw rate of the vehicle 100. The rotation speed sensor 211 is a sensor for detecting the rotation angle and rotation speed of the rotating electric machine 4.

[0041] The water temperature sensor 212 is a sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water 300 circulating between the PCU 5 and the cooling device 9. The water temperature sensor 212 is installed, for example, near the inlet where the cooling water 300 is introduced into the PCU 5.

[0042] The location of the water temperature sensor 212 is not limited to this. The water temperature sensor 212 may be located near the outlet where the coolant 300 is discharged from the PCU 5, or near the inlet where the coolant 300 is introduced into the oil cooler 8. Alternatively, the water temperature sensor 212 may be located near the inlet where the coolant 300 heated by the oil cooler 8 is introduced into the cooling system 9.

[0043] The control device 7 can manage the temperature change of the PCU 5 by changing the criteria, or control reference point, depending on the installation position of the water temperature sensor 212.

[0044] Next, an example of the functional configuration of the CPU 71A of the control device 7 will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the CPU 71A of the control device 7. Here, we will describe the function for controlling the inverter 51, which controls the rotation of the rotating electric machine 2 for power generation, which is a feature of the present invention.

[0045] The CPU 71A functions as one of the functional units shown in Figure 6 by reading and executing the control program 73A stored in the memory unit 73 (see Figure 4). The CPU 71A includes an information input unit 711 and a control unit 712, among others.

[0046] (Information input section 711) The information input unit 711 receives information detected by the sensor group 200.

[0047] (Control Unit 712) The control unit 712 does not increase the limiting amount that restricts the charging output of the rotating electric machine 2, which is a generator, if the water temperature input to the information input unit 711 is below a specific threshold, but increases the limiting amount if the temperature exceeds the specific threshold. This control example will be described in detail below.

[0048] (Normal charging control) As shown in Figure 7, for example, the control unit 712 performs normal charging control when the water temperature detected near the inlet where the cooling water 300 is introduced into the PCU 5, that is, near the inlet of the PCU 5, is below a certain threshold T2 (for example, 58°C). Normal charging control is a control that changes the amount of charge according to the State of Charge (SOC) of the battery 3 without changing the aforementioned limit on the charging output according to the water temperature, that is, without limiting the charging output.

[0049] For example, if the estimated SOC value based on the voltage of battery 3 tends to be low (for example, around SOC = 40%), the control unit 712 determines that charging of battery 3 is necessary and controls the inverter 51 to generate a constant charging output until the SOC reaches a specific value. Then, when the SOC reaches the specific value, the control unit 712 controls the inverter 51 to stop the charging output.

[0050] (Control to limit charging output, control to stop charging output) As shown in Figure 7, for example, the control unit 712 executes control to limit the charging output or to stop the charging output if the water temperature detected near the inlet where the cooling water 300 is introduced into the PCU 5 exceeds a specific threshold T2 (e.g., 58°C).

[0051] Specifically, the control unit 712 performs control to limit the charging output, that is, control to suppress the charging output, when the water temperature exceeds a specific threshold T2 (e.g., 58°C) and is less than or equal to a threshold T1 (e.g., 65°C) that is higher than threshold T2.

[0052] More specifically, the control unit 712 limits the charging output using the control map shown in Figure 8. The control map is information that associates multiple temperatures of different values ​​with multiple charging output limits of different values. As an example, the control map in Figure 8 associates multiple water temperatures ranging from 59°C to 64°C, each differing by 1°C, with the corresponding charging output limit for each of these water temperatures. As shown in Figure 8, the charging output limit is set to decrease by 10% as the water temperature rises, for example. In other words, the charging output limit increases by 10% as the water temperature rises. In the example in Figure 8, when the water temperature rises from 59°C to 60°C, the charging output limit decreases from 90% to 80%, meaning the limit increases by 10%. Similarly, when the water temperature rises from 63°C to 64°C, the charging output limit decreases from 50% to 40%.

[0053] Note that the values ​​in the control map shown in Figure 8 are just examples, and different values ​​may be set in the control map. For example, from 59°C to 61°C, the control amount of the charging output may be reduced by 5% for every 1°C increase in water temperature, and from 61°C to 64°C, the control amount of the charging output may be reduced by 15% for every 1°C increase in water temperature. In other words, the rate of change of the limit amount of the charging output may increase as the water temperature rises.

[0054] The control unit 712 controls the system to stop charging if the water temperature exceeds a threshold T1 (e.g., 65°C), that is, it limits the charging output to 100%. At this time, the control unit 712 may also stop charging on the condition that the State of Charge (SOC) is above the minimum value necessary that does not affect driving (e.g., 40%).

[0055] (Another configuration example of the control unit 712 1) The control unit 712 may perform control (charge output limit control) to increase the limit amount of the charge output if the water temperature exceeds a certain threshold while the fan (radiator fan 91) that blows air to the cooling device 9 is running.

[0056] Specifically, the control unit 712 does not perform charging output limit control when the radiator fan 91 is not running because there is no need to suppress the rise in water temperature. When the water temperature exceeds a certain threshold T2 (e.g., 58°C) and the radiator fan 91 is started to suppress the rise in water temperature, the control unit 712 performs charging output limit control. If the water temperature falls below a certain threshold T2 (e.g., 58°C) while the charging output limit control is being performed, the control unit 712 stops the fan motor 92 and switches to normal charging control.

[0057] With this configuration, when the water temperature exceeds a certain threshold T2 (e.g., 58°C), the radiator fan 91 is activated, and the charging output is limited, thereby effectively suppressing the rise in water temperature and further reducing the temperature rise of the PCU 5.

[0058] In this disclosure, an example configuration is described in which the charging output limit control is performed when the water temperature exceeds a certain threshold while the radiator fan 91 is running. However, the control unit 712 may start the charging output limit control before the radiator fan 91 starts up. In other words, the start timing of the charging output limit control may be earlier than the start timing of the radiator fan 91. This effectively suppresses the rise in water temperature, and because the rise in water temperature is suppressed, the start timing of the radiator fan 91 can be delayed, thereby suppressing the power consumption required to drive the fan motor 92.

[0059] (Another configuration example of the control unit 712 2) The control unit 712 increases the limit on the charging output when the water temperature is on an upward trend after exceeding a certain threshold, and decreases the limit on the charging output when the water temperature is on a downward trend after increasing the limit on the charging output.

[0060] Specifically, when the water temperature exceeds a certain threshold T2 (e.g., 58°C) and rises to 59°C, the control unit 712 determines that the water temperature is on an upward trend and sets a specific value (e.g., 10%) as the limit for the charging output. Subsequently, when the water temperature increases from 59°C to 60°C, the control unit 712 determines that the water temperature is still on an upward trend and sets the limit for the charging output to a value obtained by adding a specific value (e.g., 10%) to the previous specific value (e.g., 10%), resulting in 20%. In this way, by increasing the limit for the charging output, it is possible to charge the battery 3 while slowing down the rise in water temperature.

[0061] Furthermore, if the incline of the uphill climb becomes gentler, and the vehicle speed increases, allowing for greater airflow, the rising water temperature may begin to decline. When the water temperature begins to decline in this way, for example, from 61°C to 60°C, the system determines that the water temperature is on a downward trend and sets the latest charging output limit to 20%, which is obtained by subtracting a specific value (for example, 10%) from the previously set charging output limit (for example, 30%). If the water temperature then declines further to 59°C, the control unit 712 sets the charging output limit to 10%, which is obtained by subtracting a specific value (for example, 10%) from the previous specific value (for example, 20%). In this way, by reducing the charging output limit, it is possible to increase the amount of charge to the battery 3 while suppressing the rise in water temperature.

[0062] The operation of the control device 7 will be explained below with reference to Figure 9. Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the control device 7. The process shown in Figure 9 is initiated, for example, when a charge request is input to the control unit 712.

[0063] In step S1, immediately after receiving the charging request, the control unit 712 starts normal charging control (normal charging control).

[0064] In step S2, the control unit 712, which is performing normal charging control, determines whether the water temperature exceeds the threshold T1 (for example, 65°C) by comparing the water temperature with the threshold T1.

[0065] If the water temperature is below the threshold T1, the control unit 712 executes the process in step S3. If the water temperature exceeds the threshold T1, the control unit 712 stops charging by executing the process in step S8. In step S8, the charging control is stopped after ensuring a minimum SOC that does not affect driving.

[0066] In step S3, the control unit 712 determines whether the water temperature is above a threshold T2 (for example, 58°C). If the water temperature is above the threshold T2, the control unit 712 executes the process in step S4. If the water temperature is below the threshold T2, the PCU 5 is not in a high-temperature state, so the control unit 712 continues normal charging control by repeating the processes from step S1 onward.

[0067] In step S4, the control unit 712, for example, uses the control map described above to perform control that limits the charging output according to the water temperature. As described above, the control in step S4 is performed to limit the charging output in stages. Furthermore, the control to limit the charging output calculates the average value of the water temperature every 60 seconds, as shown in Figure 2, and uses the charging output control amount corresponding to the calculated average value.

[0068] After limiting the charging output, in step S5, the control unit 712 again compares the water temperature with a threshold T1 (e.g., 65°C). If the water temperature is less than or equal to the threshold T1, it executes the process in step S6. If the water temperature exceeds the threshold T1, it executes the process in step S8.

[0069] In step S6, the control unit 712 determines whether the water temperature has dropped to a threshold T2, which is lower than the threshold T1. Specifically, the control unit 712 determines whether the water temperature below threshold T1 is equal to or greater than threshold T2 (for example, 58°C). If the water temperature is equal to or greater than threshold T2, the control unit 712 repeats the process from step S4 onward in order to continue limiting the charging output. If the water temperature is below threshold T2, the control unit 712 executes the process in step S7 in order to switch to normal charging control without limiting the charging output. After the process in step S7, the control unit 712 repeatedly executes the process from step S1 onward.

[0070] As described above, the control device 7 of this disclosure is configured such that when the water temperature of the cooling water 300 circulating between the PCU 5, which includes the inverter 51, and the cooling device 9 is below a certain threshold, the limiting amount for limiting the charging output is not increased, and when the water temperature exceeds a certain threshold, the limiting amount for limiting the charging output is increased.

[0071] This configuration allows for an increase in the State of Charge (SOC) of battery 3 by not limiting the charging output when the coolant temperature 300 is below a certain threshold, thereby providing the power necessary for driving vehicle 100. Furthermore, by limiting the charging output when the coolant temperature 300 exceeds a certain threshold, the SOC of battery 3 can be maintained while suppressing the decrease in drivability caused by the temperature rise of PCU 5.

[0072] The control program 73A of this disclosure may be installed in an information processing device such as a server that includes at least one processor. In this case, the server receives information detected by the sensor group 200 and, based on the received information and the control program 73A, performs specific control in which, if the water temperature of the coolant 300 circulating between the PCU 5 including the inverter 51 and the cooling device 9 is below a specific threshold, the limit amount for limiting the charging output is not increased, and if the water temperature exceeds the specific threshold, the limit amount for limiting the charging output is increased, and transmits the control command to the control device 7 of the vehicle 100. The server may also control the limit amount for limiting the charging output using information that associates multiple water temperatures of different values ​​with multiple limit amounts for limiting the charging output of different values ​​in the specific control. Furthermore, the server may perform control in which, if the water temperature exceeds a specific threshold while the radiator fan 91 that blows air to the cooling device 9 is running, the server increases the limit amount for limiting the charging output. Furthermore, in specific control operations, the server may increase the limit on the charging output when the water temperature is on an upward trend after exceeding a certain threshold, and may decrease the limit on the charging output when the water temperature is on a downward trend after increasing the limit on the charging output.

[0073] The following additional information is disclosed regarding the above-described embodiments.

[0074] (Note 1) It includes a control unit that controls the charging output of a generator that generates power to charge the battery installed in the vehicle, The control unit is a control device that, when the temperature detected by a water temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water circulating between an inverter that drives a rotating electric machine for the vehicle's traction and a cooling device that cools the inverter is below a certain threshold, does not increase the limiting amount that limits the charging output, and when the temperature exceeds the certain threshold, increases the limiting amount.

[0075] (Note 2) The control device according to Appendix 1, wherein the control unit controls the limit amount using information that associates multiple temperatures of different values ​​with multiple limit amounts of different values.

[0076] (Note 3) The control device according to Appendix 1, wherein the control unit controls the fan that blows air to the cooling device to increase the limit amount when the temperature exceeds a specific threshold while the fan is running.

[0077] (Note 4) The control device according to Appendix 1, wherein the control unit increases the limit amount when the temperature is on an upward trend after the temperature has exceeded a specific threshold, and decreases the limit amount when the temperature is on a downward trend after the limit amount has been increased.

[0078] (Note 5) At least one processor, It controls the charging output of the generator that generates power to charge the battery installed in the vehicle. If the temperature detected by the water temperature sensor, which detects the temperature of the cooling water circulating between the inverter that drives the rotating electric machine for the vehicle's traction and the cooling device that cools the inverter, is below a certain threshold, the limiting amount that restricts the charging output will not be increased. If the temperature exceeds the certain threshold, the limiting amount will be increased. A control program that executes a process that includes the following.

[0079] (Note 6) At least one processor, It controls the charging output of the generator that generates power to charge the battery installed in the vehicle. If the temperature detected by the water temperature sensor, which detects the temperature of the cooling water circulating between the inverter that drives the rotating electric machine for the vehicle's traction and the cooling device that cools the inverter, is below a certain threshold, the limiting amount that restricts the charging output will not be increased. If the temperature exceeds the certain threshold, the limiting amount will be increased. A control method for executing a process that includes the following.

[0080] The control unit and method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer comprising a processor programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, the apparatus and method described herein may be implemented by a dedicated computer comprising a processor composed of dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the apparatus and method described herein may be implemented by one or more dedicated computers comprising a combination of a processor that executes a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored as instructions executed by the computer on a computer-readable non-transitional tangible recording medium. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0081] 1. Internal combustion engine 2 Rotating Electric Machines 3 Batteries 4 Rotating Electric Machines 5 PCU 6 Drivetrain 7 Control device 8. Oil cooler 9 Cooling device 51 Inverter 52 Inverters 71 Control Unit 71A CPU 71B ROM 71C RAM 71D Input / Output Interface 71E Bus 72 Communications Department 73 Memory section 73A Control Program 91 Radiator fan 92 Fan motor 100 vehicles 200 sensor group 201 Wheel speed sensor 202 Accelerometer 203 Current Sensor 204 Exterior car camera 205 Accelerator Sensor 206 External temperature sensor 207 Gradient Sensor 208 Brake Sensor 209 Parking Sensor 210 Yaw Rate Sensor 211 Rotation speed sensor 212 Water temperature sensor 300 Cooling water 711 Information Input Section 712 Control Unit

Claims

1. It includes a control unit that controls the charging output of a generator that generates power to charge the battery installed in the vehicle, The control unit is a control device that, when the temperature detected by a water temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the cooling water circulating between an inverter that drives a rotating electric machine for the vehicle's traction and a cooling device that cools the inverter is below a certain threshold, does not increase the limiting amount that limits the charging output, and when the temperature exceeds the certain threshold, increases the limiting amount.

2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the limit amount using information that associates a plurality of temperatures of different values ​​with a plurality of limit amounts of different values.

3. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the amount of the limit to increase if the temperature exceeds a specific threshold while the fan supplying air to the cooling device is running.

4. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit increases the limit amount when the temperature is on an upward trend after the temperature has exceeded a specific threshold, and decreases the limit amount when the temperature is on a downward trend after the limit amount has been increased.

Images