Hybrid vehicle

Abstract

To identify required travelling energy with good accuracy, with respect to a series of sections on which a hybrid vehicle travels in an EV travelling mode.SOLUTION: A control device of a hybrid vehicle can execute: a process for obtaining a predicted travel route; a process for determining, as EV sections, a series of sections on which the hybrid vehicle travels in an EV travelling mode from among a plurality of sections constituting the predicted travel route; a process for identifying required travelling energy that is required for the vehicle to travel in the EV sections; a process for setting a target value for residual amounts of charge of a battery on the basis of the identified required travelling energy; and a process for selectively executing a plurality of travelling modes so that the residual amounts of charge of the battery are above the target value at timing when the hybrid vehicle enters the EV sections. In the process for identifying the required travelling energy, a maximum value of integrated values obtained by sequentially integrating the required travelling energy in the sections included in the EV sections in an order of travelling of the hybrid vehicle is identified as the required travelling energy.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to hybrid vehicles.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a power generation system mounted on a vehicle. This power generation system includes a generator driven by an engine, a battery that can be charged by the generator, and a control device. The control device controls the charging of the battery by the generator based on the content of the predicted driving route of the vehicle (for example, urban area, suburbs, driving time zone, etc.).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Hybrid vehicles equipped with a driving motor and an engine are known. Hybrid vehicles can selectively execute a plurality of driving modes such as an EV driving mode and an HV driving mode. Here, the EV driving mode refers to a driving mode in which the vehicle travels with the motor while the engine is stopped, and the HV driving mode refers to a mode in which the vehicle travels with the engine and / or the motor while the engine is running.

[0005] In recent years, there has been a movement to restrict the driving of vehicles with engine operation in specific areas such as urban areas. When driving in such a specific area, hybrid vehicles are strongly required to drive in the EV driving mode. The cruising range in the EV driving mode depends on the remaining charge of the battery, and the battery cannot be charged while driving within the specific area. Therefore, when a hybrid vehicle plans to drive in a specific area, it is necessary to increase the remaining charge of the battery in advance before the hybrid vehicle enters the specific area.

[0006] Regarding the above points, if the predicted driving route of the hybrid vehicle is known in advance, it is possible to grasp in advance that the hybrid vehicle will drive in the specific area. Then, a series of sections included in the specific area are determined from the predicted driving route, and by specifying in advance the required driving energy required to drive in that series of sections in the EV driving mode, the remaining charge of the battery can be increased in advance according to the required driving energy.

[0007] However, a series of sections driven in the EV driving mode (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "EV sections") may include not only power running sections but also regeneration sections. The power running section here means a section where the power consumption by the motor exceeds the regenerative power by the motor. On the other hand, the regeneration section means a section where the regenerative power by the motor exceeds the power consumption by the motor, such as a long downhill slope. When the EV section includes a regeneration section, even if the required driving energy of each section included in the EV section is simply added up, the actual required driving energy required to drive the EV section cannot be obtained.

[0008] For example, assume that the EV section includes a power running section and a regeneration section in that order. In this case, while the required driving energy for the power running section is a positive value, the required driving energy for the regeneration section is a negative value, so it is possible that their sum value becomes zero or negative. However, when the hybrid vehicle proceeds to the EV section, it is necessary to secure in the battery the required driving energy required to travel the first power running section, and that value is independent of the required driving energy (i.e., the amount of charge) of the subsequent regeneration section. That is, if the required driving energy for each section included in the EV section is simply added up, the required driving energy required to travel the EV section will be estimated to be lower than the actually required energy.

[0009] In view of the above circumstances, this specification provides a technique for accurately specifying the required driving energy for a series of sections traveled in the EV driving mode.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0010] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes a motor and an engine for driving, a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged with the generated power by the motor, and a control device that is configured to be able to control the motor and the engine and selectively execute a plurality of driving modes. The plurality of driving modes include at least an EV driving mode in which the vehicle travels with the motor while the engine is stopped, and an HV driving mode in which the vehicle travels with the engine and / or the motor while the engine is operating. The control device is capable of executing a process of acquiring a predicted travel route, a process of determining, as an EV section, a series of sections that are traveled in the EV driving mode from among a plurality of sections constituting the predicted travel route, a process of specifying the required travel energy required to travel the EV section, a process of setting a target value for the remaining charge amount of the battery based on the specified required travel energy, and a process of selectively executing the plurality of driving modes so that the remaining charge amount of the battery becomes equal to or greater than the target value when the hybrid vehicle enters the EV section. In the process of specifying the required travel energy, the maximum value of the integrated values obtained by sequentially integrating the required travel energy of each section included in the EV section in the travel order of the hybrid vehicle is specified as the required travel energy.

[0011] In the above configuration, the required travel energy of each section included in the EV section is sequentially integrated in the travel order of the hybrid vehicle, and the maximum value that the integrated value can take is specified as the required travel energy. According to such a configuration, even when the EV section includes a regeneration section, the required travel energy required to travel the EV section can be accurately specified. As a result, sufficient charge can be secured in the battery in advance before the hybrid vehicle enters the EV section, and the hybrid vehicle can travel through the EV section in the EV driving mode.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] In one embodiment of the present technology, in the process of determining the EV section, the EV section may be determined such that a regeneration section where the regenerative power by the motor exceeds the power consumption by the motor is included. According to such a configuration, the hybrid vehicle can travel in the regeneration section in the EV driving mode. In the regeneration section, since the battery can be charged by the motor, by traveling in the regeneration section in the EV driving mode, the battery can be efficiently charged.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present technology, in the process of determining the EV section, the EV section may be determined so as to include a specific section located within a specific area where the operation of the engine is restricted. According to such a configuration, the hybrid vehicle can travel in the EV driving mode in a specific section where the operation of the engine is restricted. Note that the specific area may be defined as a specific urbanized area for the purpose of reducing environmental load, or may be temporarily defined according to the time zone, traffic conditions, etc.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present technology, in the process of specifying the required driving energy, when the maximum value of the integrated value becomes a negative value, the required driving energy may be specified as zero. According to such a configuration, it is possible to avoid a significant decrease in the remaining charge amount of the battery.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present technology, in the process of selectively executing a plurality of driving modes, the EV driving mode may be executed when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery is at least greater than the target value. According to such a configuration, the control device can secure the charge amount corresponding to the target value in the battery at the timing when the hybrid vehicle enters the EV section. In addition, the control device can execute the EV driving mode when there is a sufficient margin in the remaining charge amount of the battery in a section before the EV section. Thereby, the energy efficiency of the hybrid vehicle can be improved.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present technology, in the process of selectively executing a plurality of driving modes, the EV driving mode is executed when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery exceeds a threshold value obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the target value, and the HV driving mode is executed when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery is below the threshold value. According to such a configuration, it is possible to suppress or avoid a decrease in the remaining charge amount of the battery prior to the hybrid vehicle entering the EV section.

[0018] In the above-described embodiment, the HV driving mode may include an HV driving mode and a charging HV driving mode in which the amount of charge to the battery is larger than that in the normal HV driving mode. In this case, in the process of selectively executing a plurality of driving modes, when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery exceeds the target value, the normal HV driving mode is executed, and when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery is lower than the target value, the charging HV driving mode may be executed instead of the normal HV driving mode. According to such a configuration, it is possible to suppress or avoid a decrease in the remaining charge amount of the battery when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery is lower than the threshold value obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the target value and exceeds the target value. In addition, when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery is lower than the target value, the remaining charge amount of the battery can be increased. Therefore, even when the remaining charge amount of the battery is relatively small, it is possible to secure in the battery a charge amount corresponding to the required driving energy at the timing when the hybrid vehicle enters the EV section.

[0019] The technology disclosed in this specification is also embodied in the following hybrid vehicle. This hybrid vehicle includes a motor and an engine for driving, a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged with the generated power by the motor, and a control device that is configured to be able to control the motor and the engine and selectively execute a plurality of driving modes. The plurality of driving modes include at least an EV driving mode in which the vehicle travels with the motor while the engine is stopped, and an HV driving mode in which the vehicle travels with the engine and / or the motor while the engine is operating. The control device is capable of executing a process of acquiring a predicted driving route, a process of determining, as an EV section, a series of sections in the predicted driving route that are traveled in the EV driving mode from among a plurality of sections constituting the predicted driving route, a process of specifying the required driving energy required to travel the EV section, a process of setting a target value for the remaining charge amount of the battery based on the specified required driving energy, and a process of selectively executing the plurality of driving modes such that the remaining charge amount of the battery becomes equal to or greater than the target value when the hybrid vehicle enters the EV section. In the process of specifying the required driving energy, a value obtained by summing up the required driving energy of each section after excluding those having a negative value among the required driving energy of each section included in the EV section is specified as the required driving energy.

[0020] In the above configuration, among the required driving energies of each section included in the EV section, after excluding those with negative values, the value obtained by summing up the required driving energies of each section is specified as the required driving energy. According to such a configuration, even when a regeneration section is included in the EV section, it is possible to avoid the required driving energy for traveling in the EV section being estimated lower than the actual value. As a result, prior to the hybrid vehicle entering the EV section, it is possible to ensure a sufficient charge in the battery in advance, and the hybrid vehicle can travel through the EV section in the EV driving mode. Note that the specific calculation procedure of the required driving energy is not particularly limited. As long as the calculated required driving energy is equal to the value obtained by summing up the required driving energies of each section included in the EV section after excluding those with negative values, the calculation procedure may be appropriately changed.

[0021] With reference to the drawings, the hybrid vehicle 10 of the present embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle 10") will be described. The vehicle 10 of the present embodiment belongs to an electric vehicle having a motor 18 that drives the wheels 14f and 14r, and is typically an electric vehicle (so-called automobile) that travels on a road surface. However, part or all of the technology described in the present embodiment can be similarly adopted for electric vehicles that travel on a track. Further, the vehicle 10 is not limited to being operated by a user, and may be remotely operated by an external device or may be autonomously driven.

[0022] Here, in the drawings, the direction FR indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction RR indicates the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10. Also, the direction LH indicates the left in the left-right direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction RH indicates the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle 10. Further, the direction UP indicates the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction DW indicates the lower side in the vertical direction of the vehicle 10. Note that in this specification, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 10, the left-right direction of the vehicle 10, and the vertical direction of the vehicle 10 may be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction, the left-right direction, and the vertical direction, respectively.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 includes a body 12 and a plurality of wheels 14f, 14r. The body 12 has a passenger compartment 12c which is a space for carrying passengers. The plurality of wheels 14f, 14r are rotatably attached to the body 12. The plurality of wheels 14f, 14r include a pair of front wheels 14f located at the front of the body 12 and a pair of rear wheels 14r located at the rear of the body 12. The pair of front wheels 14f are arranged coaxially with each other, and the pair of rear wheels 14r are also arranged coaxially with each other. Note that the number of the wheels 14f, 14r is not limited to four. Also, although not particularly limited, the body 12 is made of a metal such as a steel material or an aluminum alloy.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 further includes an engine 16 and a motor 18. The engine 16 is a heat engine that burns fuel to generate power, such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine. The engine 16 is connected to the pair of front wheels 14f and can drive the pair of front wheels 14f. The motor 18 is connected to the engine 16 via a power transmission path. The motor 18 is located between the engine 16 and the pair of front wheels 14f and can function as a prime mover that drives the pair of front wheels 14f together with the engine 16. Also, the motor 18 can function not only as a prime mover but also as a generator. That is, the vehicle 10 can generate electricity by the motor 18 by driving the motor 18 with the engine 16. Alternatively, the vehicle 10 can perform regenerative braking of the pair of front wheels 14f by causing the motor 18 to function as a generator when it is necessary to decelerate, for example, when going downhill. Note that a speed reducer or a clutch may be provided in the power transmission path between the engine 16 and the pair of front wheels 14f as necessary. Also, the engine 16 and the motor 18 are not limited to the pair of front wheels 14f, and may be configured to drive at least one of the plurality of wheels 14f, 14r.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 further includes a battery 20. The battery 20 incorporates a plurality of secondary battery cells and is configured to be repeatedly charged by external power. The battery 20 is connected to the motor 18 via a power conversion device (not shown), can supply drive power to the motor 18, and can also be charged by the generated power of the motor 18. Although not particularly limited, the battery 20 is, for example, a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or the like.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 further includes a hybrid ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22. The hybrid ECU 22 is a computer device having a processor, a memory, and the like. The hybrid ECU 22 is communicably connected to the engine 16 and the motor 18 and is configured to be able to control their operations. Operation information such as, for example, operation information by the user and vehicle information indicating the state of the vehicle 10 is input to the hybrid ECU 22. The operation information is, for example, accelerator opening information indicating the operation amount of the accelerator pedal by the user and brake pedal force information indicating the operation amount of the brake by the user. The vehicle information is, for example, vehicle speed information indicating the speed of the vehicle 10 and battery information indicating the remaining charge amount of the battery 20. The hybrid ECU 22 controls the operations of each part of the vehicle 10 described above according to the input operation information and vehicle information.

[0027] The hybrid ECU 22 can selectively execute a plurality of driving modes, including an EV driving mode and an HV driving mode. The EV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by the motor 18 while the engine 16 is stopped. On the other hand, the HV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle is driven by the engine 16 and / or the motor 18 while the engine 16 is operating. Although not particularly limited, the HV driving mode includes a normal HV driving mode and a charging HV driving mode. In the charging HV driving mode, the operations of the engine 16 and the motor 18 are controlled so that the amount of charge to the battery 20 is larger than that in the normal HV driving mode. For example, in the charging HV driving mode, the vehicle 10 travels by the power output from the engine 16 being supplied to a pair of front wheels 14f, and the power output from the engine 16 is also supplied to the motor 18, so that the battery 20 is charged by the generated power of the motor 18.

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 further includes a navigation system ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 24 (hereinafter referred to as "navigation ECU 24"). The navigation ECU 24 is a computer device having a processor, a memory, and the like. The navigation ECU 24 is configured to be communicable with an external system via the Internet or the like, and can acquire various information from the external system. For example, the navigation ECU 24 can acquire the current position of the vehicle 10 from a GPS (Global Positioning System). Further, the navigation ECU 24 can specify the current position of the vehicle 10 on the map information by acquiring map information from an external server or the like. The map information here includes information on a specific area IA where the running of the vehicle 10 accompanied by the operation of the engine 16 is restricted, and geographical information (for example, speed limit, distance, road type, gradient). Although not particularly limited, the specific area IA may be defined in a specific urbanized area for the purpose of reducing environmental load, or may be temporarily defined according to the time zone, traffic conditions, or the like. The navigation ECU 24 can also acquire traffic jam information, regulation information, traffic accident information, etc. from a traffic information center such as a VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System) center. The navigation ECU 24 can display such various information on the display 26 of the navigation system provided in the passenger compartment 12c.

[0029] In addition to the above, the navigation ECU 24 can receive operations by the user via the display 26. For example, when the user inputs a destination into the display 26, the navigation ECU 24 creates a predicted travel route PR from the current position of the vehicle 10 to the destination, and displays the predicted travel route PR on the display 26. Note that the navigation ECU 24 does not necessarily have to create the predicted travel route PR based on the destination input by the user. As an example, the navigation ECU 24 may create a predicted travel route PR estimated to be traveled by the vehicle 10 based on past travel data. Further, the navigation ECU 24 can calculate the required travel power P required to travel each point of the predicted travel route PR based on the type of road surface, gradient, etc. included in the past travel data and / or map information. Thus, the required travel power P is a value estimated based on the past travel data and / or map information. In addition, the navigation ECU 24 can also calculate the required travel energy E required to travel each of a plurality of sections constituting the predicted travel route PR, for example, by integrating the required travel power P at each point in the predicted travel route PR. Although described in detail later, the navigation ECU 24 can also identify the required travel energy ES required to travel a series of sections (i.e., EV sections) traveled in the EV travel mode.

[0030] The navigation ECU 24 is communicably connected to the hybrid ECU 22 by CAN (Controller Area Network) communication. Thereby, the hybrid ECU 22 can acquire various information including the above-described predicted travel route PR, specific area IA, and required travel energy E required to travel each section from the navigation ECU 24. The hybrid ECU 22 is configured to selectively execute a plurality of travel modes based on the various information acquired from the navigation ECU 24.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 3, a specific example of the operation of the vehicle 10, which is a control operation executed by the hybrid ECU 22, will be described. In this control operation, the hybrid ECU 22 supports the user to drive the vehicle 10 with high fuel efficiency by automatically switching the driving mode with respect to the predicted travel route PR created by the navigation ECU 24. The hybrid ECU 22 is configured to execute the control operation shown in FIG. 3, for example, in response to an instruction or operation by the user.

[0032] First, in step S10, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the predicted travel route PR has been created. As described above, the predicted travel route PR is created by the navigation ECU 24 based on the destination specified by the user and past travel data. The predicted travel route PR further includes various information regarding the predicted travel route PR, such as information regarding the specific area IA, geographical information, traffic jam information, regulation information, and traffic accident information, which the navigation ECU 24 has acquired from an external server or a traffic information center. The navigation ECU 24 transmits a predetermined notification to the hybrid ECU 22, for example, when newly creating the predicted travel route PR in response to an instruction or operation by the user. When the hybrid ECU 22 receives the notification from the navigation ECU 24 (YES in step S10), it proceeds to the process of step S12.

[0033] In step S12, the hybrid ECU 22 acquires the predicted travel route PR from the navigation ECU 24. In addition, the hybrid ECU 22 also acquires various information, such as the above-mentioned specific area IA and the required travel energy E for each section constituting the predicted travel route PR. Here, a section where the required travel energy E is a positive value is a so-called power running section, which is a section where the power consumption by the motor 18 exceeds the regenerative power by the motor 18. On the other hand, a section where the required travel energy E is a negative value is a so-called regenerative section, which is a section where the regenerative power by the motor 18 exceeds the power consumption by the motor 18. Therefore, the hybrid ECU 22 can determine whether each section constituting the predicted travel route PR corresponds to a power running section or a regenerative section by referring to the required travel energy E.

[0034] In step S14, the hybrid ECU 22 determines, from among a plurality of sections constituting the predicted travel route PR, a series of sections traveled in the EV travel mode as EV sections. Specifically, the hybrid ECU 22 divides the predicted travel route PR into a plurality of sections, and then determines, based on various information acquired in step S12, a series of sections traveled in the EV travel mode, and determines the series of sections as EV sections. Therefore, the "EV section" in this specification means "a series of sections traveled in the EV travel mode". Although it is an example, the series of sections traveled in the EV travel mode here includes a regeneration section in which the regenerative power by the motor 18 exceeds the power consumption by the motor 18. In addition to or instead of this, the series of sections traveled in the EV travel mode may include a specific section located within a specific area IA where the operation of the engine 16 is restricted.

[0035] Hereinafter, a process of specifying the required travel energy ES required to travel the EV section implemented after step S16 will be described. An example of a specific numerical value of the required travel energy ES specified for the EV section by this process will be described in detail later with reference to FIGS. 4-8. First, in step S16, the hybrid ECU 22 sets the section count N to "1". Here, the section count N corresponds to the Nth section SN (hereinafter referred to as the "Nth section SN") based on the order in which the vehicle 10 travels for a plurality of sections constituting the predicted travel route PR. Therefore, the fact that the section count N is "1" corresponds to the first section S1 which is the first section constituting the predicted travel route PR.

[0036] Next, in step S18, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the Nth section SN is an EV section. If the result in step S18 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S20 and sequentially integrates the required running energy E for each section included in the EV section in the running order of the vehicle 10. As a result, an integrated value A is obtained by integrating the required running energy E for each section from the first section to the Nth section SN included in the EV section. When the Nth section SN is a power running section and its required running energy E is a positive value, the integrated value A increases by the process in step S20. On the contrary, when the Nth section SN is a regeneration section and its required running energy E is a negative value, the integrated value A decreases by the process in step S20. On the other hand, if the result in step S18 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to the process in step S26. That is, when the Nth section SN is not an EV section, the required running energy E for the Nth section SN is excluded from the integration target in step S20.

[0037] In step S22, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the integrated value A obtained in step S20 is less than the maximum value AM of the integrated value A. If the result in step S22 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 changes the maximum value AM of the integrated value A to the integrated value A obtained in step S20. On the other hand, if the result in step S22 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to the process in step S26. That is, when the integrated value A obtained in step S20 is less than the maximum value AM of the integrated value A, the maximum value AM is not changed.

[0038] In step S26, the hybrid ECU 22 sets the section count N to "N + 1". As a result, the section located after the section considered in the processes from step S18 to step S24 is changed to the consideration target. For example, when the section count N is set to "1" in step S16, the section count N becomes "2" in step S26. Thereby, in step S26, the second section S2 located after the first section S1 is changed to the consideration target.

[0039] In step S28, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether to exit the EV section in the Nth section SN. Here, exiting the EV section in the Nth section SN means that after the EV section starts with YES in step S18 mentioned above, the Nth section SN is first determined not to be an EV section. Also, exiting the EV section in the Nth section SN includes the case where the Nth section SN is not included in the predicted driving route PR. If the result in step S28 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 returns to the process of step S18. Thereby, the hybrid ECU 22 repeats the processes from step S18 to step S28 until the result in step S28 becomes YES. Therefore, when a series of sections that are EV sections are included in the predicted driving route PR, the processes from step S18 to step S28 are repeated for the relevant EV sections. When a series of sections that are EV sections are not included in the predicted driving route PR, the processes from step S18 to step S28 are repeated for all the sections that make up the predicted driving route PR.

[0040] For example, when the first section S1 is not an EV section, since the EV section has not started, regardless of whether the second section S2 is an EV section or not, it is impossible to exit the EV section in the second section S2. Thus, until the first EV section is targeted for consideration in the driving order of the vehicle 10, the result in step S28 is NO regardless of whether the Nth section SN is an EV section.

[0041] On the other hand, for example, assume that the first section S1 is not an EV section, a series of sections from the second section S2 to the fourth section S4 are EV sections, and the fifth section S5 is not an EV section. At this time, since the EV section starts in the second section S2 (YES in step S18), for the third section S3, it is determined whether to exit the EV section (step S28). Since the EV section continues in the third section S3, the result in step S28 is NO, and the processing from step S18 to step S28 is repeated. For the fourth section S4 as well, similar to the third section S3, the result in step S28 is NO, and the processing from step S18 to step S28 is repeated. Then, when it is determined whether to exit the EV section for the fifth section S5, since the fifth section S5 is not an EV section, the result in step S28 is YES. In this way, the section that is first determined not to be an EV section after the EV section starts is the fifth section S5.

[0042] When the result in step S28 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 specifies the maximum value AM of the integrated value A described above as the required driving energy ES required to drive in the EV section (step S30). In this way, the maximum value AM of the integrated value A obtained by sequentially integrating the required driving energy E of each section included in the EV section in the driving order of the vehicle 10 is specified as the required driving energy ES of the EV section.

[0043] In step S32, the hybrid ECU 22 sets a target value for the remaining charge amount of the battery 20 based on the required driving energy ES specified in step S30. Although it is an example, the hybrid ECU 22 sets the required driving energy ES required to drive in the EV section as the target value for the remaining charge amount of the battery 20. As another embodiment, the hybrid ECU 22 may set, as the target value for the remaining charge amount of the battery 20, a value obtained by adding a correction considering an assumed error or the like to the required driving energy ES required to drive in the EV section.

[0044] In step S34, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether there is an EV section in the predicted driving route PR. If the result in step S34 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to the process of step S48. If the result in step S34 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the vehicle 10 has entered the EV section (step S36). If the result in step S36 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 executes the EV driving mode (step S38). As a result, the vehicle 10 travels through the EV section in the EV driving mode. If the result in step S36 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to the process of step S40.

[0045] In step S40, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the actual remaining charge of the battery 20 exceeds a threshold value obtained by adding a predetermined margin α to the target value (here, the required driving energy ES for the EV section). This margin α is not limited to a fixed value and may be a value uniquely defined by a predetermined procedure or calculation formula. For example, it can be set in consideration of the assumed fluctuations in the power consumption of the motor 18. If the result in step S40 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 executes the EV driving mode (step S38). As a result, when there is sufficient margin in the remaining charge of the battery 20 in the section before the EV section, the vehicle 10 can travel in the EV driving mode. If the result in step S40 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to the process of step S42.

[0046] In step S42, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the actual remaining charge of the battery 20 exceeds the target value (i.e., the required driving energy ES for the EV section). If the result in step S42 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 executes the normal HV driving mode (step S44). That is, when the actual remaining charge of the battery 20 is below the threshold value obtained by adding a predetermined margin α to the target value (here, the required driving energy ES) and above the target value, the normal HV driving mode is executed. As a result, it is possible to avoid the remaining charge of the battery 20 falling below the target value.

[0047] On the other hand, when the answer is NO in step S42, the hybrid ECU 22 executes the charge HV driving mode (step S46). That is, when the actual remaining charge amount of the battery 20 is less than the target value (here, the required driving energy Es), the charge HV driving mode is executed. As described above, since the charge HV driving mode has a larger charge amount to the battery 20 than the normal HV driving mode, by executing the charge HV driving mode, the remaining charge amount of the battery 20 can be further increased. As described above, the hybrid ECU 22 can selectively execute a plurality of driving modes so that the remaining charge amount of the battery 20 becomes equal to or greater than the target value when the vehicle 10 enters the EV section.

[0048] In step S48, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether or not the support end condition is satisfied. The support end condition includes, for example, an instruction or operation by the user, the vehicle 10 having stopped, and the like. When the answer is YES in step S48, the hybrid ECU 22 ends the series of control operations shown in FIG. 3. When the answer is NO in step S48, the hybrid ECU 22 returns to the process of step S12 and repeatedly executes the series of control operations.

[0049] In the above-described configuration, the required driving energy E for each section included in the EV section is sequentially integrated in the driving order of the vehicle 10, and the maximum value AM that the integrated value A can take is specified as the required driving energy Es of the EV section. In this regard, FIGS. 4-8 show specific numerical examples of the required driving energy E for each section included therein and the required driving energy Es specified in that EV section for various EV sections. In FIGS. 4-8, for convenience of explanation, only the EV section is extracted from the predicted driving route PR and described. In addition, the sections included in the EV section are referred to as the first EV section EV1, the second EV section EV2, the third EV section EV3, etc. according to the driving order of the vehicle 10. Further, the graphs in FIGS. 4-8 show changes in the remaining charge amount B of the battery 20 when the vehicle 10 travels in the EV section.

[0050] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, an example of the required driving energy ES specified for the EV section will be described. The EV section in FIG. 4 is composed of three sections where the first EV section EV1 and the second EV section EV2 are power running sections DS, and the third EV section EV3 is a regeneration section RS. For the first EV section EV1, in step S18 of FIG. 3, it becomes YES, and the integrated value A of the required driving energy E of the first EV section EV1 is calculated (step S20). At this time, since the required driving energy E of the first EV section EV1 is 50 Wh, the integrated value A becomes 50 Wh. Since the maximum value AM of the integrated value A is set to 0 Wh as the initial value, the maximum value AM is changed to 50 Wh (step S24).

[0051] Thereafter, when the object under consideration is changed to the second EV section EV2 in step S26, it becomes NO in step S28, and the process returns to step S18 again. As a result, in step S20, the integrated value A obtained by integrating the required driving energy E of each section from the first EV section EV1 to the second EV section EV2 is calculated. At this time, since the required driving energy E of the first EV section EV1 is 50 Wh and the required driving energy E of the second EV section EV2 is 20 Wh, the integrated value A of these is 70 Wh. Since this integrated value A (that is, 70 Wh) exceeds the above-mentioned maximum value AM (that is, 50 Wh), it becomes NO in step S22, and the maximum value AM is changed from 50 Wh to 70 Wh (step S24).

[0052] Similarly, when the consideration target is changed to the third EV section EV3 in step S26, it becomes NO in step S28 and returns to the process of step S18 again. As a result, in step S20, an integrated value A is calculated by integrating the required driving energy E for each section from the first EV section EV1 to the third EV section EV3. At this time, since the third EV section EV3 is a regeneration section RS, the required driving energy E thereof is a negative value. Since the required driving energy E of the third EV section EV3 is -50 Wh, for the first EV section EV1 to the third EV section EV3, the integrated value A obtained by integrating the required driving energy E for each section is 20 Wh. Since this integrated value A (i.e., 20 Wh) is less than the above-mentioned maximum value AM (i.e., 70 Wh), it becomes YES in step S22, and the maximum value AM is not changed from 70 Wh.

[0053] Furthermore, when the consideration target is changed to the section immediately after the third EV section EV3 in step S26, it becomes YES in step S28, and the above-mentioned maximum value AM (i.e., 70 Wh) is specified as the required driving energy ES required to travel the EV section (step S30). Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the maximum value AM coincides with the integrated value A obtained by integrating the required driving energy E from the first section included in the EV section to the section where the end point is the point Q where the remaining charge amount B of the battery 20 is minimized. Therefore, in step S30, the required driving energy ES of the EV section can be accurately specified based on the charge amount required to pass through the point Q in the EV section.

[0054] As described above, even when the regeneration section RS is included in the EV section, the required driving energy ES required to travel the EV section can be accurately specified. As a result, prior to the vehicle 10 entering the EV section, a sufficient charge amount can be secured in the battery 20 in advance, and the vehicle 10 can travel through the EV section in the EV driving mode.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 5-7, for various EV intervals including the regeneration interval RS, from the first interval included in the EV interval to the interval up to the point Q where the remaining charge amount B of the battery 20 becomes minimum as the end point, the integrated value A obtained by integrating the required running energy E becomes the maximum value AM of the integrated value A. Therefore, even when the regeneration interval RS is included in the EV interval, the required running energy ES of the EV interval can be accurately specified based on the charge amount required to travel through the point Q within the EV interval.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 8, it is assumed that the integrated value A obtained by sequentially integrating the required running energy E of each interval is always a negative value. As a result, the maximum value AM of the integrated value A also becomes a negative value. In this case, although not particularly limited, the required running energy ES of the EV interval may be specified as zero. According to such a configuration, it is possible to avoid a significant decrease in the remaining charge amount B of the battery 20.

[0057] Although it is an example, the hybrid ECU 22 may be configured to execute the control operation shown in FIG. 9 instead of the control operation in FIG. 3. The control operation in FIG. 9 is a modification of a part of the control operation in FIG. 3. Specifically, the processing from step S100 to step S108 in FIG. 9 is the same as the processing from step S10 to step S18 in FIG. 3. In addition, the processing from step S120 to step S136 in FIG. 9 is the same as the processing from step S32 to step S48 in FIG. 3. Therefore, hereinafter, the processing from step S110 to step S118, which is the point of change, will be mainly described.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 9, when the Nth section SN is an EV section (YES in step S108), the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the Nth section SN is a regeneration section (step S110). If NO in step S110, the hybrid ECU 22 adds the Nth section SN to the target for summation and calculates a value A' obtained by summing the required driving energy E for each section included in the EV section (step S112). Thereby, for a section that is included in the EV section and is not a regeneration section, that is, a section that is included in the EV section and is a power running section, a value A' obtained by summing the required driving energy E is calculated.

[0059] If YES in step S110, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to the process of step S114. Thereby, the required driving energy E of the Nth section SN is excluded from the target for summation in step S112. As another embodiment, if YES in step S110, the hybrid ECU 22 may regard the required driving energy E of the Nth section SN as zero and also use it as the target for summation in step S112. In this case, the value obtained in step S112 is equal to the value A' obtained by summing the required driving energy E for each section.

[0060] In step S114, the hybrid ECU 22 sets the section count N to "N + 1". Thereby, the section located after the section considered in the process from step S108 to step S112 is changed to the object of consideration.

[0061] In step S116, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether it exits the EV section in the Nth section SN. If NO in step S116, the hybrid ECU 22 returns to the process of step S108. Thereby, the hybrid ECU 22 repeats the process from step S108 to step S116 until YES in step S116. If YES in step S116, the hybrid ECU 22 specifies the aforementioned summed value A' as the required driving energy ES required to travel the EV section (step S118).

[0062] In the above configuration, among the required driving energies E for each section included in the EV section, the required driving energy E for the regeneration section RS (i.e., the one where the required driving energy E becomes negative) is excluded, and then a value A' obtained by summing up the required driving energies E for each section is calculated. And the summed value A' is specified as the required driving energy ES for the EV section. In this regard, FIGS. 10-12 show specific numerical examples of the required driving energy E for each section included therein and the required driving energy ES specified for the EV section for various EV sections. Here, each of FIGS. 10-12 is the same as the EV section described in each of FIGS. 4-6. For convenience of explanation, only the EV section is extracted from the predicted driving route PR and described. Also, the sections included in the EV section are referred to as the first EV section EV1, the second EV section EV2, the third EV section EV3, etc. according to the driving order of the vehicle 10.

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 9 and 10, an example of the required driving energy ES specified for the EV section will be described. As shown in FIG. 10, since the first EV section EV1 is an EV section, it becomes YES in step S108 of FIG. 9, and since the first EV section EV1 is a power running section DS, it becomes NO in step S110. As a result, the required driving energy E for the first EV section EV1 is the target for summation in step S112. Since the required driving energy E for the first EV section EV1 is 50 Wh, the summed value A' obtained in step S112 is 50 Wh.

[0064] Thereafter, when the consideration target is changed to the second EV section EV2 in step S114, it becomes NO in step S116 and returns to the process of step S108 again. Since the second EV section EV2 is an EV section, it becomes YES in step S108, and since the second EV section EV2 is a power running section DS, it becomes NO in step S110. As a result, the required driving energy E for the second section S2 is added to the target for summation in step S112. As a result, in step S112, 70 Wh is obtained as the value A' obtained by summing up the required driving energy E (50 Wh) for the first EV section EV1 and the required driving energy E (20 Wh) for the second EV section EV2.

[0065] Similarly, when the object under consideration is changed to the third EV section EV3 in step S114, it becomes NO in step S116 and returns to the process of step S108 again. Since the third EV section EV3 is an EV section, it becomes YES in step S108, and since the third EV section EV3 is a regeneration section RS, it also becomes YES in step S110. As a result, the third section S3 is excluded from the objects of summation in step S112.

[0066] Furthermore, when the object under consideration is changed to the section immediately following the third EV section EV3 in step S114, it becomes YES in step S116, and the above-summed value A' (i.e., 70 Wh) is specified as the required driving energy ES required to travel through the EV section (step S118).

[0067] According to such a configuration, even when a regeneration section RS is included in the EV section, it is possible to avoid the required driving energy ES required to travel through the EV section being estimated lower than the actual value. As a result, prior to the vehicle 10 entering the EV section, it is possible to ensure a sufficient charge amount in the battery 20 in advance, and the vehicle 10 can travel through the EV section in the EV driving mode. Similarly, as shown in FIGS. 11-12, for various EV sections including the regeneration section RS, it is also possible to avoid the required driving energy ES required to travel through the EV section being estimated lower than the actual value.

[0068] As described above, several specific examples have been described in detail, but these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in combination.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0069] 10: Hybrid vehicle 12: Body 12c: Passenger compartment 14f: Front wheel 14r: Rear wheel 16: Engine 18: Motor 20: Battery 22: Hybrid ECU 24: Navigation ECU 26: Display A: Integrated value AM: Maximum value B: Remaining charge DS: Power running section ES: Required driving energy IA: Specific area N: Section count P: Required driving power PR: Predicted driving route RS: Regeneration section α: Margin

Claims

[Claim 1] A hybrid vehicle, A motor and an engine for driving; a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged by power generated by the motor; A control device configured to be able to control the motor and the engine and selectively execute a plurality of driving modes; Equipped with the plurality of driving modes include at least an EV driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the motor while the engine is stopped, and an HV driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the engine and / or the motor while the engine is operating, The control device includes: A process of obtaining a predicted driving route; A process of determining a series of sections that will be traveled in the EV travel mode as EV sections from among a plurality of sections that constitute the predicted travel route; A process of identifying a required travel energy required for traveling in the EV section; setting a target value for a remaining charge amount of the battery based on the determined required traveling energy; a process of selectively executing the plurality of driving modes so that the remaining charge amount of the battery becomes equal to or greater than the target value when the hybrid vehicle enters the EV section; It is possible to execute In the process of identifying the required travel energy, the required travel energy of each section included in the EV section is excluded from those having a negative value, and the total value of the required travel energy of each section is identified as the required travel energy. Hybrid car.

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