Hybrid Vehicle Control Unit Shared Elevation Database

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hybrid vehicle control systems require significant memory capacity to store position/reference charge amount and operating mode databases for up and down track lines, leading to memory occupation issues.

Innovation Solution

A control device for hybrid vehicles that uses a high-order control unit with a traveling-direction determination unit and a shared height database to generate a traveling direction signal, allowing for charge and discharge control of the power storage device based on the traveling direction signal, running distance information, and height database, eliminating the need for separate databases for up and down lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate position/reference charge amount databases and operating mode databases are stored for both up and down track lines, then the control system can accurately manage charge and discharge operations for different traveling directions, but the memory capacity required increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharge and discharge control accuracyVSAvoidmemory capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the control logic for up and down track lines into a unified database structure. Instead of maintaining separate position/reference charge amount databases for each direction, the system uses a single database that stores height information for both directions, reducing memory requirements while maintaining control accuracy through directional determination logic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The height database is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides elevation data for both up and down track lines, supports charge/discharge control for different traveling directions, and enables the system to determine optimal power management strategies based on terrain characteristics regardless of vehicle direction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If a comprehensive position/reference charge amount database is maintained for all track positions and operating modes, then the system can optimize energy management across different scenarios, but the device complexity and memory occupation increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy management optimizationVSAvoiddatabase structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential height information from the comprehensive position/reference charge amount database. By storing only elevation data at key positions in a simplified database structure, the system maintains energy management optimization capabilities while eliminating redundant data and reducing database complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the database parameter structure from storing detailed position-charge amount pairs for all operating modes to storing simplified height information at critical positions. This parameter transformation reduces memory requirements and simplifies the database while preserving the ability to optimize energy management through height-based control logic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2933159B1Device for controlling hybrid vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.07.11 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2933159B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2933159B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2933159B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

A high-order control unit 5 provided in a control device for a hybrid vehicle includes an elevation MAP 5b1 that is used in common for up and down lines and in which at least two predetermined elevation values on a running track are described, and an energy estimation unit 5b that estimates a target charge/discharge amount SOC_ref with respect to a power storage device on the basis of a traveling direction signal Rev expressing a traveling direction of a vehicle, distance information Dis from a distance translation unit 3h, and information on the elevation MAP 5b1, to control a power generation device on the basis of the target charge/discharge amount SOC_ref.