Hybrid Vehicle Electronic Controller Engine Diagnosis Trigger
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hybrid vehicles, the infrequent malfunction diagnosis of internal combustion engines due to reduced usage leads to potential drivability issues when switched to as a driving source, especially for short distances in urban areas, where the engine is not utilized for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
An electronic controller that calculates travel distance using electric motor power, forcibly initiates a malfunction diagnosis of the internal combustion engine when the travel distance is below a predetermined threshold, ensuring the engine is diagnosed before being used as a driving source, thereby preventing drivability deterioration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the hybrid vehicle travels only by using the electric motor for short distances, then the power consumption is reduced and the storage capacity of the battery is improved, but the frequency of the malfunction diagnosis of the internal combustion engine is decreased
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary malfunction diagnosis of the internal combustion engine by calculating the travelling distance based on battery power surplus quantity. When the calculated distance indicates the engine will be needed soon, the system proactively diagnoses the engine before it is actually required, preventing drivability deterioration when the engine is switched to.
2Device complexity
If the malfunction diagnosis is executed only at the timing that the travelling using the electric motor is switched to the travelling using the internal combustion engine, then the system operation is simplified, but the drivability is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The control portion calculates travelling distance based on battery power surplus and executes malfunction diagnosis before the internal combustion engine is actually needed. This preliminary action ensures the engine is diagnosed in advance, avoiding drivability deterioration when the engine is switched to, while maintaining relatively simple system operation through automated distance-based triggering.
3Duration of action of moving object
If the internal combustion engine is not driven for extended periods, then the EV travelling mode is extended, but the malfunction diagnosis of the internal combustion engine becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates travelling distance based on battery power surplus quantity and uses this information to determine when to perform preliminary malfunction diagnosis of the internal combustion engine. This approach ensures that even when the engine is not driven for extended periods, it is diagnosed in advance based on predicted usage patterns, maintaining diagnosis adequacy while extending EV travelling duration.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic controller controls a drive of a vehicle that uses an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as a driving source. The electronic controller includes a travelling distance calculation portion, a diagnosis portion, and a control portion. The travelling distance calculation portion calculates a travelling distance where the vehicle can travel by using the electric motor as the driving source, based on a power surplus quantity of a battery that supplies electric power to the electric motor. The diagnosis portion diagnoses a diagnosis object included in the internal combustion engine. The control portion controls the internal combustion engine. When a condition that the travelling distance is shorter than or equal to a threshold distance that is predetermined is satisfied, the control portion forcibly drives the diagnosis object and controls the diagnosis portion to execute a malfunction diagnosis of the diagnosis object.