Hybrid Vehicle EV Mode Control With Adaptive Battery Thresholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle control systems fail to appropriately continue the enlargement mode in hybrid electric vehicles, leading to reduced marketability due to frequent automatic cancellation and user dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device that sets and continues an enlargement mode for increased EV traveling frequency based on user request, operating the internal combustion engine only when required driving force exceeds predetermined thresholds, and cancels the mode when battery capacity falls below specific thresholds, with adjustable hold lower thresholds based on vehicle speed, road gradient, and scheduled route.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the enlargement mode is set to increase traveling frequency in EV mode, then fuel efficiency is improved, but the mode is frequently canceled due to insufficient battery capacity, reducing user satisfaction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the threshold for canceling the enlargement mode variable rather than fixed. The threshold is dynamically adjusted based on the vehicle's scheduled route information, specifically considering the distance to the next charging station. When the charging station is far away, the threshold is raised to prevent cancellation, allowing the enlargement mode to continue even with lower battery capacity. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by maintaining mode stability (improving reliability) while preserving fuel efficiency benefits.
2Ease of operation
If the enlargement mode continues with low battery capacity, then user convenience is improved, but the battery may be depleted before reaching the charging station
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using scheduled route information to predict future battery needs before they arise. The system pre-calculates the appropriate threshold for maintaining enlargement mode based on the distance to the next charging station. This allows the system to maintain user convenience (by continuing the enlargement mode) while preventing battery depletion, as the threshold is set in advance to ensure sufficient capacity reaches the charging station.
3Quantity of substance
If the threshold for continuing enlargement mode is set high, then battery capacity is preserved, but the enlargement mode is canceled too early, reducing fuel efficiency benefits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the threshold parameter based on external conditions (distance to charging station). Instead of using a fixed threshold, the system adjusts the threshold parameter dynamically: raising it when the charging station is far away to preserve fuel efficiency benefits, and lowering it when the charging station is nearby to preserve battery capacity. This resolves the contradiction by making the threshold adaptive to contextual factors.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle control device is configured to cause a vehicle to travel in a first mode when an enlargement mode is set, a driving force required for traveling of the vehicle is less than a value, and a capacity of a power storage is equal to or more than a first threshold, operate an internal combustion engine to cause the vehicle to travel in a second mode in response to the driving force becoming equal to or larger than the value when the enlargement mode is set and the vehicle is caused to travel in the first mode, and continue the enlargement mode when the capacity at a time when the driving force becomes equal to or more than the value is equal to or larger than a second threshold larger than the first threshold, and cancel the enlargement mode when the capacity is less than the second threshold.