Hybrid Vehicle Mode Planning Unit Battery Charge Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hybrid vehicle systems face inefficiencies in energy management due to unpredictable battery charge states caused by factors like traffic flow and road slopes, leading to wasteful energy release when batteries become fully charged through regenerative braking.

Innovation Solution

A moving assist apparatus and method that dynamically plans travel modes by setting priority sections for Charge Depleting and Charge Sustaining modes based on battery thresholds, ensuring constant free capacity and minimizing mode switching, thereby optimizing energy efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If regenerative braking is used to charge the secondary battery, then the battery charge storage amount increases, but when the battery becomes fully charged the energy is wastefully released and overall energy efficiency is lowered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery charge storage amountVSAvoidenergy efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The control apparatus continuously monitors the battery charge storage amount and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust travel mode planning. When the charge storage amount approaches a predetermined threshold, the system automatically plans to switch to charge sustaining mode or perform charge discharge control, preventing the battery from becoming fully charged and avoiding wasteful energy release.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the travel mode planning based on real-time battery charge storage amount. Instead of using a fixed travel mode plan, the control apparatus modifies the planning to switch between charge depleting mode and charge sustaining mode, or adjusts charge discharge control, making the system adaptable to changing battery states and preventing energy waste.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the traveling mode is set based on average speed and battery storage state, then route planning is simplified, but the storage state of the secondary battery may not always vary as predicted due to traffic flow conditions and road slope

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetraveling mode planningVSAvoidbattery storage state prediction
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The control apparatus uses real-time feedback on actual battery charge storage amount to correct deviations from predicted storage state. By continuously monitoring the battery state and comparing it with the planned trajectory, the system adjusts travel mode planning to ensure the battery charge storage amount varies as intended, compensating for unexpected conditions like traffic flow and road slope.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically detects when the battery charge storage amount deviates from the predicted variation and self-corrects by adjusting the travel mode plan. The control apparatus performs charge discharge control or switches travel modes without external intervention, making the system self-regulating and reliable despite unpredictable external conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If a single threshold is used for switching between charge depleting mode and charge sustaining mode, then control is simplified, but frequent switching between modes occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemode switching controlVSAvoidmode switching stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control apparatus segments the battery charge storage amount range into multiple zones using a first threshold and a second threshold instead of a single threshold. When the charge storage amount is between these two thresholds, the system maintains charge depleting mode, creating a buffer zone that prevents frequent mode switching. This segmentation provides more stable and smoother mode transitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively secures constant free capacity in the battery, preventing wasteful energy release and reducing frequent mode switching, thus enhancing overall energy efficiency and driver comfort by stabilizing travel mode planning.

Implementation Method 1

a regenerative braking is performed to charge a secondary battery with the motor apparatus functioning as a generator

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP3110673B1Moving assist apparatus and method
Publication Date: 2019.08.21 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
  • EP3110673B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3110673B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3110673B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A moving assist apparatus for assisting a vehicle to move from current position to destination includes a mode planning unit for, for each section obtained by dividing traveling route, planning one traveling mode from first mode of not maintaining a charge storage amount of the secondary battery and second mode of maintaining the charge storage amount of the secondary battery, based on a traveling load associated with the section. If the charge storage amount of the battery is above a first threshold, the mode planning unit takes a section after which the charge storage amount of the battery that is predicted with assumption of traveling with the first mode is below a second threshold less than the first threshold by taking the section being traveled by the vehicle or the next section as a reference, as a first mode priority section in which the first mode is planned in priority.