Vehicle SOC Control for Reliable EV Priority Mode Entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicles capable of low state of charge (SOC) control face the issue of being impeded from traveling in EV priority mode due to high frequency of forced charging control, leading to potential travel limitations.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device and method that adjusts the state of charge (SOC) to a permissible level, allowing entry into EV priority mode by setting a particular target SOC based on prohibition frequencies derived from historical journey data, thereby minimizing the likelihood of being impeded from EV priority mode.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If low SOC control is executed to improve fuel economy, then fuel economy is improved, but the vehicle may be prohibited from entering EV priority mode due to SOC being below the permissible threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the target SOC value adjustable rather than fixed. The control device dynamically changes the target SOC based on the prohibition frequency calculated from journey history. When prohibition frequency is high, the target SOC is raised to ensure EV mode availability; when prohibition frequency is low, the target SOC is lowered to maximize fuel economy. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction between fuel economy improvement and EV priority mode availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of target SOC based on historical journey data and prohibition frequency. By analyzing past journeys and calculating how often the vehicle was prohibited from EV mode, the system adjusts the target SOC parameter accordingly. This parameter change allows the system to optimize fuel economy while ensuring that the vehicle maintains sufficient SOC to enter EV priority mode when needed, based on learned patterns from historical data.
2Loss of energy
If the target SOC is set to a low value for fuel economy, then fuel economy improves, but the prohibition frequency of EV priority mode increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by calculating the prohibition frequency from journey history and using this feedback to adjust the target SOC for future journeys. The system monitors whether the vehicle was prohibited from EV mode during past trips, calculates the frequency of such prohibitions, and feeds this information back into the control algorithm. This feedback loop enables the system to learn from past performance and adjust the target SOC to balance fuel economy with reliable EV mode accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by setting the target SOC before the journey begins based on predicted prohibition frequency. Rather than reactively adjusting SOC during travel, the system analyzes historical data beforehand, calculates the expected prohibition frequency for the upcoming journey, and pre-sets an appropriate target SOC that will maintain both fuel economy and EV mode accessibility throughout the journey.
3Reliability
If forced charging control is executed frequently to maintain SOC, then SOC is maintained, but fuel economy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by executing forced charging control only when necessary, rather than continuously. By calculating the prohibition frequency and setting an appropriate target SOC, the system determines the minimum charging needed to prevent EV mode prohibitions. This partial charging approach maintains sufficient SOC for reliable EV mode operation while avoiding excessive forced charging that would waste fuel and deteriorate overall fuel economy.
Data Source
AI summary
A processor is capable of executing low SOC control to set a particular target SOC, which is a target SOC for when a vehicle traveling from a first specific position along a first journey route arrives at a second specific position, to a value lower than the normal target SOC. The particular target SOC of the vehicle executing the low SOC control is a value of the EV-SW permissible SOC or greater in cases in which a prohibition frequency is a first threshold or greater, with the prohibition frequency being derived based on a total value of prohibition points representing the vehicle being prohibited from entering the EV priority mode due to the low SOC control.