Control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016107635-A1
Application number	US-201414787556-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 26, 2014
Priority date	May 29, 2013
Publication date	Apr 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle includes a drive system including a starter motor, a transverse engine, and a motor/generator, and a power supply system including a high voltage battery, a capacitor, and a hybrid control module that controls charging and discharging of the capacitor. In the control system for an FF plug-in hybrid vehicle in which an external charging of the high-power battery is available, the hybrid control module starts the starter, performs mode selection control and charge/discharge control, maintains a capacitor voltage at or below a deterioration free voltage when the CS mode is selected during ignition on, and recharges the capacitor to a starter start-up permission voltage that allows the starter to start when a pre-forecast of the reverse transition from the CS mode to the CD mode is established.

First claim

1 . A control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle having a drive system including a starter motor, an engine, and a motor/generator, and a power supply system including a high voltage battery representing power supply of the motor/generator, a capacitor representing power supply of the starter motor, and a capacitor charge and discharge control unit that controls charging and discharging of the capacitor, the control system comprising:
an engine start control unit configured to crank the engine for starter start-up using the starter motor powered by the capacitor, a running mode selection unit configured to select a charge depleting (CD) mode in which an electric vehicle (EV) running is performed by consuming power of the high voltage battery when the charge capacity of the high voltage battery is at or above a threshold value and configured to select a charge sustain (CS) mode in which a hybrid vehicle (HEV) running is performed by maintaining the charge capacity of the high voltage battery when the charge capacity of the high voltage battery is below the threshold value, and a reverse transition pre-forecast unit configured to predict in advance a transition from the CS mode to the CD mode, wherein the capacity charge and discharge control unit is configured such that, at the time of ignition on with the CS mode being selected, the capacitor voltage is maintained at or below a deterioration free voltage at which deterioration does not proceed, and, upon the reverse transition pre-forecast from the CS mode to the CD mode being established, the capacitor is recharged to and above the starter start-up permission voltage.

2 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capacitor charge and discharge control unit is configured, when the CD mode is selected during ignition on, to maintain the capacitor voltage at or above the starter start-up permission voltage.

3 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the capacitor charge and discharge control unit, is configured, upon transition from the CD mode to the CS mode during ignition on, to forcibly discharge the capacitor from the starter start-up permission voltage or above to the deterioration free voltage or below.

4 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reverse transition pre-forecast unit is configured to predict in advance the transition to the CD mode based on an increase rate of the charge capacity of the high voltage battery.

5 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reverse transition pre-forecast unit is configured to predict in advance the transition to the CD mode based on a downhill travel range during a downhill travel in the CS mode.

6 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the capacitor charge and discharge control unit, is configured, upon transition from the CD mode to the CS mode during ignition on, to forcibly discharge the capacitor from the starter start-up permission voltage or above to the deterioration free voltage or below.

7 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the reverse transition pre-forecast unit is configured to predict in advance the transition to the CD mode based on an increase rate of the charge capacity of the high voltage battery.

8 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the reverse transition pre-forecast unit is configured to predict in advance the transition to the CD mode based on an increase rate of the charge capacity of the high voltage battery.

9 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the reverse transition pre-forecast unit is configured to predict in advance the transition to the CD mode based on a downhill travel range during a downhill travel in the CS mode.

10 . The control system for a plug-in hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the reverse transition pre-forecast unit is configured to predict in advance the transition to the CD mode based on a downhill travel range during a downhill travel in the CS mode.

Assignees

• Nissan Motor

Inventors

• Kodawara Tomoyuki

Classifications

• B60W20/00

  Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)} · CPC title

• B60L2240/34

  Cabin temperature · CPC title

• F02D29/02

  peculiar to engines driving vehicles; peculiar to engines driving variable pitch propellers · CPC title

• F02N11/101

  for preventing engine starter actuation or engagement · CPC title

• B60K6/543

  the transmission being a continuously variable transmission · CPC title