Vehicle information processor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016257294-A1
Application number	US-201615018154-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

In the first mode, the vehicle gives priority to traveling in which only the motor is driven. In the second mode, the vehicle drives at least one of the internal combustion engine and the motor to sustain a stored power amount of the storage battery. At least one of a plurality of zones includes a load unknown portion, in which the travel load cannot be calculated. The planning unit is configured to set a zone including the load unknown portion to the first mode.

First claim

1 . An information processor for use with a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a motor, which function as drive sources, and a storage battery, which functions as a power source of the motor, the information processor comprising:
a travel route obtaining unit configured to obtain a travel route from a route origin to a route destination, wherein the travel route includes a plurality of zones; a zone information obtaining unit configured to obtain zone information used to calculate a travel load of each of the zones included in the travel route; and a planning unit configured to calculate the travel load of each of the zones, which are included in the travel route, using the zone information, wherein the planning unit is configured to set each zone to one of a first mode and a second mode based on the travel load, in the first mode, the vehicle gives priority to traveling in which only the motor is driven, in the second mode, the vehicle drives at least one of the internal combustion engine and the motor to sustain a stored power amount of the storage battery, and when at least one of the zones includes a load unknown portion in which the travel load cannot be calculated, the planning unit is configured to set the zone including the load unknown portion to the first mode.

2 . The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein:
the planning unit is configured to calculate a zone power consumption amount for each zone based on the calculated travel load, wherein the zone power consumption amount is an amount of power that is consumed when the vehicle travels in the first mode; the planning unit is configured to obtain a total power amount that is allowed to be output from the storage battery before reaching a lower limit value of the stored power amount; the planning unit is configured to assign one or more zones, in order from zones having smaller loads, with a power amount of the corresponding zone power consumption amount, wherein the power amount of the corresponding zone power consumption amount is taken from the obtained total power amount; the planning unit is configured to set the one or more zones, to which a power amount taken from the total power amount is assigned, to the first mode; and in addition to the one or more zones set to the first mode by assigning the power amount taken from the total power amount, when a zone including the load unknown portion is set to the first mode, the planning unit is configured not to assign a power amount taken from the total power amount to the zone including the load unknown portion.

3 . The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein when a proportion of a length of the load unknown portion relative to an overall length of the zone including the load unknown portion is greater than or equal to a predetermined proportion, the planning unit is configured to entirely set the zone including the load unknown portion to the first mode.

4 . The information processor according to claim 1 , wherein
the planning unit is configured to set the load unknown portion to the first mode, and in the zone including the load unknown portion, the planning unit is configured to set a portion other than the load unknown portion to one of the first mode and the second mode based on the travel load of the portion other than the load unknown portion.

5 . A control method of a vehicle by an information processor for use with the vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes an internal combustion engine and a motor, which function as drive sources, and a storage battery, which functions as a power source of the motor, the control method comprising:
obtaining a travel route from a route origin to a route destination, wherein the travel route includes a plurality of zones; obtaining zone information used to calculate a travel load of each of the zones included in the travel route; and calculating the travel load of each of the zones, which are included in the travel route, using the zone information; setting each zone to one of a first mode and a second mode based on the travel load; giving, in the first mode, priority to traveling in which only the motor is driven; driving, in the second mode, at least one of the internal combustion engine and the motor to sustain a stored power amount of the storage battery; and when at least one of the zones includes a load unknown portion in which the travel load cannot be calculated, setting the zone including the load unknown portion to the first mode.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Morisaki Keisuke

Classifications

• B60W20/12 Primary

  using control strategies taking into account route information {(estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00)} · CPC title

• B60W2552/20

  Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments · CPC title

• B60W2556/50

  of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data · CPC title

• B60W2552/00

  Input parameters relating to infrastructure · CPC title

• B60W2710/08

  Electric propulsion units · CPC title