Vehicle control apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783186-B2
Application number	US-201615175769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 7, 2016
Priority date	Jun 22, 2015
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus includes a first electric motor, a second electric motor, a power storage device, a first consumption amount calculator, a first saving amount calculator, a saving balance calculator, and a display controller. The first consumption amount calculator calculates a first fuel amount consumed by the engine owing to charging when the power storage device is charged. The first saving amount calculator calculates a first fuel amount saved by the engine owing to discharge when the power storage device is discharging. The saving balance calculator calculates, based on the first fuel amount consumed and the first fuel amount saved, a fuel saving balance for each calculation period. The display controller controls, based on the fuel saving balance, fuel saving information to be displayed on a display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle control apparatus provided in a hybrid vehicle that includes a display, the vehicle control apparatus comprising:
a first electric motor coupled to an engine;
a second electric motor coupled to one or more wheels;
a power storage device coupled to the first electric motor and the second electric motor through an electrical conduction path;
a first consumption amount calculator that calculates, based on electrical power charged in the power storage device and electrical power regenerated by the second electric motor, a first fuel amount consumed by the engine owing to charging when the power storage device is charged;
a first saving amount calculator that calculates, based on electrical power discharged by the power storage device, a first fuel amount saved by the engine owing to discharge when the power storage device is discharging;
a saving balance calculator that calculates, based on the first fuel amount consumed and the first fuel amount saved, a fuel saving balance for each calculation period; and
a display controller that controls, based on the fuel saving balance, fuel saving information to be displayed on the display.

2. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first saving amount calculator calculates the first fuel amount saved, based on the electrical power discharged by the power storage device and electrical power consumed by the first electric motor.

3. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a second saving amount calculator that calculates a second fuel amount saved by the engine owing to an engine stop when a vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a setting value and the engine is stopped,
wherein the saving balance calculator calculates the fuel saving balance, based on the first fuel amount consumed, the first fuel amount saved, and the second fuel amount saved.

4. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising a second consumption amount calculator that calculates a second fuel amount consumed by the engine owing to an engine start-up when the engine is started up,
wherein the saving balance calculator calculates the fuel saving balance, based on the first fuel amount consumed, the second fuel amount consumed, the first fuel amount saved, and the second fuel amount saved.

5. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the fuel saving balance calculated falls on saved side, and
the display controller maintains latest fuel saving information, instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the fuel saving balance calculated falls on consumed side.

6. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the display controller integrates the fuel saving balance unreflected in the fuel saving information, and allows an integration result to be stored, when the display controller maintains the fuel saving information instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, and
the display controller corrects, based on the integration result stored, an amount of update of the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display.

7. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the engine is stopped, and
the display controller maintains latest fuel saving information, instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the engine is on operation.

8. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the display controller integrates the fuel saving balance unreflected in the fuel saving information, and allows an integration result to be stored, when the display controller maintains the fuel saving information instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, and
the display controller corrects, based on the integration result stored, an amount of update of the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display.

9. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second saving amount calculator that calculates a second fuel amount saved by the engine owing to an engine stop when a vehicle speed is equal to or lower than a setting value and the engine is stopped,
wherein the saving balance calculator calculates the fuel saving balance, based on the first fuel amount consumed, the first fuel amount saved, and the second fuel amount saved.

10. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a second consumption amount calculator that calculates a second fuel amount consumed by the engine owing to an engine start-up when the engine is started up,
wherein the saving balance calculator calculates the fuel saving balance, based on the first fuel amount consumed, the second fuel amount consumed, the first fuel amount saved, and the second fuel amount saved.

11. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the fuel saving balance calculated falls on saved side, and
the display controller maintains latest fuel saving information, instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the fuel saving balance calculated falls on consumed side.

12. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein the display controller integrates the fuel saving balance unreflected in the fuel saving information, and allows an integration result to be stored, when the display controller maintains the fuel saving information instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, and
the display controller corrects, based on the integration result stored, an amount of update of the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display.

13. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the engine is stopped, and
the display controller maintains latest fuel saving information, instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the engine is on operation.

14. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein the display controller integrates the fuel saving balance unreflected in the fuel saving information, and allows an integration result to be stored, when the display controller maintains the fuel saving information instead of updating the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, and
the display controller corrects, based on the integration result stored, an amount of update of the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display, when the display controller updates, based on the fuel saving balance, the fuel saving information to be displayed on the display.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Matsushita Takafumi
• Aoki Katsuhiro
• Nakamoto Makoto
• Komatsu Yusuke

Classifications

• B60K6/22 Primary

  characterised by apparatus, components or means specially adapted for HEVs · CPC title

• B60W10/26

  for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors · CPC title

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W20/40

  Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers {(power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192)} · CPC title

• B60W2050/146

  Display means · CPC title