JP7718243B2 - Hybrid vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to hybrid vehicles.

Patent Document 1 describes a hybrid vehicle. This hybrid vehicle is equipped with a motor and engine for driving, a battery that can be charged and discharged by the motor, and a control device that controls the motor and engine to selectively operate in EV driving mode or HV driving mode. EV driving mode refers to a driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the motor while the engine is stopped, and HV driving mode refers to a mode in which the vehicle runs on the engine and/or motor while the engine is running.

The control device described above acquires a predicted driving route to the destination and calculates an estimate of the driving energy required to travel each of multiple sections of the predicted driving route. Based on the calculated estimated driving energy required, the control device creates driving mode plan data that assigns either EV driving mode or HV driving mode to each of multiple sections, excluding a predetermined section before the destination, so that the battery charge will be close to zero when the vehicle arrives at the destination. By selectively executing either EV driving mode or HV driving mode based on this driving mode plan data, the control device can achieve high energy efficiency (so-called high fuel efficiency) for hybrid vehicles.

JP 2014-151760 A

In recent years, there has been a movement to restrict the use of engine-operated vehicles in certain areas, such as urban areas, by making EV driving mode mandatory or even strongly recommended. In this regard, the control device described above may assign HV driving mode to certain areas in order to assign a driving mode so that the battery charge is close to zero when the vehicle arrives at its destination. To avoid this situation, the control device may assign EV driving mode to certain areas as a separate process. In this case, there is a risk of control interference, in which EV driving mode and HV driving mode are simultaneously assigned to certain areas. Furthermore, even if EV driving mode is preferentially assigned to certain areas, there is a risk that the battery will run out of charge while the hybrid vehicle is traveling within the certain area.

In light of the above situation, this specification provides technology for achieving high energy efficiency while avoiding control interference in hybrid vehicles.

The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a hybrid vehicle. This hybrid vehicle includes a motor and engine for driving, a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged with power generated by the motor, and a control device configured to control the motor and the engine and selectively execute one of multiple driving modes based on driving mode plan data that describes one of multiple driving modes for each point on a predicted driving route. The multiple driving modes include at least an EV driving mode in which the vehicle drives using the motor while the engine is stopped, and an HV driving mode in which the vehicle drives using the engine and/or the motor while the engine is operating. The control device is capable of acquiring the predicted driving route; creating first driving mode plan data that assigns one of the plurality of driving modes to each point of the predicted driving route based on an estimated value of the required driving power required to travel through each point of the predicted driving route; creating second driving mode plan data that assigns one of the plurality of driving modes to each point of the predicted driving route when the predicted driving route passes through a specific area where engine operation is restricted so that a specific section included in the specific area can be traveled in the EV driving mode; and creating the driving mode plan data by selecting the driving mode described in either the first driving mode plan data or the second driving mode plan data for each point of the predicted driving route. For sections excluding the specific section of the driving mode plan data, the HV driving mode is selected in preference to the EV driving mode. For the specific section of the driving mode plan data, the EV driving mode is selected in preference to the HV driving mode.

The control device described above creates first driving mode plan data and second driving mode plan data prior to creating driving mode plan data. In the first driving mode plan data, one of multiple driving modes is assigned to each point on the predicted driving route based on an estimated value of the required driving power required to travel at each point on the predicted driving route. As a result, in the first driving mode plan data, EV driving mode can be assigned to points on the predicted driving route where the estimated required driving power is relatively small. Meanwhile, the second driving mode plan data is created when the predicted driving route passes through a specific zone where engine operation is restricted. In the second driving mode plan data, one of multiple driving modes is assigned to each point on the predicted driving route so that specific sections included in the specific zone can be traveled in EV driving mode. As a result, in the second driving mode plan data, EV driving mode can be preferentially assigned to specific sections included in the specific zone. Furthermore, HV driving mode can be assigned to sections before the specific section to ensure that the battery is charged enough to travel the specific section in EV driving mode.

Next, the control device selects a driving mode described in either the first driving mode plan data or the second driving mode plan data for each point on the predicted driving route and creates driving mode plan data. For sections excluding specific sections, HV driving mode is selected preferentially over EV driving mode. That is, for sections excluding specific sections, if HV driving mode is described in one of the first driving mode plan data or the second driving mode plan data and HV driving mode is described in the other, HV driving mode is selected. In contrast, for specific sections, EV driving mode is selected preferentially over HV driving mode. For example, if HV driving mode is described in the first driving mode plan data and EV driving mode is described in the second driving mode plan data for a specific section, EV driving mode is selected preferentially.

As described above, when the driving modes assigned to a specific section differ between the first driving mode planning data and the second driving mode planning data, the control device creates driving mode planning data by prioritizing the selection of EV driving mode. This makes it possible to avoid control interference. Furthermore, because the control device prioritizes the selection of HV driving mode over EV driving mode for sections excluding the specific section, it is possible to ensure that the battery charge required to travel the specific section in EV driving mode is sufficient by the time the specific section is reached. This makes it possible to avoid a battery charge shortage while the hybrid vehicle is traveling within the specific section. Therefore, it is possible to achieve high energy efficiency in the hybrid vehicle while avoiding control interference.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the appearance of a vehicle 10. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the main configuration of a vehicle 10. 4 is a flowchart showing a series of processes executed by the hybrid ECU 22. Fig. 4A shows an example of an estimated value EP of the required traveling power required to travel each point on the predicted traveling route PR. Fig. 4B shows an example of first traveling mode plan data D1 assigned to each point on the predicted traveling route PR. Fig. 4C shows the charge amount of the battery 20 at each point on the predicted traveling route PR when the first traveling mode plan data D1 is adopted. 5A shows an example of the second driving mode plan data D2 assigned to each point on the predicted driving route PR. FIG. 5B shows the charge amount of the battery 20 at each point on the predicted driving route PR when the second driving mode plan data D2 is adopted. Fig. 6(A) shows an example of driving mode plan data D3 created based on the first driving mode plan data D1 and the second driving mode plan data D2. Fig. 6(B) shows the charge amount of the battery 20 at each point on the predicted driving route PR when the driving mode plan data D3 is used. Note that, for comparison, the dashed-dotted line B (D2) in Fig. 6(B) shows the charge amount of the battery 20 at each point on the predicted driving route PR when the second driving mode plan data D2 is used. 7A shows an example of the second driving mode plan data D2 assigned to each point on the predicted driving route PR. FIG. 7B shows the charge amount of the battery 20 at each point on the predicted driving route PR when the second driving mode plan data D2 is adopted.

In one embodiment of the present technology, in the process of creating the first driving mode plan data, the control device may assign one of multiple driving modes to each point on the predicted driving route based further on an estimated value of the battery's state of charge (SOC) at the end point of the predicted driving route. With this configuration, the battery charge can be managed so that the battery charge is close to zero when the vehicle arrives at the end point of the predicted driving route (e.g., the destination), thereby achieving high energy efficiency.

In one embodiment of the present technology, after the driving mode plan data is created, when the area traveled by the predicted driving route is changed to a specific area, the control device may re-execute the process of creating second driving mode plan data and re-execute the process of creating driving mode plan data based on the newly created second driving mode plan data. With this configuration, even when the specific area is determined not only by geographical conditions but also temporarily based on time of day, traffic conditions, etc., it is expected that the specific section included in the specific area will be traveled in EV driving mode. Note that with regard to the first driving mode plan data, the process of creating the first driving mode plan data may be re-executed, or the already created first driving mode plan data may be reused.

In one embodiment of the present technology, the multiple driving modes may include, as HV driving modes, a normal HV driving mode in which the battery is not charged and a charging HV driving mode in which the battery is charged. In this case, the first driving mode plan data and the second driving mode plan data may each describe the normal HV driving mode and the charging HV driving mode separately. Furthermore, the driving mode plan data may select the charging HV driving mode with priority over the normal HV driving mode. With this configuration, the battery charge level can be accurately managed by assigning the normal HV driving mode when it is desired to maintain the battery charge level and assigning the charging HV driving mode when it is desired to increase the battery charge level.

In one embodiment of the present technology, the control device may selectively execute a process for creating first driving mode plan data in response to a user operation or instruction. Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, the control device may selectively execute a process for creating second driving mode plan data in response to a user operation or instruction.

In one embodiment of the present technology, when the battery's state of charge is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control device may not execute the process of creating second driving mode plan data, even when the predicted driving route passes through a specific area, and may selectively execute multiple driving modes based on the first driving mode plan data instead of the driving mode plan data. When the battery's state of charge is relatively high and the battery has sufficient power, HV driving mode is rarely executed in specific sections included in the specific area, regardless of whether second driving mode plan data is present. In such cases, the computational load on the control device can be reduced by omitting the creation of second driving mode plan data.

In one embodiment of the present technology, the control device may execute processes to create first driving mode plan data, second driving mode plan data, and driving mode plan data when the battery's state of charge is below a predetermined value. The relatively low the battery's state of charge and the less power stored in the battery, the higher the risk of HV driving mode being executed in a specific section included in the specific area. In such a case, by executing processes to create first driving mode plan data, second driving mode plan data, and driving mode plan data, respectively, it is possible to prevent HV driving mode from being executed in a specific section included in the specific area. In other words, when the battery's state of charge is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control device may omit at least one of the processes to create the first driving mode plan data, second driving mode plan data, and driving mode plan data.

With reference to the drawings, a hybrid vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle 10") of this embodiment will be described. The vehicle 10 of this embodiment belongs to the category of electric vehicles having a motor 18 that drives wheels 14f, 14r, and is typically an electric vehicle (a so-called automobile) that runs on roads. However, some or all of the technology described in this embodiment can also be adopted in electric vehicles that run on tracks. Furthermore, the vehicle 10 is not limited to vehicles that are driven and operated by a user, but may also be remotely controlled by an external device or autonomously driven.

Here, the direction FR in the drawings indicates the front in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction RR indicates the rear in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the direction LH indicates the left in the left-and-aft direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction RH indicates the right in the left-and-aft direction of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the direction UP indicates the upward direction in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle 10, and the direction DW indicates the downward direction in the up-and-down direction of the vehicle 10. Note that in this specification, the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle 10, the left-and-right direction of the vehicle 10, and the up-and-down direction of the vehicle 10 may be referred to simply as the fore-and-aft direction, the left-and-right direction, and the up-and-down direction, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 comprises a body 12 and a plurality of wheels 14f, 14r. The body 12 has a passenger compartment 12c, which is a space for carrying occupants. The plurality of wheels 14f, 14r are rotatably attached to the body 12. The plurality of wheels 14f, 14r includes a pair of front wheels 14f located at the front of the body 12 and a pair of rear wheels 14r located at the rear of the body 12. The pair of front wheels 14f are arranged coaxially with each other, and the pair of rear wheels 14r are also arranged coaxially with each other. Note that the number of wheels 14f, 14r is not limited to four. Furthermore, although not particularly limited, the body 12 is made of a metal such as steel or an aluminum alloy.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 further includes an engine 16 and a motor 18. The engine 16 is a heat engine, such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, that generates power by burning fuel. The engine 16 is connected to a pair of front wheels 14f and can drive the pair of front wheels 14f. The motor 18 is connected to the engine 16 via a power transmission path. The motor 18 is located between the engine 16 and the pair of front wheels 14f and can function as a prime mover that drives the pair of front wheels 14f together with the engine 16. The motor 18 can also function as a generator in addition to functioning as a prime mover. That is, the vehicle 10 can generate power by driving the motor 18 with the engine 16. Alternatively, when the vehicle 10 needs to decelerate, the motor 18 can function as a generator to perform regenerative braking on the pair of front wheels 14f. Note that a reducer or clutch may be provided in the power transmission path between the engine 16 and the pair of front wheels 14f, as needed. Furthermore, the engine 16 and motor 18 are not limited to driving the pair of front wheels 14f, but may be configured to drive at least one of the multiple wheels 14f, 14r.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 further includes a battery 20. The battery 20 incorporates multiple secondary battery cells and is configured to be repeatedly rechargeable using external power. The battery 20 is connected to the motor 18 via a power conversion device (not shown), and can supply driving power to the motor 18 and can also be charged using power generated by the motor 18. Although not limited to this, the battery 20 may be a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or the like.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 further includes a hybrid ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22. The hybrid ECU 22 is a computer device having a processor, memory, etc. The hybrid ECU 22 is communicatively connected to the engine 16 and motor 18 and is configured to control their operation. The hybrid ECU 22 receives, for example, user operation information and vehicle information indicating the state of the vehicle 10. Operation information includes, for example, accelerator opening information indicating the amount of accelerator pedal operation by the user and brake pedal force information indicating the amount of brake operation by the user. Vehicle information includes, for example, vehicle speed information indicating the speed of the vehicle 10 and battery information indicating the charge level of the battery 20. The hybrid ECU 22 controls the operation of each of the above-mentioned parts of the vehicle 10 in accordance with the input operation information and vehicle information.

The hybrid ECU 22 can selectively execute multiple driving modes, including an EV driving mode and an HV driving mode. The EV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle drives using the motor 18 while the engine 16 is off. On the other hand, the HV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle drives using the engine 16 and/or the motor 18 while the engine 16 is running. The HV driving modes also include a normal HV driving mode and a charging HV driving mode. The normal HV driving mode is a driving mode in which the vehicle drives using the engine 16 and/or the motor 18 while the engine 16 is running without charging the battery 20. The charging HV driving mode is a driving mode in which power output by the engine 16 is supplied to the motor 18 and each of the pair of front wheels 14f, generating electricity using the motor 18, and charging the battery 20 while driving.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 further includes a navigation system ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 24 (hereinafter referred to as "navigation ECU 24"). The navigation ECU 24 is a computer device having a processor, memory, etc. The navigation ECU 24 is configured to be able to communicate with external systems via the Internet or the like, and can acquire various information from the external systems. For example, the navigation ECU 24 acquires the current location of the vehicle 10 from a GPS (Global Positioning System). Furthermore, the navigation ECU 24 can identify the current location of the vehicle 10 on the map information by acquiring map information from an external server or the like. The map information here includes information regarding a specific area IA in which travel by the vehicle 10 with the engine 16 in operation is restricted, as well as geographical information (e.g., speed limit, distance, road type). Although not limited to this, such specific areas IA may be designated in specific urbanized areas with the aim of reducing environmental impact, or may be designated temporarily depending on the time of day, traffic conditions, etc. The navigation ECU 24 can also obtain congestion information, regulation information, traffic accident information, etc. from a traffic information center such as a VICS (registered trademark) (Vehicle Information and Communication System) center. The navigation ECU 24 can display this various information on the display 26 of the navigation system installed in the passenger compartment 12c.

In addition to the above, the navigation ECU 24 can accept user operations via the display 26. For example, when the user inputs a destination into the display 26, the navigation ECU 24 creates a predicted driving route PR from the current position of the vehicle 10 to the destination and displays the predicted driving route PR on the display 26. Note that the navigation ECU 24 does not necessarily have to create the predicted driving route PR based on the destination input by the user. As an example, the navigation ECU 24 may create a predicted driving route PR that estimates the vehicle 10 will travel based on past driving data. The navigation ECU 24 can also calculate an estimated value EP of the required driving power required to travel each point on the predicted driving route PR based on the past driving data and/or the type and gradient of the road surface included in the map information. In addition, the navigation ECU 24 can calculate an estimated value of the required energy required to travel the predicted driving route PR by integrating the estimated value EP of the required driving power for the predicted driving route PR. In particular, the navigation ECU 24 can calculate an estimated value EE of the energy required to travel the specific section IS in order to create second driving mode plan data D2, which will be described later.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the navigation ECU 24 is communicatively connected to the hybrid ECU 22 via CAN (Controller Area Network) communication. This allows the hybrid ECU 22 to acquire various information from the navigation ECU 24, including the aforementioned predicted driving route PR, specific area IA, and estimated required driving power EP. Using the various information acquired from the navigation ECU 24, the hybrid ECU 22 creates driving mode plan data that describes one of multiple driving modes for each point on the predicted driving route PR, and selectively executes one of the multiple driving modes based on the driving mode plan data.

With reference to Figure 3, a specific example of the control operation of the vehicle 10 executed by the hybrid ECU 22 will be described. In this control operation, the hybrid ECU 22 assists the user in driving the vehicle 10 in a fuel-efficient manner by automatically switching the driving mode for the predicted driving route PR created by the navigation ECU 24. The hybrid ECU 22 is configured to execute the control operation shown in Figure 3 in response to, for example, a user instruction or operation.

First, in step S10, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether a predicted driving route PR has been created. As described above, the predicted driving route PR is created by the navigation ECU 24 based on the destination specified by the user and past driving data. This predicted driving route PR further includes various information related to the predicted driving route PR, such as information about the specific area IA, geographical information, congestion information, regulation information, and traffic accident information, which the navigation ECU 24 has obtained from an external server or traffic information center. When the navigation ECU 24 creates a new predicted driving route PR in response to, for example, a user instruction or operation, it sends a predetermined notification to the hybrid ECU 22. When the hybrid ECU 22 receives this notification from the navigation ECU 24 (YES in step S10), the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to processing in step S12.

In step S12, the hybrid ECU 22 acquires the predicted driving route PR from the navigation ECU 24. In addition, the hybrid ECU 22 also acquires various information related to the predicted driving route PR, such as the specific area IA mentioned above and the estimated required driving power EP.

In step S14, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether creation of first driving mode plan data D1 has been requested. Normally, in the processing of step S14, it is determined that creation of first driving mode plan data D1 has been requested unless the user's instruction or operation described above is canceled. However, as an example, if the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 20 is significantly low, creation of the first driving mode plan data D1 may be canceled to prioritize charging of the battery 20. If the answer is YES in step S14, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S16. On the other hand, if the answer is NO in step S14, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S18 without performing the processing of step S16.

In step S16, the hybrid ECU 22 creates first driving mode plan data D1. As shown in Figures 4(A) and 4(B), the hybrid ECU 22 assigns one of multiple driving modes to each point on the predicted driving route PR based on an estimated value EP of the required driving power required to travel each point on the predicted driving route PR. As an example, the hybrid ECU 22 assigns the EV driving mode to points from the start point S to the end point G of the predicted driving route PR where the estimated value EP of the required driving power is relatively small. Specifically, the EV driving mode is assigned to points where the estimated value EP of the required driving power is below the upper limit value L of the EV driving mode, and the HV driving mode is assigned to points where the estimated value EP of the required driving power is above the upper limit value L of the EV driving mode. This upper limit value L of the EV driving mode can be changed as appropriate. For example, the hybrid ECU 22 can change the upper limit value L of the EV driving mode so that the estimated value of the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 20 at the end point G of the predicted driving route PR is zero or close to zero (see B (D1) in FIG. 4C). As described above, in the first driving mode plan data D1, one of multiple driving modes is assigned to each point on the predicted driving route PR based on the estimated value EP of required driving power, and therefore the HV driving mode may be assigned to a point within a specific section IS included in the specific area IA.

The driving mode that the hybrid ECU 22 assigns to points on the predicted driving route PR where the estimated value EP of required driving power is relatively small does not necessarily have to be the EV driving mode. For example, depending on the configuration of the vehicle 10, it is possible that a driving mode that achieves high energy efficiency may be a driving mode other than the EV driving mode (e.g., the HV driving mode). In this case, instead of the EV driving mode, a driving mode other than the EV driving mode may be assigned to points where the estimated value EP of required driving power is relatively small.

In step S18, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the creation of second driving mode plan data D2 has been requested. As one example, the hybrid ECU 22 determines that the creation of second driving mode plan data D2 has been requested when the predicted driving route PR passes through a specific area IA. However, the hybrid ECU 22 may also determine that the creation of second driving mode plan data D2 has not been requested when a predetermined operation or instruction is performed by the user. In other words, the hybrid ECU 22 may determine that the creation of second driving mode plan data D2 has been requested when the predicted driving route PR passes through a specific area IA and a predetermined operation or instruction is not performed by the user. If the answer is YES in step S18, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S20. On the other hand, if the answer is NO in step S18, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S22 without performing the processing of step S20.

In step S20, the hybrid ECU 22 creates second driving mode plan data D2. As shown in FIG. 5(A), the hybrid ECU 22 assigns one of multiple driving modes to each point on the predicted driving route PR so that the specific section IS included in the specific area IA can be traveled in EV driving mode. As a result, the second driving mode plan data D2 can preferentially assign EV driving mode to the specific section IS included in the specific area IA. Then, in order to ensure that the battery 20 has the charge amount required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode, the hybrid ECU 22 can assign HV driving mode to sections before the specific section IS (see B(D2) in FIG. 5(B)). Here, the charge amount required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode is calculated based on the required energy estimate EE by the navigation ECU 24 described above. In this embodiment, the end point G of the predicted driving route PR is included in the specific section IS, so the section NS excluding the specific section IS (hereinafter referred to as the "non-specific section NS") coincides with the section before the specific section IS. However, in other embodiments, the end point G of the predicted driving route PR may be set after the specific section IS. In this case, too, by assigning HV driving mode to the section before the specific section IS, it is possible to ensure in the battery 20 the amount of charge required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode.

In step S22, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether arbitration processing is necessary. Here, the necessity of arbitration processing means that both the first driving mode plan data D1 and the second driving mode plan data D2 have been created. In other words, if the first driving mode plan data D1 has been created but the second driving mode plan data D2 has not been created, or if the second driving mode plan data D2 has been created but the first driving mode plan data D1 has not been created, arbitration processing is not necessary. If the answer is YES in step S22, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S24. On the other hand, if the answer is NO in step S22, the hybrid ECU 22 proceeds to step S26 without performing the processing of step S24.

In step S24, the hybrid ECU 22 executes an arbitration process. In the arbitration process, the hybrid ECU 22 selects, for each point on the predicted driving route PR, a driving mode described in either the first driving mode plan data D1 or the second driving mode plan data D2. As shown in FIG. 6(A), for the non-specific section NS, HV driving mode is selected preferentially over EV driving mode. That is, for the non-specific section NS, if HV driving mode is described in one of the first driving mode plan data D1 and the second driving mode plan data D2 and HV driving mode is described in the other, HV driving mode is selected. In contrast, for the specific section IS, EV driving mode is selected preferentially over HV driving mode. For example, for the specific section IS, if HV driving mode is described in the first driving mode plan data D1 and EV driving mode is described in the second driving mode plan data D2, EV driving mode is selected preferentially.

In step S26, the hybrid ECU 22 creates driving mode plan data D3. When the arbitration process of step S26 is executed, the hybrid ECU 22 creates driving mode plan data D3 that describes the driving mode selected for each location through the arbitration process. As shown in FIG. 6(B), compared to the second driving mode plan data D2, the driving mode plan data D3 in this embodiment ensures that when entering a specific section IS included in the specific area IA, a sufficient amount of charge can be secured in the battery 20 to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode. Note that, as described above, if either the first driving mode plan data D1 or the second driving mode plan data D2 has been created, the arbitration process of step S26 is not executed. In this case, driving mode plan data D3 that matches one of the already created driving mode plan data D1, D2 is created.

In step S28, the hybrid ECU 22 selectively executes one of a plurality of driving modes based on the driving mode plan data D3. The plurality of driving modes include an EV driving mode and an HV driving mode. If the EV driving mode is described in the driving mode plan data D3 for the current position of the vehicle 10, the hybrid ECU 22 selects the EV driving mode, and if the HV driving mode is described, the hybrid ECU 22 selects the HV driving mode. The hybrid ECU 22 can execute either the EV driving mode or the HV driving mode by controlling the engine 16 and the motor 18.

In step S30, the hybrid ECU 22 determines whether the predicted driving route PR has been updated. For example, the actual driving route of the vehicle 10 may deviate from the predicted driving route PR. In this case, the navigation ECU 24 updates the predicted driving route PR and notifies the hybrid ECU 22 of this (YES in step S30), and the hybrid ECU 22 returns to the processing of step S12. Here, updating the predicted driving route PR includes updating a specific area IA on the predicted driving route PR. For example, a specific area IA may be temporarily defined based on the time of day, traffic conditions, etc., and the area traveled by the predicted driving route PR may be changed to the specific area IA. Furthermore, if a new destination is set and the specific area IA is included in the newly created predicted driving route PR, the predicted driving route PR is also determined to have been updated.

If step S30 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 returns to step S12 and executes the processes from step S12 to step S30 again. If step S18 is YES, the hybrid ECU 22 executes the process of creating second driving mode plan data D2 again. Then, the hybrid ECU 22 executes the process of creating driving mode plan data D3 again based on the newly created second driving mode plan data D2. In this case, the hybrid ECU 22 may determine YES in step S14 and create first driving mode plan data D1 again, or may determine NO in step S14 and use the already created first driving mode plan data D1. Furthermore, the hybrid ECU 22 may create driving mode plan data D3 based on the first driving mode plan data D1 in addition to the newly created second driving mode plan data D2.

If step S30 is NO, the hybrid ECU 22 determines in step S32 whether the vehicle 10 has reached the end point G of the predicted driving route PR. If step S32 is NO, the vehicle 10 returns to the processing of step S28 and continues driving assistance based on the driving mode plan data D3. Then, when the vehicle 10 reaches the end point G of the predicted driving route PR (step S32 is YES), the hybrid ECU 22 ends the series of control operations shown in FIG. 3. Note that, although not limited thereto, the hybrid ECU 22 may end the series of control operations if it determines that an assistance end condition has been met. Assistance end conditions include, for example, a user instruction or operation, or the vehicle 10 having stopped.

As described above, for a specific section IS included in a specific area IA, when the driving modes assigned by the first driving mode plan data D1 and the second driving mode plan data D2 differ, the hybrid ECU 22 creates driving mode plan data D3 by preferentially selecting EV driving mode. This makes it possible to avoid the occurrence of control interference. Furthermore, because the hybrid ECU 22 preferentially selects HV driving mode over EV driving mode for a non-specific section NS, the battery 20 can be charged to the amount required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode by the time the specific section IS is reached. This makes it possible to avoid a shortage of charge in the battery 20 while the vehicle 10 is traveling within the specific section IS. Therefore, the vehicle 10 can achieve high energy efficiency while avoiding control interference.

As an example, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7(A), the second driving mode plan data D2 may distinguish between the normal HV driving mode (corresponding to "NHV") and the charging HV driving mode (corresponding to "CHV"). As described above, the normal HV driving mode is an HV driving mode that does not involve charging the battery 20, and the charging HV driving mode is an HV driving mode that involves charging the battery 20. Similarly, the first driving mode plan data D1 may distinguish between the normal HV driving mode and the charging HV driving mode. In this case, the arbitration process in step S24 may select the charging HV driving mode with priority over the normal HV driving mode. As a result, the charging HV driving mode can be selected with priority over the normal HV driving mode in the driving mode plan data D3.

With the above configuration, as shown in Figure 7 (B), even if the charge level of the battery 20 at the start point S of the predicted driving route PR is lower than the charge level of the battery 20 required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode, the charge level of the battery 20 can be increased by assigning the charging HV driving mode to the non-specific section NS. This makes it possible to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode. In this way, by assigning the normal HV driving mode when it is desired to maintain the charge level of the battery 20, and assigning the charging HV driving mode when it is desired to increase the charge level of the battery 20, the charge level of the battery 20 can be accurately managed.

The hybrid ECU 22 does not have to create second driving mode plan data D2 for the entire section of the predicted driving route PR from the start point S to the end point G. As an example, in another embodiment, when the predicted driving route PR includes a specific section IS, the hybrid ECU 22 may create second driving mode plan data D2 only for the specific section IS and a portion of the non-specific section NS located before it. Even in this case, the hybrid ECU 22 can assign an appropriate driving mode to the portion of the non-specific section NS so that the battery 20 has the charge required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode when the specific section IS is reached.

The vehicle 10 of the present embodiment described above is one embodiment of the present technology, and its configuration can be modified in various ways. For example, in another embodiment, the hybrid ECU 22 may execute the process of creating the first driving mode plan data D1 and stop the process of creating the second driving mode plan data D2 when the state of charge of the battery 20 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. When the state of charge of the battery 20 is relatively high and sufficient power is stored in the battery 20, the HV driving mode is rarely executed in the specific section IS included in the specific area IA, regardless of whether the second driving mode plan data D2 is present. In such a case, the computational load on the hybrid ECU 22 can be reduced by omitting the creation of the second driving mode plan data D2. In this embodiment, in the control operation shown in FIG. 3 , the hybrid ECU 22 determines NO in step S18 and omits the process of step S20. In step S28, the hybrid ECU 22 selectively executes a driving mode based on the first driving mode plan data D1 instead of the driving mode plan data D3.

Alternatively, in another embodiment, the hybrid ECU 22 may execute processes to create the first driving mode plan data D1, the second driving mode plan data D2, and the driving mode plan data D3 when the state of charge of the battery 20 is less than a predetermined value. The relatively low state of charge of the battery 20 and the lower the amount of power stored in the battery 20, the higher the likelihood that the HV driving mode will be activated in the specific section IS included in the specific area IA. In such a case, by executing processes to create the first driving mode plan data D1, the second driving mode plan data D2, and the driving mode plan data D3, respectively, it is possible to prevent the HV driving mode from being activated in the specific section IS included in the specific area IA. In this embodiment, in the control operation shown in FIG. 3 , the hybrid ECU 22 determines YES in steps S16, S18, and S22, and then creates the driving mode plan data D3 in step S26. On the other hand, if the state of charge of the battery 20 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the hybrid ECU 22 may omit at least one of the processes for creating the first driving mode plan data D1, the second driving mode plan data D2, and the driving mode plan data D3.

In some of the embodiments described above, the predetermined value for the state of charge of the battery 20 does not necessarily have to be a fixed value, but can be changed or corrected as appropriate. For example, the predetermined value for the state of charge of the battery 20 may be changed as appropriate depending on the amount of charge of the battery 20 required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode. Additionally, or alternatively, the predetermined value for the state of charge of the battery 20 may be a corrected value obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the amount of charge of the battery 20 required to travel the specific section IS in EV driving mode. In other words, the predetermined value in this specification is not limited to a predetermined fixed value, but may be a value that is uniquely defined by a predetermined procedure or formula.

Although the embodiments of the present technology have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples exemplified above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings demonstrate technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technology exemplified in this specification or drawings simultaneously achieves multiple objectives, and achieving one of these objectives itself has technical utility.

10: Hybrid vehicle 12: Body 12c: Vehicle compartment 14f: Front wheels 14r: Rear wheels 16: Engine 18: Motor 20: Battery 22: Hybrid ECU
24: Navigation ECU
26: Display D1: First driving mode plan data D2: Second driving mode plan data D3: Driving mode plan data EP: Estimated value G: End point IA: Specific area IS: Specific section NS: Non-specific section PR: Predicted driving route S: Start point

Claims (8)

A hybrid vehicle,
a motor and engine for driving;
a battery that supplies driving power to the motor and is charged by power generated by the motor;
a control device configured to be able to control the motor and the engine, and to selectively execute one of a plurality of driving modes based on driving mode plan data that describes one of a plurality of driving modes for each point from a start point to an end point of a predicted driving route;
Equipped with
the plurality of driving modes include at least an EV driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the motor while the engine is stopped, and an HV driving mode in which the vehicle runs on the engine and/or the motor while the engine is operating,
The control device
A process of acquiring the predicted driving route;
creating first driving mode plan data in which one of the plurality of driving modes is assigned to each point on the predicted driving route based on an estimated value of required driving power required to travel at each point on the predicted driving route;
creating second driving mode plan data in which, when the predicted driving route passes through a specific area where operation of the engine is restricted, one of the plurality of driving modes is assigned to each point on the predicted driving route so that a specific section included in the specific area can be traveled in the EV driving mode; and
a process of selecting, for each of the points on the predicted traveling route, the traveling mode described in either the first traveling mode plan data or the second traveling mode plan data, and creating the traveling mode plan data;
In a section excluding the specific section of the driving mode plan data, the HV driving mode is selected with priority over the EV driving mode,
In the specific section of the driving mode plan data, the EV driving mode is selected with priority over the HV driving mode.
Hybrid car. The hybrid vehicle described in claim 1, wherein, in the process of creating the first driving mode plan data, the control device assigns one of the plurality of driving modes to each point on the predicted driving route based further on an estimated value of the state of charge of the battery at the end point of the predicted driving route. A hybrid vehicle as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein, after the driving mode plan data is created, when the area traveled by the predicted driving route is changed to the specific area, the control device re-executes the process of creating the second driving mode plan data, and re-executes the process of creating the driving mode plan data based on the newly created second driving mode plan data. the plurality of driving modes include, as the HV driving modes, a normal HV driving mode in which the battery is not charged and a charging HV driving mode in which the battery is charged;
In each of the first traveling mode plan data and the second traveling mode plan data, the normal HV traveling mode and the charging HV traveling mode are described in a distinguished manner,
The hybrid vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the charging HV driving mode is selected with priority over the normal HV driving mode in the driving mode plan data. A hybrid vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control device selectively executes a process for creating the first driving mode plan data in response to a user operation or instruction. A hybrid vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control device selectively executes a process for creating the second driving mode plan data in response to a user operation or instruction. A hybrid vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control device, when the battery's state of charge is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, does not execute the process of creating the second driving mode plan data even when the predicted driving route passes through the specific area, and selectively executes the plurality of driving modes based on the first driving mode plan data instead of the driving mode plan data. A hybrid vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control device executes processes to create the first driving mode plan data, the second driving mode plan data, and the driving mode plan data when the state of charge of the battery is less than a predetermined value.