FR2863953A1 - Motor vehicle controlling process, involves utilizing electronic control unit of thermal engine for executing acceleration forecast of vehicle, and transmitting sequence of disconnection or starting operations of engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The process involves utilizing an electronic control unit (9) of a thermal engine (1) for executing an acceleration forecast of a vehicle based on navigation information from the vehicle. A sequence of disconnection or starting operations of the engine is transmitted independent of vehicle destination. The navigation information includes vehicle location information. An independent claim is also included for a system for controlling a vehicle.

Description

Motorized vehicle control method and system

hybrid.

  The present invention relates to the field of land vehicle control systems, particularly wheeled motor vehicles.

  More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling a hybrid powertrain of a motor vehicle.

  The invention applies to hybrid vehicles comprising, for example, an electric traction motor powered by an on-board power supply battery and an internal combustion traction motor, that is to say vehicles using several sources. energy, especially fuel and electrical energy stored in the battery.

  One of the major concerns of motor vehicle manufacturers is to develop vehicles with the lowest energy consumption and pollutant emissions possible. Hybrid vehicles, which offer several modes of operation, are able to use traction motors depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle, in order to limit energy consumption and pollutant emissions.

  Thus, for example, these vehicles are capable of operating either in an electric operating mode, in which the motive power is provided by an electric motor, or in a hybrid mode, in which the motive power is supplied by the electric motor. and by a heat engine, which then operate together, in adjustable proportions ranging from 0 to 100%, the electric motor can operate in energy recovery. A control system is provided to determine the operating mode to be used and to control the motors.

  EP-A-1 256 476 describes the integration of an on-board navigation system for managing energy when the vehicle is traveling to a known destination. The position of the vehicle is continuously monitored, the driver's requests are determined and the system takes into account data relating to the current position of the vehicle, and operational parameters of the vehicle to manage the use of the vehicle energy.

  However, the driver of the vehicle is forced to indicate the destination of his movement, which adds a task to him when starting the vehicle. However, it is better to lighten the tasks of the driver, rather than weigh them down. The driver may forget to indicate its destination where an impossibility of managing energy as proposed in this document, and a possible waste of energy. In addition, some drivers may fear memorizing or communicating to third parties of the destination and feel an infringement of the protection of their privacy. The plaintiff has therefore realized that it is interesting to manage the energy of a vehicle of unknown destination.

  An object of the invention is to reduce the tasks of the driver when starting the vehicle.

  An object of the invention is to reduce the energy consumption of the vehicle.

  The control method, according to one aspect of the invention, is intended for a hybrid drive vehicle. An engine control unit performs a vehicle acceleration prediction based on vehicle navigation information and issues a cut-off or start order of the engine, regardless of the destination of the vehicle.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle navigation information includes vehicle location information.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle navigation information includes a vehicle path prediction. The forecast is made in a close manner, for example over a distance of a few kilometers or over a period of a few minutes.

  In one embodiment of the invention, if the path prediction comprises a climb, an obstacle likely to cause a slowing down followed by acceleration of the vehicle or entry into a zone with a higher speed limit than the zone where is currently the vehicle, then said control unit inhibits a possible shutdown of the engine. This avoids a restart of the engine when a high power is requested, such a restart requiring high power and may affect acceleration in electric mode alone. thus avoids disturbing the driver during delicate maneuvers in acceleration, for example the crossing of a junction, roundabout or not, or entry on a highway.

  Advantageously, said control unit determines whether a cut-off or starting of the heat engine is desirable as a function of internal states of the vehicle and of the actions of the driver, and whether a cut-off or a starting of the heat engine is desirable, said control unit determines whether the navigation information of the vehicle makes said cut or start desirable or not. Vehicle energy management considers both the condition of the vehicle and the extrinsic data of the vehicle in its environment, including a forecast of obstacles.

  In one embodiment of the invention, if a break or start of the engine is desirable, said control unit sends a request to a navigation system.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the navigation system responds to said request by sending route profile information. It is thus possible to keep the heat engine running before a climb, a traffic light, a junction, a ramp to a fast lane, and more generally any place where the vehicle will probably have a high energy requirement.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the navigation system responds to said request by sending, in addition, traffic condition information. It is thus possible to keep the heat engine running before an access ramp to an unobstructed expressway and to stop the heat engine before an access ramp to a bottled fast lane where the driver will request a weak acceleration due to the reduced speed of the vehicles. other vehicles.

  The invention also proposes a control system for a hybrid engine vehicle comprising a heat engine and an electric motor. The system comprises means for receiving vehicle navigation information, and control means. for performing a vehicle acceleration prediction based on vehicle navigation information and issuing a cut-off or start order of the engine, regardless of the destination of the vehicle, according to the acceleration prediction.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the system includes a link between said control means and a vehicle navigation system so that vehicle navigation information is provided to the control means by the navigation system. The control means can thus take into account the location of the vehicle for the choice of the propulsion mode.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the system includes a propulsion mode change order generation module based on said navigation information and a desirable propulsion mode change information.

  In one embodiment of the invention, the system comprises a means for measuring the depression of an accelerator pedal, the control means being provided for issuing an order to cut or start the engine, depending the acceleration prediction and the depression of the accelerator pedal.

  The invention also proposes a hybrid vehicle comprising a heat engine, an electric motor, a battery pack and a control system for the heat engine and the electric motor, provided with a control means capable of performing an acceleration prediction. of the vehicle according to the navigation information of the vehicle and issues an order to cut or start the engine, regardless of the destination of the vehicle.

  The invention applies to all types of hybrid vehicles, for example electric motor integrated in the vehicle gearbox or electric motor separated from the vehicle gearbox.

  The invention allows for better energy management and increased driving comfort, making the choice of a hybrid vehicle more attractive than that of a single thermal engine vehicle.

  Energy saving results, on the one hand, from the increase in the fleet of hybrid vehicles according to the invention and, on the other hand, the low consumption of each of these vehicles compared to known hybrid vehicles.

  The invention applies to vehicles equipped with various types of hybrid engines, for example parallel or series, equipped with one or two electrical machines, DC type, synchronous or asynchronous.

  The present invention will be better understood from the study of the detailed description of some embodiments taken as non-limiting examples and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a powertrain 10 hybrid vehicle according to one aspect of the invention; and FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the steps of the method, according to one aspect of the invention.

  As can be seen in FIG. 1, a powertrain comprises a combustion engine 1, with internal combustion, associated with an alternator rectifier 2 controlled by means of a rotation shaft 12 which may comprise a gearbox, not shown. The heat engine 1 drives the alternator 2 to supply electric power to one or more electric motors 3 connected to the wheels 4 by a transmission system 5. Each electric motor 3 is controlled in torque or in speed by a control unit 6.

  Auxiliary devices 7, consumers of electrical power, different from those of the drive train, are powered by the rectifier alternator 2 through a static voltage converter 8 lowering the high supply voltage to a low DC or AC voltage. operation of auxiliaries.

  An electronic control unit 9, of the supervisor type, receives information on the desired torque demand by the driver of the vehicle from the depression of the accelerator pedal or that of the brake, as well as information on the motors for the purpose of electronically controlling the components of the power train. The electronic control unit 9 comprises at least one processor associated with random access memories, a data communication bus and input / output ports.

  The vehicle is further equipped with one or more batteries 11, for storing electrical energy.

  In electrical transmission mode, the heat engine 1 drives the alternator-rectifier 2 to produce the power supply of the electric traction motors 3 and the auxiliary members 7, depending on the demand of the driver acting on the pedal 10. accelerator, vehicle characteristics, including the total mass, and external conditions, for example the slope of the road. In addition, the battery 11 can draw energy to be recharged, or, on the contrary, provide energy to increase the performance of the vehicle.

  In all-electric mode, the heat engine 1 is at a standstill and the traction energy and auxiliaries is entirely supplied by the battery 11. The supervisor 9 is able to switch between the hybrid mode and the all-electric mode. function of data supplied to it by different sensors, in particular a sensor 20 measuring the action of the driver on the accelerator pedal 10 and sending a signal representative of its depression, a sensor 21 measuring the speed of at least one electric motor 3, a sensor 22 measuring the total electric power of the electric motors 3, a sensor 23 measuring the electrical power output of the alternator-rectifier 2, and a sensor 24 measuring the speed of the engine 1. The supervisor 9 collects all this information for issuing instructions to the members of the power train and is further connected to a navigation system 26, for example of the type known as the GPS naming. There is further provided a sensor 26 of the state of charge of the battery 11.

  As can be seen in FIG. 2, the supervisor 9 receives information from the sensor 20 of the accelerator pedal 10, the battery state of charge sensor 25 and other sensors referenced 28 and which can_ include sensors 21 to 24.

  In step 29, the supervisor 9 implements an energy management law to determine the preferred mode of operation, all electric with stopping of the engine or hybrid with operation of the engine and charge or discharge of the battery 11 depending on the circumstances, and this according to the information received by the aforementioned inputs of the supervisor 9. The energy management law can be implemented by a map or a fuzzy logic element.

  In step 30, if a propulsion mode change is not recommended, then proceed to step 31 of preserving the previous mode. If a change of propulsion mode is recommended, then go to step 33.

  Simultaneously or not, in steps 29 to 31, the supervisor 9 can implement a step 32 of prediction of acceleration with the information received from the navigation system 27, in particular the location of the vehicle, the direction of the vehicle and the road environment. Close obstacles can be taken into account, in particular any element likely to induce or oblige the driver to brake and in general to re-accelerate later, for example a sharp turn, a roundabout, a traffic light, a congestion, a retarder formed in relief on the roadway, etc., and also the speed limit bearings, the profile of the road, including climbs, and road congestion. The detected near obstacle information is then used in step 33 to carry out a reinterpretation of the recommended propulsion mode change by anticipating the driver's will, making it possible, at step 34, to decide if Driver control should reverse or not soon.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the step 32 of close obstacle detection is carried out after the steps 29 to 31 and comprises sending a request to the navigation system 27 in order to obtain position information geographical location of the vehicle and information on the road environment close to the vehicle, for example climbs, descents, the average speed of other vehicles, the speed limit of the route taken, traffic lights, crossroads and their facilities, etc. If it is estimated. that the driver control should not reverse, then, in step 35, the supervisor 9 controls a change in the propulsion mode. On the contrary, if it is judged that the control of the driver should be reversed, in step 36, the supervisor 9 controls the conservation of the current mode of propulsion.

  By way of example, assuming that the battery 11 is close to its maximum state of charge, and that the heat engine is operating, in step 29, the energy management law will make it possible to determine that the preferential mode is the all-electric mode, and will therefore advocate a change of propulsion mode. If the vehicle is on a fast track traveling at a relatively constant speed and the navigation system 27 does not indicate future congestion, at step 34, it is considered that the driver's control should not occur. reverse and the supervisor 9 will control the change of propulsion mode in step 35 by allowing the stopping of the engine.

  In another case, if the battery is in an average state of charge, in hybrid operating mode, on a fast track, in case of deceleration, the energy management law will recommend a change of propulsion mode. However, if the presence of a toll or customs barrier, at the crossing of which the vehicle will have to be stopped, is detected by the navigation system 27 and indicated to the supervisor 9, then account shall be taken of the re-movement of the vehicle after stopping at the toll gate, restarting that requires acceleration that the battery 11 is not necessarily able to provide. In this case, it is decided to maintain the hybrid mode of operation, including during deceleration, insofar as it is foreseen with sufficient probability that the driver's control should be reversed at short notice.

  It is thus possible to avoid a restart of the engine in a critical phase for driving pleasure, for example when restarting a vehicle after a stop due to a traffic light or a stop sign to a crossroad. Indeed, the restart of the engine takes ~ a relatively high energy on the battery 11 and greatly reduces the acceleration of the vehicle in all-electric mode, which can be unpleasant, or even embarrassing or dangerous for the driver accustomed to normal acceleration of the vehicle and being brutally with a vehicle of reduced acceleration capacity. This increases the driving safety of the vehicle.

  Furthermore, another advantage of the invention lies in the fact that one avoids shutdowns and restarts close to each other of the engine, which do not represent interest or even prove to be harmful. for the fuel consumption of the engine.

  Thanks to the invention, there is economic energy management, not requiring the driver to indicate its destination, insofar as the system operates through a short-term motion forecast of the vehicle by means of information provided by a navigation system that may cause the vehicle to slow down or accelerate. Short term means a distance of a few kilometers or a duration of a few minutes. The driver thus sees his tasks lightened during the startup of the vehicle, including energy managed economically, while the destination remains unknown to the control system.

Claims (11)

  1-Control method for a hybrid engine vehicle, in which an engine control unit performs a vehicle acceleration prediction according to vehicle navigation information and issues a cut-off or start order of the engine, regardless of the destination of the vehicle.   The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle navigation information comprises vehicle location information.   The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the vehicle navigation information comprises a vehicle path prediction.   4-process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said control unit determines whether a cut or start of the engine is desirable according to the internal state of the vehicle and actions of the driver, and if a cut or a start of the engine is desirable, said control unit determines whether the navigation information of the vehicle make said break or start desirable or not.   5-Process according to claim 4, wherein if a cut or a start of the engine is desirable, said control unit sends a request to a navigation system.   The method of claim 5, wherein the navigation system responds to said request by sending route profile information.   The method of claim 6, wherein the navigation system responds to said request by further sending traffic condition information.   8-Control system for a vehicle with hybrid powertrain, the vehicle comprising a heat engine (1) and an electric motor (3), characterized in that it comprises means for receiving navigation information of the vehicle, and control means (9) for performing a vehicle acceleration prediction based on vehicle navigation information and issuing a cut-off or start order of the engine (1), regardless of the destination of the vehicle, according to of the acceleration forecast.   9-System according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a connection between said control means (9) and a navigation system (26) of the vehicle so that navigation information of the vehicle is provided by means control (9) by the navigation system (26).   10-System according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a propulsion mode change order generation module according to said navigation information and a propulsion mode desirable change information.   11-System according to claim 8, 9 or 10, characterized in that it comprises a means for measuring the depression of an accelerator pedal, the control means (9) being provided for issuing an order of starting or shutting down of the engine (1), depending on the acceleration prediction and the depressing of the accelerator pedal.