JP2022070594A - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

To induce a vehicle to be driven by an electric motor when the vehicle is misjudged to be outside an engine drive restricted area.SOLUTION: A vehicle control device for a hybrid vehicle (1) driven solely by an electric motor (21) or by both an electric motor (21) and an internal combustion engine (20) determines whether or not an own vehicle is within an engine drive restriction zone (GF) based on information concerning a position of the own vehicle and the engine drive restriction zone (GF), and acquires an internal combustion engine operation rates of other vehicles located within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle, and when the own vehicle is determined to be outside the engine drive restricted zone (GF) and the internal combustion engine operation rate is below a preset lower limit, the internal combustion engine (20) is induced to stop operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle control device.

In recent years, an engine drive restricted area that limits the drive of an internal combustion engine has been set from the viewpoint of air pollution prevention, noise prevention, or other viewpoints, and within this engine drive restricted area, an internal combustion engine is used. An increasing number of countries are setting regulations to ban driving. A hybrid including a power-generating or driving internal combustion engine, a battery charged by the power generation action of the internal combustion engine-driven generator or by regenerative control, and a battery-driven electric motor so as to be able to comply with such regulations. Among vehicles, a hybrid vehicle is known in which the operation of an internal combustion engine is stopped and the vehicle is driven by an electric motor when the vehicle passes through an area where air pollution prevention is strengthened (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-75210

By the way, in the countries where the above-mentioned regulations are set, for example, the vehicle has entered the engine drive restricted area based on the map information about the engine drive restricted area stored in the storage device and displayed on the display screen of the driver's seat. When the driver, etc. recognizes it, the driver, etc. stops the operation of the internal combustion engine and switches to driving the vehicle by the electric motor, and if the rule is violated, for example, a fine is imposed. Many countries have adopted it. However, for example, due to forgetting to update the map information stored in the storage device, the driver etc. mistakenly think that the vehicle is outside the engine drive restricted area even though it is actually located in the engine drive restricted area. It may be judged. In such a case, it is possible to notify the driver, etc. of the misjudgment, and guide the driver, etc. to stop the operation of the internal combustion engine and switch to driving the vehicle by the electric motor. preferable. However, the current situation is that there is no appropriate method for informing the driver that a misjudgment has been made.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in the vehicle control device of a hybrid vehicle driven only by an electric motor or by both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine, the own vehicle is based on information on the position of the own vehicle and the engine drive restricted area. An internal combustion engine operating rate acquisition unit that acquires an internal combustion engine operating rate of another vehicle located within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle and a determining unit that determines whether or not the vehicle is within the engine drive restricted area. When it is determined that the own vehicle is outside the engine drive restricted area, if the internal combustion engine operating rate is equal to or less than a preset lower limit, the internal combustion engine is guided to stop operating. Vehicle control device is provided.

It is possible to reduce the possibility that the internal combustion engine is activated in the engine drive restricted area.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle and a server represented graphically. 2A and 2B are configuration views of a vehicle drive unit. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a road map. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the transmission process executed in the vehicle. FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the first process executed in the server. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of the second process executed on the server. FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the reception process executed in the vehicle.

Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a hybrid vehicle driven solely by an electric motor or by both an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Further, in FIG. 1, 2 is a vehicle drive unit for applying a driving force to the drive wheels, 3 is a battery, and 4 is an electronic control unit mounted in the vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic control unit 4 is composed of a digital computer and includes a CPU (microprocessor) 6 connected to each other by a bidirectional bus 5, a memory 7 composed of a ROM and a RAM, and an input / output port 8. ..

Further, in the vehicle 1, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving device 9 for receiving radio waves from an artificial satellite and detecting the current position of the vehicle 1 and a map data storage device for storing map data and the like are stored. 10 and a navigation device 11 are mounted. Further, various sensors 12 such as an accelerator opening degree sensor, an engine rotation speed sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an atmospheric temperature sensor, and an atmospheric pressure sensor are mounted in the vehicle 1. These GPS receiving device 9, map data storage device 10, navigation device 11, and various sensors 12 are connected to the electronic control unit 4.

On the other hand, in FIG. 1, 30 indicates a server. As shown in FIG. 1, an electronic control unit 31 is installed in the server 30. The electronic control unit 31 is composed of a digital computer, and includes a CPU (microprocessor) 33 connected to each other by a bidirectional bus 32, a memory 34 composed of a ROM and a RAM, and an input / output port 35. Further, a communication device 36 for communicating with the vehicle 1 is installed in the server 30. On the other hand, the vehicle 1 is equipped with a communication device 13 for communicating with the server 30.

2A and 2B are configuration diagrams of the vehicle drive unit 2 shown in FIG. 1 and show typical hybrid systems of different types, respectively. These hybrid systems are well known and will be described very briefly. First, referring to FIG. 2A, the vehicle drive unit 2 includes an internal combustion engine 20, an electric motor 21, a generator 23, a power split mechanism 24 including, for example, a planetary gear mechanism, and a motor control device 25. Since the electric motor 21 also serves as a generator, it is usually referred to as a motor generator. For example, when traveling at low speed, the vehicle 1 is driven by an electric motor 21. At this time, electric power is supplied from the battery 3 to the electric motor 21 via the motor control device 25, and the output of the electric motor 21 is transmitted to the drive wheels by the power split mechanism 24.

On the other hand, during medium- and high-speed traveling, the vehicle 1 is driven by the internal combustion engine 20 and the electric motor 21. At this time, on the one hand, a part of the output of the internal combustion engine 20 is transmitted to the drive wheels by the power split mechanism 24, and on the other hand, the generator 23 is driven by a part of the output of the internal combustion engine 20 and the generator 23. The electric motor 21 is driven by the generated power, and the output of the electric motor 21 is transmitted to the drive wheels by the power split mechanism 24. Further, when the vehicle 1 is braked, the electric motor 21 functions as a generator, and regenerative control is performed in which the battery 3 is charged by the generated power of the electric motor 21. When the charge amount of the battery 3 decreases, the generator 23 is driven by the internal combustion engine 20 via the power split mechanism 24, and the battery 3 is charged by the generated power of the generator 23.

Next, referring to FIG. 2B, the vehicle drive unit 2 includes an internal combustion engine 20, an electric motor 21, a generator 23, and a motor control device 25. Even in the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2B, the electric motor 21 also serves as a generator, and is therefore usually referred to as a motor generator. In this hybrid system, the vehicle 1 is always driven by the electric motor 21. On the other hand, when the charge amount of the battery 3 decreases, the generator 23 is driven by the internal combustion engine 20, and the battery 3 is charged by the generated power of the generator 23. Further, also in this hybrid system, when the vehicle 1 is braked, the electric motor 21 functions as a generator, and regenerative control is performed in which the battery 3 is charged by the generated power of the electric motor 21. In the hybrid system shown in both FIGS. 2A and 2B, the internal combustion engine 20 and the power dividing mechanism 24 are controlled by the output signal of the electronic control unit 4, and the electric motor 21 and the generator 23 are controlled by the output signal of the electronic control unit 4. It is controlled by the motor control device 25 based on the above.

By the way, the mode in which the vehicle 1 is driven only by the electric motor 21 is referred to as an EV mode, and the mode in which the vehicle 1 is driven by both the internal combustion engine 20 and the electric motor 21 is referred to as an HV mode. In the hybrid vehicle 1 equipped with the system, the mode is selectively switched between the EV mode and the HV mode. On the other hand, in the hybrid vehicle 1 provided with the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2B, the vehicle 1 is driven only by the electric motor 21, and the internal combustion engine 20 is used only for driving the generator 23 and charging the battery 3. In this vehicle 1, the drive mode of the vehicle 1 is always set to the EV mode. The hybrid systems shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B are typical examples, and various types of hybrid systems can be used in the present invention.

By the way, in recent years, an engine drive restricted area for limiting the drive of an internal combustion engine has been set from the viewpoint of air pollution prevention, noise prevention, or other viewpoints, and the internal combustion engine is included in the engine drive restricted area. An increasing number of countries are setting regulations to ban the driving of engines. FIG. 3 graphically shows the boundary GF between the inside of the engine drive restricted area set in a certain area and the outside of the engine drive restricted area, and the inside of the boundary GF is defined as the engine drive restricted area. This boundary GF is commonly referred to as geofencing. This boundary GF may be fixed, or its position may change due to some reason such as air pollution.

In FIG. 3, Kd, Ke, Kf, and Kg indicate positions on the boundary GF on each road. Gates may be provided at each road position Kd, Ke, Kf, Kg located on the boundary GF. In this case, the passenger of the vehicle 1 can recognize that the vehicle 1 has entered the engine drive restricted area by passing through these gates.

On the other hand, the boundary GF, that is, the information about the geofencing is stored in the map data storage device 10, and the boundary GF, that is, the information about the geofencing stored in the map data storage device 10 is updated by the driver or the like. May be done. In this case, the boundary GF, that is, the position of the geofencing is displayed on the display screen of the navigation device 11 and displayed on the display screen of the navigation device 11 based on the map information stored in the map data storage device 10. From the map information, it can be recognized that the vehicle 1 has entered the engine drive restricted area.

When the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2A is used, when the driver or the like recognizes that the vehicle 1 has entered the engine drive restricted area, the driver usually switches the driving mode to the EV mode. The operation is performed, the operation of the internal combustion engine 20 is stopped, and the vehicle 1 is driven by the electric motor 21. On the other hand, in the case where the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2B is used, when the driver or the like recognizes that the vehicle 1 has entered the engine drive restricted area, the driver usually stops the operation of the internal combustion engine 20. Operation is performed, and the drive of the generator 23 for charging the battery 3 is stopped.

However, it is actually driven by an engine because it does not notice that it has passed through the gate installed at the boundary GF, or because it forgets to update the information about the boundary GF stored in the data storage device 10, that is, the geofencing. Even though the vehicle is in the restricted area, the driver or the like may misjudgment that the vehicle is still outside the engine drive restricted area. In this case, in the vehicle 1 in which the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2A is used, the vehicle 1 may be driven in the HV mode, and in the vehicle 1 in which the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2B is used, the vehicle 1 may be operated. The generator 23 may be driven by the internal combustion engine 20. When the internal combustion engine 20 is operated in the engine drive restricted area in this way, the vehicle 1 in which the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2A is used by notifying the driver that the internal combustion engine 20 is erroneously determined. Then, it is preferable to guide the driver to drive the vehicle 1 in the EV mode, and in the vehicle 1 in which the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2B is used, the driver is guided to stop the internal combustion engine 20. Is preferable.

On the other hand, in the engine drive restricted area, the operation of the internal combustion engine 20 is stopped and the vehicle is driven by the electric motor 21 in most of the vehicles. Therefore, the internal combustion engine 20 is operated in the engine drive restricted area. It is thought that the percentage of vehicles that do this is extremely small. In other words, in the engine drive restricted area, it is considered that the ratio of the other vehicles in which the internal combustion engine 20 is operated is extremely small among the other vehicles traveling around the own vehicle. Therefore, in the embodiment according to the present invention, the internal combustion engine operating rate of another vehicle located within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle is acquired, and when the internal combustion engine operating rate is extremely low, for example, the internal combustion engine. When the operating rate is below the preset lower limit, it is erroneously recognized that the vehicle is outside the engine drive restricted area even though the vehicle is actually located within the engine drive restricted area. It is determined that the engine is present, and the driver is guided to stop the operation of the internal combustion engine 20.

By the way, when the engine drive restricted area is set, the information about the current position of each vehicle is checked to confirm whether the vehicles traveling in the engine drive restricted area properly comply with the regulations. In many cases, each vehicle is obliged to transmit information regarding the operation of the internal combustion engine 20 of each vehicle from each vehicle to the server 30. Therefore, in the embodiment according to the present invention, a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle is used by using the information on the current position of each vehicle collected in the server 30 and the information on the operation of the internal combustion engine 20 of each vehicle. The internal combustion engine operating rate of other vehicles located inside is acquired. In this case, in the embodiment according to the present invention, when it is determined that the internal combustion engine operating rate is equal to or less than the preset lower limit value based on the information collected in the server 30, the internal combustion engine 20 is operated. Invite them to stop. For example, when it is determined that the internal combustion engine operating rate is equal to or less than a preset lower limit value, it is displayed on the display screen of the navigation device 11 that the vehicle is currently traveling in the engine drive restricted area. , Thereby guiding the driver to stop the operation of the internal combustion engine 20.

As described above, in the embodiment according to the present invention, in the vehicle control device of the hybrid vehicle driven only by the electric motor 21 or by both the electric motor 21 and the internal combustion engine 20, the information regarding the position of the own vehicle and the engine drive restricted area is obtained. An internal combustion engine operation that acquires the internal combustion engine operation rate of another vehicle located within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle and a determination unit that determines whether or not the own vehicle is within the engine drive restricted area based on the determination unit. It is equipped with a rate acquisition unit, and when it is determined that the own vehicle is outside the engine drive restricted area, if the internal combustion engine operating rate is equal to or less than a preset lower limit, the operation of the internal combustion engine is stopped. Induce to let. In this case, in the embodiment according to the present invention, the electronic control unit 4, the GPS receiving device 9, the map data storage device 10, and the navigation device 11 mounted in the vehicle 1 constitute these discriminating units and the internal combustion engine operating rate acquisition unit. are doing.

Next, an example according to the present invention is taken as an example in which information regarding the boundary GF between the inside of the engine drive restricted area and the outside of the engine drive restricted area is stored in the map data storage device 10, with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7. Describes the routine for executing. First, referring to FIG. 4, first, FIG. 4 shows a transmission processing routine executed by the electronic control unit 4 mounted in each vehicle 1, and this routine is executed at regular time intervals. .. As shown in FIG. 4, when the transmission processing routine is executed, first, in step 40, the received signal received by the GPS receiving device 9 and the map data stored in the map data storage device 10 are displayed. Based on this, the current position of the own vehicle 1 is detected. Next, in step 41, information regarding the current position of the own vehicle 1 and information regarding whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the own vehicle 1 is operating is transmitted from each vehicle 1 to the server 30.

Next, in step 42, it is determined whether or not the own vehicle 1 is currently traveling in the engine drive restricted area based on the information regarding the boundary GF stored in the map data storage device 10. When it is determined that the own vehicle 1 is currently traveling in the engine drive restricted area, the processing cycle is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the own vehicle 1 is currently traveling outside the engine drive restricted area, the process proceeds to step 43, and the other vehicle located within the preset distance range centered on the own vehicle A request for acquiring operation information of the internal combustion engine, that is, a request for acquiring information on another vehicle is transmitted from the vehicle 1 to the server 30.

FIG. 5 shows electronic control of the server 30 for transmission of information regarding the current position of the own vehicle 1 in step 41 of FIG. 4 and information regarding whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the own vehicle 1 is operating. The first processing routine executed in the unit 31 is shown. Note that this routine is executed repeatedly. Referring to FIG. 5, first, in step 50, information regarding the current position of the vehicle 1 and information regarding whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the vehicle 1 is operating are obtained from any vehicle 1. It is determined whether or not the transmission has been sent to the server 30. When it is determined that the information regarding the current position of the vehicle 1 and the information regarding whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the vehicle 1 is operating has not been transmitted to the server 30, the process returns to step 50. On the other hand, when it is determined that the information regarding the current position of the vehicle 1 and the information regarding whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the vehicle 1 is operating has been transmitted to the server 30, the process proceeds to step 51. Information on the current position of the vehicle 1 and information on whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the vehicle 1 is operating are stored in the memory 34.

Next, in step 52, it is determined whether or not a certain time has elapsed. This fixed time is taken as the execution time interval of the transmission processing routine shown in FIG. When it is determined in step 52 that a certain time has not elapsed, the process returns to step 50. On the other hand, in step 52, when it is determined that a certain time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step 53. That is, since each vehicle 1 transmits information on the current position of the vehicle 1 and information on whether or not the internal combustion engine 20 mounted on the vehicle 1 is operating to the server 40 at regular intervals, it is constant. When the time has passed, the data regarding the current positions and the like of all the vehicles 1 obliged to transmit the information to the server 30 are stored in the memory 34 in the step 51. Therefore, when the process proceeds from step 52 to step 53, information regarding the current positions of all vehicles 1 and the like is stored in the memory 34, and in step 53, the current positions of all vehicles 1 stored in the memory 34 are stored. Etc., the information regarding the current positions and the like of all the vehicles 1 stored in the specific storage area in the memory 34 up to that point is updated. When these information stored in the specific storage area are updated, the information previously stored in the memory 34 in step 51 is erased.

FIG. 6 shows a second processing routine executed by the electronic control unit 31 of the server 30 in response to the transmission of the acquisition request for other vehicle information in step 43 of FIG. Note that this routine is executed repeatedly. Referring to FIG. 6, first, in step 60, it is determined whether or not a request for acquisition of other vehicle information is received from any vehicle 1. When it is determined that the acquisition request of the other vehicle information has not been received from any vehicle 1, the processing cycle is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the acquisition request of the other vehicle information is received from any of the vehicles 1, the process proceeds to step 61, and the current state of the vehicle 1 stored in the specific storage area in the memory 34 described above is reached. From the data showing the relationship between the position and the operation of the internal combustion engine 20, the current position of another vehicle located within a preset distance range centered on the vehicle 1 that has requested the acquisition of other vehicle information and the internal combustion engine. Data showing the relationship with the operation of the engine 20 is extracted. Next, the process proceeds to step 62, and the extracted data extracted in step 61 is transmitted from the server 30 to the vehicle 1 that has requested the acquisition of other vehicle information.

FIG. 7 shows a reception processing routine executed by the electronic control unit 4 mounted in each vehicle 1, and this routine is repeatedly executed. Referring to FIG. 7, first, in step 70, it is determined whether or not the extracted data is received from the server 30. When it is determined that the extracted data has not been received from the server 30, the processing cycle is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the extracted data has been received from the server 30, the process proceeds to step 71, and the location is within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle based on the extracted data received from the server 30. Internal combustion engine operating rate R of another vehicle (number of other vehicles that are located within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle and have an internal combustion engine operating / preset centered on the own vehicle The number of other vehicles located within the specified distance range) is calculated.

Next, in step 72, it is determined whether or not the calculated internal combustion engine operating rate R is equal to or less than the preset lower limit value Ro. When it is determined that the internal combustion engine operating rate R is not equal to or less than the preset lower limit value Ro, the processing cycle is terminated. On the other hand, when it is determined that the internal combustion engine operating rate R is equal to or less than the preset lower limit value Ro, the process proceeds to step 73 to guide the driver to stop the operation of the internal combustion engine 20. In this case, this guidance action is performed, for example, by displaying on the display screen of the navigation device 11 that the vehicle is currently traveling in the engine drive restricted area. When it is displayed on the display screen of the navigation device 11 that the vehicle is currently traveling in the engine drive restricted area, in the vehicle 1 in which the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2A is used, the EV mode is set by the driver. In the vehicle 1 in which the vehicle 1 is operated to drive the vehicle 1 and the hybrid system shown in FIG. 2B is used, the driver performs an operation to stop the internal combustion engine 20.

1 Vehicle 4,31 Electronic control unit 20 Internal combustion engine 21 Electric motor 30 Server

Claims (1)

Whether or not the vehicle is within the engine drive restricted area based on information about the position of the vehicle and the engine drive restricted area in the vehicle control device of the hybrid vehicle driven by the electric motor alone or by both the electric motor and the internal combustion engine. It is equipped with a discriminating unit for determining whether or not the vehicle is used, and an internal combustion engine operating rate acquisition unit for acquiring the internal combustion engine operating rate of another vehicle located within a preset distance range centered on the own vehicle. A vehicle control device that induces the operation of an internal combustion engine to be stopped when it is determined that the vehicle is outside the engine drive restricted area and the internal combustion engine operating rate is equal to or less than a preset lower limit value.

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