Driving apparatus and method for hybrid vehicle

Claim 2

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: an engine; a motor/generator having its rotary axle linked to an output axle of the engine; a battery electrically connected to the motor/generator; and a controller programmed: to calculate a target driving force [tFd], the target driving force [tFd] representing a target value of a vehicular driving force; to calculate a basic target engine speed [tNinb] on the basis of the target driving force, the basic target engine speed [tNinb] representing a basic target value of the engine speed; to calculate a power generation request quantity [tWg], the power generation request quantity [tWg] representing a power to be generated by the motor/generator; to calculate a basic target engine torque [tTeg] on the basis of the target driving force [tFd], the power generation request quantity [tWg], and the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the basic target engine torque [tTeg] representing an engine torque to be developed when an output required for a vehicular drive and for a power drive of the motor/generator is developed at the basic target engine speed [tNinb]; to calculate a limit torque [tTlim] during an occurrence of a power generation request on the basis of the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request representing a limit torque of the engine when the engine is driven at the basic target engine speed [tNinb], satisfying a demand for an exhaust performance of the engine; to set a target engine speed [tNin] to either the basic target engine speed [tNinb] or value different from the basic target engine speed [tNinb] according to a result of comparison between the basic target engine torque [tTeg] and the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request; and to control the engine on the basis of the target engine speed [tNin].

Claim 3

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller further programmed: to set the target engine speed [tNin] to the basic target engine speed [tNinb] when the basic target engine torque [tTeg] is placed at a more exhaust performance favoring side than the limit torque [tTlim]; and to set the target engine speed [Nin] to the value based on the demand for the exhaust performance of the engine when the basic target torque [tTeg] is placed at a more exhaust performance worsening side than the limit torque [tTlim].

Claim 4

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the controller further programmed to calculate a target engine output [tWeg] on the basis of the target driving force [tFd] and the power generation request quantity [tWg], the target engine output [tWeg] representing an engine output required for the vehicular drive and for the power drive of the motor/generator; and to set the target engine speed [tNin] to a value satisfying both of the demand on the exhaust performance of the engine and the target engine output [tWeg] when the basic target engine torque [tTeg] is placed at the more exhaust performance worsening side than the limit torque [tTlim].

Claim 5

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the controller further programmed to calculate the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request using a control table in which a torque of the engine such that an exhaust quantity of an exhaust matter with respect to the basic target engine speed [tNinb] becomes substantially equal to a predetermined reference quantity is stored; and to calculate the target engine speed [tNin] using another control table in which the engine speed such that the exhaust quantity of the exhaust matter with respect to the target engine output [tWeg] becomes substantially equal to the predetermined reference quantity is stored when the basic target engine torque [tTeg] is placed at the more exhaust performance worsening side than the limit torque [tTlim].

Claim 6

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the exhaust matter is a nitride oxygen.

Claim 7

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the exhaust matter is a particulate.

Claim 8

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the exhaust substance is a smoke.

Claim 9

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to calculate the limit torque [tTlim] by correcting a basic limit torque [tTlimb], calculated on the basis of the basic target engine speed [tNinb], on the basis of an EGR rate.

Claim 10

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to calculate the power generation request quantity [tWg] on the basis of a vehicular battery charged state [SOC].

Claim 11

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to calculate a battery request power generation [tWbat] on the basis of a vehicular battery charged state [SOC]; to calculate a catalytic converter warm-up demand power generation [tWcat] on the basis of a catalytic converter temperature [Tmpcat]; and to calculate the power generation request quantity [tWg] on the basis of the battery request power generation [tWbat] and the catalytic converter warm-up demand power generation [tWcat].

Claim 12

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controller is further programmed to select one of the battery request power generation [tWbat] and the catalytic converter warm-up demand power generation [Tmpcat] which is larger than the other as the power generation request quantity [tWg].

Claim 13

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controller is further programmed to calculate the catalytic converter warm-up demand power generation [tWcat] in such a manner that the catalytic converter warm-up demand power generation [Tmpcat] become larger as the catalytic converter temperature [Tmpcat] becomes low.

Claim 14

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: an engine; a motor/generator having its rotary axle linked to an output axle of the engine; a battery electrically connected to the motor/generator; and a controller, the controller including: target driving force calculating means for calculating a target driving force [tFd], the target driving force [tFd] representing a target value of a vehicular driving force; basic target engine speed calculating means for calculating a basic target engine speed [tNinb] on the basis of the target driving force, the basic target engine speed [tNinb] representing a basic target value of the engine speed; power generation request quantity calculating means for calculating a power generation request quantity [tWg], the power generation request quantity [tWg] representing a power to be generated by the motor/generator; basic target engine torque calculating means for calculating a basic target engine torque [tTeg] on the basis of the target driving force [tFd], the power generation request quantity [tWg], and the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the basic target engine torque [tTeg] representing an engine torque to be developed when an output required for a vehicular drive and for a power drive of the motor/generator is developed at the basic target engine speed [tNinb]; limit torque calculating means for calculating a limit torque [tTlim] during an occurrence of a power generation request on the basis of the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request representing a limit torque of the engine when the engine is driven at the basic target engine speed [tNinb], satisfying a demand for an exhaust performance of the engine; target engine speed setting means for setting a target engine speed [tNin] to either the basic target engine speed [tNinb] or a value different from the basic target engine speed [tNinb] according to a result of comparison between the basic target engine torque [tTeg] and the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request; and controlling means for controlling the engine on the basis of the target engine speed [tNin].

Claim 15

A driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: an engine; a motor/generator having its rotary axle linked to an output axle of the engine; a battery electrically connected to the motor/generator; and a controller, the controller including: target driving force calculating means for calculating a target driving force [tFd], the target driving force [tFd] representing a target value of a vehicular driving force; basic target engine speed calculating means for calculating a basic target engine speed [tNinb] on the basis of the target driving force, the basic target engine speed [tNinb] representing a basic target value of the engine speed; power generation request quantity calculating means for calculating a power generation request quantity [tWg], the power generation request quantity [tWg] representing a power to be generated by the motor/generator; basic target engine torque calculating means for calculating a basic target engine torque [tTeg] on the basis of the target driving force [tFd], the power generation request quantity [tWg], and the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the basic target engine torque [tTeg] representing an engine torque to be developed when an output required for a vehicular drive and for a power drive of the motor/generator is developed at the basic target engine speed [tNinb]; limit torque calculating means for calculating a limit torque [tTlim] during an occurrence of a power generation request on the basis of the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request representing a limit torque of the engine when the engine is driven at the basic target engine speed [tNinb], satisfying a demand for an exhaust performance of the engine; target engine speed setting means for setting a target engine speed [tNin] to either the basic target engine speed [tNinb] or a value different from the basic target engine speed [tNinb] according to a result of comparison between the basic target engine torque [tTeg] and the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request; and controlling means for controlling the engine on the basis of the target engine speed [tNin].

Claim 16

A driving method for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: providing an engine; providing a motor/generator having its rotary axle linked to an output axle of the engine, providing a battery electrically connected to the motor/generator; calculating a target driving force [tFd], the target driving force [tFd] representing a target value of a vehicular driving force; calculating a basic target engine speed [tNinb] on the basis of the target driving force, the basic target engine speed [tNinb] representing a basic target value of the engine speed; calculating a power generation request quantity [tWg], the power generation request quantity [tWg] representing a power to be generated by the motor/generator; to calculate a basic target engine torque [tTeg] on the basis of the target driving force [tFd], the power generation request quantity [tWg], and the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the basic target engine torque [tTeg] representing an engine torque to be developed when an output required for a vehicular drive and for a power drive of the motor/generator is developed at the basic target engine speed [tNinb]; calculating a limit torque [tTlim] during an occurrence of a power generation request on the basis of the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request representing a limit torque of the engine when the engine is driven at the basic target engine speed [tNinb], satisfying a demand for an exhaust performance of the engine; setting a target engine speed [tNin] to either the basic target engine speed [tNinb] or a value different from the basic target engine speed [tNinb] according to a result of comparison between the basic target engine torque [tTeg] and the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request; and controlling the engine on the basis of the target engine speed [tNin].

Claim 17

A driving method for a hybrid vehicle, comprising: providing an engine; providing a motor/generator having its rotary axle linked to an output axle of the engine, providing a battery electrically connected to the motor/generator; calculating a target driving force [tFd], the target driving force [tFd] representing a target value of a vehicular driving force; calculating a basic target engine speed [tNinb] on the basis of the target driving force, the basic target engine speed [tNinb] representing a basic target value of the engine speed; calculating a power generation request quantity [tWg], the power generation request quantity [tWg] representing a power to be generated by the motor/generator; to calculate a basic target engine torque [tTeg] on the basis of the target driving force [tFd], the power generation request quantity [tWg], and the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the basic target engine torque [tTeg] representing an engine torque to be developed when an output required for a vehicular drive and for a power drive of the motor/generator is developed at the basic target engine speed [tNinb]; calculating a limit torque [tTlim] during an occurrence of a power generation request on the basis of the basic target engine speed [tNinb], the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request representing a limit torque of the engine when the engine is driven at the basic target engine speed [tNinb], satisfying a demand for an exhaust performance of the engine; setting a target engine speed [tNin] to either the basic target engine speed [tNinb] or a value different from the basic target engine speed [tNinb] according to a result of comparison between the basic target engine torque [tTeg] and the limit torque [tTlim] during the occurrence of the power generation request; and controlling the engine on the basis of the target engine speed [tNin].