JP2017135947A - Vehicle control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the lifetime of a battery from being reduced by repeating a state where an actuation situation of a specific actuator satisfies a predetermined condition and a state where the predetermined condition is not satisfied, in accordance with a state of charge of the battery in the case where the actuation situation of the actuator does not satisfy the predetermined condition.SOLUTION: A vehicular control device comprises: a power source capable of regulating an output voltage; a battery that can be charged with power supplied from the power source; an actuator that is connected with the power source and the battery in parallel; a prediction part which predicts an actuation of the actuator; and a control part by which in the case where the actuator is not actuated, in accordance with a power storage state of the battery, the output voltage of the power source is controlled in a range between a first voltage that promotes charging of the battery and a second voltage that suppresses charging of the battery and in the case where the actuator is actuated, the output voltage of the power source is maintained so as to be a third voltage that is higher than the second voltage. The control part makes the second voltage higher in the case where the actuation of the actuator is predicted by the prediction part, than that in the case where the actuation of the actuator is not predicted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control device.

  Conventionally, a battery between a relatively high voltage (first voltage) that promotes charging of the battery and a relatively low voltage (second voltage) that suppresses charging of the battery according to the state of charge of the battery of the vehicle. There is known a technique for controlling the output voltage of a power source (alternator) that charges the battery (hereinafter, the control method is referred to as “charge control”) (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In Patent Document 1, when the state of charge of the battery is lowered, the output voltage (power generation voltage) of the alternator is set to the first voltage to promote battery charging. Further, when the state of charge of the battery is improved to a predetermined reference (for example, fully charged state), the output voltage of the alternator is set to the second voltage, and the load on the engine is reduced, thereby improving the fuel efficiency of the vehicle.

JP2013-193618A

  Among the auxiliary machines mounted on the vehicle, there is an actuator having an operation state (a concept including presence / absence of operation, a load state at the time of operation, etc.) in which fluctuation or decrease in applied voltage due to charge control cannot be allowed. For example, a headlamp, which is an example of the actuator, prevents blinking due to voltage fluctuations, and thus cannot allow fluctuations or reductions in applied voltage in a situation where the headlamps are operating regardless of the load state. In addition, an assist motor of an electric power steering (EPS), which is another example of the actuator, prevents fluctuations in the applied torque in a situation where the motor is operating at a high load in order to prevent shortage of assist torque. Is unacceptable. For this reason, during the execution of the charge control as in Patent Document 1, if the operation state of the actuator satisfies a predetermined condition corresponding to the operation state in which the fluctuation or reduction of the applied voltage cannot be allowed, the charge control is stopped and the power supply is turned off. It is desirable to maintain the output voltage at a voltage higher than the second voltage (third voltage).

  However, if the actuator operating state repeats a state where the predetermined condition is satisfied and a state where the actuator is not satisfied, the output voltage of the power source increases from the second voltage to the third voltage, and then the output voltage of the power source changes from the third voltage to the second voltage. There is a possibility that the operation of dropping to a voltage is frequently repeated. For example, in a driving scene in which a tunnel is continuous, the operation / non-operation of the headlight is repeated, and the output voltage of the power supply may be frequently switched between a high state and a low state according to the operation / non-operation of the headlight. . Therefore, there is a possibility that the state where the charging and discharging of the battery are frequently switched may continue, and the battery is more than the amount of charge / discharge (either the charge amount or the discharge amount) when one of the battery charge and discharge continues. The amount of charge / discharge (the sum of the amount of charge and the amount of discharge) increases. That is, when the charge / discharge amount of the battery increases, the deterioration of the battery is promoted, and the life of the battery may be reduced.

  Therefore, in view of the above problems, when the operating state of a specific actuator does not satisfy a predetermined condition, a range between a first voltage that promotes charging of the battery and a second voltage that suppresses charging according to the state of charge of the battery. In the vehicle control device that controls the output voltage of the power source to be a third voltage higher than the second voltage when the operation state of the actuator satisfies a predetermined condition, It is an object of the present invention to suppress a decrease in battery life due to repeated operation states that satisfy predetermined conditions and states that do not satisfy predetermined conditions.

In order to achieve the above object, in one embodiment of the present invention,
A power supply with adjustable output voltage;
A battery that can be charged with power supplied from the power source;
An actuator connected in parallel with the power source and the battery;
When the operating condition of the actuator does not satisfy a predetermined condition including that the actuator is operating, a first voltage for promoting charging of the battery according to a charging state of the battery, and charging of the battery When the output voltage of the power supply is controlled within a range between the second voltage to be suppressed and the operating condition of the actuator satisfies the predetermined condition, the output voltage of the power supply is set to a third higher than the second voltage. A controller that maintains the voltage;
An acquisition unit for acquiring information on a vehicle situation that affects an operation state of the actuator;
A prediction unit that predicts whether or not the operating condition of the actuator satisfies the predetermined condition within a predetermined period or a predetermined mileage in the future based on the information,
The control unit increases the second voltage when the operation state of the actuator is predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition by the prediction unit than when the operation state of the actuator is not predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition. ,
A vehicle control device is provided.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, the controller of the vehicle control device determines whether or not the battery according to the state of charge of the battery when the operating state of the actuator does not satisfy a predetermined condition including that the actuator is operating. If the output voltage of the power source is controlled in a range between the first voltage that promotes charging of the battery and the second voltage that suppresses charging of the battery, and the operating state of the actuator satisfies a predetermined condition, the output voltage of the power source Is maintained at a third voltage higher than the second voltage. Then, the acquisition unit of the vehicle control device acquires information on the vehicle status that affects the operation status of the actuator, and the prediction unit satisfies the predetermined condition for the operation status of the actuator within a predetermined period or a predetermined distance in the future. When the prediction unit predicts that the operating condition of the actuator satisfies the predetermined condition, the control unit raises the second voltage higher than the case where the operating condition of the actuator is not predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition. To do. Therefore, in a scene where the operating state of the actuator is predicted to satisfy a predetermined condition, the second voltage in the charging control may be limited to a relatively high voltage, for example, a voltage at which the battery is charged with a relatively small current. it can. In addition, the predicting unit uses information that affects the operating state of the actuator, so that the operating state of the actuator is predetermined in a state where the operating state of the actuator frequently satisfies a predetermined condition and a state that does not satisfy the predetermined condition. You can continue to predict that the condition will be met. Therefore, when the operating state of the actuator satisfies a predetermined condition, the battery can be prevented from being switched from discharging to charging even if the output voltage of the power source is changed from the second voltage to the third voltage. In addition, even if the operating state of the actuator satisfies a predetermined condition and a state where the actuator does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the battery can be prevented from being switched from charging to discharging. That is, an increase in the charge / discharge amount of the battery can be suppressed, and a decrease in battery life can be suppressed.

  When the operating state of a specific actuator does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the output voltage of the power source is controlled in a range of a first voltage that promotes charging of the battery and a second voltage that suppresses charging according to the state of charge of the battery. In the vehicle control device that controls the output voltage of the power source to be the third voltage higher than the second voltage when the operating condition of the actuator satisfies a predetermined condition, the operating condition of the actuator satisfies the predetermined condition It is possible to suppress a decrease in battery life due to repeated unsatisfactory conditions.

It is a lineblock diagram showing roughly an example of composition of a control device for vehicles. It is a flowchart which shows roughly an example of the electric power generation control process by the vehicle control apparatus (control part). It is a timing chart showing the change of the electric power generation voltage and battery current in the vehicle control apparatus which concerns on a comparative example. It is a timing chart showing the change of the electric power generation voltage and battery current in the vehicle control apparatus which concerns on this embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows schematically the other example of a structure of the control apparatus for vehicles.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically illustrating an example of a configuration of a vehicle control device 1 according to the present embodiment. The vehicle control device 1 includes an engine 10, an alternator 20 (an example of a power source capable of adjusting an output voltage), a battery 30, a battery sensor 30 s, an actuator 40, and an ECU (Electrical Control Unit) 50. Hereinafter, the “vehicle” refers to a vehicle on which the vehicle control device 1 is mounted unless otherwise specified.

  In FIG. 1, a double line represents a mechanical power system, a solid line represents a power system, and a dotted line represents a control command / signal system.

  The engine 10 is an internal combustion engine as a driving force source of the vehicle.

  The alternator 20 is a DC generator that is driven by the power of the engine 10, and includes an AC generator and a rectifier that converts the three-phase AC power generated by the AC generator into DC. The alternator 20 can generate power using the power of the engine 10 transmitted from the crankshaft of the engine 10 via a belt. Further, the alternator 20 includes a regulator, and the regulator can control the power generation voltage of the alternator 20 by controlling the power generation control current (the field current flowing through the rotor coil of the alternator 20). Further, the alternator 20 can adjust the power generation amount by controlling the power generation voltage. The alternator 20 controls the power generation voltage of the alternator 20 in accordance with a control command (an instruction voltage Vset described later) from the ECU 50. The electric power generated by the alternator 20 is charged in the battery 30 or supplied as driving power to an auxiliary load including the actuator 40.

  The battery 30 is connected in parallel to an auxiliary machine load including the actuator 40 and supplies electric power to the auxiliary machine load. The battery 30 is, for example, a secondary battery such as a lead battery having a rated voltage of 12 V, a nickel metal hydride battery, or a lithium ion battery, and supplies a voltage of about 12 V to 15 V to the auxiliary load depending on the state of charge. The battery 30 is connected in parallel to the alternator 20 and can charge the generated power supplied from the alternator 20.

  The battery sensor 30s is a known detection unit that detects various states (current, voltage, temperature, charge state, deterioration state, etc.) of the battery 30. Information (battery state information) relating to various states of the battery 30 detected by the battery sensor 30s is transmitted to the ECU 50 via a one-to-one communication line or an in-vehicle network such as a CAN (Controller Area Network).

  The actuator 40 is an auxiliary load that is connected in parallel to the alternator 20 and the battery 30 and that is operated by electric power from them. The actuator 40 has an operating state in which fluctuation or reduction in applied voltage cannot be allowed. For example, the actuator 40 is a headlamp. In order to prevent blinking, the headlamp cannot tolerate fluctuations or reductions in the applied voltage when operating regardless of the load state. For example, the actuator 40 is a wiper. The wiper does not allow the driver to feel a sense of incongruity by changing the speed. Therefore, when the wiper is operating regardless of the load state, the applied voltage cannot be allowed to fluctuate or decrease. For example, the actuator 40 is a fuel pump. In order to prevent fuel supply from being insufficient, the fuel pump cannot tolerate fluctuation or decrease in applied voltage when operating at a high load. For example, the actuator 40 is an EPS assist motor. In order to prevent the assist torque from being insufficient, the assist motor cannot tolerate fluctuations or reductions in the applied voltage when operating at a high load. In addition, the actuator 40 may be a blower of an air conditioner, a radiator fan, or the like.

  The “operation status” is a concept including the presence / absence (operation or non-operation) of the actuator 40 and the load state at the time of operation.

  The ECU 50 is an electronic control unit that executes power generation control of the alternator 20. The ECU 50 is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer and implements various control processes by executing various programs stored in the ROM by the CPU. The ECU 50 includes an information acquisition unit 51, an operation prediction unit 52, and a control unit 53 as functional units realized by executing one or more programs stored in the ROM by the CPU.

  The ECU 50 is input with information on the vehicle status including various states of the vehicle and the devices mounted on the vehicle, the surrounding environment of the vehicle, and the like. For example, the ECU 50 has a battery state that includes information (actuator operating state information) on the operating state of the actuator 40 and a state of charge (SOC) of the battery 30 via an in-vehicle network or a one-to-one communication line. Information is entered. In addition, the ECU 50 has information on the vehicle speed (vehicle speed information), information on the steering angle of the steering device (steering angle information), information on the shift range of the transmission (shift range information), etc. via an in-vehicle network. Entered. The ECU 50 also receives information (conlite information) indicating the detection state of the concrite sensor (illuminance sensor) and the detection state of the rain sensor (sensor that detects raindrops on the front windshield of the vehicle) via an in-vehicle network or the like. Representing information (rain sensor information) and the like are input. Further, the ECU 50 includes various information (navigation information) in a navigation device including vehicle position information, map information around the vehicle position, a route being guided, and any communication means (for example, a communication network of a mobile phone) Weather information obtained from the Internet or the like is input via a connectable communication module.

  The information acquisition unit 51 operates the actuator 40 from various information (battery state information, vehicle speed information, steering angle information, shift range information, conlite information, rain sensor information, navigation information, weather information, etc.) input to the ECU 50. Obtain information about the vehicle situation that affects the situation.

  The operation predicting unit 52 is based on information on the vehicle status that affects the operating status of the actuator 40 acquired by the information acquiring unit 51 within a predetermined period in the future (for example, within a few minutes from the present) or within a predetermined travel distance ( For example, it is predicted whether or not the operating state of the actuator 40 satisfies a predetermined condition within a few km from the current location. The predetermined condition is defined in advance as an operation state in which the actuator 40 cannot tolerate fluctuations or reductions in the applied voltage.

  For example, when the actuator 40 is a headlight, the predetermined condition is “being activated” as described above. Then, the operation predicting unit 52 may predict that “the headlamp is activated” from the navigation information acquired by the information acquiring unit 51 when a tunnel travel is assumed within a predetermined period or within a predetermined travel distance in the future. it can. Further, the operation predicting unit 52 can predict that “the headlamp is activated” when it is assumed that the amount of sunshine in the daytime is reduced to a threshold corresponding to the automatic lighting of the headlamp from the concrite information. .

  Further, for example, when the actuator 40 is a wiper, the predetermined condition is “being operated” as described above. Then, the operation predicting unit 52 predicts that the wiper operates when it is assumed that it will rain within a predetermined period or within a predetermined travel distance from the rain sensor information and weather information acquired by the information acquiring unit 51. can do.

  For example, when the actuator 40 is a fuel pump, the predetermined condition is “operating at high load” as described above. Then, the operation prediction unit 52 determines that the vehicle is continuously traveling at a high vehicle speed (a vehicle speed equal to or higher than a predetermined speed set to a relatively high value) for a predetermined time or more based on the vehicle speed information acquired by the information acquisition unit 51. When it is determined, or when it is assumed that the highway travels within the predetermined period or the predetermined travel distance from the navigation information acquired by the information acquisition unit 51, the fuel pump is predicted to “operate at high load”. be able to.

  For example, when the actuator 40 is an EPS assist motor, the predetermined condition is “operating at a high load” as described above. Then, the operation predicting unit 52 predicts that “the assist motor is operated at a high load” when the vehicle is parked from the vehicle speed information, the steering angle information, and the shift range information acquired by the information acquiring unit 51. be able to. In addition, the operation predicting unit 52 determines that the assist motor operates with a high load when the vehicle enters a parking lot or enters a residential area with a very narrow road from the navigation information acquired by the information acquiring unit 51. "Can be predicted.

  The control unit 53 controls the power generation voltage of the alternator 20 (power generation control). Specifically, the control unit 53 sets an instruction value (instruction voltage) Vset of the generated voltage of the alternator 20 and outputs it to the alternator 20. The alternator 20 that has received the instruction voltage Vset controls a field current of a regulator (not shown) and adjusts the generated voltage of the alternator 20 to the instruction voltage Vset output from the control unit 53.

  Next, the power generation control process of the alternator 20 by the control unit 53 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart schematically showing an example of the power generation control process by the vehicle control apparatus 1 (control unit 53) according to the present embodiment. The process according to this flowchart is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals from ignition on (IG-ON) to ignition off (IG-OFF) of the vehicle.

  In step S102, the control unit 53 determines whether or not the operation status of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition based on the actuator operation status information input to the ECU 50. If the operating condition of the actuator 40 does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the process proceeds to step S104. If the predetermined condition is satisfied, the process proceeds to step S110.

  In step S <b> 104, the control unit 53 determines whether or not the operation prediction unit 52 is predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition of the operation state of the actuator 40. When the operation state of the actuator 40 is not predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition by the operation prediction unit 52, the control unit 53 proceeds to step S106, and when the operation state of the actuator 40 is predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition, The process proceeds to S108.

  In step S106 or step S108, the control unit 53 determines the upper limit voltage VH (an example of the first voltage) that promotes charging of the battery 30 and the lower limit voltage that suppresses charging according to the state of charge (SOC) of the battery 30. The voltage of the alternator 20 is controlled within a range between VL (an example of the second voltage). That is, the control unit 53 sets the instruction voltage Vset in a range between the upper limit voltage VH and the lower limit voltage VL according to the SOC of the battery 30 and outputs the instruction voltage Vset to the alternator 20 (hereinafter, the control mode is referred to as “charging”). Called "control"). For example, when the SOC of the battery becomes relatively low (for example, lower than 80%), the control unit 53 sets the instruction voltage Vset to the upper limit voltage VH and promotes charging of the battery 30. Then, when the SOC of battery 30 becomes relatively high (for example, when the battery 30 is fully charged), control unit 53 sets instruction voltage Vset to lower limit voltage VL and suppresses charging of battery 30 (an example of charge control). ).

  Here, in step S106, the control unit 53 sets the upper limit voltage VH to a predetermined voltage V0 (eg, “14.0V”), and sets the lower limit voltage VL (<VH) to a predetermined voltage V1 (lower than the predetermined voltage V0). For example, charge control is executed as “12.0 V”).

  On the other hand, in step S108, the control unit 53 sets the upper limit voltage VH to the predetermined voltage V0 as in step S106, and sets the lower limit voltage VL to a predetermined voltage V2 (for example, “13.0 V”) higher than the predetermined voltage V1. Execute charge control.

  If it is determined in step 102 that the operating condition of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition, in step S110, the control unit 53 causes the instruction voltage Vset to be higher than the lower limit voltage VL (that is, the predetermined voltages V1 and V2). It is set to a predetermined voltage V3 (for example, “14.0 V”) and output to the alternator 20 (hereinafter, this control mode is referred to as “high voltage maintenance control”). The predetermined voltage V3 is defined in advance as a voltage capable of stably operating the actuator 40 based on specifications of the actuator 40, experiments, and the like.

  The predetermined voltage V3 may be the same as the predetermined voltage V0 or a voltage smaller than the predetermined voltage V0 as long as the actuator 40 can operate stably.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, FIG. 4, the effect | action of the vehicle control apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated.

  FIG. 3 is an example of a timing chart illustrating power generation control processing by the vehicle control device according to the comparative example. Specifically, FIG. 3A shows a change in the operating state of the actuator 40, FIG. 3B shows a change in the instruction voltage Vset corresponding to FIG. 3A, and FIG. Represents a change in the current I of the battery 30 corresponding to FIG. FIG. 4 is an example of a timing chart for explaining a power generation control process by the vehicle control device 1 (control unit 53) according to the present embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a change in the operation status of the actuator 40, and FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a change in the prediction result of the operation status of the actuator 40 by the operation prediction unit 52. 4 (c) shows the change in the instruction voltage Vset corresponding to FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), and FIG. 4 (d) shows the current I of the battery 30 corresponding to FIG. 4 (c). Represents changes.

  Note that the vehicle control device according to the comparative example does not include the information acquisition unit 51 and the operation prediction unit 52, unlike the vehicle control device 1 according to the present embodiment. Further, unlike the vehicle control device 1 according to the present embodiment, the vehicle control device according to the comparative example always sets the upper limit voltage VH to the predetermined voltage V0 when the operating state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition, Charging control is performed with the lower limit voltage VL as the predetermined voltage V1. In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it is assumed that the above-described example of charge control is executed. 3 and 4, it is assumed that the SOC of the battery 30 is in a state where the instruction voltage Vset in the charge control is set to the lower limit voltage VL. In the example shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the predetermined condition of the actuator 40 is “being operated”. That is, it is assumed that the actuator 40 satisfies a predetermined condition when it is operating regardless of the load state, such as a headlamp.

  First, with reference to FIG. 3, the power generation control process by the vehicle control device according to the comparative example will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the actuator 40 repeats operation (ON) / non-operation (OFF). That is, the operating state of the actuator 40 repeats a state where the predetermined condition is satisfied and a state where the predetermined condition is not satisfied. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3 (b), in the comparative example, when the actuator 40 is changed from the non-operating state, the instruction voltage Vset is changed from the predetermined voltage V1 which is the lower limit voltage VL to the predetermined voltage V3. When the actuator 40 increases and returns to the non-operating state, the state in which the instruction voltage Vset decreases from the predetermined voltage V3 to the predetermined voltage V1 is repeated.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 3C, when the instruction voltage Vset is set to the predetermined voltage V1, the battery 30 is discharged, and when the instruction voltage Vset is set to the predetermined voltage V3, the battery 30 is charged. . That is, in the comparative example, the battery 30 is repeatedly switched between charging and discharging frequently by repeating the state where the operation state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition and the state where the actuator 40 does not satisfy the predetermined condition. In the state where one of the charging and discharging of the battery 30 is continuously performed, the charging amount or discharging amount of the battery 30 tends to decrease with time, and the charging / discharging amount (either charging amount or discharging amount as a whole) Is relatively small. On the other hand, when the charging and discharging of the battery 30 are frequently switched as in the comparative example, the charging amount or discharging amount at each occasion of charging or discharging the battery 30 becomes large each time. Therefore, in the comparative example, when the charge / discharge amount of the battery 30 as a whole increases, the deterioration of the battery 30 is promoted, and the life of the battery 30 may be reduced.

  Moreover, when the charging and discharging of the battery 30 are repeated as in the comparative example, the load on the alternator 20 frequently fluctuates greatly. That is, large torque fluctuations frequently occur in the engine 10 that drives the alternator 20, and drivability may deteriorate.

  Then, with reference to FIG. 4, the electric power generation control process by the vehicle control apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment is demonstrated.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the actuator 40 repeats operation (ON) / non-operation (OFF) as in FIG. 3A. That is, the operating state of the actuator 40 repeats a state where the predetermined condition is satisfied and a state where the predetermined condition is not satisfied. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4B, the operation predicting unit 52 determines that the operation state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition before the repetition occurs. Moreover, in the situation where the repetition continues, the operation prediction unit 52 can always predict that the operation state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition by appropriately setting the predetermined period or the predetermined travel distance. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the operation predicting unit 52 predicts that the operation state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition before the repetition occurs, the lower limit voltage VL in the charge control is increased. The voltage rises from the predetermined voltage V1 to the predetermined voltage V2. Then, after the occurrence of the repetition, when the actuator 40 is in the operating state from the inactive state, the instruction voltage Vset is increased from the predetermined voltage V2 which is the lower limit voltage VL to the predetermined voltage V3, and the actuator 40 is operated. When returning from the present state to the non-actuated state, the situation where the instruction voltage Vset decreases from the predetermined voltage V3 to the predetermined voltage V2 is repeated.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 4D, when the instruction voltage Vset is set to a predetermined voltage V2 higher than the predetermined voltage V1, the battery 30 is charged with a relatively small current, and the instruction voltage Vset is set to the predetermined voltage V3. When set to, the battery 30 is charged with a relatively large current. For this reason, as in the comparative example, charging and discharging of the battery 30 are not frequently switched and charging of the battery 30 is continued. Therefore, the charge / discharge amount of the battery 30 as a whole is suppressed, and the life of the battery 30 is reduced. Can be suppressed.

  Further, unlike the comparative example, since charging and discharging of the battery 30 are not repeated, fluctuations in the load of the alternator 20 can be reduced. That is, large torque fluctuations in the engine 10 that drives the alternator 20 can be suppressed, and deterioration of drivability can be suppressed.

  As described above, when the operation state of the actuator 40 does not satisfy the predetermined condition, the control unit 53 charges the upper limit voltage VH for promoting the charging of the battery 30 and the charging of the battery 30 according to the charging state of the battery 30. The output voltage (power generation voltage) of the alternator 20 is controlled within a range between the lower limit voltage VL to be suppressed. On the other hand, when the operating state of the actuator 40 satisfies a predetermined condition, the control unit 53 maintains the output voltage of the alternator 20 at a predetermined voltage V3 higher than the lower limit voltage VL. Further, the operation prediction unit 52 determines whether the operation status of the actuator 40 is predetermined within a predetermined period in the future or within a predetermined travel distance based on information on the vehicle status that affects the operation status of the actuator 40 acquired by the information acquisition unit 51. Predict whether the condition is satisfied. When the operation state of the actuator 40 is predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition by the operation prediction unit 52, the control unit 53 increases the lower limit voltage VL than when the operation state of the actuator 40 is not predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition. . Therefore, in a scene where the operating state of the actuator 40 is predicted to satisfy a predetermined condition, the lower limit voltage VL in the charge control is set to a relatively high predetermined voltage V2, for example, a voltage at a level at which the battery 30 is charged with a relatively small current. Can be limited. In addition, the operation predicting unit 52 uses information related to the vehicle status that affects the operation status of the actuator 40, so that the status in which the operation status of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition and the status in which the operation status of the actuator 40 is not satisfied are frequently repeated. In this case, it can continue to be predicted that the operating state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition. Therefore, when the operating state of the actuator 40 satisfies a predetermined condition, the battery 30 may not be switched from discharging to charging even if the output voltage of the alternator 20 is changed from the lower limit voltage VL to the predetermined voltage V3. it can. Further, even if the operating state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition and the unsatisfied state, the battery 30 can be prevented from being switched from charging to discharging. That is, an increase in the charge / discharge amount of the battery 30 can be suppressed, and a decrease in the life of the battery 30 can be suppressed.

  As mentioned above, although the form for implementing this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited to this specific embodiment, In the range of the summary of this invention described in the claim, various Can be modified or changed.

  For example, the vehicle control device 1 in the above-described embodiment is mounted on a vehicle having the engine 10 as a main power source, but may be mounted on a vehicle (electric vehicle) having an electric motor as a power source. Hereinafter, this modification will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of the vehicle control device 1 </ b> A according to the modification.

  The vehicle control device 1A according to the modification differs from the vehicle control device 1 according to the above-described embodiment in that the engine 10 and the alternator 20 include a high-voltage battery 10A and a DC-DC converter 20A (a power source capable of adjusting an output voltage). It differs mainly in that it is replaced with another example. Hereinafter, the same components as those in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and description will be made with a focus on differences from the above-described embodiment.

  The high voltage battery 10 </ b> A supplies high voltage (for example, 200 V to 300 V) power to an electric motor that is a power source of the vehicle. The high voltage battery 10A is a secondary battery such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery.

  The DC-DC converter 20A steps down the power of the high-voltage battery 10A to a voltage suitable for an auxiliary load that operates at a low voltage (for example, 12V to 15V) including the actuator 40, and supplies the voltage to the battery 30 and the actuator 40. . The DC-DC converter 20 </ b> A can adjust the output voltage based on the instruction voltage Vset input from the control unit 53.

  The actuator 40 is an auxiliary load that is connected in parallel with the DC-DC converter 20A and the battery 30 and operates with electric power from them, and as in the case of the above-described embodiment, an operating situation in which fluctuation or decrease in applied voltage is not allowed. have. The actuator 40 can include auxiliary machine loads (headlamps, wipers, fuel pumps, EPS assist motors, air conditioner blowers, radiator fans, etc.) exemplified in the above-described embodiments. For example, the actuator 40 is a cooling fan for cooling the high voltage battery 10A. The cooling fan prevents an abnormality of the high-voltage battery 10A due to a temperature rise, and thus cannot lower or change the applied voltage when operating in a high load state. In addition, in this modification, the actuator 40 may be an electric water pump, an electric oil pump, or the like.

  Similar to the above-described embodiment, the operation predicting unit 52 is based on the information about the vehicle status that affects the operating status of the actuator 40 acquired by the information acquiring unit 51, and the actuator 40 within a predetermined period in the future or within a predetermined travel distance. It is predicted whether or not the operating state of the above satisfies a predetermined condition. For example, when the actuator 40 is a cooling fan that cools the high-voltage battery 10A, the predetermined condition is “operating at a high load” as described above. Then, the operation prediction unit 52 determines from the vehicle speed information acquired by the information acquisition unit 51 that the vehicle is continuously traveling at a high vehicle speed for a predetermined time or more, or navigation information acquired by the information acquisition unit 51. From this, it is possible to predict that the cooling fan “operates at a high load” when it is assumed that the motorway travels within a predetermined period or within a predetermined travel distance.

  The control unit 53 controls the output voltage of the DC-DC converter 20A instead of the output voltage (generated voltage) of the alternator 20 in the above-described embodiment. Specifically, the control unit 53 sets an instruction value (instruction voltage) Vset of the output voltage of the DC-DC converter 20A and outputs it to the DC-DC converter 20A. Then, the DC-DC converter 20A that has received the instruction voltage Vset, for example, performs PWM control of a drive circuit (not shown) according to the instruction voltage Vset, and the output voltage of the DC-DC converter 20A is output from the control unit 53. The indicated voltage Vset is adjusted. The control mode of the DC-DC converter 20A by the control unit 53 is the same as the contents of FIGS. 2 and 4 described in the above-described embodiment. Therefore, also in this modified example, similarly to the above-described embodiment, an increase in the amount of charge / discharge of the battery 30 due to frequent repetition of the state where the operation state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition and the state where the actuator 40 does not satisfy the predetermined condition is suppressed. In addition, it is possible to suppress the life reduction of the battery 30.

  In the above-described embodiment or modification, the operation prediction unit 52 predicts whether or not the operation status of the actuator 40 satisfies a predetermined condition within a predetermined period in the future or within a predetermined travel distance. It may be predicted whether or not the operation state of the above state is a state in which a state where the predetermined condition is satisfied and a state where the predetermined state is not satisfied are repeatedly generated. For example, the operation prediction unit 52 can predict that the state in which the headlamp operates and the state in which the headlamp does not operate are repeated when it is assumed that the tunnel travels continuously from the navigation information acquired by the information acquisition unit 51. Then, when the operation prediction unit 52 predicts that the operation state of the actuator 40 satisfies the predetermined condition and the state where it does not satisfy the condition, the control unit 53 charges more than the case where the repetition is predicted not to occur. The lower limit voltage VL in the control may be increased (that is, the lower limit voltage VL may be raised from the predetermined voltage V1 to the predetermined voltage V2). In such a case, the same operation and effect as the above-described embodiment and modification can be obtained.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control apparatus for vehicles 10 Engine 10A High voltage battery 20 Alternator (power supply)
20A DC-DC converter (power supply)
30 battery 30s battery sensor 40 actuator 50 ECU
51 Information acquisition unit (acquisition unit)
52 Operation prediction unit (prediction unit)
53 Control unit

Claims (1)

A power supply with adjustable output voltage;
A battery that can be charged with power supplied from the power source;
An actuator connected in parallel with the power source and the battery;
When the operating condition of the actuator does not satisfy a predetermined condition including that the actuator is operating, a first voltage for promoting charging of the battery according to a charging state of the battery, and charging of the battery When the output voltage of the power supply is controlled within a range between the second voltage to be suppressed and the operating condition of the actuator satisfies the predetermined condition, the output voltage of the power supply is set to a third higher than the second voltage. A controller that maintains the voltage;
An acquisition unit for acquiring information on a vehicle situation that affects an operation state of the actuator;
A prediction unit that predicts whether or not the operating condition of the actuator satisfies the predetermined condition within a predetermined period or a predetermined mileage in the future based on the information,
The control unit increases the second voltage when the operation state of the actuator is predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition by the prediction unit than when the operation state of the actuator is not predicted to satisfy the predetermined condition. ,
Vehicle control device.

Images