Power control apparatus, power control method

Abstract

A battery requiring power generation determining unit is operable to determine first power required by the battery depending on a battery condition. An electric component using power determining unit is operable to determine second power used by the electric components. An feeding indispensable power determining unit is operable to determine feeding indispensable power. A power generation determining unit is operable to determine a first power generation to be generated by the generator based on the first power, the second power, and the feeding indispensable power. The feeding indispensable power determining unit determines the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail preferred exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a power control system including a power control apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of the power control apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating operations of functional parts of the power control apparatus;

FIG. 4 shows an example of a table indicating whether or not power is fed;

FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B) show an example of calculation of the amount of required power generation;

FIG. 6 is a table showing a relationship between a charging rate, a charging mode and a charging control method;

FIGS. 7(A) and 7(B) shows an example of the amount of required power generation in driveability preference and battery charging preference;

FIG. 8 shows an example of a table indicating priority and power consumption data of the electric components;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a power control system including a power control apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of the power control apparatus according to the second embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating a process of calculating the ideal amount of power generation;

FIG. 12 is a view showing an example of parameters related to a power generation control, which are predicted based on external information;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating an operation of the power control apparatus shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of a power control apparatus according to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart illustrating a process of performing learning for driver characteristic;

FIG. 16 is a view flow chart illustrating a power generation control method;

FIG. 17 is a view illustrating a power feeding restricting method;

FIG. 18 is a view showing a function of controlling the amount of power generation based on a predicting result of a running prediction unit;

FIG. 19 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of a power control apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a flow chart illustrating an operation of the power control apparatus shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a view showing an example of parameters related to a power generation control, which are predicted based on external information; and

FIG. 22 is a functional block diagram showing a functional configuration of a power control apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Claims

1. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which charges a battery provided on a vehicle and feeds to electric components provided on the vehicle, the power control apparatus comprising: a battery requiring power generation determining unit operable to determine first power required by the battery depending on a battery condition;an electric component using power determining unit operable to determine second power used by the electric components;an feeding indispensable power determining unit operable to determine feeding indispensable power; anda power generation determining unit operable to determine a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power, the second power, and the feeding indispensable power,wherein the feeding indispensable power determining unit determines the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

2. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a charging mode determining unit operable to determine a charging mode depending on the battery condition; anda charging control method determining unit operable to determine a charging control method depending on the charging mode and the running mode,wherein the battery requiring power generation determining unit determines the first power depending on the charging control method and the battery condition.

3. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a feeding control requiring power generation determining unit operable to determine a feeding control requiring power generation amount based on the second power and the feeding indispensable power; anda feeding control judging unit operable to judge whether a feeding restriction is performed depending on the feeding control requiring power generation amount and actual power generation amount of the generator.

4. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: an external information detection unit operable to detect external information;a predicting unit operable to predict transition of parameters related to the power generation control for each area based on the detected external information; anda power generation calculating unit operable to calculate second power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on predicted the transition of the parameters,wherein third power generation amount is determined by adjusting the first power generation amount based on the second power generation amount.

5. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the third power generation amount is determined depending on a difference between the first power generation amount and the second power generation amount.

6. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 4, further comprising: a drive characteristic detecting unit operable to detect drive characteristic of a driver,wherein the predicted transition of the parameters are corrected based on the detected drive characteristic.

7. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the feeding indispensable power is power required in a case where electric components related to safety system of the vehicle is activated.

8. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the feeding indispensable power is power required in a case where a predetermined electric component is activated.

9. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control apparatus comprising: a power generation determining unit operable to determine first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components and feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component related to safety system of the vehicle is activated,wherein the power generation determining unit changes the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

10. The power control apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the electric component related to the safety system includes at least one of an airbag system, an anti-brake system, a pre-crush system, and skidding prevention system.

11. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control apparatus comprising: a power generation determining unit operable to determine first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components and feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component which is currently deactivated is activated,wherein the power generation determining unit changes the feeding indispensable power depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

12. A power control apparatus operable to perform a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components including a navigation system, the power control apparatus comprising: an electric component using power determining unit operable to detect first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;an electric component using power predicting unit operable to predict second power consumed by an electric component which is predicted to be activated in the electric components based on a running mode of the vehicle and external information acquired from the navigation system; anda power generation determining unit operable to determine a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the detected first power and the predicted second power.

13. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which charges a battery provided on a vehicle and feeds to electric components provided on the vehicle, the power control method comprising: determining first power required by the battery depending on a battery condition;determining second power used by the electric components;determining feeding indispensable power; anddetermining a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power, the second power, and the feeding indispensable power,wherein the feeding indispensable power is determined depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

14. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control method comprising: determining first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;determining feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component related to safety system of the vehicle is activated;determining first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power and the feeding indispensable power,wherein the feeding indispensable power is changed depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

15. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components, the power control method comprising: determining first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;determining feeding indispensable power required in a case where an electric component which is currently deactivated is activated; anddetermining first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the first power and the feeding indispensable power,wherein the feeding indispensable power is changed depending on a running mode of the vehicle.

16. A power control method for performing a power generation control of a generator which feeds to electric components including a navigation system, the power control method comprising: detecting first power consumed by an electric component which is currently activated in the electric components;predicting second power consumed by an electric component which is predicted to be activated in the electric components based on a running mode of the vehicle and external information acquired from the navigation system; anddetermining a first power generation amount to be generated by the generator based on the detected first power and the predicted second power.