Apparatus and method for controlling vehicle, and vehicle system

An apparatus for controlling a vehicle includes an energy predictor to predict an available energy using a battery energy based on a charging energy in battery charging and a battery energy based on a learned value of a state of health (SOH) of a battery, a distance calculator to calculate a driving range using the predicted available energy and a fuel efficiency which is previously learned, and a controller to update information on the calculated driving range.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0029818, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Mar. 15, 2019, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

(a) Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling a vehicle, and a vehicle system.

(b) Description of the Related Art

In the case of a vehicle, such as an electric vehicle, that obtains driving force from a battery, it is important to maintain a battery level to a specific level or more. To this end, a conventional electric vehicle calculates a driving range based on a residual capacity of a battery, learned fuel efficiency, a state of health (SOH), a battery temperature, and a temperature of the external air, and transmits the driving range to a driver.

In general, a vehicle measures the SOH of a battery during charging or discharging. In particular, the vehicle may measure the SOH of the battery in tapering sections.

However, even if the battery is charged with power under the condition that the SOH is not measured, the driving range is measured using the information on the SOH learned at the earlier stage or the initial stage since the current learned SOH is missing.

In this case, even if the battery actually has an SOH of 20% or more, the vehicle erroneously recognizes the SOH as being 0%. If the driving range is calculated based on the erroneously recognized SOH, an error of 20% may be made.

Therefore, as the reliability is degraded with respect to the information on the driving range informed by the vehicle, the driving experience may be unsatisfactory.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure provides an apparatus and a method for controlling a vehicle, and a vehicle system, capable of exactly measuring a state of health (SOH) of a battery under the condition that the SOH is not learned by calculating a driving range based on predicted battery energy, whenever the battery is charged, and thus improving the reliability of information on the driving range.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for controlling a vehicle, the vehicle includes an energy predictor to predict an available energy using a battery energy based on a charging energy in battery charging and a battery energy based on a learned value of a state of health (SOH) of a battery, a distance calculator to calculate a driving range using the predicted available energy and a fuel efficiency which is previously learned, and a controller to update information on the calculated driving range.

The energy predictor predicts the battery energy using the charging energy in the battery charging and a variation of a state of charge (SOC).

The energy predictor predicts the battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH by applying a learned value of the SOH in the battery charging to an initial capacity of the battery.

The energy predictor predicts the available energy based on an average value of the battery energy based on the charging energy and the battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH, in initially charging the battery.

The energy predictor predicts the available energy using an average value of the battery energy based on the charging energy in the battery charging, the battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH, and an available energy in previous battery charging.

The energy predictor predicts the available energy using an average value of the battery energy based on the charging energy in the battery charging, and an available energy in previous battery charging, when the learned value of the SOH is missing.

The controller transmits and output, to a display, the updated information on the calculated driving range.

The apparatus further includes an information collector to collect the charging energy in the battery charging and information on a variation of a state of charge (SOC).

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a vehicle includes predicting an available energy using a battery energy based on a charging energy in battery charging and a battery energy based on a learned value of a state of health (SOH) of a battery, calculating a driving range using the predicted available energy and a fuel efficiency which is previously learned, and updating information on the calculated driving range.

The predicting of the available energy includes predicting the battery energy based on the charging energy in the battery charging and a variation of a state of charge (SOC).

The predicting of the available energy includes predicting the battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH by applying a learned value of the SOH in the battery charging to an initial capacity of the battery.

The predicting of the available energy includes predicting the available energy based on an average value of the battery energy based on the charging energy and the battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH, in initially charging the battery.

The predicting of the available energy includes predicting the available energy using an average value of the battery energy based on the charging energy in the battery charging, the battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH, and an available energy in previous battery charging.

The predicting of the available energy includes predicting the available energy using an average value of the battery energy based on the charging energy in the battery charging, and an available energy in previous battery charging, when the learned value of the SOH is missing.

The method further includes transmitting and outputting, to a display, the updated information on the driving range.

The method further includes collecting the charging energy in the battery charging and a variation of a state of charge (SOC), before predicting the available energy.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle system includes a battery management system, a vehicle controlling apparatus to collect charging information from the battery management system in battery charging, to predict an available energy using battery energy based on a charging energy and a battery energy based on a learned value of a state of health (SOH), to calculate a driving range using the predicted available energy and a fuel efficiency, which is previously learned, and to update the driving range, and a display configured to output the updated driving range.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling a vehicle, and a vehicle system. A vehicle applied to the present disclosure may include a vehicle, such as an electric vehicle (EV) vehicle, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or the like, to drive a motor using battery energy.

FIG. 1is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a vehicle system, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 1, the vehicle system may include an apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as a “vehicle controlling apparatus”)100for controlling a vehicle, a battery management system (BMS)200, and a display300.

The vehicle controlling apparatus100controls the overall operation of the vehicle.

Especially, the vehicle controlling apparatus100predicts an available energy based on a charging energy when the battery is charged and a learned value of a state of health (SOH), calculates a driving range based on the predicted available energy, and updates an existing driving range.

In this case, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may transmit the updated driving range to the display300and inform a user of the driving range.

In this case, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may be implemented with a vehicle control unit (VCU) inside a vehicle.

The BMS200performs operations related to performance of a battery, a stable operation, and an effective operation. The BMS200may provide, to the vehicle controlling apparatus100, information associated with the charging of the battery, for example, variation in a state of charge (SOC) of the battery, or battery charging energy.

The display300outputs specific information provided from the vehicle controlling apparatus100. For example, the display300may display the information on the driving range of the vehicle. In this case, the display300may include a cluster (CLU) or an audio, video, navigation (AVN).

In the case, the display300may operate as a touch screen when including a touch sensor such as a touch film, a touch sheet, or a touch pad, and may be implemented in an integral form of an input device and an output device.

In this case, the display300may be implemented with at least one of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, a field emission display (FED), and a three dimensional display (3D display).

According to the present disclosure, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may be implemented inside the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may be implemented integrally with internal control units of the vehicle. Alternatively, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may be implemented separately from the internal control units of the vehicle and may be connected with the internal control units of the vehicle through an additional connection unit.

FIG. 2is a block diagram illustrating the structure of an apparatus for controlling a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 2, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may include a controller110, a communicator130, a storage140, an information collector150, an energy predictor160, and a distance calculator170. In this case, according to the present embodiment, the controller110, the communicator130, the storage140, the information collector150, the energy predictor160, and the distance calculator170may be implemented with at least one processor.

The controller110may process signals transmitted between the components of the vehicle controlling apparatus100.

The communicator130may include a communication module for communicating with electronic parts and/or control units provided in a vehicle. For example, the communication module may communicate with the BMS200and may receive information associated with the battery. In addition, the communication module may communicate with the display300such as a cluster or an AVN and may transmit information on a driving range, which is determined at the final stage, to the display300.

In this case, the vehicle network communication technology may include a controller area network (CAN) communication technology, a local interconnect network (LIN) communication technology, or a FlexRay communication technology.

In this case, the communicator130may further include a module for wireless Internet access or a module for short range communication.

The storage140may store data and/or algorithms necessary for the vehicle controlling apparatus100to operate.

For example, the storage140may store charging information of a battery received through the communicator130. In addition, the storage140may store information on the SOH, which is learned in advance, and/or available energy information which is previously calculated.

Further, the storage140may store a command and/or algorithm allowing the vehicle controlling apparatus100to predict battery energy and to calculate available energy using the predicted battery energy and/or the learned value of the SOH.

In this case, the storage140may include a storage medium, such as a random access memory (RAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a read only memory (ROM), a programmable read-only memory (PROM), an electrically erasable programmable read-memory, or the like.

The information collector150may collect battery information such as SOC information, or charging energy information, the learned value of the SOH and/or available energy information which is previously calculated.

The energy predictor160may predict the battery energy based on battery information collected by the information collector150. For example, the energy predictor160may first predict battery energy using charging energy depending on the variation of the SOC. In this case, the energy predictor160may predict a value, which is obtained by dividing the charging energy by the variation of the SOC, as the first battery energy based on the charging energy.

In addition, the energy predictor160may predict second battery energy based on the learned value of the state of health (SOH) collected by the information collector150. For example, the energy predictor160may predict, as the second battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH, a value obtained by subtracting the deteriorated energy from the initial energy of the battery.

The energy predictor160may determine the available energy using the first battery energy based on charging energy predicted above and the second battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH.

For example, the energy predictor160may obtain the initial available energy E0based on Equation 1 when the battery is initially charged.
Available energy(E0)=(Battery energy based on charging energy+battery energy based on learned value of SOH)/2  Equation 1

As in Equation 1, the initial available energy E0may be obtained as the average value of the first battery energy based on charging energy and second battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH.

The energy predictor160may obtain the first available energy E1based on Equation 2 when there is present the learned value of the SOH, which is previously learned, when charging is performed after the initial charging.
Available energy(E1)=(previous available energy+battery energy based on charging energy+battery energy based on learned value of SOH)/3  Equation 2

As in Equation 2, the first available energy E1may be obtained as an average value of the available energy calculated in previously charging, the first battery energy based on the charging energy, and the second battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH.

In this case, as the first available energy is obtained by reflecting previous available energy and battery energy based on charging energy and battery energy based on learned value of SOH at the ratio of 1:1:1, the available energy may be predicted more exactly.

Meanwhile, the energy predictor160may obtain the second available energy based on following Equation 3 when there is missing the learned value of the SOH, which is previously learned, in charging after initial charging.
Available energy(E2)=(previous available energy+battery energy based on charging energy)/2  Equation 3

As in Equation 3, the second available energy E2may be obtained as the average value of the available energy calculated, which is previously charged, and the first battery energy based on the charging energy.

In this case, even under the condition that the SOH is not learned, the available energy is more exactly predicted by reflecting the latest value based on the moving average value.

Accordingly, embodiments in which available energy for each situation is predicted will be described with reference toFIGS. 3A and 3B.

FIG. 3illustrates a table having information defined in association with the battery when charging the battery. The table as inFIG. 3has information defined in the variation (%) of the SOC, charging energy (kWH), battery energy based on charging energy, and the learned value of the SOH on each charging date. Among them, the learned value of the SOH is illustrated as in reference numeral311.

Referring toFIG. 3, when the battery is initially charged on March 9, the variation of the SOC is 43%, the charging energy is 8.8 kWH, the battery energy predicted based on the charging energy is 20.465 kWH, and the learned value of the SOH in the charging of the battery is 100% (0%; deteriorated)

The learned value of the SOH is 83% (17%; deteriorated) on June 5, as in reference numeral324, and 75% (25%; deteriorated) on August 4 as in reference numeral325.

Meanwhile, there is missing the learned value of the SOH as in reference numerals322and323on April 8 and May 6.

The prediction result of the available energy based on the table ofFIG. 3may be illustrated inFIG. 4. In the table ofFIG. 4, an item A indicates the prediction value of the available energy according to the present disclosure, and an item B indicates the prediction value of the available energy according to a conventional scheme.

Reference numerals332and333indicate prediction values of the available energy on April 8 and May 6 having no learned value of the SOH.

According to the conventional scheme, since the SOH of the battery is not reflected in the predicted values of the available energy on April 8 and May 6 having no learned value of the SOH, the predicted values of the available energy on April 8 and May 6 are the same as the initial available energy as in reference numeral331.

Meanwhile, according to the present disclosure, since the predicted values of the available energy on April 8 and May 6 having no learned value of the SOH are predicted using the first battery energy based on the previous available energy and the charging energy as in Equation 3, a more exact value may be obtained as compared to the conventional scheme.

Reference numerals334and335indicate prediction values of the available energy on June 6 and August 4 having learned value of the SOH.

According to the conventional scheme, the prediction values of the available energy on June 6 and August 4 having learned value of the SOH are values obtained by reflecting the learned value of the SOH in the initial battery capacity.

Meanwhile, according to the present disclosure, since the prediction values of the available energy on June 06 and August 04 having learned value of the SOH are obtained by predicting the available energy by reflecting the previous available energy, the first battery energy based on the charging energy, and the second battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH at the ratio of 1:1:1 as in Equation 2, a more exact value may be obtained as compared to the conventional scheme.

The distance calculator170calculates the driving range based on the available energy predicted by the energy predictor160.

In this case, the distance calculator170may calculate the driving range by applying the learned fuel efficiency to any one of the initial available energy E0, the first available energy E1, or the second available energy E2.

The distance calculator170stores the information on the driving range in the storage140. In this case, when there is present the information on the driving range, which is previously calculated, the distance calculator170updates the previously stored information with the information on the driving range which is newly calculated.

When the information on the driving range is updated, the controller110transmits the information on the driving range to the display300through the communicator130. Therefore, the display300may output the driving range information received through the communicator130to the screen to inform the user of the driving range information.

In addition, the controller110may transmit the updated driving range information to a system for controlling an operation of the vehicle by utilizing the driving range information.

According to the present embodiment, each of devices of the vehicle system operating as described above may be implemented in the form of an independent hardware device including a memory and a processor to process each operation, and may be run in the form included in another hardware device such as a microprocessor or a general purpose computer system.

The flowchart of the operation of the apparatus according to the present disclosure will be described below.

FIG. 5is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a method for controlling the vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Referring toFIG. 5, the vehicle controlling apparatus100collects charging information when the charging of the battery is started (S110). In this case, the collected charging information may include a battery SOC and information on the charging energy.

The vehicle controlling apparatus100predicts battery energy based on charging energy collected in step S120(S130). In this case, the vehicle controlling apparatus100may predict the battery energy based on a value obtained by dividing the charging energy by the variation of the SOC.

Thereafter, the vehicle controlling apparatus100predicts the available energy using the battery energy predicted in S130. In this case, the vehicle controlling apparatus100determines whether there is present the learned value of the SOH which is previously learned (S140). When there is present the learned value of the SOH, the available energy is predicted using the previous available energy, the first battery energy based on the present charging energy, and the second battery energy based on the learned value of the SOH as in Equation 2 (S150). When there is missing the learned value of the SOH, the available energy is predicted using the previous available energy and the first battery energy based on the present charging energy as in Equation 3 (S160).

In addition, in the case of the initial charging, the available energy may be predicted based on values other than the previous available energy.

When the prediction value of the available energy is obtained, the vehicle controlling apparatus100calculates the driving range based on the available energy (S170) and updates the information on the driving range calculated in S170(S180).

FIG. 6is a block diagram illustrating a computing system to execute the method, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The processor1100may be a central processing unit (CPU) or a semiconductor device for processing instructions stored in the memory1300and/or the storage1600. Each of the memory1300and the storage1600may include various types of volatile or non-volatile storage media. For example, the memory1300may include a read only memory (ROM; see1310) and a random access memory (RAM; see1320).

Thus, the operations of the methods or algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed in the present disclosure may be directly implemented with a hardware module, a software module, or the combinations thereof, executed by the processor1100. The software module may reside on a storage medium (i.e., the memory1300and/or the storage1600), such as a RAM, a flash memory, a ROM, an erasable and programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically EPROM (EEPROM), a register, a hard disc, a removable disc, or a compact disc-ROM (CD-ROM). The exemplary storage medium may be coupled to the processor1100. The processor1100may read out information from the storage medium and may write information in the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium may be integrated with the processor1100. The processor and storage medium may reside in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. Alternatively, the processor and storage medium may reside as separate components of the user terminal.

As described above, according to the present disclosure, the SOH of a battery may be exactly measured by calculating a driving range based on predicted battery energy under the condition that the SOH is not learned, whenever the battery is charged, and thus improving the reliability for information on the driving range.

Therefore, embodiments of the present disclosure are not intended to limit the technical spirit of the present disclosure, but provided only for the illustrative purpose. The scope of protection of the present disclosure should be construed by the attached claims, and all equivalents thereof should be construed as being included within the scope of the present disclosure.