Patent Publication Number: US-2023144775-A1

Title: Method for operating a vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for operating a vehicle and an arrangement for operating a vehicle. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     A hybrid vehicle can be driven with different drive units at the same time. The document DE 10 2008 035 451 A1 describes a method for optimization of a hybrid operation. A motor vehicle having a hybrid drive is known from the document DE 10 2007 011 739 A1. 
     The document DE 10 2013 211 975 A1 describes a torque superpositioning device for a hybrid drive and a method for operating such a hybrid drive. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments provide systems and/or methods to operate a hybrid vehicle effectively. 
     Some embodiments include methods for the operation of a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, comprising an electric machine and an internal combustion engine as the drive units, wherein a total power of a drive system comprising the drive units is generated by the two drive units in synchronous or simultaneous operation for the driving and/or propelling of the vehicle, wherein one portion of the power of the electric machine and one portion of the power of the internal combustion engine is set in dependence on the temperature of at least one of the drive units in the total power for the driving of the vehicle, which is configured and/or designated as a hybrid vehicle. 
     The portion of the power of the electric machine and the portion of the power of the internal combustion engine in the total power is set in dependence on the temperature of the electric machine and/or the internal combustion engine, i.e., in dependence on only one drive unit or in dependence on both drive units. 
     In one embodiment, a definable and/or maximum power for a particular operating situation is furnished and/or provided by the internal combustion engine and only a residual and/or remaining power is furnished and/or provided by the electric machine, as is required to achieve the total maximum power of the two drive units for the driving of the vehicle. It is possible for the residual power of the electric machine to be set from the total power of the drive units minus the maximum power of the internal combustion engine. 
     It is usually provided that the portion of the power of the internal combustion engine in the total power of both drive units is set to be greater than the portion of the power of the electric machine in the total power. However, it is likewise conceivable for the portion of the electric machine to be set greater than that of the internal combustion engine. 
     Furthermore, it is possible to measure the temperature of a coolant of at least or in at least one drive unit, i.e., the internal combustion engine and/or the electric machine. A portion of the power of the electric machine in the total power will be increased if the temperature of the coolant of the internal combustion engine goes beyond a limit value. The portion of the power of the internal combustion engine in the total power will be decreased accordingly. This is possible, for example, for a high-performance internal combustion engine or a high-performance combustion engine in which a very high cooling power demand generally occurs, which can be reduced in dependence on the temperature. 
     Accordingly, a portion of the power of the internal combustion engine in the total power will be increased if the temperature of the coolant of the electric machine goes beyond a limit value. The portion of the power of the electric machine in the total power will be decreased accordingly. 
     Furthermore, it is possible to increase the portion of the internal combustion engine or a combustion engine in the total power upon reduction of the total available or possibly available electrical and/or mechanical power of the electric machine. Furthermore, it is possible to increase the portion of the electric machine in the total power upon reduction of the total available or possibly available electrical and/or mechanical power of the internal combustion engine. 
     By staggering, comparing, balancing and/or mutual adjustment of the power of the internal combustion engine and the electric machine, taking into account the technical limits of the two drive units, the defined power of the drive system comprising the two drive units can be achieved each time. It is possible to provide for the total power of the drive system a definable maximum value, such as a constant value, resulting from the sum of the portion of the power of the electric machine and the portion of the power of the internal combustion engine, the two portions being adjusted in dependence on the current operating parameters, for example, the temperature and/or number of revolutions, and an operational situation of the two drive units, for example, in dynamic manner. 
     A characteristic map can be used, for example, for the two portions of the power in the total power of the drive system, which includes and/or allows for the portion of the power P V  (T V , T E ) of the internal combustion engine and the portion of the power P E  (T V , T E ) of the electric machine, each time depending on the temperature T V  of the internal combustion engine and the temperature T E  of the electric machine, it being provided for the sum of the two powers P V  (T V , T E ), P E  (T V , T E ) of the internal combustion engine and the electric machine that they have a constant maximum value, such as a nominal value, P S , where: 
         P   S   =P   V ( T   V   ,T   E )+ P   E ( T   V   ,T   E ). 
     Generally, the power P V  (T V , T E ) of the internal combustion engine is determined at first in dependence on the operation. This power may vary, and on the basis of this power the power P E  (T V , T E ) of the electric machine is adapted. The characteristic map can also take into account other operational parameters of the two drive units, such as the speed of revolutions, which likewise influence the powers P S , P V  and P E . The respective values of the powers P S , P V  and P E  are set in dependence on a particular operational situation of the drive system and/or the vehicle, it being possible to assign, require, and/or define a value of at least one of the powers P S , P V , P E , i.e., the total power P S  and/or the power P V , P E  of one of the two drive units, in dependence on the operational situation. 
     The arrangement may be designed for the operation of a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, having a drive system, in turn comprising an electric machine and an internal combustion engine as the drive units, which are adapted to generating a total power of the drive system in synchronous operation for the driving of the vehicle. The arrangement comprises at least one thermometer for the two drive units, generally one thermometer each for a drive unit, i.e., one thermometer for the internal combustion engine and one thermometer for the electric machine, and a controller. The at least one thermometer is adapted to measure the temperature of at least one drive unit, the temperature of the internal combustion engine being measured by a first thermometer and/or the temperature of the electric machine being measured by a second thermometer. The controller is adapted to set one portion of the power of the electric machine and one portion of the power of the internal combustion engine in the total power for the driving of the vehicle in dependence on the temperature of at least one of the drive units, it being possible to compare both temperatures to each other by the controller, and it is possible to take into account a difference in the two temperatures. 
     In the method, the total power of the drive system is detected and/or determined by monitoring, checking, and/or evaluating the respective, usually current operating parameters, such as the temperature and/or the rotary speed, and thus the current operating state of each drive unit and hence of both drive units. In a first operating state, which can also be called the normal state, the internal combustion engine furnishes its maximum power, for example, in dependence on the operating situation. Furthermore, the electric machine furnishes only a residual power or remaining power, corresponding to the difference of the power of the drive system in the particular operating state, usually the maximum power, minus the power of the internal combustion engine, which is required in order to set and/or achieve the maximum power of the drive system. 
     If the temperature of the internal combustion engine rises above the limit value prescribed for this and accordingly is or becomes a problem, the portion of the power of the internal combustion engine can be reduced and the portion of the power of the electric machine can be increased. Accordingly, in the event that the temperature of the electric machine rises above the limit value prescribed for this, the portion of the power of the electric machine can be reduced and the portion of the power of the internal combustion engine can be increased. For example, the characteristic map can be used to take into account a relation between the current temperatures of the two drive units, it being conceivable to adjust dynamically at least one of the two limit values in dependence on the temperatures of the two drive units and optionally the rotary speeds of the two drive units as a further operational parameter. 
     By staggering the power between the internal combustion engine and the electric machine while taking into account and/or in order to take into account the technical limits of the two drive units, the defined power of the drive system or that of a hybrid drive can be achieved at all times, it being possible for the total power of the drive system to be constant. Furthermore, it is possible to hold the maximum power of the drive system constant over a longer period of time. 
     Thus far, the system power of a drive train is achieved by the summation of a maximum or peak power of the internal combustion engine with the maximum or peak power of the electric machine. On account of the technical limits of electrical components, such as a battery, the power electronics, and the electric machine, the maximum or peak power of the electric machine is only available with limitation over time. After this time, such as 15 seconds, the available electric power is significantly reduced. 
     With the method and the arrangement, it is possible to hold constant the total power of the two drive units and thus that of the drive system over a longer period of time. 
     Of course, the features mentioned above and yet to be explained in the following can be used not only in the particular indicated combination, but also in other combinations or standing alone, without leaving the scope of the present disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments are presented schematically with the aid of the drawings and described schematically and in detail with reference to the drawings. 
         FIG.  1    shows in schematic representation a vehicle comprising one embodiment of a system. 
         FIG.  2    shows in schematic representation a diagram with operational parameters when implementing one embodiment of a method. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The figures shall be described taken together. The same reference numbers pertain to the same components. 
     The vehicle  20  shown schematically in  FIG.  1   , such as a motor vehicle, comprises an electric machine  22  and an internal combustion engine  24  as its drive units, forming a drive system  26  for the propulsion of the vehicle  20 . The embodiment of the system described herein comprises at least one thermometer  28 , which is associated with at least one of the two drive units and is adapted to measure its temperature. Furthermore, the system comprises a controller  30 , which is adapted to monitor and thus control and/or regulate methods as described herein, as explained with the aid of the diagram in  FIG.  2   . 
     The diagram in  FIG.  2    has an abscissa  2 , along which is plotted the rotary speed of the drive units in revolutions per minute, and an ordinate  4 , along which is plotted the power of a respective drive unit and that of the entire drive system in kW. In the diagram, a first area represents a relaxation region  6  of the electric machine  22 , being bounded at the top by a broken-line curve  8  for a maximum power of the electric machine  22  and at the bottom by a solid-line curve  9  for a minimum power of the electric machine  22 . Furthermore, a second area represents a relaxation region  10  of the internal combustion engine  24 , being bounded at the top by a solid-line curve  12  for a maximum power of the internal combustion engine  24  and at the bottom by a broken-line curve  13  for a minimum power of the internal combustion engine  24 . A total target maximum power of the drive system  26  is likewise represented here by a curve  14 . The result is the maximum power per curve  14  for a particular rotary speed, such as that from the sum of the maximum power of the internal combustion engine  24  (curve  12 ) and the minimum power of the electric machine (curve  9 ). Yet other powers of the internal combustion engine  24  and the electric machine  22  situated between the respective maximum power and the respective minimum power can also add up to give the target power (curve  14 ) of the drive system  26 . 
     Accordingly, the diagram shows the necessary powers of the electric machine  22  and the internal combustion engine  24  with which a given and/or target power of the drive system  26  is achieved. The indicated maximum powers (curves  8 ,  12 ) of the two drive units are the powers which can be achieved at most in a particular operational situation at a particular rotary speed. 
     In this diagram, both drive units have in idealized manner the same rotary speed along the abscissa  2  at one operating point, such that the wheels of the vehicle  20  are driven with the same rotary speed in a hybrid drive. However, the two rotary speeds of the electric machine  22  and the internal combustion engine  24  may be different at one time, yet be synchronized by a transmission. 
     One portion of the power (curve  12  or curve  13 ) of the internal combustion engine  24  in the total power (curve  14 ) is set greater than the portion of the power (curve  8  or curve  9 ) of the electric machine  22 . Furthermore, the portion of the power of the electric machine  22  and the portion of the power of the internal combustion engine  24  in the total power for the driving of the vehicle  20  are set in dependence on a temperature of at least one of the drive unit, i.e., that of the electric machine  22  and/or that of the internal combustion engine  24 , these temperature being measured by the at least one thermometer  28 , there being one thermometer  28  associated with each drive unit. 
     It is possible for the power of the internal combustion engine  24  to be reduced (negatively pointing arrow  18 ), starting from a particular maximum value (curve  12 ), and at the same time for the power of the electric machine  22  to be increased (positively pointing arrow  16 ), starting from a particular minimum value (curve  9 ). 
     German patent application no. 10 2021 129143.7, filed Nov. 9, 2021, to which this application claims priority, is hereby incorporated herein by reference, in its entirety. 
     Aspects of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.