DE102006022547A1 - Motor vehicle with hybrid drive has combustion engine, electric motor and navigation system, where altitude information of navigation system is used for controlling of hybrid drive - Google Patents

Abstract

A motor vehicle has a hybrid drive (1) with an internal combustion engine (2) and an electric motor (3) and a navigation system (4). In order to be able to operate the motor vehicle more economically, height information of the navigation system (4) can be used to control the hybrid drive (1).

Description

The The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a hybrid drive, comprising an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and with a navigation system.

motor vehicles with a hybrid drive find an increasing spread, as with them a significant reduction in pollutant emissions as well of primary energy consumption possible is. A hybrid drive generally has a conventional one Internal combustion engine powered by gasoline, diesel or gas can be, as well as an electric motor, its energy from a rechargeable battery, a capacitor and / or a fuel cell refers to. A control of the hybrid drive is in particular from a central control unit of the motor vehicle.

to Reduction of fuel consumption is for example in city traffic at slow speeds, the propulsion essentially of the Electric motor generated and at higher Speeds, e.g. on a highway, the internal combustion engine can in its optimum speed range energy-saving the driving force muster. Furthermore, it is known an acceleration process of the internal combustion engine by means of the electric motor, and to use the electric motor as a generator to decelerate the motor vehicle, to turn the kinetic energy into electrical energy, the e.g. stored in a battery.

Of Furthermore, motor vehicles are equipped with a navigation system, to give a driver a route from the current position to one of he wanted Target display. It can also traffic news or the like for driving around a traffic jam considered become. In the navigation system is usually on an interchangeable Storage medium, in particular a CD-ROM, a reproduction of the earth's surface with all roads according to the actual Conditions stored in three dimensions.

The DE 195 44 022 A1 discloses a device for providing altitude information in a motor vehicle. With this device, an internal combustion engine in the motor vehicle can be controlled by using the height information. For example, with the altitude information, a diagnosis of the exhaust system above an adjustable altitude can be suppressed in order to avoid damaging it.

Further indicates an internal combustion engine depending on the absolute elevation a different performance on because due to the lower Air pressure at higher altitudes less Oxygen for the combustion process in the cylinder is available.

at the known motor vehicles with hybrid drive is a control, i.e. essentially a distribution of the driving force between Internal combustion engine and electric motor, always under the condition that the motor vehicle drives in the plane. An adaptation to un ferent topographic conditions is not possible.

It Object of the invention is a motor vehicle with hybrid drive of to create the aforementioned type, the economic than before can be operated.

According to the invention Task solved by that a height information of the navigation system for controlling the hybrid drive can be used is.

By the extra Drawing on the height information, in usual Navigation systems anyway already exists, it is possible that one Control of the hybrid drive this according to the external conditions controls. If, for example, a gradient route is used, which is in it shows that the sea level steadily increasing, this may be due to the control, which is also centralized control unit of the motor vehicle can be detected to be accordingly to use the electric motor supportive, the otherwise at the same speed when driving in the plane not necessary is. Thus, the applied by the internal combustion engine Force for reduces the uphill drive and reduces fuel consumption. In the same way a downhill run can be ascertained where through the addition on the motor vehicle acting downhill force of which as electrical Generator operated electric motor at constant vehicle speed can be converted into electrical energy.

Of the Advantage of the invention is that virtually no additional Effort for the control according to the invention The hybrid drive is necessary because all components, such as hybrid drive, navigation system and control unit, already exist in the vehicle. Only the control unit must be hard- and / or designed according to software be, but this is feasible in a simple manner. With a thus controlled hybrid drive, it is possible to fuel consumption by at least 2 to 3% compared to reduce a known control of the hybrid drive.

Preferably, in the control of the hybrid drive, a future route, which in the navigation system, starting from the momenta NEN position and the driver's desired destination can be determined takes into account. If, for example, the motor vehicle is traveling on one level and follows a slope at a small distance, the driver may be requested to initiate an acceleration process in order to drive into the gradient with momentum, so that less driving force of the internal combustion engine is required to overcome the gradient. This can of course be supported by the electric motor. In the same way, it can be determined by the navigation system that a downward slope follows, so that the electric motor can be switched on in the drive until its storage is practically empty, since the store can be recharged on the subsequent downgrade. Thus, the driving force of the internal combustion engine can be reduced in an energy-saving manner. Of course, a minimum capacity should remain in the battery of the electric motor, eg for emergency situations.

In Further training can be at a longer slope of the hybrid drive be controlled so that the electric motor to the end of the slope reinforced is used. Preferably, the motor vehicle is with momentum retracted into the slope, with the statutory provisions to be observed. In the course of the slope becomes the driving force the internal combustion engine reduces increas ingly and the electric motor more and more switched on, until its memory at the end of the slope practically is empty and in turn charged on the subsequent downhill stretch can be.

to Control of the hybrid drive is in particular the driving force distribution between the engine and the electric motor of the controller regulated, so u.a. whether the combustion engine on a downhill Completely is turned off.

Prefers can the mixture, so the ratio Fuel / air with which the internal combustion engine is operated, in dependence the height information of the navigation system. In the lowlands, the Internal combustion engine operated in particular with a leaner mixture, as when driving over a pass in the high mountains, whereby the control always an energy-saving operation is sought.

to increase the energy saving potential can also be an automatic transmission in the motor vehicle Help of altitude information be controlled from the navigation system. For example, is one steep mountain route before, so can the automatic transmission to a Driving level down to the slope without too much effort to graduate. supportive also the electric motor can be stronger be used.

It It is understood that the above and below to be explained features not only in the specified combination, but also in other combinations are usable. The frame of the present Invention is defined only by the claims.

The Invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment with reference on the associated Drawing closer explained. The sole Fig. The drawing shows a schematic block diagram a vehicle designed according to the invention.

A control unit 5 a hybrid drive 1 in the motor vehicle is preferably hardware and / or software implemented in a central control unit of the motor vehicle and communicates via known data bus architectures with all other components in connection, such as with arrows 7 clarified. The control unit 5 is fed via such a data bus with respect to the current sea level, the information from a navigation system 4 using the GPS system, for example.

According to this height information is the hybrid drive 1 of the motor vehicle, which consists of an internal combustion engine 2 as well as an electric motor 3 exists, controlled. The control is carried out with the aim of fuel consumption of the internal combustion engine 2 to reduce. This can be done, for example, such that when driving on a longer slope of the electric motor 3 is increasingly switched, causing the internal combustion engine 2 less power to keep the vehicle speed constant. Because using the navigation system 4 the preceding route profile is known, the electric motor 3 be switched so that at the end of the slope, an energy storage of the electric motor 3 is virtually empty to be refilled on a subsequent downgrade.

In addition, from the controller 5 also an automatic transmission 6 be selected to select the optimum driving level. The power is transmitted from the hybrid drive 1 via the automatic transmission 6 to drive wheels of the motor vehicle, as by the double arrow 8th indicated.

1

hybrid drive

2

internal combustion engine

3

electric motor

4

navigation system

5

control unit

6

automatic transmission

7

arrow

8th

double arrow

Claims (6)

Motor vehicle with a hybrid drive ( 1 ), an internal combustion engine ( 2 ) and an electric motor ( 3 ), and with a navigation system ( 4 ), characterized in that a height information of the navigation system ( 4 ) for controlling the hybrid drive ( 1 ) can be used. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that a future route in the control of the hybrid drive ( 1 ) is considered. Motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at a long slope of the electric motor ( 3 ) is increasingly used towards the end of the slope. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a control of the hybrid drive ( 1 ) with regard to a drive force distribution between internal combustion engine ( 2 ) and electric motor ( 3 ) he follows. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a mixture of the internal combustion engine ( 2 ) is adjustable. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an automatic transmission ( 6 ) of the motor vehicle according to the height information is controllable.