Methods and systems are provided for operating a high voltage generator coupled to a plug-in hybrid vehicle driven by a reciprocating piston engine. In one example, a method may include, predicting variations in output torque from the reciprocating piston engine and adjusting the driving torque required for the high voltage electric generator based upon the predicted torque variations.

A vehicle control system includes an electric power generator, a battery, a motor for traveling which rotates a driving wheel, a traveling plan generator which generates a traveling plan in which a traveling route has been planned, an electric power generation plan generator which generates an electric power generation plan in which electric power generation by the electric power generator has been planned on the traveling route, and a plan modifier which modifies the electric power generation plan to a plan for increasing the amount of electric power to be generated by the electric power generator in one or more sections before a predetermined section when electric power generation by the electric power generator in the predetermined section having a height equal to or greater than a threshold value among one or more sections constituting the traveling route has been planned in the electric power generation plan.

A control device for a hybrid vehicle is provided. When a first drive mode is selected as the drive mode of the hybrid vehicle, a control section shifts the drive mode to a second drive mode when a charge amount of a battery for an electric motor becomes smaller than or equal to a determination charge amount. The first drive mode operates the electric motor while an internal combustion engine is stopped. The second drive mode permits the operation of the internal combustion engine. The control section executes a shifting process when the upper limit system output is lower than or equal to a startup determination output even though the charge amount of the battery is greater than the determination charge amount. The shifting process shifts the drive mode to the second drive mode to start the internal combustion engine.

Methods and systems are provided for controlling engine operation in a hybrid electric vehicle equipped with stop/start capabilities under conditions where requested power or torque is in a hysteresis region between an engine pull up threshold and an engine pull down threshold. In one example, a method comprises obtaining an adjusted engine pull down threshold upon the requested power or torque remaining in the hysteresis region for more than a threshold duration, and commanding the engine deactivated in response to the adjusted engine pull down threshold being equivalent to the requested power or torque. In this way, a motor/generator may be used to meet the requested torque response rather than the engine under such conditions, which may improve fuel economy.

A control system for vehicles that controls drive force and acceleration smoothly without causing a shock, in response to an operation of an accelerator pedal. A hysteresis is set between an input value and an output value of angle of the accelerator pedal. The hysteresis includes a deadband and an asymptotic range. The output value is not changed significantly with respect to a change in the input value if an angle of the accelerator pedal is changed within the deadband, and the output value is changed continuously with respect to a change in the input value based on a predetermined function if an angle of the accelerator pedal is changed within the asymptotic range.

A vehicle includes an engine including a forced induction device, a knock sensor and a crank angle sensor that detect an occurrence of LSPI, a battery that supplies electric power to a second motor generator, and an ECU. When an occurrence of the LSPI is detected, the ECU restricts a maximum torque, which can be output by the engine with the forced induction device, more than when an occurrence of the LSPI is not detected to prevent an engine operating point from being included in an LSPI area, and when an output of the engine becomes insufficient along with the restriction on the maximum torque, the engine compensates for an amount of the insufficient output with electric power supplied from the battery.

A drive device comprises a plurality of boost converters connected in parallel to each other and placed between a power storage device side and an electric load side; a drive mode setting switch operated to set a drive mode among a plurality of drive modes; and a control device configured to control the plurality of boost converters by employing one control mode including a first control mode that drives and controls only some boost converters out of the plurality of boost converters and a second control mode that drives and controls a larger number of boost converters than some boost converters. The control device changes a switchover reference value that is used to switch over control between the first control mode and the second control mode according to the magnitude of an electric load, based on a drive mode set by operation of the drive mode setting switch.

A hybrid system includes a transmission control module, a power source, a transmission, and a drive train. The transmission control module partially operates the hybrid system and receives operating information from various components of the system, calculates power losses in the drive train, and calculates the driving torque needed to reach a target power profile determined from a driver's input.

Systems and methods for operating a vehicle that includes an engine that may be automatically stopped and started are described. In one example, a requested driver demand power may be filtered via a first order low pass filter in response to a powertrain speed. The filtered requested driver demand power may be a basis for automatically stopping and starting an engine.

A control system for hybrid vehicles to prevent a reduction in a drive force when an output power of a battery is restricted. A first motor translates an output power of the engine partially into an electric power. A transmission mechanism distributes an output torque of the engine to the first rotary machine side and an output member side. A second motor is operated by one of the electric power translated by the first rotary machine and an electric power accumulated in the battery to generate a power. An operating mode can be selected from a first mode in which the output torque of the engine is delivered to the output member side at a first ratio, and a second mode in which the output torque of the engine is delivered to the output member side at a second ratio. The second ratio is smaller than the first ratio. A controller is configured to restrict selection of the first mode when an available output power of the battery to be supplied to the second rotary machine is smaller than a predetermined value.