Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Andrew G Sata

Jared Michael Farnsworth

Daniel Charles Folick

Christopher M Bulpitt

Luke Alan Rippelmeyer

Takehito Yokoo

Scott A Friedman

Laura E Bower

Masato Shimizu

Arlo C Eitzer

Daniel K Lim

Jonathan J Sander

Tomoo Yoshizumi

A vehicle includes a fuel cell power management system including: a fuel cell; a battery; a charge sensor operatively coupled to the battery; a speedometer; and a processor that includes a memory. The processor is configured to calculate a mapping of desired fuel cell power output as a function of the battery charge and the speed of the vehicle and, using the mapping, the battery charge, the speed of the vehicle, and a motor power request, calculate the desired traction power output of the fuel cell. The processor then sets the traction power output of the fuel cell to the desired traction power output of the fuel cell, sets the desired traction power output of the battery to the motor power request minus the traction power output of the fuel cell, and sets the traction power output of the battery to the desired traction power output of the battery.

Fuel cell power management system

Systems and methods are provided for modularizing a system. Parallel power systems having electronically isolated high voltage systems facilitate modulization. A control system is provided that optimizes the distribution of a power demand and/or a torque request so as to keep the efficiency, durability, drivability and/or safety of the system within an optimum range. In some cases, the distribution of power is uneven, so as to extend the battery life, while in other cases, the power draw on battery systems are kept equal and constant so as to properly manage the state of charge of the parallel power systems. In still other cases, the chosen power distribution keeps the power demand and/or torque request between minimum and maximum levels/capacity, and the power distribution avoids on/off of an individual power system.

Modular fuel cell system architecture and a control system for distributing power to the modules

A system for reducing overdraw of power in a vehicle includes a power source having a battery and a fuel cell circuit. The system further includes an ECU that transmits a power limit signal to a vehicle controller, the power limit signal corresponding to an instantaneous maximum amount of power of the power source. The ECU also determines a battery allowed power corresponding to an amount of power available to be drawn from the battery to cause the SOC of the battery to remain above a lower SOC threshold. The ECU also determines a current battery power draw from the battery corresponding to an instantaneous amount of power being drawn from the battery. The ECU is designed to reduce the instantaneous maximum amount of power in the power limit signal when the current battery power draw is greater than the battery allowed power, reducing the current battery power draw.

System and method for feedback-based reduction of system overdraw in a fuel cell system

A system for reducing overconsumption of power in a vehicle includes a power source including a battery having a state of charge (SOC), and a fuel cell stack that generates electricity. The system further includes an electronic control unit (ECU) coupled to the power source and designed to receive a power request corresponding to a requested amount of power from the power source. The ECU is further designed to determine a fuel cell power amount corresponding to an amount of the electricity generated by the fuel cell stack to achieve the requested amount of power. The ECU is further designed to determine an overconsumption event when a current power consumption corresponding to a total amount of power being drawn from the power source is greater than the power request. The ECU is further designed to increase the fuel cell power amount in response to determining the overconsumption event.

System and method for reducing battery overconsumption in a fuel cell system

Methods, systems, and apparatus for dynamically scaling a map of a navigation display system of a vehicle. The system includes a GPS unit configured to detect a current location of the vehicle. The system includes a transceiver configured to receive a current traffic condition from a remote data server. The system includes a display configured to display the map. The system also includes an ECU configured to dynamically determine a map display scale based on a location of the vehicle and a traffic condition. The ECU is also configured to render the map using the dynamically determined map display scale. The ECU is also configured to change the map display scale based on a change in location of the vehicle or a change in traffic condition.

Automatic vehicle map display scaling system

Methods, systems, and apparatus for automatically determining and implementing a driving mode from a plurality of driving modes of a vehicle. The system includes a GPS unit configured to detect a geographical location of the vehicle. The system includes a memory configured to store a driving mode map identifying an initial driving mode based on a given geographical location. The system includes an input unit configured to receive a driving mode sensitivity indicating a desired level of driving aggressiveness. The system includes an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU is configured to determine the driving mode based on the driving mode map, the detected geographical location of the vehicle, and the driving mode sensitivity. The ECU is configured to automatically adjust operation of the vehicle based on the adjusted driving mode by adjusting a suspension, throttle sensitivity, shift points, air conditioning usage, traction control, or stability control.

Automatic vehicle driving mode system

Methods, systems, and apparatus for automatically activating brake lights for a vehicle. The system includes a brake pedal sensor for detecting whether a brake pedal is engaged. The system includes an accelerometer configured to detect whether the vehicle is decelerating and a magnitude of deceleration. The system includes an ECU configured to determine whether the magnitude of deceleration exceeds a deceleration threshold when deceleration of the vehicle is detected and when the brake pedal is not engaged. The system includes a brake light configured to be activated when the brake pedal is engaged or when the ECU determines the magnitude of deceleration exceeds the deceleration threshold when deceleration of the vehicle is detected and when the brake pedal is not engaged.

Automatic brake light activation system

A system includes an input device that receives desirable performance characteristics of a vehicle a diagnostic processor that receives vehicle test data, and determines undesirable vehicle performance data points by comparing the desirable vehicle performance characteristics to the test data. The diagnostic processor also determines undesirable system data points that correspond to likely causes of the undesirable vehicle performance data points by comparing the desirable system performance characteristics to the test data, and determines undesirable component data points that correspond to likely causes of the undesirable system data points by comparing the desirable component performance characteristics to the test data. The diagnostic processor also generates an analysis of the undesirable component data points including selected component data points of the undesirable component data points that are likely causes of the undesirable vehicle performance data points, and controls an output device to output the analysis of the undesirable component data points.

Vehicle error identification system

A system includes a continuously variable transmission having a primary pulley assembly configured to receive power and a primary oil chamber coupled to the primary pulley assembly such that a pressure of oil within the primary oil chamber is applied to the primary pulley assembly. The continuously variable transmission also includes a secondary pulley assembly and a drive belt configured to transfer power from the primary pulley assembly to the secondary pulley assembly. The system also includes a pressure sensor coupled to the primary oil chamber and configured to detect a pressure of the oil within the primary oil chamber. The system also includes an electronic control unit coupled to the pressure sensor and configured to determine whether the continuously variable transmission is set to the maximum gear ratio based on the detected pressure of the oil within the primary oil chamber.

System and method for determining whether a CVT is set to a maximum gear ratio at vehicle startup

A system/method for shift restraint control and controlling a transmission input speed or an engine output speed. An automobile may include an acceleration input, a throttle unit, an engine, a torque converter, a transmission, and an electronic control unit (ECU), and a plurality of sensors. The ECU may reduce inertia loss, engine noise, and non-linear acceleration feeling by controlling the engine speed or transmission input speed in an initial shift mode, an inertia hold mode, a return mode, and/or a second shift mode. Drive force is maintained with throttle compensation, and fuel economy is maintained or improved due to the reduction in inertia loss. The ECU may limit an initial downshift using a maximum guard value and subsequently control a rate of increase of the transmission input speed or engine output speed using increments until a target is reached or a cancel condition is met.

System and method for shift restraint control

A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system may include at least one primary paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and/or the steering column. The system also includes at least one auxiliary paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel, the steering column and/or the at least one primary paddle shifter. The primary paddle shifter may engage a primary function, such as one sequential gear shift up or down and the auxiliary paddle shifter may engage a secondary function, such as an optimal gear shift up or down.

Automobile paddle shifters with secondary paddles

A system for activating and deactivating a gear change in a vehicle. The system including a steering wheel, first and second paddle shifters coupled to the steering wheel or column, a switch having an activate state and a deactivate state and coupled to the steering wheel, a center console, an instrument panel, or an integrated display, and a locking mechanism connected to the first and second paddle shifters to inhibit movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the deactivate state and to allow movement or functioning of the first and second paddle shifters when the switch is in the activate state as a stand-alone lock out method or integrated with an electronic lock out method.

Automobile paddle shifters locking device and system

A system for controlling gear changes in a vehicle. The system includes a steering wheel and a detent mechanism having an idle location, a first location, and a second location, the detent mechanism is coupled to the steering wheel. The system also includes a paddle shifter coupled to the steering wheel and the detent mechanism, the paddle shifter having an idle position with no associated function when the paddle shifter is in the idle location, a first operating position with an associated first function when the paddle shifter is in the first location, and a second operating position with an associated second function when the paddle shifter is in the second location. The associated first function is different from the associated second function.

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Irvine, CA, United States of America

Andrew G Sata