Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Takiko Taga, Heir

Yoshiaki Taga, Deceased

Shigeo Taga, Heir

Tomoyo Taga, Heir

Eiji Yamada

Yasutomo Kawabata

Ryuji Toh

Tomohiro Oda

Yasutomo Kawabata, Heir

A power output apparatus of the invention includes a clutch motor (30) and an assist motor (40) that allow energy output from an engine (50) driven at a driving point of high efficiency to be converted to energy expressed as the product of a revolving speed and a torque of a drive shaft (22) and to be output to the drive shaft (22). In case that a large torque is required, for example, when the vehicle starts on a rising slope or runs at a low speed, the engine (50) is driven at a high-energy driving point having a large torque and a high efficiency. This structure causes large electric power to be generated by excess energy greater than the energy generally consumed and enables a battery (94) to be charged with the large electric power. The power output apparatus of the invention further has functions of predicting the process of charging the battery (94) with the large electric power based on a driving state of the vehicle and topographical information and lowering the remaining charge of the battery (94) in advance according to the requirements. This process effectively prevents the battery (94) from being damaged with excess charging.

Power output apparatus and method of controlling the same

The prior art technique should return the voltage applied to a synchronous motor to zero in the process of measurement of an electrical angle. This causes foreign noises. The structure of the present invention utilizes the fact that the electrical angle of a three-phase synchronous motor 40 depends upon the inter-coil inductances. The procedure of the present invention applies a predetermined voltage for measurement to each combination of coils, and measures variations in electric currents flowing through the respective coils. The electric current flowing through each coil is attenuated in the presence of a driving current in the three-phase synchronous motor 40, compared with the case in the absence of a driving current. The procedure of the present invention accordingly refers to a table 122A to correct the observed values of electric currents based on the variations in electric currents, and refers to another table 122B to read the electrical angle .pi. corresponding to the corrected values of electric currents. The structure of the present invention can determine the electrical angle without returning the driving current to zero, thereby shortening the time period required for determination of the electrical angle while preventing the occurrence of foreign noises.

Method of determining electrical angle and apparatus for the same

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Tokorozawa, Japan

Takiko Taga, Heir