1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle mounted with an electric rotating machine, a control apparatus for the vehicle, and a control method for the vehicle.
2. Description of Related Art
A hybrid vehicle mounted with an electric rotating machine and an internal combustion engine includes a electric storage device for driving the vehicle and an auxiliary battery. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-302852 (JP-A-2008-302852), there is described an art of charging an auxiliary battery using the energy stored in a electric storage device for driving a vehicle when the storage amount of the electric storage device for driving the vehicle is equal to or larger than a predetermined amount.
In some cases, the auxiliary battery cannot provide sufficient performance when left unused for a long time. Thus, it is desirable to charge the auxiliary battery at a time when a system of the vehicle is activated, and stop charging the auxiliary battery when once it is determined that the auxiliary battery has not been left unused for a long time. However, in the case where conditions for determining whether or not the auxiliary battery has been left unused for a long time include a condition that the initial start of the internal combustion engine be completed, it may take a long time until it is determined whether or not the auxiliary battery has been left unused for a long time if the vehicle continues to travel with the internal combustion engine stopped. In this case, even when the auxiliary battery has not been left unused for a long time, the auxiliary battery may continue to be charged for a long time. As a result, the amount of electric power consumption may increase to cause a deterioration in fuel economy.
In a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle described in JP-A-2008-302852, such problems may not be taken into account and thus remain unsolved.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds