Patent 10183569 was granted and assigned to NISSAN MOTOR CO.,LTD. on January, 2019 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A power generation control device is provided for a hybrid vehicle that prevents discomfort to an occupant in a traveling scenario in which stops and starts are repeated. The power generation control device includes a power generation controller that selectively carries out series power generation and idle power generation. In series power generation, a first motor/generator is used as the drive source and electric power is generated in a second motor/generator by an internal combustion engine. In idle power generation, electric power is generated in the second motor/generator by the internal combustion engine while the vehicle is stopped. The power generation controller sets a series power generation start threshold of the battery at which series power generation is started, and an idle power generation start threshold of the battery at which idle power generation is started. The series and idle power generation start thresholds are the same value.