Drivable distance calculation device and drivable distance calculation method

• US 10,076,968 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2013
• Issued: 09/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ota, Satomi, Yamamoto, Naoki, Gotou, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US14/432,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20150251557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/02 for measuring length, width or thickness G01B7/004, G01B7/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3648 comprising digital calculation means, e.g. for performing an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A drivable distance calculation device calculates a drivable distance that the vehicle equipped with the device can travel. The drivable distance calculation device includes a remaining battery capacity sensor which calculates a remaining capacity of a battery installed in the vehicle; and a arithmetic unit which calculates multiple power consumption ratios for different units of driving in accordance with variations in the remaining battery capacity calculated by the remaining battery capacity sensor and calculates the drivable distance based on the remaining battery capacity calculated by the remaining battery capacity sensor and a power consumption ratio selected from among the calculated multiple power consumption ratios.

Claims

1. A drivable distance calculation device that calculates a drivable distance that a vehicle equipped with the drivable distance calculation device can travel, the device comprising:

a sensor with a calculator that calculates a remaining capacity of a battery installed in the vehicle;

an arithmetic unit that calculates a plurality of power consumption ratios for different units of driving in accordance with variations in the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor, and calculates the drivable distance based on the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor and a power consumption ratio selected from among the plurality of power consumption ratios calculated by the arithmetic unit and;

a display that displays thereon the drivable distance calculated by the arithmetic unit,

wherein the arithmetic unit selects a power consumption ratio corresponding to the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor from among the plurality of power consumption ratios calculated by the arithmetic unit, and

wherein the arithmetic unit selects a power consumption ratio of a smaller unit of driving when the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor is smaller than a predetermined value and selects a power consumption ratio of a unit of driving larger than the smaller unit of driving when the remaining battery capacity is not smaller than the predetermined value.

2. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic unit selects a power consumption ratio of a smaller unit of driving from among the plurality of power consumption ratios as the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor becomes smaller.

3. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic unit selects a power consumption ratio of a smaller unit of driving as a power consumption ratio degradation degree based on information concerning roads that the vehicle travels becomes higher.

4. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of power consumption ratios is calculated based on driving distances, driving times, drivers who drive a vehicle, or environments of roads the vehicle travels.

5. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic unit selects the power consumption ratio corresponding to a current driver or a driving environment.

6. A drivable distance calculation device that calculates a drivable distance that a vehicle equipped with the drivable distance calculation device can travel, the device comprising:

a sensor with a calculator that calculates a remaining capacity of a battery installed in the vehicle;

an arithmetic unit that calculates a plurality of power consumption ratios for different units of driving in accordance with variations in the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor, and calculates the drivable distance based on the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor and a power consumption ratio selected from among the plurality of power consumption ratios calculated by the arithmetic unit and;

a display that displays thereon the drivable distance calculated by the arithmetic unit,

wherein the arithmetic unit selects two or more power consumption ratios from among the plurality of power consumption ratios stored in a database and calculates the drivable distance with the selected power consumption ratios weighted based on the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor.

7. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein, when the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor is not smaller than a predetermined value, the arithmetic unit calculates the drivable distance by multiplying a power consumption ratio of a smaller unit of driving among the plurality of power consumption ratios by the predetermined value and multiplying a power consumption ratio of a unit of driving larger than the smaller unit of driving by a value obtained by reducing the predetermined value from the remaining battery capacity.

8. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic unit sets larger the weight to the power consumption ratio of the smaller unit of driving as the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor becomes smaller.

9. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic unit calculates a plurality of power consumption ratios corresponding to drivers who drive the vehicle.

10. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic unit sets to 100% the weight to the power consumption ratio of the smallest unit of driving when the remaining battery capacity calculated by the sensor is not larger than a predetermined value.

11. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic unit sets larger the weight to a power consumption ratio of a smaller unit of driving as a power consumption ratio degradation degree based on information concerning roads that the vehicle travels becomes higher.

12. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic unit calculates a plurality of power consumption ratios corresponding to road environments where the vehicle travels.

13. The drivable distance calculation device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic unit calculates a plurality of power consumption ratios corresponding to whether the destination is set in a navigation system installed in the vehicle.