Door control and charge control for plug-in charge type vehicle

• US 20110022256A1
• Filed: 07/08/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kanamori, Takashi, Taguchi, Shinya, Asada, Hiroshige
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2209/62 Comprising means for indicating the status of the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

In a vehicle door control system, when a mobile terminal accepts door lock manipulation and a vehicle door control apparatus receives a door lock signal from the mobile terminal, the vehicle door control apparatus determines that a door should be locked and, at time of door locking, transmits the amount of charge of a secondary battery at that time. Then the door is locked.

Claims

1. A vehicle door control system comprising:

a door control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle;

a mobile terminal configured to communicate with the door control apparatus; and

a door manipulation unit provided on the mobile terminal or the vehicle to accept door lock manipulation of a user,

the mobile terminal including a mobile radio unit, a mobile notification unit and a mobile control unit, the mobile radio unit being configured to perform radio communications with the door control apparatus, the mobile notification unit being configured to provide notification, and the mobile control unit being configured to control the mobile radio unit and the mobile notification unit,

the door control apparatus including an in-vehicle radio unit and an in-vehicle control unit, the in-vehicle radio unit being configured to perform radio communications with the mobile unit, and the in-vehicle control unit being configured to control the in-vehicle radio unit,

the mobile control unit being configured to control the mobile radio unit to transmit a predetermined door lock signal to the vehicle door control apparatus,

the in-vehicle control unit including a door lock determination section and a transmission control section, the door lock determination section determining that the door need be locked when the door manipulation unit accepts the door lock manipulation and the in-vehicle radio unit receives the door lock signal, and the transmission control section locking the door when the door lock determination section determines that the door need be locked and controlling the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit a signal indicating a charge amount of the secondary battery at time of door lock time,

the mobile control unit being configured to calculate an estimate charge amount of the secondary battery at predetermined time after the mobile radio unit receives the signal indicating the charge amount by adding to the charge amount indicated by the received signal an addition amount, which corresponds to elapse of time from the door lock time to the display time, and

the mobile control unit being further configured to control the mobile notification unit to display an amount related to the calculated estimate charge amount.

2. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the in-vehicle control unit is configured to control the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit a plug state signal to the mobile terminal when the secondary battery is connected to the external electric power source through a power supply wire at the door lock time, the plug state signal indicating that the secondary battery is being connected to the external electric power source through the power supply wire; and

the mobile control unit is configured to control the mobile notification unit to display information indicating that the secondary battery is connected to the external electric power source, when the mobile radio unit receives the plug state signal.

3. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the in-vehicle control unit is configured to control the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit a charge state signal to the mobile terminal when the secondary battery is charged by the external electric power source at the door lock time, the charge state signal indicating that the secondary battery is being charged by the external electric power source; and

the mobile control unit is configured to control the mobile notification unit to display information indicating that the secondary battery is being charged by the external electric power source, when the mobile radio unit receives the charge state signal.

4. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the mobile control unit is configured to calculate a predicted travel distance, which the vehicle can travel with the estimate charge amount of the secondary battery calculated at the display time without being charged further by external power sources, and control the mobile notification unit to display the predicted travel distance as the amount related to the estimate charge amount.

5. The vehicle door control system according to claim 4, wherein:

the mobile control unit is configured to calculate the predicted travel distance by dividing the estimate charge amount by an electric power consumption rate, which the vehicle consumes to travel a unit travel distance, the electric power consumption rate being determined based on an amount of decrease in the charge amount of the secondary battery per unit travel distance in past travel of the vehicle.

6. The vehicle door control system according to claim 4, wherein:

the mobile terminal includes a numeric value input unit, by which the user inputs numeric values; and

the mobile control unit is configured to calculate the predicted travel distance by dividing the estimate charge amount by an electric power consumption rate, which the vehicle consumes to travel a unit travel distance, the electric power consumption rate being determined based on the numeric value inputted to the numeric value input unit by the user.

7. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the transmission control unit of the in-vehicle control unit controls the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit the signal indicating the charge amount of the secondary battery to the mobile terminal immediately as a signal, which the in-vehicle radio unit transmits first after the door lock determination section detects reception of the door lock signal.

8. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the door manipulation unit is provided on the mobile terminal;

the mobile control unit is configured to control the mobile radio unit to transmit the door lock signal to the vehicle door control apparatus when the door manipulation unit accepts the door lock manipulation; and

the door lock determination section determines that the door need be locked, when the in-vehicle radio unit receives the door lock signal transmitted in response to the door lock manipulation.

9. The vehicle door control system according to claim 1, wherein:

the door manipulation unit is provided on the vehicle; and

the door lock determination section determines that the door need be locked, when the in-vehicle radio unit receives the door lock signal and the door manipulation unit accepts the door lock manipulation.

10. A vehicle door control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the vehicle door control apparatus comprising:

an in-vehicle radio unit configured to perform radio communications with a mobile terminal carried by a user of the vehicle; and

an in-vehicle control unit configured to control the in-vehicle radio unit,

the in-vehicle control unit including a door lock determination section and a transmission control section,

the door lock determination section determining that the door need be locked when a door manipulation unit provided in the mobile unit or the vehicle accepts door lock manipulation and the in-vehicle radio unit receives a predetermined door lock signal transmitted from the mobile terminal, and

the transmission control section locking the door when the door lock determination section determines that the door need be locked, and controlling the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit a signal indicating a charge amount of the secondary battery to the mobile terminal at time of door lock time.

11. A mobile terminal for communications with a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the mobile terminal comprising:

a mobile radio unit configured to perform communications with the vehicle;

a mobile notification unit configured to provide a user of the vehicle with notification; and

a mobile control unit configured to control the mobile radio unit and the mobile notification unit,

the mobile control unit being configured to start supply of electric power to the mobile radio unit when a door manipulation unit provided on the mobile unit or the vehicle accepts door lock manipulation of the user, and control the mobile radio unit to transmit a predetermined door lock signal to the vehicle,

the mobile control unit being configured to continue the supply of electric power to the mobile radio unit until the mobile radio unit receives a signal, which is transmitted from the vehicle in response to the predetermined door lock signal and indicates a charge amount of the secondary battery,

the mobile control unit is configured to end the supply of electric power to the mobile radio unit,

the mobile control unit being configured to calculate an estimate charge amount of the secondary battery at predetermined time after the mobile radio unit receives the signal indicating the charge amount by adding to the charge amount indicated by the received signal an addition amount, which corresponds to elapse of time from the door lock time to the display time; and

the mobile control unit being configured to control the mobile notification unit to display an amount related to the calculated estimate charge amount.

12. A vehicle door control system comprising:

a door control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle;

a mobile terminal configured to communicate with the door control apparatus; and

a door manipulation unit provided on the mobile terminal or the vehicle to accept door unlock manipulation of a user,

the mobile terminal including a mobile radio unit, a mobile notification unit and a mobile control unit, the mobile radio unit being configured to perform radio communications with the door control apparatus, the mobile notification unit being configured to provide notification, and the mobile control unit being configured to control the mobile radio unit and the mobile notification unit,

the door control apparatus including an in-vehicle radio unit and an in-vehicle control unit, the in-vehicle radio unit being configured to perform radio communications with the mobile unit, and the in-vehicle control unit being configured to control the in-vehicle radio unit,

the mobile control unit being configured to control the mobile radio unit to transmit a predetermined door unlock signal to the vehicle door control apparatus,

the in-vehicle control unit including a door unlock determination section and a door unlock section, the door unlock determination section determining that the door need be unlocked when the door manipulation unit accepts the door unlock manipulation and the in-vehicle radio unit receives the door unlock signal, and the door unlock section unlocking the door when the door unlock determination section determines that the door need be unlocked,

the door unlock section is configured to detect whether the secondary battery is connected to the external electric power source through a power supply wire at the door unlock time, and control the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit a plug state signal to the mobile terminal, the plug state signal indicating whether the secondary battery is being connected to or disconnected from the external electric power source, and

the mobile control unit is configured to check whether the secondary battery is connected to the external power source based on the plug state signal received by the mobile radio unit at the door unlock time, and control the mobile notification unit to notify that the secondary battery is being connected to the external electric power source.

13. A vehicle door control apparatus mounted on a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the vehicle door control apparatus comprising:

an in-vehicle radio unit configured to perform radio communications with a mobile terminal carried by a user of the vehicle; and

an in-vehicle control unit configured to control the in-vehicle radio unit, the in-vehicle control unit including a door unlock determination section and a door unlock section,

the door unlock determination section determining that the door need be unlocked when a door manipulation unit provided on the mobile terminal or the vehicle accepts door unlock manipulation of the user and the in-vehicle radio unit receives the door unlock signal,

a door unlock section unlocking the door when the door unlock determination section determines that the door need be unlocked, and

the door unlock section being configured to detect whether the secondary battery is connected to the external electric power source through a power supply wire at the door unlock time, and control the in-vehicle radio unit to transmit a plug state signal to the mobile terminal, the plug state signal indicating whether the secondary battery is being connected to or disconnected from the external electric power source.

14. A mobile terminal for communications with a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external, electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the mobile terminal comprising:

a mobile radio unit configured to perform communications with the vehicle;

a door manipulation unit configured to accept door unlock manipulation of a user of the vehicle;

a mobile notification unit configured to provide a user of the vehicle with notification; and

a mobile control unit configured to control the mobile radio unit and the mobile notification unit,

the mobile control unit being configured to start supply of electric power to the mobile radio unit when the door manipulation unit accepts the door unlock manipulation of the user, and control the mobile radio unit to transmit a predetermined door unlock signal to the vehicle,

the mobile control unit being configured to continue the supply of electric power to the mobile radio unit until the mobile radio unit receives a plug state signal, which indicates whether the secondary battery is connected to or disconnected from the external power source through a power supply wire, and

the mobile control unit being configured to end the supply of electric power to the mobile radio unit when the plug state signal is received.

15. A charge state notification system comprising:

a secondary battery mounted on a vehicle and chargeable to store electric energy as drive power;

a charge device provided outside the vehicle and having a plug receptacle to charge the secondary battery when the secondary battery is connected thereto;

a monitor unit configured to detect and transmit a charge state of the secondary battery; and

a mobile terminal configured to receive the charge state transmitted from the monitor unit,

the mobile terminal being configured to calculate a present estimate charge amount of the secondary battery based on the received charge state,

the monitor unit including a check section and a transmission section, the check section being configured to check whether notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary, and the transmission section being configured to transmit the charge state to the mobile terminal when the check section determines that the notification of the charge state is necessary,

the check section being configured to determine that the notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary based on a change in electric power E, which is available at the plug receptacle, and

the electric power E at the plug receptacle being a maximum electric power available as present capacity of the charge device to the secondary battery connected to the plug receptacle, and unchangeable relative to changes in the charge amount of the secondary battery.

16. The charge state notification system according to claim 15, wherein:

the check section is configured to determine that the notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary based on that the electric power E at the plug receptacle changes and that a line power P, which is actually available to the secondary battery from the plug receptacle is equal to the electric power E.

17. The charge state notification system according to claim 16, wherein:

the check section is configured to determine that the notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary based on further that a predicted charge end time of the secondary battery changes more than a predetermine time from a predicted charge end time of the secondary battery, which is calculated when the charge state is notified last time.

18. The charge state notification system according to claim 17, wherein:

the check section is configured to acquire a charge schedule, which includes changes in the electric power E scheduled to occur at a plurality of times, and calculate the predicted charge end time based on the acquired charge schedule.

19. A charge state notification system comprising:

a secondary battery mounted on a vehicle and chargeable to store electric energy as drive power;

a charge device provided outside the vehicle and having a plurality of plug receptacles to charge the secondary battery when the secondary battery is connected to either one of the receptacles;

a monitor unit configured to detect and transmit a charge state of the secondary battery; and

a mobile terminal configured to receive the charge state transmitted from the monitor unit,

the mobile terminal being configured to calculate a present estimate charge amount of the secondary battery based on the received charge state and display an amount related to the calculated estimate charge amount,

the monitor unit including a check section and a transmission section, the check section being configured to check whether notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary, and the transmission section being configured to transmit the charge state to the mobile terminal when the check section determines that the notification of the charge state is necessary, and

the check section being configured to determine that the notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary based on a change in the number of vehicles connected to the plurality of plug receptacles.

20. A vehicle door control method for a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the vehicle door control method comprising:

generating a predetermined door lock signal when a door lock manipulation is performed by a user of the vehicle;

locking the door of the vehicle when the predetermined door lock signal is received; and

transmitting a signal indicating a charge amount of the secondary battery from the vehicle to a mobile terminal carried by the user of the vehicle at time of locking the door.

21. A vehicle door control method for a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the vehicle door control method comprising:

generating a predetermined door unlock signal when a door unlock manipulation is performed by a user of the vehicle;

unlocking the door of the vehicle when the predetermined door unlock signal is received; and

transmitting a plug state signal, which indicates whether the secondary battery of the vehicle is connected or disconnected to the external power source through a cable, to a mobile terminal carried by the user of the vehicle.

22. A charge state notification method for a vehicle having a secondary battery, which stores electric energy as drive power and is chargeable by an external electric power source provided outside the vehicle, the charge state notification method comprising:

transmitting a charge state of the secondary battery from the vehicle to a mobile terminal carried by a user of the vehicle;

calculating a present estimate charge amount of the secondary battery by the mobile terminal based on the charge state transmitted from the vehicle; and

checking whether notification of the charge state to the mobile terminal is necessary based on a change in electric power available at a plug receptacle of the external power source or based on a change in the number of vehicles connected to a plurality of plug receptacles of the power source,

wherein the charge state of the secondary battery is transmitted when the notification of the charge state is determined to be necessary.