COLLECTION AND DELIVERY SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR SADDLE-RIDE TYPE ELECTRIC VEHICLES

• US 20130261860A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: OYAMA, Takahiro, MURAKAMI, Hisashi, HOSHI, Tomohiro, ONO, Junya, KANETA, Hiroyuki, MORI, Noriyuki, NOSE, Tsubasa
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,660 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/343 Calculating itineraries, i.e. routes leading from a starting point to a series of categorical destinations using a global route restraint, round trips, touristic trips travelling salesman problem G06Q10/04; optimisation of routes G06Q10/047
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects

Abstract

A collection and delivery support system for a saddle-ride type electric vehicle includes a managing terminal that outputs information of registered collection/delivery destinations of cargos and information on battery charging locations arranged within a collection/delivery range of the vehicle, a server that calculates a collection/delivery route passing through respective collection and delivery destinations in order based on a possible traveling distance of the vehicle, and a mobile terminal provided with the vehicle. The server calculates the route such that it includes a battery charging location in the middle thereof, as well as estimated collection/delivery times based on the possible traveling distance information. The display displays information of the calculated route and the estimated collection/and delivery times.

Claims

1. A collection and delivery support system that displays a travel route used in collecting and delivering cargos on a mobile terminal attached to a vehicle body of an electric vehicle that includes a battery and a battery-driven electric motor in a power unit, the collection and delivery support system comprising:

a collection and delivery destination register that registers information on respective collection and delivery destinations of the cargos, and information of charging locations which are located within a range where the cargos are to be collected and delivered and where the battery can be charged, and outputs the registered information on the collection and delivery destinations and on the charging locations;

a route calculator that calculates a route passing, in order, the respective collection and delivery destinations inputted from the collection and delivery destination register relative to a possible traveling distance over which the electric vehicle can travel; and

a residual battery power sensor that detects a residual quantity of electric power stored in the battery and outputs information on the detected residual quantity of electric power, which relates to the possible traveling distance, to the mobile terminal;

wherein the route calculator calculates the route such that the route includes at least one of the charging locations in the middle thereof based on the registered information and the possible traveling distance, and calculates estimated collection and delivery times at which the cargos are to be collected and delivered at the respective collection and delivery destinations based on the route calculated.

2. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal transmits the information relating to the possible traveling distance to the route calculator through a mobile communication network;

and the route calculator calculates the route for the vehicle and the estimated collection and delivery times based on the information on the collection and delivery destinations and the information on the charging locations inputted from the collection and delivery destination register, and transmits the calculated route and the estimated collection and delivery times to the mobile terminal through the mobile communication network.

3. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal further transmits information on a position of the mobile terminal to the route calculator through the mobile communication network;

and the route calculator updates the route and the estimated collection and delivery times based on the information on the position of the mobile terminal, and transmits the updated route and the estimated collection and delivery times to the mobile terminal through the mobile communication network.

4. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein the route calculator is provided within the mobile terminal, and the collection and delivery destination register outputs the information on the collection and delivery destinations and on the charging locations to the route calculator within the mobile terminal.

5. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 4, wherein the route calculator provided within the mobile terminal updates the route and the estimated collection and delivery times based on information on a position of the mobile terminal.

6. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein the route calculator transmits the information on the estimated collection and delivery times calculated to customer terminals associated with respective ones of the collection and delivery destinations.

7. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 6, wherein the route calculator receives information on availability transmitted from the customer terminals expressing a customer'"'"'s presence or absence at the associated collection and delivery destination at the estimated collection and delivery time, and, when the information on availability indicates that the customer will be absent at the estimated collection and delivery time, calculates a new route that carries over the collection and delivery destination of the associated customer terminal that has transmitted the information on availability.

8. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal displays results of a navigation function possessed by the mobile terminal along with results of the route and the estimated collection and delivery times.

9. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, further comprising a bypass information server which registers information on locations to be bypassed;

and wherein the mobile terminal includes a sensor that detects a travel state of the electric vehicle, transmits information on the detected travel state of the electric vehicle to the bypass information server, and displays a warning according to information on the locations to be bypassed transmitted from the bypass information server, in a superimposing manner on displayed results of the route and the estimated collection and delivery times.

10. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein the mobile terminal includes a sensor which detects a travel speed of the electric vehicle, and, if the detected travel speed of the electric vehicle is a predetermined threshold or more, outputs a command of lowering speed of the electric vehicle to a controller that is provided in the electric vehicle and controls the speed of the electric vehicle.

11. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is a saddle-ride type electric vehicle.

12. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein the route calculator transmits the information on the estimated collection and delivery times calculated to customer terminals associated with respective ones of the collection and delivery destinations.

13. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 12, wherein the route calculator receives information on availability transmitted from the customer terminals expressing a customer'"'"'s presence or absence at the associated collection and delivery destination at the estimated collection and delivery time, and, when the information on availability indicates that the customer will be absent at the estimated collection and delivery time, calculates a new route that carries over the collection and delivery destination of the associated customer terminal that has transmitted the information on availability.

14. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal displays results of a navigation function possessed by the mobile terminal along with results of the route and the estimated collection and delivery times.

15. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 2, further comprising a bypass information server which registers information on locations to be bypassed;

and wherein the mobile terminal includes a sensor that detects a travel state of the electric vehicle, transmits information on the detected travel state of the electric vehicle to the bypass information server, and displays a warning according to information on the locations to be bypassed transmitted from the bypass information server, in a superimposing manner on displayed results of the route and the estimated collection and delivery times.

16. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 2, wherein the mobile terminal includes a sensor which detects a travel speed of the electric vehicle, and, if the detected travel speed of the electric vehicle is a predetermined threshold or more, outputs a command of lowering speed of the electric vehicle to a controller that is provided in the electric vehicle and controls the speed of the electric vehicle.

17. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 3, wherein the route calculator transmits the information on the estimated collection and delivery times calculated to customer terminals associated with respective ones of the collection and delivery destinations.

18. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 17, wherein the route calculator receives information on availability transmitted from the customer terminals expressing a customer'"'"'s presence or absence at the associated collection and delivery destination at the estimated collection and delivery time, and, when the information on availability indicates that the customer will be absent at the estimated collection and delivery time, calculates a new route that carries over the collection and delivery destination of the associated customer terminal that has transmitted the information on availability.

19. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 3, further comprising a bypass information server which registers information on locations to be bypassed;

and wherein the mobile terminal includes a sensor that detects a travel state of the electric vehicle, transmits information on the detected travel state of the electric vehicle to the bypass information server, and displays a warning according to information on the locations to be bypassed transmitted from the bypass information server, in a superimposing manner on displayed results of the route and the estimated collection and delivery times.

20. The collection and delivery support system according to claim 3, wherein the mobile terminal includes a sensor which detects a travel speed of the electric vehicle, and, if the detected travel speed of the electric vehicle is a predetermined threshold or more, outputs a command of lowering speed of the electric vehicle to a controller that is provided in the electric vehicle and controls the speed of the electric vehicle.