VEHICULAR INFORMATION-PROCESSING DEVICE

• US 20160101774A1
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: MORISAKI, Keisuke
• Granted Patent: US 9,834,196 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/082 Selecting or switching between different modes of propelling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

In the first mode, a controller circuitry restrains or prohibits operation of an internal combustion engine. In the second mode, the controller circuitry activates maintains the charge amount of the battery. A controller circuitry generates a travel plan assigns one of the first mode and the second mode to each of sections, which are included in the travel route. An assessing circuitry assesses a tendency of assignment of the first mode in the travel route. A notifying device notifies information corresponding to the tendency assessed by the assessing circuitry.

Claims

1. A vehicular information-processing device, which processes information of a vehicle, the vehicular information-processing device comprising:

a controller circuitry configured to make the vehicle select one of a first mode and a second mode and travels,

in the first mode, the controller circuitry configured to restrain or prohibit operation of an internal combustion engine, while prioritizing operation of a motor, which consumes a charge amount of a battery,

in the second mode, the controller circuitry configured to activate at least one of the engine and the motor to maintain the charge amount of the battery,

the controller circuitry configured to generate a travel route from a departure place to a destination including a plurality of sections,

the controller circuitry configured to generate a travel plan assigns one of the first mode and the second mode to each of the sections, which are included in the travel route,

the vehicular information-processing device further comprising;

an assessing circuitry configured to assess a tendency of assignment of the first mode in the travel route; and

a notifying device configured to notify information corresponding to the tendency assessed by the assessing circuitry.

2. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying device is configured to notify, as the information corresponding to the tendency, information indicating a magnitude of fuel efficiency improvement that will be achieved by the travel plan.

3. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying device is configured to notify the information when the information corresponding to the tendency is information indicating that the magnitude of fuel efficiency improvement will be relatively small.

4. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the assessing circuitry is configured to

calculate a sum of distances of all the sections to which the first mode is assigned in the travel route,

convert the sum into a distance from the departure place,

define the converted distance as an initial section,

in the initial section from the departure place in the travel route, define the distance that is planned as the first mode as an initial distance, and

define a ratio of the initial distance to the initial section as the tendency.

5. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 4, wherein the notifying device is configured to, when the ratio is assessed to be greater than or equal to a predetermined ratio, notify information corresponding to the tendency as the information indicating that the magnitude of fuel efficiency improvement will be relatively small.

6. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, further comprising a calculating circuitry, which is configured to calculate a travel distance that can be traveled in the first mode, wherein

the calculating circuitry is configured to calculate a travel distance that can be traveled in the first mode based on the charge amount of the battery and a predetermined road load, and

the assessing circuitry is configured to

calculate a sum of distances of all the sections to which the first mode is assigned in the travel route by the travel plan,

define the sum as a total distance, and

assess, as the tendency, a difference between the travel distance calculated by the calculating circuitry and the total distance.

7. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 6, wherein the notifying device is configured to, when the difference is assessed to be less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, notify information corresponding to the tendency as the information indicating that the magnitude of fuel efficiency improvement will be relatively small.

8. The vehicular information-processing device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying device is configured to, when the information is notified, notify information to decide whether to cause the vehicle to travel according to the travel plan.