Power-saving system and control method for the same

• US 8,423,242 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2010
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ochiai, Yuichi, Suzuki, Takamitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): FREJD, RUSSELL WARREN
• Application Number:
  US13/386,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,021 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 701/36, 700/295, 702/61
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

In a vehicle equipped with a plurality of electronic devices, a power-saving system (100) saves electricity while comprehensively controlling the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices. The power-saving system (100) includes: power supply status control portion (11) controlling the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices depending on a usage situation of the vehicle; and usage situation determination portion (10) determining the usage situation on the basis of information useful for determining a usage situation, including information related to a usage date and time, current location or driver of the vehicle. The power supply status control portion (11) controls the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices on the basis of a predetermined power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices set depending on a usage situation and the usage situation determined by the usage situation determination portion (10).

Claims

1. A power-saving system that saves electricity while comprehensively controlling the power supply status to each of a plurality of electronic devices equipped for an integrated system, comprising:

a power supply status control portion that controls the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices depending on a usage situation of the integrated system;

a storage unit; and

a usage situation determination portion that determines the usage situation of the integrated system on the basis of information related to the use of the integrated system, including information related to a usage date and time or current location of the integrated system, wherein

the power supply status control portion controls the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices on the basis of a predetermined power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices set depending on the usage situation of the integrated system and the usage situation determined by the usage situation determination portion,

the storage unit stores a function-device correspondence map, a function-situation correspondence map, or a situation-device correspondence map that combines the function-device correspondence map with the function-situation correspondence map, a power supply status database, and a device status map,

the function-device correspondence map is a map that represents the correspondence relationship between a function provided by the integrated system and a combination of various in-vehicle electronic devices required for implementing the function, and indicates whether a corresponding in-vehicle electronic device is set in a normal mode, or is set in a power-saving mode,

the function-situation correspondence map is a map that shows a correspondence relationship between a vehicle usage situation and a function used in each usage situation, and indicates usage situations and various functions, wherein values in the map mean that the corresponding function is set in an operation state, or is set in a non-operation state or in a limited operation state,

the situation-device correspondence map shows the correspondence relationship between a vehicle usage situation and various in-vehicle electronic devices required for implementing the functions used in the usage situation, wherein values in the situation-device correspondence map mean that the corresponding in-vehicle electronic device is set in the normal mode, or is set in the power-saving mode,

the power supply status database is a database that systematically stores the use of each of monitored various functions so as to be searchable for each of the usage situations of the vehicle, and

the device status map is a map that shows a current power supply status to each of the various in-vehicle electronic devices.

2. The power-saving system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply status recording portion that monitors the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices, and that records the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices for each usage situations determined by the usage situation determination portion; and

a power supply status learning portion that derives the use of each of the plurality of electronic devices in each usage situation on the basis of the power supply status recorded by the power supply status recording portion, and that updates the predetermined power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices set for each of the usage situations on the basis of the use of the integrated system.

3. The power-saving system according to claim 2, wherein the power supply status learning portion sets the power supply status to the electronic device of which the utilization rate is low to the power supply status corresponding to a power-saving mode in which power consumption is saved.

4. The power-saving system according to claim 3, wherein in the power-saving mode, operation of the electronic device of which the utilization rate is low is suspended, while being on standby so as to be able to start up quickly when operation of the electronic device of which the utilization rate is low is required.

5. A power-saving system that saves electricity while comprehensively controlling the power supply status to each of a plurality of electronic devices equipped for an integrated system, comprising:

power supply status control means for controlling the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices depending on a usage situation of the integrated system;

storage means; and

usage situation determination means for determining the usage situation of the integrated system on the basis of information related to the use of the integrated system, including information related to a usage date and time or current location of the integrated system, wherein

the power supply status control means controls the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices on the basis of a predetermined power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices set depending on the usage situation of the integrated system and the usage situation determined by the usage situation determination means,

the storage means stores a function-device correspondence map, a function-situation correspondence map, or a situation-device correspondence map that combines the function-device correspondence map with the function-situation correspondence map, a power supply status database, and a device status map,

the function-device correspondence map is a map that represents the correspondence relationship between a function provided by the integrated system and a combination of various in-vehicle electronic devices required for implementing the function, and indicates whether a corresponding in-vehicle electronic device is set in a normal mode, or is set in a power-saving mode,

the function-situation correspondence map is a map that shows a correspondence relationship between a vehicle usage situation and a function used in each usage situation, and indicates usage situations and various functions, wherein values in the map mean that the corresponding function is set in an operation state, or is set in a non-operation state or in a limited operation state,

the situation-device correspondence map shows the correspondence relationship between a vehicle usage situation and various in-vehicle electronic devices required for implementing the functions used in the usage situation, wherein values in the situation-device correspondence map mean that the corresponding in-vehicle electronic device is set in the normal mode, or is set in the power-saving mode,

the power supply status database is a database that systematically stores the use of each of monitored various functions so as to be searchable for each of the usage situations of the vehicle, and

the device status map is a map that shows a current power supply status to each of the various in-vehicle electronic devices.

6. A control method for a power-saving system that saves electricity while comprehensively controlling the power supply status to each of a plurality of electronic devices equipped for an integrated system, comprising:

controlling the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices depending on a usage situation of the integrated system;

determining the usage situation on the basis of information related to the use of the integrated system, including information related to a usage date and time or current location of the integrated system, and

controlling the power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices on the basis of a predetermined power supply status to each of the plurality of electronic devices set depending on a usage situation and the determined usage situation,

wherein a storage unit stores a function-device correspondence map, a function-situation correspondence map, or a situation-device correspondence map that combines the function-device correspondence map with the function-situation correspondence map, a power supply status database, and a device status map,

the function-device correspondence map is a map that represents the correspondence relationship between a function provided by the integrated system and a combination of various in-vehicle electronic devices required for implementing the function, and indicates whether a corresponding in-vehicle electronic device is set in a normal mode, or is set in a power-saving mode,

the function-situation correspondence map is a map that shows a correspondence relationship between a vehicle usage situation and a function used in each usage situation, and indicates usage situations and various functions, wherein values in the map mean that the corresponding function is set in an operation state, or is set in a non-operation state or in a limited operation state,

the situation-device correspondence map shows the correspondence relationship between a vehicle usage situation and various in-vehicle electronic devices required for implementing the functions used in the usage situation, wherein values in the situation-device correspondence map mean that the corresponding in-vehicle electronic device is set in the normal mode, or is set in the power-saving mode,

the power supply status database is a database that systematically stores the use of each of monitored various functions so as to be searchable for each of the usage situations of the vehicle, and

the device status map is a map that shows a current power supply status to each of the various in-vehicle electronic devices.