Navigation device and method for providing information on parking area

• US 8,452,642 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Matsuyama, Shigeo
• Primary Examiner(s): EPSTEIN, BRIAN M
• Application Number:
  US12/948,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20110191266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 705/13, 701/22, 701/62, 701/208, 340/932.2
• US Class Current: 705/13
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• 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: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• 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 vehicle includes a driving motor, a battery for the driving motor, a solar cell, and a control device for controlling charge of the battery using the solar cell and an external charge facility. A search unit searches a parking area near a present position of the vehicle or a destination. An information acquisition unit acquires charge-related information related to each parking area being searched. The charge-related information includes a capability of an external charge facility of each parking area, data of a usage fee of each parking area, and sunshine condition data of each parking area during a scheduled parking. A calculation unit calculates a charge cost for each parking area according to a remaining quantity of the battery, the charge-related information, and a time period of scheduled parking. A display unit indicates the calculated charge cost of each parking area.

Claims

1. A navigation device for a vehicle, the vehicle including a driving motor, a battery used as a power source for the driving motor, a solar cell, and a charge control device for controlling charge of the battery using the solar cell and an external charge facility, the navigation device comprising:

a position detector configured to detect a present position of the vehicle;

a route guide unit configured to guide a recommended path to a set destination;

a parking area search unit configured to search a parking area near the present position or the destination;

an information acquisition unit configured to acquire charge-related information related to each parking area being searched, the charge-related information including a capability of an external charge facility of each parking area, data of a usage fee of each parking area, and sunshine condition data of each parking area during a scheduled parking;

a calculation unit configured to calculate, according to the charge-related information,

a solar energy generation quantity, by which the solar cell can charge the battery, on an assumption that the vehicle is parked at each parking area for a time period of scheduled parking,

an insufficiency caused by the solar energy generation quantity to charge a remaining quantity of the battery, and

a charge cost caused by complementing the insufficiency to charge with an external charge facility; and

a display unit configured to indicate the charge cost of each parking area calculated by the calculation unit.

2. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit is further configured to indicate a cost including a parking fee of each parking area in the case where the vehicle is parked for the time period of scheduled parking.

3. The navigation device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input unit configured to enable a user to specify a target charge quantity of the battery during the vehicle is parked in a parking area, wherein

the calculation unit is further configured to calculate the charge cost for each parking area in consideration of the target charge quantity.

4. A method for providing information on a parking area to a user of a vehicle, the vehicle including a driving motor, a battery used as a power source for the driving motor, a solar cell, and a charge control device for controlling charge of the battery using the solar cell and an external charge facility, the method comprising:

detecting, in a position detector of the vehicle, a present position of the vehicle;

searching, in a navigation device of the vehicle, a parking area near the present position or a destination;

acquiring, in the navigation device, charge-related information related to each parking area being searched, the charge-related information including a capability of an external charge facility of each parking area, data of a usage fee of each parking area, and sunshine condition data of each parking area during a scheduled parking;

calculating, in the navigation device, according to the charge-related information,

a solar energy generation quantity, by which the solar cell can charge the battery, on an assumption that the vehicle is parked at each parking area for a time period of scheduled parking,

an insufficiency caused by the solar energy generation quantity to charge a remaining quantity of the battery, and

a charge cost caused by complementing the insufficiency to charge with an external charge facility; and

indicating the calculated charge cost of each parking area.

5. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executed by a computer, the instructions including a method for providing information on a parking area to a user of a vehicle, the vehicle including a driving motor, a battery used as a power source for the driving motor, a solar cell, and a charge control device for controlling charge of the battery using the solar cell and an external charge facility, the method comprising:

detecting a present position of the vehicle;

searching a parking area near the present position or a destination;

acquiring charge-related information related to each parking area being searched, the charge-related information including a capability of an external charge facility of each parking area, data of a usage fee of each parking area, and sunshine condition data of each parking area during a scheduled parking;

calculating, according to the charge-related information,

solar energy generation quantity, by which the solar cell can charge the battery, on assumption that the vehicle is parked at each parking area for a time period of scheduled parking,

insufficiency caused by the solar energy generation quantity to charge a remaining quantity of the battery, and

a charge cost caused by complementing the insufficiency with charge with an external charge facility; and

indicating the calculated charge cost of each parking area.