Charge control device

• US 9,108,561 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Nakamura, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/146,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20140306816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457, 340/455, 340/468, 701/22, 701/99, 701/32.3, 180/65.21, 180/65.27, 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/28 Door position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/486 Operating parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/622 by satellite navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/20 by driver identification
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/22 by presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/24 by lever actuation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/22 Standstill, e.g. zero speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/26 Transition between different drive modes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/50 by future state prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• 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 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle is equipped with a charge plug. The vehicle includes a vehicular battery charged through the charge plug. A charge control device for the vehicle includes a vehicle information acquisition unit, an exit determination unit, and an alarming operation unit. The vehicle information acquisition unit acquires vehicle information, which represents a state of the vehicle. The exit determination unit determines, according to the vehicle information, whether an occupant of the vehicle has an exit intention to exit from the vehicle. The alarming operation unit implements an alarming operation to restrict the occupant from forgetting to mount the charge plug when the exit determination unit determines that the occupant has the exit intention.

Claims

1. A charge control device for a vehicle, the vehicle configured to be equipped with a charge plug, the vehicle equipped with a vehicular battery configured to be charged through the charge plug, the charge control device comprising:

a vehicle information acquisition unit configured to acquire vehicle information, which represents a state of the vehicle;

an exit determination unit configured to determine, according to the vehicle information, whether an occupant of the vehicle has an exit intention to exit from the vehicle; and

an alarming operation unit configured to implement an alarming operation to restrict the occupant from forgetting to mount the charge plug when the exit determination unit determines that the occupant has the exit intention, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit includes a lid information acquisition unit configured to acquire lid information, which represents an opening-and-closing state of an electricity supply lid of the vehicle,

the charge control device further comprising;

a condition satisfaction determination unit configured to determine whether an alarm output condition is satisfied according to the lid information, which is acquired, wherein

the condition satisfaction determination unit is configured to determine that the alarm output condition is satisfied when the lid information represents that the electricity supply lid is in a closing state,

the alarming operation unit is further configured to implement the alarming operation

when the exit determination unit determines that the occupant has the exit intention and

when the condition satisfaction determination unit determines that the alarm output condition is satisfied.

2. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit includes a shift information acquisition unit configured to acquire shift information, which represents a state of a shift range of the vehicle, and

the exit determination unit is further configured to determine that the occupant has the exit intention on determination that the shift range is changed from a non-parking range to a parking range according to the shift information, which is acquired.

3. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit includes an opening-and-closing information acquisition unit configured to acquire opening-and-closing information, which represents an opening-and-closing state of a driver'"'"'s door of the vehicle, and

the exit determination unit determines that the occupant has the exit intention on determination that a state of the driver'"'"'s door changes from a closing state to an opening state according to the opening-and-closing information, which is acquired.

4. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit includes a lock information acquisition unit configured to acquire lock information, which represents a locked-and-unlocked state of a driver'"'"'s door of the vehicle, and

the exit determination unit is further configured to determine that the occupant has the exit intention on determination that a state of the driver'"'"'s door changes from an unlocked state to a locked state according to the lock information, which is acquired.

5. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit includes a smart key information acquisition unit configured to acquire smart key information, which represents a mutual communication state between a communication device of the vehicle and a vehicular key, and

the exit determination unit is further configured to determine that the occupant has the exit intention on determination that mutual communications between the communication device and the vehicular key terminate according to the smart key information, which is acquired.

6. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit further includes a residual quantity information acquisition unit configured to acquire residual quantity information, which represents a residual quantity of the vehicular battery,

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine whether the alarm output condition is satisfied further according to the residual quantity information, which is acquired, in addition to the lid information, which is acquired, and

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine that the alarm output condition is satisfied

when the lid information represents that the electricity supply lid is in the closing state and

when the residual quantity information represents the residual quantity, which is less than or equal to a predetermined value.

7. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit further includes a charge information acquisition unit configured to acquire charge information, which represents whether the vehicle is at a position where the vehicle is chargeable,

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine whether the alarm output condition is satisfied further according to the charge information, which is acquired, in addition to the lid information, which is acquired, and

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine that the alarm output condition is satisfied

when the lid information represents that the electricity supply lid is in the closing state and

when the charge information represents that the vehicle is at the position where the vehicle is chargeable.

8. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit further includes a distance information acquisition unit configured to acquire distance information, which represents a traveling distance of the vehicle in a period after an ignition device of the vehicle is activated until the ignition device is de-activated subsequently,

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine whether the alarm output condition is satisfied further according to the distance information, which is acquired, in addition to the lid information, which is acquired, and

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine that the alarm output condition is satisfied

when the lid information represents that the electricity supply lid is in the closing state and

when the traveling distance represented by the distance information is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance.

9. The charge control device according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle information acquisition unit further includes a power source information acquisition unit configured to acquire power source information, which represents an operation state of a power source of the vehicle,

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine whether the alarm output condition is satisfied further according to the power source information, which is acquired, in addition to the lid information, which is acquired, and

the condition satisfaction determination unit is further configured to determine that the alarm output condition is satisfied

when the lid information represents that the electricity supply lid is in the closing state and

when the power source information represents that the power source is in a terminated state.