Vehicle energy-management device for controlling energy consumption along a travel route

• US 9,352,740 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2015
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
• Inventors: Matsunaga, Takanori
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam
• Application Number:
  US14/625,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20150258979A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle energy-management device is used for a vehicle that is equipped with a plurality of vehicle apparatuses driven by different energy sources. The vehicle energy-management device includes a travel route calculator that calculates a travel route of the vehicle, a travel route divider that divides the travel route into a plurality of sections, a control plan preparing unit that prepares, for each of the plurality of sections, a control plan for the plurality of vehicle apparatuses, and a vehicle apparatus controller that controls the plurality of vehicle apparatuses according to the control plan. The travel route divider determines a length of each of the sections such that a resolution is higher for a section closer to the vehicle and divides the travel route.

Claims

1. A vehicle energy-management device for use in a vehicle that is equipped with a plurality of vehicle apparatuses driven by different energy sources, said device comprising:

a travel route calculator that calculates a travel route of said vehicle;

a travel route divider that divides said travel route into a plurality of sections;

a control plan preparing unit that prepares, for each of said plurality of sections, a control plan to control energy consumption for said plurality of vehicle apparatuses; and

a vehicle apparatus controller that controls said plurality of vehicle apparatuses according to said control plan,

wherein said travel route divider determines a length of each of said sections such that a resolution is higher for a section closer along the travel route to said vehicle than other sections.

2. The vehicle energy-management device according to claim 1, wherein said travel route divider judges that a resolution is higher for a section through which said vehicle travels in a shorter time.

3. The vehicle energy-management device according to claim 1, wherein said travel route divider judges that a resolution is higher for a section having a shorter distance.

4. The vehicle energy-management device according to claim 1, wherein said travel route divider judges that a resolution is higher for a section including fewer branch points.

5. The vehicle energy-management device according to claim 1, wherein said travel route divider judges that a resolution is higher for a section including fewer hills.

6. The vehicle energy-management device according to claim 1, wherein said travel route divider judges that a resolution is higher for a section in which said vehicle less frequently accelerates and decelerates.

7. The vehicle energy-management device according to claim 1, wherein said resolution is an indicator related to how much road characteristics and behavior of the vehicle reflect characteristics of the section as a whole.