Techniques for providing replenishment point information

• US 9,506,766 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2013
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): TISSOT, ADAM D
• Application Number:
  US14/403,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20150160029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 701/32.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0129 for creating historical data or processing based on historical data
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0141 for traffic information dissemination
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096816 where the complete route is transmitted to the vehicle at once
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096838 where the user preferences are taken into account or the user selects one route out of a plurality
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A portable communication terminal includes a current location/destination information acquirer that acquires current location information and destination information of a vehicle, a power source level information acquirer that acquires, from the vehicle, power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source, and a first transmitter that transmits the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information to a server. A server includes a first receiver that receives, from the first transmitter, the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information, an accumulator that accumulates past driving history information using the vehicle and a plurality of replenishment enable points representing positions where the power source of the vehicle can be replenished, a selector that selects, based on the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information, which are received, and the accumulated driving history information, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of the vehicle should be replenished from the plurality of replenishment enable points, and a second transmitter that transmits information about the selected replenishment point to the portable communication terminal.

Claims

1. An information processing system comprising a portable communication terminal and a server,

said portable communication terminal comprising:

a current location/destination information acquirer that acquires current location information and destination information of a vehicle;

a power source level information acquirer that acquires power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of said vehicle; and

a first transmitter that transmits the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information to the server, and said server comprising;

a first receiver that receives the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information;

an accumulator that accumulates past driving history information using said vehicle and a plurality of replenishment enable points representing positions where the power source of said vehicle can be replenished;

a selector that selects, based on the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information, which are received, and the accumulated driving history information, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of said vehicle should be replenished from the plurality of replenishment enable points;

a second transmitter that transmits information about the selected replenishment point to said portable communication terminal; and

a generator that generates, when the selector selects a first replenishment point and a second replenishment point that is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and that provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach the second replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said portable communication terminal further comprises:

a first receiver that receives, from said server, replenishment point guide information including the replenishment point and driving route information about a driving route up to the destination; and

a presenter that presents the received replenishment point guide information to a user, and

said server further comprises;

a deriver that derives the driving route information up to the destination based on the destination information and the current location information,

wherein the generator generates the replenishment point guide information including the selected replenishment point and the driving route information up to the destination.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein said generator generates, as the replenishment point guide information, three-dimensional image information indicating the replenishment point on the driving route.

4. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein said vehicle comprises a display that displays an image, and

said presenter comprises a third transmitter that transmits the received replenishment point guide information to said vehicle, and

causes said display to display the replenishment point and the driving route information included in the replenishment point guide information.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said current location/destination information acquirer directly acquires the destination information in accordance with an operation on the portable communication terminal by the user.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said current location/destination information acquirer acquires, from said server, the destination information registered in said server by the user in advance.

7. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said power source level information acquirer acquires information about at least one of an ID, the current location information, a driving speed, a driving distance, and a driving time of said vehicle in addition to the power source level information.

8. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein the driving history information includes past driving date/time information, driving route information, driving speed information, and driving state information of said vehicle,

said accumulator accumulates past driving state information of said vehicle, and

said selector selects the replenishment point from the plurality of replenishment enable points registered in advance, further based on the past driving state information and current driving state information.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8, wherein the driving state information includes at least one of driving environment information about a driving environment of said vehicle, traffic information about a traffic jam/traffic restriction, and vehicle maintenance information about maintenance of said vehicle.

10. The information processing system according to claim 2, wherein said selector selects the replenishment point at one of a timing when the driving distance of said vehicle reaches a predetermined distance and a timing when the driving time of said vehicle reaches a predetermined time, and

said generator generates the replenishment point guide information anew based on the replenishment point selected according to a correspondence relationship with one of the driving distance and the driving time.

11. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said accumulator accumulates past driving state information of one of a vehicle of the same model as said vehicle and a vehicle having the same performance in terms of driving capability as said vehicle in addition to past driving state information of said vehicle, and

said selector selects the replenishment point from a plurality of replenishment enable points registered in advance, based on the past driving state information and current driving state information of one of the vehicle of the same model as said vehicle and the vehicle having the same performance in terms of driving capability as said vehicle.

12. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said power source level information acquirer comprises an image capturer that captures an interior of said vehicle.

13. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said accumulator further accumulates attribute information of each of the plurality of replenishment enable points, and

said selector selects, further based on the attribute information, the replenishment point representing the position where the power source of said vehicle should be replenished.

14. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle comprises an electric vehicle, the power source comprises electric power, and the replenishment point comprises a charging point where the electric vehicle should be charged.

15. The information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said selector selects the replenishment point in accordance with an attribute of the replenishment enable point.

16. The information processing system according to claim 15, wherein the attribute comprises a type of a facility near the replenishment enable point.

17. The information processing system according to claim 15, wherein the attribute comprises an electricity rate at each replenishment enable point.

18. An information processing method comprising:

causing a portable communication terminal to acquire current location information and destination information of a vehicle;

causing the portable communication terminal to acquire power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle;

causing the portable communication terminal to transmit the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information to a server;

causing the server to receive the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information;

causing the server to accumulate past driving history information using the vehicle and a plurality of replenishment enable points representing positions where the power source of the vehicle can be replenished;

causing the server to select, based on the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information, which are received, and the accumulated driving history information, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of the vehicle should be replenished from the plurality of replenishment enable points;

causing the server to transmit information about the selected replenishment point to the portable communication terminal; and

causing the server to generate, when the server selects a first replenishment point and a second replenishment point that is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and that provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach the second replenishment point via the first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point.

19. A portable communication terminal capable of communicating with a server and a vehicle, comprising:

a current location/destination information acquirer that acquires current location information and destination information of the vehicle;

a power source level information acquirer that acquires power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle;

a first transmitter that transmits the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information to the server;

a presenter that presents, to a user, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of the vehicle should be replenished; and

a receiver that receives, from the server, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach a second replenishment point via a first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point,

wherein the first replenishment point and the second replenishment point are selected by the server, and the second replenishment point is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point.

20. A control method of a portable communication terminal capable of communicating with a server and a vehicle, the method comprising:

acquiring current location information and destination information of the vehicle;

acquiring power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle;

transmitting the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information to the server;

presenting, to a user, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach a second replenishment point via a first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point, wherein the second replenishment point is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program of a portable communication terminal capable of communicating with a server and a vehicle, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

acquiring current location information and destination information of the vehicle;

acquiring power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle;

transmitting the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information to the server; and

presenting, to a user, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach a second replenishment point via a first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point, wherein the second replenishment point is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point.

22. A server comprising:

a receiver that receives current location information and destination information of a vehicle and power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle from a portable communication terminal connected to the vehicle;

an accumulator that accumulates past driving history information using the vehicle and a plurality of replenishment enable points representing positions where the power source of the vehicle can be replenished;

a selector that selects, based on the current location information, the destination information, and the power source level information, which are received, and the accumulated driving history information, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of the vehicle should be replenished from the plurality of replenishment enable points;

a transmitter that transmits information about the selected replenishment point to the portable communication terminal; and

a generator that generates, when said selector selects a first replenishment point and a second replenishment point that is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and that provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach the second replenishment point via the first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point.

23. The server according to claim 22, further comprising:

a deriver that derives driving route information up to the destination based on the destination information and the current location information

wherein the generator generates replenishment point guide information including the selected replenishment point and the driving route information up to the destination.

24. The server according to claim 23, wherein said generator generates, as the replenishment point guide information, three-dimensional image information indicating the replenishment point on the driving route.

25. The server according to claim 22, wherein the driving history information includes past driving date/time information, driving route information, driving speed information, and driving state information of the vehicle,

said accumulator accumulates past driving state information of the vehicle, and

said selector selects the replenishment point from the plurality of replenishment enable points registered in advance, further based on the past driving state information and the current driving state information.

26. The server according to claim 25, wherein the driving state information includes at least one of driving environment information about a driving environment of the vehicle, traffic information about a traffic jam/traffic restriction, and vehicle maintenance information about maintenance of the vehicle.

27. The server according to claim 23, wherein said selector selects the replenishment point at one of a timing when the driving distance of the vehicle reaches a predetermined distance and a timing when the driving time of the vehicle reaches a predetermined time, and

said generator generates the replenishment point guide information anew based on the replenishment point selected according to a correspondence relationship with one of the driving distance and the driving time.

28. The server according to claim 22, wherein said accumulator accumulates the past driving state information of one of a vehicle of the same model as the vehicle and a vehicle having the same performance in terms of driving capability as the vehicle in addition to a past driving state information of the vehicle, and

said selector selects the replenishment point from a plurality of replenishment enable points registered in advance, based on the past driving state information and a current driving state information of one of the vehicle of the same model as the vehicle and the vehicle having the same performance in terms of driving capability as the vehicle.

29. The server according to claim 22, wherein said accumulator further accumulates attribute information of each of the plurality of replenishment enable points, and

said selector selects, further based on the attribute information, the replenishment point representing the position where the power source of the vehicle should be replenished.

30. A control method of a server, comprising:

receiving current location information and destination information of a vehicle and power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle from a portable communication terminal connected to the vehicle;

selecting, based on past driving history information accumulated in the server in advance, the destination information, and the current location information, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of the vehicle can be replenished;

transmitting information about the selected replenishment point to the portable communication terminal; and

generating, when a first replenishment point and a second replenishment point have been selected, and the second replenishment point is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach the second replenishment point via the first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point.

31. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a control program of a server, the program causing a computer to execute a method comprising:

receiving current location information and destination information of a vehicle and power source level information representing a remaining level of a power source of the vehicle from a portable communication terminal connected to the vehicle;

selecting, based on past driving history information accumulated in the server in advance, the destination information, and the current location information, a replenishment point representing a position where the power source of the vehicle can be replenished;

transmitting information about the selected replenishment point to the portable communication terminal; and

generating, when a first replenishment point and a second replenishment point have been selected, and the second replenishment point is located far apart from the first replenishment point with respect to the vehicle and provides the power source less expensively than at the first replenishment point, information representing a route for said vehicle to reach the second replenishment point via the first replenishment point and a minimum necessary replenishment amount of the power source to be replenished at the first replenishment point to reach the second replenishment point.