Devices, methods, and programs that provide vehicle guidance for power reception

• US 20100161217A1
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,489,315 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/30 by voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 7/70 for vehicles, e.g. to determine permissible loading of ships , centre of gravity, necessary fuel
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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

Abstract

Power reception guidance devices, methods, and programs guide a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area. The devices, methods, and programs calculate a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current parking position of the vehicle in the parking area, determine whether the current parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving efficiency, and output information based on the determination to an output unit.

Claims

1. A power reception guidance device for installation in a vehicle having a power receiving unit, the device providing guidance to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area, the device comprising:

a controller that;

calculates a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current parking position of the vehicle in the parking area; and

determines whether the current parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving efficiency; and

an output unit that outputs information based on the determination.

2. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

calculates an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

calculates an estimated parking time of the vehicle;

calculates a power receiving amount to be received by the power receiving unit while the vehicle is parked, the power receiving amount being calculated based on the calculated power receiving efficiency and the calculated estimated parking time; and

determines whether the current parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving amount and the calculated required power amount.

3. The power reception guidance device according to claim 2, wherein the controller:

acquires route information identifying a route from the parking position to a subsequent destination; and

calculates the required power amount based on the acquired route information.

4. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines whether the parking position must be changed based on a comparison of the calculated power receiving efficiency and a required efficiency.

5. The power reception guidance device according to claim 4, wherein the controller:

calculates an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

calculates an estimated parking time of the vehicle; and

calculates the required efficiency based on the calculated required power amount and the calculated estimated parking time.

6. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein, if the controller determines that the parking position must be changed:

the controller determines a new parking position where a power receiving efficiency will be greater than or equal to the required efficiency; and

the output unit outputs guidance to the new parking position.

7. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

calculates an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

calculates an estimated parking time of the vehicle;

calculates a power receiving time necessary for the power reception of the power receiving unit based on the calculated power receiving efficiency and the calculated required power amount; and

determines whether the parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving time and the calculated estimated parking time.

8. The power reception guidance device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a data storage unit that stores power supply device information for a plurality of power supply devices, the power supply device information including the maximum amount of power that can be received from each of the plurality of power supply devices; and

a power amount detector that detects the amount of power that can be received at the current parking position;

wherein the controller calculates the power receiving efficiency based on the stored power supply device information and the detected power amount.

9. The power reception guidance device according to claim 8, wherein the power amount detector comprises at least one of a magnetic sensor, a camera, and a coil of the power receiving unit.

10. A navigation device comprising the power reception guidance device of claim 1.

11. A power reception guidance method for guiding a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area, the method comprising:

calculating, with a controller, a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current parking position of the vehicle in the parking area;

determining, with the controller, whether the current parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving efficiency; and

outputting information based on the determination to an output unit.

12. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

calculating an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

calculating an estimated parking time of the vehicle;

calculating a power receiving amount to be received by the power receiving unit while the vehicle is parked, the power receiving amount being calculated based on the calculated power receiving efficiency and the calculated estimated parking time; and

determining whether the current parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving amount and the calculated required power amount.

13. The power reception guidance method according to claim 12, further comprising:

acquiring route information identifying a route from the parking position to a subsequent destination; and

calculating the required power amount based on the acquired route information.

14. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising determining whether the parking position must be changed based on a comparison of the calculated power receiving efficiency and a required efficiency.

15. The power reception guidance method according to claim 14, further comprising:

calculating an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

calculating an estimated parking time of the vehicle; and

calculating the required efficiency based on the calculated required power amount and the calculated estimated parking time.

16. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising, if it is determined that the parking position must be changed:

determining a new parking position where a power receiving efficiency will be greater than or equal to the required efficiency; and

outputting guidance to the new parking position.

17. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

calculating an amount of required power that should be received by the power receiving unit;

calculating an estimated parking time of the vehicle;

calculating a power receiving time necessary for the power reception of the power receiving unit based on the calculated power receiving efficiency and the calculated required power amount; and

determining whether the parking position must be changed based on the calculated power receiving time and the calculated estimated parking time.

18. The power reception guidance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

storing power supply device information for a plurality of power supply devices in a data storage unit, the power supply device information including the maximum amount of power that can be received from each of the plurality of power supply devices;

detecting the amount of power that can be received at the current parking position; and

calculating the power receiving efficiency based on the stored power supply device information and the detected power amount.

19. The power reception guidance method according to claim 18, wherein the detected power amount is detected with at least one of a magnetic sensor, a camera, and a coil of the power receiving unit.

20. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable power reception guidance program for guiding a vehicle having a power receiving unit to a non-contact power supply of a power supply unit installed in a parking area, the program comprising:

instructions for calculating a power receiving efficiency of the power receiving unit at a current parking position of the vehicle in the parking area; and

instructions for determining whether the current parking position must be changed based on calculated the power receiving efficiency; and

instructions for outputting information based on the determination.