Electric power amount information output device and system

• US 20110032110A1
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Taguchi, Shinya
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,642 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/72 Charging station selection relying on external data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/52 drive range estimation, e.g. of estimation of available travel distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/54 Energy consumption estimation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/12 Recording operating variables ; Monitoring of operating variables
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3469 Fuel consumption; Energy use; Emission aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3647 for determining the ability of a battery to perform a critical function, e.g. cranking
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/371 with remote indication, e.g. on external chargers
• 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 90/12 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 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

In an electric power amount information output device for a vehicle, a control section checks whether a remaining electric power amount of a battery of a motor-driven vehicle at a departure point is less than a total electric power amount required for the vehicle to travel to a destination point. The control section drives an output section to output insufficiency information indicating that the remaining electric power amount of the battery is insufficient, if the remaining electric power amount is less than the required total electric power amount.

Claims

1. An electric power amount information output device for outputting information indicating a remaining electric power amount of a battery provided as a drive power source to electrically drive a vehicle, the electric power amount information output device comprising:

a departure point information acquisition section, which acquires departure point information indicating a point of departure of the vehicle;

a destination point information acquisition section, which acquires destination point information indicating a point of destination of the vehicle;

a remaining electric power amount information acquisition section, which acquires remaining electric power amount information indicating an amount of electric power remaining in the battery;

a required total electric power amount calculation section, which calculates a required total electric power amount based on the departure point information and the destination point information, the required total electric power amount indicating an amount of electric power required for the vehicle to travel from the departure point to the destination point;

an output section, which outputs information; and

a control section, which checks whether the remaining electric power amount indicated by the remaining electric power amount information at the departure point is less than the required total electric power amount, and drives the output section to output insufficiency information indicating that the remaining electric power amount of the battery is insufficient if the remaining electric power amount is less than the required total electric power amount.

2. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an availability information acquisition section, which acquires availability information indicating availability of each of a plurality of charging stations provided to charge batteries,

wherein the control section further drives the output section to output the availability information of each of the charging stations, if the remaining electric power amount is less than the required total electric power amount.

3. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 2, wherein:

the availability information includes information about at least one of whether and when the charging station is available for battery charging.

4. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a location information acquisition section, which acquires location information indicating a location of each of the charging stations,

wherein the control section searches for a reachable charging station, which the vehicle is able to reach with the remaining electric power amount, based on the departure point information, the location information and the remaining electric power amount information, and limits the availability information to only the reachable charging station.

5. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 4, wherein:

the control section calculates a required minimum electric power amount based on the departure point information and the location information, the required minimum electric power amount indicating a minimum amount of electric power required for the vehicle to travel from the departure point to each of the charging stations; and

the control section searches for the reachable charging station based on the required minimum electric power amount and the remaining electric power amount.

6. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a route information acquisition section, which acquires route information indicating travel routes the vehicle is able to take from the departure point to the destination point,

wherein the control section limits the reachable charging station to only charging stations, which are located on the travel routes indicated by the route information.

7. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a departure time information acquisition section, which acquires a departure time information indicating a scheduled time of departure of the vehicle from the departure point; and

an estimated station-arrival time calculation section, which calculates an estimated station-arrival time indicating an estimated time of arrival at the reachable charging station, based on the departure point information, the location information of the reachable charging station and the departure time information,

wherein the control section drives the output section to output the reachable charging station as display information in an order of earlier time of the estimated station-arrival time.

8. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 7, wherein:

the control section drives the output section to output the availability information about each charging station, at which the vehicle is able to reach after the estimated station-arrival time.

9. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a required supplemental electric power amount calculation section, which calculates a required supplemental electric power amount required to be charged to the battery at the reachable charging station for the vehicle to travel from the reachable charging station to the destination point with respect to each of the reachable charging stations,

wherein the required total electric power amount is calculated based on the location information of the reachable charging station in addition to the departure point information and the destination point information, so that the required total electric power amount indicates a total amount of electric power required for the vehicle to travel from the departure point to the destination point through the reachable charging station.

10. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 9, further comprising:

a charging start time calculation section, which calculates a charging start time based on the availability information of the charging station and the required supplemental electric power amount with respect to each reachable charging station, the charging start time indicating a start time of charging allowed to charge the required supplemental electric power at the reachable charging station,

wherein the control section drives the output section to output the charging start time at the reachable charging station as the display information with respect to each charging station in an order of earlier time of the charging start time.

11. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 9, wherein:

an estimated destination-arrival time calculation section, which calculates an estimated destination-arrival time based on the availability information of the charging station, the required supplemental electric power amount, the destination point information and the location information of the reachable charging station, the estimated destination-arrival time indicating an estimated time of arrival at the destination point when the battery is charged at the reachable charging station;

the control section drives the output section to output the estimated destination-arrival time as the display information with respect to each charging station in an order of earlier time of the estimated destination-arrival time.

12. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 4, further comprising:

an electric power consumption amount calculation section, which calculates a total electric power consumption amount based on the departure point information, the location information of the charging stations and the destination point information, the total electric power consumption amount indicating a total amount of electric power consumed by the vehicle in traveling from the departure point to the destination point by way of the charging station,

wherein the control section drives the output section to output the total electric power consumption amount as the display information with respect to each charging station in an order of least total electric power consumption amount.

13. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a priority selection input reception section, which receives an input of priority selection of one of at least two display information outputted by the output section,

wherein the control section drives the output section to output the display information in an order of the priority selected by the priority selection input reception section.

14. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a temporary reservation request signal transmission section, which transmits a request signal of a temporary reservation for the charging station, the temporary reservation being effective only for a predetermined period,

wherein the control section drives the temporary reservation request signal transmission section to transmit the request signal to the charging station, which is outputted at a top of a list of charging stations rearranged in accordance with the selected priority.

15. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a disturbance information acquisition section, which acquires disturbance information indicating disturbances that affects an electric power consumption amount of the battery,

wherein the control section corrects a required total electric power amount in accordance with the disturbance information.

16. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 4, further comprising:

a charging station selection input reception section, which receives an input of selection of the reachable charging station among the charging stations; and

a formal reservation request signal transmission section, which transmits a formal reservation request signal indicating a formal request to the reachable charging station selected and received by the charging station selection input reception section.

17. The electric power amount information output device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a nearest location information acquisition section, which acquires a nearest location information indicating a nearest charging station among a plurality of charging stations provided for charging batteries, the nearest charging station being closest to the departure point;

a required minimum power amount calculation section, which calculates a required minimum power amount based on the departure point information and the nearest location information, the required minimum power amount indicating a minimum amount of electric power of the battery required for the vehicle to travel from the departure point to the nearest charging station,

wherein the control section checks whether the remaining electric power amount is less than the required minimum power amount, in case that the remaining electric power amount is less than the required total power amount, and

wherein the control section drives the output section to output charge request information indicating that the battery is requested to be charged before starting to travel from the departure point, if the remaining electric power amount is less than the required minimum electric power amount.

18. An electric power amount information output system comprising:

the electric power amount information output device according to claim 1; and

a communications device, which is provided in the vehicle to communicate with the electric power amount information output device,

wherein the communications device transmits the remaining electric power amount information of the battery at the departure point to the electric power amount information output device, and

wherein the electric power amount information output device is provided in a building structure outside the vehicle.

19. An electric power amount information output system comprising:

the electric power amount information output device according to claim 1; and

a communications device, which is provided in the vehicle to communicate with the electric power amount information output device,

wherein the communications device transmits the remaining electric power amount information of the battery at the departure point to the electric power amount information output device, and

wherein the electric power amount information output device is provided in a cellular phone carried by a user.

20. An electric power amount information output system comprising:

the electric power amount information output device according to claim 1,

wherein the electric power amount information output device is provided in the vehicle.

21. The electric power amount information output system according to claim 20, wherein:

the electric power amount information output device further comprises a vehicle drive condition detection section, which detects whether electric drive of the vehicle is started; and

when the electric drive of the vehicle is detected, the control section checks whether the remaining electric power amount at the departure point is less than the required total electric power amount, and drives the output section to output insufficiency information indicating that the remaining electric power amount of the battery is insufficient if the remaining electric power amount is less than the required total electric power amount.

22. The electric power amount information output system according to claim 20, wherein:

the electric power amount information output device includes the nearest location information acquisition section, the required minimum electric power amount calculation section and a vehicle drive condition detection section, which detects whether electric drive of the vehicle is started; and

when the electric drive of the vehicle is detected, the control section checks whether the remaining electric power amount is less than the required minimum power amount, and drives the output section to output, charge request information indicating that the battery is requested to be charged before starting to travel from the departure point, if the remaining electric power amount is less than the required minimum electric power amount.