Solar power generation control device

Abstract

The present invention aims to suppress the power consumption of a solar power generation system and to appropriately charge a power storage device with power generated by a solar cell. A solar power generation control device (32) comprises: a judgment unit (322) which judges whether the light irradiated to the vehicle (1) is sunlight based on the output of a light sensor (solar cell panel (10), light sensor unit (20)) provided on the vehicle (1); and an action mode control unit (323) which controls the action mode of the solar power generation system (2) based on the judgment result of the judgment unit (322). The action mode control unit (323) sets the solar power generation system to a start-up mode based on the judgment by the judgment unit (322) that the light irradiated to the vehicle (1) is sunlight. Here, the start-up mode is an action mode in which a storage battery (50) is charged with power generated by the solar cell panel (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a solar power generation control device for controlling a solar power generation system. Background Art

[0002] In the past, there was a solar power generation system that includes a solar cell and a power storage device, and charges the power storage device with the power generated by the solar cell. Generally, such a solar power generation system is started when light irradiating to the solar cell is detected (specifically, when the output voltage of the solar cell is greater than a predetermined voltage value), thereby charging the power storage device with the power generated by the solar cell. In addition, Patent Document 1 describes that such a solar power generation system is installed in a vehicle.

[0003] Prior art literature

[0004] Patent Literature

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-85707 Summary of the invention

[0006] Problems to be solved by the invention

[0007] If the solar power generation system is activated only when there is light irradiating the solar cell, the solar power generation system may be activated even when sufficient power generation cannot be expected, thereby increasing the power consumption of the solar power generation system. There is room for improvement in this regard.

[0008] The present invention provides a solar power generation control device capable of suppressing power consumption of a solar power generation system and appropriately charging a power storage device with power generated by a solar cell.

[0009] Solutions to Solve Problems

[0010] The solar power generation control device of the present invention controls a solar power generation system capable of charging a power storage device of the vehicle with electric power generated by a solar cell installed in the vehicle, wherein:

[0011] The solar power generation system has multiple operation modes, and the multiple operation modes include:

[0012] a first mode in which the power storage device is charged with electric power generated by the solar cell; and

[0013] The solar power generation system consumes less power in a second mode than in the first mode,

[0014] The solar power generation control device comprises:

[0015] a determination unit that determines whether the irradiated light directed toward the vehicle is sunlight based on an output of a light sensor provided on the vehicle; and

[0016] a control unit that controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system based on the determination result of the determination unit,

[0017] The control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode based on the determination unit determining that the irradiated light is sunlight.

[0018] Effects of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, the power consumption of the solar power generation system is suppressed, and the power storage device can be appropriately charged with the power generated by the solar cell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle provided with a solar power generation system controlled by a solar power generation control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement position of each solar cell panel.

[0022] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the power generation control device according to the present embodiment.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of control processing performed by the power generation control device according to the present embodiment.

[0024] Description of reference numerals:

[0025] 1 Vehicle

[0026] 2 Solar power generation system

[0027] 10, 10a, 10b, 10c Solar cell panel (light sensor, solar cell)

[0028] 20 Light sensor unit (light sensor)

[0029] 32 Solar power generation control device

[0030] 322 Judgment Department

[0031] 323 Action mode control unit (control unit)

[0032] 324 Forecasting Department

[0033] 50. Battery (electricity storage device) DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the solar power generation control device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the following description, front and rear, left and right, and top and bottom are described according to the direction of observation by the user of the vehicle. In addition, in the accompanying drawings, the front of the vehicle is represented as Fr, the rear is represented as Rr, the left side is represented as L, the right side is represented as R, the top is represented as U, and the bottom is represented as D.

[0035]

vehicle

[0036] First, refer to Figure 1 , a vehicle having a solar power generation system controlled by a solar power generation control device according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Figure 1 In FIG. 1 , the solid lines represent control wiring, and the double dashed lines represent power wiring.

[0037] exist Figure 1 In the figure, vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle (Electrical Vehicle) that has a solar power generation system 2 that can generate electricity by irradiating light (hereinafter also referred to as irradiating light) directed toward the vehicle 1 and a driving motor 3 (for example, a three-phase AC motor) that is driven by the electricity generated by the solar power generation system 2, and can travel using the power of the driving motor 3.

[0038] Sunlight and artificial light can be the irradiation light. Sunlight is light whose light source is the sun, and artificial light is light whose light source is an artificial object such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or an incandescent lamp. Examples of artificial light include light emitted by other vehicles around the vehicle 1 (e.g., light from the headlights of oncoming vehicles), light from street lamps around the vehicle 1 (e.g., light from road lighting lamps installed on the road on which the vehicle 1 is traveling), etc. When the irradiation light is artificial light, there is a tendency for its irradiation condition (e.g., intensity) to change easily in a short period of time compared to when the irradiation light is sunlight.

[0039]

Solar power generation system

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the solar power generation system 2 is configured to include a solar cell panel 10 , a light sensor unit 20 , a solar power generation control unit 30 , a charging control device 40 , and a storage battery 50 .

[0041] The solar cell panel 10 is an example of a solar cell in the present invention. The solar cell panel 10 is formed by, for example, connecting in series a plurality of solar cell units that convert light energy into electricity, and outputs the electricity generated by these plurality of solar cell units according to irradiated light to the solar power generation control unit 30. In the vehicle 1, a plurality of such solar cell panels 10 are provided, and these plurality of solar cell panels 10 are respectively connected to the solar power generation control unit 30.

[0042] Specifically, the solar cell panel 10 includes a solar cell panel 10a, a solar cell panel 10b, and a solar cell panel 10c. The solar cell panel 10a, the solar cell panel 10b, and the solar cell panel 10c are respectively arranged on different surfaces of the vehicle body. An example of the arrangement position of the solar cell panel 10a, the solar cell panel 10b, and the solar cell panel 10c is by using Figure 2 And it will be described later.

[0043] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the example of providing three solar cell panels 10, namely, solar cell panel 10a, solar cell panel 10b and solar cell panel 10c, is described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the number of solar cell panels 10 may be one, two, or more than four.

[0044] In addition, solar cell sensor units (in Figure 1 The solar cell sensor unit 11 detects the output of the corresponding solar cell panel 10, and sends a detection signal including the detection result and an identifier (i.e., ID) of its own device to the solar power generation control unit 30. The solar cell sensor unit 11 detects the output voltage and output current of the solar cell panel 10 as the output of the solar cell panel 10. Thus, the solar power generation control unit 30 (e.g., the solar power generation control device 32 described later) can obtain information indicating the output voltage and output current of each solar cell panel 10 based on the detection signal from each solar cell sensor unit 11.

[0045] The light sensor unit 20 includes a light sensor such as a photodiode that converts light energy into electric power, and is configured so that the light sensor can detect the intensity of the irradiated light (e.g., the amount of the irradiated light). In addition, the light sensor unit 20 sends a detection signal including information indicating the intensity of the detected irradiated light to the solar power generation control unit 30. In addition, when there is no irradiated light, the light sensor unit 20 sends a detection signal indicating that the intensity of the irradiated light is "0" to the solar power generation control unit 30, for example. Thus, the solar power generation control unit 30 (e.g., the solar power generation control device 32 described later) can obtain information indicating the presence or absence of irradiated light and the intensity of the irradiated light based on the detection signal from the light sensor unit 20.

[0046] In addition, the optical sensor unit 20 is configured to be able to detect the spectrum of the irradiated light. Specifically, the optical sensor unit 20 divides the irradiated light into light of each predetermined wavelength band, and detects the intensity of the light of each wavelength band. Moreover, the optical sensor unit 20 sends a detection signal including information indicating the spectrum of the detected irradiated light (e.g., the intensity of the light of each wavelength band) to the solar power generation control unit 30. Thus, the solar power generation control unit 30 (e.g., the solar power generation control device 32 described later) can obtain information indicating the spectrum of the irradiated light based on the detection signal from the optical sensor unit 20.

[0047] It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, although an example of providing the optical sensor unit 20 other than the solar cell panel 10 is described, it is not limited to this. For example, any solar cell panel 10 or each solar cell panel 10 may be used instead of the optical sensor unit 20. In such a case, the solar cell panel 10 used instead of the optical sensor unit 20 is configured to have the same function as the optical sensor unit 20.

[0048] The solar power generation control unit 30 includes a power conditioning device 31 and a solar power generation control device 32. A plurality of power conditioning devices 31 are provided in a manner corresponding to each solar cell panel 10. Specifically, in the present embodiment, a power conditioning device 31a is provided corresponding to the solar cell panel 10a. In addition, a power conditioning device 31b is provided corresponding to the solar cell panel 10b. Furthermore, a power conditioning device 31c is provided corresponding to the solar cell panel 10c.

[0049] Each power conditioning device 31 receives the power generated by the corresponding solar cell panel 10, and outputs the received power to the charging control device 40. It should be noted that the power conditioning device 31 can output the power generated by the corresponding solar cell panel 10 directly to the charging control device 40, or can output it to the charging control device 40 via other power conditioning devices 31.

[0050] In addition, each power conditioning device 31 controls the power generated by the corresponding solar cell panel 10. Specifically, each power conditioning device 31 is controlled by maximum power point tracking (hereinafter also referred to as MPPT control) to maximize the power generated by the corresponding solar cell panel 10. The power conditioning device 31 can be implemented, for example, by a so-called micro converter having a function of performing MPPT control.

[0051] The solar power generation control device 32 is an example of the solar power generation control device of the present invention and controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 by determining whether the irradiated light is sunlight based on the output of the solar cell panel 10 and the optical sensor unit 20 .

[0052] In the present embodiment, the solar power generation system 2 can adopt a startup mode and a sleep mode (sleep mode) in which the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 is less than that in the startup mode. Specifically, the startup mode is an operation mode in which the storage battery 50 is charged with the power generated by the solar cell panel 10. On the other hand, the sleep mode is an operation mode in which the storage battery 50 is not charged with the power generated by the solar cell panel 10.

[0053] For example, when in the sleep mode, the power conditioning device 31 turns off functions other than the communication function with the solar power generation control device 32 (for example, the function of performing MPPT control). As a result, when in the sleep mode, the power consumption of the power conditioning device 31 is reduced, so the overall power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 is reduced. In addition, when in the sleep mode, other components (such as the charging control device 40) other than the power conditioning device 31 may also appropriately stop the function of charging the storage battery 50. Regarding the configuration example of the solar power generation control device 32, by using Figure 3 And it will be described later.

[0054] The charging control device 40 receives the power generated by the solar cell panel 10 via the solar power generation control unit 30, and charges the storage battery 50 with the received power. The storage battery 50 is an example of the power storage device in the present invention, and is composed of a plurality of storage battery modules 51 connected in series. These plurality of storage battery modules 51 are respectively connected to the charging control device 40, and the charging control device 40 can selectively charge each storage battery module 51.

[0055] For example, the charging control device 40 distributes power to each battery module 51 so that the remaining capacity of each battery module 51 is equal to each other, and charges them. The charging control device 40 can be implemented, for example, by a predetermined integrated circuit. It should be noted that the power of the battery 50 is supplied to the driving motor 3 via the power conversion device 4 that converts direct current into alternating current. The power conversion device 4 can be implemented, for example, by an inverter device.

[0056] [An example of the arrangement position of each solar cell panel]

[0057] Next, refer to Figure 2 An example of the arrangement position of each solar cell panel 10 is described below. Figure 2 As shown, the solar cell panel 10a is arranged on the top 1a of the vehicle 1 with the light receiving portion capable of receiving the irradiated light facing upward. In addition, the solar cell panel 10b is arranged on the hood portion 1b of the vehicle 1 with the light receiving portion capable of receiving the irradiated light facing upward. Furthermore, the solar cell panel 10c is arranged on the left side 1c (e.g., the left door) of the vehicle 1 with the light receiving portion capable of receiving the irradiated light facing leftward.

[0058] In this way, the solar cell panel 10a, the solar cell panel 10b, and the solar cell panel 10c are respectively arranged at different positions of the vehicle 1. In particular, the solar cell panel 10a is arranged at a position higher than the solar cell panel 10b and the solar cell panel 10c. It should be noted that, as described above, in the solar power generation system 2, more than four solar cell panels 10 may be provided. For example, as with the left side 1c of the vehicle 1, a solar cell panel 10 may also be provided on the right side of the vehicle 1 (e.g., the right door). In addition, the light sensor of the light sensor unit 20 is arranged on the top 1a of the vehicle 1 in a state where the light receiving portion capable of receiving the irradiated light is facing upward, as with the solar cell panel 10a, but illustration and detailed description are omitted.

[0059] [Functional structure of solar power generation control device]

[0060] Next, refer to Figure 3 An example of the functional structure of the solar power generation control device 32 is described below. Figure 3 As shown, the solar power generation control device 32 includes an acquisition unit 321 , a determination unit 322 , and an operation mode control unit 323 .

[0061] The acquisition unit 321 acquires information for determining the characteristics of the irradiated light based on the output of the optical sensor provided in the vehicle 1. Here, the optical sensor provided in the vehicle 1 is, for example, each solar cell panel 10 or the optical sensor unit 20. The acquisition unit 321 acquires, for example, information indicating the intensity of the irradiated light as the information for determining the characteristics of the irradiated light.

[0062] The determination unit 322 determines whether the irradiated light is sunlight based on the information for determining the characteristics of the irradiated light acquired by the acquisition unit 321 in accordance with the output of the light sensor provided on the vehicle 1. For example, as described above, the acquisition unit 321 acquires information indicating the intensity of the irradiated light as the information for determining the characteristics of the irradiated light. In this case, when the amount of change in the intensity of the irradiated light within a prescribed period is less than a prescribed threshold value, the determination unit 322 determines that the irradiated light is sunlight.

[0063] That is, if the irradiated light is sunlight, there is a high possibility that light of a certain intensity continuously irradiates the vehicle 1 within a certain period. In other words, when the intensity of the irradiated light changes significantly in a short period of time, there is a high possibility that the irradiated light is artificial light. Therefore, when the change in the intensity of the irradiated light within a specified period is less than the threshold value, the judgment unit 322 judges that the irradiated light is sunlight, thereby being able to accurately judge whether the irradiated light is sunlight. It should be noted that the above-mentioned specified period and threshold value are, for example, pre-set in the solar power generation control device 32. In addition, the change in the intensity of the irradiated light within a specified period can be calculated based on, for example, the difference between the maximum and minimum values ​​of the intensity within the period.

[0064] In addition, the acquisition unit 321 may also acquire information indicating that the solar cell panel 10 is generating electricity by the irradiated light as information for determining the characteristics of the irradiated light. In this case, the determination unit 322 may also determine that the irradiated light is sunlight when the specific solar cell panel 10 is generating electricity. Here, the specific solar cell panel 10 is, for example, the solar cell panel 10a disposed above the solar cell panel 10b and the solar cell panel 10c.

[0065] That is, it is assumed that even when the solar cell panels 10b and 10c are generating electricity while the solar cell panel 10a is not generating electricity, the position of the light source of the irradiation light is low, that is, the possibility that the irradiation light is artificial light is high. On the other hand, when the solar cell panel 10a is generating electricity, the position of the light source of the irradiation light is high, that is, the possibility that the irradiation light is sunlight is high. Therefore, when the solar cell panel 10a is generating electricity, the judgment unit 322 judges that the irradiation light is sunlight, thereby being able to judge whether the irradiation light is sunlight with high accuracy.

[0066] In addition, the judgment unit 322 can also judge that the irradiation light is sunlight when multiple solar cell panels 10 (specifically, multiple solar cell panels 10 including solar cell panel 10a) are generating electricity. That is, when the irradiation light is sunlight, the irradiation range of the irradiation light (the range of light irradiation) is wider than when the irradiation light is artificial light. This is because sunlight contains direct light and scattered light, while artificial light contains almost no scattered light. That is, in the case where the irradiation range of the irradiation light is narrow, such as when only one solar cell panel 10 is generating electricity, there is a high possibility that the irradiation light is artificial light. Therefore, when multiple solar cell panels 10 are generating electricity, that is, when the irradiation range of the irradiation light is wide, the judgment unit 322 judges that the irradiation light is sunlight, thereby being able to judge whether the irradiation light is sunlight with high accuracy.

[0067] In addition, the acquisition unit 321 may acquire, for example, information indicating the spectrum of the irradiation light as information for specifying the characteristics of the irradiation light. In this case, the determination unit 322 may determine that the irradiation light is sunlight when the spectrum of the irradiation light has no bias.

[0068] That is, sunlight includes light with continuous and wide wavelength components. On the other hand, compared with sunlight, artificial light has a tendency that the wavelength of the light contained therein is biased toward a specific wavelength. Therefore, when the spectrum of the irradiated light is not biased, the judgment unit 322 judges that the irradiated light is sunlight, thereby being able to judge with high accuracy whether the irradiated light is sunlight. It should be noted that, in this case, master data that determines the conditions for the judgment unit 322 to judge that the spectrum of the irradiated light is not biased is pre-stored in the solar power generation control device 32, for example.

[0069] The operation mode control unit 323 controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 based on the determination result of the determination unit 322. For example, when the solar power generation system 2 is in the sleep mode, if there is irradiation light and the irradiation light is determined by the determination unit 322 to be sunlight, the operation mode control unit 323 sets the solar power generation system 2 to the start-up mode.

[0070] On the other hand, when the solar power generation system 2 is placed in the sleep mode, if there is no irradiation light or even if there is irradiation light, but the irradiation light is determined by the determination unit 322 to be artificial light (not sunlight), the operation mode control unit 323 maintains the solar power generation system 2 in the sleep mode as it is. It should be noted that the operation mode control unit 323 controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 by controlling the power conditioning device 31, for example, as described above.

[0071] Assuming that the solar power generation system 2 is set to the startup mode based only on the presence of irradiation light directed toward the vehicle 1, the solar power generation system 2 may be set to the startup mode even when the irradiation light is artificial light. Therefore, even when the irradiation light is artificial light whose irradiation condition is easily changed and sufficient power generation of the solar cell panel 10 cannot be expected, the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 may be set to the startup mode, resulting in an increase in the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2.

[0072] In contrast, the solar power generation control device 32 sets the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 to the start-up mode when the judgment unit 322 judges that the irradiated light is sunlight, and does not set the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 to the start-up mode when the judgment unit 322 judges that the irradiated light is artificial light (not sunlight). Thus, according to the solar power generation control device 32, the solar power generation system 2 can be set to the start-up mode in a state where sufficient power generation of the solar cell panel 10 is expected, and the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 can be suppressed, and the storage battery 50 can be appropriately charged with the power generated by the solar cell panel 10.

[0073] In addition, the solar power generation control device 32 may further include a prediction unit 324, and when the prediction unit 324 predicts that the gain power of the solar power generation system 2 is greater than 0 (zero), the operation mode control unit 323 sets the solar power generation system 2 to the start-up mode. Here, the gain power of the solar power generation system 2 can be obtained based on the difference between the power generated by the solar cell panel 10 and the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 when the storage battery 50 is charged with the power generated by the solar cell panel 10.

[0074] Specifically, for example, the sum of the electric power generated by each solar cell panel 10 when the solar power generation system 2 is in the startup mode is set to Pa, and the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 when the solar power generation system 2 is in the startup mode is set to Pb. In this case, the prediction unit 324 predicts Pa-Pb as the gain power of the solar power generation system 2. It should be noted that the electric power generated by the solar cell panel 10 can be obtained based on the output of the solar cell sensor unit 11. In addition, information indicating the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 when the solar power generation system 2 is in the startup mode is pre-stored in the solar power generation control device 32, for example.

[0075] It should be noted that the functional units of the aforementioned solar power generation control device 32 can be realized, for example, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) executing a prescribed program (software). In addition, part or all of the functional units of the solar power generation control device 32 can also be realized by hardware such as LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), etc., and can also be realized by the collaboration of software and hardware.

[0076] [Control processing performed by the solar power generation control device]

[0077] Next, refer to Figure 4 An example of control processing of the solar power generation system 2 by the solar power generation control device 32 will be described. For example, the solar power generation control device 32 performs control processing when the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 is set to the shutdown mode. Figure 4 The control process shown.

[0078] like Figure 4 As shown, the solar power generation control device 32 first makes the solar power generation system 2 standby in the sleep mode (step S01), and when the predetermined timing comes, determines whether there is irradiation light (step S02). In step S02, for example, when the light sensor unit 20 detects light, the solar power generation control device 32 determines that there is irradiation light. When it is determined that there is no irradiation light ("No" in step S02), the solar power generation control device 32 transfers to the processing of step S01.

[0079] On the other hand, when it is determined that there is irradiation light ("Yes" in step S02), the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether the irradiation light does not change in a short time (step S03). In step S03, the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether the change in the intensity of the irradiation light (for example, the light detected by the optical sensor unit 20) within a prescribed period is less than a threshold value, for example, as described above. And, if the change in the intensity of the irradiation light within the prescribed period is not less than the threshold value (that is, above the threshold value), the solar power generation control device 32 determines that the irradiation light changes in a short time ("No" in step S03), and then transfers to the processing of step S01.

[0080] On the other hand, if the change in the intensity of the irradiated light within the prescribed period is less than the threshold value, the solar power generation control device 32 determines that the irradiated light does not change in a short period of time ("Yes" in step S03), and then determines whether the intensity of the irradiated light (for example, the light detected by the optical sensor unit 20) is above a prescribed threshold value (step S04). The threshold value is determined by considering, for example, the minimum value of the intensity of light that can cause the solar cell panel 10 to generate electricity, and is pre-set in the solar power generation control device 32.

[0081] When it is determined that the intensity of the irradiated light is less than the threshold value ("No" in step S04), the solar power generation control device 32 transfers to the processing of step S01. On the other hand, when it is determined that the intensity of the irradiated light is greater than the threshold value ("Yes" in step S04), the solar power generation control device 32 obtains information indicating the output of each solar cell panel 10 based on the detection signal of the solar cell sensor unit 11 (step S05).

[0082] Next, the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether only the solar cell panel 10 configured at a low position is generating electricity based on the information indicating the output of each solar cell panel 10 obtained in step S05 (step S06). In step S06, the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether the solar cell panel 10 generating electricity does not include the solar cell panel 10a (the solar cell panel 10 configured at a high position), for example, as described above. Then, if the solar cell panel 10 generating electricity does not include the solar cell panel 10a, the solar power generation control device 32 determines that only the solar cell panel 10 configured at a low position is generating electricity ("Yes" in step S06), and then transfers to the processing of step S01.

[0083] On the other hand, if the solar cell panel 10 generating electricity includes the solar cell panel 10a, the solar power generation control device 32 determines that the solar cell panel 10 arranged at a high position is generating electricity ("No" in step S06), and then transfers the processing to step S07.

[0084] Next, the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether the irradiation range of the irradiated light is narrow based on the information indicating the output of each solar cell panel 10 obtained in step S05 (step S07). In step S07, the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether there is one or more solar cell panels 10 that are generating electricity, for example as described above. Then, if there is one solar cell panel 10 that is generating electricity, the solar power generation control device 32 determines that the irradiation range of the irradiated light is narrow ("Yes" in step S07), and then transfers to the processing of step S01. On the other hand, if there are more than one solar cell panel 10 that is generating electricity, the solar power generation control device 32 determines that the irradiation range of the irradiated light is wide ("No" in step S07), and then transfers to the processing of step S08.

[0085] Next, the solar power generation control device 32 acquires information indicating the spectrum of the irradiated light based on the detection signal of the optical sensor unit 20 (step S08), and determines whether there is a bias in the acquired spectrum of the irradiated light (step S09). If there is a bias in the spectrum of the irradiated light ("Yes" in step S09), the solar power generation control device 32 transfers the processing to step S01.

[0086] On the other hand, when there is no bias in the spectrum of the irradiated light ("No" in step S09), the solar power generation control device 32 predicts the gain power when the solar power generation system 2 is set to the startup mode based on the output of each solar cell panel 10 obtained in step S05 and the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 (step S10).

[0087] Next, the solar power generation control device 32 determines whether the gain power predicted in step S10 is greater than 0 (zero) (step S11). If the gain power is greater than 0 (zero) ("Yes" in step S11), the operation mode of the solar power generation system 2 is set to the start-up mode (step S12), and then the operation ends. Figure 4 On the other hand, if the gain power is 0 (zero) or less (No in step S11), the solar power generation control device 32 proceeds to the process of step S01.

[0088] As described above, according to the solar power generation control device 32 , the power consumption of the solar power generation system 2 is suppressed, and the storage battery 50 can be appropriately charged with the power generated by the solar cell panel 10 .

[0089] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, etc. may be made as appropriate.

[0090] For example, although the vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle in the above-described embodiment, the vehicle 1 may be a hybrid electric vehicle (Hybrid Electrical Vehicle) or a fuel cell vehicle (Fuel Vehicle).

[0091] At least the following matters are described in this specification. It should be noted that, in brackets, corresponding components and the like in the above-mentioned embodiment are shown, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0092] (1) A solar power generation control device (solar power generation control device 32) that controls a solar power generation system (solar power generation system 2) capable of charging a power storage device (battery 50) of a vehicle (vehicle 1) with electric power generated by a solar cell (solar cell panel 10) provided on the vehicle, wherein:

[0093] The solar power generation system has multiple operation modes, and the multiple operation modes include:

[0094] a first mode (start-up mode) in which the power storage device is charged with electric power generated by the solar cell; and

[0095] The solar power generation system is in a second mode (a sleep mode) in which power consumption is less than that of the first mode,

[0096] The solar power generation control device comprises:

[0097] a determination unit (determination unit 322) for determining whether the light irradiated toward the vehicle is sunlight based on the output of a light sensor provided at the vehicle; and

[0098] a control unit (operation mode control unit 323) for controlling the operation mode of the solar power generation system based on the determination result of the determination unit,

[0099] The control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode based on the determination unit determining that the irradiated light is sunlight.

[0100] According to (1), the solar power generation system is set to the first mode based on the situation where the judgment unit determines that the irradiated light directed toward the vehicle is sunlight. Therefore, the solar power generation system can be set to the first mode when it is expected that sufficient power will be generated, thereby suppressing the power consumption of the solar power generation system and appropriately charging the power storage device with the power generated by the solar cell.

[0101] (2) The solar power generation control device according to (1), wherein:

[0102] The light sensor detects the intensity of the irradiated light,

[0103] The determination unit determines that the irradiation light is sunlight when the amount of change in the intensity of the irradiation light within a predetermined period is smaller than a threshold value.

[0104] According to (2), when the amount of change in the intensity of the irradiation light within a predetermined period is smaller than a threshold value, it is determined that the irradiation light is sunlight. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether the irradiation light is sunlight.

[0105] (3) The solar power generation control device according to (1), wherein:

[0106] The solar cell includes a first solar cell (solar cell panel 10a) and a second solar cell (solar cell panel 10b, solar cell panel 10c) arranged below the first solar cell in the up-down direction of the vehicle.

[0107] The light sensors are the first solar cell and the second solar cell,

[0108] The determination unit determines that the irradiated light is sunlight when at least the first solar cell generates electric power.

[0109] According to (3), when the first solar cell disposed on the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle generates electricity, it is determined that the irradiated light is sunlight. Therefore, it is possible to accurately determine whether the irradiated light is sunlight.

[0110] (4) The solar power generation control device according to (3), wherein:

[0111] The determination unit determines that the irradiated light is sunlight when the first solar cell and the second solar cell generate electric power.

[0112] According to (4), when the first solar cell and the second solar cell respectively arranged at different positions generate electricity, it is determined that the irradiated light is sunlight, so it is possible to accurately determine whether the irradiated light is sunlight.

[0113] (5) The solar power generation control device according to (1), wherein:

[0114] The light sensor detects the spectrum of the irradiated light,

[0115] The determination unit determines whether the irradiation light is sunlight based on a spectrum of the irradiation light.

[0116] According to (5), whether the irradiation light is sunlight is determined based on the spectrum of the irradiation light, so it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether the irradiation light is sunlight.

[0117] (6) The solar power generation control device according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein:

[0118] The solar power generation control device further includes a prediction unit (prediction unit 324) that predicts the gain power of the solar power generation system when the power storage device is charged with the power obtained by the solar cell power generation, based on the power generated by the solar cell and the power consumption of the solar power generation system when the power storage device is charged with the power obtained by the solar cell power generation.

[0119] When it is determined that the irradiated light is sunlight and the prediction unit predicts that the gain power is positive, the control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode.

[0120] According to (6), the gain power of the solar power generation system when the power storage device is charged with the power obtained by the solar cell power generation is predicted based on the power generated by the solar cell and the power consumption of the solar power generation system when the power storage device is charged with the power obtained by the solar cell power generation. When it is determined that the irradiated light is sunlight and the gain power is predicted to be positive, the solar power generation system is set to the first mode. Therefore, the solar power generation system can be set to the first mode when it is expected that sufficient power will be generated, thereby suppressing the power consumption of the solar power generation system and appropriately charging the power storage device with the power obtained by the solar cell power generation.

Claims

1. A solar power generation control device for controlling a solar power generation system capable of charging a power storage device of a vehicle with electric power generated by a solar cell installed in the vehicle, wherein: The solar power generation system has multiple operation modes, and the multiple operation modes include: a first mode in which the power storage device is charged with electric power generated by the solar cell; and a second mode in which the power storage device is not charged with the electric power generated by the solar cell, The solar power generation control device comprises: a determination unit that determines whether a change in the intensity of the irradiated light directed toward the vehicle within a predetermined period is less than a first threshold value, and whether the intensity of the irradiated light is greater than or equal to a second threshold value, based on an output of a light sensor provided on the vehicle; and a control unit that controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system based on the determination result of the determination unit, When the solar power generation system is in the second mode, the control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode based on the fact that the judgment unit judges that the change in the intensity of the irradiation light is less than the first threshold and judges that the intensity of the irradiation light is greater than the second threshold.

2. A solar power generation control device for controlling a solar power generation system capable of charging a power storage device of a vehicle using power generated by a solar cell installed in the vehicle, wherein: The solar power generation system has multiple operation modes, and the multiple operation modes include: a first mode in which the power storage device is charged with electric power generated by the solar cell; and a second mode in which the power storage device is not charged with the electric power generated by the solar cell, The solar cell includes a first solar cell and a second solar cell disposed below the first solar cell in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The solar power generation control device comprises: a determination unit that determines whether the solar cells that generate electricity include the first solar cell based on outputs of the first solar cell and the second solar cell; and a control unit that controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system based on the determination result of the determination unit, When the solar power generation system is in the second mode, the control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode based on the fact that the determination unit determines that the solar cells generating power include the first solar cell.

3. The solar power generation control device according to claim 2, wherein: The determination unit further determines whether the second solar cell is generating electricity. When the solar power generation system is in the second mode, the control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode based on the fact that the determination unit determines that the solar cells generating electricity include the first solar cell and the second solar cell also generates electricity.

4. A solar power generation control device for controlling a solar power generation system capable of charging a power storage device of a vehicle with electric power generated by a solar cell installed in the vehicle, wherein: The solar power generation system has multiple operation modes, and the multiple operation modes include: a first mode in which the power storage device is charged with electric power generated by the solar cell; and a second mode in which the power storage device is not charged with the electric power generated by the solar cell, The solar power generation control device comprises: a determination unit that determines whether the spectrum of the irradiation light directed toward the vehicle is biased based on an output of a light sensor provided at the vehicle and configured to detect the spectrum of the irradiation light directed toward the vehicle; and a control unit that controls the operation mode of the solar power generation system based on the determination result of the determination unit, When the solar power generation system is in the second mode, the control unit sets the solar power generation system to the first mode based on the fact that the determination unit determines that the spectrum of the irradiation light is not biased.

5. The solar power generation control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The solar power generation control device further includes a prediction unit that predicts a gain power of the solar power generation system when the power storage device is charged with the power generated by the solar cell, based on the power generated by the solar cell and the power consumption of the solar power generation system when the power storage device is charged with the power generated by the solar cell. The control unit further sets the solar power generation system to the first mode on the condition that the prediction unit predicts that the gain power is at least greater than 0.

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