Server, vehicle and power management method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a server, a vehicle, and a power management method. A vehicle (1) includes a storage battery (11) charged by power supplied from a charging device (2). There is a green area where driving using an amount of power whose emission intensity of greenhouse gases exceeds a limit value is restricted. The server (3) includes: an I / O port (33) for obtaining the emission intensity of the power supplied from the charging device (2); and a processor (31) for managing the amount of power charged to the storage battery (11) from the charging device (2) by establishing a correspondence with the emission intensity obtained via the I / O port (33). The processor (31) sets the amount of power stored in the storage battery (11) whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value as the amount of power that can be used by the vehicle (1) when driving in the green area, and notifies the vehicle (1) of information related to the amount of power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a server, a vehicle, and a power management method, and more particularly, to a technology for managing power information of a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] The amount of electricity stored in the vehicle's driving battery may include electricity from various power generation methods such as thermal power generation, nuclear power generation, hydroelectric power generation, and solar power generation. A management method for classifying the amount of electricity stored in the battery according to the power generation method (or according to the amount of greenhouse gas generated during power generation) is known (for example, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-86911).

[0003] In addition, there are cases where areas where reduction of exhaust gas emission is required or exhaust gas emission is prohibited are set by laws or policies. Such areas are called "green areas" or "ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) areas" (for example, see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-85094). It is also known that there is a technology called "geofence" that uses GPS (Global Positioning System) and wireless communication technology to set virtual boundaries for specific areas such as green areas or ZEV areas. Summary of the invention

[0004] At present, generally speaking, driving in a green area is permitted if so-called EV (Electric Vehicle) driving (driving without driving the engine but consuming the electric power stored in the battery) is performed. However, the present inventors have focused on the following problems that may occur in the future.

[0005] It is expected that the popularity of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles will advance in the future. On the other hand, the greenhouse gas reduction targets of various countries may also become higher. As a result, as a condition for driving in a green area, it is possible to investigate the extent of greenhouse gas generated when generating electricity to be stored in the vehicle's battery. As a result, it may not be possible to determine whether driving in a green area is allowed based solely on whether or not EV driving is performed.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and an object of the present disclosure is to appropriately determine whether a vehicle can travel in an area where restrictions are imposed on the amount of greenhouse gas generation associated with power generation.

[0007] (1) The server of the first aspect of the present disclosure manages the power information of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a power storage device charged by power supplied from a charging device. There is a driving restriction area where driving using an amount of power whose emission intensity of greenhouse gases exceeds a limit value is restricted. The server includes: an interface for obtaining the emission intensity of the power supplied from the charging device; and a processor for establishing a correspondence between the amount of power charged from the charging device to the power storage device and the emission intensity obtained via the interface for management. The processor sets the amount of power stored in the power storage device whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value as the amount of power that can be used by the vehicle when driving in the driving restriction area, and notifies the vehicle of information associated with the amount of power.

[0008] In the configuration of (1) above, the processor manages the amount of electricity charged from the charging equipment to the power storage device by establishing a correspondence with the emission intensity (power coloring). As a result, the server can understand to what extent the amount of electricity (clean electricity) whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value is included in the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device. Therefore, according to the configuration of (1) above, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the vehicle can travel in the driving restriction area.

[0009] (2) The processor distinguishes the correspondence between the amount of electric power charged from the charging facility to the power storage device and the emission intensity for each charging opportunity of the power storage device, and notifies the vehicle of information associated with the total amount of electric power for which the emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

[0010] (3) The processor distinguishes the amount of electric power charged from the charging facility to the power storage device according to whether the emission intensity exceeds the limit value or does not reach the limit value, and notifies the vehicle of information associated with the amount of electric power whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

[0011] In the configurations of (2) and (3), the classification is performed for each charging opportunity or based on the comparison between the emission intensity and the limit value. This makes it possible to appropriately manage the extent to which the amount of electricity stored in the power storage device includes electricity whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

[0012] (4) The processor calculates an average value of the emission intensity associated with the amount of electric power charged from the charging facility to the power storage device during a predetermined period, and notifies the vehicle of information on the amount of electric power for which the average value does not reach the limit value.

[0013] In the configuration of (4) above, the average value of the emission intensity in a predetermined period is associated with the amount of electricity. Thus, even if the emission intensity at a certain charging opportunity exceeds the limit value, the average value of the emission intensity can be reduced to less than the limit value by using another opportunity.

[0014] (5) There are a plurality of vehicles including the vehicle. The processor calculates an average value for the vehicle and the plurality of vehicles with respect to the emission intensity associated with the amount of electric power charged from the charging equipment to the power storage device. The processor notifies the vehicle of information associated with the amount of electric power for which the average value does not reach the limit value.

[0015] In the configuration of (5) above, the average value of the emission intensity of the plurality of vehicles is associated with the amount of electric power. Thus, even if the emission intensity of the electric power of some of the vehicles charged exceeds the limit value, the average value of the emission intensity can be reduced by using the remaining vehicles and suppressed to less than the limit value.

[0016] (6) The processor notifies the vehicle of the distance that the vehicle can travel in the restricted travel area, calculated based on the amount of electric power whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value, before the vehicle travels in the restricted travel area.

[0017] (7) When the vehicle is traveling in a restricted travel area, the processor updates the distance that the vehicle can travel in the restricted travel area and notifies the vehicle of the update.

[0018] In (6) and (7) above, before the vehicle travels in the restricted driving area or when the vehicle is traveling in the restricted driving area, the vehicle is notified of the distance that the vehicle can travel in the restricted driving area. Thus, the vehicle that has received the notification can take appropriate actions (such as exiting the restricted driving area before the distance becomes 0).

[0019] (8) The processor notifies the manager of the driving restriction area of ​​information related to the amount of electric power whose emission intensity does not reach the restriction value.

[0020] According to the configuration of (8) above, the manager who has received the notification can appropriately manage the driving restriction area. For example, if a vehicle is driving in the driving restriction area even though driving is not allowed, the manager can stop the vehicle.

[0021] (9) The vehicle of the second aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a power storage device that is charged by power supplied from a charging device; and a processor that performs information processing related to the amount of power stored in the power storage device. There is a driving restriction area where driving using an amount of power whose emission intensity of greenhouse gases exceeds a limit value is restricted. The processor establishes a correspondence between the amount of power stored in the power storage device and the emission intensity based on data related to the emission intensity obtained from the charging device. When the vehicle is traveling in the driving restriction area, the processor uses the amount of power stored in the power storage device whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

[0022] According to the configuration of (9), similarly to the configuration of (1), the vehicle can appropriately travel in the travel-restricted area without violating the restrictions.

[0023] (10) The power management method of the third aspect of the present disclosure manages the power information of a vehicle. The vehicle includes a power storage device charged by power supplied from a charging device. There is a driving restriction area in which driving using an amount of power whose emission intensity of greenhouse gases exceeds a limit value is restricted. The power management method includes steps 1 to 4. The first step is a step of obtaining the amount of power charged from the charging device to the power storage device. The second step is a step of obtaining the emission intensity of the power supplied from the charging device. The third step is a step of establishing a correspondence between the amount of power charged from the charging device to the power storage device and the emission intensity. The fourth step is a step of setting the amount of power stored in the power storage device whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value as the amount of power that can be used by the vehicle when driving in the driving restriction area and notifying the vehicle of information associated with the amount of power.

[0024] According to the method of (10), similarly to the configuration of (1), it is possible to appropriately determine whether the vehicle can travel in the travel-restricted area.

[0025] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a power management system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 2 This is a diagram for explaining an example of a state in which a vehicle enters and exits a green area.

[0028] Figure 3 It is a functional block diagram of the server.

[0029] Figure 4 It is a diagram used to illustrate emission intensity.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a concept image of the power coloring process.

[0031] Figure 6 This is a diagram for explaining the power coloring process in the first embodiment.

[0032] Figure 7 : is a flowchart showing the green area management process.

[0033] Figure 8 : is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in the first embodiment.

[0034] Fig. 9 This is a diagram for explaining power coloring in a modified example of the first embodiment.

[0035] Fig.10 This is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in the modification of the first embodiment.

[0036] Fig.11 This is a conceptual diagram for explaining the power coloring process in the second embodiment.

[0037] Fig.12 1 is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in the second embodiment.

[0038] Fig.13 This is a conceptual diagram for explaining the power coloring process in the third embodiment.

[0039] Fig.14 : is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Hereinafter, with reference to the attached drawings, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. Figure 1 In addition, the same or corresponding parts in the figures are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description will not be repeated.

[0041] [Implementation Method 1]

[0042] <System Overall Configuration>

[0043] Figure 1 The diagram schematically shows the configuration of a power management system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The power management system 100 includes a vehicle 1 , a charging device (EVSE: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) 2 , a server 3 , a power system 4 , a transmission line 5 , and an operator server 6 .

[0044] The vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle, more specifically, an electric vehicle (EV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), etc. In the following, for simplicity, it is assumed that the vehicle 1 is an EV. The vehicle 1 includes a battery 11, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 12, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 13.

[0045] The battery 11 is a battery pack including a plurality of cells (not shown). Each cell is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The battery 11 supplies electric power for generating the driving force of the vehicle 1. In addition, the battery 11 stores electric power generated by an electric generator (not shown) during regenerative braking of the vehicle 1. In addition, a capacitor such as an electric double layer capacitor can be used instead of the battery 11. The battery 11 is equivalent to the "electricity storage device" of the present disclosure.

[0046] The vehicle 1 is configured such that a charging cable extending from a charging facility 2 is connected to an inlet (not shown) of the vehicle 1, and the battery 11 is charged with power supplied from the charging facility 2. Hereinafter, this charging method is also referred to as "external charging".

[0047] HMI12 receives the operation of the user (driver) and provides various information and data to the user. HMI12 can include, for example, an instrument panel, a touch panel display (navigation screen) of a navigation system, a HUD (Head-Up Display), an operation button or a smart speaker. In addition, the vehicle 1 and the server 3 are configured to enable two-way communication.

[0048] The ECU 13 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an input / output port. The ECU 13 is configured to execute various calculation processes for controlling the vehicle 1. The ECU 13 corresponds to the "control device" of the present disclosure.

[0049] The charging facility 2 is, for example, a public charging station or a home charger. The charging facility 2 receives power from the power system 4 via a transmission line 5 and supplies the power to the vehicle 1. The charging facility 2 and the server 3 are also configured to be able to communicate bidirectionally.

[0050] The server 3 is a computer that manages the vehicle 1 and the charging equipment 2 in the power management system 100. The server 3 includes a processor 31, a memory 32, and an input / output port 33. The processor 31 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), which is configured to execute arithmetic operations described in a program. The memory 32 includes a memory that stores a program executed by the processor 31, and stores various data (mappings, relational expressions, parameters, etc.) used in the program. In addition, the memory 32 includes a database that stores data related to the power of various devices in the power management system 100. The input / output port 33 is configured to input and output notifications, instructions, requests, etc. to and from the outside of the server 3. The server 3 includes a communication module (not shown), which is configured to communicate with the outside of the power management system 100 (operator server 6, etc.) in addition to the vehicle 1 and the charging equipment 2.

[0051] The main processes executed by the server 3 of this embodiment include "green area management process" and "power coloring process". The green area management process is a process for managing the entry of the vehicle 1 into the green area and the driving of the vehicle 1 in the green area. The power coloring process is a process for coloring the amount of power stored in the battery 11. These processes will be described in detail later.

[0052] The power system 4 is a power grid composed of power plants and power transmission and distribution facilities. In this embodiment, the power company serves as both a power generation operator and a power transmission and distribution operator. The power company is equivalent to a general power transmission and distribution operator and is also equivalent to a manager of the power system 4, maintaining and managing the power system 4.

[0053] The operator server 6 belongs to the power company and is a computer that manages the power supply and demand of the power system 4. The operator server 6 has data on the degree of greenhouse gas generation (emission intensity) in the power plant. The operator server 6 is also configured to be able to communicate with the server 3 in both directions.

[0054] In addition, the number of vehicles 1 and charging equipment 2 included in the power management system 100 is not particularly limited. Figure 1 In the example shown, a plurality of vehicles 1 and a plurality of charging facilities are included, but the number of the vehicle 1 and the number of the charging facility 2 may be only one.

[0055] <Green Area>

[0056] Figure 2 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of a state in which the vehicle 1 enters and exits a green area. In the present embodiment, exhaust gas discharge is prohibited in a green area, and therefore the vehicle 1 is required to perform EV driving in the green area. The green area corresponds to a "driving restriction area" in the present disclosure.

[0057] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, a gate 7 is provided at the boundary between the inner and outer sides of the green area. When the vehicle 1 advances to the vicinity of the gate 7, the server 3 determines whether to allow the vehicle 1 to enter the green area. When the vehicle 1 satisfies a predetermined condition (described later), the server 3 permits the vehicle 1 to enter the green area and opens the gate 7. On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 does not satisfy the above-mentioned condition, the server 3 does not permit the vehicle 1 to enter the green area and maintains the gate 7 in a closed state.

[0058] However, the gate 7 provided at the boundary is only an illustration for easy understanding, and a geo-fence (virtual boundary line) may be provided in place of a physical gate. When a geo-fence is provided, a penalty (e.g., a fine) may be imposed on a vehicle that does not meet the above conditions when it enters the green area.

[0059] <Reduction of Greenhouse Gases>

[0060] When the electricity generated by burning fossil fuels is charged to the storage battery 11, although greenhouse gases are not generated during the EV driving of the vehicle 1, a certain amount of greenhouse gases are generated if the entire process from power generation to power consumption is considered. Therefore, if only the EV driving in the green area is required of the vehicle 1, the requirement does not contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases, and there is a possibility that a high reduction target of greenhouse gases cannot be achieved.

[0061] Therefore, in this embodiment, as a condition for allowing the vehicle 1 to enter or travel in the green area, it is further considered to what extent greenhouse gas is generated when the power stored in the battery 11 is generated. More specifically, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of generated power, i.e., "emission intensity" (unit: g / kWh), is considered.

[0062] The server 3 obtains data related to emission intensity from the power company during external charging of the vehicle 1, and manages the amount of power stored in the battery 11 by associating it with the emission intensity. In other words, the server 3 performs a "power coloring process" in which the amount of power stored in the battery 11 is conceptually colored according to the emission intensity. In this way, the server 3 can quantitatively evaluate to what extent the amount of clean power is included in the amount of power stored in the battery 11 and to what extent the amount of non-clean power is included.

[0063] The server 3 is set to consume clean electric power whose emission intensity is less than a predetermined limit value (recorded as Ereg) when the vehicle 1 travels in the green area. Hereinafter, this electric power is also referred to as "clean electric power" for simplicity. When the clean electric power is consumed and exhausted while the vehicle 1 travels in the green area, the server 3 does not allow the vehicle 1 to travel further in the green area. This process is described in detail.

[0064] <Electric Coloring>

[0065] Figure 3 3 is a functional block diagram of the server 3. The server 3 includes a charge amount acquisition unit 301, an emission intensity acquisition unit 302, a consumption acquisition unit 303, a power coloring unit 304, an EV distance calculation unit 305, a vehicle position acquisition unit 306, a map storage unit 307, a position determination unit 308, and a travel permission unit 309.

[0066] The charge amount acquisition unit 301 acquires the amount of electric power supplied from the charging device 2 to the vehicle 1 and charged to the storage battery 11 during external charging of the vehicle 1. The charge amount acquisition unit 301 can acquire the amount of electric power charged to the storage battery 11 by communicating with the charging device 2, but may also acquire it from the vehicle 1. The acquired amount of electric power is output to the power coloring unit 304.

[0067] The emission intensity acquisition unit 302 acquires the emission intensity of the amount of electric power supplied from the charging facility 2 to the vehicle 1 from the electric power company.

[0068] Figure 4 is a graph used to illustrate emission intensity. Figure 4 The following table shows the typical emission intensities for thermal power generation, solar power generation, wind power generation, nuclear power generation, geothermal power generation, and hydropower generation. Figure 4 It is known that thermal power generation (coal-fired power generation, oil-fired power generation, and liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fired power generation) has a higher emission intensity than other power generation methods.

[0069] return Figure 3 The operator server 6 of the power company has data related to the emission intensity when the power is generated, regarding the power transmitted from the power system 4 to the charging equipment 2 via the transmission line 5. Therefore, the emission intensity acquisition unit 302 can acquire the emission intensity of the amount of power supplied from the charging equipment 2 to the vehicle 1 from the operator server 6. The acquired emission intensity is output to the power coloring unit 304.

[0070] The consumption amount acquisition unit 303 acquires, from the vehicle 1 , the amount of electric power consumed (used) from the storage battery 11 during the travel of the vehicle 1 , etc. The acquired amount of electric power is output to the power coloring unit 304 .

[0071] The power coloring unit 304 performs power coloring processing on the amount of power stored in the storage battery 11 based on the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 and the amount of power consumed from the storage battery 11.

[0072] Figure 5 It is a conceptual diagram of the power coloring process. The server 3 manages by establishing a correspondence between the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 and the emission intensity during power generation of this amount of power. In Embodiment 1, the server 3 manages the correspondence between the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 and the emission intensity separately for each opportunity of external charging.

[0073] In Figure 5 an example of the result of the power coloring process when the number of opportunities for external charging is 4 is illustrated. For the first charging opportunity, the server 3 manages by establishing a correspondence between the amount of power P1 charged to the storage battery 11 and the emission intensity E1. For the second charging opportunity, the server 3 manages by establishing a correspondence between the amount of power P2 charged to the storage battery 11 and the emission intensity E2. The same applies to the third and fourth charging opportunities.

[0074] Figure 6 It is a conceptual diagram for explaining the power coloring process in Embodiment 1. In this example, if the 4 charging opportunities are arranged in ascending order of emission intensity, they are the first charging opportunity, the third charging opportunity, the second charging opportunity, and the fourth charging opportunity (E1 < E3 < E2 < E4). The limit value Ereg of the emission intensity for which the travel of the vehicle 1 within the green area is permitted is determined by regulations or policies, etc. Among the emission intensities E1 to E4 of the 4 charging opportunities, the emission intensities E1 and E3 of the first and third charging opportunities are smaller than the limit value Ereg. Therefore, the amounts of power P1 and P3 charged during the first and third charging opportunities are clean power amounts. On the other hand, the emission intensities E2 and E4 of the second and fourth charging opportunities are larger than the limit value Ereg (E1 < E3 < Ereg < E2 < E4). The amounts of power P2 and P4 charged during the second and fourth charging opportunities are not clean power amounts.

[0075] When the vehicle 1 stays within the green area, the server 3 regards the clean power amounts charged to the storage battery 11 during the first and third charging opportunities as being consumed. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 travels within the green area, if compared before and after travel, as Figure 6 shown, the clean power amounts (P1 + P3) charged to the storage battery 11 during the first and third charging opportunities are used and reduced. The amounts of power (P2 + P4) charged to the storage battery 11 during the second and fourth charging opportunities are not used and remain.

[0076] When the clean power (P1+P3) charged to the battery 11 during the first and third charging opportunities exceeds the reference amount Pref, the server 3 (driving permission unit 309) permits the vehicle 1 to enter the green area or travel in the green area. On the other hand, when the clean power (P1+P3) is less than the reference amount Pref, the server 3 does not permit (prohibits) the vehicle 1 from entering the green area.

[0077] In addition, when the clean power (P1+P3) exceeds the reference amount Pref when the vehicle 1 enters the green area, but becomes less than the reference amount Pref while the vehicle 1 is traveling in the green area, the server 3 requests the vehicle 1 to quickly exit the green area.

[0078] Refer again Figure 3 The EV distance calculation unit 305 calculates the distance (EV distance) that the vehicle 1 can travel in the green area. More specifically, the EV distance calculation unit 305 can calculate the clean power consumed by the vehicle 1 in the power stored in the battery 11 (in Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the example of , the distance that can be traveled is calculated as the EV distance. In calculating the EV distance, the power consumption of vehicle 1 (the distance that vehicle 1 can travel per unit power (unit: km / kWh) or the power consumed by vehicle 1 per unit distance (unit: kWh / km)) can be used. The power consumption of vehicle 1 can be the actual value of vehicle 1 or the catalog value of the model of vehicle 1.

[0079] The EV distance calculated by the EV distance calculation unit 305 is notified to the vehicle 1 by a communication module (not shown) and displayed on the HMI 12. The notification destination of the EV distance may be a portable terminal (smartphone, etc.) of the user of the vehicle 1.

[0080] Alternatively or in addition to the EV distance, when the EV distance is longer than the reference distance (when the clean electricity is larger than the reference amount Pref), the message "Green area travel possible" may be displayed on HMI12. On the other hand, when the EV distance is less than the reference distance (when the clean electricity is less than the reference amount Pref), the message "Green area travel not possible" may be displayed on HMI12. Thus, when the vehicle 1 is outside the green area, the user can know in advance whether the vehicle 1 is allowed to enter the green area. In addition, the user can understand to what extent the vehicle 1 can travel in the green area. When the vehicle 1 is already stranded in the green area, the user can understand the remaining distance that the vehicle 1 can travel in the green area.

[0081] The vehicle position acquisition unit 306 acquires the position information (GPS information) of the vehicle 1 from the vehicle 1. The acquired position information is output to the position determination unit 308.

[0082] The map storage unit 307 stores map information of the area covered by the power management system 100. At least one green area is included in this area. The map information is output to the position determination unit 308.

[0083] The position determination unit 308 determines whether the position of the vehicle 1 is within or outside the green area by comparing the position information of the vehicle 1 and the map information. The position determination unit 308 can also calculate the distance from the vehicle 1 to the boundary of the green area, and determine that the vehicle 1 is approaching the green area when this distance is less than a predetermined value. The determination result of the position determination unit 308 is output to the driving permission unit 309.

[0084] The driving permission unit 309 determines whether to allow the vehicle 1 to drive (or continue to drive) within the green area based on the result of the power coloring process when the vehicle 1 is approaching the green area or the vehicle 1 is driving within the green area. Regarding this determination method, since it has been described in Figure 5 and Figure 6 , the description will not be repeated here. The driving permission / non - permission is notified to the vehicle 1.

[0085] The driving permission / driving non - permission of the vehicle 1 is preferably also notified to the manager (restriction authority) 8 of the green area together with the identification information of the vehicle 1 (for example, the number recorded on the license plate). Thus, in the case where driving is not allowed but the vehicle 1 is driving within the green area, the manager can crack down on the vehicle 1 or impose a penalty on the user of the vehicle 1.

[0086] <Power Management Process>

[0087] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the green area management process. The green area management process is executed whenever a predetermined condition is satisfied or whenever a predetermined time has elapsed. Figure 7 Each step described in the following flowcharts is implemented by software processing performed by the server 3, but can also be implemented by hardware (circuits) configured within the server 3. Hereinafter, the steps will be abbreviated as S. For ease of understanding, it is assumed that the vehicle 1 is located outside the green area at the start of the process.

[0088] In S1, the server 3 determines whether the vehicle 1 is approaching the green area based on the position information of the vehicle 1 and the map information. If the vehicle 1 is moving away from the green area (No in S1), the subsequent processing is skipped. If the vehicle 1 is approaching the green area (Yes in S1), the server 3 advances the process to S2.

[0089] In S2, the server 3 determines whether the amount of clean electricity with an emission intensity below the limit value Ereg among the electricity stored in the battery 11 exceeds a predetermined reference amount Pref. The clean electricity is calculated by the power coloring process described later. The reference amount Pref is 0 in the easiest to understand example. However, the reference amount Pref can also be a value greater than 0. This value can be determined, for example, based on the amount of electricity consumed when a typical vehicle EV travels a predetermined distance. When the clean electricity is below the reference amount Pref (No in S2), the server 3 does not allow the vehicle 1 to enter the green area (S3). On the other hand, when the clean electricity exceeds the reference amount Pref (Yes in S2), the server 3 allows the vehicle 1 to enter the green area (S4). Thus, it is assumed that the vehicle 1 enters the green area.

[0090] In S5, the server 3 determines whether a predetermined time (for example, several seconds to several minutes) has passed since the last execution of the process of S5 to S8. If the predetermined time has passed (YES in S5), the server 3 advances the process to S6.

[0091] In S6, the server 3 determines whether the amount of clean power in the power stored in the battery 11 exceeds the reference amount Pref. In addition, the reference amount Pref in the process of S2 and the reference amount Pref in the process of S6 may be the same, or may be set to different values. In more detail, since the amount of clean power gradually decreases with the travel of the vehicle 1, if the amount of clean power does not have a certain degree of margin when the vehicle 1 enters the green area, there is a high possibility that the amount of clean power will be exhausted while the vehicle 1 is stranded in the green area. Therefore, the reference amount Pref in the process of S2 may also be a value that has a margin relative to the reference amount Pref in the process of S6.

[0092] When the clean power exceeds the reference amount Pref (Yes in S6), the server 3 allows the vehicle 1 to travel in the green area (S7). After that, the server 3 determines whether the vehicle 1 is still stranded in the green area (S8). When the vehicle 1 is stranded in the green area (Yes in S8), the server 3 returns the process to S5. Thus, while the vehicle 1 is stranded in the green area, the processes of S5 to S8 are repeatedly executed. If the vehicle 1 exits the green area (No in S8), the server 3 ends a series of processes.

[0093] If the clean power amount is less than the reference amount Pref in S6 (No in S6), the server 3 notifies the vehicle 1 to exit the green area (S9). The server 3 may also send a warning to urge the vehicle 1 to exit the green area. If the vehicle 1 that has received the notification or warning does not quickly exit the green area (No in S10), the server 3 may also repeat the notification or warning.

[0094] Although not shown, if the vehicle 1 does not exit the green area and a predetermined time (e.g., several hours) has passed, the server 3 may also send the identification information and location information of the vehicle 1 to the manager 8 of the green area. Thus, the manager 8 can identify the vehicle 1 and issue a strong warning or impose a penalty such as a fine. If the vehicle 1 exits the green area (Yes in S10), the server 3 ends a series of processing.

[0095] Figure 8 : is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in Embodiment 1. The power coloring process is repeatedly executed at every predetermined cycle.

[0096] In S101, the server 3 determines whether the vehicle 1 is externally charged by the charging facility 2. When the vehicle 1 is externally charged (Yes in S101), the server 3 acquires the amount of electric power charged to the vehicle 1 from the charging facility 2 by communicating with the charging facility 2 (or the vehicle 1) (S102). Furthermore, the server 3 acquires data related to emission intensity when the amount of electric power supplied from the power system 4 to the charging facility 2 is generated by communication with the operator server 6 (S103).

[0097] In S104, the server 3 associates the amount of electric power acquired in S101 with the emission intensity acquired in S102 for each external charging opportunity of the vehicle 1, and stores the association in the memory 32. Thus, the server 3 can manage the association between the amount of electric power charged to the battery 11 and the emission intensity for each external charging opportunity.

[0098] On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 is not externally charged (No in S101), that is, when the power stored in the battery 11 is consumed while the vehicle 1 is traveling, the server 3 obtains the power consumed from the power stored in the battery 11 (S105). The power is obtained from the vehicle 1.

[0099] In S106, the server 3 updates the correspondence between the amount of electricity stored in the battery 11 and the emission intensity by subtracting the amount of electricity acquired in S105 from the amount of electricity stored in the battery 11 according to a predetermined calculation method. The calculation method is not particularly limited, and various methods can be used. For example, Figure 6In the example shown, the consumed power is subtracted from P3, which has a relatively large emission intensity, among the clean power before driving (P1+P3). However, the consumed power may be subtracted from P3, which has a relatively small emission intensity. Alternatively, the consumed power may be subtracted from the clean power (P1+P3) as a whole while maintaining the ratio of P1 to P3. After the processing of S104 or S106 is executed, the processing proceeds to S107.

[0100] In S107, the server 3 calculates the latest value of the clean power amount in the power amount stored in the storage battery 11. Then, the server 3 converts the latest value of the clean power amount into the EV distance of the vehicle 1 and notifies the vehicle 1 (S108). However, the server 3 may also notify the vehicle 1 of the clean power amount before conversion into the EV distance.

[0101] As described above, in the first embodiment, the server 3 performs the power coloring process of the power amount stored in the battery 11, and manages the power amount stored in the battery 11 and the emission intensity in correspondence. Thus, the server 3 can understand how the clean power amount is included in the power amount stored in the battery 11. Thus, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to appropriately determine whether the vehicle 1 is a vehicle that can be allowed to travel in a green area.

[0102] In addition, Figure 7 and Figure 8 In the example in which all steps are executed by the server 3, the description is given. However, each step may be executed by the ECU 13 of the vehicle 1. In addition, the server 3 and the ECU 13 may share the processing. In other words, a part of the processing may be executed by the server 3 and another part of the processing may be executed by the ECU 13.

[0103] [Variation of Embodiment 1]

[0104] Fig. 9 1 is a diagram for explaining power coloring in a modified example of the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the correspondence between the amount of power stored in the storage battery 11 and the emission intensity is managed for each opportunity of external charging (see Figure 6 ). In contrast, in a variation of the first embodiment, the management unit is made coarser, and management is performed based on whether the emission intensity exceeds the limit value Ereg. When the emission intensity below the limit value Ereg is recorded as Ea, and the emission intensity exceeding the limit value Ereg is recorded as Eb, the amount of electric power stored in the storage battery 11 is managed based on whether the emission intensity is Ea or Eb.

[0105] Use in Figure 6The example described in [the relevant content] will be described in more detail. There are 4 charging opportunities. The emission intensities E1 and E3 of the first and third charging opportunities are smaller than the limit value Ereg. On the other hand, the emission intensities E2 and E4 of the second and fourth charging opportunities are larger than the limit value Ereg (E1 < E3 < Ereg < E2 < E4). In this case, the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 in the first charging opportunity and the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 in the third charging opportunity are not distinguished and managed as the amount of power with an emission intensity of Ea. In addition, the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 in the second charging opportunity and the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 in the fourth charging opportunity are not distinguished and managed as the amount of power with an emission intensity of Eb. The server 3 allows the vehicle 1 to travel within the green area using the amount of power with an emission intensity of Ea. On the other hand, it does not allow travel using the amount of power with an emission intensity of Eb.

[0106] Fig.10 It is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in a modification of Embodiment 1. When the vehicle 1 has been externally charged (Yes in S111), the server 3 obtains the amount of power charged from the charging device 2 to the vehicle 1 through communication with the charging device 2 (S112).

[0107] In S113, the server 3 obtains data related to the emission intensity when power is generated from the power system 4 and supplied to the charging device 2 through communication with the operator server 6. And when the obtained emission intensity exceeds the limit value Ereg, the server 3 sets this emission intensity as Ea. On the other hand, when the obtained emission intensity is below the limit value Ereg, the server 3 sets this emission intensity as Eb.

[0108] In S114, the server 3 associates the amount of power obtained in S112 with the emission intensity Ea or Eb allocated in S113, and stores this correspondence relationship in the memory 32. Thus, the server 3 can manage by distinguishing whether the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 corresponds to Ea or Eb. Regarding the remaining processing of S115 to S118, it is the same as the processing of S105 to S108 in Embodiment 1 (refer to Figure 8 ), so the description will not be repeated.

[0109] As described above, in the modification of Embodiment 1, the server 3 manages the association between the amount of power stored in the storage battery 11 and the emission intensity simply based on whether the emission intensity exceeds the limit value Ereg or is below the limit value Ereg. Thus, compared with Embodiment 1 in which the above-mentioned association is managed by distinguishing each opportunity of external charging of the vehicle 1, the management complexity can be reduced.

[0110] [Embodiment 2]

[0111] In the second and third embodiments, various modifications of the power coloring process are described. The overall configuration of the power management system of the second and third embodiments is similar to the Figure 1 In addition, the green area management process in the power management method of the second and third embodiments is also the same as Figure 7 Therefore, the detailed description will not be repeated.

[0112] Fig.11 This is a conceptual diagram for explaining the power coloring process in Embodiment 2. In Embodiment 2, the average value of the emission intensity of the amount of power charged to the storage battery 11 in a predetermined period (one month, half a year, one year, etc.) is calculated.

[0113] exist Fig.11 , an example of external charging performed four times in a predetermined period is shown. In this example, it is assumed that the emission intensity of the electric power charged at the first charging opportunity exceeds the limit value Ereg, but the emission intensity of the electric power charged at the second to fourth charging opportunities is less than the limit value Ereg. As a result, the average value of the emission intensity of the four times is less than the limit value Ereg.

[0114] By establishing a correspondence between the average value of the emission intensity in a predetermined period and the amount of electricity, even if the emission intensity in a certain charging opportunity (the first time in this example) exceeds the limit value Ereg, it is possible to use other opportunities (the second to fourth times) in the predetermined period to reduce the average value of the emission intensity and suppress it to less than the limit value Ereg. In other words, it is possible to use other opportunities to compensate for the excessive increase in emission intensity. Therefore, it is possible to give the user an incentive to select a charging device 2 that can charge an amount of electricity with an emission intensity below the limit value Ereg when charging externally in order to avoid a situation where the vehicle 1 cannot travel in the green area. This can promote the reduction of greenhouse gases.

[0115] Fig.12 2 is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in Embodiment 2. When the vehicle 1 is externally charged (Yes in S201), the server 3 acquires the amount of power charged to the vehicle 1 from the charging facility 2 by communicating with the charging facility 2 (S202).

[0116] In S203, the server 3 acquires data related to the emission intensity when the power supplied from the power system 4 to the charging equipment 2 is generated by communication with the operator server 6. Then, the server 3 calculates the average value of the emission intensity in a predetermined period for the power charged to the storage battery 11 (S205). Specifically, for example, the E ave =(E 0 ×P0 +E×P) / (P 0 +P) to calculate the average emission intensity E ave The amount of electricity originally charged in the storage battery 11 is P 0 [kWh], the average emission intensity associated with this amount of electricity is E 0 The amount of electric power newly charged to the storage battery 11 this time is P [kWh], and the emission intensity associated with this amount of electric power is E [g / kWh].

[0117] In S205, the server 3 stores the correspondence between the amount of power stored in the battery 11 and the average value of the emission intensity calculated in S204 in the memory 32. Thus, the server 3 can manage the amount of power stored in the battery 11 of the vehicle 1 in correspondence with the emission intensity.

[0118] Although not shown, the correspondence between the electric energy obtained in S201 and the emission intensity obtained in S203 is also stored in the memory 32 together with the execution time of external charging of the vehicle 1 in order to be used in the subsequent calculation of the average value of the emission intensity. The remaining processing of S206 to S209 is similar to the processing of S105 to S108 in the first embodiment (see Figure 8 ) are the same, so they will not be described repeatedly.

[0119] As described above, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the server 3 performs the power coloring process of the power amount stored in the battery 11, and manages the power amount stored in the battery 11 by establishing a correspondence with the emission intensity. Thus, the server 3 can understand the extent to which the clean power amount is included in the power amount stored in the battery 11, and can appropriately determine whether the vehicle 1 is a vehicle that can be allowed to travel in the green area.

[0120] Furthermore, in Embodiment 2, the average value of the emission intensity in a predetermined period is associated with the amount of electric power. Fig.11 As described in , even if the emission intensity temporarily exceeds the limit value Ereg, the subsequent charging opportunities can be used to reduce the average value of the emission intensity to below the limit value Ereg. In addition, on the contrary, for example, in the case where the emission intensity is low in the first half of the predetermined period but the amount of electricity with high emission intensity is repeatedly charged in the second half of the predetermined period, there is also a possibility that the average value of the emission intensity exceeds the limit value Ereg. Therefore, the user can be motivated to choose the amount of electricity with low emission intensity as much as possible in the second half of the predetermined period. Therefore, according to the second embodiment, greenhouse gas reduction can be effectively promoted.

[0121] [Implementation method 3]

[0122] It is also possible that the charging device 2 capable of charging the amount of electricity with an emission intensity below the limit value Ereg does not exist in the user's residential area (an area near one's home, workplace, etc.). In addition, depending on the user's residential area, there is also the possibility that there is only an option of charging the amount of electricity to which data related to emission intensity is not attached. Even in such a situation, when external charging with an emission intensity below the limit value Ereg is required, the user is forced to move to a distant charging device 2, and the convenience for the user may be greatly reduced.

[0123] Fig.13 This is a conceptual diagram for illustrating the power coloring process in Implementation Example 3. In Implementation Example 3, the server 3 calculates the average value of emission intensity for multiple vehicles under the jurisdiction of the organization (which may also be a group, community, etc.) to which the vehicle 1 (or the user of the vehicle 1) belongs. In the case where a company (such as a courier operator) owns multiple vehicles including the vehicle 1, the company can be set as an "organization." More specifically, in the case where the vehicle 1 is a rental car, a taxi, or a car that is shared by cars, the operating company can be set as the organization. Alternatively, in the case where the user personally owns the vehicle 1, the company (car manufacturer) that manufactured the vehicle 1 can also be set as the organization. In addition, the municipality in the user's residential area can also be set as the organization.

[0124] exist Fig.13 , shows an example of calculating the average value of emission intensity for three vehicles A to C owned by an organization. In this example, the emission intensity of the amount of electricity charged to vehicle A exceeds the limit value Ereg, but the emission intensity of the amount of electricity charged to vehicles B and C does not reach the limit value Ereg. As a result, if the vehicles A to C are considered as a whole, the average value of emission intensity is less than the limit value Ereg.

[0125] By establishing a correspondence between the average value of the emission intensity of multiple vehicles and the amount of electricity, even if the emission intensity of the amount of electricity charged to a part of the vehicles in the organization is greater than the limit value Ereg, the remaining vehicles can be used to suppress the average value of the emission intensity to be less than the limit value Ereg. In other words, the emission intensity can be compensated between vehicles (or users) in the organization. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the decrease in convenience for some users and give the organization as a whole an incentive to select an amount of electricity with an emission intensity below the limit value Ereg. In this way, greenhouse gas reduction can be promoted.

[0126] Fig.14 3 is a flowchart showing the power coloring process in Embodiment 3. When the vehicle 1 is externally charged (Yes in S301), the server 3 acquires the amount of power charged to the vehicle 1 from the charging facility 2 by communicating with the charging facility 2 (S302).

[0127] In S303, the server 3 obtains data related to the emission intensity when the power supplied from the power system 4 to the charging equipment 2 is generated by the power generation through communication with the operator server 6. Then, the server 3 calculates the average value of the emission intensity of the plurality of vehicles under the jurisdiction of the organization with respect to the power charged to the storage battery 11 (S304). Specifically, for example, in Fig.13 In this case, if three vehicles A to C are targeted, E ave =(E A ×P A +E B ×P B +E C ×P C ) / (P A +P B +P C ) to calculate the average emission intensity E ave The power consumption P and emission intensity E of each vehicle are distinguished by suffixes A to C.

[0128] In S305, the server 3 stores the correspondence between the amount of power stored in the battery 11 and the average value of the emission intensity of all vehicles under the organization's control calculated in S304 in the memory 32. Thus, the server 3 can manage the amount of power stored in the battery 11 of the target vehicle by associating it with the emission intensity.

[0129] As described above, in the third embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the server 3 performs the power coloring process of the power amount stored in the battery 11, and manages the power amount stored in the battery 11 by establishing a correspondence with the emission intensity. Thus, the server 3 can understand the extent to which the clean power amount is included in the power amount stored in the battery 11, and can appropriately determine whether the vehicle 1 is a vehicle that can be allowed to travel in the green area.

[0130] Furthermore, in Embodiment 3, the average value of the emission intensity of multiple vehicles under the jurisdiction of the organization is associated with the amount of electricity. As a result, the amount of electricity with low emission intensity can be shared between vehicles or users. Therefore, the organization can be motivated to select electricity with low emission intensity as much as possible, while the situation where the convenience of some users is reduced can be avoided. Therefore, according to Embodiment 3, greenhouse gas reduction can be effectively promoted.

[0131] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, and it is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

Claims

1. A server that manages the power information of the vehicle, in, The vehicle includes a power storage device charged by electric power supplied from a charging device, There are driving restriction areas where driving using electricity with greenhouse gas emission intensity exceeding the limit value is restricted. The server has: An interface for obtaining the emission intensity of the electric power supplied from the charging device; and processor, the processor, For each opportunity of external charging of the vehicle, the amount of electric power charged to the power storage device from the charging equipment is managed in correspondence with the emission intensity obtained via the interface, and when the vehicle is not externally charged, the amount of electric power consumed from the amount of electric power stored in the power storage device is obtained from the vehicle, and the obtained amount of electric power is subtracted from the amount of electric power stored in the power storage device, thereby updating the correspondence relationship between the amount of electric power stored in the power storage device and the emission intensity, determining whether the amount of clean electric power having an emission intensity not greater than the limit value among the electric power stored in the electric power storage device exceeds a reference amount, When the clean power amount exceeds the reference amount, the vehicle is allowed to enter the restricted driving area, and when the clean power amount is below the reference amount, the vehicle is not allowed to enter the restricted driving area. When the vehicle is traveling in the driving restriction area, the clean electric power is consumed, and when the clean electric power is consumed and exhausted while the vehicle is traveling in the driving restriction area, the vehicle is not allowed to travel in the driving restriction area. Information associated with the amount of electric power that the emission intensity does not reach the limit value is notified to the vehicle.

2. The server according to claim 1, The processor distinguishes the correspondence between the amount of electric power charged from the charging device to the power storage device and the emission intensity for each charging opportunity of the power storage device, The processor notifies the vehicle of information associated with the total amount of electric power for which the emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

3. The server according to claim 1, the processor distinguishes the amount of electric power charged from the charging device to the power storage device according to whether the discharge intensity exceeds the limit value or does not reach the limit value, The processor notifies the vehicle of information associated with the amount of electric power for which the emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

4. The server according to claim 1, The processor calculates an average value for a predetermined period of time with respect to the emission intensity associated with the amount of electric power charged from the charging facility to the power storage device, The processor notifies the vehicle of information associated with the amount of electric power for which the average value does not reach the limit value.

5. The server according to claim 1, There are a plurality of vehicles including said vehicle, The processor calculates an average value for the vehicle and the plurality of vehicles with respect to the emission intensity associated with the amount of electric power charged from the charging facility to the power storage device, The processor notifies the vehicle of information associated with the amount of electric power for which the average value does not reach the limit value.

6. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The processor notifies the vehicle of a distance that the vehicle can travel in the restricted travel area, calculated based on the amount of electric power for which the emission intensity does not reach the limit value, before the vehicle travels in the restricted travel area.

7. The server according to claim 6, The processor updates a distance that the vehicle can travel in the restricted travel area and notifies the vehicle of the update when the vehicle is traveling in the restricted travel area.

8. The server according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The processor also notifies the manager of the restricted travel area of ​​information associated with the amount of electric power for which the emission intensity does not reach the restriction value.

9. A vehicle, in, have: an electric storage device charged by electric power supplied from a charging device; and a control device for processing information related to the amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device, There are driving restriction areas where driving using electricity with greenhouse gas emission intensity exceeding the limit value is restricted. The control device, For each external charging opportunity of the vehicle, the amount of electric power stored in the power storage device is associated with the emission intensity based on the data related to the emission intensity obtained from the charging facility, when the vehicle is not externally charged, obtaining from the vehicle an amount of electric power consumed from an amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device, and subtracting the obtained amount of electric power from the amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device, thereby updating the correspondence relationship between the amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device and the emission intensity, determining whether the amount of clean electric power having an emission intensity not greater than the limit value among the electric power stored in the electric power storage device exceeds a reference amount, When the clean power amount exceeds the reference amount, the vehicle is allowed to enter the restricted driving area, and when the clean power amount is below the reference amount, the vehicle is not allowed to enter the restricted driving area. When the vehicle is traveling in the driving restriction area, the clean electric power is consumed, and when the clean electric power is consumed and exhausted while the vehicle is traveling in the driving restriction area, the vehicle is not allowed to travel in the driving restriction area. The vehicle is notified of information associated with the amount of clean electric power.

10. A power management method for managing power information of a vehicle, in, The vehicle includes a power storage device charged by electric power supplied from a charging device, There are driving restriction areas where driving using electricity with greenhouse gas emission intensity exceeding the limit value is restricted. The power management method comprises: a step of obtaining the amount of electric power charged from the charging equipment to the power storage device; a step of obtaining the emission intensity of the electric power supplied from the charging device; For each external charging opportunity of the vehicle, the amount of electric power charged from the charging equipment to the power storage device is associated with the emission intensity; a step of acquiring, from the vehicle, an amount of electric power consumed from the amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device, and subtracting the acquired amount of electric power from the amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device, thereby updating the correspondence relationship between the amount of electric power stored in the electric storage device and the emission intensity, when the vehicle is not externally charged; a step of determining whether the amount of clean electric power having an emission intensity not exceeding the limit value among the electric power stored in the electric power storage device exceeds a reference amount; The step of allowing the vehicle to enter the restricted driving area when the clean power amount exceeds the reference amount, and not allowing the vehicle to enter the restricted driving area when the clean power amount is below the reference amount; The step of consuming the clean electric power when the vehicle is traveling in the driving restriction area, and not allowing the vehicle to travel in the driving restriction area when the clean electric power is consumed and exhausted as the vehicle travels in the driving restriction area; and The step of notifying the vehicle of information associated with the amount of clean electric power.

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