Server, power management system, and power management method

Abstract

The present application relates to a server, a power management system, and a power management method. There are green areas in which travel is restricted using an amount of power whose emission intensity exceeds a limit value. The server (3) includes an I / O port (33) that acquires the emission intensity of power supplied from a charging device (2), and a processor (31) that manages the amount of power charged from the charging device (2) to a storage battery (11) in correspondence with the emission intensity acquired via the I / O port (33). The processor (31) determines whether the vehicle (1) can travel in the green area based on the amount of power whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value among the amount of power accumulated in the storage battery (11), and notifies the user of the vehicle (1) of the determination result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to servers, power management systems, and power management methods, and more specifically, to technologies for managing the power information of vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] The electrical energy stored in the battery for vehicle operation may include electrical energy from various power generation methods such as thermal power generation, nuclear power generation, hydropower generation, and solar power generation. There are known management methods that classify the electrical energy stored in the battery according to the power generation method (or according to the amount of greenhouse gases produced during power generation) (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-86911).

[0003] In addition, there are areas where regulations or policies stipulate that emissions must be reduced or prohibited. Such areas are called "green areas" or "ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) areas" (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-85094). A technology called "geofence" is also known for using GPS (Global Positioning System) and wireless communication technology to establish virtual boundaries for specific areas such as green areas or ZEV areas. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Currently, generally speaking, if a vehicle is engaged in so-called EV (Electric Vehicle) driving (driving without using an engine but consuming electricity stored in a battery), driving in green areas is permitted. However, the inventors anticipate that the following issues may arise in the future.

[0005] It is anticipated that the adoption of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles will continue to increase. On the other hand, countries' greenhouse gas reduction targets may also become more stringent. Consequently, the criteria for driving in green areas may now include assessing the level of greenhouse gases generated when electricity is generated and stored in the vehicle's batteries. As a result, simply determining whether a vehicle can be driven in an EV mode may not be sufficient to regulate its suitability for driving in green areas.

[0006] This disclosure was made to address the aforementioned issues, and its purpose is to properly manage vehicles operating in areas where restrictions are imposed in relation to the amount of greenhouse gases generated during power generation.

[0007] (1) The server of the first aspect of this disclosure manages the power information of a vehicle. The vehicle includes an energy storage device that is charged by power supplied from a charging device. The server has: an interface for obtaining the greenhouse gas emission intensity of the power supplied from the charging device; and a processor for managing the amount of electricity charged from the charging device to the energy storage device by establishing a correspondence between the amount of electricity and the emission intensity obtained via the interface. The processor determines whether the vehicle can drive in a restricted driving area using electricity with an emission intensity exceeding the limit value based on the amount of electricity stored in the energy storage device whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value, and notifies the user of the vehicle of the determination result.

[0008] (2) The processor will notify the user that driving in restricted areas is permitted when the power of the electric vehicle exceeds the reference amount even though the emission intensity does not reach the limit value. On the other hand, it will not notify the user that driving in restricted areas is not permitted when the power of the electric vehicle is lower than the reference amount even though the emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

[0009] In the configurations described in (1) and (2) above, the processor manages the electrical power charged from the charging device to the energy storage device by establishing a correspondence between the power and the emission intensity (electricity coloring). Thus, the server can determine the extent to which the electrical power stored in the energy storage device contains electrical power with emission intensity below the limit (clean electrical power). Therefore, based on the configurations described in (1) and (2) above, vehicles traveling in restricted driving areas can be appropriately managed.

[0010] (3) The processor will notify the user of the determination result before the vehicle enters the restricted driving area.

[0011] In the configuration described in (3) above, the determination result is notified to the user before the vehicle enters the restricted driving area. This avoids, for example, the situation where the user is only informed of the restriction upon reaching the restricted driving area, thus preventing confusion. Furthermore, the user can take appropriate action (such as choosing a route that avoids the restricted driving area).

[0012] (4) The power management system of the second aspect of this disclosure includes the aforementioned server and vehicle. The vehicle includes a display device. The display device displays the determination result in a manner that allows for visual confirmation from inside the vehicle.

[0013] (5) The display device also displays at least one of the electric power (clean electric power) whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value and the distance that the vehicle can travel using the electric power (EV distance).

[0014] In the configurations described in (4) and (5) above, the server's determination result (driving permitted / disallowed) or the vehicle status related to clean electric power or EV distance is displayed on the display device. Thus, based on the configurations described in (4) and (5) above, the vehicle user can easily grasp the determination result or vehicle status.

[0015] (6) The power management system of the third aspect of this disclosure includes the aforementioned server and vehicle. The vehicle includes a display device. The display device displays the determination result in a manner that allows for visual confirmation from the outside of the vehicle.

[0016] Based on the above (6) configuration, it is possible to easily determine from the outside of the vehicle whether it is a vehicle that can travel to or within a restricted area, and thus take appropriate measures (such as banning vehicles that are not allowed to travel).

[0017] (7) The power management system also has gates set at the boundaries of the restricted driving area. The gates open or close based on the electrical force (clean electrical force) that the emission intensity does not meet the limit when a vehicle approaches the gate.

[0018] Based on the above (7) configuration, for vehicles with insufficient clean power, it is possible to prevent them from entering the green area without opening the gate.

[0019] (8) The power management method of the fourth aspect of this disclosure manages the power information of a vehicle. The vehicle includes an energy storage device that is charged by electricity supplied from a charging device. The power management method includes steps 1 to 4. Step 1 is to obtain the amount of electricity charged from the charging device to the energy storage device. Step 2 is to obtain the greenhouse gas emission intensity of the electricity supplied from the charging device. Step 3 is to manage the electricity charged from the charging device to the energy storage device by establishing a correspondence between the emission intensity and the power intensity. Step 4 is to determine whether the vehicle can drive in a restricted driving area using electricity with an emission intensity exceeding the limit value based on the amount of electricity stored in the energy storage device whose emission intensity does not reach the limit value, and to notify the user of the determination result.

[0020] According to the method described in (8) above, the same configuration as described in (1) above can be used to properly manage vehicles traveling in restricted areas.

[0021] The above and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description relating to the invention, which is understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of a power management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 This is an example diagram used to illustrate how vehicles enter and exit green areas.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of the structure of an HMI.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a functional block diagram of the server.

[0026] Figure 5 It is a graph used to illustrate emission intensity.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a concept diagram of power coloring.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a conceptual diagram used to illustrate the power coloring process in this embodiment.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the green area management process.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of power coloring processing.

[0031] Figure 10 This is an example of a diagram showing green area information displayed on the HMI (dashboard) of a vehicle that has received a notification. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 The details will be explained in detail. Furthermore, the same or similar parts in the figures will be labeled with the same reference numerals, and their explanations will not be repeated.

[0033] [Implementation Method]

[0034] <System Overall Structure>

[0035] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a power management system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The power management system 100 includes a vehicle 1, charging equipment (EVSE: Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) 2, a server 3, a power system 4, a power transmission line 5, an operator server 6, and gates (see reference). Figure 2 ).

[0036] Vehicle 1 is an electric vehicle, more specifically, an electric vehicle (EV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), etc. For simplicity, we will assume Vehicle 1 is an EV. Vehicle 1 includes a battery 11, an HMI (Human Machine Interface) 12, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 13.

[0037] The storage battery 11 is a battery pack comprising multiple individual cells (not shown). Each individual cell is a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The storage battery 11 supplies electricity for driving the vehicle 1. Additionally, the storage battery 11 stores electricity generated by an electric generator (not shown) during regenerative braking of the vehicle 1. Furthermore, a capacitor such as a double-layer capacitor can be used instead of the storage battery 11. The storage battery 11 is equivalent to the "electrical storage device" of this disclosure.

[0038] Vehicle 1 is configured such that the battery 11 is charged by power supplied from the charging device 2 via a charging cable extending from the charging device 2 and connected to an interface (not shown) of vehicle 1. Hereinafter, this charging method will also be referred to as "external charging".

[0039] HMI12 accepts user (driver) commands and provides the user with various types of information and data. Regarding the structure of HMI12, in... Figure 3 A more detailed explanation follows.

[0040] ECU13 includes a processor such as CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory such as ROM (Read-Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory), and input / output ports. ECU13 is configured to perform various calculations to control vehicle 1.

[0041] The charging device 2 is, for example, a public charging station or a home charger. The charging device 2 is configured to receive power from the power system 4 via the power line 5 and supply that power to the vehicle 1. The charging device 2 and the server 3 are also configured to communicate bidirectionally.

[0042] Server 3 is a computer that manages vehicle 1 and charging equipment 2 within the power management system 100. 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), configured to perform arithmetic operations described in a program. The memory 32 includes a memory that stores the program executed by the processor 31, and stores various data (mappings, formulas, parameters, etc.) used in the program. In addition, the memory 32 includes a database that stores data related to the power of various devices within the power management system 100. The input / output port 33 is configured to input and output notifications, instructions, requests, etc., to external devices of server 3. Server 3 includes a communication module (not shown) configured to communicate with external devices of the power management system 100 (such as operator server 6) in addition to vehicle 1 and charging equipment 2.

[0043] The main processes performed by the server 3 in this embodiment include "green area management processing" and "power coloring processing". Green area management processing manages the entry of vehicle 1 into green areas and the movement of vehicle 1 within green areas. Power coloring processing colors the electrical energy stored in battery 11. These processes will be described in detail later.

[0044] Power system 4 is a power grid constructed from power plants and transmission and distribution equipment. In this embodiment, the power company acts as both the power generation operator and the transmission and distribution operator. The power company is equivalent to a general transmission and distribution operator and also to the manager of power system 4, maintaining and managing power system 4.

[0045] Carrier server 6 belongs to the power company and is the computer that manages the power supply and demand of power system 4. Carrier server 6 has data related to the extent to which greenhouse gases (emission intensity) are generated in power plants. Carrier server 6 is also configured to communicate bidirectionally with server 3.

[0046] Furthermore, there is no particular limitation on the number of vehicles 1 and charging equipment 2 included in the power management system 100. Figure 1 The example shown includes multiple vehicles 1 and multiple charging devices, but vehicle 1 and charging device 2 could also be just one unit.

[0047] <Green Area>

[0048] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates an example of how vehicle 1 enters and exits a green area. Exhaust emissions are prohibited within the green area. Therefore, vehicle 1 is required to operate in EV mode within the green area. Furthermore, the green area corresponds to the "driving restriction area" of this disclosure.

[0049] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, a gate 7 is set at the inner and outer boundaries of the green area. If vehicle 1 approaches the vicinity of gate 7, server 3 determines whether to allow vehicle 1 to enter the green area. If vehicle 1 meets predetermined conditions (described later), server 3 allows vehicle 1 to enter the green area and opens gate 7. On the other hand, if vehicle 1 does not meet the above conditions, server 3 does not allow vehicle 1 to enter the green area and keeps gate 7 closed.

[0050] However, the gate 7 set at the boundary is merely an example for easy understanding, and a geofence (virtual boundary line) can also be set instead of a physical gate. When a geofence is set, penalties (e.g., fines) can be imposed if vehicles that do not meet the above conditions enter the green area.

[0051] Figure 3 This diagram illustrates an example of the configuration of HMI 12. In this embodiment, HMI 12 displays information used by vehicle 1 when driving in a green area. Hereinafter, this information will also be referred to as "green area information". More specifically, green area information includes information related to whether vehicle 1 is permitted to enter or drive in a green area. HMI 12 includes an instrument panel 121, a HUD (Head-Up Display) 122, a navigation screen 123, and indicator lights 124.

[0052] The instrument panel 121 is a display panel equipped with various measuring instruments that, under the control of the ECU 13, show various statuses of the vehicle 1. In addition to displaying the speedometer, odometer, battery 11's SOC, and warning lights, the instrument panel 121 also displays green zone information. Furthermore, a multi-information display (MID) can be used instead of the instrument panel 121.

[0053] The HUD122 projects various information as virtual images into the driver's field of vision. Specifically, the HUD122 displays vehicle speed, direction of travel to destination, traffic signs, etc. It can also display green area information.

[0054] Navigation screen 123 is a display of a navigation system (not shown). The navigation system includes a GPS receiver for determining the position of vehicle 1 based on radio waves from an artificial satellite (not shown). Based on GPS data and road map data of vehicle 1, the navigation system displays the current location of vehicle 1 and a recommended route towards vehicle 1's destination on navigation screen 123. Navigation screen 123 can also be a monitor with a touch panel (neither shown). Green area information can also be displayed on navigation screen 123.

[0055] In this example, indicator light 124 is located on the dashboard. Indicator light 124 can also be located in other positions such as the interior rearview mirror or side rearview mirrors. Indicator light 124 is configured to switch between two or more illumination colors. For example, when indicator light 124 is green, it indicates that vehicle 1 can drive within the green area (entry into the green area is permitted). Conversely, when indicator light 124 is red, it indicates that vehicle 1 cannot drive within the green area (entry into the green area is prohibited). The aforementioned green area information can also be displayed by the illumination / discontinuation of indicator light 124.

[0056] The instrument panel 121, HUD 122, and navigation screen 123 are generally visible from inside the vehicle 1 (cabin). In contrast, the indicator light 124 is positioned so that it can be seen from both inside and outside the vehicle 1. Therefore, people other than the user of the vehicle 1 (such as the green zone manager described later) can also visually confirm the green zone information of the vehicle 1 by checking the indicator light 124.

[0057] At least one of the instrument panel 121, HUD 122, navigation screen 123, and indicator lights 124 of vehicle 1 is equivalent to the "display device" of this disclosure. Hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, an example of green area information displayed on the instrument panel 121 will be described. However, the display location of the green area information is not limited to the device mounted on vehicle 1, but may also be a user's portable terminal (smartphone, etc.). That is, "notification to the user of vehicle 1" may also include notification to the user's portable terminal.

[0058] Greenhouse gas reduction

[0059] When electricity generated from burning fossil fuels is used to charge battery 11, although no greenhouse gases are produced during the EV operation of vehicle 1, a certain level of greenhouse gases is produced overall from the time of power generation to the time of power consumption. Therefore, simply requiring vehicle 1 to operate EVs in green areas will not help reduce greenhouse gases and may not be able to achieve the high greenhouse gas reduction target.

[0060] Therefore, in this embodiment, as a condition for allowing vehicle 1 to enter or drive within a green area, the extent to which greenhouse gases are generated when electricity is generated and stored in battery 11 is considered. More specifically, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted per unit of electricity generated is considered, i.e., the "emission intensity" (unit: g / kWh).

[0061] When the vehicle 1 is being charged externally, server 3 obtains data related to emission intensity from the power company and manages the electrical energy stored in battery 11 by establishing a correspondence between emission intensity and energy level. In other words, server 3 performs "electricity coloring processing," which conceptually colors the electrical energy stored in battery 11 according to emission intensity. As a result, server 3 can quantitatively evaluate the extent to which the electrical energy stored in battery 11 contains clean electrical energy and the extent to which it contains non-clean electrical energy.

[0062] Server 3 is configured such that when vehicle 1 is traveling in a green area, clean electrical energy with an emission intensity less than a predetermined limit (referred to as Ereg) is consumed. Hereinafter, this electrical energy will be referred to as "clean electrical energy" for simplicity. If vehicle 1's clean electrical energy exceeds a predetermined baseline amount (Pref), server 3 allows vehicle 1 to enter and travel in the green area. Conversely, if the clean electrical energy is below the baseline amount (Pref), server 3 does not allow vehicle 1 to enter the green area. Furthermore, even after entering a green area, if the clean electrical energy is depleted due to travel within the green area, server 3 will not allow vehicle 1 to travel further within the green area. This process will be explained in detail.

[0063] <Electro-coloring>

[0064] Figure 4 This is a functional block diagram of server 3. Server 3 includes a charging quantity acquisition unit 301, an emission intensity acquisition unit 302, a consumption acquisition unit 303, an electric power coloring unit 304, an EV distance calculation unit 305, a vehicle location acquisition unit 306, a map storage unit 307, a location determination unit 308, and a driving permission unit 309.

[0065] The charging power acquisition unit 301 acquires the electrical power supplied from the charging device 2 to the vehicle 1 and used to charge the battery 11 when the vehicle 1 is charged externally. The charging power acquisition unit 301 can acquire the electrical power charged to the battery 11 through communication with the charging device 2, but it can also acquire it from the vehicle 1. The acquired electrical power is output to the power coloring unit 304.

[0066] The emission intensity acquisition department 302 obtains the emission intensity of the amount of electricity supplied from the charging equipment 2 to the vehicle 1 from the power company.

[0067] Figure 5 This is a graph used to illustrate emission intensity. In Figure 5 The diagram shows representative emission intensities for thermal power, solar power, wind power, nuclear power, geothermal power, and hydropower. From... Figure 5 It can be seen that thermal power generation (coal-fired power generation, oil-fired power generation, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) power generation) has a higher emission intensity compared with other power generation methods.

[0068] return Figure 4, the operator server 6 of the power company has data related to the emission intensity during power generation regarding the power transmitted from the power system 4 to the charging device 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 device 2 to the vehicle 1 from the operator server 6. The acquired emission intensity is output to the power coloring unit 304.

[0069] The consumption amount acquisition unit 303 acquires the amount of power consumed (used) from the battery 11 during the running of the vehicle 1 from the vehicle 1. The acquired amount of power is output to the power coloring unit 304.

[0070] The power coloring unit 304 performs a power coloring process on the amount of power stored in the battery 11 based on the amount of power charged into the battery 11 and the amount of power consumed from the battery 11.

[0071] Figure 6 is a conceptual diagram of the power coloring process. The server 3 manages by associating the amount of power charged into the battery 11 with the emission intensity during the power generation of that amount of power. In the present embodiment, the server 3 manages the correspondence relationship between the amount of power charged into the battery 11 and the emission intensity for each opportunity of external charging separately.

[0072] In Figure 6 the result of the power coloring process in the case where the opportunity of external charging is 4 times is illustrated. Regarding the first charging opportunity, the server 3 manages by associating the amount of power P1 charged into the battery 11 and the emission intensity E1 with each other. Regarding the second charging opportunity, the server 3 manages by associating the amount of power P2 charged into the battery 11 and the emission intensity E2 with each other. The same applies to the third and fourth charging opportunities.

[0073] Figure 7 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the power coloring process in the present embodiment. 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 approved for the running of the vehicle 1 within the green area is determined by regulations, 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 in the first and third charging opportunities are clean amounts of power. 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 in the second and fourth charging opportunities are not clean amounts of power.

[0074] When vehicle 1 remains within the green area, server 3 considers the clean electrical energy used to charge battery 11 during the first and third charging opportunities to be consumed. Therefore, when vehicle 1 is driving within the green area, comparing before and after driving, it is as follows: Figure 7 As shown, the clean electrical energy (P1+P3) charged to battery 11 during the first and third charging attempts is used and thus reduced. During the second and fourth charging attempts, the electrical energy (P2+P4) charged to battery 11 is not used and remains.

[0075] If the clean electric power (P1+P3) charged to the battery 11 exceeds the reference amount Pref during the first and third charging attempts, the server 3 (driving permission unit 309) allows the vehicle 1 to enter the green area or drive within the green area. On the other hand, if the clean electric power (P1+P3) is below the reference amount Pref, the server 3 does not allow (prohibits) the vehicle 1 from entering the green area.

[0076] Additionally, if the clean power (P1+P3) exceeds the baseline amount Pref when vehicle 1 enters the green area, but the clean power (P1+P3) falls below the baseline amount Pref while vehicle 1 is traveling within the green area, server 3 requires vehicle 1 to quickly exit the green area.

[0077] Refer again Figure 4 The EV distance calculation unit 305 calculates the distance that vehicle 1 can travel in a green area (EV distance). More specifically, the EV distance calculation unit 305 can calculate the clean electrical energy (in the battery 11) that vehicle 1 consumes. Figure 6 and Figure 7 In the example, the distance that can be traveled (P1+P3) is used as the EV distance for calculation. In calculating the EV distance, the energy consumption of vehicle 1 can be used (the distance that vehicle 1 can travel per unit of electric power (unit: km / kWh) or the electric power consumed by vehicle 1 to travel a unit distance (unit: kWh / km)). The energy consumption of vehicle 1 can be the actual value of vehicle 1 or the catalog value of vehicle 1's model.

[0078] The EV distance calculated by the EV distance calculation unit 305 is notified to the vehicle 1 by the communication module (not shown) and displayed on the HMI 12.

[0079] Alternatively, instead of displaying the EV distance, or based on it, the message "Green Zone Driving: OK" can be displayed on the HMI12 when the EV distance is longer than the reference distance (when the clean electric power is greater than the reference amount Pref). On the other hand, the message "Green Zone Driving: NG" can be displayed on the HMI12 when the EV distance is less than the reference distance (when the clean electric power is less than the reference amount Pref). Therefore, when vehicle 1 is outside the green zone, the user can know in advance whether vehicle 1's entry into the green zone is permitted. Furthermore, the user can determine the extent to which vehicle 1 can travel within the green zone. If vehicle 1 is already within the green zone, the user can determine the remaining distance that vehicle 1 can travel within the green zone.

[0080] The vehicle location acquisition unit 306 acquires the location information (GPS information) of vehicle 1 from vehicle 1. The acquired location information is output to the location determination unit 308.

[0081] The map storage unit 307 stores map information of the area covered by the power management system 100. This area includes at least one green zone. The map information is output to the location determination unit 308.

[0082] The position determination unit 308 determines whether the vehicle 1 is inside or outside the green area by comparing the vehicle 1's position information with map information. The position determination unit 308 can also simultaneously determine the distance from the vehicle 1 to the boundary of the green area; if this distance is less than a predetermined value, it determines that the vehicle 1 is approaching the green area. The determination result of the position determination unit 308 is output to the driving permission unit 309.

[0083] The driving permission unit 309 determines whether to allow vehicle 1 to continue driving in the green area (or continue driving) based on the result of the power coloring process when vehicle 1 approaches the green area or is driving within the green area. Regarding this determination method, since... Figure 6 and Figure 7 The instructions have already been explained, so they will not be repeated here. Notification will be sent to vehicle 1 regarding whether driving is permitted / disallowed.

[0084] The permission / prohibition of vehicle 1 to drive is preferably notified to the administrator (restriction authority) 8 of the green zone along with the vehicle 1's identification information (e.g., the number recorded on the license plate). Thus, if vehicle 1 is driving in the green zone even though it is not permitted to drive, the administrator can, based on visual confirmation of the indicator light 124, confiscate vehicle 1 or impose a penalty on the user of vehicle 1.

[0085] <Power Management Process>

[0086] Figure 8This is a flowchart illustrating the green area management process. The flowchart is executed whenever predetermined conditions are met or whenever a predetermined time has elapsed. Figure 8 And then Figure 9 The steps described in the flowchart are implemented through software processing by server 3, but can also be implemented by hardware (circuit) configured within server 3. Hereinafter, steps will be abbreviated as S. For ease of understanding, imagine that vehicle 1 is outside the green area at the start of the process.

[0087] In S1, server 3 determines whether vehicle 1 is approaching the green area based on vehicle 1's location information and map information. If vehicle 1 moves away from the green area (which is not the case in S1), subsequent processing is skipped. If vehicle 1 approaches the green area (which is the case in S1), server 3 proceeds to S2.

[0088] In S2, server 3 determines whether the clean electrical energy stored in battery 11 with an emission intensity below the limit value Ereg exceeds a predetermined reference amount Pref. The clean electrical energy is calculated using the power coloring process described later. The reference amount Pref is 0 in the most easily understood example. However, the reference amount Pref can also be a value greater than 0. This value can be determined, for example, based on the electrical energy consumed when a typical vehicle EV travels a predetermined distance. If the clean electrical energy is below the reference amount Pref (no in S2), server 3 does not allow vehicle 1 to enter the green area (S3). On the other hand, if the clean electrical energy exceeds the reference amount Pref (yes in S2), server 3 allows vehicle 1 to enter the green area (S4). Thus, vehicle 1 is allowed to enter the green area.

[0089] In S5, server 3 determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., several seconds to several minutes) has elapsed since the execution of the previous processes S5 to S8. If the predetermined time has elapsed (yes in S5), server 3 causes the process to proceed to S6.

[0090] In step S6, server 3 determines whether the clean energy stored in battery 11 exceeds the reference amount Pref. Furthermore, the reference amount Pref in steps S2 and S6 can be the same or different values. More specifically, since the clean energy gradually decreases as vehicle 1 moves, if there is no sufficient clean energy reserve when vehicle 1 enters the green area, the likelihood of clean energy depletion during vehicle 1's stay in the green area is high. Therefore, the reference amount Pref in step S2 can also be a value with a margin relative to the reference amount Pref in step S6.

[0091] If the cleaning power exceeds the reference amount Pref (yes in S6), server 3 allows vehicle 1 to travel within the green area (S7). Then, server 3 determines whether vehicle 1 remains within the green area (S8). If vehicle 1 remains within the green area (yes in S8), server 3 returns the process to S5. Thus, while vehicle 1 remains within the green area, processes S5 through S8 are repeatedly executed. If vehicle 1 exits the green area (no in S8), server 3 terminates the series of processes.

[0092] If the cleaning power is below the baseline amount Pref in S6 (not in S6), server 3 notifies vehicle 1 to exit the green area (S9). Server 3 may also send a warning urging vehicle 1 to exit the green area. If vehicle 1 fails to exit the green area quickly after receiving the notification or warning (not in S10), server 3 may repeatedly notify or warn.

[0093] Although not illustrated, if vehicle 1 fails to leave the green zone for a specified period (e.g., several hours), server 3 can send vehicle 1's identification and location information to the green zone administrator 8. Administrator 8 can then identify vehicle 1 and issue a strong warning or impose a fine. If vehicle 1 leaves the green zone (yes in S10), server 3 terminates the process.

[0094] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of power coloring processing. Power coloring processing is executed repeatedly at predetermined intervals.

[0095] In S101, server 3 determines whether vehicle 1 has been externally charged by charging device 2. If vehicle 1 has been externally charged (yes in S101), server 3 obtains the electrical power supplied from charging device 2 to vehicle 1 through communication with charging device 2 (or vehicle 1) (S102). Furthermore, server 3 obtains data related to the emission intensity when generating electricity supplied from power system 4 to charging device 2 (S103) through communication with operator server 6.

[0096] In S104, for each opportunity of external charging of vehicle 1, server 3 establishes a correspondence between the electrical power obtained in S101 and the emission intensity obtained in S102, and stores this correspondence in memory 32. Thus, server 3 is able to manage the correspondence between electrical power charged to battery 11 and emission intensity separately for each opportunity of external charging.

[0097] On the other hand, when the vehicle 1 is not externally charged (no in S101), that is, when the electrical power stored in the battery 11 is consumed during the driving of the vehicle 1, the server 3 obtains the electrical power consumed from the electrical power stored in the battery 11 (S105). This electrical power is obtained from the vehicle 1.

[0098] In S106, server 3 updates the relationship between the electrical energy stored in battery 11 and the emission intensity by subtracting the electrical energy obtained in S105 from the electrical energy stored in battery 11, according to a predetermined calculation method. This calculation method is not particularly limited and can employ various techniques. For example, in... Figure 7 In the example shown, the consumed electrical energy is subtracted from P3, which has a relatively high emission intensity, in the clean electrical energy (P1+P3) before driving. However, it is also possible to subtract the consumed electrical energy from P3, which has a relatively low emission intensity. Alternatively, the consumed electrical energy can be subtracted from the total clean electrical energy (P1+P3) while maintaining the ratio of P1 to P3. After the processing in S104 or S106 is completed, the processing proceeds to S107.

[0099] In S107, server 3 calculates the latest value of the clean energy stored in battery 11. Then, server 3 converts the latest value of the clean energy into the EV distance of vehicle 1 and notifies vehicle 1 (S108). However, server 3 may also notify vehicle 1 of the clean energy before it is converted into EV distance.

[0100] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the green area information displayed on the HMI12 (instrument panel 121) of vehicle 1 that has received the notification. Figure 10 As shown, the instrument panel 121 can display whether the vehicle 1 can drive (or enter) in a green area, the electric power (green electric power) used by the vehicle 1 in driving in a green area, and the EV distance that the vehicle 1 can travel in a green area. However, the green area information displayed on the instrument panel 121 can be any one or two of these three pieces of information.

[0101] As described above, in this embodiment, server 3 performs power coloring processing on the amount of electricity stored in battery 11, establishing a correspondence between the power stored in battery 11 and the emission intensity for management. Therefore, server 3 can determine the proportion of clean power in the power stored in battery 11. Thus, according to this embodiment, server 3 can clearly distinguish and appropriately manage vehicles permitted to enter and travel within green areas, and vehicles not permitted to enter or travel within green areas.

[0102] In addition, Figure 8 and Figure 9 The example described above illustrates an instance where all steps are performed by server 3. However, each step can also be performed by ECU 13 of vehicle 1. Alternatively, server 3 and ECU 13 can share the processing. That is, some processing can be performed by server 3 and other processing can be performed by ECU 13.

[0103] While embodiments of the invention have been described, they should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive in all respects. The scope of the invention is defined by the claims and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A server for managing the electrical information of a vehicle, wherein, The vehicle includes an energy storage device that is charged by electricity supplied from a charging device. The server has the following features: An interface for obtaining the greenhouse gas emission intensity of electricity supplied from the charging device; and The processor manages the electrical force that charges the energy storage device from the charging device and establishes a correspondence between the emission intensity obtained via the interface. The processor determines whether a vehicle can travel in a restricted driving area using electricity with emissions exceeding the limit, based on the following criteria: if the vehicle remains in a restricted driving area, the electricity stored in the energy storage device with emissions below the limit is consumed, and the electricity stored in the energy storage device with emissions exceeding the limit is not consumed. The processor then notifies the vehicle's user of the determination result. The processor will notify the user if the power supply exceeds a reference amount when the emission intensity does not reach the limit value, and will not notify the user if the power supply is below the reference amount when the emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

2. The server according to claim 1, The processor notifies the user of the determination result before the vehicle enters the restricted driving area.

3. A power management system, comprising: The server as described in claim 1 or 2; and The vehicle, The vehicle includes a display device. The display device displays the determination result in a manner that allows for visual confirmation from inside the vehicle.

4. The power management system according to claim 3, The display device also displays at least one of the electric power at which the emission intensity does not reach the limit value and the distance the vehicle can travel using that electric power.

5. The power management system according to claim 3 or 4, It also includes gates located at the boundaries of the restricted driving area. The gate opens or closes based on the electrical force that the emission intensity does not reach the limit value when the vehicle approaches the gate.

6. A power management system, comprising: The server as described in claim 1 or 2; and The vehicle, The vehicle includes a display device. The display device displays the determination result in a manner that allows for visual confirmation from the outside of the vehicle.

7. The power management system according to claim 6, It also includes gates located at the boundaries of the restricted driving area. The gate opens or closes based on the electrical force that the emission intensity does not reach the limit value when the vehicle approaches the gate.

8. A power management method for managing vehicle power information, wherein, The vehicle includes an energy storage device that is charged by electricity supplied from a charging device. The power management method includes: The step of obtaining the electrical force from the charging device to the energy storage device; The step of obtaining the greenhouse gas emission intensity of the electricity supplied from the charging device; The steps of establishing a correspondence between the electrical force that charges the energy storage device from the charging equipment and the emission intensity for management; The steps are as follows: First, if the vehicle remains in a restricted driving area, the electrical power stored in the energy storage device with an emission intensity below the limit is consumed, and the electrical power stored in the energy storage device with an emission intensity exceeding the limit is not consumed. This involves determining whether the vehicle is permitted to travel in the restricted driving area using electrical power with an emission intensity exceeding the limit, and then notifying the vehicle's user of the determination result. The user is notified that driving in the restricted area will be permitted if the power supply exceeds the reference amount when the emission intensity does not reach the limit value, and conversely, the user is notified that driving in the restricted area will not be permitted if the power supply is below the reference amount when the emission intensity does not reach the limit value.

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