Control device

By executing notification processing in the control device, the target remaining capacity, charging time and charging cost of multiple charging modes is shown to the user, and the complex operation of the user during the battery charging process is solved, and the convenience of the charging process is achieved.

CN119585140APending Publication Date: 2025-03-07SUBARU CORP
View PDF 1 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202380024969.X
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-07-05
Publication Date
2025-03-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

During the battery charging process, the user needs to manually set the target value of the remaining capacity when the battery is charged, which is complicated and inconvenient.

Method used

A control device is designed to perform notification processing through the processor to notify the user of the target remaining capacity, charging time and charging charge of multiple charging modes, allowing the user to select a suitable charging mode from it.

Benefits of technology

It simplifies user operations during battery charging, enables users to easily select appropriate charging mode, and improves the convenience of the charging process.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN119585140A_ABST
    Figure CN119585140A_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This control device is provided with: one or more processors; and one or more memories connected to the processor. The processor performs: a notification process of notifying a plurality of charging modes in which target remaining capacities, which are target values of remaining capacities when charging of a battery of a vehicle is completed, are different from one another; and performing charging of the battery in a charging mode selected by a driver of the vehicle from among the plurality of charging modes.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a control device. Background Art

[0002] There are vehicles such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles that have a driving motor as a driving source. These vehicles are provided with a battery that stores the power supplied to the driving motor. The battery of the vehicle can sometimes be charged using a charger of a charging station. In charging using a charger, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the battery is charged using the power supplied from the charger while the charger cable is connected to an inlet provided in the vehicle.

[0003] Prior art literature Patent Literature Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-199920 Summary of the invention

[0004] Technical issues When charging a battery using a charger, a user needs to perform operations such as setting a target remaining capacity, which is a target value of the remaining capacity when charging of the battery is completed. It is also desirable to facilitate the user's operations during such battery charging.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can facilitate user operations during battery charging.

[0006] Technical Solution In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a control device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: one or more processors; and one or more memories connected to the processor, The processor performs the following processing, which includes: executing a notification process of a plurality of charging modes for notifying different target remaining capacities, which are target values ​​of remaining capacity when charging of a battery of the vehicle is completed; and Charging of the battery in a charging mode selected by a driver of the vehicle from among the plurality of charging modes is performed.

[0007] Technical Effects According to the present invention, it is possible to facilitate the user's operation during battery charging. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Figure 2This is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device for a charging pile according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the vehicle control device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 5 It is a diagram showing a first display example in the notification process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing a second display example in the notification process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Explanation of symbols 1: Charging system 10: Vehicles 11: Driving motor 12: Battery 13: Navigation device 14: Control device 14a: Processor 14b: Memory 20: Charging pile 21: Charger 21a: Main body 21b: Charging cable 21c: Charging gun 22: Control Device 22a: Processor 22b: Memory 141: Ministry of Communications 142: Control Department 143: Storage 221: Ministry of Communications 222: Control Department 223: Storage C1: Target remaining capacity C2: Target remaining capacity C3: Target remaining capacity F1: Charging cost F2: Charging cost F3: Charging cost T1: Charging time T2: Charging time T3: Charging time DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The specific dimensions, materials, values, etc. shown in the embodiments are merely examples for easy understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. It should be noted that in this specification and the accompanying drawings, for elements having substantially the same function and structure, repeated descriptions are omitted by marking the same symbols, and illustrations of elements that are not directly related to the present invention are omitted.

[0016] <Charging system configuration> Reference Figure 1~Figure 3 , the structure of the charging system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0017] Figure 1 Schematic diagram showing the schematic structure of the charging system 1. Figure 1 As shown, the charging system 1 includes a vehicle 10 and a charging station 20 .

[0018] It should be noted that Figure 1 In the figure, one charging post 20 is shown for easy understanding, but the charging system 1 actually includes a plurality of charging posts 20 .

[0019] like Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle 10 includes a running motor 11, a battery 12, a navigation device 13, and a control device 14. For example, the vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle including the running motor 11 as a driving source. However, the vehicle 10 may be a hybrid vehicle including an engine as a driving source in addition to the running motor 11.

[0020] The travel motor 11 outputs power to be transmitted to the wheels of the vehicle 10 and is, for example, a three-phase AC motor. The travel motor 11 is driven by the electric power of the battery 12 to output power.

[0021] The battery 12 can charge and discharge electric power. As the battery 12, for example, a lithium ion battery, a lithium ion polymer battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel cadmium battery, or a lead storage battery is used, but batteries other than these batteries may also be used. The battery 12 stores electric power supplied to the driving motor 11.

[0022] The navigation device 13 is a device that guides the user along the driving route from the current location of the vehicle 10 to the desired destination according to the input operation performed by the driver of the vehicle 10. The navigation device 13 has a function of displaying information in a visual manner, and displays various information related to route guidance. Examples of the information displayed by the navigation device 13 include the current location of the vehicle 10, the driving route that is the object of guidance, the location of the destination, the distance on the driving route from the current location of the vehicle 10 to the destination, and the arrival time to the destination. The navigation device 13 can obtain information showing the current location of the vehicle 10 based on a signal transmitted from a GPS (Global Positioning System) satellite.

[0023] The control device 14 is equivalent to an example of the control device of the present invention. The control device 14 has one or more processors 14a and one or more memories 14b connected to the processor 14a. The processor 14a includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory 14b includes, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory) and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The ROM is a storage element that stores programs, operation parameters, etc. used by the CPU. The RAM is a storage element that temporarily stores data such as variables and parameters used in the processing executed by the CPU.

[0024] The control device 14 communicates with each device in the vehicle 10. The communication between the control device 14 and each device is realized by using, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network) communication.

[0025] Figure 2 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the control device 14 of the vehicle 10. Figure 2 As shown, the control device 14 includes a communication unit 141 , a control unit 142 , and a storage unit 143 .

[0026] It should be noted that the processor 14a can perform various processes including the processes described below by the communication unit 141 or the control unit 142. In detail, the processor 14a executes the program stored in the memory 14b to perform various processes. The memory 14b implements the function of the storage unit 143. However, the functions of the control device 14 may be divided into multiple devices, and multiple functions may be implemented by one device.

[0027] The communication unit 141 communicates with a control device 22 described later of the charging station 20. The communication between the communication unit 141 and the control device 22 is achieved by, for example, wireless communication.

[0028] The control unit 142 performs various processes for controlling the operation of each device in the vehicle 10. For example, the control unit 142 controls the operation of the travel motor 11. For example, the control unit 142 obtains various information such as the remaining capacity from the battery 12. For example, the control unit 142 controls the operation of the navigation device 13.

[0029] The storage unit 143 stores various information. The information stored in the storage unit 143 is used in the processing performed by the communication unit 141 or the control unit 142. For example, the communication unit 141 transmits the information stored in the storage unit 143. For example, the control unit 142 controls the operation of each device in the vehicle 10 using the information stored in the storage unit 143.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the charging stand 20 includes a plurality of chargers 21 and a control device 22. In the charging stand 20, the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is charged.

[0031] The charger 21 is a device for charging the battery 12 of the vehicle 10. The charger 21 has a main body 21a, a charging cable 21b, and a charging gun 21c. The main body 21a is arranged on the charging pile 20, and receives power supply from a power supply source not shown in the figure. The charging gun 21c is connected to the main body 21a via the charging cable 21b. By installing the charging gun 21c on the socket of the vehicle 10, the charging cable 21b is electrically connected to the socket of the vehicle 10. In this state, power can be supplied from the main body 21a to the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 via the charging cable 21b. In this way, the battery 12 is charged.

[0032] The control device 22 includes one or more processors 22a and one or more memories 22b connected to the processors 22a. The processor 22a includes, for example, a CPU. The memory 22b includes, for example, a ROM and a RAM.

[0033] Figure 3 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 22 of the charging station 20 .

[0034] For example, Figure 3 As shown, the control device 22 includes a communication unit 221 , a control unit 222 , and a storage unit 223 .

[0035] It should be noted that the processor 22a can perform various processes including the processes described below by the communication unit 221 or the control unit 222. In detail, the various processes are performed by the processor 22a executing the program stored in the memory 22b. The function of the storage unit 223 is realized by the memory 22b. However, the functions of the control device 22 may be divided into multiple devices, and multiple functions may be realized by one device.

[0036] The communication unit 221 communicates with the control device 14 of the vehicle 10. The communication between the communication unit 221 and the control device 14 is achieved by, for example, wireless communication.

[0037] The control unit 222 performs various processes for controlling the operation of each device in the charging station 20. For example, the control unit 222 controls the operation of the charger 21.

[0038] The storage unit 223 stores various information. The information stored in the storage unit 223 is used in the processing performed by the communication unit 221 or the control unit 222. For example, the communication unit 221 sends the information stored in the storage unit 223. For example, the control unit 222 uses the information stored in the storage unit 223 to control the operation of each device in the charging pile 20.

[0039] <Charging System Operation> Next, refer to Figure 4~Figure 6 , the operation of the charging system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0040] As described above, in the charging station 20, the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is charged using the charger 21. Here, in the process of charging the battery 12 using the charger 21, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user needs to perform operations for setting the target value of the remaining capacity when the charging of the battery 12 is completed, that is, the target remaining capacity, etc. In the charging system 1 of this embodiment, by improving the processing related to the setting of the charging of the battery 12 performed by the control device 14 of the vehicle 10, it is achieved that the user's operation during the charging process of the battery 12 is made easy.

[0041] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the control device 14 of the vehicle 10 .

[0042] The execution is performed when the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is being charged at the charging station 20. Figure 4 Specifically, the control flow starts when the charging gun 21c is installed in the socket of the vehicle 10 and the charging cable 21b is connected. Figure 4 The control flow shown.

[0043] As described later, the control unit 142 of the control device 14 performs a notification process of notifying a plurality of charging modes. Furthermore, if the driver selects a charging mode from among the plurality of charging modes, the charging of the battery 12 in the selected charging mode is performed. Here, in the notification process, the control unit 142 notifies a plurality of charging modes having target values ​​of the remaining capacity when the charging of the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is completed, i.e., target remaining capacities that are different from each other. Hereinafter, an example in which the control unit 142 notifies three charging modes, namely, the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, in the notification process will be mainly described. However, as described later, the number and types of charging modes are not limited to the following examples.

[0044] if Figure 4 The control flow shown in FIG. 1 starts. First, in step S101, the control unit 142 calculates the charging time and charging cost of the first charging mode. The charging time of the first charging mode is the total time of the time spent charging the battery 12 in the first charging mode. The charging cost of the first charging mode is the total cost of the cost spent charging the battery 12 in the first charging mode.

[0045] The first charging mode is a charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the maximum remaining capacity. The maximum remaining capacity is the maximum value of the remaining capacity of the battery 12. Therefore, during the charging of the battery 12 in the first charging mode, the remaining capacity of the battery 12 is restored to the maximum remaining capacity.

[0046] For example, the control device 14 of the vehicle 10 obtains information related to the power supply capacity of the charger 21 of the charging pile 20 from the control device 22 of the charging pile 20. As such information, for example, information showing the supply amount per unit time of the power supplied from the charger 21 of the charging pile 20 can be listed. In addition, information related to the specifications of the battery 12 is pre-stored in the storage unit 143 of the control device 14. As such information, for example, information showing the relationship between the supply amount of power supplied to the battery 12 per unit time and the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 can be listed.

[0047] The control unit 142 can calculate the charging time of the first charging mode based on, for example, information related to the power supply capacity of the charger 21 and information related to the specifications of the battery 12. In addition, the control device 14 of the vehicle 10 obtains information indicating the charging cost per unit power supply amount in the charging pile 20 from the control device 22 of the charging pile 20. Moreover, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging cost of the first charging mode based on, for example, information indicating the usage cost per unit time of the charger 21 and the charging time of the first charging mode.

[0048] Next, in step S102, the control unit 142 calculates the target remaining capacity, charging time, and charging cost of the second charging mode. The charging time of the second charging mode is the total time of the time spent charging the battery 12 in the second charging mode. The charging cost of the second charging mode is the total cost of the cost spent charging the battery 12 in the second charging mode.

[0049] The second charging mode is a charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 when charging is completed in the past. Figure 4 In the example of FIG. 1 , the target remaining capacity of the second charging mode is the standard value of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 at the charging station 20 when charging is completed in the past. Therefore, during the charging of the battery 12 in the second charging mode, the remaining capacity of the battery 12 is restored to the standard value of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 at the charging station 20 when charging is completed in the past.

[0050] For example, when the charging post 20 is charging the battery 12, the driver can manually set the target remaining capacity. The control unit 142, for example, calculates the average value of the remaining capacity when the charging of the battery 12 is completed in the past multiple times at the charging post 20 as the target remaining capacity of the second charging mode. However, the control unit 142 may also calculate a value greater than the average value of the remaining capacity when the charging of the battery 12 is completed in the past multiple times at the charging post 20 or a value smaller than the average value of the remaining capacity when the charging of the battery 12 is completed in the past multiple times at the charging post 20 as the target remaining capacity of the second charging mode.

[0051] Similar to the charging time in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging time in the second charging mode based on, for example, information related to the power supply capacity of the charger 21, information related to the specifications of the battery 12, and the target remaining capacity of the second charging mode. Also, similar to the charging cost in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging cost in the second charging mode based on, for example, information indicating the usage cost per unit time of the charger 21 and the charging time in the second charging mode.

[0052] Next, in step S103 , the control unit 142 determines whether there is a history of charging the battery 12 at home.

[0053] In the above description, the charging post 20 is described as a place for charging the battery 12. However, the battery 12 can sometimes be charged at the driver's home of the vehicle 10. For example, if a charger 21 is installed at home, the battery 12 can be charged using the charger 21. It should be noted that in the charging process using the charger 21 at home, the charging speed is slower than that using the charger 21 at the charging post 20 at a place other than home, but the charging fee is often very cheap.

[0054] When the battery 12 is charged at home, for example, the history of charging the battery 12 at home is stored in the storage unit 143 of the control device 14. Therefore, the control unit 142 can determine whether there is a history of charging the battery 12 at home by referring to the information stored in the storage unit 143. If there is a history of charging the battery 12 at home, it can be determined that the battery 12 can be charged at home. On the other hand, if there is no history of charging the battery 12 at home, it can be determined that the battery 12 cannot be charged at home.

[0055] If it is determined that the battery 12 has been charged at home (if YES in step S103 ), the process proceeds to step S104 . On the other hand, if it is determined that the battery 12 has not been charged at home (if NO in step S103 ), the process proceeds to step S105 .

[0056] If the determination result in step S103 is YES, in step S104, the control unit 142 calculates the target remaining capacity, charging time, and charging cost of the third charging mode. The charging time of the third charging mode is the total time of the time taken to charge the battery 12 in the third charging mode. The charging cost of the third charging mode is the total cost of the cost taken to charge the battery 12 in the third charging mode.

[0057] The third charging mode is a charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the remaining capacity required for moving from the charging station 20 to the home by the vehicle 10. Therefore, during the charging process of the battery 12 in the third charging mode, the remaining capacity of the battery 12 is restored to the remaining capacity required for moving from the charging station 20 to the home by the vehicle 10.

[0058] For example, the control unit 142 calculates the travel distance from the charging station 20, which is the current position of the vehicle 10, to the home using information obtained from the navigation device 13. Then, the control unit 142 calculates the remaining capacity consumed when the vehicle 10 moves the calculated travel distance as the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode. However, the control unit 142 may calculate a value greater than the remaining capacity consumed when the vehicle 10 moves the calculated travel distance or a value smaller than the remaining capacity consumed when the vehicle 10 moves the calculated travel distance as the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode.

[0059] Here, the control unit 142 may also adjust the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode based on the history of charging the battery 12 at home in the past. For example, the higher the average value of the remaining capacity at the time of charging completion in the past charging of the battery 12 at home, the higher the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode. Thus, for the vehicle 10 that charges the battery 12 at home most of the time, by increasing the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode, the remaining capacity remaining when the vehicle 10 arrives at home can be increased.

[0060] Similar to the charging time in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging time in the third charging mode based on, for example, information related to the power supply capacity of the charger 21, information related to the specifications of the battery 12, and the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode. Also, similar to the charging cost in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging cost in the third charging mode based on, for example, information indicating the usage cost per unit time of the charger 21 and the charging time in the third charging mode.

[0061] When a negative determination is made in step S103 , or in step S105 following step S104 , the control unit 142 executes a notification process.

[0062] In the notification process, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the plurality of charging modes, for example, by causing the navigation device 13 to display the plurality of charging modes. When step S104 is performed, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the three charging modes of the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode in the notification process. When step S104 is not performed, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the two charging modes of the first charging mode and the second charging mode in the notification process. Figure 5 and Figure 6 , a display example when three charging modes, namely, the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, are notified in the notification process will be described.

[0063] Figure 5FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a first display example in the notification process. Figure 5 As shown, in the first display example, a bar graph showing the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, a bar graph showing the charging time of each charging mode, and a bar graph showing the charging fee of each charging mode are displayed in order from the top.

[0064] exist Figure 5 In the example of FIG. 1 , the top bar graph showing the target remaining capacity of each charging mode shows the target remaining capacity C1 of the first charging mode, the target remaining capacity C2 of the second charging mode, and the target remaining capacity C3 of the third charging mode. The target remaining capacity C1, the target remaining capacity C2, and the target remaining capacity C3 are successively lower.

[0065] In addition, Figure 5 In the example of FIG. 1 , the second bar graph from the top showing the charging time of each charging mode shows the charging time T1 of the first charging mode, the charging time T2 of the second charging mode, and the charging time T3 of the third charging mode. The charging time T1, the charging time T2, and the charging time T3 are successively shorter.

[0066] exist Figure 5 In the example of FIG. 1 , the bar chart showing the charging costs of each charging mode at the bottom shows the charging cost F1 of the first charging mode, the charging cost F2 of the second charging mode, and the charging cost F3 of the third charging mode. The charging cost F1, the charging cost F2, and the charging cost F3 are lower in this order.

[0067] As mentioned above, in Figure 5 In the example of FIG. 1 , the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the charging time of each charging mode, and the charging fee of each charging mode in the notification process. As a result, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can easily and intuitively understand the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the charging time of each charging mode, and the charging fee of each charging mode.

[0068] Figure 6 2 is a diagram showing a second display example in the notification process. Figure 6 As shown, in the second display example, a line indicating changes in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 is shown in a graph whose horizontal axis represents the elapsed time from the charging start time point and whose vertical axis represents the remaining capacity.

[0069] exist Figure 6In the example of FIG. 1 , regarding the first charging mode, the target remaining capacity C1 of the first charging mode and the charging time T1 of the first charging mode are shown. The change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in the first charging mode is represented by the portion of the line showing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 until the elapsed time reaches the charging time T1 and the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity C1.

[0070] In addition, Figure 6 In the example of FIG. 1 , regarding the second charging mode, the target remaining capacity C2 of the second charging mode and the charging time T2 of the second charging mode are shown. The change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in the second charging mode is represented by the portion of the line showing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 until the elapsed time reaches the charging time T2 and the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity C2.

[0071] In addition, Figure 6 In the example of FIG. 1 , regarding the third charging mode, the target remaining capacity C3 of the third charging mode and the charging time T3 of the third charging mode are shown. The change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in the third charging mode is represented by the portion of the line showing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 until the elapsed time reaches the charging time T3 and the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity C3.

[0072] As mentioned above, in Figure 6 In the example of FIG. 1 , the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode in the notification process. Figure 6 In the example, Figure 5 Similarly, the control unit 142 also notifies the driver of the target remaining capacity of each charging mode and the charging time of each charging mode in the notification process. As a result, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can easily and intuitively grasp the change of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode, the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, and the charging time of each charging mode.

[0073] In the above description, an example in which the control unit 142 causes the navigation device 13 to display a plurality of charging modes in the notification process is described. However, the notification process is not limited to the above example. For example, the control unit 142 may cause a display device other than the navigation device 13 to display a plurality of charging modes in the notification process. In addition, for example, the control unit 142 may also notify the driver of the vehicle 10 of the plurality of charging modes by voice output in the notification process.

[0074] exist Figure 4After step S105, the driver selects a desired charging mode from the notified multiple charging modes. The control device 14 receives the driver's selection of the charging mode and obtains information showing the charging mode selected by the driver. Then, in step S106, the control unit 142 performs charging of the battery 12 in the charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle 10, and ends the charging process. Figure 4 control flow.

[0075] In step S106, the control unit 142 sends a control instruction to the control unit 222 of the control device 22 of the charging pile 20, for example, via the communication unit 141. Thereby, the control unit 142 can control the charging of the battery 12 using the charger 21. Specifically, in step S106, the control unit 142 charges the battery 12 until the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity of the charging mode selected by the driver, and ends the charging of the battery 12 when the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity. In addition, in the case where the charging speed of the battery 12 can be controlled, the control unit 142 controls the charging speed of the battery 12 in such a way that the remaining capacity of the battery 12 follows the changes in the charging mode selected by the driver.

[0076] As described above, the control device 14 performs a notification process of a plurality of charging modes that are different from each other in terms of target remaining capacity when charging of the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is completed, and performs charging of the battery 12 in the charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle 10 from among the plurality of charging modes. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can set the target remaining capacity during charging of the battery 12 by performing a simple operation of selecting a desired charging mode from among the plurality of notified charging modes. Therefore, the user's operation during charging of the battery 12 can be facilitated.

[0077] In the above records, refer to Figure 4~Figure 6 An example of the process performed by the control device 14 has been described. However, the process performed by the control device 14 is not limited to the above example.

[0078] For example, in the above example, when the battery 12 is charged at a charging station 20 other than the home, the notification process is executed. Figure 4 However, each process including the notification process may be executed when the battery 12 is charged at home. In this case, for example, the target remaining capacity of the second charging mode is set to the standard value of the remaining capacity when the battery 12 is charged at home in the past. In addition, in this case, the scheme of the third charging mode is omitted.

[0079] In addition, for example, in the above example, the example in which the control unit 142 notifies the three charging modes of the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode in the notification process is mainly described. However, the number and type of charging modes are not limited to the above example. For example, the number of charging modes notified in the notification process may also be 4 or more. In addition, in the above example, the charging speeds are consistent in the multiple charging modes notified in the notification process. However, in the multiple charging modes notified in the notification process, the charging speeds of some charging modes and the charging speeds of other charging modes may also be different from each other. For example, in the case of notifying the three charging modes of the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, the charging speed of the third charging mode may be faster than the charging speeds of the first charging mode and the second charging mode. It should be noted that the faster the charging speed, the more the amount of power supplied per unit time from the charger 21 to the battery 12. That is, different charging speeds indicate that the amount of power supplied per unit time from the charger 21 to the battery 12 is different.

[0080] In addition, for example, in the above example, refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 , an example of information notified to the driver in the notification process is described. However, the combination of types of information notified to the driver in the notification process is not limited to the above examples. For example, in the notification process, the control unit 142 may only notify the driver of one type of information among the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the charging time of each charging mode, the charging cost of each charging mode, and the change of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode, or may notify the driver of all types of information. In addition, for example, in the notification process, the control unit 142 may also notify the driver of a plurality of types of information arbitrarily selected from the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the charging time of each charging mode, the charging cost of each charging mode, and the change of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode. In addition, for example, in the notification process, the control unit 142 may also notify the driver of types of information other than the information described above.

[0081] <Effect of Charging System> Next, effects of the charging system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0082] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, the processor 14a performs the following processing, which includes: performing a notification process of a plurality of charging modes that are different from each other as target values ​​of the remaining capacity when charging of the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is completed, i.e., target remaining capacities; and performing charging of the battery 12 in a charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle 10 from among the plurality of charging modes. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can set the target remaining capacity during charging of the battery 12 by performing a simple operation of selecting a desired one of the plurality of notified charging modes. Therefore, the user's operation during charging of the battery 12 can be facilitated.

[0083] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, the plurality of charging modes preferably include a first charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the maximum remaining capacity. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can set the target remaining capacity of the battery 12 during charging to the maximum remaining capacity by performing a simple operation of selecting the first charging mode.

[0084] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferred that the plurality of charging modes include a second charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity at the time of completion of charging of the battery 12 in the past. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can set the target remaining capacity during charging of the battery 12 to the standard value of the remaining capacity at the time of completion of charging of the battery 12 in the past by performing a simple operation of selecting the second charging mode.

[0085] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferred that the notification process is performed when the battery 12 is charged at a charging station 20 other than the home, and the plurality of charging modes include a third charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the remaining capacity required until the vehicle 10 is moved from the charging station 20 to the home. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can set the target remaining capacity of the battery 12 during charging to the remaining capacity required until the vehicle 10 is moved from the charging station 20 to the home by performing a simple operation of selecting the third charging mode.

[0086] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferable to make the processor 14a execute the following processing, which includes adjusting the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode based on the past charging history of the battery 12 at home. Thereby, the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode can be made appropriate according to the past charging history of the battery 12 at home.

[0087] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferable that the charging speed of a part of the charging modes is different from the charging speed of another part of the charging modes among the plurality of charging modes. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can set the target remaining capacity of the battery 12 during charging and the charging speed of the battery 12 during charging by performing a simple operation of selecting a desired charging mode from the notified plurality of charging modes. Therefore, the user's operation during charging of the battery 12 can be made easier.

[0088] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferable that the processor 14a performs the following processing in the notification processing, which includes: notifying the target remaining capacity of each of the plurality of charging modes. As a result, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can easily and intuitively understand the target remaining capacity of each charging mode. Moreover, by understanding the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the user can easily select a charging mode.

[0089] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferable that the processor 14a performs the following processing in the notification processing, which includes: notifying the charging time of each of the plurality of charging modes. Thus, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can easily and intuitively grasp the charging time of each charging mode. Moreover, by grasping the charging time of each charging mode, the user can easily select a charging mode.

[0090] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferable that the processor 14a performs the following processing in the notification processing, which includes: notifying the charging cost of each of the plurality of charging modes. As a result, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can easily and intuitively understand the charging cost of each charging mode. Moreover, by understanding the charging cost of each charging mode, the user can easily select a charging mode.

[0091] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 of the present embodiment, it is preferable that the processor 14a executes the following processing in the notification processing, which includes: notifying the change of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each of the plurality of charging modes. As a result, the driver of the vehicle 10 as a user can easily and intuitively understand the change of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode. Moreover, by understanding the change of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode, the user can easily select the charging mode.

[0092] As mentioned above, the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims also belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0093] For example, in the above description, the processing performed by the control device 14 and the processing performed by the control device 22 are described separately. However, the devices that perform the processing described above may be appropriately changed. For example, any part of the processing described above as the processing performed by the control device 14 may be performed by the control device 22, and any part of the processing described above as the processing performed by the control device 22 may be performed by the control device 14.

[0094] In addition, for example, the processing described using the flowcharts in this specification does not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown in the flowcharts. In addition, additional processing steps may be used, and some processing steps may be omitted.

Claims

1. A control device, characterized in that: have: one or more processors; as well as one or more memories connected to the processor, The processor performs the following processing, which includes: executing a notification process of a plurality of charging modes having different target remaining capacities, the target remaining capacities being target values ​​of remaining capacities when charging of a battery of the vehicle is completed; as well as Charging of the battery in a charging mode selected by a driver of the vehicle from among the plurality of charging modes is performed.

2. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of charging modes include a first charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a maximum remaining capacity.

3. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of charging modes include a second charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity at a time when charging of the battery was completed in the past.

4. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The notification process is performed when the battery is charged at a charging station other than the home, The plurality of charging modes include a third charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a remaining capacity required for the vehicle to move from the charging station to a home.

5. The control device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The processing performed by the processor includes adjusting the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode based on a past charging history of the battery at home.

6. The control device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Among the plurality of charging modes, charging speeds of some charging modes are different from charging speeds of other charging modes.

7. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The process performed by the processor in the notification process includes notifying the target remaining capacity of each of the plurality of charging modes.

8. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The process performed by the processor in the notification process includes notifying the charging time of each of the plurality of charging modes.

9. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The process performed by the processor in the notification process includes: notifying the charging fees of each of the plurality of charging modes.

10. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The process executed by the processor in the notification process includes notifying a change in the remaining capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of charging modes.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Vehicle controller and vehicle equipped with the same

    JP2011199920A