Energy consumption estimation device

Abstract

Provided is an energy consumption estimation device capable of calculating energy consumption with high accuracy. An estimation device for estimating the energy consumption of a vehicle traveling on a road surface is provided with: a water information acquisition unit (10) for acquiring water-related information which is information relating to a water-related substance on the road surface; and an energy estimation unit (30) that estimates the energy consumption of the vehicle traveling on the road surface on the basis of the water-related information acquired by the water information acquisition unit.

Description

Citation of Related Applications

[0001] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-196772 filed on November 20, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an energy consumption estimation device. Background Art

[0003] Conventionally, an energy consumption estimation device that calculates energy consumption during travel on a predetermined path based on a speed pattern, running resistance, and vehicle characteristics has been known (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-030327). This energy consumption estimation device uses vehicle characteristics, an output value obtained by detecting a drive source of the vehicle, a braking value obtained by detecting the braking force of a brake, and a vehicle speed obtained by detecting the speed of the vehicle to calculate the running resistance for calculating energy consumption. Summary of the Invention Technical Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] According to in-depth research by the inventors, etc., the running resistance of a vehicle when traveling on a road surface varies depending on the state of the road surface such as the amount of snow accumulation when the road surface is snow-covered or the amount of rainfall when the road surface is raining. Therefore, since the running resistance varies depending on the state of the road surface, the energy consumption changes. However, the energy consumption estimation device described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2015-030327 does not consider the state of the road surface when calculating energy consumption. Therefore, in the case where the state of the road surface changes such as when snow accumulates on the road surface or when it rains, there may be an error in the calculated energy consumption.

[0005] In view of this, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an energy consumption estimation device that can calculate energy consumption with high accuracy. [Means for Solving the Technical Problem]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an estimation device for estimating the energy consumption of a vehicle traveling on a road surface includes: a water information acquisition unit that acquires water-related information, which is information related to water-related substances on the road surface; and an energy estimation unit that estimates the energy consumption of a vehicle traveling on the road surface based on the water-related information acquired by the water information acquisition unit.

[0007] In the case where there are water-related substances such as snow on the road surface, the resistance of the vehicle when traveling on the road surface becomes larger than when there are no water-related substances on the road surface. Therefore, in the case where there are water-related substances on the road surface, the energy consumption changes compared to the case where there are no water-related substances on the road surface.

[0008] In this regard, the energy estimation unit can suppress calculation errors of the energy consumption caused by the presence of water-related substances by estimating the energy consumption based on water-related information. Therefore, the energy consumption estimation device can calculate the energy consumption with high accuracy.

[0009] In addition, the reference signs in parentheses attached to each component etc. indicate an example of the correspondence relationship between the component etc. and the specific components etc. described in the following embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the energy consumption estimation device of the present embodiment. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the control process executed by the energy consumption estimation device of the present embodiment. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the time and traveling speed when traveling on a predetermined traveling road. Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle when the object of estimating the energy consumption is an electric vehicle. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the correlation between the energy transfer coefficient and the transferred energy of the electrical system. Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle when the object of estimating the energy consumption is an engine vehicle. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the correlation between the engine efficiency and the engine power. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of the energy consumption that increases as the traveling distance increases. Figure 9 is a diagram showing the difference between the traveling resistance when there are water-related substances on the road and the traveling resistance when the road is dry. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of the state change of water-related substances. Figure 11 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional map for obtaining the water resistance coefficient. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of a two-dimensional map for obtaining the snow compaction increase amount. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS With reference to Figures 1 to 12 the energy consumption estimation device 1 of the present embodiment will be described. As Figure 1As shown, the energy consumption estimation device 1 of the present embodiment is configured to be connectable to a server SV and a vehicle C, which are external devices provided outside the energy consumption estimation device 1, via a network N. The energy consumption estimation device 1 is a device that estimates the energy consumption consumed when the vehicle C travels based on various information acquired from the server SV and the vehicle C via the network N.

[0012] The server SV is a communication device that communicates with the energy consumption estimation device 1 via the network N. The server SV is constituted by a computer having a communication unit, a storage unit, an arithmetic unit, etc. not shown. The communication unit is a network interface for connecting to the network N and communicating with other devices via the network N. The storage unit is a memory that stores the programs executed by the arithmetic unit and the information transmitted to the energy consumption estimation device 1. The storage unit has a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium, and the programs executed by the arithmetic unit and the information transmitted to the energy consumption estimation device 1 are stored in the non-volatile storage medium.

[0013] As information required for the energy consumption estimation device 1 to estimate the energy consumption, for example, driving route information DI related to the driving route on which the vehicle C travels and weather information WI of the driving route on which the vehicle C travels are stored in the storage unit. The details of the driving route information DI and the weather information WI will be described later. The arithmetic unit executes the processing corresponding to the program by executing the program stored in the non-volatile storage medium. Then, at the time of this execution, the arithmetic unit writes data to the volatile storage medium and the non-volatile storage medium as needed, reads data from the volatile storage medium and the non-volatile storage medium, and communicates with other devices using the communication unit.

[0014] The vehicle C is, for example, an electric vehicle. Specifically, the electric vehicle includes not only electric cars but also plug-in hybrid vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. However, the vehicle C may also be an engine vehicle. An electric car is a car that includes only an electric motor driven by electric power supplied from a battery as a drive source. A hybrid vehicle is a car that has a combustion engine and an electric motor as drive sources. An engine vehicle is a car that includes only a combustion engine as a drive source and travels using fuels such as gasoline and light oil.

[0015] In addition, vehicle C includes not only sedans but also trucks, buses, and other vehicles capable of traveling on roads. Sedans can be privately-owned cars, taxis, shared cars, rental cars, etc. A taxi is a vehicle used for a service that charges passengers and transports them to a specified destination. A shared car is a vehicle used for a car-sharing service. A rental car is a vehicle used for a vehicle rental service. A truck is a goods vehicle that transports goods to a specified transport destination. The transport destination of the truck is, for example, the same place repeatedly set, or a different place set each time. A bus is a large shared vehicle that transports passengers at a certain fare by running on a pre-determined route. Hereinafter, these vehicles C that are the objects for which the energy consumption estimation device 1 estimates energy consumption may sometimes be referred to as the own vehicle. In addition, a vehicle different from the vehicle C that is the object for which the energy consumption estimation device 1 estimates energy consumption may sometimes be referred to as another vehicle.

[0016] As Figure 1 shown, vehicle C includes a vehicle communication device C10 and a sensor C20. The vehicle communication device C10 is a communication unit for communicating with the server SV and the energy consumption estimation device 1 via the network N. In addition, the vehicle communication device C10 is configured to be able to receive the detection signal of the sensor C20 by communicating with the sensor C20 provided in the vehicle C via the in-vehicle network of the vehicle C.

[0017] The sensor C20 is provided in the vehicle C and is a set of sensors that acquire information related to the vehicle C. The sensor C20 includes, for example, an air pressure sensor that detects the air pressure of the tires, a speed sensor that detects the vehicle speed of the vehicle C, an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration of the vehicle C, and a driving force sensor that detects the driving force of the vehicle C. In addition, the sensor C20 may also include a brake sensor and a peripheral monitoring sensor, etc. The brake sensor detects the braking force of the vehicle C, and the peripheral monitoring sensor monitors the peripheral environment of the vehicle C and detects an object existing around the vehicle C.

[0018] The air pressure sensor detects the air pressure of the tires and sends a detection signal corresponding to the detected air pressure to the vehicle communication device C10. The speed sensor detects the vehicle speed and sends a detection signal corresponding to the detected vehicle speed to the vehicle communication device C10. The acceleration sensor detects the acceleration of the vehicle C and sends a detection signal corresponding to the detected acceleration to the vehicle communication device C10. The driving force sensor detects the driving force of the vehicle C and sends a detection signal corresponding to the detected driving force to the vehicle communication device C10. The brake sensor detects the braking force of the vehicle C and sends a detection signal corresponding to the detected braking force to the vehicle communication device C10.

[0019] The surrounding monitoring sensors may also include, for example, a camera that captures surrounding images, a sonar that outputs ultrasonic waves and detects surrounding objects, a millimeter-wave radar that outputs millimeter waves and detects surrounding objects, and a LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) that outputs laser light and detects surrounding objects.

[0020] Various information detected by the sensor C20 is sent to the server SV and the energy consumption estimation device 1 via the network N.

[0021] The energy consumption estimation device 1 of the present embodiment is not limited to a vehicle type and is configured to be able to estimate the predicted energy consumption before the vehicle C travels based on various information obtained from the server SV and the vehicle C via the network N before the vehicle C travels.

[0022] The energy consumption estimation device 1 is composed of a computer having a communication unit 10, a storage unit 20, an arithmetic unit 30, etc. The communication unit 10 is connected to the network N and is a network interface for communicating with the server SV and the vehicle C via the network N. The storage unit 20 is a memory that stores vehicle characteristic information CI, and the vehicle characteristic information CI is a program executed by the arithmetic unit 30 and information required for estimating energy consumption. The storage unit 20 has a volatile storage medium and a non-volatile storage medium, and the program executed by the arithmetic unit 30 and the vehicle characteristic information CI are stored in the non-volatile storage medium. The details of the vehicle characteristic information CI will be described later.

[0023] The arithmetic unit 30 realizes various processes by executing the program stored in the non-volatile storage medium. Then, during this process, the arithmetic unit 30 uses the volatile storage medium as a work area and reads from and writes to the non-volatile storage medium. In addition, during this process, the arithmetic unit 30 acquires the driving route information DI, the meteorological information WI, and the vehicle characteristic information CI required for estimating energy consumption.

[0024] In addition, as Figure 1 shown, the arithmetic unit 30 has a temporary resistance calculation unit 31, a resistance calculation unit 32, and an energy calculation unit 33 that execute various processes. The temporary resistance calculation unit 31 calculates the temporary driving resistance VFdrv described later. The resistance calculation unit 32 calculates the driving resistance Fdrv described later. The energy calculation unit 33 calculates the energy consumption based on the driving resistance Fdrv calculated by the resistance calculation unit 32, the acquired driving route information DI, the meteorological information WI, and the vehicle characteristic information CI. The arithmetic unit 30 of the present embodiment functions as an energy estimation unit.

[0025] The operation unit 30 functions as a temporary resistance calculation unit 31, a resistance calculation unit 32, and an energy calculation unit 33 by executing the control program stored in the storage unit 20. Alternatively, the operation unit 30 may include a plurality of circuit modules corresponding to the temporary resistance calculation unit 31, the resistance calculation unit 32, and the energy calculation unit 33, respectively. Hereinafter, the processes executed by the temporary resistance calculation unit 31, the resistance calculation unit 32, and the energy calculation unit 33 will be described as the processes executed by the operation unit 30.

[0026] Next, with reference to Figure 2 the flowchart shown, an example of the control process executed by the operation unit 30 of the energy consumption estimation device 1 having the above structure will be described. Figure 2 The control process shown, for example, is executed when the operator sets a predetermined driving road on which the vehicle C travels from the departure point to the destination and performs a start operation of the energy consumption estimation process for calculating the energy consumption when the vehicle C travels on the predetermined driving road.

[0027] First, in step S10, the operation unit 30 acquires vehicle characteristic information CI from the storage unit 20 of the energy consumption estimation device 1. As information representing the characteristics of the vehicle, the vehicle characteristic information CI includes information on the total vehicle weight W (such as 2000 kg, etc.) representing the weight of the vehicle, and information on the air resistance coefficient Cd (such as 0.3, etc.) representing the coefficient of air resistance received by the vehicle during driving. In addition, the vehicle characteristic information CI includes information on the front projected area A (such as 5 m 2 etc.) representing the projected area of the vehicle when viewed from the front side of the vehicle to the rear side, and information on the rolling resistance coefficient u (such as 0.01, etc.) representing the rolling resistance coefficient of the vehicle when driving on the road surface. The operation unit 30 of the present embodiment functions as a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle characteristic information CI. In addition, the vehicle characteristic information CI includes information on the tire contact area Tc (such as 0.02 m 2 etc.).

[0028] In the storage unit 20 of the energy consumption estimation device 1, the above vehicle characteristic information CI corresponding to each of all the vehicles C that are the objects of calculating the energy consumption is stored in advance. The vehicle characteristic information CI is configured to be set in the storage unit 20 through the input operation of the operator, or can be acquired from an external device such as the server SV.

[0029] Next, in step S20, the arithmetic unit 30 acquires the driving route information DI from the server SV via the communication unit 10. In the storage unit of the server SV, map information including the driving route information DI is pre-stored. The driving route information DI is included in the map information, and the driving route information DI includes various information related to the driving route traveled by the vehicle C set by the operator. Specifically, as information related to the predetermined position where the vehicle C travels, the driving route information DI includes information related to the predetermined driving road set by the operator. The information related to the predetermined driving road includes path information from the departure place to the destination, slope information of the predetermined driving road, and information on the elapsed time t after departure from the departure place. In addition, the information related to the predetermined driving road includes information on the estimated driving speed V at the elapsed time t during driving on the predetermined driving road and information on the estimated acceleration a at the elapsed time t. The communication unit 10 of the present embodiment functions as a position information acquisition unit that acquires the driving route information DI corresponding to the predetermined position information.

[0030] In addition, the information related to the predetermined driving road includes information on the traffic volume Rt indicating the traffic volume in the predetermined driving road of the own vehicle. Further, the driving route information DI includes information on the traffic flow velocity Rs indicating the vehicle speed of other vehicles and information on the road surface type Rk indicating the type of the road surface on which the own vehicle is to travel. The information on the traffic volume Rt is, for example, information on the number of other vehicles passing per unit time on the predetermined driving road, and is set based on, for example, information on the history of the number of other vehicles passing through the predetermined driving road. The traffic volume Rt is set to, for example, 100 vehicles / hour.

[0031] The information on the traffic flow velocity Rs is, for example, information on the average vehicle speed of other vehicles on the predetermined driving road, and is set based on, for example, information on the history of the vehicle speeds of other vehicles passing through the predetermined driving road. The traffic flow velocity Rs is set to, for example, 40 km / hour. In addition, the traffic flow velocity Rs can be set based on information other than the history of the vehicle speeds of other vehicles, and can also be set based on the legal speed, for example.

[0032] The information on the road surface type Rk is, for example, the information on the road surface type of the intended driving road, and is the information indicating the material covering the road surface (e.g., asphalt, concrete, gravel, soil, iron plate). In addition, when the material covering the road surface of the intended driving road is formed of asphalt, the information on the road surface type Rk includes the information on the number of years elapsed since the setting of the intended driving road. When the number of years elapsed for the intended driving road formed of asphalt is relatively long, the road surface type Rk includes the old asphalt information indicating that the number of years elapsed for the road formed of asphalt is relatively long. Moreover, when the road surface type Rk includes the old asphalt information, it includes the information indicating the state of the change in the shape of the intended driving road due to aging deterioration. In addition, when the number of years elapsed for the intended driving road formed of asphalt is relatively short, the road surface type Rk includes the new asphalt information indicating that the number of years elapsed for the road formed of asphalt is relatively short. Moreover, when the road surface type Rk includes the new asphalt information, it includes the information indicating the state in which the shape change of the intended driving road due to aging deterioration is less.

[0033] In addition, the map information having the driving route information DI may also be configured to be pre-stored in the storage unit 20 of the energy consumption estimation device 1. In this case, the operation unit 30 acquires the driving route information DI from the storage unit 20.

[0034] Then, the energy consumption estimation device 1 uses the acquired vehicle characteristic information CI and driving route information DI to calculate the estimated energy consumption of the vehicle C. For example, it is assumed that the departure place and the destination of the vehicle C are set by the operator, and as Figure 3 shown, the driving speed V when driving on the intended driving road from the departure place to the destination is set. The energy consumption estimation device 1 calculates the predicted energy consumption before driving based on the elapsed time t and the driving speed V at the elapsed time t. In addition, in Figure 3 , an example of the elapsed time t and the driving speed V at the elapsed time t when driving on the intended driving road is shown.

[0035] In addition, the method for calculating the energy consumption is different in the case where the vehicle C is an electric vehicle with an electric motor as the drive source and in the case of an engine vehicle with a combustion engine as the drive source. Therefore, first, the method for calculating the energy consumption when the vehicle C is an electric vehicle having the Figure 4 shown structure will be described.

[0036] As Figure 4 shown, the vehicle C has a battery BT for storing electric power, a power unit MG including an electric motor that serves as a drive source for driving the vehicle C, a transmission device T that transmits the power output from the power unit MG to the wheels Wh, and an auxiliary machine system H.

[0037] The power unit MG operates using the electric power supplied from the battery BT, and includes a booster converter (not shown) that boosts the voltage supplied from the battery BT, an inverter (not shown) that supplies electric power to the motor, and the like. The transmission device T includes a transmission (not shown) that adjusts the power output by the motor. The auxiliary machine system H includes an air conditioner, auxiliary equipment, and the like. The energy consumption of an electric vehicle having such a configuration can be obtained by a function related to the elapsed time t shown below, namely, Mathematical Formula 1.

[0038] (Mathematical Formula 1) Etotal_prd_base(t) = Edrv_prd_base(t) + Eother_prd_base(t) In addition, “Etotal_prd_base(t)” in Mathematical Formula 1 represents an estimated value of the energy consumption consumed before a specified elapsed time t when the vehicle C, which is an electric vehicle, travels along a predetermined driving road. In addition, “Edrv_prd_base(t)” in Mathematical Formula 1 represents an estimated value of the driving energy consumed in the power unit MG including the motor for the vehicle C to travel among the energy consumption before the elapsed time t. Furthermore, “Eother_prd_base” represents an estimated value of other energy than the energy consumed as driving energy among the energy consumption before the elapsed time t.

[0039] Other energy than the energy consumed as driving energy is the energy consumed by the auxiliary machine system H. Specifically, it is the total energy of the energy consumed by the operation of the air conditioner and the energy consumed by the operation of the auxiliary equipment. That is, the energy consumption Etotal_prd_base is the total energy consumption obtained by adding the driving energy Edrv_prd_base consumed by the power unit MG including the motor and the auxiliary machine system energy Eother_prd_base consumed by the auxiliary machine system H.

[0040] In addition, when the total energy consumption Etotal_prd_base is negative, the total energy consumption Etotal_prd_base is supplied to the battery BT as regenerative energy and stored as electric power.

[0041] In addition, the auxiliary machine system energy Eother_prd_base in Mathematical Formula 1 can be obtained by a function related to the elapsed time t shown below, namely, Mathematical Formula 2.

[0042] (Mathematical Formula 2) Eother_prd_base = Σ(Pother(t) * (t - (t - 1))) In addition, "Pother(t)" in Mathematical Formula 2 is the energy consumed in the auxiliary machine system H every time the time t elapses. The energy Pother is, for example, preset to a fixed value such as 5 kw. As shown in Mathematical Formula 2, the auxiliary machine system energy Eother_prd_base is obtained by accumulating the energy consumed in the auxiliary machine system H other than for driving the vehicle C every time the time t elapses.

[0043] In addition, the driving energy Edrv_prd_base in Mathematical Formula 1 can be obtained by a function related to the elapsed time t shown below, namely Mathematical Formula 3.

[0044] (Mathematical Formula 3) Edrv_prd_base = Σ(P”drv(t)*(t-(t-1))) In addition, "P”drv(t)" in Mathematical Formula 3 is the energy consumed in the power unit MG every time the time t elapses. As shown in Mathematical Formula 3, the driving energy Edrv_prd_base is obtained by accumulating the energy consumed for driving the vehicle C every time the time t elapses.

[0045] Moreover, the energy P”drv in Mathematical Formula 3 can be obtained by a function related to the elapsed time t shown below, namely Mathematical Formula 4 and the following Mathematical Formula 5.

[0046] (Mathematical Formula 4) P”drv(t) = P’drv(t) / Relec

[0047] (Mathematical Formula 5) P’drv(t) = Pdrv(t) / Rmech In addition, "Pdrv(t)" in Mathematical Formula 5 is the driving horsepower required to drive the vehicle C at the driving speed V every time the time t elapses. In addition, "P’drv(t)" in Mathematical Formulas 4 and 5 is the transmission energy required to be output from the transmission device T to drive the vehicle C at the driving speed V every time the time t elapses. Moreover, "Relec" in Mathematical Formula 4 represents the energy transfer coefficient of the electrical system in the power unit MG, and "Rmech" in Mathematical Formula 5 represents the energy transfer coefficient of the mechanical system in the transmission device T.

[0048] For example, the energy transfer coefficient Relec of the electrical system can be calculated using a correlation map showing the correlation between the preset transfer coefficient Relec and the transmission energy P’drv as Figure 5 shown. In other words, the energy transfer coefficient Relec of the electrical system can be obtained from Figure 5The relevant mapping and the transmitted energy P’drv are shown and used to calculate. The energy transfer coefficient Rmech of the mechanical system is preset to a fixed value such as 70% etc.

[0049] As described above, the estimated value of the energy consumption of the electric vehicle when driving on a predetermined driving road can be calculated using the above mathematical formulas 1 to 5.

[0050] Next, a method for calculating the energy consumption when the vehicle C is an engine vehicle having the Figure 6 shown structure will be described.

[0051] As Figure 6 shown, the vehicle C has an engine Eg as a driving source for driving the vehicle C, a transmission MT that transmits the power output from the engine Eg to the wheels Wh, and an auxiliary machine system H.

[0052] The engine Eg operates by the supplied fuel and includes an injection device (not shown) for injecting the supplied fuel, an ignition device (not shown) for igniting the injected fuel, etc. The transmission MT includes a plurality of gears (not shown) that adjust the power output from the engine Eg and transmit it to the wheels Wh. The auxiliary machine system H, similarly to the electric vehicle, includes the above-mentioned air conditioning device, auxiliary equipment, etc. The energy consumption of the engine vehicle having such a structure can be calculated by a function related to the elapsed time t shown below, namely, Mathematical Formula 6.

[0053] (Mathematical Formula 6) Etotal_prd_base(t) = Σ(P’sum(t) * (t - (t1))) In addition, "Etotal_prd_base" in Mathematical Formula 6 represents the estimated value of the energy consumption consumed before the elapsed time t when the vehicle C, which is an engine vehicle, travels along the predetermined driving road. In addition, "P’sum(t)" in Mathematical Formula 6 is the total energy consumed in the engine Eg to drive the vehicle C for each elapsed time t. As shown in Mathematical Formula 6, the energy consumption Etotal_prd_base is obtained by accumulating the energy consumed in the engine Eg for each elapsed time t to drive the vehicle C.

[0054] In addition, the total energy P’sum in Mathematical Formula 6 can be calculated by a function related to the elapsed time t shown below, namely, Mathematical Formula 7.

[0055] (Mathematical Formula 7) P’sum(t) = Psum(t) / Reng In addition, "Psum(t)" in Mathematical Formula 7 is the engine power required for Vehicle C to travel at a traveling speed V every time t elapses. In addition, "Reng" in Mathematical Formula 7 represents the engine efficiency when the engine Eg outputs power through the supplied fuel. The engine efficiency Reng can be calculated, for example, using a correlation map that presets the engine efficiency Reng and the correlation between the engine power Psum obtained from "P’drv(t)+Pother(t)" shown in the following Mathematical Formula 8. In other words, the engine efficiency Reng can be obtained based on the correlation map shown in Figure 7 and the engine power Psum. The engine power Psum can be obtained through Mathematical Formula 8, which is a function related to the elapsed time t shown below. Figure 7 The engine power Psum can be obtained through Mathematical Formula 8, which is a function related to the elapsed time t shown below.

[0056] (Mathematical Formula 8) Psum(t) = P’drv(t) + Pother(t) In addition, "P’drv(t)" in Mathematical Formula 8 is the power transmitted to the transmission MT side among the power output by the engine Eg during the time t. In addition, "Pother(t)" in Mathematical Formula 8 is the power transmitted to the auxiliary machine system H during the time t. The power Pother is preset as a fixed value such as 5 kw, for example. As shown in Mathematical Formula 8, the engine power Psum can be obtained by summing the power transmitted to the transmission MT and the power transmitted to the auxiliary machine system H.

[0057] Moreover, the power P’drv transmitted to the transmission MT can be obtained through Mathematical Formula 9, which is a function related to the elapsed time t shown below.

[0058] (Mathematical Formula 9) P’drv(t) = Pdrv(t) / Rmech In addition, "Pdrv(t)" in Mathematical Formula 9 is the driving horsepower required for Vehicle C to travel at the necessary traveling speed V every time t elapses. In addition, "Rmech" in Mathematical Formula 9 represents the energy transfer coefficient of the mechanical system in the transmission MT.

[0059] Similar to the case where Vehicle C is an electric vehicle, the energy transfer coefficient Rmech of the mechanical system is preset as a fixed value such as 70%, for example.

[0060] As described above, the estimated value of the energy consumption of the engine vehicle when traveling on a predetermined driving road can be obtained using the above Mathematical Formulas 6 to 9.

[0061] Moreover, as shown in Figure 8As shown, the energy consumption Etotal_prd_base of the electric vehicle and the energy consumption Etotal_prd_base of the engine vehicle obtained using the above mathematical formula increase as the driving distance X of the vehicle C increases.

[0062] In addition, the driving horsepower Pdrv in Mathematical Formula 5 and the driving horsepower Pdrv in Mathematical Formula 9 can be obtained using the driving resistance Fdrv and the driving speed V at time t through Mathematical Formula 10, which is a function related to time t shown below.

[0063] (Mathematical Formula 10) Pdrv(t) = Fdrv(t) * V(t) In addition, "Fdrv(t)" shown in Mathematical Formula 10 is an estimated driving resistance value generated when the vehicle C travels on the road surface of the predetermined driving road at time t, and includes various resistance components such as air resistance and rolling resistance.

[0064] Moreover, the driving resistance Fdrv in Mathematical Formula 10 can be obtained through Mathematical Formula 11, which is a function related to time t shown below.

[0065] (Mathematical Formula 11) Fdrv(t) = Wa(t) + 0.5 * ρ * Cd * Av 2 (t) + uWg + Wgsinθ (t) In addition, "W" shown in Mathematical Formula 11 represents the total vehicle weight, "a(t)" represents the acceleration at time t, "ρ" represents the air density, "Cd" represents the air resistance coefficient, "A" represents the total projected area, "V(t)" represents the vehicle speed at time t, "u" represents the rolling resistance coefficient, and "g" represents the acceleration due to gravity. In addition, "sinθ(t)" represents the slope of the predetermined driving road between the predicted location of the vehicle at the time point of time (t) and the predicted location of the vehicle at the time point of time (t - 1).

[0066] Information on the total vehicle weight W, information on the air resistance coefficient Cd, information on the front projected area A, and information on the rolling resistance coefficient u are included in the vehicle characteristic information CI and are the information that is the main cause of the change in the driving resistance Fdrv. In addition, information on the acceleration a, information on the driving speed V, and information on the slope of the predetermined driving road are the information included in the driving route information DI.

[0067] Information on the air density ρ and information on the acceleration due to gravity g are preset in the arithmetic unit 30. The air density ρ can be preset, for example, as 1.293 kg / m 3Fixed values such as these can also be calculated by the arithmetic unit 30 based on the ambient temperature. The gravitational acceleration g is, for example, preset to 9.8 m / s 2 Fixed values such as these. In addition, "0.5*ρ*Cd*Av2(t)" in the above mathematical formula 11 represents the air resistance component in the driving resistance Fdrv. Further, "μWg" in the above mathematical formula 11 represents the rolling resistance component in the driving resistance Fdrv.

[0068] Thus, in order to obtain the driving horsepower Pdrv required for the energy consumption Etotal_prd_base during driving on a predetermined driving road, it is possible to calculate using the driving resistance Fdrv. However, the driving resistance Fdrv varies according to the state of the road surface of the predetermined driving road. For example, when there are water-related substances such as snow, ice, and water on the road surface of the predetermined driving road, the rolling resistance coefficient u changes. Specifically, when there are water-related substances on the road surface of the predetermined driving road, when the vehicle C is driving, a force is required to push aside the water-related substances present between the road surface and the tires, and thus, the rolling resistance coefficient u increases. In other words, when there are water-related substances on the road surface of the predetermined driving road, the resistance when the vehicle C is driving on the road surface is greater than when there are no water-related substances on the road surface.

[0069] Therefore, when there are water-related substances on the road surface of the predetermined driving road, as Figure 9 shown, compared with the case of a dry road surface where there are no water-related substances on the road surface, the driving resistance Fdrv increases. Moreover, the greater the driving distance X, the greater the deviation amount of the driving resistance Fdrv when there are water-related substances on the road surface of the predetermined driving road and the driving resistance Fdrv when there are no water-related substances on the road surface. Further, in Figure 9 the solid line represents the correlation between the driving distance X and the driving resistance Fdrv when there are water-related substances on the road surface, and the dashed line represents the correlation between the driving distance X and the driving resistance Fdrv on a dry road surface.

[0070] Moreover, according to the in-depth research by the inventors and others, depending on the type, amount, state, etc. of the water-related substances present on the road surface, the change amount of the driving resistance Fdrv that changes due to the presence of the water-related substances is different. For example, the driving resistance Fdrv changes according to the state of the road surface such as the amount of snow accumulation when there is snow on the road surface, the presence of ice generated due to the melting of snow and subsequent freezing, and the amount of rainfall when it rains on the road surface, and the change amount changes. Moreover, the energy consumption varies according to the change amount of the driving resistance Fdrv.

[0071] Therefore, when there are water-related substances on the road surface of a predetermined driving route, or when it is assumed that there are water-related substances, if the energy consumption is calculated without considering the water-related substances, there may be an error in the calculation result of the energy consumption.

[0072] Therefore, when the energy consumption estimation device 1 of the present embodiment estimates the energy consumption, as Figure 2 shown, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the value of the temporary driving resistance VFdrv, which is the value of the temporary driving resistance obtained without considering the water-related substances, in step S30. Then, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the driving resistance Fdrv considering the water-related substances in steps S40 and S50, and calculates the estimated value of the energy consumption based on the driving resistance Fdrv calculated in step S60. Hereinafter, the processing of steps S30 to S60 will be described in detail.

[0073] In step S30, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the temporary driving resistance VFdrv using the vehicle characteristic information CI and the driving route information DI obtained in steps S10 and S20 and the above mathematical formula 11. The temporary driving resistance VFdrv is a temporary resistance estimated value calculated without considering whether there are water-related substances on the road surface of the predetermined driving route.

[0074] Specifically, when calculating the temporary driving resistance VFdrv, the arithmetic unit 30 uses the total vehicle weight W, the air resistance coefficient Cd, the frontal projected area A, and the rolling resistance coefficient u in the vehicle characteristic information CI obtained in step S10. In addition, when calculating the temporary driving resistance VFdrv, the arithmetic unit 30 uses the information on the slope of the predetermined driving route, the information on the estimated driving speed V at the elapsed time t when driving on the predetermined driving route, and the information on the estimated acceleration a at the elapsed time t in the driving route information DI obtained in step S20. The arithmetic unit 30 calculates the temporary driving resistance VFdrv using these total vehicle weight W, air resistance coefficient Cd, frontal projected area A, rolling resistance coefficient u, slope of the predetermined driving route, driving speed V, and acceleration a, the preset air density ρ, and the gravitational acceleration g.

[0075] Next, in step S40, the arithmetic unit 30 obtains weather information WI from the storage unit of the server SV as information for obtaining an estimated value of the consumed energy. As information representing the state of the atmosphere and various phenomena in the atmosphere, the weather information WI includes information on the outside air temperature Te representing the predicted value of the temperature around the vehicle when the vehicle travels on a predetermined driving road, and information on the sunshine duration Su representing the predicted value of the sunshine duration of the predetermined driving road. In addition, the weather information WI includes the wind speed Ws representing the predicted value of the wind speed around the vehicle when the vehicle travels on the predetermined driving road, and the predicted weather information of the predetermined driving road. In the case of snow, the weather information of the predetermined driving road includes, for example, information on the snowfall amount Sf representing the predicted snowfall amount per unit time and information on the predicted snow depth Sd representing the predicted amount of snow accumulated at a specified observation point. In addition, for example, in the case of rain, the weather information of the predetermined driving road includes information on the rainfall amount Ra representing the predicted rainfall amount per unit time. The weather information WI including the information on the snowfall amount Sf, the information on the snow depth Sd, and the information on the rainfall amount Ra is water-related information related to the physical quantity of water-related substances on the road surface. In addition, the information on the snowfall amount Sf and the information on the snow depth Sd are snow information related to the physical quantity of snow on the road surface. Therefore, the communication unit 10 of the present embodiment that obtains the weather information WI related to these water-related substances functions as a water information acquisition unit.

[0076] The outside air temperature Te is set to 2°C, for example. The sunshine duration Su is set to 2 hours, for example. The wind speed Ws is set to 2 m / s, for example. The snowfall amount Sf is set to 1 cm / hour or 15 cm / day, for example. The snow depth Sd is set to 50 cm, for example. The rainfall amount Ra is set to 3 mm / hour or 40 mm / day, for example.

[0077] Then, based on the obtained weather information WI, the arithmetic unit 30 obtains information related to the state of water-related substances required for calculating the driving resistance Fdrv. As information related to the state of water-related substances, the arithmetic unit 30 obtains, for example, the road surface temperature Rte, which is the road surface temperature for estimating which of snow, ice, and water the water-related substances present on the road surface of the predetermined driving road include. The reason for requiring the road surface temperature Rte as information related to the state of water-related substances is that various changes occur in the state of water-related substances on the road surface based on the road surface temperature Rte.

[0078] For example, even if it snows on the road surface, in the case where it is assumed that the state where the road surface temperature Rte is 0°C or higher continues for a time longer than the time required for snow to melt, as Figure 10As shown, the snow on the road surface melts and becomes water. Additionally, even the water from melted snow will turn into ice on the road surface if the assumed road surface temperature Rte remains below 0°C for longer than the time required for water to freeze, as Figure 10 shown, the snow melted on the road surface changes from water to ice.

[0079] Moreover, after rainfall or snowfall occurs during the day when the road surface temperature Rte is above 0°C, and the road surface temperature Rte drops below 0°C at night or in an environment where the external air temperature Te is likely to decrease, the snow or water on the road surface turns into ice.

[0080] When the road surface temperature Rte changes in this way, the state of water-related substances changes. Moreover, the water-related substances existing on the road surface can be in any state of snow, ice, or water, or exist in a mixture of multiple proportions depending on various environmental conditions around the road surface. For example, if snow falls again on the ice formed by snow or water on the road surface, starting from the order closest to the road surface, it becomes a state where ice layers and snow layers are stacked.

[0081] The arithmetic unit 30 of the present embodiment obtains the road surface temperature Rte that causes the state change of water-related substances based on the meteorological information WI as information related to the state of water-related substances required for calculating the driving resistance Fdrv.

[0082] The road surface temperature Rte is affected by the external air temperature Te, sunshine duration Su, rainfall amount Ra, snowfall amount Sf, snow depth Sd, wind speed Ws, traffic volume Rt, traffic flow velocity Rs, road surface type Rk, etc. For example, the lower the external air temperature Te, the lower the road surface temperature Rte. Additionally, the road surface temperature Rte tends to become lower as the sunshine duration Su becomes shorter, tends to become lower as the rainfall amount Ra or snowfall amount Sf increases, and tends to become lower as the snow depth Sd becomes deeper. Moreover, the road surface temperature Rte tends to become lower as the wind speed Ws becomes stronger, tends to become lower as the traffic volume Rt decreases, and tends to become lower as the traffic flow velocity Rs slows down. In addition, the heat storage capacity of the road surface of the predetermined driving road varies depending on the material covering the road surface, and due to the aging of the road surface, the shape of ruts, etc. changes, so the way snow accumulates and rain accumulates on the road surface is different when there is snow on the road surface. Therefore, the road surface temperature Rte during snowfall or rainfall sometimes varies depending on the road surface type Rk.

[0083] The reason why the road surface temperature Rte decreases as the traffic volume Rt decreases is that as the traffic volume Rt decreases, the heat discharged from other vehicles (such as the heat dissipation, exhaust, and tire heat of internal combustion locomotives), which is the main reason for increasing the road surface temperature Rte, decreases.

[0084] Therefore, in the present embodiment, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the road surface temperature Rte based on the travel route information DI and the meteorological information WI using the following mathematical formula 12.

[0085] (Mathematical formula 12) As shown in the mathematical formula 12, the road surface temperature Rte is obtained by a function related to f with the outside air temperature Te, sunshine duration Su, rainfall Ra, snowfall Sf, snow depth Sd, wind speed Ws, traffic volume Rt, traffic flow velocity Rs, and road surface type Rk as variables for calculating the road surface temperature Rte. In addition, the part on the right side of the ratio " partial set" in the mathematical formula 12 indicates that when using the mathematical formula 12 to calculate the road surface temperature Rte, any one or more of the sunshine duration Su, rainfall Ra, snowfall Sf, snow depth Sd, wind speed Ws, traffic volume Rt, traffic flow velocity Rs, and road surface type Rk can be included, or all of them can be included, or it can be an empty set that does not include any of them.

[0086] That is, the road surface temperature Rte can also be calculated based only on the outside air temperature Te. Or, the road surface temperature Rte can also be calculated including any one or more of the sunshine duration Su, rainfall Ra, snowfall Sf, snow depth Sd, wind speed Ws, traffic volume Rt, traffic flow velocity Rs, and road surface type Rk in addition to the outside air temperature Te, or it can be calculated including all of them.

[0087] Then, the arithmetic unit 30 detects the state of water-related substances on the road surface based on the calculated road surface temperature Rte.

[0088] Then, in step S50, the arithmetic unit 30 uses the following mathematical formula 13 to calculate the increase amount of the driving resistance Fdrv increased due to the presence of water-related substances on the road surface of the predetermined travel road, that is, the resistance increase amount Fup.

[0089] (Mathematical formula 13) Fup = uWg * Hresistance Here, "Hresistance" in the mathematical formula 13 is a predetermined coefficient set in advance for calculating the resistance increase amount Fup, and is set to a value greater than 1.0. In addition, the water resistance coefficient Hresistance is set according to the state of water-related substances on the road surface.

[0090] Then, when the state of water-related substances on the road surface is snow, the water resistance coefficient Hresistance is, for example, based on Figure 11It is set by the two-dimensional mapping determined by the road surface snow depth RSd and the snow density RSs shown. The road surface snow depth RSd represents the predicted amount of snow accumulated on the road surface of the predetermined driving road. The snow density RSs represents the predicted mass per unit volume of the snow accumulated on the road surface of the predetermined driving road.

[0091] The road surface snow depth RSd can be calculated based on, for example, the snowfall amount Sf, the snow depth Sd, and the calculated road surface temperature Rte included in the meteorological information WI. The snow density RSs can be calculated based on the snowfall amount Sf and the snow depth Sd included in the meteorological information WI, the calculated road surface snow depth RSd, the road surface temperature Rte, the traffic volume Rt, the traffic flow velocity Rs, and the road surface type Rk included in the driving route information DI.

[0092] Then, the water resistance coefficient Hresistance when the road surface snow depth RSd is 0.1 m and the snow density RSs is 190 kg / m 3 is set to 1.25 based on the Figure 11 two-dimensional mapping shown.

[0093] In addition, when the state of the water-related substance on the road surface is ice, although not shown, the water resistance coefficient Hresistance is set based on the two-dimensional mapping determined by the rainfall amount Ra and the external air temperature Te.

[0094] In addition, when the state of the water-related substance on the road surface is water, although not shown, the water resistance coefficient Hresistance is set based on the corresponding mapping representing the correlation between the rainfall amount Ra and the water resistance coefficient Hresistance.

[0095] Then, in step S60, the arithmetic unit 30 uses the following mathematical formula 14 to calculate the driving resistance Fdrv when there is a water-related substance on the road surface of the predetermined driving road.

[0096] (Mathematical formula 14) Fdrv(t) = Wa(t) + 0.5 * ρ * Cd * Av 2 (t) + uWg + Wgsinθ(t) + Fup(t) Thus, when there is a water-related substance on the road surface of a predetermined driving route, the driving resistance Fdrv can be calculated based on the vehicle characteristic information CI, the driving route information DI, and the meteorological information WI. Then, in step S70, the arithmetic unit 30 uses the calculated driving resistance Fdrv to calculate the estimated energy consumption. Specifically, in the case where the vehicle is an electric vehicle, the estimated value of the energy consumption is calculated using the calculated driving resistance Fdrv and mathematical formulas 1 to 5. In addition, in the case where the vehicle is an engine vehicle, the estimated value of the energy consumption is calculated using the calculated driving resistance Fdrv and mathematical formulas 6 to 9.

[0097] When there is snow on the road surface of a predetermined driving route, a force is required to flatten the snow existing between the road surface and the tire. Moreover, the force for flattening the snow becomes the main cause for increasing the driving resistance Fdrv. Therefore, when there is snow on the road surface of a predetermined driving route, the energy consumption estimation device 1 can further consider the increase amount of the driving resistance Fdrv caused by the force for flattening the snow to obtain the estimated value of the energy consumption. Hereinafter, the increase amount of the driving resistance Fdrv caused by the force for flattening the snow is also referred to as the snow compressing increase amount Fsup.

[0098] The arithmetic unit 30 uses the following mathematical formula 15 to calculate the driving resistance Fdrv when there is snow on the road surface of a predetermined driving route.

[0099] (Mathematical formula 15) Fdrv(t) = Wa(t) + 0.5 * ρ * Cd * Av 2 (t) + uWg + Wgsinθ(t) + Fup(t) + Fsup(t) The snow compressing increase amount Fsup is determined by the total vehicle weight W, the pressure when the tire compresses the snow, and the resistance received from the snow when compressing the snow, i.e., the snow resistance R. Moreover, the larger the snow resistance R is, the larger the snow compressing increase amount Fsup becomes. Also, the smaller the snow density RSs is, the larger the snow resistance R becomes. Therefore, the smaller the snow density RSs is, the larger the snow compressing increase amount Fsup becomes.

[0100] Therefore, the snow compressing increase amount Fsup can be obtained according to the correlation map based on the snow resistance R and the snow density RSs.

[0101] However, the snow resistance R varies according to the pressure when the tire compresses the snow. Moreover, the pressure when the tire compresses the snow is determined by the total vehicle weight W and the tire contact area Tc included in the vehicle characteristic information CI. In addition, the total vehicle weight W and the tire contact area Tc vary for each vehicle C. For example, the larger the total vehicle weight W included in the vehicle characteristic information CI is, the larger the pressure generated when the tire compresses the snow becomes, and the larger the tire contact area Tc is, the larger the pressure generated when the tire compresses the snow becomes.

[0102] Here, the gross vehicle weight W and the tire contact area Tc can be roughly distinguished according to the vehicle type. For example, for a vehicle type with a larger gross vehicle weight W, it is easier to apply tires with a larger outer diameter and a larger tire width. Therefore, the tire contact area Tc tends to be larger. In contrast, for a vehicle type with a smaller gross vehicle weight W, it is easier to apply tires with a smaller outer diameter and a smaller tire width. Therefore, the tire contact area Tc tends to be smaller. Therefore, the gross vehicle weight W and the tire contact area Tc can be roughly distinguished according to the size of the vehicle C.

[0103] Therefore, as Figure 12 shown, in the arithmetic unit 30 of the present embodiment, three correlation maps based on the snow resistance R and the snow density RSs are determined in advance according to the size of the vehicle. Specifically, three correlation maps corresponding to a large vehicle with a relatively large gross vehicle weight W and a relatively large tire contact area Tc, a small vehicle with a relatively small gross vehicle weight W and a relatively small tire contact area Tc, and a medium vehicle with a standard gross vehicle weight W and tire contact area Tc are determined. As Figure 12 shown, the correlation maps are set with different slopes according to the small vehicle, the medium vehicle, and the large vehicle, and the snow resistance R for the same snow density RSs of the large vehicle with a larger tire contact area Tc is larger.

[0104] Then, the arithmetic unit 30 determines whether the vehicle C, which is the object of calculating the consumed energy, is a small vehicle, a medium vehicle, or a large vehicle based on the vehicle characteristic information CI. Then, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the snow compaction increase amount Fsup according to the correlation map corresponding to the type of the determined vehicle C. Thereby, the consumed energy estimation device 1 can estimate the consumed energy while considering the change in the driving resistance Fdrv caused by the force for flattening the snow.

[0105] As described above, the consumed energy estimation device 1 of the present embodiment includes: a communication unit 10 that acquires weather information WI, which is information related to water-related substances on the road surface; and an arithmetic unit 30 that estimates the consumed energy of a vehicle traveling on the road surface based on the weather information WI acquired by the communication unit 10.

[0106] When there are water-related substances on the road surface, the resistance of the vehicle C when traveling on the road surface becomes larger than when there are no water-related substances on the road surface. Therefore, when there are water-related substances on the road surface, the consumed energy changes compared to when there are no water-related substances on the road surface.

[0107] In this regard, the arithmetic unit 30 can estimate the consumed energy based on the weather information WI, which is information related to water-related substances, and can suppress the calculation error of the consumed energy caused by the presence of water-related substances. Therefore, the consumed energy estimation device 1 can calculate the consumed energy with high accuracy.

[0108] In addition, according to the above-described embodiments, the following effects can be obtained.

[0109] (1) In the above-described embodiments, the operation unit 30 estimates the driving resistance Fdrv based on the meteorological information WI, and estimates the consumed energy based on the estimated driving resistance Fdrv. According to the in-depth research of the inventor, due to the presence of water-related substances on the road surface, the driving resistance Fdrv changes. Moreover, since the driving resistance Fdrv changes, the consumed energy of the vehicle C changes. In this regard, by the operation unit 30 estimating the driving resistance Fdrv based on the meteorological information WI, even when the driving resistance Fdrv changes due to the presence of water-related substances, the driving resistance Fdrv can be calculated with high accuracy. Then, the operation unit 30 calculates the consumed energy based on the accurately calculated driving resistance Fdrv, and can calculate the consumed energy with high accuracy. (2) In the above-described embodiments, the operation unit 30 estimates the driving resistance Fdrv based on information related to the weather, and estimates the consumed energy based on the estimated driving resistance Fdrv. Thus, in the case where the weather is rain or snow or other weather that generates water-related substances on the road surface, by estimating the driving resistance Fdrv based on the information of the weather that generates water-related substances on the road surface, the driving resistance Fdrv can be calculated with high accuracy. Then, the operation unit 30 calculates the consumed energy based on the accurately calculated driving resistance Fdrv, and can calculate the consumed energy with high accuracy. (3) In the above-described embodiments, the meteorological information WI includes snow information, which is information related to snow on the road surface. The operation unit 30 estimates the driving resistance Fdrv based on the snow information, and estimates the consumed energy based on the estimated driving resistance Fdrv. According to the in-depth research of the inventor, the change amount of the driving resistance Fdrv varies depending on the state of the water-related substances present on the road surface. In this regard, by estimating the driving resistance Fdrv based on the snow information, in the case where the state of the water-related substances is snow, the driving resistance Fdrv corresponding to the snow can be calculated with high accuracy. Then, the operation unit 30 calculates the consumed energy based on the accurately calculated driving resistance Fdrv, and can calculate the consumed energy with high accuracy. (4)In the above-described embodiment, the snow information includes information on the depth of the snow accumulated on the road surface, i.e., the road surface snow depth RSd, and information on the density of the snow accumulated on the road surface, i.e., the snow density RSs. The arithmetic unit 30 estimates the driving resistance Fdrv based on the information on the road surface snow depth RSd and the snow density RSs, and estimates the consumed energy based on the estimated driving resistance Fdrv. Thus, by estimating the driving resistance Fdrv based on the information on the road surface snow depth RSd and the snow density RSs that affect the change amount of the driving resistance Fdrv, the driving resistance Fdrv can be calculated with high precision. Then, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the consumed energy based on the driving resistance Fdrv calculated with high precision, and can calculate the consumed energy with high precision. (5)In the above-described embodiment, the communication unit 10 that acquires the vehicle characteristic information CI is included. The arithmetic unit 30 estimates the consumed energy based on the vehicle characteristic information CI acquired by the communication unit 10. According to the in-depth research of the inventor, the driving resistance Fdrv varies according to the vehicle characteristics. In this regard, the arithmetic unit 30 can calculate the driving resistance Fdrv with high precision by estimating the driving resistance Fdrv based on the vehicle characteristic information CI. Then, the arithmetic unit 30 calculates the consumed energy based on the driving resistance Fdrv calculated with high precision, and can calculate the consumed energy with high precision.

[0120] (6)In the above-described embodiment, the communication unit 10 that acquires the driving route information DI related to the predetermined position where the vehicle C travels is included. The arithmetic unit 30 estimates the consumed energy of the vehicle C traveling on the predetermined driving road based on the driving route information DI acquired by the communication unit 10.

[0121] Thus, the arithmetic unit 30 can estimate the predicted consumed energy when traveling on the predetermined driving road.

[0122] (Other Embodiments) As described above, the representative embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, but the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be variously modified, for example, in the following manner.

[0123] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the consumed energy estimation device 1 is configured separately from the vehicle C that is the object of estimating the consumed energy has been described, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the consumed energy estimation device 1 may be provided inside the vehicle C that is the object of estimating the consumed energy and may be configured integrally with the vehicle C.

[0124] In the above-described embodiment, an example is described in which the arithmetic unit 30 obtains the vehicle characteristic information CI as information for estimating the energy consumption from the storage unit 20 of the energy consumption estimation device 1, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the arithmetic unit 30 may also obtain the vehicle characteristic information CI from the vehicle C via the network N.

[0125] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the energy consumption estimation device 1 estimates the predicted energy consumption before the vehicle C travels on a predetermined driving road is described, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the energy consumption estimation device 1 may also estimate the energy consumption while the vehicle C is traveling on a predetermined driving road.

[0126] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the energy consumption estimation device 1 obtains information related to water-related substances on the road surface from the server SV is described, but it is not limited thereto. For example, the energy consumption estimation device 1 may also obtain it from a surrounding monitoring sensor that the sensor C20 has and that detects an object existing around the vehicle C.

[0127] Of course, in the above-described embodiment, the elements constituting the embodiment are not necessarily essential except in cases where they are specifically expressed as essential and cases where they are clearly considered essential in principle, etc.

[0128] In the above-described embodiment, in the case of numerical values such as the number, value, quantity, range, etc. of the elements constituting the embodiment, it is not limited to the specific quantity except in cases where it is specifically indicated as essential and cases where it is clearly limited to a specific quantity in principle, etc.

[0129] In the above-described embodiment, when it comes to the shape, positional relationship, etc. of the elements, etc., it is not limited to the shape, positional relationship, etc. except in cases where it is specifically indicated and cases where it is limited to a specific shape, positional relationship, etc. in principle, etc.

[0130] The arithmetic unit 30 and its method of the present disclosure can also be implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor and a memory, and the above processor is programmed to execute one or more functions embodied by a computer program. Alternatively, it may be that the arithmetic unit 30 and its method of the present disclosure are implemented by a dedicated computer provided by configuring a processor with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the arithmetic unit 30 and its method of the present disclosure can also be implemented by one or more dedicated computers, which are constituted by a combination of a processor programmed to execute one or more functions and a memory and a processor constituted by one or more hardware logic circuits. In addition, the computer program can also be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium as instructions to be executed by a computer.

Claims

1. An energy consumption estimating device, the energy consumption estimating device being an estimating device for estimating energy consumption of a vehicle traveling on a road, the energy consumption estimating device comprising: A water information acquisition unit, the water information acquisition unit acquires information related to water-related substances on the road surface, that is, water-related information; as well as An energy estimating unit estimates the energy consumption of the vehicle traveling on the road surface based on the water-related information acquired by the water information acquiring unit.

2. The energy consumption estimation device according to claim 1, wherein: The energy estimating unit estimates the running resistance based on the water-related information when a resistance component when the vehicle runs on the road surface is used as the running resistance, and estimates the consumption energy based on the estimated running resistance.

3. The energy consumption estimation device according to claim 2, wherein: The water-related information includes meteorological information related to weather. The energy estimating unit estimates the running resistance based on the weather information, and estimates the consumed energy based on the estimated running resistance.

4. The energy consumption estimation device according to claim 3, wherein: The weather information includes information related to snow on the road surface, namely, snow information. The energy estimating unit estimates the running resistance based on the snow information, and estimates the consumption energy based on the estimated running resistance.

5. The energy consumption estimation device according to claim 4, wherein: The snow information includes information on the depth of snow accumulated on the road surface, i.e., snow depth information, and information on the density of snow accumulated on the road surface, i.e., snow density information. The energy estimating unit estimates the running resistance based on the snow depth information and the snow density information, and estimates the consumption energy based on the estimated running resistance.

6. The energy consumption estimation device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that: A vehicle information acquisition unit is provided for acquiring vehicle characteristic information related to the characteristic of the vehicle which is a major factor causing the change in the running resistance, The energy estimating unit estimates the consumed energy based on the vehicle characteristic information acquired by the vehicle information acquiring unit.

7. The energy consumption estimating device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: comprising a position information acquisition unit, the position information acquisition unit acquiring predetermined position information related to a predetermined position where the vehicle is traveling, The energy estimation unit estimates the consumption energy of the vehicle traveling at the predetermined position based on the predetermined position information acquired by the position information acquisition unit.

8. A method for estimating energy consumption of a vehicle traveling on a road, comprising: Acquire information related to water-related substances on the road surface, i.e., water-related information, The consumed energy of the vehicle traveling on the road surface is estimated based on the water-related information acquired by the water information acquisition unit.

9. A computer program product having a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-readable program, The computer-readable program is configured to execute, when executed by a computer, an energy consumption estimating method for estimating energy consumption of a vehicle traveling on a road. In this energy consumption estimation method, Acquire information related to water-related substances on the road surface, i.e., water-related information, The consumed energy of the vehicle traveling on the road surface is estimated based on the water-related information acquired by the water information acquisition unit.

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