Parking lot guiding system

Abstract

Provided is a parking lot guidance system capable of smoothing the use history of a plurality of chargers installed in a parking lot. A parking lot guidance system according to the present invention guides a parking space for a vehicle entering a parking lot provided with a plurality of parking spaces each provided with a charger and a notification unit, the parking lot guidance system comprising: a calculation unit that calculates a usage index, the use index indicates the degree of cumulative use of the chargers provided for each of the parking spaces; a selection unit that selects, on the basis of the calculated usage index, the charger having a small usage index; and an instruction unit that instructs the notification unit and a server connected to a terminal device used by a user of the vehicle to notify the user of the parking space in which the selected charger is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to parking guidance systems. Background Technology

[0002] In parking lots with multiple parking spaces equipped with chargers for charging batteries of electric vehicles, a technique is used to guide vehicles entering the parking lot to specific parking spaces. Patent Document 1 discloses a parking guidance device that preferentially guides vehicles to parking spaces where a predetermined charging time is longer than the required charging time.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 5630617

[0006] The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 focuses on guiding the power consumption of the charger, and therefore does not consider the burden on the charger or the degree of charger degradation associated with charging, such as the number of charging cycles, total charging time, and total power. Therefore, it is difficult to balance the degree of degradation of each charger. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a parking guidance system that can smooth out the degradation of multiple chargers installed in a parking lot.

[0009] Methods for solving problems

[0010] The parking guidance system of the present invention guides vehicles entering a parking lot having multiple parking spaces equipped with chargers and notification units to the parking spaces. The parking guidance system comprises: a calculation unit that calculates a usage index, the usage index representing the cumulative usage level of the chargers installed in each of the parking spaces; a selection unit that selects the charger with the smaller usage index based on the calculated usage index; and an instruction unit that instructs the notification unit and a server connected to a terminal device used by the user of the vehicle to notify the user of the parking space where the selected charger is installed.

[0011] Invention Effects

[0012] According to the present invention, a parking guidance system is provided that can smooth out the degradation of multiple chargers installed in a parking lot. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a parking lot equipped with a parking guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the functional modules of a parking guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedures performed by a parking guidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0017] 1 Parking guidance system; 2 Charger; 4 Notification unit; 10 Charger ECU; 11 Calculation unit; 20 Main charger ECU; 21 Calculation unit; 22 Selection unit; 23 Indication unit; 30 Server; 40 Terminal device. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, since the drawings are simplified, the technical scope of the embodiments should not be narrowed based on the description in the drawings. Also, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Additionally, in the following embodiments, when referring to the quantity of elements (including number, value, quantity, range, etc.), the reference is not limited to that specific quantity, except where specifically stated or clearly limited in principle to a particular quantity; the quantity may be more than or less than that specific quantity.

[0019] Furthermore, in the following embodiments, the constituent elements are not necessarily required, except where specifically stated or clearly considered necessary in principle. Similarly, in the following embodiments, when referring to the shape, positional relationship, etc., of constituent elements, etc., it is assumed to include shapes that are substantially similar to or analogous to that shape, etc., except where specifically stated or clearly not considered to be such in principle. The same applies to the aforementioned numerical values ​​(including number, value, quantity, range, etc.).

[0020] <Implementation Method>

[0021] Hereinafter, a parking guidance system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a parking lot P equipped with a parking guidance system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] The parking guidance system 1 is a system that guides vehicles V into parking spaces PS that are equipped with multiple parking spaces PS, each containing a charger 2, and charges the batteries of vehicles V. The parking lot P is configured with multiple parking spaces PS, each designated for parking a vehicle V. Vehicle V is an electric vehicle equipped with a battery that can be charged from an external power source.

[0023] Charger 2 is installed in each parking space PS. Charger 2 is supplied with power by a power supply unit not shown. Charger 2 has a charging socket 3 as a connection point to vehicle V, a notification unit 4, and a charger ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 10 or a main charger ECU 20. Charger 2 supplies charging power to the battery of vehicle V via a charging connection cable 3a.

[0024] The notification unit 4 may also be any one or a combination of means such as lighting, displaying the parking space PS as a parking location using text or images, and outputting sound broadcasts.

[0025] Charger ECU10 and main charger ECU20 control the power supply to vehicle V. In the parking lot P, multiple charger ECU10s or a single main charger ECU20 can be present. Charger ECU10s and main charger ECU20, as well as charger ECU10s themselves, can be communicatively connected via communication cables or wireless LAN. Subsequently used... Figure 2 and Figure 3 This section will explain the details of charger ECU10 and main charger ECU20.

[0026] Furthermore, as described later, the guidance display device for the parking space PS selected by the main charger ECU20 for guiding vehicle V can also be installed near the entrance of parking lot P. Additionally, charger ECU10 and main charger ECU20 are connected to network N.

[0027] Figure 2 This diagram illustrates the functional modules of a parking guidance system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the parking guidance system 1 includes a charger ECU 10 and a main charger ECU 20. The main charger ECU 20 can communicate with a server 30 via a network N. The server 30 can communicate with a terminal device 40 used by a user of vehicle V.

[0028] The charger ECU10 and the main charger ECU20 can communicate with each other. Both the charger ECU10 and the main charger ECU20 have functions such as receiving various settings related to battery charging of the charger 2 to control the power supply (charging amount), power supply time (charging time), and calculating charging costs. The main charger ECU20 is the parent device of the charger ECU10, and in addition to the functions of the charger ECU10, it also has functions such as selecting the parking space PS for users guiding vehicles V to park in parking lot P.

[0029] The charger ECU 10 includes a calculation unit 11. Additionally, the main charger ECU 20 includes a calculation unit 21, a selection unit 22, and an indication unit 23. The calculation unit 11 of the charger ECU 10 and the calculation unit 21 of the main charger ECU 20 have the same functions.

[0030] The calculation unit 11 of the charger ECU10 and the calculation unit 21 of the main charger ECU20 calculate usage indicators, which represent the cumulative usage level of the chargers 2 installed in each parking space PS. Usage indicators are, for example, indicators calculated based on the number of charging cycles, total charging time (h), and total electrical power (kWh) of the charger 2. It can be said that a charger 2 with a lower usage indicator has a lower degree of degradation.

[0031] The calculation unit 21 of the main charger ECU20 selects the charger 2 with the smaller usage index based on the calculated usage index. The selected charger 2 can also be the charger 2 with the lowest usage index, that is, the lowest degree of degradation, among the usable chargers 2.

[0032] The instruction unit 23 of the main charger ECU20 instructs the notification unit 4 and the server 30 connected to the terminal device 40 used by the user to notify the user of the parking space PS of the selected charger 2.

[0033] The instruction unit 23 can also provide instructions so that the notification unit 4 can notify the user of the parking space PS by sending a flag to the charger ECU 10. The user of vehicle V can identify the parking space PS to be parked based on the notification from the notification unit 4.

[0034] Additionally, the instruction unit 23 can also send information confirming the selected charger 2 to the server 30 and instruct the terminal device 40 to display the parking space PS. The server 30 can, based on instructions from the main charger ECU 20, cause the terminal device 40 to display the parking space PS for which the selected charger 2 is located. The server 30 can also display the parking space PS at a search station capable of retrieving parking spaces P.

[0035] Terminal device 40 is a device used by the user of vehicle V, such as a smartphone or other mobile terminal. Based on information obtained from server 30, terminal device 40 displays the parking space PS's number and text on the screen and shows the parking space PS to the user of vehicle V. Additionally, the navigation function of terminal device 40 can be used to display a map of parking lot P on the screen and provide route guidance from the current location of vehicle V to the selected parking space PS.

[0036] In addition, as part of their hardware structure, the charger ECU10 and the main charger ECU20 each have a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and I / F (Interface). They are electrically connected to each other via a bus.

[0037] The CPU controls the operation of both the charger ECU10 and the main charger ECU20. The ROM stores programs executed by the CPU. RAM is used as the CPU's working space. The HDD stores programs and other data. The I / O ports are interfaces for inputting and outputting various signals and data with external devices.

[0038] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedures performed by a parking guidance system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] First, upon completion of charging of charger 2, the calculation unit 11 of charger ECU 10 and the calculation unit 21 of main charger ECU 20 calculate usage indicators (S101). The calculation of usage indicators is based on, for example, the number of charging cycles, total charging time, and total power. Charger ECU 10 sends the calculated usage indicators to main charger ECU 20 (S102).

[0040] The selection unit 22 of the main charger ECU 20 selects the charger 2 with the lowest usage index, i.e., the lowest degree of degradation, based on the usage index obtained from each charger ECU 10 (S103). The instruction unit 23 of the main charger ECU 20 instructs the notification unit 4 and the server 30 of the selected charger 2 to display the parking space PS in which the selected charger 2 is installed (S104).

[0041] For the indication of the parking space PS where the charger 2 is located on the display of the indicator unit 23, for example, it can be a means of sending "low pressure flag: 1" to the charger ECU 10 of the selected charger 2 and "low pressure flag: 0" to the charger ECU 10 of other chargers 2. Alternatively, it can be a means of sending information determining the selected charger 2 to the server 30.

[0042] Server 30 displays the parking space PS of the selected charger 2 at the search site (S105). The notification unit 4 of the selected charger 2 notifies the user of vehicle V of the parking space PS as the parking location (S106). Furthermore, the order of processing in S105 and S106 is not limited.

[0043] <Effects of Parking Guidance System 1 in this Embodiment>

[0044] The parking guidance system 1 of this embodiment can also be applied to situations where large-scale charging equipment such as charging stations are not designed from scratch, or to situations where chargers 2 are added to existing parking lots P.

[0045] Furthermore, the parking guidance system 1 of this embodiment takes into account the load and degradation level of the multiple chargers 2 installed in the parking lot P, and guides the vehicle V towards the parking space PS with a charger 2 having a lower degradation level. Therefore, the parking guidance system 1 of this embodiment can smooth out the usage history of the multiple chargers 2 installed in the parking lot P.

[0046] The present invention has been described above in conjunction with the above embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the structure of the above embodiments, but naturally includes various modifications, alterations and combinations that can be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical solutions of the claims in the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A parking guidance system, wherein the parking guidance system guides vehicles entering a parking lot having multiple parking spaces equipped with chargers and notification units to the parking spaces, wherein, The parking guidance system has the following features: A calculation unit calculates usage indicators, which represent the cumulative usage of the chargers installed in each of the parking spaces; The selection unit selects the charger with the smaller usage index based on the calculated usage index. as well as The instruction unit instructs the notification unit and the server connected to the terminal device used by the user of the vehicle to notify the user of the parking space where the selected charger is located.

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