Method and device for determining a route for an electric vehicle equipped with photovoltaic cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and device for determining a route for a first electric vehicle (11) comprising a set of photovoltaic cells and traveling in a road environment (1). To this end, a set of candidate routes is determined for the first vehicle (11). Second data representing a ground-based solar radiation map associated with the road environment (1) are received from a set of second vehicles (12) via V2V wireless communication. The amount of solar energy received along each candidate route is predicted based on the second data. A route is selected from the set of candidate routes based on the amounts of solar energy associated with that set. Figure 1 for the abstract

Description

Title of the invention: Method and device for determining a route for an electric vehicle equipped with photovoltaic cells Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to methods and devices for optimizing the recharging of a traction battery of an electric vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and a device for determining a route for an electric vehicle, in particular but not exclusively for an electric motor vehicle. Technological background

[0002] Electric vehicles are experiencing significant growth. One of the factors behind the rise of electric vehicles is the autonomy allowed by the traction battery.

[0003] To improve the autonomy of electric vehicles, car manufacturers plan to equip certain electric vehicles with photovoltaic cells, for example arranged on the hood or roof of the vehicles. Depending on the level of sunshine, these vehicles see their autonomy improved by a few kilometers, or even a few dozen kilometers, which makes it possible to space out the recharging of the traction battery via charging stations connected to the electricity network and / or to consider longer journeys without needing to recharge the traction battery via a charging station connected to the network.

[0004] The increase in autonomy obtained by installing photovoltaic cells on an electric vehicle depends in particular on the quantity of solar energy that the vehicle receives during a journey. It therefore appears necessary to plan the journeys of these vehicles as best as possible to optimize the quantity of solar energy received by the photovoltaic cells along the journey. Summary of the present invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the problems of the technological background described above.

[0006] Another object of the present invention is to improve the planning of journeys made by an electric vehicle.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the present invention relates to a method for determining a route for a first vehicle traveling in a road environment, the first vehicle being configured to communicate data according to a vehicle-to-vehicle, or V2V, wireless communication mode, the first vehicle cor corresponding to an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy, the method comprising the following steps: - obtaining initial data representative of the start and destination of a journey for the first vehicle; - determination of a set of candidate routes for the first vehicle based on the first data; - reception, from a set of second vehicles according to the V2V wireless communication mode, of second data representative of a map of solar radiation on the ground associated with the road environment, the set of second vehicles comprising at least one second vehicle; - predicting an amount of solar energy received along each candidate route of the set of candidate routes based on the second data; - selecting a route from the set of candidate routes based on the quantities of solar energy associated with each candidate route in the set of candidate routes.

[0008] The collection of mapping data representing the solar radiation on the ground in a road environment of the first vehicle from one or more second vehicles in the environment makes it possible to vary the available data sources. This makes it possible in particular to overcome potential connection problems with the databases providing such data and / or to benefit from field feedback from vehicles traveling or having traveled in the road environment. The mapping relating to the solar radiation in the road environment makes it possible to estimate the quantity of solar energy that could be received along each possible route making it possible to connect the destination of the journey to be made with the first vehicle.Selecting the route based on the amounts of solar energy received along each candidate route, for example the one maximizing the amount of solar energy received, makes it possible to take into account the parameter of recharging the battery by solar energy and consequently increase the autonomy of the first vehicle without needing to recharge the traction battery via a charging station.

[0009] According to a variant, the selected route corresponds to the candidate route maximizing the quantity of solar energy received.

[0010] According to another variant, the second data are obtained by each second vehicle of the set of second vehicles from: - at least one sensor on board the second vehicle during at least one journey made in the road environment by the second vehicle; - a database associated with a satellite network configured for the acquisition of satellite images, the second data being determined based on the images satellites, the second vehicle being connected by wireless communication to said database.

[0011] According to another variant, the determination of a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route is furthermore a function of information representative of a current time instant and of a set of information representative of time instants of obtaining the second data.

[0012] According to another variant, the method further comprises the following steps: - reception, from the set of second vehicles according to the V2V wireless communication mode, of third data representative of a mapping of profiles of a set of road portions of the road environment; - determination of fourth data representative of a route profile for each candidate route of the set of candidate routes based on the third data, the selection of the route from the set of candidate routes being further a function of the fourth data associated with each candidate route.

[0013] According to an additional variant, the method further comprises a step of estimating a quantity of energy recoverable by regenerative braking for each candidate route of the set of candidate routes as a function of the fourth data, the selection of the route from the set of candidate routes being furthermore a function of the quantity of recoverable energy associated with each candidate route.

[0014] According to another variant, each second vehicle of the set of second vehicles corresponds to an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy.

[0015] According to an additional variant, the method further comprises a step of transmitting a request to said set of second vehicles according to said V2V communication mode to receive said second data.

[0016] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a device for determining a route for an electric vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for implementing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0017] According to a third aspect, the present invention relates to an electric vehicle, for example of the automobile type, comprising a device as described above according to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer program which comprises instructions adapted for executing the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention, in particular when the computer program is executed by at least one processor.

[0019] Such a computer program may use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a partially compiled form, or in any other desirable form.

[0020] According to a fifth aspect, the present invention relates to a computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the steps of the method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0021] On the one hand, the recording medium may be any entity or device capable of storing the program. For example, the medium may comprise a storage means, such as a ROM memory, a CD-ROM or a microelectronic circuit type ROM memory, or a magnetic recording means or a hard disk.

[0022] Furthermore, this recording medium may also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be conveyed via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or hertzian radio or by self-directed laser beam or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention may in particular be downloaded from an Internet-type network.

[0023] Alternatively, the recording medium may be an integrated circuit in which the computer program is incorporated, the integrated circuit being adapted to perform or to be used in performing the method in question. Brief description of the figures

[0024] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description of the particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the appended figures 1 to 3, in which:

[0025] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates an environment comprising an electric vehicle, according to a particular exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] illustrates a device configured for determining a route for the electric vehicle of [Fig.l], according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] [Fig.3] illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for determining a route for the electric vehicle of [Fig.l], according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Description of examples of implementation

[0028] A method and a device for determining a route for an electric vehicle will now be described in the following with joint reference to Figures 1 to 3. The same elements are identified with the same reference signs throughout the following description.

[0029] The terms "first(s)", "second(s)" (or "first(s)", "second(s)"), etc. are used in this document by arbitrary convention to enable different elements (such as operations, means, etc.) implemented in the embodiments described below to be identified and distinguished. Such elements may be distinct or correspond to a single element, depending on the embodiment.

[0030] According to a particular and non-limiting example of embodiment of the present invention, the determination of a route of a first vehicle corresponding to an electric vehicle equipped with a set of photovoltaic cells is implemented by the first vehicle, for example by one or more processors of one or more computers of the first vehicle. The first vehicle is advantageously configured to communicate data according to a vehicle-to-vehicle type wireless communication mode, called V2V (from the English “Vehicle-to-Vehicle”).

[0031] For this purpose, first data representative of a start and a destination of a journey to be traveled by the first vehicle are obtained, for example from an HMI (Human-Machine Interface) of a navigation system on board the first vehicle. A set of candidate routes is determined as a function of the first data, for example by the navigation system as a function of map data stored in the memory of the first vehicle or received from a remote device of the server type to which the first vehicle is connected in wireless communication. Second data representative of a map of solar radiation on the ground (or solar irradiance) associated with the road environment in which the first vehicle is traveling are received from a set of second vehicles comprising at least one second vehicle according to the V2V wireless communication mode.These second data are used to determine or predict an amount of solar energy received along each candidate route. A route is then selected based on the determined amounts of solar energy. The route corresponding to the candidate route maximizing the amount of solar energy received is for example selected from the set of candidate routes.

[0032] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a road environment 1 associated with a wireless communication network, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] The road environment 1 of [Fig.l] comprises a first vehicle 11 and a second vehicle 12.

[0034] A single second vehicle 12 is illustrated in [Fig.l] for clarity. However, the invention is not limited to such an example and extends to a road environment comprising a set of second vehicles comprising one or more second vehicles 12.

[0035] The first vehicle 11 advantageously corresponds to an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells, for example arranged in the form of panel(s) and arranged on the first vehicle 11 to capture the solar energy radiated by the sun. The photovoltaic cells are thus for example arranged on the bodywork of the first vehicle 11, for example on the hood, the roof and / or the trunk. An electric vehicle corresponds to a vehicle whose engine is formed of one or more electric motors only or to a hybrid vehicle, that is to say a vehicle with a thermal engine and one or more electric motors.

[0036] The second vehicle 12 corresponds for example to a vehicle with a thermal engine or to an electric vehicle.

[0037] According to a particular embodiment, each second vehicle 12 is similar to the first vehicle 11 in that it corresponds to an electric vehicle also comprising a set of photovoltaic cells.

[0038] The first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 each correspond to a land vehicle, for example an automobile, a truck, a bus.

[0039] The first vehicle 11 (and the second vehicle 12 when the latter corresponds to an electric vehicle) carries a so-called electrified powertrain. Such a powertrain comprises, for example, the following elements or components: - the vehicle's electric motor; - the traction battery supplying the electric motor in particular; - the system for charging or recharging the traction battery from the set of photovoltaic cells fitted to the vehicle (and optionally from an electrical network external to the vehicle, for example a domestic or public electrical network, a charging station); - a so-called energy recovery system to generate electrical energy during vehicle braking or deceleration phases.

[0040] The first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 correspond to so-called connected vehicles, that is to say vehicles configured to communicate data according to a wireless communication mode, for example via a wireless network infrastructure or according to a direct communication mode, for example according to the distance separating the first vehicle 11 from the second vehicle 12.

[0041] For this purpose, the first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 each comprise a communication system or interface comprising, for example, one or more communication antennas connected to a telematic control unit, called TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit”), itself connected to one or more computers of the on-board system of the vehicle. The antenna(s), the TCU unit and the computer(s) form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for the realization of various services useful for the proper functioning of the vehicle and to assist the driver and / or passengers of the vehicle in controlling the vehicle. The computer(s) and the TCU communicate and exchange data with each other via one or more computer buses, for example a communication bus of the CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (according to the ISO 17458 standard) or Ethernet (according to the ISO / IEC 802-3 standard) data bus type.

[0042] The first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 advantageously communicate using a so-called V2X communication system, for example based on the 3GPP LTE-V or IEEE 802.1 lp standards of ITS G5. In such a V2X communication system, each vehicle carries a node (or wireless communication system / interface) to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. "vehicle-to-infrastructure") and / or vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P), where pedestrians are equipped with mobile devices (e.g., a smartphone) configured to communicate with the vehicles.

[0043] The network infrastructure comprises, for example, communication devices 101, 102, each device 101, 102 corresponding, for example, to an antenna of a cellular network of the LTE 4G or 5G type or to a UBR (“Roadside Unit”), each corresponding to a node of the network, in addition to the nodes equipping the vehicles.

[0044] According to a particular embodiment, all of the nodes (i.e. the wireless communications systems or interfaces associated with the vehicles 11, 12 and the antennas or UBRs 101, 102) of the network form, for example, an ad hoc wireless network (also called WANET (from the English “Wireless Ad Hoc Network”) or MANET (from the English “Mobile Ad Hoc Network”)), corresponding to a decentralized wireless network. The ad hoc wireless network advantageously corresponds to an ad hoc vehicular network (or VANET, from the English “Vehicular Ad hoc NETwork”) or to an intelligent ad hoc vehicular network (or InVANET, from the English “Intelligent Vehicular Ad hoc NETwork”), also called a “GeoNetworking” network.In such a network, 2 or more vehicles, each carrying a node, can communicate with each other in the context of vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication; each vehicle can communicate with the infrastructure set up in the context of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication; each vehicle can communicate with one or more pedestrians equipped with mobile devices (for example, a smartphone (of . English: "Smartphone")) in the context of vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication.

[0045] The nodes corresponding to the antennas (or UBRs) 101 and 102 are advantageously connected to one or more remote servers 110 or to the “cloud” 100 (or in French “nuage”) via a wired and / or wireless connection. The antennas or UBRs 101 and 102 can thus act as a relay between the “cloud” 100 and its servers 110 on the one hand and the first and second vehicles 11, 12.

[0046] According to a particular embodiment, the first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 communicate with each other according to a direct communication mode, which is for example in accordance with: - ITS G5 in Europe or DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) in the United States of America, both of which are based on the IEEE 802.1 lp standard; or - LTE-V Mode 4 (Long-Term Evolution - Vehicle Mode 4) which enables V2V communications, also called sidelink communications) based on a direct LTE communication interface called PC5; such technology is described for example in the article entitled "Analytical Models of the Performance of C-V2X Mode 4 Vehicular Communications", written by Manuel Gonzalez-Martin, Miguel Sépulcre, Rafael Molina-Masegosa and Javier Gozalvez, and published in 2018.

[0047] The first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 each further comprise a geolocation system receiver enabling each vehicle 11, 12 to obtain data representative of its geographical position at any time, for example in the form of coordinates (latitude and longitude), via a satellite link with a set of satellites 111. The geolocation system corresponds for example to a system of the GPS (Global Positioning System), Galileo or GLONASS type. The geographical position obtained for each vehicle 11, 12 from a geolocation system is said to be absolute in that the coordinates are expressed in the same reference frame for each vehicle, namely the world reference frame.

[0048] The first vehicle 11 also has a navigation system associated with an infotainment system, called IVI (from the English “In-Vehicle Infotainment”) or in French “Infodivertissement embargo”), which controls the HMI interface of the navigation system. The navigation system is configured to calculate a set of routes or paths between a starting point (start of the journey) and an arrival point (destination of the journey) using road mapping data of the road environment in which the first vehicle 11 is traveling, as known from the person skilled in the art. The road mapping data is for example received from a remote device such as a cloud server 100 via a wireless connection between the first vehicle 11 and the cloud. According to another example, the road mapping data is stored in a memory accessible by the controller (for example a computer) of the navigation system, only the updates of the road mapping data being downloaded from the remote server, either automatically or at the request of the first vehicle 11.The navigation system corresponds for example to a navigation system integrated into the first vehicle 11 or implemented by a mobile communication device (for example a smartphone) in the form of a mobile application, the mobile communication device being embedded in the passenger compartment of the first vehicle 11 and for example connected by wired or wireless communication (for example by Bluetooth® or Wifi®) to the first vehicle 11.

[0049] Satellite image data is advantageously stored in one or more databases associated with one or more servers 110. The satellite image data is acquired by a set of satellites 111, for example geostationary satellites, the acquired data being transmitted to the database(s) by satellite link. This data is then accessible by the first vehicle 11 and / or each second vehicle 12 via the wireless network infrastructure when all the components of the chain allowing data communication between a vehicle 11, 12 and the “cloud” 100 are operational.

[0050] The data stored in the database(s) advantageously comprise data representative of the solar radiation on the ground in a given territory (for example a country, a continent or part of a country). For example, the solar radiation data on the ground comprise data mapping the solar radiation on the ground associated with the road environment 1, i.e. the quantity of solar radiation received by the ground for each portion of territory of the road environment. For this purpose, the road environment is for example divided into meshes, portions or zones according to a determined mesh, the size of the meshes of the mesh being for example of the order of 1 to a few m2.

[0051] Such mapping makes it possible to know the solar radiation received for each portion of road of the set of roads forming the road environment 1. The data representative of the solar radiation on the ground correspond for example to solar irradiance or solar irradiation data. Solar irradiation is a radiometric quantity expressing the quantity of solar energy received per unit of surface (defined for example in kilowatt hours per square meter (kWh / m2) or in joules per square meter (J / m2)). Such data are for example measured directly by the set of satellites 111 or determined from satellite images acquired by the set of satellites 111, for example from the following data: - representative cloud cover data including for example a cloud cover index by zone; and / or - representative cloud cover data obtained for example from cloud cover and satellite height data 111; and / or - data representative of atmospheric disturbance obtained for example from radiometers on board satellites 111; and / or - data representative of ground shadows (due for example to buildings and vegetation), these data being for example obtained by image processing, for example as described in the document entitled “Simultaneous detection of shadow and vegetation on high-resolution color aerial images”, by Tran-Thanh Ngo, Christophe Collet and Vincent Mazet, published on May 9, 2014 (HAL Id: hal-00988727).

[0052] Different methods for determining data representative of ground-based solar radiation (or solar irradiance or solar irradiation) are known to those skilled in the art. Examples of such methods are described in the document entitled "Determination of solar radiation using satellite images", by Lamissa Diabaté, published on March 6, 2014 (HAL Id: pastel-00956223) or in the document entitled "Estimation and mapping of the different components of ground-based solar radiation from Météosat images", by N. Bachari, N. Benabadji, A. Razagui and AH Belbachir, published in 2001.

[0053] A process for determining a route for the first vehicle 11 traveling in the road environment 1 is implemented by one or more computers of the first vehicle 11, i.e. by one or more processors of this or these computers, or by a mobile communication device on board the first vehicle 11.

[0054] In a first operation of the process, first data representative of a start and a destination of a journey for the first vehicle 11 are obtained.

[0055] The first data relating to the start and end of the journey are for example entered via a graphical interface displayed on a touch-interface display screen, for example controlled by the IVI computer of the first vehicle 11. These first data are then received by the computer controlling the navigation system of the first vehicle 11 from the IVI computer.

[0056] According to another example, only the destination is entered via the touchscreen graphical interface, the route start information corresponding to a current position of the first vehicle 11 (for example the GPS coordinates at the time of entering the destination) obtained from the geolocation system receiver.

[0057] When the process is implemented by a mobile communication device on board the first vehicle 11, the first data are obtained from the in the same way via the touch interface of the mobile communication device and / or via the receiver of the integrated geolocation system.

[0058] In a second operation of the process, a set of candidate routes is determined or calculated for the first vehicle 11 based on the first data, for example by the navigation system of the first vehicle 11 or by that of the on-board mobile communication device.

[0059] Depending on the road network, one or more candidate routes are calculated.

[0060] Each candidate route is calculated from mapping data describing the roads of the road environment, each candidate route corresponding to a path formed by a sequence of road sections connected to each other to connect the start of the journey to the destination.

[0061] In a third operation of the process, the first vehicle 11 receives second data representative of a solar radiation map on the ground associated with the road environment 1 from each second vehicle 12 of the set of second vehicles, according to the V2V wireless communication mode (either in direct communication or via the network infrastructure).

[0062] These second data are for example received following the transmission by the first vehicle 11 of a request to the set of second vehicles 12 present in the road environment 1 to receive the second data, according to the V2V or V2X communication mode.

[0063] The first vehicle 11 receives the second data from the set of second vehicles 12, for example in the event of a problem accessing the satellite data stored in the database 110. The first vehicle 11 then relies on the second vehicles to obtain this second data. According to another example, the first vehicle 11 requests the second data from the second vehicles 12 to benefit from ground feedback from the vehicles traveling in its road environment. The request includes, for example, the first data to indicate to the second vehicles 12 the spatial coverage or area of ​​interest of the required mapping, which makes it possible to reduce the number of second vehicles 12 impacted to the vehicles present or having been present in the area of ​​interest and / or to reduce the volume of the second data to be transmitted by limiting the second data to that concerning the area of ​​interest.

[0064] The second data are for example obtained from each second vehicle from: - data measured by one or more sensors embedded in each second vehicle during at least one journey made in the road environment 1 by the second vehicle 12 (for example a journey in progress when the second vehicle 12 is moving in the road environment 1 or one or more journeys made before the current time (for example in the days, weeks or months preceding the current time)). These data are for example stored in the memory of the second vehicle 12 as the second vehicle 12 moves in the road environment 1. Such a sensor corresponds for example to a solar irradiation sensor for second vehicles not equipped with photovoltaic cells or to a photovoltaic cell for a second vehicle of the electric vehicle type equipped with a set of photovoltaic cells; and / or - of the database(s) 110 associated with the satellite network 111 via a wireless link connecting the second vehicle 12 to the “cloud” 100, the second vehicle 12 acting as a relay between the first vehicle 11 and the database 110.

[0065] According to an alternative embodiment, the second data obtained from second vehicles 12 traveling at the current time in the road environment 1 are favored (for example only these second data are taken into account when they are available) to provide the first vehicle 11 with precise and relevant data.

[0066] The second data received from each second vehicle 12 are for example time-stamped (temporal information representative of the time of obtaining or acquisition of these second data is associated with the second data, for example in the form of metadata).

[0067] In a fourth operation of the process, an amount of solar energy received along each candidate route of the set of candidate routes is predicted or calculated based on the second data. This amount of solar energy is calculated from the information on solar radiation (or solar irradiance), knowing the surface area of ​​the set of photovoltaic cells and the efficiency of conversion of solar energy into electrical energy of these photovoltaic cells.

[0068] The determination of the quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route is for example furthermore a function of information representative of a current time instant (the time instant at which the determination is implemented) and of the set of information representative of time instants at which the second data are obtained, in particular when the second data correspond to data measured by the second vehicles before the current time instant. Taking into account the differences in time instants makes it possible to refine the calculations, for example by taking into account the difference in inclination of the sun with respect to the surface of the earth at the level of the road environment 1.

[0069] In a fifth operation of the process, a route is selected from the set of candidate routes based on the quantities of received solar energy determined for the set of candidate routes in the fourth operation.

[0070] The selected route corresponds for example to the candidate route maximizing the quantity of solar energy received. For this purpose, the quantities of solar energy calculated in the fourth operation are compared with each other and the maximum value is retained to select the associated candidate route.

[0071] According to a particular embodiment, a set of additional criteria are taken into account to select the route from the set of candidate routes.

[0072] For example, the profile associated with each route is further taken into account to select the route.

[0073] For this purpose, fourth data representative of a route profile for each candidate route of the set of candidate routes are determined or calculated as a function of third data representative of a profile mapping of a set of road portions of the road environment 1.

[0074] The third data are for example received with the second data from the second vehicle 12 according to the V2V wireless communication mode. According to a variant, these third data are included in the road map data used for calculating the candidate routes, for example stored in a memory of the navigation system.

[0075] The third data comprises, for example, data representative of the slopes associated with each portion of road of the roads of the road environment 1.

[0076] The slope (noted P) of a section of road is for example expressed: - by a percentage, the slope P then being equal to the ratio between the vertical height H (positive number corresponding to the difference between the highest point and the lowest point or equal to the absolute value of the difference in level) and the horizontal distance L between the highest point and the lowest point, this ratio being multiplied by 100 to obtain the slope expressed as a percentage, i.e. P = 100 x (H / L); or - by an angle 0 expressed in degrees, angle 0 corresponding to the angle between the hypotenuse of a right triangle (having as other sides the height H and the length L) and the side corresponding to the length L.

[0077] The ratio between angle 0 and slope P is: P = tan(0), or 0 = arctan(P).

[0078] The fourth data representative of the profile of each candidate route includes, for example, the slope information associated with all of the road portions forming each candidate route.

[0079] The profile of each candidate route makes it possible, for example, to calculate the ratio between the ascending (uphill) road portions and the descending (downhill) road portions, which makes it possible to estimate or predict for each candidate route a balance of electrical energy consumed and produced (for example by regenerative braking in the descending portions) for the first vehicle 11.

[0080] According to a variant, the quantity of energy recoverable by regenerative braking is determined for each candidate route of the set of candidate routes in function of the fourth route profile data. According to this variant, only the amount of recoverable energy associated with each candidate route is considered in addition to the amount of solar energy received along each candidate route is taken into account to select the route. For example, the route maximizing the sum of the amount of solar energy and the amount of recoverable energy is selected.

[0081] A weighting is for example associated with each criterion to give more importance to the criterion of quantity of solar energy in the selection of the route.

[0082] Optionally, other criteria are taken into account for the selection of the route such as the distance and / or the travel time associated with each candidate route, with for example an associated weighting.

[0083] According to a particular embodiment, guidance of the first vehicle 11 is implemented according to the selected route. The guidance comprises for example the display of guidance instructions on a display screen of the first vehicle 11 (or of the mobile communication device). According to a variant, when the first vehicle 11 corresponds to an autonomous vehicle, the first vehicle 11 is automatically controlled via an automatic piloting system to follow the route.

[0084] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a device 2 configured to determine a route for an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells, for example the first vehicle 11, according to various particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds for example to a device on board the first vehicle 11 (for example a computer), a device on board the second vehicle 12 or a mobile communication device on board the first vehicle 11.

[0085] The device 2 is for example configured for the implementation of at least part of the operations described with regard to [Fig. 1] and / or the steps of the method described with regard to [Fig. 3]. Examples of such a device 2 include, but are not limited to, on-board electronic equipment such as an on-board computer of a vehicle, an electronic calculator such as an ECU (“Electronic Control Unit”), a TCU, a controller, a computer, a server or a mobile communication device (for example on board a vehicle and connected by wired or wireless communication to this vehicle). The elements of the device 2, individually or in combination, can be integrated in a single integrated circuit, in several integrated circuits, and / or in discrete components.The device 2 can be implemented in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or even a combination of electronic circuits and software modules.

[0086] The device 2 comprises one (or more) processor(s) 20 configured to execute instructions for carrying out the steps of the method and / or for executing the instructions of the software or software embedded in the device 2. The processor 20 may include integrated memory, an input / output interface, and various circuits known to those skilled in the art. The device 2 further comprises at least one memory 21 corresponding for example to a volatile and / or non-volatile memory and / or comprises a memory storage device which may comprise volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic or optical disk.

[0087] The computer code of the embedded software(s) comprising the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored in the memory 21.

[0088] According to various particular and non-limiting embodiments, the device 2 is coupled in communication with other similar devices or systems and / or with communication devices, for example a TCU (from the English “Telematic Control Unit” or in French “Telematic Control Unit”), for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input / output ports.

[0089] According to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the device 2 comprises a block 22 of interface elements for communicating with external devices. The interface elements of the block 22 comprise one or more of the following interfaces: - RF radio frequency interface, for example Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, or Sigfox type using UBN (Ultra Narrow Band) radio technology, or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, LTE (LTE) “Long-Term Evolution”, LTE-Advanced, 5G; - USB interface (from the English “Universal Serial Bus” or “Universal Serial Bus” in French); - HDMI interface (from the English “High Definition Multimedia Interface” or “High Definition Multimedia Interface” in French); - LIN interface (from the English “Local Interconnect Network”).

[0090] According to another particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 comprises a communication interface 23 which makes it possible to establish communication with other devices (such as other computers of the on-board system) via a communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a transmitter configured to transmit and receive information and / or data via the communication channel 230. The communication interface 23 corresponds for example to a wired network of the LVDS type (from the English “Low Voltage Differential Signaling” or in French “Low Voltage Differential Transmission”).

[0091] According to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 240, touch-sensitive or not, one or more speakers 250 and / or other peripherals 260 (projection system) via output interfaces 24, 25 and 26 respectively. According to a variant, one or other of the external devices is integrated into the device 2.

[0092] [Fig. 3] illustrates a flowchart of the different steps of a method for determining a route for a vehicle traveling in a road environment, for example the first vehicle 11, according to a particular and non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method is for example implemented by a computer or set of computers of the vehicle or by a mobile communication device on board the vehicle, for example by the device 2 of [Fig. 2]

[0093] In a first step 31, first data representative of a start and a destination of a journey for the first vehicle are obtained.

[0094] In a second step 32, a set of candidate routes is determined for the first vehicle based on the first data.

[0095] In a third step 33, second data representative of a map of solar radiation on the ground associated with the road environment are received from a set of second vehicles according to a V2V wireless communication mode, the set of second vehicles comprising at least one second vehicle.

[0096] In a fourth step 34, an amount of solar energy received along each candidate route of the set of candidate routes is predicted based on the second data.

[0097] In a fifth step 35, a route is selected from the set of candidate routes based on the quantities of solar energy received along the set of candidate routes and determined in the fourth step 34.

[0098] According to a variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to [Fig.l] apply to the steps of the method of [Fig.3].

[0099] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but extends to a method for controlling a navigation system of a vehicle which would include secondary steps without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention. The same would apply to a device configured for implementing such a method.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for determining a route for a first vehicle (11) traveling in a road environment (1), said first vehicle (11) being configured to communicate data according to a vehicle-to-vehicle type wireless communication mode, called V2V, said first vehicle (11) corresponding to an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy, said method comprising the following steps: - obtaining (31) first data representative of a start and a destination of a journey for said first vehicle (11); - determining (32) a set of candidate routes for said first vehicle (11) as a function of said first data;- receiving (33), from a set of second vehicles (12) according to said V2V wireless communication mode, second data representative of a ground solar radiation map associated with said road environment (1), said set of second vehicles (12) comprising at least one second vehicle; - predicting (34) a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route of said set of candidate routes as a function of said second data; - selecting (35) a route from said set of candidate routes as a function of the quantities of solar energy associated with each candidate route of said set of candidate routes.;

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected route corresponds to the candidate route maximizing the amount of solar energy received.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, for which said second data are obtained by each second vehicle of said set of second vehicles (12) from: - at least one sensor on board said second vehicle (12) during at least one journey made in said road environment by said second vehicle; - a database (110) associated with a network of satellites (111) configured for the acquisition of satellite images, said second data being determined as a function of said satellite images, said second vehicle being connected in wireless communication to said database data.

4. Method according to claim 3, for which said determination of a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route is furthermore a function of information representative of a current time instant and of a set of information representative of time instants of obtaining said second data.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising the following steps: - receiving, from said set of second vehicles (12) according to said V2V wireless communication mode, third data representative of a profile map of a set of road portions of said road environment (1); - determining fourth data representative of a route profile for each candidate route of said set of candidate routes as a function of said third data, the selection of the route from said set of candidate routes being furthermore a function of the fourth data associated with each candidate route.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising a step of estimating an amount of energy recoverable by regenerative braking for each candidate route of said set of candidate routes as a function of said fourth data, the selection of the route from said set of candidate routes being further a function of the amount of recoverable energy associated with each candidate route.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, for which each second vehicle of said set of second vehicles (12) corresponds to an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a step of transmitting a request to said set of second vehicles (12) according to said V2V communication mode to receive said second data.

9. Device (2) for determining a route for an electric vehicle, said device comprising a memory (21) associated with at least one processor (20) configured for implementing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. Vehicle (11) comprising the device (2) according to claim 9.

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