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

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 charging of a traction battery in an electric vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and device for determining a route for an electric vehicle, particularly, but not exclusively, for an electric motor vehicle. Technological background

[0002] Electric vehicles are experiencing significant development. One of the factors in the rise of electric vehicles is the range provided by the traction battery.

[0003] To improve the range 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 sunlight, these vehicles see their range improved by a few kilometers, or even a few tens of kilometers, which makes it possible to extend the intervals between charging the traction battery via charging stations connected to the electrical grid and / or to consider longer journeys without needing to recharge the traction battery via a charging station connected to the grid.

[0004] The increased range obtained by installing photovoltaic cells on an electric vehicle depends in particular on the amount of solar energy the vehicle receives during a journey. It therefore appears necessary to plan the routes of these vehicles as efficiently as possible to optimize the amount of solar energy received by the photovoltaic cells along the way. Summary of the present invention

[0005] One 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 wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication mode, known as V2V, the first vehicle corresponding to an electric vehicle comprising a set of photovoltaic cells configured to convert solar energy into electrical energy, the process 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 initial data; - reception, from a set of second vehicles according to the V2V wireless communication mode, of second data representative of a ground solar radiation map associated with the road environment, the set of second vehicles including at least one second vehicle; - prediction of a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route of the set of candidate routes as a function of the second data; - selection of 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] Collecting ground-level solar radiation data from one or more second vehicles in the same environment allows for a diversification of available data sources. This notably avoids potential connection problems with databases providing such data and / or provides access to field feedback from vehicles currently or previously traveling in the same road environment. Mapping solar radiation in the road environment makes it possible to estimate the amount of solar energy that could be received along each possible route connecting the destination of the first vehicle to its destination.Selecting the route based on the amount 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 charging the battery by solar energy and consequently increase the range of the first vehicle without needing to recharge the traction battery via a charging station.

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

[0010] According to another variant, the second data are obtained by each second vehicle in 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 acquiring satellite images, the second data being determined based on the images satellites, the second vehicle being connected via wireless communication to said database.

[0011] According to yet another variant, the determination of a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route is further 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 profile map of a set of road sections of the road environment; - determination of fourth data points representing a route profile for each candidate route in the set of candidate routes as a function of the third data points, the selection of the route from the set of candidate routes is also a function of the fourth data associated with each candidate route.

[0013] According to a further variant, the method further includes 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 further a function of the quantity of energy recoverable associated with each candidate route.

[0014] According to yet another variant, each second vehicle in 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 a further variant, the method further includes 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 route determination device for an electric vehicle, the device comprising a memory associated with a processor configured for the implementation of the steps of the process 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 includes instructions adapted for carrying out the steps of the process 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 an intermediate form 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 process according to the first aspect of the present invention.

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

[0022] On the other hand, this recording medium can also be a transmissible medium such as an electrical or optical signal, such a signal being able to be transmitted via an electrical or optical cable, by conventional or radio frequency, by self-directing laser beam, or by other means. The computer program according to the present invention can, 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 execute or to be used in the execution of the process in question. Brief description of the figures

[0024] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the description of the particular and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention below, with reference to the attached Figures 1 to 3, in which:

[0025] [Fig.1] schematically illustrates an environment including an electric vehicle, according to a particular embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] illustrates a device configured for determining a route for the electric vehicle of [Fig.1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] [Fig. 3] illustrates a flowchart of the different steps in a method for determining a route for the electric vehicle of [Fig. 1], according to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. Description of embodiment examples

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

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

[0030] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, the determination of a route for 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 using a wireless vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication method.

[0031] To this end, initial data representing the start and destination of a route to be traveled by the first vehicle are obtained, for example, from a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) of a navigation system installed in the first vehicle. A set of candidate routes is determined based on this initial data, for example, by the navigation system using map data stored in the first vehicle's memory or received from a remote server-type device to which the first vehicle is connected wirelessly. Secondary data representing a map of ground-level solar radiation (or solar irradiance) associated with the road environment in which the first vehicle is traveling is received from a set of second vehicles, including at least one second vehicle using V2V wireless communication.This second set of data is used to determine or predict the amount of solar energy received along each candidate route. A route is then selected based on the determined amounts of solar energy. For example, the route corresponding to the candidate route that maximizes the amount of solar energy received is selected from the set of candidate routes.

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

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

[0034] A single second vehicle 12 is illustrated in [Fig. 1] for clarity. However, the invention is not limited to such an example and extends to an environment road vehicle comprising a set of second vehicles including 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 positioned on the first vehicle 11 to capture solar energy radiated by the sun. The photovoltaic cells are thus, for example, positioned on the body of the first vehicle 11, for example on the hood, the roof, and / or the trunk. An electric vehicle corresponds to a vehicle whose powertrain consists of one or more electric motors only, or to a hybrid vehicle, that is to say, a vehicle with an internal combustion 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 a car, a truck, a bus.

[0039] The first vehicle 11 (and the second vehicle 12 when the latter corresponds to an electric vehicle) carries an electrified powertrain. Such a powertrain includes, for example, the following elements or components: - the vehicle's electric motor; - the traction battery which powers, in particular, the electric motor; - the system for charging or recharging the traction battery from the set of photovoltaic cells equipping 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 braking or deceleration phases of the vehicle.

[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] To this end, the first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 each comprise a communication system or interface including, for example, one or more communication antennas connected to a telematic control unit, referred to as a TCU (Telematic Control Unit), itself connected to one or more The vehicle's onboard computer system. The antenna(s), the TCU, and the computer(s) form, for example, a multiplexed architecture for providing various services essential for the proper functioning of the vehicle and for assisting the driver and / or passengers 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 CAN (Controller Area Network), CAN FD (Controller Area Network Flexible Data-Rate), FlexRay (according to ISO 17458), or Ethernet (according to ISO / IEC 802-3) data bus.

[0042] The first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 communicate advantageously 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), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and / or vehicle-to-pedestrian (V2P) communication, the pedestrians being equipped with mobile devices (for example a smartphone) configured to communicate with the vehicles.

[0043] The network infrastructure includes, for example, communication devices 101, 102, each device 101, 102 corresponding, for example, to an antenna of a cellular network of type LTE 4G or 5G 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, the set of nodes (i.e., the wireless communication systems or interfaces associated with the vehicles 11, 12 and the antennas or UBR 101, 102) of the network forms, for example, a wireless ad hoc network (also called a WANET (from the English "Wireless Ad Hoc Network") or a MANET (from the English "Mobile Ad Hoc Network")), corresponding to a decentralized wireless network. The wireless ad hoc network advantageously corresponds to a vehicular ad hoc network (or VANET, from the English "Vehicular Ad hoc NETwork") or to an intelligent vehicular ad hoc 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 a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication; each vehicle can communicate with the infrastructure in place in a vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication. infrastructure”); each vehicle can communicate with one or more pedestrians equipped with mobile devices (for example a smartphone) as part of a 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 relays between the "cloud" 100 and its servers 110 on the one hand, and the first and second vehicles 11, 12 on the other.

[0046] According to a particular embodiment, the first vehicle 11 and the second vehicle 12 communicate with each other via a direct communication method, which is, for example, in accordance with: - ITS G5 in Europe or DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications) in the United States, 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 a 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 further comprise each a geolocation system receiver enabling each vehicle 11, 12 to obtain data representative of its geographic 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 geographic 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 frame of reference for each vehicle, namely the world frame of reference.

[0048] The first vehicle 11 also includes a navigation system associated with an infotainment system, known as IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment), which controls the navigation system's HMI interface. The navigation system is configured to calculate a set of routes or paths between a starting point (beginning of the journey) and a point The destination (route destination) is determined using road mapping data of the road environment in which the first vehicle 11 is traveling, as known to a 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. Alternatively, the road mapping data is stored in memory accessible by the navigation system's controller (e.g., a computer), with only updates to the road mapping data being downloaded from the remote server, either automatically or upon request from 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 carried 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) via 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 enabling data communication between a vehicle 11, 12 and the "cloud" 100 are operational.

[0050] The data stored in the database(s) advantageously include data representative of solar radiation at ground level over a given territory (for example, a country, a continent, or a part of a country). For example, the ground-level solar radiation data includes ground-level solar radiation mapping data associated with the road environment 1, that is, the amount of solar radiation received by the ground for each portion of the road environment. For this purpose, the road environment is, for example, divided into cells, portions, or zones according to a defined grid, the size of the grid cells being, for example, on the order of 1 to a few square meters.

[0051] Such mapping makes it possible to determine the solar radiation received for each section of road within the entire road network forming the road environment 1. The data representing solar radiation at ground level correspond, for example, to solar irradiance or solar irradiation data. Solar irradiation is a radiometric quantity expressing the amount of solar energy received per unit area (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 111 satellite suite or determined from satellite images acquired by the 111 satellite suite, for example from the following data: - representative cloud cover data including, for example, a cloud cover index per area; and / or - representative cloud cover data obtained, for example, from cloud cover data and satellite altitude 111; and / or - representative atmospheric disturbance data obtained, for example, from radiometers onboard satellites 111; and / or - representative data of shadows on the ground (due for example to buildings and vegetation), this data being obtained for example 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] Various methods for determining representative data of solar radiation at ground level (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 solar radiation at ground level from Meteosat 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, initial data representing a start and destination of a journey for the first vehicle 11 are obtained.

[0055] The first data relating to the beginning to the end of the journey are entered for example via a graphical interface displayed on a touch screen display, for example controlled by the IVI computer of the first vehicle 11. This first data is 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 the destination was entered) obtained from the geolocation system receiver.

[0057] When the process is implemented by a mobile communication device embedded in the first vehicle 11, the first data are obtained 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 from a sequence of road segments linked together 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 representing a ground solar radiation map 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. In another example, the first vehicle 11 requires the second data from the second vehicles 12 to receive feedback from vehicles operating 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 affected to vehicles present or having been present in the area of ​​interest and / or to reduce the volume of second data to be transmitted by limiting the second data to that concerning the area of ​​interest.

[0064] The second data points are obtained, for example, from each second vehicle using: - data measured by one or more sensors on board each second vehicle during at least one journey undertaken 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 undertaken before the current time (for example, in the days, weeks, or months preceding the current time)). This data is, 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 irradiance 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 an array 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 one embodiment, the second data obtained from second vehicles 12 circulating at the current moment 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 accurate and relevant data.

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

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

[0068] The determination of the amount of solar energy received along each candidate route is, for example, also a function of information representative of a current time instant (the time instant at which the determination is carried out) and of the set of information representative of time instants at which the second set of data was obtained, particularly when the second set of data corresponds to data measured by the second set of vehicles before the current time. Taking into account the differences in time instants makes it possible to refine the calculations, for example by taking into account the difference in the sun's angle relative to the Earth's surface 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 amounts of solar energy received determined for the set of candidate routes in the fourth operation.

[0070] The selected route corresponds, for example, to the candidate route maximizing the amount of solar energy received. To this end, the amounts of solar energy calculated in the fourth operation are compared, 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 also taken into account when selecting the route.

[0073] To this end, fourth data representing a route profile for each candidate route of the set of candidate routes are determined or calculated based on third data representing a profile map of a set of road segments of the road environment 1.

[0074] The third data is, for example, received along with the second data from the second vehicle 12 using V2V wireless communication. According to one variant, this third data is included in the road mapping data used for calculating candidate routes, for example stored in a memory of the navigation system.

[0075] The third data includes, for example, representative data of the slopes associated with each section of road in the road environment 1.

[0076] The slope (denoted P) of a section of road is expressed, for example: - by a percentage, the slope P then being equal to the ratio between the vertical height H (a positive number corresponding to the difference between the highest and lowest points or equal to the absolute value of the elevation change) and the horizontal distance L between the highest and lowest points, 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, the 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 the angle 0 and the slope P is: P = tan(0), or 0 = arctan(P).

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

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

[0080] According to one embodiment, the amount of energy recoverable by regenerative braking is determined for each candidate route in the set of candidate routes based on the fourth route profile data. According to this embodiment, only the amount of recoverable energy associated with each candidate route is taken into account, in addition to the amount of solar energy received along each candidate route, 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 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 based on the selected route. The guidance includes, for example, displaying guidance instructions on a display screen of the first vehicle 11 (or the mobile communication device). In another variant, when the first vehicle 11 is an autonomous vehicle, it is automatically controlled via an autopilot system to follow the route.

[0084] Figure 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 specific and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention. The device 2 corresponds, for example, to a device embedded in the first vehicle 11 (for example, a computer), a device embedded in the second vehicle 12, or a mobile communication device embedded in the first vehicle 11.

[0085] Device 2 is, for example, configured to carry out at least some of the operations described opposite [Fig. 1] and / or the steps of the process described opposite [Fig. 3]. Examples of such a device 2 include, but are not limited to, embedded electronic equipment such as a vehicle's on-board computer, an electronic control unit such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a TCU, a controller, a computer, a server, or a mobile communication device (e.g., embedded in a vehicle and connected to that vehicle by wired or wireless communication). The elements of device 2, individually or in combination, may be integrated into a single integrated circuit, into several integrated circuits, and / or into discrete components. Device 2 can be implemented in the form of electronic circuits or software (or computer) modules or 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 process and / or for executing instructions from the 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 volatile and / or non-volatile memory, and / or includes a memory storage device that may include volatile and / or non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, flash, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0087] The computer code of the embedded software(s) including the instructions to be loaded and executed by the processor is for example stored on 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 (Telematic Control Unit), for example via a communication bus or through dedicated input / output ports.

[0089] According to a particular and non-limiting 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: - radio frequency RF interface, for example of the Wi-Fi® type (according to IEEE 802.11), for example in the 2.4 or 5 GHz frequency bands, or of the Bluetooth® type (according to IEEE 802.15.1), in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, or of the Sigfox type using UBN (Ultra Narrow Band) radio technology, or LoRa in the 868 MHz frequency band, 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", or in French "Réseau interconnecté local").

[0090] According to another particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 includes a communication interface 23 which allows communication to be established with other devices (such as other computers in the embedded 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 LVDS (Low Voltage Differential Signaling) network.

[0091] According to a particular and non-limiting embodiment, the device 2 can provide output signals to one or more external devices, such as a display screen 240, touch 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 more of the external devices is integrated into the device 2.

[0092] Figure 3 illustrates a flowchart of the different steps in 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 embodiment of the present invention. The method is implemented, for example, by a computer or set of computers in the vehicle or by a mobile communication device embedded in the vehicle, for example by device 2 in Figure 2.

[0093] In a first step 31, initial data representing a start and 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 representing a ground solar radiation map 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, a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route of the set of candidate routes is predicted as a function of the second data.

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

[0098] According to one variant, the variants and examples of the operations described in relation to [Fig.1] apply to the steps of the process in [Fig.3].

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

Claims

Demands

1. Method for determining a route for a first vehicle (11) travelling in a road environment (1), said first vehicle (11) being configured to communicate data according to a wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication mode, 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) initial data representative of a start and destination of a journey for said first vehicle (11); - determining (32) a set of candidate routes for said first vehicle (11) based on said initial data;- reception (33), from a set of second vehicles (12) according to said V2V wireless communication mode, of second data representing a ground solar radiation map associated with said road environment (1), said set of second vehicles (12) comprising at least one second vehicle; - prediction (34) of an amount of solar energy received along each candidate route of said set of candidate routes as a function of said second data; - selection (35) of a route from said set of candidate routes as a function of the amounts of solar energy associated with each candidate route of said set of candidate routes, the method 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.

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

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein 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 satellite network (111) configured for the acquisition of satellite images, said second data being determined according to said satellite images, said second vehicle being connected by wireless communication to said database.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said determination of a quantity of solar energy received along each candidate route is further 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. A method according to any 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 method, third data representing a profile map of a set of road segments of said road environment (1); - determining fourth data representing 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 further a function of the fourth data associated with each candidate route.

6. A method according to 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 energy recoverable associated with each candidate route.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein 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. 20 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 carrying out the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Vehicle (11) comprising the device (2) according to claim 8.

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