Travelable range acquisition system

Abstract

To provide technology that increases the possibility of the accuracy of estimating a travelable range being improved.SOLUTION: A travelable range acquisition system is constituted by comprising: a current location acquisition unit for acquiring the current location of a vehicle; a remaining energy amount acquisition unit for acquiring the remaining energy amount of the vehicle; a deceleration point acquisition unit that, when the vehicle travels from the current location, acquires, on the basis of map information, a deceleration point having the cause of deceleration estimated that the vehicle would decelerate; and a range estimation unit that, when the vehicle decelerates at the deceleration point for the cause of deceleration and re-accelerates to travel, estimates a travelable range that the vehicle is capable of traveling from the current location with the remaining energy amount.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a travelable range acquisition system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various methods for calculating the cruising range of an electric vehicle have been proposed. In Patent Document 1, when calculating the cruising range of a vehicle based on the electricity cost of the vehicle and the remaining battery power, it is determined whether the driving state of the vehicle is a downhill driving state or a non-downhill driving state, and when the vehicle is in the downhill driving state, it is described that the improvement of the electricity cost is restricted. Patent Document 2 describes a method of changing the travelable range according to the energy consumption of equipment (such as air conditioning) used when a moving body is traveling.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, when estimating the travelable range of a vehicle, conventionally, deceleration or temporary stop of the vehicle has not been considered. The power consumption is different between the case of traveling at a constant vehicle speed without decelerating in the same section and the case of traveling with deceleration and then re-acceleration. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for increasing the possibility of improving the estimation accuracy of the travelable range.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, a travelable range acquisition system includes a current location acquisition unit that acquires the current location of a vehicle, a remaining energy amount acquisition unit that acquires the remaining energy amount of the vehicle, a deceleration point acquisition unit that acquires, based on map information, a deceleration point having a deceleration factor at which the vehicle is estimated to decelerate when the vehicle travels from the current location, and a range estimation unit that estimates, using the remaining energy amount, a travelable range within which the vehicle can travel from the current location when the vehicle decelerates due to the deceleration factor at the deceleration point and then re-accelerates to travel.

[0006] When decelerating due to a deceleration factor at a deceleration point and then re-accelerating to travel, more energy is consumed than when traveling at a constant speed without decelerating at the deceleration point. Since the travelable range acquisition system estimates the travelable range taking into account decelerating due to a deceleration factor at a deceleration point and then re-accelerating to travel, it is possible to increase the likelihood that the estimation accuracy of the travelable range is improved as compared with the case where deceleration is not considered.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Here, embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order. (1) Configuration of the travelable range acquisition system: (2) Travelable range acquisition process: (3) Other Embodiments:

[0009] (1) Configuration of the Travelable Range Acquisition System: FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a travelable range acquisition system 10 mounted on a vehicle. This travelable range acquisition system 10 is a system that acquires a travelable range (in this embodiment, the travelable range on the planned travel route to the destination) that can be traveled with the current remaining energy amount of the vehicle and displays it on a display unit or the like of the user I / F unit 45. In this embodiment, the travelable range acquisition system 10 is mounted on the vehicle and realized by a navigation system. The vehicle according to this embodiment is an electric vehicle (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicle) equipped with a rechargeable battery 52, and the electric power stored in the battery 52 is supplied to the motor 51 for driving. That is, the travelable range acquisition system 10 shown in FIG. 1 acquires a travelable range that can be traveled with the current remaining battery power of the battery 52.

[0010] The travelable range acquisition system 10 includes a control unit 20 including a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, etc., and a recording medium 30. The control unit 20 can execute a travelable range acquisition program 21 stored in a ROM or the like.

[0011] Map information 30a is recorded on the recording medium 30. In the present embodiment, the map information 30a includes node data, link data, shape interpolation point data, and facility data. The node data is data indicating the position of an intersection. The node data includes information indicating the presence or absence of a traffic signal. When the node corresponds to an IC (interchange) or a JCT (junction), the node data of the node includes identification information of the IC or JCT. The link data indicates a road section and is associated with nodes corresponding to the endpoints of the road section. That is, the link data indicates a link connecting nodes. In the present embodiment, the link data includes information indicating the road attribute of the road section indicated by the link data. The road attribute includes information indicating the road type, for example, an expressway, an automobile exclusive road, a national road, a prefectural road, a narrow street road, etc. The control unit 20 specifies the road scale according to the road type. Hereinafter, a road with a road type having a legal maximum speed greater than the threshold is called an expressway, and a road type with a threshold or less is called an ordinary road. Further, the link data is associated with shape interpolation point data indicating the position of a shape interpolation point for specifying the shape of the road between nodes. The control unit 20 can determine whether a curve section having a radius of curvature equal to or less than a predetermined value is included in the road section based on the shape interpolation point data. When various road features such as a stop sign or a railroad crossing are installed in the road section, the link data of the road section includes information indicating the position and type of the installed road feature. Further, the link data includes information indicating the road gradient and distance in the road section.

[0012] The facility data indicates the name, position, and attribute of facilities existing around the road or the like. The facilities in the present embodiment include various facilities that can be destinations. For example, the name, position, attribute, etc. of rest areas such as SA (service area) and PA (parking area), stores, commercial facilities, public facilities, charging facilities, etc. are defined as facility data.

[0013] The vehicle in this embodiment includes a GNSS receiver 41, a vehicle speed sensor 42, a gyro sensor 43, a communication unit 44, a user I / F unit 45, a vehicle control ECU 50 that controls the vehicle, a motor 51, and a battery 52.

[0014] The GNSS receiver 41 is a device that receives signals of the Global Navigation Satellite System. The GNSS receiver 41 receives radio waves from navigation satellites and outputs a signal for calculating the position of the vehicle via an interface (not shown). The control unit 20 acquires this signal to obtain the position of the vehicle. The vehicle speed sensor 42 outputs a signal corresponding to the rotational speed of the wheels provided on the vehicle. The control unit 20 acquires this signal via an interface (not shown) to obtain the vehicle speed.

[0015] The gyro sensor 43 detects the angular acceleration about the turning of the vehicle in the horizontal plane and outputs a signal corresponding to the direction of the vehicle. The control unit 20 acquires this signal to obtain the traveling direction of the vehicle. The vehicle speed sensor 42, the gyro sensor 43, etc. are used to specify the traveling trajectory of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the control unit 20 specifies the position of the vehicle based on the departure location and the traveling trajectory of the vehicle, and corrects the current position of the vehicle specified based on the departure location and the traveling trajectory according to the output signal of the GNSS receiver 41. Further, the control unit 20 performs map matching processing based on the trajectory of the position of the vehicle and the map information 30a to specify the position of the vehicle on the road.

[0016] In addition, the vehicle in this embodiment includes a timing unit (not shown) and an outside air temperature sensor. The control unit 20 acquires the current time according to the output of the timing unit. The timing unit corrects the current time according to the output of the GNSS receiver 41. Further, the control unit 20 acquires the outside air temperature based on the output of the outside air temperature sensor.

[0017] The communication unit 44 is a device for communicating with other devices. In the present embodiment, the control unit 20 communicates with the server 100 via the communication unit 44. The server 100 includes a communication unit 140, a control unit 120, and a recording medium 130. Map information (not shown) having the same configuration as the map information 30a is recorded on the recording medium 130 of the server 100. Further, probe data 130a is stored in the recording medium 130. The probe data 130a includes a vehicle ID, date and time, vehicle position, vehicle speed, and acceleration. The vehicle ID is identification information of the probe vehicle. The date and time are the date and time when the vehicle position, vehicle speed, and acceleration were obtained, respectively. Each time the probe vehicle travels a predetermined distance, it acquires the date and time, position, vehicle speed, and acceleration and records them in an in-vehicle recording medium, and is configured to transmit the probe data 130a together with the vehicle ID of its own vehicle to the server 100 at a predetermined upload timing. The server 100 receives the probe data 130a transmitted from a plurality of probe vehicles via the communication unit 140 and records it in the recording medium 130.

[0018] The control unit 120 of the server 100 analyzes the probe data 130a recorded in the recording medium 130 for each vehicle ID, and identifies the travel route of the probe vehicle and the signal intersections included in the travel route based on the map information. The control unit 120 determines whether the probe vehicle has stopped at the signal intersection based on the time interval between the probe data before and after the signal intersection, the vehicle speed, and the acceleration. The control unit 120 records in association with the signal intersection the combination of the entry direction in which the probe vehicle entered the signal intersection and the exit direction in which the probe vehicle exited the signal intersection, the presence or absence of a stop, and the passing date and time of the signal intersection. Further, the control unit 120 totals the number of probe vehicles that stopped and the number of probe vehicles that traveled without stopping for each combination of day of the week, time zone, entry direction, and exit direction, calculates the stop ratio of each signal intersection for each combination of day of the week, time zone, entry direction, and exit direction, and records it in the recording medium 130 as stop ratio data 130b.

[0019] When the control unit 120 of the server 100 receives a request for a stop ratio corresponding to a combination of a specified day-of-the-week time zone, a signal intersection, an entry direction, and an exit direction from the travelable range acquisition system 10, it acquires the corresponding stop ratio from the stop ratio data 130b and is configured to transmit it to the travelable range acquisition system 10.

[0020] The user I / F unit 45 is an interface unit for inputting instructions from the user and providing various types of information to the user, and includes a display unit composed of a touch panel type display (not shown), an input unit such as a switch, and an output unit such as a speaker. In the present embodiment, the travelable range estimated by the control unit 20 is displayed on the display unit of the user I / F unit 45.

[0021] The battery 52 is a high-voltage power storage device composed of, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a capacitor, and can be charged at a charging facility. The battery 52 is electrically connected to the motor 51, which is a driving power source, and drives the vehicle by supplying power from the battery 52 to the motor 51. A sensor (not shown) is attached to the battery 52, and the sensor outputs information indicating the remaining charge amount of the battery. Based on the output of the sensor, the vehicle control ECU 50 periodically estimates the SOC (State Of Charge) of the battery 52. The control unit 20 acquires the SOC from the vehicle control ECU 50 and estimates the remaining power amount of the battery 52.

[0022] The motor 51 is composed of, for example, a permanent magnet synchronous motor or an induction motor, and is connected to the drive wheels of a vehicle (not shown) so as to be capable of transmitting power. The motor 51 has a function as an electric motor that is driven by supplying at least electric power and outputs torque. Further, the motor 51 has a function as a generator that generates electric power when driven by receiving torque from the outside. That is, the motor 51 is a so-called motor-generator that has both the function as an electric motor and the function as a generator. The motor 51 is electrically connected to the battery 52 as described above. Therefore, the electric power stored in the battery 52 can be supplied to the motor 51, and the motor 51 can be made to function as an electric motor to output driving torque. Also, the motor 51 can be made to function as a generator by the torque transmitted from the drive wheels, and the regenerative electric power generated at that time can be stored in the battery 52. Note that the output rotation speed and output torque of the motor 51 are electrically controlled by the vehicle control ECU 50.

[0023] The vehicle control ECU 50 is an electronic control device mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and mainly controls the motor 51 in this embodiment. Specifically, the vehicle control ECU 50 can output a control signal to the motor 51, and operates the motor 51 by outputting the control signal to the motor 51 to drive the vehicle. Also, it is possible to rotate the motor 51 in the direction opposite to the rotation direction when the vehicle is running, and the regenerative electric power generated by this rotation is charged to the battery 52. That is, the switching between charging and discharging by the motor 51 is controlled by the control signal output by the vehicle control ECU 50, and the regenerative electric power is recovered.

[0024] The control unit 20 can execute programs stored in the recording medium 30 and the ROM. In this embodiment, it can execute a travelable range acquisition program 21 as this program. As described above, since the travelable range acquisition system 10 is realized by a navigation system, the control unit 20 can also execute a navigation program (not shown) recorded in the ROM or the like. The navigation program is a program that causes the control unit 20 to realize a function of displaying a map including the current location of the vehicle on the display unit of the user I / F unit 45 and guiding the driver to the destination.

[0025] When the above-described travelable range acquisition program 21 is executed, the control unit 20 functions as a current location acquisition unit 21a, a remaining energy amount acquisition unit 21b, a deceleration point acquisition unit 21c, and a range estimation unit 21d. The control unit 20 acquires the current location of the vehicle based on the output information of the GNSS reception unit 41, the vehicle speed sensor 42, and the gyro sensor 43 by the function of the current location acquisition unit 21a. By the function of the remaining energy amount acquisition unit 21b, the control unit 20 acquires the remaining energy amount of the vehicle. That is, the control unit 20 acquires the SOC of the battery 52 from the vehicle control ECU 50 and estimates the remaining battery power based on the SOC.

[0026] By the function of the deceleration point acquisition unit 21c, the control unit 20 acquires, based on the map information 30a, a deceleration point having a deceleration factor where the vehicle is estimated to decelerate when the vehicle travels from the current location. In this embodiment, when the user inputs a destination, the control unit 20 performs a route search from the current location to the destination. The route obtained by the search is called a planned travel route. The control unit 20 acquires the deceleration points on the planned travel route.

[0027] The control unit 20 determines whether a temporary stop point, a straight intersection with a traffic signal, an intersection requiring a right or left turn, and a point in a curve section are included in the planned travel route as deceleration points. If included, it acquires the position of the deceleration point and the deceleration factor of the deceleration point.

[0028] Specifically, for example, the control unit 20 refers to the node data of the nodes constituting the planned travel route, the link data of the links, and the facility data of the waypoints, and determines whether the planned travel route includes points where the vehicle is considered to stop or decelerate to a vehicle speed close to a stop, such as stop signs, level crossings, highway ICs, and stopping points. If these points are included, the control unit 20 acquires them as deceleration points where the deceleration factor is a temporary stop. Stopping points are, for example, SAs or PAs on highways. When the user specifies to stop at an SA or PA during route search, the SA or PA is included as a waypoint in the planned travel route.

[0029] Further, the control unit 20 extracts straight-ahead intersections on the planned travel route based on the entry direction and exit direction of each node constituting the planned travel route, and regards the intersections with traffic lights as straight-ahead intersections with traffic lights by referring to the node data of the extracted straight-ahead intersections. When the planned travel route includes a straight-ahead intersection with a traffic light, the control unit 20 acquires the straight-ahead intersection with the traffic light as a deceleration point. In addition, the control unit 20 acquires the predicted passing time of the straight-ahead intersection with the traffic light based on the planned travel route of the vehicle. Specifically, the control unit 20 adds the travel time of each link from the start point of the planned travel route to the current time to calculate the predicted passing time of the corresponding straight-ahead intersection with the traffic light. The travel time is calculated from the travel speed and distance of each link. The travel speed is a value corresponding to the road type of the link (it may be variable depending on the time of day, weather, traffic congestion information, regulation information, etc.).

[0030] In addition, the control unit 20 determines the presence or absence of right-turn intersections or left-turn intersections on the planned travel route based on the entry direction and exit direction of each node constituting the planned travel route. When the planned travel route includes intersections where the vehicle makes a right turn or a left turn, the control unit 20 acquires these points as intersections requiring right or left turns. The control unit 20 regards intersections requiring right or left turns as deceleration points regardless of the presence or absence of traffic lights.

[0031] Further, when shape interpolation point data is associated with each link constituting the planned travel route, the control unit 20 calculates the radius of curvature of the curve section within the link based on the shape interpolation point data. When the planned travel route includes a curve section with a radius of curvature equal to or less than a predetermined value (for example, R50), the control unit 20 acquires the point (for example, the starting point) of the curve section as a deceleration point. When the planned travel route includes a JCT on an expressway, the control unit 20 also acquires the JCT as a deceleration factor as the deceleration point of the curve section. In this way, by determining the presence or absence of a temporary stop point on the planned travel route, a straight intersection with a traffic signal, a right / left turn intersection, and considering deceleration at these deceleration points, it is possible to increase the possibility of improving the estimation accuracy of the drivable range described later.

[0032] By the function of the range estimation unit 21d, the control unit 20 estimates the drivable range within which the vehicle can travel from the current location. In the present embodiment, a table (referred to as the first table) of the power consumption per unit time of the vehicle according to the vehicle speed and gradient is recorded on the recording medium 30 (not shown). The values stored in the first table may be generated or updated based on the travel history of the vehicle. The control unit 20 sequentially acquires the length, gradient, and travel speed of the road sections constituting the planned travel route from the starting point side of the planned travel route based on the map information 30a. The road section is a section of the link. The road section may be each section when one link is divided at a gradient change point. The control unit 20 calculates the travel time of the road section from the travel speed and length of the road section. Then, the control unit 20 calculates the power consumption required for movement (movement power consumption) for each road section constituting the planned travel route according to the power consumption per unit time acquired from the first table according to the travel speed and gradient of the road section and the travel time of the road section.

[0033] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a table (referred to as the second table) of the power consumption per unit time of the air conditioner according to the outside air temperature is recorded in the recording medium 30 (not shown). The values stored in the second table may be generated or updated based on the usage history of the air conditioner by the user in the vehicle and the outside air temperature. Note that the power consumption per unit time of the air conditioner corresponding to the outside air temperature at which the air conditioner is not frequently used statistically is 0. The control unit 20 acquires the outside air temperature from the outside air temperature sensor. The control unit 20 calculates the power consumption required for the air conditioner (air-conditioning power consumption) for each road section constituting the planned travel route according to the power consumption per unit time acquired from the second table according to the outside air temperature and the travel time of each road section.

[0034] Furthermore, when the vehicle decelerates and then accelerates again at a deceleration point due to a deceleration factor, the control unit 20 calculates the extra power consumption (deceleration power consumption) compared to the case of traveling at a constant speed without decelerating at the deceleration point. FIG. 2A is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the power consumption (a) when traveling at a constant speed of speed V1 for distance D and the power consumption (b) when decelerating from traveling at speed V1 to speed V2 (<V1) at a predetermined acceleration in the section of distance D and then accelerating again to speed V1 at a predetermined acceleration. As shown in FIG. 2B, (b) consumes more power than (a).

[0035] FIG. 2B is a diagram showing, for each deceleration factor, an example of the amount of power consumption considered to be extra compared to constant-speed driving at the assumed traveling speed during one deceleration and re-acceleration. Since the traveling speed V1 of the link can vary depending on factors such as time of day, weather, traffic congestion information, and regulation information in addition to the road type, a table showing the correspondence between each traveling speed V1 and the extra power consumption amount is prepared for each deceleration factor, and when passing through the deceleration point on the planned travel route, the table corresponding to the estimated traveling speed V1 is referred to and the extra power consumption amount is obtained. Note that since the speed V2 after deceleration can also vary depending on factors such as time of day and weather, a table of the extra power consumption amount corresponding to the deceleration factor, traveling speed V1, and speed V2 after deceleration is prepared, and the table corresponding to the estimated traveling speed V1 and the estimated speed V2 after deceleration when passing through the deceleration point may be referred to and the extra power consumption amount may be obtained. Note that the values shown in FIG. 2B are merely examples and are appropriately changed according to the vehicle type and other conditions. As shown in FIG. 2B, for example, when the control unit 20 makes one right turn or left turn at an intersection on an ordinary road (regardless of the presence or absence of a traffic signal), it decelerates before the right turn or left turn and then re-accelerates, and it is estimated that, compared to traveling the same distance at the traveling speed on an ordinary road, for example, 23 Wh more power is consumed. The control unit 20 estimates that at a point on an ordinary road where a stop sign or a railroad crossing requires a temporary stop, by decelerating, stopping, starting, and accelerating, for each time, for example, 30 Wh more power is consumed than when traveling at a constant speed at the traveling speed on an ordinary road.

[0036] At highway ICs (entrances), SAs, and PAs, since the vehicle decelerates to a stop or a speed close to a stop and then accelerates, the control unit 20 estimates that, compared to traveling without decelerating at the traveling speed on the highway, for each time, for example, 60 Wh more power is consumed. Note that the extra power consumption amount at highway ICs (exits) may be regarded as being of the same degree as that at a stop sign or a railroad crossing on an ordinary road. For highway JCTs, since it is assumed that the vehicle decelerates before a curve section and re-accelerates after the curve section, the control unit 20 estimates that, compared to traveling without decelerating at the traveling speed on the highway, for each time, for example, 15 Wh more power is consumed.

[0037] In a curve section where the radius of curvature of a general road is equal to or less than a predetermined value, it is assumed that deceleration occurs before the curve section and acceleration occurs again after the curve section, similar to the case of a highway JCT. However, since the assumptions regarding the travel speed and the difference from the speed after deceleration are different from those of a highway JCT, the control unit 20 estimates that, for example, 23 Wh more power is consumed per time compared to the case of traveling without decelerating at the travel speed of a general road.

[0038] In the scenario of going straight through an intersection with a traffic signal on a general road, depending on the indication of the traffic signal, there are cases where it is possible to travel at the travel speed of a general road without stopping, and cases where one stops before the intersection and then accelerates. When stopping at a straight-ahead intersection with a traffic signal on a general road, the control unit 20 estimates that, for example, 30 Wh more power is consumed per time compared to the case of traveling without stopping (similar to the case of a stop sign or a level crossing).

[0039] Regarding a straight-ahead intersection with a traffic signal, the control unit 20 acquires the stop ratio at the straight-ahead intersection at the predicted passing time, and calculates the number of decelerations according to the acquired stop ratio of each straight-ahead intersection. Then, the control unit 20 estimates the travelable range in the case including decelerating and re-accelerating and traveling the number of times of deceleration.

[0040] Fig. 3 shows an example of the stop ratio in the time period from 8:00 to 12:00 at straight-ahead intersections I1, I2, and I3 with traffic signals on the planned travel route indicated by a thick black line. In this example, the stop ratios of I1, I2, and I3 are 30%, 60%, and 80% respectively. In this case, the control unit 20 regards that it stops 0.3 times at straight-ahead intersection I1, 0.6 times at straight-ahead intersection I2, and 0.8 times at straight-ahead intersection I3. Therefore, for example, the control unit 20 regards the extra power consumption at straight-ahead intersection I1 as 9 Wh, which is 30 Wh × 0.3 times. In this way, by using the stop ratio according to the predicted passing time, it is possible to increase the possibility of improving the estimation accuracy of the travelable range.

[0041] Note that the stop rate by the traffic signal at the straight intersection is obtained by the server 100 based on the probe data 130a as described above, and the control unit 20 acquires the stop rate of the corresponding intersection from the server 100. When the stop rate based on the probe data cannot be obtained, the control unit 20 acquires the stop rate based on the comparison result between the road scale of the intersecting road that intersects with the planned travel route at the straight intersection and the road scale of the planned travel route at the straight intersection. The control unit 20 identifies the road scale of each road from the road type of the link of the planned travel route and the road type of the link of the intersecting road. When the road scale of the planned travel route is smaller than the road scale of the intersecting road, the control unit 20 adopts a larger value as the stop rate than when it is larger. In this way, by using the probe data and the comparison result of the road scale, the accuracy of the stop rate can be improved, and as a result, the possibility of improving the estimation accuracy of the drivable range can be enhanced.

[0042] In this way, the control unit 20 calculates the power consumption amount (moving power consumption amount) according to the gradient and travel speed of the planned travel route and the power consumption amount (air-conditioning power consumption amount) according to the operating status of the air conditioner when traveling on the planned travel route, and sums them up. Further, when the vehicle decelerates and then accelerates again at the deceleration point due to the deceleration factor and travels, the power consumption amount (deceleration power consumption amount) that is considered to be consumed more than when traveling at a constant speed without decelerating at the deceleration point is added to calculate the power consumption amount of the planned travel route.

[0043] Then, the control unit 20 estimates the drivable range that the vehicle can travel from the current location based on the remaining energy amount. In the present embodiment, the control unit 20 calculates the sum of the moving power consumption, the air conditioning power consumption, and the deceleration power consumption for each road section, accumulates it from the start point side of the planned travel route, and identifies the road section that reaches the remaining power amount of the battery 52 (or a predetermined percentage (less than 100%) of the remaining power amount may be sufficient). Then, the user is guided to use the range from the current location to the road section as the drivable range. It may be configured to search for charging facilities within a predetermined width area around the planned travel route within the drivable range and propose the charging facility farthest from the start point of the planned travel route. FIG. 4A is an example of a screen that guides the entire planned travel route from the current location of the vehicle to the destination. As shown in FIG. 4A, the color of the planned travel route may be displayed in a gradation (the darker the gray, the more remaining power) representing the transition of the remaining power amount of the battery 52. Also, as shown by the numbers in FIG. 4A, the points where charging is proposed may be guided. In the example of FIG. 4A, No. 1 indicates the first charging point on the planned travel route, and No. 2 indicates the second charging point.

[0044] As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the drivable range acquisition system estimates the drivable range in consideration of deceleration and re-acceleration due to deceleration factors at deceleration points, the possibility of improving the estimation accuracy of the drivable range can be increased as compared with the case where deceleration is not considered.

[0045] (2) Planned travel range acquisition process: Next, the planned travel range acquisition process executed by the control unit 20 will be described with reference to FIG. 5A. The drivable range acquisition process is executed when the user sets a destination. When the planned travel range acquisition process is started, the control unit 20 acquires the planned travel route (step S100). That is, the control unit 20 acquires the current location of the vehicle based on the outputs of the GNSS receiver 41, the vehicle speed sensor 42, the gyro sensor 43, and the map information 30a by the function of the current location acquisition unit 21a, searches for a route from the current location to the destination, and acquires the planned travel route.

[0046] Subsequently, the control unit 20 obtains the power consumption required for the movement of the vehicle in consideration of the distance, vehicle speed, and gradient by the function of the range estimation unit 21d (step S105). That is, the control unit 20 refers to the first table and calculates the moving power consumption according to the distance, travel speed, and gradient of the road section for each road section constituting the planned travel route.

[0047] Subsequently, the control unit 20 obtains the power consumption of the air conditioner by the function of the range estimation unit 21d (step S110). That is, the control unit 20 refers to the second table and calculates the air-conditioning power consumption according to the outside air temperature for each road section.

[0048] Subsequently, the control unit 20 obtains the power consumption due to deceleration factors by the function of the range estimation unit 21d (step S115). FIG. 5B is a flowchart showing specific processing contents. Steps S200 to S220 are processes for obtaining deceleration points having deceleration factors included in the planned travel route. In step S200, when the planned travel route includes a general road and there is an intersection where a right or left turn is made on the general road of the planned travel route, the control unit 20 obtains the intersection as a deceleration point where the deceleration factor is a right / left turn. In step S205, when the planned travel route includes a general road and the general road of the planned travel route includes a stop sign or a railroad crossing, the control unit 20 obtains the location as a deceleration point where the deceleration factor is a stop sign or a railroad crossing.

[0049] In step S210, when the planned travel route includes an expressway and includes ICs through which passage is planned or SAs / PAs at which stops are planned, the control unit 20 obtains those locations as deceleration points where the deceleration factor is an IC / SA / PA. Also, when the planned travel route includes a JCT of the expressway, the control unit 20 obtains that location as a deceleration point where the deceleration factor is a JCT.

[0050] In step S215, when the planned travel route includes a straight intersection with a traffic signal, the control unit 20 acquires the intersection as a deceleration point where the deceleration factor is a straight intersection with a traffic signal. In step S220, when there is a curve section with a radius of curvature equal to or less than a predetermined value, the control unit 20 acquires the point of the curve section as a deceleration point where the deceleration factor is a curve section with a radius of curvature equal to or less than the predetermined value.

[0051] In step S225, the control unit 20 calculates the power consumption amount due to deceleration factors (deceleration power consumption amount) for each road section according to the deceleration factor. That is, when the deceleration points acquired in steps S200 to S220 exist in the road section, the control unit 20 calculates the extra power consumption amount due to the deceleration factor in the road section using the extra power consumption amount (see FIG. 2B) according to the deceleration factor of the deceleration point. When the straight intersection with a traffic signal is included in the road section, the control unit 20 calculates it by multiplying the above-mentioned stop ratio by the power consumption amount per time. When the stop ratio data 130b calculated based on the probe data 130a exists, the control unit 20 adopts that value as the stop ratio. When it does not exist, the control unit 20 adopts the stop ratio according to the comparison result between the road scale of the planned travel route and the road scale of the intersecting road.

[0052] After obtaining the power consumption amount due to the deceleration factor as described above in step S115, the control unit 20 estimates the travelable range (step S120). The control unit 20 acquires the SOC from the vehicle control ECU 50 by the function of the remaining energy amount acquisition unit 21b and estimates the remaining power amount based on the SOC. The control unit 20 accumulates the sum of the moving power consumption amount, the air conditioning power consumption amount, and the deceleration power consumption amount for each road section from the starting point side of the planned travel route by the function of the range estimation unit 21d. The control unit 20 identifies the road section where the accumulated value reaches the remaining power amount (it may be less than 100% of the predetermined remaining power amount), and the control unit 20 estimates that the section from the starting point of the planned travel route to the road section is the travelable range. Then, when displaying the planned travel route as shown in FIG. 4A, the control unit 20 displays the range that can be traveled with the remaining power amount.

[0053] (3) Other embodiments: The above embodiments are examples for implementing the present invention, and various other embodiments can also be adopted. For example, the travelable range acquisition system 10 may be a device mounted on a vehicle or the like, may be a device realized by a portable terminal, or may be a device realized by a plurality of devices (for example, a client and a server).

[0054] At least a part of the current location acquisition unit 21a, remaining energy amount acquisition unit 21b, deceleration point acquisition unit 21c, and range estimation unit 21d constituting the travelable range acquisition system may be divided and exist in a plurality of devices. For example, the functions of the deceleration point acquisition unit 21c and the range estimation unit 21d may be realized by a server. That is, the processing of acquiring the deceleration point and estimating the travelable range may be performed by the server, and the result may be notified to a client having a user I / F unit. Some configurations of the above-described embodiments may be omitted, or the order of processing may be changed or omitted.

[0055] The energy source for driving the vehicle is not limited to electric power. In a vehicle that travels by various energy sources including gasoline, the method of the travelable range acquisition system is applicable.

[0056] Furthermore, although the above embodiment was an aspect of estimating the travelable range on the planned travel route to the destination, it may be configured to estimate the travelable range from the current location in a state where the destination is not set. For example, the control unit 20 sets a plurality of virtual destinations at a plurality of directions based on the current location, and searches and acquires virtual routes from the current location to the virtual destinations respectively. The control unit 20 acquires deceleration points having deceleration factors on those virtual routes. Similar to the above embodiment, the control unit 20 acquires the points that the vehicle can reach for each virtual route based on the moving power consumption amount, the air conditioner power consumption amount, the deceleration factor power consumption amount, and the remaining energy amount. As shown in FIG. 4B, the control unit 20 may be configured to guide the user to use the area formed by connecting the reachable points of each virtual route as the travelable range.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the server 100 calculates the stop rate based on the probe data 130a has been described. However, the probe data 130a may be acquired from the server 100, and the travelable range acquisition system 10 may be configured to calculate the stop rate at a signalized intersection where the vehicle travels straight based on the probe data 130a.

[0058] Regarding the right and left turn intersections on the planned travel route, it may be configured to estimate the extra power consumption according to the intersection angle between the planned travel route before the intersection and the planned travel route after the intersection. For example, the smaller the intersection angle (acute angle) of the vehicle, the more it is regarded as decelerating to a low speed, and the power consumption when accelerating thereafter may be set to a larger value as the intersection angle becomes smaller.

[0059] The extra power consumption in the curve section may be estimated according to the magnitude of the radius of curvature. For example, the recommended vehicle speed in the curve section according to the radius of curvature is obtained, the difference from the travel speed according to the road type of the road including the curve section is calculated, and when decelerating from the travel speed to the recommended vehicle speed and then accelerating again in the curve section, the extra power consumption compared to the case of traveling straight without decelerating at the travel speed may be derived.

[0060] When there are a plurality of deceleration points within the threshold, they may be regarded as one deceleration point. For example, when the distance between two straight-ahead intersections with traffic lights is within the threshold, the plurality of straight-ahead intersections within the threshold may be regarded as one straight-ahead intersection, and the stop rate (for example, the stop rate of the first intersection passed among the plurality of straight-ahead intersections) may be obtained.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the travelable range is estimated in consideration of the power consumption of the air conditioner. However, the power consumption of power-consuming devices other than the air conditioner may also be considered. For example, the headlights and wipers may operate according to the time zone, weather, and the presence or absence of a tunnel section. Since the power consumption changes according to the operation of the headlights and wipers, the travelable range may be estimated in consideration of the power consumption according to the operation of the headlights and wipers.

[0062] Furthermore, the method of the present invention is also applicable as a program or a method. Also, the system, program, and method as described above may be realized as a single device, or may be realized by using components shared with each part provided in the vehicle, and include various aspects. Also, it can be appropriately changed, such as part being software and part being hardware. Furthermore, the invention is also established as a recording medium for a program that controls the system. Of course, the recording medium for the program may be a magnetic recording medium, a semiconductor memory, or any recording medium to be developed in the future, and can be considered in exactly the same way.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0063] 10…Travelable Range Acquisition System, 20…Control Unit, 21…Travelable Range Acquisition Program, 21a…Current Location Acquisition Unit, 21b…Remaining Energy Amount Acquisition Unit, 21c…Deceleration Point Acquisition Unit, 21d…Range Estimation Unit, 30…Recording Medium, 30a…Map Information, 41…GNSS Receiver, 42…Vehicle Speed Sensor, 43…Gyro Sensor, 44…Communication Unit, 45…User I / F Unit, 50…Vehicle Control ECU, 51…Motor, 52…Battery, 100…Server, 120…Control Unit, 130…Recording Medium, 130a…Probe Data, 130b…Stop Ratio Data, 140…Communication Unit, I1, I2, I3…Straight-Through Intersection with Traffic Lights

Claims

1. A current location acquisition unit that acquires the current location of the vehicle; A remaining energy amount acquisition unit that acquires the remaining energy amount of the vehicle; A deceleration point acquisition unit that acquires, based on map information, a deceleration point having a deceleration factor by which the vehicle is estimated to decelerate when the vehicle travels from the current location; A range estimation unit that estimates, using the remaining energy amount, a travelable range in which the vehicle can travel from the current location when the vehicle decelerates and then re-accelerates and travels at the deceleration point due to the deceleration factor; A travelable range acquisition system comprising the above.

2. The deceleration point includes at least any one of a stop point, a straight intersection with a traffic signal, an intersection requiring a right or left turn, and a point in a curve section. The travelable range acquisition system according to Claim 1.

3. The range estimation unit calculates an expected passing time for each straight intersection with a traffic signal as the deceleration point based on the planned travel route of the vehicle, calculates the number of decelerations according to the stop ratio at the straight intersection with a traffic signal at the expected passing time, and estimates the travelable range in the case including traveling while decelerating and then re-accelerating the calculated number of times. The travelable range acquisition system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2.

4. The stop ratio by the traffic signal at the straight intersection is acquired based on probe data. When the stop ratio based on the probe data cannot be acquired, the stop ratio is acquired based on the comparison result between the road scale of the intersecting road that intersects the planned travel route at the straight intersection and the road scale of the planned travel route at the straight intersection. When the road scale of the planned travel route is smaller than the road scale of the intersecting road, the stop ratio is larger than when it is larger. The travelable range acquisition system according to Claim 3.

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