Power feeding support device

Abstract

To make it less likely for an electric vehicle to enter a battery depletion state even if the electric vehicle is caught in a congestion.SOLUTION: A power feeding support device 20 comprises: a control unit 21 which detects an occurrence of a congestion on a road Rd; selects a vehicle that needs charging as a target vehicle based on vehicle information obtained for each vehicle from a plurality of vehicles 50 included in one or more vehicle trains that make up the congestion; and determines a vehicle allocation of a power feeding vehicle 40 that will provide power feeding to the target vehicle based on environmental information that indicates the situation around the target vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply assistance device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle communication system that includes a notification unit that, in the event of a power supply interruption, determines a route connecting the vehicle's position and an area of ​​power demand, notifies at least one vehicle equipped with an external power supply function to reach the area of ​​power demand along the route, and notifies other vehicles on the route to give priority to the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-056590 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Electric vehicles, which run on electricity stored from an external source, are known to have a shorter driving range than gasoline-powered vehicles. Therefore, there is a risk that they may run out of power and be unable to charge if, for example, they are caught in a large-scale traffic jam that exceeds their driving range, or if they are stranded due to a sudden change in weather.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to make it less likely for an electric vehicle to run out of power even when caught in traffic. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The power supply assistance device according to the present disclosure includes a control unit that detects the occurrence of a traffic jam on a road, selects a vehicle that needs charging as a destination vehicle based on vehicle information obtained for each of a plurality of vehicles included in one or more convoys that make up the detected traffic jam, and determines the allocation of a power supply vehicle to supply power to the destination vehicle based on environmental information that indicates the conditions around the destination vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the power supply assistance device according to the present disclosure, even if an electric vehicle is caught in traffic congestion, it is less likely to run out of power. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a power supply vehicle and a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 3] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of a power supply support device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0011] The configuration of a system 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0012] The system 10 includes a power supply assistance device 20, a roadside device 30, a plurality of candidates for power supply vehicles 40, and a plurality of vehicles 50. Note that there may be a plurality of power supply assistance devices 20 and a plurality of roadside devices 30.

[0013] The power supply support device 20 can communicate with the roadside device 30 and the power supply vehicle 40 via the network 60. The power supply vehicle 40 may be able to communicate with the vehicle 50 via the network 60. Furthermore, the power supply support device 20 may be able to communicate directly with the vehicle 50 via the network 60.

[0014] The power supply support device 20 is installed in a facility such as a data center. The power supply support device 20 is, for example, a server belonging to a cloud computing system or other computing system. The power supply support device 20 may be operated by a government agency or a private business operator.

[0015] The roadside unit 30 is installed in the vicinity of a road Rd. The road Rd is, for example, any road within the service area provided by the system 10 on which the vehicle 50 can travel. The road Rd includes, for example, expressways and general roads.

[0016] When each candidate power supply vehicle 40 is selected as a power supply vehicle 40 by the power supply assistance device 20, it moves to a destination vehicle 50' that needs to be charged among the vehicles 50 based on instructions from the power supply assistance device 20 and provides charging services to the destination vehicle 50'. An example of the power supply vehicle 40 is a vehicle equipped with a generator and a large-capacity battery system and capable of charging other vehicles through vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) charging. "V2V" is an abbreviation for vehicle-to-vehicle. The power supply vehicle 40 can be equipped with a battery or a generator. In the following description, the power supply vehicle 40 is assumed to be equipped with a portable battery. The capacity of the battery equipped in the power supply vehicle 40 and the type or size of the power supply vehicle 40 are not particularly limited as long as they can travel on the road Rd and supply power to the destination vehicle 50'. In the example of FIG. 1, a medium-sized wagon-type vehicle such as a minivan or a station wagon is illustrated as a candidate power supply vehicle 40. However, the candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 may include various types of vehicles of different sizes, such as small vehicles such as light passenger cars, large vehicles such as buses or trucks, or motorcycle-type vehicles. The type or size of the power supply vehicle 40 to be dispatched, the number of power supply vehicles 40 to be dispatched, and / or the capacity of the battery to be mounted on the power supply vehicle 40 to be dispatched are selected by the power supply support device 20. The procedure for selecting the power supply vehicle 40 from the candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 by the power supply support device 20 will be described later.

[0017] Each vehicle 50 is any type of electric vehicle, such as an HEV, PHEV, BEV, or FCEV. "HEV" is an abbreviation for hybrid electric vehicle. "PHEV" is an abbreviation for plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. "BEV" is an abbreviation for battery electric vehicle. "FCEV" is an abbreviation for fuel cell electric vehicle. The vehicle 50 is a vehicle other than the power supply vehicle 40, and includes privately owned vehicles and commercial vehicles. In this embodiment, the vehicle 50 is a privately owned vehicle, but is not limited to this and may be any vehicle that can be charged with power supplied from the power supply vehicle 40. In this embodiment, the vehicle 50 may be driven by a driver or may be an AV with any level of automated driving. "AV" is an abbreviation for autonomous vehicle. The level of automation is, for example, any of levels 1 to 5 in the SAE classification. "SAE" is an abbreviation for Society of Automotive Engineers.

[0018] Network 60 may include the Internet, at least one WAN, at least one MAN, or a combination thereof. "WAN" is an abbreviation for wide area network. "MAN" is an abbreviation for metropolitan area network. Network 60 may include at least one wireless network, at least one optical network, or a combination thereof. A wireless network may be, for example, an ad-hoc network, a cellular network, a wireless LAN, a satellite communication network, or a terrestrial microwave network. "LAN" is an abbreviation for local area network.

[0019] An overview of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0020] Electric mobility vehicles, such as electric vehicles, that can store externally supplied power are known to have a shorter cruising range than gasoline-powered vehicles. The cruising range of an electric vehicle is generally said to be 200 to 600 km. Therefore, when traveling long distances with an electric vehicle, charging times must be planned more frequently than with a gasoline-powered vehicle. However, for example, if an electric vehicle is caught in unexpected traffic jams or stranded due to bad weather such as heavy snow, it may not be able to reach the planned charging location and may run the risk of running out of power. A "running out of power" refers to a state in which an electric vehicle lacks the power required for traveling. When a charging vehicle 40 is dispatched into a congested traffic convoy L to charge an electric vehicle stuck in the traffic convoy, the charging vehicle 40 must weave its way through the congested traffic convoy L. Even if the power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched, if there is not enough space between the congested vehicle lines L for the power supply vehicle 40 to pass, the power supply vehicle 40 may not be able to pass between the vehicle lines L and may not be able to reach the destination vehicle 50' that needs to be charged. Also, if there are multiple destination vehicles 50' and a large amount of power is required to fully charge them, it is possible that the power supplied from the power supply vehicle 40 to the destination vehicles 50' will run out along the way. Furthermore, because the construction of charging stations requires high installation costs, the number and locations of installations are currently limited.

[0021] In the system 10 according to this embodiment, the power supply support device 20 detects the occurrence of a traffic jam on a road Rd, and selects a vehicle that needs to be charged as a destination vehicle 50' based on vehicle information D1 obtained for each of the multiple vehicles 50 included in one or more vehicle convoys L that make up the detected traffic jam. The power supply support device 20 determines the allocation of a power supply vehicle 40 that supplies power to the destination vehicle 50' based on environmental information D2 that indicates the situation around the destination vehicle 50'.

[0022] According to this embodiment, when a power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched to a congested vehicle train L, a destination vehicle 50' that needs to be charged is selected from among the multiple vehicles 50 included in the congested vehicle train L based on the vehicle information D1. Then, based on environmental information D2 indicating the surrounding conditions of the destination vehicle 50', the dispatch of the power supply vehicle 40 that supplies power to the destination vehicle 50' is determined. For example, if the inter-vehicle distance R1 between the vehicle train L1 including the destination vehicle 50' and the adjacent vehicle train L2 adjacent to the vehicle train L1 is smaller than the vehicle width W of the power supply vehicle 40, even if the power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched, the power supply vehicle 40 cannot pass between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 and cannot reach the destination vehicle 50'. According to this embodiment, for example, the inter-vehicle distance R1 between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 is measured based on the environmental information D2, and the size or type of the power supply vehicle 40 is determined based on the measurement result. Therefore, from among the candidates for the power supply vehicle 40, a vehicle that can pass between the vehicle line L1 and the adjacent vehicle line L2 is selected as the power supply vehicle 40. As a result, the risk that the power supply vehicle 40 will not be able to reach the destination vehicle 50' is reduced. In addition, it becomes easier to dispatch the power supply vehicle 40 to an appropriate location as needed without increasing the number of charging stations. Therefore, the vehicle 50 is less likely to run out of power even when caught in traffic.

[0023] In this embodiment, the vehicle information D1 includes battery data d1 indicating, for each vehicle, the remaining charge rm of the drive battery installed in each vehicle 50. The power supply support device 20 then selects, as a destination vehicle 50', a vehicle 50 whose remaining drive battery charge rm indicated in the vehicle information D1 is less than a battery threshold Th1. The vehicle information D1 may also include destination data d3 indicating the destination of each vehicle 50. The power supply support device 20 may adjust the amount of power supply for each of the one or more vehicles selected as the destination vehicles 50', in accordance with the remaining drive battery charge rm' for each vehicle indicated in the vehicle information D1' obtained from the one or more vehicles selected as the destination vehicles 50' and the remaining driving distance R2 to the destination.

[0024] The configuration of a power supply support device 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

[0025] The power supply support device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a communication unit 23.

[0026] The control unit 21 includes at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for specific processing. "CPU" is an abbreviation for central processing unit. "GPU" is an abbreviation for graphics processing unit. An example of the programmable circuit is an FPGA. "FPGA" is an abbreviation for field-programmable gate array. An example of the dedicated circuit is an ASIC. "ASIC" is an abbreviation for application specific integrated circuit. The control unit 21 controls each part of the power supply support device 20 and executes processing related to the operation of the power supply support device 20.

[0027] The storage unit 22 includes at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, a RAM or a ROM. "RAM" is an abbreviation for random access memory. "ROM" is an abbreviation for read only memory. RAM is, for example, an SRAM or a DRAM. "SRAM" is an abbreviation for static random access memory. "DRAM" is an abbreviation for dynamic random access memory. ROM is, for example, an EEPROM. "EEPROM" is an abbreviation for electrically erasable programmable read only memory. The storage unit 22 functions as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores data used in the operation of the power supply support device 20 and data obtained by the operation of the power supply support device 20. The storage unit 22 may store vehicle information D1. The storage unit 22 may also store environmental information D2. The environmental information D2 is information indicating the situation around the destination vehicle 50'. In this embodiment, the environmental information D2 includes image data d2 obtained by capturing an image of the area around the destination vehicle 50'. The storage unit 22 may also store traffic information D3 indicating the traffic volume on the road Rd.

[0028] The communication unit 23 includes at least one communication interface. The communication interface is, for example, a LAN interface. The communication unit 23 receives data used in the operation of the power supply assistance device 20 and transmits data obtained by the operation of the power supply assistance device 20. In this embodiment, the communication unit 23 communicates with the roadside device 30 and the power supply vehicle 40. The communication unit 23 may communicate directly with each vehicle 50 without going through the roadside device 30.

[0029] The functions of the power supply support device 20 are realized by executing a program according to this embodiment on a processor serving as the control unit 21. That is, the functions of the power supply support device 20 are realized by software. The program causes a computer to execute the operations of the power supply support device 20, thereby causing the computer to function as the power supply support device 20. That is, the computer functions as the power supply support device 20 by executing the operations of the power supply support device 20 in accordance with the program.

[0030] The program can be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include flash memory, magnetic recording devices, optical disks, magneto-optical recording media, and ROMs. The program can be distributed by selling, transferring, or lending portable media such as SD cards, DVDs, or CD-ROMs that store the program. "SD" is an abbreviation for Secure Digital. "DVD" is an abbreviation for digital versatile disc. "CD-ROM" is an abbreviation for compact disc read only memory. The program can also be distributed by storing it in the storage of a server and transferring it from the server to another computer. The program can also be provided as a program product.

[0031] A computer temporarily stores a program stored on a portable medium or transferred from a server in its main storage device. The computer then reads the program stored in the main storage device using a processor and executes processing in accordance with the read program. The computer may also read the program directly from a portable medium and execute processing in accordance with the program. The computer may also execute processing in accordance with the received program each time a program is transferred from a server to the computer. Processing may also be executed through a so-called ASP-type service that achieves its function simply by issuing an execution command and obtaining the results, without transferring the program from the server to the computer. "ASP" is an abbreviation for application service provider. Programs include information used for processing by a computer that is equivalent to a program. For example, data that does not directly instruct a computer but has properties that define computer processing falls under the category of "equivalent to a program."

[0032] Some or all of the functions of the power supply support device 20 may be implemented by a programmable circuit or a dedicated circuit as the control unit 21. In other words, some or all of the functions of the power supply support device 20 may be implemented by hardware.

[0033] The configuration of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50 have common components, and will be described using the same drawings. However, the two differ in that the power supply vehicle 40 has a power supply unit 46, and the vehicle 50 has a power receiving unit 56 and an imaging unit 57.

[0034] The power supply vehicle 40 includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, a communication unit 43, a positioning unit 44, a battery 45, and a power supply unit 46. The vehicle 50 includes a control unit 51, a memory unit 52, a communication unit 53, a positioning unit 54, a battery 55, a power receiving unit 56, and an imaging unit 57.

[0035] The control units 41 and 51 include at least one processor, at least one programmable circuit, at least one dedicated circuit, or any combination thereof. The processor is a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA. The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC. The control units 41 and 51 execute processes related to the operation of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50 while controlling each part of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50, respectively.

[0036] The storage units 42, 52 include at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of these. The semiconductor memory is, for example, RAM or ROM. The RAM is, for example, SRAM or DRAM. The ROM is, for example, EEPROM. The storage units 42, 52 function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage units 42, 52 store data used in the operation of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50, and data obtained by the operation of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50. The storage unit 52 stores vehicle information D1. In this embodiment, the vehicle information D1 includes battery data d1 indicating the remaining charge rm of the drive battery installed in each vehicle 50. The vehicle information D1 may also include destination data d3 indicating the destination of each vehicle 50.

[0037] The communication units 43, 53 include at least one communication interface. The communication interface is, for example, a LAN interface. The communication units 43, 53 receive data used for the operation of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50, and transmit data obtained by the operation of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50. In this embodiment, the communication unit 43 communicates with the power supply assistance device 20. The communication unit 53 of the vehicle 50 communicates with the roadside unit 30. The communication unit 43 of the power supply vehicle 40 may communicate with the vehicle 50. The communication unit 53 of the vehicle 50 may communicate with the power supply assistance device 20 and the power supply vehicle 40.

[0038] The positioning units 44, 54 include at least one GNSS receiver. "GNSS" is an abbreviation for global navigation satellite system. GNSS is, for example, GPS, QZSS, GLONASS, or Galileo. "GPS" is an abbreviation for Global Positioning System. "QZSS" is an abbreviation for Quasi-Zenith Satellite System. QZSS satellites are called quasi-zenith satellites. "GLONASS" is an abbreviation for Global Navigation Satellite System. The positioning units 44, 54 measure the positions of the power supply vehicle 40 and the vehicle 50, respectively. The positions are expressed by latitude and longitude, etc.

[0039] The batteries 45, 55 are configured to include, for example, a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, such as a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. Instead of a secondary battery, other power storage devices such as a multilayer capacitor may be used as the batteries 45, 55. The batteries 45, 55 include a control circuit that controls current, voltage, temperature, etc. The battery 45 may be a portable battery mounted, for example, on the rear of the power supply vehicle 40. The battery 55 is a drive battery for the vehicle 50. The battery 55 may be placed anywhere in the vehicle 50, such as under the rear seat of the vehicle 50 or in the luggage compartment.

[0040] The power supply unit 46 is a part that supplies power from the battery 45 from the power supply vehicle 40 to the vehicle 50. The power supply unit 46 can be configured to include, for example, a power supply cable and a connector provided at the tip of the power supply cable.

[0041] The power receiving unit 56 is a part that receives a supply of electric power from an external source in order to charge the battery 55. The power receiving unit 56 includes a charging port. The charging port includes a charging inlet to which a connector of a charging cable from the power supply vehicle 40 is connected. The charging port may be disposed in any position of the vehicle 50, such as an upper part of the front grille, a front fender, a rear fender, or a rear bumper.

[0042] Although it has been explained that power is supplied from the power supply vehicle 40 to the vehicle 50 by contact charging using a power supply cable or the like, this is not limited to this. For example, power may be supplied by non-contact charging, in which power is transmitted wirelessly from the power supply vehicle 40 to the vehicle 50 using a power transmission coil or the like as the power supply unit 46 and a coil or the like as the power receiving unit 56.

[0043] The imaging unit 57 includes an imaging device that generates an image of a subject within its field of view. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 57 is mounted on the vehicle 50 as an imaging device that captures images of the exterior of the vehicle 50. In this embodiment, the imaging device is a stereo camera that can measure the distance between the vehicle 50 and an adjacent vehicle. Alternatively, the imaging device may be a monocular camera, and the control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 may acquire images captured by the monocular camera serving as the imaging unit 57 from the vehicle 50 and analyze the images to measure the distance between the vehicle 50 and an adjacent vehicle. The camera includes an optical system such as a lens and an imaging element such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. "CCD" is an abbreviation for charge-coupled device. "CMOS" is an abbreviation for complementary metal oxide semiconductor. In this embodiment, the imaging unit 57 captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle 50. The imaging unit 57 may continuously capture images at a predetermined frame rate, for example, 30 fps. "fps" is an abbreviation for frames per second. The imaging unit 57 may be an external sensor. The external sensor is, for example, an on-board camera such as a front camera or a rear camera, LiDAR, millimeter-wave radar, laser radar, or an ultrasonic sensor. "LiDAR" is an abbreviation for light detection and ranging. The external sensor can detect, for example, the number of surrounding vehicles and their positions. The control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 may measure the distance between the vehicle 50 and a vehicle adjacent to the vehicle 50 based on the number of surrounding vehicles and their positions detected by the external sensor serving as the imaging unit 57.

[0044] The operation of the power supply support device 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. This operation corresponds to the power supply support method according to this embodiment. That is, the power supply support method according to this embodiment includes steps S1 to S6 shown in Fig. 3. Hereinafter, each step in the flowchart will be identified by an S and a number.

[0045] In S1, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 detects the occurrence of congestion on road Rd. The occurrence of congestion on road Rd may be detected by any procedure, for example, the following procedure. The control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 acquires traffic information D3 indicating traffic volume on road Rd. The traffic information D3 can be acquired by any procedure. For example, the control unit 21 communicates with an external server installed in a traffic information center or the like via the communication unit 23 and acquires the traffic information D3 by receiving the traffic information D3 transmitted from the external server. Alternatively, the control unit 21 may communicate with multiple vehicles 50 on road Rd via the roadside device 30 and determine the traffic volume on each road Rd based on, for example, the traveling speed of each vehicle 50 or the number of vehicles 50 counted per unit time, and acquire the determined result as the traffic information D3. The control unit 21 may communicate directly with the vehicles 50 instead of communicating with the vehicles 50 via the roadside device 30. The control unit 21 may store the acquired traffic information D3 in the storage unit 22. Alternatively, the traffic information D3 may be stored in advance in the storage unit 22. The control unit 21 detects the occurrence of congestion on road Rd based on the acquired traffic information D3. Specifically, when the traffic volume indicated by the traffic information D3 exceeds a predetermined traffic volume threshold Th2, the control unit 21 detects the occurrence of congestion on road Rd. The traffic volume threshold Th2 may be set to, for example, the maximum allowable traffic volume on road Rd. Alternatively, the control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 may communicate with the road-side unit 30 via the communication unit 23 to monitor the traveling speed, traveling time, etc. of each vehicle 50 traveling on road Rd, and detect the occurrence of congestion on road Rd when the monitored traveling speed remains below speed threshold Th3 for a certain period of time. The speed threshold Th3 may be set to, for example, a value that is X (km / h) lower than the speed limit of road Rd, based on the speed limit of road Rd.

[0046] In S2, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 acquires vehicle information D1. The vehicle information D1 may be acquired by any procedure, but is acquired, for example, by the following procedure. The control unit 21 identifies, via the roadside device 30, multiple vehicles 50 on the road Rd where congestion was detected in S1. Specifically, the control unit 21 identifies, as the multiple vehicles 50, vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504 on the road Rd as vehicles included in one or more vehicle trains L that make up the congestion detected in S1. Then, the control unit 21 communicates with each of the identified vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504 via the roadside device 30 and acquires the vehicle information D1 by receiving the vehicle information D1 transmitted from each of the vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504 via the communication unit 23. Instead of receiving the vehicle information D1 from each of the vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504 via the roadside device 30, the control unit 21 may acquire the vehicle information D1 by directly communicating with each of the vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504 via the network 60. In this embodiment, the vehicle information D1 includes battery data d1 indicating the remaining capacity rm of the driving battery installed in each of the vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504 for each vehicle.

[0047] In S3, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 selects, as a destination vehicle 50′, a vehicle that needs to be charged from among the vehicles 501, 502, 503, and 504, based on the vehicle information D1 acquired in S2. In this embodiment, the vehicle information D1 includes battery data d1 indicating, for each vehicle, the remaining charge rm (%) of the drive battery installed in each vehicle 50. The control unit 21 selects, as the destination vehicle 50′, a vehicle whose remaining charge rm of the drive battery indicated by the battery data d1 included in the vehicle information D1 is less than a battery threshold Th1. The control unit 21 may select one or more vehicles as the destination vehicle 50′. Here, the battery threshold Th1 may be, for example, a remaining battery charge rm sufficient to enable each vehicle 50 to travel the distance from its own position to the exit of the traffic jam. This is to enable a vehicle 50 caught in a traffic jam to exit the traffic jam without getting stuck in the middle of the traffic jam. The battery threshold Th1 may be set appropriately so that each vehicle 50 does not run out of power. As a modification of this embodiment, the vehicle information D1 may include information indicating, for each vehicle 50, whether or not a power supply service for receiving power has been reserved. Then, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 may select, from among the multiple vehicles 50, a vehicle that has reserved a power supply service for receiving power, as the destination vehicle 50', based on the vehicle information D1. Specifically, the control unit 21 may select, from among the multiple vehicles 50, a vehicle that is indicated as being registered for use of the power supply service provided by the system 10, based on the vehicle information D1, as the destination vehicle 50'.

[0048] In S4, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 acquires environmental information D2 indicating the surrounding conditions of the target vehicle 50′ selected in S3. In this embodiment, the environmental information D2 includes image data d2 obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the target vehicle 50′. That is, the control unit 21 communicates with the roadside device 30 via the communication unit 23 and acquires, as the environmental information D2, image data d2 obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the target vehicle 50′. As an example, assume that the vehicle 502 is selected as the target vehicle 50′ in S3. In this case, the control unit 21 communicates with the roadside device 30 via the communication unit 23, for example, and receives an image of the surroundings of the vehicle 502 that is captured by an imaging device serving as the imaging unit 57 in the vehicle 502 and transmitted from the vehicle 502. Alternatively, the control unit 21 may directly communicate with the vehicle 502 via the network 60 and acquire the image data d2 as the environmental information D2 from the vehicle 502.

[0049] In S5, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 selects a power supply vehicle 40 that supplies power to the destination vehicle 50' based on the environmental information D2 acquired in S4. Specifically, the control unit 21 selects, as the power supply vehicle 40', a vehicle that can reach the destination vehicle 50' from among a plurality of candidate power supply vehicles 40 based on the environmental information D2. In this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 selects the power supply vehicle 40 by the following procedure.

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, the environmental information D2 includes image data d2 obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the target vehicle 50′. The control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 measures the inter-vehicle distance R1 between the vehicle train L1 including the target vehicle 50′ and the adjacent vehicle train L2 adjacent to the vehicle train L1, based on the image data d2 included in the environmental information D2. The control unit 21 selects a type of vehicle to be assigned as the power supply vehicle 40′ from among the candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 based on the measured inter-vehicle distance R1. In this embodiment, the storage unit 22 has a database DB1 that stores the types of vehicles as candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 in association with their vehicle widths W. The control unit 21 refers to the database DB1, compares the measured inter-vehicle distance R1 with the vehicle widths W associated with each type of vehicle as a candidate for the power supply vehicle 40, and selects a vehicle type whose vehicle width W is smaller than the inter-vehicle distance R1. This is because if there is not enough space between the congested vehicle lines L (L1, L2) for the power supply vehicle 40 to pass, the power supply vehicle 40 cannot weave between the vehicle lines L (L1, L2) and therefore cannot reach the destination vehicle 50'. As an example, assume that the candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 include large vehicles such as buses or trucks, medium-sized wagon-type vehicles such as minivans or station wagons, small vehicles such as light passenger cars, and motorcycle-type vehicles. Assume also that the vehicle width W1 of the large vehicle is greater than the inter-vehicle line distance R1, the vehicle width W2 of the medium-sized vehicle is greater than the inter-vehicle line distance R1, the vehicle width W3 of the small vehicle is less than the inter-vehicle line distance R1, and the vehicle width W4 of the motorcycle-type vehicle is less than the inter-vehicle line distance R1. In this case, the control unit 21 can select either or both of a "small vehicle" and a "motorcycle-type vehicle" as the type of vehicle to be dispatched as the power supply vehicle 40'.

[0051] As a modification of this embodiment, the control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 may acquire environmental information D2' from multiple vehicles included in the same vehicle convoy L1 as the target vehicle 50' in S4. Then, in S5, the control unit 21 may determine the allocation of a power supply vehicle 40 that supplies power to the target vehicle 50' based on the environmental information D2'. That is, the control unit 21 may measure the inter-vehicle distance R1' between the vehicle convoy L1 and the adjacent vehicle convoy L2 based on image data d2' included in the environmental information D2' acquired from the multiple vehicles that make up the vehicle convoy L1.

[0052] The inter-vehicle distance R1' between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 may vary depending on the size of the vehicles included in each vehicle train L (L1, L2). If the vehicle trains L (L1, L2) that make up the congestion have a location near the destination vehicle 50' where the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 is narrower than the inter-vehicle distance R1, the location may become a bottleneck and the power supply vehicle 40 may not be able to pass and reach the destination vehicle 50'. According to this modification, even if the distance between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 is not constant, the distance at the location where the gap between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 is the narrowest is measured as the inter-vehicle distance R1', and the type of vehicle to be assigned as the power supply vehicle 40 is selected from the candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 based on the inter-vehicle distance R1'. This configuration reduces the risk that the location where the gap between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 is the narrowest becomes a bottleneck and the power supply vehicle 40 cannot reach the destination vehicle 50'. Therefore, the power supply vehicle 40 can more reliably reach the destination vehicle 50'. As a result, even if the electric vehicle is caught in traffic, it is less likely to run out of power.

[0053] As another modification of this embodiment, in S5, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 may determine the allocation of the power supply vehicle 40 based on the vehicle information D1 acquired in S2 as well as the environmental information D2 acquired in S4. Specifically, the control unit 21 may determine the allocation of the power supply vehicle 40 in the following procedure.

[0054] As described above, the vehicle information D1 includes battery data d1 indicating, for each vehicle, the remaining charge rm (%) of the drive battery installed in each vehicle. In this modification, the control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 calculates the total amount of power pwT (kWh) required to charge the target vehicle 50′ to a predetermined level (e.g., fully charged) based on the remaining charge rmi (%) of the battery 55i for each vehicle indicated in the battery data d1′ included in the vehicle information D1′ obtained from one or more vehicles selected as target vehicles 50′ in S3 out of the vehicle information D1 acquired in S2. Then, the control unit 21 determines the type of vehicle to be dispatched as the power supply vehicle 40 according to the calculated total amount of power pwT (kWh). For example, it is assumed that the vehicle 501 and the vehicle 502 are selected as target vehicles 50′ in S3. It is also assumed that the capacity of the battery 551 of the vehicle 501 is Y1 (kWh) and the remaining charge rm1 of the battery 551 is Q1 (%). Furthermore, it is assumed that the capacity of the battery 552 of the vehicle 502 is Y2 (kWh) and the remaining charge rm2 of the battery 552 is Q2 (%). The control unit 21 calculates the amount of power pw1 (kWh) required to fully charge the vehicle 501 as Y1×(100−Q1)%=pw1(kWh). The control unit 21 calculates the amount of power pw2 (kWh) required to fully charge the vehicle 502 as Y2×(100−Q2)%=pw2(kWh). Then, the control unit 21 calculates the sum of the amounts of power required to fully charge the vehicles calculated for each vehicle, i.e., pw1(kWh)+pw2(kWh), as the total amount of power pwT (kWh) required to fully charge the destination vehicle 50′. Then, based on the calculated total amount of power pwT (kWh), the control unit 21 determines the type of vehicle to be dispatched as the power supply vehicle 40. In this modification, it is assumed that a database DB2 is configured in the storage unit 22, which stores the types of vehicles that are candidates for the power supply vehicle 40 in association with the amount of power pwS that can be supplied. The control unit 21 refers to the database DB2, compares the calculated total amount of power pwT with the amount of power pwS that can be supplied associated with each vehicle type, and selects a vehicle type whose amount of power pwS that can be supplied is equal to or greater than the total amount of power pwT. This is because, if the amount of power pwS that can be supplied is less than the total amount of power pwT, even if the power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched, there is a risk that the power supplied from the power supply vehicle 40 will run out midway.As an example, when "small vehicle" and "motorcycle-type vehicle" are selected as the types of power supply vehicle 40 determined based on image data d2 included in environmental information D2, the amount of power pwS associated with "small vehicle" is greater than or equal to the total amount of power pwT, and the amount of power pwS associated with "motorcycle-type vehicle" is less than the total amount of power pwT. In this case, the control unit 21 selects "small vehicle" as the type of vehicle to be dispatched as power supply vehicle 40'.

[0055] As another example of this modification, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 may determine the number of vehicles to be allocated as power supply vehicles 40 according to the calculated total amount of power pwT. In the above example, for example, it is assumed that the available power supply amounts pwS associated with each type of power supply vehicle 40 are all less than the total amount of power pwT. In this case, the control unit 21 may determine the number of vehicles to be allocated as power supply vehicles 40 so that the sum of the available power supply amounts pwS of each power supply vehicle 40 is equal to or greater than the total amount of power pwT. As an example, it is assumed that a "small vehicle" and a "motorcycle-type vehicle" are selected as the types of power supply vehicles 40 determined based on the image data d2 included in the environmental information D2, and the amount of power pwS' of the "small vehicle" and the amount of power pwS'' of the "motorcycle-type vehicle" are both less than the total amount of power pwT. In this case, the control unit 21 can determine the number of "small vehicles" and "bike-type vehicles" as power supply vehicles 40 so that the sum (pwS'+pwS'') of the electric energy pwS' of the small vehicles and the electric energy pwS'' of the bike-type vehicles is equal to or greater than the total electric energy pwT. According to this modification, even when the width between the vehicles in the train L is narrow and only relatively small vehicles can be dispatched as power supply vehicles 40, multiple vehicles are dispatched as power supply vehicles 40. This reduces the risk that the power supplied from the power supply vehicle 40 to the destination vehicle 50' will run out along the way. As a result, even if the electric vehicle is caught in traffic congestion, it is less likely to run out of power.

[0056] In S6, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 determines the allocation of the power supply vehicle 40. Specifically, the control unit 21 allocates the power supply vehicle 40 selected in S5 to the destination vehicle 50′ selected in S3 as the power supply point P. The allocation of the power supply vehicle 40 may be performed in any procedure, but is performed, for example, in the following procedure. Assume that the vehicle 502 is selected as the destination vehicle 50′ in S3. Assume also that the power supply vehicle 402 is selected as the power supply vehicle 40′ in S5. The control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 generates an allocation instruction X that presents the power supply vehicle 402 selected in S5 with a driving route Rt to the destination vehicle 502, which is the power supply point P. The allocation instruction X may include position information of the destination vehicle 502, which is the power supply point P. The control unit 21 transmits the generated allocation instruction X to the power supply vehicle 402 via the communication unit 23. When multiple vehicles are selected as the destination vehicle 50', for example, when the vehicle 502 and the vehicle 504 are selected as the destination vehicle 50' in S3, the control unit 21 of the power supply support device 20 generates a dispatch instruction X' that presents the power supply vehicle 402 selected in S5 with a travel route Rt' that passes through the power supply point P1 and the power supply point P2 in order, for example, so that power is supplied from the vehicle behind the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle train L. The dispatch instruction X' may include position information of the destination vehicles 504 and 502 as the power supply points P1 and P2, respectively. The power supply vehicle 402 receives the dispatch instruction X or the dispatch instruction X' via the communication unit 43 and travels along the travel route Rt indicated in the received dispatch instruction X or the travel route Rt' indicated in the dispatch instruction X'. In this manner, the power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched to the destination vehicle 50'. When the power supply vehicle 40 reaches the destination vehicle 50', the power supply vehicle 40 starts supplying power to the destination vehicle 50', and the destination vehicle 50' is charged.

[0057] As described above, the power supply support device 20 detects the occurrence of congestion on the road Rd, and selects a vehicle that needs to be charged as a destination vehicle 50′ based on vehicle information D1 obtained for each of the multiple vehicles 50 included in one or more vehicle convoys L that make up the detected congestion. The power supply support device 20 determines the allocation of a power supply vehicle 40 that supplies power to the destination vehicle 50′ based on environmental information D2 that indicates the situation around the destination vehicle 50′.

[0058] According to this configuration, when a power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched, a destination vehicle 50' that needs to be charged is selected based on the vehicle information D1. Then, based on environmental information D2 that indicates the surrounding conditions of the destination vehicle 50', the dispatch of the power supply vehicle 40 that supplies power to the destination vehicle 50' is determined. For example, if the inter-vehicle distance R1 between the vehicle convoy L1 including the destination vehicle 50' and the adjacent vehicle convoy L2 adjacent to the vehicle convoy L1 is smaller than the vehicle width W of the power supply vehicle 40, even if the power supply vehicle 40 is dispatched, the power supply vehicle 40 cannot pass between the vehicle convoy L1 and the adjacent vehicle convoy L2 and cannot reach the destination vehicle 50'. According to this embodiment, for example, the inter-vehicle distance R1 between the vehicle convoy L1 and the adjacent vehicle convoy L2 is measured on the route of the power supply vehicle 40 to the destination vehicle 50' based on the environmental information D2, and the type of power supply vehicle 40 is determined based on the measurement result. Therefore, a power supply vehicle 40 that can pass between the vehicle train L1 and the adjacent vehicle train L2 is selected, reducing the risk that the power supply vehicle 40 will not be able to reach the destination vehicle 50'. Also, it becomes easier to dispatch power supply vehicles 40 to appropriate locations as needed without increasing the number of charging stations. Therefore, even if an electric vehicle is caught in traffic, it is less likely to run out of power.

[0059] As a further modification of this embodiment, the vehicle information D1 may include destination data d3 indicating the destination of each vehicle 50. Then, when dispatching the power supply vehicles 40 in S6, the control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 may adjust the amount of power supply for each of the one or more vehicles selected as the destination vehicles 50', in accordance with the remaining charge rm' of the driving battery for each vehicle and the remaining driving distance R2 to the destination indicated in the vehicle information D1' obtained from the one or more vehicles selected as the destination vehicles 50'. Specifically, the control unit 21 may further perform the following process in S5.

[0060] The control unit 21 of the power supply assistance device 20 refers to the vehicle information D1' for each of the one or more destination vehicles 50' selected in S3 and calculates the remaining traveling distance R2 to the destination indicated in the destination data d3'. Then, the control unit 21 determines the amount of power to be supplied from the power supply vehicle 40 for each destination vehicle 50' according to the calculated remaining traveling distance R2. For example, the power supply capacity per unit distance is determined in advance, and the control unit 21 determines the value calculated by multiplying the remaining traveling distance R2 by the power supply capacity per unit distance as the available power supply capacity for the destination vehicle 50'.

[0061] According to this modification, the available power supply capacity from the power supply vehicle 40 is determined according to the remaining distance R2 to the destination of each of the target vehicles 50'. That is, the amount of power from the power supply vehicle 40 is allocated according to the remaining distance R2 to the destination of each of the target vehicles 50', so that the target vehicles 50' can be efficiently charged. As a result, even if the electric vehicle is caught in traffic, it is less likely to run out of power.

[0062] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, multiple blocks shown in the block diagrams may be integrated, or a single block may be divided. Instead of executing multiple steps shown in the flowcharts in chronological order as described, steps may be executed in parallel or in a different order depending on the processing capabilities of the device executing each step, or as needed. Other modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 10 Systems 20 Power supply support device 21 Control section 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department 30 Roadside unit 40,401,402,403,404 Powered vehicles 41 Control Unit 42 Storage section 43 Communications Department 44 Positioning unit 45 Battery 46 Power supply unit 50,501,502,503,504 vehicles 51 Control section 52 Storage section 53 Communications Department 54 Positioning unit 55 Battery 56 Power receiving unit 57 Imaging unit Rd road

Claims

1. Detecting the occurrence of a traffic jam on a road, and selecting a vehicle that needs to be charged as a destination vehicle based on vehicle information obtained for each of a plurality of vehicles included in one or more convoys that constitute the detected traffic jam; A power supply assistance device comprising: a control unit that determines the allocation of a power supply vehicle that supplies power to the target vehicle based on environmental information that indicates a situation around the target vehicle.

2. the environmental information includes image data obtained by capturing an image of the surroundings of the target vehicle, 2. The power supply assistance device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit measures a distance between a vehicle convoy including the target vehicle and an adjacent vehicle convoy adjacent to the vehicle convoy based on the image data, and selects a type of vehicle to be dispatched as the power supply vehicle based on the measured distance between the vehicle convoys.

3. the vehicle information includes battery data indicating a remaining charge of a drive battery mounted on each vehicle, The power supply assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit selects, as the target vehicle, one or more vehicles whose remaining drive battery charge indicated by the vehicle information is less than a battery threshold value.

4. 4. The power supply assistance device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit calculates a total amount of power required to charge the target vehicles based on a remaining amount of a drive battery for each vehicle indicated in vehicle information obtained from the one or more vehicles selected as the target vehicles, and determines the type or number of vehicles to be dispatched as the power supply vehicles according to the calculated total amount of power.

5. the vehicle information includes destination data indicating a destination of each vehicle; 5. The power supply assistance device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit adjusts the amount of power supply for each of the one or more vehicles selected as the destination vehicles, in accordance with a remaining charge of a drive battery for each vehicle and a remaining driving distance to a destination indicated in vehicle information obtained from the one or more vehicles selected as the destination vehicles.

Images