Cruising range calculation system

Abstract

To accurately calculate a vehicle's cruising range.SOLUTION: The system determines whether a vehicle is in motion or stopped, distinguishes between the remaining fuel amount while the vehicle is in motion and the remaining fuel amount while the vehicle is stopped, and acquires them (S11), organizes the remaining fuel amount while the vehicle is in motion during a plurality of dispersed periods while the vehicle is in motion and the remaining fuel amount while the vehicle is stopped during a plurality of dispersed periods while the vehicle is stopped into separate continuous data (S13), calculates the fuel efficiency while the vehicle is in motion and the fuel efficiency while the vehicle is stopped from each continuous data (S15) and stores the data, and calculates the cruising range based on the stored fuel efficiency while the vehicle is in motion and the fuel efficiency while the vehicle is stopped and the current remaining fuel amount (S16).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a range calculation device that calculates a range according to the amount of remaining fuel in a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, one of the concerns regarding vehicle driving is fuel efficiency. Therefore, various proposals have been made for devices that calculate and display the fuel efficiency of a vehicle at any time. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a device that determines whether the vehicle is moving or stopped, and displays the instantaneous fuel efficiency when the vehicle is moving, and the amount of fuel consumed per unit time when the vehicle is stopped. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-275564 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There is a demand for knowing the remaining cruising distance, i.e., the distance that can be traveled based on the remaining fuel amount. If the current fuel efficiency and the remaining fuel amount are known, the remaining cruising distance can be calculated. However, for vehicles that are used for work while stopped, fuel consumption occurs when the vehicle is stopped, which differs from when the vehicle is moving, making it difficult to accurately estimate the remaining cruising distance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The range calculation device according to the present disclosure determines whether the vehicle state is moving or stopped, distinguishes between and acquires the remaining fuel amount while moving and the remaining fuel amount while stopped, organizes the remaining fuel amount while moving during multiple dispersed periods of moving and the remaining fuel amount while stopped during multiple dispersed periods of stopping into separate continuous data, calculates and stores the fuel efficiency while moving and the fuel efficiency while stopped from each continuous data, and calculates the range based on the stored fuel efficiency while moving and the fuel efficiency while stopped and the current remaining fuel amount. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the range calculation device according to the present disclosure, fuel efficiency while the vehicle is stopped is also stored, and therefore this can be used to accurately calculate the range. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a vehicle equipped with a cruising range calculation device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart showing a range calculation process in a calculation unit 30. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing the characteristics of various data in the process of FIG. 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the present disclosure, and configurations formed by selectively combining multiple examples are also included in the present disclosure.

[0009] "Overall structure" FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a vehicle equipped with a cruising range calculation device according to an embodiment.

[0010] The vehicle 100 has an engine 10 as a driving source. The engine 10 is an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine, and is supplied with fuel such as gasoline from a fuel tank 12.

[0011] Wheels 16 are connected to engine 10 via a power transmission mechanism 14 including a transmission, and the output of engine 10 is transmitted to wheels 16, causing wheels 16 to rotate and drive the vehicle. An alternator 18 is connected to engine 10. Alternator 18 generates electricity using the output of engine 10 and supplies the electricity to on-board devices via battery 20.

[0012] The fuel tank 12 is fitted with a fuel gauge 22 that measures the amount of fuel remaining inside, the battery 20 is fitted with a wattmeter 24 that detects its output, and the power transmission mechanism 14 is fitted with a speedometer 26 that detects the vehicle speed by detecting the number of rotations of the wheels 16. The outputs of the fuel gauge 22, wattmeter 24, and speedometer 26 are supplied to a calculation unit 30.

[0013] The calculation unit 30 is configured as a computer, and performs various calculation processes on the supplied signals to calculate the cruising range. The cruising range obtained by the calculation unit 30 is supplied to a display unit 32 configured as a liquid crystal display device or the like, and is displayed on the display unit 32 to be presented to the user.

[0014] Here, the calculation unit 30 constantly receives the remaining fuel amount, which is the detected value of the fuel gauge 22, and stores it as continuous data. The amount of work other than driving is detected from the output of the power meter 24. Also, the distance traveled is detected from the output of the speedometer 26. Note that the vehicle's work amount may also be calculated based on the output torque of the engine 10, etc. Also, the vehicle's work amount can be calculated based on various parameters such as elevation difference, using known methods.

[0015] "Calculating the cruising range" Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the range calculation process in the calculation unit 30. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the characteristics of various data in the process of Fig. 2.

[0016] The calculation unit 30 acquires the current remaining fuel amount from the fuel gauge 22 at any time (S11). The history of the acquired remaining fuel amount (change over time) is shown, for example, as shown in the upper diagram of Fig. 3. When the vehicle is operating, the remaining fuel amount decreases over time.

[0017] Next, the remaining fuel amount is determined by classifying the vehicle state as either stopped or moving (S12). In the upper diagram of FIG. 3, d1i indicates a stopped state and d2j indicates a moving state. Here, i and j are subscripts that indicate timing. Whether the vehicle is stopped or moving can be determined based on the detected value of the speedometer 26, for example, if the vehicle speed is greater than 0 and the system is operating.

[0018] Next, the data while the vehicle is stopped and while the vehicle is moving are organized into consecutive data (S13). That is, the reduction in fuel consumption during the stopped period d1i and the moving period d2j (the fuel consumption during the other periods) that each cause to the other is interpolated to form consecutive data.

[0019] That is, the data is organized into data in which d1 (i=1 to M) is arranged consecutively and data in which d2 (j=1 to N) is arranged consecutively. In other words, the period d1 i The fuel reduction (= fuel consumption) of dh1 i , during the running period d2 j Fuel consumption of DH2 j These are then sequentially combined.

[0020] This makes it possible to obtain, for example, the change in the remaining fuel amount over time while the vehicle is stopped and while the vehicle is moving, as shown in the middle part of FIG.

[0021] Next, for each continuous data while the vehicle is stopped and while it is moving, the amount of work is calculated for each interval of change in fuel consumption (S14). The middle part of Figure 3 shows the change in the remaining fuel amount over time while the vehicle is stopped and while it is moving, and by differentiating this with time, the change in fuel consumption over time can be obtained. For example, when the vehicle is moving at a constant speed or is stopped in the same state, the change in fuel consumption over time is constant. Therefore, the change point in the differential value is the time when the vehicle state (work amount) changes, and the amount of work is calculated for each fixed interval of fuel consumption separated by this change point.

[0022] Here, various physical quantities (speed, acceleration, output torque, temperature) that affect fuel economy are also detected for each section.

[0023] Next, a correlation calculation is performed between the fuel consumption and the workload for each section to obtain a correlation coefficient between the workload and fuel consumption during the stoppage d1 and the travelling d2 (S15). The lower part of Figure 3 shows the correlation between fuel consumption and workload. For travelling, the correlation between travel distance and fuel consumption is shown, and the correlation coefficient corresponds to fuel efficiency. For travelling, the relationship between workload and fuel consumption during travelling is plotted. Here, the work performed during travelling may be determined by the purpose of the vehicle. For example, if a vehicle is used to transport cargo and work such as loading and unloading cargo is performed during travelling, these tasks constitute the workload during travelling. In addition, specific routes and work may be determined in a work plan. That is, the travelling route, stop locations, stop duration, work volume, etc. are determined in advance.

[0024] For example, when executing a single work plan, the fuel efficiency while driving and while parked are separated, and the fuel efficiency while driving, which is the correlation coefficient between the distance traveled and the amount of fuel consumed, and the fuel efficiency while parked, which is the correlation coefficient between the amount of work done while parked and the amount of fuel consumed, are obtained separately.

[0025] Then, during actual driving, the correlation coefficient (fuel consumption while driving and fuel consumption while stopped) obtained as described above is used to calculate the cruising range, and the result is output (S16).

[0026] Here, the cruising range is calculated based on separate correlation coefficients while the vehicle is stopped and while the vehicle is moving, as follows: 1) If the operation while parked has finished: d2 correlation coefficient (fuel consumption) x remaining fuel value 2) If operation while parked has not finished: Inverse of the correlation coefficient of d1 × remaining work volume → predicted consumption volume d1c Correlation coefficient of (remaining fuel value - d1c) x d2 (fuel economy)

[0027] The remaining amount of work during the stop can be calculated by, for example, subtracting the amount of work that has been completed from the total amount of work in the work plan.

[0028] Here, if the work plan is not clear, the remaining work cannot be calculated. In this case, the remaining work may be set to 0 or a predetermined fixed value. Furthermore, the vehicle does not necessarily have to be performing a specific task. For example, the driving of on-board equipment while the vehicle is stopped can be used as the work. Furthermore, the fuel is not limited to gasoline for internal combustion engines, but may be energy such as electricity. In this case, the remaining battery fuel amount corresponds to the remaining fuel amount, and the amount of electricity consumed corresponds to the amount of fuel consumed.

[0029] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the remaining fuel amount while the vehicle is stopped and while moving is subjected to statistical analysis as continuous data to determine correlations. Therefore, statistical information such as confidence intervals and prediction intervals can be obtained. Furthermore, if various physical quantities are acquired in association with the remaining fuel amount, the relationship between these physical quantities and fuel efficiency can also be evaluated. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 10 engine, 12 fuel tank, 14 power transmission mechanism, 16 wheels, 18 alternator, 20 battery, 22 fuel level gauge, 24 wattmeter, 26 speedometer, 30 calculation unit, 32 display unit, 100 vehicle.

Claims

[Claim 1] Determine whether the vehicle is running or stopped, and distinguish between the remaining fuel amount when the vehicle is running and the remaining fuel amount when the vehicle is stopped. The remaining fuel amount during driving during a plurality of dispersed driving periods and the remaining fuel amount during stopping during a plurality of dispersed stopping periods are separately organized into continuous data, From each continuous data, the fuel consumption while driving and the fuel consumption while stopped are calculated and stored. Calculates the cruising range based on the stored fuel consumption while driving and while stopped, and the current amount of fuel remaining. Range calculation device.

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