Driving assistance system

Abstract

The present invention provides a driving assistance device that enables the user to appropriately select and drive along a route that is suitable for them from among the suggested routes. [Solution] For each candidate route from the starting point to the destination, the charging efficiency when charging the on-board battery 8 at a candidate charging facility along the candidate route is determined, as well as the magnitude of the risk of waiting for charging at the candidate charging facility. For each candidate route from the starting point to the destination, the system is configured to prioritize guidance to the candidate route that has high charging efficiency and a low risk of waiting for charging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a driving support device that supports charging an in-vehicle battery.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in addition to gasoline vehicles driven by an engine as a driving source, there are electric vehicles driven by a motor as a driving source based on electric power supplied from a battery. In such an electric vehicle, when traveling to a distant destination, it is necessary to charge at a charging facility on the way to the destination.

[0003] Therefore, the driving route to the destination becomes a route passing through one or more charging facilities, and the driving route to the destination also changes depending on which charging facility to charge at. However, it is difficult for the user to determine which charging facility is good for charging. Thus, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-161604, when a destination is set in an electric vehicle, it is determined whether it is possible to travel to the destination without charging, and when it is determined that charging is necessary, a technique is proposed to select a route with the shortest expected arrival time at the destination among a plurality of candidate routes passing through a charging facility.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] While the technology described in Patent Document 1 can select a route that results in the shortest estimated arrival time at the destination, this route is not necessarily the optimal route for the user. For example, even if a route allows for an early arrival at the destination, one that requires frequent stops at charging stations is burdensome for the user. Similarly, even if a route has the potential to arrive at the destination early, one that carries a high risk of long waiting times at charging stations may result in a significant delay in arrival at the destination, making it a high-risk route selection.

[0006] In particular, regarding the risk of waiting for charging, the congestion level of charging facilities changes as needed even after the vehicle has started moving. Therefore, it is possible that the charging facility that was planned to be used at the start of the journey may become unavailable for an extended period of time afterward. In such cases, if there are no other suitable charging facilities to choose from along the route, users will inevitably face long waiting times, which is a significant disadvantage. Therefore, routes where it is difficult to switch to a route that includes charging at another facility midway through the journey can be said to be routes with a high risk of waiting for charging.

[0007] The present invention was made to solve the aforementioned problems of the conventional system, and aims to provide a driving assistance device that enables the user to appropriately select an appropriate route from the suggested candidate routes by guiding the user to select a candidate route from the suggested route, taking into consideration the charging efficiency when charging the vehicle battery and the magnitude of the risk of being in a waiting state for charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the driving support device according to the present invention includes a charging facility information acquisition means that acquires charging facility information including the location of a candidate charging facility and the maximum output of the charger provided by the candidate charging facility, targeting candidate charging facilities that are candidates for charging during travel to a destination, among charging facilities that are capable of charging an on-board battery that supplies power to the vehicle's drive source; a battery information acquisition means that acquires maximum power receiving information indicating the amount of power that can be accepted when charging the on-board battery provided by the vehicle; and a driving range acquisition means that acquires driving range information indicating the driving range of the vehicle relative to the remaining charge of the on-board battery. The system includes: a charging efficiency determination means that determines the charging efficiency when charging the vehicle battery at a candidate charging facility along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination, based on the report, the maximum power receiving information, and the cruising range information; a risk determination means that determines the magnitude of the risk of waiting to charge at a candidate charging facility along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination; and a guidance means that uses the determination results of the charging efficiency determination means and the risk determination means to prioritize guiding the vehicle to candidate routes from the departure point to the destination that have high charging efficiency and low risk of waiting to charge. Furthermore, "prioritizing guidance" could mean, for example, only guiding people to items with a priority level or higher, guiding people in order of priority, or guiding people in a way that makes high-priority items distinguishable from others. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the driving support device of the present invention having the above configuration, for each candidate route from the starting point to the destination, the charging efficiency when charging the on-board battery is determined, as well as the magnitude of the risk of being in a waiting state for charging. By considering the charging efficiency and the magnitude of the risk of being in a waiting state for charging, the candidate route from the starting point to the destination is guided as a selectable route, enabling the user to appropriately select and drive the route that is appropriate for the user from the guided candidate routes. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the driving support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the driving support system according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram shows an example of charging facility information stored in the distribution information database. [Figure 4] This diagram explains the fast charging capacity. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the relationship between SOC value and charging output. [Figure 6] This is a schematic block diagram showing the control system of the communication terminal according to this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart of the path learning processing program according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This figure shows a virtual environment for performing path learning in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram shows the mapping of potential charging facilities to route information during route learning for vehicle A. [Figure 10] This diagram shows the mapping of potential charging facilities to route information during route learning for vehicle B. [Figure 11] This diagram shows the possible routes that vehicle A can take from its starting point to its destination. [Figure 12] This diagram shows the possible routes that vehicle B can take from the starting point to the destination. [Figure 13] This diagram shows an example of route guidance displayed on the screen of a communication terminal. [Figure 14] This diagram shows an example of how to guide a user through candidate routes. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, a running support device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings based on an embodiment embodied in a communication terminal and an information providing server capable of communicating with the communication terminal. First, the schematic configuration of a running support system 2 including a communication terminal 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the running support system 2 according to the present embodiment.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the running support system 2 according to the present embodiment basically includes an information providing server 4 provided in an information providing center 3, a navigation device 6 which is an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle 5, and a communication terminal 1 possessed by a user who is a passenger in the vehicle 5. Further, the information providing server 4 and the communication terminal 1 are configured to be able to transmit and receive electronic data to and from each other via a communication network 7. Furthermore, the navigation device 6 and the communication terminal 1 are also configured to be able to transmit and receive electronic data to and from each other by wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or by wired communication by connecting a cable. Note that examples of the communication terminal 1 include a mobile phone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, and the like.

[0013] Also, the vehicle 5 is a vehicle including at least a motor as a drive source and including an in-vehicle battery 8 as means for supplying power to the motor which is the drive source, and is a vehicle capable of charging the in-vehicle battery 8 at a charging facility. Examples of such vehicles include an electric vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an EV vehicle) having only a motor as a drive source, and among hybrid vehicles having both a motor and an engine as drive sources, particularly a plug-in hybrid vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a PHV vehicle).

[0014] Here, the information providing server 4 is a server device that manages information to be provided to the communication terminal 1 (i.e., the user who holds the communication terminal 1). The information providing server 4 stores information regarding information providing locations across the country that are targets for providing to the communication terminal 1 in the distribution information DB 9. In this embodiment, at least information regarding the charging facility 10 where the in-vehicle battery 8 can be charged is stored in the distribution information DB 9, but information regarding information providing locations other than the charging facility 10 (e.g., commercial facilities, public facilities, parking lots, etc.) may also be stored in the distribution information DB 9. Then, the information providing server 4 provides (distributes) the information regarding the information providing locations stored in the DB to the communication terminal 1 via the communication network 7.

[0015] Here, the charging facility 10 is a facility capable of charging the in-vehicle battery 8 provided in the vehicle 5, has a parking space for parking the vehicle, and generally has charging equipment consisting of an operation panel, a cable connected to the vehicle, etc. installed around the parking space. Also, in addition to dedicated facilities for charging vehicles, the above charging facility 10 may be provided in a part of the parking lot of a commercial facility such as a shopping mall or a service area, an automobile sales store, a coin parking lot, etc. In this embodiment, facilities where only specific persons such as at home can charge are excluded from the charging facilities.

[0016] Also, the information providing server 4 is communicably connected to a charging facility management server that manages charging facilities 10 across the country. And it is possible to obtain the current availability status of the chargers provided in the charging facility 10 and other information regarding the charging facility 10 (e.g., the number of chargers, the maximum output of the chargers, the charging upper limit time, available time bands, usage fees, congestion status, compatible vehicle types, etc.) via the charging facility management server.

[0017] Furthermore, the navigation device 6 is mounted in the vehicle 5 and is an in-vehicle device that displays a map of the area around the vehicle's position based on map data held by the navigation device 6 or map data acquired from an external source, displays the vehicle's current position on the map image, and provides navigation guidance along a set route. The navigation device 6 is also connected to the vehicle control ECU and battery level meter mounted in the vehicle 5 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN, and is able to acquire information related to the in-vehicle battery 8 (for example, the current remaining energy amount, driving range information and maximum power receiving information determined for each vehicle, etc.), and can transmit this information to the communication terminal 1 using wireless communication such as Bluetooth or wired communication by connecting a cable.

[0018] On the other hand, the communication terminal 1 is an information terminal owned by the user, who is an occupant of the vehicle, and is equipped with communication and navigation functions, such as a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. In particular, if the communication terminal 1 is a terminal capable of running applications such as a smartphone, an application program is installed that, when a destination is set, guides the user to recommended routes to the destination and charging facilities. These route and charging facility guidance functions may be part of the navigation function that provides directions to the destination, or they may be executed by an application program separate from the navigation function.

[0019] Furthermore, the communication network 7 includes numerous base stations located throughout the country and communication companies that manage and control each base station, and is constructed by connecting the base stations and communication companies to each other via wired (optical fiber, ISDN, etc.) or wireless connections. Here, each base station has a transceiver (transceiver) and an antenna that communicates with the communication terminal 1. In addition to conducting wireless communication between communication companies, the base stations also serve as the end of the communication network 7 and have the role of relaying communications from the communication terminal 1 within the range (cell) of the base station's radio waves to the information provision server 4.

[0020] Next, the configuration of the information provision server 4 in the driving support system 2 will be explained in more detail using Figure 2. As shown in Figure 2, the information provision server 4 comprises a server control unit 11, a distribution information DB 9 as an information recording means connected to the server control unit 11, a map information DB 14, and a server-side communication device 15.

[0021] The server control unit 11 is a control unit (MCU, MPU, etc.) that controls the entire information provision server 4, and is equipped with a CPU 21 as an arithmetic unit and control device, RAM 22 which is used as working memory when the CPU 21 performs various arithmetic processing, ROM 23 which stores control programs, etc., and flash memory 24 which stores programs read from ROM 23.

[0022] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the distribution information DB9 is a storage means that stores various information, particularly regarding charging facilities located throughout the country, as locations that are the target of information provision throughout the country. Here, a "charging facility" is a facility that can charge the on-board battery 8 of a vehicle 5, and it is common for it to have a parking space for parking the vehicle, and for a charger consisting of an operation panel and cables that connect to the vehicle to be installed around the parking space. In addition to facilities dedicated to charging vehicles, the above chargers may also be installed in parts of parking lots of commercial facilities such as shopping malls, car dealerships, coin parking lots, etc.

[0023] Here, Figure 3 shows an example of the information stored in the distribution information DB9. As shown in Figure 3, for charging facilities located throughout the country, information is stored regarding the facility ID, facility name (if it is installed as part of another facility, the name of that other facility), location of the charging facility, maximum output (kW) and number of installed chargers, and current availability. Here, "maximum output of the charger" is indicated in watts, i.e., power, and corresponds to the amount of energy that can be charged per unit time by that charger. A charger with a higher maximum output can charge more energy for the same charging time. However, this is only the maximum output, so the output may be lower depending on the situation. Specifically, a vehicle has an acceptable capacity, which is the amount of electrical energy that can be accepted when charging the on-board battery 8, or more specifically, the upper limit of energy that can be charged per unit time by the on-board battery (determined by the battery voltage of the on-board battery 8, etc.). As shown in Figure 4, even if you charge with a 150kW charger, if the vehicle's fast charging capacity is 30kW, you can only input a maximum of 30kW. Furthermore, during charging of the on-board battery 8, the amount of energy (W) that can be input per unit time gradually decreases as the on-board battery 8 approaches full charge. In particular, once the on-board battery 8 approaches full charge, control is implemented to significantly reduce the amount of energy (W) that can be input per unit time in order to prevent degradation of the on-board battery 8. As a result, for example, if the threshold is set to 80%, as shown in Figure 5, the amount of energy (W) that can be input per unit time decreases significantly when the SOC value is 80% or more of full charge. In other words, considering the same amount of energy to be charged, charging is more efficient when the remaining capacity of the on-board battery 8 is as low as possible. Note that 80% is just an example, and this value is set in various ways depending on the vehicle model. It may also change depending on the charging environment.

[0024] For example, the distribution information DB9 shown in Figure 3 indicates that there are four chargers with a maximum output of 150kW in the parking lot of “○○ Service Area” at location coordinates (x1, y1), and that the chargers are currently in use and are congested. It also indicates that there are two chargers with a maximum output of 20kW in the parking lot of “×× Parking” at location coordinates (x2, y2), and that the chargers are currently available. Furthermore, it indicates that there are four chargers with a maximum output of 90kW at the dedicated charging station “〇× Stand” at location coordinates (x3, y3), and that the chargers are currently available. The information provision server 4 can obtain information on the usage status of charging facilities from the charging facility management server that manages charging facilities 10 throughout the country. The distribution information DB9 may also store other information about charging facilities besides the above (e.g., usage fees, available time slots, maximum charging time, compatible vehicle types, etc.).

[0025] Furthermore, the map information DB14 is a storage means in which map information is stored. Map information consists of various types of information necessary for route searching, route guidance, and map display, including road networks. For example, it consists of link data related to roads (links), node data related to node points, intersection data related to each intersection, location data related to facilities and other points, map display data for displaying maps, search data for searching for routes, and search data for searching for locations.

[0026] Furthermore, when the server control unit 11 receives a route search request from the communication terminal 1, it can also perform a route search from the departure point to the destination using the map information stored in the map information DB 14. Specifically, when a destination is set in the communication terminal 1, the communication terminal 1 sends the information necessary for route search, such as the departure point and destination, to the information provision server 4 along with the route search request. The information provision server 4, upon receiving the route search request, performs a route search using the map information it possesses and identifies a recommended route from the departure point to the destination. It then sends the identified recommended route to the requesting communication terminal 1. The communication terminal 1 then sets the received recommended route as the guidance route and provides travel guidance according to the guidance route. As a result, even if the map information possessed by the communication terminal 1 at the time of route search is an older version, or if the communication terminal 1 does not possess any map information at all, it is possible to set an appropriate guidance route based on the latest version of map information possessed by the information provision server 4.

[0027] Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is assumed that vehicle 5 is equipped with an on-board battery 8, the server control unit 11 searches for routes that go through charging facilities if it determines in the route search that the destination is far away and charging is required along the way to the destination. If there are multiple candidate routes from the starting point to the destination via charging facilities, the server control unit 11 prioritizes guiding the user to the candidate route that has the highest charging efficiency and the lowest risk of waiting for charging. The user then selects a route to the destination based on the guided candidate routes (which also constitutes the selection of a charging facility).

[0028] However, if the communication terminal 1 has map information, the above route search process can be performed on the communication terminal 1 instead of the information provision server 4. Alternatively, the above route search process may be performed on another server that has map information instead of the information provision server 4. In that case, the map information DB 14 is not necessarily required on the information provision server 4.

[0029] On the other hand, the server-side communication device 15 is a communication device for communicating with the communication terminal 1, which is the target of information transmission and reception, via the communication network 7. In addition to the communication terminal 1, it is also possible to receive traffic information consisting of various types of information such as congestion information, regulation information, and traffic accident information transmitted from the Internet network and traffic information centers, such as VICS (registered trademark: Vehicle Information and Communication System) centers.

[0030] Next, the general configuration of the communication terminal 1 owned by the user will be explained using Figure 6. Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram showing the control system of the communication terminal 1 according to this embodiment. In the following explanation, the case in which the communication terminal 1 is a smartphone will be used as an example.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, the communication terminal 1 is configured by connecting the following to the data bus BUS: a CPU 31, a memory 32 that stores user information (user ID, name, etc.) and application programs related to the user who possesses the communication terminal 1, an input / output unit 35 which is an interface for a microphone 33 and a speaker 34, a display 36 which is made up of a liquid crystal display panel, an input operation unit 37 which is made up of a touch panel and a keyboard, a GPS 38, a transmit / receive circuit unit (RF) 39 which sends and receives signals to and from base stations of the communication network 7, and a BT communication device 40 for Bluetooth communication.

[0032] Here, the CPU 31 built into the communication terminal 1 is a control means for the communication terminal 1 that performs various operations according to the operation program stored in the memory 32, and together with the memory 32, constitutes the communication terminal control unit 41. Furthermore, the various processing contents of the communication terminal control unit 41 are displayed on the display 36 as needed. The communication terminal control unit 41, together with the server control unit 11 of the information provision server 4 mentioned above, has various means as processing algorithms. For example, the charging facility information acquisition means acquires charging facility information, including the location of the charging facility candidate and the maximum output of the charger equipped at the charging facility candidate, targeting charging facility candidates that are candidates for charging during travel to the destination, among charging facilities that are capable of charging the on-board battery 8 that supplies power to the vehicle's drive source. The battery information acquisition means acquires maximum power receiving information that indicates the amount of power that can be accepted when charging the on-board battery 8 equipped in the vehicle. The cruising range acquisition means acquires cruising range information that indicates the cruising range of the vehicle in relation to the remaining charge of the on-board battery 8. The charging efficiency determination means determines the charging efficiency when charging the onboard battery 8 at a candidate charging facility along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination, based on charging facility information, maximum power receiving information, and cruising range information. The risk determination means determines the magnitude of the risk of waiting for charging at a candidate charging facility along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination. The guidance means uses the determination results of the charging efficiency determination means and the risk determination means to guide the vehicle along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination, prioritizing routes with higher charging efficiency and lower risk of waiting for charging. In other words, the server control unit 11 and the communication terminal control unit 41 are examples of a charging facility information acquisition means, a battery information acquisition means, a cruising range acquisition means, a charging efficiency determination means, a risk determination means, and a guidance means.

[0033] Furthermore, the communication terminal 1 can communicate via the transmitting and receiving circuit unit 39, enabling it to perform not only voice calls but also internet communication, receive information about charging facilities from the information provision server 4, and receive traffic information consisting of various types of information such as congestion information, regulation information, and traffic accident information transmitted from traffic information centers, such as VICS (registered trademark) centers and probe centers.

[0034] Furthermore, memory 32 is a storage medium that stores user information (user ID, name, home address, etc.) and map information related to the user who possesses the communication terminal 1, as well as the user's web browsing history, registered locations registered by the user, the user's movement history which is a history of location information detected based on GPS 38 and other sensors, schedule information, and the like. Various application programs, including the route search processing program (Figure 7) described later, are also stored. Memory 32 may also be configured as a hard disk, memory card, or the like.

[0035] Furthermore, memory 32 also stores identification information necessary for communication via Bluetooth (such as the BT address).

[0036] Furthermore, the speaker 34 is a type of display device, and in addition to outputting voice for calls, when the navigation function is running, it outputs voice guidance that guides the user along the guided route (the user's planned route) based on instructions from the communication terminal control unit 41.

[0037] Furthermore, the display 36 is mounted on one side of the casing and uses a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, etc. It displays the top screen for running various applications installed on the communication terminal 1, screens related to the running application (internet screen, email screen, navigation screen, etc.), and various information such as images and videos. In particular, in this embodiment, a screen that guides the user to the destination and charging facilities is also displayed.

[0038] Furthermore, the input operation unit 37 is composed of a touch panel located on the front of the display 36 and hard buttons located on the casing. The communication terminal control unit 41 controls the system to perform various operations based on electrical signals output by pressing the touch panel or hard buttons. The input operation unit 37 can also be composed of various keys such as number / character input keys, cursor keys to move the cursor for selecting displayed content, and a confirmation key to confirm the selection.

[0039] Furthermore, the GPS38 can detect the current location and time of the communication terminal 1 (i.e., the user) by receiving radio waves generated by artificial satellites. In addition to the GPS38, the system may also be configured to include other devices (such as a gyro sensor) for detecting the current location and orientation of the communication terminal 1.

[0040] Furthermore, the transmitting / receiving circuit section 39 is a circuit section for transmitting and receiving signals to and from base stations of the communication network 7 using communication standards such as 3G, 4G, and LTE.

[0041] Furthermore, the BT communication device 40 is a module for performing wireless communication via Bluetooth. The communication terminal 1 communicates with the navigation device 6 and other devices within the communication range via Bluetooth wireless communication through the BT communication device 40.

[0042] Next, a route search processing program executed in the communication terminal 1 having the above configuration will be described with reference to Figure 7. Figure 7 is a flowchart of the route search processing program according to this embodiment. Here, the route search processing program is executed when a predetermined application program is started in the communication terminal 1 and a predetermined operation to start route searching is received. The program searches for candidate routes to the destination in accordance with the user's operation and guides the user along the searched candidate routes. The program shown in the flowchart in Figure 7 below is stored in the memory 32 of the communication terminal 1 and executed by the CPU 31.

[0043] Furthermore, in the following explanation, it is assumed that the user possessing the communication terminal 1 is riding in a vehicle 5 equipped with an on-board battery 8 as a means of supplying power to the motor, which is the drive source. In other words, the current location of the communication terminal 1 corresponds to the current location of the user and the vehicle 5. It is also assumed that the communication terminal 1 has established communication with the navigation device 6 installed in the vehicle 5, and is in a state where it can obtain information about the vehicle 5 in which the user is riding.

[0044] First, in step 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as S), the CPU 31 obtains the user's destination. The user's destination is specified by the user, for example, by operating the input operation unit 37 of the communication terminal 1. The following explanation describes the case where the user's destination is far away and the energy (remaining power) stored in the onboard battery 8 at the start of travel is insufficient to cover the distance to the destination, meaning that the onboard battery 8 needs to be charged at a charging facility along the way to the destination. If the user's destination is nearby and charging of the onboard battery 8 is not necessary, a normal route search to the destination is performed without considering charging facilities.

[0045] Subsequently, from S2 onward, the CPU 31 searches for a route from the user's starting point (for example, the vehicle's current location, but this could also be the user's home or any location specified by the user) to the destination obtained in S1. Specifically, it searches for a route that allows the user to reach the destination while charging at charging stations along the way. In this embodiment, the route from the starting point to the destination is not narrowed down to a single route during the route search process. If there are multiple routes that can reach the destination, the user is guided through these multiple routes as candidate routes from the starting point to the destination. The user then decides which candidate route to take based on the guidance. However, as described later, candidate routes with high charging efficiency and low risk of waiting for charging are given priority in the guidance. That is, the guidance encourages the user to select a candidate route with high charging efficiency and low risk of waiting for charging.

[0046] The process of searching for a route to the destination may be performed by either the communication terminal 1 or the information provision server 4. If the information provision server 4 performs the search, the communication terminal 1 sends a route search request to the information provision server 4, and the search results returned in response to the route search request are received by the communication terminal 1. The route search request includes a terminal ID that identifies the communication terminal 1 that sent the route search request, information that identifies the departure point and destination, and information about the vehicle 5 described later.

[0047] The following describes the route search process from S2 onwards using the virtual environment shown in Figure 8. In this virtual environment, as shown in Figure 8, there are a total of 128 links (8x8 + 8x8) that a vehicle can travel on from the starting point to the destination. It is assumed that all links are the same length (for example, 5km). It is also assumed that there are charging facilities at the intersections where each link intersects (except for the starting point and destination). In other words, these 79 charging facilities are candidates for charging during the journey to the destination. Furthermore, the maximum output of the chargers at each candidate charging facility differs, with four candidates having a maximum output of 150kW, eight having a maximum output of 90kW, twelve having a maximum output of 50kW, and fifty-five having a maximum output of 20kW. In the following explanation, the intersections of each link with a candidate charging facility will be indicated by the combinations of A to I for left and right, and 0 to 8 for up and down. In other words, the departure point is A0 and the destination is I8. Also, unless otherwise specified, the following explanation will generally ignore the charging time limits and available usage times set at charging facilities.

[0048] First, in S2, the CPU 31 acquires "vehicle 5 information" and "charging facility candidate information" necessary for processing the route search. The "vehicle 5 information" includes maximum power receiving information, which indicates the amount of power that can be accepted when charging the onboard battery 8 equipped in vehicle 5, i.e., the upper limit of energy that can be charged per unit time by the onboard battery 8 (hereinafter referred to as the acceptable capacity), and driving range information, which indicates the driving range of the vehicle based on the remaining charge of the onboard battery 8. The driving range information is information that indicates, for example, how much energy the vehicle can travel by consuming how far (corresponding to the energy efficiency performance). On the other hand, the "charging facility candidate information" is acquired as charging facility information, which includes the location of the charging facility candidate and the maximum output of the charger equipped in the charging facility candidate.

[0049] Furthermore, "vehicle information 5" will be obtained from the navigation device 6 via wireless communication such as Bluetooth. On the other hand, "charging facility candidate information" will be obtained from the information provision server 4.

[0050] Next, in S3, the CPU 31, based on the maximum power receiving information and charging facility information acquired in S2, limits the target charging facilities to only those capable of the most efficient charging for the vehicle, and maps the charging facility candidates to the route information to the destination. For example, for vehicle A, which has an acceptable capacity of 150kW, the most efficient charging is possible at a charging facility candidate equipped with a charger with a maximum output of 150kW. As shown in Figure 9, only charging facility candidates equipped with a charger with a maximum output of 150kW are mapped to the route information to the destination. On the other hand, for vehicle B, which has an acceptable capacity of 30kW, as shown in Figure 4, the charging efficiency does not change as long as the charger has a maximum output exceeding the acceptable capacity. Therefore, the most efficient charging is possible at a charging facility candidate equipped with a charger with a maximum output greater than 30kW. As shown in Figure 10, charging facility candidates equipped with a charger with a maximum output of 50kW, a charger with a maximum output of 90kW, and a charger with a maximum output of 150kW are mapped to the route information to the destination.

[0051] Next, in S4, the CPU 31 uses the route information mapped in S3 to calculate all possible route combinations that the vehicle can take from the starting point to the destination. Note that only the charging station candidates mapped in S3 are considered as charging station candidates.

[0052] As a result, for example, for vehicle A, which has a driving range of 6 links and a receiving capacity of 150kW on a full charge (e.g., 60kWh), six possible routes (a) to (f) shown in Figure 11 are calculated. Note that the onboard battery 8 is assumed to be fully charged at the start of departure, and will be charged to full capacity when stopping at potential charging facilities. For example, to explain route (a), first travel from A0 (starting point) to B4, covering 5 links, and charge to full capacity at B4. Then travel from B4 to D6, covering 4 links, and charge to full capacity at D6. Then travel from D6 to E8, covering 3 links, and charge to full capacity at E8. Finally, travel from E8 to I8 (destination), covering 4 links. Similarly, to explain route (d), first travel from A0 (starting point) to E1, covering 5 links, and charge to full capacity at E1. After that, the vehicle travels along five links from E1 to H3, where it charges to full capacity. Then, it travels along six links from H3 to I8 (the destination). Other routes are as shown in Figure 11. As shown in Figure 11, the number of charging stops to the destination differs for each route, with some routes requiring two stops and others requiring three.

[0053] On the other hand, for vehicle B, which has a driving range of 3 links and a receiving capacity of 30kW on a full charge (e.g., 30kWh), 28 possible routes are calculated as shown in Figure 12 (a) to (β). Note that the onboard battery 8 is assumed to be fully charged at the start of departure, and will be charged to full capacity when stopping at potential charging facilities. For example, to explain route (a), first travel from A0 (starting point) to C1, using 3 links, and charge to full capacity at C1. Then travel from C1 to D2, using 2 links, and charge to full capacity at D2. Then travel from D2 to D4, using 2 links, and charge to full capacity at D4. Then travel from D4 to D6, using 2 links, and charge to full capacity at D6. Then travel from D6 to D7, using 1 link, and charge to full capacity at D7. After that, the vehicle travels along two links from D7 to E8 and charges to full capacity at E8. Then, it travels along two links from E8 to G8 and charges to full capacity at G8. After that, the vehicle travels along two links from G8 to I8 (destination). Similarly, for route (q), the vehicle first travels along three links from A0 (starting point) to C1 and charges to full capacity at C1. Then, it travels along two links from C1 to D2 and charges to full capacity at D2. Then, it travels along two links from D2 to F2 and charges to full capacity at F2. Then, it travels along three links from F2 to H3 and charges to full capacity at H3. Then, it travels along three links from H3 to I5 and charges to full capacity at I5. After that, the vehicle travels along three links from I5 to I8 (destination). Other routes are as shown in Figure 12. As shown in Figure 12, the number of charging stops required to reach the destination varies depending on the route, with routes requiring 5, 6, and 7 charges.

[0054] In the above example, the route is calculated assuming that the vehicle will fully charge at each candidate charging station it visits. However, in reality, it is not necessary to fully charge the vehicle as long as it charges enough to travel to the next candidate charging station or destination. The routes that the vehicle can take from the starting point to the destination, calculated in S4 (Figures 11(a)~(f), 12(a)~(β)), are candidate routes (candidate paths) for the vehicle to travel from the starting point to the destination.

[0055] Next, in S5, the CPU 31 determines whether or not to include the next most efficient charging facility candidate for the vehicle as part of the charging target. For example, if the number of routes (number of candidate routes) calculated in S4 is less than a threshold, the CPU 31 determines to include the next most efficient charging facility candidate for the vehicle as part of the charging target in order to increase the number of candidate routes. The more charging facility candidate candidates there are, the more candidate routes calculated in S4 will be. Note that increasing the number of candidate routes gives the user more route options to their destination, but if there are too many candidate routes, it can become difficult to choose a route, so it is desirable to set the threshold to an appropriate number. For example, 5 routes.

[0056] Then, if it is determined that the next most efficient charging facility candidate for the vehicle should also be included as a charging target (S5:YES), the charging facility candidate that is the next most efficient charging facility for the vehicle should also be included as a charging target based on the maximum power receiving information and charging facility information obtained in S2, and it is mapped to the route information to the destination (S6). For example, in S3, for vehicle A, which has an acceptable capacity of 150kW, only charging facility candidates equipped with a charger with a maximum output of 150kW were included as charging targets, but in S6, charging facility candidates equipped with a 90kW charger, which is the next best charging facility, will also be included as a charging target. On the other hand, in S3, for vehicle B, which has an acceptable capacity of 30kW, charging facility candidates equipped with a 50kW charger, a 90kW charger, and a 150kW charger were included as charging targets, but in S6, charging facility candidates equipped with a 20kW charger, which is the next best charging facility, will also be included as a charging target.

[0057] Then, after increasing the number of candidate charging facilities in S6, the system recalculates all possible route combinations from the starting point to the destination, including the newly added candidate charging facilities (S4). Subsequently, the judgment process in S5 is performed again, and if necessary, the system further includes candidate charging facilities that offer the next most efficient charging options.

[0058] On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no need to include the next most efficient charging facility for the vehicle in the charging target (S5:NO), the process proceeds to S7.

[0059] In S7, CPU31 reads all routes calculated in S4 up to that point and confirms them as candidate routes from the origin to the destination.

[0060] Subsequently, in S8, the CPU 31 calculates a priority for each candidate route for all candidate routes determined in S7. In this embodiment, the priority for a candidate route is determined by considering (A) the charging efficiency when charging the vehicle battery 8 at a candidate charging facility along the candidate route (hereinafter simply referred to as charging efficiency) and (B) the risk of waiting for charging at a candidate charging facility (hereinafter simply referred to as the charging waiting risk). More specifically, candidate routes with higher charging efficiency are assigned a higher priority. Similarly, candidate routes with a smaller charging waiting risk are assigned a higher priority.

[0061] Below, we will first explain how to calculate the priority based on charging efficiency (A). Here, charging efficiency can be determined by factors such as the charging time and number of charges at a candidate charging facility, but below we will explain an example of determining charging efficiency based on the number of charges. In other words, candidate routes that can reach their destination with fewer charges are judged to be candidate routes with higher charging efficiency, and a higher priority is calculated for them.

[0062] For example, when calculating the priority of the six candidate routes shown in Figure 11 for vehicle A, which has a driving range of 6 links and an accepting capacity of 150kW when fully charged (e.g., 60kWh), candidate routes (c) to (e), which involve 2 charges, are calculated to have the highest priority, followed by candidate routes (a), (b), and (f), which involve 3 charges, with the next highest priority.

[0063] On the other hand, when calculating the priority of the 28 candidate routes shown in Figure 12 for vehicle B, which has a driving range of 30kW on a full charge (e.g., 30kWh) equivalent to 3 links and an acceptable capacity of 30kW, candidate routes (q)~(s), (w), and (z)~(β) with 5 charging cycles are calculated to have the highest priority, followed by candidate routes (d)~(p), (t)~(v), (x), and (y) with 6 charging cycles, and candidate routes (a)~(c) with 7 charging cycles, which have the lowest priority.

[0064] In the example above, we described an example of determining charging efficiency based on the number of charging cycles, but charging efficiency can also be determined based on charging time (which may include the waiting time before charging begins), or based on both the number of charging cycles and charging time. Specifically, candidate routes with shorter total charging times at each candidate charging facility are judged to be candidate routes with higher charging efficiency. The charging time at each candidate charging facility is estimated based on the vehicle's SOC value at the time of arrival at the candidate charging facility, the distance to the next candidate charging facility, the remaining driving range, the maximum output of the charger at the candidate charging facility, and the congestion level of the candidate charging facility.

[0065] Next, we will explain how to calculate priority based on the charging wait risk in (B). Here, if, during actual driving, it is discovered that a planned charging station is congested and a long waiting time is expected, a candidate route that cannot be changed (i.e., a candidate route where one has no choice but to wait for charging) can be said to have a high risk of waiting for charging. On the other hand, a candidate route that can be changed (i.e., a candidate route that can avoid waiting for charging) can be said to have a low risk of waiting for charging because such waiting can be avoided. More specifically, for candidate routes that require charging multiple times during the journey to the destination, a candidate route that has a large number of candidate charging stations for the next (n+1) charge after the nth (n is a natural number) charge is judged to have a low risk of waiting for charging.

[0066] For example, when calculating the priority of the six candidate routes shown in Figure 11 for a vehicle A with a driving range of 6 links and a receiving capacity of 150kW on a full charge (e.g., 60kWh), based on the risk of waiting for charging, when the first charge is completed, candidate routes (a) to (c) have two options for the next charge: either D6 or G5, while candidate routes (d) to (f) have three options: either H2, G5 or I1. In other words, candidate routes (d) to (f) have more options for the next charge than candidate routes (a) to (c), and are therefore calculated to have a higher priority. Similarly, the number of options for the next charge is compared when the second and third charges are completed, and candidate routes with more options for the next charge are calculated to have a higher priority.

[0067] On the other hand, for vehicle B, which has a driving range of 30kWh on a full charge (e.g., 30kWh) equivalent to 3 charging links and an acceptable capacity of 30kW, among the 28 candidate routes shown in Figure 12, when prioritizing candidate routes (q)~(s), (w), and (z)~(β), which have 5 charging cycles, based on the risk of waiting for charging, when the second charge is completed, candidate route (q)~(s) has two options for the next charge: either F2 or G2. However, candidate routes (w) and (z)~(β) have three options: either F2, G1, or G2. In other words, candidate route (q)~(s) has more options for the next charge than candidate routes (w) and (z)~(β), and is therefore calculated to have a higher priority. Similarly, the number of options for the next charge when the third and fourth charges are completed is also compared, and candidate routes with more options for the next charge are calculated to have a higher priority.

[0068] Furthermore, candidate routes with a low risk of waiting for charging are advantageous to users because, in addition to avoiding waiting times when the planned charging station is crowded, they allow users to switch to a different charging station if the planned charging station is closed outside of business hours or becomes unusable due to a charger malfunction.

[0069] Then, in S8, the CPU 31 sets a priority for each candidate path determined in S7, taking into account charging efficiency and charging waiting risk. Note that, between the priority calculated based on charging efficiency and the priority calculated based on charging waiting risk, either the priority calculated based on charging efficiency or the priority based on charging waiting risk may be prioritized. For example, if the priority calculated based on charging efficiency is prioritized, the priority is first calculated based on charging efficiency for each candidate path, and if there are multiple candidate paths with the same priority, it is possible to rank them in descending order of priority based on charging waiting risk among those candidate paths with the same priority.

[0070] Alternatively, instead of prioritizing one over the other, it is possible to compare candidate routes by multiplying a first evaluation value calculated based on charging efficiency and a second evaluation value calculated based on the risk of waiting for charging. Then, priority can be set based on the highest multiplier.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, priority is set for candidate routes based on charging efficiency and charging waiting risk. However, priority may also be set for candidate routes by considering factors other than charging efficiency and charging waiting risk, such as (1) and (2) below.

[0072] (1) Candidate routes with shorter travel times to the destination will be given higher priority. The travel time to the destination will be calculated taking into account the time required for charging and the time required to start charging. For example, this can be estimated from the congestion status and the number of chargers at candidate charging facilities, and this information can be obtained from Information Center 3 (Figure 3). Furthermore, it is desirable to estimate the arrival time at the destination by obtaining traffic information from an external server and taking into account road congestion.

[0073] (2) As explained using Figure 5, charging with a low SOC value (the ratio of remaining energy to a fully charged vehicle battery 8) allows for a higher amount of energy to be charged per unit time. Therefore, candidate routes with lower SOC values ​​during charging should be given a higher priority. The SOC value during charging can be determined from Figures 11 and 12. For example, comparing routes (a) and (f) in Figure 11, route (a) has an SOC value of 30kW at the time of the third charge, while route (f) has an SOC value of 20kW at the time of the third charge. In performing the above calculations, it is assumed that the maximum capacity of the battery is 60kWh, that 10kWh is consumed during driving on one link, and that the battery is fully charged on the second charge. In other words, route (f) has a lower SOC value during the third charge, so it should be given a higher priority.

[0074] Next, in S9, the CPU 31 guides the user through the candidate routes determined in S7. When guiding the user through the candidate routes, the CPU 31 prioritizes routes with higher priority, i.e., routes with higher charging efficiency and a lower risk of waiting for charging, according to the priority calculated in S8. For example, only candidate routes with a priority level above a certain level (e.g., five or more from the highest level) may be guided, or candidate routes may be guided in order of highest priority, or high-priority routes (e.g., up to five from the highest level) may be distinguished from others and guided accordingly. Furthermore, the guidance of candidate routes may be displayed on the display 36, or guided by voice output from the speaker 34.

[0075] Here, Figure 13 shows an example of guided candidate routes using the display 36 of the communication terminal 1. As shown in Figure 13, the display 36 displays a list of candidate routes determined in S7 as List 52. List 52 displays information indicating the candidate charging facilities for each candidate route, in order from the starting point. In addition to information identifying the candidate charging facilities, List 52 may also display information that allows for the identification of the amount of energy to be charged or the charging time. Furthermore, in List 52, candidate routes with a high priority are displayed in a way that allows for identification from other candidate routes. For example, in the example shown in Figure 13, among the seven candidate routes (q)~(s), (w), (z)~(β) with a number of charging cycles of 5 or less (charging efficiency of 1 threshold or higher), four of the candidate routes (w), (z)~(β) where the number of choices for the next charging facility to be used after the second charging cycle is completed is 3 or more (risk of being in a waiting state for charging is 2 threshold or lower) have a higher priority than other candidate routes and are therefore displayed in a way that allows for identification from other candidate routes. As an example, one way to identify and display other candidate routes is to change the background color of the corresponding candidate route in List 52, or to highlight it by displaying an additional frame 53 surrounding the corresponding candidate route. Also, if there are many candidate routes, a scroll bar 54 will be displayed, allowing the user to scroll through List 52 by moving the scroll bar 54 up and down. Furthermore, along with displaying List 52, it may be possible to output voice guidance for higher-priority candidate routes, such as "The minimum number of charges is 5, and there are 7 combinations that result in a minimum of 5 charges."

[0076] Note that the example of guided candidate routes shown in Figure 13 is just one example, and other configurations are also possible. For example, only the seven candidate routes with high priority (q)~(s), (w), and (z)~(β) may be displayed in List 52. Alternatively, only the four candidate routes with particularly high priority (w) and (z)~(β) may be displayed in List 52. Furthermore, the candidate routes may be sorted in descending order of priority before being displayed in List 52.

[0077] Alternatively, instead of displaying them in List 52, candidate routes may be drawn on a map image displayed on, for example, Display 36. Or, icons indicating the locations of candidate charging facilities along the candidate routes may be drawn on the map image. In other words, in the candidate route guidance of S9, it is possible to guide the user indirectly by guiding them to candidate charging facilities along the candidate routes, rather than directly guiding them along the routes. Furthermore, if icons are drawn on the map image, the user can identify areas where candidate charging facilities are concentrated based on the distribution of icons on the map image. When drawing candidate routes and icons on the map image, it is desirable to display only the icons corresponding to candidate routes with high priority (for example, up to the top 5) and candidate charging facilities along high-priority routes, or to display the icons corresponding to high-priority candidate routes and candidate charging facilities along high-priority routes in a way that makes them distinguishable from other candidate routes and icons.

[0078] On the other hand, candidate routes may also be guided by voice, in which case it is possible to provide guidance such as reading aloud the candidate charging station for the next charging station on the candidate route with the highest priority. In other words, in the guidance of candidate routes in S9, it is not necessarily required to provide guidance for the entire candidate route at the start of driving, and it is also possible to provide guidance in stages to the next candidate charging station. A specific example of providing voice guidance will be explained below using Figure 14. First, among the candidate routes from the starting point to the destination, the high-efficiency candidate routes, which are candidate routes with a charging efficiency above a threshold, will be targeted for guidance. For example, if the candidate routes shown in Figure 13 have been determined in S7, the candidate routes (q)~(s), (w), and (z)~(β) with a number of charging times of 5 or less will be targeted for guidance as high-efficiency candidate routes.

[0079] Then, as the vehicle travels along one of the designated high-efficiency candidate routes, it charges at a candidate charging station. After charging, if the vehicle is able to choose a route from among the multiple high-efficiency candidate routes, it is prompted to select the high-efficiency candidate route with the lowest risk of waiting for charging. Therefore, as shown in Figure 14, when the vehicle departs from the starting point A0, it outputs the voice guidance "Please head towards C1." After the vehicle charges at the candidate charging station at C1 as instructed, the high-efficiency candidate routes (q)~(s), (w), and (z)~(β) become available. However, the high-efficiency candidate routes (w) and (z)~(β) offer more options ahead and have a lower risk of waiting for charging than the high-efficiency candidate route (q)~(s). Therefore, to encourage the selection of the high-efficiency candidate routes (w) and (z)~(β), it outputs the voice guidance "E1 offers more options ahead (than D2)." After the vehicle has charged at the E1 charging station candidate as instructed, the high-efficiency candidate routes (w), (z) to (β) become available. However, the high-efficiency candidate routes (α) and (β) offer more options further ahead and have a lower risk of waiting for charging than the high-efficiency candidate routes (w) and (z). Therefore, to encourage the selection of the high-efficiency candidate routes (α) and (β), a voice announcement will be made stating, "G2 offers more options further ahead (than F2 and G1)." Similarly, announcements encouraging the selection of high-efficiency candidate routes with a lower risk of waiting for charging will be made thereafter. However, the directions are not limited to the above examples; directions such as "Please head towards E1" or "Please head towards G2" may also be given.

[0080] In the candidate route guidance method shown in Figure 14, instead of guiding the user through the entire candidate route to the destination at the start of travel, it becomes possible to guide the user to the next recommended charging station candidate as they progress towards their destination.

[0081] Then, after the candidate routes are guided in S9, the user selects a route to their destination from among the candidate routes according to the guidance, and the vehicle begins to travel.

[0082] Subsequently, in S10, the CPU 31 performs a determination process to determine whether or not the destination can be reached by driving according to the candidate route selected by the user. For example, if an event occurs such as the charging station candidate that was planned to be used is closed, or the road that was planned to be used is closed and driving is impossible, the CPU 31 may determine that the destination cannot be reached.

[0083] Then, if it is determined that the user can reach their destination by following the candidate route selected by the user (S10: YES), the route search processing program is terminated. On the other hand, if it is determined that the user cannot reach their destination by following the candidate route selected by the user (S10: NO), it is desirable to re-execute the process from S3 onwards, using the vehicle's current location as the starting point, and propose a new candidate route to the user.

[0084] As described in detail above, in the communication terminal 1, information provision server 4, and computer programs executed by the communication terminal 1 and information provision server 4 according to this embodiment, among charging facilities capable of charging the on-board battery 8 that supplies power to the drive source of the vehicle 5, the program acquires charging facility information including the location of the charging facility candidate and the maximum output of the charger provided by the charging facility candidate (S2), acquires maximum power receiving information indicating the amount of power that can be accepted when charging the on-board battery 8 provided by the vehicle 5 (S2), and acquires driving range information indicating the driving range of the vehicle relative to the remaining charge of the on-board battery 8 ( S2) Based on charging facility information, maximum power receiving information, and driving range information, the system determines the charging efficiency when charging the onboard battery 8 at a candidate charging facility along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination (S8). At the same time, the system also determines the magnitude of the risk of waiting for charging at a candidate charging facility along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination (S8). The system then prioritizes guiding the user to the candidate route that has high charging efficiency and a low risk of waiting for charging (S9), so that the user can appropriately select and drive the most suitable route from the guided candidate routes. Furthermore, for candidate routes that require multiple charges during the journey to the destination, the system determines that the risk of waiting for a charge is lower for candidate routes that have a larger number of charging facility options available after a predetermined number of charges (S8). Therefore, if the charging facility that was originally scheduled to be used becomes unavailable for an extended period, the system can encourage the user to select a candidate route that allows switching to another charging facility option, as this route has a lower risk of waiting for a charge. Furthermore, among the candidate routes from the starting point to the destination, the system guides the user to high-efficiency candidate routes whose charging efficiency is above a threshold. When the vehicle selects one of the high-efficiency candidate routes and travels along it, it charges at a candidate charging facility. After charging, if the vehicle is able to select a route from among multiple high-efficiency candidate routes, the system encourages the user to select the high-efficiency candidate route with the lowest risk of waiting for charging (S9). This makes it possible to guide the user to the next recommended charging facility candidate at each stage, according to the user's progress towards their destination, rather than guiding them along the entire candidate route to the destination at the start of travel. Furthermore, each candidate route from the starting point to the destination is displayed on the display 36 in list 52 along with the candidate charging facilities that would be used for charging if the route were taken. In addition, candidate routes with a charging efficiency of 1 or higher and a risk of waiting for charging of 2 or lower are displayed in a way that allows them to be distinguished from other candidate routes (S9). As a result, by referring to the information displayed on the display 36, the user can grasp a list of candidate routes that can take them to their destination, and also identify and understand the recommended candidate route among them.

[0085] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, in this embodiment, when there are multiple candidate routes from the starting point to the destination via a charging facility, priority is set for each candidate route based on charging efficiency and the risk of waiting for charging. However, if only charging efficiency and the risk of waiting for charging are prioritized, it is possible that the user may be guided to an unbalanced candidate route (for example, a route that takes an unusually long detour, or a route that travels on congested roads). Therefore, the CPU 31 sets priorities by considering not only charging efficiency and the risk of waiting for charging, but also the "time required to the destination," "ease of driving the candidate route," and "total length of the candidate route," making it possible to guide the user to a well-balanced candidate route.

[0086] Furthermore, it is desirable to periodically monitor factors such as "estimated time to destination," "ease of driving on candidate routes," and "total length of candidate routes" not only at the time of route search but also after the vehicle has started driving. In addition, if the priority of candidate routes changes after the vehicle has started driving, it is desirable to guide the vehicle along the candidate route according to the changed priority. For example, if traffic congestion occurs on the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on after it has started driving, it is possible to change the guidance to lead the user to a more appropriate candidate route by increasing the priority of other candidate routes that travel on roads that are not congested.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, regarding the determination of the risk of waiting for charging, the candidate route is judged to have a smaller risk of waiting for charging if there are more options for candidate charging facilities to perform the next (n+1)th charge after the nth charge. However, it is also possible to monitor the actual waiting time for charging for each candidate charging facility (how much the charging facility has been used in the past) and determine the risk of waiting for charging from the actual waiting time. For example, if it has not been used in the last 3 hours, the actual waiting time is calculated as 30 × 0 × coefficient = 0 minutes; if it has been used for 0.5 hours in the last 3 hours, the actual waiting time is calculated as 30 × 0.5 / 3.0 = 10 minutes; if it has been used for 1.5 hours in the last 3 hours, the actual waiting time is calculated as 30 × 1.5 / 3.0 = 30 minutes; and if it has been used for 2.5 hours in the last 3 hours, the actual waiting time is calculated as 30 × 2.5 / 3.0 = 50 minutes. Then, the actual waiting time for charging for each candidate charging facility is totaled, and it is possible to determine that the risk of waiting for charging is smaller if the total value is smaller.

[0088] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example where the communication terminal 1 is applied to a smartphone, it can also be applied to other types of communication terminals as long as they have communication functions with the vehicle and the information provision server 4. For example, it can be applied to mobile phones, tablet terminals, personal computers, etc. Also, the in-vehicle navigation device 6 may also function as the communication terminal 1, or other in-vehicle devices or vehicle control ECUs may perform processing in place of the communication terminal 1.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, although the communication terminal 1 was the main entity executing the route calculation and the processes related to determining charging efficiency and charging waiting risk (S1-S8) in the route learning processing program shown in Figure 7, the information provision server 4 may also perform some or all of these processes. That is, the information provision server 4 may be the driving support device of the present invention, or the present invention can be applied to a system including the communication terminal 1 and the information provision server 4. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 1...Communication terminal (driving support device), 2...Information provision system, 4...Information provision server (driving support device), 5...Vehicle, 6...Navigation device, 8...Onboard battery, 9...Distribution information DB, 10...Charging facility, 11...Server control unit, 31...CPU, 32...Memory, 36...Display (display device), 41...Communication terminal control unit (Example of means for acquiring charging facility information, battery information, remaining range, charging efficiency determination, risk determination, and guidance means), 52...List

Claims

1. A charging facility information acquisition means acquires charging facility information, including the location of a candidate charging facility and the maximum output of the charger provided by the candidate charging facility, for a group of charging facilities that are candidates for charging during travel to the destination, among charging facilities that are capable of charging the vehicle's onboard battery, which supplies power to the vehicle's drive source. A battery information acquisition means that acquires maximum power receiving information indicating the amount of power that can be accepted when charging the vehicle's onboard battery, A means for acquiring driving range information that indicates the remaining driving range of a vehicle in relation to the remaining charge of the onboard battery, A charging efficiency determination means that determines the charging efficiency when charging the on-board battery at the charging facility candidate located along each candidate route from the departure point to the destination, based on the charging facility information, the maximum power receiving information, and the driving range information, A risk assessment means for determining the magnitude of the risk of waiting for charging at a candidate charging facility for each candidate route from the starting point to the destination, A driving support device comprising: a guidance means that, using the determination results of the charging efficiency determination means and the risk determination means, prioritizes guiding the driver to candidate routes from the departure point to the destination, prioritizing routes that have high charging efficiency and a low risk of waiting for charging.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein the risk determination means determines that for candidate routes that require multiple charges during the journey to the destination, the risk of being in a waiting state for charging is smaller for candidate routes that have a larger number of options for charging facilities to be used for the next charge after a predetermined number of charges.

3. The aforementioned guiding means is Among the candidate routes from the origin to the destination, the guide will focus on high-efficiency candidate routes whose charging efficiency is above a certain threshold. The driving support device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the process of the vehicle selecting and driving along one of the aforementioned high-efficiency candidate routes, the vehicle is charged at a candidate charging facility, and after charging, if the vehicle is in a state where it can select a route to travel from among the multiple aforementioned high-efficiency candidate routes, the device provides guidance to encourage the vehicle to select a high-efficiency candidate route that has a lower risk of waiting for charging.

4. The aforementioned guiding means is Each candidate route from the starting point to the destination is displayed on the display device as a list, along with the candidate charging facilities that would be used if the route were traveled. A driving support device according to claim 1 or claim 2, which displays candidate routes in a manner that distinguishes them from other candidate routes, provided that the charging efficiency is above a first threshold and the risk of being in a waiting state is below a second threshold.

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