Power supply equipment for electric vehicle, electric vehicle, and power supply method for electric vehicle

Abstract

To provide a power supply facility of an electric vehicle, an electric vehicle and a power supply method of an electric vehicle which can simultaneously supply power to a plurality of electric vehicles that travel in line with simple processing while holding the line-up state.SOLUTION: A power supply facility of an electric vehicle comprises: a plurality of power supply coils 411c, 421c, 431c which are wirelessly connected to electric vehicles 10A, 20A, 30A that travel in line and are installed with a prescribed interval so as to supply power to the plurality of electric vehicles in such a state that the electric vehicles are parked in line from the head side to the rear side; and an inter-vehicle calculation unit 113 which acquires power supply coil interval information indicating a distance of the prescribed interval, information on the total vehicle body length of each of the electric vehicles 10A, 20A, 30A and information on the power reception coil position in the vehicle body, and calculates an inter-vehicle distance for parking the plurality of electric vehicles such that the positions of the plurality of power supply coils and the positions of the power reception coils of the plurality of electric vehicles directly face each other on the basis of the acquired information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a power supply facility for an electric vehicle, an electric vehicle, and a power supply method for an electric vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a technology has been developed in which power transmitters and receivers are installed at the front and rear of multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon, and the vehicles in front and behind exchange power. By using this technology, even if only some of the multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon experience a battery power shortage, the entire platoon can continue traveling by receiving power from the other vehicles (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-70514 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, even with this technology, the battery charge will run out if the vehicle continues to travel, so it is necessary to supply power to each electric vehicle from a power supply device installed on or beside the road. When each electric vehicle is to be powered by the power supply device, the platoon state of multiple electric vehicles is temporarily released (first step), and each electric vehicle approaches the power supply device to align itself (second step), and power is supplied (third step). After power supply is completed, the electric vehicles form a platoon again (fourth step) and start traveling (fifth step).

[0005] Performing the power supply process through the first to fifth steps in this manner requires time and effort, and the process becomes complicated.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a power supplying device for an electric vehicle, an electric vehicle, and a power supplying method for an electric vehicle that enables multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon to be simultaneously supplied with power through simple processing while maintaining the platoon state. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The power supply equipment for electric vehicles according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of power supply coils that are connected via wireless communication to a plurality of electric vehicles traveling in a platoon and are installed at predetermined intervals so that the plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a row from the front to the rear and supplied with power, and a vehicle distance calculation unit that acquires power supply coil interval information indicating the distance of the predetermined intervals, information on the overall vehicle length of each of the plurality of electric vehicles and information on the position of a power receiving coil installed inside the vehicle, and calculates a vehicle distance for parking the plurality of electric vehicles so that the positions of the plurality of power supply coils and the positions of the power receiving coils of the plurality of electric vehicles are directly opposite each other based on the acquired information.

[0008] The vehicle distance calculation unit may be provided in any one of the plurality of electric vehicles, or in a device communicatively connected to a power supply circuit having the plurality of power supply coils and the plurality of electric vehicles.

[0009] Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to the present disclosure travels in a platoon with at least one electric vehicle, a follower vehicle, following behind, and is equipped with: power supply coil spacing information indicating the distance for each spacing of a plurality of power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that a plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear and powered; information on the overall vehicle body lengths of the host vehicle and the follower vehicle and information on the positions of the power receiving coils installed inside the vehicle bodies; a vehicle distance calculation unit that calculates a vehicle distance for parking the host vehicle and the follower vehicle so that the positions of the plurality of power supply coils and the positions of the power receiving coils inside the host vehicle and the follower vehicle are directly opposite each other based on the acquired information; and a wireless communication unit that wirelessly transmits the calculated vehicle distance information to the follower vehicle.

[0010] Another electric vehicle according to the present disclosure travels following a leading vehicle traveling at the front of a platoon, and is equipped with: power supply coil spacing information indicating the distance for each spacing of a plurality of power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that a plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear and powered; information on the overall vehicle body length of the host vehicle and each of the other vehicles traveling in the platoon together with the host vehicle, and information on the positions of the power receiving coils installed inside the vehicle body; and a vehicle distance calculation unit that calculates a vehicle distance for parking the host vehicle so that the positions of the multiple power supply coils and the positions of the power receiving coils of the host vehicle and each of the other vehicles traveling in the platoon together with the host vehicle are directly opposite each other, based on the acquired information; and a driving control unit that adjusts the vehicle distance with the vehicle ahead by automatically driving, based on the vehicle distance calculated by the vehicle distance calculation unit.

[0011] In the power supply method for electric vehicles according to the present disclosure, a vehicle distance calculation unit connected via wireless communication to a plurality of electric vehicles traveling in a platoon acquires power supply coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between a plurality of power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that the plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear, information on the overall body length of each of the plurality of electric vehicles, and information on the position of a power receiving coil installed inside the vehicle, and calculates the power supply coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between a plurality of power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that the plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear ... and calculates the power receiving coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between a plurality of power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that the plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear, and calculates the power receiving coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between a plurality of power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that the plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear, The vehicle distance for parking both vehicles is calculated, and a follower vehicle following the lead vehicle among the multiple electric vehicles drives automatically to adjust the vehicle distance with the adjacent vehicle ahead based on the vehicle distance calculated by the vehicle distance calculation unit, and when the lead vehicle among the multiple electric vehicles is parked so that the position of the power receiving coil of the lead vehicle is directly facing the position of the lead power feeding coil among the multiple power feeding coils, and the positions of the power receiving coils of all vehicles are directly facing the positions of the multiple power feeding coils, each of the multiple power feeding coils supplies power to a corresponding electric vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the power supply equipment for an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle, and the power supply method for an electric vehicle disclosed herein, it is possible to simultaneously supply power to multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon through simple processing while maintaining the platoon state. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a power supply facility according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1(a) and 1(b) are diagrams illustrating an example of installation of a power supply device in a power supply facility according to the first to third embodiments. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4A is a side view of an electric vehicle powered by the power supply equipment according to the first to third embodiments, and FIG. 4B is a diagram showing the spacing between power supply units in a power supply device of the power supply equipment according to the first to third embodiments. [Figure 4] 4 is a sequence diagram showing processes executed by the power supply facility and each of the electric vehicles when the power supply facility according to the first embodiment supplies power to the plurality of electric vehicles. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a side view of a state in which each electric vehicle is parked at a position corresponding to each power supply unit of the power supply equipment according to the first to third embodiments. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a power supply facility according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] 13 is a sequence diagram showing processes executed by the power supply facility and each of the electric vehicles when the power supply facility according to the second embodiment supplies power to the plurality of electric vehicles. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a power supply facility according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] 13 is a sequence diagram showing processes executed by a power supply facility and each of the electric vehicles when the power supply facility according to the third embodiment supplies power to the plurality of electric vehicles. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of a power supply facility for supplying power to a plurality of electric vehicles traveling in a platoon while maintaining the traveling mode of the vehicles will be described with reference to the drawings. The power supply facility described in the following embodiment is a facility for contactlessly supplying power to the batteries of the electric vehicles.

[0015] First Embodiment Configuration of power supply equipment for electric vehicle according to first embodiment The configuration of a power supply facility according to a first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The power supply facility 100A according to this embodiment is a power supply facility for supplying power to a plurality of electric vehicles (a leading vehicle 10A, a first following vehicle 20A, and a second following vehicle 30A) traveling in a platoon while maintaining the traveling mode. The power supply facility 100A includes a power supply device 40A installed in a part of the traveling path of the electric vehicles or in an area connected to the traveling path.

[0016] The configurations of the leading vehicle 10A, the first followed vehicle 20A, and the second followed vehicle 30A to be powered in this embodiment will be described. The leading vehicle 10A travels in a platoon with at least one followed vehicle (two vehicles, the first followed vehicle 20A and the second followed vehicle 30A in this embodiment) which is an electric vehicle following behind, and is driven by a driver. The leading vehicle 10A includes an on-board device 11A, a power receiving circuit unit 12, and a battery 13. The on-board device 11A includes a wireless communication unit 111, a driving control unit 112, and a vehicle distance calculation unit 113.

[0017] The wireless communication unit 111 performs wireless communication with the power supply device 40A and the first subordinate vehicle 20A, which is an adjacent vehicle in the platoon. The driving control unit 112 performs driving control of the host vehicle 10A. The vehicle distance calculation unit 113 calculates the vehicle distance between the leading vehicle 10A and the first subordinate vehicle 20A, and the vehicle distance between the first subordinate vehicle 20A and the second subordinate vehicle 30A. The power receiving circuit unit 12 has a power receiving coil 121, is provided on the underside of the leading vehicle 10A, and receives power from the power supply device 40A in a contactless manner. The battery 13 is charged with the power received by the power receiving circuit unit 12.

[0018] The first subordinate vehicle 20A is an unmanned vehicle that follows the leading vehicle 10A in an autonomous driving manner, and includes an on-board device 21A, a power receiving circuit unit 22, and a battery 23. The on-board device 21A includes a wireless communication unit 211, a distance sensor unit 212, and a driving control unit 213. The wireless communication unit 211 wirelessly communicates with the leading vehicle 10A and the second subordinate vehicle 30A, which are adjacent vehicles in the platoon. The distance sensor unit 212 measures the inter-vehicle distance with the leading vehicle 10A, which is adjacent to the vehicle in front of the vehicle in the platoon. The driving control unit 213 controls the driving of the host vehicle 20A. The power receiving circuit unit 22 includes a power receiving coil 221, is provided on the underside of the first subordinate vehicle 20A, and receives power from the power supply device 40A in a non-contact manner. The battery 23 is charged with the power received by the power receiving circuit unit 22.

[0019] The second slave vehicle 30A is an unmanned vehicle that follows the first slave vehicle 20A in an autonomous driving manner, and includes an on-board device 31A, a power receiving circuit unit 32, and a battery 33. The on-board device 31A includes a wireless communication unit 311, a distance sensor unit 312, and a driving control unit 313. The wireless communication unit 311 wirelessly communicates with the first slave vehicle 20A, which is an adjacent vehicle in the platoon. The distance sensor unit 312 measures the inter-vehicle distance with the first slave vehicle 20A, which is adjacent to the front of the vehicle in the platoon. The driving control unit 313 controls the driving of the host vehicle 30A. The power receiving circuit unit 32 includes a power receiving coil 321, is provided on the underside of the second slave vehicle 30A, and receives power from the power supply device 40A in a non-contact manner. The battery 33 is charged with the power received by the power receiving circuit unit 22.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 2(a) or (b), for example, the power supply device 40A has a plurality of power supply units (first power supply unit 41, second power supply unit 42, and third power supply unit 43) installed at predetermined intervals on a travel path R1 or R2 along a travel route of an electric vehicle, and a general control unit 44A. In Fig. 2(a) and (b), 41a indicates a power supply space where a corresponding vehicle is parked when power is supplied by the first power supply unit 41. Also, 42a indicates a power supply space where a corresponding vehicle is parked when power is supplied by the second power supply unit 42. Also, 41c indicates a power supply space where a corresponding vehicle is parked when power is supplied by the third power supply unit 43.

[0021] The first power supply unit 41, the second power supply unit 42, and the third power supply unit 43 are installed at a predetermined interval so that a plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear and can be supplied with power. The interval between the first power supply unit 41 and the second power supply unit 42 and the interval between the second power supply unit 42 and the third power supply unit 43 are a distance at which the electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line, specifically, the length of the electric vehicles in the front-rear direction plus a margin. The interval between the first power supply unit 41 and the second power supply unit 42 and the interval between the second power supply unit 42 and the third power supply unit 43 may be the same or different.

[0022] 2(a) shows a case where power supply device 40A is installed in parking lane RL1 of travel road R1 having parking lane RL1 and driving lane RL2. When power supply device 40A is installed in this manner, vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A traveling in driving lane RL1 change the driving lane to parking lane RL1 as shown by the arrows when they approach the installation location of power supply device 40A. Then, they park in power supply spaces 41a, 42a, and 43a, respectively, and supply power. When power supply is completed, vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A start traveling while changing the driving lane to driving lane RL1 as shown by the arrows.

[0023] 2(b) shows a case where a power supply space S separated from the travel lane RL3 by a curb or wall W is provided in a portion of the travel path R2, and a power supply device 40A is installed in this power supply space S. When power supply device 40A is installed in this manner, vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A traveling in the travel lane RL3 enter the power supply space S as indicated by the arrows when they approach the installation location of power supply device 40A. Then, they park in power supply spaces 41a, 42a, and 43a, respectively, to supply power. When power supply is completed, vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A exit the power supply space S as indicated by the arrows, return to the travel lane RL3, and start traveling.

[0024] The first power supply unit 41 has a power supply circuit unit 411 and a power supply control unit 412. The power supply circuit unit 411 has a power supply coil 411c, which is magnetically coupled to a power receiving coil of a power receiving circuit unit mounted on an electric vehicle to be supplied with power, and supplies power in a non-contact manner under the control of the power supply control unit 412. The power supply control unit 412 switches power supply to the power supply circuit unit 411 on / off according to an instruction from a general control unit 44A, which will be described later. The second power supply unit 42 and the third power supply unit 43 have the same configuration as the first power supply unit 41, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0025] The general control unit 44A includes a power supply management unit 441 and a wireless communication unit 442. The power supply management unit 441 holds power supply coil interval information indicating the distance between the center of the power supply coil 411c of the first power supply unit 41 and the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42 in the power supply device 40A, and the distance between the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42 and the center of the power supply coil 431c of the third power supply unit 43. The distance between the center of the power supply coil 411c and the center of the power supply coil 421c and the distance between the center of the power supply coil 421c and the center of the power supply coil 431c may be the same or different. When these distances are the same, the power supply coil interval information becomes a single piece of information, and when they are different, the information is an arrangement of distance information for each power supply coil.

[0026] Furthermore, when receiving a request for power supply coil interval information from an electric vehicle to be supplied with power, the power supply management unit 441 provides the stored power supply coil interval information. Furthermore, the power supply management unit 441 controls the operations of the first power supply unit 41, the second power supply unit 42, and the third power supply unit 43. The wireless communication unit 442 performs wireless communication with the leading vehicle 10A to be supplied with power.

[0027] <Operations Executed in the Power Supply Equipment for Electrically Powered Vehicle According to the First Embodiment> Next, an operation performed by the power supply equipment 100A according to this embodiment will be described in which power supply processing is performed on the lead vehicle 10A, the first follower vehicle 20A, and the second follower vehicle 30A that are traveling in a platoon in this order.

[0028] In this embodiment, the vehicle distance calculation unit 113 of the in-vehicle device 11A of the leading vehicle 10A holds in advance information on the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon including the vehicle itself ("3"), as well as information on the overall vehicle body length X[n] of each of the vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A shown in Fig. 3(a) and the distance Y[n] from the front end of the vehicle body to the center position of the power receiving coils 121, 221, and 321. Here, n indicates the order of each vehicle from the leading vehicle 10A in the platooning, where n=1 for the leading vehicle 10A, n=2 for the first trailing vehicle 20A, and n=3 for the second trailing vehicle.

[0029] In addition, the power supply management unit 441 of the power supply device 40A holds, in advance, as power supply coil spacing information, information L1 indicating the distance L1 between the center of the power supply coil 411c of the first power supply unit 41 and the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42, and information L2 indicating the distance between the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42 and the center of the power supply coil 431c of the third power supply unit 43, as shown in FIG. 3(b).

[0030] When power is supplied to these vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A, the driver of the leading vehicle 10A drives the vehicle toward the location where the power supply device 40A is installed while maintaining the platooning, and the first and second follower vehicles 20A and 30A follow behind. When these vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A enter an area where the power supply device 40A is located to supply power, the process executed by each of the vehicles 10A, 20A, 30A, and the power supply device 40A will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of FIG.

[0031] First, when the leading vehicle 10A approaches the power supply device 40A, the vehicle distance calculation unit 113 of the in-vehicle device 11A transmits a request for power supply coil interval information to the power supply device 40A via the wireless communication unit 111 (S1). At this time, the vehicle distance calculation unit 113 transmits information on the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon, "3 vehicles", which is stored in advance, together with information on the number of vehicles to be supplied with power. In the power supply device 40A, the power supply management unit 441 acquires the request for power supply coil interval information and the information on the number of vehicles to be supplied with power via the wireless communication unit 442.

[0032] In response to the request for the acquired power supply coil interval information, the power supply management unit 441 transmits the stored power supply coil interval information to the leading vehicle 10A (S2). In the leading vehicle 10A, the vehicle distance calculation unit 113 of the on-board device 11A acquires the power supply coil interval information transmitted from the power supply device 40A and calculates the inter-vehicle distance CL1 between the leading vehicle 10A and the first subordinate vehicle 20A and the inter-vehicle distance CL2 between the first subordinate vehicle 20A and the second subordinate vehicle 30A (S3). These inter-vehicle distances CL1 and CL2 are information for parking the vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A by aligning the power supply coils 411c, 421c, and 431c so that they directly face the power receiving coils 121, 221, and 321 of the multiple electric vehicles 10A, 20A, and 30A, respectively.

[0033] A detailed description will be given of the calculation of the inter-vehicle distance executed by the inter-vehicle distance calculation unit 113. The inter-vehicle distance calculation unit 113 calculates the inter-vehicle distances CL1 and CL2 based on pre-stored information (X[n] and Y[n] of each vehicle) and the acquired power supply coil distance information (L1 and L2).

[0034] When the leading vehicle 10A, the first following vehicle 20A, and the second following vehicle 30A are all the same shape, that is, when X[1] = X[2] = X[3] and Y[1] = Y[2] = Y[3], the inter-vehicle distances CL1 and CL2 are calculated as follows. The inter-vehicle distance CL1 between the leading vehicle 10A and the first following vehicle 20A is the distance between the rear end of the leading vehicle 10A and the front end of the first following vehicle 20A, and is calculated by L1 - X[1] (= X[2] = X[3]). The inter-vehicle distance CL2 between the first following vehicle 20A and the second following vehicle 30A is the distance between the rear end of the first following vehicle 20A and the front end of the second following vehicle 30A, and is calculated by L2 - X[1] (= X[2] = X[3]).

[0035] In addition, when the shapes of the leading vehicle 10A, the first following vehicle 20A, and the second following vehicle 30A are different, that is, when X[1] ≠ X[2] ≠ X[3] or Y[1] ≠ Y[2] ≠ Y[3], the inter-vehicle distances are calculated as follows. The inter-vehicle distance CL1 between the leading vehicle 10A and the first following vehicle 20A, that is, the distance between the rear end of the leading vehicle 10A and the front end of the first following vehicle 20A, is calculated as L1 - X[1] + Y[1] - Y[2]. In addition, the inter-vehicle distance CL2 between the first following vehicle 20A and the second following vehicle 30A, that is, the distance between the rear end of the first following vehicle 20A and the front end of the second following vehicle 30A, is calculated as L2 - X[2] + Y[2] - Y[3].

[0036] When the information on the inter-vehicle distances CL1, CL2 is calculated, the inter-vehicle distance calculation unit 113 wirelessly transmits the information on the inter-vehicle distances CL1, CL2 together with a power reception preparation instruction from the wireless communication unit 111 to the first slave vehicle 20A (S4). In addition, the driving control unit 112 starts up the power receiving circuit unit 12 to execute the power reception preparation process (S5).

[0037] When the first subordinate vehicle 20A acquires information on inter-vehicle distances CL1 and CL2 from the leading vehicle 10A, the first subordinate vehicle 20A extracts information on inter-vehicle distance CL1 corresponding to the arrangement order (second) of the vehicle 20A among the vehicles (10A, 20A, 30A) traveling in the platoon from the information. Then, the driving control unit 213 automatically changes the traveling speed based on the information measured by the distance sensor unit 212, thereby adjusting the inter-vehicle distance from the leading vehicle 10A to CL1. Specifically, increasing the traveling speed shortens the inter-vehicle distance, and decreasing the traveling speed lengthens the inter-vehicle distance.

[0038] In addition, in accordance with the acquired power receiving preparation instruction, the driving control unit 213 starts the power receiving circuit unit 22 to execute the power receiving preparation process (S6). In addition, the driving control unit 213 wirelessly transmits the acquired information on the inter-vehicle distances CL1, CL2 together with the power receiving preparation instruction from the wireless communication unit 211 to the second subordinate vehicle 30A (S7).

[0039] When the second subordinate vehicle 30A acquires the information on the inter-vehicle distances CL1 and CL2, it extracts from the information the information on the inter-vehicle distance CL2 corresponding to the arrangement order (third) of the vehicle 30A among the vehicles (10A, 20A, 30A) traveling in the platoon. Then, the driving control unit 313 automatically changes the traveling speed based on the information measured by the distance sensor unit 312, thereby adjusting the inter-vehicle distance with the first subordinate vehicle 20A to CL2.

[0040] Furthermore, in accordance with the acquired power receiving preparation instruction, the driving control unit 313 starts up the power receiving circuit unit 32 to execute the power receiving preparation process (S8). Then, when the driving control unit 313 detects that the power receiving preparation process of the power receiving circuit unit 32 has been completed, it transmits a power receiving preparation completion notification to the first subordinate vehicle 20A (S9).

[0041] In the first subordinate vehicle 20A, the power receiving preparation completion notification transmitted from the second subordinate vehicle 30A is acquired by the driving control unit 213. When the driving control unit 213 detects that the power receiving preparation process of the power receiving circuit unit 22 of the host vehicle 20A is completed, the driving control unit 213 transmits the power receiving preparation completion notification of the second subordinate vehicle 30A and the first subordinate vehicle 20A to the leading vehicle 10A (S10).

[0042] In parallel with the above-mentioned steps S1 to S10, the driver of the leading vehicle 10A parks the leading vehicle 10A in the power feeding space 41a by aligning the power receiving coil 121 of the power receiving circuit unit 12 of the leading vehicle 10A so as to face the power feeding coil 411c of the power feeding circuit unit 411 of the first power feeding unit 41 (S11). Here, a frame line is drawn on the road surface corresponding to the power feeding space 41a, which is an example of a mark for parking the electric vehicle to be fed power at a position where it can appropriately receive power. The driver of the leading vehicle 10A parks the leading vehicle 10A by aligning a predetermined position of the leading vehicle 10A (for example, the front end of the vehicle body) with the frame line, thereby parking the vehicle so that the power receiving coil 121 faces the power feeding coil 411c.

[0043] In this embodiment, it is assumed that the leading vehicle 10A is parked in the power supply space 41a after the second subordinate vehicle 30A adjusts the inter-vehicle distance CL2 with the first subordinate vehicle 20A in step S8. At this time, the leading vehicle 10A, the first subordinate vehicle 20A, and the second subordinate vehicle 30A are kept in a platoon state, the inter-vehicle distance between the leading vehicle 10A and the first subordinate vehicle 20A is kept at CL1, and the inter-vehicle distance between the first subordinate vehicle 20A and the second subordinate vehicle 30A is kept at CL2. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the first subordinate vehicle 20A is automatically parked so that the power receiving coil 221 of the first subordinate vehicle 20A is aligned with the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42. Also, the second subordinate vehicle 30A is automatically parked so that the power receiving coil 321 of the second subordinate vehicle 30A is aligned with the power supply coil 431c of the third power supply unit 43.

[0044] In the leading vehicle 10A, the driving control unit 112 acquires the notification of completion of power reception preparation of the second subordinate vehicle 30A and the notification of completion of power reception preparation of the first subordinate vehicle 20A transmitted from the first subordinate vehicle 20A. When the driving control unit 112 completes the power reception preparation process of the host vehicle 10A, completes parking in the power feeding space 41a, and receives a notification of completion of power reception preparation of the subordinate vehicles 20A and 30A from the first subordinate vehicle 20A, the driving control unit 112 transmits a notification of completion of all vehicle power reception preparation to the power feeding device 40A (S12). This notification of completion of all vehicle power reception preparation indicates that all vehicles 10A, 20A, 30A are parked in the designated positions and are ready to receive power.

[0045] In the power supply device 40A, the power supply management unit 441 acquires the notification that all vehicles are ready to receive power transmitted from the leading vehicle 10A. When the power supply management unit 441 acquires the notification that all vehicles are ready to receive power, the power supply management unit 441 transmits a power supply start instruction to the power supply units 41, 42, and 43, the number of which is equal to the number of vehicles to be supplied with power from the leading vehicle. In this example, since the number of vehicles to be supplied with power is three, the power supply start instruction is transmitted to the power supply control unit 412 of the first power supply unit 41, the power supply control unit 422 of the second power supply unit 42, and the power supply control unit 432 of the third power supply unit 43. When the number of vehicles to be supplied with power is greater than the number of power supply units (m), power is supplied only to the leading m vehicles among the multiple electric vehicles in the platoon. The power supply control unit 412 that acquires the power supply start instruction activates the power supply circuit unit 411 to start the power supply process. Furthermore, the power supply control section 422 activates the power supply circuit section 421 to start the power supply process. Furthermore, the power supply control section 432 activates the power supply circuit section 431 to start the power supply process (S13).

[0046] When the power supplying process is started in the power supplying circuit unit 411, the power receiving circuit unit 12 of the leading vehicle 10A starts receiving power, and the battery 13 is charged. Also, when the power supplying process is started in the power supplying circuit unit 421, the power receiving circuit unit 22 of the first subordinate vehicle 20A starts receiving power, and the battery 23 is charged. Also, when the power supplying process is started in the power supplying circuit unit 431, the power receiving circuit unit 32 of the second subordinate vehicle 30A starts receiving power, and the battery 33 is charged.

[0047] Thereafter, when a predetermined condition (for example, a certain time has passed or the battery 13 of the leading vehicle 10A is fully charged) is met, the power supply management unit 441 of the integrated control unit 44A instructs the power supply control units 412, 422, and 432 of the power supply units 41, 42, and 43 to stop power supply. Upon receiving the instruction to stop power supply, the power supply control units 412, 422, and 432 stop the power supply process.

[0048] After the power supply process is stopped, when the driver of the vehicle 10A starts driving, the first and second follower vehicles 20A and 30A follow and start driving, and the vehicles drive while maintaining the platoon state of the vehicle 10A, the first follower vehicle 20A, and the second follower vehicle 30A in that order. After the vehicles start driving, the vehicle intervals between these vehicles do not need to be the intervals calculated in step S3, and the vehicles drive with the intervals adjusted to be appropriate for driving. For example, when driving on a highway, the vehicle intervals between the vehicles are adjusted to be longer.

[0049] Using the power supply equipment 100A, the leading vehicle 10A, and the following vehicles 20A, 30A described in the first embodiment above, a power supply system can be constructed in which the power supply equipment 100A appropriately supplies power to the leading vehicle 10A and the following vehicles 20A, 30A traveling in a platoon while maintaining this traveling form.

[0050] According to the first embodiment described above, by configuring multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon to be able to supply power simultaneously while maintaining the platoon, it is not necessary to disband or re-establish the vehicle platoon for power supply, and the time required for these processes can be saved. Furthermore, when each vehicle parks to supply power, only the leading vehicle needs to perform processing to determine the parking position relative to the power supply space, and the other following vehicles can be parked appropriately in response to the power supply unit simply by following the leading vehicle at a specified distance. This allows multiple electric vehicles to be parked simultaneously in appropriate power supply positions with simple processing.

[0051] In addition, in this embodiment, contactless power supply is used to supply power to the electric vehicles, and no cable connection work is required when supplying power, so when supplying power, the driver does not need to get off the electric vehicle driven by a person, and no person needs to be present in the case of an unmanned electric vehicle. Therefore, power supply processing can be performed for all of the multiple electric vehicles while they are unmanned.

[0052] Second Embodiment Configuration of power supply equipment for electric vehicle according to second embodiment The configuration of the power supply equipment according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The power supply equipment 100B according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the power supply equipment 100A described in the first embodiment, except that a vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 443 is provided in the general control unit 44B of the power supply device 40B instead of the vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 113 of the leading vehicle 10A. Therefore, detailed description of parts having the same functions as those of the power supply equipment 100A will be omitted.

[0053] <Operations Executed in the Power Supply Equipment for Electric Vehicles According to the Second Embodiment> As an operation executed by the power supply equipment 100B according to this embodiment, a case will be described in which power supply processing is performed on a lead vehicle 10B, a first follower vehicle 20B, and a second follower vehicle 30B that are traveling in a platoon in this order.

[0054] An operation executed by the power supply equipment 100B according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of Fig. 7. In this embodiment, the driving control unit 112 of the in-vehicle device 11A of the leading vehicle 10B holds in advance information on the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon, "3 vehicles," the total length X[n] of each vehicle 10B, 20B, 30B, and the distance Y[n] from the front end to the center position of each power receiving coil 121, 221, 321.

[0055] In addition, the vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 443 of the power supply device 40B holds, in advance, information L1 indicating the distance between the center of the power supply coil 411c of the first power supply unit 41 and the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42, and information L2 indicating the distance between the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42 and the center of the power supply coil 431c of the third power supply unit 43, as power supply coil spacing information.

[0056] In this embodiment, when the lead vehicle 10B, the first follower vehicle 20B, and the second follower vehicle 30B traveling in a convoy supply power, the driver of the lead vehicle 10B drives toward the location where the power supply device 40B is installed, and the first follower vehicle 20B and the second follower vehicle 30B follow behind.

[0057] When these vehicles 10B, 20B, and 30B approach the power supply device 40B, the driving control unit 112 of the in-vehicle device 11B of the leading vehicle 10B transmits a request for vehicle distance information to the power supply device 40B via the wireless communication unit 111 (S21). At this time, the driving control unit 112 transmits information on the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon, "3 vehicles," which is stored in advance, as well as information on the total length X[n] of each vehicle 10B, 20B, 30B, and the distance Y[n] from the front end of each vehicle to the center position of each power receiving coil 121, 221, 321.

[0058] In the power supply device 40B, the information transmitted from the leading vehicle 10B is acquired by the vehicle distance calculation unit 443 via the wireless communication unit 442. The vehicle distance calculation unit 443 calculates the vehicle distance CL1 between the leading vehicle 10B and the first followed vehicle 20B and the vehicle distance CL2 between the first followed vehicle 20B and the second followed vehicle 30B based on the information acquired from the leading vehicle 10B and the power supply coil interval information stored in advance. Then, the calculated vehicle distances CL1 and CL2 are transmitted to the leading vehicle 10B (S22).

[0059] The process of calculating the inter-vehicle distance performed by the inter-vehicle distance calculation unit 443 and the process of steps S23 to S32 performed after the leading vehicle 10B acquires information on the inter-vehicle distances CL1 and CL2 are similar to the process of steps S4 to S13 described in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed explanations are omitted.

[0060] Using the power supply equipment 100B, the leading vehicle 10B, and the following vehicles 20B, 30B described in the second embodiment above, a power supply system can be constructed in which the power supply equipment 100B appropriately supplies power to the leading vehicle 10A and the following vehicles 20A, 30A traveling in a platoon while maintaining this traveling form.

[0061] According to the second embodiment described above, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment while reducing the computational processing load in the leading car 10B.

[0062] Third Embodiment Configuration of power supply equipment for electric vehicle according to third embodiment The configuration of the power supply equipment according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. In the power supply equipment 100C according to this embodiment, instead of the vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation unit 113 in the leading vehicle 10A of the power supply equipment 100A described in the first embodiment, the on-board device 21C in the first subordinate vehicle 20C and the on-board device 31C in the second subordinate vehicle 30C are provided with vehicle-to-vehicle distance calculation units 214, 314, respectively. The other configuration is similar to that of the power supply equipment 100A, so detailed description of parts having the same functions will be omitted.

[0063] <Operations Executed in Power Supply Equipment for Electric Vehicles According to the Third Embodiment> As an operation executed by the power supply equipment 100C according to this embodiment, a case will be described in which power supply processing is performed on a lead vehicle 10C, a first follower vehicle 20C, and a second follower vehicle 30C that are traveling in a platoon in this order.

[0064] The operation executed by the power supply equipment 100C according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the sequence diagram of Fig. 9. The driving control unit 112 of the on-board device 11C of the leading vehicle 10C holds information indicating that the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon is "3" in advance. The vehicle distance calculation unit 214 of the first subordinate vehicle 20C holds information indicating that the host vehicle 20C is the second vehicle in the platoon, the total length X[1] of the leading vehicle 10C adjacent to the front, the distance Y[1] from the front end of the leading vehicle 10C to the center position of the power receiving coil 121, and the distance Y[2] from the front end of the host vehicle 20C to the center position of the power receiving coil 221. In addition, the vehicle distance calculation unit 314 of the second follower vehicle 30C holds information indicating that the vehicle 30C is positioned as the third vehicle in the platoon, the total length X[2] of the first follower vehicle 20C adjacent to the front, the distance Y[2] from the front end of the first follower vehicle 20C to the center position of the power receiving coil 221, and the distance Y[3] from the front end of the vehicle 30C to the center position of the power receiving coil 321.

[0065] In addition, the power supply management unit 441 of the power supply device 40C previously holds, as power supply coil spacing information, information L1 indicating the distance L1 between the center of the power supply coil 411c of the first power supply unit 41 and the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42, and information L2 indicating the distance L2 between the center of the power supply coil 421c of the second power supply unit 42 and the center of the power supply coil 431c of the third power supply unit 43.

[0066] In this embodiment, when the lead vehicle 10C, the first follower vehicle 20C, and the second follower vehicle 30C traveling in a convoy supply power, the driver of the lead vehicle 10C drives toward the location where the power supply device 40C is installed, and the first follower vehicle 20C and the second follower vehicle 30C follow behind.

[0067] When these vehicles 10C, 20C, and 30C approach the power supply device 40C, the driving control unit 112 of the on-board device 11C of the leading vehicle 10C transmits a request for power supply coil interval information to the power supply device 40C via the wireless communication unit 111 (S41). At this time, the vehicle distance calculation unit 113 transmits the information on the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon, "3 vehicles", which is stored in advance, together with the information on the number of vehicles to be supplied with power. In the power supply device 40C, the power supply management unit 441 acquires the request for power supply coil interval information and the information on the number of vehicles to be supplied with power via the wireless communication unit 442.

[0068] In response to the request for the acquired power feeding coil interval information, the power feeding management unit 441 transmits the stored power feeding coil interval information to the leading vehicle 10C (S42). In the leading vehicle 10C, the driving control unit 112 of the on-board device 11C acquires the power feeding coil interval information transmitted from the power feeding device 40C, and wirelessly transmits the information together with a power receiving preparation instruction from the wireless communication unit 111 to the first subordinate vehicle 20C (S43). In addition, the driving control unit 112 starts up the power receiving circuit unit 12 to execute power receiving preparation processing (S44).

[0069] In the first subordinate vehicle 20C, the information transmitted from the leading vehicle 10C is acquired by the vehicle distance calculation unit 214 via the wireless communication unit 211. The vehicle distance calculation unit 214 calculates the vehicle distance CL1 between the leading vehicle 10C and the first subordinate vehicle 20C based on the power supply coil interval information acquired from the leading vehicle 10C and the information (X[1], Y[1], and Y[2]) stored in advance (S45).

[0070] Next, the driving control unit 213 acquires the inter-vehicle distance CL1 calculated by the inter-vehicle calculation unit 214, and adjusts the inter-vehicle distance from the leading vehicle 10C to CL1 by automatically changing the driving speed based on the information measured by the distance sensor unit 212.

[0071] In addition, in accordance with the acquired power receiving preparation instruction, the driving control unit 213 starts the power receiving circuit unit 22 to execute the power receiving preparation process (S46). In addition, the driving control unit 213 wirelessly transmits the power feeding coil interval information acquired from the leading vehicle 10C together with the power receiving preparation instruction from the wireless communication unit 211 to the second subordinate vehicle 30C (S47).

[0072] In the second subordinate vehicle 30C, the information transmitted from the first subordinate vehicle 20C is acquired by the vehicle distance calculation unit 314 via the wireless communication unit 311. The vehicle distance calculation unit 314 calculates the vehicle distance CL2 between the first subordinate vehicle 20C and the second subordinate vehicle 30C based on the power supply coil interval information acquired from the first subordinate vehicle 20C and the information (X[2], Y[2], and Y[3]) stored in advance (S48).

[0073] Next, the driving control unit 313 acquires the inter-vehicle distance CL2 calculated by the inter-vehicle calculation unit 314, and adjusts the inter-vehicle distance to CL2 by automatically changing the driving speed based on the information measured by the distance sensor unit 312.

[0074] Furthermore, in accordance with the acquired power receiving preparation instruction, the driving control unit 313 starts up the power receiving circuit unit 32 to execute the power receiving preparation process (S49). Then, when the driving control unit 313 detects that the power receiving preparation process of the power receiving circuit unit 32 has been completed, it transmits a power receiving preparation completion notification to the first subordinate vehicle 20C (S50).

[0075] In the first slave vehicle 20C, the driving control unit 213 acquires the power receiving preparation completion notification transmitted from the second slave vehicle 30C. When the driving control unit 213 detects that the power receiving preparation process of the power receiving circuit unit 22 of the host vehicle 20C has been completed, the driving control unit 213 transmits the power receiving preparation completion notification of the second slave vehicle 30C and the first slave vehicle 20C to the leading vehicle 10C (S51). The subsequent processes executed in steps S52 to S54 are similar to the processes in steps S11 to S13 described in the first embodiment, and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0076] Using the power supply equipment 100C, the leading vehicle 10C, and the following vehicles 20C, 30C described in the third embodiment above, a power supply system can be constructed in which the power supply equipment 100C appropriately supplies power to the leading vehicle 10C and the following vehicles 20C, 30C traveling in a platoon while maintaining this traveling form.

[0077] According to the above-described third embodiment, it is possible to obtain the same effects as those of the first embodiment while reducing the computational processing load in the leading car 10C.

[0078] In the above-described first to third embodiments, the cases where the leading vehicles 10A, 10B, and 10C and the power supply device 40A directly communicate wirelessly with each other have been described. However, communication may be performed via a communication network using a Web application or the like.

[0079] In the above-described first to third embodiments, when multiple electric vehicles are parked in correspondence with multiple power supply devices, the lead vehicle is parked in a specified power supply space after adjusting the distance between the vehicles. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and each trailing vehicle may adjust the distance between the vehicles when the lead vehicle is parked in a specified power supply space and each trailing vehicle is also parked behind the lead vehicle.

[0080] In addition, in the above-mentioned first to third embodiments, the case where the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon is three has been described, but the number is not limited to three and may be two or four or more. When the number of vehicles traveling in the platoon is four or more, the information transmitted and received between the first and second subordinate vehicles described above is also transmitted and received sequentially between the third and subsequent subordinate vehicles.

[0081] In the above-mentioned first to third embodiments, the power receiving circuit unit having the power receiving coil is installed on the underside of the electric vehicle, and the power supply unit of the power supply device having the power supply coil is installed on the roadway, but the installation form is not limited to this. For example, the power receiving circuit unit having the power receiving coil may be installed on the side of the electric vehicle, and the power supply unit of the power supply device having the power supply coil may be installed on a wall surface along the roadway so that the power receiving coil and the power supply coil face each other. Furthermore, the power receiving circuit unit and the power receiving coil, and the power supply circuit unit and the power supply coil may not be integrally formed. When they are not integrally formed, as long as the power receiving coil and the power supply coil face each other, the installation position of the power receiving circuit unit is not limited within the electric vehicle, and the installation position of the power supply circuit unit is not limited within the power supply unit.

[0082] In the above-mentioned first to third embodiments, a driver is in the leading vehicle and drives the vehicle, but the leading vehicle may be unmanned and automatically driven like the trailing vehicles. When the leading vehicle is automatically driven, the leading vehicle has a function of recognizing a predetermined mark (frame line, etc.) of the power supply space and aligning the vehicle body with a predetermined position of the mark to park the vehicle.

[0083] In the above-described first embodiment, the vehicle distance calculation unit is provided in the leading vehicle, in the second embodiment, the vehicle distance calculation unit is provided in the power supply device, and in the third embodiment, the vehicle distance calculation unit is provided in each of the following vehicles. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vehicle distance calculation unit may be provided in another device capable of communicating with the leading vehicle and the power supply device.

[0084] Although several embodiments have been described, the embodiments can be modified or modified based on the above disclosure. All components of the above embodiments and all features described in the claims may be individually extracted and combined as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0085] 10A, 10B, 10C Leading car 113, 214, 314, 443 Vehicle distance calculation section 20A, 20B, 20C 1st auxiliary vehicle 30A, 30B, 30C 2nd auxiliary vehicle 121, 221, 321 Receiving coil 40A, 40B, 40C Power Supply Device 41, 42, 43 Power supply unit 411c, 421c, 431c Power Coil

Claims

1. Multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon are wirelessly connected, A plurality of power supply coils are installed at predetermined intervals so that the plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a line from the front side to the rear side and supplied with power; and a vehicle distance calculation unit that acquires power supply coil interval information indicating the predetermined distance, information on overall vehicle body lengths of each of the plurality of electric vehicles and information on positions of power receiving coils installed within the vehicle bodies, and calculates vehicle distances for parking the plurality of electric vehicles so that the positions of the plurality of power supply coils are directly opposite to the positions of the power receiving coils of the plurality of electric vehicles.

2. 2. The power supply equipment for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle distance calculation unit is provided in any one of the plurality of electric vehicles, or in a device communicatively connected to a power supply circuit having the plurality of power supply coils and the plurality of electric vehicles.

3. The vehicle travels in a platoon with at least one electric vehicle following behind it, a vehicle distance calculation unit that acquires power supply coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between a plurality of power supply coils that are installed at predetermined intervals so that a plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a line from the front to the rear and power can be supplied, information on the overall vehicle lengths of the host vehicle and the slave vehicles, and information on the positions of the power receiving coils installed inside the vehicle bodies, and calculates a vehicle distance for parking the host vehicle and the slave vehicles so that the positions of the plurality of power supply coils and the positions of the power receiving coils face each other directly, based on the acquired information; and a wireless communication unit that wirelessly transmits information about the calculated inter-vehicle distance to the slave vehicle.

4. The vehicle follows the lead vehicle at the front of the convoy, a vehicle distance calculation unit that acquires power supply coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between a plurality of power supply coils that are installed at predetermined intervals so that a plurality of electric vehicles can be parked in a tandem from the front to the rear and power can be supplied, information on the overall vehicle length of the host vehicle and each of the other vehicles traveling in the platoon together with the host vehicle and information on the positions of the power receiving coils installed inside the vehicle, and calculates a vehicle distance for parking the host vehicle and each of the other vehicles traveling in the platoon together with the host vehicle so that the positions of the plurality of power supply coils face directly opposite the positions of the power receiving coils; and a driving control unit that adjusts the distance between the vehicle and a preceding vehicle by automatic driving based on the distance between the vehicles calculated by the vehicle distance calculation unit.

5. a vehicle distance calculation unit connected via wireless communication to the multiple electric vehicles traveling in a platoon acquires power supply coil interval information indicating the distance for each interval between multiple power supply coils installed at predetermined intervals so that the multiple electric vehicles can be parked in a vertical line from the front to the rear, information on the overall vehicle body length of each of the multiple electric vehicles, and information on the positions of the power receiving coils installed within the vehicle body, and calculates respective vehicle distances for parking the multiple electric vehicles so that the positions of the multiple power supply coils are directly opposite the positions of the power receiving coils of the multiple electric vehicles based on the acquired information; Among the plurality of electric vehicles, a follower vehicle following a leading vehicle automatically drives to adjust a distance between the vehicle and an adjacent vehicle ahead based on the distance between the vehicles calculated by the vehicle distance calculation unit; a first vehicle among the plurality of electric vehicles being parked such that a position of the power receiving coil of the first vehicle faces a position of a first power feeding coil among the plurality of power feeding coils, so that the positions of the power receiving coils of all the vehicles face directly opposite the positions of the plurality of power feeding coils, and then each of the plurality of power feeding coils feeds power to a corresponding electric vehicle.

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