Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

To switch travel modes more appropriately.SOLUTION: Based on information on a fee in the case of causing a vehicle to travel on an electric motor and information on a fee in the case of causing the vehicle to travel on an internal combustion engine, either of a mode to travel on the electric motor and a mode to travel on the internal combustion engine is selected.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] A technology is known that acquires schedule information of multiple users and attribute information indicating the relationships between at least some of these multiple users, and determines the operation schedule of an autonomous vehicle based on this information (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 230646 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to more appropriately switch driving modes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is selecting either a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the electric motor or a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine based on information on a fee for driving the vehicle by the electric motor and information on a fee for driving the vehicle by the internal combustion engine; The information processing device has a control unit that executes the above.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is The computer selecting either a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the electric motor or a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine based on information on a fee for driving the vehicle by the electric motor and information on a fee for driving the vehicle by the internal combustion engine; It is an information processing method for performing the above.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the processing in the information processing device described above, or a storage medium that non-temporarily stores this program. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the driving mode can be switched more appropriately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a server. [Diagram 3] 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table configuration of fee information stored in a fee information DB. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an ECU. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining a comparison of costs. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart of a selection process of a driving mode according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a server according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a table configuration of CO2 emission information stored in a CO2 emission information DB. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart of a selection process of a driving mode according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control unit that selects either a mode in which the vehicle runs using the electric motor or a mode in which the vehicle runs using the internal combustion engine based on information relating to a fee for running the vehicle using the electric motor and information relating to a fee for running the vehicle using the internal combustion engine.

[0011] The vehicle is, for example, a hybrid vehicle having an electric motor and an internal combustion engine as drive sources. The vehicle may move autonomously or may be moved by being driven by a driver. The mode in which the vehicle runs using the electric motor is a mode in which the vehicle runs mainly using the drive force of the electric motor. The mode in which the vehicle runs using the internal combustion engine is a mode in which the vehicle runs mainly using the drive force of the internal combustion engine. Note that even in the mode in which the vehicle runs using the internal combustion engine, the drive force of the electric motor may be used as an auxiliary. Also, even in the mode in which the vehicle runs using the electric motor, the drive force of the internal combustion engine may be used as an auxiliary, or the internal combustion engine may be used to generate electricity.

[0012] The information about the fee may be, for example, information about the amount of money the user pays to run the vehicle. For example, the control unit may select a driving mode in which the amount of money the user pays to run the vehicle is smaller.

[0013] Here, the fee according to the amount of fuel for the internal combustion engine and the fee according to the amount of electricity when charging the battery that supplies power to the electric motor differ, for example, depending on the region and the time of year. Therefore, even if the vehicle 10 is driven in the same driving mode, the fee paid by the user to drive the vehicle differs depending on the region and the time of year.

[0014] Therefore, by selecting a driving mode that results in the lowest toll paid by the user, the amount of money paid by the user can be reduced.

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. In addition, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0016] First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system 1 according to this embodiment. The system 1 includes a vehicle 10 and a server 30. The system 1 is a system that selects a driving mode of the vehicle 10 so that the amount of money paid by the user is lower, that is, so that the cost is lower. The vehicle 10 may be a vehicle capable of autonomous driving, or may be a vehicle that can be manually driven by a driver. The vehicle 10 is a so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle.

[0017] The vehicle 10 and the server 30 are connected to each other via a network N1. The network N1 is, for example, a global public communication network such as the Internet, and may be a Wide Area Network (WAN) or other communication network. The network N1 may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0018] The vehicle 10 transmits travel data of the vehicle 10, such as the current position of the vehicle 10, to the server 30 at a predetermined timing. The server 30 accumulates the travel data received from the vehicle 10 and performs various calculations and the like based on the accumulated travel data. The server 30 then transmits information obtained from the calculation results to the vehicle 10. Below, detailed hardware configurations of the vehicle 10 and the server 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 1.

[0019] The vehicle 10 includes an internal combustion engine 11, an electric motor 12, a power split mechanism 13, a generator 14, an inverter 15, a battery 16, a charge control circuit 17, a power inlet 18, an axle 19, a reduction gear 20, wheels 21, and an ECU 50. In addition to these, the vehicle 10 also includes a GPS receiver 61, an accelerator position sensor 62, a speed sensor 63, and a communication unit 64.

[0020] The internal combustion engine 11 burns fuel in cylinders to generate power for rotating an output shaft 111 connected to a crankshaft. Each cylinder of the internal combustion engine 11 is provided with a fuel injection valve 112. The fuel injection valve 112 may be one that injects fuel directly into the cylinder or one that injects fuel into an intake port. The fuel injection valve 112 is connected to the ECU 50 via an electric wire, and the opening and closing timing of the fuel injection valve 112 is controlled by the ECU 50.

[0021] The power split mechanism 13 distributes the output from the internal combustion engine 11 to the generator 14 and the axle 19. The power split mechanism 13 also has a function of transmitting the output from the electric motor 12 to the axle 19. The power split mechanism 13 includes, for example, a sun gear, a ring gear, a pinion gear, and a planetary carrier.

[0022] The electric motor 12 is, for example, a three-phase AC synchronous motor generator. The electric motor 12 functions as an electric motor that receives power supply from a battery 16 and drives for power running. The electric motor 12 rotates at a rotation speed proportional to the axle 19 via a reduction gear 20. The electric motor 12 can also assist the output of the internal combustion engine 11 as necessary.

[0023] A battery 16 is connected to the electric motor 12 and the generator 14 via an inverter 15. The battery 16 is a rechargeable secondary battery such as a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, or a lithium-ion battery. The battery 16 is electrically connected to the electric motor 12 and the generator 14 via the inverter 15 etc. so that the charged power of the battery 16 can be supplied to the electric motor 12 to power the electric motor 12, and so that the generated power of the generator 14 can be charged into the battery 16.

[0024] The battery 16 according to this embodiment is configured to be electrically connectable to an external power source via a charging control circuit 17 and a power inlet 18 so that it can be charged from an external power source such as a household outlet. That is, the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment is a so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle. The charging control circuit 17 is an electric circuit that can convert AC current supplied from the external power source to DC current based on a control signal from the ECU 50, and boost the input voltage to the battery voltage to charge the battery 16 with the power of the external power source. The inverter 15 converts between DC current and AC current, and adjusts the current or voltage.

[0025] The GPS receiver 61 receives signals from three or more GPS satellites to identify the latitude and longitude of the vehicle 10 and detect the current position of the vehicle 10. The GPS receiver 61 transmits the detected current position information of the vehicle 10 to the ECU 50.

[0026] The accelerator opening sensor 62 is a sensor that detects the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal by the driver of the vehicle 10. The detection value of the accelerator opening sensor 62 correlates with the load of the vehicle 10. The speed sensor 63 is a sensor that detects the speed of the vehicle 10. The detection values ​​of the accelerator opening sensor 62 and the speed sensor 63 are transmitted to the ECU 50.

[0027] The communication unit 64 is a means for communicating with the server 30 via the network N1. The communication unit 64 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The 1st and 2nd buses are connected to N1.

[0028] The ECU 50 has a computer configuration. The ECU 50 has a processor 51, a main memory unit 52, and an auxiliary memory unit 53. These are connected to each other by a bus. The processor 51 is an example of a control unit. The main memory unit 52 and the auxiliary memory unit 53 are an example of a memory unit.

[0029] The processor 51 is a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital signal processor (DSP), etc. The processor 51 controls the vehicle 10 and performs various information processing operations. The main memory unit 52 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The auxiliary memory unit 33 is an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), a hard disk Hard disk drives (HDDs), removable media, etc. An operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc. are stored in auxiliary storage unit 53. Processor 51 loads the programs stored in auxiliary storage unit 53 into a working area of ​​main storage unit 52 and executes them, and each component unit, etc. is controlled through the execution of these programs. In this way, ECU 50 realizes a function that matches a predetermined purpose. Main storage unit 52 and auxiliary storage unit 53 are computer-readable recording media. Note that information stored in auxiliary storage unit 33 may be stored in main storage unit 32. Also, information stored in main storage unit 32 may be stored in auxiliary storage unit 33.

[0030] The ECU 50 controls the vehicle 10 by driving each control component based on output signals from various sensors and the like.

[0031] The server 30 has a computer configuration. The server 30 has a processor 31, a main memory unit 32, an auxiliary memory unit 33, and a communication unit 34. These are connected to each other via a bus. The processor 31, the main memory unit 32, and the auxiliary memory unit 33 are similar to the processor 51, the main memory unit 52, and the auxiliary memory unit 53 of the vehicle 10, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0032] The communication unit 34 is a means for communicating with the vehicle 10 and an external server via the network N1. The communication unit 34 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board and the wireless communication circuit are connected to the network N1.

[0033] Next, the functions of the server 30 will be described. Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the server 30. The server 30 includes a control unit 301 and a fee information DB 311 as functional components. The processor 31 of the server 30 executes the processing of the control unit 301 according to a computer program stored in the main memory unit 32. Note that part of the processing of the control unit 301 may be executed by another computer connected to the network N1.

[0034] The fee information DB 311 is constructed by a database management system (DBMS) program executed by the processor 31 managing data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 33. The fee information DB 311 is, for example, a relational database.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a table configuration of fee information stored in the fee information DB 311. The fee information DB 311 is a database used when the control unit 301 provides the vehicle 10 with information on fuel fees and information on energy fees. The fee information table has fields for region, fuel fee, and energy fee. Information on a country, for example, is entered in the region field. This is because the fees for fuel and energy vary from country to country. This is because it is considered possible. An administrative division smaller than a country may be input. Also, it is not limited to an administrative division, and for example, a mesh code may be input. In the fuel price field, information on the price of fuel for the internal combustion engine 11 is input. As the information on the fuel price, for example, information on the price per 1 kg of fuel (yen / kg) is input. In the power charge field, information on the price corresponding to the amount of power for charging the battery 16 is input. As the information on the fuel price, for example, information on the price per 1 J of power (yen / J) is input. The fuel price and the power charge are prices paid by the user, and are, for example, the price when purchasing fuel at a gas station, or the price when the user charges the battery 16 at home or the like. The fuel price may differ depending on the gas station. Therefore, the average value or the reference value for the area may be used as the price paid by the user.

[0036] In response to a request from the vehicle 10, the control unit 301 provides information on the price corresponding to the fuel for the internal combustion engine 11 and information on the price corresponding to the amount of power required to charge the battery 16. The control unit 301 acquires the area in which the vehicle 10 is located based on the location information received from the vehicle 10. Then, the control unit 301 acquires the price of fuel and the price of the amount of power corresponding to the area based on the price information DB 311 and transmits them to the vehicle 10. Note that while one server 30 is illustrated in FIG. 1, as an alternative, the server that provides the price corresponding to the fuel and the server that provides the price corresponding to the amount of power may be different.

[0037] Next, the functions of the ECU 50 of the vehicle 10 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the ECU 50. The ECU 50 has a control unit 501 as a functional component. The processor 51 of the ECU 50 executes the processing of the control unit 501 by a computer program on the main memory unit 52. However, any of the functional components or a part of the processing may be executed by a hardware circuit. Note that any of the functional components of the ECU 50 or a part of the processing may be executed by another computer connected to the network N1.

[0038] First, the contents of basic driving control of the vehicle 10 performed by the control unit 501 will be described. The control unit 501 selects either a motor driving mode or an engine driving mode as the driving mode to drive the vehicle 10. The motor driving mode is a mode in which the electric motor 12 is powered using the charged power of the battery 16, and the power of the electric motor 12 is transmitted to the axle 19 to drive the vehicle 10. When the motor driving mode is selected, the internal combustion engine 11 is stopped.

[0039] The engine driving mode is a mode in which the internal combustion engine 11 is operated using fuel and the power of the internal combustion engine 11 is transmitted to the axle 19 to drive the vehicle 10. When the engine driving mode is selected, the electric motor 12 is stopped. Note that although the motor driving mode is a mode in which the electric motor 12 is used as a drive source for the vehicle 10, the internal combustion engine 11 may be operated as an auxiliary. Similarly, although the engine driving mode is a mode in which the internal combustion engine 11 is used as a drive source for the vehicle 10, the electric motor 12 may be operated as an auxiliary. For example, even in the motor driving mode, when the amount of charge in the battery 16 falls below a threshold and charging is required, the internal combustion engine 11 may be operated to charge the battery 16.

[0040] When the driving mode is the motor driving mode, the control unit 501 controls the output of the electric motor 12 based on the driving load so that the required output according to the driving load is achieved, for example, with the internal combustion engine 11 stopped, to drive the vehicle 10. On the other hand, when the driving mode is the engine driving mode, the control unit 501 controls the output of the internal combustion engine 11 based on the driving load so that the required output according to the driving load is achieved, for example, with the supply of power to the electric motor 12 stopped, to drive the vehicle 10.

[0041] The control unit 501 compares the fee required when traveling in the motor traveling mode with the fee required when traveling in the engine traveling mode, and switches to the traveling mode with the lower fee. Here, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the comparison of costs. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the utilization ratio (%) of the internal combustion engine 11 and the energy (J) and the fee (yen). When the utilization ratio on the horizontal axis is 0%, the utilization ratio of the internal combustion engine 11 is 0%, and the vehicle travels without using the internal combustion engine 11, that is, when the motor traveling mode is selected. When the utilization ratio on the horizontal axis is 100%, the utilization ratio of the internal combustion engine 11 is 100%, and the vehicle travels only using the internal combustion engine 11, that is, when the vehicle travels in the engine traveling mode. FIG. 5 shows the case where the vehicle 10 is traveling steadily at, for example, 30 km / h.

[0042] 5, E1 indicates the minimum energy required for the vehicle 10 to run. E2 indicates the energy equivalent to the efficiency loss when running in the motor running mode. E2 is the energy loss associated with the efficiency of the battery 16 and the efficiency of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, E3 indicates the energy equivalent to the efficiency loss when running in the engine running mode. E3 is the energy loss associated with the efficiency of the internal combustion engine 11 and the efficiency of the vehicle 10.

[0043] The minimum energy required for running and the energy corresponding to the decrease in efficiency when running in each running mode vary depending on the running conditions and the vehicle 10. The relationship between the running conditions and the minimum energy required for running and the energy corresponding to the decrease in efficiency when running in each running mode is stored in, for example, the auxiliary storage unit 53 of the ECU 50.

[0044] 5, in the motor driving mode (i.e., when the internal combustion engine utilization ratio is 0%), the sum of E1 and E2 (E1+E2) corresponds to the energy consumed when the vehicle 10 is driving. On the other hand, in the engine driving mode (i.e., when the internal combustion engine utilization ratio is 100%), the sum of E1 and E3 (E1+E3) corresponds to the energy consumed when the vehicle 10 is driving.

[0045] Next, the fee required for driving in each driving mode is calculated based on the energy consumed when driving in the motor driving mode and the energy consumed when driving in the engine driving mode. In FIG. 5, the fee required for driving in each driving mode is calculated for each of the first and second regions as an example. For example, the fee (yen) when driving in the motor driving mode can be calculated by multiplying the energy consumption (J) by the power consumption fee (yen / J). Also, for example, the fee (yen) when driving in the engine driving mode can be calculated by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the energy consumption (J) by the heat value of the fuel (J / kg) by the fuel fee (yen / kg).

[0046] The information on the power charge and the information on the fuel charge are obtained from the server 30 and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 53. The information on the power charge and the information on the fuel charge are obtained by the control unit 501 from the server 30 at predetermined time intervals and updated, for example.

[0047] In the first region shown in Fig. 5, the motor driving mode incurs a higher fee than the engine driving mode. Therefore, the control unit 501 selects the engine driving mode when the vehicle 10 is traveling steadily at 30 km / h in the first region. On the other hand, in the second region shown in Fig. 5, the motor driving mode incurs a lower fee than the engine driving mode. Therefore, the control unit 501 selects the motor driving mode when the vehicle 10 is traveling steadily at 30 km / h in the second region.

[0048] Depending on the amount of charge stored in the battery 16, it may not be possible to drive in the motor drive mode. In that case, for example, the engine utilization ratio may be set to 20% and the vehicle 10 may be driven using both the internal combustion engine 11 and the electric motor 12. Also, in the engine driving mode, an output greater than or equal to the output required for driving the vehicle 10 may be generated to charge the battery 16.

[0049] Next, a description will be given of a driving mode selection process in the vehicle 10. Fig. 6 is a flowchart of the driving mode selection process according to this embodiment. The driving mode selection process shown in Fig. 6 is executed in the vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals.

[0050] In step S101, the control unit 501 determines whether it is time to update the data. This data is used to calculate the fare when traveling in each traveling mode. This data is updated periodically. If the determination in step S101 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S102, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S103.

[0051] In step S102, the control unit 501 acquires data from the server 30. The control unit 501 accesses the server 30 and acquires data for calculating the fare when traveling in each traveling mode. At this time, the control unit 501 transmits location information detected by the GPS receiver 61 to the server 30, and acquires data according to the region from the server 30. That is, the control unit 301 of the server 30 acquires information related to the fare from the fare information DB 311 according to the location information received from the vehicle 10, and transmits the information to the vehicle 10.

[0052] In step S103, the control unit 501 acquires the driving conditions of the vehicle 10. The control unit 501 acquires the detection value of the accelerator opening sensor 62 and the detection value of the speed sensor 63 as physical quantities correlated with the driving conditions of the vehicle 10.

[0053] In step S104, the control unit 501 calculates the toll required when it is assumed that the vehicle is driven in the motor driving mode under the driving conditions acquired in step S103. The toll in this case is calculated by the following calculation formula. Charge (yen) = Energy consumption (J) x Electricity charge (yen / J) In this case, the consumed energy corresponds to E1+E2. The consumed energy and the power fee are the values ​​received from the server 30 and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 53.

[0054] In step S105, the control unit 501 calculates the toll required when it is assumed that the vehicle is driven in the engine drive mode under the driving conditions acquired in step S103. The toll in this case is calculated by the following formula. Charge (yen) = Energy consumption (J) ÷ Fuel heat value (J / kg) × Fuel charge (yen / J) In this case, the consumed energy corresponds to E1+E3. The consumed energy, fuel calorific value, and fuel fee are values ​​received from the server 30 and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 53.

[0055] In step S106, the control unit 501 determines whether the fee for the motor driving mode calculated in step S104 is lower than the fee for the engine driving mode calculated in step S105. If the determination in step S106 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S107, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0056] In step S107, the control unit 501 selects the motor driving mode. On the other hand, in step S108, the control unit 501 selects the engine driving mode. Then, in step S109, the control unit 501 generates a control command according to the selected driving mode. This control command includes, for example, a command to switch to the selected driving mode.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, a driving mode that provides a lower fee is selected depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle 10. Therefore, the cost of driving the vehicle 10 can be reduced.

[0058] <Second embodiment> In the first embodiment, the driving mode is selected based on the amount of money paid by the user. However, depending on the selected driving mode, the environmental load may increase. For example, depending on the selected driving mode, the amount of CO2 emissions may increase. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the driving mode is selected further taking the environmental load into consideration. The hardware configurations of the vehicle 10 and the server 30 are the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the description will be omitted.

[0059] In recent years, there has been a demand for reducing CO2 emissions from the perspective of carbon neutrality. Here, CO2 is not only emitted when the vehicle 10 is running, but also when, for example, fuel is transported to a gas station. Even when the vehicle is running using the electric motor 12, CO2 may be emitted to generate the necessary electricity. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce CO2 emissions from well to wheel (from the oil field to driving the tires; hereinafter, also referred to as WtW).

[0060] For example, when the battery 16 is charged with power generated at a thermal power plant, the CO2 emissions of WtW are relatively large. On the other hand, when the battery 16 is charged with power generated using renewable energy such as solar power generation or wind power generation, the CO2 emissions of WtW are relatively small. For example, in an area where all power is generated from renewable energy, the CO2 emissions of WtW when the vehicle 10 is driven in the motor driving mode can be 0. And, the lower the ratio of power generated by renewable energy, the higher the CO2 emissions of WtW. Therefore, in the future, as the ratio of power generation by renewable energy increases, the CO2 emissions of WtW when driven in the motor driving mode will decrease. In this way, the CO2 emissions of WtW can change depending on the area or time in which the vehicle 10 is driven.

[0061] Therefore, the control unit 501 calculates the amount of CO2 emissions of WtW when the vehicle runs in each driving mode, and selects the driving mode in consideration of the amount of CO2 emissions of WtW. The amount of CO2 emissions of WtW when the vehicle runs in each driving mode correlates with the energy consumed by the vehicle 10, so the amount is calculated based on this energy. As described in the first embodiment, the energy consumption according to the driving conditions is obtained from the server 30. In addition, the CO2 emissions of WtW relative to the energy consumption in each driving mode are also obtained from the server 30. The control unit 501 corrects the fee, for example, by multiplying the fee when the vehicle runs in the engine driving mode by a coefficient corresponding to the amount of CO2 emissions when the vehicle runs in the engine driving mode. Similarly, the control unit 501 corrects the fee, for example, by multiplying the fee when the vehicle runs in the motor driving mode by a coefficient corresponding to the amount of CO2 emissions when the vehicle runs in the motor driving mode. Then, the fee when the vehicle runs in the corrected engine driving mode is compared with the fee when the vehicle runs in the corrected motor driving mode, and the driving mode with the lower fee is selected. The coefficient may be the amount of CO2 emissions themselves, or may be a value adjusted depending on how much CO2 emissions are taken into consideration. For example, the coefficient may be adjusted so that the coefficient is larger in areas where a reduction in CO2 emissions is desired.

[0062] Next, the functions of the server 30 according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the server 30. The server 30 includes, as functional components, a control unit 301, a fee information DB 311, and a CO2 emission information DB 312. The fee information DB 311 is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. The processor 31 of the server 30 executes the processing of the control unit 301 according to a computer program stored in the main memory unit 32. Note that part of the processing of the control unit 301 is executed by another computer connected to the network N1. This may be done.

[0063] The CO2 emission information DB 312 is constructed by a database management system (DBMS) program executed by the processor 31 managing data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 33. The CO2 emission information DB 312 is, for example, a relational database.

[0064] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a table configuration of CO2 emission information stored in the CO2 emission information DB 312. The CO2 emission information DB 312 according to the second embodiment is a database used when the control unit 301 provides the vehicle 10 with information on WtW CO2 emission. The CO2 emission information table has fields for region, CO2 emission during fuel consumption, and CO2 emission during power consumption. The region field is the same as that in FIG. 3, and therefore description thereof is omitted. The CO2 emission during fuel consumption field is input with information on CO2 emission when fuel of the internal combustion engine 11 is consumed. The CO2 emission during fuel consumption field is input with information on, for example, CO2 emission (g / kg) when 1 kg of fuel is consumed. The CO2 emission during power consumption field is input with information on CO2 emission corresponding to the amount of power for charging the battery 16. The CO2 emission during power consumption field is input with information on, for example, CO2 emission per 1 J of power (g / J).

[0065] In response to a request from the vehicle 10, the control unit 301 of the server 30 provides information regarding CO2 emissions during fuel consumption and information regarding CO2 emissions during power consumption. The control unit 301 acquires the area in which the vehicle 10 is located based on the location information received from the vehicle 10. Then, the control unit 301 acquires information regarding CO2 emissions during fuel consumption and information regarding CO2 emissions during power consumption corresponding to the area based on the CO2 emission information DB 312, and transmits the information to the vehicle 10.

[0066] The control unit 501 calculates the energy consumption when traveling in each traveling mode, and calculates the amount of CO2 emissions based on the energy consumption, in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0067] For example, the amount of CO2 emissions (g) when driving in motor drive mode can be calculated by multiplying the energy consumption (J) by the amount of CO2 emissions (g / J) when consuming electricity. Also, for example, the amount of CO2 emissions (g) when driving in engine drive mode can be calculated by multiplying the value obtained by dividing the energy consumption (J) by the fuel heating value (J / kg) by the amount of CO2 emissions (g / kg) when consuming fuel.

[0068] The information regarding the amount of CO2 emissions during power consumption and the information regarding the amount of CO2 emissions during fuel consumption are obtained from the server 30 and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 53. The control unit 501 obtains and updates this information from the server 30 at predetermined time intervals.

[0069] Depending on the amount of electricity stored in the battery 16, it may not be possible to run the vehicle 10 in the motor running mode. In that case, for example, the engine usage ratio may be set to 20% and the vehicle 10 may run using both the internal combustion engine 11 and the electric motor 12. Also, in the engine running mode, an output more than necessary for running the vehicle 10 may be generated to charge the battery 16.

[0070] Next, a driving mode selection process in the vehicle 10 will be described. Fig. 9 is a flowchart of the driving mode selection process according to this embodiment. The driving mode selection process shown in Fig. 9 is executed at predetermined time intervals in the vehicle 10. Note that steps in which the same processes as those in the flow shown in Fig. 6 are executed are given the same reference numerals and will not be described.

[0071] In step S201, the control unit 501 determines whether it is time to update the data. This data is used to calculate the toll and CO2 emissions when driving in each driving mode. This data is updated periodically. If the determination in step S201 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S202, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S103.

[0072] In step S202, the control unit 501 acquires data from the server 30. The control unit 501 accesses the server 30 and acquires data for calculating the toll and CO2 emissions when traveling in each traveling mode. At this time, the control unit 501 transmits location information detected by the GPS receiver 61 to the server 30, and acquires data according to the region from the server 30. That is, the control unit 301 of the server 30 acquires information related to the toll from the toll information DB 311 and information related to the CO2 emissions from the CO2 emission information DB 312 according to the location information received from the vehicle 10, and transmits these pieces of information to the vehicle 10.

[0073] In the routine shown in Fig. 9, when the process of step S105 is completed, the process proceeds to step S203. In step S203, the control unit 501 calculates the amount of CO2 emissions assuming that the vehicle is driven in the motor driving mode under the driving conditions acquired in step S103. The amount of CO2 emissions in this case is calculated by the following calculation formula. CO2 emissions (g) = Energy consumption (J) x CO2 emissions during electricity consumption (g / J) As the energy consumption and the amount of CO2 emission during power consumption, the values ​​received from the server 30 and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 53 are used.

[0074] In step S204, the control unit 501 calculates the amount of CO2 emissions when it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling in the engine traveling mode under the traveling conditions acquired in step S103. The amount of CO2 emissions in this case is calculated by the following calculation formula. CO2 emissions (g) = Energy consumption (J) ÷ Fuel heat value (J / kg) × CO2 emissions during fuel consumption (g / kg) The values ​​received from the server 30 and stored in the auxiliary storage unit 53 are used for the consumed energy, the fuel heat value, and the amount of CO2 emitted during fuel consumption.

[0075] In step S205, the control unit 501 modifies the fee for the motor driving mode calculated in step S104 based on the CO2 emissions in the motor driving mode calculated in step S203. For example, the fee is modified by multiplying the fee by a coefficient according to the CO2 emissions. The coefficient is, for example, a value of 1 or more, and increases as the CO2 emissions increase. The relationship between the CO2 emissions and the coefficient is stored in advance in the auxiliary storage unit 53.

[0076] In step S206, the control unit 501 modifies the fee for the engine driving mode calculated in step S105 based on the CO2 emissions in the engine driving mode calculated in step S204. For example, the fee is modified by multiplying the fee by a coefficient according to the CO2 emissions. The coefficient may be the same as the value used in step S205, or may be a different value.

[0077] In step S207, the control unit 501 determines whether the fee for the motor driving mode corrected in step S205 is lower than the fee for the engine driving mode corrected in step S206. If the determination in step S207 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S107, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S108.

[0078] As described above, according to this embodiment, a driving mode that reduces CO2 emissions and lowers the toll is selected. Note that, although the second embodiment has been described using CO2 emissions as an example, the same can be applied to emissions of other substances. In addition, in the second embodiment, WtW In the above embodiment, the CO2 emissions are calculated based on the WtW, but the CO2 emissions may be calculated based on other concepts such as tank-to-wheel. In the present embodiment, the fee is corrected by multiplying the fee by a coefficient corresponding to the CO2 emissions. Alternatively, the fee may be corrected by adding a value corresponding to the CO2 emissions to the fee. In the present embodiment, the driving mode is selected by comparing the corrected fees. Alternatively, for example, if switching the driving mode would cause the CO2 emissions to exceed a threshold, the driving mode may not be switched. The threshold is, for example, a value related to a regulated value of CO2 emissions.

[0079] <Other embodiments> The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0080] The processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0081] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by a plurality of devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed. For example, the server 30 may have some of the functions of the vehicle 10. For example, the vehicle 10 may have some or all of the functions of the server 30.

[0082] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1 System 10 Vehicles 11 Internal combustion engine 12 Electric motor 30 Servers 50 ECU 51 Processors 52 Main memory 53 Auxiliary storage 61 GPS receiver 62 Accelerator opening sensor 63 Speed ​​Sensor 64 Communications Department 501 Control section

Claims

1. calculating fees for driving the vehicle by the electric motor and the internal combustion engine based on information on fees for driving the vehicle by the electric motor and information on fees for driving the vehicle by the internal combustion engine; Calculating an amount of CO 2 emissions when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor and an amount of CO 2 emissions when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine; correcting a fee for driving the vehicle using the electric motor and a fee for driving the vehicle using the internal combustion engine based on the calculated CO 2 emission amount; selecting a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the electric motor when the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor is lower than the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine, and selecting a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine when the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor is higher than the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine; A mode in which the CO 2 emission amount exceeds a predetermined value is not selected regardless of the corrected charge; An information processing device having a control unit that executes the above.

2. The control unit is obtaining information regarding the fare based on a driving condition of the vehicle; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit is acquiring information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor and information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine, based on the energy required for the vehicle to run by the electric motor and the energy required for the vehicle to run by the internal combustion engine, respectively; 3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The control unit is Energy required for running the vehicle, energy to compensate for the loss of efficiency caused by running the vehicle using the electric motor, and energy to compensate for the loss of efficiency caused by running the vehicle using the internal combustion engine. and acquiring information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor and information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine based on the energy that compensates for the above. The information processing device according to claim 3 .

5. a storage unit that stores information on a price corresponding to an amount of fuel for the internal combustion engine and information on a price corresponding to an amount of power when charging a battery that supplies power to the electric motor, The information processing device according to claim 1 .

6. The control unit ２ Calculate emissions well-to-wheel; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. CO according to the amount of fuel in the internal combustion engine ２ information on the amount of CO2 emitted according to the amount of electric power when charging a battery that supplies power to the electric motor; ２ Further comprising a storage unit that stores information regarding the discharge amount. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

8. a storage unit that stores energy required for running the vehicle, energy for compensating for a decrease in efficiency caused by running the vehicle using the electric motor, and energy for compensating for a decrease in efficiency caused by running the vehicle using the internal combustion engine, in association with running conditions of the vehicle; The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. The computer calculating fees for driving the vehicle by the electric motor and the internal combustion engine based on information on fees for driving the vehicle by the electric motor and information on fees for driving the vehicle by the internal combustion engine; Calculating an amount of CO 2 emissions when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor and an amount of CO 2 emissions when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine; correcting a fee for driving the vehicle using the electric motor and a fee for driving the vehicle using the internal combustion engine based on the calculated CO 2 emission amount; selecting a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the electric motor when the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor is lower than the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine, and selecting a mode in which the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine when the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor is higher than the corrected fee when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine; A mode in which the CO 2 emission amount exceeds a predetermined value is not selected regardless of the corrected charge; An information processing method for performing the above.

10. The computer, obtaining information regarding the fare based on a driving condition of the vehicle; The information processing method according to claim 9.

11. The computer, acquiring information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor and information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine, based on the energy required for the vehicle to run by the electric motor and the energy required for the vehicle to run by the internal combustion engine, respectively; 11. The information processing method according to claim 9 or 10.

12. The computer, obtain information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the electric motor and information on a charge when the vehicle is driven by the internal combustion engine, based on the energy required for driving the vehicle, the energy for compensating for the efficiency loss caused by driving the vehicle by the electric motor, and the energy for compensating for the efficiency loss caused by driving the vehicle by the internal combustion engine, respectively; The information processing method according to claim 11.

13. The computer, storing information on a price corresponding to an amount of fuel for the internal combustion engine and information on a price corresponding to an amount of power when charging a battery that supplies power to the electric motor in a storage unit; The information processing method according to any one of claims 9 to 12.

14. The computer, The CO ２ Calculate emissions well-to-wheel; The information processing method according to claim 9.

15. The computer, CO according to the amount of fuel in the internal combustion engine ２ information on the amount of CO2 emitted according to the amount of electric power when charging a battery that supplies power to the electric motor; ２ storing information about the discharge amount in a storage unit; 15. The information processing method according to any one of claims 9 to 14.

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