Bus operation management system, server and bus operation management method

Abstract

To inhibit traveling power of an electric bus from being made to be insufficient by reduction in full charge capacity of a battery.SOLUTION: Each of a plurality of electric buses B1 to Bn includes: a battery for storing traveling power; and a power reception device for receiving power from an outside power transmission device in a non-contact manner to charge the battery. On each of a plurality of traveling routes R1 to Rm, at least one power transmission device 8, 9 is provided. A server 1 assigns the plurality of electric buses B1 to Bn to a plurality of traveling routes R1 to Rm, respectively. The server 1 includes: a full charge capacity acquisition unit for acquiring full charge capacity of a battery of each electric bus B; a total charge power amount calculation unit for calculating a battery total charge power amount by the at least one power transmission device 8, 9 for each traveling route; and a traveling route determination unit for determining a traveling route for each electric bus so that the battery total charge power amount from the traveling route increases as the full charge capacity of the battery decreases.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a bus operation control system, a server, and a bus operation control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2016-140193 (Patent Document 1) discloses an apparatus configured to be able to charge an in-vehicle battery using multiple charging means including a plug-in charging means, a non-contact charging means, and a solar charging means. In Patent Document 1, when a set time and a set charge amount are accepted, a charging schedule indicating the operation of each of the multiple charging means is determined using information on electricity rates by day and time of the week and information on the amount of solar radiation so that the charge amount of the battery becomes the set charge amount at the set time. Then, the operation of the multiple charging means is controlled according to the determined charging schedule. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-140193 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In general, in an electric vehicle, as the deterioration of the battery that stores the power for driving progresses, the full charge capacity, which is the amount of power stored in the battery when fully charged, gradually decreases. When the full charge capacity of the battery decreases, there is a concern that a situation may occur in which the vehicle becomes unable to drive due to a lack of power while driving (so-called running out of power). In order to avoid running out of power, it is necessary to charge the battery by supplying an appropriate amount of power from outside the vehicle while the electric vehicle is running.

[0005] On the other hand, for electric buses that run on predetermined routes, such as route buses or express buses, the usage of the battery while running and the amount of charging power are determined to a certain extent. Since the usage of the battery while running and the amount of charging power differ for each running route, depending on the assigned running route, there is a concern that the decrease in the full charge capacity cannot be compensated for even by charging while running, and the electric bus may run out of power.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to prevent a shortage of power for running an electric bus caused by a decrease in the full charge capacity of the battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A bus operation management system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a plurality of electric buses and a server. The server manages operation of the plurality of electric buses by assigning the plurality of electric buses to a plurality of travel routes, respectively. Each of the plurality of electric buses includes a battery that stores power for traveling, and a power receiving device that receives power in a wireless manner from an external power transmitting device and charges the battery. At least one power transmitting device is provided on each of the plurality of travel routes. The server includes a full charge capacity acquisition unit that acquires a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses, a total charging energy calculation unit that calculates a total amount of charging energy of the battery by at least one power transmitting device for each of the plurality of travel routes, and a travel route determination unit that determines a travel route for each of the plurality of electric buses such that the total amount of charging energy of the battery from the travel route increases as the full charge capacity of the battery decreases. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent a shortage of power for running an electric bus caused by a decrease in the full charge capacity of the battery. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1]1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an electric bus operation management system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a server and a bus. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a bus and a power transmitting device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a server and a bus. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of vehicle information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of charging information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 7] 5 is a flowchart showing the steps of a process for calculating a total amount of charging energy for a travel route, an average travel speed for the travel route, and a full charge capacity of a battery. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a basic concept for determining a travel route. [Figure 9] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for determining a bus travel route in a server. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of charging information stored in a storage unit. [Figure 11] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for determining a bus travel route in a server. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a server and a bus. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference characters, and the description thereof will not be repeated.

[0011] [Embodiment 1] <Bus operation management system configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an electric bus operation management system according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the bus traffic management system according to the first embodiment includes a server 1 and a plurality of electric buses B1 to Bn (n is an integer equal to or greater than 2). Each of the electric buses B1 to Bn is an electric vehicle equipped with a battery (not shown) that stores power for the vehicle. Hereinafter, the electric buses B1 to Bn may be collectively referred to simply as "electric bus B." Electric bus B will also be referred to simply as "bus B." Bus B is configured to be capable of performing either manual driving or automatic driving. Bus B may be a vehicle configured to be able to switch between manual driving and automatic driving.

[0013] The battery is, for example, a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride battery. The battery may be a battery having a liquid electrolyte between the positive and negative electrodes, or a battery having a solid electrolyte (all-solid-state battery). In this embodiment, the batteries mounted on the buses B1 to Bn are the same type and have the same initial full charge capacities.

[0014] Bus B is a vehicle intended to transport multiple passengers, and is typically a route bus or an express bus. Bus B travels along a route from a marshalling yard 2 (or garage) as a starting point to a destination point. In this embodiment, multiple travel routes R1 to Rm (m is an integer between 2 and n) are set, each having different destination points and / or different roads to travel on. Hereinafter, the travel routes R1 to Rm may be collectively referred to simply as "travel route R".

[0015] A charging facility 5 is provided in the shunting yard 2. The charging facility 5 is a contact-type charging facility, and has a charging cable with a charging connector provided at the tip portion.

[0016] At least one power transmission device 8 and / or power transmission device 9 is provided on each of the travel routes R1 to Rm. The power transmission devices 8 and 9 are contactless charging facilities. Specifically, the power transmission device 8 is installed on the road surface of the travel route R. The power transmission device 8 has a plurality of power transmission units arranged in a line along the travel route R (see FIG. 3), and is configured to be able to transmit power contactlessly to a traveling bus B. The power transmission device 9 is installed at a bus stop 7 on the travel route R. The power transmission device 8 has a power transmission unit arranged on the road surface of the travel route R near the bus stop 7, and is configured to be able to transmit power contactlessly to a stopped bus B.

[0017] Bus B is configured to be capable of receiving power from charging equipment 5 via a charging cable to charge the battery, and also to be capable of receiving power contactlessly from power transmission devices 8 and 9 to charge the battery. In the following description, contact-type charging by charging equipment 5 is also referred to as "contact charging", and non-contact-type charging by power transmission devices 8 and 9 is also referred to as "non-contact charging".

[0018] 1, the travel routes R1 to Rm are different from one another in the number of installed power transmission devices 8, 9 and the number of installed power transmission units in each power transmission device 9. Therefore, when traveling along travel route R from a starting point to a destination point, the total amount of charging power in the battery by the power received from the power transmission devices 8, 9 on the travel route R is different from one another among the travel routes R1 to Rm.

[0019] The server 1 is connected to each of the buses B1 to Bn so as to be able to communicate with them. The server 1 performs processes for managing the operation of the buses B1 to Bn, such as determining the driving route R of each bus B. Specifically, the server 1 stores road information including information on the driving routes R1 to Rm, and vehicle information including information on the batteries installed in the buses B1 to Bn. The server 1 uses this information to determine the driving route R of each bus B, and notifies each bus B of the determined driving route R.

[0020] The server 1 is further connected to a road traffic information management server 3 so as to be able to communicate with it. The road traffic information management server 3 is configured to collect and manage road traffic information, including road information and congestion information, from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and the like. The road information collected by the road traffic information management server 3 includes information on the travel routes R1 to Rm. The congestion information collected by the road traffic information management server 3 includes congestion forecast information for the travel routes R1 to Rm. In response to a request from the server 1, the road traffic information management server 3 transmits road traffic information for a specified area to the server 1.

[0021] <Server and bus hardware configuration> Next, the hardware configuration of the server 1 and the bus B will be described with reference to FIG.

[0022] 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the server 1 and the bus B. Since the hardware configurations of the buses B1 to Bn are similar, the example of the hardware configuration of the bus B1 will be described as a representative example.

[0023] (Server hardware configuration example) 2, the server 1 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 10, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a database 13, an input / output (I / O) circuit 14, and a communication I / F (Interface) 15. These components are connected to each other via a communication bus 16 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0024] The CPU 10 executes a predetermined arithmetic process described in a program. The ROM 12 stores the program executed by the CPU 10. The RAM 11 temporarily stores data generated by the execution of the program in the CPU 10 and data input via the communication I / F 15. The RAM 11 also functions as a temporary data memory used as a working area.

[0025] The database 13 is a storage unit for storing various information registered based on external input data and / or input operations. The various information includes road information, vehicle information, and charging information, which will be described later.

[0026] The I / O circuit 14 is an interface for input to the server 1 or output from the server 1. The I / O circuit 14 is connected to an operation unit and a display unit, not shown. The operation unit accepts inputs including user instructions. As will be described later, the display unit displays information related to the processing when the operation management processing of bus B is executed in the server 1.

[0027] The communication I / F 15 is an interface for communicating with external devices. The external devices include the communication modules 23 of the buses B1 to Bn and the road traffic information management server 3. The communication between the communication I / F 15 and the external devices is performed by wireless communication via a communication network 4 (typically, the Internet).

[0028] (Example of bus hardware configuration) 2, the bus B1 includes an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 20, a communication module 23, and a monitoring unit 24. The bus B1 further includes a battery 30 that stores electric power for the vehicle, a PCU (Power Control Unit) 32, a motor generator 34, a transmission gear 36, driving wheels 38, and a vehicle speed sensor 28.

[0029] The ECU 20 includes a CPU 21 for controlling the entire bus B1, and a memory 22 for storing programs and data, and is configured to operate according to a program.

[0030] The memory 22 includes a ROM and a RAM (both not shown). The ROM stores the programs executed by the CPU 21. The RAM temporarily stores data used during execution of the programs by the CPU 21. The RAM functions as a temporary data memory used as a working area.

[0031] The communication module 23 is an in-vehicle Data Communication Module (DCM) and is an interface for communicating with external devices, including a server 1. The communication between the communication module 23 and the external devices is mainly performed by wireless communication using a communication network 4, such as the Internet. When charging the battery 30, the communication between the communication module 23 and the charging equipment 5 or the power transmission devices 8 and 9 can be performed by short-range communication.

[0032] The monitoring unit 24 monitors the state of the battery 30. The monitoring unit 24 includes a voltage sensor 25, a current sensor 26, and a temperature sensor 27. The voltage sensor 25 detects the terminal voltage VB of the battery 30 (hereinafter also referred to as the "battery voltage"). The current sensor 26 detects the current IB flowing through the battery 30 (hereinafter also referred to as the "battery current"). The temperature sensor 27 detects the temperature of the battery 30. The monitoring unit 24 outputs signals indicating the detection values ​​of the voltage sensor 25, the current sensor 26, and the temperature sensor 27 to the ECU 20.

[0033] The ECU 20 uses the output signal of the monitoring unit 24 to calculate a state of charge (SOC) indicating the remaining capacity of the battery 30. The SOC is expressed as a percentage of the current amount of stored power to the amount of power stored in a fully charged state (full charge capacity) of the battery 30. The ECU 40 further uses the output signal of the monitoring unit 24 to calculate the full charge capacity of the battery 30.

[0034] In accordance with a control signal provided from the ECU 20, the PCU 32 converts the DC power stored in the battery 30 into AC power and supplies it to the motor generator 34. The PCU 32 also converts the AC power generated by the motor generator 34 into DC power and supplies it to the battery 30. The PCU 32 includes, for example, a converter that boosts the output voltage of the battery 30 (battery voltage VB) and an inverter that converts the output voltage of the converter into an AC voltage.

[0035] The motor generator 34 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor. The motor generator 34 is driven by AC power supplied from the PCU 32 to generate a rotational driving force. The rotational driving force generated by the motor generator 34 is transmitted to the driving wheels 38 via a transmission gear 36.

[0036] The vehicle speed sensor 28 is a sensor for detecting the travel distance and traveling speed of the bus B1. The vehicle speed sensor 28 generates pulses in response to the rotation of the drive wheels 38, and outputs a pulse signal to the ECU 20. The ECU 20 counts the generated pulses to calculate the traveling speed and travel distance of the bus B1.

[0037] Bus B1 further includes an inlet 40 and a charger 41 as components for contact charging of battery 30. When contact charging is performed, a charging connector of charging equipment 5 (see FIG. 1) is connected to inlet 40. Charger 41 is provided between inlet 40 and battery 30. In accordance with a control signal from ECU 20, charger 41 converts AC power transmitted from charging equipment 5 via inlet 40 into DC power and supplies the DC power to battery 30, thereby charging battery 30.

[0038] The bus B1 further includes a power receiving device 42 and a charger 44 as components for contactlessly charging the battery 30. The power receiving device 42 includes a power receiving coil (not shown). The power receiving coil receives AC power transmitted from the power transmitting device 8 or 9 in a contactless manner. The power receiving device 42 rectifies the AC power transmitted from the power transmitting device 8 or 9 and outputs the rectified AC power. The charger 44 is provided between the power receiving device 42 and the battery 30. The charger 44 charges the battery 30 by converting the AC power received by the power receiving device 42 into DC power and supplying the DC power to the battery 30 in accordance with a control signal from the ECU 20.

[0039] <Example of wireless charging configuration> 3 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration example of the bus B and the power transmitting device 8. The bus B includes a battery 30, an inlet 40, a power receiving device 42, the DCM 24, and an ECU 26.

[0040] Inlet 40 is disposed inside a charging lid (not shown) provided on the exterior of bus B, and is configured so that a charging connector of charging equipment 5 (see FIG. 1) can be inserted therein. When the charging connector is inserted into inlet 40, inlet 40 and charging equipment 5 are electrically connected, and power can be transmitted from charging equipment 5 to battery 30 via inlet 40.

[0041] Power receiving device 42 is disposed on the lower surface of a floor panel that forms the floor surface of bus B. A power receiving coil 421 is housed within power receiving device 42. Power receiving coil 421 receives power transmitted from power transmitting device 8 in a wireless manner.

[0042] The power transmitting device 8 includes a plurality of power transmitting units 81 to 86 and a controller 80. Although an example in which the number of power transmitting units is six is ​​shown in Fig. 3, the number of power transmitting units is not particularly limited.

[0043] The multiple power transmitting units 81-86 are arranged in a row on the road surface of the travel route R of bus B. The multiple power transmitting units 81-86 each include a power transmitting coil 811-816. Each of the power transmitting coils 811-816 is electrically connected to an AC power source (not shown). Furthermore, each of the power transmitting units 81-86 is provided with a sensor (optical sensor, weight sensor, etc.) for detecting the passage of bus B.

[0044] The controller 80 is connected to the power transmitting units 81-86 and controls the supply of power to the power transmitting coil of each power transmitting unit. Specifically, the controller 80 identifies the traveling position of the bus B based on an output signal of a sensor provided in each power transmitting unit. Then, the controller 80 supplies AC power to the power transmitting coil in the power transmitting unit above which the bus B is located, among the power transmitting units 81-86.

[0045] For example, when bus B is detected above power transmitting unit 81, controller 80 supplies AC power to power transmitting coil 811. An electromagnetic field is formed around power transmitting coil 811 upon receiving the supply of AC power. Power receiving coil 421 in power receiving device 42 receives power in a non-contact manner through the electromagnetic field. Thereafter, when bus B is no longer detected above power transmitting unit 81, controller 80 stops the supply of AC power to power transmitting coil 811. This series of controls is performed by each of power transmitting units 81-86, making it possible to transmit power in a non-contact manner to bus B while it is traveling.

[0046] Although not shown, the power transmission device 9 (see FIG. 1) installed at the bus stop 7 includes a power transmission unit having a configuration similar to that of the power transmission units 81-86, and a controller for controlling the supply of AC power to the power transmission unit. In the power transmission device 9, when bus B is detected above the power transmission unit, the controller supplies AC power to the power transmission coil in the power transmission unit. Thereafter, when bus B is no longer detected above the power transmission unit, the controller stops the supply of AC power to the power transmission coil. This makes it possible to transmit power to the stopped bus B in a non-contact manner.

[0047] <Server and bus functional configuration> Next, the functional configuration of the server 1 and the bus B will be described with reference to FIG.

[0048] Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 1 and the bus B. Fig. 4 shows the functional configuration related to the process for managing the operation of the bus B.

[0049] (Example of bus function configuration) 4, bus B includes an average running speed calculation unit 70, a state-of-charge calculation unit 72, a charging energy amount calculation unit 74, and a communication unit 76. These functional configurations are realized by CPU 21 executing a predetermined program in bus B shown in FIG.

[0050] The average traveling speed calculation unit 70 receives the output signal of the vehicle speed sensor 28 while the bus B is traveling. The average traveling speed calculation unit 70 calculates the average traveling speed of the bus B on the traveling route R based on the output signal of the vehicle speed sensor 28 each time the bus B travels on the traveling route R. The average traveling speed can be found, for example, by dividing the travel distance of the bus B when traveling on the traveling route R by the total traveling time.

[0051] The state-of-charge calculation unit 72 calculates the SOC of the battery 30 using the output signal of the monitoring unit 24. As a method for calculating the SOC, various known methods can be used, such as a method based on current value integration (coulomb counting) or a method based on open circuit voltage (OCV) estimation.

[0052] For example, the state-of-charge calculation unit 72 calculates the SOC of the battery 30 based on the OCV determined from the detection value of the voltage sensor 25, using an SOC-OCV curve indicating the correspondence relationship between the SOC and OCV of the battery 30 that has been acquired in advance.

[0053] The state-of-charge calculation unit 72 further calculates the full charge capacity of the battery 30. A known current integration method can be used to calculate the full charge capacity of the battery 30. In the current integration method, the amount of change ΔSOC in SOC during charging is calculated based on OCV1 determined from the detection value of the voltage sensor 25 before charging of the battery 30 starts and OCV2 determined from the detection value of the voltage sensor 25 after charging of the battery 30 ends.

[0054] Specifically, the state-of-charge calculation unit 72 calculates the difference between SOC1 corresponding to OCV1 on the above-mentioned SOC-OCV curve and SOC2 corresponding to OCV2 as ΔSOC (ΔSOC=SOC1-SOC2). The state-of-charge calculation unit 72 further calculates an integrated current value ΔAh from the start of charging to the end of charging by integrating the battery current IB based on the detection value of the current sensor 26. The integrated current value ΔAh corresponds to the amount of charging power from the start of charging to the end of charging. Finally, the state-of-charge calculation unit 72 calculates the full charge capacity by dividing the integrated current value ΔAh by the amount of change in SOC ΔSOC.

[0055] The charging energy calculation unit 74 calculates the total amount of charging energy of the battery 30 by non-contact charging performed while the bus B is traveling on the travel route R, every time the bus B travels on the travel route R. Specifically, the charging energy calculation unit 74 calculates the amount of charging energy by non-contact charging, every time non-contact charging is performed by the power transmission device 8 or the power transmission device 9 provided on the travel route R while the bus B is traveling. The amount of charging energy by non-contact charging can be found, for example, by integrating the charging current of the battery 30 generated by the charger 44. Then, when the bus B arrives at the destination and ends its travel, the charging energy calculation unit 74 calculates the total amount of charging energy by adding up the amounts of charging energy by each non-contact charging calculated while the bus B is traveling on the travel route R.

[0056] Each time the bus B travels along the travel route R, the communication unit 76 transmits to the server 1 as charging information the average travel speed of the travel route R calculated by the average travel speed calculation unit 70 and the total charging energy amount for the travel route R calculated by the charging energy amount calculation unit 74.

[0057] The communication unit 76 further transmits the full charge capacity of the battery 30 calculated by the charge state calculation unit 72 to the server 1 as vehicle information.

[0058] (Server functional configuration example) The server 1 includes an operation management unit 50, a communication unit 60, and a storage unit 62. These functional configurations are realized by the CPU 10 executing a predetermined program in the server 1 shown in FIG.

[0059] The communication unit 60 receives vehicle information and charging information from the bus B. As described above, the vehicle information includes the full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on the bus B. The charging information includes the average traveling speed of the traveling route R and the total charging energy amount on the traveling route R.

[0060] The communication unit 60 further receives road information from a road traffic information management server 3 (not shown). The road information includes information on a plurality of travel routes R1 to Rm connecting a marshalling yard 2, which is a starting point, with destination points D1, D2, ... Dm, as shown in Fig. 1. The communication unit 60 stores the received vehicle information, charging information, and road information in the memory unit 62.

[0061] Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of vehicle information stored in the memory unit 62. Fig. 5 shows a table indicating the full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on the bus B for each of the buses B1 to Bn. For example, the full charge capacity C1 indicates the full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on the bus B1, and the full charge capacity C2 indicates the full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on the bus B2.

[0062] Here, if the batteries 30 mounted on the buses B1 to Bn are of the same type and have the same initial full charge capacities, the initial values ​​of the full charge capacities C1 to Cn will be equal to each other. However, as the deterioration of the battery 30 progresses in each bus B, the full charge capacity will gradually decrease. The degree of deterioration of the battery 30 varies depending on the running history of the corresponding bus B, that is, the usage mode of the battery 30. Therefore, the full charge capacities C1 to Cn may be different from each other depending on the usage mode of the battery 30 of each bus B. Specifically, the full charge capacity of the battery 30 in a bus B where the deterioration level of the battery 30 is large will be smaller than the full charge capacity of the battery 30 in a bus B where the deterioration level of the battery 30 is small.

[0063] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of charging information stored in the storage unit 62. FIG. 6 shows a table indicating the total amount of charging energy on the travel route R for each of the travel routes R1 to Rm. As described above, the total amount of charging energy corresponds to the sum of the amounts of charging energy by non-contact charging while traveling on the travel route R. Therefore, the total amount of charging energy changes depending on the number of power transmission devices 8, 9 installed on the corresponding travel route R and the number of power transmission units (see FIG. 3) included in each power transmission device 8. For example, the greater the number of power transmission devices 8, 9, the greater the total amount of charging energy. Also, the greater the number of power transmission units included in each power transmission device 8, the greater the total amount of charging energy.

[0064] Furthermore, in each travel route R, the total amount of charging power changes depending on the travel speed of the bus B. In a case where a power transmission device 8 is provided on the travel route R and the transmission power of the power transmission device 8 is constant, generally, the slower the travel speed in the travel section where the power transmission device 8 is provided (hereinafter also referred to as the "power transmission section"), the longer the time for receiving transmitted power from the power transmission device 8, and therefore the larger the amount of charging power in the power transmission section.

[0065] Therefore, in the first embodiment, the magnitude of the total charging energy amount is evaluated for each travel route R using the average travel speed of the travel route R. This is based on the fact that when the average travel speed of the travel route R is slow, the travel speed in the power transmission section also tends to be slower than when the average travel speed is fast.

[0066] In addition, for each travel route R, the average travel speed of the travel route R changes depending on the traffic congestion situation of the travel route R. Usually, the average travel speed of the travel route R decreases as the traffic congestion amount increases in at least a part of the travel route R. As a result, the total amount of charging energy on the travel route R also changes depending on the traffic congestion situation of the travel route R.

[0067] The charging information shown in FIG. 6 can be obtained by conducting a test in advance in which the bus B is driven along each travel route R. Alternatively, the charging information can be obtained by calculating the total charging energy and the average travel speed along the travel route R each time the bus B actually travels along the travel route R. In the latter case, charging information based on the actual measured values ​​of the average travel speed and the total charging energy along each travel route R is obtained and stored in the storage unit 62. In this way, the charging information stored in the storage unit 62 can be updated based on the latest actual measured value of the total charging energy. Therefore, it is possible to reflect the latest power receiving efficiency of the power transmission devices 8 and 9 provided along each travel route R in the charging information.

[0068] In detail, the power receiving efficiency of the power transmitting device indicates the ratio of the received power to the transmitted power, and changes depending on the relative positional relationship between the power transmitting coil in the power transmitting device and the power receiving coil in the power receiving device. For example, when the ground surface on which the power transmitting coil is installed is covered with soil or sand, it may be difficult to align the power transmitting coil and the power receiving coil, and the power receiving efficiency may decrease. Alternatively, when a foreign object such as a metal piece is present on the surface of the power transmitting coil, the foreign object may obstruct part of the magnetic field formed between the power transmitting coil and the power receiving coil, and the power receiving efficiency may decrease.

[0069] 1, a decrease in the power receiving efficiency of the power transmission devices 8 and 9 installed on the travel route R will result in a decrease in the actual measured value of the total charging energy of the travel route R. Since the decrease in the total charging energy is reflected in the charging information stored in the memory unit 62, when the travel route R of each bus B is newly determined using the charging information, it becomes possible to appropriately determine the travel route R of each bus B based on the latest total charging energy of the travel route R.

[0070] 7 is a flowchart showing the procedure of a process for calculating the total charging energy amount, the average traveling speed of the traveling route R, and the full charge capacity of the battery 30. In the figure, the process executed by the controller 80 of the power transmitting device 8 is shown on the left side, and the process executed by the ECU 20 of the bus B is shown on the right side. Each step is realized by software processing by the controller 80 or the ECU 20, but may also be realized by hardware such as an LSI (Large Scale Integration) mounted on the controller 80 or the ECU 20.

[0071] In power transmitting device 8, first, in step (hereinafter, step is simply denoted as S) 11, controller 80 identifies the traveling position of bus B based on the output signal of a sensor provided in each power transmitting unit included in power transmitting device 8. In S11, controller 80 determines whether or not bus B has been detected above each power transmitting unit based on the output signal of the sensor.

[0072] When the bus B is detected above the power transmitting unit (YES in S01), the controller 80 supplies AC power to the power transmitting coil of the power transmitting unit in S02. The power receiving coil 421 in the power receiving device 42 receives the power in a non-contact manner through an electromagnetic field formed around the power transmitting coil upon receiving the supply of AC power.

[0073] The controller 80 determines in S03 whether or not the bus B is no longer detected above the power transmitting unit that is supplying power. If the bus B is detected (NO in S03), the controller 80 continues supplying power to the power transmitting unit. If the bus B is no longer detected above the power transmitting unit (YES in S03), the controller 80 stops the supply of AC power to the power transmitting coil in S04.

[0074] By performing the processes of S01 to S04 in each of a plurality of power transmission units included in the power transmission device 8, it is possible to transmit power contactlessly to the traveling bus B. Although not shown in the figure, the processes of S01 to S04 are also performed in the power transmission device 9 installed at the bus stop 7, so that it is possible to transmit power contactlessly to the stopped bus B.

[0075] In the bus B, the ECU 20 determines in S11 whether or not the power receiving coil 421 of the power receiving device 42 has received power from the power transmitting device 8. The determination in S11 can be made by detecting the presence or absence of a current flowing through the power receiving coil 421.

[0076] When power reception is detected by the power receiving coil 421 (YES in S11), the ECU 20 calculates the amount of charging power by non-contact charging in S12. In S12, the ECU 20 calculates the amount of charging power by integrating the charging current of the battery 30 generated by the charger 44.

[0077] During the execution of contactless charging, the ECU 20 determines whether or not the power reception has ended in S13. The determination in S13 can be made by detecting the presence or absence of a current flowing through the power receiving coil 421.

[0078] When the power reception ends (YES in S13), the ECU 20 proceeds to S14 and calculates the full charge capacity of the battery 30. In S14, as described above, the ECU 20 can calculate the full charge capacity of the battery 30 by using a known current integration method.

[0079] In S15, ECU 20 determines whether or not bus B has finished traveling. When bus B arrives at the destination and stops traveling, a YES determination is made in S15. When bus B is traveling along travel route R (NO determination in S15), ECU 20 calculates the amount of charging energy by contactless charging and the full charge capacity by repeatedly executing the processes of S11 to S14.

[0080] When bus B arrives at the destination and ends its travel, ECU 20 calculates in S16 the total amount of charging energy by summing up the amounts of charging energy by each non-contact charging calculated in S12 while traveling along travel route R. ECU 20 further calculates the average traveling speed along travel route R using the output signal of vehicle speed sensor 28.

[0081] In S17, the ECU 20 transmits to the server 1 charging information including the average traveling speed and the total charging energy amount for the traveling route R calculated in S16, and vehicle information including the full charge capacity of the battery 30 calculated in S14. Upon receiving the charging information and vehicle information from each bus B, the server 1 stores the received charging information and vehicle information in the storage unit 62, thereby updating the charging information and vehicle information (see FIGS. 5 and 6).

[0082] Returning to FIG. 4, in the server 1, the operation management unit 50 includes a full charge capacity acquisition unit 52, an average traveling speed calculation unit 54, a total charging energy calculation unit 56, and a traveling route determination unit 58.

[0083] When the operation management unit 50 receives an instruction (hereinafter also referred to as a "start instruction") from a user via the I / O circuit 14 to start executing a process for managing the operation of buses B1 to Bn, it starts the operation management process described below.

[0084] Upon receiving the start instruction, the full charge capacity acquisition unit 52 refers to the vehicle information (see FIG. 5) stored in the storage unit 62 to acquire the current full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on each of the buses B1 to Bn.

[0085] When the average traveling speed calculation unit 54 receives the start instruction, it acquires congestion information of the traveling routes R1 to Rm by communicating with the road traffic information management server 3 via the communication unit 60. The congestion information includes congestion prediction information for each of the traveling routes R1 to Rm. The congestion prediction information includes information such as the traveling sections where congestion is expected to occur in each traveling route R and the predicted value of the congestion amount in the traveling sections.

[0086] Using the acquired congestion forecast information, the average travel speed calculation unit 54 calculates a predicted value of the average travel speed of each travel route R. Specifically, when the travel route R includes a travel section where congestion is expected to occur, the average travel speed calculation unit 54 calculates a predicted value of the average travel speed of the travel route R based on the predicted value of the distance and the amount of congestion of the travel section.

[0087] The total charging energy calculation unit 56 calculates a predicted value of the total charging energy for each traveling route R based on the charging information (see FIG. 6) stored in the storage unit 62 and the predicted value of the average traveling speed of the traveling route R calculated by the average traveling speed calculation unit 54. Specifically, the total charging energy calculation unit 56 refers to the relationship between the average traveling speed of the traveling route R shown in FIG. 6 and the total charging energy of the battery 30, and acquires, as the predicted value of the total charging energy, the total charging energy corresponding to the predicted value of the average traveling speed for each of the traveling routes R1 to Rm.

[0088] The driving route determination unit 58 determines the driving route R of each of the buses B1 to Bn based on the current full charge capacity of the battery 30 in each of the buses B1 to Bn acquired by the full charge capacity acquisition unit 52 and the predicted value of the total charging energy of each of the driving routes R1 to Rm calculated by the total charging energy calculation unit 56.

[0089] Specifically, the travel route determination unit 58 determines the travel route R of each bus B such that the total amount of charging power of the battery 30 from the travel route R increases as the full charge capacity of the battery 30 decreases. Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining the basic idea when determining the travel route R.

[0090] FIG. 8 shows an example of a correspondence relationship between the travel routes R1 to Rm and the buses B assigned to each travel route R. As shown in FIG. 8, the buses B1 to Bn are arranged in ascending order of the current full charge capacity of the battery 30. The travel routes R1 to Rm are arranged in descending order of the predicted value of the total charging energy. The travel route R2 having the largest predicted value of the total charging energy is assigned to the bus B3 having the smallest current full charge capacity of the battery 30. The travel route R4 having the second largest predicted value of the total charging energy is assigned to the bus B2 having the second smallest current full charge capacity of the battery 30. In this way, the travel route R having a relatively small predicted value of the total charging energy is assigned to the bus B having a relatively large current full charge capacity of the battery 30.

[0091] Since the amount of output power of battery 30 is limited as the full charge capacity of battery 30 decreases, there is a concern that a situation may occur in which bus B cannot run due to a lack of power (so-called power shortage) while it is traveling. In order to avoid power shortage, it is necessary to actively charge battery 30 by power transmission devices 8 and 9 while the bus is traveling.

[0092] As described above, the travel route determination unit 58 assigns a travel route R with a larger total amount of charging power compared to other travel routes R to a bus B whose battery 30 has deteriorated and whose full charge capacity is lower than that of other buses B. In this way, for the bus B whose full charge capacity is lower, more power is charged to the battery 30 while the bus is traveling, making it possible to prevent the occurrence of running out of power.

[0093] <Control flow> 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for determining a travel route of the bus B in the server 1. This flowchart is called from a main routine (not shown) and executed when a start instruction is received via the I / O circuit 14, for example.

[0094] In S21, the server 1 refers to the vehicle information (see FIG. 5) stored in the database 13 to obtain the current full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on each of the buses B1 to Bn.

[0095] In S22, the server 1 acquires traffic congestion forecast information for the travel routes R1 to Rm by communicating with the road traffic information management server 3. The traffic congestion forecast information includes information on each travel route R, such as travel sections where traffic congestion is expected to occur and the forecast value of the traffic congestion amount for the travel sections.

[0096] In S23, the server 1 uses the congestion prediction information acquired in S22 to predict the average driving speed of each driving route R. In S23, the predicted value of the average driving speed of the driving route R is calculated using the predicted value of the distance and traffic congestion volume of the driving section where congestion is expected to occur and the distance of the driving section other than the driving section.

[0097] In S24, the server 1 predicts the total amount of charging energy for each travel route R based on the charging information (see FIG. 6) stored in the database 13 and the predicted value of the average traveling speed of the travel route R obtained in S23. The server 1 refers to the relationship between the average traveling speed and the total amount of charging energy for the travel route R shown in FIG. 6, and acquires the total amount of charging energy corresponding to the predicted value of the average traveling speed for each of the travel routes R1 to Rm as the predicted value of the total amount of charging energy.

[0098] In S25, the server 1 determines a travel route R for each of the buses B1-Bn based on the current full charge capacity of the battery 30 in each of the buses B1-Bn acquired in S21 and the predicted value of the total charged energy amount for each of the travel routes R1-Rm acquired in S24. In S24, as shown in Fig. 8, the server 1 determines the travel route R for each bus B such that the bus B with a small full charge capacity of the battery 30 travels on the travel route R with a large total charged energy amount.

[0099] In S26, the server 1 notifies each bus B of the travel route R determined in S25.

[0100] As described above, according to the bus operation management system 100 of embodiment 1, by determining the travel route R of each bus B such that the total amount of charging power to the battery 30 from the travel route R increases as the full charge capacity of the battery 30 decreases, the decrease in the full charge capacity can be compensated for by charging while traveling, thereby making it possible to prevent the occurrence of running out of power in the bus B.

[0101] Furthermore, according to the bus operation management system 100 of embodiment 1, by predicting the total amount of charging energy for each travel route R using traffic congestion forecast information, it is possible to appropriately assign travel route R to buses B1 to Bn in accordance with the full charge capacity of the battery 30.

[0102] Furthermore, in the bus operation management system 100 according to embodiment 1, each bus B calculates the full charge capacity of the battery 30 each time it travels along the travel route R, and transmits vehicle information including the calculated full charge capacity to the server 1, thereby making it possible to appropriately assign the travel route R to the buses B1 to Bn based on the current full charge capacity of the battery 30.

[0103] Furthermore, according to the bus operation management system 100 of embodiment 1, each bus B calculates the average driving speed and total charging energy amount for the driving route R each time it travels along the driving route R, and transmits charging information including the calculated average driving speed and total charging energy amount for the driving route R to the server 1, thereby making it possible to appropriately determine the driving route R of each bus B using the latest charging information.

[0104] [Embodiment 2] In the above-mentioned embodiment 1, an example configuration has been described in which the average traveling speed of the traveling route R is predicted from traffic congestion forecast information for the traveling route R, and the total charging energy amount for the traveling route R is predicted using the predicted average traveling speed of the traveling route R.

[0105] In the second embodiment, a description will be given of another configuration example for predicting the total amount of charging energy along a travel route R. Note that the overall configuration of the bus traffic control system 100 according to the second embodiment, and the configurations of the server 1 and the bus B are basically the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the description will not be repeated.

[0106] In the second embodiment, in bus B, average traveling speed calculation unit 70 (see FIG. 4) is configured to calculate the average traveling speed in a traveling section (power transmission section) in which power transmission device 8 (see FIG. 3) is installed, for each traveling route R. The average traveling speed in the power transmission section can be found, for example, by dividing the travel distance of bus B when traveling in the power transmission section by the traveling time.

[0107] The communication unit 76 transmits, as charging information to the server 1, the average traveling speed in the power transmission section calculated by the average traveling speed calculation unit 70 and the total charging energy amount on the traveling route R calculated by the charging energy amount calculation unit 74 every time the bus B travels along the traveling route R. The communication unit 76 further transmits, as vehicle information, the full charge capacity of the battery 30 calculated by the charging state calculation unit 72 to the server 1.

[0108] In the server 1, the communication unit 60 stores the vehicle information and the charging information received from the bus B in the storage unit 62. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the charging information stored in the storage unit 62. FIG. 10 shows a table indicating the total charging energy amount for each of the travel routes R1 to Rm. In each travel route R, the total charging energy amount changes depending on the travel speed in the power transmission section. In the second embodiment, the total charging energy amount is evaluated using the average travel speed in the power transmission section in each travel route R. This is based on the fact that when the average travel speed in the power transmission section is slow, the total charging energy amount tends to be larger than when the average travel speed in the power transmission section is fast.

[0109] In each driving route R, the average driving speed in the power transmission section changes depending on the congestion situation in the power transmission section. As the congestion in the power transmission section increases, the average driving speed in the power transmission section decreases. As a result, the total amount of charging energy in the driving route R also changes depending on the congestion situation in the power transmission section.

[0110] The charging information shown in Fig. 10 can be obtained in advance by conducting tests in which bus B is driven along each travel route R. Alternatively, the charging information can be obtained by calculating the total amount of charging energy and the average travel speed in the power transmission section along the travel route R each time each bus B actually travels along the travel route R.

[0111] <Control flow> 11 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for determining the travel route of the bus B in the server 1. Similar to FIG. 9, this flowchart is called from the main routine (not shown) and executed when a start instruction is received via the I / O circuit 14.

[0112] The flowchart shown in FIG. 11 is obtained by replacing the processes of S23 and S24 in the flowchart shown in FIG. 9 with S23A and S24A.

[0113] 9, the server 1 acquires the current full charge capacity of the battery 30 mounted on each of the buses B1 to Bn by referring to the vehicle information (see FIG. 5) stored in the database 13. In S22, the same as in FIG. 9, the server 1 communicates with the road traffic information management server 3 to acquire congestion forecast information for the travel routes R1 to Rm.

[0114] In S23A, the server 1 uses the traffic congestion prediction information acquired in S22 to predict the average travel speed in the power transmission section on each travel route R. In S23A, based on the predicted value of the traffic congestion amount in the power transmission section, the predicted value of the average travel speed in the power transmission section is calculated.

[0115] In S24A, the server 1 predicts the total amount of charging energy for each travel route R based on the charging information (see FIG. 10) stored in the database 13 and the predicted value of the average traveling speed in the power transmission section of each travel route R obtained in S23A. The server 1 refers to the relationship between the average traveling speed and the total amount of charging energy in the power transmission section of each travel route R shown in FIG. 10, and acquires the total amount of charging energy corresponding to the predicted value of the average traveling speed in the power transmission section for each of the travel routes R1 to Rm as the predicted value of the total amount of charging energy.

[0116] In S25, the server 1 determines a travel route R for each of the buses B1-Bn based on the current full charge capacity of the battery 30 in each of the buses B1-Bn acquired in S21 and the predicted value of the total charge energy amount for each of the travel routes R1-Rm acquired in S24A. In S26, the server 1 notifies each bus B of the travel route R determined in S25.

[0117] As described above, the bus traffic control system 100 according to the second embodiment can also achieve the same effects as those of the bus traffic control system 100 according to the first embodiment.

[0118] Furthermore, according to the bus operation management system 100 of embodiment 2, by predicting the total amount of charging energy for each travel route R using congestion forecast information in the power transmission section, it is possible to appropriately assign the travel route R to the buses B1 to Bn in accordance with the full charge capacity of the battery 30.

[0119] Furthermore, according to the bus operation management system 100 of embodiment 2, each bus B calculates the average running speed and the total amount of charged energy in the power transmission section each time it travels along the travel route R, and transmits charging information including the calculated average running speed and total amount of charged energy in the power transmission section to the server 1, thereby making it possible to appropriately determine the travel route R of each bus B using the latest charging information.

[0120] [Embodiment 3] In the above-described embodiment, a configuration example has been described in which, when the server 1 receives a start instruction from a user via the I / O circuit 14, it determines a travel route R based on the full charge capacity of the battery 30 at that time and a predicted value of the total charging energy amount of each travel route R.

[0121] On the other hand, because the usage of the battery 30 differs depending on the travel route R, there is a concern that the difference in the degree of deterioration of the battery 30 between the buses B1-Bn will become greater as the buses B1-Bn continue to travel the assigned travel route R. For example, even if the total charged power amount is the same for the two travel routes R, the difference in the timing at which the power transmission devices 8 and 9 perform contactless charging may cause a difference in the degree of deterioration of the battery 30.

[0122] In the third embodiment, a configuration will be described in which the server 1 issues a start instruction at a predetermined cycle to periodically determine a travel route R. Note that the overall configuration of the bus traffic control system 100 according to the third embodiment, and the configurations of the server 1 and the bus B are basically the same as those in the first embodiment, and therefore the description will not be repeated.

[0123] Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the server 1 and the bus B. Fig. 12 shows the functional configuration related to the process for managing the operation of the bus B. The functional configuration of the bus B shown in Fig. 12 is the same as the functional configuration of the bus B shown in Fig. 4.

[0124] The functional configuration of the server 1 shown in Fig. 12 is obtained by adding an instruction generating unit 64 and a timer 66 to the functional configuration of the server 1 shown in Fig. 4. The timer 66 measures the elapsed time since the previous travel route R was determined. The instruction generating unit 64 is configured to generate a start instruction when the measured value of the timer 66 reaches a predetermined time.

[0125] When the operation management unit 50 receives the start instruction from the instruction generation unit 64, it executes a process of determining the travel route R of the buses B1 to Bn. The operation management unit 50 determines the travel route R of the buses B1 to Bn according to the full charge capacity of the battery 30 of each bus B at the time when the operation management unit 50 receives the start instruction.

[0126] According to the bus traffic control system 100 of the third embodiment, the travel route R of each bus B is periodically changed to a travel route R corresponding to the full charge capacity of the battery 30. According to this, as the full charge capacity of the battery 30 decreases, the travel route R is changed to a travel route R having a larger total amount of charged power in the battery 30. As a result, the decrease in the full charge capacity can be compensated for by charging while traveling, so that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of running out of power in the bus B.

[0127] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not by the description of the embodiments described above, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 1 server, 2 road traffic information management server, 5 power supply equipment, 7 bus stop, 8, 9 power transmission device, 10, 21 CPU, 11 RAM, 12 ROM, 13 database, 14 I / O circuit, 15 communication I / F, 16 communication bus, 20 ECU, 22 memory, 23 communication module, 24 monitoring unit, 25 voltage sensor, 26 current sensor, 27 temperature sensor, 28 vehicle speed sensor, 30 battery, 32 PCU, 34 motor generator, 36 transmission gear, 38 drive wheel, 40 inlet, 41, 44 charger, 42 power receiving device, 50 operation management unit, 52 full charge capacity acquisition unit, 54, 70 average driving speed calculation unit, 56 total charging energy calculation unit, 58 driving route determination unit, 60, 76 communication unit, 62 memory unit, 64 instruction generation unit, 66 timer, 72 Charge state calculation unit, 74 charge energy calculation unit, 80 controller, 81 to 86 power transmission units, 811 to 861 power transmission coils, 100 bus operation management system, B1 to Bn buses, R1 to Rm driving routes.

Claims

1. A number of electric buses; a server that manages operation of the electric buses by assigning the electric buses to a plurality of travel routes, Each of the plurality of electrical buses comprises: A battery that stores power for driving; a power receiving device that receives power from an external power transmitting device in a wireless manner and charges the battery, At least one of the power transmission devices is provided on each of the plurality of travel routes, The server, a full charge capacity acquisition unit that acquires a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses; a total charge energy calculation unit that calculates a total charge energy amount of the battery by the at least one power transmission device for each of the plurality of travel routes; a travel route determination unit that determines a travel route for each of the plurality of electric buses so that a total amount of charging power from the travel route to the battery increases as a full charge capacity of the battery decreases.

2. The server, A storage unit for storing charging information and vehicle information; A first communication unit that receives congestion forecast information for the plurality of travel routes; an average travel speed calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of an average travel speed of each of the plurality of travel routes using the received congestion prediction information; the charging information includes, for each of the plurality of travel routes, a relationship between an average travel speed of the travel route and a total amount of charging power of the battery; the vehicle information includes a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses; the total charging energy calculation unit calculates, for each of the plurality of travel routes, a predicted value of a total charging energy of the battery based on a predicted value of an average travel speed of the travel route by referring to the charging information; 2. The bus traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the travel route determination unit determines the travel route of each of the plurality of electric buses based on a fully charged capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses and a predicted value of a total charged energy amount of the battery in each of the plurality of travel routes.

3. Each of the plurality of electrical buses comprises: a calculation unit that calculates a full charge capacity of the battery, an average traveling speed of the traveling route, and a total amount of charging power of the battery, each time the vehicle travels along an assigned traveling route; a second communication unit that transmits a calculation result by the calculation unit to the server; The bus operation management system according to claim 2 , wherein the first communication unit receives the calculation results transmitted from each of the plurality of electric buses and stores the calculation results in the storage unit.

4. The server, A storage unit for storing charging information and vehicle information; A first communication unit that receives congestion forecast information for the plurality of travel routes; an average travel speed calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of an average travel speed in a travel section in which the at least one power transmission device is installed for each of the plurality of travel routes by using the received congestion prediction information, the charging information includes, for each of the plurality of travel routes, a relationship between an average travel speed in the travel section and a total amount of charging power in the battery; the vehicle information includes a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses; the total charging energy calculation unit calculates a predicted value of the total charging energy for each of the plurality of traveling routes based on a predicted value of an average traveling speed in the traveling section by referring to the charging information; 2. The bus traffic management system according to claim 1, wherein the travel route determination unit determines the travel route of each of the plurality of electric buses based on a fully charged capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses and a predicted value of the total charged energy amount in each of the plurality of travel routes.

5. Each of the plurality of electrical buses comprises: a calculation unit that calculates a full charge capacity of the battery, an average traveling speed of the traveling section, and a total amount of charging power of the battery, each time the vehicle travels along an assigned traveling route; a second communication unit that transmits a calculation result by the calculation unit to the server; The bus operation management system according to claim 4 , wherein the first communication unit receives the calculation results transmitted from each of the plurality of electric buses and stores the calculation results in the storage unit.

6. the server further includes an input / output circuit for receiving a start instruction from a user; the full charge capacity acquisition unit acquires a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses in accordance with the start instruction received by the input / output circuit; The bus traffic management system according to claim 1 , wherein the travel route determination unit determines a travel route for each of the electric buses in accordance with the start instruction received by the input / output circuit.

7. The server further includes an instruction generating unit that generates a start instruction at a predetermined cycle; the full charge capacity acquisition unit acquires a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses in accordance with the start instruction; The bus traffic management system according to claim 1 , wherein the travel route determination unit determines a travel route for each of the electric buses in accordance with the start instruction.

8. A server that manages operation of a plurality of electric buses by assigning the plurality of electric buses to a plurality of travel routes, Each of the plurality of electrical buses comprises: A battery that stores power for driving; a power receiving device that receives power from an external power transmitting device in a wireless manner and charges the battery, At least one of the power transmission devices is provided on each of the plurality of travel routes, a full charge capacity acquisition unit that acquires a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses; a total charge energy calculation unit that calculates a total charge energy amount of the battery by the at least one power transmission device for each of the plurality of travel routes; a travel route determination unit that determines a travel route for each of the plurality of electric buses such that the total amount of charging power to the battery from a travel route increases as the full charge capacity of the battery decreases.

9. A bus operation management method for managing operation of a plurality of electric buses by assigning the electric buses to a plurality of travel routes, respectively, comprising: Each of the plurality of electrical buses comprises: A battery that stores power for driving; a power receiving device that receives power from an external power transmitting device in a wireless manner and charges the battery, At least one of the power transmission devices is provided on each of the plurality of travel routes, obtaining a full charge capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of electric buses; calculating a total amount of charging power of the battery by the at least one power transmitting device for each of the plurality of travel routes; determining a driving route for each of the plurality of electric buses such that the total amount of charging power to the battery from the driving route increases as the full charge capacity of the battery decreases.

Images