Charging control device

Abstract

To provide a charge control apparatus capable of calculating a residual charging time accurately in accordance with a charging place.SOLUTION: A charge control apparatus 100 includes: a charge start detection part 110 for detecting a start of charging of a battery C1 of a vehicle C10; a present position acquisition part 120 for acquiring a present position of the vehicle C10; and a residual charging time calculation part 130 for calculating a residual charging time to a completion of the charging of the battery C1 of the vehicle C10. In a case where the present position of the vehicle C10 is at a given position where acquisition of a learning value using data related to power at a previous charging has been completed, the residual charging time calculation part 130 calculates a residual charging time on the basis of the learning value, whereas in a case where the present position of the vehicle C10 is other than the given position, the residual charging time calculation part calculates a residual charging time on the basis of a power value applicable within a given time from a start of the charging.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charge control device, and more particularly to a charge control device mounted on a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle equipped with a rechargeable battery. The vehicle generates a commercial AC voltage having an appropriate frequency according to the region and supplies it to a load outside the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-333551 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present inventors have discovered the following problems. The battery of such a vehicle can be charged in various locations, but the voltage varies depending on the charging location and time of day, which can reduce the accuracy of calculating the remaining charge time.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a charge control device that can calculate a remaining charge time with high accuracy according to a charging location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A charging control device according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a charge start detection unit that detects the start of charging of a battery of the vehicle; a current position acquisition unit that acquires a current position of the vehicle; a remaining charging time calculation unit that calculates a remaining charging time required until charging of the battery of the vehicle is completed, The remaining charging time calculation unit When the current position of the vehicle is a predetermined position where acquisition of a learning value using data related to power during a previous charge has been completed, the remaining charge time is calculated based on the learning value; If the current location of the vehicle is other than the predetermined location, the remaining charge time is calculated based on the power value within a predetermined time from the start of charging.

[0007] According to this configuration, the remaining charge time can be calculated with high accuracy based on the learned value or the power value within a predetermined time from the start of charging depending on the charging location. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The present invention can provide a charge control device that can calculate the remaining charge time with high accuracy depending on the charging location. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a charge control device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 4 is a flowchart showing a method for calculating a remaining charge time in the charge control device according to the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, specific embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, the following description and drawings are appropriately simplified for clarity of explanation.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) A configuration example of the charge control device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the charge control device according to the first embodiment.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, the charge control device 100 includes a charge start detection unit 110, a current position acquisition unit 120, and a remaining charge time calculation unit 130. The charge control device 100 according to this embodiment can be configured by a general computer. The computer includes a central processing unit (CPU), storage devices such as a read only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM), an input / output port, and the like. The charge control device 100 according to this embodiment controls charging of a battery C1 mounted on a vehicle C10. The charge control device 100 according to this embodiment is mounted on the vehicle C10.

[0013] The charging start detection unit 110 detects the start of charging the battery C1 of the vehicle C10. The charging start detection unit 110 detects that charging of the battery C1 has started based on, for example, the terminal voltage value of the battery C1.

[0014] The current position acquisition unit 120 acquires the current position of the vehicle C10. The current position acquisition unit 120 detects the current position of the vehicle C10 based on, for example, a wireless signal from outside the vehicle for detecting the current position of the vehicle C10. The wireless signal is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) signal or a signal from a beacon or the like. The current position acquisition unit 120 is, for example, a navigation system.

[0015] The remaining charging time calculation unit 130 calculates the time required until charging of the battery C1 of the vehicle C10 is completed.

[0016] When the current position of the vehicle C10 is a predetermined position, the remaining charge time calculation unit 130 calculates the remaining charge time at the predetermined position based on a learning value using data related to the power at the time of charging before detecting the start of charging the battery C1. The predetermined position is a charging location where the battery C1 has been charged at least once and where a learning value using data related to the power at the time of charging has been obtained. The predetermined position may be a charging location where the battery C1 is frequently charged. A specific example of a charging location where the battery C1 is frequently charged is the home of the user of the vehicle C10. A location other than the predetermined position is a location where the battery C1 is charged for the first time, specifically, a location where the user visits for the first time on a trip or the like.

[0017] The learned value can be obtained by the following procedure. First, before the charging start detection unit 110 detects the start of charging, data on the power when charging is performed at the charging location where the battery C1 is charged is acquired. Next, smoothing learning is performed on the acquired data to calculate an average voltage value. Here, smoothing learning is a method of obtaining an smoothed learned value by smoothing the data acquired up to that point each time data is acquired when there is an opportunity to acquire data multiple times, and learning the smoothed learned value. For example, an averaging process can be used as the smoothing process. Here, every time the battery C1 is charged at the same charging location, data on the power from the charging start time to the charging end time is measured and acquired, and the data on the power acquired up to that point is averaged. In this way, an average value of the data on the power is generated. The average value of the data on the power includes an average voltage from the charging start time to the charging end time when the battery C1 is charged at the same charging location. Since the battery C1 is frequently charged at the charging location, the calculated average voltage value is in accordance with the country, region, and time zone, and tends to be highly accurate.

[0018] When the current location of the vehicle C10 is not a predetermined location, the remaining charge time calculation unit 130 calculates the remaining charge time using the power within a predetermined time from the start of charging. The power within the predetermined time from the start of charging can be calculated using, for example, the terminal voltage value of the battery C1 of the vehicle C10 at the start of charging. In addition, the power within the predetermined time from the start of charging tends to be highly accurate because it corresponds to the location where the vehicle C10 is located.

[0019] The remaining charge time can be calculated using the voltage measurement method that obtains the power within a predetermined time from the start of charging or the learned value described above. Note that the remaining charge time may be calculated using, for example, a coulomb counter method, a battery cell modeling method, or an impedance track method.

[0020] (How to calculate remaining charging time) Next, a method of calculating the remaining charge time of the charge control device 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing a method of calculating the remaining charge time of the charge control device 100 shown in Fig. 1.

[0021] It is determined whether charging has started (step S101). This determination is repeated until it is detected that charging has started (step S101: NO).

[0022] When it is detected that charging has started (step S101: YES), it is determined whether the vehicle is at a predetermined position (step S102).

[0023] When it is determined that the vehicle is at a predetermined position (step S102: YES), the remaining charge time is calculated using the learned voltage (step S103).

[0024] On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle is not in the predetermined position (step S102: NO), the remaining charge time is calculated using the voltage at the start of charging (step S104).

[0025] As described above, according to the calculation method, when the vehicle is in a predetermined location, the remaining charge time is calculated using the learned voltage. Since the learned value corresponds to the country, region, and time zone, it is possible to suppress voltage fluctuations due to the country, region, and time zone. Therefore, when the vehicle is in a predetermined location, it is possible to suppress voltage fluctuations due to the charging location and time zone and calculate the remaining charge time with good accuracy. Furthermore, when the vehicle is not in the predetermined location, the remaining charge time is calculated using power within a predetermined time from the start of charging. Since the power within a predetermined time from the start of charging corresponds to the charging location, it is possible to suppress voltage fluctuations due to the charging location. Therefore, when the vehicle is not in the predetermined location, it is possible to suppress the influence of voltage due to the charging location and calculate the remaining charge time with good accuracy. In other words, since a calculation method according to the location of the vehicle can be used, it is possible to calculate the remaining charge time with good accuracy.

[0026] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The present invention may be implemented by appropriately combining the above-described embodiment and examples thereof. For example, the charging control device 100 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on the vehicle C10, but may be disposed outside the vehicle C10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0027] 100 Charging control device 110 Charging start detection unit 120 Current location acquisition unit 130 Remaining charging time calculation section C10 Vehicle C1 Battery

Claims

[Claim 1] a charge start detection unit that detects the start of charging of a battery of the vehicle; a current position acquisition unit that acquires a current position of the vehicle; a remaining charging time calculation unit that calculates a remaining charging time required until charging of the battery of the vehicle is completed, The remaining charging time calculation unit When the current position of the vehicle is a predetermined position where acquisition of a learning value using data related to power during a previous charge has been completed, the remaining charge time is calculated based on the learning value; When the current location of the vehicle is other than the predetermined location, the remaining charge time is calculated based on a power value within a predetermined time from the start of charging. Charging control device.

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