Vehicle information and communication device, information management server, and information and communication system

Abstract

To provide an information communication apparatus, an information management server, and an information communication system for a vehicle capable of reflecting a sulfur content of fuel distributed in each region in real time.SOLUTION: When fuel is supplied to a vehicle 2, its fuel supply position information is acquired. A concentration of sulfur dioxide in exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine after the fuel supply is detected by an SO2 sensor 23. Regional concentration information obtained by associating the fuel supply position information and information obtained by averaging the concentrations of sulfur dioxide is transmitted to a data center 3. Due to this configuration, information that reflects fuel properties of fuel distributed in each region in real time can be accumulated in the data center 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information communication device, an information management server, and an information communication system for a vehicle, and more particularly to a measure for effectively utilizing information acquired by a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] There has long been a demand for determining the sulfur content of fuel in a fuel tank mounted on a vehicle in advance. One example of the reasons for determining the sulfur content in advance is described below. A catalytic converter installed in the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine mounted on a vehicle can experience a deterioration in purification performance if the precious metals in the catalytic converter are sulfur-poisoned by sulfur components contained in the fuel. To prevent this sulfur poisoning, sulfur purge control is performed to periodically remove sulfur accumulated in the catalytic converter, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. This control requires the catalytic converter to be heated to a high temperature to remove sulfur, which increases the temperature of the exhaust gas and results in a deterioration in fuel efficiency. For this reason, it is desirable to determine the sulfur content of fuel in the fuel tank in advance and optimize the interval at which sulfur purge control is performed.

[0003] However, the reality is that the sulfur content of fuel varies from region to region. Patent Document 1 discloses a method of obtaining data on the sulfur content of a fueling area corresponding to a fueling location from a database installed outside the vehicle, estimating the sulfur content of the fuel in the fuel tank based on the obtained sulfur content data, and determining the interval for implementing sulfur purge control from the estimated sulfur content. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-156283 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, although Patent Document 1 discloses the use of a database of sulfur content in refueling areas that is pre-stored on the Internet, it does not disclose any means for updating the database to the latest version.

[0006] The inventors of the present invention have noticed that the sulfur content of fuel distributed in each region may vary, and have considered the need to create a database that reflects this variation in real time in order to estimate the sulfur content of fuel in a fuel tank with high accuracy.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to provide a vehicle information and communication device, an information management server, and an information and communication system that can reflect the sulfur content of fuel circulating in each region in real time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The solution of the present invention for achieving the above object is based on a vehicle information communication device that is mounted on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine as a driving force source and transmits information to an information management server. The vehicle information communication device includes a refueling detection means that detects that the vehicle has been refueled, a refueling position information acquisition means that acquires refueling position information that is information on the vehicle's position when the refueling detection means detects that the refueling has been performed, a concentration detection means that detects the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine after the refueling, and a communication means that combines the refueling position information acquired by the refueling position information acquisition means and the sulfur dioxide concentration information detected by the concentration detection means. News and the regional concentration information associated with the sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information obtained from the As information to be used for determining the interval for implementing sulfur purge control in a vehicle communicating with the information management server, and an information transmission means for transmitting information to the information management server. The sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information is information obtained by repeatedly averaging the sulfur dioxide concentrations detected during the period from when the vehicle was refueled until the next refueling at predetermined intervals, and is information that is reset when the next refueling is performed, and the refueling position information and the sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information are information that is reset when the next refueling is performed. It is characterized by:

[0009] According to this specification, when exhaust gas is generated by the operation of the internal combustion engine after refueling a vehicle, the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the exhaust gas is detected by the concentration detection means. In this case, the detected sulfur dioxide concentration is significantly influenced by the properties of the fuel refueled at the refueling location acquired by the refueling location information acquisition means. In other words, by transmitting information relating refueling location information and sulfur dioxide concentration information or sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information obtained from that information to the information management server, information reflecting the sulfur content of fuel distributed in each region in real time can be accumulated in the information management server.

[0011] Also This makes it possible to generate highly reliable sulfur dioxide concentration information by region, which is associated with refueling location information, and store this information in an information management server.

[0012] The present invention also encompasses an information management server that receives the regional concentration information from the information communication device and that includes a memory unit that generates and stores information on the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region based on the received regional concentration information.

[0013] As a result, information on the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region is stored in the storage unit of the information management server. This information is updated each time regional concentration information is received from the vehicle's information communication device, so information reflecting the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region in real time can be accumulated in the information management server.

[0014] The present invention also encompasses an information and communication system constructed by the information and communication device and the information management server. This information and communication system is constructed by a plurality of vehicles equipped with an information and communication device and an information management server, and the regional concentration information from each vehicle is received and stored by the information management server via a communication network.

[0015] This makes it possible to build an information and communication system that can store information that reflects the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region in real time in an information management server. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] In the present invention, regional concentration information that associates refueling location information when a vehicle is refueled with information on the sulfur dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine after refueling or sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information obtained from that information is transmitted to an information management server. This allows information that reflects the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region in real time to be accumulated in the information management server. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information communication system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a functional block diagram of an information communication system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an information processing procedure in the vehicle according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an information communication device according to the present invention is installed in a conventional vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine as a driving force source. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the information communication device according to the present invention can also be installed in a hybrid vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

[0019] -Outline of the information and communications system- Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information communication system 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the information communication system 1 is constructed to include a plurality of vehicles 2, 2, ... and a data center (information management server) 3. The vehicles 2, 2, ... and the data center 3 are configured to be able to communicate with each other via a communication network 4 such as the Internet or a telephone line. More specifically, the vehicles 2, 2, ... are connected to the communication network 4 via base stations 41, 41, ... of the communication network 4, and are able to communicate with the data center 3.

[0020] Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the information and communication system 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle 2 is equipped with a plurality of ECUs 21 and 22 that control various mounted devices. Of these ECUs, Fig. 2 shows only an EFI-ECU (Electronic Fuel Injection-Electronic Control Unit) 21 and a meter ECU 22. These ECUs 21 and 22 are implemented by a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), a clock generation unit, an input / output interface, a communication interface, an internal bus, and the like.

[0021] The EFI-ECU 21 is a control device that electronically controls the amount of fuel supplied to the engine. The engine output is controlled by controlling the amount of fuel supplied as well as the ignition timing, the amount of air intake, etc.

[0022] The meter ECU 22 is a control device that controls the display of a meter display unit (not shown) provided on an instrument panel (not shown) at the front of the vehicle cabin. The meter display unit is configured with various display devices such as an odometer / trip meter, a water temperature meter, a remaining fuel meter, a tachometer, a clock, and a speedometer, and the display state of each display device is controlled based on commands from the meter ECU 22.

[0023] An SO2 sensor 23 is provided in the exhaust system of the engine mounted on the vehicle 2. This SO2 sensor 23 detects the concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the exhaust gas. Therefore, this SO2 sensor 23 corresponds to the concentration detection means referred to in the present invention.

[0024] The vehicle 2 also includes a DCM (Data Communication Module) 24 that transmits and receives information to and from the data center 3. As is well known, the DCM 24 is a communication device that performs two-way communication between the vehicle 2 and the data center 3 via the communication network 4.

[0025] As a function of the EFI-ECU 21, meter ECU 22, and DCM (information transmission means) 24 according to the present invention, the EFI-ECU 21 receives the output (concentration of sulfur dioxide in exhaust gas) of the SO2 sensor 23 and performs averaging processing of this sulfur dioxide concentration. The averaging processing employed here is not limited to simple moving average processing, but may also be weighted moving average processing or exponential moving average processing.

[0026] The meter ECU 22 is also configured to determine whether fuel has been supplied (refueled) to the vehicle 2. That is, a float that moves up and down depending on the fuel level is housed in the fuel tank, and a detection signal corresponding to the position of this float (the fuel level in the fuel tank) is output to the meter ECU 22. The meter ECU 22 receives this detection signal, and when the position of the float rises, if the change is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, determines that fuel has been supplied to the vehicle 2. Therefore, the meter ECU 22 corresponds to the refueling detection means of the present invention.

[0027] The EFI-ECU 21, meter ECU 22, SO2 sensor 23, and DCM 24 are connected (wired) by signal lines, enabling two-way communication through an in-vehicle network based on a communication protocol such as CAN (Controller Area Network) or Ethernet.

[0028] The DCM 24 has a built-in GPS receiving function that identifies the position of the vehicle 2 based on radio waves from the artificial satellite SA. Therefore, when the meter ECU 22 determines that fuel has been supplied to the vehicle 2, the GPS receiving function can be used to identify the position of the vehicle 2, thereby making it possible to acquire fuel supply position information. Therefore, the DCM 24 corresponds to the fuel supply position information acquisition means referred to in the present invention. Note that a GPS module may be provided separately from the DCM 24, and the DCM 24 may receive vehicle position information from the GPS module.

[0029] The information transmitted from the DCM 24 to the data center 3 is regional concentration information that associates the location information of the refueling (location information of the vehicle obtained by the GPS receiving function) when the meter ECU 22 determines that refueling has been performed with information on the averaging process of the sulfur dioxide concentration calculated by the EFI-ECU 21. The regional divisions referred to here are not particularly limited, and examples include divisions by prefecture or by city, town, or village. Divisions based on partnerships between oil wholesalers and retailers (gas stations) may also be used.

[0030] The averaging process of the sulfur dioxide concentration by the EFI-ECU 21 is repeated at predetermined time intervals. Therefore, if the averaging process is performed multiple times during the period from when the vehicle 2 is refueled until the next refueling, the information on the average value of the sulfur dioxide concentration obtained for the same location information each time the averaging process is performed is updated and stored in the EFI-ECU 21, and when the next refueling is performed, the latest information on the average value of the sulfur dioxide concentration is transmitted to the data center 3 as regional concentration information associated with the refueling location information.

[0031] In the present embodiment, as configured as above, the EFI-ECU 21, the meter ECU 22, the SO2 sensor 23, and the DCM 24 constitute an information communication device according to the present invention.

[0032] The data center 3 communicates with each of the vehicles 2, 2, . . . through a communication network 4, and exchanges various types of information with each of the vehicles 2, 2, .

[0033] The data center 3 includes a communication unit 31 , a processing unit 32 , and a storage unit 33 .

[0034] The communication unit 31 performs bidirectional data communication with each of the vehicles 2, 2, ... via the communication network 4 (see FIG. 1). Specifically, the communication unit 31 repeatedly receives the regional concentration information from each of the vehicles 2, 2, ... at predetermined time intervals.

[0035] Using the regional concentration information received from each vehicle 2, 2, ..., the processing unit 32 corrects the sulfur content of fuel calculated based on the regional concentration information previously received. For example, when regional concentration information for region A is received from vehicle 2, the processing unit 32 determines the average value of the fuel sulfur content calculated for region A and the sulfur content calculated from the information on the averaging process of sulfur dioxide concentrations included in the newly received regional concentration information as the new sulfur content of fuel for region A. Alternatively, the sulfur content calculated from the information on the averaging process of sulfur dioxide concentrations included in the newly received regional concentration information may be overwritten as the latest information for the region.

[0036] The storage unit 33 updates and stores the sulfur content of fuel in each of the regions thus defined.

[0037] The information on the sulfur content of fuel stored in the storage unit 33 of the data center 3 in this manner can be used in various ways. For example, information on the sulfur content of fuel in the corresponding region can be sent to the vehicle 2 that has refueled, and used to determine the interval for implementing sulfur purge control in that vehicle 2. Another example is to make the information available on the Internet for public viewing.

[0038] -Information processing procedures- Next, an information processing procedure in the vehicle 2 in the information communication system 1 configured as described above will be described. FIG.

[0039] First, in step ST1, it is determined whether or not fueling has started to the vehicle 2. This determination is made by the meter ECU 22 as described above.

[0040] When refueling of vehicle 2 is started and the determination in step ST1 is YES, the process proceeds to step ST2, where the current location information of vehicle 2 is acquired. This location information is acquired based on radio waves from the artificial satellite SA. As a result, information that refueling has been performed on vehicle 2 and information on the location where refueling has been performed are acquired.

[0041] Then, in step ST3, it is determined whether the engine has started, and if the engine has started and the result of the determination in step ST3 is YES, the process proceeds to step ST4, where the SO2 sensor 23 begins to acquire the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the exhaust gas.

[0042] Then, the process proceeds to step ST5, where the newly acquired sulfur oxide concentration is averaged with the previously acquired sulfur oxide concentrations in the EFI-ECU 21. The average value of the sulfur dioxide concentration calculated in this way (updated average value) is stored in the memory means of the vehicle 2 (for example, the RAM of the EFI-ECU 21).

[0043] Thereafter, in step ST6, it is determined again whether or not refueling of the vehicle 2 has started. This determination is also made by the meter ECU 22, as in step ST1. While refueling of the vehicle 2 has not started and the determination in step ST6 is NO, the operation of acquiring the concentration of sulfur dioxide in the exhaust gas in step ST4 and the process of averaging the concentration of sulfur dioxide in step ST5 are repeated. By repeating this operation, the latest average value is stored in the memory means of the vehicle 2 as the average value of the sulfur dioxide concentration.

[0044] If refueling of vehicle 2 has begun and a YES judgment is made in step ST6, the process proceeds to step ST7, where the operation of obtaining the sulfur dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas is terminated and the averaging process of the sulfur oxide concentration is also terminated.

[0045] Then, in step ST7, regional concentration information is generated by associating (linking) the currently calculated average value of sulfur dioxide concentration with the location information of vehicle 2 acquired in step ST2.

[0046] Then, in step ST9, this regional concentration information is transmitted from the DCM 24 to the data center 3. Also, in step ST10, the position information of the vehicle 2 stored in step ST2 and the average value information of the sulfur dioxide concentration stored in step ST5 are reset and stored as information for the refueling in step ST6. That is, the determination that refueling has started in step ST6 is treated as the determination that refueling to the vehicle 2 has started in step ST1, and the above-mentioned operations are repeated.

[0047] The above operation is repeated between each vehicle 2, 2, . . . and the data center 3.

[0048] -Effects of the embodiment- As described above, in this embodiment, regional concentration information that associates refueling location information when the vehicle 2 is refueled with information on the sulfur dioxide concentration in the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine after refueling is transmitted to the data center 3, and this information is stored in the data center 3. Therefore, information that reflects the sulfur content of fuels circulating in each region in real time can be accumulated in the data center 3.

[0049] Furthermore, in this embodiment, regional concentration information is generated using information obtained by averaging the sulfur dioxide concentrations detected during the period from when the vehicle 2 was refueled until the next refueling. This makes it possible to generate regional concentration information that associates highly reliable sulfur dioxide concentration information with refueling location information and store it in the data center 3.

[0050] -Other embodiments- The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and all modifications and applications within the scope of the claims and equivalents thereto are possible.

[0053] In the above embodiment, the meter ECU 22 is provided with the function of the refueling detection means, and the DCM 24 is provided with the function of the refueling location information acquisition means. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to provide separate ECUs each having the function of the refueling detection means and the function of the refueling location information acquisition means. [Industrial Applicability]

[0054] The present invention is applicable to an information and communication system that can accumulate information that reflects the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region in real time in a data center. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1. Information and Communication Systems 2 vehicles 22 Meter ECU (fuel detection means) 23 SO2 sensor (concentration detection means) 24 DCM (fueling location information acquisition means, information transmission means) 3 Data center (information management server) 4. Communication Network

Claims

1. An information communication device for a vehicle that is mounted on a vehicle having an internal combustion engine as a driving force source and transmits information to an information management server, a fuel supply detection means for detecting that the vehicle has been refueled; a refueling position information acquisition means for acquiring refueling position information, which is information about the vehicle position when the refueling detection means detects that the refueling has been performed; a concentration detecting means for detecting a concentration of sulfur dioxide in exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine after the refueling; and information transmitting means for transmitting to the information management server, as information to be used for determining an interval for implementing sulfur purge control in a vehicle communicating with the information management server, regional concentration information that associates the refueling location information acquired by the refueling location information acquiring means with sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information obtained from information on the sulfur dioxide concentration detected by the concentration detecting means, the sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information is information obtained by repeatedly averaging the sulfur dioxide concentrations detected during a period from when the vehicle was refueled until the next refueling, at predetermined time intervals; The information communication device for a vehicle, wherein the refueling location information and the sulfur dioxide concentration analysis information are reset when the next refueling is performed.

2. An information management server that receives the regional concentration information from the information communication device according to claim 1, An information management server characterized by comprising a storage unit that generates and stores information on the sulfur content of fuels distributed in each region based on the received regional concentration information.

3. An information and communication system constructed by a plurality of vehicles equipped with the information and communication device described in claim 1 and an information management server described in claim 2, characterized in that the regional concentration information from each vehicle is received and stored by the information management server via a communication network.

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