Energy consumption calculation system

Abstract

To make individual data management for every baggage unnecessary and to facilitate grasping of correct energy consumption for every consignor even when baggage of a plurality of consignors are mix-loaded in a common vehicle to be transported by one operation.SOLUTION: Travel information including weight, travel distance, and a road type is acquired for each section from loading to unloading and recorded in an operation recording database DB51 by an on-vehicle unit loaded in a truck vehicle. The weight of a load is detected as weight fluctuation by unit of vehicle by a dead weight meter attached to the vehicle. A data processing unit such as an office PC comprises: a function S32 for acquiring information of a loading position and an unloading position for every consignor; a function S33 for categorizing the travel information acquired from the on-vehicle unit for every consignor; a function S38 for acquiring fuel consumption information for every road type; and a function S39 for calculating energy consumption for every consignor on the basis of the categorized travel information and the fuel consumption information for every road type.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy usage calculation system that can be used to understand the amount of energy usage in a vehicle that transports cargo. [Background technology]

[0002] Various businesses are required to accurately understand their energy consumption due to restrictions imposed by the "Act on the Rational Use of Energy" (hereinafter referred to as the "Energy Conservation Act"). For example, designated shippers with annual transport volumes of 30 million ton-kilometers or more are required to submit mid- to long-term plans and to report regularly on energy usage status for contracted transport. They are also required to understand their carbon dioxide emissions.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for easily tracking and managing the loading and unloading of each piece of luggage during transport in a luggage transport vehicle, and for measuring the actual transport volume and actual fuel consumption of each piece of luggage in real time. Specifically, each piece of luggage is equipped with an IC tag, and at the time of loading and unloading, an IC tag writer / reader installed in the vehicle writes and reads data to the IC tag, thereby tracking the loading and unloading times and transport distance for each piece of luggage during transport. The weight of each piece of luggage is measured using a load scale installed in the vehicle for heavy luggage, and for light luggage, the weight of each piece of luggage is accurately measured using a small handheld scale. The transport distance for each piece of luggage is then calculated using a digital tachometer installed in the vehicle, and a processing device automatically calculates the transport volume for each piece of luggage (= weight of each piece of luggage x transport distance for each piece of luggage) based on this and the weight measurement results for each piece of luggage.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a technology for fairly allocating the amount of waste discharged from a means of transport during consolidated transport in a manner that satisfies each shipper. Specifically, the technology includes a transport load calculation unit for calculating the transport load for each piece of cargo based on the weight of each piece of cargo and the distance of a direct route when each piece of cargo is transported directly from the loading point to the unloading point, a total emission calculation unit for calculating the total amount of waste discharged from the means of transport when traveling along a circular route based on at least two variables consisting of the distances of multiple transport sections and the weights of each piece of cargo transported through those transport sections, and a cargo-specific emission calculation unit for calculating the amount of waste discharged for each piece of cargo by allocating the total amount of waste calculated by the total emission calculation unit based on the ratio of the transport load for each piece of cargo to the total value of the transport load for each piece of cargo. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-334725 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-129262 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] For example, when the technologies of Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2 are adopted, it is possible to ascertain the transportation volume (tons / km) based on the weight (tons) of each piece of cargo and the transportation distance (km) of each piece of cargo. In addition, since the transportation volume is ascertained for each piece of cargo, it is also possible to ascertain the transportation volume for each shipper by classifying each piece of cargo by shipper and then aggregating the data for each shipper.

[0007] However, since it is necessary to know the transport volume for each piece of cargo individually, in the case of businesses that use transport services for large amounts of cargo on a daily basis, the shipper must compile data on large amounts of cargo on a daily basis, which places a heavy burden on the work involved in compiling the data.

[0008] When a shipper transports cargo using the transportation services of a transportation company that handles cargo from various shippers, the cargo from multiple shippers will be transported together on the same vehicle, and loading and unloading will be carried out at various bases associated with each of the multiple shippers.

[0009] Therefore, it was not possible to grasp the correct transport volume unless, for example, a tag was attached to each piece of luggage and data was collected for each piece of luggage individually as in Patent Document 1. Furthermore, a transport company that transports multiple shippers' luggage in a mixed state in a common vehicle could not separately manage data for each shipper, and therefore could not provide correct transport volume data to each shipper.

[0010] In addition, to accurately grasp energy consumption, it is necessary to know the fuel efficiency of transport vehicles. However, the fuel efficiency of transport vehicles is not constant, but varies greatly depending on the operating conditions. In particular, there is a large difference in fuel efficiency when a vehicle is traveling on an ordinary road and when it is traveling on a highway.

[0011] For example, when a transport company transports cargo from shipper A and cargo from shipper B together on the same vehicle, the driving section for transporting cargo from shipper A is usually different from the driving section for transporting cargo from shipper B. Furthermore, depending on whether or not an expressway is used on each driving section, the actual fuel consumption of the vehicle on each driving section can vary greatly. However, when cargo from multiple shippers is transported together on the same vehicle, it is difficult for the transport company to accurately determine the energy consumption for each shipper.

[0012] Therefore, for example, transportation companies will report to each shipper the amount of energy used by their vehicles, calculated based on the amount of fuel used in the vehicle per trip or per day. This will result in a significant inequity between, for example, a shipper whose cargo is transported only on general roads and a shipper whose cargo is transported on a section that includes the use of expressways. In other words, the shipper whose cargo is transported on a section that includes expressways will likely end up using more energy than actually used, while the shipper whose cargo is transported on a section that includes general roads will likely report less energy used than actually used.

[0013] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an energy consumption calculation system that eliminates the need for individual data management for each cargo and makes it easy to grasp the correct transportation volume and correct energy consumption for each shipper, even when cargo from multiple shippers is transported mixed together in a common vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following configuration.

[0015] an on-board device mounted on a vehicle capable of transporting cargo from multiple shippers; a weight detector capable of measuring the weight of a load on the vehicle; a data processing unit that acquires information about the vehicle from the in-vehicle device and performs predetermined data processing; Equipped with The vehicle-mounted device has a function of acquiring driving information including weight, driving distance, and road type for each section from loading to unloading, The data processing unit A function to obtain information on loading and unloading locations for each shipper, Based on the information on the loading and unloading positions for each shipper and the travel information acquired from the on-board device, the travel information data is classified for each shipper and registered in the travel record for each shipper, and based on the contents of the travel record for each shipper, the data of the travel record is classified by weight change, by travel distance, and by road type. Function and A function to obtain fuel efficiency information for each road type, The contents of the operation record for each of the classified shippers; Based on fuel consumption information for each road type , the data of the operation records is compiled for each shipper; A function to calculate the amount of energy used by each shipper 、 having Energy usage calculation system. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the energy consumption calculation system of the present invention, travel information for each section from loading to unloading can be collected by an on-board device, and this travel information for each section can be managed in a stratified manner for each shipper by a data processing unit. Therefore, when transporting cargo from multiple shippers mixed in a common vehicle, it is possible to grasp the correct transportation volume and correct energy consumption for each shipper without having to collect and manage individual data for each cargo.

[0017] The present invention has been briefly described above. The details of the present invention will become clearer by reading the following detailed description of the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an energy usage calculation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of one load sensor unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main functions of the control unit in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a truck vehicle equipped with an energy usage calculation system. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a right side view showing an example of the configuration of a truck vehicle equipped with an energy usage calculation system. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing an example of the configuration of a truck vehicle equipped with an energy usage calculation system. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle-mounted device in the energy usage calculation system. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a typical example of an operation pattern of trucks transporting cargo for multiple shippers. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the results of the number of ton-kilometers for each shipper when calculated using simple processing. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an operation record database recorded by an in-vehicle device. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a list of major events that occur during the operation of a truck vehicle transporting cargo for multiple shippers. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a shipper base location database corresponding to each of a plurality of shippers. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a specific example of data processing in the office PC. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an operation record database and its aggregated data that has been processed to include information about shippers. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0020] <Configuration of the energy consumption calculation system> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an energy usage calculation system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] 1 includes an electronic control unit 10 mounted on a vehicle as the main body of the on-board device. Connected to the electronic control unit 10 are a recording card 21, a vehicle information input unit 22, a vehicle power supply 23, an ETC on-board device 24, four load sensor units 25A to 25D, and a position information acquisition unit 26.

[0022] The energy usage calculation system 100 also uses an office PC (personal computer) 27 to process driving record data recorded on the recording card 21 by an on-board device installed in the vehicle. The office PC 27 is located, for example, in the office of the transportation company that manages the vehicle. Of course, it is also possible to use a computer such as a server located on the Internet, etc., instead of the office PC 27.

[0023] The electronic control device 10 of the vehicle-mounted device includes a control unit 11, a main memory 12, an operation unit 13, a display unit 14, input / output I / Fs (interfaces) 15 and 16, and a power supply unit 17.

[0024] The record card 21 is a non-volatile memory card that can be attached to and detached from the electronic control unit 10, and is prepared for each driver. This record card 21 can be used to record vehicle operation record information. This operation record information includes the date and time at various locations, weight fluctuations of the vehicle's luggage, location information, road type, and section distance.

[0025] The vehicle information input unit 22 can acquire information representing the state of the vehicle, such as a signal indicating whether the ignition is on or off, a vehicle speed pulse signal, and input it to the electronic control unit 10. The vehicle power supply 23 is a power supply such as a battery mounted on the vehicle, and is capable of supplying a predetermined DC power to the electronic control device 10 and other on-board devices.

[0026] The ETC vehicle-mounted unit 24 communicates wirelessly with communication equipment installed at each entrance and exit gate on the expressway, and can detect whether the vehicle has passed through each gate and entered the expressway or whether it has exited the expressway.

[0027] Load sensor units 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D are installed so as to measure the magnitude of the load applied to the suspensions supporting the wheels at each of the front left (FL), front right (FR), rear left (RL), and rear right (RR) positions, respectively.

[0028] The position information acquisition unit 26 can acquire information indicating the latitude / longitude of the current position of the vehicle using, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver.

[0029] The control unit 11 is configured by electronic circuits mainly including a microcomputer, and executes programs prepared in advance to realize various control functions required for the electronic control device 10. The functions of the control unit 11 will be described later.

[0030] The main body memory 12 includes a non-volatile memory (such as an EEPROM) in which various predetermined constant data and programs required for the operation of the electronic control device 10 are written, and a memory (RAM) for storing temporary data.

[0031] The operation unit 13 has a plurality of buttons that can accept input operations from the driver, etc. For example, the electronic control unit 10 can use each button of the operation unit 13 to start or finish operations such as loading or unloading on the vehicle, or to give an instruction to start measuring the vehicle weight.

[0032] The display unit 14 is equipped with a flat display that is positioned so that it can be easily seen from the driver's position. Color images, text information, and the like can be displayed on the two-dimensional screen of this flat display as needed. In this embodiment, the display unit 14 can be used to display the length of the waiting time until it is possible to start measuring the weight of the vehicle, or to display the fact that it is possible to start measuring the weight of the vehicle.

[0033] The input / output I / F 15 performs signal processing for the control unit 11 to access data on the recording card 21 and controls signal input from the vehicle information input unit 22. The input / output I / F 16 controls signal input / output between the control unit 11 and the ETC in-vehicle device 24, the position information acquisition unit 26, and each of the load sensor units 25A to 25D.

[0034] The power supply unit 17 generates stable DC power based on the power supplied from the vehicle power supply 23. The DC power output by the power supply unit 17 is supplied as power to each circuit inside the electronic control device 10 and each load sensor unit 25A to 25D.

[0035] <Load sensor unit configuration> 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of one load sensor unit 25. Each of the load sensor units 25A to 25D shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to the load sensor unit 25 in FIG.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 2, the load sensor unit 25 includes a strain detection element 31, a dedicated IC (ASIC) 32, a temperature sensor 33, an MCU (microcontroller or microcomputer) , an input / output I / F 35, and a power supply circuit .

[0037] The strain detection element 31 detects the amount of strain caused by the load applied to the location where it is installed. The dedicated IC 32 generates an electrical signal of a voltage (V) corresponding to the amount of strain detected by the strain detection element 31, i.e., the load.

[0038] The temperature sensor 33 detects the temperature inside the load sensor unit 25 in the vicinity of the strain detection element 31, and outputs an electrical signal according to the internal temperature.

[0039] For protection, each component in the load sensor unit 25 is housed in a relatively small space in a specified case and isolated from the outside air. Therefore, when power supply to the internal circuitry of the load sensor unit 25 begins, the temperature inside the case changes due to the influence of heat generated by the dedicated IC 32, MCU 34, power supply circuit 36, etc. This internal temperature affects the physical characteristics of the strain detection element 31. The temperature sensor 33 detects this internal temperature.

[0040] The MCU 34 generates data representing the magnitude of the load detected by the strain detection element 31 and data representing the internal temperature detected by the temperature sensor 33. The load and internal temperature detection data generated by the MCU 34 are input to the electronic control device 10 via the input / output I / F 35.

[0041] <Major functions of the control unit> FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the main functions of the control unit 11 in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 11 includes a date and time management unit 11a, a section distance calculation unit 11b, a load weight calculation unit 11c, a road type identification unit 11d, and an operation record management unit 11e.

[0042] The date and time management unit 11a has a clock function and can output information on the current time (hour, minute, second) and date (year, month, day) as needed.

[0043] The section distance calculation unit 11b can grasp the travel distance of the vehicle by counting the number of pulses in the vehicle speed pulse signal output from the vehicle side. It can also output information indicating the travel distance for each section separated by the occurrence of a predetermined event. For example, it can output information on the travel distance for sections between bases where loading and unloading is performed, or the section distance for sections traveling on a highway.

[0044] The loaded weight calculation unit 11c can calculate the total weight of the vehicle, the weight of the entire cargo, and fluctuations in the weight of the entire cargo due to loading / unloading, based on the detection values ​​of the load sensor units 25A to 25D mounted on the vehicle.

[0045] It should be noted that there is a possibility that an error may occur in the measured value of the load due to the influence of fluctuations in the internal temperature of each load sensor unit 25. Therefore, the load is measured after, for example, a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of energizing the load sensor unit 25, and the temperature sensor 33 detects that the internal temperature has saturated and no longer fluctuates.

[0046] The road type identification unit 11d can automatically identify whether the road on which the vehicle is traveling is an ordinary road or an expressway. For example, when the ETC on-board unit 24 detects the vehicle passing through a gate installed at the entrance or exit of an expressway, it can detect whether the vehicle has started traveling on the expressway or whether it has finished traveling on the expressway. Therefore, the road type identification unit 11d can identify the type of road based on information obtained from the ETC on-board unit 24.

[0047] The operation record management unit 11e records actual data of the operation record of the vehicle in the operation record DB (database) 51 in response to the occurrence of a predetermined event or input operation on the operation unit 13. For example, when an event such as loading or unloading occurs at each base, information such as the date, time, weight fluctuation for each vehicle, latitude / longitude of the current location, road type, and section distance is acquired, and this actual data is recorded in the operation record DB 51. This operation record DB 51 is registered on the record card 21.

[0048] <Example of truck vehicle configuration for transporting cargo> An example of the configuration of a truck 41 equipped with a load sensor system is shown in Figures 4 to 6. Figure 4 is a front view of the truck 41, Figure 5 is a right side view of the truck 41, and Figure 6 is a bottom view of the truck 41.

[0049] 4, the electronic control device 10 is installed near the driver's seat of a truck vehicle 41. Four load sensors 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D connected to the electronic control device 10 are installed near the left front wheel 44A, the right front wheel 44B, the left rear wheel 44C, and the right rear wheel 44D, respectively.

[0050] Various cargo items are loaded in the internal space of the bed 42 of the truck vehicle 41. The load at each position varies depending on the cargo loading situation. Furthermore, the inclination angle of the axle 43A, the inclination angle of the axle 43B, and the inclination angle of the axle in the front-rear direction vary depending on the balance of the load at each position.

[0051] By installing multiple load sensors 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D at appropriate positions, it is possible to calculate the load weight and total weight of the truck vehicle 41 with relatively high accuracy based on the load detected by each load sensor 25A to 25D, even if each axle 43A, 43B is tilted.

[0052] <Operation of the on-board unit> Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the vehicle-mounted device in the energy usage calculation system 100. That is, the control unit 11 of the electronic control device 10 executes the control shown in Fig. 7. The operation shown in Fig. 7 will be described below.

[0053] For example, at each loading or unloading base, when a predetermined button operation event on the operation unit 13 is detected, the control unit 11 proceeds to processing from S11 to S12. The driver can instruct the start or completion of loading or unloading work, for example, by operating a button on the operation unit 13.

[0054] The control unit 11 acquires information about the current date and time that is known by the date and time management unit 11a, and records this information in the operation record DB 51 by the operation record management unit 11e (S12).

[0055] The load weight calculation unit 11c of the control unit 11 calculates the weight of the truck vehicle 41 based on the loads detected by the load sensor units 25A-25D before the start of loading or unloading work and after the work is completed, and calculates the weight change before the start and after the work is completed, i.e., the total weight of the cargo that has been loaded or unloaded. The control unit 11 also inputs information on the latitude / longitude of the current location from the position information acquisition unit 26. The operation record management unit 11e records the weight change and information on the current location in the operation record DB 51 (S13).

[0056] The section distance calculation unit 11b of the control unit 11 counts the vehicle speed pulses for each section in which the truck vehicle 41 moves between each base where loading and unloading is performed, and calculates the travel distance of the vehicle as the section distance. The operation record management unit 11e obtains information on the section distance from the previous base where loading and unloading was performed to the current base from the section distance calculation unit 11b, and records it in the operation record DB 51 (S14).

[0057] When the vehicle passes through an entrance or exit gate of a highway, the ETC on-board unit 24 detects this. At this time, the control unit 11 proceeds from S15 to S16, and the road type identification unit 11d identifies the road type. The operation record management unit 11e records the road type information in the operation record DB 51 (S16).

[0058] Furthermore, the operation record management unit 11e acquires information on the current date and time from the date and time management unit 11a and records it in the operation record DB 51 (S17). Furthermore, the operation record management unit 11e receives the position information of the current location from the position information acquisition unit 26 and records it in the operation record DB 51 (S18).

[0059] When an event occurs indicating that the vehicle has entered an expressway entrance from an ordinary road, the section distance calculation unit 11b of the control unit 11 calculates the travel distance for the section from the previous base point to the current position as the section distance. Also, when an event occurs indicating that the vehicle has exited the expressway and the road type has changed to an ordinary road, the section distance calculation unit 11b calculates the travel distance for the section from the expressway entrance to the exit as the section distance (S19). Then, the operation record management unit 11e records the section distance in the operation record DB 51.

[0060] <Truck vehicle operation patterns> Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a typical example of the operation pattern of a truck vehicle transporting cargo for multiple shippers. In Fig. 8, the horizontal axis represents the travel distance of the truck vehicle and the change over time.

[0061] In the example of Figure 8, it is assumed that a transport company uses a single common vehicle to load cargo from multiple shippers and transport it by traveling a route that passes through each of the shippers' bases in a single trip. In addition, the travel route of this single vehicle trip spans both general roads and expressways. In other words, there is a mixture of sections that travel on general roads and sections that travel on expressways.

[0062] The assumed meanings of the events Ea to Ej shown in FIG. 8 are as follows. Ea: Indicates a plan to load cargo with a weight change of "+1000 kg" at "Factory a", the base of "Shipper A", at time "9:00". Eb: Indicates a plan to load cargo with a weight change of "+1000 kg" at "shipper B's" base "Warehouse b" at time "9:30". Ec: Indicates the planned unloading of cargo with a weight change of "-1000 kg" at the time "10:00" at "Sales Office c" of "Shipper A." Ed: Indicates that cargo with a weight change of "+1000 kg" is scheduled to be loaded at "shipper B's" base "d warehouse" at time "10:30". Ee: Indicates that a cargo with a weight change of "-1000 kg" is scheduled to be unloaded at "Sales Store e" of "Shipper B" at time "13:30". Ef: Indicates the plan to load cargo with a weight change of "+1000 kg" at "Factory f", the base of "Shipper A", at time "14:00". Eg: This represents a plan to unload cargo with a weight change of "-1000 kg" at "Dealer g", the base of "Shipper B", at time "14:30". Eh: Indicates a plan to enter the expressway through entrance gate h at time "15:00". Ei: Indicates a plan to pass through the expressway exit gate i at time "17:00" and move from the expressway to an ordinary road. Ej: Indicates the planned unloading of cargo with a weight change of "-1000 kg" at "Shipper A's" base "Office j" at time "17:30".

[0063] <Results of simple aggregation processing> Figure 9 shows the transport volume (weight of cargo [ton] × distance traveled [km]: number of tons / kilometers) for each shipper when the schedule for one operation pattern shown in Figure 8 is compiled using simple processing.

[0064] In the section between events Ea and Ec in Figure 8, the transport weight of "Shipper A's" cargo is 1 ton and the section distance is 20 km, so the transport volume for this section is 20 [ton-kilometers]. In the section between events Eb and Eg in Figure 8, the transported weight of "Shipper B"'s cargo is 1 ton and the section distance is 90 km, so the transport volume for this section is 90 [ton-kilometers]. In the section between events Ed and Ee in Figure 8, the transport weight of "Shipper B"'s cargo is 1 ton and the section distance is 40 km, so the transport volume for this section is 40 [ton-kilometers]. In the section between events Ef and Ej in Figure 8, the transported weight of "Shipper A's" cargo is 1 ton and the section distance is 110 km, so the transport volume for this section is 110 [ton-kilometers].

[0065] Therefore, for "Shipper A," the total transportation volume for the section between events Ea and Ec and the section between events Ef and Ej is 130 [ton-kilometers]. Also, for "Shipper B," the total transportation volume for the section between events Eb and Eg and the section between events Ed and Ee is 130 [ton-kilometers].

[0066] However, because vehicle fuel efficiency is not constant, when ton-kilometers are used as an indicator of energy consumption, large errors occur due to fluctuations in fuel efficiency. In particular, when a vehicle runs on an expressway, fuel efficiency tends to be significantly improved compared to when it runs on ordinary roads, so the type of road on which the vehicle is run has a significant impact on energy consumption.

[0067] For example, in one operation pattern in Figure 8, the section of event Ef-Ej for "Shipper A" includes a section of highway driving, but neither the sections of events Eb-Eg nor Ed-Ee for "Shipper B" include a section of highway driving.

[0068] On the other hand, to know the actual correct fuel efficiency of a vehicle (for example, the distance traveled per liter of fuel), it is necessary to know the amount of fuel consumed. For example, if a vehicle is refueled after each trip, the correct amount of fuel refueled can be determined using a correct meter that complies with the Weights and Measures Act. This amount of fuel refueled is approximately the same as the fuel consumption for one trip.

[0069] Therefore, the energy consumption of each shipper can be determined based on the amount of fuel used per vehicle trip and the number of ton-kilometers.However, when multiple shippers' cargo is transported in a mixed load, with loading and unloading at various bases in different locations, as in the operation pattern shown in Figure 8, it is not possible to determine the differences in actual fuel consumption for each shipper from the amount of fuel used per vehicle trip.

[0070] Therefore, if a transport company reports energy consumption to each shipper calculated based on the amount of fuel used per vehicle trip and the number of ton-kilometers for each shipper, an unfair situation will arise among multiple shippers. For the operation pattern shown in Figure 8, the same value of 130 ton-kilometers will be reported to both "Shipper A" and "Shipper B," as shown in Figure 9. However, the actual energy consumption of "Shipper A," who uses the expressway, should be lower, while that of "Shipper B," who uses the expressway, should be higher. However, because the number of ton-kilometers representing energy consumption does not reflect the differences in actual fuel efficiency among shippers, "Shipper A" will be reported an unfavorable figure and "Shipper B" will be reported a favorable figure, resulting in unfairness.

[0071] <On-board device driving record> Fig. 10 shows an example of the configuration of the operation record database recorded by the on-board device in Fig. 1, i.e., the electronic control device 10. Fig. 11 shows a list of major events that occur during the operation of a truck vehicle transporting cargo for multiple shippers.

[0072] That is, when events e1 to e10 shown in Fig. 11 occur during one operation of the truck vehicle, operation data generated at each point for each event occurrence is recorded in the operation record DB 51 by the on-board device as shown in Fig. 10. The meanings of each of the events e1 to e10 are as follows.

[0073] e1: Loading event of cargo "A1" at "Shipper A's" base e2: Loading event of cargo "B1" at "Shipper B's" base e3: Unloading event of cargo "A1" at "Shipper A's" base e4: Loading event of cargo "B2" at "Shipper B's" base e5: Unloading event of cargo "B2" at "Shipper B's" base e6: Loading event of cargo "A2" at "Shipper A's" base e7: Unloading event of cargo "B1" at "Shipper B's" base e8: Expressway entrance gate passing event e9: Expressway exit gate passing event e10: Unloading event of cargo "A2" at "Shipper A's" base

[0074] However, the details of the events described above are not recorded. That is, each time an event occurs, operation data such as "date," "time," "location information (latitude / longitude)," "road type," and "section distance" are recorded in the operation record DB 51 as shown in Fig. 10.

[0075] <Configuration of shipper base location database> An example of the configuration of shipper base location DBs 52A and 52B corresponding to "Shipper A" and "Shipper B," respectively, is shown in Fig. 12. For example, in the energy usage calculation system 100 shown in Fig. 1, the office PC 27 can use the shipper base location DBs 52A and 52B prepared in advance as shown in Fig. 12.

[0076] In the example shown in Figure 12, the shipper base location DB52A stores the bases related to "Shipper A" such as "Factory A," "Office C," "Factory F," "Office J," etc., in association with the latitude / longitude information representing their locations. In addition, the shipper base location DB52B stores the bases related to "shipper B" such as "warehouse b," "warehouse d," "dealer e," "dealer g," etc., in association with the latitude / longitude information representing their locations.

[0077] <Data processing on office PCs> 13 shows a specific example of data processing in the office PC 27 of the energy usage calculation system 100. The details of the data processing in FIG. 13 will be described below.

[0078] For example, when a driver removes the recording card 21 from a vehicle equipped with the electronic control device 10 shown in Fig. 1, carries it, and attaches it to the office PC 27, the office PC 27 can acquire the contents of the operation record DB 51 recorded on the recording card 21. Also, if the electronic control device 10 has a wireless communication function, for example, the data of the operation record DB 51 can be transferred to the office PC 27 via wireless communication.

[0079] The office PC 27 acquires operation record data, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, from the operation record DB 51 (S31).

[0080] In this embodiment, the office PC 27 can use the shipper base location DB 52 (52A, 52B) to grasp the latitude / longitude representing the location of each shipper's base. Using this location information, the office PC 27 identifies the shipper for each location in the operation record data and adds the shipper data to the operation record DB 51 (S32).

[0081] For example, in the operation record DB51 of Fig. 10, the location information content of the operation record data in the first row (data at 9:00) matches the location of "Factory A" in the shipper base location DB52A shown in Fig. 12, so it can be identified that this is data corresponding to "shipper A." Therefore, in this case, shipper data representing "shipper A" is added to the operation record data in the first row of the operation record DB51.

[0082] Furthermore, in the operation record DB51 of Fig. 10, the content of the location information of the operation record data in the second row (data for the time 9:30) matches the location of "Warehouse b" in the shipper base location DB52B shown in Fig. 12, so it can be identified that this is data corresponding to "shipper B." Therefore, in this case, shipper data representing "shipper B" is added to the operation record data in the second row of the operation record DB51.

[0083] Based on the contents of the operation record DB 51A (see FIG. 14) to which the shipper data has been added, the office PC 27 classifies this operation record data by shipper and registers it in the operation record DB 53 for each shipper (S33).

[0084] Furthermore, the office PC 27 classifies the operation record data by weight fluctuation based on the contents of the operation record DB 53 for each shipper (S34). Furthermore, the office PC 27 classifies the operation record data by travel distance (section distance) based on the contents of the operation record DB 53 for each shipper (S35). Furthermore, the office PC 27 classifies the driving record data by road type based on the contents of the driving record DB 53 for each shipper (S36).

[0085] When a transport company transports cargo using a truck vehicle with the operation pattern shown in Figure 8, it is assumed that the truck vehicle will start operation with a full tank of fuel, and will be refueled at the end of one trip of the day to return the tank to a full state. In this case, the amount of fuel refueled per trip U corresponds to the amount of fuel consumed in one trip of the day.

[0086] After one trip of the day is completed, the office PC 27 inputs data on the amount of fuel U for each vehicle (S37).

[0087] The office PC 27 calculates the ratio of the fuel efficiency of the vehicle on the expressway to the fuel efficiency of the same vehicle on an ordinary road as a fuel efficiency coefficient Z (S38). For example, if the fuel efficiency on the expressway is 5 [km / L] and the fuel efficiency on an ordinary road is 2.5 [km / L], the fuel efficiency coefficient Z is 0.5.

[0088] In practice, the actual fuel efficiency and fuel efficiency coefficient Z for each road type can be calculated, for example, as follows. In the case of an operation pattern such as that shown in Figure 8, the relational expression shown in Equation 1 below holds. S / X+T / Y=U (1) S: Distance traveled on public roads during operation X: Fuel economy on general roads [km / L] T: Mileage on the expressway during operation Y: Expressway fuel economy [km / L] U: Amount of fuel required for one trip [L]

[0089] From the above formula 1, fuel efficiency X on ordinary roads can be calculated using the following formula 2. X = S / (UT / Y) (2)

[0090] Fuel efficiency Y on expressways often varies relatively little from one trip to the next. Therefore, predetermined constant data can be used as the fuel efficiency Y on expressways. For example, in an experiment, an actual vehicle is filled up with fuel and driven only on expressways, and then the vehicle is refueled again to return the tank to a full state. The fuel efficiency Y on expressways can be calculated based on the amount of fuel added and the distance traveled at this time. This fuel efficiency Y is stored and maintained as a constant for each vehicle in the on-board device or office PC 27. The constant data is then used as the fuel efficiency Y when performing the calculation of Equation 2 above. The fuel efficiency coefficient Z can be calculated using the following Equation 3. Z=X / Y (3)

[0091] The office PC 27 compiles the operation record data for each shipper based on the contents of the operation record DB 53 for each shipper, and calculates the number of ton-kilometers for each shipper taking fuel consumption into consideration (S39). The office PC27 provides the number of ton-kilometers taking fuel consumption into consideration to the relevant shipper (S40).

[0092] <Examples of data processing results> An example of the configuration of the operation record DB 51A and the aggregated data 54 that have been processed to include information about the shipper is shown in Fig. 14. That is, when the office PC 27 performs the process of Fig. 13, the operation record DB 51A and the aggregated data 54 after processing as shown in Fig. 14 are obtained.

[0093] 14, the contents of the operation record DB 51A include a shipper item 51Aa. Therefore, based on the contents of the operation record DB 51A, operation record data for each shipper can be generated as the operation record DB 53 for each shipper in FIG.

[0094] The aggregated data 54 shown in Fig. 14 includes the number of ton-kilometers calculated for each event for each of "Shipper A" and "Shipper B," and their total ton-kilometers 54a and 54b. The number of fuel-efficient ton-kilometers calculated for each event for each of "Shipper A" and "Shipper B," and their total ton-kilometers 54c and 54d are also included in the aggregated data 54. In the example of Fig. 4, the fuel efficiency coefficient Z is set to 0.5, which was calculated in advance.

[0095] For example, in the operation record DB51A of Figure 14, the operation record data for the section from the event at time "15:00" to the event at time "17:00" indicates that a cargo weighing 1000 [kg] for "Shipper A" was transported on the expressway over a distance of 80 [km], so the number of ton-kilometers without considering fuel efficiency is calculated as "1 x 80 = 80 [ton-kilometers]." Also, the number of ton-kilometers with fuel efficiency considered is calculated as "1 x 80 x Z = 40 [ton-kilometers]."

[0096] Furthermore, the total ton-kilometers 54a and 54b without considering fuel efficiency are 130 [ton-kilometers] for both "Shipper A" and "Shipper B." On the other hand, when fuel efficiency is considered, the total ton-kilometers 54c for "Shipper A" is "90," and the total ton-kilometers 54d for "Shipper B" is "130."

[0097] In other words, by correcting the ton-kilometers of each shipper using the fuel efficiency coefficient Z, it is possible to obtain a more appropriate ton-kilometers, taking into consideration the impact of improvements in the actual fuel efficiency of the vehicle, particularly in sections traveling on expressways. Furthermore, because the office PC 27 processes data stratified by shipper, even when multiple shippers' cargoes are transported together during a single trip of the same vehicle, as in the operation pattern of Figure 8, it is possible to avoid unfairness in the ton-kilometer information (information in S40) provided by the transport company or the like to multiple shippers.

[0098] Furthermore, the data in the operation record DB51 generated by the on-board device and processed by the office PC27 is primarily intended to grasp the overall vehicle weight fluctuations associated with loading and unloading of each vehicle at each base, and does not require operation record data for each individual load. Therefore, there is no need to input large amounts of data for each load into the on-board device, and the processing load associated with recording data in the on-board device is very small. Furthermore, because the amount of data processed by the office PC27 is small, there is no need to provide a high-performance computer for the office PC27.

[0099] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified, improved, etc. Furthermore, the material, shape, size, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary and not limited as long as they can achieve the present invention.

[0100] For example, in the data processing shown in Figure 13, it is assumed that the office PC 27 identifies the shipper for each operation record data based on the shipper base location DB 52, but when loading and unloading at each base, it is also possible to read the tag attached to one or more pieces of luggage and identify the shipper on the vehicle side.

[0101] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that a predetermined constant is used as the expressway fuel efficiency Y when calculating the fuel efficiency coefficient Z, but the expressway fuel efficiency Y may be calculated each time a vehicle is driven. For example, if the vehicle is equipped with a function for detecting instantaneous fuel efficiency, it is possible to obtain fuel efficiency information from the vehicle, for example, periodically while the vehicle is traveling on the expressway, and calculate the average fuel efficiency for the section of the expressway being traveled. However, such fuel efficiency information may not satisfy the conditions stipulated by the Weights and Measures Act.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the transportation company provides each shipper with only the total ton-kilometer value (54c, 54d) that takes into account the fuel efficiency for each shipment (S40), but the fuel efficiency information used in the calculation can also be provided to each shipper as a report. For example, a list of information such as fuel efficiency X on ordinary roads, fuel efficiency Y on expressways, fuel efficiency coefficient Z, the shipper's mileage on expressways during a single operation, and the shipper's mileage on ordinary roads during a single operation can be provided to each shipper as a fuel efficiency report.

[0103] Here, the features of the energy usage calculation system according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be briefly summarized and listed below in [1] to [5]. [1] An on-board device (electronic control device 10) mounted on a vehicle capable of transporting cargo for multiple shippers; a weight detector (load sensor units 25A to 25D) capable of measuring the weight of a load on the vehicle; a data processing unit (office PC 27) that acquires information about the vehicle from the in-vehicle device and performs predetermined data processing; Equipped with The vehicle-mounted device has a function of acquiring driving information (operation record DB51) including weight, driving distance, and road type for each section from loading to unloading, The data processing unit has a function of acquiring information on loading and unloading locations for each shipper (S32), a function of classifying the travel information acquired from the on-board device for each shipper (S33), a function of acquiring fuel efficiency information for each road type, and a function of calculating energy usage for each shipper based on the stratified travel information and the fuel efficiency information for each road type (S39). Energy usage calculation system.

[0104] The energy consumption calculation system configured as described in [1] above can calculate energy consumption (e.g., ton-kilometers) while reflecting differences in fuel efficiency depending on the road type, such as expressways and ordinary roads. Furthermore, because data processing is stratified by shipper, even when multiple shippers' cargo is transported during a single trip of the same vehicle, as in the operation pattern shown in Figure 8, it is possible to avoid unfairness in the ton-kilometer information provided by transport companies and other entities to multiple shippers. Furthermore, because the system handles data on the weight change per vehicle associated with loading and unloading of the vehicle, there is no need to manage data for each individual cargo. Therefore, even when loading and unloading a large number of small cargoes, drivers and workers do not need to input large amounts of data into the on-board device, significantly reducing the data processing load on the on-board device and data processing unit.

[0105] [2] The data processing unit stores predetermined constant data as fuel efficiency of the vehicle to be applied to at least a section of a road type of an expressway, and calculates fuel efficiency on a section of an ordinary road based on fuel efficiency on the section of the expressway. The energy consumption calculation system according to [1] above.

[0106] According to the energy consumption calculation system configured as described above in [2], when a single trip includes both general road and expressway sections, it is possible to calculate energy consumption while taking into account the influence of the difference between actual fuel consumption on general roads and expressways. Furthermore, since it uses constant data determined in advance as fuel consumption on expressway sections, it is possible to calculate fuel consumption on general roads even for vehicles that are not equipped with a function for measuring actual fuel consumption, without having to perform complicated measurement tasks such as frequent refueling.

[0107] [3] The data processing unit uses a ratio (fuel efficiency coefficient Z) between a first fuel efficiency applied to a section of an expressway road and a second fuel efficiency applied to a section of an ordinary road road, and calculates the energy consumption amount for each shipper by integrating the results of correcting the product of the weight of the cargo for each travel section and the travel distance for each section by the ratio for multiple sections. The energy consumption calculation system according to [1] or [2] above.

[0108] According to the energy consumption calculation system configured as described above in [3], when freight is transported using a section of an expressway, the amount of energy consumption reduced can be calculated as a result of taking into account improvements in actual fuel efficiency on the expressway.

[0109] [4] The data processing unit identifies the shipper of the corresponding cargo based on the loading location and unloading location included in the traveling information acquired from the on-board device. The energy consumption calculation system according to any one of [1] to [3] above.

[0110] According to the energy consumption calculation system configured as described above in [4], the relevant shipper is identified from the loading and unloading locations, so there is no need to obtain information from each piece of cargo, and no need to perform any additional special work when loading or unloading.

[0111] [5] The data processing unit determines the weight of each cargo for each section based on the weight fluctuation information included in the driving information acquired from the on-board device. The energy consumption calculation system according to any one of [1] to [4] above.

[0112] According to the energy usage calculation system configured as described above in [5], the weight of the cargo transported for each section can be determined only by the weight fluctuation of each vehicle, so the work of measuring the weight of the cargo is easy. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 10 Electronic control device 11 Control section 11a Date and Time Management Unit 11b Section distance calculation unit 11c Load weight calculation unit 11d Road type identification section 11e Operation Record Management Department 12 Main memory 13 Control section 14 Display section 15,16 Input / Output Interface 17 Power supply section 21 Record Card 22 Vehicle information input section 23 Vehicle power supply 24 ETC on-board device 25, 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D Load Sensor Unit 26 Location information acquisition section 27 Office PC 31 Distortion detection element 32 dedicated IC 33 Temperature Sensor 34 MCU 35 Input / Output Interface 36 Power supply circuit 41 Trucks 42 Cargo bed 43A,43B Axle 44A,44B,44C,44D wheels 51 Operation record DB 51A Processed operation record DB 51Aa Shipper Items 52, 52A, 52B Shipper base location DB 53 Operation record DB for each shipper 54 Aggregated Data 100 Energy Consumption Calculation System Ea,Eb,Ec,Ed,Ee,Ee,Ef,Eg,Eh,Ei Event e1,e2,e3,e4,e5,e6,e7,e8,e9,e10 Events

Claims

1. an on-board device mounted on a vehicle capable of transporting cargo from multiple shippers; a weight detector capable of measuring the weight of a load on the vehicle; a data processing unit that acquires information about the vehicle from the in-vehicle device and performs predetermined data processing; Equipped with The vehicle-mounted device has a function of acquiring driving information including weight, driving distance, and road type for each section from loading to unloading, The data processing unit A function to obtain information on loading and unloading locations for each shipper, a function of classifying the data of the driving information for each shipper based on the information of the loading and unloading positions for each shipper and the driving information acquired from the on-board device and registering the data of the driving information in an operation record for each shipper, and classifying the data of the operation record by weight fluctuation, by driving distance, and by road type based on the contents of the operation record for each shipper; A function to obtain fuel consumption information for each road type, and a function of aggregating the data of the driving records for each shipper based on the contents of the driving records for each of the classified shippers and the fuel efficiency information for each road type, and calculating the energy usage amount for each shipper. Energy usage calculation system.

2. the data processing unit holds predetermined constant data as fuel efficiency of the vehicle to be applied to at least a section of a road type of an expressway, and calculates fuel efficiency in a section of an ordinary road based on fuel efficiency in a section of the expressway; The energy usage calculation system according to claim 1 .

3. the data processing unit calculates the energy consumption amount for each shipper by integrating the product of the weight of the cargo for each travel section and the travel distance for each section, corrected by the ratio between the first fuel efficiency applied to sections whose road type is an expressway and the second fuel efficiency applied to sections whose road type is an ordinary road, for multiple sections; The energy usage calculation system according to claim 1 .

4. the data processing unit identifies the shipper of the corresponding cargo based on the loading location and the unloading location included in the travel information acquired from the in-vehicle device; The energy usage calculation system according to claim 1 .

5. The data processing unit identifies the weight of each cargo for each section based on information on weight fluctuations included in the traveling information acquired from the on-board device. The energy usage calculation system according to claim 1 .

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