Electric vehicles that efficiently share charging resources

Abstract

To facilitate traffic by suppressing charging waiting time of each vehicle in the entire area in a situation in which many electric automobiles share a public power feeding spot to perform charging.SOLUTION: When charged with electricity in a first power feeding spot 61(A) which is provided within an inhibition area and has an external power source, an electric vehicle receives, from servers 51, 52, congestion information of a plurality of the power feeding spots 61(A) provided within the inhibition area and a second power feeding spot 61(B) existing between a destination on a scheduled travel route and the inhibition area. Then, in the cases that congestion degrees of the plurality of power feeding spots 61(A) provided within the inhibition area is a first prescribed value or more and that a congestion degree of the second power feeding spot 61(B) is less than a second prescribed value, the electric vehicle performs control so as to stop the electricity charge when a charge amount of a secondary battery 12 becomes a target charge amount where the target charge amount is an electric power amount required to reach the second power feeding spot 61(B).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the control and operation of electric vehicles using public power supply spots.

Background Art

[0002] With the spread of electric vehicles, public power supply spots where ordinary users can charge while away from home are becoming widespread. However, depending on the demand for automobiles in a certain area, the number of power supply spots may not be sufficient to fully meet the power demands of all electric vehicles. For this reason, there may be a wait for power supply at the power supply spot, and driving may be restricted due to the wait for power supply while away from home.

[0003] On the other hand, hybrid vehicles equipped with both an engine and a secondary battery are becoming widespread. In the case of a hybrid vehicle, the secondary battery can be charged by self-generation using the engine, enabling replenishment without relying on a power supply spot. For example, in Patent Document 1, a method has been proposed to improve the charging rate generated by the engine in a situation where a charger (power supply spot) at the destination cannot be used, in order to avoid power shortages.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in some areas, engine operation is legally prohibited as an environmental measure. When passing through such prohibited areas, even hybrid vehicles cannot charge from their engines, making it essential to secure resources at charging stations for driving. However, if each vehicle tries to acquire these charging station resources individually, it is inevitable that the power supply in the entire area will not be able to keep up. Therefore, the challenge lies in how to share the resources of charging stations in an optimal manner.

[0006] Therefore, this invention aims to reduce the waiting time for charging for each vehicle across an entire area when many electric vehicles share public charging spots to charge, thereby facilitating smoother traffic flow. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This invention is An electric vehicle comprising a motor that drives the vehicle's drive wheels, a secondary battery capable of supplying power to the motor and being rechargeable from an external power source, a control unit that controls the vehicle, a map information acquisition unit that obtains map information including information on prohibited areas where exhaust gas emissions are prohibited, a route designation unit that specifies a planned driving route to a destination in the map information, a location information acquisition unit that obtains the vehicle's current location information, and a communication unit that communicates with a server. The control unit, The above problem is solved by a first solution, which provides an electric vehicle in which, when the vehicle is being charged at a first power supply spot located within the prohibited area and having an external power supply, the vehicle receives congestion information from the server via the communication unit regarding a plurality of power supply spots located within the prohibited area and a second power supply spot located between the destination and the prohibited area on the planned driving route, and if the congestion level of the plurality of power supply spots located within the prohibited area is greater than or equal to a first predetermined value and the congestion level of the second power supply spot is less than a second predetermined value, the amount of power required to reach the second power supply spot is set as the target charge amount, and charging is stopped when the charge amount of the secondary battery reaches the target charge amount.

[0008] Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to this invention, in addition to the first solution, The control unit, If the congestion level of multiple charging spots located within the prohibited area is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value X, the congestion level of the second charging spot is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, and the congestion level of the third charging spot located on the planned driving route closer to the destination than the second charging spot is less than the third predetermined value, then a second solution can be adopted in which the amount of power required to reach the third charging spot is set as the target charge amount, and charging is stopped when the charge amount of the secondary battery reaches the target charge amount.

[0009] Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to this invention, in addition to the second solution, The control unit, A third solution can be adopted, in which, while charging the amount of power necessary to reach the third power supply spot with the target charge amount, if the congestion level of the second power supply spot falls below the second predetermined value, if the amount of power necessary to reach the second power supply spot has been charged to the secondary battery at that time, the charging is stopped at that point; if the amount of power necessary to reach the second power supply spot has not been charged to the secondary battery at that time, the charging is continued until the target charge amount is reached.

[0010] Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to this invention, in addition to any of the first to third solutions, The control unit, A fourth solution can be adopted, in which, if the congestion level of all the charging spots along the planned driving route between the prohibited area and the destination is equal to or greater than a predetermined value corresponding to each charging spot, the system controls the charging to reach the target charge amount set when the secondary battery is connected to the external power source and charging begins.

[0011] Furthermore, the electric vehicle according to this invention, in addition to any of the first to third solutions, The aforementioned congestion information includes the estimated waiting time, which is the time until charging is completed for all vehicles in the group of charging spots, which are charging spots, between the prohibited area and the destination. The control unit calculates the estimated travel time from the first power supply spot of the vehicle to each of the power supply spots in the power supply spot group, If the congestion level of all the power supply spots in the group of power supply spots is equal to or greater than a predetermined value corresponding to each power supply spot, a fifth solution can be adopted, which sets the power required to reach the power supply spot with the smallest difference between the scheduled waiting time and the estimated travel time among the power supply spots to the target charge amount, and controls the secondary battery to stop charging when the charge amount reaches the target charge amount. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to this invention, when a charging station is congested and there is a waiting time for charging, the electric vehicle being charged at that time will not be allowed to fully charge. Instead, it will be possible to stop charging and depart once enough power has been secured to reach another charging station further along the planned route, thereby quickly freeing up the congested charging station. As a result, the waiting time for charging at charging stations can be reduced overall, and the operation of electric vehicles in the area where the charging stations are located can be made smoother. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This conceptual diagram shows an embodiment of the electric vehicle according to this invention and its surrounding environment. [Figure 2] Functional block diagram of the periphery in Figure 1 [Figure 3] (a) An example diagram showing the operation of an electric vehicle according to this invention, (b) An example diagram showing the situation when the situation changes from (a) and charging is stopped at an intermediate stage before starting the vehicle. [Figure 4] An example diagram illustrating how an electric vehicle according to this invention utilizes scheduled waiting time. [Figure 5]Processing Flow Diagram of Area Server for Using Electric Vehicle According to This Invention [Figure 6] Processing Flow Diagram of Power Supply Spot for Using Electric Vehicle According to This Invention [Figure 7] Example Processing Flow Diagram of System Used by Electric Vehicle According to This Invention [Figure 8] Processing Flow Diagram of Power Supply Spot in Case of Including Scheduled Waiting Time for Using Electric Vehicle According to This Invention [Figure 9] Example Processing Flow Diagram of System Used When Electric Vehicle According to This Invention Includes Scheduled Waiting Time [Figure 10] Example Branch Flow Diagram of Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] The embodiment of this invention will be described using the conceptual diagram shown in FIG. 1 and the functional block diagram shown in FIG. 2. The electric vehicle 1 according to this invention includes a motor 13 that drives the drive wheels of the wheels, a secondary battery 12 that can supply power to the motor and can be charged from the outside, a control unit 20 that controls the charging of the secondary battery 12, and a communication unit 14 that communicates information with the server. Note that the electric vehicle 1 may be a hybrid vehicle having an engine. However, in the case of a hybrid vehicle, it is not only charged by the power generated by the engine, but also needs to be a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) that can be connected to the power supply stand (external power source) of the power supply spot 61 described later and can supply power from the power supply stand to the secondary battery 12. Also, although not shown, the secondary battery 12 may be capable of external power supply to supply power to the outside.

[0015] The control unit 20 has a semiconductor arithmetic unit and a memory, receives an output request by operating an operating device such as an accelerator, sends commands such as an operation instruction and an output request for the motor 13, etc., and acquires data from each part. The control unit 20 has the following parts as functions realized by executing the stored program and functions by a dedicated circuit.

[0016] The control unit 20 has a location information acquisition unit 21 that acquires location information from an antenna compatible with a satellite positioning system such as GPS.

[0017] The control unit 20 has a map information acquisition unit 22 that obtains map information. Based on this map information, the planned driving route, which will be described later, is confirmed. The map information also includes information on prohibited areas where exhaust emissions are prohibited. The source from which this map information is obtained may be a map information database held as car navigation software in the electric vehicle 1, or it may be downloaded as appropriate via a communication unit 14 connected to a mobile communication network.

[0018] The control unit 20 has a route designation unit 23 that specifies the planned driving route in the map information based on input from the user. The control unit 20 receives instructions regarding the planned driving route, including the destination, via an input device such as a touch panel, through route search function selection or manual input by the user, and then designates the planned driving route and registers it in memory.

[0019] This electric vehicle 1 can be charged by stopping at a charging spot 61 located on or near its planned route. Each charging spot 61 has one or more charging stations, and the electric vehicle 1 can be connected to one of them to begin charging. The charging spot 61 can communicate with the area server 52 and can accept reservations for use from the area server 52 and notify the area server 52 of the usage status (congestion information) of the charging stations.

[0020] Each power supply spot 61 has a communication unit 62 for communicating with the area server 52. The communication unit 62 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface using a mobile communication network. Each power supply stand of the power supply spot 61 has one or more power supply units 64 (connection terminals) that are connected to the charging unit 15 (connection terminal) of the electric vehicle 1. It is also preferable that the power supply spot 61 has a reservation acceptance unit 65. The reservation acceptance unit 65 accepts charging reservations based on information from the area server 52 or the operation of devices within the power supply spot 61. For example, reservation information can be sent to the area server 52 by the operation of the user's smartphone 71, and the area server 52 can issue instructions to the power supply spot 61. Alternatively, reservations may be accepted by the operation of buttons or other devices within the power supply spot 61. A charging reservation reserves the order in which the electric vehicle 1 (own vehicle) will connect to a power supply unit 64 that has finished charging another vehicle when all power supply units 64 are being used to charge other electric vehicles 1 (other vehicles).

[0021] Furthermore, the power supply spot 61 has a power supply control unit 63 for managing the above functions. The power supply spot 61 also has a communication unit 62 for receiving reservation information, etc., from the area server 52. In addition, the power supply control unit 63 controls the discharge amount from each power supply unit 64 so that the charge amount of the secondary battery 12 of the electric vehicle 1 being charged reaches the target charge amount.

[0022] Next, the server-side configuration will be explained. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, a configuration in which functions are divided between an aggregation server 51 and area servers 52 will be explained as an example. An area server 52 is provided for each area where power supply spots 61 are installed. It communicates with the power supply spots 61 to grasp the congestion status of the power supply spots 61 and sends the necessary information to the aggregation server 51. The aggregation server 51 collects and manages information from each area server 52, manages information with external parties, including providing the power supply spot 61 reservation system to the internet, and sends the necessary information to each area server 52.

[0023] The area server 52 has a usage information management unit 53 that receives and manages the usage status and reservation status of one or more power supply spots 61 within a predetermined area. The reservation status sent from the power supply spots 61 should preferably include data such as the number of charging reservations received by the reservation acceptance unit 65, the expected amount of power, and the required charging time. The area server 52 should preferably have a congestion information management unit 55 that receives charging reservations for power supply spots 61 received by the aggregation server 51 via the network and grasps the congestion status.

[0024] On the other hand, the aggregation server 51 may have an online reservation reception unit 54 that accepts charging reservations from users' smartphones 71, the communication unit 14 of the electric vehicle 1, and the reservation reception unit 65 via the internet, indicating that they wish to reserve charging at the power supply spot 61.

[0025] Furthermore, the aggregation server 51 has an information aggregation unit 56 that receives information from the communication unit 14 of each electric vehicle 1, such as the current charge rate of the secondary battery 12 of each electric vehicle 1 and the traffic congestion status of surrounding roads.

[0026] Furthermore, the aggregation server 51 has an information transmission unit 57 that transmits the congestion status of each power supply spot 61 received from each area server 52 to the electric vehicle 1. The information transmitted here includes not only the congestion status of the power supply spot 61 in the area where the electric vehicle 1 is currently located, but also the congestion status of the power supply spot 61 in areas further along the electric vehicle 1's planned route, as needed.

[0027] The above server configuration is just one example, and the division of functions between the area server 52 and the aggregation server 51 is not limited to this example. For example, these servers may be deployed together on the cloud, operated by a single group of servers, or be a combination of servers with different divisions of functions.

[0028] The control unit 20 of the electric vehicle 1 receives information on the congestion status of the power supply spots 61 from the aggregation server 51 and controls the system to alleviate charging congestion throughout the area.

[0029] The control performed by the control unit 20 is as follows: The electric vehicle 1 parks at the power supply spot 61(A) (first power supply spot) in the prohibited area on the planned driving route and connects to the power supply unit 64, and begins charging up to the target charge level. The target charge level can be set by the user as appropriate to a charge level less than or equal to a full charge. The power supply control unit 63 of the power supply spot 61 can understand to what extent each power supply unit 64 of the power supply spot 61 is being used (connected to the electric vehicle 1). In addition, the congestion information management unit 55 of the area server 52 also receives reservations from the reservation acceptance unit 65 and reservation information from the online reservation acceptance unit 54, and understands the congestion level of the power supply spot 61. The area server 52(A) equalizes the congestion levels of all power supply spots 61 in the prohibited area and uses this to determine the congestion level.

[0030] The electric vehicle 1 receives congestion levels for the power supply spots 61(A) within the restricted area and for the power supply spots 61(B)(C)... on the planned driving route beyond the restricted area towards the destination. For example, it receives congestion levels from the aggregation server 51 via the communication unit 14. If the congestion level obtained by leveling the congestion levels of the power supply spot 61(A) where the electric vehicle 1 is parked or all power supply spots 61 within the restricted area is equal to or greater than a predetermined value X (first predetermined value X), it becomes desirable to create an empty spot at power supply spot 61(A) as soon as possible because the congestion level is too high. At this time, if the congestion level of the next power supply spot 61(B) (second power supply spot) outside the restricted area on the planned driving route is less than a predetermined value Y (second predetermined value Y), the electric vehicle 1 does not wait for the charging to be completed up to the initially set target charge amount (e.g., full charge), but sets the next power supply spot 61(B) as the target charging spot, and controls the charging to stop at an intermediate stage when the amount of power necessary to reach the target charging spot has been secured. In other words, the target charge amount is reduced to the amount of power necessary to reach the target charging spot. Here, the amount of power necessary to reach the next charging spot 61(B) can be calculated by the control unit 20 of the electric vehicle 1 based on the distance to the next charging spot 61(B) on the map information and road conditions (gradient, etc.). When reducing the target charge amount, a notification to that effect may be displayed on the user's smartphone 71, etc., and the user may make the decision. Since there is enough power to reach charging spot 61(B), the vehicle can pass through the congested charging spot 61(A) and reach charging spot 61(B), which is likely to be less congested, and charge again, thus using resources efficiently overall and alleviating congestion.

[0031] However, if the average congestion level of charging spot 61(A) or all charging spots 61 within the restricted area is greater than or equal to a predetermined value X, and the congestion level of the next charging spot 61(B) on the planned driving route is greater than or equal to a predetermined value Y, then charging spot 61(B) is also congested, and charging only the amount of power up to charging spot 61(B) will result in the battery running out before the next charge. In this case, among the charging spots 61 further along the planned driving route (third charging spot), a charging spot 61 with a congestion level less than the predetermined value Y is designated as the target charging spot. In the diagram, this is shown as charging spot 61(C), but if the congestion level of charging spot 61(C) is also greater than or equal to the predetermined value Y, then the congestion level of the next charging spots 61(D), (E)... is judged, and a charging spot 61 with a congestion level less than the predetermined value Y is designated as the target charging spot, and the charging is controlled to stop once enough power has been charged to reach the target charging spot.

[0032] If the congestion level of any charging spot 61 along the planned route is above a predetermined value Y, it means that there is no prospect of charging the electric vehicle 1 currently being charged even if the charging is stopped midway. In this case, it is best to allow the vehicle to be charged to its maximum charge level without stopping the charging midway (without changing the target charge level).

[0033] However, since the usage status of the charging spots 61 changes moment by moment, even when charging is in progress to secure enough power to reach a distant charging spot 61(C) or the destination, it is possible that the congestion level of a charging spot 61 closer to the destination (for example, charging spot 61(B)) may ease to below a predetermined value Y. The control unit 20 of the electric vehicle 1 periodically receives congestion information, and when it confirms that the congestion level of charging spot 61(B), which is closer than the charging spot 61(C) set as the target charging spot at that time, has fallen below a predetermined value Y, it checks whether the current charge level of the secondary battery 12 is sufficient to reach charging spot 61(B). If there is already enough power to reach charging spot 61(B), it is preferable to control the system to stop charging. At this time, it is preferable to display a notification on the user's smartphone 71 or the like that charging has stopped and that it is possible to reach charging spot 61(B).

[0034] Let's explain using the example situation shown in Figure 3. Assume that one division of the electric vehicle 1's charge is required to travel one division on a straight line. Power supply spots 61(B) and 61(C) each have two power supply units 64. At the stage shown in Figure 3(a), both power supply units 64 at the next power supply spot 61(B) are in use, and one more vehicle is reserved. On the other hand, only one of the two power supply units 64 at power supply spot 61(C) is in use. Power supply spot 61(A) has one unit, electric vehicle 1 (its own vehicle) is receiving power, and another vehicle (another vehicle) is waiting. In this situation, the control unit 20 sets power supply spot 61(C), which is less congested, as the target power supply spot, sets the target charge amount to three divisions of the power up to power supply spot 61(C), and starts control to stop charging once three divisions have been charged.

[0035] However, after the two vehicles that were charging at power supply spot 61(B) finish charging and release the power supply unit 64, and only the next vehicle that had a reservation uses the power supply unit 64, one slot will become available at power supply spot 61(B), as shown in Figure 3(b). The control unit 20 of the electric vehicle 1, having received information that the congestion level has changed in this way, determines that charging will be possible once it reaches the next power supply spot 61(B), and checks whether the current charge level has reached the amount of power needed to reach the next power supply spot 61(B), i.e., one unit of power. In this example, since the charge level has already reached two units of power at this stage, the control unit 20 immediately stops charging and notifies the user to depart immediately and head to power supply spot 61(B). This frees up one slot of the power supply unit 64 at power supply spot 61(A), allowing another electric vehicle that had a reservation to receive a charge, and the congestion situation of vehicles waiting to charge is resolved overall.

[0036] The control units 20 change their decision depending on whether the congestion level is above or below predetermined values ​​X and Y. This congestion level should be set appropriately according to operational standards. Whether or not it is necessary to free up the charging spot 61(A) that is currently charging can be determined by equalizing the charging reservations of all charging spots 61 in the prohibited area and checking whether there is at least one charging reservation. On the other hand, the congestion level of the destination charging spots 61(B)(C) can be determined by checking whether there is at least one empty slot. If there are 0 empty slots, the congestion level is considered to be above the predetermined value Y even if there are 0 charging reservations, and if there is 1 or more empty slots, the congestion level is considered to be below the predetermined value Y.

[0037] Based on this operational structure, further factors beyond congestion can be added to enable smoother operation. These additional factors include, for example, the time it takes for electric vehicle 1 to reach the next power supply spot 61(B) and the following power supply spot 61(C), as well as the estimated waiting time at power supply spots 61(B) and 61(C).

[0038] In this example, the control unit 20 of the electric vehicle 1 has a charging time calculation unit that calculates the charging time required to charge the battery to an amount of power sufficient to reach the next power supply spot 61(B) and the subsequent power supply spot 61(C) (a power supply spot 61 between the restricted area and the destination). The charging time calculation unit should calculate the charging time based on the current amount of power in the secondary battery 12 and the amount of power that can reach each power supply spot 61(B) and (C). The control unit 20 also has an estimated travel time calculation unit that calculates the estimated travel time required to travel from the current location (power supply spot (A)) to each power supply spot 61(B) and (C). The estimated travel time calculation unit should calculate the estimated travel time based on the distance from the current location (power supply spot (A)) to each power supply spot 61(B) and (C). The sum of the charging time and the estimated travel time is the travel time required to reach the power supply spot 61.

[0039] The congestion information management unit 55 of the area servers 52(B) and (C) corresponding to the next power supply spot 61(B) and the next power supply spot 61(C) (power supply spot 61 between the prohibited area and the destination) has a charging completion time calculation unit that calculates the time until charging is complete for the electric vehicle 1 connected to the power supply unit 64 and the electric vehicle 1 that has a charging reservation. The charging completion time calculation unit should calculate the time until charging is complete for the electric vehicle 1 connected to the power supply unit 64 based on the current power amount of the secondary battery 12 of the electric vehicle 1 connected to the power supply unit 64 and the target charge amount. The current power amount of the secondary battery 12 and the target charge amount of the electric vehicle 1 connected to the power supply unit 64 can be obtained from the electric vehicle 1 via wired connection through the power supply unit 64 or wirelessly via the communication unit 14 of the electric vehicle 1. The time until charging is complete for the electric vehicle 1 that has a charging reservation should be calculated based on the current power amount of the secondary battery 12 and the target charge amount. The current power amount of the secondary battery 12 and the target charge amount can be obtained wirelessly via the communication unit 14 of the electric vehicle 1 at the time of reservation. The shortest charging completion time among the electric vehicles 1 connected to the power supply unit 64 is added to the charging completion time of the electric vehicle 1 with the earliest reservation priority. The second shortest charging completion time among the electric vehicles 1 connected to the power supply unit 64 is added to the charging completion time of the electric vehicle 1 with the second reservation priority. The smallest of these values ​​becomes the estimated waiting time for the entire power supply spot 61.

[0040] Then, if the averaged congestion level of all power supply spots 61 within the restricted area is greater than or equal to a predetermined value X, and the congestion level of power supply spots 61 between the restricted area and the destination is greater than or equal to a predetermined value Y, the control unit 20 obtains the scheduled waiting time from each area server 52, sets the power supply spot 61 with the smallest difference between the scheduled waiting time and the arrival time as the target charging spot, and sets the target charge amount based on the target charging spot.

[0041] The operation of the above example will be explained using Figure 4. At power supply spot 61(B), two slots are charging and one vehicle is waiting to charge. Meanwhile, at power supply spot 61(C), two slots are charging and there are no vehicles waiting to charge. At power supply spot (B), the first vehicle will finish charging in 10 minutes, and charging of the waiting vehicle will begin, resulting in 0 waiting vehicles. Subsequently, the second vehicle will finish charging in 25 minutes. The charging time for the waiting vehicle is 40 minutes, and together with the completion of the first vehicle's charging, charging will be completed in 50 minutes. Meanwhile, at power supply spot 61(C), the first vehicle will finish charging in 30 minutes, and the second vehicle will finish charging in 50 minutes. For electric vehicle 1, which is charging at power supply spot (A), the charging time for power supply spot (B) is 10 minutes, and the estimated travel time is 10 minutes. For power supply spot (C), the charging time is 15 minutes, and the estimated travel time is 20 minutes.

[0042] At this time, the waiting time for charging at charging spot (B) is 25 minutes, and the waiting time for charging at charging spot (C) is 30 minutes. On the other hand, the time it takes for electric vehicle 1 to reach charging spot (B) is 20 minutes, and the time it takes to reach charging spot (C) is 35 minutes. The difference between the waiting time for charging and the arrival time is 5 minutes for charging spot (B) and -5 minutes for charging spot (C). Therefore, charging spot (C), which has the smaller difference between the waiting time for charging and the arrival time, is set as the target charging spot.

[0043] In this way, by stopping charging at an intermediate stage that secures the power needed to reach the charging spot with the shortest scheduled waiting time, the time it takes to free up the charging spot 61(A) can be shortened, and the waiting time for the next charge of the electric vehicle 1 that stopped charging at an intermediate stage can also be shortened.

[0044] This document describes a specific control flow example for the electric vehicle 1 according to this invention and the system for using it. First, the aggregation of congestion information will be explained. Figure 5 shows an example of the flow when the area server 52(A) collects information on the degree of congestion in a restricted area. First, the area server 52(A) receives information from the communication units 62 of all power supply spots 61 in the area and obtains the number of vehicles waiting to be charged (S101). Specifically, the value is increased by 1 for each vehicle waiting with a charging reservation, and conversely, the value is decreased by 1 for each vehicle with an empty slot in the power supply unit 64, and the total is taken as Sall. The charging reservations to be aggregated include both those directly received by the reservation reception unit 65 of each power supply spot 61 and those reserved from the outside via the aggregation server 51. If this Sall is greater than or equal to a predetermined number (a predetermined value X) (S102 → Yes), it is determined that the charging facilities (external power supply) in that area are congested (S103). If the number of devices is less than the predetermined number (S102 → No), it is determined that the charging facilities in that area are not crowded (S104). Here, the predetermined number of devices can be set to, for example, "1". In either case, the congestion information for that area is sent to the aggregation server 51 (S105).

[0045] Figure 6 shows an example of the flow for collecting congestion information of power supply spots 61(B) outside the prohibited area to the aggregation server 51. Power supply spot 61(B) obtains the number of vehicles waiting to be charged, Tall (S111). Specifically, the value is increased by 1 for each vehicle waiting with a charging reservation, and conversely, the value is decreased by 1 for each vehicle with an empty slot in the power supply unit 64, and the total is Tall. The charging reservations to be aggregated include both those directly received by the reservation reception unit 65 of each power supply spot 61(B) and those reserved externally via the aggregation server 51. If this Tall is greater than or equal to a predetermined number (S112 → Yes), it is determined that this power supply spot 61(B) is congested (S113). If it is less than the predetermined number (S112 → No), it is determined that this power supply spot 61 is not congested (S114). Here, the predetermined number can be set to, for example, "1". In either case, the congestion information for the power supply spot 61(B) is sent to the aggregation server 51 (S115). The same applies to power supply spot 61(C).

[0046] Next, an example of the processing on the electric vehicle 1 side will be explained with the flow shown in Figure 7. Electric vehicle 1 starts charging at a power supply spot 61(A) in a prohibited area (S121). At this stage, the goal is to reach full charge. In this situation, spot congestion information is periodically obtained from the aggregation server 51. If, as a result of obtaining the spot congestion information, the charging facilities in the area are not congested (S104) (S122→No), charging continues until full charge (S123). However, since the spot congestion information may change during the charging process, the acquisition of congestion information continues until charging is complete (S123→No→S122→). Once charging is complete (S123→Yes), this control is terminated (S199). At this time, the user may be notified that charging has finished.

[0047] If, as a result of obtaining spot congestion information, it is found that the charging facilities within the prohibited area are congested (S103) (S122 → Yes), control will be taken to free up charging spot 61(A) as quickly as possible. Therefore, spot congestion information for charging spots 61(B)(C)... located between the prohibited area and the destination on the planned driving route is obtained (S131). Of these, the congestion information for the nearest charging spot 61(B) is checked (S132). If the information indicates that it is not congested (S114) (S132 → No), the distance to charging spot 61(B) is obtained from the map information (S141). Note that the distance obtained here is the distance along the road, not the straight-line distance. Based on the obtained distance, the amount of electricity (B) that is expected to be needed is reset as the target charge amount (S142). Then, charging proceeds until enough power is charged to drive to charging spot 61(B) (S143). Once charging is complete (S143 → Yes), this control operation will be terminated (S199).

[0048] On the other hand, if the nearest charging spot 61(B) is congested (S113) (S132→Yes), the congestion information for the next charging spot 61(C) is checked (S151). If the information indicates that charging spot 61(C) is also congested (S151→Yes), it means that charging will not be possible further along, so charging proceeds with the target charge amount remaining at full charge (S152). Once charging is complete (S152→Yes), this control is terminated (S199).

[0049] Furthermore, if information indicates that the next charging spot 61(C) is not congested (S151→No), the distance to charging spot 61(C) is obtained from the map information (S161), and the amount of power (C) estimated to be required according to the distance is reset as the target charge amount (S162). Then, charging continues until enough power is charged to travel to charging spot 61(C) (S163). Once charging is complete (S163→Yes), this control is terminated (S199).

[0050] However, since the situation may change before the amount of electricity needed to travel to power supply spot 61(C) is charged, the system continues to acquire congestion information for power supply spot 61(B), which is closer than power supply spot 61(C), until charging is complete (S163→No). If power supply spot 61(B) remains congested (S164→Yes), charging continues with the target amount of electricity (C) (S163). On the other hand, if the information changes to indicate that power supply spot 61(B) is not congested (S164→No), the distance to power supply spot 61(B) is acquired from the map information (S165). Since the target power supply spot is changed to power supply spot 61(B), which is closer than power supply spot 61(C), it is possible that the amount of electricity needed to travel to power supply spot 61(B) has already been charged at this stage (S166→Yes). In this case, the user is notified that charging is complete, and this control is terminated (S199). If the amount of power is insufficient to reach the power supply spot 61(B) (S166→No), charging will continue again with the target amount of power (C) (S163).

[0051] Next, we will explain an example flow when the spot congestion information includes the scheduled waiting time until charging begins at each power supply spot 61. The flow for determining the congestion information of power supply spot 61(A) where electric vehicle 1 is charging is the same as in Figure 5, so the explanation will be omitted. Next, Figure 8 shows the flow for determining the spot congestion information of power supply spots 61(B)(C)... on the electric vehicle 1's scheduled route. The flow from S211~ is basically the same as the flow from S111~, but the processing after determining that power supply spot 61 is congested (S213) is different. The state of charge (SOC) of electric vehicle 1 currently charging at each power supply spot 61(B)(C)... is obtained, and the charging completion time α for each vehicle is calculated (S215). Next, the state of charge (SOC) of electric vehicle 1 that has reserved charging at that power supply spot 61 is obtained, and the charging completion time β for each vehicle is calculated (S216). The estimated waiting time for power supply spot 61 is calculated from the calculated time α and time β (S217).

[0052] The congestion information obtained in this way, along with the waiting time, is compiled and sent to the aggregation server 51 (S218).

[0053] Next, we will explain an example of processing on the electric vehicle 1 side with the flow shown in Figure 9. The basic flow from S221 onwards is largely the same as the flow from S121 onwards in Figure 7. The difference lies in the judgment in S251 when the power supply spot 61(C) is congested (S251 → Yes), which is where it differs from S152. The flow of this different part (S252-S253) is extracted in Figure 10.

[0054] The distance to the charging spot 61(B) is obtained from map information, and the amount of electricity (B) that is expected to be required according to the distance to the charging spot 61(B) is set as "Power required to travel to the charging spot 61(B) = SOC(B)" (S271). Next, the charging time required to charge to the target SOC(B) and the estimated travel time to travel to the charging spot 61(B) are calculated (S272). Spot congestion information, including the estimated waiting time at the charging spot 61(B), is also obtained from the server (S273). Based on the above, the effective waiting time TB when going to the charging spot 61(B) to charge is calculated by subtracting "charging time + estimated travel time" from the estimated waiting time (S274). This effective waiting time TB is the time spent waiting idly after completing the necessary charging to get there and arriving at the charging spot 61(B).

[0055] Similarly, after obtaining the distance to the charging spot 61(C) from map information, the amount of power (C) that is expected to be required according to the distance to the charging spot 61(C) is set as "Power required to travel to the charging spot 61(C) = SOC(C)" (S281). In S282-S284, following the same procedure as in S272-S274, the execution waiting time TC, which is the time that will be wasted after reaching the charging spot 61(C) with the necessary amount of charge accumulated, is calculated (S284).

[0056] Then, TB and TC are compared (S291). If TC is larger (S291 → Yes), charging towards power supply spot 61(B) is more efficient with a shorter effective waiting time, so it is preferable to head towards power supply spot 61(B). For this reason, once charging to SOC(B) is complete, charging is stopped at an intermediate stage (S292), and the user is notified that charging is complete and prompted to depart (S253 → S299). Conversely, if TC is smaller (S291 → No), charging towards power supply spot 61(C) is more efficient with a shorter effective waiting time, so it is preferable to head towards power supply spot 61(C). For this reason, once charging to SOC(C) is complete, charging is stopped at an intermediate stage (S293), and the user is notified that charging is complete and prompted to depart (S253 → S299).

[0057] According to the electric vehicle of this embodiment, if the power supply spot 61(A) within the prohibited area becomes congested, the target charge amount of the secondary battery 12 of the electric vehicle 1 that is being charged is changed to a charge amount that allows the vehicle to travel to the power supply spot 61(B) outside the prohibited area. This shortens the charging time at power supply spot 61(A) and alleviates congestion. At this time, the decision to change the target charge amount is made based on a value that equalizes the level of congestion at power supply spot 61(A) within the prohibited area. This allows for consideration of the possibility that a power supply spot 61 near the power supply spot 61(A) where the electric vehicle 1 (own vehicle) is charging may become congested, and that waiting vehicles may come to the power supply spot 61(A) where the electric vehicle 1 (own vehicle) is charging. Furthermore, since the vehicle is charged to a charge amount that allows it to travel to the power supply spot 61(B) outside the prohibited area, the possibility of the vehicle becoming unable to travel along the way can be suppressed. At this time, the target charge amount is changed when the power supply spot 61(B) outside the prohibited area is not congested, which suppresses the long waiting time for charging at the power supply spot 61(B) outside the prohibited area.

[0058] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle of this embodiment, if the power supply spot 61(B) closest to the prohibited area among the power supply spots 61 outside the prohibited area is congested, the congestion level of the next closest power supply spot 61(C) is checked, and if power supply spot 61(C) is not congested, the target charge amount is set to the amount of charge that allows the vehicle to travel to power supply spot 61(C). This makes it possible to minimize the waiting time at the next power supply spot 61(C) for the electric vehicle 1 that is charging at power supply spot 61(A), while also shortening the charging time at power supply spot 61(A).

[0059] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle of this embodiment, if the congestion at power supply spot 61(B) eases while charging with the target charge amount being enough to travel to power supply spot 61(C), and the charge amount of the secondary battery 12 at that time (when the congestion at power supply spot 61(B) eases) is enough to travel to power supply spot 61(B), then charging is stopped at that point. If it is possible to depart immediately when the congestion at power supply spot 61(B) eases and reach power supply spot 61(B), then the waiting time for charging at power supply spot 61(B) is considered to be short. Therefore, by ending charging at power supply spot 61(A) at this point, the charging time at power supply spot 61(A) and the waiting time at power supply spot 61(B) can be shortened.

[0060] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle of this embodiment, if all charging spots 61(B) and (C) between the prohibited area and the destination are congested, charging will be performed at the initial target charge amount at the start of charging at charging spot 61(A). This allows the vehicle to proceed as originally planned without changing the target charge amount if the waiting time for charging at charging spots 61(B) and (C) becomes long, and prevents the electric vehicle 1 that was charging earlier at charging spot 61(A) from suffering disadvantages due to later vehicles.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the electric vehicle of this embodiment, if all charging spots 61(B) and (C) between the prohibited area and the destination are congested, the target charge amount is changed to an amount that allows the vehicle to travel to the charging spot 61 with the smallest difference between the scheduled waiting time and the expected travel time. This allows the vehicle to charge to an amount that allows it to reach the charging spot 61 with the shortest waiting time, thus ending charging at charging spot 61(A), shortening the charging time at charging spot 61(A), and also shortening the waiting time at the next charging spot 61. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1. Electric Vehicle 12 Secondary battery 13 Motor 14 Communications Department 15 Live parts 20 Control Unit 21 Location information acquisition unit 22 Map Information Acquisition Unit 23 Route designation section 51 Aggregation Server 52 Area Servers 53 Usage Information Management Department 54 Online Reservation Department 55 Congestion Information Management Department 56 Information Aggregation Department 57 Information Transmission Section 61 Power supply spots 62 Communications Department 63 Power supply control unit 64 Power supply section 65 Reservation Department 71 Smartphones

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising a motor that drives the vehicle's drive wheels, a secondary battery capable of supplying power to the motor and being rechargeable from an external power source, a control unit that controls the vehicle, a map information acquisition unit that obtains map information including information on prohibited areas where exhaust gas emissions are prohibited, a route designation unit that specifies a planned driving route to a destination in the map information, a location information acquisition unit that obtains the vehicle's current location information, and a communication unit that communicates with a server. The control unit, An electric vehicle that, while the vehicle is being charged at a first power supply spot located within the prohibited area and having an external power supply, receives congestion information from the server via the communication unit regarding a plurality of power supply spots located within the prohibited area and a second power supply spot located between the destination and the prohibited area on the planned driving route, and controls the vehicle to stop charging when the amount of power required to reach the second power supply spot is equal to or greater than a first predetermined value, and the congestion level of the second power supply spot is less than a second predetermined value, and sets the amount of power required to reach the second power supply spot as the target charge amount.

2. The control unit, The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein if the congestion level of multiple power supply spots provided within the prohibited area is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value X, the congestion level of the second power supply spot is equal to or greater than the second predetermined value, and the congestion level of the third power supply spot located on the planned driving route closer to the destination than the second power supply spot is less than the third predetermined value, the amount of power required to reach the third power supply spot is set as the target charge amount, and the charging is stopped when the charge amount of the secondary battery reaches the target charge amount.

3. The control unit, The electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, while charging the amount of power necessary to reach the third power supply spot as the target charge amount, when the congestion level of the second power supply spot falls below the second predetermined value, if the amount of power necessary to reach the second power supply spot is charged in the secondary battery at that time, the charging is stopped at that time, and if the amount of power necessary to reach the second power supply spot is not charged in the secondary battery at that time, the charging is stopped up to the target charge amount.

4. The control unit, The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein if the congestion level of all the charging spots along the planned driving route between the prohibited area and the destination is equal to or greater than a predetermined value corresponding to each charging spot, the vehicle is controlled to charge up to the target charge amount set when the secondary battery is connected to the external power source and charging begins.

5. The aforementioned congestion information includes the estimated waiting time, which is the time until charging is completed for all vehicles in the group of charging spots, which are charging spots, between the prohibited area and the destination. The control unit calculates the estimated travel time from the first power supply spot of the vehicle to each of the power supply spots in the power supply spot group, The electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein if the congestion level of all the charging spots in the charging spot group is equal to or greater than a predetermined value corresponding to each charging spot, the power required to reach the charging spot among the charging spots with the smallest difference between the scheduled waiting time and the estimated travel time is set to the target charge amount, and the charging is stopped when the charge amount of the secondary battery reaches the target charge amount.

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