Carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device and carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation program

Abstract

To provide a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device and a carbon dioxide reduction calculation program which can calculate an amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emission based on reduction of an amount of tire production.SOLUTION: In a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100, an information acquisition unit 20 acquires information measured about a vehicle including a mileage of the vehicle and information measured by a tire. An abrasion calculation unit 30 calculates abrasion of the tire on the basis of the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 20. A rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts timing of tire rotation on the basis of the abrasion of the tire. An extension amount calculation unit 43 calculates an amount of extension by which a tire usage limit is extended by performing tire rotation at the predicted timing of tire rotation. An emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates an amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emission on the basis of the amount of extension to the tire usage limit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device and a carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation program for calculating the reduction amount of carbon dioxide emissions of tires mounted on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in a vehicle is calculated based on the fuel consumption according to the driving distance of the vehicle, etc., and the reduction amount of carbon dioxide emissions is calculated by reducing fuel consumption. In addition, the tires mounted on the vehicle wear according to the driving distance, etc., and when the remaining groove amount of the tire becomes less than a predetermined amount, maintenance such as replacement becomes necessary.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a conventional information processing system for calculating the amount of carbon dioxide reduction. This information processing system includes a condition determination unit that determines, as calculation conditions used for calculating the reduction amount of carbon dioxide, a movement route from a departure place to a destination place and a means of movement used for moving on the movement route according to a user's operation on a display screen, a predicted value calculation unit that calculates a predicted value of the reduction amount of carbon dioxide when moving on the movement route using the means of movement determined by the condition determination unit, and a calculation value presentation unit that presents the predicted value calculated by the predicted value calculation unit to the user. On the display screen when determining the calculation conditions, any means of movement can be selected as the calculation conditions by the user's operation.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The information processing system described in Patent Document 1 calculates the amount of carbon dioxide reduction based on means of transportation such as vehicles and the travel route. The inventors of the present invention considered that reducing carbon dioxide emissions during tire production and disposal could be achieved by extending the lifespan of tires mounted on vehicles based on tire maintenance, thereby suppressing tire production volume and reducing carbon dioxide emissions related to tires.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device and a carbon dioxide reduction calculation program that can calculate the amount of carbon dioxide emissions reduced based on the reduction of tire production volume. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device according to one aspect of the present invention is characterized by comprising: an information acquisition unit that acquires information measured with respect to a vehicle, including the vehicle's mileage, and information measured by the tires; a wear calculation unit that calculates tire wear based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit; a rotation timing prediction unit that predicts the timing of tire rotation based on the tire wear calculated by the wear calculation unit; an extension amount calculation unit that calculates the amount of extension to the tire usage limit that is extended by performing a tire rotation at the timing of tire rotation predicted by the rotation timing prediction unit; and an emission reduction amount calculation unit that calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emission reduction based on the extension amount calculated by the extension amount calculation unit.

[0008] Another aspect of the present invention is a carbon dioxide reduction calculation program. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation program is characterized by causing a computer to execute the following steps: an information acquisition step of acquiring information measured with respect to a vehicle, including the vehicle's mileage, and information measured with the tires; a wear calculation step of calculating tire wear based on the information acquired in the information acquisition step; a rotation timing prediction step of predicting the timing of tire rotation based on the tire wear calculated in the wear calculation step; an extension amount calculation step of calculating the amount of extension to the tire wear limit that is extended by performing a tire rotation at the timing of tire rotation predicted in the rotation timing prediction step; and an emission reduction calculation step of calculating the amount of carbon dioxide emission reduction based on the extension amount calculated in the extension amount calculation step. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to calculate the amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the reduction of tire production volume. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a carbon dioxide reduction calculation system including a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram illustrating wear estimation and learning in computational models. [Figure 4] This flowchart shows the procedure for calculating carbon dioxide reduction using a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of axle arrangement information. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of tire rotation procedures. [Figure 7] This graph shows an example of tire wear data for a vehicle. [Figure 8]This graph shows the wear rate progression of a tire of a certain specification. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 8, based on preferred embodiments. The same or equivalent components and members shown in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the dimensions of the members in each drawing are enlarged or reduced as appropriate for ease of understanding. Also, some members that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted in each drawing.

[0012] (Embodiment) Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a carbon dioxide reduction calculation system 110 including a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 according to an embodiment. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation system 110 comprises a tire wear measurement device 60, an on-board measurement device 70, and a carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 estimates the wear (hereinafter referred to as "tire wear") of a tire 7 mounted on a vehicle such as a truck and predicts the tire lifespan (usage limit). Tire wear is expressed using values ​​such as the amount of wear, remaining tread depth, and remaining tread ratio of the tire 7, and can also be referred to as the tire wear state. As tire wear progresses, the tire usage limit is eventually reached. The tire usage limit means the point in time when tire wear reaches a certain standard and the limit for use is reached, and is the same as the point in time when the tire's lifespan is exhausted.

[0013] The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 predicts the timing of tire rotation based on estimated tire wear (e.g., remaining tire tread depth), and calculates the extension of the tire's wear limit if the rotation is performed at the predicted time. Based on the extension of the tire's wear limit, the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from tire 7.

[0014] Multiple tires 7 are mounted on each axle position of transport trucks, for example, which are operated and managed by transportation companies. Transportation companies can evaluate their carbon dioxide emission reduction performance in their operations based on the amount of carbon dioxide emission reduction from tires 7 calculated by the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100.

[0015] The tire wear measurement device 60 directly measures the depth of the grooves in the tread of the tire 7 multiple times over a predetermined period (several months to several years) to obtain the amount of wear on the tire 7. The tire wear measurement device 60 transmits the measured tire wear data to the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 via the communication network 9. Alternatively, the operator may measure the depth of each groove using measuring instruments, cameras, or visual inspection, and the tire wear measurement device 60 may store the measurement data entered by the operator. Furthermore, the tire wear measurement device 60 may be a dedicated device that measures the groove depth and stores the amount of wear using mechanical or optical methods.

[0016] Specifically, the tire wear measurement device 60 measures at four points in the width direction if the tire has four grooves, and also measures at three points in the circumferential direction of the same groove, for example, at 120° intervals. This allows the tire wear measurement device 60 to store uneven wear data in the width direction or circumferential direction of the tire. In addition, since the diameter changes as the tire wears down, the tire wear measurement device 60 may indirectly measure the groove depth by calculation from the mileage and tire rotation speed information. Furthermore, a method that directly measures the groove depth may be used in combination with a method that predicts the groove depth by calculation from the mileage and tire rotation speed.

[0017] The in-vehicle measurement device 70 is mounted on a vehicle and has a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, etc. provided on the tire 7, and measures the air pressure, temperature, etc. of the tire 7. The temperature sensor and the pressure sensor are disposed on an air valve or the like of the tire 7 mounted on the vehicle, or are firmly wound around and fixed to the wheel with a belt or the like. Further, the temperature sensor may be disposed on an inner liner or the like of the tire 7. The in-vehicle measurement device 70 transmits information including the air pressure and temperature of the tire 7, etc. as information measured by the tire 7 (hereinafter referred to as "tire measurement information") to the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 via the communication network 9.

[0018] Further, the in-vehicle measurement device 70 measures the speed of the vehicle, the current position information (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the vehicle, and the acceleration in the three-axis directions of the vehicle, etc. by a speedometer, a GPS receiver, an acceleration sensor, etc. mounted on the vehicle. The in-vehicle measurement device 70 transmits information including the speed of the vehicle, the position information of the vehicle, and the acceleration of the vehicle, etc. as information measured regarding the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle measurement information") to the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 via the communication network 9.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100. The carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 has a communication unit 10, an operation unit 12, a display unit 14, an information acquisition unit 20, a wear calculation unit 30, a reduction amount calculation unit 40, and a storage unit 50. Each part in the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 can be realized hardware-wise by electronic elements such as a computer CPU and mechanical parts, and can be realized software-wise by a computer program or the like. Here, however, functional blocks realized by their cooperation are depicted. Therefore, it is understood by those skilled in the art that these functional blocks can be realized in various forms by combinations of hardware and software.

[0020] The communication unit 10 connects to the communication network 9 via wireless or wired communication and communicates with the tire wear measurement device 60 and the on-board measurement device 70. The operation unit 12 is an operable input device such as a touch panel, switch, keyboard, and mouse. The display unit 14 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display.

[0021] By operating the control unit 12, the operator can display on the display unit 14 a screen showing vehicle selection, a schematic representation of the tires 7 and axles mounted on the selected vehicle, and the remaining tread depth of the tires 7 and its changes over time. The operator can also determine the details of tire rotation by operating the control unit 12, input the results of tire rotation, and display the number of tires 7 replaced and the amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions on the display unit 14.

[0022] The information acquisition unit 20 acquires vehicle measurement information such as vehicle speed and position information, as well as tire measurement information such as air pressure and temperature measured by the tire 7, from the on-board measuring device 70 via the communication unit 10. The information acquisition unit 20 also acquires measurement data of the tire wear amount measured by the tire wear amount measuring device 60 via the communication unit 10.

[0023] The information acquisition unit 20 can calculate and acquire the mileage based on the location information of the vehicle measurement information. Alternatively, the mileage of the vehicle may be calculated based on the speed data in the vehicle measurement information and the time data associated with that data. That is, the mileage of the vehicle can be calculated by multiplying the chronologically arranged speed data by the time difference until the next point in time. If information regarding the mileage of the vehicle is provided by the vehicle or an external device for vehicle management, the information acquisition unit 20 does not need to calculate the mileage itself and may acquire the information regarding the mileage from the vehicle or an external device.

[0024] The information acquisition unit 20 outputs the acquired vehicle mileage and tire measurement information (tire temperature and air pressure, etc.) to the wear calculation unit 30. When the wear calculation unit 30 performs tire wear estimation based on a calculation model that uses the vehicle's acceleration as an input element, the information acquisition unit 20 outputs the acceleration data from the vehicle measurement information to the wear calculation unit 30.

[0025] The storage unit 50 is a storage device composed of, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive), a hard disk, a CD-ROM, a DVD, etc. The storage unit 50 stores operation management information 51, axle arrangement information 52, tire identification information 53, tire wear data 54, and data provided in advance regarding the specifications of various vehicles and tires 7.

[0026] The operation management information 51 is information about multiple vehicles whose operation is managed by a transportation company, and includes the names of the vehicles and vehicle identification information assigned to each vehicle. The storage unit 50 may store operation management information 51 corresponding to multiple transportation companies. The axle arrangement information 52 is information indicating the position of the axles and the tires 7 to be mounted on each vehicle.

[0027] The tire identification information 53 is information such as a serial number assigned to each tire 7, and for example, the tire identification information is stored in a readable format in an RFID embedded in the tire 7. The tire identification information may also be stored in the storage unit 50 in association with the vehicle on which the tire 7 is mounted and the axle position on which it is mounted on that vehicle.

[0028] The tire wear data 54 includes the amount of wear and remaining groove depth of the tire 7 estimated by the wear calculation unit 30, as well as data on the amount of wear and remaining groove depth of the tire 7 measured periodically by the tire wear measurement device 60. The tire wear data 54 includes data calculated in the past by the wear calculation unit 30 and data calculated as a predicted value for the future using average values ​​of mileage, tire pressure, and temperature.

[0029] The wear calculation unit 30 reads and acquires data from the storage unit 50 that is appropriately used to estimate tire wear, such as vehicle and tire specification data. The wear calculation unit 30 also acquires information such as axle arrangement information 52 and tire identification information 53 stored in the storage unit 50.

[0030] The wear calculation unit 30 has a calculation model 31 and estimates tire wear. The calculation model 31 is a learning model that calculates tire wear (such as wear amount and remaining tread depth) based on the input information. The following explanation will use the case where the calculation model 31 calculates the wear amount of tire 7 as an example. Figure 3 is a schematic diagram to explain the wear amount estimation and learning of the calculation model 31. The input data to the calculation model 31 is generally classified into vehicle measurement information, tire measurement information, and other information systems.

[0031] The input data related to vehicle measurement information includes the vehicle's acceleration and mileage. The mileage is acquired by the information acquisition unit 20 as described above. The input data related to tire measurement information includes the tire pressure and temperature of the tire 7. The vehicle's acceleration will be used as input data to the calculation model 31 as appropriate.

[0032] Other input data includes road surface conditions estimated based on weather information, the maximum load capacity of the vehicle included in the vehicle specification data, and the wear resistance performance of tire 7 included in the tire specification data. For the wear resistance performance of tire 7, for example, a tire wear index value is used, which is an index of the wear resistance performance of various tread compounds, with the standard compound set to 100 based on the Lambourn wear test.

[0033] The computational model 31 uses a learning model such as a neural network. The computational model 31 is constructed using methods such as a Deep Neural Network (DNN) or a decision tree. Alternatively, the computational model 31 may be a multilinear regression model on input information, and the model may be generated through learning.

[0034] The tire wear data measured by the tire wear measuring device 60 is used as training data for training the computational model 31. During the training process of the computational model 31, the computational model 31 estimates the tire wear amount as output data based on the input information and compares it with the training data. The computational model 31 compares the estimated tire wear amount with the training data, sets various coefficients in the computation process such as weighting, and performs training by repeatedly updating the model.

[0035] The wear calculation unit 30 uses a trained calculation model 31 to estimate the amount of wear on the tire 7, calculates the remaining tire groove depth after subtracting the amount of wear on the tire 7, and stores it in the storage unit 50 as tire wear data 54. The wear calculation unit 30 may also calculate values ​​such as the amount of wear, remaining groove depth, and remaining groove ratio, and store them in the storage unit 50 as tire wear data 54.

[0036] The reduction amount calculation unit 40 includes a rotation timing prediction unit 41, a tire rotation determination unit 42, an elongation amount calculation unit 43, and an emission reduction amount calculation unit 44. The rotation timing prediction unit 41 acquires tire wear data 54 for each tire 7 mounted on the selected vehicle, for example, through operation by an operator using the operator's control unit 12. The rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts the timing of tire rotation based on the acquired tire wear data 54.

[0037] The rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts the time when all tires 7 in the vehicle will need to be replaced with new tires, and determines the timing for tire rotation. For a single tire, tire replacement is necessary when the minimum remaining tread depth falls below a standard value G (for example, 3 mm).

[0038] Because the amount of wear on the tires 7 varies depending on the axle position of the vehicle, if tire rotation is not performed, the load will concentrate on some of the tires 7 in the vehicle, further exacerbating the unevenness in wear. To prevent this, a judgment criterion A1 is established for all tires 7 in the vehicle, stating that "the difference in the remaining tread depth (minimum amount for each tire) among all tires is less than or equal to the standard value G1 (for example, 3 mm)."

[0039] Furthermore, for dual-wheel tire configurations used in transport vehicles such as trucks, a criterion A2 is established stating that "the difference in tire tread depth between the dual wheels (the minimum amount on the dual wheels) is less than or equal to the standard value G2 (for example, 3 mm)."

[0040] The rotation timing prediction unit 41 uses tire wear data 54 from all tires 7 in the vehicle to calculate the time when the reference value G1 of judgment criterion A1 and the reference value G2 of judgment criterion A2 will be reached in the most recent period, thereby predicting the timing of tire rotation.

[0041] The tire rotation determination unit 42 determines the specific changes to the tire arrangement during tire rotation before the timing of tire rotation predicted by the rotation timing prediction unit 41 arrives.

[0042] The tire rotation determination unit 42 can use various logics for changing the tire arrangement based on mechanical dynamics in the axle arrangement. The tire rotation determination unit 42 determines the tire rotation to be swapped based on the vehicle's tire wear trend. The tire rotation determination unit 42 can use logic B, for example, "change the tire arrangement so that the direction of tire rotation is reversed." The tire rotation determination unit 42 can also use logic C, for example, "change the tire arrangement so that tires are moved from axles with high tire wear to axles with low tire wear, and conversely, move tires from axles with low tire wear to axles with high tire wear."

[0043] The tire rotation determination unit 42 determines the changes to the tire arrangement using, for example, logic B and logic C. The tire rotation determination unit 42 may also display the changes to the tire arrangement on the display unit 14 and request confirmation or correction from the operator, and accepts corrections or decisions based on the operator's operation of the operation unit 12.

[0044] The extension calculation unit 43 calculates the amount of extension to the tire wear limit that will be extended by performing the tire rotation determined by the tire rotation determination unit 42 at the tire rotation timing predicted by the rotation timing prediction unit 41. The extension calculation unit 43 calculates the tire wear limit if no tire rotation is performed and the tire wear limit if tire rotation is performed, and then calculates the amount of extension to the tire wear limit.

[0045] The elongation calculation unit 43 calculates the elongation amount using a ratio P (=1.2) if, for example, the period from the start of use to the tire wear limit is 10 months when tire rotation is not performed and 12 months when tire rotation is performed. Here, the ratio P is the ratio of the period P2 when tire rotation is performed to the period P1 when tire rotation is not performed, and is set as P = P2 / P1.

[0046] The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the tire 7 based on the elongation amount calculated by the elongation amount calculation unit 43. In calculating the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, the emission reduction calculation unit 44 uses either the carbon dioxide emissions C1 during production of the tire 7 or the carbon dioxide emissions C2 during disposal, or both.

[0047] The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the annual reduction amount D of carbon dioxide emissions using the following formula (1), for example, by using N for the number of tires on one vehicle, m months for the period from the start of use to the tire wear limit when tire rotation is performed, and the elongation amount (ratio P). D=N×(1-1 / P)×(C1+C2)×12 / m (1)

[0048] The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the reduction amount D for each vehicle in a single transport operator using equation (1) and then calculates the sum of these amounts, thereby calculating the annual equivalent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions related to the tires 7, taking into account all vehicles in that transport operator.

[0049] Next, the operation of the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 will be explained. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the procedure for calculating the amount of carbon dioxide reduction by the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100. The tire wear data 54 for each tire 7 of the vehicle is assumed to be calculated in advance by the wear calculation unit 30 of the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 and stored in the storage unit 50. The rotation timing prediction unit 41 acquires the tire wear data 54 from the storage unit 50 for each tire 7 mounted on the vehicle selected by the operator using the operation unit 12 (S1).

[0050] The rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts the timing of tire rotation based on tire wear data 54 from all tires 7 in the vehicle (S2). The rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts the timing of tire rotation by, for example, calculating the time when the reference value G1 of judgment criterion A1 and the reference value G2 of judgment criterion A2 will be reached in the most recent period.

[0051] The tire rotation determination unit 42 determines the specific changes in tire arrangement (tire rotation content) during tire rotation before the timing of tire rotation predicted by the rotation timing prediction unit 41 arrives (S3). The tire rotation determination unit 42 determines the tire rotation content by repeatedly using logic B and logic C described above for all tires 7.

[0052] The elongation amount calculation unit 43 calculates the amount of elongation to the tire wear limit that will be extended by performing the tire rotation determined by the tire rotation determination unit 42 at the tire rotation timing predicted by the rotation timing prediction unit 41 (S4). The elongation amount calculation unit 43 calculates the amount of elongation to the tire wear limit as the ratio P described above, for example.

[0053] The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the tire 7 based on the elongation amount calculated by the elongation amount calculation unit 43 (S5), and then terminates the process. The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions related to the tire 7 mounted on the vehicle using the above formula (1). By performing these processes for each vehicle in a single transport operator, the annual equivalent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions related to the tire 7, considering all vehicles in that transport operator, can be calculated.

[0054] The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 can calculate the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the reduction in tire production volume by calculating the amount of extension to the tire's wear limit when tire rotation is performed and when it is not. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 can also determine the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from tires over the period from production to disposal by calculating the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions considering the carbon dioxide emissions during tire production and disposal.

[0055] The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 uniformly calculates the period until the end of service life for each tire by using predicted future tire wear (e.g., remaining tread depth) and a standard value G related to tire wear.

[0056] Various logics can be used to determine the specific changes in tire position when performing tire rotation. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 can average the remaining tread depth of each tire by using the logic C described above. Logic C is defined as "changing the tire arrangement so that tires are moved from axles with high tire wear to axles with low wear, and conversely, from axles with low tire wear to axles with high tire wear." Tire rotation may also involve swapping tires 7 between axle positions within the vehicle that have different wear tendencies, such as shoulder wear and center wear, rather than being limited to the amount of tire wear.

[0057] The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 can suppress uneven tire wear, such as heel-and-toe uneven wear, by using the logic B described above. Heel-and-toe uneven wear is uneven wear in which the amount of wear differs between the landing side and the toe-off side of the tire tread, resulting in a step-like difference between the blocks. Logic B is to "change the tire arrangement so that the direction of tire rotation is reversed."

[0058] The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 uses a learning-type calculation model 31 in the wear calculation unit 30 to estimate future tire wear (e.g., wear amount) by referring to, for example, the mileage of the vehicle last year and assuming the mileage from the present onward.

[0059] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of axle arrangement information 52, and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of tire rotation details. The axle arrangement information 52 shown in Figure 5 represents the three axles a1, a2, and a3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, as well as the tire positions b11, b12, etc., mounted on each axle, with a total of 10 tires arranged on the axles.

[0060] In the tire rotation shown in Figure 6, tires are swapped between tire positions b11 and b23, and between tire positions b12 and b24. Additionally, tires are swapped between tire positions b21 and b34, and between tire positions b22 and b33. In this example, the tires are swapped between the intermediate axle a2, which experiences significant wear, and the front axle a1, which experiences minimal wear.

[0061] Figure 7 is a graph showing an example of tire wear data 54 on a vehicle. In Figure 7, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the remaining tread depth of the tire. Figure 7 plots the estimated remaining tread depth of the tires at each tire position in the future, with the present time being August 2022, using average values ​​such as the vehicle's mileage, tire pressure, and temperature.

[0062] In Figure 7, if tire rotation is not performed, the tire at position b21 will fall below the standard value G (remaining tread depth of 3 mm) in May 2023, requiring tire replacement. The tire wear limit without tire rotation is early May 2023. Tire replacement may be limited to replacing only the tire that has fallen below the standard value G. Here, considering the aging deterioration of each tire, and in order to unify the start date of use for all tires, when one tire needs to be replaced, all tires in the vehicle will be replaced with new tires. If tire rotation is not performed, 10 tires will need to be replaced in early May 2023. If the start date of use for each tire on the vehicle is, for example, January 1, 2022, then the number of months from the start of use to the tire wear limit for each tire (10 tires) is 16 months.

[0063] As of August 2022, for example, the remaining tread depth of the tires at tire positions b21 and b11 has roughly reached the standard value G1 (remaining tread depth of 3 mm) of judgment criterion A1, and the rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts that it is time for tire rotation. The tire rotation determination unit 42 determines the tire rotation details, for example, as shown in Figure 6.

[0064] If a tire rotation is performed in August 2022, the remaining tread depth of each tire that has been swapped at each subsequent tire position will be re-estimated by the wear calculation unit 30 using average values ​​such as the vehicle's mileage, tire pressure, and temperature. Strictly speaking, the tire wear limit after a tire rotation is determined as the time when the remaining tread depth of the tire first falls below the standard value G, based on the re-estimated tire wear data 54.

[0065] For simplicity, considering that tire rotation averages the remaining tread depth across all tires on a vehicle, we will use the trend of the average remaining tread depth for all tires shown by the dashed line in Figure 7. The point at which this average remaining tread depth reaches the standard value G1 (3mm remaining tread depth) of criterion A1, i.e., the tire wear limit when tire rotation is performed, is the end of December 2023. Similarly, assuming that each tire on the vehicle begins to be used on January 1, 2022, for example, when tire rotation is performed, the number of months from the start of use to the tire wear limit for each tire (10 tires) will be m = 24 months.

[0066] Using this example, the elongation calculation unit 43 will calculate the amount of elongation up to the tire's wear limit using the ratio P (=24 / 16) described above.

[0067] The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the annual reduction amount D of carbon dioxide emissions from the vehicle by substituting the ratio P (=24 / 16), the number of months m (=24), and the number of tires N (=10) into equation (1). For example, values ​​such as 40 kg for the carbon dioxide emissions C1 per tire during production and 60 kg for the carbon dioxide emissions C2 per tire during disposal are used.

[0068] (modified version) In the above-described embodiment, an example was explained in which tire wear data 54 from the present time onward is estimated by the calculation model 31 of the wear calculation unit 30. However, it is also possible to estimate the wear using wear progression data obtained from field tests or the like in the past for each tire specification.

[0069] Figure 8 is a graph showing the wear rate over time for a tire of a certain specification. In Figure 8, the horizontal axis represents mileage, and the vertical axis represents the remaining tread depth. In Figure 8, the remaining tread depth data corresponding to mileage obtained in the past for a tire of a certain specification is plotted as black dots, and the approximate curve of the wear rate over time obtained from each of these plotted points is represented by a solid line.

[0070] The wear calculation unit 30 may also estimate future tire wear data 54 based on the average future mileage from the current mileage of the vehicle, following an approximation curve of the wear amount trend.

[0071] Furthermore, the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 may also include a reward granting unit that provides users with benefits such as discounts on tires for their next purchase, coupons, or points based on the amount of carbon dioxide reduction, or a ranking creation unit that creates a ranking of carbon dioxide reduction amounts on a company-by-company basis. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 may also include an evaluation unit that evaluates users based on the amount of carbon dioxide reduction or the carbon dioxide reduction rate. In addition, the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 may further include a fuel reduction calculation unit that calculates the amount of fuel saved by driving with a pressure sensor attached to the tire, and calculate the amount of carbon dioxide reduction based on the amount of fuel saved.

[0072] Next, the features of the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 and the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation program according to the embodiment will be described. The carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 comprises an information acquisition unit 20, a wear calculation unit 30, a rotation timing prediction unit 41, an elongation calculation unit 43, and an emission reduction calculation unit 44. The information acquisition unit 20 acquires information measured about the vehicle, including the vehicle's mileage, and information measured by the tire 7. The wear calculation unit 30 calculates tire wear based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit 20. The rotation timing prediction unit 41 predicts the timing of tire rotation based on the tire wear calculated by the wear calculation unit 30. The elongation calculation unit 43 calculates the amount of elongation to the tire's wear limit that will be extended by performing a tire rotation at the timing predicted by the rotation timing prediction unit 41. The emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the elongation calculated by the elongation calculation unit 43. As a result, the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 can calculate the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the reduction in tire production volume.

[0073] Furthermore, the emission reduction calculation unit 44 calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions using either the carbon dioxide emissions during the production of the tire 7 or the carbon dioxide emissions during disposal, or both. This allows the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 to determine the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the tire 7 over the period from production to disposal.

[0074] Furthermore, the elongation calculation unit 43 calculates the tire wear limit based on the predicted future tire wear and the standard value related to tire wear. This allows the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 to uniformly calculate the tire wear limit for each tire.

[0075] Furthermore, tire rotation involves swapping tires 7 based on the vehicle's tire wear trends. This allows the carbon dioxide reduction calculation device 100 to perform tire rotation so that the remaining tread depth of each tire is averaged.

[0076] Furthermore, the wear calculation unit 30 estimates tire wear using a learning-type calculation model 31. This allows the carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device 100 to estimate future tire wear by assuming the distance traveled from the present time onward.

[0077] The carbon dioxide reduction calculation program causes a computer to perform the following steps: information acquisition step, wear calculation step, rotation timing prediction step, elongation calculation step, and emission reduction calculation step. The information acquisition step acquires information measured about the vehicle, including the vehicle's mileage, and information measured on the tire 7. The wear calculation step calculates tire wear based on the information acquired in the information acquisition step. The rotation timing prediction step predicts the timing of tire rotation based on the tire wear calculated in the wear calculation step. The elongation calculation step calculates the amount of elongation to the tire's wear limit that will be extended by performing a tire rotation at the timing predicted in the rotation timing prediction step. The emission reduction calculation step calculates the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the elongation calculated in the elongation calculation step. This carbon dioxide reduction calculation allows for the calculation of the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the reduction in tire production.

[0078] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. These embodiments are illustrative, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention, and that such modifications and changes are also within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Accordingly, the descriptions and drawings herein should be treated as illustrative rather than limiting. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0079] 7 Tires, 20 Information acquisition unit, 30 Wear calculation unit, 31 Calculation model, 41 Rotation timing prediction unit, 43 Extension amount calculation unit, 44 Emission reduction calculation unit, 100 Carbon dioxide reduction calculation device.

Claims

1. An information acquisition unit that acquires information measured about the vehicle, including the vehicle's mileage, and information measured by the tires, A wear calculation unit that calculates tire wear based on the information acquired by the information acquisition unit, A rotation timing prediction unit predicts the timing of tire rotation based on the tire wear calculated by the wear calculation unit, An extension calculation unit calculates the amount of extension to the tire wear limit that is extended by performing a tire rotation at the timing predicted by the aforementioned rotation timing prediction unit, as the ratio of the same period when a tire rotation is performed to the period when a tire rotation is performed when a tire rotation is not performed. An emission reduction calculation unit calculates the amount of carbon dioxide emission reduction based on the ratio calculated by the elongation amount calculation unit, either or both of the carbon dioxide emissions during tire production and / or disposal, and the period from the start of use to the tire's wear limit when tire rotation is performed. A device for calculating carbon dioxide reduction, characterized by being equipped with the following features.

2. The carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elongation amount calculation unit calculates the tire usage limit based on a predicted value for future tire wear and a reference value for tire wear.

3. The carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the tire rotation involves replacing tires based on the trend of tire wear of the vehicle.

4. The carbon dioxide reduction amount calculation device according to claim 1, characterized in that the wear calculation unit estimates tire wear using a learning-type calculation model.

5. An information acquisition step to acquire information measured about the vehicle, including the vehicle's mileage, and information measured by the tires, A wear calculation step that calculates tire wear based on the information acquired in the above information acquisition step, A rotation timing prediction step predicts the timing of tire rotation based on the tire wear calculated in the wear calculation step, The extension calculation step calculates the amount of extension to the tire wear limit that is extended by performing tire rotation at the timing predicted by the rotation timing prediction step, as the ratio of the same period when tire rotation is performed to the period when tire rotation is not performed. An emission reduction calculation step calculates the amount of reduction in carbon dioxide emissions based on the ratio calculated in the elongation calculation step, either or both of the carbon dioxide emissions during tire production and / or disposal, and the period from the start of use to the tire's wear limit when tire rotation is performed. A program for calculating carbon dioxide reduction, characterized by having a computer perform the following actions.

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