Control device

Abstract

This control device has one or more processors and one or more memories connected to the processors. The processors each execute processing comprising: executing a reporting process for reporting multiple charging modes which have mutually different target remaining capacities which are each a target value of remaining capacity at the time of completion of charging a vehicle battery; and executing charging of the battery in a charging mode that is selected by a driver of the vehicle from among said multiple charging modes.

Description

Control device

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device.

[0002] Some vehicles, such as electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles, have a traction motor as a drive source. These vehicles are provided with a battery that stores the power supplied to the traction motor. The vehicle's battery may be rechargeable using a charger at a charging station. When charging using a charger, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, the charger cable is connected to an inlet provided on the vehicle, and the battery is charged with power supplied from the charger.

[0003] JP 2011-199920 A

[0004] When charging a battery using a charger, the user must perform operations such as setting a target remaining capacity, which is a target value for the remaining capacity of the battery when charging is complete. Therefore, it is desirable to make such user operations easier when charging a battery.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a control device that can facilitate user operations when charging a battery.

[0006] In order to solve the above problem, a control device according to one embodiment of the present invention has one or more processors and one or more memories connected to the processors, and the processor performs processing including: executing a notification process to notify a plurality of charging modes having different target remaining capacities, which are target values ​​for the remaining capacity when charging of a vehicle's battery is completed; and charging the battery in a charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle from the plurality of charging modes.

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to facilitate user operations when charging a battery.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control device of a charging station according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the control device of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a first display example in the notification processing according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a second display example in the notification processing according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific dimensions, materials, numerical values, etc. shown in the embodiments are merely examples for facilitating understanding of the invention and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified. In this specification and drawings, elements having substantially the same functions and configurations are designated by the same reference numerals to avoid redundant explanation, and elements not directly related to the present invention are not shown.

[0010] <Configuration of Charging System> The configuration of a charging system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG.

[0011] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a general configuration of a charging system 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the charging system 1 includes a vehicle 10 and a charging stand 20.

[0012] Although FIG. 1 shows one charging stand 20 for ease of understanding, in reality, the charging system 1 includes a plurality of charging stands 20 .

[0013] 1, vehicle 10 includes a traction motor 11, a battery 12, a navigation device 13, and a control device 14. For example, vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle that includes traction motor 11 as a drive source. However, vehicle 10 may also be a hybrid vehicle that includes an engine as a drive source in addition to traction motor 11.

[0014] The traction motor 11 is, for example, a three-phase AC motor, and outputs power to be transmitted to the wheels of the vehicle 10. The traction motor 11 is driven using electric power from the battery 12 to output power.

[0015] The battery 12 is capable of charging and discharging power. The battery 12 may be, for example, a lithium ion battery, a lithium ion polymer battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or a lead-acid battery, but other batteries may also be used. The battery 12 stores the power supplied to the traction motor 11.

[0016] The navigation device 13 is a device that provides guidance on a driving route from the current location of the vehicle 10 to a destination desired by the user in accordance with input operations by the driver of the vehicle 10. The navigation device 13 has a function of visually displaying information and displays various information related to route guidance. Examples of information displayed by the navigation device 13 include the current location of the vehicle 10, the driving route to be guided, the location of the destination, the distance on the driving route from the current location of the vehicle 10 to the destination, and the time required to reach the destination. The navigation device 13 can obtain information indicating the current location of the vehicle 10 based on signals transmitted from GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites.

[0017] The control device 14 corresponds to an example of a control device according to the present invention. The control device 14 has one or more processors 14a and one or more memories 14b connected to the processors 14a. The processor 14a includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU). The memory 14b includes, for example, a read-only memory (ROM) and a random access memory (RAM). The ROM is a storage element that stores programs and calculation parameters used by the CPU. The RAM is a storage element that temporarily stores data such as variables and parameters used in processing executed by the CPU.

[0018] The control device 14 communicates with each device in the vehicle 10. The communication between the control device 14 and each device is realized using, for example, CAN (Controller Area Network) communication.

[0019] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 14 of the vehicle 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the control device 14 includes a communication unit 141, a control unit 142, and a storage unit 143.

[0020] Various processes, including the processes described below, performed by the communication unit 141 or the control unit 142 may be executed by the processor 14a. In particular, the various processes are executed by the processor 14a executing programs stored in the memory 14b. The function of the storage unit 143 is realized by the memory 14b. However, the functions of the control device 14 may be divided among multiple devices, or multiple functions may be realized by a single device.

[0021] The communication unit 141 communicates with a control device 22 (described later) of the charging stand 20. The communication between the communication unit 141 and the control device 22 is realized, for example, by wireless communication.

[0022] The control unit 142 performs various processes to control the operation of each device in the vehicle 10. For example, the control unit 142 controls the operation of the traction motor 11. For example, the control unit 142 acquires various information such as the remaining capacity from the battery 12. For example, the control unit 142 controls the operation of the navigation device 13.

[0023] The storage unit 143 stores various types of information. The information stored in the storage unit 143 is used in processing performed by the communication unit 141 or the control unit 142. For example, the communication unit 141 transmits the information stored in the storage unit 143. For example, the control unit 142 uses the information stored in the storage unit 143 to control the operation of each device in the vehicle 10.

[0024] 1, the charging station 20 includes a plurality of chargers 21 and a control device 22. At the charging station 20, the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is charged.

[0025] The charger 21 is a device for charging the battery 12 of the vehicle 10. The charger 21 has a main body 21a, a charging cable 21b, and a charging gun 21c. The main body 21a is installed in the charging stand 20 and receives power from a power supply source (not shown). The charging gun 21c is connected to the main body 21a via the charging cable 21b. When the charging gun 21c is attached to an inlet of the vehicle 10, the charging cable 21b is electrically connected to the inlet of the vehicle 10. In this state, power can be supplied from the main body 21a to the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 via the charging cable 21b. This charges the battery 12.

[0026] The control device 22 includes one or more processors 22 a and one or more memories 22 b connected to the processors 22 a. The processors 22 a include, for example, a CPU. The memories 22 b include, for example, a ROM and a RAM.

[0027] 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control device 22 of the charging stand 20. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the control device 22 includes a communication unit 221, a control unit 222, and a storage unit 223.

[0028] Note that various processes, including the processes described below, performed by the communication unit 221 or the control unit 222 may be executed by the processor 22a. In particular, the various processes are executed by the processor 22a executing programs stored in the memory 22b. The function of the storage unit 223 is realized by the memory 22b. However, the functions of the control device 22 may be divided among multiple devices, or multiple functions may be realized by a single device.

[0029] The communication unit 221 communicates with the control device 14 of the vehicle 10. The communication between the communication unit 221 and the control device 14 is realized, for example, by wireless communication.

[0030] The control unit 222 performs various processes for controlling the operation of each device in the charging stand 20. For example, the control unit 222 controls the operation of the charger 21.

[0031] The storage unit 223 stores various types of information. The information stored in the storage unit 223 is used in the processing performed by the communication unit 221 or the control unit 222. For example, the communication unit 221 transmits the information stored in the storage unit 223. For example, the control unit 222 uses the information stored in the storage unit 223 to control the operation of each device in the charging stand 20.

[0032] <Operation of Charging System> Next, the operation of the charging system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0033] As described above, at the charging station 20, the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is charged using the charger 21. Here, when charging the battery 12 using the charger 21, the user, i.e., the driver of the vehicle 10, needs to perform operations to set a target remaining capacity, which is a target value for the remaining capacity at the time of completion of charging of the battery 12. In the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, by implementing improvements in the processing related to the setting of charging of the battery 12 performed by the control device 14 of the vehicle 10, it is possible to realize an easy operation for the user when charging the battery 12.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of processing performed by the control device 14 of the vehicle 10.

[0035] The control flow shown in Fig. 4 is executed in a situation where the battery 12 of the vehicle 10 is being charged at the charging station 20. Specifically, the control flow shown in Fig. 4 starts when the charging gun 21c is attached to the inlet of the vehicle 10 and the charging cable 21b is connected.

[0036] As described below, the control unit 142 of the control device 14 executes a notification process to notify the driver of a plurality of charging modes. When the driver selects a charging mode from the plurality of charging modes, the battery 12 is charged in the selected charging mode. Here, in the notification process, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of a plurality of charging modes having different target remaining capacities, which are target values ​​for the remaining capacity at the completion of charging of the battery 12 of the vehicle 10. The following mainly describes an example in which the control unit 142 notifies the driver of three charging modes, namely, a first charging mode, a second charging mode, and a third charging mode, in the notification process. However, as described below, the number and types of charging modes are not limited to the following example.

[0037] 4 starts, first, in step S101, the control unit 142 calculates the charging time and charging fee for the first charging mode. The charging time for the first charging mode is the total time required to charge the battery 12 in the first charging mode. The charging fee for the first charging mode is the total fee required to charge the battery 12 in the first charging mode.

[0038] The first charging mode is a charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the maximum remaining capacity. The maximum remaining capacity is the maximum value of the remaining capacity of the battery 12. Therefore, when charging the battery 12 in the first charging mode, the remaining capacity of the battery 12 is restored to the maximum remaining capacity.

[0039] For example, the control device 14 of the vehicle 10 acquires information about the power supply capacity of the charger 21 of the charging station 20 from the control device 22 of the charging station 20. An example of such information is information indicating the amount of power supplied per unit time from the charger 21 of the charging station 20. In addition, the storage unit 143 of the control device 14 pre-stores information about the specifications of the battery 12. An example of such information is information indicating the relationship between the amount of power supplied to the battery 12 per unit time and the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12.

[0040] The control unit 142 can calculate the charging time in the first charging mode based on, for example, information about the power supply capacity of the charger 21 and information about the specifications of the battery 12. Furthermore, the control device 14 of the vehicle 10 acquires information indicating the charging fee per unit amount of power supplied at the charging station 20 from the control device 22 of the charging station 20. Then, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging fee in the first charging mode based on, for example, information indicating the usage fee per unit time of the charger 21 and the charging time in the first charging mode.

[0041] Next, in step S102, the control unit 142 calculates the target remaining capacity, charging time, and charging fee for the second charging mode. The charging time for the second charging mode is the total time required to charge the battery 12 in the second charging mode. The charging fee for the second charging mode is the total fee required to charge the battery 12 in the second charging mode.

[0042] The second charging mode is a charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity at the time of previous charging completion of the battery 12. In particular, in the example of Fig. 4, the target remaining capacity in the second charging mode is the standard value of the remaining capacity at the time of previous charging completion of the battery 12 at the charging station 20. Therefore, when charging the battery 12 in the second charging mode, the remaining capacity of the battery 12 is restored to the standard value of the remaining capacity at the time of previous charging completion of the battery 12 at the charging station 20.

[0043] For example, when charging the battery 12 at the charging station 20, the driver can manually set the target remaining capacity. The control unit 142 calculates, for example, the average value of the remaining capacity at the completion of charging of the battery 12 at the charging station 20 in the past, as the target remaining capacity for the second charging mode. However, the control unit 142 may also calculate, as the target remaining capacity for the second charging mode, a value that is larger or smaller than the average value of the remaining capacity at the completion of charging of the battery 12 at the charging station 20 in the past.

[0044] Similar to the charging time in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging time in the second charging mode based on, for example, information on the power supply capacity of the charger 21, information on the specifications of the battery 12, and the target remaining capacity in the second charging mode. Also, similar to the charging fee in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging fee in the second charging mode based on, for example, information indicating the usage fee per unit time of the charger 21 and the charging time in the second charging mode.

[0045] Next, in step S103, the control unit 142 determines whether or not there is a history of charging the battery 12 at home.

[0046] In the above, the charging station 20 has been described as a place where the battery 12 is charged. However, there are cases where the battery 12 can be charged at the home of the driver of the vehicle 10. For example, if a charger 21 is installed at home, the battery 12 can be charged using the charger 21. Note that, although the charging speed is slower when using the charger 21 at home compared to charging using the charger 21 at a charging station 20 located outside the home, the charging fee is often lower.

[0047] When the battery 12 is charged at home, for example, the charging history of the battery 12 at home is stored in the storage unit 143 of the control device 14. Therefore, the control unit 142 can determine whether there is a charging history of the battery 12 at home, for example, by referring to the information stored in the storage unit 143. If there is a charging history of the battery 12 at home, it can be determined that the battery 12 can be charged at home. On the other hand, if there is no charging history of the battery 12 at home, it can be determined that the battery 12 cannot be charged at home.

[0048] If it is determined that there is a charging history of the battery 12 at home (YES in step S103), the process proceeds to step S104. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no charging history of the battery 12 at home (NO in step S103), the process proceeds to step S105.

[0049] If the determination in step S103 is YES, in step S104, the control unit 142 calculates the target remaining capacity, charging time, and charging fee for the third charging mode. The charging time for the third charging mode is the total time required to charge the battery 12 in the third charging mode. The charging fee for the third charging mode is the total fee required to charge the battery 12 in the third charging mode.

[0050] The third charging mode is a charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the remaining capacity required for the vehicle 10 to travel from the charging station 20 to the home. Therefore, charging the battery 12 in the third charging mode restores the remaining capacity of the battery 12 to the remaining capacity required for the vehicle 10 to travel from the charging station 20 to the home.

[0051] For example, the control unit 142 calculates the distance traveled from the charging station 20, which is the current location of the vehicle 10, to the home, using information obtained from the navigation device 13. Then, the control unit 142 calculates the remaining capacity that will be consumed when the vehicle 10 travels the calculated traveling distance as the target remaining capacity for the third charging mode. However, the control unit 142 may also calculate a value that is larger or smaller than the remaining capacity that will be consumed when the vehicle 10 travels the calculated traveling distance as the target remaining capacity for the third charging mode.

[0052] Here, the control unit 142 may adjust the target remaining capacity for the third charging mode based on the past charging history of the battery 12 at home. For example, the higher the average remaining capacity at the completion of past charging of the battery 12 at home, the higher the target remaining capacity for the third charging mode may be. Thus, for a vehicle 10 in which the battery 12 is charged more heavily at home, the target remaining capacity for the third charging mode can be increased to increase the remaining capacity remaining when the vehicle 10 arrives home.

[0053] Similar to the charging time in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging time in the third charging mode based on, for example, information on the power supply capacity of the charger 21, information on the specifications of the battery 12, and the target remaining capacity in the third charging mode. Also, similar to the charging fee in the first charging mode, the control unit 142 can calculate the charging fee in the third charging mode based on, for example, information indicating the usage fee per unit time of the charger 21 and the charging time in the third charging mode.

[0054] If the determination in step S103 is NO, or after step S104, in step S105, the control unit 142 executes a notification process.

[0055] In the notification process, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the multiple charging modes, for example, by displaying the multiple charging modes on the navigation device 13. If step S104 is performed, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of three charging modes, namely, the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, in the notification process. If step S104 is not performed, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of two charging modes, namely, the first charging mode and the second charging mode, in the notification process. Below, with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , a display example in which the three charging modes, namely, the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, are notified will be described.

[0056] 5 is a diagram showing a first example of display in the notification process. As shown in Fig. 5, in the first example of display, a bar graph showing the target remaining capacity for each charging mode, a bar graph showing the charging time for each charging mode, and a bar graph showing the charging fee for each charging mode are displayed in this order from top to bottom.

[0057] 5, the topmost bar graph showing the target remaining capacity for each charging mode shows a target remaining capacity C1 for the first charging mode, a target remaining capacity C2 for the second charging mode, and a target remaining capacity C3 for the third charging mode. The target remaining capacities C1, C2, and C3 decrease in this order.

[0058] 5, the second bar graph from the top showing the charging times for each charging mode shows charging time T1 for the first charging mode, charging time T2 for the second charging mode, and charging time T3 for the third charging mode. The charging times T1, T2, and T3 are shorter in this order.

[0059] In the example of Fig. 5, the bar graph at the bottom showing the charging fees for each charging mode shows a charging fee F1 for the first charging mode, a charging fee F2 for the second charging mode, and a charging fee F3 for the third charging mode. The charging fees F1, F2, and F3 decrease in this order.

[0060] 5, in the notification process, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the target remaining capacity, the charging time, and the charging fee for each charging mode, which allows the driver of the vehicle 10 (the user) to intuitively understand the target remaining capacity, the charging time, and the charging fee for each charging mode.

[0061] 6 is a diagram showing a second example of display in the notification process. As shown in Fig. 6, the second example of display shows a line indicating the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the elapsed time from the start of charging and the vertical axis represents the remaining capacity.

[0062] 6, for the first charging mode, a target remaining capacity C1 for the first charging mode and a charging time T1 for the first charging mode are shown. The change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in the first charging mode is shown by the portion of the line showing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 from when the elapsed time reaches the charging time T1 until the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity C1.

[0063] 6 also shows a target remaining capacity C2 for the second charging mode and a charging time T2 for the second charging mode. The change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in the second charging mode is shown by the portion of the line showing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 from when the elapsed time reaches the charging time T2 until the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity C2.

[0064] 6 also shows a target remaining capacity C3 for the third charging mode and a charging time T3 for the third charging mode. The change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in the third charging mode is shown by the portion of the line showing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 from when the elapsed time reaches the charging time T3 until the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity C3.

[0065] As described above, in the example of Fig. 6, the control unit 142 notifies the driver of the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charge mode in the notification process. Note that in the example of Fig. 6, similar to the example of Fig. 5, the control unit 142 also notifies the driver of the target remaining capacity of each charge mode and the charge time of each charge mode in the notification process. This makes it easier for the driver of the vehicle 10, who is the user, to intuitively grasp the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charge mode, the target remaining capacity of each charge mode, and the charge time of each charge mode.

[0066] The above describes an example in which the control unit 142 displays multiple charging modes on the navigation device 13 during the notification process. However, the notification process is not limited to the above example. For example, the control unit 142 may display multiple charging modes on a display device other than the navigation device 13 during the notification process. Furthermore, for example, the control unit 142 may notify the driver of the vehicle 10 of the multiple charging modes by outputting a sound during the notification process.

[0067] After step S105 in Fig. 4 , the driver selects a desired charging mode from the plurality of charging modes that have been notified. The control device 14 accepts the driver's selection of the charging mode and acquires information indicating the charging mode selected by the driver. Then, in step S106, the control unit 142 charges the battery 12 in the charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle 10, and the control flow in Fig. 4 ends.

[0068] In step S106, the control unit 142 transmits a control command to, for example, the control unit 222 of the control device 22 of the charging stand 20 via the communication unit 141. This allows the control unit 142 to control the charging of the battery 12 using the charger 21. Specifically, in step S106, the control unit 142 charges the battery 12 until the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches a target remaining capacity of the charging mode selected by the driver, and terminates the charging of the battery 12 when the remaining capacity of the battery 12 reaches the target remaining capacity. Furthermore, if the charging rate of the battery 12 can be controlled, the control unit 142 controls the charging rate of the battery 12 so that the remaining capacity of the battery 12 follows the transition in the charging mode selected by the driver.

[0069] As described above, the control device 14 executes a notification process to notify a plurality of charging modes having different target remaining capacities, which are target values ​​for the remaining capacity at the completion of charging of the battery 12 of the vehicle 10, and charges the battery 12 in a charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle 10 from among the plurality of charging modes. This allows the user, the driver of the vehicle 10, to set the target remaining capacity for charging the battery 12 by simply selecting a desired charging mode from the plurality of notified charging modes. This therefore facilitates the user's operation for charging the battery 12.

[0070] The above describes examples of the processing performed by the control device 14 with reference to Figures 4 to 6. However, the processing performed by the control device 14 is not limited to the above examples.

[0071] For example, in the above example, the processes in FIG. 4 , including the notification process, are executed when charging of the battery 12 is performed at a charging station 20 other than the user's home. However, the processes, including the notification process, may also be executed when charging of the battery 12 is performed at the user's home. In this case, for example, the target remaining capacity for the second charging mode is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity when charging of the battery 12 at the user's home was completed in the past. In this case, the suggestion of the third charging mode is omitted.

[0072] In the above example, the control unit 142 mainly notifies three charging modes, namely, the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, in the notification process. However, the number and types of charging modes are not limited to the above example. For example, the number of charging modes notified in the notification process may be four or more. In the above example, the charging rates of the multiple charging modes notified in the notification process are the same. However, the charging rates of some charging modes may be different from the charging rates of other multiple charging modes in the multiple charging modes notified in the notification process. For example, when three charging modes, namely, the first charging mode, the second charging mode, and the third charging mode, are notified, the charging rate of the third charging mode may be faster than the charging rates of the first charging mode and the second charging mode. Note that the faster the charging rate, the greater the amount of power supplied per unit time from the charger 21 to the battery 12. In other words, different charging speeds mean that the amount of power supplied from the charger 21 to the battery 12 per unit time differs.

[0073] In the above example, examples of information notified to the driver in the notification process were described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 . However, the combination of types of information notified to the driver in the notification process is not limited to the above example. For example, in the notification process, the control unit 142 may notify the driver of only one type of information among the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the charging time of each charging mode, the charging cost of each charging mode, and the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode, or may notify the driver of all types of information. Furthermore, in the notification process, the control unit 142 may notify the driver of multiple types of information arbitrarily selected from the target remaining capacity of each charging mode, the charging time of each charging mode, the charging cost of each charging mode, and the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode. Furthermore, in the notification process, the control unit 142 may notify the driver of types of information other than the information described above.

[0074] <Effects of Charging System> Next, effects of the charging system 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0075] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, the processor 14a executes processes including: executing a notification process to notify a plurality of charging modes having different target remaining capacities, which are target values ​​for the remaining capacity at the completion of charging of the battery 12 of the vehicle 10; and executing charging of the battery 12 in a charging mode selected by the driver of the vehicle 10 from among the plurality of charging modes. This allows the user, the driver of the vehicle 10, to set the target remaining capacity for charging the battery 12 by simply selecting a desired charging mode from the plurality of notified charging modes. This facilitates user operations for charging the battery 12.

[0076] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, the plurality of charging modes preferably includes a first charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the maximum remaining capacity, whereby the driver of the vehicle 10 can set the target remaining capacity for charging the battery 12 to the maximum remaining capacity by simply selecting the first charging mode.

[0077] Furthermore, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, the multiple charging modes preferably include a second charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity at a previous completion of charging of the battery 12. This allows the user (driver of the vehicle 10) to set the target remaining capacity for charging the battery 12 to a standard value of the remaining capacity at a previous completion of charging of the battery 12 by simply performing the simple operation of selecting the second charging mode.

[0078] Furthermore, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, the notification process is executed when charging of the battery 12 is performed at a charging station 20 other than the user's home, and the plurality of charging modes preferably include a third charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a remaining capacity required for the vehicle 10 to travel from the charging station 20 to the user's home. This allows the user, the driver of the vehicle 10, to set the target remaining capacity for charging the battery 12 to a remaining capacity required for the vehicle 10 to travel from the charging station 20 to the user's home by simply performing the simple operation of selecting the third charging mode.

[0079] In addition, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, the processor 14a preferably executes processing that includes adjusting the target remaining capacity in the third charging mode based on the past charging history of the battery 12 at home. This makes it possible to optimize the target remaining capacity in the third charging mode in accordance with the past charging history of the battery 12 at home.

[0080] Furthermore, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to this embodiment, it is preferable that the charging speeds of some of the multiple charging modes are different from the charging speeds of other charging modes. This allows the user (the driver of the vehicle 10) to set not only the target remaining capacity for charging the battery 12 but also the charging speed for charging the battery 12 by simply selecting a desired charging mode from the multiple charging modes that have been notified. This makes it easier for the user to charge the battery 12.

[0081] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to the present embodiment, the processor 14a preferably performs a notification process that includes notifying the target remaining capacity of each of the plurality of charging modes. This allows the user, i.e., the driver of the vehicle 10, to intuitively grasp the target remaining capacity of each charging mode. Knowing the target remaining capacity of each charging mode also makes it easier for the user to select a charging mode.

[0082] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to the present embodiment, the processor 14a preferably performs a notification process that includes notifying the user of the charging time for each of the plurality of charging modes. This allows the user, i.e., the driver of the vehicle 10, to intuitively understand the charging time for each charging mode. Knowing the charging time for each charging mode makes it easier for the user to select a charging mode.

[0083] Furthermore, in the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to the present embodiment, the processor 14a preferably executes a process in the notification process that includes notifying the charging fee for each of the plurality of charging modes. This allows the driver of the vehicle 10, who is the user, to intuitively understand the charging fee for each charging mode. Furthermore, by understanding the charging fee for each charging mode, the user can more easily select a charging mode.

[0084] In the control device 14 of the charging system 1 according to the present embodiment, the processor 14a preferably performs a notification process that includes notifying the user of the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each of a plurality of charging modes. This allows the user, i.e., the driver of the vehicle 10, to intuitively understand the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode. Knowing the change in the remaining capacity of the battery 12 in each charging mode also makes it easier for the user to select a charging mode.

[0085] The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modified or altered examples within the scope of the claims also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0086] For example, in the above description, the processes performed by the control device 14 and the processes performed by the control device 22 are distinguished from each other. However, the devices performing each of the processes described above may be changed as appropriate. For example, any part of the processes described above as processes performed by the control device 14 may be performed by the control device 22, and any part of the processes described above as processes performed by the control device 22 may be performed by the control device 14.

[0087] For example, the processes described herein using flowcharts do not necessarily have to be performed in the order shown in the flowcharts, and additional processing steps may be employed, or some processing steps may be omitted.

[0088] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Charging system 10 Vehicle 11 Traction motor 12 Battery 13 Navigation device 14 Control device 14a Processor 14b Memory 20 Charging stand 21 Charger 21a Main body 21b Charging cable 21c Charging gun 22 Control device 22a Processor 22b Memory 141 Communication unit 142 Control unit 143 Memory unit 221 Communication unit 222 Control unit 223 Memory unit C1 Target remaining capacity C2 Target remaining capacity C3 Target remaining capacity F1 Charging fee F2 Charging fee F3 Charging fee T1 Charging time T2 Charging time T3 Charging time

Claims

1. One or more processors, One or more memories connected to the processor, It has, The aforementioned processor, This involves performing a notification process that notifies multiple charging modes, each with a different target remaining capacity, which is the target value of the remaining capacity when the vehicle's battery is fully charged. In the notification process, the target remaining capacity for each of the multiple charging modes and the charging time for each of the multiple charging modes are notified simultaneously. The battery is charged using the charging mode selected by the vehicle's driver from among the aforementioned multiple charging modes. Execute the process that includes Control device.

2. The plurality of charging modes include a first charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the maximum remaining capacity. The control device according to claim 1.

3. The plurality of charging modes include a second charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to a standard value of the remaining capacity of the battery at the time of charging completion in the past. The control device according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned notification process is performed when the battery is charged at a charging station other than the home. The plurality of charging modes include a third charging mode in which the target remaining capacity is set to the remaining capacity necessary for the vehicle to travel from the charging station to home. The control device according to claim 1.

5. The processor performs a process that includes adjusting the target remaining capacity of the third charging mode based on the battery's past charging history at home. The control device according to claim 4.

6. In the aforementioned multiple charging modes, the charging speed of some charging modes and the charging speed of other charging modes are different from each other. The control device according to claim 1.

7. The processor, in the notification process, performs a process that includes notifying the charge fee for each of the plurality of charging modes. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The processor, in the notification process, performs a process that includes notifying the change in the remaining capacity of the battery in each of the plurality of charging modes. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.