Computer-readable storage media do not temporarily store programs, systems, and design methods.

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium that does not temporarily store programs, systems, and methods of design. It includes at least the specifications of an engine, information of the object being moved by the engine, the pattern of motion of the object, and information of the battery powering the engine, which are used as input information. Based on the input information, at least one of the following is output by the computer: the distance traveled, the travel time, and the energy consumption of the object.

Description

Program, system and design method

[0001] The present invention relates to a program, a system, and a method for designing a moving body that is moved by a motor.

[0002] Conventionally, in a mobile body such as an electric vehicle, a configuration has been disclosed in which an electric power consumption table is included that stores the electric power consumption rate associated with the vehicle speed when the vehicle is traveling, and the electric power consumption rate corresponding to the average speed over a specified recent distance calculated based on the detected vehicle speed is used to calculate the cruising range from the remaining battery charge (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2014-64364

[0004] However, in the case of the method of calculating the cruising range by determining the power consumption rate based on the measured vehicle speed as in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to prepare an electric vehicle that can actually be driven, and measuring the cruising range of an electric vehicle at the design stage is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a program that can facilitate the design of a motor and a moving body that includes a motor.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a system that can facilitate the design of a motor and a moving body that includes a motor.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a design method that can facilitate the design of a motor and a moving body that includes a motor.

[0008] An exemplary program of the present invention receives input information into a computer that includes at least the specifications of a motor, information about a moving object moved by the motor, a movement pattern of the moving object, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor, and causes the computer to output at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving object based on the input information.

[0009] An exemplary system of the present invention includes an input unit that receives input information, and a processing unit that executes output processing to output at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the vehicle based on the input information. The input information includes at least specifications of a motor, information about the vehicle moved by the motor, a movement pattern of the vehicle, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor.

[0010] An exemplary design method of the present invention takes as input information at least the specifications of a motor, information about a moving object moved by the power of the motor, the movement pattern of the moving object, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor, and outputs at least one of the cruising range, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving object based on the input information.

[0011] According to the program of the present invention, it is possible to facilitate the design of a motor and a moving body including a motor.

[0012] The system of the present invention can facilitate the design of a motor and a moving body including the motor.

[0013] According to the design method of the present invention, it is possible to facilitate the design of a motor and a moving body including a motor.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric vehicle, which is an example of a moving body. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a motor. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a system that executes a simulation. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a simulation program. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of motor specifications. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of moving body information. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a movement pattern. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of battery information. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of loss information. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of environmental conditions. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a TN characteristic. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a current map. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing changes in the required torque and required rotational speed required of the motor while the moving body is moving. FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a running state of an electric vehicle. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the steps of a design method using a program. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a conventional design method. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing a design method according to the present invention. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of a system according to a first modified example. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram of a program that executes a simulation according to a second modified example. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the steps of obtaining an optimal value for the outer diameter of a wheel. Fig. 21 is a schematic diagram of another example of a moving body, Fig. 22 is a diagram showing information on the moving body, and Fig. 23 is a schematic diagram of a simulation program according to this modified example.

[0015] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, an electric vehicle 11 is an example of a moving body 1, and travels by driving wheels 12, which are an example of a rotating body 2, with a motor 3. That is, the moving body 1 includes the rotating body 2 that is rotated by the motor 3 to move the moving body 1.

[0016] The electric vehicle 11 includes xEVs such as BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles), HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), PHEVs / PHVs (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles / Plug-in Hybrid Vehicles), or FCEVs / FCVs (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles / Fuel Cell Vehicles).

[0017] 1, the electric vehicle 11 includes a motor 3, a battery 41, an inverter 42, a controller 43, and a power transmission mechanism 13. The motor 3 rotates using power supplied from the battery 41. An output torque T33 of the motor 3 is transmitted to the wheels 12 via the power transmission mechanism 13. The rotation of the wheels 12 causes the electric vehicle 11 to move, i.e., travel.

[0018] <Motor 3> Next, the motor 3 will be described with reference to the drawings. In the electric vehicle 11, the motor 3 is a synchronous motor. More specifically, the motor 3 here is an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor. However, the motor 3 may also be a surface permanent magnet synchronous motor. Furthermore, a wide variety of electric motors used as power sources for moving objects, such as induction motors and DC brushless motors, can be used.

[0019] 2 , the motor 3 includes a rotor 31 and a housing 34. The motor 3 further includes a stator 32 and gears 35, 36, 37, and 38. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the motor 3 may have a configuration that does not include the gears 35, 36, 37, and 38.

[0020] The housing 34 includes an internal space 34a that accommodates the rotor 31, the stator 32, and the gears 35, 36, 37, and 38. A fluid for cooling and lubricating the rotor 31, the stator 32, and the gears 35, 36, 37, and 38 is sealed in the internal space 34a of the housing 34.

[0021] The stator 32 is fixed to the housing 34 in the internal space 34a of the housing 34. The rotor 31 is rotatably supported by the housing 34, and the stator 32 is disposed radially outward of the rotor 31. The radial inner surface of the stator 32 faces the radial outer surface of the rotor 31 via a gap in the radial direction.

[0022] <Rotor 31> The rotor 31 includes a motor shaft 31a, a rotor core 31b, and a magnet 31c. The motor shaft 31a is a cylindrical shaft. The motor shaft 31a is rotatably supported by a housing 34 via bearings. The motor shaft 31a is supported by bearings at both ends and at a middle portion in the axial direction. As long as the portion of the motor shaft 31a supported by the bearings is cylindrical, the other portions do not have to be cylindrical.

[0023] The rotor core 31b is formed by, for example, laminating electromagnetic steel sheets. The rotor core 31b is a cylindrical body extending along the axial direction. A plurality of magnets 31c are fixed to the rotor core 31b. The magnets 31c are housed and arranged inside the rotor core 31b. The rotor core 31b is not limited to the above-described configuration.

[0024] <Stator 32> The stator 32 includes a stator core 32a and a coil 32b. The stator 32 also includes an insulating member (not shown) interposed between the stator core 32a and the coil 32b. The stator core 32a includes a plurality of magnetic pole teeth protruding radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of an annular yoke. The coil 32b is formed by winding a conductor around the magnetic pole teeth. A battery 41 is electrically connected to the coil 32b via an inverter 42. Power is supplied to the coil 32b from the battery 41 via the inverter 42.

[0025] <Gears 35, 36, 37, 38 and output shaft 33> The gears 35, 36, 37, 38 mesh with each other and connect the motor shaft 31a and the output shaft 33. The output shaft 33 is rotatably supported by the housing 34 via a bearing. A portion of the output shaft 33 protrudes outside the housing 34. The output shaft 33 is connected to the drive shaft 14 via the power transmission mechanism 13.

[0026] The gears 35, 36, 37, and 38 amplify the torque T3 of the motor 3, which is the output torque of the motor shaft 31a, at a predetermined gear ratio R3 and transmit the amplified torque as output torque T33 to the output shaft 33. In other words, the output torque T33 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 satisfy the following equation (1).

[0027] Furthermore, the gears 35, 36, 37, and 38 reduce the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3, which is the rotational speed of the motor shaft 31a, at a gear ratio R3 and transmit this as an output rotational speed N33 to the output shaft 33. The output rotational speed N33 of the output shaft 33 and the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3 satisfy the formula (2).

[0028] The power transmission mechanism 13 includes a plurality of gears. The power transmission mechanism 13 connects the output shaft 33 to the drive shaft 14 by the plurality of gears meshing with each other.

[0029] If the output torque of the output shaft 33 is the output torque T33, the output torque of the power transmission mechanism 13 is the torque T13, and the transmission ratio of the power transmission mechanism 13 is R13, then the following equation (3) is satisfied.

[0030] Furthermore, if the rotational speed of the output shaft 33 is the output rotational speed N33 and the rotational speed of the output shaft of the power transmission mechanism 13 is the rotational speed N13, the rotational speed N13 and the output rotational speed N33 satisfy the following equation (4).

[0031] The transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13 may be fixed or variable. A power transmission mechanism 13 having a variable transmission ratio R13 is called a transmission. When the power transmission mechanism 13 is a transmission, it may be configured to allow selection from a plurality of predetermined transmission ratios R13, or may be configured to allow the transmission ratio R13 to be changed continuously.

[0032] By changing the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13, it is possible to select from a plurality of combinations of the torque T3 of the motor 3 and the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 when the electric vehicle 11 moves at a predetermined speed V or acceleration a. As will be described in detail later, the efficiency η of the motor 3, i.e., the power consumption, varies depending on the combination of the torque T3 and the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13, it is possible to move the electric vehicle 11 with less power consumption. In this embodiment, the power transmission mechanism 13 is configured to be able to change the transmission ratio R13. The power transmission mechanism 13 is connected to a controller 43, and a determined transmission ratio R13 is selected based on instructions from the controller 43.

[0033] <Inverter 42 and Controller 43> The controller 43 controls the electric vehicle 11. The controller 43 includes a calculation unit capable of executing calculation processing, and a storage unit for storing various information, programs, etc. necessary for controlling the electric vehicle 11. The controller 43 controls the inverter 42 so that the electric vehicle 11 is accelerated or decelerated in accordance with, for example, an input to an accelerator pedal (not shown) of the electric vehicle 11.

[0034] As described above, the motor 3 is an IPM synchronous motor that rotates when supplied with three-phase AC current with different phases. The moving object 1 includes an inverter 42 disposed between the battery 41 and the motor 3. The inverter 42 may be configured by combining switching elements such as an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), a bipolar transistor, a field effect transistor (FET), and a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). The switching elements may be configured, for example, using SiC as a semiconductor material, but are not limited to this. The inverter 42 may be configured as a full-bridge inverter combining the above-described switching elements. A wide variety of configurations capable of supplying three-phase AC current may be employed as the inverter 42.

[0035] The inverter 42 converts the direct current output from the battery 41 into a three-phase alternating current. The inverter 42 then supplies the converted alternating current to the coil 32b of the motor 3. The inverter 42 is electrically connected to the controller 43 and is controlled by the controller 43. For example, the control of the inverter 42 by the controller 43 is performed by PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control. That is, the controller 43 controls the ON / OFF of the switching elements of the inverter 42 by PWM control. Note that the control of the inverter 42 by the controller 43 is not limited to PWM control.

[0036] The electric vehicle 11 according to this embodiment performs a regenerative operation during deceleration, in which the rotor 31 is rotated by the rotation of the wheels 12 to generate electricity. The motor 3 is capable of a regenerative operation in which the motor 3 is rotated by the rotating body 2 to generate electricity.

[0037] In the regenerative operation, the battery 41 is charged by the current generated by the motor 3. Since the current generated by the motor 3 is AC, the inverter 42 converts it into DC current that can charge the battery 41, thereby charging the battery 41. The electric vehicle 11 has the configuration described above. The regenerative operation is performed when the electric vehicle 11 is traveling at or above a predetermined speed.

[0038] <Simulation> When evaluating the performance of the electric vehicle 11 configured as described above, at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the electric vehicle 11 is used. Therefore, a simulation that outputs at least one of the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P of the moving body 1 using the electric vehicle 11 as the target will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0039] <System 50> A system 50 for executing a simulation includes, for example, a computer 51 and an input / output device 54, as shown in FIG.

[0040] 3, the computer 51 includes a processing unit 52 and a storage unit 53. The processing unit 52 includes a processor capable of executing arithmetic processing, such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit). The processing unit 52 is configured to be able to execute a program stored in the storage unit 53. To explain further, in the computer 51, the processing unit 52 executes a simulation program 60 stored in the storage unit 53, thereby performing a simulation.

[0041] The storage unit 53 includes, for example, a storage device such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a hard disk drive (HDD), or a solid state drive (SSD). The storage unit 53 may also include a removable storage device. The storage unit 53 stores information necessary for the simulation, information generated by the simulation, and the like.

[0042] An input / output device 54 is connected to the computer 51, and the computer 51 serves as a control unit that controls the input / output device 54. To explain in more detail, the computer 51 is configured to be able to receive information input from an input unit 55 of the input / output device 54, and is also configured to be able to output information at an output unit 56, for example, to display the information.

[0043] The computer 51 receives input information 70 input from the input / output device 54. The processing unit 52 executes output processing to output at least one of the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P of the mobile object based on the input information 70.

[0044] <Input / Output Device 54> The input / output device 54 is a user interface that can input and output information. The input / output device 54 includes an input unit 55 and an output unit 56.

[0045] Examples of the output unit 56 include an image display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (electric luminescence) display, etc. The output unit 56 can be controlled by the computer 51 and can widely adopt a configuration capable of displaying information received from the computer 51. The output unit 56 may also be configured to include an image forming device that forms an image on a sheet such as recording paper.

[0046] The input unit 55 may be configured to input numbers and characters, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch input device. When a mouse or a touch input device is used, a configuration may be used in which a character table is displayed on the output unit 56 and characters are selected from the character table by operating the input unit 55. The input unit 55 accepts input information 70. The input information 70 input from the input unit 55 may be supplied to the computer 51 as an electronic file that collectively describes multiple types of information.

[0047] The system 50 is also provided with a connection unit 57 for connecting to the Internet INT. The connection unit 57 is connected to the computer 51, and information acquired via the Internet INT is sent from the connection unit 57 to the computer 51.

[0048] <Simulation Program 60> As described above, the simulation is executed by running the simulation program 60 stored in the storage unit 53. Details of the simulation program 60 will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0049] 4, the program 60 is divided into a plurality of modules for each function. The program 60 includes an input module 61, a motor characteristic calculation module 62, a required condition calculation module 63, and an output module 64.

[0050] <Input Information 70> The processing unit 52 receives input information 70 input from the input / output device 54 through the operation of the input module 61. The input information 70 to the computer 51 includes at least specifications 3S of the motor 3, information 1S of the moving object 1 moved by the motor 3, a movement pattern 1C of the moving object 1, and information 41S of the battery 41 that supplies power to the motor 3.

[0051] In other words, the input information 70 includes at least specifications 3S of the motor 3, information 1S of the moving body 1 moved by the motor 3, movement pattern 1C of the moving body 1, and information 41S of the battery 41 that supplies power to the motor 3.

[0052] Each piece of information included in the input information 70 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 8. In the following description, each of the specifications 3S of the motor 3, the information 1S of the moving object 1, the movement pattern 1C, and the information 41S of the battery 41 includes one or more types of information. Also, each piece of information may not include all of the information that makes up the information.

[0053] 5, the specifications 3S of the motor 3 include at least one of the weight 31w of the rotor 31, the gear ratio R3 of the motor 3, information 3N of the rotational speed of the motor 3, information 3T of the torque of the motor 3, and electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3. The specifications 3S of the motor 3 may further include the number of poles, inductance, and flux linkage.

[0054] The gear ratio R3 of the motor 3 can be a gear ratio obtained by combining the gears 35, 36, 37, and 38 included in the motor 3. In the case of a motor 3 that does not include the gears 35, 36, 37, and 38, the gear ratio is "1." The gear ratio may also include information other than the above. The number of gears is not limited to four.

[0055] The rotational speed information 3N of the motor 3 includes information related to the rotational speed. In the specifications 3S of the motor 3 shown in FIG. 5 , the rated rotational speed can be given as an example of the rotational speed information 3N of the motor 3. The rotational speed information 3N of the motor 3 may also include information related to the rotational speed, such as a maximum allowable rotational speed and a rotational speed constant. The rotational speed information 3N of the motor 3 may also include information indicating the rotational speed relative to the applied voltage, the relationship between the voltage and the rotational speed, etc., such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0056] The torque information 3T of the motor 3 includes information related to the torque of the motor 3. In the specifications 3S of the motor 3 shown in FIG. 5 , the rated torque can be given as an example of the torque information 3T of the motor 3. The torque information 3T of the motor 3 may also include other information related to torque, such as stall torque and torque constant. The torque information 3T of the motor 3 may also include information indicating the torque relative to the applied voltage, the relationship between voltage and torque, etc., such as a TN curve, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0057] The inductance of the motor 3 includes information indicating the d-axis inductance Ld and the q-axis inductance Lq of the coil 32b that constitutes the motor 3. As shown in Fig. 5, examples of inductance include the d-axis inductance Ld and the q-axis inductance Lq. Note that the inductance of the motor 3 may include information for acquiring the d-axis inductance Ld and the q-axis inductance Lq, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0058] The flux linkage includes information indicating the armature flux linkage Ψm due to the magnet 31c of the motor 3. Note that the flux linkage may include information for acquiring the armature flux linkage Ψm, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0059] The electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3 include information indicating the current and voltage applied to the coil 32b of the motor 3 relative to the applied voltage. As shown in FIG. 5 , an example of the electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3 is the rated voltage. The electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3 may also include the rated current, starting current, and back electromotive force constant. The electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3 may also include information regarding current and voltage, such as the allowable current and nominal voltage. The electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3 may also include information such as the amount of current relative to the applied voltage. Furthermore, the electrical characteristics 3E of the motor 3 may also include information for obtaining current and voltage information, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0060] The above-mentioned information of the specifications 3S of the motor 3 is an example, and information other than the above may be included.

[0061] The information 1S of the moving body 1 includes information about the electric vehicle 11. As shown in Fig. 6 , the information 1S of the moving body 1 includes at least one of the weight 1w of the moving body 1, the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13 provided between the motor 3 and the rotating body 2, the shape 2S of the rotating body 2, the resistance 1r of the moving body 1 generated by the movement of the moving body 1, and information 1g of the regenerative operation of the moving body 1.

[0062] An example of the weight 1w of the moving body 1 is the weight 11w of the electric vehicle 11. The weight may be, for example, the vehicle weight of the electric vehicle 11, or the total vehicle weight obtained by adding the weight of the electric vehicle 11, the weight of the passengers, and the weight of luggage.

[0063] The information 1S of the moving object 1 includes the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13. If the power transmission mechanism 13 is a transmission, it may have a plurality of transmission ratios R13. Furthermore, if the power transmission mechanism 13 is a continuously variable transmission, the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism may include information for acquiring the range of the transmission ratio and the transmission ratio, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0064] The shape 2S of the rotating body 2 of the mobile body 1 includes information indicating the shape of the rotating body 2 rotated by the motor 3. An electric vehicle 11 is an example of a mobile body 1 that travels on a road. In the electric vehicle 11, the wheels 12, which are rotating bodies 2, rotate to move. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the radius R of the wheels 12, which are an example of the rotating body 2, can be given as an example of the shape 2S of the rotating body 2. Note that the shape of the rotating body 2 may include the wheel perimeter length. The shape 2S of the rotating body 2 may also include information indicating the brand and size of tires that form part of the wheels 12.

[0065] The resistance 1r of the moving body 1 is the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body 1. For example, the resistance 1r of the moving body 1 may be the air resistance coefficient due to the wind generated when the moving body 1 is running. In addition, the resistance 1r of the moving body 1 may also include the rolling resistance coefficient of the wheels 12. Furthermore, when the shape of the rotating body 2 includes information indicating the brand and size of the wheels 12, the processing unit 52 may execute the program 60 to acquire the rolling resistance coefficient of the wheels 12 via the Internet INT based on the information on the brand and size of the wheels 12.

[0066] The information 1S of the moving body 1 includes information 1g of the regenerative operation of the motor 3 of the moving body 1. For example, if the moving speed 1V of the moving body 1 is slow, power generation by the regenerative operation may not be sufficient. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6 , the information 1g of the regenerative operation of the moving body 1 can include the minimum speed at which the regenerative operation of the moving body 1 is performed.

[0067] The above-mentioned information 1S of the moving body 1 is merely an example, and information other than the above may be included.

[0068] The movement pattern 1C of the moving body 1 includes the movement pattern 1C of the moving body 1. As shown in Fig. 7 , the movement pattern 1C of the moving body 1 includes at least one of a movement speed 1V, a movement time 1E, a change in speed over a predetermined period C1, and a change in acceleration over a predetermined period C2.

[0069] The movement pattern 1C of the moving body 1 may include a movement speed 1V of the moving body 1 and a movement time 1E of the moving body 1.

[0070] The movement pattern 1C of the moving object 1 may include a change 1Vt in the speed V of the moving object 1 over an elapsed time t. As shown in Fig. 7 , the change 1Vt in the speed V of the moving object 1 over an elapsed time t has the elapsed time t on the horizontal axis and the speed V on the vertical axis. Note that the change 1Vt in the speed V of the moving object 1 over an elapsed time t may include information indicating the relationship between the movement distance and the speed V, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0071] The movement pattern 1C of the moving object 1 may include a transition 1at of the acceleration a over time t of the moving object 1. As shown in Fig. 7 , the transition 1at of the acceleration a over time t of the moving object 1 has the elapsed time t on the horizontal axis and the acceleration a on the vertical axis. The acceleration a over time t of the moving object 1 may include information indicating the relationship between the movement distance and the velocity V, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0072] The change 1Vt in the speed V of the moving body 1 over time t and the change 1at in the acceleration a of the moving body 1 over time t may be a standard determined by, for example, the country or region where the moving body 2 is used. In this case, at least one of the change 1Vt in the speed V of the moving body 1 over time t and the change 1at in the acceleration a of the moving body 1 over time t may include the name or symbol of the standard. In this case, the processing unit 52 may execute the input module 61 to acquire the change 1Vt in the speed V of the moving body 1 over time t via the Internet INT.

[0073] The above-mentioned information of the movement pattern 1C is an example, and information other than the above may be included.

[0074] The information 41S of the battery 41 that supplies power to the motor 41 includes information about the battery 41 mounted on the moving object 1. As shown in Fig. 8 , the battery information 41S includes at least one of the type 41L of the battery 41, the capacity of the battery 41, the internal resistance 41r of the battery 41, and the deterioration state of the battery 41.

[0075] The information 41S of the battery 41 includes a type 41L of the battery 41. The type 41L of the battery 41 may include information indicating the type of battery, such as a lithium-ion battery, a lithium polymer battery, or a nickel-metal hydride battery. As shown in FIG. 8 , a lithium-ion battery is an example of the type 41L of the battery 41. When a general-purpose battery is used as the battery 41, the type 41L of the battery 41 may include a model number of the battery. The model number of the battery may be any of those used in the market, those determined by domestic or international standards, and those used internally by the business. When the type 41L of the battery 41 includes a model number of the battery, the processing unit 52 may obtain the information from, for example, a database on a server on the Internet.

[0076] The information 41S of the battery 41 includes the capacity 41c of the battery 41. The capacity 41c of the battery 41 may include information about the capacity of the battery 41, such as the maximum voltage, the maximum current, and a charge / discharge curve. The information 41S of the battery 41 also includes the weight 41w of the battery 41. Basically, the larger the capacity 41c of the battery 41, the heavier the weight 41w of the battery 41. The weight 41w of the battery 41 is also related to the type 41L of the battery 41.

[0077] The information 41S of the battery 41 includes an internal resistance 41r of the battery 41. The internal resistance 41r of the battery 41 may include information indicating the relationship between the number of charges and the internal resistance of the battery, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0078] Many batteries deteriorate due to repeated charging and discharging. The information 41S of the battery 41 includes a deterioration state 41d of the battery 41. The deterioration state 41d of the battery 41 can be exemplified by the deterioration rate of the battery 41. The deterioration rate of the battery 41 is information indicating the current maximum charge amount as a percentage based on the chargeable capacity in an unused state. The battery deterioration state 41d may also include the number of charges and the number of remaining charges. The number of remaining charges is the number of times the battery can be charged before the capacity at full charge drops to a certain value. The deterioration information 41d of the battery 41 may also include information indicating the deterioration rate and the number of charges, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0079] The above-mentioned information in the battery information 41S is merely an example, and information other than the above may be included.

[0080] When the moving body 1 moves, loss occurs due to the driving of the motor 3. Therefore, the input information 70 may further include loss information 71. The loss information 71 includes multiple types of information.

[0081] The loss information 71 includes information about losses generated in the motor 3 when the electric vehicle 11 is moving. As shown in Fig. 9 , the loss information 71 includes at least one of copper loss PCu, iron loss Pfe, stray loss Pstr, friction loss Pf, wind loss Pw, and inverter loss Pinv.

[0082] The copper loss PCu is the power loss consumed as Joule heat by the conductors constituting the coil 32b, etc. The copper loss PCu is expressed, for example, by the following equation (5) using the resistance value rCu of the conductors, the d-axis current Id, and the q-axis current Iq. 9, the loss information 71 may include, as an example, the resistance value rCu of the conductors constituting the coil 32b, etc., as the copper loss PCu. Note that the above formula is merely an example, and a different formula may be used. In such a case, the copper loss PCu may include information for calculating the copper loss PCu, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0083] The iron loss Pfe is a loss generated in the iron core portion of the stator core 32 a. The iron loss Pfe is expressed, for example, by the following equation (6) using an iron loss coefficient Cfe, a rotational speed N3 of the motor 3, a Steinmetz multiplier γ, a d-axis current Id, a q-axis current Iq, a d-axis inductance Ld, a q-axis inductance Lq, and an armature flux linkage Ψm. As shown in Fig. 9, the loss information 71 may include an iron loss coefficient Cfe as an example of iron loss. Other values ​​can be obtained from other input information. Note that the above formula is an example, and a different formula may be used. In that case, the iron loss Pfe may include information for calculating the iron loss Pfe, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0084] The stray loss Pstr is a loss caused by harmonic magnetic flux. The stray loss Pstr is expressed by, for example, the following equation (7) where Cstr is a stray loss coefficient, f is the frequency of the input current I, Id is the d-axis current, and Iq is the q-axis current. 9 , the loss information 71 may include a value E3 of the stray loss coefficient Cstr as an example of stray loss. Note that the above formula is just an example, and a different formula may be used. In that case, for example, the stray loss Pstr may include information for calculating the stray loss Pstr, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0085] The friction loss Pf is loss due to friction in the bearings that support the motor shaft 31a. The friction loss Pf is expressed by, for example, the following equation (8), where Tf is the friction torque and N3 is the rotational speed of the motor 3. As shown in Fig. 9, the loss information 71 may include friction torque Tf as an example of friction loss. Other numerical values ​​can be obtained from other input information. Note that the above formula is an example, and a different formula may be used. In that case, the friction loss Pf may include information for calculating the friction loss Pf, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, a relational expression, etc.

[0086] The wind loss Pw is a loss caused by air resistance of the rotor 31 when the rotor 31 rotates. The wind loss Pw is expressed by, for example, the following equation (9), where kw is a windage loss coefficient and N3 is the rotation speed of the motor 3. As shown in FIG. 9 , the loss information 71 may include a windage loss coefficient (kw) value E5 as an example of windage loss. Other values ​​can be obtained from other input information. Note that the above formula is merely an example, and a different formula may be used. In that case, for example, the windage loss Pw may include information for calculating the windage loss Pw, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0087] The inverter loss Pinv is a loss that occurs in the inverter 42. The processing unit 52 calculates the loss in the motor 3 and the inverter 42 based on the loss information 71. The inverter loss Pinv is expressed by the following equation (10) where Vdc is the power supply voltage, I is the input current, I is the rise time tr of the switching element, tf is the fall time tf, Von is the voltage during the on-period, ton is the length of the on-period, Irr is the overshoot current, Irr is the overshoot time, and fsw is the switching frequency. As shown in FIG. 9 , examples of the loss information 71 include the switching frequency fsw and the length of the on-period t on as inverter losses. Other values ​​can be obtained or calculated from other input information. Note that the above formula is an example, and a different formula may be used. In that case, for example, the inverter loss Pinv may include information for calculating the inverter loss Pinv, such as a scatter diagram, a diagram, or a relational expression.

[0088] The above-mentioned information in the loss information 71 is merely an example, and information other than the above may be included.

[0089] The performance of the motor 3, battery 41, inverter 42, etc. varies depending on environmental conditions, particularly temperature. Therefore, the input information 70 further includes environmental information 72. As shown in Fig. 10 , the environmental information 72 includes the temperature 3d of the motor 3 and the temperature 1d of the moving object 1. That is, the input information 70 further includes environmental information 72 including at least one of the temperature 3d of the motor 3 and the temperature 1d of the moving object 1.

[0090] An example of the temperature 3d of the motor 3 is the temperature of the outer surface of the housing 34 of the motor 3. The temperature 3d of the motor 3 may also be the temperature of another location, such as the temperature of the motor shaft 31d. The temperature 3d of the motor 3 may also include other information. The temperature 3d of the motor 3 is not limited to a specific numerical value. For example, the temperature 3d of the motor 3 may include information for calculating the temperature 3d of the motor 3, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0091] An example of the temperature 1d of the moving object 1 is the outside air temperature, which is the temperature around the moving object 1. The temperature 1d of the moving object 1 may also include the temperature of the battery 41 and the temperature of the inverter 42. Information other than the information described above may also be included. The temperature 1d of the moving object 1 is not limited to a specific numerical value, and may include information for calculating the temperature 1d of the moving object 1, such as a scatter diagram, a line diagram, or a relational expression.

[0092] The input information 70 may include necessary information other than that described above. Therefore, the input information 70 may include other information 73. Examples of the other information 73 include the engine / motor operating ratio of a hybrid vehicle. In addition to this, other information necessary to acquire at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the mobile object 1 may also be included.

[0093] Each module of the program 60 includes an arithmetic expression for performing a calculation using the input information 70. The other information 73 may include information for changing the arithmetic expression included in each module. The input information 70 may also include scatter plots, line diagrams, relational expressions, etc.

[0094] 4, the processing unit 52 executes the motor characteristics calculation module 62 of the program 60 to calculate the characteristics of the motor 3 based on the specifications 3S of the motor 3. The processing unit 52 may further use information included in the loss information 71, information included in the environmental information 72, and other information 73.

[0095] The characteristic 3Q of the motor 3 may include, for example, a TN characteristic St showing the relationship between the torque T3 of the motor 3 and the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 in Fig. 11, and a current map Mp showing the relationship between the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq and the efficiency η in Fig. 12. The TN characteristic St shown in Fig. 11 corresponds to the current map Mp shown in Fig. 12. Information other than these may also be used.

[0096] In the TN characteristic St shown in Figure 11, the horizontal axis represents the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3, and the vertical axis represents the torque T3 of the motor 3. The solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St shown in Figure 11 has feature points S1 to S4. The portion of the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St shown in Figure 11 from feature point S1 to feature point S2 represents the relationship between the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the maximum value of the torque T3 of the motor 3 in the maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) region. The MTPA region represents the relationship between the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 when control is performed to maximize the motor torque generated when the current amplitude is constant. In the MTPA region, the solid line St1 represents the maximum value of the torque T3 of the motor 3.

[0097] The portion of the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St from characteristic point S2 to characteristic point S3 indicates the relationship between the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the maximum value of the torque T3 of the motor 3 in the constant power speed range (CPSR) region. The CPSR region indicates the relationship between the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 when control is performed to maximize the torque T3 of the motor 3 while keeping the output of the motor 3 constant. In the CPSR region, the solid line St1 indicates the maximum torque T3 of the motor 3. The CPSR region is a region where the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 is higher than in the MTPA region.

[0098] The portion of the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St from feature point S3 to feature point S4 indicates the relationship between the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the maximum value of the torque T3 of the motor 3 in the maximum torque per voltage (MTPV) region. The MTPV region indicates the relationship between the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 when control is performed to maximize the motor torque generated when the voltage amplitude is kept constant. In the MTPV region, the solid line St1 indicates the maximum value of the torque T3 of the motor 3. The MTPV region is a region where the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 is higher than in the CPSR region.

[0099] 11 indicates the maximum value of the torque T3 of the motor 3 at a predetermined rotation speed N3 of the motor 3. In other words, the motor 3 can operate within the range enclosed by the solid line.

[0100] FIG. 12 shows a current map Mp illustrating the relationship between the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq determined based on torque and rotational speed. The solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp corresponds to the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St. More specifically, the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp shown in FIG. 12 has characteristic points U1 to U4. In the TN characteristic St of FIG. 11, the portion of the solid line St1 from characteristic point S1 to characteristic point S2 corresponds to the curve of the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp extending from characteristic point U1 to characteristic point U2. That is, the curve of the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp extending from characteristic point U1 to characteristic point U2 represents the maximum torque in the MTPA region, and the MTPA region is the region below the curve of the solid line Mp1 extending from characteristic point U1 to characteristic point U2.

[0101] Furthermore, the portion of the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St from characteristic point S2 to characteristic point S3 corresponds to the curve of the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp from characteristic point U2 to characteristic point U3. In other words, the curve of the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp from characteristic point U2 to characteristic point U3 represents the maximum torque in the CPSR region, and the CPSR region is the region below the curve from characteristic point U2 to characteristic point U3.

[0102] Furthermore, the portion of the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St from characteristic point S3 to characteristic point S4 corresponds to the curve extending from characteristic point U3 to characteristic point U4 of the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp. In other words, the curve extending from characteristic point U3 to characteristic point U4 of the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp represents the maximum torque in the MTPV region, and the MTPV region is the region sandwiched between the curve extending from characteristic point U3 to characteristic point U4 of the solid line Mp1 and the curve extending from characteristic point U3 to characteristic point U4. In other words, the motor 3 can operate within the range enclosed by the solid line Mp1.

[0103] In other words, the region surrounded by the solid line St1 of the TN characteristic St corresponds to the region surrounded by the solid line Mp1 of the current map Mp. Each dot shown in the TN characteristic St of FIG. 11 is an example of a possible value for the torque TR3 and the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3. Each dot shown in the current map Mp of FIG. 12 is an example of a possible value for the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq. There is a one-to-one correspondence between each dot shown in the TN characteristic St of FIG. 11 and each dot shown in the current map Mp of FIG. 12. For example, the characteristic point S2 of the TN characteristic St corresponds to the characteristic point U2 of the current map. In other words, the system 50 determines the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq by running the program 60.

[0104] Furthermore, the TN characteristic St and the current map Mp of the motor 3 change depending on the temperature of the motor 3. Therefore, the motor characteristic calculation module 62 may calculate the TN characteristic St and the current map Mp that change depending on at least one of the temperature of the motor 3 and the ambient temperature. In this way, the influence of temperature can be taken into account on the TN characteristic St and the current map Mp of the motor 3. Note that at least one of the TN characteristic St and the current map Mp may be configured to change depending on the temperature of the motor 3, the ambient temperature, etc.

[0105] Furthermore, the efficiency η is calculated according to the loss information 71. To explain further, if the output of the motor 3 is defined as the output Pe and the loss that occurs when the motor 3 is driven is defined as the loss Ploss, the efficiency η is expressed by the following equation (11).

[0106] As described above, the copper loss Pcu, the iron loss Pfe, and the stray loss Pstr vary with the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq. The inverter loss Pinv varies with the input current I and the switching frequency fsw. The friction loss Pf and the wind loss Pw vary with the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3. Therefore, the processing unit 52 can calculate the efficiency η based on the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq corresponding to the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3. In other words, the processing unit 52 can calculate the efficiency η corresponding to the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3. Each dot in the TN characteristic St shown in FIG. 11 contains information about the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3, the torque T3 of the motor 3, and the efficiency η. Each dot in the current map Mp shown in FIG. 12 contains information about the d-axis current Id, the q-axis current Iq, and the efficiency η.

[0107] The TN characteristic St shown in Figure 11 shows contour lines dividing the efficiency η of each dot into regions Ar1 to Ar5 within a certain range. In Figure 11, the region with a first efficiency η1 or greater is designated as the first region Ar1, the region with a second efficiency η2 or greater but less than the first efficiency η1 is designated as the second region Ar2, the region with a third efficiency η3 or greater but less than the second efficiency η2 is designated as the third region Ar3, the region with a fourth efficiency or greater but less than the third efficiency η3 is designated as the fourth region Ar4, and the region with a fourth efficiency or greater but less than the fourth efficiency η4 is designated as the fifth region Ar5. As shown in the TN characteristic shown in Figure 11, the central portion of the rotational speed N3 and torque T3 of the motor 3 is the region Ar1 with the highest efficiency, and the efficiency decreases as the distance from region Ar1 increases. As described above, the efficiency η is calculated at each representative point Pt, and the efficiency η may differ even within the same region.

[0108] In addition, in the current map Mp shown in FIG. 12 , the loss Ploss at each representative point Ps is represented by contour lines dividing the loss Ploss into certain ranges. In FIG. 12 , the region where the loss Ploss is less than the first loss Pl1 is designated as the first region As1, the region where the loss Ploss is equal to or greater than the first loss Pl1 but less than the second loss Pl2 is designated as the second region As2, the region where the loss Ploss is equal to or greater than the second loss Pl2 but less than the third loss Pl3 is designated as the third region As3, the region where the loss Ploss is equal to or greater than the third loss Pl3 but less than the fourth loss Pl4 is designated as the fourth region As4, and the region where the loss Ploss is equal to or greater than the fourth loss Pl4 is designated as the fifth region As5. As shown in FIG. 12 , in the current map Mp, the loss Ploss is small in areas where the difference between the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq is small, and the loss Ploss increases as both the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq increase. Furthermore, the loss Ploss increases in areas where the d-axis current Id is large and the q-axis current Iq is small.

[0109] Note that the input information 70 may be insufficient for the processing unit 52 to execute the motor characteristic calculation module 62. In this case, the processing unit 52 may check whether or not appropriate information is available in the storage unit 53, and if appropriate information is available, may read the appropriate information from the storage unit 53. Furthermore, if appropriate information is not available, the processing unit 52 may prompt the user to input information, or may connect to an external network such as the Internet and supplement the appropriate value by referring to representative values, commonly used values, values ​​of equivalent motors, etc. Furthermore, the input information 70 may be added by the processing unit 52 executing the input module 61. Furthermore, the processing unit 52 may execute an information acquisition program (not shown) linked to the program 60 to acquire information and add or change the input information 70.

[0110] The TN characteristics St and the current map Mp may also include information on the pair PNT, the efficiency η, the d-axis current Id, the q-axis current Iq, and the loss Ploss. This allows for more accurate information output, as even if the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 do not coincide with the representative point Pt, the nearest representative point Pt can be selected to obtain approximate values ​​of the efficiency η and the loss Ploss.

[0111] <Required condition calculation module 63> The processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate required conditions that are conditions necessary for the movement of the electric vehicle 11. The processing unit 52 uses, as variables, information included in the information 1S of the moving object 1 and information included in the movement pattern 1C. In addition to these, the processing unit 52 may also use, as variables, information included in other information 73.

[0112] That is, the processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate the required conditions for moving the electric vehicle 11. The speed and acceleration of the electric vehicle 11 are determined by the rotational speed and torque of the motor 3. In other words, when moving the electric vehicle 11, the motor 3 is required to rotate at a rotational speed and torque corresponding to the movement of the electric vehicle 11. The rotational speed and torque required of the motor 3 are defined as the required rotational speed Nc and the required torque Tc. That is, the required conditions include one of the required rotational speed Nc and the required torque Tc. Furthermore, at least one of the speed V and acceleration a of the electric vehicle 11 may change with elapsed time t. In such cases, the required rotational speed Nc and the required torque Tc also change with elapsed time t. Therefore, the required conditions can be represented by a change 1N of the required rotational speed Nc over elapsed time t and a change 1M of the required torque Tc over elapsed time t, as shown in FIG. 13 .

[0113] 13, the processing unit 52 calculates a change 1N in the required rotation speed due to a change in the elapsed time t and a change 1M in the required torque due to a change in the elapsed time t for each transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13. Note that although the horizontal axis in FIG. 13 represents the elapsed time t, similar information can be obtained by using the travel distance as the horizontal axis.

[0114] For example, assume that the electric vehicle 11 travels on a slope with an angle α, as shown in Fig. 14. The processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63. The processing unit 52 calculates, for example, a power Fp for moving the electric vehicle 11 as a required condition, using the following equation (12).

[0115] Then, the torque T13 supplied to the drive shaft 14 so that the electric vehicle 11 moves at a speed V at an elapsed time t is calculated by the following equation (13).

[0116] The inertial force, rolling resistance, and gravity are calculated based on the weight M of the electric vehicle 11. The inertial force is proportional to acceleration, that is, the time derivative of speed. The air resistance changes in proportion to the frontal projected area and aerodynamic drag coefficient of the electric vehicle 11 and the square of the speed. Therefore, the processing unit 52 calculates the inertial force and air resistance based on the speed V and acceleration a at a certain elapsed time t obtained from the speed transition C3 or acceleration transition C4 of the movement pattern 1C.

[0117] The processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate the power Fp and torque T13 at a predetermined elapsed time t.

[0118] More specifically, the processing unit 52 acquires the speed V of the electric vehicle 11 at a predetermined elapsed time t from at least one of the speed transition C3 and the acceleration transition C4 shown in Fig. 7. Then, the processing unit 52 calculates the power Fp and torque T13 of the electric vehicle 11 using equations (8) and (9). The processing unit 52 also calculates the rotational speed N13 from the speed of the electric vehicle 11 and the radius R of the wheel 12.

[0119] The rotation speed N3 and torque T3 of the motor 3 output from the motor 3 are transmitted to the drive shaft 14 via the power transmission mechanism 13. Therefore, the processing unit 52 calculates the required rotation speed and required torque required of the motor 3 at a predetermined elapsed time t based on the rotation speed N13, torque T13, and transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13. That is, the processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate the required rotation speed and required torque from the rotation speed N13 and torque T13. The processing unit 52 calculates, for example, the required rotation speed and required torque for each transmission ratio R13. Furthermore, when the transmission ratio R13 is continuously variable, the required rotation speed and required torque may be a correlation determined within a certain range, for example, a function.

[0120] Furthermore, it is not necessary to consider all of the coefficients in equation (13), and a configuration may be adopted in which only some of the coefficients are considered. A configuration in which the required torque can be calculated based on the power Fp for moving the electric vehicle 11 at the required speed V and the radius R of the wheels 12 can be widely adopted.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 7 , the speed V and acceleration a of the electric vehicle 11 change in response to changes in elapsed time t. Therefore, the processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate a change 1N in the required rotational speed Nc of the motor 3 as the elapsed time t changes, and a change 1M in the required torque Tc as the elapsed time t changes. In this manner, the processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate a change 1N in the required rotational speed Nc of the motor 3 as the elapsed time t changes, and a change 1M in the required torque Tc as the elapsed time t changes, when the electric vehicle 11 is moving. Then, the processing unit 52 calculates a pair PNT of the rotational speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 with high efficiency η, based on the TN characteristic St. Furthermore, the processing unit 52 references the current map Mp to calculate a d-axis current Id and a q-axis current Iq corresponding to the pair PNT.

[0122] The electric vehicle 11 may have a function of moving while maintaining a constant speed in places where it can travel long distances or for long periods of time without stopping, such as on a highway. Assuming such a case, the change 1N of the required rotation speed Nc of the motor 3 due to the change in elapsed time t and the change 1M of the required torque Tc due to the change in elapsed time t can also be calculated in the same manner as described above.

[0123] That is, when a constant speed is maintained, the speed does not change even if the time or distance changes. Therefore, the processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate a change 1N in the required rotation speed Nc of the motor 3 due to a change in the elapsed time t and a change 1M in the required torque Tc due to a change in the elapsed time t, based on the constant speed C1, the power Fp, and the transmission ratio R13.

[0124] 4 , the processing unit 52 executes the output module 64 to output at least one of the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P of the moving object 1 based on the input information 70 to the processing unit 52. Here, the processing unit 52 outputs the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P of the electric vehicle 11.

[0125] The processing unit 52 executes the output module 64 and outputs at least one of the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P based on the TN characteristics St, the current map Mp, the required rotation speed Nc at the elapsed time t, and the required torque Tc at the elapsed time t. The processing unit 52 may also use information included in the other information 73.

[0126] The operation of the output module 64 will be described in detail below. In the following description, it is assumed that the speed V and acceleration a of the electric vehicle 11 change over time t. The processing unit 52 acquires the required rotation speed Nc and the required torque Tc at a predetermined elapsed time t from the change 1N of the required rotation speed due to the change over time t and the change 1M of the required torque Tc due to the change over time t (see FIG. 13 ).

[0127] The processing unit 52 then refers to the TN characteristics St to obtain the torque T3, rotation speed N3, and efficiency η of the motor 3 that correspond to the required rotation speed and required torque. When determining the rotation speed N3 and torque T3 of the motor 3 from the required rotation speed and required torque, the processing unit 52 may use the closest pair PNT. Alternatively, the processing unit 52 may refer to the efficiency η of the pair PNT to find an approximate value.

[0128] The processing unit 52 selects the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq corresponding to the pair PNT based on the current map Mp.

[0129] The processing unit 52 executes the output module 64 to output the input current I of the motor 3 at a predetermined elapsed time t based on the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq. The input current I of the motor 3 at the predetermined elapsed time t is output by adding the current calculated based on the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq to the loss calculated based on the loss Ploss. The input current I with the loss added may be, for example, the value obtained by dividing the current calculated based on the d-axis current Id and the q-axis current Iq by the efficiency η.

[0130] Then, the processing unit 52 calculates the input current I required at a predetermined elapsed time t.

[0131] As described above, the electric vehicle 11 is capable of changing speeds and has a plurality of transmission ratios R13 set thereto. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 13 , the required rotation speed and required torque required for the electric vehicle 11 to travel at a predetermined speed V and acceleration a differ depending on the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13.

[0132] In such a case, the processing unit 52 executes the output module 64 and outputs the transmission ratio, the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3, and the torque T3 of the motor 3 that result in a high efficiency η, by referring to the TN characteristic St shown in Fig. 11. The processing unit 52 then outputs the power consumption 1P when moving in accordance with the speed transition C3 in accordance with the selected rotation speed N3 and torque T3 of the motor 3. The processing unit 52 integrates the input current I over the total elapsed time, and outputs the power consumption 1P required for movement.

[0133] In this way, the processing unit 52 can output at least one of the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P by executing the program 60. The program 60 can also make suggestions for efficiently operating the motor 3, for example, suggesting which of a plurality of transmission ratios R13 to select.

[0134] The processing unit 52 can also execute the output module 64 to output the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P when movement at a constant speed C1 is set in the movement pattern 1C. Furthermore, the processing unit 52 can also execute the output module 64 to output the cruising distance 1D and power consumption 1P when movement time 1E is set in the movement pattern 1C. More specifically, when movement is at a constant speed C1 or the movement time is fixed, the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3 are assumed to be constant regardless of the elapsed time or the movement distance.

[0135] The processing unit 52 executes the output module 64 to output the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P, and the computer 51 sends these to the output unit 56 of the input / output device 54. The input / output device 54 displays the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P on the output unit 56.

[0136] The cruising distance 1D and cruising time 1T output by the processing unit 52 executing the output module 64 may be the actual distance, or a ratio relative to a given target cruising distance or a ratio relative to the target cruising time may be output. For example, assume that the target cruising distance is 510 km. In this state, assume that the cruising distance 1D output by the processing unit 52 executing the output module 64 is 560 km. The processing unit 52 may output the actual distance of 560 km as the cruising distance 1D, or a ratio of 1.1 or 110%. Alternatively, both the actual distance and the ratio may be output.

[0137] Furthermore, the power consumption 1P output by the processing unit 52 executing the output module 64 may be the actual power consumption or the remaining capacity of the battery 41. For example, suppose that the capacity D2 of the battery 41 is 60 kWh, and the calculated power consumption output by the processing unit 52 executing the output module 64 is 42 kWh. The processing unit 52 may output the actual amount of power 42 kWh, the remaining amount of power 18 kWh, the ratio of the consumed amount of power to the battery capacity D2 of 0.7 or 70%, or the ratio of the remaining amount of power to the battery capacity D2 of 0.3 or 30%. Alternatively, both the actual amount of power and the ratio may be output. Furthermore, the power consumption 1P may be the amount of power consumed when the electric vehicle 11 travels a predetermined distance.

[0138] The program 60 described above is configured by dividing it into modules 61, 62, 63, and 64. The processing unit 52 executes the motor characteristics calculation module 62, the required condition calculation module 63, and the output module 64 to output the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P from the input information 70. However, the program 60 is not limited to this, and may include other modules. Furthermore, the program 60 may be configured by combining at least two of the above-described modules into one module. Furthermore, the program 60 may be configured by a single module.

[0139] <Simulation Method> Next, a simulation will be described with reference to the drawings. In a simulation using the program 60 shown in Fig. 4, the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P are obtained based on the input information 70 described above.

[0140] 15, in step S101, the processing unit 52 waits until the input information 70 is input. Specifically, the processing unit 52 repeats step S101 until the input information 70 is input, that is, while step S101 is No.

[0141] If the processing unit 52 confirms that the input information 70 has been received, the result of step S101 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to step S102. In step S102, the processing unit 52 executes the input module 61 to check whether there is any information not included in the input information 70. If the processing unit 52 determines that there is any information not included in the input information, the result of step S102 becomes Yes, and the process proceeds to step S103.

[0142] In step S103, the processing unit 52 confirms whether the operator will re-input. If the processing unit 52 confirms that the operator will re-input, the result of step S103 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S104. In step S104, the processing unit 52 holds the current input information, and the process returns to step S101 to confirm whether the input has been accepted. Whether the operator will re-input is confirmed, for example, by an input from the input unit 55.

[0143] If the operator confirms that he / she will not re-input, the answer is No in step S103 and the process proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the processing unit 52 determines whether the information not included in the input information 70 includes information to be acquired via the Internet. Note that the confirmation that the operator will not re-input may be based on the operator's input indicating that no selection has been made, or may be based on the passage of a certain period of time without input. Furthermore, examples of acquiring information via the Internet include acquiring information from a homepage published on the Internet, acquiring information from a database on a server on the Internet, and the like. Furthermore, acquiring information via the Internet may also include a wide variety of methods of connecting to the Internet and acquiring information available on the Internet.

[0144] Examples of information acquired via the Internet include the rolling resistance 11r of the resistance of the information 1S of the moving body 1, the speed transition C1 of the speed transition of the movement pattern 1C, etc. The computer 51 may also acquire information other than these via the Internet.

[0145] If the computer 51 determines that there is information to be acquired via the Internet, the answer is Yes in step S105, and the process proceeds to step S106. In step S106, the computer 51 acquires the target information via the Internet, and the process proceeds to step S107. If the computer 51 determines that there is no information to be acquired via the Internet, the answer is No in step S105, and the process proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the processing unit 52 checks whether information stored in the storage unit 53 as information not included in the input information 70 is available.

[0146] Usable information stored in the storage unit 53 may include, for example, information for calculating each piece of information in the loss information 71, such as a mathematical formula. In addition to this, information previously used in a calculation may be stored in the storage unit 53, and the processing unit 52 may acquire the information from the storage unit 53. Generally used information may also be stored in the storage unit 53, and the processing unit 52 may acquire the information stored in the storage unit 53.

[0147] If the processing unit 52 determines that there is usable information among the information stored in the storage unit 53, the result of step S107 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S108. Note that steps S107 and S108 may be configured to be executed before step S105. In other words, the acquisition of information via the Internet and the use of information stored in the storage unit 53 may be configured to be executed first.

[0148] In step S108, the processing unit 52 acquires information from the storage unit 53, and the process proceeds to step S109. If the processing unit 52 determines that there is no available information in the storage unit 53, the result of step S107 is No, and the process proceeds to step S109. If the processing unit 52 determines that there is no information not included in the input information 70 in step S102, the result of step S102 is No, and the process proceeds to step S109.

[0149] In step S109, the processing unit 52 executes the motor characteristic calculation module 62 to calculate the TN characteristic St, the current map Mp, and the efficiency η of the motor 3 based on the specifications 3S of the motor 3, the loss information 71, the environmental information 72, and the other information 73 of the input information 70. Note that calculating the TN characteristic St, the current map Mp, and the efficiency η also includes storing the results in the storage unit 53. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0150] In step S110, the processing unit 52 executes the required condition calculation module 63 to calculate a transition 1N of the required rotation speed Nc of the motor 3 due to changes in the elapsed time t and a transition 1M of the required torque Tc due to changes in the elapsed time t, based on the information 1S of the moving object 1, the movement pattern 1C, and other information 73 of the input information 70. Note that calculating the transition 1N of the required rotation speed Nc due to changes in the elapsed time t and the transition 1M of the required torque Tc due to changes in the elapsed time t also includes the process of storing the transitions 1N and 1M in the memory unit 53. The process then proceeds to step S111.

[0151] In step S111, the processing unit 52 executes the output module 64 to output the cruising range 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P based on the TN characteristic St, the current map Mp, the change 1N of the required rotation speed Nc due to changes in the elapsed time t, and the change 1M of the required torque Tc due to changes in the elapsed time t. Then, the process proceeds to step S112. In step S112, the computer 51 sends the cruising range 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P to the output unit 56 of the input / output device 54 and displays them on the output unit 56.

[0152] As described above, in the design method of this embodiment, at least the specifications 3S of the motor 3, the information 1S of the mobile object 1, the movement pattern 1C, and the battery information 41S are used as input information 70. Then, the processing unit 52 can output the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P by executing the program 60. In other words, the specifications of the motor, the information of the mobile object, the movement pattern of the mobile object, and the battery information can be used as input information to obtain the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption of the mobile object.

[0153] As described above, the input information 70 may include the loss information 71, the environmental information 72, and the other information 73. By including the loss information 71, the environmental information 72, and the other information 73 in the input information 70, it is possible to acquire the cruising distance 1D, the cruising time 1T, and the power consumption 1P of the electric vehicle 11, including the loss and the environmental conditions.

[0154] In the above-described process, the missing part of the input information is supplemented via the Internet and from the storage unit 53, but the present invention is not limited to this. When there is a missing part in the input information, a method of outputting the information without using the missing part may be used.

[0155] <Design Method> The simulation described above can be used to design the electric vehicle 11, which is the moving body 1. A design method for the electric vehicle 11 will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0156] First, a conventional design method for the motor 3 used in the electric vehicle 11 will be described. As shown in FIG. 16 , the conventional design method is divided into seven steps. It is assumed that a designer performs the work in each step. Note that the term "designer" may refer to, for example, a single worker or a team including multiple workers. First, in the first step Pr1, the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 are considered. The specifications of the electric vehicle 11 include, for example, the size and cruising range of the electric vehicle 11. Taking into account market trends and the performance of conventional electric vehicles, the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 are discussed and determined between the designer and the customer. In the first step Pr1, the designer also considers detailed specifications of the electric vehicle 11. For example, these include the capacity of the battery 41 installed in the electric vehicle 11, the radius R of the wheels 12, and the body shape of the electric vehicle 11 that affects the air resistance of the electric vehicle 11.

[0157] Then, in the second process Pr2, the specifications of the motor 3 to be mounted on the electric vehicle 11 are considered. Specifically, the specifications of the motor 3 necessary to satisfy the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 determined in the first process Pr1 are considered. The specifications of the motor 3 considered in the second process Pr2 include, for example, the rotation speed N3 of the motor 3 and the torque T3 of the motor 3. Note that the designer of the second process Pr2 is often different from the designer of the first process Pr1. The designer determines the specifications of the motor 3 based on the track record of previous products, experience, and simple calculations.

[0158] The designer of the second process Pr2 may request the designer of the first process Pr1 to modify the specifications of the electric vehicle 11. In this case, the process returns to the first process Pr1, and the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 are modified. Modification of the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 may include a request to acquire additional information other than the currently determined specifications of the electric vehicle 11, such as information on the transmission ratio R13 of the power transmission mechanism 13. Modification of the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 may also include a request to acquire additional information other than the currently determined specifications of the electric vehicle 11.

[0159] The third process Pr3 is a process for carrying out detailed design of the motor 3. That is, in the third process Pr3, each parameter of the motor 3 is designed to satisfy the specifications of the motor 3 determined in the second process Pr2. An example of a parameter is the magnetic flux density of the coil 32b. The designer of the third process Pr3 is a motor designer, and is therefore often different from the designer of the electric vehicle 11 in the first process Pr1, and in some cases, the designer of the second process Pr21. If parameters that satisfy the specifications of the motor 3 cannot be determined, the designer of the third process Pr3 will notify the second process Pr2, etc., and modify the specifications.

[0160] Then, in the third process Pr3, a design drawing of the motor 3 is created. The designer in the third process Pr3 can request the designer in the first process Pr1 or Pr2 to modify the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 or the specifications of the motor 3. When a modification is requested by the designer in the third process, the process returns to the first process or the second process, where the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 or the specifications of the motor 3 are modified.

[0161] In the fourth process Pr4, a prototype of the motor 3 is produced. The designers in the fourth process Pr4 are primarily motor 3 implementation engineers, and they produce a prototype of the motor 3 so that it satisfies the detailed design of the motor 3 determined in the third process Pr3. For example, they devise the number of turns and winding method of the coil 32b so that it satisfies the designed magnetic flux density. If this cannot be achieved, improvements to the magnetic material may be developed.

[0162] The designers of the fifth process Pr5 are primarily test engineers of the motor 3, and perform unit tests on the motor 3 prototyped in the fourth process Pr4. Unit tests include, for example, tests of basic electrical characteristics such as open and short tests, and tests of the start-up characteristics and no-load characteristics of the motor 3 using a single-axis bench. The unit tests also test the torque T3, rotational speed N3 (rotational speed of the rotor 31), vibration, noise, etc. of the motor 3.

[0163] Standards are set for the single test in the fifth process Pr5. If the designer in the fifth process Pr5 determines that the standards cannot be met due to a problem with the design of the motor 3, he or she requests the designer in the third process Pt3 to revise the design. Furthermore, if the designer in the fifth process Pr5 determines that the standards cannot be met due to a problem with the prototyping or implementation of the motor 3, he or she requests the designer in the fourth process Pr4 to re-prototype or implement the motor. When requesting work from the fourth process Pr4, the designer may request disassembly and reassembly, or may request the assembly of a new prototype.

[0164] In the sixth step Pr6, a coupling test is performed on the motor 3 that met the criteria in the fifth step Pr5. The coupling test may be, for example, a biaxial bench test in which a dynamo load is added and testing is performed according to movement pattern 1C, or a triaxial bench test in which testing is performed on the motor 3 having gears 35, 36, 37, and 38. The coupling test also tests the torque T3, rotation speed N3 (rotation speed of rotor 31), vibration, noise, etc. of the motor 3.

[0165] In the integration test in the sixth process Pr6, a standard is set. If the standard is not met in the integration test in the sixth process Pr6, the designer in the sixth process Pr6 determines that the cause is the specifications of the motor 3. Then, the designer in the sixth process Pr6 requests the designer in the second process Pt2 to modify the specifications of the motor 3.

[0166] The designers of the seventh process Pr7 are mainly test engineers of the electric vehicle 11. The test engineers attach the prototype of the motor 3 that met the criteria of the integration test conducted in the sixth process Pr6 to the actual electric vehicle 11 or a prototype thereof, and conduct a running test in which the vehicle runs on a road similar to the actual road assumed. In the running test of the seventh process Pr7, for example, the cruising range 1D is measured. Note that evaluation in the seventh process Pr7 may not be possible due to the cost and time required for prototyping the electric vehicle 11, or the availability of test roads.

[0167] Standards are set for the running test in the seventh process Pr7. In the seventh process Pr7, the standards may not be met. If the designer in the seventh process Pr7 determines that the current specifications of the electric vehicle 11 make it difficult to meet the standards, the designer in the first process Pr1 requests that the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 be revised. Furthermore, if the designer determines that the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 are sufficient but the specifications of the motor 30 are insufficient, the designer in the second process Pr2 requests that the specifications of the motor 30 be revised. Furthermore, the motor 3 that meets the standards in the seventh process Pr7 is deemed to be a motor 3 that can be used to drive the electric vehicle 11.

[0168] As described above, in conventional design processes, many designers from different technical fields, including the designer of the electric vehicle 11, the designer of the motor 3, the implementation engineer for the motor 3, the test engineer for the motor 3, and the test engineer for the electric vehicle 11, are involved in the design of the electric vehicle 11 and the motor 3. The motor 3 is designed by repeating the design process indicated by the first process Pr1 to the third process Pr3, the prototyping process indicated by the fourth process Pr4, and the test process indicated by the fifth process Pr5 to the seventh process Pr7. The acceptability of each correction cannot be determined until corrections are made at each process in the design process and inspection is performed at the inspection process. In other words, multiple processes must be repeated, resulting in long construction times and high costs. Furthermore, because each process is independent, information communication between processes can sometimes be ineffective, which also contributes to long construction times and high costs.

[0169] A design method PrM for the electric vehicle 11 using the system 50 of the embodiment is shown in Fig. 17. The design method in Fig. 17 is configured by replacing the first process Pr1 in the design method in Fig. 16 with a first design process Pr1X.

[0170] In the first step Pr1X of the design method PrM, the designer of the electric vehicle 11 uses the system 50 to determine the specifications of the electric vehicle 11. For example, the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 and a travel pattern 1C are assumed as initial values ​​and input into the system 50. The designer checks whether the cruising distance 1D output by the system 50 satisfies the required value. Furthermore, the designer modifies the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 and considers the optimal specifications.

[0171] The motor 3 is designed by carrying out the second process Pr2 and subsequent processes so as to satisfy the specifications of the electric vehicle 11 determined in the first process Pr1X. Although Fig. 17 shows that there is no return to each process, this is not prohibited, and each process may be returned to as needed.

[0172] The inventors discovered that by utilizing knowledge from different fields, such as electric vehicle 11 design, motor 3 design, motor 3 implementation, and motor 3 testing, it is possible to significantly reduce the design time and costs for the electric vehicle 11 and motor 3. To achieve this, the inventors invented the present system 50, program 60, and design method PrM using knowledge from these different technical fields. The first step Pr1X of the present system 50, program 60, and design method PrM is based on information 1S of the mobile object 1, specifications 3S of the motor 3, movement pattern 1C, and information 41S of the battery 41, and therefore can calculate the cruising range 1D with high accuracy. This makes it possible to reduce the number of iterations required in each design process of the electric vehicle 11, thereby shortening the design time and reducing costs.

[0173] <First Modification> A system 80 of a first modification will be described with reference to the drawings. The system 80 shown in Fig. 18 differs from the system 50 in that it includes a network NTW and employs a plurality of input / output devices 84. In other respects, the system 80 has substantially the same configuration as the system 50. Therefore, parts of the system 80 that are substantially the same as those of the system 50 are assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of the same parts will be omitted.

[0174] 18 , the system 80 includes a server 81 and an input / output device 84. The server 81 includes a processing unit 82 including a processor such as a CPU or an MPU, and a storage unit 83 including storage elements such as a RAM, a ROM, an HDD, and an SSD. In the server 81, a simulation program 60 is stored in the storage unit 83. In the server 81, the processing unit 82 is capable of executing the program 60. In other words, the server 81 fulfills the role of the computer 51 in the system 50.

[0175] The server 81 is installed on a network NTW, and a plurality of input / output devices 84 are connected to the network NTW, and the plurality of input / output devices 84 are connected to the server 81 via the network NTW.

[0176] The input / output devices 84 may be terminals that can operate independently, such as a personal computer, a tablet PC, a smartphone, etc. Alternatively, they may be configured specifically for input and output.

[0177] The input / output device 84 is a device that can transmit information input via the input unit 85 to the server 81 via the network NTW. Examples of information input via the input unit 85 include input information 70 for executing a simulation. The input / output device 84 is also configured to receive information from the server 81 via the network NTW and output the information using the output unit 86. The information received from the server 81 includes at least one of the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P, which are the results of the simulation executed by the processing unit 82 arranged in the server 81.

[0178] By connecting a plurality of input / output devices 84 to the server 81 via the network NTW, it is possible to input the input information 70 via the plurality of input / output devices 84. This allows for centralized management by the processing unit 82. Therefore, in the system 80, maintenance such as updating the program 60 can be simplified compared to when systems that operate independently are used.

[0179] The network NTW may be, for example, a LAN to which only designated terminals of a service provider can connect, or the Internet INT. If the network NTW is the Internet, the server 81 may use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to which only authorized input / output devices 84 can connect. Furthermore, the server 81 may be a cloud server.

[0180] <Second Modification> A second modification will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 19, a program 60A for executing a simulation of the second modification differs from the program 60 shown in Fig. 4 in that it employs an optimum value output module 65. Portions of the program 60A that are substantially the same as those of the program 60 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0181] 19 , the program 60A includes an optimum value output module 65 that receives the cruising range 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P output from the output module 64. The optimum value output module 65 outputs an optimum value of at least one of the information included in the specifications 3S of the motor 3 and the information included in the information 1S of the mobile object 1, in order to improve the cruising range 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P. That is, the program 60A causes the computer 51 to output an optimum value of at least one of the information included in the specifications 3S of the motor 3, the information 41S of the battery 41, and the information 1S of the mobile object 1, based on at least one of the cruising range 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P.

[0182] The operation of outputting the optimum value will be described below. In the following explanation, the operation of outputting the optimum value by the processing unit 52 executing the output module 64 will be described as a configuration in which the operation of outputting the optimum value by outputting the cruising distance 1D and outputting the optimum value of the radius R of the wheel 12, which is the shape of the rotating body. Fig. 20 is a graph in which the horizontal axis represents the radius R of the wheel 12 and the vertical axis represents the cruising distance 1D.

[0183] The processing unit 52 executes the optimum value output module 45 to output the modified value of the radius R of the wheel 12 included in the information 1S of the moving object 1 in the input information 70. The processing unit 52 executes the input module 61 to change the radius R of the wheel 12 in the input information 70 to a value Rm. As shown in FIG. 20 , the processing unit 52 outputs the radius R of the wheel 12 when the cruising range 1D is maximized when the radius R of the wheel 12 is changed as the optimum value Rp. Note that the radius R of the wheel 12 is often a numerical value determined by a standard. The optimum value Rp may be the radius R of the wheel closest to the optimum value Rm. The computer 51 then sends the optimum value Rp, along with the maximum value 1Dmax, to the output unit 56 of the input / output device 54, where they are displayed.

[0184] Although the optimum value output module 45 outputs the optimum value Rp of the radius R of the wheels 12 that increases the cruising distance 1D, this is not limiting. For example, the optimum value may be output that increases the cruising time 1T. Alternatively, the optimum value may be output that reduces the power consumption 1P. In either case, the radius R of the wheels 12 may be changed, the output resulting from the execution of the output module 64 by the processing unit 52 may be confirmed, and the wheel radius B3 when the output is maximum or locally maximized or its approximate value may be set as the optimum value. In addition to the radius R of the wheels 12, it is also possible to calculate optimum values ​​for other changeable information in the input information 70, such as the number of poles 3p of the motor 3 and the transmission ratio R13. It is also possible to calculate the optimum value of the information 41S of the battery 41. If the calculated cruising distance 1D is sufficiently greater than the required cruising distance, the optimum value output module 45 may reduce the capacity 41c of the battery 41 and execute the optimization process. When the capacity 41c of the battery 41 decreases, the weight 41w of the battery 41 becomes lighter, and the weight 1w of the moving body 1 also becomes lighter. Therefore, the specification 3S of the motor 3 can be changed to a more appropriate value.

[0185] Furthermore, when outputting an optimal value of the input information 70, the optimal value output module 45 may select the next value based on the operation when the previous optimal value was output. Furthermore, the processing unit 52 may separately output the optimal value based on the relationship between the input information for which the optimal value is to be output and the output, for example, a scatter diagram, a relational expression, or the like.

[0186] The processing unit 52 executes the optimum value output module 65 and outputs optimum values ​​of the specifications 3S of the motor 3 and the information 1S included in the information on the moving object 1. The processing unit 52 then uses the output in the design, thereby enabling the design of a high-performance electric vehicle 11. Note that in this modification, the processing unit 52 may execute the optimum value output module 65, and the computer 51 may send the cruising range 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P to the output unit 56 of the input / output device 54.

[0187] <Third Modification> A third modification will be described with reference to the drawings. A simulation program 60B of this modification, shown in FIG. 23 , differs in output module 64B. Furthermore, the input information for simulation program 60B is information 21S of the aircraft 21 instead of information 1S of the moving body 1. Furthermore, output module 64B differs from simulation program 60 shown in FIG. 4 in that it can output the number Num of times the propellers 22 of the aircraft 21 have stopped, the cruising distance 1Dc at that time, the cruising time 1Tc, and the power consumption 1Pc. Other than these, program 60B is substantially the same as program 60. Therefore, parts of program 60B that are substantially the same as those of program 60 are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions of these substantially the same parts will be omitted.

[0188] 21 , in this modification, the moving body is an aircraft 21. The aircraft 21 includes four motors 3. The aircraft 21 also includes four propellers 22 connected to the motors 3, respectively.

[0189] The aircraft 21 takes off using lift generated by the rotation of the four propellers 22, and performs attitude control. It can also control the direction and speed of movement by controlling the rotational speed and orientation of the propellers 22. An inverter 44 provided on the aircraft 21 can supply voltage to each of the four motors 3 independently via a controller 43. The voltage supplied from the inverter 44 to the four motors 3 is, for example, PWM-controlled. The inverter 44 controls the speed and direction of movement by adjusting the PWM duty of the voltage supplied to each motor 3.

[0190] Next, a description will be given of input information 70B when an aircraft 21 is used as the moving body 1. Of the input information 70B, information that is substantially the same as the input information 70 is given the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0191] As shown in Figure 22, information 21S of the moving body 1 includes information 21S of the aircraft 21. As shown in Figure 22, the information 21S of the aircraft 21 includes weight 21w, transmission ratio R23, shape 2S of the rotating body, and resistance 21r. Weight is the weight of the aircraft 21. Assuming that the aircraft 21 is a manned type, weight 21w includes the weight of passengers and luggage. Transmission ratio R23 is the transmission ratio R23 of the power transmission mechanism 23 that connects the motor 3 and the rotating shaft of the propeller 22. If the motor 3 and the propeller 22 are directly connected, transmission ratio R23 is 1.

[0192] The shape 2S of the rotating body includes information necessary to calculate the lift and force required for movement of the aircraft 21 from among the shapes that indicate the characteristics of the propellers 22, which are the rotating body 2. Examples of the shape of the rotating body include the radial length 22L of the blades and the width 22W of the blades in the rotational direction. Other examples include the number of propellers 22, the number of blades on each propeller 22, the propeller pitch, and the tilt angle. Furthermore, numerical values ​​other than these may also be used as information for identifying the shape of the rotating body.

[0193] The resistance 21r includes resistance generated when the aircraft 21 moves. The resistance 21r includes air resistance of the aircraft 21 during flight. Note that the air resistance may include the frontal projection area and air drag coefficient of the aircraft 21. Furthermore, the resistance 21r may include information other than these.

[0194] Furthermore, for travel pattern 1C, the contents of the items are the same, but the specific numerical values, diagrams, relational expressions, etc. are different when the moving body 1 is an electric vehicle 11 and when it is an aircraft 21.

[0195] 23 , the motor characteristic calculation module 62 and the required condition calculation module 63 of the program 60B calculate the characteristic 3Q of the motor 3, the transition 1N of the required rotational speed Nc due to changes in elapsed time t, and the transition 1M of the required torque Tc due to changes in elapsed time t, based on the arithmetic expressions and the input information 70B. The TN characteristic St and the current map Mp are information for one motor 3. Furthermore, the required rotational speed Nc and the required torque Tc are torques required to move the aircraft 21, and are values ​​that combine the torques of multiple motors 3.

[0196] By executing the output module 64B, the processing unit 52 executes the same processing as when the output module 64 is executed. That is, the processing unit 52 outputs the cruising distance 1D, cruising time 1T, and power consumption 1P of the aircraft 21 from the TN characteristics St, the current map Mp, the transition 1N of the required rotational speed Nc due to changes in the elapsed time t, and the transition 1M of the required torque Tc due to changes in the elapsed time t.

[0197] On the other hand, the aircraft 21 may be configured to be able to move even if one of the four propellers 22 stops. As shown in Fig. 23 , the processing unit 52 executes the output module 64B to output the cruising distance 1Dc, cruising time 1Tc, and power consumption 1Pc of the aircraft 21 when one propeller 22 stops.

[0198] In this modified example, the mobile body is configured to include four motors 3 and propellers 22, and a case where one of them has stopped is described, but this is not limited to this. For example, if flight is possible even when two or more motors have stopped, the cruising distance 1Dc, cruising time 1Tc, and power consumption 1Pc may be output from the calculation formula and input information even when two or more motors have stopped. Furthermore, the number of motors 3 included in the mobile body is not limited to four, and the number Num of stopped motors 3 that allow flight is not limited to one.

[0199] In this way, the program 60B of the third modified example can output the range 1D, flight time 1T, and power consumption 1P of the aircraft 21 when all of the motors 3 are operating in an aircraft 21 that includes multiple motors 3. It can also output the range 1Dc, flight time 1Tc, and power consumption 1Pc of the aircraft 21 when some of the multiple motors 3 are stopped, along with the number Num of stopped motors 3.

[0200] The aircraft 21 can be designed using the same design method as the electric vehicle 11. In other words, the processing unit 52 calculates the required rotational speed Nc and required torque Tc required of the motor 3 using the specifications 3S of the motor 3, the information 21S of the aircraft 21, the movement pattern 1C, the loss information 71 of the motor 3, etc., and designs the aircraft 21 in one go. This eliminates the need to test the motor 3 alone or the power unit including the motor 3, and makes it possible to simplify the design of a moving body including the motor 3.

[0201] In the above-described embodiment, the mobile body 1 has been described using an electric vehicle 11 and an aircraft 21 as examples, but is not limited to these. In addition to these, a wide range of mobile bodies having a movable configuration, including a motor as a power source and a battery that supplies power to the motor, such as a ship or an electric motorcycle, can be adopted. The input information changes depending on the characteristics of the mobile body, such as the configuration of the mobile body and the location of travel, but includes at least the motor specifications, mobile body information, travel pattern 1C, and battery information.

[0202] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, various modifications of the embodiment are possible within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

[0203] <Summary> The present invention has the following configuration.

[0204] (1) A program that inputs at least the specifications of a motor, information about a moving body moved by the motor, the movement pattern of the moving body, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor into a computer, and causes the computer to output at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving body based on the input information.

[0205] (2) The program according to (1), wherein the motor includes a rotor, and the specifications of the motor include at least one of a weight of the rotor, a gear ratio of the motor, a rotational speed of the motor, a torque of the motor, and power information.

[0206] (3) The program described in (1) or (2), wherein the moving body includes a rotating body that is rotated by the motor to move the moving body, the motor is capable of regenerative operation to generate electricity when rotated by the rotating body, and the information about the moving body includes at least one of the weight of the moving body, the transmission ratio of a power transmission mechanism provided between the motor and the rotating body, the outer diameter of the rotating body, the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body, and information about the regenerative operation.

[0207] (4) The program according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the movement pattern of the moving object includes at least one of a movement speed, a movement time, a change in speed over a predetermined period of time, and a change in acceleration over a predetermined period of time.

[0208] (5) The program according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the battery information includes at least one of the battery type, battery capacity, internal resistance, and deterioration state.

[0209] (6) The program according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the moving body includes an inverter provided between the battery and the motor, and the input information includes loss information including at least one of copper loss, iron loss, stray loss, friction loss, windage loss, and inverter loss.

[0210] (7) The program according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the input information includes environmental conditions including at least one of a temperature of the motor and a temperature of the moving body.

[0211] (8) The program according to any one of (1) to (7), which causes the computer to output an optimal value of at least one of the motor specifications, the battery information, and the information included in the information of the moving body based on at least one of the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption.

[0212] (9) A system including: an input unit that receives input information; and a computer that executes output processing that outputs at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving body based on the input information, wherein the input information includes at least the specifications of a motor, information about the moving body moved by the motor, the movement pattern of the moving body, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor.

[0213] (10) The system according to (9), wherein the motor includes a rotor, and the specifications of the motor include at least one of a weight of the rotor, a gear ratio of the motor, a rotational speed of the motor, a torque of the motor, and power information.

[0214] (11) The system described in (9) or (10), wherein the moving body includes a rotating body that is rotated by the motor to move the moving body, the motor is capable of regenerative operation to generate electricity when rotated by the rotating body, and the information about the moving body includes at least one of the weight of the moving body, the transmission ratio of a power transmission mechanism provided between the motor and the rotating body, the outer diameter of the rotating body, the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body, and information about the regenerative operation.

[0215] (12) The system according to any one of (9) to (11), wherein the movement pattern of the moving object includes at least one of a movement speed, a movement time, a change in speed over a predetermined period of time, and a change in acceleration over a predetermined period of time.

[0216] (13) The system according to any one of (9) to (12), wherein the battery information includes at least one of the battery type, battery capacity, internal resistance, and deterioration state.

[0217] (14) The system according to any one of (9) to (13), wherein the moving body includes an inverter provided between the battery and the motor, and the input information includes information on losses including at least one of copper loss, iron loss, stray loss, friction loss, windage loss, and inverter loss.

[0218] (15) The system according to any one of (9) to (14), wherein the input information includes environmental conditions including at least one of a temperature of the motor and a temperature of the moving body.

[0219] (16) The system according to any one of (9) to (15), wherein the computer outputs an optimal value of at least one of the motor specifications, the battery information, and the information included in the information on the moving object, based on at least one of the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption.

[0220] (17) A design method that takes as input information at least the specifications of a motor, information on a moving body that is moved by the power of the motor, a movement pattern of the moving body, and information on a battery that supplies power to the motor, and outputs at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving body based on the input information.

[0221] (18) The design method according to (17), wherein the motor includes a rotor, and the specifications of the motor include at least one of a weight of the rotor, a gear ratio of the motor, a rotational speed of the motor, a torque of the motor, and power information.

[0222] (19) The design method according to (17) or (18), wherein the moving body includes a rotating body that is rotated by the motor to move the moving body, the motor is capable of regenerative operation of generating electricity when rotated by the rotating body, and the information about the moving body includes at least one of the weight of the moving body, the transmission ratio of a power transmission mechanism provided between the motor and the rotating body, the outer diameter of the rotating body, the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body, and information about the regenerative operation.

[0223] (20) The design method according to any one of (17) to (19), wherein the movement pattern of the moving body includes at least one of a movement speed, a movement time, a change in speed over a predetermined period of time, and a change in acceleration over a predetermined period of time.

[0224] (21) The design method according to any one of (17) to (20), wherein the battery information includes at least one of the battery type, battery capacity, internal resistance, and deterioration state.

[0225] (22) The design method according to any one of (17) to (21), wherein the moving body includes an inverter provided between the battery and the motor, and the input information includes information on losses including at least one of copper loss, iron loss, stray loss, friction loss, windage loss, and inverter loss.

[0226] (23) The design method according to any one of (17) to (22), wherein the input information includes environmental conditions including at least one of a temperature of the motor and a temperature of the moving body.

[0227] (24) The design method according to any one of (17) to (23), further comprising outputting an optimal value of at least one of the motor specifications, the battery information, and the information included in the mobile object information, based on at least one of the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption.

[0228] 1 Moving body, 2 Rotating body, 3 Motor, 11 Electric vehicle, 12 Wheel, 13, 23 Power transmission mechanism, 21 Aircraft, 22 Propeller, 31 Rotor, 35-38 Gear, 41 Battery, 42 Inverter, 50 System, 51 Computer, 56 Input unit, 60 Program, 70 Input information, 71 Loss information, 72 Environmental conditions, 3S Motor specifications, 1C Movement pattern, 1S Moving body information, 41S Battery information

Claims

1. A program that inputs at least the specifications of a motor, information about a moving object moved by the motor, the movement pattern of the moving object, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor into a computer, and causes the computer to output at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving object based on the input information.

2. The program according to claim 1, wherein the motor includes a rotor, and the motor specifications include at least one of the weight of the rotor, a gear ratio of the motor, a rotational speed of the motor, a torque of the motor, and power information.

3. The program of claim 1, wherein the moving body includes a rotating body that is rotated by the motor to move the moving body, the motor is capable of regenerative operation in which it is rotated by the rotating body to generate electricity, and the information about the moving body includes at least one of the weight of the moving body, the transmission ratio of a power transmission mechanism provided between the motor and the rotating body, the shape of the rotating body, the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body, and information about the regenerative operation.

4. The program according to claim 1, wherein the movement pattern of the moving object includes at least one of a moving speed, a moving time, a change in speed over a predetermined period of time, and a change in acceleration over a predetermined period of time.

5. The program according to claim 1, wherein the battery information includes at least one of the battery type, battery capacity, internal resistance, and deterioration state.

6. The program according to claim 1, wherein the moving body includes an inverter provided between the battery and the motor, and the input information includes information on losses including at least one of copper loss, iron loss, stray loss, friction loss, windage loss and inverter loss.

7. The program according to claim 1, wherein the input information includes environmental conditions including at least one of the temperature of the motor and the temperature of the moving body.

8. A program as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, which causes the computer to output an optimal value of at least one of the motor specifications, the battery information, and the information included in the mobile object information based on at least one of the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption.

9. A system including: an input unit that accepts input information; and a computer that executes output processing that outputs at least one of the range, driving time, and power consumption of a moving body moved by a motor based on the input information, wherein the input information includes at least motor specifications, information about the moving body, a movement pattern of the moving body, and information about a battery that supplies power to the motor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the motor includes a rotor, and the motor specifications include at least one of a weight of the rotor, a gear ratio of the motor, a rotational speed of the motor, a torque of the motor, and power information.

11. The system described in claim 9, wherein the moving body includes a rotating body that is rotated by the motor to move the moving body, the motor is capable of regenerative operation in which it is rotated by the rotating body to generate electricity, and the information about the moving body includes at least one of the weight of the moving body, the transmission ratio of a power transmission mechanism provided between the motor and the rotating body, the shape of the rotating body, the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body, and information about the regenerative operation.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the movement pattern of the moving object includes at least one of a moving speed, a moving time, a change in speed in a predetermined period of time, and a change in acceleration in a predetermined period of time.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the battery information includes at least one of the battery type, the battery capacity, the internal resistance, and the deterioration state.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the moving body includes an inverter provided between the battery and the motor, and the input information includes information on losses including at least one of copper loss, iron loss, stray loss, friction loss, windage loss, and inverter loss.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the input information includes environmental conditions including at least one of a temperature of the motor and a temperature of the moving object.

16. A system according to any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the computer outputs an optimal value for at least one of the motor specifications, the battery information, and the information included in the mobile object information, based on at least one of the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption.

17. A design method that takes as input information at least the specifications of a motor, information on a moving object moved by the power of the motor, the movement pattern of the moving object, and information on a battery that supplies power to the motor, and outputs at least one of the cruising distance, cruising time, and power consumption of the moving object based on the input information.

18. The design method according to claim 17, wherein the motor includes a rotor, and the motor specifications include at least one of a weight of the rotor, a gear ratio of the motor, a rotational speed of the motor, a torque of the motor, and power information.

19. The design method of claim 17, wherein the moving body includes a rotating body that is rotated by the motor to move the moving body, the motor is capable of regenerative operation in which it is rotated by the rotating body to generate electricity, and the information about the moving body includes at least one of the weight of the moving body, the transmission ratio of a power transmission mechanism provided between the motor and the rotating body, the shape of the rotating body, the resistance generated by the movement of the moving body, and information about the regenerative operation.

20. The design method according to claim 17, wherein the movement pattern of the moving object includes at least one of a moving speed, a moving time, a change in speed in a predetermined period of time, and a change in acceleration in a predetermined period of time.

21. The design method according to claim 17, wherein the battery information includes at least one of the battery type, battery capacity, internal resistance, and deterioration state.

22. The design method according to claim 17, wherein the moving body includes an inverter provided between the battery and the motor, and the input information includes information on losses including at least one of copper loss, iron loss, stray loss, friction loss, windage loss, and inverter loss.

23. The design method according to claim 17, wherein the input information includes environmental conditions including at least one of a temperature of the motor and a temperature of the moving body.

24. A design method according to any one of claims 17 to 23, further comprising outputting an optimal value for at least one of the motor specifications, the battery information, and the mobile object information based on at least one of the cruising distance, the cruising time, and the power consumption.

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