FR2979145A3 - Method for operating human-machine interface of car e.g. electric car, involves detecting energy charging station not yet known to human-machine interface, and recording position of location of energy charging station - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves detecting an energy charging station not yet known to a human-machine interface (S10). The position of location of the energy charging station is recorded (S13). Current position of a car and/or position of the energy charging station is determined (S11). The recorded position of location of the energy charging station is validated. The increase of the energy load in the vehicle while the vehicle does not know the position of the charging station, is detected. A connection of the vehicle to the charging station is detected. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a recording medium comprising a set of instructions for performing a method for operating a human-machine interface of a car (2) a human-machine interface (3) a computer program comprising a set of instructions for performing a method for operating a human-machine interface of a car.

Description

The invention relates to a method of operating a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a data storage medium readable by a computer on which is recorded a computer program comprising computer program code means for implementing the steps of such a method. The invention finally relates to a computer program comprising computer program code means adapted to the execution of steps of such a method, when the program is executed on a computer. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a man-machine interface according to the invention. In today's vehicles, the driver needs to take into account range information in order to make correct decisions about charging the vehicle with energy. Typically, the driver has at his disposal a fuel or energy gauge and / or an indicator of autonomy of the distance type that can still be traveled. The driver must be attentive to this information and decide to recharge energy in his vehicle based on this information. An alert signal is issued as soon as the energy level stored in the vehicle is too low. It is then up to the user to search for a gas station, for example using his GPS navigator. Based on this information, the user has yet to decide which service station is most appropriate to visit. With regard to electric vehicles, autonomy is a critical parameter. Indeed, on the one hand, the maximum autonomy of electric vehicles are relatively low and, on the other hand, there are still few recharging stations or battery replacement.

It therefore seems interesting to provide users with effective means of managing the autonomy of their vehicles. Document US Pat. No. 6,005,494 discloses a method for guiding a motor vehicle by means of GPS position data in order to minimize the energy consumed between a starting point and a destination. The method also manages fuel supply by providing stops at service stations along the route.

Nevertheless, such a method does not provide a real solution to the problems mentioned above. The object of the invention is to provide a method of operation of a man-machine interface obviating the disadvantages mentioned above and improving the methods known from the prior art. In particular, the invention provides a simple and effective method of operation for effectively assisting drivers in managing the autonomy of their vehicles.

According to the invention, a method of operating a human-machine interface of a motor vehicle comprises a step of detecting an energy charging station not yet known from the human-machine interface and a step of recording the location position of this energy charging station. The method may comprise a step of determining the current position of the motor vehicle and / or the position of the energy charging station. The method may comprise a step of requesting validation of the registration of the location position. the energy charging station.

The step of detecting a charging station not yet known may include a step of detecting an increase in the energy load in the vehicle while the vehicle is not at a known charging station position.

The step of detecting a charging station that is not yet known may comprise a step of detecting a connection of the vehicle to a charging station. During the connection, different data can be exchanged between the motor vehicle and the charging station, including geographical location data of the charging station. The step of detecting an energy charging station not yet known from the man-machine interface can be iterated several times before the step of recording the location position of this energy recharging station be realized. The invention also relates to a data storage medium readable by a computer on which is recorded a computer program comprising computer program code means for implementing the steps of the method defined above. According to the invention, the man-machine interface comprises hardware and / or software means capable of implementing the method defined above.

The hardware and / or software means may comprise a detection element of a power charging station not yet known from the man-machine interface and a recording element of the location position of this charging station. energy.

According to the invention, a motor vehicle comprises a human-machine interface defined above. The invention also relates to a computer program comprising a computer program code means adapted to the execution of steps of the method defined above, when the program is executed on a computer or a computer. The appended drawing shows, by way of example, an embodiment of a human-machine interface according to the invention and an embodiment of a method of operation of such an interface according to the invention. Figure 1 is a diagram of an embodiment of a human-machine interface according to the invention. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an embodiment of an operating method according to the invention. FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a first embodiment of a step of the operating method according to the invention. FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a second variant embodiment of a step of the operating method according to the invention. An embodiment of a human-machine interface 1 according to the invention is described below with reference to FIG. 1. This human-machine interface is intended to equip a motor vehicle, in particular an electric, hybrid or with thermal engine. The human-machine interface is in particular intended to be installed in a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.

The human-machine interface 1 mainly comprises a control unit 3, an input element 8 and a signaling element 5, 9. Moreover, the human-machine interface can comprise sensors 2 and a GPS antenna 7 connected to the control unit. Alternatively, the human-machine interface, in particular the control unit of the man-machine interface, can receive information from sensors 2 and from a GPS antenna 7. The control unit 3 comprises for example a microcontroller . It may comprise a first computer 3a making it possible to generate different signals, in particular an autonomy signal of the motor vehicle and a second computer 3b comprising a GPS guidance module 6 or browser connected to the GPS antenna and a data processing module 4 position and range data. The second computer makes it possible to govern the operation of the human-machine interface 1 according to the invention. The input element 8 and the signaling element 5, 9 are connected to the control unit 3. The input element 8 may for example comprise a keyboard. The signaling element may comprise a screen 5 and / or an acoustic system 9. The input element 8 and the signaling element 5, 9 may also be made by a touch screen. The signaling element 5, 9 makes it possible to signal to the user various information such as a geographical map, a route, suggestions, alerts, information on the accessibility of energy charging stations, a waybill. The human-machine interface 1, in particular the control unit 3, comprises hardware and / or software means making it possible to implement its operation in accordance with the method that is the subject of the invention. In particular, the human-machine interface 1, in particular the control unit 3, comprises the means making it possible to implement the steps of this method and to govern the sequences of these steps.

For example, the hardware and / or software means comprise a sensing element of an energy charging station not yet known from the man-machine interface and a recording element of the position of location of this charging station. energy. Furthermore, the hardware and / or software means may comprise an element for processing a location data of the motor vehicle and data of autonomy or energy consumption of the motor vehicle, an element for determining all the energy charging stations that the vehicle can reach and / or the number of energy charging stations of this set. The human-machine interface 1 also preferably comprises an indication element to a user of all the energy charging stations that the vehicle can reach and / or the number of energy charging stations of this set. .

Thanks to the input element 8 of the interface 1, the user can enter and record a location position of a geographic energy recharging station not yet known from the interface 1. Indeed, the implementation service of a new energy charging station can be carried out later to the registration of the position data of the various existing charging stations. It is therefore very interesting to be able to enter and record a location position of a power recharging station not yet known from the interface 1. In fact, the electric energy charging stations may consist of a simple electric charging station whose infrastructure is relatively light. As a result, many charging stations can be activated in a short time. With the interface 1, it can be taken into account the presence of such new stations. A first embodiment of an operating method according to the invention is shown in FIG. 2. This mode is described below with reference to FIG. 2. In a first step 510, the human-machine interface or the vehicle detects the existence of a new charging station or a charging station not yet known. In a second step S11, the man-machine interface or the vehicle determines the current position of the motor vehicle or the position of the new station. The current position of the vehicle can be determined by a GPS system. In a third step S12, the man-machine interface or the vehicle proposes to record the position as the location position of the new station. In a fourth step S13, the user of the man-machine interface or the vehicle validates or not this proposal. In case of validation, the position is stored in a memory as the location of the new charging station. The third step and the validation step are optional: the position can be automatically recorded by the interface without consultation or proposal to the user.

In a first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the step of detecting a new charging station comprises a step S100 of detecting an increase in the energy charge in the vehicle, such as a battery charge or a charge. fuel, while the vehicle is not at a known charging station position. This increase must be greater than a threshold to be considered as such at a step S101. This makes it possible to avoid that errors in measuring the load or a slight energy recovery, such as during regenerative braking, be interpreted as the existence of a charging station. The charging detection can be made by calculating the load difference between the arrival at the vehicle position and its departure from this position. In a second embodiment shown in Figure 4, the step of detecting a new charging station comprises a step S110 for detecting a connection of the vehicle to a charging station. During such a connection, different data can be exchanged between the motor vehicle and the charging station. Geographical location data of the charging station can in particular be transmitted from the station to the vehicle. It is then these data that can be used in step S11 to determine the current position of the motor vehicle or the station. Information about the station such as the name of the operator, the capacity of the station, the rates of the station can also be communicated to the vehicle and, in particular to the man-machine interface.30 In the first mode of execution of the method, the interface 1 can record or propose to the user to record this position as that of a new energy charging station from the first detection of new station occurring.

Alternatively, in a second embodiment, the interface 1 can record or propose to the user to record this position as being that of a new energy charging station after a certain number of detection of a new station occurring at the same position, that is to say after several iterations of steps S10 and S11. For example, we can set this number of iterations to 2 or 3. This number can be parameterizable. The interface 1 according to the invention also makes it possible: to inform at the right moment and in the right way of the autonomy of the vehicle and the possible actions to extend it, to reinforce the benefit of the ecological driving, to give the possibility access to a higher level of information, on demand (for users wishing to better manage their autonomy, their journey).