JP2007253904A - Vehicle control device and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vehicle control device which checks on whether a safety function is actuated when traveling with the battery residual power being low, and when the safety function is not actuated, informs a driver of that effect. <P>SOLUTION: A risk degree calculation part 36 calculates degree of risk, based on environment information on a traveling route to a destination, and the calculated risk of degree sets a point of not less than a predetermined risk degree as the point wherein a unique charge and discharge is predicted. A safety function confirmation part 37 confirms a safety function required for each point, inputs propriety in each point, use equipment, and using electric charge, in an operation state prediction part 39, based on the vehicle information, and the operation state prediction part 39 determines whether battery power required for the safety function remains by predicting a charge and discharge control of the battery, based on a battery state, drive state of electrical equipment, the environment information, and determination result of the safety function confirmation part 37. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle control apparatus that notifies that a battery is low and is dangerous when a safety function does not work.

  There are many electronic control devices in the vehicle, for example, an engine ECU for controlling the fuel injection amount and the inflow air amount, a charge control ECU for controlling the charging of the power source, and an eco-run for driving the vehicle while driving and stopping the engine. ECU, body ECU that controls doors and locks, automatic transmission (AT) control ECU, airbag ECU, security ECU that generates a warning when a theft or an event that may cause the theft is detected Etc. are installed.

The development of electronic control accompanying the spread of automobiles and the spread of in-vehicle components due to the need for convenience, comfort, and safety have led to a rapid increase in the number of on-board electrical components as described above, increasing the burden on the power supply system, that is, the battery. When the remaining battery level is low, vehicle operation is hindered. Conventionally, when the remaining battery level is low, the driver is notified in advance.

  On the other hand, in guidance guidance by a car navigation device, for example, to a road surface that gives an impact to the vehicle or makes driving uncomfortable, such as dangerous places such as road joints and craters on the road surface, bad road surfaces such as gravel, etc. A point requiring attention such as an entry point or a dangerous point is recorded on an electronic map, and notification is made on the screen or by voice when approaching or passing through the recorded point.

However, since it is difficult for the user to input such points requiring attention, it detects the vibration of the road surface or the impact from the road surface, measures the position where the vibration is detected, and obtains the vibration information and the position information. It has been proposed to automatically record the vibration spot information corresponding to each point on the map in the vibration spot recording means so as to be recorded in association with the map information, regardless of the user's input (for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-4382 A

As described above, when the remaining battery level is low, the driver is notified in advance. However, after receiving notification that the remaining battery level is low, the vehicle is driven. It was dangerous because various safety functions of the vehicle might not work.
In addition, as in Patent Document 1 described above, when the vehicle approaches or passes a point requiring attention such as an entry point to a road surface or a dangerous point that gives an impact to the vehicle during traveling, the driver is notified by screen display or voice. Thus, there is a technique for informing that the destination is dangerous in advance, but it does not notify whether the above safety function can be operated.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and confirms whether or not the safety function works when the vehicle runs with a low battery level, and notifies the driver when the safety function does not work. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle control device and a vehicle control method that can be used.

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle control device (1) according to the present invention includes:
Environmental information acquisition means for acquiring environmental information on the travel route to the destination;
A risk level calculating means for calculating a risk level based on the environmental information on the travel route acquired by the environmental information acquiring means;
A point setting means for setting a point where the degree of risk calculated by the risk level calculation means is a predetermined risk level or higher to a point where a specific charge / discharge is expected;
Safety function confirmation means for confirming the safety function required at each point on the travel route set by the point setting means;
It is characterized by comprising control means for determining whether or not the battery amount necessary for the safety function required at each point remains, and notifying that it is dangerous when the battery amount is insufficient.

Further, the vehicle control device (2) according to the present invention is the vehicle control device (1),
In the case where a safety function required at each point at which specific charging / discharging is expected is not provided, an alternative availability determination unit that determines whether or not traveling by the alternative unit is possible is provided.

Furthermore, the vehicle control device (3) according to the present invention is a vehicle control device (1).
The control means predicts the battery charge / discharge control based on the battery state, the driving state of the electrical components, the environment information on the travel route acquired by the environment information acquisition means, and the specific charge / discharge at each point, It is characterized by determining whether or not the power supply limitation of the electrical component and the battery charge control intervention are necessary.

Moreover, the vehicle control device (4) according to the present invention is the vehicle control device (3),
A driver intention acquisition unit is provided, and the control unit determines whether or not the power supply restriction and the charge control intervention can be executed according to the driver intention acquired by the driver intention acquisition unit.

Furthermore, the vehicle control method (1) according to the present invention includes:
Necessary at each point after calculating the risk based on the environmental information on the driving route to the destination and setting a point where the calculated risk is higher than the predetermined risk as a point where unique charge / discharge is expected It is determined whether or not the amount of battery necessary for the safety function to remain remains, and if the amount of battery is insufficient, the fact that it is dangerous is notified.

The vehicle control method (2) according to the present invention is the vehicle control method (1),
Predict battery charge / discharge control based on battery status, drive status of electrical components, environmental information, and specific charge / discharge at each point, and determine whether power supply restrictions for electrical components and battery charge control intervention are necessary It is characterized by doing.

  According to the vehicle control devices (1), (2) and the vehicle control method (1) according to the present invention, for example, road information, weather information, road surface information, etc. on a travel route from a car navigation device or the like to a destination. Necessary at each point after the environmental information is acquired and a point whose risk calculated based on the acquired environmental information is equal to or higher than the predetermined risk is set as a point where unique charge / discharge is expected Since it is determined whether or not the battery amount necessary for the safety function remains, if the battery amount is insufficient, it can be notified that the safety function is dangerous before the safety function stops working.

In addition, according to the vehicle control device (3) and the vehicle control method (2) according to the present invention, the amount of electricity used by the safety function or the alternative means that is expected to operate at each point where a specific charge / discharge is expected is predicted. Therefore, it is determined whether or not the battery can run out. If the power supply cannot be fed, it is determined whether or not the vehicle can run due to the power supply limitation or the increase in the charge amount. Can do.
Further, according to the vehicle control device (4) according to the present invention, the driver can select whether the fuel consumption priority or the drivability priority, and the power supply cannot be performed by either the power supply limitation or the charge amount increase depending on the driver selection. Therefore, it is possible to make a determination based on the driver's intention.

Embodiments of the vehicle control device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle travel support system including a vehicle control device of the present invention. This system includes a vehicle control device 1, a battery management device 2, a car navigation device 3, electrical components 4, 5,. The battery 6 and the alternator 7 are connected to each other via the communication line 8 and the power line 9.

The vehicle control device 1 determines whether or not the vehicle can pass based on environmental information, vehicle information, battery status, driving status of electrical components, and the like, and supports driving according to the determination status. The CPU 11, ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, A RAM (Random Access Memory) 13 and an input / output circuit (not shown) are included. The CPU 11 controls each part of the hardware of the vehicle control device 1 and executes various programs such as determination of whether or not traveling is possible based on the program stored in the ROM 12. The ROM 12 is necessary for storing a program for determining whether to run, etc., vehicle information, accident risk level data based on various driving environments, an operating system table according to the dangerous situation, and a priority table for each vehicle equipment. The RAM 13 is an SRAM and is a memory necessary for storing temporarily generated data.
Further, the output of the driving selection switch (SW) 10 is input to the vehicle control device 1, and the driving selection switch 10 is operated by the driver in any of “sport”, “normal”, and “economy”. This is for selecting characteristics.

  FIG. 2 is an example of vehicle information stored in the ROM 12, and stores a list of vehicle equipment such as the vehicle type, vehicle grade, safety equipment, and main equipment of the host vehicle. In this list of vehicle equipment, AFS (Adaptive Front-lighting System) indicates that the headlight projector unit in the steering direction changes direction when the vehicle turns right or left at a curve or intersection. EBD (Electronic Brake Force Distribution) is a computer that controls the braking force distribution (brake distribution) between the front and rear wheels during braking, so that the braking potential is fully applied. It is a system to pull out.

  ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) prevents wheel locks during sudden braking in slippery conditions, and VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) This system assists the steering torque in a direction in which the behavior of the vehicle is stabilized according to the steering angle. Furthermore, TRC (Traction Control System) is a system that controls vehicle torque when wheel slipping is detected to prevent wheel slipping during acceleration, etc. PCS (Pre-Crash Safety System) ) Winds up the driver's / passenger's seat belt when the brake is judged to be an emergency brake from the brake depression speed, etc., and enhances the occupant's restraining performance.

  CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is a continuously variable transmission that can continuously change speed by changing the diameters of pulleys and discs. TBW (Throttle by link) is a user's accelerator pedal force. The throttle can be controlled according to the vehicle condition, and the throttle can be controlled flexibly according to the vehicle situation calculated by the computer. EPS (Electronic Power Steering) is a system that assists steering by driving an electric motor according to the steering angle, and can reduce the force required for steering operation.

FIG. 3 shows an example of accident risk level data based on various driving environments stored in the ROM 12, and external disturbances such as rain and snow, driving conditions such as a driver's health condition, road surface conditions and traffic congestion conditions, and the like. A table of accident risk levels is stored for each element of various driving environments that are risk factors of accidents such as vehicle status indicating the deterioration state of vehicle parts. As shown in FIG. 3 (a), as the external environment, the degree of risk is stored in accordance with the level of rain, snow, wind, etc., and the driving state is shown in FIG. 3 (b). As described above, the degree of risk is stored as a score in accordance with the level of the driver's health level, fatigue level, mental condition, and the like.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), as the disturbance, the degree of danger is stored as a score according to the level of the road surface condition, the area condition, the traffic jam condition, etc. The vehicle condition is shown in FIG. 3 (d). As shown, the degree of risk is stored as a score in accordance with the level of deterioration of the tire, suspension, shaft, and the like.

  FIG. 4 is a list table of the systems that are stored in the ROM 12 and that operate according to the dangerous situation. For example, EBD, ABS, VSC, and TRC operate during a sharp curve (A) at noon. And when the traffic is congested (C), PCS, EBD, and ABS are stored. Further, FIG. 5 shows an example of a priority order and power consumption data table stored in the ROM 12 for each vehicle equipment unit. The required power (W) for each level is stored.

On the other hand, the battery management device 2 detects the state of the battery 6 and controls the power generation of the alternator 7, and supplies battery information such as the charging rate, voltage / current, internal resistance, and liquid temperature of the battery 6 to the vehicle control device 1. input. The battery 6 supplies power to electrical components such as the vehicle control device 1, the battery management device 2, and the car navigation device 3 through a power line 9, and is a sensor that detects battery charge / discharge current, terminal voltage, and battery liquid temperature ( (Not shown), and the outputs of these sensors are input to the battery management device 2 via the communication line 8. Note that the output values of these sensors may be directly input to the battery management device 2.
The alternator 7 is driven by an engine (not shown), charges the battery 6 via the power supply line 9, and supplies power to other electric loads of the vehicle.

  The car navigation device 3 includes a current position detection unit including a GPS sensor and a gyro sensor and a map data storage unit that stores map data including road map data, and wireless communication with the vehicle information center and other vehicles. The road information, weather information, road surface information, etc. to the destination of the vehicle are acquired by inter-vehicle communication and input to the vehicle control device 1.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle control device 1 of FIG. 1 in terms of functions. Each unit includes a CPU 11, a ROM 12, and a RAM 13, and these functions are executed by software.
The vehicle information acquisition unit 31 acquires vehicle information such as the vehicle type, vehicle grade, and equipment content of the host vehicle based on information stored in the ROM 12 that is a non-volatile memory or information from the vehicle information center 21 to predict the operation state. The road information of each area to the destination acquired by the car navigation device 3 based on information from the vehicle information center 21 and other vehicles 22 is input to the unit 39 and the safety function confirmation unit 37. The weather information, road surface information, and the like are acquired and input to the risk level calculation unit 36 and the operation state prediction unit 39.

Further, the battery state acquisition unit 33 acquires the charging rate, voltage, current, internal resistance, battery liquid temperature, and the like of the battery 6 from the battery management device 2 and inputs them to the operation state prediction unit 39, and the electrical component state acquisition unit 34. Obtains the activation states and drive states of various electrical components and inputs them to the operation state prediction unit 39.
Further, the driver intention acquisition unit 35 detects the driving state of the “sport”, “normal”, or “economy” by detecting the switch state of the driving selection switch 10, Input to the operation state prediction unit 39. Note that this operating state may be detected not by a switch but by an accelerator / brake signal or the like.

  The risk level calculation unit 36 calculates the risk level based on environmental information such as road information, weather information, and road surface information on the travel route to the destination input from the environmental information acquisition unit 32, and calculates the calculated risk. A point where the degree is greater than or equal to a predetermined degree of risk is set as a point where a specific charge / discharge is expected, and the point is input to the safety function confirmation unit 37 together with the contents of the degree of danger. And the safety function confirmation part 37 confirms the safety function required at each point where peculiar charging / discharging is expected, the availability of each point based on vehicle information, the equipment used for the safety function, the amount of electricity used Is input to the operation state prediction unit 39, and the availability of each point is input to the alternative availability determination unit 38.

In addition, the substitution possibility determination unit 38 determines whether or not there is an alternative means when it is impossible to deal with the vehicle equipment at each point where specific charging / discharging is expected, The equipment used and the amount of electricity used are input to the operation state prediction unit 39.
Then, the operation state prediction unit 39 predicts specific charging / discharging based on the battery state, the driving state of the electrical components, the environmental information, and the determination results of the safety function confirmation unit 37 and the alternative availability determination unit 38. By determining whether or not the battery amount necessary for the safety function remains, it is determined whether or not the power supply restriction of the electrical component and the battery charge control intervention are necessary, and the determination result is input to the operation state prediction result notification unit 40 To do. The operation state prediction result notifying unit 40 notifies the battery management device 2, the car navigation device 3, etc. whether or not to handle the dangerous situation based on the determination result input from the operation state prediction unit 39, Instruct battery charge control intervention.

Next, the operation of each functional unit of the vehicle control device 1 will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1 and the flowcharts of FIGS. 7-1 and 7-2.
When the driver sets the destination in the car navigation device 3, the CPU 11 of the vehicle control device 1 starts a risk avoidance determination program shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. First, the information stored in the ROM 12 or A vehicle equipment list shown in FIG. 2 is acquired based on information from the vehicle information center 21, and road information, weather information, road surface information, etc. on a travel route to the destination are acquired based on information from the car navigation device 3. As shown in FIG. 8, environment information on the travel route to the destination is acquired (step 101).

  Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the CPU 11 acquires a battery state including the charging rate, voltage, current, battery liquid temperature, internal resistance, and dischargeable electric quantity of the battery 6 from the battery management device 2 (step 102). ) And the usage status of the electrical components are acquired based on the activation states and drive states of the various electrical components 4, 5... (Step 103).

Thereafter, the CPU 11 uses the accident risk level table shown in FIG. 3 stored in the ROM 12 on the basis of the driving environment such as the environmental information acquired in step 101, and each point on the travel route to the destination. Is calculated (step 104).
That is, with regard to the external environment (a), after extracting weather information on the travel route based on weather information and route information acquired by wireless communication, etc., if it is raining on the travel route, If it is 100 mm or more per hour, it is judged as rain level 3. If it is 50 mm or more, it is level 2. If it is 30 mm or more, it is set to level 1. Further, when it is snowing, it is judged as level 3 if the amount of snow is 3 cm or more, level 2 if it is 2 cm or more, and level 1 if it is 1 cm or more. Further, in the case of wind, it is determined that the wind level is 3 at a wind speed of 30 m or higher, level 2 at a wind speed of 25 m or higher, and level 1 at a wind speed of 20 m or higher.

  Moreover, a health condition etc. are input into a vehicle-mounted device by the self-report for the driving state (b). For example, if there is a fever of 37 degrees or more, it is determined that the health level is 3; Further, if the operation time is 3 hours or more, the fatigue level is determined to be 3, and if it is 2 hours or more, it is set to level 2, and if it is more than 1 hour, it is set to level 1. Furthermore, the mental level is determined to be 3 if the sudden start or the rapid braking is 3 times or more, and the level is 2 if it is 2 times or more, and the level is 1 if it is 1 time or more.

Further, as the disturbance (c), the degree of danger such as road surface condition, area condition, curve condition, traffic jam condition, uphill / downhill situation, etc. is determined. The road surface condition is obtained by extracting the road surface state on the travel route when the travel route is set from the recording device in which the road surface state of the travel route through which the vehicle has passed is recorded, or by a wireless communication or the like that is not illustrated. The road surface information of the travel route through which the other vehicle has passed is extracted from the recording device, and if the road surface is off-road, the road surface state level is determined as 3, level 2 for gravel roads, and level 1 after construction.
In addition, since the area status is prerecorded together with the map information, the density level of the area on the travel route is extracted when the travel route is set.

Furthermore, since the curve information on the map is recorded in advance along with the map information, the curve information on the travel route is extracted at the time of setting the travel route, or the center is capable of communicating by wireless communication (not shown). It is also possible to extract the curve information of the travel route that another vehicle has passed from the recording device. If the curve is R500, it is determined that the curve is level 3. If R700, level 2 is set, and if R1000 is set, level 1 is set.
In addition, the traffic condition is based on traffic information obtained from VICS, radio, or the like, or traffic information acquired from a recording device of a center capable of communication by wireless communication (not shown), and the traffic level is 3 or more if the traffic is 5 km or more. If it is 3 km or more, the level is 2 and if it is 1 km or more, the level is 1.

Furthermore, as the climbing / downhill situation, the climbing / downhill information on the map is recorded in advance together with the map information, so when the traveling route is set, the climbing / downhill information on the traveling route is extracted or illustrated. Uphill / downhill information may be extracted from a recording device in a center that can communicate by wireless communication or the like. If the climb / downhill is 5% or more, it is determined that the climb / downhill level is 3, and if it is 3%, the level is 2, and if it is 2%, the level is 1.
In addition, as the vehicle status (d), information regarding the replacement timing of parts such as tires, suspensions, shafts, etc. is stored in the storage device, and if the replacement timing is five years or more before the present, the vehicle state level is set. 3, level 2 if 4 years or more, level 1 if 3 years or more.

  Then, the score corresponding to the level of each event described above is extracted, the risk [%] is calculated from the total value of each score, the risk at each point to the destination is calculated, and then the risk is predetermined. As shown in FIG. 8, points having a risk level equal to or higher than the risk level are set as points A to I at which specific charging / discharging is expected (step 105). In addition, when setting points where unique charge / discharge is expected, curves, traffic jams, road surface conditions, climbing slopes on the driving route, regardless of the risk calculated from the total number of points corresponding to each event level, If the degree of risk of each event such as downhill, rain, snow, wind, etc. is level 3 or higher, it may be set as a point where a specific charge / discharge is expected.

  When a point at which a specific charge / discharge is expected is set, the CPU 11 determines the expected electric discharge amount of the system that operates according to the dangerous situation at each point at which a specific charge / discharge on the travel route to the destination is expected. (Step 106). For example, in the case of EBD (electronically controlled braking force distribution system), as shown in an example in FIG. 10, an expected amount of electricity used for EBD corresponding to the degree of risk is stored in the ROM 12, and FIG. As shown in Fig. 5, the expected electric discharge of the operating system for each point at which a specific charge / discharge is expected is calculated.

  Next, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the vehicle equipment can cope with the dangerous situation at each point where a specific charge / discharge on the travel route to the destination is expected (step 107). That is, as shown in FIG. 12, by comparing the list of systems operating at each point at which specific charging / discharging shown in FIG. 4 is expected and the vehicle equipment list shown in FIG. 2, traveling to the destination is performed. It is determined whether or not the vehicle is equipped with a system necessary to pass through each point where a unique charge / discharge on the route is expected, and whether or not danger can be avoided.

When it is determined in step 107 that the dangerous situation cannot be handled by the vehicle equipment, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the necessary vehicle equipment can be replaced by the replacement means shown in FIG. 13A (step 108). For example, it is judged that TRC (traction control) and VSC (side slip prevention function) are necessary because a slip is expected when the vehicle is on a curve, during a heavy rain zone, or when the road surface is bad, but the vehicle is equipped with TRC and VSC. If not, it is determined whether or not it can be replaced by travel control of other equipment. Controls that prevent skidding include limiting the vehicle speed, controlling the low gear with AT control (enhancing engine braking and suppressing pedal force braking), and limiting acceleration with TBW (electronic throttle control). By determining whether or not such control can be executed as vehicle control, a determination result as shown in FIG. 13B is obtained.
However, if the risk level is a predetermined value, for example, if the risk level is 80 [%] or more, the alternative means determines that the vehicle cannot travel, and cannot perform the replacement.

If it is determined in step 108 that replacement is possible, the CPU 11 stores the replacement means used at each point at which specific charge / discharge is expected in the RAM 13 (step 109). If it is determined that replacement is not possible, the CPU 11 The navigation device 3 is instructed to display the travel route and display that it cannot pass (step 110), and the program ends. As a result, the travel route is displayed on the display screen of the car navigation device 3 and, for example, “This route is not a recommended route” is displayed.
Then, when it is determined in step 107 that the dangerous situation can be dealt with by the vehicle equipment, or after the alternative means is stored in step 109, the CPU 11 determines whether or not there is any abnormality in the system (step 111). ) If there is a system abnormality, the car navigation device 3 is instructed to display the travel route and display that it cannot pass (step 110).

In other words, the CPU 11 checks the system necessary for passing each point to the destination or the diagnosis code of the alternative means to determine whether or not the necessary equipment has failed, thereby determining whether the system is abnormal. If the system is abnormal, the car navigation device 3 is instructed to display the travel route and display that the vehicle cannot pass.
In this case, the vehicle information center 21 is notified of the tire replacement date and time of the host vehicle, the system 21 is inquired at the time of system abnormality determination, and the system including the tire deterioration state based on the number of days elapsed since the tire replacement, etc. An abnormality may be determined.

When it is determined that there is no abnormality in the system, the CPU 11 determines whether or not power supply becomes impossible due to the operation of the system or alternative means necessary for passing through each point where the above-described unique charging / discharging is expected ( Step 112).
That is, as shown in FIG. 14A, the CPU 11 reads road information such as a straight line, a curve, and a climbing slope, and weather conditions for each area on the travel route from the RAM 13 to the destination as shown in FIG. As shown in (b), after predicting the travel mode for each area and storing it in the RAM 13, as shown in FIGS. 14 (c) and 14 (d), based on the environmental information for each area and the predicted travel mode. The engine speed for each area and the average power generation amount of the alternator are predicted and stored in the RAM 13.

Next, as shown in FIG. 14 (f), the CPU 11 predicts the usage amount of the electrical component for each area based on the power consumption of the electrical components 4, 5,. And stored in the RAM 13.
After this, the alternator power generation amount (d) and the safety system or alternative means that is predicted to operate at each point where the specific charging / discharging shown in FIG. The amount of electricity used, that is, the amount of electricity used for the safety system (e) and the amount of electricity used for electrical components (f), as shown in FIG. 14 (g), the amount of charge to the battery 6 {= alternator power generation amount (d) − As shown in FIG. 14 (h), the amount of electricity used by the safety system (e) -the amount of electricity used by the electrical component (f)} is predicted, and the current amount of electricity that can be discharged and the amount of charge (g) of the battery described above. The battery state for each area, that is, the amount of electricity that can be discharged is predicted and stored in the RAM 13.

Then, in step 112, by determining whether or not the dischargeable electric quantity (h) for each area is a negative value, as shown in FIG. 14 (i), a specific charge / discharge is expected. At each point, it is determined whether or not power supply becomes impossible when the safety system is activated.
In the state of FIG. 14, since the battery dischargeable amount of electricity at the time of setting the travel route is 12600 [Asec], it is determined that power supply is not disabled at all points where unique charge / discharge is expected. If the amount of electricity that can be discharged by the battery at that time is 7600 [Asec], power supply is disabled as shown in FIG.

If it is determined in step 112 that power supply is not disabled, the CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display a travel route (step 113). If it is determined that power supply cannot be performed, can the power supply be limited? It is determined whether or not (step 114).
That is, the load limit is determined based on the priority of each vehicle equipment stored in the ROM 12 shown in FIG. 5 and the priority of each vehicle equipment unit in the power consumption data table and the required power at each level of the operating state. Determine if there is a unit available. For example, when the power shortage is 60 W, the light is load-limited, and when the light is not used, the load restriction determination is performed on the next lowest priority unit, for example, a navigation device, If the power supply cannot be supplied even if the load is limited, it is determined that the power supply is not applicable.
Accordingly, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 16, when it is determined that the power supply limitation of 2000 [Asec] is possible in the area of “rain / road condition”, the CPU 11 determines that the power supply limitation is applicable.

  If it is determined in step 114 that the power supply limitation can be handled, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the power supply limitation can be avoided by increasing the charge amount (step 115). That is, the power generation is normally cut when the travel mode is acceleration, but the power generation cut is prevented, and the control of the battery management device 2 is switched so that power generation is performed even during acceleration, whereby FIG. ), The power generation amount of the alternator 7 can be increased. Therefore, it is determined whether or not the power supply limitation can be avoided by increasing the charge amount.

  If it is determined in step 115 that the power supply restriction can be avoided by increasing the charging amount, the CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display the travel route and notify the deterioration of fuel consumption, and also to manage the battery management device 2. Is instructed to increase the amount of charge (step 116). That is, if the amount of power generated by the alternator 7 is increased, the fuel consumption deteriorates. Therefore, the driving route is displayed on the display screen of the car navigation device 3, and for example, “If this route is driven, the fuel consumption may deteriorate. "Is displayed to inform the driver of fuel consumption deterioration.

  Further, in step 115, as shown in FIG. 18, when it is determined that the amount of use of electrical components is large and power supply cannot be performed even if the amount of power generation is increased, the CPU 11 displays the travel route on the car navigation device 3 and An instruction is given to notify that there is a power supply restriction, and the battery management device 2 is notified of the area where power supply is restricted and the equipment whose power supply is restricted (step 117). As a result, the travel route is displayed on the display screen of the car navigation device 3 and, for example, the message “There is a possibility that power supply to the air conditioner may be restricted when traveling along this route” is displayed.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step 114 that the power supply limitation is not possible, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the power supply limitation and the charge amount can be supported (step 118), and executes both the power supply limitation and the charge amount increase. If it is determined that it is possible to respond, the car navigation device 3 is instructed to display the travel route, the power supply is restricted, and the fuel consumption is inferred, and the battery management device 2 is instructed to increase the amount of charge and the power supply restriction. Notification of the area and the equipment whose power supply is restricted is performed (step 119).
If it is determined that both the power supply limitation and the charge amount increase are not supported, the CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display the travel route and the display indicating that the vehicle cannot pass (step 120). Exit the program. As a result, the driving route is displayed on the display screen of the car navigation device 3 as described above, and for example, “This route is not a recommended route” is displayed.

  Then, after giving instructions to the car navigation device 3 in steps 113, 116, 117, and 119, the CPU 11 determines whether or not it is determined in step 108 to use the substitute means (step 121), and uses the substitute means. If it is determined, the other control mechanism is notified together with the area where the use of the alternative means stored in the RAM 13 is used (step 122). As a result, the substitute means is automatically used in the area where the substitute means is used.

As described above, environmental information such as road information, weather information, and road surface information on the travel route from the car navigation device 3 or the like to the destination is acquired, and the degree of risk calculated based on the acquired environmental information or the like is obtained. After a point with a certain degree of risk or higher is set as a point where unique charge / discharge is expected, it is determined whether or not there is sufficient battery capacity for the safety function required at each point. If there is not enough, the safety function can be notified before the safety function stops working.
In addition, it predicts the amount of electricity used by the safety function or alternative means that is expected to operate at each point where unique charging / discharging is expected. Alternatively, since it is determined whether or not the vehicle can be driven by increasing the charge amount, it can be accurately determined whether or not the battery runs out.

  In the above-described embodiment, the example in which the risk avoidance possibility determination program is started when the driver sets the destination in the car navigation apparatus 3 has been described. It is desirable to execute the risk avoidance possibility determination program again when there is a change in the time, or when a predetermined time has elapsed or when traveling for a predetermined distance.

In the above embodiment, when it is impossible to cope with a dangerous situation, or when it is impossible to avoid power supply failure, it is displayed that it is impossible to pass, but when it is not possible to cope with a dangerous situation or when power supply impossible cannot be avoided. It is also possible to cause the car navigation device to automatically search for another travel route.
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the vehicle control device of the present invention, the car navigation device, and the battery management device are provided separately, but the functions of the vehicle control device of the present invention can also be incorporated into the car navigation device. The function of the vehicle control device of the present invention can also be incorporated into the battery management device.

In the above embodiment, when it is determined that there is a possibility of power supply failure, it is determined whether it is possible to cope with both power supply restriction and charge amount increase, but the driver selects fuel efficiency priority or drivability priority In the following, an embodiment in which the driver can select whether to give priority to fuel consumption or drivability will be described.
The system configuration is the same as the system configuration diagram of FIG.

Hereinafter, the operation of the vehicle control apparatus 1 of this embodiment when determining whether or not danger can be avoided will be described with reference to the block diagram of FIG. 1 and the flowcharts of FIGS. 19-1 and 19-2.
When the driver sets the destination in the car navigation device 3, the CPU 11 of the vehicle control device 1 starts the danger avoidance determination program shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 19-1 and 19-2. Since the operations of 220 and 221 are the same as the operations of steps 101 to 113 and steps 121 and 122 in the flowcharts of FIGS. 7-1 and 7-2, the description thereof will be omitted and only steps 214 to 219 will be described.

If it is determined in step 212 that power feeding is impossible, the CPU 11 detects whether the driver has selected “sport”, “normal”, or “economy” from the switch state of the driving selection switch 10, It is determined whether or not the driving state of “sports” is selected (step 214).
When it is determined that the driver has selected the “normal” or “economy” driving state, the CPU 11 determines whether or not the power supply restriction is applicable (step 215), and when the power supply restriction is determined to be applicable. The CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display the travel route and notify that there is a power supply restriction, and notifies the battery management device 2 of the power supply restriction area and the power supply restricted equipment (step 216).
On the other hand, if it is determined that the power supply restriction is not possible, the CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display the travel route and display that the vehicle cannot pass (step 217).

  On the other hand, if it is determined in step 214 that the driver has selected the driving state of “sports”, the CPU 11 determines whether or not it can be handled by increasing the charge amount (step 218), and can be handled by increasing the charge amount. When the determination is made, the CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display the travel route and notify the deterioration of fuel consumption, and also instructs the battery management device 2 to increase the charge amount (step 219). On the other hand, if it is determined that the charging is not possible, the CPU 11 instructs the car navigation device 3 to display the travel route and display that the vehicle cannot pass (step 217).

  As described above, by enabling the driver to select fuel efficiency priority or drivability priority, power supply cannot be performed by either power supply limitation or charge amount increase depending on whether the driver has selected fuel efficiency priority or drivability priority. Therefore, it is possible to make a determination based on the driver's intention.

  In the above embodiment, the example in which the risk avoidance possibility determination program is started when the driver sets the destination in the car navigation device 3 has been described. However, as in the first embodiment, the travel route has been changed. In this case, it is desirable to execute the risk avoidance possibility determination program again when there is a change in the operation status of the equipment, or when a predetermined time has elapsed or when traveling for a predetermined distance.

  Further, in the above embodiment, when it is not possible to cope with the dangerous situation, or when it is not possible to avoid the inability to supply power, it is displayed that the passage is impossible. If it is not possible to avoid the inability to supply power, the car navigation device can automatically search for another travel route.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle travel assistance system containing the vehicle control apparatus of this invention. It is an example of the vehicle information memorize | stored in ROM. It is an example of accident danger level data based on various driving environments memorized by ROM. It is the list table of the system which is memorize | stored in ROM and operate | moves according to a dangerous situation. It is an example of the table of the priority of each vehicle equipment memorize | stored in ROM, and power consumption data. It is a functional block diagram showing composition of a vehicle control device with a function. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action of a vehicle control apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action of a vehicle control apparatus. It is an example of the driving | running route which shows the condition in each point to the destination. It is an example of the battery state acquired by the vehicle control apparatus. It is an example of the estimated electricity usage amount of EBD according to the risk stored in ROM. It is an example of calculation of the amount of electricity expected to be discharged from the operating system for each point at which specific charge / discharge is expected. It is an example of the determination result whether danger can be avoided by the comparison with the system which operate | moves according to vehicle equipment and a dangerous condition. It is an example of the determination result of the danger avoidance by an alternative means. An example of a driving situation showing an environmental situation at each point to a destination, a charging / discharging situation of a battery, and a determination result that power feeding is impossible is shown. The example of a driving | running | working condition in the case of falling into electric power feeding is shown. The example of a driving | running | working condition in the case where it can respond by electric power feeding restriction is shown. An example of a driving situation in the case where the power supply limitation can be avoided by increasing the charging amount is shown. An example of a driving situation in the case where power supply becomes impossible even when the amount of charge is increased is shown. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action at the time of the danger avoidance judgment of the vehicle control apparatus of another Example. It is a flowchart which shows the effect | action at the time of the danger avoidance judgment of the vehicle control apparatus of another Example.

Explanation of symbols

1 Vehicle control device 11 CPU
12 ROM
13 RAM
2 Battery management device 3 Car navigation device 4 5 Electrical component 6 Battery 7 Alternator 8 Communication line 9 Power line 10 Operation selection switch

Claims (6)

Environmental information acquisition means for acquiring environmental information on the travel route to the destination;
A risk level calculating means for calculating a risk level based on the environmental information on the travel route acquired by the environmental information acquiring means;
A point setting means for setting a point where the degree of risk calculated by the risk level calculation means is a predetermined risk level or higher to a point where a specific charge / discharge is expected;
Safety function confirmation means for confirming the safety function required at each point on the travel route set by the point setting means;
A vehicle having control means for determining whether or not a battery amount necessary for a safety function required at each point remains, and notifying that it is dangerous when the battery amount is insufficient Control device.   2. An alternative propriety judging means for judging whether or not traveling by an alternative means is possible when a safety function required at each point where peculiar charging / discharging is expected is not provided. The vehicle control device described in 1.   The control means predicts the battery charge / discharge control based on the battery state, the driving state of the electrical components, the environment information on the travel route acquired by the environment information acquisition means, and the specific charge / discharge at each point, The vehicle control device according to claim 1, wherein it is determined whether or not power supply limitation for electrical components and battery charge control intervention are necessary.   4. The vehicle control according to claim 3, further comprising: a driver intention acquisition unit, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the power supply limitation and the charge control intervention can be executed according to the driver intention acquired by the driver intention acquisition unit. apparatus.   Necessary at each point after calculating the risk based on the environmental information on the driving route to the destination and setting a point where the calculated risk is higher than the predetermined risk as a point where unique charge / discharge is expected A vehicle control method comprising: determining whether or not a battery amount necessary for a safety function to remain remains, and notifying that there is a danger when the battery amount is insufficient.   Predict battery charge / discharge control based on battery status, drive status of electrical components, environmental information, and specific charge / discharge at each point, and determine whether power supply restrictions for electrical components and battery charge control intervention are necessary The vehicle control method according to claim 5.

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