JP6648844B2 - Charge control device and control method for vehicle equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a charging control device and a control method of a vehicle equipped with the same, and more specifically, to a charging method capable of notifying a user of information regarding external charging for charging a vehicle-mounted power storage device with power supplied from outside the vehicle. It relates to a control device.

  Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2013-38933 (Patent Document 1) discloses a charge control device capable of executing external charging in which a vehicle-mounted traveling battery is charged using power supplied from a charging cable outside the vehicle. . This charging control device is configured to be able to execute timer charging (reserved charging) for starting external charging at a scheduled time. If the user sets the timer charging to be performed and the charging cable is connected to the vehicle, the external charging is automatically started at the scheduled time.

JP 2013-38933 A

  However, if the user forgets to perform the operation of connecting the charging cable to the vehicle even though the user sets to execute the timer charging, the timer charging is not performed even when the scheduled time to start the timer charging is reached. External charging will not be performed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to prevent external charging by timer charging from being performed even when timer charging is to be performed. is there.

  The charging control device according to the present invention can notify a user of information regarding external charging for charging a power storage device mounted on a vehicle using power supplied from a charging cable outside the vehicle. The charging control device includes a determining unit that determines whether a timer charging that starts external charging at a scheduled time is scheduled to be executed, and a charging cable that is connected to the vehicle even though the timer charging is scheduled to be executed. And a notifying unit that notifies a user of information indicating that the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle when the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle.

  According to the above configuration, when the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle even though the timer charging is scheduled to be executed, the user is notified that the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle. Thus, the user can be made aware that he or she has forgotten to connect the charging cable to the vehicle, and can be prompted to connect the charging cable to the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to prevent the external charging by the timer charging from being executed even though the timer charging is to be executed.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle charging system. It is a figure which shows the structure of a vehicle schematically. It is a figure showing an example of a screen displayed on a display of a navigation device. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of an ECU.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding portions have the same reference characters allotted, and description thereof will not be repeated.

  FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a vehicle charging system 1 to which the charging control device according to the present embodiment is applied. The vehicle charging system 1 includes a vehicle 10, a power supply device (hereinafter, referred to as an “external power supply”) 20 provided outside the vehicle 10, a cloud server 30, and a smartphone 40.

  Vehicle 10 includes an inlet 110 and a power storage device 130. Vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle (for example, a hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, or the like) that can run using electric power stored in power storage device 130. The vehicle 10 is configured to be able to execute control (hereinafter, also referred to as “external charging”) for charging the vehicle-mounted power storage device 130 using power supplied from the external power supply device 20. Specifically, vehicle 10 is in a state where external charging is possible when a user connects charging connector 22 provided at the end of charging cable 21 extending from external power supply device 20 to inlet 110 of vehicle 10.

  The external power supply device 20 is a power supply that supplies charging power to the vehicle 10. The external power supply device 20 is fixed to a vehicle parking space or the like. Although FIG. 1 illustrates a case where the external power supply device 20 is provided on the ground, the external power supply device 20 may be buried underground.

  The cloud server 30 is configured to be able to communicate with the vehicle 10 and the smartphone 40. The vehicle 10 can transmit information about the vehicle 10 (including information about external charging) to the smartphone 40 through the cloud server 30.

  The smartphone 40 is a communication terminal that can be carried by a user. The smartphone 40 includes a display, and can display information received from the cloud server 30 on the display. The user can check the contents of the information transmitted from the vehicle 10 through the cloud server 30 on the display of the smartphone 40 even when the user is away from the vehicle 10.

  In the present embodiment, a case where information is transmitted indirectly from the vehicle 10 to the smartphone 40 through the cloud server 30 is illustrated, but information is directly transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the smartphone 40 without passing through the cloud server 30. It may be configured to transmit.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of vehicle 10 shown in FIG. The vehicle 10 includes a charger 120, a power storage device 130, a driving device 140, an ECU (Electric Control Unit) 150, a DCM (Data Communication Module) 160, a navigation device, in addition to the above-described inlet 110 and power storage device 130. It comprises a device 170 and an ignition (IG) switch 190.

  The inlet 110 is configured such that a charging connector 22 provided at the tip of the charging cable 21 can be connected. When charging connector 22 is connected to inlet 110, a signal indicating that charging connector 22 is connected to inlet 110 (hereinafter also referred to as a “connection signal”) is output from inlet 110 to ECU 150.

  Charger 120 is controlled by ECU 150, converts power received from inlet 110 (power of external power supply device 20) into power that can be charged in power storage device 130, and outputs the power to power storage device 130. Charger 120 is configured to include, for example, a rectifier and an inverter.

  Power storage device 130 can store power received from charger 120 and supply the stored power to driving device 140. Power storage device 130 is configured to include, for example, a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery, an electric double layer capacitor, and the like. The power storage device 130 can also store electric power regenerated by the drive device 140 during braking while the vehicle is running.

  Drive device 140 drives a drive wheel (not shown) to generate a driving force for vehicle 10 to travel. Although not particularly shown, driving device 140 includes a converter and an inverter that receive power supply from power storage device 130, a motor driven by the inverter to drive driving wheels, and the like. Note that drive device 140 may include a generator that generates electric power for charging power storage device 130, and an engine that can drive the generator.

  The ECU 150 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, an input / output buffer, and the like (all not shown), and performs various controls in the vehicle 10.

  The ECU 150 collects information on the vehicle 10 and transmits the information to the cloud server 30 (see FIG. 1) through the DCM 160. ECU 150 monitors the amount of power stored in power storage device 130 (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “SOC (State Of Charge)”).

  The DCM 160 is a communication device that can wirelessly communicate with the cloud server 30. The DCM 160 transmits the information of the vehicle 10 collected by the ECU 150 to the cloud server 30, and receives the information transmitted from the cloud server 30 and outputs the information to the ECU 150.

  The navigation device 170 specifies the current position of the vehicle 10 using a GPS (Global Positioning System), and outputs information indicating the current position to the ECU 150. Further, the navigation device 170 includes a display unit capable of displaying various information.

  The IG switch 190 is a power switch for supplying operating power to each device of the vehicle 10. When the user performs an operation of closing the IG switch 190 in order to use the vehicle 10, power is supplied to each device (vehicle power-on state). When the user performs an operation of opening the IG switch 190 to stop using the vehicle 10, the power supply to each device is shut off (vehicle power off state). Note that, even in the vehicle power-off state, the devices related to external charging are maintained in an operable state. Therefore, external charging can be performed even in the vehicle power-off state.

<Timer charge setting>
The ECU 150 can execute a control for starting the above-described external charging at a preset time (hereinafter, also referred to as “timer charging”). The time at which the timer charging is started is set in advance based on the scheduled start time or the scheduled departure time input by the user. The user uses a combination meter (not shown) or a screen displayed on the navigation device 170 to set timer charging (setting whether or not to execute timer charging, scheduled timer charging start time, scheduled departure time). Input, etc.).

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on the display unit of the navigation device 170. The screen shown in FIG. 3 is a screen for setting the timer charging. The display screen of navigation device 170 is a so-called touch panel, and the user can set timer charging by pressing a button or the like displayed on the screen shown in FIG. Note that the screen shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and the screen is not limited to this.

  On the display screen of the navigation device 170, an add button 180, schedule bars 181 and 182, and the like are displayed.

  The add button 180 is a button for newly adding setting contents of timer charging. By pressing the add button 180, the user can newly add a schedule bar indicating the setting contents of the timer charging. FIG. 3 shows an example in which two schedule bars 181 and 182 are already registered.

  The schedule bars 181 and 182 are bars indicating information on currently registered timer charging (specifically, a day of the week for performing timer charging, a scheduled start time of timer charging, a scheduled sunrise departure time for timer charging, and the like). is there.

  In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the schedule bar 181 indicates that the scheduled start time of the timer charging is 10:00 am on each day of the week of Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat. The schedule bar 182 indicates that the scheduled departure time of the user on each day of the week of Monday, Friday, and Saturday is 10:00 pm. When the scheduled departure time is registered by the user, ECU 150 sets the scheduled start time of timer charging in advance so that power storage device 130 is fully charged by the scheduled departure time.

  The schedule bar 181 displays a change button 181A and a setting button (ON button) 181B. By pressing the change button 181A, the user can change the content of the timer charge displayed on the schedule bar 181. By pressing the setting button 181B, the user can set whether or not the timer charging displayed on the schedule bar 181 is enabled (whether or not to execute). In the valid state, the brightness of the schedule bar 181 becomes bright, and in the invalid state, the brightness of the schedule bar 181 becomes dark. By confirming the brightness of the schedule bar 181, the user can confirm whether or not the timer charging displayed on the schedule bar 181 is in an effective state.

  Similarly to the schedule bar 181, a change button 182A and a setting button (ON button) 182B are displayed on the schedule bar 182. The functions of change button 181A and setting button 181B are the same as those of change button 182A and setting button 182B described above, and therefore, detailed description will not be repeated.

<Notification that charging cable is not connected to vehicle>
As described above, the vehicle 10 is configured to be able to execute the timer charging that starts the external charging at the scheduled time.

  However, the user has forgotten to perform the operation of connecting the charging connector 22 of the charging cable 21 to the inlet 110 of the vehicle 10 even though the timer charging is set (the timer charging is scheduled to be executed). In this case, even when the scheduled time to start the timer charging is reached, the external charging by the timer charging is not executed.

  Therefore, ECU 150 according to the present embodiment provides an e-mail indicating that charging cable 21 is not connected to vehicle 10 when charging cable 21 is not connected to vehicle 10 even though timer charging is set. (Hereinafter, also referred to as “charging cable non-connection notification mail”) to the user's smartphone 40 through the cloud server 30. Thereby, it is possible to notify the user that the charging cable 21 has been forgotten to be connected to the vehicle 10 and to prompt the user to connect the charging cable 21 to the vehicle 10. As a result, it is possible to prevent the external charging by the timer charging from being executed even though the timer charging is set.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure performed by ECU 150 when transmitting the charging cable non-connection notification mail. This flowchart is repeatedly executed at a predetermined cycle.

  In step (hereinafter, step is abbreviated as "S") 10, ECU 150 determines whether or not timer charging is set (timer charging is scheduled to be executed). If timer charging has not been set (NO in S10), ECU 150 ends the process.

  If timer charging is set (YES in S10), ECU 150 determines in S11 whether charging connector 22 is connected to inlet 110 based on the state of the connection signal described above. If charging connector 22 is connected to inlet 110 (YES in S11), ECU 150 ends the process.

  When charging connector 22 is not connected to inlet 110 (NO in S11), ECU 150 transmits charging cable non-connection notification mail in S12 to S15, so that charging cable 21 is not connected to vehicle 10. To the user.

  Specifically, in S12, ECU 150 determines whether or not the vehicle power is off based on the state of IG switch 190. When the vehicle is not in the power-off state (NO in S12), it is considered that the user is using the vehicle 10, and thus the ECU 150 ends the process without transmitting the charging cable non-connection notification mail described above. I do. As a result, it is possible to prevent the transmission of the charging cable non-connection notification mail even when unnecessary.

  If the vehicle power is off (YES in S12), ECU 150 determines in S13 whether or not the SOC is less than predetermined value S1. This determination is performed to determine whether the SOC has decreased to a level that requires external charging. If the SOC is equal to or greater than predetermined value S1 (NO in S13), it is considered that the SOC is high and external charging is unnecessary, and thus ECU 150 ends the process without transmitting the charging cable non-connection notification mail. As a result, it is possible to prevent the transmission of the charging cable non-connection notification mail even when unnecessary.

  If the SOC is less than predetermined value S1 (YES in S13), ECU 150 determines in S14 whether or not it is time to transmit a charging cable non-connection notification mail. The ECU 150 determines a predetermined timing (timing approaching the scheduled start time) before the scheduled start time of the timer charging being set, for example, 30 minutes, 8 hours, and 12 hours before the scheduled start time. In this case, it is determined that it is time to transmit the charging cable non-connection notification mail.

  If it is not time to transmit the charging cable non-connection notification mail (NO in S14), ECU 150 ends the process without transmitting the charging cable non-connection notification mail.

  On the other hand, if it is time to transmit the charging cable non-connection notification mail (YES in S14), ECU 150 transmits the charging cable non-connection notification mail to user's smartphone 40 through cloud server 30.

  As described above, ECU 150 according to the present embodiment transmits a charging cable non-connection notification e-mail to user's smartphone 40 when charging connector 22 is not connected to inlet 110 despite timer charging being set. I do. Thereby, it is possible to notify the user that the charging cable 21 has been forgotten to be connected to the vehicle 10 and to prompt the user to connect the charging cable 21 to the vehicle 10. As a result, it is possible to prevent the external charging by the timer charging from being executed even though the timer charging is to be executed.

<Modification>
The above embodiment can be modified, for example, as follows.

  (1) In the above embodiment, the timing of transmitting the charging cable non-connection notification mail (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “mail transmission timing”) is set to a predetermined timing before the scheduled start time of the timer charging. .

  However, the mail transmission timing may be changed according to the scheduled start time of the timer charging. For example, even if the charging cable non-connection notification mail is transmitted at night, it is assumed that the user is sleeping and cannot respond, so the night time zone may be excluded from the mail transmission timing.

  Further, the mail transmission timing may be changed according to a specific scene. For example, if the user sets the scheduled start time of timer charging at 23:00 in order to perform external charging in the late night time zone (for example, from 23 hours to 7:00 the next day) when the electricity rate is low, Considering the average return time (for example, 20:00), the mail transmission timing may be set to any timing between 20:00 and 22:00.

  When the vehicle 10 is used for commuting and the user sets the departure time at 7:00, the user's average return time (for example, 20:00), the user's average bedtime (for example, 24:00), etc. In consideration of the above, the mail transmission timing may be set to any timing between 20:00 and 22:00.

  If the vehicle 10 is used as a company car and the user sets the scheduled start time at 12:00 for charging during lunch break, the mail transmission timing is set to be from 11:30 to 12:00. The timing may be set at any one of the timings.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the case where the ECU 150 of the vehicle 10 transmits the charging cable non-connection notification mail has been described. However, the cloud server 30 may transmit the charging cable non-connection notification mail. Good. That is, the cloud server 30 determines whether or not the timer charging is set and the connection state of the charging cable 21 based on the information transmitted from the vehicle 10. May be transmitted to the user's smartphone 40 when it is determined that the charging cable is not connected.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the user is notified by e-mail that the charging cable 21 is not connected to the vehicle 10, but the method of notification is not limited to e-mail. For example, a voice alert may be issued from the speaker of the smartphone 40.

  (4) In the above-described embodiment, the determination in S12 (determination as to whether or not the vehicle power is off) and the determination in S13 (determination as to whether the SOC is less than the predetermined value S1) shown in FIG. It may be omitted. That is, when the charging connector 22 is not connected to the inlet 110 despite the timer charging being set, whether the SOC is less than the predetermined value S1 regardless of whether the vehicle power is off or not. Regardless of whether or not it is, a charge cable non-connection notification mail may be transmitted. Even in this case, it is possible to notify the user that the user has forgotten to connect the charging cable 21 to the vehicle 10 and to urge the user to connect the charging cable 21 to the vehicle 10.

  The above-described embodiments and modified examples can be appropriately combined within a range where technical inconsistency does not occur.

  The embodiments disclosed this time are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  1 vehicle charging system, 10 vehicle, 20 external power supply device, 21 charging cable, 22 charging connector, 30 cloud server, 40 smartphone, 110 inlet, 120 charger, 130 power storage device, 140 driving device, 150 ECU, 170 navigation device, 180 Add button, 181,182 Schedule bar, 190 IG switch.

Claims (11)

Timer charging that starts external charging at a scheduled time for charging a power storage device mounted on a vehicle using power supplied from a charging cable outside the vehicle is possible, and charging that can notify a user of information on the external charging. A control device,
When the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle even though the timer charging is to be executed, a notification that notifies a user of unconnected information indicating that the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle. Part,
The notification unit is configured to be able to set a time zone during which the user is not notified of the non-connection information ,
The charging control device , wherein the notifying unit does not notify the user of the non-connection information when the SOC of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value .   The charging control device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit notifies the user of the non-connection information a predetermined time before a scheduled time at which the timer charging is performed. Timer charging that starts external charging at a scheduled time for charging a power storage device mounted on a vehicle using power supplied from a charging cable outside the vehicle is possible, and charging that can notify a user of information on the external charging. A control device,
If the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle even though the timer charging is scheduled to be executed, unconnected information indicating that the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle is set in advance. A notification unit that notifies the user at the notification timing is provided,
The notification unit is configured to be able to set a time zone during which the user is not notified of the non-connection information,
Setting of the notification timing state, and are settable at a different time than the scheduled time by the user,
The charging control device , wherein the notifying unit does not notify the user of the non-connection information when the SOC of the vehicle is equal to or more than a predetermined value . The charging control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the notification unit does not notify the user of the non-connection information when the vehicle is not in a power-off state.   The charging control device according to claim 3, wherein the different time is a time before the scheduled time. A vehicle equipped with the charge control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising:
The vehicle is configured to be capable of timer charging to start external charging at a scheduled time for charging a power storage device mounted on the vehicle using power supplied from a charging cable outside the vehicle,
The control method includes:
If the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle even though the timer charging is scheduled to be executed, the user is notified of unconnected information indicating that the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle. Steps and
Setting a time zone in which the non-connection information is not notified according to a user operation;
A step of notifying the non-connection information if the SOC of the vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and notifying the user of the non-connection information if the SOC is equal to or more than a predetermined value . The notifying step includes:
The vehicle control method according to claim 7 , further comprising: notifying a user of the non-connection information a predetermined time before a scheduled time at which the timer charging is performed. A method for controlling a vehicle, comprising:
The vehicle is configured to be capable of timer charging to start external charging at a scheduled time for charging a power storage device mounted on the vehicle using power supplied from a charging cable outside the vehicle,
The control method includes:
If the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle even though the timer charging is scheduled to be executed, unconnected information indicating that the charging cable is not connected to the vehicle is set in advance. Notifying the user at the notification timing;
Setting the notification timing to a time different from the scheduled time according to a user operation;
Setting a time zone in which the non-connection information is not notified according to a user operation ;
A step of notifying the non-connection information if the SOC of the vehicle is less than a predetermined value, and notifying the user of the non-connection information if the SOC is equal to or more than a predetermined value . The control method includes:
The vehicle control method according to any one of claims 7 to 9 , further comprising: notifying the non-connection information when the vehicle is not in a power-off state. The vehicle control method according to claim 9 , wherein the different time is a time before the scheduled time.

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