JP6987106B2 - Controls, vehicles and programs - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to control devices, vehicles and programs.

Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a technique for performing non-contact power supply to a vehicle when a traffic signal is stopped.
[Prior Art Document]
[Patent Document]
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-193095 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-193657

It is desired that the vehicle can stop at a position where electric power can be transmitted to and from the electric power transmission device provided in front of the road of the traffic signal.

In the first aspect of the present invention, a control device is provided. The control device includes a position acquisition unit that acquires the position of the power transmission device that is provided on the road in front of the traffic signal in the traveling direction of the vehicle and transmits power to and from the vehicle in a non-contact manner. The control device is such that (i) the position of another vehicle parked in front of the vehicle along the direction of travel of the vehicle, (ii) the vehicle and so that the vehicle can transmit power to and from the power transmission device. It comprises a determination unit that determines the order in which other vehicles stop side by side along the traveling direction of the vehicle, and (iii) at least one of the vehicle's travel paths.

The control device is a requesting unit that requires another vehicle that is stopped in front of the vehicle in the direction of travel along the lane to move along the lane when the vehicle cannot be stopped by aligning with the power transmission device. May be equipped.

The requesting unit is a movement that the other vehicle should move along the lane so that the vehicle can be aligned with the power transmission device and stopped at a distance of more than a predetermined distance from the other vehicle. The amount may be notified to other vehicles.

A vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires size information indicating the sizes of a plurality of vehicles traveling toward a traffic signal may be provided. The determination unit is based on size information so that when the traffic signal becomes a stop display, one or more of the multiple vehicles can stop at a position where power can be transmitted to and from the power transmission device. The order in which a plurality of vehicles stop side by side according to the stop display of the traffic signal may be determined.

When there are multiple lanes regulated by the traffic signal, the determination unit identifies the vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power transmission device among the multiple vehicles traveling toward the traffic signal, and the power is determined. Vehicles that do not transmit power to and from the transmission device may be determined to stop in a lane in which the power transmission device is not provided.

The determination unit may determine the stop position of a plurality of vehicles so that one or more vehicles can be aligned with one of the plurality of power transmission devices and stopped. The control device may include a notification unit that notifies a plurality of vehicles of the stop positions of the plurality of vehicles determined by the determination unit.

Based on the traffic signal information of multiple traffic signals, the determination unit stops at a position where power can be transmitted to and from the power transmission device according to the stop display of the traffic signal when traveling along the current planned travel route of the vehicle. If it is determined that the vehicle cannot be stopped, another travel route that can be stopped by aligning with the power transmission device may be determined according to the stop display of the other traffic signal.

The determination unit may further determine the vehicle speed so that the vehicle can be stopped at a position where power can be transmitted to and from another power transmission device according to the stop display of another traffic signal.

Based on the traffic signal information and traffic volume information of multiple traffic signals, the determination unit can transmit power to and from the power transmission device according to the stop display of the traffic signals when traveling along the current planned travel route of the vehicle. It may be judged whether or not the vehicle can be stopped at a suitable position.

The determination unit may determine the traveling route and the vehicle speed of the vehicle so that the time during which electric power can be transmitted to and from the electric power transmission device becomes equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value.

In the second aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle is equipped with the above-mentioned control device.

In the third aspect of the invention, the program is provided. The program functions as the above-mentioned control device.

The outline of the above invention does not list all the necessary features of the present invention. A subcombination of these feature groups can also be an invention.

The basic configuration of the vehicle system 100 is shown schematically. The functional configuration of the control device 44 is schematically shown. The scene where the first control method is applied is shown. The scene where the second control method is applied is shown schematically. The final stop position of the vehicle 40 when the second control method is applied is shown. The scene where the third control method is applied is shown schematically. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which concerns on the 3rd control method. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which concerns on the 2nd control method. It is a flowchart which shows the procedure of the process which concerns on the 1st control method. An example of a computer 2000 in which a plurality of embodiments of the present invention can be embodied in whole or in part is shown.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the invention to which the claims are made. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential to the means of solving the invention. In the drawings, the same or similar parts may be given the same reference number to omit duplicate explanations.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a basic configuration of a vehicle system 100. The vehicle system 100 includes a vehicle 40a, a vehicle 40b, a vehicle 40c, a power feeding device 30a, a power feeding device 30b, a power feeding device 30c, and a server 20. In the present embodiment, the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b, and the vehicle 40c may be collectively referred to as the "vehicle 40". Further, a plurality of power supply devices including the power supply device 30a, the power supply device 30b, and the power supply device 30c may be collectively referred to as "power supply device 30". The power feeding device 30 is an example of a “power transmission device”.

The power feeding device 30 is provided on the road 80. The power feeding device 30 is provided on the road surface of the road 80 or in the vicinity of the road surface. The power feeding device 30 is provided on the road in front of the traffic signal 90 in the traveling direction of the vehicle 40. Specifically, the power feeding device 30 is provided along the lane where traffic is restricted by the traffic signal 90. The power feeding device 30 transmits electric power to and from the vehicle 40 in a non-contact manner. For example, the power feeding device 30 is provided at regular intervals in front of the stop line 70 by the traffic signal 90. The power feeding device 30 can supply electric power to the stopped vehicle 40 in a non-contact manner. The power feeding device 30 can also supply electric power to the moving vehicle 40 in a non-contact manner.

The vehicle 40 is an example of transportation equipment. The vehicle 40 is a vehicle having a power source driven by electric energy, such as an electric vehicle. Electric vehicles include battery-powered electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) equipped with an internal combustion engine that provides at least a portion of the power.

The vehicle 40a includes a battery 42a, a control device 44a, and a power receiving unit 48a. The control device 44a is, for example, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) or the like. The power receiving unit 48a receives power from the power feeding device 30 in a non-contact manner, for example, via a magnetic field. As a non-contact power transmission method from the power feeding device 30 to the power receiving unit 48a, for example, a magnetic field resonance coupling method can be used. For example, the power feeding device 30 includes a primary coil and a primary circuit, and the power receiving unit 48 includes a secondary coil and a secondary circuit. When the primary side coil and the secondary side coil are in a positional relationship of magnetically coupling, by driving the primary side circuit at a specific drive frequency, the primary side circuit, the primary side coil, and the secondary side side are driven. A resonance circuit is equivalently formed by the coil and the secondary circuit, and power is transmitted from the power feeding device 30 to the vehicle 40 in a non-contact manner.

The battery 42a is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel hydrogen battery. The battery 42a is charged with the electric power received by the power receiving unit 48a. The vehicle 40 travels by the driving force of a power source driven by the electric power stored in the battery 42a.

The vehicle 40b includes a battery 42b, a control device 44b, and a power receiving unit 48b. The vehicle 40c includes a battery 42c, a control device 44c, and a power receiving unit 48c. The battery 42b and the battery 42c have the same functions as the battery 42a. The control device 44b and the control device 44c have the same functions as the control device 44a. The power receiving unit 48b and the power receiving unit 48c have the same functions as the power receiving unit 48a. The battery 42a, the battery 42b, and the battery 42c may be collectively referred to as the "battery 42". The control device 44a, the control device 44b, and the control device 44c may be collectively referred to as the "control device 44". The power receiving unit 48a, the power receiving unit 48b, and the power receiving unit 48c may be collectively referred to as the "power receiving unit 48".

The control device 44 of the vehicle 40 can communicate with the control device 44 of another vehicle 40. The server 20 can communicate with the power feeding device 30 and the vehicle 40 through the communication network. The communication network may include transmission lines for wired or wireless communication. The communication network may include a communication network including the Internet, a P2P network, a dedicated line, a VPN, a power line communication line, a mobile phone line, and the like. The server 20 communicates with the power feeding device 30 to manage the power feeding device 30. Further, the server 20 communicates with the vehicle 40 to transmit traffic volume information, information on other vehicles 40, and the like to the vehicle 40.

In the present embodiment, the control device 44 of the vehicle 40 is controlled so that power can be received from the power feeding device 30 provided in front of the traffic signal 90. The first control method by the control device 44 is applied to the scene where the vehicle 40 in front is stopped. Specifically, the first control method enables the vehicle 40 to stop in a state where the power receiving unit 48 of the vehicle 40 is aligned with the power feeding device 30. It is assumed that the position of the power receiving unit 48 is fixed in the front-rear direction of the vehicle 40. Therefore, in order to prevent the explanation from becoming redundant, aligning the power receiving unit 48 with respect to the power feeding device 30 may be expressed as "aligning the vehicle 40 with respect to the feeding device 30" or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 40a is the first vehicle in the stopped convoy. Since the SOC of the battery 42a of the vehicle 40a is high, it is assumed that the vehicle 40a does not need to receive electric power from the power feeding device 30. The vehicle 40a is stopped in front of the stop line 70 in a state where it is not aligned with the power feeding device 30a. On the other hand, the vehicle 40b stopped behind the vehicle 40a needs to charge the battery 42b. However, since it is necessary to keep a sufficient inter-vehicle distance from the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b cannot be aligned with the power feeding device 30b and stopped.

In this case, the control device 44b requests the vehicle 40a to move forward. When the vehicle 40a is a vehicle having an automatic driving function, the control device 44a advances the vehicle 40a by automatic driving when requested by the control device 44b. When the vehicle 40a is a vehicle having no automatic driving function, the control device 44a instructs the driver of the vehicle 40 to move forward. As the vehicle 40a advances, the vehicle 40b can advance to a position aligned with the power feeding device 30b. This makes it possible for the power receiving unit 48b to receive power from the power feeding device 30b with high efficiency while the vehicle 40b is stopped.

The second control method and the third control method are applied to a scene in which the vehicle 40 is traveling. In the second control method, when the power feeding device 30 tries to stop before the stop line 70 according to the stop signal of the traffic signal 90, the vehicle 40 aligns with the power feeding device 30 and stops. The order in which a plurality of vehicles 40 stop side by side in the traveling direction is controlled so as to be possible. For example, if a camper with a relatively long overall length stops at the top of the convoy, the stop order of each vehicle should be changed so that a normal vehicle stops after the camper with a light vehicle with a relatively short overall length. Control. As a result, more vehicles 40 can be aligned with the power feeding device 30 and stopped.

In the third control method, the control device 44 controls the traveling path of the vehicle 40 so that the vehicle 40 can receive power from the power feeding device 30. For example, the control device 44 can receive power from the power supply device 30 for a longer time based on the destination of the vehicle 40, the switching information of the traffic signal 90 provided from the server 20, the traffic volume information, and the like. In addition, the traveling route of the vehicle 40 is changed.

According to these control methods, it becomes possible to efficiently receive electric power from the power feeding device 30 in front of the traffic signal 90.

FIG. 2 schematically shows the functional configuration of the control device 44. The control device 44 includes a processing unit 280 and a storage unit 290. The processing unit 280 is realized by a processing device including a processor. The storage unit 290 is realized by including a non-volatile storage medium. The processing unit 280 performs processing using the information stored in the storage unit 290.

The processing unit 280 includes a position acquisition unit 200, a vehicle information acquisition unit 210, a determination unit 220, a request unit 230, a notification unit 240, a travel control unit 250, and a charge / discharge control unit 270.

The position acquisition unit 200 acquires the position of the power feeding device 30. For example, the position acquisition unit 200 acquires the position of the power feeding device 30 in the traveling direction of the vehicle 40. The position acquisition unit 200 may acquire the position of the power feeding device 30 from the server 20.

The determination unit 220 determines the position of another vehicle 40 stopped in front of the vehicle 40 along the traveling direction of the vehicle 40 so that the vehicle 40 can transmit electric power to and from the power feeding device 30. (Ii) The order in which the vehicle 40 and the other vehicles 40 stop side by side along the traveling direction of the vehicle 40, and (iii) at least one of the traveling routes of the vehicle 40 are determined.

When the vehicle 40 cannot be stopped by aligning with the power feeding device 30, the requesting unit 230 moves along the lane to another vehicle 40 that is stopped in front of the vehicle 40 in the traveling direction along the lane. Request. The requesting unit 230 allows the other vehicle 40 to stop along the lane so that the vehicle 40 can be aligned with the power feeding device 30 and stopped at a distance of a predetermined distance or more from the other vehicle 40. Notify the other vehicle 40 of the amount of movement to be moved. The request unit 230 may transmit a request to another vehicle 40 or a movement amount through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The request unit 230 may transmit a request to another vehicle 40 or a movement amount through the server 20. The request unit 230 may transmit a request or a movement amount to another vehicle 40 through the power feeding device 30.

The vehicle information acquisition unit 210 acquires size information indicating the sizes of a plurality of vehicles 40 traveling toward the traffic signal 90. The size information may be information indicating the total length of the plurality of vehicles 40 in the front-rear direction. The size information may be information indicating the vehicle type of the vehicle 40. The size information may be any information as long as it can specify the total length of the vehicle 40 and the like. The determination unit 220 provides vehicle information so that when the traffic signal 90 is displayed as a stop, one or more of the plurality of vehicles 40 can stop at a position where power can be transmitted to and from the power supply device 30. Based on the size information received by the acquisition unit 210, the plurality of vehicles 40 determine the lane in which the vehicle should stop according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90.

The determination unit 220 identifies a vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power feeding device 30 among the plurality of vehicles traveling toward the traffic signal 90 when there are a plurality of lanes regulated by the traffic signal 90. Then, it is determined that the vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power feeding device 30 is stopped in the lane in which the power feeding device 30 is not provided. The "vehicle that does not transmit electric power to and from the power supply device 30" may be, for example, a vehicle 40 that does not receive electric power from the power supply device 30. The “vehicle 40 that does not transmit electric power to and from the power feeding device 30” may be, for example, a vehicle 40 in which the remaining capacity of the battery 42 is larger than a predetermined threshold value. The "vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power supply device 30" may be a vehicle that does not have a function of performing non-contact power transmission. The control device 44 may receive information from the server 20 that identifies a vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power supply device 30.

The determination unit 220 may determine the stop positions of the plurality of vehicles 40 so that one or more vehicles 40 can be aligned with any one of the plurality of power feeding devices 30 and stopped. The notification unit 240 notifies the plurality of vehicles 40 of the stop positions of the plurality of vehicles 40 determined by the determination unit 220. The notification unit 240 may notify other vehicles 40 through vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The notification unit 240 may notify another vehicle 40 through the server 20.

Based on the traffic signal information of the plurality of traffic signals 90, the determination unit 220 can transmit power to and from the power supply device 30 according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90 when the vehicle 40 travels along the current planned travel route. If it is determined that the vehicle cannot be stopped at a certain position, another travel route that can be stopped is determined by aligning with the power feeding device 30 according to the stop display of the other traffic signal 90. For example, the determination unit 220 sends the power supply device 30 according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90 when the vehicle travels along the current planned travel route of the vehicle 40 based on the traffic signal information and the traffic volume information of the plurality of traffic signals 90. It may be determined whether or not the vehicle can be stopped by aligning the position. The control device 44 may receive information indicating the change timing of the display state of the traffic signal 90 and traffic volume information from the server 20.

The determination unit 220 may determine the vehicle speed of the vehicle 40 so that the vehicle can be stopped by aligning with the power feeding device 30 according to the stop display of the other traffic signal 90. When the remaining capacity of the battery 42 included in the vehicle 40 is less than a predetermined threshold value, the determination unit 220 can stop at a position where electric power can be transmitted to and from the power supply device 30 according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90. At least one of the vehicle speed and the route of the vehicle 40 may be determined. The determination unit 220 may determine the travel path of the vehicle 40 and the vehicle speed of the vehicle 40 so that the time during which electric power can be transmitted to and from the power transmission device is equal to or longer than a predetermined threshold value.

The travel control unit 250 controls the travel of the vehicle 40. For example, the travel control unit 250 controls the speed and steering of the vehicle 40. The charge / discharge control unit 270 controls the charge / discharge of the battery 42. For example, the charge / discharge control unit 270 controls the charge circuit and the discharge circuit of the battery 42. Specifically, the charge / discharge control unit 270 controls a charging circuit connected to the power receiving unit 48 when receiving power from the power feeding device 30 via the power receiving unit 48.

FIG. 3 shows a scene in which the first control method is applied. When the vehicle 40b stops at a predetermined distance from the vehicle 40a in front, the position acquisition unit 200 acquires the misalignment amount D1 of the power feeding device 30b with respect to the power receiving unit 48b. For example, the position acquisition unit 200 may acquire D1 based on the signal strength of a plurality of radio signals radiated from the power feeding device 30b. The amount of misalignment of the power feeding device 30b with respect to the power receiving unit 48b is the amount of misalignment from the position where the transmission efficiency between the power receiving unit 48b and the power feeding device 30b is expected to be maximized. When the power receiving unit 48b is displaced rearward by D1 from the power feeding device 30b, the determination unit 220 determines that the stop position of the vehicle 40a is shifted forward by D1. Then, the requesting unit 230 notifies the vehicle 40a of the distance D1 to be advanced, and requests the vehicle 40a to advance by the distance D1 or more.

When the vehicle 40b stops according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90, the position acquisition unit 200 acquires the geographical position information of the plurality of power feeding devices 30 provided in the vicinity of the traffic signal 90 from the server 20. It's okay. The position acquisition unit 200 may acquire D1 based on the geographical position of the vehicle 40 and the geographical position information of the power feeding device 30b.

Further, the determination unit 220 may specify the distance D2 from the vehicle 40a to the stop line 70. When D2 is longer than D1, the determination unit 220 may determine that the stop position of the vehicle 40a is shifted forward by D1. The vehicle information acquisition unit 210 may acquire vehicle information indicating the vehicle type of the vehicle 40a and the current position of the vehicle 40a from the vehicle 40a or the server 20. The determination unit 220 may specify D2 based on the current positions of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40b, the total length specified from the vehicle type of the vehicle 40a, and the position of the stop line 70.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, similarly to the vehicle 40b, when the vehicle 40c is aligned with the power feeding device 30c and cannot be stopped, the control device 44c of the vehicle 40c requests the vehicle 40b in front to move forward. May be good. For example, the request unit 230 of the control device 44c requests the vehicle 40b in front to advance when the positional deviation between the power receiving unit 48c and the power supply device 30c is D3 and the vehicle 40b can be advanced by D3. good.

For example, the determination unit 220 of the control device 44c stops the vehicle 40b based on the current position and the total length of each of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40b specified from the vehicle information of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40b, and the position of the stop line 70. Determine if the position can be advanced by D3. When the requesting unit 230 of the control device 44c determines that the stop position of the vehicle 40b can be advanced by D3, the requesting unit 230 may request the vehicle 40b in front to advance. The determination unit 220 of the control device 44c may determine the distance for advancing each of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40b when it is necessary to advance not only the vehicle 40b but also the vehicle 40a. The requesting unit 230 of the control device 44c may notify each of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40b of the distance for advancing each vehicle.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a scene in which the second control method is applied. In FIG. 4, the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b, the vehicle 40c, and the vehicle 40d are running, and when the traffic signal 90 is switched to the stop display, the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b, the vehicle 40c, and the vehicle 40d are in front of the stop line 70. It shows the situation where the vehicle is about to stop.

As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle 40b is traveling in the lane 420, and the lane 420 is not provided with the power feeding device 30. Therefore, if the vehicle 40b moves forward and stops as it is, the vehicle 40b cannot receive power from the power feeding device 30. Therefore, the determination unit 220 of the control device 44 of the vehicle 40b determines the stop order of each vehicle 40 so that the vehicle 40b can be aligned with the power feeding device 30 and stopped.

Specifically, the control device 44b acquires the current positions and vehicle information of the surrounding vehicles 40a, 40c and 40d, the position where the power feeding device 30 is provided, and the position of the stop line 70 from the server 20. do. The vehicle information includes information indicating the total length of the vehicle 40, information indicating whether or not the vehicle 40 receives power from the power feeding device 30, and information indicating the destination or future travel route of the vehicle 40. good. The "information indicating whether or not the vehicle 40 receives power from the power feeding device 30" may be information indicating whether or not the vehicle 40d has a function of performing non-contact power transmission. The "information indicating whether or not the vehicle 40 receives power from the power feeding device 30" may be information indicating whether or not the vehicle 40 needs to receive power from the power feeding device 30. The server 20 may collect information indicating the destination and future travel route of the vehicle 40 and whether or not the vehicle 40 receives power from the power feeding device 30 from each vehicle 40 and distribute the information to the other vehicles 40.

The determination unit 220 of the control device 44b is in the order of the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b, and the vehicle 40c based on the distance in the lane direction in which the power supply device 30 is installed, the total length of each vehicle 40, and the preset inter-vehicle distance. Decide to stop in line. However, since the vehicle 40d traveling in the lane 410 is a truck having a long overall length, when the vehicle 40d stops on the lane 410, the vehicle 40b cannot be stopped by aligning with the power feeding device 30. If the vehicle 40d is stopped in the lane 420 and the vehicle 40a is first stopped in the lane 410 in the order of the vehicle 40b and the vehicle 40c, the determination unit 220 causes the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b, and the vehicle 40c to supply power to the power supply device 30a, respectively. It is determined that the vehicle can be stopped by aligning with the device 30b and the power feeding device 30c.

Therefore, the determination unit 220 determines that the vehicle 40d should stop in the lane 420 on condition that the vehicle 40d does not receive power from the power feeding device 30 and the vehicle 40d does not turn left at the intersection. Then, the requesting unit 230 requests the vehicle 40d to stop in the lane 420. Further, the determination unit 220 determines the positions where the power supply device 30a and the power supply device 30c are provided as the stop positions of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40c, respectively, and the notification unit 240 determines the determined stop positions of the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40c, respectively. Notify to. After the requesting unit 230 requests the vehicle 40d to stop in the lane 420, the traveling control unit 250 controls the traveling of the vehicle 40b so that the vehicle 40b can stop between the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40c. For example, the travel control unit 250 may control the speed of the vehicle 40b so that the vehicle 40b can enter between the vehicle 40a and the vehicle 40c.

FIG. 5 shows the final stop position of the vehicle 40 when the second control method is applied. As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle 40a, the vehicle 40b, and the vehicle 40c can be aligned with the power feeding device 30a, the power feeding device 30b, and the power feeding device 30c, respectively, and stopped. Among the vehicles 40a, the vehicle 40c, and the vehicle 40d, in the vehicle having the automatic driving function, the travel control unit 250 of the control device 44 determines that each vehicle is based on the request received from the vehicle 40b and the stop position information. Driving control is performed according to the driving lane and the stop position. In the vehicles 40a, 40c, and 40d of the vehicles that do not have the automatic driving function, the control device 44 notifies the driver of each vehicle of the lane in which each vehicle travels and the stop position.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a scene in which the third control method is applied. In the third control method, the control device 44 controls the traveling path of the vehicle 40. The vehicle 40 is scheduled to travel from the current position P along the route 610 shown in FIG. Route 610 is a part of a route that sequentially passes through intersection J1 and intersection J2 to reach a destination.

The control device 44 is provided from the server 20 with information on the switching schedule of the signal state of the traffic signal 90 at each intersection, traffic volume information, vehicle information of the vehicle traveling in each section, and near the stop line at each intersection. The position of the power supply device 30 and the position of the power supply device 30 are acquired. The vehicle information may include information indicating the total length of the traveling vehicle. Based on the information acquired from the server 20, the determination unit 220 can receive a sufficient amount of electric power from the power supply device 30 provided near the stop line at each intersection when the vehicle 40 travels along the route 610. To judge.

For example, the determination unit 220 predicts the speed of the vehicle 40 in the section where the power supply device 30 is provided based on the traffic volume information, the vehicle information, and the position of the power supply device 30, and the power supply device is based on the predicted speed. It is determined whether or not a sufficient amount of electric power can be received from 30. For example, the slower the speed when the vehicle 40 is traveling on the power feeding device 30, the larger the amount of electric power that can be received from the power feeding device 30. Further, if the vehicle 40 can be stopped in the power supply possible section provided with the power supply device 30 according to the stop signal of the traffic signal 90, the amount of electric power that can be received from the power supply device 30 can be larger. Therefore, the determination unit 220 predicts the time during which the vehicle 40 exists in the power supply possible section provided with the power supply device 30 based on the predicted speed of the vehicle 40, and the predicted time is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. In this case, it is determined that a sufficient amount of electric power can be received from the power feeding device 30.

With reference to FIG. 6, when the vehicle 40 travels according to the current route 610, the traffic signal 90 becomes a progress permission signal when the vehicle 40 passes the intersection J1 and the intersection J2, and the traffic volume is small, so that power can be supplied. When it is predicted that the speed of traveling in the section will increase, it is determined that a sufficient amount of power cannot be received from the power feeding device 30. On the other hand, when the vehicle 40 is driven along the route 620, it is predicted that the traffic signal 90 will be a stop signal when the vehicle 40 passes the intersection J3 and the intersection J2 on the route 620, and the power feeding device. When it is predicted that the total value of the time during which the vehicle can be stopped on the power supply possible section provided with 30 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, it is determined that a sufficient amount of power can be received from the power supply device 30. In this case, the determination unit 220 changes the traveling route of the vehicle 40 to the route 620.

When the remaining capacity of the battery 42 is less than the predetermined threshold value, the determination unit 220 adds the battery 42 to the route so that the period during which the vehicle 40 exists in the power supply possible section is equal to or longer than the predetermined threshold value. You may decide the vehicle speed. For example, the determination unit 220 may determine the vehicle speed of the vehicle 40 so that the vehicle can stop within a larger number of power supply possible sections according to the stop signal of the traffic signal 90. Further, the determination unit 220 may determine the vehicle speed and the route of the vehicle 40 so that the average vehicle speed of the vehicle 40 when traveling in the power supply available section is as low as possible.

According to the third control method, more power can be received from the power supply device 30 by predicting the time when the vehicle 40 runs in the power supply available section provided with the power supply device 30 or the time when the vehicle 40 stops in the power supply possible section. In addition, the travel route can be determined.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure related to the third control method. The process of this flowchart is started, for example, when the remaining capacity of the battery 42 becomes less than a predetermined threshold value while the vehicle 40 is running. In S700, the determination unit 220 calculates the time during which the vehicle 40 exists in the power supply possible section in which the power supply device 30 is provided, based on the traffic volume information and the vehicle information acquired from the server 20.

In S702, the determination unit 220 determines whether or not the time during which the vehicle 40 exists in the power supply available section is less than the threshold value. When it is determined that the time during which the vehicle 40 exists in the power supply possible section is less than the threshold value, in S704, the determination unit 220 causes the traffic signal 90 to become a stop signal when the vehicle 40 passes, and the stop time becomes equal to or longer than the threshold value. Search for a route. In S706, the control device 44 presents the route searched for in S704 to the passenger of the vehicle 40. When the passenger approves the route presented to the passenger of the vehicle 40, the travel control unit 250 drives the vehicle 40 according to the approved route. In the determination of S702, if the time during which the vehicle 40 exists in the power supply available section is equal to or longer than the threshold value, the processing of this flowchart is terminated.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure related to the second control method. The processing of this flowchart is started when it is predicted that the own vehicle will stop according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90 in front of the own vehicle.

In S802, the position acquisition unit 200 acquires the position of the power feeding device 30 and the vehicle information of other vehicles 40 in the vicinity from the server 20. In S804, the determination unit 220 distributes the lane in which the plurality of vehicles 40 travel so that the vehicles 40 that need to be charged by the power supply device 30 can each stop on the power supply device 30. Further, the determination unit 220 determines the stop position of each vehicle 40 in the distributed lane. In S806, the requesting unit 230 notifies the other vehicle 40 of the lane determined in S806 and requests that the other vehicle 40 change the lane, and the notification unit 240 notifies the stop position of each vehicle 40. In S808, the travel control unit 250 controls the travel of the own vehicle so that the vehicle can stop at the position determined in S804.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure related to the first control method. The processing of this flowchart is executed when the vehicle 40 in front is stopped according to the stop display of the traffic signal 90 in front of the vehicle 40.

In S900, the determination unit 220 determines whether or not the own vehicle can be aligned with the power feeding device 30 and stopped. If the own vehicle can be aligned with the power feeding device 30 and stopped, the process of this flowchart is terminated.

When the own vehicle cannot be stopped by aligning with the power feeding device 30, in S902, the determination unit 220 determines the distance D to be advanced to the vehicle 40 stopped in front. In S904, it is determined whether or not the vehicle 40 stopped ahead can move forward by the distance D. When the vehicle 40 stopped ahead can move forward by a distance D, in S906, the requesting unit 230 requests the vehicle 40 stopped ahead to move forward by a distance D. If it is determined in S904 that the vehicle 40 stopped ahead cannot move forward by the distance D, the process of this flowchart is terminated.

In the vehicle system 100 described above, a form in which the server 20 includes at least a part of the functions executed by the control device 44 may be adopted. For example, the server 20 has (i) the position of another vehicle 40 stopped in front of the vehicle 40, and (ii) the vehicle so that one or more vehicles 40 can be aligned with the power feeding device 30 and stopped. At least one of the order in which the 40 and the other vehicle 40 stop side by side along the direction of travel and (iii) the travel path of the vehicle may be determined.

The vehicle system 100 described above is a system for transmitting electric power from the power feeding device 30 to the vehicle 40. Such "non-contact power transmission from the power supply device 30 to the vehicle 40" is an example of "non-contact power transmission between the power transmission device and the vehicle". As a modification of the present embodiment, the power feeding device 30 may have a function of receiving electric power from the vehicle 40 in a non-contact manner. Such "non-contact power transmission from the vehicle 40 to the power supply device 30" is also an example of "non-contact power transmission between the power transmission device and the vehicle".

FIG. 10 shows an example of a computer 2000 in which a plurality of embodiments of the present invention can be embodied in whole or in part. The program installed in the computer 2000 causes the computer 2000 to perform an operation associated with the device or each part of the device, which functions as a device such as the control device 44 and the storage unit 290 according to the embodiment or each part of the device. , And / or the process according to the embodiment or the stage of the process can be executed. Such a program may be run by the CPU 2012 to cause the computer 2000 to perform certain operations associated with some or all of the processing procedures and blocks of the block diagram described herein.

The computer 2000 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 2012 and a RAM 2014, which are connected to each other by a host controller 2010. The computer 2000 also includes a ROM 2026, a flash memory 2024, a communication interface 2022, and an input / output chip 2040. The ROM 2026, the flash memory 2024, the communication interface 2022, and the input / output chip 2040 are connected to the host controller 2010 via the input / output controller 2020.

The CPU 2012 operates according to the program stored in the ROM 2026 and the RAM 2014, thereby controlling each unit.

The communication interface 2022 communicates with other electronic devices via the network. The flash memory 2024 stores programs and data used by the CPU 2012 in the computer 2000. The ROM 2026 stores a boot program or the like executed by the computer 2000 at the time of activation, and / or a program depending on the hardware of the computer 2000. The input / output chip 2040 also allows various input / output units such as keyboards, mice and monitors to input / output units such as serial ports, parallel ports, keyboard ports, mouse ports, monitor ports, USB ports, HDMI® ports, etc. It may be connected to the input / output controller 2020 via the output port.

The program is provided via a computer-readable medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or memory card or a network. RAM 2014, ROM 2026, or flash memory 2024 is an example of a computer-readable medium. The program is installed in flash memory 2024, RAM 2014, or ROM 2026 and is executed by CPU 2012. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 2000 and provides a link between the program and the various types of hardware resources described above. The device or method may be configured to implement the operation or processing of information in accordance with the use of the computer 2000.

For example, when communication is executed between the computer 2000 and the external device, the CPU 2012 executes the communication program loaded in the RAM 2014, and performs communication processing on the communication interface 2022 based on the processing described in the communication program. You may order. Under the control of the CPU 2012, the communication interface 2022 reads the transmission data stored in the transmission buffer processing area provided in the recording medium such as the RAM 2014 and the flash memory 2024, transmits the read transmission data to the network, and transmits the read transmission data from the network. The received received data is written in the reception buffer processing area or the like provided on the recording medium.

Further, the CPU 2012 makes the RAM 2014 read all or necessary parts of the file or the database stored in the recording medium such as the flash memory 2024, and executes various kinds of processing on the data on the RAM 2014. good. The CPU 2012 then writes back the processed data to the recording medium.

Various types of information such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases may be stored in recording media and processed for information processing. The CPU 2012 describes various types of operations, information processing, conditional determination, conditional branching, unconditional branching, and information retrieval / described in the present specification for the data read from the RAM 2014. Various types of processing, including replacement, may be performed and the results are written back to RAM 2014. Further, the CPU 2012 may search for information in a file, database, or the like in the recording medium. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of the first attribute associated with the attribute value of the second attribute are stored in the recording medium, the CPU 2012 specifies the attribute value of the first attribute. The entry that matches the condition is searched from the plurality of entries, the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry is read, and the first attribute satisfying the predetermined condition is selected. You may get the attribute value of the associated second attribute.

The program or software module described above may be stored on or near a computer 2000 on a computer-readable medium. A recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided in a dedicated communication network or a server system connected to the Internet can be used as a computer-readable medium. A program stored on a computer-readable medium may be provided to the computer 2000 via a network.

A program installed in the computer 2000 and causing the computer 2000 to function as the control device 44 may act on the CPU 2012 or the like to cause the computer 2000 to function as each part of the control device 44. The information processing described in these programs is read into the computer 2000, and the position acquisition unit 200 and the vehicle information acquisition unit 210 are specific means in which the software and the various hardware resources described above cooperate with each other. , The determination unit 220, the request unit 230, the notification unit 240, the travel control unit 250, and the charge / discharge control unit 270. Then, by realizing the calculation or processing of information according to the purpose of use of the computer 2000 in the present embodiment by these specific means, a specific control device 44 according to the purpose of use is constructed.

Various embodiments have been described with reference to block diagrams and the like. In the block diagram, each block may represent (1) the stage of the process in which the operation is performed or (2) each part of the device responsible for performing the operation. Specific steps and parts are implemented by a dedicated circuit, a programmable circuit supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, and / or a processor supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. It's okay. Dedicated circuits may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. Programmable circuits are memory elements such as logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logical operations, flip flops, registers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLA), etc. May include reconfigurable hardware circuits, including, etc.

The computer-readable medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions executed by the appropriate device, so that the computer-readable medium having the instructions stored therein is specified in the processing procedure or block diagram. Consists of at least a portion of a product that contains instructions that can be executed to provide a means to perform the performed operation. Examples of the computer-readable medium may include an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, an electromagnetic storage medium, a semiconductor storage medium, and the like. More specific examples of computer-readable media include floppy (registered trademark) disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), Electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray (RTM) disc, memory stick, integrated A circuit card or the like may be included.

Computer-readable instructions are assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or object-oriented programming such as Smalltalk, JAVA®, C ++, etc. Includes either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including languages and traditional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages. good.

Computer-readable instructions are used locally or to a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc., to a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, or the processor or programmable circuit of another programmable data processing device. ) May be executed to provide a means for performing the processing procedure described and the operation specified in the block diagram. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, and the like.

Although the present invention has been described above using the embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. Further, to the extent that there is no technical contradiction, the matters described for the specific embodiment can be applied to other embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that the form with such changes or improvements may be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

The order of execution of each process such as operation, procedure, step, step in the device, system, program, and method shown in the claims, specification, and drawings is particularly "before" and "prior to". It should be noted that it can be realized in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Even if the scope of claims, the specification, and the operation flow in the drawings are explained using "first", "next", etc. for convenience, it means that it is essential to carry out in this order. It's not a thing.

20 Server 30 Power supply device 40 Vehicle 42 Battery 44 Control device 48 Power receiving unit 70 Stop line 80 Road 90 Traffic signal 410, 420 Lane 610, 620 Route 100 Vehicle system 200 Position acquisition unit 210 Vehicle information acquisition unit 220 Determination unit 230 Request unit 240 Notification unit 250 Travel control unit 270 Charge / discharge control unit 280 Processing unit 290 Storage unit 2000 Computer 2010 Host controller 2012 CPU
2014 RAM
2020 Input / Output Controller 2022 Communication Interface 2024 Flash Memory 2026 ROM
2040 Input / Output Chip

Claims (10)

It ’s a control device,
A position acquisition unit that acquires the position of a power transmission device that is provided on the road in front of the traffic signal in the direction of travel of the vehicle and transmits power in a non-contact manner with the vehicle.
Order the vehicle to allow power transfer between the power transmission device, prior Symbol vehicles and other vehicle stops aligned along the traveling direction of the vehicle
Comprising a determining unit for determining a,
The control device is
Vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires size information indicating the sizes of a plurality of vehicles traveling toward the traffic signal.
Further prepare
The size of the determination unit is such that when the traffic signal is displayed as a stop, one or more of the plurality of vehicles can be stopped at a position where power can be transmitted to and from the power transmission device. A control device that determines the order in which the plurality of vehicles stop side by side according to the stop display of the traffic signal based on the information. A request to request the other vehicle, which is stopped in front of the vehicle in the traveling direction along the lane, to move along the lane when the vehicle cannot be stopped in alignment with the power transmission device. The control device according to claim 1, further comprising a unit. The requesting unit allows the other vehicle to be in the lane so that the vehicle can be aligned with the power transmission device and stopped at a distance of a predetermined distance or more from the other vehicle. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the other vehicle is notified of the amount of movement to be moved along the line. When there are a plurality of lanes regulated by the traffic signal, the determination unit determines a vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power transmission device among the plurality of vehicles traveling toward the traffic signal. The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which specifies and determines to stop a vehicle that does not transmit power to and from the power transmission device in a lane in which the power transmission device is not provided. .. The determination unit determines the stop positions of the plurality of vehicles so that the one or more vehicles can be positioned and stopped at any of the plurality of power transmission devices.
The control device is
The control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a notification unit for notifying the plurality of vehicles of the stop position of the plurality of vehicles determined by the determination unit. A position acquisition unit that acquires the position of a power transmission device that is provided on the road in front of the traffic signal in the direction of travel of the vehicle and transmits power in a non-contact manner with the vehicle.
A determination unit that determines a travel route of the vehicle so that the vehicle can transmit electric power to and from the power transmission device.
Equipped with
Based on the traffic signal information of a plurality of traffic signals, the determination unit can transmit power to and from the power transmission device according to the stop display of the traffic signal when the vehicle travels along the current planned travel route of the vehicle. A control device that determines another travel route that can stop at a position where power can be transmitted to and from another power transmission device according to the stop display of another traffic signal when it is determined that the vehicle cannot be stopped at a certain position. The control device according to claim 6 , wherein the determination unit further determines the vehicle speed of the vehicle so that the vehicle can be stopped at a position where electric power can be transmitted to and from the other power transmission device according to the stop display of the other traffic signal. .. Based on the traffic signal information and the traffic volume information of the plurality of traffic signals, the determination unit communicates with the power transmission device according to the stop display of the traffic signal when the vehicle travels along the current planned travel route of the vehicle. The control device according to claim 6 or 7 , which determines whether or not the vehicle can be stopped at a position where power can be transmitted. A vehicle provided with the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8. A program for operating a computer as the control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Images