Patent Publication Number: US-2013238162-A1

Title: Driving range calculation apparatus, method and program

Description:
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Applications No. 2012-051681 filed on Mar. 8, 2012, the content of which is incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The disclosed subject matter relates to technology for calculating a range reachable by a vehicle that travels by using stored energy. 
     Electric-powered vehicles (also called moving vehicles) that travel by using power stored in onboard batteries, such as electric cars and two-wheeled electric vehicles, are attracting attention. However, since battery capacity is limited, there are limitations on the range an electric-powered vehicle can achieve without recharging (referred to hereinbelow as “driving range”). Thus, technology for calculating the driving range of an electric-powered vehicle and displaying the results thereof on a map is needed. 
     In particular, in the initial phase of electric vehicle marketing, in general, it is being said that the distance that an electric vehicle is capable of traveling from a state in which the battery has been charged to the maximum capacity is shorter than the distance that a gasoline-powered vehicle is capable of traveling from a state in which the gas tank has been filled to maximum capacity. Furthermore, charging facilities have not been installed as many as gasoline stations, and in addition, it is assumed that charging an electric vehicle takes longer time than fueling a gasoline-powered vehicle. Thus, for early electric vehicles, it is strongly needed to inform the driver of the driving range as accurately as possible. 
     In this regard, a technology, which acquires various types of information, such as a remaining battery amount, information on shape and gradient of roads around the vehicle, traffic information, and learned information calculated from previous data, and which, based on the acquired information, calculates the driving range in accordance with the current remaining battery amount and displays the calculated driving range on a liquid crystal display, is disclosed in paragraphs 0056 and 0065 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2009-025128 (referred to as Patent Literature 1). An operation that takes individual roads into account like this makes it possible to inform a driver of a driving range with high precision. 
     SUMMARY 
     As mentioned above, charging an electric vehicle takes longer time than fueling a gasoline-powered vehicle. Thus, it is said that the case of charging an electric vehicle at home and traveling from home to home without charged outside will be more often than the case of charging the vehicle outside before returning home as a use aspect of electric vehicle. Thus, it is estimated that informing a driver a round-trip driving range without charging along the way will be needed. However, a specific technology for accurately calculating a round-trip driving range without charging along the way is not disclosed in the Patent Literature 1. 
     A technology is provided that allows accurate calculation of a driving range within which it is possible to return to a point of departure without replenishing energy along the way. 
     According to an example, a driving range calculation apparatus is for computing a range reachable by a vehicle that travels by using stored energy, and comprises a storage part, which stores beforehand as an energy consumption graph an amount of energy consumed by a vehicle traveling in both directions along road links on a map rendered in a manner that road links couple road nodes, and a processing part, which traces a road link from a specified start point location peripherally, calculates, for each road node, a first integration value obtained by integrating the amount of energy in the direction moving away from the above-mentioned start point location in the above-mentioned energy consumption graph, and a second integration value obtained by integrating the amount of energy in the direction approaching the above-mentioned start point location in the above-mentioned energy consumption graph, and based on a relationship between the sum of the above-mentioned first integration value and the above-mentioned second integration value, and a given specified amount of energy for each road node, decides a round-trip driving range which is a range within which the above-mentioned vehicle is able to return to the above-mentioned start point location by using the above-mentioned specified amount of energy. 
     The disclosure makes it possible to accurately calculate a driving range within which it is possible to return to a point of departure without replenishing energy along the way. 
     The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in the specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an example of a block diagram of a telematics system according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is an example of a block diagram representing the basic functions of a server  10  according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is an example of a block diagram representing the basic functions of a user information terminal  20  according to the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a drawing illustrating information stored in a storage part  11 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the server  10  in the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating the processing of Step  102  in detail; 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating the processing of Step  201  in detail; 
         FIG. 8  is a flowchart illustrating the processing of Step  202  in detail; 
         FIG. 9  is an example of a block diagram of a telematics system according to a second embodiment; 
         FIG. 10  is a drawing for explaining an example of a driving range calculation; 
         FIG. 11  is a table illustrating map information for road links of link IDs  1  through  6  shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a table illustrating an energy consumption graph  32  for the road links of link IDs  1  through  6  shown in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a table illustrating driving range data for a round-trip driving range; 
         FIG. 14  is a drawing showing an example of a display of driving ranges; and 
         FIG. 15  is an example of a block diagram of a car navigation apparatus according to a third embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT 
     First Embodiment 
       FIG. 1  shows a block diagram of a telematics system in accordance with a first embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the telematics system of the present embodiment comprises a server  10  and user information terminals  20 , and the configuration is such that the server  10  and the user information terminals  20  are able to communicate via a network  50 . The user information terminal  20  is a car navigation apparatus mounted in an electric vehicle, which travels by using energy stored in an electrical storage apparatus. However, the car navigation apparatus is one example of a user information terminal  20 , but this terminal  20  may be another communication apparatus capable of being coupled to a network, such as a personal computer, a smartphone, and a tablet terminal. The server  10  comprises functions for calculating a range capable of being traveled by each electric vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “driving range”). 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram representing the basic functions of the server  10  according to the first embodiment.  FIG. 3  is a block diagram representing the basic functions of the user information terminal  20  according to the first embodiment. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the server  10  comprises a storage part  11 , a processing part  12 , and a communication part  13 . 
     The storage part  11 , as will be shown in  FIG. 4 , stores a digital map  31  and an energy consumption graph  32  beforehand, and stores driving range data  33  showing a driving range calculated by the processing part  12 . The digital map  31  is map data expressed by using the road links to couple road nodes, and includes road shape and gradient information, and, in addition, associates traffic information for each road link. The energy consumption graph  32  shows the amount of energy consumed by a vehicle traveling in both directions along the road links on the digital map  31 . 
     The processing part  12  calculates a range (hereinafter referred to as “round-trip driving range”) within which an electric vehicle is capable of traveling by using a given specified amount of energy by traveling so as to trace road links toward the perimeter from a specified start point location and once again returning to the start point location, and records this range in the storage part  11  as driving range data  33 . The start point location is not limited in any particular way, and, for example, may be a location specified by a user input, or may be a current location acquired via a GPS (Global Positioning System) mounted in the electric vehicle. The specified amount of energy is also not limited in any particular way, and, for example, may be a value specified by a user input, may be the actual remaining capacity of the electrical storage apparatus mounted in the electric vehicle, or may be an amount of electricity stored when the electrical storage apparatus of the electric vehicle is fully charged. Also, round-trip travel as used here does not refer only to a case where the same road link is traveled both going and returning, but rather also includes a case where different road links are travelled going and returning. 
     At this time, first of all the processing part  12  calculates a first integration value obtained by tracing a road link from a start point location peripherally and integrating the amount of energy consumed in the direction (hereinafter referred to as “forward direction”) going away from the start point location in the energy consumption graph of the storage part  11  for each road node, and a second integration value obtained by integrating the amount of energy consumed in the direction (hereinafter referred to as “reverse direction”) approaching the start point location in the energy consumption graph. Next, the processing part  12  decides the round-trip driving range based on a relationship between the sum of the first integration value and the second integration value and a given specified amount of energy for each road node. 
     When tracing road links peripherally from the start point location, the processing part  12 , for example, may perform a Dijkstra algorithm route search. A variety of search conditions can be set at this time. For example, in a case where a route search is performed by using time as a priority, the route search may be performed so as to minimize the required time as a score. In a case where distance is a priority, the distance may be used as the score, and in a case where energy consumption is a priority, the energy consumption may be used as the score. Furthermore, the processing part  12  may trace the road links by configuring different search conditions using a forward direction route search and a reverse direction route search. For example, the setting can be such that going has time as a priority and returning has energy consumption as a priority. 
     The communication part  3  communicates with the user information terminal  20  by way of the network  50 . Information may be communicated from the user information terminal  20  to the server  10 , for example, information such as the current location of the electric vehicle in which the user information terminal  20  is mounted, and the current remaining electrical storage capacity of the electrical storage apparatus. Information may also be communicated from the server  10  to the user information terminal  20 , for example, information on the electric vehicle driving range calculated by the processing part  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the user information terminal  20  comprises a communication part  21  and a display part  22 . 
     The communication part  21  communicates with the server  10  via wireless communications with the network  50 . The communication part  21 , for example, communicates information, such as the current location of the electric vehicle in which the user information terminal  20  is mounted and the current remaining electrical storage capacity of the electrical storage apparatus to the server  10 , and, for example, communicates information on the electric vehicle driving range calculated by the processing part  12  to the server  10 . 
     The display part  22  displays information to be presented to the user via an image and text. The display part  22 , for example, displays the round-trip driving range of the electric vehicle on a map. This makes it possible for the user to visually learn the extent of the range on the map that the electric vehicle is able to travel round trip. 
     The user information terminal  20 , in addition to the communication part  21  and the display part  22 , may comprise an input part for receiving a user input, a location detection part for acquiring a current location, and a remaining battery amount detection part for detecting the remaining electrical storage capacity of the electrical storage apparatus mounted in the electric vehicle. 
     As described hereinabove, according to this embodiment, it is possible to calculate the energy consumption for an outbound trip by integrating the energy consumption of road links in the forward direction, to calculate the energy consumption for a return trip by integrating the energy consumption of road links in the reverse direction, and based on the sum thereof, to calculate the round-trip driving range, thereby making it possible to accurately calculate a range within which it is possible to return to a point of departure without charging the electric vehicle along the way. 
     The processing of the processing part  12  will be explained more specifically. 
     The processing part  12  traces road links toward the perimeter from a start point location, and performs the calculation of the first integration value up to a road node where the first integration value becomes equal to or larger than a specified amount of energy. Next, the processing part  12  once again traces road links peripherally from the start point location, and this time performs the calculation of the second integration value up to the road node for which the first integration value was calculated. In addition, the processing part  12  calculates the total value of the first integration value and the second integration value for the road node for which the first integration value and the second integration value were calculated, and regards the range of the road node for which this total value is equal to or less than a specified amount of energy as the round-trip driving range. 
     The processing part  12  additionally calculates a one-way driving range, which is the driving range that the electric vehicle is reachable by using the specified amount of energy. At this time, the processing part  12  first selects all the road nodes for which the first integration value matches the specified amount of energy, or the road nodes immediately before the road nodes for which the first integration value exceeds the specified amount of energy. Next, the processing part  12  decides the range from the start point location up to the selected road node as the one-way driving range. The process by which the processing part  12  calculates the first integration value is used for both the one-way driving range calculation and the round-trip driving range calculation, and the processing is executed efficiently overall. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart showing the processing of the server  10  in the first embodiment. The processing of the server  10  shown here is executed by the processing part  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the server  10  creates an energy consumption graph  32  beforehand and stores this graph  32  in the storage part  11  (Step  101 ), and thereafter, calculates the driving range of the electric vehicle in accordance with a request (Step  102 ). 
     In creating the energy consumption graph  32 , the processing part  12  calculates the energy consumption when the electric vehicle is traveling in both directions along the road links based on the distances and elevation differences of the digital map  31 , and records this energy consumption in the energy consumption graph  32 . The energy consumption increases in accordance with the distance, and the energy consumption for each distance increases in the case of an uphill gradient and decreases in the case of a downhill gradient. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart showing the detailed processing of Step  102 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the server  10  traces the road links toward the perimeter from the start point location, calculates the energy consumption in the forward direction, and calculates a first integration value to each road node (Step  201 ). The individual processes will be explained in detail further below. 
     Next, the server  10  likewise traces the road links peripherally from the start point location, calculates the energy consumption in the reverse direction, and calculates a second integration value to each road node (Step  202 ). This processing will also be explained in detail further below. 
     Then, the server  10  decides the round-trip driving range and the one-way driving range based on the first integration value and the second integration value (Step  203 ). At this time, the server  10  calculates the total value of the first integration value and the second integration value for each road node, and regards the range of the road node for which the total value is equal to or less than the specified amount of energy as the round-trip driving range. Furthermore, the server  10  regards the range of the road node for which the first integration value is equal to or less than the specified amount of energy as the one-way driving range. 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart showing the processing of Step  201  in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the server  10  configures an initial condition for calculating the first integration value (Step  301 ). The initial condition includes a start point location, which shows the location from which a search begins, and a search condition, such as whether priority is to be placed on distance or time. To facilitate processing, the road node closest to a specified location may be used as the start point location. 
     Next, the server  10  executes the Dijkstra algorithm on the basis of the search condition from the current road node, and advances to the next road node (Step  302 ), and adds to the first integration value the energy consumption in a case where the electric vehicle travels in the forward direction with respect to the road link that was taken, that is, the direction moving away from the start point location (Step  303 ). 
     Next, the server  10  determines whether or not the first integration value is equal to or larger than the specified amount of energy (Step  304 ). When the first integration value does not satisfy the specified amount of energy, the server  10  returns to Step  302  and repeats the Dijkstra algorithm. When the first integration value is equal to or larger than the specified amount of energy, the server  10  ends the integration process, and finalizes the road node for which integration has been completed (Step  305 ). 
       FIG. 8  is a flowchart showing the processing of Step  202  in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the server  10  configures an initial condition for calculating the second integration value (Step  401 ). The initial condition includes a start point location and a search condition. The start point location is the same location as when the first integration value was calculated, but the search condition does not necessarily have to be the same as when the first integration value was calculated. 
     Next, the server  10  executes the Dijkstra algorithm on the basis of the search condition from the current road node, and advances to the next road node (Step  402 ), and adds to the second integration value the energy consumption in a case where the electric vehicle travels in the reverse direction with respect to the road link that was taken, that is, the direction approaching the start point location (Step  403 ). 
     Next, the server  10  determines whether or not processing has reached the integration-complete road node, which was finalized in Step  305  (Step  404 ). In a case where the processing has not reached the integration-complete road node, the server  10  returns to Step  402  and repeats the Dijkstra algorithm. In a case where the processing has reached the integration-complete road node, the server  10  ends the processing. 
     Second Embodiment 
       FIG. 9  is a block diagram of a telematics system according to a second embodiment. Referring to  FIG. 9 , the telematics system of this embodiment comprises a server  10  and the user information terminal  20 , and the configuration is such that the server  10  and the user information terminal  20  can communicate via the network  50  the same as the first embodiment. 
     The user information terminal  20  comprises a communication part  21 , a display part  22 , a location detection part  23 , a remaining battery amount detection part  24 , and an input part  25 , and is mounted in an electric vehicle, which travels by using energy stored in an electrical storage apparatus. 
     The server  10  is basically configured the same as that of the first embodiment, and comprises a storage part  11  and a processing part  12 . The storage part  11  stores a digital map  31 , an energy consumption graph  32 , and driving range data  33  the same as in  FIG. 4 . The processing part  12  comprises an energy consumption graph creation part  41  and a driving range calculation part  42 . The energy consumption graph creation part  41  executes the processing of Step  101  shown in  FIG. 5 , and the driving range calculation part  42  executes the processing of Step  102 . In the processing of Step  102 , information on the current location of each electric vehicle and the remaining battery amount of the electrical storage apparatus is acquired from the user information terminal  20 , and based on this information, a round-trip driving range and a one-way driving range is calculated for each electric vehicle. The method for calculating the round-trip driving range and the one-way driving range is basically the same as the method of the first embodiment. 
       FIG. 10  is a drawing for explaining an example of a driving range calculation. 
     A map of the area surrounding the current location of the electric vehicle is depicted in  FIG. 10 . The location indicated by a mark in which a black triangle is depicted inside a circle is the current location of the electric vehicle. The current location becomes the start point location in a driving range calculation. A black dot mark represents a road node, and a solid line coupling road nodes represents a road link. A link ID is shown for a road link coupled to the start point location road node. The link ID is an identifier for uniquely identifying each road link. 
     The alphabet letters in the drawing are the node IDs of the respective road nodes. The numerals appended with a # sign in the drawing are the link IDs of the respective road links. The numerals written on both sides of a road link are the amounts of energy consumed by traveling along this road link. The unit used for energy consumption is kWh. A non-underlined numeral is the energy consumption in the forward direction, and an underlined numeral is the energy consumption in the reverse direction. 
       FIG. 11  is a table showing map information for the road links of link IDs  1  through  6  shown in  FIG. 10 . This map information is included in the digital map  31 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the map information includes a distance, that is, a road length, times required to travel in the forward direction and the reverse direction, and an elevation difference based on the forward direction. 
     To expedite the explanation here, the required travel times and the elevation differences are described in accordance with the forward direction and the reverse direction, that is, directions based on the start point location (the same holds true for the drawings hereinbelow as well). However, this is not normally the case in an actual digital map  31 . 
     In an actual digital map  31 , for example, it is assumed that an absolute reference location is fixed, and that the required travel times and elevation differences are described for the direction moving away from the reference location (outbound direction) and the direction moving toward the reference location (inbound direction). However, the forward direction and the reverse direction, and the outbound direction and the inbound direction are easily converted mutually based on the positional relationships between the start point location and the reference location. 
       FIG. 12  is a table showing an energy consumption graph  32  for the road links of the link IDs  1  through  6  shown in FIG.  10 . The amount of energy consumed by traveling in the forward direction, and the amount of energy consumed by traveling in the reverse direction are described for each road link in the energy consumption graph  32 . The same as in the case of  FIG. 11 , in an actual energy consumption graph  32 , it is assumed that the amount of energy consumed will be described with respect to the outbound direction and the inbound direction rather than the forward direction and the reverse direction. 
     Looking at  FIGS. 10 through 12  collectively, a road link for which the elevation difference in the forward direction is a positive value indicates that the electric vehicle is traveling uphill, and as such, the amount of energy consumed in the forward direction will be a larger value than the amount of energy consumed by traveling in the reverse direction. A road link for which the elevation difference in the forward direction is a negative value is the opposite thereof. 
     An example of calculating a round-trip driving range and a one-way driving range from a start point location on a shape and gradient map such as shown in  FIGS. 10 through 12  will be explained. It is supposed here that the current remaining electrical storage capacity of the electrical storage apparatus of the electric vehicle is 24 kWh. This 24-kWh remaining electrical storage capacity becomes the specified amount of energy in the driving range calculation. 
     The server  10  traces road links from the road node S of the start point location, and integrates the amount of energy consumed in the forward direction. For example, upon tracing the road links from the road node S to road node A and then to road node AB, the integration value (first integration value) of the energy consumption in the forward direction is 24 kWh, which is equivalent to the specified amount of energy. Thus, the server  10  ends the integration of the first integration value for this route at the road node AB. Similarly, for example, upon tracing the road links from the road node S to the road node A and then on to road node AA, the first integration value is 24 kWh, and as such, the server  10  ends the integration of the first integration value for this route at the road node AA. Similarly, when the integration of the first integration value has been performed for all directions surrounding the start point location, the integration of the first integration values for the respective routes with respect to the road nodes AB, AA, BA, CA, DA, DB, EA, and FA ends. The range from the start point location to the road nodes AB, AA, BA, CA, DA, DB, EA, and FA becomes the one-way driving range. 
     Next, the server  10  once again traces the road links from the road node S at the start point location up to the road node for which the integration of the first integration value has been completed, and this time integrates the amount of energy consumed in the reverse direction to calculate a second integration value to each road node. 
     Next, the server  10  calculates a total value of the first integration value and the second integration value for each road node for which the first integration value and the second integration value has been calculated, and selects a road node for which the total value is equal to or less than the specified amount of energy of 24 kWh. Here, for example, for the road node A, since the first integration value is 16 kWh and the second integration value is 8 kWh, the total value is 24 kWh. When the processing is performed in the same way, the road nodes A, B, C, D, E, and F are selected. Next, the server  10  regards the range from the road node S at the start point location to these selected road nodes A, B, C, D, E, and F as the round-trip driving range. 
       FIG. 13  is a table showing driving range data for a round-trip driving range. Referring to  FIG. 13 , first integration values and second integration values are shown for road nodes A, B, C, D, E, and F, and a round-trip amount of energy, which is the total value thereof, is shown. 
     In this embodiment, the server  10  (specifically, the processing part  12 ) distinguishes between the road nodes within the round-trip driving range as being a first round-trippable road node for which the first integration value is larger than one half of the specified amount of energy, and a second round-trippable road node for which the first integration value is equal to or less than one half of the specified amount of energy. Here, the road nodes A, B and F are the first round-trippable road nodes, and the road nodes C, D, and E are the second round-trippable road nodes. Then, the server  10  adds an over flag to the first round-trippable road nodes. Referring to  FIG. 13 , an over flag is added to the first round-trippable road nodes A, B, and F. This makes it possible to present the user with information as to whether or not the amount of energy consumed in order to travel that far is more than one half of the specified amount of energy (for example, the remaining electrical storage capacity at the time of departure) for each road node for which round-trip travel is possible. 
     In the server  10  of this embodiment, the storage part  11 , for example, also stores in the digital map  31  a location on the map where there exists a charging facility at which the electric vehicle can be charged, and the processing part  12  determines, for each outermost road node in the round-trip driving range, whether or not there is a charging facility within a predetermined distance from this road node. Then, the server  10  adds a charging POI flag to a road node for which there is a charging facility (charging POI) within the predetermined distance. Referring to  FIG. 13 , a charging POI flag is added to road nodes C and F. This makes it possible to present the user with information as to whether or not there is a charging facility in the outermost vicinity of the range within which round-trip travel is possible. 
       FIG. 14  is a drawing showing an example of a display of driving ranges. 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , the driving ranges are superposably displayed on the map shown in  FIG. 10 . The range enclosed within the dashed line is the round-trip driving range, and the range enclosed within the dotted line is the one-way driving range. A percentage of the specified amount of energy estimated to be the remaining battery amount upon reaching a road node and a remaining capacity value are displayed in the vicinity of the road nodes for which the first integration value is larger than one half of the specified amount of energy from among the road nodes within the round-trip driving range. 
     Charging facility displays are displayed in the vicinity of the road nodes C and F, where charging facilities exist within a predetermined distance of the road nodes at the outer edge of the round-trip driving range. 
     Third Embodiment 
     In the first and second embodiments, the server  10  calculates a driving range and notifies the user information terminal  20 , and the user information terminal  20  displays the driving range. As other examples, a personal computer, a car navigation apparatus, a smart phone or other such user information terminal itself may calculate and display the driving range. An example in which a car navigation apparatus calculates and displays a driving range on its own is shown as a third embodiment. 
       FIG. 15  is a block diagram of a car navigation apparatus according to the third embodiment. This embodiment is such that, rather than a server calculating the driving range as in the first and second embodiments, a car navigation apparatus mounted in the electric vehicle calculates the driving range. 
     The car navigation apparatus  60  calculates the driving range on its own based on a current location and a remaining electrical storage capacity, which it has acquired on its own. 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , the car navigation apparatus  60  comprises a storage part  11 , a processing part  12 , a display part  22 , a location detection part  23 , a remaining battery amount detection part  24 , and an input part  25 . 
     The storage part  11 , the processing part  12 , the display part  22 , the location detection part  23 , the remaining battery amount detection part  24 , and the input part  25  are the same as those shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to example embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     The server  10  or the car navigation apparatus  60  of the respective embodiments described hereinabove can also be realized in accordance with having a computer execute a software program, which specifies the processing steps performed by the processing part  12 .