Patent Publication Number: US-2022212564-A1

Title: Control device, control program, and control system

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-001029 filed on Jan. 6, 2021, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a control device, a control program, and a control system. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-046975 (JP 2016-046975 A) describes a technique that calculates the target charging capacity according to a risk index that indexes the degree of disaster risk and, based on the calculated target charging capacity, controls the charging and discharging of a battery. 
     SUMMARY 
     However, according to the control described in JP 2016-046975 A, when a disaster is predicted, the discharging of the battery is prohibited and, therefore, the battery cannot be used if the target charging capacity is not reached at the time of calculation. 
     In view of the foregoing, the present disclosure provides a control device, a control program, and a control system that, when a disaster is predicted, allow the battery to be used effectively until the disaster occurrence predicted time while charging the battery to the target charging capacity by the predicted time. 
     A first aspect of the present disclosure relates to a control device configured to control the charging and discharging of a power storage device included in a drive device. The control device includes a processor. The processor is configured to determine whether the remaining capacity of the power storage device is able to reach a target charging capacity by a disaster occurrence predicted time when disaster information including the predicted time is acquired. The processor is also configured to calculate a discharge capacity that is able to be discharged by the predicted time when it is determined that the target charging capacity is able to be reached by the predicted time. 
     A second aspect of the present disclosure relates to a control program. The control program is configured to cause a processor of a control device, configured to control the charging and discharging of a power storage device included in a drive device, to determine whether the remaining capacity of the power storage device is able to reach a target charging capacity by a disaster occurrence predicted time when disaster information including the predicted time is acquired. The control program is also configured to cause the processor of the control device to calculate a discharge capacity that is able to be discharged by the predicted time when it is determined that the target charging capacity is able to be reached by the predicted time. 
     A third aspect of the present disclosure relates to a control system including a drive device and a control device. The drive device includes a power storage device. The control device includes a processor configured to control the charging and discharging of the power storage device. The processor is configured to determine whether the remaining capacity of the power storage device is able to reach a target charging capacity by a disaster occurrence predicted time when disaster information including the predicted time is acquired. The processor is also configured to calculate a discharge capacity that is able to be discharged by the predicted time when it is determined that the target charging capacity is able to be reached by the predicted time. 
     According to the present disclosure, when a disaster is predicted, the battery can be used effectively until the disaster occurrence predicted time while charging the battery to the target charging capacity by the predicted time. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like signs denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing a control system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle included in the control system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a sequence diagram showing the control processing performed by the control system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an example of the processing of the control system according to one embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a control system according to a modification; and 
         FIG. 6  is a sequence diagram showing the control processing performed by the control system according to the modification. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In all the figures of the following embodiments, the same reference numerals will be given to the same or similar components. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described below. 
     Embodiments 
     First, a control system according to one embodiment will be described.  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the control system according to one embodiment.  FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle included in the control system according to one embodiment. 
     A control system  1  includes a disaster information management device  20 , vehicles  30 , a power supply management device  40 , and a power supply device  60 . In the control system  1  according to this one embodiment, the disaster information management device  20 , the vehicles  30 , and the power supply device  60  are connected to each other by a network  10  so that they can communicate with each other. The network  10  is configured by a network, such as the Internet network and a cellular phone network, over which the disaster information management device  20 , the vehicles  30 , the power supply management device  40 , and the power supply device  60  can communicate with each other. In this embodiment, the vehicle  30  is assumed to be an electric vehicle capable of traveling in a hybrid traveling mode or an EV traveling mode. 
     The disaster information management device  20  sends the information on the power supply control (hereinafter referred to as power supply control information) corresponding to the acquired information on a disaster to the vehicles  30  traveling in the corresponding area. 
     The disaster information management device  20  includes a disaster information acquisition unit  21 , a control unit  22 , and a storage unit  23 . The disaster information management device  20  is configured by one or more computers each including the components such as a central processing unit (CPU), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a read only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM). 
     The disaster information management device  20  connects to the network  10  for communication with the vehicles  30  and the power supply device  60 . The disaster information management device  20  receives the information on a disaster (hereinafter, also referred to as disaster information), for example, from the national and/or local government disaster prevention center and sends the information on the control to the vehicles  30 . In addition, the disaster information management device  20  may receive the information on the vehicles  30  from the power supply management device  40  or the power supply device  60  and may send various types of information, including the power supply signal, to the vehicles  30  to which the information is to be sent. 
     The disaster information acquisition unit  21  acquires disaster information acquired from an external source and sends the acquired disaster information to the vehicles  30 . The disaster information includes the predicted occurrence time of a disaster that is predicted to occur in the future. 
     The control unit  22  comprehensively controls the operation of the components of the disaster information management device  20 . 
     The storage unit  23 , configured by a computer-readable recording medium, stores various types of programs and various types of data in a writable and readable manner. This recording medium is configured by a storage medium, such as an optical disk, a flash memory, and a magnetic disk, and the drive device for the storage medium. 
     Next, the configuration of the vehicle  30  will be described with reference to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The vehicle  30  has a battery  39  charged by the power supplied by a power supply unit  41  managed by the power supply management device  40  or by the power supplied by the wired power supply unit  61  or the wireless power supply unit  62  managed by the power supply device  60 . 
     The vehicle  30  includes a sending/receiving unit  31 , a communication unit  32 , a Global Positioning System (GPS) unit  33 , an input/output unit  34 , a determination unit  35 , a calculation unit  36 , a storage unit  37 , and an electronic control unit (ECU)  38 . In addition, the vehicle  30  includes the battery  39  that supplies electric power to the components. The battery  39 , a power storage device, is configured to be rechargeable. The parts that control the vehicle  30  are configured by one or more computers each including the components such as a CPU, an FPGA, a ROM, and a RAM. 
     The sending/receiving unit  31  functions as a receiving unit that receives the power supply signal from the power supply unit  41  or the wireless power supply unit  62 . In addition, the sending/receiving unit  31  functions as a sending unit that sends the information on the vehicle  30  to the power supply unit  41  and the power supply device  60  via the electromagnetic wave. Note that the receiving unit and the sending unit, which sends the information on the vehicle  30  to the power supply device  60 , may be two separate units instead of being one unit. 
     The communication unit  32  communicates wirelessly with the external devices via the network  10 . The communication unit  32  receives the information on a disaster and the driving assistance information, which assists the driver in driving the vehicle  30 , from the disaster information management device  20 . The driving assistance information includes the road traffic information such as the information on regulations and traffic jams. 
     The GPS unit  33  receives radio waves from the GPS satellites to detect the position of the vehicle  30 . The detected position is output to the outside, or is stored in the storage unit, of the vehicle  30  as the position information on the vehicle  30 . 
     The input/output unit  34  is configured by a touch panel display, a speaker, a microphone, etc. The input/output unit  34  is configured to display characters and graphics on the screen of the touch panel display, and to output sound from the speaker, under the control of the ECU  38  so that the predetermined information, such as the driving assistance information, can be input and output. In addition, the input/output unit  34  is configured to allow the user of the vehicle  30  to operate the touch panel display, or to speak to the microphone, for inputting the predetermined information to the ECU  38 . 
     The determination unit  35  determines whether the target charging capacity can be reached by a disaster occurrence predicted time based on the current remaining capacity of the battery  39 . The remaining capacity is, for example, State Of Charge (SOC). 
     The calculation unit  36  calculates the dischargeable capacity when the determination unit  35  determines that the remaining capacity will be able to reach the target charging capacity. 
     The storage unit  37 , configured by a computer-readable recording medium, stores various types of programs and various types of data in a writable and readable manner. This recording medium is configured by a storage medium, such as a hard disk, a semiconductor memory, an optical disk, a flash memory, and a magnetic disk, and the drive device for the storage medium. The storage unit  37  stores the programs of the operating system (OS), which is necessary for the ECU  38  to comprehensively control the operation of the units of the vehicle  30 , and the programs of various applications. 
     The ECU  38  is configured by an information processing device such as a microcomputer including the components such as a CPU, an FPGA, a ROM, and a RAM. The ECU  38  comprehensively controls the electrical operation of the components of the vehicle  30 . The ECU  38  is configured to perform an operation using data that is received and data and programs that are stored in advance and to output the result of the operation as the control command signal. 
     The vehicle  30  has a sensor that detects an object approaching from ahead. Furthermore, the vehicle  30  has the control mechanism and the operation mechanism for driving the vehicle  30 . More specifically, the vehicle  30  includes the power train and the drive wheels as the drive mechanism. The power train includes the power source and the power transmission mechanism; the power source generates driving force and outputs the generated driving force from the output shaft, and the power transmission mechanism transmits the driving force, output by the power source, to the drive wheels  2 . The operation mechanism is configured by the shift lever, the accelerator pedal, and the like. When the vehicle  30  is autonomously driven, each component is driven according to the instruction signal under the control of the ECU  38 . 
     The power supply management device  40  controls the power supply units  41 . The power supply units  41 , provided in a travel lane  50  in which the vehicle travels, are electrically connected to the power supply management device  40 . In this embodiment, each of the power supply units  41  has the detection function for detecting the vehicle  30  located above the power supply unit  41  and the reception function for receiving the information on the vehicle  30 . The detection function and the reception function are configured, for example, by a loop antenna. For example, when the vehicle  30  is detected, the detection function sends the detection signal to the power supply management device  40 . The power supply coil, if able to detect a vehicle, may be used in common for power supply and detection. 
     The power supply device  60  includes a wired power supply unit  61  and a wireless power supply unit  62 . The power supply device  60  is configured by one or more computers each including the components such as a CPU, an FPGA, a ROM, and a RAM. 
     The wired power supply unit  61  has a connector for connecting to the vehicle  30 . The wired power supply unit  61  sends the power supply signal to the vehicle  30  with the connector connected to the vehicle  30 . 
     The wireless power supply unit  62  sends the power supply signal to the vehicle  30  by wirelessly communicating with the sending/receiving unit  31  of the vehicle  30 . When the power supply signal is sent by the wireless power supply unit  62 , the vehicle  30  is charged by the power supply device  60  in the non-contact charging mode. The power supply signal is supplied to the vehicle  30  by the communication between the sending/receiving unit  31 , provided in the vehicle  30 , and the wireless power supply unit  62  provided in the power supply device  60 . 
     In this embodiment, the power supply device  60  has the detection function for detecting the vehicle  30  located above the power supply device  60  and the reception function for receiving the information on the vehicle  30 . The detection function and the reception function are configured, for example, by a loop antenna. For example, when the vehicle  30  is detected, the detection function sends the detection signal to the power supply device  60 . The power supply coil, if able to detect a vehicle, may be used in common for power supply and detection. 
     In this embodiment, the battery is charged in the non-contact charging mode between the vehicle  30  and the power supply unit  41  and between the vehicle  30  and the wireless power supply unit  62 . The power supply signal is sent to the vehicle  30  by the communication between the sending/receiving unit  31  of the vehicle  30  and the power supply unit  41  or the wireless power supply unit  62 . The sending/receiving unit  31 , the power supply unit  41 , and the wireless power supply unit  62 , each configured, for example, by a coil, a switching circuit, and a rectifying smoothing circuit, send and receive the power supply signal by the magnetic field resonance method. This allows non-contact communication between the vehicle  30  and the power supply unit  41 . Although power is supplied and information is sent using electromagnetic waves in the example of this embodiment, a configuration is also possible in which power is supplied and information is sent using light. 
     Next, the control processing performed by the control system  1  will be described with reference to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a sequence diagram showing the control processing performed by the control system according to the first embodiment. 
     First, the disaster information acquisition unit  21  determines whether the information on a disaster has been received (step S 101 ). When the disaster information acquisition unit  21  determines that the disaster information has not been received (step S 101 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the disaster information acquisition unit  21  determines that the disaster information has been received (step S 101 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 102 . 
     In step S 102 , the disaster information acquisition unit  21  sends the disaster information to the vehicles  30  traveling in the corresponding area. 
     In the vehicle  30 , the communication unit  32  determines whether the disaster information has been acquired (step S 103 ). When the power supply control unit  43  has not acquired the disaster information (step S 103 : No), the acquisition confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the power supply control unit  43  determines that the power supply control information has been received (step S 103 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 104 . 
     In step S 104 , the determination unit  35  determines whether the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time, based on the current remaining capacity of the battery  39 . At this time, the determination unit  35  determines whether the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity based on the preset charging efficiency. The determination unit  35  may determine whether the target charging capacity can be reached based on the charging efficiency of each charging method. When the determination unit  35  determines that the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time (step S 104 : Yes), the processing of the ECU  38  proceeds to step S 105 . On the other hand, when the determination unit  35  determines that the remaining capacity cannot reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time (step S 104 : No), the processing of the ECU  38  proceeds to step S 107 . 
     In step S 105 , when the determination unit  35  determines that the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity, the calculation unit  36  calculates the dischargeable capacity.  FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an example of the processing of the control system according to one embodiment.  FIG. 4  is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the time and the remaining capacity. In this figure, the time t R  is the time of the calculation processing, and SOC R  indicates the remaining capacity at the time t R . The time t C  is the disaster occurrence predicted time, and SOC G  is the target charging capacity. The target charging capacity SOC G  is set, for example, to the upper limit of the remaining capacity or to eighty percent of the upper limit. 
     The calculation unit  36  calculates the shortest time to reach the target charging capacity (this shortest time is called the shortest completion time), for example, based on the current power storage capacity, target charging capacity, and charging efficiency. The calculation unit  36  calculates the difference between the time t D , which is the period of time between the time t R  and the time t C  (this period of time is called the charging control period t D ), and the shortest completion time. This difference corresponds to the time during which the battery may be charged/discharged (this time is called the charging/discharging time). For this charging/discharging time, the calculation unit  36  calculates the dischargeable capacity. This dischargeable capacity is the capacity of power such that, if discharged during the discharging time, the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by charging. 
     The ECU  38  permits discharging up to the dischargeable capacity calculated by the calculation unit  36  (step S 106 ). 
     In step S 107 , the ECU  38  sets a prohibition on discharging. At this time, a message indicating that charging should be started immediately or charging should be continued may be displayed in the vehicle  30  to bring the remaining capacity closer to the target charging capacity. 
     On the other hand, in the disaster information management device  20 , the control unit  22  determines whether the disaster resolution information has been received (step S 108 ). When the control unit  22  determines that the resolution information has not been received (step S 108 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the control unit  22  determines that the resolution information has been received (step S 108 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 109 . 
     In step S 109 , the control unit  22  sends the release information to the vehicle  30  to release the charging/discharging control activated by the disaster. 
     The vehicle  30  determines whether the release information has been received (step S 110 ). When the ECU  38  determines that the release information has not been received (step S 110 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the ECU  38  determines that the release information has been received (step S 110 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 111 . 
     In step S 111 , the ECU  38  resets the charging/discharging control to the normal state and releases the setting of the prohibition on charging/discharging. The normal state mentioned above refers to the state in which a disaster has not occurred or the occurrence of a disaster other than the acquired disaster is not predicted. 
     In the embodiment described above, when the occurrence of a disaster is predicted, the vehicle  30  determines whether the remaining capacity of the vehicle  30  can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time and, based on this determination, controls charging/discharging. According to this embodiment, when the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster predicted time, charging/discharging is permitted. Therefore, when a disaster is predicted, the battery can be used effectively until the disaster occurrence predicted time while charging the battery to the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time. 
     Modification 
     Next, a modification of the embodiment will be described.  FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing a control system according to the modification. The configuration of a control system  1 A according to the modification is different from the configuration of the control system  1  according to the embodiment in that a sharing management server  70  is added. In the description below, the parts different from the embodiment (the configuration of the sharing management server  70  and the processing of the control system  1 A) will be described. 
     The sharing management server  70  manages the vehicles  30 , for example, for vehicle sharing. More specifically, the sharing management server  70  accepts a booking for the use of the vehicles  30  and manages the user information. The sharing management server  70  is configured by an information processing device such as a microcomputer composed of a CPU, an FPGA, a ROM, a RAM, etc. 
     Next, the control processing performed by the control system  1 A will be described with reference to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  is a sequence diagram showing the control processing performed by the control system according to the modification. 
     As in steps S 101  to S 104  of the flowchart shown in  FIG. 3 , the disaster information acquisition unit  21  sends the disaster information to the vehicle  30 , and the determination unit  35  of the vehicle  30  determines whether the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time based on the current remaining capacity of the battery  39  (steps S 201  to S 204 ). When the determination unit  35  determines that the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time (step S 204 : Yes), the processing of the ECU  38  proceeds to step S 205 . On the other hand, when the determination unit  35  determines that the remaining capacity cannot reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time (step S 204 : No), the processing of the ECU  38  proceeds to step S 207 . 
     In step S 205 , the calculation unit  36  calculates the dischargeable capacity in the same manner as in step S 205 . 
     The ECU  38  permits the use of the vehicle  30  up to the dischargeable capacity calculated by the calculation unit  36  (step S 206 ). 
     On the other hand, in step S 207 , the ECU  38  sets a prohibition on discharging. 
     After that, based on the setting in step S 206  or S 207 , the ECU  38  creates booking control information and sends the created booking control information to the sharing management server  70  (step S 208 ). 
     The sharing management server  70  determines whether the booking control information has been received from the vehicle  30  (step S 209 ). When the sharing management server  70  determines that the booking control information has not been received (step S 209 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the sharing management server  70  determines that the booking control information has been received (step S 209 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 210 . 
     In step S 210 , the sharing management server  70  refers to the booking control information and determines whether the vehicle  30 , which has sent the booking control information, permits the acceptance of a booking. When the sharing management server  70  determines that the vehicle  30  permits the acceptance of a booking (step S 210 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 211 . On the other hand, when the sharing management server  70  determines that the vehicle  30  does not permit the acceptance of a booking (step S 210 : No), the processing proceeds to step S 212 . 
     In step S 211 , the sharing management server  70  permits the acceptance of a booking for the vehicle  30  that has sent the booking control information. 
     In step S 212 , the sharing management server  70  prohibits the acceptance of a booking for the vehicle  30  that has sent the booking control information. As a result, the acceptance of a booking for the vehicle  30  that has sent the booking control information is stopped. 
     On the other hand, in the disaster information management device  20 , the control unit  22  determines whether the disaster resolution information has been received (step S 213 ). When the control unit  22  determines that the resolution information has not been received (step S 213 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the control unit  22  determines that the resolution information has been received (step S 213 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 214 . 
     In step S 214 , the control unit  22  sends the release information, which releases the charging/discharging control activated by a disaster (in this case, the control whether to permit a booking), to the vehicle  30 . 
     The vehicle  30  determines whether the release information has been received (step S 215 ). When the ECU  38  determines that the release information has not been received (step S 215 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the ECU  38  determines that the release information has been received (step S 215 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 216 . 
     In step S 216 , the ECU  38  sends the release information to the sharing management server  70 . Note that, in step S 214 , the disaster information management device  20  may send the release information directly to the sharing management server  700 . 
     The sharing management server  70  determines whether the release information has been received from the vehicle  30  (step S 217 ). When the sharing management server  70  determines that the release information has not been received (step S 217 : No), the reception confirmation is repeated. On the other hand, when the sharing management server  70  determines that the release information has been received (step S 217 : Yes), the processing proceeds to step S 218 . 
     In step S 218 , the sharing management server  70  resets the usage booking to the normal state. That is, the sharing management server  70  accepts a booking for the use of the vehicle  30  regardless of the remaining capacity. 
     In the modification described above, when the occurrence of a disaster is predicted, the vehicle  30  determines whether the remaining capacity of the vehicle can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster occurrence predicted time and, based on this determination, controls the charging/discharging of the vehicle  30  that is used for vehicle sharing. According to this modification, when the remaining capacity can reach the target charging capacity by the disaster predicted time, charging/discharging is permitted. Therefore, when a disaster is predicted, the battery can be used effectively until the disaster occurrence predicted time while charging the battery to the target charging capacity by the predicted time. 
     In the modification, though the sequence diagram in  FIG. 6  shows an example in which the sharing management server  70  controls a booking for the use of the vehicles  30  that are managed in this system, each of the vehicles  30  may individually set the permission and prohibition of the use. 
     In the embodiment and the modification described above, though examples have been described in which the processing is performed for an electric vehicle equipped with a power storage device, the present disclosure is not limited to a moving body, such as an electric vehicle, that is equipped with a power storage device. The present disclosure may also be applied to a drive device, such as a generator or a radio equipped with a power storage device, that is equipped with a power storage device and is required to have the remaining capacity satisfying the target charging capacity at the time of a disaster. 
     Recording Medium 
     In one embodiment, a program capable of executing the processing method provided by the power supply control system can be recorded on a recording medium readable by a computer or any other machine or device (hereinafter, referred to as a computer or the like). By causing the computer or the like to read the program from this recording medium for execution, the computer or the like functions as the control unit of each of the devices of the power supply control system. The above-mentioned recording medium readable by the computer or the like refers to a non-transitory recording medium in which the information, such as data or programs, is stored by an electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical action and from which the computer or the like can read the information. Among these recording media, the recording media removable from the computer or the like include a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R/W, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a BD, a DAT, a magnetic tape, and memory cards such as a flash memory. The recording media permanently installed in the computer or the like include a hard disk drive and a ROM. Furthermore, an SSD can be used as a recording medium removable from the computer or the like or as a recording medium permanently installed in the computer or the like. 
     Other Embodiments 
     In description of the control system according to one embodiment, “unit” can be read as “circuit” or the like. For example, the communication unit can be read as a communication circuit. 
     A program to be executed by each device of the control system according to the embodiment may be provided by storing it on a computer connected to a network, such as the Internet, for allowing the user to download it via the network. 
     Further effects and modifications can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. The broader aspects of the present disclosure are not limited to the specific details and typical embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.