JP2011158277A - Navigation apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a navigation apparatus that can prolong the life of a battery. <P>SOLUTION: A battery state detector 2 detects a charging rate of the battery 1. A route calculator 7 calculates a route to the destination according to the charging rate of the battery 1 detected by the battery state detector 2. By this constitution, the route is calculated and the capacity in the working area of the battery is maintained in a prescribed range. Thereby degradation of the battery is reduced and the life of the battery is prolonged in the navigation apparatus. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a navigation device attached to a hybrid vehicle, an idling stop vehicle, and an electric vehicle.

  Interest in hybrid vehicles that combine engines and motors has increased due to increased environmental concerns and soaring crude oil prices. This vehicle is equipped with, for example, a motor for driving a vehicle using a secondary battery as a power source, a generator for generating the battery, and an engine for driving the generator. To drive the vehicle. The battery can be charged by generated power from a generator driven by the engine, or by regenerative energy during deceleration or braking. The battery installed in these vehicles must have enough electricity to run the vehicle, and the battery can be used to recover the regenerative energy during deceleration and braking as efficiently as possible. It is also important to leave room for charging. For this reason, the state of charge (SOC) of the battery is normally controlled so as to be within a predetermined SOC range by charging and discharging the battery.

  A navigation device mounted on a hybrid vehicle is known that searches for a route so that the amount of fuel consumed to the destination is minimized (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2).

  In addition, as a conventional navigation device, the result of route search is applied, and when there is a downhill ahead, the battery is discharged by driving the motor until it reaches the front, and the regenerative energy on the downhill is maximized. What to do is known (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

JP 2008-249588 A JP 2008-290610 A Japanese Patent No. 3904388

  However, in the route search in the conventional navigation device, the route search is performed so as to minimize the fuel consumption without considering the battery charge rate (SOC (State of Charge)) at the start of the route search. For this reason, depending on the travel route, there is a problem that the battery is fully charged and overcharged immediately, or the battery is quickly reduced and overdischarged, resulting in deterioration of the battery. In order to suppress the deterioration of the battery, it is necessary not to overcharge / overdischarge. For this reason, the battery needs to be charged / discharged during running to control the capacity of the battery in a certain range. was there.

  The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a navigation device capable of extending the life of a battery.

The navigation device of the present invention includes battery state detection means for calculating a battery charge rate, and route calculation means for calculating a route to a destination according to the battery charge rate detected by the battery state detection means. It is the composition which has.

  The present invention provides a battery state detecting means for calculating a battery charging rate and a route calculating means for calculating a route to a destination according to the battery charging rate detected by the battery state detecting means. By maintaining the capacity of the use area within a certain range, it is possible to provide a navigation device that has the effect of reducing the deterioration of the battery and extending the life of the battery.

The block diagram of the navigation apparatus in the 1st Embodiment of this invention Explanatory diagram of charge rate (SOC) in the same embodiment Flow diagram for explaining the operation of the navigation device in the embodiment Operation explanatory diagram of the navigation device in the same embodiment The block diagram of the navigation apparatus in the 2nd Embodiment of this invention Operation explanatory diagram of the navigation device in the same embodiment

(Embodiment 1)
Hereinafter, a navigation apparatus according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the navigation apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, a battery 1 is a secondary battery such as a lead battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, or a lithium ion battery. The battery state detection unit 1 is a unit that is connected to the battery 1 and detects a charging rate (SOC (State of Charge)) of the battery 1. The input means 3 inputs a destination or the like and outputs the data to the route calculation means 7. The current position calculation unit 4 calculates the current position and outputs the data to the route calculation unit 7. The map data storage means 5 stores map data including altitude information and outputs the data to the route calculation means 7. The traffic information acquisition means 6 acquires traffic information and outputs the data to the route calculation means 7. The route calculation means 7 is connected to the battery state detection means 2, the input means 3, the current position calculation means 4, the map data storage means 5, and the traffic information acquisition means 6, from the current position to the destination input by the input means 3. The route search is performed using map data in consideration of traffic information. The display unit 8 displays the route and message calculated by the route calculation unit 7. The voice output means 9 outputs the voice and music of the route calculated by the route calculation means 7.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the SOC of the battery 1 is usually represented by 0 to 100 [%]. 0 [%] is the discharged state of the battery, and 100 [%] is the fully charged state of the battery. The battery is normally used in a range from α [%] larger than 0 [%] to β [%] smaller than 100 [%]. When the SOC is smaller than α [%], the battery is likely to deteriorate due to overdischarge, and when charged from β [%], it is likely to deteriorate due to overcharge. TH_High [%] is an upper limit threshold value of the charging rate, and TH_Low [%] is a lower limit threshold value of the charging rate, and is used in a route search (FIGS. 4 and 6) for extending the battery life, which will be described later. α, β, TH_High, and TH_Low have the following relationship.

α <TH_Low <TH_High <β
The input means 3 is an input means for inputting a destination or the like, and is a device such as a push button, voice input, touch input, or the like. The current position calculation means 4 detects the current position of the vehicle by a satellite navigation system (GPS) or an inertial navigation system. Main roads are stored in the map data storage means 5, and each road is classified into a type such as an expressway, an urban area exclusive road, an urban road, a suburban road, and a mountain road. In order to perform a route search, data in which costs are attached to road nodes and links are stored. In the road data, height information is stored for each node of each link. The traffic information acquisition means 6 acquires traffic information in real time by a service such as a communication module such as a vehicle information and communication system (VICS), an advanced traffic information service (ATIS) or a mobile phone. For example, in VICS, traffic information is transmitted by FM multiplex broadcasting, optical beacons, and radio wave beacons. The traffic information included in the traffic information is classified into no traffic jam, congestion, traffic jam, and the like. The route calculation means 7 calculates a recommended travel route from the starting point (current position) of the vehicle to the destination, and the Dijkstra method is often used as the method. The Dijkstra method is a method for calculating a route that minimizes the sum of costs between nodes of a link from a starting point to a destination. The display means 8 is a display that displays the calculated travel route and message. The audio output means 9 is a speaker that outputs the calculated travel route voice and music.

  The operation of the navigation device configured as described above will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in step 11, the user sets a destination using the input means 3.

  Next, in step 12, the user performs a normal route search such as a route search with a short time to the destination, a route search with a short mileage, or a route search with a low toll, or a long battery life. It is determined whether or not the route search for realizing the selection is selected. In step 12, when the user inputs a destination, the display means 8 displays a message “Do you want to search for a route that will last the battery longer or do you want to search for a normal route?” Or voice output means 9 Say a message with the same contents in and check the search mode. Here, when the user selects a normal route search using the input means 3, the process proceeds to step 20 where normal route search and route guidance are executed. Therefore, the route search by the Dijkstra method and the route guidance are started based on the current position and the destination.

  If the user selects a route search for extending the battery life in step 12, the battery state detection unit 2 detects the charge rate (SOC) of the battery 1 in step 13. Next, in step 14, the route calculation means 7 performs route search using the Dijkstra method, and calculates a plurality of route candidates. Next, in step 15, the route calculation means 7 again performs a route search for extending the battery life by changing the link cost in accordance with the battery charge rate SOC at the current position (departure location). Execute. Here, the route search in step 14 and the route search for extending the battery life in step 15 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 4A, 21 is a departure place (current position), 22 is a destination, and shows a plan view. For simplification, it is assumed that two courses 23 course A and 24 course B are calculated by the route search in step 14 as candidate routes from the departure point to the destination.

FIG. 4B shows the altitude from the starting point to the destination, and 25 indicates the altitude of course A. The course has many uphills in the first half of the route, and the battery tends to discharge in the first half of the route. It is. Reference numeral 26 indicates the altitude of the course B, and there are many downhills in the first half of the route, and the battery is easily charged with regenerative energy in the first half of the route. The route search means 7 in step 14 performs route search by the Dijkstra method and calculates a plurality of route candidates. Here, the search may be performed in consideration of the traffic jam information acquired from the traffic information acquisition means 6. Thereafter, the route search means 7 in step 15 uses the altitude information of the link node of the calculated route, changes the cost of the link, and then calculates the route so as to pass through the same route again. It is possible to change whether the descending road is given priority in the first half of the route or the climbing route is given priority in the first half of the route. Here, the calculated plurality of routes are stored so that the user can select them.

  FIG. 4C shows the route calculated by the route calculation means 7 and the SOC of the route when the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure point) is equal to or lower than the lower limit threshold TH_Low. In the route search means 7 in step 15, when the charging rate at the departure point is equal to or lower than the lower limit threshold, the downlink in the first half of the route is preferentially included in the first half of the candidate route calculated in step 14. The route is calculated by reducing the cost of the link, and the route in which the battery is easily charged is calculated in the first half of the route. In course A in FIG. 4C, the uphill is included in the first half of the route, so that it discharges in the first half of the route and falls below the normal use range α of the battery as in 28, so the battery deteriorates due to overdischarge. It's easy to do. On the other hand, course B in FIG. 4C includes a downhill in the first half of the route, so that the battery can be charged in the first half of the route as shown in 27, and the battery is deteriorated compared to passing through course A. Therefore, the battery life can be extended.

  On the other hand, FIG. 4D shows the route calculated by the route calculation means 7 when the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure point) is equal to or higher than the upper limit threshold TH_High, and the SOC of the route. In the route search means 7 in step 15, when the charging rate at the departure point is equal to or higher than the upper threshold, the upstream route in the first half of the route is preferentially included in the first half of the candidate route calculated in step 14 The route is calculated by reducing the cost of the link, and the route that facilitates discharging the battery in the first half of the route is calculated. Course B in FIG. 4 (d) includes a downhill in the first half of the route, so it is charged in the first half of the route and exceeds the normal use range β of the battery as in 29, so the battery deteriorates due to overcharging. It's easy to do. On the other hand, the course A in FIG. 4D includes an uphill in the first half of the route, so that the battery can be discharged in the first half of the route as in 30 and the battery is deteriorated compared to passing through the course B. Therefore, the battery life can be extended.

  In step 16, a path for extending the battery life calculated in step 15 is displayed on the display unit 8. At this time, the message “The route that makes the battery last longer has been calculated. Is this route OK?” Is displayed, or the voice output means 9 utters a message with the same content by voice, so that the user can It can be confirmed that the lifetime of On the other hand, when the user understands the route displayed using the input means 3, the process proceeds to step 18 to provide route guidance. If the user does not accept the route, the route that makes the battery last longer is displayed on the display unit 8 among the stored routes, and the confirmation by the message or the sound output unit 9 is performed. Thus, the stored route is displayed one after another until the user is satisfied with the travel route.

  In step 18, the route selected by the user is guided until the route guidance ends in step 19.

  According to the navigation apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention, the battery state detection unit 2 that calculates the battery charge rate, and the route calculation that calculates the route to the destination according to the battery charge rate. With the configuration including the means 7, it is possible to reduce the deterioration of the battery and extend the life of the battery by keeping the capacity of the battery use area within a certain range.

  In step 15, the uphill or downhill judgment of the first half of the route is not the altitude information for each node, but the average value of the altitude information of nodes over a certain distance is used. You can judge.

  In step 15, the cost of the link is reduced on the uphill or downhill in the first half of the route. However, the cost of the link is not a fixed value, and as the uphill is steep and long, the downhill is steep or The longer the link is, the more cost can be reduced.

  In step 15, if the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure location) is less than or equal to the lower threshold TH_Low, or if the charging rate SOC at the current location (departure location) is greater than or equal to the upper limit threshold TH_High, the cost of the link has been reduced. However, the cost to be lowered is not a constant value, and the link cost may be greatly reduced when the charging rate SOC falls below the lower limit threshold TH_Low, or when the charging rate SOC rises above the upper limit threshold TH_High.

  The navigation device of the present invention is not limited to a hybrid vehicle, but also in an idling stop vehicle in which an engine is stopped and an electrical component is operated by a battery during idling, while a battery is charged by regenerative energy during deceleration or braking. Applicable. It can also be applied to electric vehicles that run only on motors.

(Embodiment 2)
Next, a navigation apparatus according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention is shown in FIG. The second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the operation of the route calculation means 10. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  The operation of the navigation device configured as described above will be described. The second embodiment of the present invention differs from the first embodiment in the operation of step 15 in FIG. Since other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment, description thereof is omitted.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, when the route calculation means 10 changes the link cost according to the battery charge rate SOC at the current position (departure location) in step 15, it is acquired from the traffic information acquisition means 6. In consideration of the traffic jam information, a route search for extending the battery life is executed. Here, the route search for extending the battery life in step 15 of FIG. 3 will be described with reference to FIG.

  In FIG. 6A, 31 is a departure place (current position), 32 is a destination, and shows a plan view. For simplification, it is assumed that two courses, 33 course A and 34 course B, are calculated by the route search in step 14 as candidate routes from the departure point to the destination.

  FIG. 6 (b) shows the altitude from the starting point to the destination, 35 indicates the altitude of course A, there is a small downhill in the first half of the route, and the battery is driven by regenerative energy in the first half of the route. This course is a little easier to charge. Reference numeral 36 denotes the altitude of the course B. The course has a large downhill in the first half of the route, and the battery is easily charged with regenerative energy in the first half of the route. The route search means 10 in step 14 performs route search by the Dijkstra method and calculates a plurality of route candidates. Here, the search may be performed in consideration of the traffic jam information acquired from the traffic information acquisition means 6. Thereafter, the route search means 10 in step 15 changes the link cost using the calculated altitude information of the link node of the route, and further changes the link cost by the traffic information congestion information, and then passes the same route again. By calculating the route in this way, in consideration of the fact that the regenerative energy of the down road is reduced in the section where the traffic jam occurred, whether the down road is given priority in the first half of the route or the up road is given priority in the first half of the route is changed. can do. Here, the calculated plurality of routes are stored so that the user can select them.

FIG. 6C shows the route calculated by the route calculation means 10 and the SOC of the route when the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure point) is equal to or lower than the lower limit threshold TH_Low and there is no traffic jam. . In the route search means 10 in step 15, when the charging rate at the departure point is equal to or lower than the lower limit threshold, the downlink in the first half of the route is preferentially included in the first half of the candidate route calculated in step 14. The route is calculated by reducing the cost of the link, and the route in which the battery is easily charged in the first half of the route is calculated. In course A of FIG. 6C, a small downhill is included in the first half of the route, so that the first half of the route is charged a little, and the battery can be charged a little in the first half of the route as in 38. On the other hand, the course B of FIG. 6C includes a large downhill in the first half of the route, so that the battery can be charged largely in the first half of the route as in 37. Since both the course A and the course B use the normal use area of the battery, there is no significant difference in the deterioration of the battery.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5 (d) shows a case where the route calculation means 10 shows a case where the charge rate SOC at the current position (departure point) is equal to or lower than the lower threshold TH_Low and a traffic jam occurs on the first half of the course B. The calculated route and the SOC of the route are shown. In the route search means 10 in step 15, when the charging rate at the departure point is equal to or lower than the lower limit threshold, the downlink in the first half of the route is preferentially included in the first half of the candidate route calculated in step 14. The route is calculated by reducing the cost of the link, and the route in which the battery is easily charged in the first half of the route is calculated. However, in the section where the traffic jam occurs, the route search is performed in consideration of the fact that the regenerative energy on the down road is reduced by increasing the cost of the link. Course B in FIG. 6 (d) has a large downhill in the first half of the route, but is congested, so the battery cannot be charged in the first half of the route as in 40, but discharged in the second half of the route. Thus, the battery is likely to be deteriorated due to overdischarge because it is less than the use range α of the battery normally used. On the other hand, course A in FIG. 5 (d) has no traffic jams, and since the first half of the route includes a downhill, the battery can be charged in the first half of the route as in 39, compared to passing course B. Therefore, the battery is less deteriorated and the battery life can be extended.

  According to the navigation apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention, the traffic information acquisition means for acquiring the current traffic situation is provided, and the route calculation means has a traffic jam using the acquired traffic information. The section is configured to calculate the route taking into account that the regenerative energy of the down road is reduced, and according to the traffic jam information, the battery is less deteriorated by reducing the overdischarge and the battery life is extended. Can do.

  FIGS. 6C and 6D show the case where the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure point) is equal to or lower than the lower threshold TH_Low. In step 15, the section where the traffic jam occurs increases the cost of the link. Therefore, we searched for a route that takes into account that the regenerative energy of the down road is reduced. Even if the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure point) is greater than or equal to the upper limit threshold TH_High, in step 15, it is considered that the regenerative energy on the down road is reduced by increasing the link cost in the section where the traffic jam occurred It is sufficient to search for the route that has been made.

  In step 15, the cost of the link increased in the section where the traffic jam occurred, but the cost to raise is not a constant value, and the higher the traffic jam degree is, the higher the cost is in the traffic jam section than in the congestion, The cost may be increased.

  In step 15, the uphill or downhill judgment of the first half of the route is not the altitude information for each node, but the average value of the altitude information of nodes over a certain distance is used. You can judge.

  In step 15, the cost of the link is reduced on the uphill or downhill in the first half of the route. However, the cost of the link is not a fixed value, and as the uphill is steep and long, the downhill is steep or The longer the link is, the more cost can be reduced.

  In step 15, if the charging rate SOC at the current position (departure location) is less than or equal to the lower threshold TH_Low, or if the charging rate SOC at the current location (departure location) is greater than or equal to the upper limit threshold TH_High, the cost of the link has been reduced. However, the cost to be lowered is not a constant value, and the link cost may be greatly reduced when the charging rate SOC falls below the lower limit threshold TH_Low, or when the charging rate SOC rises above the upper limit threshold TH_High.

The navigation device of the present invention is not limited to a hybrid vehicle, but also in an idling stop vehicle in which an engine is stopped and an electrical component is operated by a battery during idling, while a battery is charged by regenerative energy during deceleration or braking. Applicable. It can also be applied to electric vehicles that run only on motors.

  As described above, the navigation device according to the present invention includes the battery state detection unit that calculates the battery charge rate and the route calculation unit that calculates the route to the destination according to the battery charge rate. A navigation device attached to a hybrid vehicle, an idling stop vehicle, and an electric vehicle has the effect of reducing the deterioration of the battery by keeping the capacity of the battery use region within a certain range and extending the life of the battery. Useful as such.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Battery 2 Battery state detection means 5 Map data storage means 6 Traffic information acquisition means 7 Route calculation means

Claims (4)

Battery state detecting means for detecting the charging rate of the battery;
A navigation device comprising route calculation means for calculating a route to a destination according to the charging rate of the battery detected by the battery state detection means.   Map data storage means including altitude information, wherein the route calculation means uses the altitude information of the map data storage means, and when the charging rate is equal to or lower than the lower threshold, the down road has priority over the first half of the path. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the route calculation is performed so as to be included, and the battery is charged in the first half of the route to reduce overdischarge.   Map data storage means including altitude information, wherein the route calculation means uses the altitude information of the map data storage means, and when the charging rate is equal to or higher than the upper limit threshold, the ascending road has priority over the first half of the route. The navigation device according to claim 1, wherein the route calculation is performed so as to be included, and the battery is discharged in the first half of the route to reduce overcharge.   It has traffic information acquisition means for acquiring the current traffic situation, and the route calculation means uses the traffic information acquired by the traffic acquisition means to reduce the regenerative energy of the down road in the section where the traffic jam has occurred. The navigation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the route calculation is performed in consideration.