Vehicle system, vehicle control method, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021129824-A1
Application number	US-202017069928-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 14, 2020
Priority date	Oct 31, 2019
Publication date	May 6, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle system which includes: an electric power control unit causes a power generation device to continue to generate electric power when the derived remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a first threshold value or when a traveling distance calculated on the basis of the remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a second threshold value and the output control unit calculates a second traveling distance that a vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived amount of charge or charge rate and causes an output unit to output information associated with the second traveling distance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle system installed in a vehicle, comprising:
a power generation device; a power storage device that stores electric power generated by the power generation device; and a power control device that controls power generation of the power generation device, derives the remaining amount of a fuel supplied to the power generation device on the basis of the detection result of a first sensor attached to any one of the power generation device, a fuel storage unit, and a fuel supply path, derives an amount of charge or a charge rate of the power storage device on the basis of the detection result of a second sensor attached to the power storage device, calculates a first traveling distance that the vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived remaining amount of a fuel, and causes an output unit to output information associated with the first traveling distance, wherein, when the derived remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a first threshold value or when the first traveling distance calculated on the basis of the remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a second threshold value, the power control device causes the power generation device to continue to generate electric power, calculates a second traveling distance that the vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived amount of charge or charge rate, and causes an output unit to output information associated with the second traveling distance.

2 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the power control device continues to generate electric power with generated electric power having the maximum efficiency when the derived remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than the first threshold value or when a traveling distance calculated on the basis of the remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than the second threshold value.

3 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the power control device continues power generation using the power generation device until there is no fuel that is able to supplied to the power generation device when the derived remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than the first threshold value or when a traveling distance calculated on the basis of the remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than the second threshold value.

4 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the power control device causes the output unit to output information indicating that information output from the output unit has been switched from information associated with the first traveling distance to information associated with the second traveling distance when the output unit is caused to output information associated with the second traveling distance.

5 . The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the power control device calculates, as the first traveling distance, a value obtained by subtracting a predetermined distance based on an error of the first sensor from an actual traveling distance based on the derived remaining amount of a fuel.

6 . A vehicle control method performed by an in-vehicle computer that controls a vehicle system including a power generation device and a power storage device configured to store electric power generated by the power generation device, the vehicle control method comprising:
deriving the remaining amount of a fuel supplied to the power generation device on the basis of the detection result of a first sensor attached to any one of the power generation device, a fuel storage unit, and a fuel supply path; deriving an amount of charge or a charge rate of the power storage device on the basis of the detection result of a second sensor attached to a power storage device configured to store electric power generated by the power generation device; calculating a first traveling distance that the vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived remaining amount of a fuel; causing an output unit to output information associated with the first traveling distance; and causing the power generation device to continue to generate electric power and calculating a second traveling distance that the vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived amount of charge or charge rate, and causing an output unit to output information associated with the second traveling distance when the derived remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a first threshold value or when the first traveling distance calculated on the basis of the remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a second threshold value.

7 . A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium storing a program causing an in-vehicle computer that controls a vehicle system including a power generation device and a power storage device configured to store electric power generated by the power generation device to execute:
deriving the remaining amount of a fuel supplied to the power generation device on the basis of the detection result of a first sensor attached to any one of the power generation device, a fuel storage unit, and a fuel supply path; deriving an amount of charge or a charge rate of the power storage device on the basis of the detection result of a second sensor attached to a power storage device configured to store electric power generated by the power generation device; calculating a first traveling distance which the vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived remaining amount of a fuel; causing an output unit to output information associated with the first traveling distance; and causing the power generation device to continue to generate electric power and calculating a second traveling distance which the vehicle is able to travel on the basis of the derived amount of charge or charge rate, and causing an output unit to output information associated with the second traveling distance when the derived remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a first threshold value or when the first traveling distance calculated on the basis of the remaining amount of a fuel is smaller than a second threshold value.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sakai Ryoji
• Uenodai Asao

Classifications

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/26

  using acoustic output · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K35/28

  characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver · CPC title

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title