IP Library Granted Patent US 9,975,563
Granted Patent B2
US 9,975,563 · App. 15/126,120 · Granted May 22, 2018

Vehicle control device, transport system, vehicle control method, and program

Inventors: Katsuaki Morita (Tokyo, JP); Hiroyuki Kono (Tokyo, JP); Masaya Mitake (Tokyo, JP); Yasuyuki Suzuki (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
B61L27/04B60L9/02B60L11/1805B60L15/40B61L3/006B61L15/0072B61L15/0081B61L27/0027B61L27/0077B61L25/021B61L25/025B61L2201/00Y02T10/7005
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,975,563
App. No.
15/126,120
Granted
May 22, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An operating mode determining unit determines an operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be either one of a normal operating mode and an energy saving mode on the basis of a necessary boarding and alighting time which is required to allow passengers to board or alight from the vehicles at each of a plurality of stations. An index value specifying unit specifies an index value on the basis of total energy consumption when the vehicles operate in the operating mode determined by the operating mode determining unit, a difference between the necessary boarding and alighting time and a boarding and alighting time, or the number of changing times of operating modes. An operating plan determining unit determines the operating mode of each of the vehicles to be an operating mode having a smallest index value.

Claims (23)

1. A vehicle control device comprising:

an operating mode determining unit that is configured to determine an operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be a normal operating mode when a necessary boarding and alighting time which is required to allow passengers to board or alight from the vehicles at each of a plurality of stopping positions is longer than or equal to a prescribed boarding and alighting time, and to determine the operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be an energy saving mode having less energy consumption and a longer operating time than the normal operating mode when the necessary boarding and alighting time is shorter than the prescribed boarding and alighting time;

an index value specifying unit that is configured to specify an index value that is a sum of a value obtained by multiplying, by a first weighting coefficient, total energy consumption when the vehicles operate in the operating mode determined by the operating mode determining unit, a value obtained by multiplying, by a second weighting coefficient, the number of changing times of operating and a value obtained by multiplying, by a third weighting coefficient, a difference between a boarding and alighting time and the necessary boarding and alighting time when the vehicles operate in the operating mode;

a condition changing unit that changes the prescribed boarding and alighting time to other prescribed boarding and alighting times; and

an operating plan determining unit that is configured to determine the operating mode of each of the vehicles to be an operating mode having a smallest index value among the index values calculated on the basis of the prescribed boarding and alighting time and the other prescribed boarding and alighting times obtained by the condition changing unit.

2. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a necessary boarding and alighting time specifying unit that is configured to specify the necessary boarding and alighting time of the vehicles at each of the stopping positions on the basis of previous operation information of the vehicles at the stopping position,

wherein the operating mode determining unit is configured to determine the operating mode of each of the vehicles on the basis of the necessary boarding and alighting time specified by the necessary boarding and alighting time specifying unit.

3. The vehicle control device according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicles are configured to travel through the operating section including the plurality of stopping positions, and

the operating mode determining unit is configured to determine the operating mode when the vehicles travel through the operating section.

4. A transport system comprising:

the vehicle control device according to claim 1 ; and

a vehicle that is configured to operate in an operating mode determined by the vehicle control device.

5. The transport system according to claim 4 , wherein the vehicle is configured to estimate a boarding and alighting time at a next stopping position on the basis of a boarding rate of a preceding vehicle, and to determine the operating mode on the basis of the boarding and alighting time.

6. A vehicle control method comprising:

an operating mode determining step of determining an operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be a normal operating mode when a necessary boarding and alighting time which is required to allow passengers to board or alight from the vehicles at each of a plurality of stopping positions is longer than or equal to a prescribed boarding and alighting time, and determining the operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be an energy saving mode having less energy consumption and a longer operating time than the normal operating mode when the necessary boarding and alighting time is shorter than the prescribed boarding and alighting time;

an index value specifying step of specifying an index value that is a sum of a value obtained by multiplying, by a first weighting coefficient, total energy consumption when the vehicles operate in the determined operating mode, a value obtained by multiplying, by a second weighting coefficient, the number of changing times of operating, and a value obtained by multiplying, by a third weighting coefficient, a difference between a boarding and alighting time and the necessary boarding and alighting time when the vehicles operate in the operating mode;

a condition changing step of changing the prescribed boarding and alighting time to other prescribed boarding and alighting times; and

an operating plan determining step of determining the operating mode of each of the vehicles to be an operating mode having a smallest index value among the index values calculated on the basis of the prescribed boarding and alighting time and the other prescribed boarding and alighting times obtained in the condition changing step.

7. A program causing a computer to function as:

an operating mode determining unit that is configured to determine an operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be a normal operating mode when a necessary boarding and alighting time which is required to allow passengers to board or alight from the vehicles at each of a plurality of stopping positions is longer than or equal to a prescribed boarding and alighting time, and to determine the operating mode of each of a plurality of vehicles to be an energy saving mode having less energy consumption and a longer operating time than the normal operating mode when the necessary boarding and alighting time is shorter than the prescribed boarding and alighting time;

an index value specifying unit that is configured to specify an index value that is a sum of a value obtained by multiplying, by a first weighting coefficient, total energy consumption when the vehicles operate in the operating mode determined by the operating mode determining unit, a value obtained by multiplying, by a second weighting coefficient, the number of changing times of operating, and a value obtained by multiplying, by a third weighting coefficient, a difference between a boarding and alighting time and the necessary boarding and alighting time when the vehicles operate in the operating mode;

a condition changing unit that changes the prescribed boarding and alighting time to other prescribed boarding and alighting times; and

an operating plan determining unit that is configured to determine the operating mode of each of the vehicles to be an operating mode having a smallest index value among the index values calculated on the basis of the prescribed boarding and alighting time and the other prescribed boarding and alighting times obtained by the condition changing unit.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 14, 2023
From: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINEERING, LTD.
To: MHI ENGINEERING, LTD.
Reel/Frame 066014/0774 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Dec 14, 2023
From: MHI ENGINEERING, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 066014/0870 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2018
From: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES ENGINEERING, LTD.
Reel/Frame 046499/0613 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: MORITA, KATSUAKI; KONO, HIROYUKI; MITAKE, MASAYA; SUZUKI, YASUYUKI
To: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
Reel/Frame 039740/0179 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2014-061917 · Mar 25, 2014 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20170072974A1 · Mar 16, 2017