U.S. patent application number 11/887633 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-26 for mobile object managing device and method.
Invention is credited to Yasuyuki Iida, Nobuo Kobayashi.
Application Number | 20090050630 11/887633 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37087028 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090050630 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Iida; Yasuyuki ; et
al. |
February 26, 2009 |
Mobile Object Managing Device and Method
Abstract
To improve the management quality of a fuel tank by managing a
set of relevant information on the fuel tank and relevant
information on a mobile object associated with each other and
allowing a history of use of the fuel tank to be trackable, a
mobile object with a fuel tank, has control means for storing the
fuel tank relevant information stored in first storage means
provided at the fuel tank, and the mobile object relevant
information stored in second storage means provided at the mobile
object in the first storage means and/or the second storage means
in association with each other. The fuel tank relevant information
includes at least one of information on the owner of the fuel tank,
information on production of the fuel tank, information on an
attribute of fuel to be filled, and information on the filling
work, and the mobile object relevant information includes at least
one of information on the owner of the mobile object, the serial
number of the mobile object, and the registration number of the
mobile object.
Inventors: |
Iida; Yasuyuki; (Aichi,
JP) ; Kobayashi; Nobuo; (Aichi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KENYON & KENYON LLP
1500 K STREET N.W., SUITE 700
WASHINGTON
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
37087028 |
Appl. No.: |
11/887633 |
Filed: |
April 4, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
April 4, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2006/307517 |
371 Date: |
October 1, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/562 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F17C 2201/056 20130101;
Y02E 60/32 20130101; F17C 2205/055 20130101; F17C 2250/032
20130101; F17C 2250/034 20130101; F17C 2205/057 20130101; F17C
2205/054 20130101; F17C 2221/012 20130101; F17C 2270/0178 20130101;
F17C 2223/0123 20130101; F17C 2270/0168 20130101; F17C 2270/0173
20130101; F17C 2250/04 20130101; F17C 2250/0482 20130101; F17C
2205/058 20130101; F17C 2270/0184 20130101; F17C 2223/036 20130101;
F17C 2250/043 20130101; F17C 2250/0473 20130101; F17C 5/06
20130101; F17C 2250/0495 20130101; Y02E 60/321 20130101; F17C
2209/228 20130101; F17C 2270/0189 20130101; F17C 2270/0105
20130101; F17C 1/00 20130101; F17C 2205/0157 20130101; F17C
2250/0408 20130101; F17C 2250/0439 20130101; F17C 2250/0443
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/562 |
International
Class: |
B65D 88/12 20060101
B65D088/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 7, 2005 |
JP |
2005-110733 |
Claims
1. A mobile object with a fuel tank, comprising: storage means for
storing fuel tank relevant information on the fuel tank and mobile
object relevant information on the mobile object in association
with each other.
2. A mobile object with a fuel tank, comprising: control means for
storing, in first storage means provided at the fuel tank and/or
second storage means provided at the mobile object, fuel tank
relevant information stored in first storage means, and mobile
object relevant information stored in second storage means, in
association with each other.
3. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the control
means acquires the fuel tank relevant information referring to the
first storage means, and stores the fuel tank relevant information
in association with the mobile object relevant information in the
second storage means.
4. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the control
means acquires the mobile object relevant information referring to
the second storage means, and stores the mobile object relevant
information in association with the fuel tank relevant information
in the first storage means.
5. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the control
means executes a process of acquiring the fuel tank relevant
information at a timing at which the fuel tank is mounted in the
mobile object and storing the fuel tank relevant information and
the mobile object relevant information in association with each
other.
6. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the control
means executes a process of storing the fuel tank relevant
information and the mobile object relevant information in
association with each other based on a timing at which a fuel
filling work on the fuel tank is executed.
7. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein further, the
control means controls communication means to transmit a set of the
fuel tank relevant information and the mobile object relevant
information corresponding thereto, stored in the first storage
means or the second storage means, to a managing device located
outside the mobile object.
8. The mobile object according to claim 1, wherein the fuel tank
relevant information includes at least one of information on an
owner of the fuel tank, information on production of the fuel tank,
information on an attribute of fuel to be filled, and information
on the filling work, and the mobile object relevant information
includes at least one of information on an owner of the mobile
object, a serial number of the mobile object, and a registration
number of the mobile object.
9. The mobile object according to claim 1, wherein the fuel tank is
at least one of a fuel gas tank, a compressed-gas tank, and a
hydrogen tank.
10. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the first
storage means of the fuel tank is an electronic tag and the control
means accesses the electronic tag via an RFID reader provided at
the mobile object.
11. The mobile object according to claim 1, wherein the mobile
object is a fuel cell vehicle.
12. A managing device for a fuel tank mounted in a mobile object,
comprising: means for receiving a set of relevant information on
the fuel tank mounted in the mobile object and mobile object
relevant information on the mobile object, transmitted from the
mobile object; and means for registering the fuel tank relevant
information and the mobile object relevant information included in
the received set in a database in association with each other.
13. A managing method for a fuel tank mounted in a mobile object,
comprising: a step of storing, in first storage means provided at
the fuel tank and/or second storage means provided at the mobile
object, fuel tank relevant information stored in the first storage
means provided at the fuel, and mobile object relevant information
stored in the second storage means, in association with each other;
and a step of transmitting a set of the fuel tank relevant
information and the mobile object relevant information
corresponding thereto to a managing device located outside the
mobile object.
14. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the fuel tank
relevant information includes at least one of information on an
owner of the fuel tank, information on production of the fuel tank,
information on an attribute of fuel to be filled, and information
on the filling work, and the mobile object relevant information
includes at least one of information on an owner of the mobile
object, a serial number of the mobile object, and a registration
number of the mobile object.
15. The mobile object according to claim 2, wherein the fuel tank
is at least one of a fuel gas tank, a compressed-gas tank, and a
hydrogen tank.
Description
[0001] This is a 371 national phase application of
PCT/JP2006/307517 filed 4 Apr. 2006, claiming priority to Japanese
Patent Application No. 2005-110733 filed 7 Apr. 2005, the contents
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to a mobile object (e.g.,
vehicle) with a fuel tank, and a management technique for relevant
information on the fuel tank and the mobile object, which is
suitable when the fuel tank is consecutively used over a plurality
of mobile objects.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Recently, development of electric automobiles has
progressed, and a vehicle mounted with a fuel cell as the power
source for a motor has been proposed (see Japanese Patent
Application Laid-Open No. 2001-224105). A fuel cell is a unit which
generates power by the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen
finally supplied as fuel. When hydrogen is used for fuel, water
vapor is emitted from the fuel cell, and does not contain a toxic
component, so that the hydrogen is environmentally
advantageous.
[0004] Information on the manufacturer name, the production date,
the fuel type, the owner, etc. of a fuel tank (hydrogen tank) which
is mounted in a fuel cell vehicle should be managed to adequately
check the fatigue and degradation of members. With regard to the
current owner or the like of a fuel tank, for example, Container
Safety Regulations, Chapter 4, Article 10 defines that a tank
should have an owner or the like clearly indicated thereon.
Information on a fuel filling date is often managed on a management
ledger by a dealer or the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In general, a fuel tank (particularly, a fuel gas tank,
compressed-gas tank) has various kinds of relevant information on
the fuel tank, such as the manufacturer, production date, serial
number and fuel type, integrated with the fuel tank (as a set) by
means of an indication member or an electronic storage medium.
[0006] When such a fuel tank is mounted in a mobile object
(including an object which actively moves, such as a vehicle like
an automobile or train, a ship, an airplane, a movable robot, as
well as an object which passively moves accompanying another
object, such as a portable electronic device) for use, it is
desirable to be able to track what kind of a fuel tank is mounted
in what kind of mobile object and how the fuel tank is used.
[0007] Conventionally, however, while a fuel tank alone is managed
by referring to the indication member or the like, the fuel tank
and the mobile object are not managed in association with each
other. This makes it difficult to carry out the tracking.
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
improve the management quality of a fuel tank by managing a set of
relevant information on the fuel tank and relevant information on a
mobile object associated with each other and allowing a history of
use of the fuel tank to be trackable.
[0009] The present inventors have made studies to achieve the
object, and found that the following problems were present.
[0010] Conventionally, once a fuel tank is mounted in a mobile
object like a vehicle, the fuel tank is hardly removed and used in
another vehicle or the like again, so that there is no system which
manages the history of use of the fuel tank when the fuel tank is
consecutively used over a plurality of vehicles or the like. Even
if the fuel filling date or the like for each fuel tank is actually
managed on a management ledger by a dealer or the like, there is
generally no management on how the fuel tank has been used in what
vehicles or the like.
[0011] Due to the recent progress of the general commercial use of
fuel tanks, however, fuel cells are used in various situations, so
that it is expected that remounting a fuel tank in another vehicle
or the like for use within a period of its given life will be
increasing. When a fuel-cell mounted vehicle is used as a business
vehicle, such as a taxi, for example, it is well conceivable to
dynamically (variably) assign a fuel tank to a vehicle to be used
therein on the premise that the fuel tank is shared by a plurality
of vehicles.
[0012] Under such a circumstance, it is desirable to be able to
continuously manage the history of use of a fuel tank over a
plurality of vehicles or the like so that the fatigue, degradation,
etc. of members can be adequately checked.
[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to ensure
the traceability on a fuel tank and to provide a system capable of
adequately managing the history of use of the fuel tank even when
the fuel tank is consecutively used over a plurality of vehicles or
the like.
[0014] A mobile object with a fuel tank according to the present
invention comprises storage means for storing fuel tank relevant
information on the fuel tank and mobile object relevant information
on the mobile object in association with each other.
[0015] A mobile object with the fuel tank according to the present
invention comprises control means for storing the fuel tank
relevant information stored in first storage means provided at the
fuel tank, and the mobile object relevant information stored in
second storage means provided at the mobile object in the first
storage means and/or the second storage means in association with
each other.
[0016] It is desirable that the fuel tank relevant information
should include at least one of information on an owner of the fuel
tank, information on production of the fuel tank, information on an
attribute of fuel to be filled, and information on the filling
work, and the mobile object relevant information should include at
least one of information on an owner of the mobile object, a serial
number of the mobile object, and a registration number of the
mobile object.
[0017] It is desirable that the fuel tank should be a fuel gas
tank, and that the mobile object should be a fuel cell vehicle.
[0018] It is preferable that the control means should acquire the
fuel tank relevant information referring to the first storage
means, and store the fuel tank relevant information in the second
storage means in association with the mobile object relevant
information. It is also preferable that the control means should
acquire the mobile object relevant information referring to the
second storage means, and store the mobile object relevant
information in the first storage means in association with the fuel
tank relevant information.
[0019] It is preferable that the control means should execute a
process of storing the fuel tank relevant information and the
mobile object relevant information in association with each other
based on a timing at which the fuel tank is mounted in the mobile
object.
[0020] It is preferable that the control means should execute a
process of storing the fuel tank relevant information and the
mobile object relevant information in association with each other
based on a timing at which a fuel filling work on the fuel tank is
executed.
[0021] It is preferable that further, the control means should
control communication means to transmit a set of the fuel tank
relevant information and the mobile object relevant information
corresponding thereto, stored in the first storage means or the
second storage means, to a managing device located outside the
mobile object.
[0022] A managing device according to the present invention
comprises means for receiving a set of relevant information on the
fuel tank mounted in the mobile object and mobile object relevant
information on the mobile object, transmitted from the mobile
object; and means for registering the fuel tank relevant
information and the mobile object relevant information included in
the received set in a database in association with each other.
[0023] A managing method for a fuel tank mounted in the mobile
object according to the present invention comprises a step of
storing fuel tank relevant information stored in first storage
means provided at the fuel tank, and mobile object relevant
information stored in second storage means provided at the mobile
object in the first storage means and/or the second storage means
in association with each other when the fuel tank is mounted in the
mobile object; and a step of transmitting a set of the fuel tank
relevant information and the mobile object relevant information
corresponding thereto, stored in the first storage means or the
second storage means, to a managing device located outside the
mobile object.
[0024] A program according to the present invention executes
individual steps of the managing method of the invention on a
computer. The program of the invention can be installed or loaded
into a computer from various kinds of recording mediums, such as a
CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, and a semiconductor memory, or as it is
downloaded over a communication network.
[0025] In the present specification, "means" does not simply mean
physical means but includes a case where the functions of the means
are achieved by software. The functions of single means may be
realized by two or more physical means, or the functions of two or
more means may be realized by single physical means.
[0026] The present invention can improve the management quality of
a fuel tank by managing a set of relevant information on the fuel
tank and relevant information on a mobile object associated with
each other and allowing a history of use of the fuel tank to be
trackable.
[0027] The present invention can ensure the traceability on a fuel
tank and provide a system capable of adequately managing the
history of use of the fuel tank even when the fuel tank is
consecutively used over a plurality of vehicles or the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic
configuration of a managing system 100;
[0029] FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the essential portions of
a fuel cell system equipped in a vehicle according to a present
embodiment;
[0030] FIGS. 3A and 3B are block diagrams showing the configuration
of an on-vehicle terminal unit 11;
[0031] FIGS. 4A and 4B are block diagrams showing the configuration
of a managing device 20;
[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the data structures of a
set information storage means 12 and a set information database
21;
[0033] FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the
managing system 100; and
[0034] FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the
managing system 100.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] An embodiment of the present invention will now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings. While the type of
mobile object in which a fuel tank is mounted can be determined
according to the design according to the invention, the following
description will be given of an example where a fuel tank is
mounted into a fuel cell vehicle.
[0036] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the schematic
configuration of a managing system 100 according to one embodiment
of the invention. As illustrated in the diagram, the managing
system 100 is configured to include a fuel cell vehicle 10
configured in such a way that a fuel tank fuel tank 30 is
attachable to and detachable from the fuel cell vehicle 10, and a
managing device 20 which is located outside the vehicle and manages
the history of use of the fuel tank, and the like. The fuel tank 30
may be used in any one of a use mode where it is attached and
detached daily and a use mode where it is attached and detached in
a least necessary case such as at the time of failure.
[0037] An on-vehicle terminal unit 11 is mounted in the fuel cell
vehicle 10, and the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 and the managing
device 20 are so configured as to be communicatable with each other
over a predetermined communication network N (any one of LAN,
Internet, packet communication network, a combination thereof, and
including cable or wireless or both). When the managing device 20
is set at a fuel supply stand or the like, it is desirable to
construct the communication network N by a wireless packet
communication network so that communications are possible without
using a cable, for example, at the time of feeding fuel.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows the schematic configuration of a fuel cell
system 40 mounted in the fuel cell vehicle 10.
[0039] The fuel cell system 40 is configured to mainly have a fuel
gas supply unit 41 including a fuel tank 30, an oxidizing gas
supply unit 42, a fuel cell 43 and a controller 44. A fuel gas is,
for example, a hydrogen gas, and an oxidizing gas is, for example,
air. The controller 44 acquires the required amount of power
generation of the fuel cell 43 from the accelerator opening
detected by an acceleration sensor 48, and controls the fuel gas
supply unit 41 and the oxidizing gas supply unit 42 to acquire the
desired amount of power generation, thereby adjusting the flow rate
of the fuel gas and flow rate of the oxidizing gas which are
supplied to the fuel cell 43. A PCU 45 is a power control unit
including an inverter and a DC/DC converter. The PCU 45 converts
the DC power generated by the fuel cell 43 into AC power and
supplies the AC power to a motor 46 for driving the vehicle, and
stores excess power in a secondary cell 47. The secondary cell 47
serves as a regenerated energy storage source at the time of brake
energy regeneration and an energy buffer at the time of a load
change originated from vehicle acceleration or deceleration.
[0040] A small electronic tag 31 is attached to the fuel tank 30 of
the embodiment by a screw, a fitting structure or the like. The
electronic tag 31 stores relevant information on the fuel tank 30
in a built-in semiconductor circuit. As will be described later,
the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 wirelessly reads the fuel tank
relevant information at a predetermined timing through an RF reader
and sends the relevant information to the managing device 20. Such
a technique of wirelessly accessing the electronic tag 31 and the
fuel tank relevant information can be configured using the
conventional data carrier technique.
[0041] FIG. 3A is a block diagram showing the hardware
configuration of the on-vehicle terminal unit 11. As shown in FIG.
3A, the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 can be configured by an
exclusive or general-purpose information processing unit having
hardware, such as CPU, ROM, RAM, external storage unit, RFID
reader, user interface including a display, etc., and a
communication interface. It is assumed that the RFID reader has
been provided beforehand at the position where it can communicate
with the electronic tag 31 when the fuel tank 30 is mounted in the
fuel cell vehicle 10.
[0042] FIG. 3B is a block diagram showing the functional
configuration of the on-vehicle terminal unit 11. As shown in FIG.
3B, the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 includes functional means, such
as fuel tank-vehicle set information storage means 12,
communication means 13 and control means 14. Those functional means
are realized as the CPU executes a predetermined program (including
a program which defines the managing method of the invention)
stored in the ROM, RAM, the external storage unit or the like.
[0043] The set information storage means 12 stores, as vehicle
relevant information, at least one of information on the owner of
the vehicle (the name of a person or organization, the address,
etc.), the vehicle body number, and the number on a number plate. A
predetermined host device (not shown) can write the vehicle
relevant information into the set information storage means 12
through the communication interface or using the user interface
equipped in the on-vehicle terminal unit 11, on a timing at which
the fuel cell vehicle 10 is registered as a new car or the owner of
the fuel cell vehicle 10 is changed, etc.
[0044] The set information storage means 12 stores relevant
information on the fuel tank 30 in association with the vehicle
relevant information. The fuel tank relevant information is
structured to include at least one of information on the owner of
the fuel tank (the name of a person or organization, the address,
etc.), information on production of the fuel tank (production date,
serial number, etc.), information on the attribute of fuel to be
filled (the types of the contents, etc.), information on the
filling work (fuel filling date, and the number of fuel fillings,
etc.). As will be described later, the set of the vehicle relevant
information and fuel tank relevant information is written in the
set information storage means 12 by the control means 14.
[0045] The communication means 13 is configured to be able to input
and output data to and from the managing device 20 over the
communication network N. The communication means 13 includes
communications modules, e.g., a PPP driver and a TCP/IP driver.
[0046] Based on the program stored in the ROM or the like, the
control means 14 controls the general operation of the on-vehicle
terminal unit 11, and executes a fuel tank-vehicle set information
acquiring/storing process, a fuel tank-vehicle set information
transmitting process, and so forth. FIG. 3 illustrates the
individual processes, which are executed by the control means 14,
as functional means. In addition to the processes, the control
means 14 executes various processes, such as a process of
electrically or mechanically detecting execution of the fuel
filling work, and a process of detecting the amount of fuel
remaining in the fuel tank or the amount of fuel filled therein,
based on a temperature sensor, pressure sensor, flow rate sensor,
etc. provided at the fuel tank.
[0047] FIG. 4A is a block diagram showing the hardware
configuration of the managing device 20. As shown in FIG. 4A, the
managing device 20 can be configured by an exclusive or
general-purpose information processing unit having hardware, such
as CPU, ROM, RAM, external storage unit, RFID reader, user
interface including a display, etc., and a communication interface.
The managing device 20 may be constituted by a single computer or a
plurality of computers distributed on the network.
[0048] FIG. 4B is a block diagram showing the functional
configuration of the managing device 20. As shown in FIG. 4B, the
managing device 20 includes functional means, such as fuel
tank-vehicle set information database 21, communication means 22
and control means 23.
[0049] The set information database 21, like the set information
storage means 12, stores relevant information on the fuel tank 30
in association with the vehicle relevant information. As will be
described later, the set of the vehicle relevant information and
fuel tank relevant information, transmitted from the on-vehicle
terminal unit 11, is received via the communication means 22 and is
written in the relevant set information database 21 by the control
means 23.
[0050] The communication means 22 is configured to be able to input
and output data to and from the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 over
the communication network N. The communication means 22 includes
communications modules, e.g., a PPP driver and a TCP/IP driver.
[0051] Based on the program stored in the ROM or the like, the
control means 23 controls the general operation of the managing
device 20, and executes a fuel tank-vehicle set information
receiving/registering process, a fuel tank-vehicle set information
managing process, and so forth. FIG. 4 illustrates the individual
processes, which are executed by the control means 23, as
functional means. In addition to the processes, the control means
23 executes various processes, such as a process of registering the
fuel tank to be managed.
[0052] FIG. 5 conceptually illustrates an example of the data
structures of the fuel tank-vehicle set information storage means
12 and the fuel tank-vehicle set information database 21. Such a
data structure can be constructed by using the conventional
database technique like a relational database.
[0053] The operation of the managing system 100 will be explained
based on flowcharts illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The individual
steps can be executed with the execution order being changed
arbitrarily or in parallel without discrepancy of the process
contents.
[0054] (Set Information Acquiring/Storing Process)
[0055] With the fuel tank 30 mounted in the fuel cell vehicle 10,
the control means 14 of the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 controls
the RFID reader at a given timing to wirelessly access the
electronic tag 31 attached to the fuel tank 30 and read (acquire)
fuel tank relevant information stored in the electronic tag 31
(S100).
[0056] The given timing can be, for example, the timing at which
the fuel tank 30 is mounted in the fuel cell vehicle 10, the timing
at which the work of filling fuel in the fuel tank 30 is carried
out, the timing at which a user has given an instruction, or a
combination of those timings. To determine the timing of mounting
the fuel tank 30 and the timing of executing the fuel filling work,
the configuration may be designed in such a way as to be able to
electrically or mechanically detect the mount state of the fuel
tank and the execution or non-execution of the work, using a
conventional technology.
[0057] Next, the control means 14 stores the acquired fuel tank
relevant information in association with the vehicle relevant
information in the set information storage means 12 (stores a set
of the vehicle relevant information and the fuel tank relevant
information) (S101). At this time, the control means 14 may first
read the vehicle relevant information on the fuel cell vehicle 10
by referring to the set information storage means 12, and then
store the acquired fuel tank relevant information in an area
different from the read area in the set information storage means
12 in association with the read vehicle relevant information. The
control means 14 may be configured to store date information, such
as the timing of acquisition of fuel tank relevant information and
the storage timing to the set information storage means 12,
together with respective items of relevant information.
[0058] Next, the control means 14 determines if the fuel tank
relevant information has been changed (S102), and terminates the
process when it is not changed.
[0059] When the fuel tank relevant information like the fuel
filling date has been changed due to execution of the fuel filling
work or the like, the control means 14 controls the RFID reader to
wirelessly access the electronic tag 31 attached to the fuel tank
30 and update the fuel tank relevant information stored in the
electronic tag 31 (S103).
[0060] The control means 14 stores the updated fuel tank relevant
information in association with the vehicle relevant information in
the set information storage means 12 (S104), then terminates the
process.
[0061] (Set Information Transmitting Process)
[0062] The control means 14 of the on-vehicle terminal unit 11
refers to the set information storage means 12 at a given timing to
read set information (i.e., vehicle relevant information and fuel
tank relevant information associated therewith) (S200).
[0063] The given timing can be, for example, a regular timing
(every predetermined time or every predetermined traveling
distance), the timing at which the fuel tank relevant information
stored in the electronic tag 31 is updated, the timing at which a
user has given an instruction, or a combination of those timings.
To determine the regular timing, the on-vehicle terminal unit 11
has a function of determining the elapsed time and the traveling
distance based on information acquired from an internal or external
timer or the control system of the fuel cell vehicle 10.
[0064] Next, the control means 14 controls the communication means
13 to transmit the read set information to the managing device 20
(S201). When date information or the like is stored in the set
information storage means 12 together with respective items of
information, the control means 14 may be configured to execute the
transmitting process for untransmitted set information stored after
the previous timing of executing the set information transmitting
process, based on the date information or the like.
[0065] (Set Information Receiving/Registering Process)
[0066] The control means 23 of the managing device 20 controls the
communication means 22 to receive set information transmitted from
the fuel cell vehicle 10 (S300). The set information includes the
fuel tank relevant information on the fuel tank 30 mounted in the
fuel cell vehicle 10 and the vehicle relevant information on the
fuel cell vehicle 10.
[0067] Next, the control means 23 registers the received set
information in the set information database 21 (S301).
[0068] (Set Information Managing Process)
[0069] The control means 23 of the managing device 20 executes a
process of referring to the set information database 21 to extract
set information relating to the fuel tank 30 based on an
instruction from the user of the managing device 20, and processes
of displaying use history information of the fuel tank 30 (how the
fuel tank has been used in what vehicles, etc.) on a display or the
like, showing which fuel tank is mounted in which vehicle, and
determining the durability or the like of the fuel tank 30, and so
forth based on the extracted set information.
[0070] Because the on-vehicle terminal unit 11 or the managing
device 20 employs the configuration to store and manage set
information having fuel tank relevant information and vehicle
relevant information associated with each other in the embodiment,
the traceability of the fuel tank 30 can be secured and the history
of use thereof can be adequately managed and grasped even when the
fuel tank 30 is consecutively used over a plurality of
vehicles.
[0071] (Others)
[0072] The present invention is not limited to the above-described
embodiment, and can be modified and adapted in various forms. While
the foregoing description of the embodiment has been given of an
example where the fuel cell vehicle is where the fuel tank is
located, for example, similar advantages can be acquired when the
fuel tank is provided at a location different from the fuel cell
vehicle if the fuel tank may be used consecutively at a plurality
of set locations.
[0073] Although the embodiment is configured to store set
information of vehicle relevant information and fuel tank relevant
information in the set information storage means 12 of the
on-vehicle terminal unit 11, the invention is not limited to such a
configuration. For example, the set information may be stored in
the electronic tag 31 of the fuel tank 30 in place of or in
addition to the set information storage means 12. In case of
storing the set information in the electronic tag 31 in place of
the set information storage means 12, the control means 14 refers
to predetermined storage means to read (acquire) vehicle relevant
information, and stores the read vehicle relevant information in
the electronic tag 31 in association with fuel tank relevant
information stored in the electronic tag 31 (stores set
information). At the time of executing the set information
transmitting process, the RFID reader is controlled to read the set
information from the electronic tag 31 attached to the fuel tank
30, and is transmitted to the managing device 20.
[0074] Although the foregoing description of the embodiment has
been given of the configuration that uses the electronic tag 31 as
means to store fuel tank relevant information, the configuration
may be modified to store fuel tank relevant information in a
storage medium other than the electronic tag 31. For example, an
information storage medium which does not include an electric
circuit, such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code, can be used
instead of the electronic tag 31. In this case, the fuel cell
vehicle 10 has a reader according to the information storage
medium, such as a bar code reader, in place of the RFID reader. It
is to be noted that when the storage means attached to the fuel
tank 30 is not such a rewritable information storage medium, it is
necessary to store update fuel tank relevant information or set
information of vehicle relevant information and fuel tank relevant
information in the set information storage means 12 of the
on-vehicle terminal unit 11 as done in the embodiment.
[0075] While the embodiment uses the set information storage means
12 as storage means to store vehicle relevant information, the
invention is not limited to such a configuration. As has been
described above, for example, an information storage medium which
does not include an electric circuit, such as a bar code or a
two-dimensional code, can be used as storage means to store vehicle
relevant information.
[0076] The embodiment is configured to store set information in the
set information storage means 12 and read the information and
execute the transmitting process at the time of transmission.
However, the configuration may be modified to read vehicle relevant
information from predetermined storage means, prepare set
information by associating the read vehicle relevant information
with fuel tank relevant information acquired from the electronic
tag 31, and execute the transmitting process at the time of
transmission.
* * * * *