US 12,403,788 B2
Power generation support system
Taizo Masuda, Yokohama (JP); Yasunobu Seki, Nisshin (JP); Hiroki Awano, Susono (JP); Tomoko Nakamura, Naka-gun (JP); Tsuyoshi Kaneko, Nisshin (JP); and Kosuke Yonekawa, Nisshin (JP)
Assigned to TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed by TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Toyota (JP)
Filed on Oct. 10, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/378,197.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-178681 (JP), filed on Nov. 8, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0149727 A1, May 9, 2024
Int. Cl. B60L 11/18 (2006.01); B60L 53/51 (2019.01); B60L 53/53 (2019.01); B60L 53/60 (2019.01)
CPC B60L 53/60 (2019.02) [B60L 53/51 (2019.02); B60L 53/53 (2019.02)] 3 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A power generation support system for a vehicle in which a plurality of solar cell panels are attached to a vehicle body, the power generation support system comprising:
an acquisition unit configured to acquire at least position information of a scheduled parking area and information about a scheduled parking time of the vehicle;
an estimation unit configured to estimate an amount of power generated per unit hour by the plurality of solar cell panels when the vehicle is to be parked in the scheduled parking area so that a front of the vehicle faces a first direction and estimate an amount of power generated per unit hour by the plurality of solar cell panels when the vehicle is to be parked in the scheduled parking area so that the front of the vehicle faces a second direction that is opposite to the first direction; and
an output unit configured to output information about a direction in which the vehicle faces when it is to be parked in the scheduled parking area based on a result of the estimation by the estimation unit;
the estimation unit estimates an amount of power generated per unit hour by the plurality of solar cell panels when the vehicle is to be parked in the scheduled parking area so that the front of the vehicle faces the first direction and estimates an amount of power generated per unit hour by the plurality of solar cell panels when the vehicle is to be parked in the scheduled parking area so that the front of the vehicle faces the second direction based on a position of the sun on a date and time when the vehicle is to be parked, respective places where the plurality of solar cell panels are disposed, and a weather forecast for the scheduled parking area;
the acquisition unit acquires the position information of the scheduled parking area and the information about the scheduled parking time via a mobile terminal owned by a driver of the vehicle; and
the output unit outputs an output content to the mobile terminal owned by the driver of the vehicle.