In-vehicle solar charge control system, in-vehicle solar charge control method, and program

An in-vehicle solar charge control method executed by an in-vehicle solar charge control system, the in-vehicle solar charge control system including:

• a solar panel mounted on a vehicle;
• a solar DC-to-DC converter to which power generated by the solar panel is input;
• a first DC-to-DC converter which is switched between a first operating state in which power is output while lowering a voltage when output power generated by the solar DC-to-DC converter is input, and a first stopped state in which power is not output;
• a first battery which is chargeable with power output by the first DC-to-DC converter in the first operating state;
• and
• a path switching unit provided in parallel with the first DC-to-DC converter on an electrical circuit that connects the solar DC-to-DC converter and the first battery and through which electricity having the output power flows, the path switching unit being configured to switch between a first state in which the output power is supplied to the first battery without being input to the first DC-to-DC converter, and a second state in which the output power is allowed to be input to the first DC-to-DC converter in the first operating state, the in-vehicle solar charge control method comprising:
• determining whether or not electric energy of the output power is equal to or lower than a threshold;
• and
• switching the path switching unit to the first state and switching the first DC-to-DC converter to the first stopped state, when the electric energy of the output power is equal to or lower than the threshold.

A program used for an in-vehicle solar charge control system, the in-vehicle solar charge control system including:

• a solar panel mounted on a vehicle;
• a solar DC-to-DC converter to which power generated by the solar panel is input;
• a first DC-to-DC converter which is switched between a first operating state in which power is output while lowering a voltage when output power generated by the solar DC-to-DC converter is input and a first stopped state in which power is not output;
• a first battery which is chargeable with power output by the first DC-to-DC converter in the first operating state;
• and
• a path switching unit provided in parallel with the first DC-to-DC converter on an electrical circuit that connects the solar DC-to-DC converter and the first battery and through which electricity having the output power flows, the path switching unit being configured to switch between a first state in which the output power is supplied to the first battery without being input to the first DC-to-DC converter, and a second state in which the output power is allowed to be input to the first DC-to-DC converter in the first operating state, the program causing the in-vehicle solar charge control system to execute:
• determining whether or not electric energy of the output power is equal to or lower than a threshold;
• and
• switching the path switching unit to the first state and switching the first DC-to-DC converter to the first stopped state, when the electric energy of the output power is equal to or lower than the threshold.