1. An information processing apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the information processing apparatus comprising:
a first acquiring unit that acquires, from each of one or more traffic lights, traffic light information including identifying information for identifying a corresponding traffic light, position information of the corresponding traffic light, and start time and end time of lighting in a color of a traffic signal indicating stop of the vehicle;
a calculation unit that calculates a signal waiting time that indicates a time period for the vehicle to stop at a traffic light by using one or more pieces of the traffic light information; and
an electric power control unit that controls an electric power state during stop of the vehicle in a multistage manner in accordance with the signal waiting time.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric power control unit performs control such that power consumption during stop of the vehicle decreases with an increase in the signal waiting time.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein if the signal waiting time exceeds a first threshold and is equal to or smaller than a second threshold that is larger than the first threshold, the electric power control unit controls an idling speed of an engine to a speed lower than an idling speed of when the signal waiting time equal to or smaller than the first threshold, and if the signal waiting time exceeds the second threshold, the electric power control unit controls the engine to stop.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the electric power control unit performs control such that an amount of light of an illumination device provided to the vehicle decreases with an increase in the signal waiting time.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electric power control unit controls an electric power state of the vehicle during running in accordance with a distance that the vehicle will travel before the vehicle stops at the traffic light.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit calculates the signal waiting time by using predicted time of arrival indicating predicted time for the vehicle to arrive at a nearest traffic light and the traffic light information acquired from the nearest traffic light.
7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second acquiring unit that acquires traffic information including predicted time of arrival indicating predicted time for the vehicle to arrive at a nearest traffic light, wherein
the calculation unit determines whether the vehicle is capable of passing through the nearest traffic light by using one or more pieces of the traffic light information acquired by the first acquiring unit and the traffic information acquired by the second acquiring unit, and
if the vehicle is not capable of passing through the nearest traffic light, the electric power control unit controls an electric power state of the vehicle during running so as to be a minimum electric power state allowing the vehicle to run to the nearest traffic light.
8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculation unit identifies a nearest traffic light existing in an advance direction of the vehicle based on navigation information indicating the position information and the identifying information on each of the traffic lights, and the advance direction of the vehicle, and calculates the signal waiting time by using the traffic light information including the identifying information on the identified traffic light out of one or more pieces of the traffic light information acquired by the first acquiring unit.
9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first acquiring unit acquires only the traffic light information transmitted from the traffic light whose distance to the vehicle is equal to or smaller than a reference value.
10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third acquiring unit that acquires, from another vehicle, vehicle position information indicating a position of the other vehicle, and stop determination information indicating whether the other vehicle is being stopped, wherein
if the third acquiring unit acquires the stop determination information indicating that a second vehicle is being stopped from the second vehicle, the second vehicle being nearest to the vehicle out of one or more other vehicles existing in an advance direction of the vehicle, the calculation unit calculates the signal waiting time by using second predicted time of arrival indicating predicted time for the vehicle to arrive at the second vehicle and the traffic light information acquired from a nearest traffic light.
11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the electric power state during stop of the vehicle is an energy saving state with smaller power consumption than a normal state indicating an electric power state while the vehicle is running, and
if no vehicle exists between the nearest traffic light and the vehicle during stop of the vehicle, the electric power control unit performs control so as to cancel the energy saving state a prescribed time period before end of the signal waiting time.
12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the prescribed time period indicates a time period required for the vehicle to return from the energy saving state to the normal state.
13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein if any other vehicle exists between the nearest traffic light and the vehicle during stop of the vehicle, the electric power control unit changes the prescribed time period depending on number of other vehicles.
14. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein if any other vehicle exists between the nearest traffic light and the vehicle during stop of the vehicle, the electric power control unit changes the prescribed time period such that the prescribed time period decreases with an increase in the number of the other vehicles.
15. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein if any other vehicle exists between the nearest traffic light and the vehicle during stop of the vehicle, the electric power control unit performs control to cancel the energy saving state according to a timing at which a third vehicle starts running, the third vehicle being nearest to the vehicle out of the other vehicles existing between the nearest traffic light and the vehicle.
16. An information processing method executed by an information processing apparatus mounted on a vehicle, the information processing method comprising:
first acquiring, from each of one or more traffic lights, traffic light information including identifying information for identifying a corresponding traffic light, position information of the corresponding traffic light, and start time and end time of lighting in a color of a traffic signal indicating stop of the vehicle;
calculating a signal waiting time that indicates a time period for the vehicle to stop at the traffic light by using one or more pieces of the traffic light information; and
controlling an electric power state during stop of the vehicle in a multistage manner in accordance with the signal waiting time.
17. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing an information processing program, the program causing a computer mounted on a vehicle to execute:
first acquiring, from one or more traffic lights, traffic light information including identifying information for identifying the traffic lights, position information of the traffic lights, and start times and end times of lighting in a color of a traffic signal indicating stop of the vehicle;
calculating a signal waiting time that indicates a time period for the vehicle to stop at the traffic light by using one or more pieces of the traffic light information; and
controlling an electric power state during stop of the vehicle in a multistage manner in accordance with the signal waiting time.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of dispensing and cooling a sample of a fluid withdrawn at a sampling location by means of a sampler, said sample to be stored at a selectable storage temperature value, said fluid having a sampling temperature value greater than the storage temperature value, said sampler comprising a vessel assembly of a predetermined volume with a tubular intake vessel for conducting the withdrawn fluid, said sampler further comprising a storage vessel for storing the fluid sample, said vessel assembly having an internal temperature, wherein prior to the dispensing said internal temperature of the vessel assembly having an initial internal temperature value being lower than the sampling temperature value; and said sampler further comprising a cooling assembly thermally coupled to the vessel assembly for adjusting said internal temperature of the vessel assembly, said cooling assembly comprising at least a first cooling volume having a first cooling temperature, said cooling temperature being set at the storage temperature value at least after the storing of the fluid sample, said method comprising steps of:
lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly by means of the cooling assembly to a temperature value lower than the initial internal temperature value of the vessel assembly;
letting the withdrawn fluid flow through the intake vessel; and
letting a partial volume of the withdrawn fluid flow into the storage vessel to obtain the fluid sample, wherein the step of lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly includes setting the first cooling temperature to a temperature value lower than the storage temperature value.
2. A method of dispensing and cooling a sample of a fluid withdrawn at a sampling location by means of a sampler, said sample to be stored at a selectable storage temperature value, said fluid having a sampling temperature value greater than the storage temperature value, said sampler comprising a vessel assembly of a predetermined volume with a tubular intake vessel for conducting the withdrawn fluid, said sampler further comprising a storage vessel for storing the fluid sample, said vessel assembly having an internal temperature, wherein prior to the dispensing said internal temperature of the vessel assembly having an initial internal temperature value being lower than the sampling temperature value; and said sampler further comprising a cooling assembly thermally coupled to the vessel assembly for adjusting said internal temperature of the vessel assembly, said cooling assembly comprising at least a first cooling volume having a first cooling temperature, said cooling temperature being set at the storage temperature value at least after the storing of the fluid sample, said method comprising steps of:
lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly by means of the cooling assembly to a temperature value lower than the initial internal temperature value of the vessel assembly;
letting the withdrawn fluid flow through the intake vessel; and
letting a partial volume of the withdrawn fluid flow into the storage vessel to obtain the fluid sample, wherein the step of lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly includes adjusting a predeterminable second cooling temperature of a second cooling volume encompassing the vessel assembly at least in sections to a temperature value below the storage temperature value.
3. A sampler for dispensing and cooling a sample of a liquid withdrawn at a sampling location, said liquid having a sampling temperature, said sample to be stored at a storage temperature having a preselected temperature value lower than a temperature value of said sampling temperature, said sampler comprising:
a vessel assembly with a tubular intake vessel for conducting the withdrawn liquid and a storage vessel for storing the liquid sample, said vessel assembly having a changeable internal temperature; and
a cooling assembly for adjusting the internal temperature of the vessel assembly, said cooling assembly being thermally coupled to the vessel assembly at least in sections and said cooling assembly including a first cooling unit for cooling the fluid sample to the temperature value of the storage temperature, said first cooling unit being thermally coupled at least to said storage vessel, and said cooling assembly further including a second cooling unit for cooling off the withdrawn fluid to a temperature value lower than the temperature value of the sampling temperature, said second cooling unit being in contact to the vessel assembly at least in sections.
4. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second cooling volume is embedded in the first cooling volume.
5. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the vessel assembly further includes a metering vessel temporarily closable at the outlet end for metering the fluid sample.
6. A sampler as claimed in claim 5 wherein the second cooling volume is formed at least by a cooling element of the cooling assembly, said cooling element being disposed at the metering vessel for setting an internal temperature of the metering vessel.
7. A sampler as claimed in claim 5 wherein the storage vessel and the metering vessel are disposed within the first cooling volume.
8. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the vessel assembly further includes a distributing vessel for dispensing the fluid sample into the storage vessel.
9. A sampler as claimed in claim 8 wherein the second cooling volume is formed at least by a cooling element of the cooling assembly, said cooling element being disposed at the distributing vessel for setting an internal temperature of the distributing vessel.
10. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second cooling volume is formed at least by a cooling element of the cooling assembly, said cooling element being disposed at the intake vessel for setting an internal temperature of the intake vessel.
11. A sampler as claimed in claim 10 wherein the cooling element is a flow cooler.
12. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the second cooling volume is formed at least by a cooling element of the cooling assembly, said cooling element being disposed at the storage vessel for setting the internal temperature of the storage vessel.
13. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the intake vessel is partially contacted by the first cooling volume.
14. A sampler as claimed in claim 3 wherein the vessel assembly and the cooling assembly are configured to dispense and cool, respectively, at least one of a drinking water and a wastewater.
15. A sampler as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first cooling unit has a cooling temperature being temporary adjusted to a temperature value lower than the preselected temperature value of the storage temperature.
16. A sampler as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second cooling unit has a cooling temperature being adjusted to a temperature value lower than the preselected temperature value of the storage temperature.
17. A method of dispensing and cooling off a sample of a liquid by means of a sampler, said sampler comprising a vessel assembly being operable to conduct and to store said sample, said method comprising steps of:
adjusting an internal temperature of the vessel assembly to an initial mean temperature value;
lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly to a mean temperature value lower than the initial mean temperature value;
withdrawing liquid at a sampling location, said sampling location having a liquid temperature value higher than the initial mean temperature value;
letting the withdrawn liquid flow through an intake vessel of said vessel assembly; and
obtaining said sample from said withdrawn liquid by letting flow a partial volume of the withdrawn fluid into a storage vessel of said vessel assembly, said storage vessel having a variable storage vessel temperature;
adjusting said storage vessel temperature for storing said sample at a storage temperature value lower than said liquid sampling temperature value of the sampling location;
wherein said step of lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly comprises the step of adjusting the storage vessel temperature to a temperature value lower than the storage temperature value.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17 comprising the step of raising the internal temperature of the vessel assembly.
19. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the step of adjusting said storage vessel temperature for storing said sample includes raising the storage vessel temperature to a temperature value about equal to the storage temperature value.
20. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein said step of lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly includes adjusting a variable intake vessel temperature of the intake vessel to a temperature value lower than the liquid temperature value at the sampling location.
21. A method of dispensing and cooling off a sample of a liquid by means of a sampler, said sampler comprising a vessel assembly being operable to conduct and to store said sample, said method comprising steps of:
adjusting an internal temperature of the vessel assembly to an initial mean temperature value;
lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly to a mean temperature value lower than the initial mean temperature value;
withdrawing liquid at a sampling location, said sampling location having a liquid temperature value higher than the initial mean temperature value;
letting the withdrawn liquid flow through an intake vessel of said vessel assembly;
obtaining said sample from said withdrawn liquid by letting flow a partial volume of the withdrawn liquid into a storage vessel of said vessel assembly;
adjusting a storage vessel temperature of said storage vessel for storing the sample at a storage temperature value lower than said liquid sampling temperature value of the sampling location; and
raising the internal temperature of the vessel assembly to a mean temperature value about equal to the initial mean temperature value, wherein the step of lowering the internal temperature of the vessel assembly includes adjusting the storage vessel temperature to a temperature value lower than the storage temperature value.