Information processing method, information processing device and information processing program

Abstract

An information processing method is provided for obtaining the weight of an electric mobile body, obtaining the power consumption of the mobile body calculated based on the number of batteries for each of the one or more batteries carried on the mobile body, calculating the battery deterioration cost based on the power consumption and the number of batteries for each of the one or more batteries, calculating the charging cost based on the weight for each of the one or more batteries, determining the number of batteries actually carried on the mobile body according to the deterioration cost and the charging cost, and outputting the number of batteries carried.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for outputting the number of batteries mounted on an electric mobile object. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a vehicle has been proposed that can increase or decrease the number of batteries installed. In such a vehicle, it is necessary to consider the distance from the departure point to the destination and various vehicle factors to determine the appropriate number of batteries. If the number of batteries is increased, although the continuous driving distance will be extended, the driving efficiency will deteriorate due to the increase in weight, and it is not easy to determine the appropriate number of batteries. Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that calculates the battery increase installation cost for each of a plurality of battery increase installation modes based on various vehicle factors, calculates the fuel cost for each of a plurality of battery increase installation modes based on various factors of the generator and path information, and determines the number of batteries based on the battery increase installation cost and the fuel cost.

[0003] However, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not take the degradation cost of the battery into consideration when determining the number of batteries, and further improvements are needed to suppress the overall cost of the battery including the degradation cost.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 5205962 Summary of the invention

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a technology capable of determining the number of batteries so as to suppress the overall cost of batteries including the cost of battery deterioration.

[0008] An information processing method involved in one aspect of the present invention is an information processing method executed by a computer, which obtains the weight of an electric mobile body, wherein the weight includes the weight of one or more batteries used in the mobile body; for each of the one or more batteries, obtains the power consumption of the mobile body calculated based on the number of batteries; for each of the one or more batteries, calculates the battery deterioration cost based on the power consumption and the number of batteries; for each of the one or more batteries, calculates the charging cost based on the weight; determines the number of batteries to be carried on the mobile body according to the deterioration cost and the charging cost; and outputs the number of batteries.

[0009] According to the present invention, the number of batteries can be determined so as to suppress the overall cost of the batteries including the cost of battery deterioration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the information processing system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Figure 2 It is a block diagram showing the detailed structure of the terminal device involved in the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram showing an example of the deterioration cost calculation information and the charging cost calculation information.

[0013] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 1 The block diagram shows the detailed structure of the battery management device.

[0014] Figure 5 Yes means Figure 1 A block diagram showing the detailed structure of the server.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the vehicle information table.

[0016] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the driving history information table.

[0017] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the battery management information table.

[0018] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the terminal device according to the first embodiment.

[0019] Fig.10 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of an input screen displayed on the terminal device in the first embodiment.

[0020] Fig.11 This is a block diagram showing an example of the detailed configuration of a server and a terminal device according to the second embodiment.

[0021] Fig.12 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the electric power information table.

[0022] Fig.13 This is a schematic diagram showing an example of a message screen according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] The following is an explanation of the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the following embodiments are examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the technical protection scope of the present invention.

[0024] Basic knowledge of the present invention

[0025] The inventors of the present invention have studied a method for determining the optimal number of batteries for a mobile body that can increase or decrease the number of batteries carried. For such a mobile body, in the past, the required power consumption of the mobile body was calculated based on the travel distance from the departure point to the destination, and the minimum number of batteries that can meet the required power consumption was determined as the optimal number of batteries. This is based on the view that as the number of batteries decreases, the mobile body becomes lighter and the power consumption decreases, and as the power consumption decreases, the charging cost also decreases. As described above, in the past, only the charging cost was considered when calculating the optimal number of batteries.

[0026] It is well known that as the DOD (depth of discharge), i.e. the SOC range during discharge, becomes wider, the battery deteriorates faster. This is because if the DOD increases, excessive stress will be applied to the linking agent that connects the active materials in the battery, and the linking agent will cut off the connection between the active materials. If the number of batteries is increased, the burden of each battery can be dispersed, the DOD of each battery can be reduced, and the degradation of each battery can be suppressed. Therefore, if the optimal number of batteries is determined only by considering the charging cost as described above, the battery degradation may be accelerated. If the battery deteriorates faster, the battery replacement cycle will be accelerated, which will increase the cost of the battery in the long run.

[0027] Through the above considerations, the inventors of the present invention concluded that if the optimal number of batteries is determined by taking into account the charging cost corresponding to the number of batteries and the deterioration cost corresponding to the number of batteries, the overall cost of the batteries can be suppressed, thus conceiving of the present invention.

[0028] An information processing method involved in one aspect of the present invention is an information processing method executed by a computer, which obtains the weight of an electric mobile body, wherein the weight includes the weight of one or more batteries used in the mobile body; for each of the one or more batteries, obtains the power consumption of the mobile body calculated based on the number of batteries; for each of the one or more batteries, calculates the battery deterioration cost based on the power consumption and the number of batteries; for each of the one or more batteries, calculates the charging cost based on the weight; determines the number of batteries to be carried on the mobile body according to the deterioration cost and the charging cost; and outputs the number of batteries.

[0029] According to this configuration, for each of the number of batteries, the degradation cost of the battery is calculated based on the power consumption and the number of batteries; for each of the number of batteries, the charging cost is calculated based on the weight; and the number of batteries to be mounted is determined based on the degradation cost and the charging cost. Thus, in this configuration, since the number of batteries to be mounted is determined taking into account the degradation cost in addition to the charging cost, the number of batteries can be determined in a manner that suppresses the overall cost of the battery including the degradation cost of the battery. In other words, the degradation of the battery can be suppressed while suppressing the power consumption of the battery.

[0030] In the information processing method, the moving distance of the moving body may be further acquired, and when acquiring the power consumption, the power consumption may be acquired by calculating the power consumption for each of the one or more batteries based on the moving distance and the weight.

[0031] According to this configuration, since the power consumption is calculated for each of the one or more batteries based on the moving distance and weight of the moving object, the power consumption can be accurately calculated.

[0032] In the information processing method, a travel history of the mobile body may be further obtained, and when obtaining the power consumption, the power consumption for the travel distance of the mobile body may be obtained for each of the one or more battery numbers based on the travel history.

[0033] According to this configuration, since the power consumption with respect to the travel distance is acquired for each of one or more battery numbers based on the travel history of the mobile body, it is possible to acquire appropriate power consumption from the travel history of the mobile body.

[0034] In the information processing method, when calculating the deterioration cost, the remaining battery power for each of the one or more battery quantities may be obtained, and the deterioration cost may be calculated based on the total value of the remaining power for each of the one or more battery quantities and the consumed power.

[0035] According to this configuration, since the battery degradation cost is calculated based on the total value of the remaining power for each of one or more batteries in addition to the power consumption and the number of batteries, the degradation cost can be calculated more accurately.

[0036] In the information processing method, when calculating the degradation cost, the degradation cost may be calculated based on current flowing through each of the one or more batteries for each of the one or more batteries.

[0037] According to this configuration, since the degradation cost is calculated based on the current flowing through each of the one or more batteries, the degradation cost can be calculated more accurately.

[0038] In the information processing method, when determining the number of mounted batteries, the number of mounted batteries may be determined based on a total value of the deterioration cost and the charging cost.

[0039] According to this configuration, the number of batteries to be installed is determined based on the total value of the deterioration cost and the charging cost, and thus the number of batteries to be installed can be directly determined based on the total cost of the batteries. Therefore, the processing for determining the number of batteries to be installed can be accelerated and the load can be reduced.

[0040] In the information processing method, when acquiring the moving distance, the moving distance may be acquired based on a user input.

[0041] According to this configuration, the moving distance can be acquired by allowing the user to input the moving distance.

[0042] In the information processing method, when acquiring the moving distance, the moving distance calculated based on a vehicle dispatch plan of the moving body may be acquired.

[0043] According to this configuration, the moving distance can be acquired by calculating the moving distance based on the vehicle dispatch plan.

[0044] The present invention can also be implemented as an information processing program that causes a computer to execute the characteristic components included in the information processing method, or as an information processing device that operates according to the information processing program. Moreover, it is needless to say that the computer program can also be circulated through a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a communication network such as the Internet.

[0045] In addition, each embodiment described below is an embodiment of a specific example of the present invention. The numerical values, shapes, constituent elements, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are only a specific example and are not used to limit the present invention. Moreover, among the constituent elements of the following embodiments, the constituent elements not recorded in the independent claims representing the highest concept are described as arbitrary constituent elements. Moreover, for all embodiments, their contents can be arbitrarily combined.

[0046] First embodiment

[0047] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall structure of the information processing system 1 involved in the first embodiment of the present invention. The information processing system 1 is a system for managing a mobile body 30 that can be detached and mounted with N (an integer greater than 1) battery packs 34. In the following description, it is assumed that the information processing system 1 is applied to a distribution system that distributes goods through the mobile body 30. However, this is only an example, and the information processing system 1 can be applied to other systems other than the distribution system, such as a car rental system that manages rental cars, and can also be applied to a car sharing system that manages shared cars.

[0048] The information processing system 1 includes a terminal device 10, a server 20, and one or more mobile bodies 30. The terminal device 10 and the server 20 are connected to each other so as to be communicable via a network 40. The terminal device 10 and the mobile body 30 are connected to each other so as to be communicable via the network 40. The network 40 is, for example, a wide area communication network such as the Internet.

[0049] The terminal device 10 is installed at, for example, a distribution base of a distribution system. Goods to be delivered to the area under the jurisdiction of the distribution base are stored at the distribution base. Workers who deliver goods are also present at the distribution base. The workers load the goods onto the mobile body 30, and the goods are delivered via the mobile body 30. In addition, when the information processing system 1 is applied to a car rental system or a car sharing system, the business premises of the car rental company or the car sharing company are used instead of the distribution base.

[0050] The terminal device 10 is a portable terminal such as a tablet terminal or a smartphone or a desktop computer. The terminal device 10 notifies the mobile body 30 of the number of batteries to be carried. The operator at the delivery base carries the battery pack 34 with the number of batteries notified by the terminal device 10 on the mobile body 30.

[0051] The server 20 is composed of, for example, one or more computers. The server 20 manages travel history information indicating the travel history of the mobile body 30, vehicle information of the mobile body 30, the remaining amount of the battery pack 34, and the like.

[0052] The mobile body 30 is, for example, an electric mobile body such as an electric car. The mobile body 30 carries one or more cargoes and delivers the cargoes to a destination. The mobile body 30 includes a vehicle control device 31, a battery management device 32, switches 33_1 to 33_N, battery packs 34_1 to 34_N, a power line 35, and a signal line 36. Hereinafter, when the switches 33_1, ..., 33_N are not specifically distinguished, they are described as switches 33. Moreover, when the battery packs 34_1, ..., 34_N are not specifically distinguished, they are described as battery packs 34.

[0053] The vehicle control device 31 and the battery packs 34_1 to 34_N are electrically connected via a power line 35. The power line 35 includes N branches 35_1 to 35_N corresponding to the battery packs 34_1 to 34_N. The power line 35 connects the battery packs 34_1 to 34_N in parallel through the branches 35_1 to 35_N. The signal line 36 electrically connects the vehicle control device 31 and the battery management device 32, and electrically connects the battery management device 32 to the battery packs 34_1 to 34_N. The current value and voltage value detected by the sensor of the battery pack 34 flow through the signal line 36.

[0054] The vehicle control device 31 is a computer including a processor and a memory, for example, and is responsible for overall control of the mobile body 30. The battery management device 32 manages the battery pack 34. The battery management device 32 detects the remaining amount of the battery pack 34, etc., and transmits it to the server 20 via the network 40. The battery management device 32 obtains driving data related to the driving of the mobile body 30 from the vehicle control device 31, and transmits it to the server 20 via the network 40.

[0055] The switches 33_1 to 33_N are provided on the branches 35_1 to 35_N, respectively, corresponding to the battery packs 34_1 to 34_N. The switch 33 is, for example, a relay or a semiconductor switch. The switch 33 opens or closes the branches 35_1 to 35_N according to a control signal from the battery management device 32 or an operation by an operator.

[0056] The battery pack 34 includes a terminal 37 for detachably connecting the battery pack 34 to the power line 35 and a terminal 38 for detachably connecting the battery pack 34 to the signal line 36. The battery pack 34 is, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery.

[0057] Figure 2 1 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the terminal device 10 according to the first embodiment. The terminal device 10 includes a processor 11 , a communication unit 12 , an operation unit 13 , a memory 14 , and a display unit 15 .

[0058] The processor 11 is a circuit such as a CPU, for example, and includes a vehicle information acquisition unit 111 , a travel distance acquisition unit 112 , a power consumption calculation unit 113 , a deterioration cost calculation unit 114 , a charging cost calculation unit 115 , and a battery quantity determination unit 116 .

[0059] The vehicle information acquisition unit 111 (an example of the first acquisition unit) acquires vehicle information including various factors such as the weight of the mobile body 30. The vehicle information acquisition unit 111 acquires the vehicle information by, for example, communicating with the server 20 via the communication unit 12. The moving distance acquisition unit 112 acquires the moving distance of the mobile body 30. The moving distance is, for example, the moving distance of the travel route of the mobile body 30.

[0060] Here, the moving distance acquisition unit 112 acquires the moving distance by, for example, calculating the moving distance based on information input by the operator (user) to the operation unit 13. The operator inputs information such as the departure point (e.g., a delivery base), a via point as a delivery destination, and a destination (e.g., a delivery base) by operating the operation unit 13. The moving distance acquisition unit 112 can acquire the travel route and the moving distance of the travel route by inputting the input information into a predetermined route search system. The route search system can be provided by the processor 11 or by an external server connected to the network 40.

[0061] The power consumption calculation unit 113 (an example of the second acquisition unit) acquires the power consumption of the mobile body 30 calculated based on the battery number n for each battery number n indicating the number of one or more battery packs 34 mounted on the mobile body 30. Here, the battery number n is a parameter used to facilitate the calculation of the power consumption for each number of battery packs 34. n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.

[0062] The power consumption of the mobile body 30 is determined by the driving force of the mobile body 30. The driving force is determined by F=ma (m: mass, a: acceleration) according to the second law of motion. In this way, the power consumption of the mobile body 30 depends on the weight (mass) of the mobile body 30. The greater the weight, the greater the power consumption. Moreover, the weight of the mobile body 30 increases as the number of batteries n increases. Therefore, the power consumption calculation unit 113 calculates the total weight of the mobile body 30 by adding the weight increase corresponding to the number of batteries n to the weight of the mobile body 30 included in the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 111. Moreover, the power consumption calculation unit 113 inputs the total weight into the calculation formula for obtaining the above-mentioned driving force to obtain the driving force of the mobile body 30. Moreover, the power consumption calculation unit 118 can also calculate the power consumption by inputting the obtained driving force into the power calculation information predetermined for obtaining the power consumption. The power calculation information is, for example, a predetermined function or a chart indicating the correspondence between the driving force and the power consumption.

[0063] In fact, the calculation formula (F=ma) for obtaining the driving force of the mobile body 30 includes a component that depends on air resistance and the like other than ma, but since this component does not depend on mass, it can be regarded as an offset in the calculation formula for obtaining the driving force. Therefore, the calculation formula for obtaining the driving force may also include an offset as a component that depends on air resistance and the like other than ma. In addition, if the number of batteries n is input, the power calculation information may also be a function or a chart for obtaining the power consumption.

[0064] The power consumption increases as the moving distance of the moving object 30 increases. Here, the power consumption calculation unit 113 may calculate the final power consumption of the moving object 30 by increasing the power consumption obtained from the power calculation information according to the moving distance acquired by the moving distance acquisition unit 112 .

[0065] The power calculation information may be a function or a graph that associates the total weight and the travel distance of the mobile object 30 with the power consumption in advance. In this case, the power consumption calculation unit 113 may calculate the power consumption by inputting the total weight and the travel distance into the power calculation information.

[0066] Alternatively, the power consumption calculation unit 113 may calculate the total weight by taking into account the amount of cargo loaded and the weight of persons riding on the moving object 30 , and calculate the power consumption using the total weight.

[0067] The degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the degradation cost of the battery pack 34 for each battery number n based on the power consumption and the battery number n. Specifically, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the minimum battery number n_min that can meet the power consumption by comparing the power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit 113 with the total battery capacity of the battery pack 34 for each battery number n.

[0068] The degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the degradation cost for each battery number n within the range from the minimum battery number n_min to the maximum battery number that can be mounted on the mobile body 30 (mountable battery number n_max).

[0069] In this case, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 uses, for example, the degradation cost calculation information 601 (see Figure 3 ) calculates the degradation cost, and the degradation cost calculation information 601 predetermines the correspondence between the number of batteries n and the degradation cost corresponding to each number of batteries n. The degradation cost is a value that estimates the degree of degradation of the battery pack 34. The larger the value of the degradation cost, the greater the degree of degradation of the battery pack 34.

[0070] Figure 3 601 and 602. Figure 3 The degradation cost calculation information 601B in the embodiment will be described in the second embodiment, and here, the degradation cost calculation information 601A is used for description. Figure 3As shown, the degradation cost calculation information 601A has the characteristic that the degradation cost is the largest when the number of batteries n is n=1, and the degradation cost gradually decreases as the number of batteries n increases n=1, 2... This is because as the number of batteries n increases, the load is dispersed to the battery groups 34_1 to 34_N, and the DOD (depth of discharge) of each battery group 34 decreases. Moreover, for the degradation cost calculation information 601A, it can be concluded that the reduction in degradation cost becomes smaller as the number of batteries n increases, and the degradation cost decreases nonlinearly with the increase in the number of batteries n. In addition, it can be concluded that if the number of batteries n reaches a certain number or more, the reduction in degradation cost is almost invisible.

[0071] The battery pack 34 includes a connecting agent that connects active materials. The stress applied to the connecting agent increases as the DOD increases. When the stress reaches a certain level or more, the connecting agent will cut off the active materials from each other. As a result, the degradation of the battery pack 34 is promoted. In this way, because the active materials will not be cut off from each other unless a certain degree of stress is applied to the connecting agent, the number of connecting agents that cut off the active materials does not increase linearly but increases nonlinearly relative to the DOD. As a result, the degradation cost increases nonlinearly as the number of batteries n decreases. The degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the degradation cost for each number of batteries n by referring to the degradation cost calculation information 601A.

[0072] In addition, the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 may also obtain the remaining capacity of the battery pack 34 for each battery number n, and calculate the deterioration cost based on the total value of the remaining capacity of each battery number n and the power consumption. For example, the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 may select n battery packs 34 from the published battery list of battery packs 34 that can be mounted on the mobile body 30, specify a battery ID (identifier) ​​for each of the n battery packs 34, and query the server 20 for the remaining capacity of the n battery packs 34.

[0073] Server 20 reference Figure 8 The battery management information table 233 shown in the figure obtains the remaining capacity of each of the n battery groups 34 related to the query and sends it to the terminal device 10. As a result, the charging cost calculation unit 115 obtains the remaining capacity of each of the battery number n. Then, the charging cost calculation unit 115 can calculate the total battery capacity of all the batteries n by adding up the remaining capacity of each of the battery number n. In addition, the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 can calculate the minimum battery number n_min by comparing the total battery capacity with the power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit 113.

[0074] Alternatively, the following situations can also be cited. When the battery pack 34 is used with a residual capacity lower than that of a full charge (for example, SOC is 80%, 70%, 60%, etc.), degradation can sometimes be suppressed compared to when it is used with a full charge. Hereinafter, the residual capacity lower than that of a full charge is referred to as the "starting residual capacity". For this reason, the used battery pack 34 is loaded on the mobile body 30 after being charged to the starting residual capacity by a charger. In this case, the deterioration cost calculation unit 114, when calculating the total battery capacity of all battery packs 34 for each battery number n, can calculate the total battery capacity by multiplying the starting residual capacity by the battery number n. Moreover, the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 can calculate the minimum battery number n_min by comparing the total battery capacity and the power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit 113. The starting residual capacity can also be an SOC of 100%.

[0075] The charging cost calculation unit 115 calculates the charging cost for each of the number of batteries n, which is one or more, based on the weight of the mobile body 30. The charging cost is a value that estimates the cost required to charge the mobile body 30, and the lower the power consumption, the greater the value of the charging cost. The power consumption is the power consumption rate of the electric mobile body 30 such as an electric car, for example, expressed in kilometers per kilowatt of electricity (km / kWh). Therefore, as the value of the charging cost increases, the power consumption becomes lower.

[0076] In this embodiment, the charging cost calculation unit 115 uses the charging cost calculation information 602 (see Figure 3 ) calculates the charging cost, and the charging cost calculation information 602 predetermines the corresponding relationship between the number of batteries n and the charging cost for each number of batteries n.

[0077] like Figure 3 As shown, the charging cost calculation information 602 has a characteristic that the charging cost gradually increases as the number of batteries n increases from n=1, 2, ... Figure 3 In the example of , the charging cost calculation information 602 increases linearly with respect to the number of batteries n. This is because the total weight of the mobile body 30 increases as the number of batteries n increases, and the power consumption decreases accordingly, and the charging cost increases. The charging cost calculation information 602 is calculated in advance taking into account the reduction in power consumption of the mobile body 30 caused by the increase in the total weight as the number of batteries n increases. For this reason, the charging cost corresponding to the number of batteries n obtained by the charging cost calculation unit 115 with reference to the charging cost calculation information 602 also represents the charging cost calculated based on the weight of the mobile body 30.

[0078] The battery quantity determination unit 116 (an example of a determination unit and an output unit) determines the number of batteries actually mounted on the moving body 30 based on the degradation cost calculated by the degradation cost calculation unit 114 and the charging cost calculated by the charging cost calculation unit 115 .

[0079] Figure 3 The degradation cost shown in the degradation cost calculation information 601 and the charging cost shown in the charging cost calculation information 602 are normalized so that the ranges of the two costs are the same. For example, the degradation cost value is normalized to be within the range of 0 to 100%, and the charging cost value is normalized to be within the range of 0 to 100%.

[0080] Here, the charging cost calculation unit 115 calculates the total cost for each battery number n by adding the degradation cost calculated for each battery number n by the degradation cost calculation unit 114 and the charging cost calculated for each battery number n by the charging cost calculation unit 115. The charging cost calculation unit 115 may determine the minimum value of the total cost calculated for each battery number n as the number of mounted batteries.

[0081] Reference Figure 3 The case where the number of batteries to be installed is determined by considering only the degradation cost is considered. Here, it is assumed that the minimum number of batteries n_min that can meet the power consumption is 2. The degradation cost calculation information 601A decreases as the number of batteries n increases. Figure 3 In the example, since the number of batteries that can be mounted n_max is 10, the number of batteries n at which the degradation cost becomes the minimum within the range of the number of batteries n being 2 or more and 10 or less is n=10 (604). Therefore, the number of batteries mounted when only the degradation cost is considered is 10. However, if we consider it from the perspective of charging cost, since the charging cost of the number of batteries n=10 is the maximum, it can be seen that it is not necessarily the most appropriate.

[0082] Next, the case where the number of batteries to be carried is determined by considering only the charging cost is examined. The charging cost calculation information 602 shows that the charging cost increases as the number of batteries n increases. Therefore, in this case, the number of batteries to be carried is n=2 (605), which has the lowest charging cost among the number of batteries n that can meet the power consumption. However, if considered from the perspective of degradation cost, since the degradation cost is greater when the number of batteries n=2, it is not necessarily the most appropriate.

[0083] Here, the battery quantity determination unit 116 determines the battery quantity n that minimizes the total cost of the deterioration cost and the charging cost as the number of mounted batteries. Figure 3 In the figure, the overall cost information 603 showing the corresponding relationship between the overall cost and the number of batteries n shows that the overall cost is the minimum when the number of batteries n is n=3. Figure 3 In the example of , the battery quantity determination unit 116 determines the number of mounted batteries to be 3.

[0084] Here, since the degradation cost and the charging cost are standardized, the sum of the two costs is used as the overall cost, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when both costs are not standardized, the battery quantity determination unit 116 may also calculate the overall cost for each battery quantity n by multiplying the coefficients used to standardize the degradation cost and the charging cost by the degradation cost and the charging cost, respectively, and then accumulating them. Alternatively, when both costs are not standardized, the battery quantity determination unit 116 may also calculate the overall cost for each battery quantity n using a function that represents the corresponding relationship between the degradation cost and the charging cost and the overall cost.

[0085] The battery quantity determination unit 116 outputs the number of mounted batteries determined by the above-mentioned processing. In this case, the battery quantity determination unit 116 may generate a message indicating the determined number of mounted batteries, and output the number of mounted batteries by causing the display unit 15 to display the message. However, this is only an example, and the battery quantity determination unit 116 may output a voice message notifying the number of mounted batteries from a speaker (not shown) instead of or in addition to causing the display unit 15 to display the message indicating the determined number of mounted batteries.

[0086] The communication unit 12 is, for example, a communication circuit for connecting the terminal device 10 to the network 40. The communication unit 12 receives vehicle information transmitted from the server 20. The communication unit 12 may also receive battery management information such as the SOC of the battery pack 34 from the server 20.

[0087] The operation unit 13 receives instructions from the operator. For example, the operation unit 13 receives information indicating the amount of cargo loaded on the mobile body 30 and information required for calculating the moving distance of the mobile body 30 (for example, location information of the delivery base and the destination, etc.). When the terminal device 10 is a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, the operation unit 13 is composed of, for example, a touch panel. When the terminal device 10 is a desktop computer, the operation unit 13 is composed of, for example, an input device such as a keyboard and a mouse.

[0088] The memory 14 is a nonvolatile memory such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive, etc. The memory 14 stores the degradation cost calculation information 601 and the charging cost calculation information 602 .

[0089] The display unit 15 displays a message or the like indicating the number of mounted batteries determined by the battery number determination unit 116. The display unit 15 is a display device such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL panel.

[0090] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 1The battery management device 32 is a block diagram of a detailed structure of the battery management device 32 shown in FIG. The battery management device 32 includes a processor 300 and a communication unit 322. The processor 300 is a circuit such as a CPU. The processor 300 includes a battery monitoring unit 301, a battery state estimation unit 302, a battery state notification unit 303, and a battery control unit 304.

[0091] The battery monitoring unit 301 monitors each battery pack 34 mounted on the mobile body 30. Here, the current and voltage of each battery pack 34 are monitored. The battery monitoring unit 301 can monitor each battery pack 34 by acquiring sensor data detected by a current sensor and a voltage sensor provided in the battery pack 34 at a predetermined sampling cycle.

[0092] The battery state estimation unit 302 estimates the state of each battery pack 34 at a predetermined sampling period based on the monitoring result of each battery pack 34 by the battery monitoring unit 301. The estimated state of each battery pack 34 is, for example, the SOC (State of charge) of each battery pack 34. For example, the battery state estimation unit 302 can calculate the SOC of each battery pack 34 by inputting the current and voltage obtained by the battery monitoring unit 301 into a predetermined calculation formula.

[0093] The battery status notification unit 303 transmits the status of each battery pack 34 estimated by the battery status estimation unit 302 to the server 20 via the communication unit 322. In this case, the battery status notification unit 303 can transmit the battery status information of the SOC and the battery ID of each battery pack 34 corresponding to each other to the server 20 via the communication unit 322 at a predetermined sampling cycle. In this way, the server 20 can monitor the current remaining capacity of each battery pack 34.

[0094] The battery control unit 304 determines whether each battery pack 34 is abnormal based on the monitoring result of the battery monitoring unit 301, and cuts off the switch 33 corresponding to the battery pack 34 when it is abnormal. In addition, when the battery control unit 304 determines that a certain battery pack 34 is abnormal, it can also output information indicating the abnormality to the vehicle control device 31 and the server 20. In this case, the vehicle control device 31 can display a message indicating that the battery pack 34 is abnormal on the display provided in the cab of the mobile body 30.

[0095] Furthermore, the battery control unit 304 may output a control command to the vehicle control device 31 to drive the mobile body 30 in the power saving mode when the remaining amount of the battery pack 34 is below a predetermined value. The power saving mode is a mode in which the power consumption of the motor of the mobile body 30 is reduced compared to the normal power consumption, thereby suppressing the reduction in the remaining amount of the battery pack 34.

[0096] The communication unit 322 is, for example, a communication circuit that connects the battery management device 32 to the network 40. The communication unit 322 transmits the state monitoring information of each battery pack 34 to the server 20 at a predetermined sampling cycle.

[0097] Figure 5 Yes means Figure 1 The server 20 is a block diagram showing a detailed configuration of the server 20. The server 20 includes a processor 21, a communication unit 22, and a memory 23. The processor 21 is a circuit such as a CPU or an FPGA. The processor 21 includes a mobile body management unit 211 and a battery management unit 212.

[0098] The mobile body management unit 211 manages a vehicle information table 231 and a travel history information table 232 . Figure 6 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the vehicle information table 231. The vehicle information table 231 is a database storing vehicle information of each mobile body 30. The vehicle information table 231 stores vehicle information that corresponds to a mobile body ID, a weight, a front projection area, and the number of batteries that can be carried. The mobile body ID is an identifier of the mobile body 30. The weight is the weight of the body of the mobile body 30. For example, when the mobile body 30 is a car, the weight refers to the weight of the mobile body 30 when there are no people and goods on board. The front projection area is the area of ​​the shadow that appears when the mobile body 30 is projected to the front. The front projection area becomes a reference standard for air resistance. The front projection area is an offset in the calculation formula for obtaining the driving force of the above-mentioned mobile body 30. The number of batteries that can be carried is the maximum number of batteries n that the mobile body 30 can carry. Here, the number of batteries that can be carried by the mobile body 30 whose mobile body ID is "EV_1" is logged as "10".

[0099] The mobile body management unit 211 can, for example, use the communication unit 22 to obtain vehicle information from each mobile body 30 and store it in the vehicle information table 231. Alternatively, the mobile body management unit 211 can also store the vehicle information input by the administrator of the server 20 using an input device (not shown) in the vehicle information table 231. In addition, the vehicle information stored in the vehicle information table 231 includes at least weight and the number of batteries that can be mounted, and may also include other information.

[0100] Figure 7 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the travel history information table 232. The travel history information table 232 is a table storing travel history information showing the travel history of the mobile body 30. The travel history information shows the travel content of the mobile body 30 during one travel.

[0101] Specifically, the driving history information table 232 stores driving history information that associates the moving body ID, timestamp, number of batteries, cargo load, travel distance, and power consumption with each other. The total weight of the vehicle may be stored instead of the cargo load. Figure 7 The timestamp indicates the time when the mobile body 30 actually travels. Here, the timestamp includes the travel start time and the travel end time. The number of batteries on board is the number of batteries on board when the mobile body 30 travels. The cargo load is the weight of the cargo loaded on the mobile body 30. The travel distance is the travel distance of the mobile body 30. The power consumption is the power consumed by the mobile body 30.

[0102] When the mobile body 30 starts to travel, the mobile body management unit 211 can calculate the travel distance and power consumption, and store them in the travel history information table 232, for example, by collecting travel data sent from the mobile body 30 at a specified sampling period from the start time to the end time of travel.

[0103] Return to reference Figure 5 The battery management unit 212 manages a battery management information table 233 . Figure 8 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the data structure of the battery management information table 233. The battery management information table 233 stores battery management information including basic information and status of each battery pack 34. The battery management information table 233 stores battery management information in which a battery ID, a remaining capacity, and a maximum capacity are associated with each other. The battery ID is an identifier of each battery pack 34. The remaining capacity is the current capacity of each battery pack 34. Here, SOC is used as the remaining capacity. The maximum capacity is the maximum chargeable capacity of each battery pack 34.

[0104] The battery management unit 212 manages the battery management information by, for example, writing the remaining capacity included in the battery status information of each battery pack 34 sent from the battery management device 32 at a predetermined sampling period into the battery management information table 233. The battery management unit 212 can acquire the maximum capacity of each battery pack 34 by communicating with the battery management device 32 and write it into the battery management information table 233, or can write the maximum capacity input by the administrator of the server 20 using an input device (not shown) into the battery management information table 233.

[0105] Next, the processing of the terminal device 10 will be described. Fig. 9 1 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the terminal device 10 according to the first embodiment. This flowchart is suitable for calculating the number of batteries mounted on a certain mobile object 30. Hereinafter, this mobile object 30 is referred to as a target mobile object.

[0106] In step S1, the vehicle information acquisition unit 111 acquires the vehicle information of the target moving object by communicating with the server 20. Figure 6 The weight and the number of batteries that can be loaded related to the target moving body are obtained from the vehicle information table 231 shown in FIG. Fig.10 When the cargo load (kg) is inputted on the input screen 1001, the vehicle information acquisition unit 111 may also acquire the input cargo load as vehicle information. Furthermore, at this time, when the operator inputs the weight of a person riding on the target moving body, the vehicle information acquisition unit 111 may also acquire the weight of the person as vehicle information.

[0107] In step S2 , the travel distance acquisition unit 112 inputs the information of the departure point, the intermediate points, the destination, etc. input by the operator into a predetermined route search system, thereby acquiring the travel route of the target moving body and the travel distance of the travel route.

[0108] In step S3, the power consumption calculation unit 113 sets the number of batteries n to n=1. In step S4, the power consumption calculation unit 113 calculates the total weight of the target moving body based on the total value of the weight obtained in step S1 and the weight of the battery pack 34 corresponding to the number of batteries n, and calculates the power consumption of the target moving body based on the calculated total weight and the moving distance obtained in step S2. Since the details of the power consumption have been described above, their description is omitted here. The total weight can be, for example, the total value of the weight of the moving body 30 and the weight of the battery pack 34 corresponding to the number of batteries n, or a value obtained by adding the weight of the cargo load and the weight of the passengers to the total value.

[0109] In step S5, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the total battery capacity corresponding to the number of batteries n. In this case, the total battery capacity may be calculated in consideration of the remaining capacity of each battery pack 34 or in consideration of the initial remaining capacity.

[0110] In step S6, the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 determines whether the power consumption calculated in step S4 is less than the total battery capacity calculated in step S5. When it is determined that the power consumption is greater than the total battery capacity ("No" in step S6), the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 increments the battery number n by 1 (step S7) and returns the process to step S4. In this case, in step S4, the power consumption calculation unit 113 can calculate the total weight of the target mobile body by taking into account the total value of the weight of the battery pack 34 corresponding to the battery number n incremented by 1, and calculate the power consumption using the above-mentioned method.

[0111] In step S6, when it is determined that the power consumption is less than the total battery capacity ("Yes" in step S6), the process proceeds to step S8. The battery quantity n at the time of "Yes" in step S6 becomes the minimum battery quantity n_min mentioned above.

[0112] In step S8, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 determines whether the number of batteries n is less than the number of batteries n_max that can be mounted on the target mobile body. When the number of batteries n is less than the number of batteries n_max that can be mounted on the target mobile body (“Yes” in step S8), the degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the degradation cost of the number of batteries n (step S9). In this case, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 may refer to Figure 3 The degradation cost calculation information 601A shown calculates the degradation cost by determining the degradation cost corresponding to the number of batteries n.

[0113] In step S10, the charging cost calculation unit 115 calculates the charging cost of the number of batteries n. In this case, the charging cost calculation unit 115 may refer to Figure 3 The charging cost calculation information 602 shown calculates the charging cost by determining the charging cost corresponding to the number of batteries n.

[0114] In step S11 , the battery quantity determination unit 116 adds the deterioration cost calculated in step S9 and the charging cost calculated in step S10 to calculate the total cost of the number of batteries n.

[0115] In step S12, the battery quantity determination unit 116 determines whether the battery quantity n is less than the mountable battery quantity n_max. If the battery quantity n is less than the mountable battery quantity n_max ("Yes" in step S12), since the battery quantity n can be incremented, the battery quantity determination unit 116 increments the battery quantity n by 1 (step S13), and returns the process to step S9. In this way, by repeating the loop of steps S9 to S13, the overall cost for each battery quantity n in the range from the minimum battery quantity n_min to the mountable battery quantity n_max is calculated.

[0116] In step S8, when the number of batteries n is greater than the number of batteries that can be carried n_max ("No" in step S8), the battery number determination unit 116 notifies the operator of the abnormal situation (step S14). Here, the abnormal situation is reported because even if a battery pack 34 with a number of batteries that can be carried n_max is loaded onto the target moving body, the power consumption cannot be met. As a method of notification, for example, a method of causing the display unit 15 to display a message indicating that an abnormal situation has occurred, and a method of outputting a sound message from a speaker not shown in the figure can be adopted. In addition, when notifying, a message can also be output that even if a battery pack 34 with a number of batteries that can be carried n_max is loaded onto the target moving body, the power consumption cannot be met. If the processing of step S14 is completed, Fig. 9 The process shown ends.

[0117] In step S12, when the battery number n is greater than the number of batteries that can be mounted n_max ("No" in step S12), the battery number determination unit 116 determines the battery number n with the lowest overall cost from the overall cost for each battery number n, and determines the battery number n as the number of batteries to be mounted (step S15).

[0118] In step S16, the battery quantity determination unit 116 notifies the operator of the number of batteries on board. In this case, the battery quantity determination unit 116 may cause the display unit 15 to output a message indicating the number of batteries on board or output a voice message indicating the number of batteries on board from a speaker (not shown). Fig. 9 The process shown.

[0119] Fig.10 1001, 1002, 1003, and 1004 are schematic diagrams showing examples of input screens 1001, 1002, 1003, and 1004 displayed on the terminal device 10 in the first embodiment. The input screen 1001 is an input screen for selecting a target moving object. Fig. 9 The step S1 is displayed on the display unit 15 of the terminal device 10 through the vehicle information acquisition unit 111. The input screen 1001 includes a vehicle input column R1, a cargo load input column R2, and a vehicle information confirmation button B1. The vehicle input column R1 is a column for inputting identification information of the target mobile body. Here, the mobile body IDs of the mobile bodies 30 managed by the distribution base where the terminal device 10 is installed, such as "EV-1" and "EV-2", are browsed and displayed. The operator selects the target mobile body by inputting an operation of selecting an arbitrary mobile body ID from the mobile body IDs browsed and displayed in the vehicle input column R1.

[0120] The vehicle input column R1 is provided with a "New Registration" column. If the operator selects the "New Registration" column, a screen (not shown) for inputting a mobile body ID is displayed. The operator can register a new mobile body 30 through this screen. Afterwards, the mobile body ID of the registered mobile body 30 is browsed and displayed in the vehicle input column R1.

[0121] The cargo load input column R2 is a column for inputting the weight of the cargo loaded on the mobile body 30 selected in the vehicle input column R1. For example, the operator inputs the total weight of the cargo delivered by the mobile body 30 into the cargo load input column R2. In addition, the input to the cargo load input column R2 is not required and can be optional. The vehicle information confirmation button B1 is a button selected by the operator when the input to the vehicle input column R1 and the cargo load input column R2 is completed. When the operation of selecting the vehicle information confirmation button B1 is input, the input screen 1002 is displayed on the display unit 15.

[0122] The input screen 1002 is a screen for indirectly inputting the moving distance of the target moving body, for example, Fig. 9 Step S2 is displayed on the display unit 15 of the terminal device 10 by the moving distance acquisition unit 112 .

[0123] The input screen 1002 includes a tab bar R21, a destination input bar R22, a return button B21, and a distance confirmation button B22. The tab bar R21 displays a tab for switching between the display of the input screen 1002 and the display of the input screen 1004. When the operator inputs an operation to select the "destination" tab in the tab bar R21, the moving distance acquisition unit 112 causes the display unit 15 to display the input screen 1002. On the other hand, when the operator inputs an operation to select the "direct" tab in the tab bar R21, the moving distance acquisition unit 112 causes the display unit 15 to display the input screen 1004.

[0124] The destination input column R22 is a column for inputting the destination and the via point of the object moving body. Here, a column for inputting the destination of the object moving body and a column for inputting the via point are included. The operator inputs the destination of the object moving body in the column for inputting the destination, and inputs the via point of the object moving body in the column for inputting the via point. The operator can directly input the location information (for example, the address or the latitude and longitude) in the column for inputting the destination and the column for inputting the via point, or input the location information of the destination and the via point by specifying the location as the destination and the via point on the map screen. In this case, the operator inputs the operation of selecting the "Select from Map" column. Then, the map screen is displayed on the display unit 15, and the operator can input the location information of the destination and the via point by inputting the operation of specifying the destination and the via point on the map screen.

[0125] The destination input column R22 is also provided with a "+Add via point" column. If the operator inputs the operation of selecting the "+Add via point" column, an input column (not shown) for inputting the via point to be added is displayed in the destination input column R22. The operator can input the location information of the via point in this input column. In addition, when the object moving body moves on a driving route starting from a distribution base, passing through one or more delivery destinations and returning to the distribution base, the destination is, for example, the distribution base and the via point is the delivery destination.

[0126] When the operator completes inputting the destination input field R22, the travel distance acquisition unit 112 inputs the input destination and the via points into a known route search system, and calculates the travel route and travel distance of the target moving body. The calculated travel distance is displayed in the column with "Recommended route is approximately xx km" at the bottom of the destination input field R22.

[0127] The distance confirmation button B22 is a button selected by the operator when the moving distance of the target moving body is determined. When the distance confirmation button B22 is selected, the input screen 1003 is displayed on the display unit 15. The return button B21 is a button for returning the input screen 1002 to the input screen 1001.

[0128] The input screen 1004 is a screen for directly inputting the moving distance of the target moving body. The input screen 1004 includes a label bar R41, a distance input bar R42, a return button B41, and a distance confirmation button B42. The label bar R41 is the same as the label bar R21. The distance input bar R42 is a bar for the operator to directly input the moving distance of the target moving body. The operator inputs the moving distance of the best route obtained from an external path search system, for example, into the distance input bar R42. The return button B41 is the same as the return button B21. The distance confirmation button B42 is the same as the distance confirmation button B22.

[0129] Input screen 1003 is to inform the operator of the Fig. 9 The input screen for the number of batteries to be installed is determined by the process, for example Fig. 9 Step S16 is displayed.

[0130] In this example, it is displayed that for the mobile body 30 whose mobile body ID is "EV-1" as the target mobile body, when carrying xx kg of cargo and traveling xxx km, the number of batteries carried is "three". In addition, it is displayed below the display that the minimum number of batteries is two. The minimum number of batteries is the minimum number of batteries n_min that can meet the power consumption.

[0131] The return button B31 is a button for returning the input screen 1003 to the input screen 1002 or the input screen 1004. The TOP button B32 is a button for returning the input screen 1003 to the input screen 1001.

[0132] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the number of mounted batteries is determined in consideration of the charging cost in addition to the deterioration cost, so that the number of batteries can be determined so as to suppress the overall cost of the battery pack 34 .

[0133] Second embodiment

[0134] The second embodiment is an embodiment in which the number of mounted batteries is determined mainly by the server 20A. In this embodiment, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their description is omitted.

[0135] Fig.11 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the detailed configuration of the server 20A and the terminal device 10A according to the second embodiment. Figure 1 The same is omitted here.

[0136] The server 20A includes a processor 21A, a communication unit 22, and a memory 23A. The processor 21A Figure 5 In addition to the mobile body management unit 211 and the battery management unit 212 shown, it also includes a vehicle dispatch planning unit 213, a vehicle information acquisition unit 214, a moving distance acquisition unit 215, a power consumption calculation unit 216, a deterioration cost calculation unit 217, a charging cost calculation unit 218 and a battery quantity determination unit 219.

[0137] Memory 23A is not limited to Figure 5 In addition to the vehicle information table 231 , the driving history information table 232 , and the battery management information table 233 described above, an electric quantity information table 234 , deterioration cost calculation information 235 , and charging cost calculation information 236 are also stored.

[0138] The moving body management unit 211 creates the electric power information table 234 based on the driving history information stored in the driving history information table 232 .

[0139] Fig.12 2 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of the electric power information table 234. The electric power information table 234 is a table storing electric power information in which the range of the moving distance and the consumed electric power are associated with each other for each battery number n for each moving object 30.

[0140] The power information table 234 includes a mobile body ID, a battery number, a range of cargo load, a range of moving distance, and power consumption. The mobile body ID is an identifier of the mobile body 30. The battery number is the number of batteries mounted on the mobile body 30. The range of cargo load is the range of cargo load loaded on the mobile body 30. As the range of cargo load, a predetermined range of a specified amount is used, for example. The range of cargo load can be classified for each range of a specified amount (for example, 100kg, 150kg, 200kg, etc.), for example, more than 0kg but less than L1kg, more than L1kg but less than L2kg, more than L2kg but less than L3kg. Alternatively, the range of cargo load can also be expressed as, for example, a lightweight class (for example, equivalent to more than 0kg but less than 100kg), a middleweight class (for example, equivalent to more than 100kg but less than 200kg), a heavyweight class (for example, equivalent to more than 200kg), etc. The range of moving distance is the range of moving distance of the mobile body 30. As the range of the moving distance, for example, a predetermined range of a specified distance is used. The range of the moving distance can be classified for each specified distance (e.g., 1km, 5km, 10km, etc.), such as more than 0km but less than A1km, more than A1km but less than A2km, more than A2km but less than A3km, etc. Alternatively, the range of the moving distance can be expressed as, for example, short distance (e.g., more than 0km but less than 5km), medium distance (e.g., more than 5km but less than 20km), long distance (e.g., more than 20km), etc. The power consumption is the average power consumption consumed when the mobile body 30 equipped with the battery pack 34 of the number of batteries moves within the corresponding moving distance range.

[0141] The mobile body management unit 211 stores the mobile body ID, the number of batteries on board, the range of the cargo load, and the range of the moving distance for each combination. Figure 7 The driving history information in the driving history information table 232 shown in FIG. 2 is classified. The mobile body management unit 211 calculates the average power consumption of each of the classified combinations. Thus, the average power consumption of each mobile body 30 for each combination of the number of batteries, the range of the load amount of goods, and the range of the travel distance is obtained. The mobile body management unit 211 writes the calculated average power consumption to the corresponding power consumption column of the power information table 234.

[0142] The above processing is performed for each mobile body 30 to generate a power information table 234. In addition, the moving distance and power consumption stored in the power information table 234 can be updated each time the driving history information of the mobile body 30 is added to the driving history information table 232, or can be updated each time a certain number of driving history information of the mobile body 30 is added to the driving history information table 232. Moreover, the power consumption in the power information table 234 can also be calculated using a machine learning model, which uses the number of batteries carried, the load of goods, and the moving distance in the driving history information as training data, and the power consumption as reference data, and is trained using machine learning. In this case, the machine learning model is trained for each mobile body, each group of mobile bodies with similar types or attributes. In addition, the machine learning model can also be trained for the type of battery. In this case, the type of battery carried is added to the driving history information.

[0143] The details of the processing of the battery management unit 212 are as follows Figure 5 The battery management unit 212 shown is the same and its description is omitted here.

[0144] The vehicle dispatch planning unit 213 creates a vehicle dispatch plan for each of the mobile bodies 30 that are the management objects of the server 20A. The vehicle dispatch plan is information that specifies, for example, the goods to be delivered by each mobile body 30 and the time period for delivery (for example, morning or afternoon). In addition, the vehicle dispatch plan includes the total weight of the goods to be delivered by each mobile body 30.

[0145] The vehicle dispatch planning unit 213, for example, allocates the cargo to be handled by each delivery base based on the information of the delivery destination of all cargoes, and allocates the cargo to be delivered by each mobile body 30 at each delivery base. In this case, the vehicle dispatch planning unit 213 can create a vehicle dispatch plan by taking into account, for example, the cargo loading capacity of each mobile body 30 and the expected delivery time of each cargo, so as to even out the burden of each mobile body 30.

[0146] The vehicle information acquisition unit 214 and Figure 2 The vehicle information acquisition unit 111 shown in the figure acquires the vehicle information of the moving object 30 from the vehicle information table 231 stored in the memory 23A.

[0147] The moving distance acquisition unit 215 calculates the optimal driving route of each moving body 30 and the moving distance of the driving route based on the vehicle dispatch plan of each moving body 30 created by the vehicle dispatch planning unit 213. In this case, the moving distance acquisition unit 215 can acquire the driving route and moving distance of each moving body 30 by inputting the delivery destination and delivery time shown in the vehicle dispatch plan of each moving body 30 into the path search system.

[0148] The power consumption calculation unit 216 and Figure 2 The power consumption calculation unit 113 shown in the figure calculates the power consumption of each moving body 30. However, in the present embodiment, the power consumption calculation unit 216 may calculate the power consumption using the power information table 234 when a predetermined amount or more of driving history information is accumulated in the driving history information table 232 and the power information table 234 is calculated based on the accumulated driving history information. The details of calculating the power consumption using the power information table 234 will be described later.

[0149] The details of the processing of the deterioration cost calculation unit 217, the charging cost calculation unit 218 and the battery quantity determination unit 219 are as follows: Figure 2 The deterioration cost calculation unit 114, the charging cost calculation unit 115, and the battery quantity determination unit 116 shown are the same, and their description is omitted here.

[0150] Regarding the deterioration cost calculation information 235 and the charging cost calculation information 236, since they are respectively Figure 2 The deterioration cost calculation information 601 and the charging cost calculation information 602 shown are the same, and their description is omitted here.

[0151] The terminal device 10A includes a processor 11A, a communication unit 12A, and a display unit 15A. In the second embodiment, the server 20A is used as the processing body, so the processor 11A includes the modules included in the processor 11 of the first embodiment.

[0152] The processor 11A is a circuit such as a CPU, and is responsible for overall control of the terminal device 10A. The processor 11A obtains information indicating the number of batteries mounted on each of the one or more mobile bodies 30 under the control of the terminal device 10A from the server 20 via the communication unit 12A. The communication unit 12A is, for example, a communication circuit that connects the terminal device 10A to the network 40, and receives the information indicating the number of batteries mounted sent from the server 20A. The display unit 15A displays the information indicating the number of batteries mounted on each of the mobile bodies 30 under the control of the processor 11A.

[0153] Secondly, use Fig. 9The flowchart of the second embodiment of the information processing system 1 is explained. In the second embodiment, Fig. 9 The flow shown starts, for example, when a vehicle dispatch plan is created by the vehicle dispatch planning unit 213. Here, the vehicle dispatch plan is implemented at a predetermined time in accordance with the business day of each delivery base, for example, once a day.

[0154] The processing of steps S1 to S13 is different from that of the first embodiment, where the processor 11 executes the processing of steps S1 to S13. However, the second embodiment executes the processing of steps S1 to S13 and S15 by the processor 21A of the server 20A. The processing of steps S1 to S13 and S15 is the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the processing subject is the server 20A.

[0155] However, in the second embodiment, in step S4, the power consumption calculation unit 216 refers to the power information table 234 and calculates the power consumption of the mobile body 30 through the following processing. The power consumption calculation unit 216 determines the power consumption corresponding to the mobile body ID of the mobile body 30 to be processed, the moving distance of the mobile body 30 obtained in step S2, and the number of batteries n set in step S3 or step S7 based on the power information table 234. Specifically, the power consumption calculation unit 216 extracts the record storing the mobile body ID and the number of batteries n of the corresponding mobile body 30 from the power information table 234. The power consumption calculation unit 216 extracts the record storing the range of the moving distance to which the moving distance obtained in step S2 belongs from the extracted records. The power consumption calculation unit 216 calculates the power consumption value stored in the extracted record as the power consumption of the mobile body 30.

[0156] When the power consumption corresponding to the moving object 30 is not stored in the power information table 234 , the power consumption calculation unit 216 may calculate the power consumption using the calculation method used by the power consumption calculation unit 113 described in the first embodiment.

[0157] In step S14 of the second embodiment, the battery quantity determination unit 219 of the server 20A sends a message indicating that an abnormality has occurred to the terminal device 10A through the communication unit 22, and the terminal device 10A that receives the message displays the message on the display unit 15A. Thus, the abnormality is notified to the operator. In this case, the terminal device 10A may also output a sound indicating that an abnormality has occurred from a speaker (not shown).

[0158] In step S16 of the second embodiment, the battery quantity determination unit 219 of the server 20A transmits a message indicating the number of mounted batteries to the terminal device 10A via the communication unit 22, and the terminal device 10A that receives the message displays the message on the display unit 15A. Thus, the number of mounted batteries for the mobile body 30 is notified to the operator. Alternatively, a voice message indicating the number of mounted batteries may be output from a speaker (not shown).

[0159] In the second embodiment, when the battery quantity determination unit 219 calculates the number of mounted batteries for all the mobile bodies 30 managed by a certain delivery base, a message indicating the number of mounted batteries for each mobile body 30 may be displayed on the terminal device 10A.

[0160] Fig.13 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a message screen 1300 of the second embodiment. The message screen 1300 displays the number of batteries mounted on a mobile body 30 managed by a certain distribution base. Specifically, the message screen 1300 includes a vehicle ID, a load, a distribution route (moving distance), and the number of batteries mounted. The vehicle ID column displays the mobile body ID of each mobile body 30. The load column displays the total weight of the goods loaded on each mobile body 30. The total weight is the total weight of the goods of each mobile body 30 calculated by the vehicle dispatch planning unit 213. The distribution route (moving distance) is the distribution route and the moving distance of each mobile body 30. In addition, if an operation is input to select the display column of the distribution route, the terminal device 10A can also display a map screen on the display unit 15A, which displays the distribution route in an overlapped manner on the map image. The number of batteries mounted on each mobile body 30 is displayed in the number of batteries column.

[0161] As described above, since the number of batteries to be carried by each mobile body 30 is displayed on the message screen 1300, the operator can easily confirm the number of batteries to be carried by each mobile body 30. Furthermore, since the load capacity and the travel distance of each mobile body 30 are displayed on the message screen 1300, the operator can be informed of the appropriateness of the number of batteries to be carried.

[0162] As described above, in the second embodiment, since the server 20A is mainly responsible for determining the number of mounted batteries, the processing load of the terminal device 10A can be reduced.

[0163] The present invention can adopt the following modified examples.

[0164] (1) Figure 3The degradation cost calculation information 601 shown may also be provided in plural numbers corresponding to the number of batteries n. This is because as the number of batteries n increases, the total weight of the mobile body 30 increases, and as the total weight increases, the degradation cost decreases. Figure 3 , the degradation cost calculation information 601B corresponds to a larger number of batteries n than the degradation cost calculation information 601A. In the region where the number of batteries n is small (for example, the number of batteries n = 1 to 2), the degradation cost reduction rate of the degradation cost calculation information 601B is greater than the degradation cost reduction rate of the degradation cost calculation information 601A. Therefore, in the modification (1), the degradation cost calculation information 601 corresponding to a larger number of batteries n has a characteristic that the degradation cost reduction rate in the region where the number of batteries n is small becomes larger.

[0165] In this case, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 may read the degradation cost calculation information 601 corresponding to the set number of batteries n from the memory 14 , and calculate the degradation cost by referring to the read degradation cost calculation information 601 .

[0166] Here, the description is given of setting a plurality of deterioration cost calculation information 601 corresponding to the number of batteries n, but a plurality of deterioration cost calculation information 601 may be set corresponding to the combination of the number of batteries n and the load amount of the cargo of the mobile body 30. In this case, the plurality of deterioration cost calculation information 601 may have a characteristic that, for example, as the increase in the weight of the mobile body 30 represented by the combination of the number of batteries n and the load amount increases, the reduction rate of the deterioration cost in the area where the number of batteries n is small becomes larger.

[0167] In this case, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 may read degradation cost calculation information 601 corresponding to the set number of batteries n and the actual load amount of the mobile body 30 from the memory 14 , and calculate the degradation cost by referring to the read degradation cost calculation information 601 .

[0168] (2) In modification (1), it is described that a plurality of deterioration cost calculation information 601 is set according to the number of batteries n or a plurality of deterioration cost calculation information 601 is set according to the combination of the number of batteries n and the load amount. In modification (2), one deterioration cost calculation information 601 may be stored in the memory 14 in advance, and the deterioration cost calculation unit 114 may correct the deterioration cost calculation information 601 stored in the memory according to the number of batteries n or according to the combination of the number of batteries n and the load amount.

[0169] In this case, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 may correct the degradation cost calculation information 601 so that the reduction rate of the degradation cost in the area where the number of batteries n is small increases as the number of batteries n increases. Alternatively, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 may correct the degradation cost calculation information 601 so that the reduction rate of the degradation cost in the area where the number of batteries n is small increases as the increase in the weight of the mobile body 30 represented by the combination of the number of batteries n and the load increases.

[0170] (3) The degradation cost calculation unit 114 may also calculate the degradation cost for each battery number n based on the discharge current flowing in each battery pack 34. Because the battery packs 34 are connected in parallel, the discharge current flowing in each battery pack 34 decreases as the number of batteries n increases. As a result, the DOD of each battery pack 34 decreases, and the deterioration of the degradation cost is suppressed. Here, in modification (3), information pre-specifying the correspondence between the discharge current and the degradation cost is pre-stored in the memory 14 as degradation cost calculation information 601. The degradation cost calculation unit 114 calculates the discharge current flowing in each battery pack 34 based on the number of batteries n. Moreover, the degradation cost calculation unit 114 may also read the degradation cost calculation information 601 that corresponds the discharge current to the degradation cost from the memory 14, and calculate the degradation cost corresponding to the calculated discharge current. As the degradation cost calculation information 601 in this case, for example, Figure 3 The vertical axis is set to represent the deterioration cost, and the horizontal axis is set to represent the information of the current flowing through each battery pack 34 corresponding to the number of batteries n.

[0171] (4) In the first embodiment, various functions included in the terminal device 10 may also be included in the mobile object 30. In this case, the vehicle control device 31 or the battery management device 32 may include these various functions.

[0172] (5) In each embodiment, it is also possible to determine whether the determined number of batteries to be carried is different from the number of batteries actually carried on the mobile body 30, and output a notification based on the determination result. For example, the terminal device 10 or the server 20 obtains the number of batteries carried by the mobile body 30 from the battery management device 32, etc., and determines whether the obtained number of batteries is different from the determined number of batteries to be carried. When it is determined that the obtained number of batteries is different from the determined number of batteries to be carried, the terminal device 10 or the server 20 outputs a notification suggesting a change in the number of batteries. The output notification is displayed on the display unit 15 of the terminal device 10 or an external terminal such as a smartphone. In addition, the notification may be prompted by sound through a smart speaker, etc., to replace or supplement the display.

[0173] (6) Each embodiment can also be applied to a power storage device installed in a specific place such as a home or an office.

[0174] Specifically, the information processing system obtains power consumption of an electric storage device having one or more batteries; calculates a degradation cost of the battery based on the power consumption and the number of batteries for each of the one or more batteries; calculates a utilization cost of the battery based on the number of batteries for each of the one or more batteries; determines the number of batteries to be installed in the electric storage device based on the degradation cost and the utilization cost; and outputs the number of installed batteries.

[0175] The power consumption is a value per specific time unit or usage unit. For example, the power consumption can also be a value per day or per usage. The usage cost is the cost required to install the battery. For example, the usage cost can also be the purchase cost, rental cost, or maintenance cost of the battery.

[0176] If the number of batteries increases, the degradation cost decreases but the utilization cost increases. If the number of batteries decreases, the degradation cost increases but the utilization cost decreases. Moreover, the balance between the degradation cost and the utilization cost changes with the power consumption. Here, the information processing system, as described above, determines the number of batteries based on the power consumption so that the total cost of the degradation cost and the utilization cost becomes small.

[0177] Thus, in this configuration, since the number of mounted batteries is determined in consideration of the utilization cost and the degradation cost, the number of batteries can be determined in a manner that suppresses the overall cost of the battery including the degradation cost of the battery. In other words, the degradation of the battery can be suppressed while suppressing the utilization cost. Furthermore, since the power consumption varies depending on the user of the power storage device, the number of batteries can be determined to suit the overall cost of each user.

[0178] Industrial Applicability

[0179] The present invention can determine the number of batteries that can suppress the overall cost of batteries, and thus has wide industrial applicability in mobile objects in which the number of batteries can be changed.

Claims

1. An information processing method is an information processing method executed by a computer, characterized in that The following steps are involved: Obtaining a weight of an electric mobile object, the weight including the weight of one or more batteries used in the mobile object; For each of the at least one battery quantity, obtaining the power consumption of the mobile object calculated based on the battery quantity; For each of the more than one number of batteries, calculating a degradation cost of the battery based on the consumed power and the number of batteries, wherein the degradation cost of the battery gradually decreases as the number of batteries increases; For each of the more than one number of batteries, calculating a charging cost based on the weight; determining the number of batteries to be mounted on the mobile body in a manner that minimizes the total cost based on the total cost of the deterioration cost and the charging cost; Output the number of batteries installed.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also obtain the moving distance of the moving body, When acquiring the power consumption, the power consumption is acquired by calculating the power consumption for each of the one or more battery quantities based on the moving distance and the weight.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also obtaining the driving history of the mobile body, When acquiring the power consumption, the power consumption for the moving distance of the moving body is acquired for each of the one or more battery quantities based on the travel history.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When calculating the degradation cost, the remaining power of the battery is further acquired for each of the one or more battery quantities, and the degradation cost is calculated based on a total value of the remaining power for each of the one or more battery quantities and the consumed power.

5. The information processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When calculating the degradation cost, the degradation cost is calculated based on currents flowing through each of the one or more batteries for each of the one or more batteries.

6. The information processing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When determining the number of mounted batteries, the number of mounted batteries is determined based on the total of the deterioration cost and the charging cost.

7. The information processing method according to claim 2, characterized in that: When acquiring the moving distance, the moving distance is acquired based on a user input.

8. The information processing method according to claim 2, characterized in that: When acquiring the moving distance, the moving distance calculated based on the vehicle dispatch plan of the moving body is acquired.

9. An information processing device, characterized in that include: A first acquisition unit, configured to acquire a weight of an electric mobile object, wherein the weight includes weights of one or more batteries used in the mobile object; A second acquisition unit, for each of the at least one battery quantity, acquires the power consumption based on the battery quantity; a degradation cost calculation unit, for each of the more than one battery number, calculating a degradation cost of the battery based on the consumed power and the number of batteries, wherein the degradation cost of the battery gradually decreases as the number of batteries increases; a charging cost calculation unit that calculates a charging cost based on the weight for each of the one or more batteries; a determination unit that determines the number of batteries to be mounted on the mobile body in a manner that minimizes the total cost based on the total cost of the deterioration cost and the charging cost; and The output unit outputs the number of mounted batteries.

10. An information processing program, characterized in that Make the computer function as the following: A first acquisition unit, configured to acquire a weight of an electric mobile object, wherein the weight includes weights of one or more batteries used in the mobile object; A second acquisition unit, for each of the at least one battery quantity, acquires the power consumption based on the battery quantity; a degradation cost calculation unit, for each of the more than one battery number, calculating a degradation cost of the battery based on the consumed power and the number of batteries, wherein the degradation cost of the battery gradually decreases as the number of batteries increases; a charging cost calculation unit that calculates a charging cost based on the weight for each of the one or more batteries; a determination unit that determines the number of batteries to be mounted on the mobile body in a manner that minimizes the total cost based on the total cost of the deterioration cost and the charging cost; and The output unit outputs the number of mounted batteries.

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