Server, charging system, and recording medium

Abstract

The present application provides a server, a charging system, and a recording medium that can prevent a shortage of the SOC of a battery of a mobile body in consideration of power consumption accompanying the actions of a user. The server (40) includes a control unit (47) configured to acquire a use start position at which a user starts using a mobile body having a secondary battery that can be charged, and a destination of the user, estimate a required amount of power from the use start position to the destination, determine whether or not the power of the secondary battery of the mobile body is consumed at the destination, and when the power of the secondary battery of the mobile body is consumed at the destination, set a required amount of power of the mobile body to be higher, and charge the mobile body to the required amount of power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to servers, charging systems, and recording media. Background Technology

[0002] In Patent Document 1, it is known that there is a technology that infers the required electric power to reach a destination based on historical driving data, including a large amount of actual electric vehicle models and driving routes, as well as the electric power consumed on the driving routes, and a predetermined driving route to a user-specified destination, and controls the charging of the electric vehicle's battery based on the required electric power.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-70515

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 does not take into account the power consumption caused by the user's actions. Therefore, when the user turns up the air conditioner, the power consumption increases, which may lead to insufficient SOC (State of Charge) of the mobile device's battery. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure was made in view of the foregoing, and its purpose is to provide a server, charging system, and recording medium that can take into account power consumption accompanying the user's actions to prevent insufficient SOC of the mobile device's battery.

[0006] The server disclosed herein includes a processor configured to: obtain a destination, estimate the required power of the mobile body from the aforementioned utilization start position to the aforementioned destination, determine whether the power of the secondary battery is consumed at the aforementioned destination, and if the power of the secondary battery is consumed at the aforementioned destination, set the required power higher and charge the mobile body to the required power.

[0007] Furthermore, the charging system disclosed herein includes: a mobile body having a rechargeable secondary battery; and a server having a processor configured to obtain a user's starting position for using the mobile body and the user's destination, to infer the required power of the mobile body from the starting position to the destination, to determine whether the power of the secondary battery will be consumed at the destination, and if the power of the secondary battery is consumed at the destination, to set the required power higher and to charge the mobile body to the required power.

[0008] In addition, the recording medium disclosed herein records a program that causes a processor to execute: obtaining the user's starting position for using a mobile body having a rechargeable secondary battery and the user's destination; estimating the required power of the mobile body from the starting position to the destination; determining whether the power of the secondary battery will be consumed at the destination; and if the power of the secondary battery is consumed at the destination, setting the required power higher and charging the mobile body to the required power.

[0009] According to this disclosure, it can prevent insufficient SOC of the mobile device's battery by taking into account the power consumption accompanying the user's actions. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the structure of a charging system according to one embodiment.

[0011] Figure 2 It is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of a mobile body involved in one implementation.

[0012] Figure 3 It is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of a communication terminal involved in one implementation method.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of a charging device according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 5 It is a block diagram illustrating the functional structure of a server involved in one implementation method.

[0015] Figure 6 It is a flowchart illustrating a summary of the processes performed by the server according to one implementation method.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0017] 1…Charging system; 10…Moving body; 11…Battery; 12…Detection unit; 13…First charging unit; 14…Second charging unit; 15…Drive unit; 16…Vehicle navigation system; 17, 28, 34, 42…Recording unit; 18, 33, 41…Communication unit; 19…ECU; 20…Communication terminal; 21…First communication unit; 22…Second communication unit; 23, 163a…Display unit; 24, 164…Operation unit; 25…Position acquisition unit; 26…Camera; 27…Third communication unit; 29, 35… 47…Control unit; 30…Charging device; 31…First power supply unit; 32…Second power supply unit; 40…Server; 43…User information database; 44…Vehicle information database; 45…Charging information database; 46…User schedule information database; 161…GPS sensor; 162…Map database; 163…Reporting device; 163b…Sound output unit; 421…Program recording unit; 471…Inference unit; 472…Decision unit; 473…Prediction unit; 474…Charging control unit; NW…Network. Detailed Implementation

[0018] Hereinafter, a charging system according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited by the following embodiments. Furthermore, the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same parts in the following description.

[0019] [Overview of the charging system]

[0020] Figure 1 This is a diagram schematically illustrating the structure of a mobile system according to one embodiment. Figure 1 The charging system 1 shown includes a mobile body 10, a communication terminal 20, a charging device 30, a server 40, and a weather server 50 that records weather forecasts for each specified region. The charging system 1 is configured to communicate with each other via a network NW. This network NW may consist of, for example, an Internet connection network and a mobile phone connection network.

[0021] [Functional Structure of a Moving Entity]

[0022] First, the functional structure of the mobile body 10 will be explained. Figure 2 This is a block diagram representing the functional structure of the mobile body 10.

[0023] Figure 2The mobile body 10 shown includes a battery 11, a detection unit 12, a first charging unit 13, a second charging unit 14, a drive unit 15, a vehicle navigation system 16, a recording unit 17, a communication unit 18, and an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 19. Furthermore, the mobile body 10 will be described below as an electric vehicle (EV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), but it is not limited to these. For example, electric two-wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles, bicycles, or scooters, tricycles, buses, trucks, ships, and unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with motors and batteries can also be used. Moreover, the mobile body 10 can automatically move towards its destination based on the control of the server 40 or the ECU 19. Of course, the mobile body 10 can also move towards a user's desired destination by having the user or a passenger operate a steering wheel, etc.

[0024] The battery 11 is constructed using a rechargeable secondary battery, such as a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium-ion battery. The battery 11 stores high-voltage DC power to drive the mobile body 10.

[0025] The detection unit 12 detects the remaining charge (SOC), temperature, SOH (State of Health), voltage, and current of the battery 11, and outputs the detection results to the ECU 19. The detection unit 12 is constructed using various battery sensors and temperature sensors, etc.

[0026] The first charging unit 13 is electrically connected to the battery 11 and can be electrically connected to the charging device 30 via a charging port. The first charging unit 13 converts (transforms) the external power (DC power) supplied from the charging device 30 into voltage and power capable of charging the battery 11 and outputs it (power supply based on the power supply method of ordinary charging). The first charging unit 13 is configured using AC / DC converters and DC / DC converters, etc.

[0027] The second charging unit 14 is electrically connected to the battery 11 and can be electrically connected to the charging device 30 via a charging port. The second charging unit 14 converts (transforms) the direct current (power supply based on the DC charging fast charging method) supplied from the charging device 30 into a voltage and power capable of charging the battery 11 and outputs it. The first charging unit 13 is configured using a DC / DC converter and a rectifier circuit, etc.

[0028] The drive unit 15, under the control of the ECU 19, supplies driving force to the drive wheels of the moving body 10 based on the power supplied from the battery 11. The drive unit 15 is constructed using a motor or the like.

[0029] The vehicle navigation system 16 includes a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 161, a map database 162, a reporting device 163, and an operation unit 164.

[0030] GPS sensor 161 receives signals from multiple GPS satellites or a transmitting antenna and calculates the position (longitude and latitude) of the moving body 10 based on the received signals. GPS sensor 161 is configured using a GPS receiving sensor or the like. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the accuracy of the moving body 10 is improved by equipping multiple GPS sensors 161.

[0031] Map database 162 records various map data. Map database 162 is constructed using recording media such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive).

[0032] The reporting device 163 includes a display unit 163a that displays images, maps, videos, and text information, and a sound output unit 163b that generates sounds such as alarms. The display unit 163a is constructed using a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display, or the like. The sound output unit 163b is constructed using a speaker or the like.

[0033] The operation unit 164 accepts user input and outputs signals corresponding to the various operations received to the ECU 19. The operation unit 164 is implemented using a touch panel, buttons, switches, and a pawl, etc.

[0034] The vehicle navigation system 16 configured in this way reports information, including the road the mobile body 10 is currently traveling on and the path to its destination, to the user through the display unit 163a and the sound output unit 163b by overlaying the current position of the mobile body 10 obtained by the GPS sensor 161 onto a map corresponding to the map data recorded in the map database 162.

[0035] The recording unit 17 records various information about the mobile body 10. The recording unit 17 records CAN data of the mobile body 10 input from the ECU 19, various programs executed by the ECU 19, etc. The recording unit 17 is constructed using DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), Flash memory, HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), etc.

[0036] Under the control of ECU 19, the communication unit 18 sends CAN data to the server 40 via network NW. Here, the CAN data includes the remaining charge (SOC) and state of equilibrium (SOH) of the battery 11. The communication unit 18 is constructed using communication modules capable of transmitting and receiving various types of information.

[0037] The ECU 19 is constructed using a processor with hardware such as a memory and a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The ECU 19 controls various parts of the moving body 10. The ECU 19 controls the drive unit 15 based on signals and instructions sent from the server 40 via the communication unit 18 and the position of the moving body 10 detected by the vehicle navigation system 16, thereby moving the moving body 10 to the charging device 30 or a designated location.

[0038] [Functional Structure of Communication Terminals]

[0039] Next, the functional structure of the communication terminal 20 will be explained. Figure 3 This is a block diagram representing the functional structure of the communication terminal 20.

[0040] Figure 3 The communication terminal 20 shown includes a first communication unit 21, a second communication unit 22, a display unit 23, an operation unit 24, a location acquisition unit 25, a camera 26, a third communication unit 27, a recording unit 28, and a control unit 29. Furthermore, the communication terminal 20 will be described below as a mobile phone, but it is not limited to this; for example, it can also be used with tablet terminals and wearable devices. Here, wearable devices include, for example, watches and activity meters equipped with sensors capable of detecting the wearer's biometric information and a communication module capable of communicating with external devices. The biometric information includes weight, blood pressure, pulse, blood glucose level, cholesterol level, blood oxygen concentration, and body temperature.

[0041] The first communication unit 21 receives various information from the mobile body 10 or the wearable device under the control of the control unit 29, and outputs the received information to the control unit 29. The first communication unit 21 is configured, for example, using a communication module capable of executing Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0042] The second communication unit 22 receives various information from the mobile body 10 or wearable device under the control of the control unit 29, and outputs the received information to the control unit 29. The second communication unit 22 is configured using a communication module capable of performing Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and the like.

[0043] The display unit 23 displays various information under the control of the control unit 29. The display unit 23 is constructed using a display panel such as liquid crystal or organic EL (Electro Luminescence).

[0044] The operation unit 24 accepts various operation inputs from the user and outputs signals corresponding to the received operations to the control unit 29. The operation unit 24 is constructed using a touch panel, switch, button, etc.

[0045] The location acquisition unit 25 acquires the location of the communication terminal 20 and outputs the acquired location to the control unit 29. The location acquisition unit 25 is implemented using multiple GPS receiving sensors, etc.

[0046] The camera 26 generates image data by capturing images of the subject under the control of the control unit 29, and outputs the image data to the control unit 29. The camera 26 is implemented using one or more optical systems and CCD (Charge Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensors that generate image data by capturing images of the subject imaged by the optical system.

[0047] The third communication unit 27 communicates with the server 40 via the network NW under the control of the control unit 29, and sends destination information about the destination set by the user via the operation unit 24. The third communication unit 27 is configured using a communication module capable of executing mobile phone line-based communication standards, such as 4G and 5G mobile communication systems.

[0048] The recording unit 28 records various information about the communication terminal 20 and various programs executed by the communication terminal 20. The recording unit 28 is implemented using DRAM, ROM, Flash memory, SSD, memory card, etc.

[0049] The control unit 29 is configured using a processor with hardware such as a memory and a CPU. The control unit 29 controls the various parts of the communication terminal 20.

[0050] [Functional Structure of the Charging Device]

[0051] Next, the functional structure of the charging device 30 will be explained. Figure 4 This is a block diagram representing the functional structure of the charging device 30.

[0052] Figure 4 The charging device 30 shown includes a first power supply unit 31, a second power supply unit 32, a communication unit 33, a recording unit 34, and a control unit 35.

[0053] The first power supply unit 31 connects to the first charging unit 13 of the mobile body 10, converting an alternating current with a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 6600V) supplied from an external AC power source into a direct current with a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 200V), thereby supplying power to the first charging unit 13 (normal charging). The first power supply unit 31 is constructed using a connector that can connect to the first charging unit 13 of the mobile body 10, a cable for transmitting power to the connector, an AC / DC converter, a frequency converter, a rectifier circuit, a transformer, and a circuit breaker, etc. Furthermore, the first power supply unit 31 can also be a structure that supplies power in a non-contact manner (wireless AC charging). In this case, the power supply method can be either magnetic field coupling or electric field coupling.

[0054] The second power supply unit 32 supplies power to the second charging unit by converting an alternating current with a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 6600V) supplied from an external AC power source into a direct current with a predetermined voltage value (e.g., 500V) (fast charging). The second power supply unit 32 is constructed using a connector that can be connected to the second charging unit 14 of the mobile body 10, a cable for transmitting power to the connector, and an AC / DC converter, inverter, rectifier circuit, transformer, and circuit breaker, etc.

[0055] Under the control of the control unit 35, the communication unit 33 communicates with the mobile body 10, the communication terminal 20, and the server 40 via the network NW, and sends and receives various information. The communication unit 33 is constructed using communication modules and the like.

[0056] The recording unit 34 records various information about the charging device 30. The recording unit 34 is constructed using DRAM, ROM, Flash memory, and SSD, etc.

[0057] The control unit 35 is configured using a processor with hardware such as a memory and a CPU. The control unit 35 controls various parts of the charging device 30.

[0058] [Server Functional Structure]

[0059] Next, the functional structure of server 40 will be explained. Figure 5 This is a block diagram representing the functional structure of server 40.

[0060] Figure 5 The server 40 shown includes a communication unit 41, a recording unit 42, a user information database 43 (hereinafter referred to as "user information DB43"), a vehicle information database 44 (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle information DB44"), a charging information database 45 (hereinafter referred to as "charging information DB45"), a schedule information database 46 (hereinafter referred to as "schedule information DB46"), and a control unit 47.

[0061] The communication unit 41 communicates with the mobile unit 10, the communication terminal 20, and the charging device 30 via the network NW under the control of the control unit 47. The communication unit 41 is constructed using a communication module and the like.

[0062] The recording unit 42 records various information about the server 40. Additionally, the recording unit 42 includes a program recording unit 421 that records various programs executed by the server 40. The recording unit 42 is implemented using DRAM, ROM, Flash memory, SSD, HDD, memory card, etc.

[0063] The user information DB43 records terminal information of the communication terminal 20 held by the user and user information corresponding to the user identification information. Here, terminal information refers to device address, telephone number, and email address, etc. Additionally, user identification information includes the user's name, address, date of birth, and user activity history based on the location information of the user's communication terminal 20. Furthermore, activity history may also include the user's purchase history based on electronic money registered on the user's communication terminal 20. The user information DB43 is constructed using HDDs and SSDs, etc.

[0064] The vehicle information DB44 records the vehicle identification information of the mobile body 10, the current status information of the mobile body 10, and the vehicle information corresponding to the current location information of the mobile body 10. The vehicle identification information includes the model name, year, and owner of the mobile body 10. Additionally, the status information includes the remaining battery level of the mobile body 10's battery 11 and CAN data. The vehicle information DB44 is constructed using HDDs and SSDs, among other methods.

[0065] The charging information DB45 records charging identification information for the charging device 30, charging status information indicating the current charging status of the charging device 30, and charging information corresponding to the installation location of the charging device 30. The charging identification information refers to the charging method of the charging device 30 (e.g., normal charging method (single-phase AC200V, 100V) or fast charging method), the shape of the charging connector, and the device address. The charging status information refers to whether the charging device 30 is charging the current mobile body 10, the predetermined time for the charging of the mobile body 10's battery 11 to be completed, and the charging status of the mobile body 10's battery. The charging information DB45 is constructed using HDDs and SSDs, etc.

[0066] The schedule information DB46 records terminal information of the communication terminal 20 held by the user, user identification information of the user, and schedule information corresponding to the user's input schedule. Here, the user's schedule refers to the predetermined location for the use of the mobile device 10, the user's destination, the predetermined time for the use of the mobile device 10, the starting location for the use of the mobile device 10, the time for using the mobile device 10, the vehicle identification information of the mobile device 10 used by the user, whether the user has an outing plan, and the user's action plan (e.g., a running plan). The schedule information DB46 is constructed using HDDs and SSDs, etc.

[0067] The control unit 47 is constructed using a memory and a processor with hardware such as a CPU, FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), and GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The control unit 47 controls the various parts of the server 40. The control unit 47 includes an inference unit 471, a decision unit 472, a prediction unit 473, and a charging control unit 474. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the control unit 47 functions as a processor.

[0068] The inference unit 471 obtains the user's starting position for using the mobile vehicle 10 and the user's destination. Specifically, the inference unit 471 obtains the destination set by the user on the communication terminal 20 or the vehicle navigation system 16 of the mobile vehicle 10 via the communication unit 41. Furthermore, the inference unit 471 obtains the starting position input by the user through operating the communication terminal 20 or from the schedule information DB46 via the communication unit 41. Moreover, the inference unit 471 infers the required power from the user's starting position on the mobile vehicle 10 to the user's destination. Specifically, it can also be configured such that the inference unit 471 reads the learned model recorded in the program recording unit 421, inputs the user's destination and starting position as input data into the read learned model, and outputs the required power as output data. This learned model can be formed, for example, using a DNN (Deep Neural Network) for machine learning. Furthermore, the type of DNN network can be any type that the inference unit 471 can use. Specifically, the types of machine learning are not particularly limited, but for example, it can involve preparing teacher data and learning data that correlate distance with required electrical force, and then inputting this teacher data and learning data into a computational model based on a multi-layer neural network for learning. Furthermore, as a method for machine learning, for example, the method of DNN based on multi-layer neural networks such as CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) and 3DCNN can also be used.

[0069] The determination unit 472 determines whether the user consumes power from the battery 11 of the mobile device 10 at the destination. Specifically, if the user's destination is at least one of outdoor facilities or sports facilities, the determination unit 472 determines that the user has consumed power from the battery 11 of the mobile device 10 at the destination. Furthermore, the determination unit 472 determines whether the user's destination meets specified conditions based on the weather forecast obtained by the inference unit 471. Here, specified conditions refer to the temperature at which the user uses air conditioning, for example, a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or higher. Additionally, the determination unit 472 determines whether the user's biometric information is within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473 (described later). Specifically, if the user's heart rate is within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473 (for example, if the prediction unit 473 predicts the user's action to be running), the determination unit 472 determines whether the heart rate is within 80-140 bpm (beats per minute).

[0070] The prediction unit 473 predicts the user's actions. Specifically, the prediction unit 473 obtains the user's schedule information from the schedule information DB46 and makes action predictions based on that schedule information. Specifically, if the user's schedule indicates exercise, such as running, the prediction unit 473 predicts that the user will run at the sports facility at their destination.

[0071] If the destination meets the specified conditions, the charging control unit 474 sets the required power higher than that estimated by the inference unit 471. Specifically, the higher the temperature at the destination based on the weather forecast, the higher the required power for charging the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 will be set by the charging control unit 474 compared to that estimated by the inference unit 471. For example, if the temperature at the destination rises by 1 degree from the specified value (25 degrees) based on the weather forecast, the charging control unit 474 will set it 5% higher than that estimated by the inference unit 471. Furthermore, the charging control unit 474 sets the required power for charging the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 higher than that estimated by the inference unit 471 in step S103. For example, the charging control unit 474 sets it 10% higher than that estimated by the inference unit 471.

[0072] (Server processing)

[0073] Next, the processing performed by server 40 will be explained. Figure 6 This is a flowchart summarizing the processes performed by server 40.

[0074] like Figure 6As shown, firstly, the inference unit 471 obtains the user's start location, destination, and schedule information (step S101). Specifically, the inference unit 471 obtains the user's start location, destination, and schedule information from the schedule information DB46. Furthermore, the inference unit 471 can also obtain the user's start location, destination, and schedule information input from the user's communication terminal 20 via the communication unit 41 through the user's operation of the communication terminal 20.

[0075] Next, the inference unit 471 obtains weather information for a specified area, including the user's destination, from the weather server 50 via the communication unit 41 (step S102). For example, the inference unit 471 obtains weather information for a 10km × 10km area centered on the user's destination from the weather server 50.

[0076] Next, the inference unit 471 infers the required electrical power of the mobile body 10 based on the user's starting position and the user's destination (step S103). Specifically, the inference unit 471 infers the required electrical power of the mobile body 10 based on the distance from the user's starting position to the user's destination.

[0077] Subsequently, the determination unit 472 determines whether the user consumes power from the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 at the destination (step S104). Specifically, if the user's destination is at least one of an outdoor facility or a sports facility, the determination unit 472 determines that the user consumes power from the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 at the destination. This is because, if the user's destination is an outdoor facility, it is conceivable that the user would use the power used to charge the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 to use other electrical devices; if the user's destination is a sports facility, it is conceivable that the user would use the air conditioning equipment of the mobile unit 10 to lower the temperature inside the mobile unit 10 due to the user's movement. On the other hand, if it is neither an outdoor facility nor a sports facility, the determination unit 472 determines that the user does not consume power from the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 at the destination. If the determination unit 472 determines that the user consumes power from the battery 11 of the mobile unit 10 at the destination (step S104: Yes), the server 40 proceeds to step S105, which will be described later. In contrast, if the determination unit 472 determines that the user does not consume the power of the battery 11 of the mobile body 10 at the destination (step S104: No), the server 40 moves to step S115, which will be described later.

[0078] In step S105, the determination unit 472 determines whether the user's destination is a sports facility. If the determination unit 472 determines that the user's destination is a sports facility (step S105: Yes), the server 40 proceeds to step S106, which will be described later. Conversely, if the determination unit 472 determines that the user's destination is not a sports facility (step S105: No), the server 40 proceeds to step S112, which will be described later.

[0079] In step S106, the charging control unit 474 controls the charging device 30 via the communication unit 41 to charge the mobile body 10 used by the user.

[0080] Next, the prediction unit 473 obtains the user's biometric information via the communication unit 41 and the communication terminal 20 (step S107). Specifically, the prediction unit 473 wirelessly connects to the communication terminal 20 via the communication unit 41 and the communication terminal 20, and obtains the user's biometric information detected by the wearable device worn by the user.

[0081] Next, the prediction unit 473 predicts the user's actions based on the user's schedule information (step S108). Specifically, when the user's schedule records exercise, such as running, the prediction unit 473 predicts that the user will run at a sports facility at their destination.

[0082] Subsequently, the determination unit 472 determines whether the user's biometric information is within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473 (step S109). Specifically, if the user's heart rate is within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473, for example, if the action prediction is running, the determination unit 472 determines whether the heart rate is within 80~140 bpm. This is because by determining whether a predicted action based on the actual user's schedule has been performed, unnecessary charging of the mobile device 10 is prevented. If the determination unit 472 determines that the user's biometric information is within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473 (step S109: Yes), the server 40 proceeds to step S110, which will be described later. Conversely, if the determination unit 472 determines that the user's biometric information is not within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473 (step S109: No), the server 40 terminates this process.

[0083] In step S110, the charging control unit 474 sets the required electrical force for charging the battery 11 of the mobile body 10 to be higher than the required electrical force deduced by the inference unit 471 in step S103. For example, the charging control unit 474 sets it to be 10% higher than the required electrical force deduced by the inference unit 471.

[0084] Next, the charging control unit 474 controls the charging device 30 to charge the mobile body 10 in a manner that achieves the required electrical power set in step S110 (step S111). Thus, the required electrical power is supplied to the mobile body 10, which is attached to the user's actions. After step S111, the server 40 terminates this process.

[0085] In step S112, the determination unit 472 determines whether the user's destination is an outdoor facility. If the determination unit 472 determines that the user's destination is an outdoor facility (step S112: Yes), the server 40 proceeds to step S113, which will be described later. Conversely, if the determination unit 472 determines that the user's destination is not an outdoor facility (step S112: No), the server 40 proceeds to step S114, which will be described later.

[0086] In step S113, the charging control unit 474 sets the required electrical power to charge the battery 11 of the mobile body 10 to be higher than the required electrical power deduced by the inference unit 471 in step S103. Specifically, the charging control unit 474 sets the electrical power higher than the required electrical power deduced by the inference unit 471 based on at least one of the general average amount of electricity used in outdoor facilities and the past electricity usage history of users in outdoor facilities. As a result, the user can charge the electricity used by additional electrical devices in outdoor facilities.

[0087] Next, the charging control unit 474 controls the charging device 30 to charge the mobile body 10 in a manner that is either the required electric force set in step S113 or the required electric force deduced by the inference unit 471 (step S114). After step S114, the server 40 ends this process.

[0088] In step S115, the determination unit 472 determines whether the destination meets the prescribed conditions based on the weather forecast obtained by the inference unit 471. Here, the prescribed conditions are the temperature at which the user uses air conditioning, for example, a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius or higher. Specifically, the determination unit 472 determines whether the destination is at or above the prescribed temperature based on the weather forecast obtained by the inference unit 471. If the determination unit 472 determines that the destination meets the prescribed conditions (step S115: Yes), the server 40 proceeds to step S116, which will be described later. Conversely, if the determination unit 472 determines that the destination does not meet the prescribed conditions (step S115: No), the server 40 proceeds to step S118, which will be described later.

[0089] In step S116, the higher the temperature of the destination based on the weather forecast, the higher the charging control unit 474 sets the required electrical power to charge the battery 11 of the mobile body 10 compared to the required electrical power deduced by the inference unit 471. Specifically, for every 1 degree Celsius increase in the temperature of the destination based on the weather forecast from a predetermined value (25 degrees Celsius), the charging control unit 474 sets the required electrical power 5% higher than the required electrical power deduced by the inference unit 471.

[0090] Next, the charging control unit 474 controls the charging device 30 to charge the mobile body 10 in a manner that achieves the required electrical power set in step S115 (step S117). After step S117, the server 40 ends this process.

[0091] In step S118, the charging control unit 474 controls the charging device 30 to charge the mobile body 10 in a manner that corresponds to the required electrical force deduced by the inference unit 471. After step S118, the server 40 terminates the process.

[0092] According to one embodiment described above, the inference unit 471 obtains the user's starting position for using the mobile device 10 and the user's destination, and infers the required power of the mobile device 10 from the starting position to the destination. Furthermore, the determination unit 472 determines whether the power of the mobile device 10's battery 11 will be consumed at the destination. Subsequently, if the determination unit 472 determines that the power of the mobile device 10's battery 11 will be consumed at the destination, the charging control unit 474 sets a higher required power for the mobile device 10 and charges the mobile device 10 to the required power. Thus, it is possible to prevent insufficient SOC of the mobile device 10's battery 11 by taking into account power consumption accompanying the user's actions.

[0093] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the determination unit 472 determines whether the destination meets the prescribed conditions based on the weather forecast of the destination. Moreover, if the determination unit 472 determines that the destination meets the prescribed conditions, the charging control unit 474 sets the required power of the mobile body 10 at a higher level. As a result, the mobile body 10 can be charged with the required power based on the weather (condition) at the user's destination, so even if the user uses the air conditioner of the mobile body 10 due to high temperature, the SOC of the mobile body 10 battery 11 can be prevented from being insufficient.

[0094] In addition, according to one embodiment, the higher the temperature at the destination, the higher the charging control unit 474 will charge the mobile body 10 with the required power. Therefore, even if the user uses the air conditioner due to the high temperature, the SOC of the mobile body 10's battery 11 can be prevented from being insufficient.

[0095] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, when the destination is at least one of an outdoor facility or a sports facility, the charging control unit 474 sets the required power of the mobile body 10 at a higher level. Therefore, even if the user uses the air conditioner of the mobile body 10 due to a rise in body temperature caused by exercise, insufficient SOC of the mobile body 10's battery 11 can be prevented. Alternatively, even if the user uses the mobile body 10's battery 11 to use electrical equipment at an outdoor facility, insufficient SOC of the mobile body 10's battery 11 can be prevented.

[0096] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the prediction unit 473 predicts the user's actions. Moreover, the charging control unit 474 sets the required power based on the user's action predictions made by the prediction unit 473. Thus, it is possible to take into account power consumption accompanying the user's actions to prevent insufficient SOC of the mobile device 10's battery 11.

[0097] In addition, according to one embodiment, the prediction unit 473 obtains the user's schedule information from the schedule information DB46 and makes predictions about the user's actions based on the obtained schedule information, thus enabling high-precision predictions of the user's actions.

[0098] Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the determination unit 472 obtains the user's biometric information and determines whether the biometric information is within the range of the action prediction predicted by the prediction unit 473. Moreover, if the determination unit 472 determines that the user's biometric information is within the range of the action prediction, the charging control unit 474 sets a higher power requirement for the mobile device 10. Thus, by determining whether a predicted action based on the actual user's schedule has been performed, unnecessary charging of the mobile device 10 can be prevented.

[0099] (Other implementation methods)

[0100] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the charging system, the term "component" can be replaced with "circuit" or the like. For example, the control unit can be replaced with a control circuit.

[0101] In addition, the program executed by the charging system according to one embodiment is provided as file data in an installable or executable form on a recording medium that can be read by a computer, such as a CD-ROM, floppy disk (FD), CD-R, DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), USB medium, or flash memory.

[0102] Alternatively, the program executed by the charging system according to one embodiment can be provided by storing it on a computer connected to a network such as the Internet and downloading it via the network.

[0103] Furthermore, in the description of the flowcharts in this specification, expressions such as "firstly," "then," and "next" are used to explicitly indicate the sequential relationship between the steps. However, the order of processes required to implement this embodiment is not uniquely determined by these expressions. That is, the order of processes in the flowcharts described in this specification can be changed without contradiction.

[0104] Further effects and variations can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. The broader form of the invention is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Therefore, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A server, wherein, The server includes a processor configured as follows: Obtain the user's starting position for using the mobile device equipped with a rechargeable secondary battery, and the user's destination. To infer the required electrical force of the moving body from the starting position to the destination. Determine whether the secondary battery's power will be consumed at the destination. When the power of the secondary battery is consumed at the destination, the required power is set at a higher level. Charge the mobile body to the required electrical power. Furthermore, the processor is configured as follows: If the destination is a sports facility, Obtain the user's schedule information. Based on the schedule information, predict the user's actions; and Obtain the user's biometric information. Determine whether the biological information falls within the scope of the predicted action. Given that the biological information is within the range of the predicted action, the required electrical force is set relatively high.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: Get the weather forecast, The determination of whether the destination meets the prescribed conditions is based on the weather forecast. If the destination meets the specified conditions, the required electrical power is set at a higher level.

3. The server according to claim 2, wherein, The condition mentioned is temperature. The higher the temperature, the higher the required electrical power will be set by the processor.

4. A charging system, wherein, The charging system includes: A mobile body equipped with a rechargeable secondary battery; and A server equipped with a processor is configured to obtain the user's starting position for using the mobile device and the user's destination, infer the required power of the mobile device from the starting position to the destination, determine whether the secondary battery will be consumed at the destination, and if the secondary battery is consumed at the destination, set the required power higher and charge the mobile device to the required power. Furthermore, the processor is configured as follows: If the destination is a sports facility, Obtain the user's schedule information. Based on the schedule information, predict the user's actions; and Obtain the user's biometric information. Determine whether the biological information falls within the scope of the predicted action. Given that the biological information is within the range of the predicted action, the required electrical force is set relatively high.

5. The charging system according to claim 4, wherein, The processor is configured as follows: Get the weather forecast, The determination of whether the destination meets the prescribed conditions is based on the weather forecast. If the destination meets the specified conditions, the required electrical power is set at a higher level.

6. The charging system according to claim 5, wherein, The condition mentioned is temperature. The higher the temperature, the higher the required electrical power will be set by the processor.

7. A recording medium having a program recorded thereon, wherein, The program causes the processor to execute: Obtain the user's starting position for using the mobile device equipped with a rechargeable secondary battery, and the user's destination. To infer the required electrical force of the moving body from the starting position to the destination. Determine whether the secondary battery's power will be consumed at the destination. When the power of the secondary battery is consumed at the destination, the required power is set at a higher level. Charge the mobile body to the required electrical power. The program causes the processor to execute: If the destination is a sports facility, Obtain the user's schedule information. Based on the schedule information, predict the user's actions; and Obtain the user's biometric information. Determine whether the biological information falls within the scope of the predicted action. Given that the biological information is within the range of the predicted action, the required electrical force is set relatively high.

8. The recording medium according to claim 7, wherein, The program causes the processor to execute: Get the weather forecast, The determination of whether the destination meets the prescribed conditions is based on the weather forecast. If the destination meets the specified conditions, the required electrical power is set at a higher level.

9. The recording medium according to claim 8, wherein, The condition mentioned is temperature. The program causes the processor to execute: The higher the temperature, the higher the required electrical power should be set.

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