Information processing device, information processing method, computer readable storage medium and vehicle

Abstract

The present application discloses an information processing device, an information processing method, a computer-readable storage medium, and a vehicle. The information processing device controls a vehicle including a plurality of heating devices. The information processing device performs the steps of acquiring an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal; and selecting a heating device to be operated from the heating devices whose operation is specified by the air conditioning request based on the remaining battery power of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to air conditioning control of a vehicle. Background Art

[0002] There is a system for remotely controlling the air conditioning of a vehicle (car air conditioning). For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2018-122837 (JP 2018-122837 A) discloses a remote air conditioning system that starts the air conditioning of a vehicle based on a start request sent from a terminal and operates a defroster when it is determined that frost on the window needs to be removed. Summary of the invention

[0003] An object of the present disclosure is to improve the convenience of remote air conditioning.

[0004] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device for controlling a vehicle including a plurality of heating devices. Specifically, the information processing device includes: a control unit that executes acquisition of an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal; and selects a heating device to be operated from the heating devices whose operation is specified by the air conditioning request based on the remaining battery power of the vehicle.

[0005] A second aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method for controlling a vehicle including a plurality of heating devices. Specifically, the information processing method includes: a step of acquiring an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal; and a step of selecting a heating device to be operated from the heating devices whose operation is specified by the air conditioning request based on the remaining battery power of the vehicle.

[0006] A third aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle comprising: a plurality of heating devices; a driving battery; and a control unit that selects a heating device to be operated from among the heating devices whose operation is specified by an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal based on the remaining power of the driving battery of the vehicle.

[0007] In addition, another embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium, in which a program for causing a computer to implement the above-mentioned information processing method is non-temporarily stored.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, the convenience of remote air conditioning can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is a system configuration diagram of a vehicle system according to an embodiment;

[0011] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing components included in a vehicle;

[0012] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a module configuration of a microcomputer included in an air-conditioning ECU;

[0013] Figure 4 is a block diagram showing components included in a central server and a user terminal;

[0014] Figure 5 is an example of air conditioning parameters generated by a user terminal;

[0015] Figure 6 is an example of a user interface provided by a user terminal;

[0016] Fig. 7A is a graph showing the remaining battery charge of the vehicle;

[0017] Figure 7B is a graph showing the remaining battery charge of the vehicle;

[0018] Fig. 8A is a diagram showing power data stored in the air-conditioning ECU;

[0019] Figure 8B is a diagram showing power data stored in the air-conditioning ECU;

[0020] Fig. 9 is a flow chart of data sent and received between components of a vehicle system;

[0021] Fig.10 is a flow chart of the processing performed by the air conditioning ECU;

[0022] Fig.11 is a configuration diagram of a central server according to a second embodiment; and

[0023] Fig.12 is a flow chart of data transmitted and received in the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] One aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device that controls a vehicle having a plurality of heating devices.

[0025] Specifically, the information processing device includes: a control unit that executes acquisition of an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal; and selects a heating device to be operated from the heating devices specified to be operated by the air conditioning request based on the remaining battery power of the vehicle.

[0026] There is known a vehicle having a heating device (hereinafter referred to as a heating device) operated by electricity, such as a heat pump type car air conditioner, a seat heater, and a steering wheel heater.

[0027] Whether these devices can perform remote air conditioning depends on the remaining battery power of the vehicle. For example, when the remaining battery power of the vehicle is less than a predetermined value, a general vehicle control device performs control that makes the operation of the remote air conditioning impossible.

[0028] On the contrary, power consumption can be suppressed by limiting the devices to be operated among the plurality of heating devices possessed by the vehicle. However, in the vehicle according to the related art, it is not possible to selectively operate the operable heating devices according to the remaining battery power.

[0029] In order to solve this problem, in the information processing device according to the present disclosure, among the heating devices whose operation is specified by the user, the heating device to be actually operated is selected based on the remaining battery power of the vehicle. Although the operation of the air conditioner is impossible, the defrosting of the front window can be operated, and only the minimum necessary heating device can be operated.

[0030] Furthermore, the information processing device may be characterized by further including a storage unit that stores data related to power consumption of each of a plurality of heating devices included in the vehicle.

[0031] By using this data, it is possible to identify heating devices that can be operated under conditions where the amount of electricity is limited.

[0032] Furthermore, the storage unit may be characterized by storing data related to changes in power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices is continuously operated.

[0033] Furthermore, the storage unit may be characterized by storing data on changes in power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices continuously operates under predetermined temperature conditions.

[0034] The power consumption of the car air conditioner is not constant. Therefore, by using data on the change in power consumption, the total amount of power consumed when the remote air conditioning is performed can be obtained.

[0035] Furthermore, the air conditioning request may be characterized by including a condition specifying the termination of the operation of the heating device, and the control unit calculates the amount of power consumption required to satisfy the condition.

[0036] For example, the conditions are the elapsed time and the room temperature. As a result, since the time until the operation of the heating device ends can be obtained, the required power consumption can be accurately calculated.

[0037] Furthermore, the control unit may be characterized by making the selection based on the remaining battery charge and the calculated power consumption amount.

[0038] For example, the combination of heating devices to be operated may be determined so that the remaining battery power after the operation of the heating devices is completed is not less than a predetermined value.

[0039] Furthermore, the control unit may be characterized in that the selection is performed based on a priority set for each of the plurality of heating devices.

[0040] The priority may be determined based on a user's preference or may be determined based on safety (eg, prioritizing defrosting the front window to ensure visibility).

[0041] Furthermore, the control unit may be characterized by notifying a user when, as a result of the selection, the operation of at least one of the heating devices designated for operation is restricted.

[0042] For example, the notification may be output through a mobile terminal owned by the user.

[0043] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle including a plurality of heating devices, a drive battery, and the above-mentioned information processing device.

[0044] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.

[0045] First embodiment

[0046] Reference Figure 1 An outline of a vehicle system according to a first embodiment is described. The vehicle system according to the present embodiment includes a vehicle 1 , a central server 100 , and a user terminal 200 .

[0047] The vehicle 1 is a networked car with a communication function. The vehicle 1 includes a data communication module (DCM) 10 as a communication module and an air conditioning electronic control unit (ECU) 20 as an onboard computer that manages a plurality of heating devices. The vehicle 1 can operate a heating device (air conditioner, heater, etc.) based on data received from a central server 100. Operating a heating device in advance without starting the engine before a user gets in the vehicle is called "remote air conditioning".

[0048] The central server 100 is a server device that manages the vehicle 1. The central server 100 can manage a plurality of vehicles 1. The central server 100 instructs the vehicle 1 to operate the remote air conditioner based on a request sent from the user terminal 200.

[0049] The user terminal 200 is a mobile terminal owned by a user of the vehicle 1. The user terminal 200 is configured to be able to execute an application for remote air conditioning of the vehicle. The user terminal 200 generates a request for operating the air conditioning of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioning request) based on the content of the input made by the user on the application, and sends the request to the central server 100.

[0050] Next, the components of the system will be described in detail.

[0051] Figure 2 It is schematically shown Figure 1 0 is a block diagram of an example of a configuration of a vehicle 1 shown in . The vehicle 1 includes a DCM 10, an air conditioning ECU 20, a charging ECU 30, and a plurality of heating devices. These components are connected to each other via a controller area network (CAN) bus 40. Note that in the present embodiment, the air conditioning ECU and the charging ECU are illustrated as electronic control units (ECUs) mounted on the vehicle 1. However, the vehicle 1 may be equipped with ECUs having jurisdiction over other components, such as an engine ECU, a body ECU, and a powertrain ECU.

[0052] The DCM 10 is an interface unit that connects the in-vehicle network and an external communication network of the vehicle 1. Hereinafter, the external communication network of the vehicle 1 is simply referred to as a network or an external network. Examples of the external network include a wide area network such as the Internet.

[0053] The DCM 10 includes a microcomputer 11 , a communication unit 12A as an interface for communicating with the CAN bus 40 , and a communication unit 12B as an interface for communicating with an external network.

[0054] The microcomputer 11 may be configured as a microcomputer provided with a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU), a main storage device such as a random access memory (RAM) or a read-only memory (ROM), and an auxiliary storage device such as an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a disk drive, or a removable medium. However, some or all of the functions may be implemented by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0055] In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 11 includes a control unit 111 and a storage unit 112. The control unit 111 is a calculation unit (such as a CPU) that realizes various functions of the DCM 10 by executing a predetermined program.

[0056] The storage unit 112 is a storage device including a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage device. An operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc. are stored in the auxiliary storage device. The program stored in the auxiliary storage device is loaded into the working area of ​​the main storage device and executed, and through this execution, various functions that meet the predetermined purpose can be realized, which will be described later.

[0057] The microcomputer 11 included in the DCM 10 has a function of mediating communication between the external network and the vehicle 1. For example, when the ECU of the vehicle 1 needs to communicate with the external network, the DCM 10 relays data sent from the ECU to the external network. In addition, the DCM 10 receives data sent from the external network and transmits the data to the appropriate ECU.

[0058] In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 11 receives a command for operating the air conditioner of the vehicle 1 (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioning command) from the central server 100 and performs a process of transmitting the air conditioning command to the air conditioning ECU 20 which will be described later.

[0059] In addition, the DCM 10 can perform functions unique to its own device. For example, the DCM 10 has a safety system monitoring function and a calling function, and can make a safety call, an emergency call, etc. based on a trigger generated in the vehicle.

[0060] The communication unit 12A is a communication interface that connects the DCM 10 to the vehicle network (CAN bus 40). The communication unit 12A performs processing for converting information in a predetermined format generated by the microcomputer 11 into CAN data and converting received CAN data into information in a predetermined format and transmitting the information to the microcomputer 11.

[0061] The communication unit 12B is a communication interface that connects the DCM 10 to an external network. The communication unit 12B performs processing of converting a message of a predetermined format generated by the microcomputer 11 into a communication packet and converting a received communication packet into a message of a predetermined format and sending the message to the microcomputer 11.

[0062] Next, the air-conditioning ECU 20 will be described.

[0063] The air conditioning ECU 20 is an electronic control unit that controls the air conditioning of the vehicle 1. A plurality of air conditioning devices (heating devices) are connected to the air conditioning ECU 20, and the heating devices can be controlled based on commands from a user. Examples of the plurality of heating devices provided in the vehicle 1 include a heat pump type car air conditioner, a defogger (defroster), a seat heater, and a steering wheel heater.

[0064] The air-conditioning ECU 20 can operate the heating device based on both an operation performed on a control panel installed in the vehicle and an air-conditioning command transmitted from an external network.

[0065] Furthermore, the air-conditioning ECU 20 has a function of acquiring information on the remaining charge of a drive battery (hybrid battery) of the host vehicle from a charging ECU 30 described later and selecting an operable heating device according to the remaining charge of the battery.

[0066] The air-conditioning ECU 20 includes a microcomputer 21 and a communication unit 22 as an interface for communicating with the CAN bus 40 .

[0067] That is, similar to the microcomputer 11, the microcomputer 21 can be configured as a microcomputer provided with a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium.

[0068] In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 21 includes a control unit 211 and a storage unit 212. The control unit 211 is a calculation unit (such as a CPU) that realizes various functions of the air-conditioning ECU 20 by executing a predetermined program.

[0069] The storage unit 212 is a storage device including a main storage unit and an auxiliary storage device. These functions are the same as those of the control unit 111 and the storage unit 112. Therefore, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0070] The microcomputer 21 included in the air-conditioning ECU 20 receives an air-conditioning command for operating the air-conditioner of the vehicle 1 from an external network, and operates a plurality of heating devices based on the air-conditioning command.

[0071] The configuration of the microcomputer 21 will be described in more detail. Figure 3 21 is a diagram showing a logical configuration of the control unit 211 and the storage unit 212 .

[0072] As functional modules, the control unit 211 has a power calculation unit 211A and an operation command unit 211 B. Each functional module can be realized by causing the control unit 211 (ie, CPU or the like) to execute a program stored in a storage device such as a ROM.

[0073] The storage unit 212 stores power data 212A.

[0074] Functional blocks included in the control unit 211 will be described.

[0075] The power calculation unit 211A calculates the power consumption amount required until the operation is completed for one or more heating devices requested to be operated by the air-conditioning command.

[0076] The operation command unit 211B generates a command for operating one or more heating devices requested to be operated by the air conditioning command. In addition, based on the power consumption obtained by calculation and the remaining power of the driving battery obtained via the charging ECU 30 described later, the operation command unit 211B determines that it is necessary to limit the heating device to be operated, and selects the heating device to be actually operated.

[0077] The power data 212A is data related to the power consumed by the heating device provided in the vehicle 1. The details of the power data 212A will be described later.

[0078] The communication unit 22 is a communication interface that connects the air-conditioning ECU 20 to the vehicle network (CAN bus 40). The communication unit 22 performs a process of converting information in a predetermined format generated by the microcomputer 21 into CAN data, and a process of converting received CAN data into information in a predetermined format and sending the information to the microcomputer 21.

[0079] The charging ECU 30 is an electronic control unit that controls charging and discharging of a driving battery (hybrid battery) of the vehicle 1. The charging ECU 30 can provide the air-conditioning ECU 20 with information on the remaining amount of the hybrid battery.

[0080] The CAN bus 40 is a communication bus that constitutes an in-vehicle network based on the CAN protocol. In this embodiment, a CAN bus 40 is taken as an example. However, the in-vehicle network may include multiple communication buses. In addition, the in-vehicle network may include a gateway that connects the communication buses to each other.

[0081] Next, the center server 100 and the user terminal 200 will be described.

[0082] Figure 4 It is schematically shown Figure 1 2 is a block diagram of an example of the configuration of the central server 100 and the user terminal 200 shown in FIG.

[0083] The central server 100 is a server device that manages a plurality of vehicles 1. The central server 100 can transmit and receive data with the vehicle 1 through wireless communication. In this embodiment, the central server 100 instructs the vehicle 1 to operate the remote air conditioner based on the air conditioner request sent from the user terminal 200.

[0084] The user terminal 200 is a mobile terminal owned by a user of the vehicle 1. The user terminal 200 is configured to be able to execute an application for executing remote air conditioning of the vehicle. The application outputs a user interface for setting air conditioning parameters and obtains content input by the user. In addition, based on the content input, the application generates an air conditioning request for operating the air conditioning of the vehicle 1 and sends the request to the central server 100.

[0085] The central server 100 and the user terminal 200 may be constituted by a general-purpose computer. That is, the central server 100 and the user terminal 200 may be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or a GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or a ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium. An operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, and the like are stored in the auxiliary storage device. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device are executed so that various functions matching the predetermined purpose can be realized, which will be described later. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0086] First, the central server 100 will be described. The central server 100 is configured to include a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, and a communication unit 103.

[0087] The control unit 101 is a device for controlling the central server 100. The control unit 101 is composed of, for example, an information processing unit such as a CPU or a GPU.

[0088] As functional modules, the control unit 101 includes a vehicle management unit 1011 and an air-conditioning control unit 1012. Each functional module can be realized by causing the CPU to execute a program stored in a storage device such as a ROM.

[0089] The vehicle management unit 1011 periodically communicates with the DCM 10 of the vehicle 1 under control and collects data related to the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as vehicle data). The vehicle data includes, for example, vehicle position information, vehicle speed information, information related to driving operation, and communication status. In addition, the vehicle management unit 1011 has a definition of a communication protocol with the vehicle 1.

[0090] The air-conditioning control unit 1012 identifies a vehicle (target vehicle) that performs remote air-conditioning based on the air-conditioning request received from the user terminal 200 , and transmits an air-conditioning command to the DCM 10 mounted on the designated target vehicle via the network.

[0091] The storage unit 102 is a device for storing information, and is composed of a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, etc. The storage unit 102 stores various programs executed by the control unit 101, data used by the programs, etc. In addition, the storage unit 102 stores data related to the vehicle 1 (an identifier of the vehicle 1, identification information of the DCM 10, etc.).

[0092] The communication unit 103 is an interface for connecting the central server 100 to a network. The communication unit 103 can communicate with the vehicle 1 and the user terminal 200 via, for example, the Internet or a mobile communication network.

[0093] Next, the user terminal 200 will be described. The user terminal 200 includes a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, a communication unit 203, and an input and output unit 204.

[0094] The control unit 201 is a tool for controlling the user terminal 200. The control unit 201 is composed of, for example, an information processing unit such as a CPU or a GPU.

[0095] As a functional module, the control unit 201 includes an air-conditioning request unit 2011. Each functional module can be realized by a program stored in a storage device such as a ROM and executed by a CPU.

[0096] The air conditioning request unit 2011 generates a request (air conditioning request) for operating the air conditioning of the vehicle 1 based on an operation performed by the user, and transmits the request to the central server 100. The air conditioning request unit 2011 is implemented by the above-mentioned application. The air conditioning request unit 2011 generates a user interface screen and provides it to the user. In addition, the air conditioning request unit 2011 acquires information input via the user interface screen and generates an air conditioning request based on the information.

[0097] The storage unit 202 is a device for storing information and is configured by a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The storage unit 202 stores various programs executed by the control unit 201, data used by the programs, and the like.

[0098] The communication unit 203 is an interface for connecting the user terminal 200 to a network (eg, the Internet and a mobile communication network). The communication unit 203 can communicate with the central server 100 using the same means as the communication unit 103 .

[0099] The input and output unit 204 is a device for receiving input operations performed by a user and presenting information to the user. Specifically, the input and output unit 204 is composed of a touch panel and a control device thereof, a liquid crystal display and a control device thereof. In the present embodiment, the touch panel and the liquid crystal display are composed of a touch panel display. In addition, the input and output unit 204 may have a speaker for outputting audio, etc.

[0100] Next, details of the air-conditioning parameters generated by the user terminal 200 and the user interface for generating the air-conditioning parameters will be described.

[0101] In order to operate the air conditioner of the vehicle, it is necessary to specify the air conditioning mode, temperature (target room temperature), operation time, heating device to be operated, etc. This information is called air conditioning parameters.

[0102] Figure 5 is an example of air conditioning parameters transmitted from the user terminal 200 to the central server 100. The air conditioning parameters include a vehicle identifier, an air conditioning mode, a temperature setting, a timer, information specifying a heating device to be operated, and the like.

[0103] The central server 100 generates a control command (air conditioning command) for the air conditioning ECU 20 of the vehicle 1 based on the received air conditioning parameters.

[0104] Figure 6 601, a slider for setting the temperature, a component for specifying the operation time of the heating device and the heating device to be operated (reference numeral 602), a button for sending a request (reference numeral 603), etc.

[0105] Next, the relationship between the remaining battery power and the availability of the remote air conditioner will be described.

[0106] Fig. 7A 701 is a diagram showing the remaining power of the hybrid battery of the vehicle 1. Here, when the remaining battery power after the remote air conditioner is assumed to be operated is lower than the threshold value indicated by reference numeral 701, the control intervention for prohibiting the remote air conditioner is performed. That is, the amount of power available for the remote air conditioner is the amount indicated by reference numeral 702.

[0107] Figure 7B 703 is a diagram showing the amount of power consumed by the heating devices whose operation is specified by the user. In the illustrated example, four types of operation are specified, namely, the air conditioner, the seat heater, the defogger, and the steering wheel heater. When all of these devices are operated, the amount of power used in the remote air conditioner is the amount indicated by reference numeral 703.

[0108] In the illustrated example, the amount of power used in the remote air conditioner (reference numeral 703) exceeds the amount of power available for the remote air conditioner (reference numeral 702). Therefore, the remote air conditioner itself cannot be executed.

[0109] In this case, the air conditioning ECU 20 according to the present embodiment generates a combination of heating devices that can be operated. Specifically, the air conditioning ECU 20 generates a combination of heating devices that can keep the power consumption within the threshold value, and operates the heating devices according to the generated combination. Fig. 7A and Figure 7B In the example of FIG. 1 , if there are two types of heating devices, namely, the seat heater and the defogger, the power consumption can be kept within the threshold value. Therefore, the air-conditioning ECU 20 operates only the two types of heating devices, namely, the seat heater and the defogger.

[0110] How much power each of the plurality of heating devices consumes may be calculated based on the power consumption and the operating time of each heating device.

[0111] In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 21 stores data indicating changes in power consumption when a plurality of heating devices are continuously operated as the power data 212A.

[0112] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B is an example of data showing changes in power consumption when a plurality of heating devices are continuously operated.

[0113] For example, Fig. 8A is a graph showing changes in power consumption of a heating device having a constant output (eg, a seat heater, a steering wheel heater, etc.). In addition, Figure 8B This is a graph showing changes in power consumption of a heating device (eg, a car air conditioner) whose output is not constant according to temperature conditions. In this example, different power consumption curves are defined according to the difference between the current temperature and the target temperature.

[0114] In the present embodiment, the microcomputer 21 stores such data as power data 212A and uses it to calculate the power consumption. For example, when it is specified that the remote air conditioning is performed for 10 minutes, the power consumption when each heating device is operated for 10 minutes is calculated. In addition, when it is specified that the remote air conditioning is performed until the target temperature is reached, the time until each heating device satisfies the condition (target temperature) is calculated, and the power consumption when each heating device is operated for this time is calculated. The microcomputer 21 may store data (e.g., data related to heating capacity) for calculating the time required for each heating device to reach the target temperature.

[0115] exist Figure 8BIn the example of , the change in power consumption is defined by using the elapsed time and the relative temperature (the difference between the current temperature and the target temperature). However, the change in power consumption can be defined by further using other information. For example, the heating capacity of a heat pump air conditioner may vary depending on the temperature outside the vehicle. Thus, the change in power consumption can be defined by using the elapsed time, the temperature outside the vehicle when air conditioning starts, the temperature inside the vehicle when air conditioning starts, the target temperature, or a combination thereof.

[0116] Through the above-described method, the air-conditioning ECU 20 can calculate the total amount of electric power consumed when the remote air-conditioning is performed according to the designated air-conditioning parameters.

[0117] Here, when the calculated power consumption exceeds the consumable amount of power, the air-conditioning ECU 20 generates a combination of the heating devices so that the power consumption amount is lower than a threshold value.

[0118] When there are multiple combinations, the combination to be adopted may be determined based on a priority predetermined for each heating device. For example, the operation may prioritize defogger, air conditioner, seat heater, and steering wheel heater in that order. The priority may be predetermined by the user.

[0119] Fig. 9 is a flow chart showing the flow of data between components included in the system.

[0120] When a user who desires to remotely air-condition a vehicle activates application software on the user terminal 200 , the user terminal 200 (air-conditioning request unit 2011 ) generates a user interface and provides the interface to the user (step S11 ).

[0121] In step S12 , the air conditioning request unit 2011 obtains the air conditioning parameters specified by the user via the generated user interface, and sends an air conditioning request including the air conditioning parameters to the central server 100 .

[0122] In step S13, the central server 100 (air conditioning control unit 1012) receives the air conditioning request and generates an air conditioning command to be sent to the target vehicle. The format and sending destination of the air conditioning command can be determined based on the data managed by the vehicle management unit 1011. The generated air conditioning command is sent to the DCM 10 provided in the target vehicle via the network.

[0123] In step S14, the DCM 10 provided in the target vehicle receives the air conditioning command and starts the remote air conditioning based on the air conditioning command. Specifically, the microcomputer 11 provided in the DCM 10 sends the received air conditioning command to the air conditioning ECU 20, and the microcomputer 21 provided in the air conditioning ECU 20 operates various heating devices according to the air conditioning command. At this time, the air conditioning ECU 20 (microcomputer 21) selects the heating device to be operated as needed.

[0124] This process will be described in more detail. Fig.10 is a flowchart of a process executed by the air-conditioning ECU 20 that has received the air-conditioning command in step S14 .

[0125] First, in step S21 , the power calculation unit 211A calculates the amount of power required until the operation of one or more heating devices requested to operate is completed by the above-described method.

[0126] Next, in step S22, the operation command unit 211B determines whether the remaining power of the hybrid battery after the calculated electric energy is consumed is lower than a predetermined threshold value. When an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S23. When a negative determination is made, the process ends.

[0127] In step S23, the operation command unit 211B selects the heating device to be operated according to a predetermined process. Specifically, a combination of heating devices whose power consumption is lower than a threshold is generated. When there are multiple combinations, the combination to be adopted can be determined based on the priority predetermined for each heating device.

[0128] Then, in step S24, the operation command unit 211B starts controlling the selected heating device. As a result, the selected heating device operates according to the specified parameters (temperature, mode, operation time, etc.). When the specified conditions (e.g., room temperature, operation time, etc.) are met, the air conditioning ECU 20 can stop the operation of the heating device.

[0129] The air-conditioning ECU 20 may generate data (response data) notifying that the operation of the heating device has started and transmit the data to the central server 100. The response data is transmitted to the central server 100 via the DCM 10. In addition, the central server 100 may transmit the response data to the user terminal 200. As a result, the user of the vehicle can be notified that the remote air-conditioning has been operating normally.

[0130] Furthermore, if all the heating devices whose operation is requested cannot be operated, the air-conditioning ECU 20 may include a notification to that effect in the response data. This enables, for example, notification to the user that there is a heating device that cannot be operated.

[0131] As described above, in the vehicle system according to the present disclosure, among the heating devices designated to be operated by the user, the heating device to be actually operated is selected based on the remaining battery power of the vehicle. In particular, since a plurality of heating devices are selected within the range of the available power amount, remote air conditioning can be performed even in an environment where remote air conditioning could not be performed in the past.

[0132] Second embodiment

[0133] In the first embodiment, the air-conditioning ECU provided in the vehicle selects the heating device to be actually operated. In contrast, the second embodiment is an embodiment in which the processing is performed in the central server 100.

[0134] In the second embodiment, the microcomputer 21 included in the air-conditioning ECU 20 does not have a function of selecting a heating device. In addition, it does not have a function of managing the power data 212A. That is, the microcomputer 21 included in the air-conditioning ECU 20 only performs control for operating the heating device by following the received air-conditioning command.

[0135] In contrast, in the second embodiment, the control unit 101 included in the central server 100 manages the remaining battery power of the plurality of vehicles and the power data corresponding to the plurality of vehicles. In addition, when an air conditioning request is received, a heating device to be actually operated is selected.

[0136] Fig.11 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of the central server 100 in the second embodiment. As shown in the figure, the control unit 101 included in the central server 100 has an air conditioning control unit 1012A. The air conditioning control unit 1012A is different from the air conditioning control unit 1012 in the first embodiment because it has an additional function of managing the remaining battery power of a plurality of vehicles 1 and selecting a heating device that is allowed to operate based on an air conditioning request received from the user terminal 200. In addition, the air conditioning control unit 1012A generates an air conditioning command for operating the selected heating device.

[0137] Data indicating the remaining battery power of the vehicle 1 may be included in the vehicle data collected by the vehicle management unit 1011. As a result, the central server 100 can grasp the remaining battery power of the plurality of vehicles 1.

[0138] Fig.12 2 is a flowchart showing the flow of data transmitted and received between each component in the second embodiment. The same processing as that of the first embodiment is indicated by a dotted line, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0139] In step S13A, based on the remaining battery power of the target vehicle to be remotely air-conditioned and the content of the air-conditioning request, the air-conditioning control unit 1012A generates an air-conditioning command after selecting the heating device to be operated by the above method. In this step, an air-conditioning command to operate an unselected heating device is not generated.

[0140] In step S14A, the air-conditioning ECU 20 operates the heating device according to the received air-conditioning command.

[0141] As mentioned above, the central server 100 can also select the heating device to operate.

[0142] When the process of step S11 is performed, the central server 100 can communicate with the user terminal 200 and provide the user terminal 200 with information about the current remaining battery power of the target vehicle or the operable heating device in advance. According to this form, the user of the vehicle can recognize in advance that the operation of the heating device is restricted.

[0143] Variants

[0144] The above-described embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention may be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0145] For example, the processes and apparatuses described in the present invention may be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0146] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and performed by a plurality of devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be performed by one device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) for realizing each function can be flexibly changed.

[0147] The present disclosure can also be implemented by providing a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and causing one or more processors of the computer to read and implement the program. Such a computer program can be provided to the computer via a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer, or can be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage media are, for example, any type of disk, such as a disk (floppy disk (registered trademark), hard disk drive (HDD)), optical disk (compact disk (CD)-read-only memory (ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray disc, etc.), ROM, random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic card, flash memory, optical card and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic commands.

Claims

1. An information processing device for controlling a vehicle including a plurality of heating devices, the information processing device include: a storage unit storing first data related to power consumption of each of the plurality of heating devices included in the vehicle and second data related to heating capacity of each of the plurality of heating devices included in the vehicle; A control unit, the control unit performing: Acquiring an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal, wherein the air conditioning request includes a condition specifying a condition for terminating the operation of the heating device; calculating, using the second data, a time until each of the plurality of heating devices designated to operate by the air conditioning request satisfies the condition; calculating, using the first data, an amount of power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices whose operation is specified by the air conditioning request operates for the time; determining whether the remaining battery power of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined threshold after the calculated total amount of the electric power consumption is consumed; and When it is determined that the remaining battery charge is lower than the predetermined threshold, based on the remaining battery charge of the vehicle and the calculated power consumption, a heating device to be operated is selected from the heating devices specified for operation by the air-conditioning request, so that the remaining battery charge after the operation of the heating device is terminated is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, in, The storage unit stores data on changes in power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices continuously operates.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, in, The storage unit stores data on changes in power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices continuously operates under predetermined temperature conditions.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, in, The control unit performs the selection based on a priority set for each of the plurality of heating devices.

5. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in, As a result of the selection, when the operation of at least one of the heating devices to which the operation is specified is restricted, the control unit notifies the user.

6. An information processing method for controlling a vehicle including a plurality of heating devices, the information processing method include: a step of storing first data related to power consumption of each of a plurality of said heating devices included in said vehicle and second data related to heating capacity of each of a plurality of said heating devices included in said vehicle; The step of acquiring an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal, wherein the air conditioning request includes a condition specifying a condition for terminating the operation of the heating device; a step of calculating a time until each of the plurality of heating devices designated to operate by the air conditioning request satisfies the condition using the second data; a step of calculating, using the first data, the amount of power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices whose operation is specified by the air conditioning request operates for the time; a step of determining whether the remaining battery power of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined threshold after the calculated total amount of the electric power consumption is consumed; and When it is determined that the remaining battery charge is lower than the predetermined threshold, a step is performed to select a heating device to be operated from among the heating devices specified for operation by the air-conditioning request based on the remaining battery charge of the vehicle and the calculated power consumption, so that the remaining battery charge after the operation of the heating device is terminated is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

7. The information processing method according to claim 6, in, Data related to changes in power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices is continuously operated is acquired.

8. The information processing method according to claim 6, in, Data related to changes in power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices is continuously operated under predetermined temperature conditions is acquired.

9. The information processing method according to claim 6, in, The selection is performed based on a priority set for each of the plurality of heating devices.

10. The information processing method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, in, As a result of the selection, when the operation of at least one of the heating devices for which the operation is specified is restricted, the user is notified. 11 . A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method according to claim 6 .

12. A vehicle, include: Multiple heating devices; Driving battery; a storage unit storing first data related to power consumption of each of the plurality of heating devices included in the vehicle and second data related to heating capacity of each of the plurality of heating devices included in the vehicle; as well as A control unit that performs: Acquiring an air conditioning request sent from a user terminal, wherein the air conditioning request includes a condition specifying a condition for terminating the operation of the heating device; calculating, using the second data, a time until each of the plurality of heating devices designated to operate by the air conditioning request satisfies the condition; calculating, using the first data, an amount of power consumption when each of the plurality of heating devices whose operation is specified by the air conditioning request operates for the time; determining whether the remaining battery power of the vehicle is lower than a predetermined threshold after the calculated total amount of the electric power consumption is consumed; and When it is determined that the remaining battery charge is lower than the predetermined threshold, based on the remaining battery charge of the vehicle and the calculated power consumption, a heating device to be operated is selected from the heating devices specified for operation by the air-conditioning request, so that the remaining battery charge after the operation of the heating device is terminated is not lower than the predetermined threshold.

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