Vehicle management device, vehicle management system, and vehicle management method

Abstract

To provide a vehicle management device with which, in car sharing of electric vehicles, it is possible to provide appropriate services responding to the use state of the electric vehicles.SOLUTION: A vehicle management device 100 comprises a set information acquisition unit 111, a vehicle information acquisition unit 112, a management vehicle information acquisition unit 113, a replacement necessity determination unit 114, a secure replacement vehicle determination unit 115, and a notification unit 116. The set information acquisition unit 111 acquires set information including information related to the destination of a vehicle. The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires first vehicle information including first position information indicating the position information of a vehicle and battery information related to the remaining capacity of the battery of the vehicle. The management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires second vehicle information including second position information of a replacement vehicle and the battery information. The secure replacement vehicle determination unit 115 determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured, on the basis of the second vehicle information, when it is determined by the replacement necessity determination unit 114 that the vehicle is unable to travel to the destination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle management device, a vehicle management system, and a vehicle management method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, car sharing systems have been proposed to provide a car sharing service in which a vehicle is shared by multiple people. Patent Document 1 discloses a rechargeable vehicle management system for car sharing of rechargeable vehicles such as electric vehicles. The rechargeable vehicle management system disclosed in Patent Document 1 provides shared cars and charging stations for transfers that can be used on the route to the destination, and provides facilities for allowing the user to reach the destination based on priority conditions determined by the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-75967 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It takes a long time to charge an electric vehicle compared to the time it takes to refuel a gasoline-powered vehicle. In addition, the remaining charge of the battery in an electric vehicle varies greatly depending on road conditions and the driving style (driving conditions) of the user. For example, in the rechargeable vehicle management system disclosed in Patent Document 1, if the shared car consumes more power than originally planned after the user departs for the destination, it is not possible to select a route other than the initially planned candidate route. In addition, in the rechargeable vehicle management system disclosed in Patent Document 1, after the user departs for the destination, it is determined whether or not a route re-search is necessary after a predetermined time has elapsed, making it difficult to respond appropriately to a case where the shared car consumes a large amount of power in a short period of time.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems inherent in the conventional technology, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle management device that is capable of providing appropriate services in accordance with the usage status of electric vehicles in car sharing of electric vehicles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle management device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a setting information acquisition unit that acquires setting information set by a user, the setting information including information regarding the vehicle's destination; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires first vehicle information including first location information indicating the vehicle's location information and battery information regarding the remaining battery power of the vehicle from an on-board device mounted on the vehicle and stores it in a memory unit; a replacement necessity determination unit that determines whether the vehicle can drive to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information; a management vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires second vehicle information including second location information including the location information of the replacement vehicle and battery information of the replacement vehicle; a replacement vehicle securing determination unit that determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured based on the second vehicle information when the replacement necessity determination unit determines that the vehicle cannot be driven to the destination; and a notification unit that notifies a user terminal carried by the user and / or the on-board device of the second location information of the replacement vehicle when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured.

[0007] A vehicle management system according to another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle management system for managing a plurality of vehicles in a car sharing system, and includes a vehicle management device, an on-board device mounted on the vehicle, a user terminal, and a replacement vehicle. The vehicle management device includes a setting information acquisition unit that acquires setting information set by a user, the setting information including information regarding the destination of the vehicle, a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires first vehicle information from the on-board device mounted on the vehicle, the first vehicle information including first location information indicating location information of the vehicle and battery information regarding the remaining charge of the vehicle's battery, and stores the first vehicle information in a memory unit, and based on the setting information and the first vehicle information, The system includes a replacement necessity determination unit which determines whether the vehicle can be driven to the destination, a management vehicle information acquisition unit which acquires second vehicle information including second location information including location information of the replacement vehicle and battery information of the replacement vehicle, a replacement vehicle securing determination unit which, when it is determined by the replacement necessity determination unit that the vehicle cannot be driven to the destination, determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured based on the second vehicle information, and a notification unit which, when it is determined by the replacement vehicle securing determination unit that a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured, notifies a user terminal and / or an in-vehicle device carried by the user of the second location information of the replacement vehicle.

[0008] A vehicle management method according to another aspect of the present invention is a vehicle management method executed by a computer, which acquires setting information set by a user and including information regarding the vehicle's destination, acquires first vehicle information including first location information indicating the vehicle's location information and battery information regarding the remaining battery charge of the vehicle from an on-board device mounted on the vehicle, determines whether the vehicle can drive to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information, acquires second vehicle information including second location information including the location information of a replacement vehicle and battery information of the replacement vehicle, and if it is determined that the vehicle cannot drive to the destination, determines based on the second vehicle information whether a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured, and if it is determined that a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured, notifies the user terminal and / or the on-board device carried by the user of the second location information of the replacement vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, a vehicle management device can be provided that is capable of providing appropriate services in accordance with the usage status of electric vehicles in car sharing of electric vehicles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle management system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of an in-vehicle device. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a vehicle management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 5A] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of user vehicle information according to the embodiment; [Figure 5B] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of management vehicle information according to the embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a sequence diagram in the vehicle management system according to the embodiment; [Figure 7A] 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of the vehicle management device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7B] 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of the vehicle management device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 10] 13 is a diagram for explaining a relationship between a replacement vehicle and a charging station in the processing of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. FIG. [Figure 11A] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 11B] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 11C]13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 12] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 13A] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 13B] 13 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a vehicle management device according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The vehicle management system 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for the sake of explanation and may differ from the actual ratios. In addition, in the following description of the drawings, the same or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals.

[0012] (Configuration of vehicle management system 1) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a vehicle management system 1 according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the vehicle management system 1 is a system that manages multiple vehicles in a car sharing system. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle management system 1 includes a management center terminal 10, a vehicle 20, a user terminal 30, a replacement vehicle 40, and a network 50. In addition, the vehicle management system 1 enables communication between the management center terminal 10, the vehicle 20 and the vehicle on-board device 200 of the replacement vehicle 40, and the user terminal 30 via the network 50.

[0013] In the vehicle management system 1, a user 31 reserves a vehicle 20 via a user terminal 30 carried by the user 31. The management center terminal 10 acquires reservation information for the vehicle 20 set via the user terminal 30, and notifies the user terminal 30 of available vehicles 20. Based on the information notified from the management center terminal 10, the user 31 gets into the vehicle 20 to be used, and drives to the destination.

[0014] Furthermore, in the vehicle management system 1, when it is determined that the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20 in which the user 31 is riding is insufficient to travel to the destination, a replacement vehicle 40 is provided, and the user 31 transfers from the vehicle 20 to the replacement vehicle 40 and heads to the destination. In this specification, the vehicle in which the user 31 first rides is referred to as the vehicle 20, and the vehicle that the user rides in when a transfer becomes necessary is referred to as the replacement vehicle 40. Details regarding the provision of the replacement vehicle 40 will be described later.

[0015] (Configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 200) Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 200 mounted on the vehicle 20 and the exchange vehicle 40. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle-mounted device 200 includes a CPU 210. The vehicle-mounted device 200 also includes a speed signal IF 231, an engine signal IF 232, a GPS IF 233 (Global Positioning System), an external input IF 234, a sensor signal IF 235, and a battery state signal IF 236. The vehicle-mounted device 200 also includes a wide-area communication module 241, a non-volatile memory 242, a volatile memory 243, an SD card 244, a SW input unit 245, and an LCD 246 (Liquid Crystal Display).

[0016] The CPU 210 executes pre-installed programs to realize various functions required for the vehicle-mounted device 200. The main operations of the CPU 210 will be described later.

[0017] The speed signal IF 231 converts a predetermined vehicle speed signal output from the vehicle side into a signal suitable for input processing by the CPU 210. The CPU 210 can grasp the traveling speed and traveling distance of the vehicle 20 by monitoring the number of pulses and the signal period of the vehicle speed signal.

[0018] The engine signal IF 232 converts a predetermined engine rotation signal output from the vehicle side into a signal suitable for input processing by the CPU 210. The CPU 210 can grasp the engine rotation speed (rpm) by monitoring the number of pulses and the signal period of the engine rotation signal.

[0019] The GPSIF 233 is used to input a signal from a GPS receiver (not shown) to the CPU 210. The GPS receiver receives radio waves from a plurality of GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites and can calculate the current position of the vehicle 20, which is the reception point. The CPU 210 can obtain information on the current position from the GPS receiver via the GPSIF 233.

[0020] The external input IF 234 converts a predetermined external signal into a signal suitable for input processing by the CPU 210. For example, a signal indicating a gear position is input as the predetermined external signal. In addition, a signal indicating the magnitude of acceleration applied to the vehicle 20 can be input to the external input IF 234 as an external signal.

[0021] The sensor signal IF235 is used to input information acquired by sensors provided in the vehicle 20, such as an angular velocity sensor, a weight sensor, a temperature sensor, etc., to the CPU 210. For example, the sensor signal IF235 can convert an analog signal indicating the temperature at a specific location in the luggage compartment of the vehicle 20 into a digital signal and provide it to the CPU 210.

[0022] The battery state signal IF 236 is used to input a signal indicating the state of the batteries of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40 to the CPU 210. In this embodiment, the information indicating the battery state is, for example, information indicating the remaining charge of the battery.

[0023] The wide area communication module 241 has a function of securing a wireless communication line with a wireless base station (not shown) provided by a mobile communication carrier, for example, and enabling wide area wireless communication. The wide area communication module 241 can communicate with the management center terminal 10 via an antenna (not shown) and the network 50.

[0024] The non-volatile memory 242 is an electronic device such as a flash memory that can read data and rewrite the stored data by accessing the CPU 210. The non-volatile memory 242 is used to store data such as various parameters, constant data, programs, etc. used by the vehicle-mounted device 200.

[0025] The volatile memory 243 is a semiconductor memory device from which data can be read and written by access from the CPU 210. The volatile memory 243 is used to temporarily store various data handled by the CPU 210.

[0026] The SD card 244 is detachably connected to the vehicle-mounted device 200 using a predetermined card interface (not shown). The SD card 244 is used to store various data to be recorded by the vehicle-mounted device 200, such as operation data of the vehicle 20.

[0027] The SW input unit 245 includes switches that generate signals representing the operation states of a plurality of buttons for receiving input operations by a user such as the driver of the vehicle 20. For example, switch signals acquired by the SW input unit 245 include an ON / OFF signal of an ignition SW (not shown), an ON / OFF signal of a brake SW (not shown), an ON / OFF signal of a turn signal SW (not shown), etc. Signals of the operation states of each button (SW) are input from the SW input unit 245 to the CPU 210.

[0028] The LCD 246 is positioned on the front of the housing of the vehicle-mounted device 200 in a position that is easily visible to the driver, and is used under the control of the CPU 210 to display the operating status of the vehicle-mounted device 200 and to display information required for the user's input operations.

[0029] (Configuration of management center terminal 10) Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the management center terminal 10. As shown in Fig. 3, the management center terminal 10 includes a vehicle management device 100 as a function. In this embodiment, the vehicle management device 100 is configured by a general computer including a control unit 110, a storage unit 120, an input / output IF 130 (Interface), and a communication IF 140. The control unit 110 and the storage unit 120 will be described in detail later.

[0030] Furthermore, when the user terminal 30 is realized by a personal computer, a smartphone, a tablet, or the like, the configuration thereof may be the same as the configuration shown in the block diagram of FIG.

[0031] The input / output IF 130 is, for example, a component (interface) for a user to exchange data with the management center terminal 10. The input / output IF 130 includes, for example, an input IF and an output IF (not shown).

[0032] The input IF in the input / output IF 130 has an interface function for inputting various information by the user, and information is input from outside the management center terminal 10. Information is input to the input IF by the user via, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, a trackball, a voice recognition device, or the like, connected to the management center terminal 10. The input IF can also input information as a data input terminal for inputting data from an external storage device (not shown) or the like.

[0033] The output IF in the input / output IF 130 can display the shipper destination information and operation information described below on a display device (not shown) connected to the management center terminal 10. The display device is, for example, a display device, a projector device, or the like.

[0034] The communication IF 140 is an interface for enabling mutual communication between the management center terminal 10, the vehicle-mounted devices 200 of the vehicles 20 and the exchange vehicles 40, and the user terminal 30 via the network 50.

[0035] (Functions of vehicle management device 100) Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle management device 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 includes, as functions, a setting information acquisition unit 111, a vehicle information acquisition unit 112, a managed vehicle information acquisition unit 113, a replacement necessity determination unit 114, a replacement vehicle reservation determination unit 115, and a notification unit 116. Each function of the control unit 110 will be described later.

[0036] The control unit 110 also operates, for example, an operating system to control the entire management center terminal 10. Furthermore, the control unit 110 operates based on a program stored in the storage unit 120 to execute the above-mentioned functions. Note that the program is not limited to being stored in the storage unit 120, and may be stored, for example, in a ROM (Read Only Memory) (not shown) within the vehicle management device 100.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 4, the storage unit 120 stores information contained in a user vehicle information DB 121 (DB: Database) and a managed vehicle information DB 122 as data. The storage unit 120 for storing these data may be one or more. For example, a single storage unit 120 may be configured to store the data in separate areas. Alternatively, the data may be distributed and stored in multiple storage devices installed in physically separate locations.

[0038] The setting information acquisition unit 111 acquires setting information, which is information set by the user 31 and includes information regarding the destination of the vehicle 20. The setting information may also include information regarding the boarding date and time. In this embodiment, the setting information is, for example, input by the user 31 via the user terminal 30, and transmitted to the setting information acquisition unit 111 of the vehicle management device 100 via the network 50. Note that, for example, the setting information may be updated by the user 31 using the in-vehicle device 200 after boarding the reserved vehicle 20, and transmitted to the setting information acquisition unit 111 of the vehicle management device 100 via the wide area communication module 241.

[0039] The setting information acquired by the setting information acquisition unit 111 is stored in the user vehicle information DB 121 of the storage unit 120. FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an example of the setting information stored in the user vehicle information DB 121. As shown in FIG. 5A, the user vehicle information DB 121 stores information on the items of "user ID", "vehicle ID", "boarding date and time", "destination", "expected date and time of arrival at destination", "location information", "battery state", "previous location information", and "previous battery state". That is, the user vehicle information DB 121 includes information acquired by the setting information acquisition unit 111 and the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 described below. Note that the "battery state" corresponds to battery information. Also, the "previous battery state" corresponds to previous battery information.

[0040] The "user ID" and "vehicle ID" are identification information for identifying the user 31 and the vehicle 20. The "boarding date and time" is the boarding date and time of the vehicle 20 reserved by the user 31. The "boarding date and time" may also be information indicating the date and time when the user 31 actually boarded the vehicle 20. The "destination" is information set by the user 31. The "estimated arrival date and time at destination" is the scheduled arrival date and time of the vehicle 20 reserved by the user 31. The "estimated arrival date and time at destination" may also be a date and time calculated by the vehicle management device 100 of the management center terminal 10 based on the location information of the vehicle 20 and information related to the "destination."

[0041] The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires first vehicle information including first location information indicating location information of the vehicle 20 and battery information related to the remaining charge of the battery of the vehicle 20 from the in-vehicle device 200 mounted on the vehicle 20. The first location information is information acquired via the GPS IF 233 of the in-vehicle device 200. Moreover, the battery information is information acquired via the battery status signal IF 236 of the in-vehicle device 200. The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 stores the first location information and battery information included in the acquired first vehicle information in the user vehicle information DB 121.

[0042] "Location information" is information indicating the location of the vehicle 20 transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 200. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, the "location information" stores point A1. In the example shown in FIG. 5A, an example is shown in which the vehicle 20 located at point A1 heads toward point A5 stored in "destination". In addition, in this specification, it is assumed that points A2 and A3 exist on the route from point A1 to point A5. It is also assumed that points C3 and B1 shown in FIG. 5B described later do not exist on the route from point A1 to point A5, but are located away from the route from point A1 to point A5.

[0043] "Battery status" is information indicating the remaining charge of the battery of the vehicle 20 transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 200. In the example shown in Fig. 5A, "battery status" indicates the remaining charge in percentage.

[0044] In this embodiment, the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 stores the “previous location information” and the “previous battery state”. Specifically, when the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires new “location information” and “battery state”, the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 stores the previously acquired “location information” and “battery state” as the “previous location information” and the “previous battery state”.

[0045] The management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires second position information including the position information of the replacement vehicle 40 and second vehicle information including the battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. That is, in this specification, the position information of the vehicle 20 corresponds to the first position information, and the position information of the replacement vehicle 40 corresponds to the second position information. Also, the information including the first position information and the battery information of the vehicle 20 corresponds to the first vehicle information, and the information including the second position information and the battery information of the replacement vehicle 40 corresponds to the second vehicle information. In this way, the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires the second vehicle information including the travel schedule information of the multiple replacement vehicles 40 via the on-board device 200 mounted on the replacement vehicle 40. This makes it possible for the vehicle management device 100 to appropriately acquire the state of the replacement vehicle 40 managed in the car sharing and provide an appropriate service according to the usage status of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40.

[0046] Furthermore, the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 stores the acquired information in the management vehicle information DB 122. Fig. 5B is a diagram showing an example of information stored in the management vehicle information DB 122. The management vehicle information DB 122 stores information related to "vehicle ID", "reservation status", "reservation user ID", "location information", and "battery state". Furthermore, the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 reflects the information stored in the user vehicle information DB 121 in the corresponding location of the management vehicle information DB 122.

[0047] "Vehicle ID" is identification information for identifying vehicle 20 and replacement vehicle 40. The "vehicle ID" in the managed vehicle information DB 122 is information corresponding to the "vehicle ID" stored in the user vehicle information DB 121. "Reservation status" is information indicating the reservation status of vehicle 20 and replacement vehicle 40 in car sharing. In this embodiment, the "reservation status" corresponds to driving schedule information.

[0048] "Reservation user ID" is identification information for identifying the person who made the reservation for the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40 based on the reservation status. "Location information" is information indicating the location of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40. "Battery status" is information indicating the remaining battery power of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40 transmitted from the in-vehicle device 200. In the example shown in FIG. 5B, "battery status" indicates the remaining power as a percentage.

[0049] The replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information. Specifically, based on the battery information included in the first vehicle information, the travelable distance (electricity cost) per unit battery capacity determined for each vehicle, and the distance to the destination, it determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination with the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20.

[0050] In addition, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 may determine that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination when the battery decrease rate is greater than a predetermined rate. The battery decrease rate is calculated as the difference between the "previous battery state" and the "battery state" per unit distance. In addition, the unit distance is calculated based on the "previous position information" and the "position information".

[0051] That is, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination when the battery decrease rate determined based on the first location information, the previous location information, the battery information, and the previous battery information is greater than a predetermined rate. Furthermore, the predetermined rate is, for example, twice the battery decrease rate estimated based on the drivable distance (electricity cost) per unit battery capacity determined for each vehicle. That is, in this embodiment, when the battery decrease rate is greater than twice the decrease rate estimated based on the electricity cost determined for each vehicle, it may be determined that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination. Note that the configuration in which the predetermined rate is doubled does not limit the configuration of this embodiment, and the predetermined rate may be set in the range of, for example, 1.5 to 3 times.

[0052] In this way, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 may determine that the vehicle 20 of the battery cannot travel to the destination when the rate of decrease in the battery is greater than a predetermined rate. This allows the vehicle management device 100 to estimate that it will be difficult for the vehicle 20 to travel to the destination in the subsequent travel, even if it is determined that the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination in the acquired battery state indicating the remaining battery power. For example, in cases where a sudden decrease in the battery occurs due to the driving status of the user 31 or road conditions, it becomes possible to estimate in advance that it will be difficult for the vehicle 20 to travel to the destination, and it is possible to provide an appropriate service according to the usage status of the vehicle 20.

[0053] When the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether or not a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured based on the second vehicle information. Specifically, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether or not a replacement vehicle 40 can be secured in a location where the vehicle 20 can reach, based on the position information of the vehicle 20. In addition, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether or not the replacement vehicle 40 can travel to the destination, based on the battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. In other words, when there is a replacement vehicle 40 that can travel to the destination in a location where the vehicle 20 can reach, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured.

[0054] In the example shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, for example, if it is determined that the vehicle 20 with the "vehicle ID" C003 cannot travel to the destination point A5, in the example shown in FIG. 5B, the replacement vehicle 40 with the "vehicle ID" other than C003 becomes a candidate. Here, the replacement vehicle 40 with the "vehicle ID" C001 is reserved during the time period when the vehicle 20 with the C003 heads to the destination, and is located at the C3 point, so it is determined that it is not a replacement target. In addition, the replacement vehicle 40 with the "vehicle ID" C002 is also determined to be not a replacement target because it is located at the B1 point. On the other hand, the replacement vehicles 40 with the "vehicle IDs" C004 and C005 are not reserved, and are located at the A2 point and the A3 point, which are located on the route from the A1 point to the A5 point. Furthermore, the replacement vehicles 40 with the "vehicle IDs" C004 and C005 also have the "battery state" indicating the remaining battery power of 100%, and are able to travel to the destination point A5. Therefore, in the example shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that the replacement vehicles 40 with the "vehicle IDs" C004 and C005 are replacement vehicles 40 that can travel to the destination.

[0055] When the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured, the notification unit 116 notifies the user 31 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40 via the user terminal 30. In addition, when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured, the notification unit 116 may notify the in-vehicle device 200 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and display the information on the LCD 246 of the in-vehicle device 200. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, as described above, it is determined that the replacement vehicles 40 with the "vehicle IDs" C004 and C005 are replaceable, and the notification unit 116 notifies information related to these "vehicle IDs" C004 and C005.

[0056] (Sequence diagram of the processing of the vehicle management system 1) Next, the flow of processing in the vehicle management system 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to a sequence diagram shown in FIG.

[0057] In step S601, the user 31 reserves the vehicle 20 via the user terminal 30. Specifically, in step S601, the user 31 inputs setting information including a destination. Note that the user 31 may input updated information using the in-vehicle device 200 after boarding the reserved vehicle 20.

[0058] In step S602, the setting information input by the user 31 is transmitted from the user terminal 30 to the management center terminal 10 via the network 50. Also in step S602, the setting information acquisition unit 111 of the management center terminal 10 stores the acquired setting information in the user vehicle information DB 121. Note that the setting information transmitted to the management center terminal 10 may be update information or the like input by the user 31 using the vehicle-mounted device 200 after the user 31 gets into the reserved vehicle 20.

[0059] In step S603, the vehicle-mounted device 200 acquires vehicle information. The vehicle information acquired in step S603 is first vehicle information including first position information indicating the position information of the vehicle 20 and battery information relating to the remaining capacity of the battery of the vehicle 20.

[0060] In step S604, the vehicle-mounted device 200 transmits the first vehicle information to the management center terminal 10. Also in step S604, the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 of the management center terminal 10 acquires the first vehicle information and stores the acquired first vehicle information in the user vehicle information DB121.

[0061] In step S605, the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires second position information including position information of the replacement vehicle 40 and second vehicle information including battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. The management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 also stores the acquired information in the management vehicle information DB 122. In step S605, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information. Furthermore, in step S605, when the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured based on the second vehicle information.

[0062] In step S606, when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured, the notification unit 116 notifies the vehicle-mounted device 200 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40. In addition, the notification unit 116 may notify the user 31 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40 via the user terminal 30.

[0063] In step S607, the user 31 selects a replacement vehicle 40 from the information displayed on the LCD 246 of the in-vehicle device 200. Also, in step S607, the user 31 may select a replacement vehicle 40 from the information displayed on the display screen of the user terminal 30.

[0064] In step S608, information about the replacement vehicle 40 is notified from the in-vehicle device 200 to the management center terminal 10. When the user 31 selects the replacement vehicle 40 on the user terminal 30, information about the replacement vehicle 40 may be notified from the user terminal 30 to the management center terminal 10.

[0065] In step S609, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 of the management center terminal 10 reserves a replacement vehicle 40. Specifically, the replacement vehicle 40 is placed in a reserved state for the time when the user 31 plans to use it as the replacement vehicle 40. The control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 stores the reservation status of the reserved vehicle in the "reservation status" of the management vehicle information DB 122. In this embodiment, the "reservation status" corresponds to driving schedule information.

[0066] In step S610, the notification unit 116 notifies the in-vehicle device 200 of information indicating that the reservation (reservation) of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed. The information indicating that the reservation (reservation) of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed may include location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and information regarding the vehicle type.

[0067] In step S611, the notification unit 116 notifies the user terminal 30 of information indicating that the reservation of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed. The information indicating that the reservation of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed may include location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and information regarding the vehicle type.

[0068] Based on the processing in the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 6, when a replacement vehicle 40 becomes necessary for driving the vehicle 20 to the destination, the user 31 can acquire information about the replacement vehicle 40, switch to the replacement vehicle 40, and drive to the destination. Also, in the sequence diagram shown in Fig. 6, the processing (loop L60) from step S603, in which the in-vehicle device 200 acquires vehicle information at predetermined intervals, to step S611, in which the reservation completion notification is issued, is repeatedly performed until the destination is reached.

[0069] (Outline of processing flow of vehicle management device 100) Next, the flow of processing in the vehicle management device 100 will be shown using the flowcharts shown in Figures 7A and 7B. The series of operations of the vehicle management device 100 shown in the flowcharts of Figures 7A and 7B begins when the vehicle management device 100 is started, and ends when the processing ends. The processing in the flowcharts shown in Figures 7A and 7B also ends when the power is turned off or an interrupt occurs to end the processing. In addition, in the explanation of the flowcharts below, the same content as that described in the explanation of the vehicle management system 1 and the vehicle management device 100 above will be omitted or simplified.

[0070] In step S701, the setting information acquisition unit 111 acquires setting information that is set by the user 31 and includes information about the destination of the vehicle 20. The setting information acquisition unit 111 stores the acquired setting information in the user vehicle information DB 121 of the storage unit 120. After that, the process proceeds to step S702.

[0071] In step S702, the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires first vehicle information including first location information indicating the location information of the vehicle 20 and battery information related to the remaining battery power of the vehicle 20 from the in-vehicle device 200 mounted on the vehicle 20. The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 stores the first location information and the battery information included in the acquired first vehicle information in the user vehicle information DB 121. After that, the process proceeds to step S703.

[0072] In step S703, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines whether vehicle replacement is necessary. That is, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information. Specifically, based on the battery information included in the first vehicle information, the mileage (electricity cost) per unit battery capacity determined for each vehicle, and the distance to the destination, it determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination with the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20. In step S703, if the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that vehicle replacement is necessary (step S703: YES), the process proceeds to step S704. On the other hand, in step S703, if the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that vehicle replacement is not necessary (step S703: NO), the process proceeds to step S712.

[0073] In step S704, the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires second position information including the position information of the replacement vehicle 40 and second vehicle information including the battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. In addition, the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 stores the acquired information in the management vehicle information DB 122. After that, the process proceeds to step S705.

[0074] In step S705, when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured, the notification unit 116 notifies the vehicle-mounted device 200 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40. In addition, the notification unit 116 may notify the user 31 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40 via the user terminal 30. After that, the process proceeds to step S706.

[0075] In step S706, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 acquires vehicle exchange selection information related to the exchange vehicle 40 selected by the user 31. After that, the process proceeds to step S707.

[0076] In step S707, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31 can be secured. Specifically, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31 can be secured in a place where the vehicle 20 can reach, based on the position information of the vehicle 20. In addition, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether the replacement vehicle 40 can travel to the destination, based on the battery information of the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31. In other words, when there is a replacement vehicle 40 that can travel to the destination in a place where the vehicle 20 can reach, the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured.

[0077] In step S707, if the replacement vehicle reservation determination unit 115 determines that the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31 is available for reservation (step S707: YES), the process proceeds to step S708. On the other hand, in step S707, if the replacement vehicle reservation determination unit 115 determines that the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31 is not available for reservation (step S707: NO), the process returns to step S704, and the process from step S704 is repeatedly performed.

[0078] In step S708, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 reserves a replacement vehicle 40. Specifically, the replacement vehicle 40 is placed in a reserved state for the time when the user 31 plans to use the replacement vehicle 40. The control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 stores the reservation status of the reserved vehicle in the "reservation status" of the managed vehicle information DB 122. In this embodiment, the "reservation status" corresponds to driving schedule information. Then, the process proceeds to step S709.

[0079] In step S709, the notification unit 116 notifies the in-vehicle device 200 of information indicating that the reservation (reservation) of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed. This information indicating that the reservation (reservation) of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed may include location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and information regarding the vehicle type. In addition, the notification unit 116 may notify the user terminal 30 of information indicating that the reservation (reservation) of the replacement vehicle 40 has been completed. After that, the process proceeds to step S710.

[0080] In step S710, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines whether or not information indicating whether the user 31 has exited the vehicle 20 has been acquired. The information indicating whether or not the user 31 has exited the vehicle 20 is transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 200 of the vehicle 20 to the vehicle management device 100 of the management center terminal 10. In step S710, if the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines that the exit information has been acquired (step S710: YES), the process proceeds to step S711. On the other hand, in step S710, if the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines that the exit information has not been acquired (step S710: NO), the process repeats step S710. That is, the process of step S710 is repeated until the user 31 exits the vehicle 20.

[0081] In step S711, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 judges whether or not the boarding information of the replacement vehicle 40 has been acquired. Specifically, when the user 31 boards the replacement vehicle 40, the control unit 110 judges whether or not the boarding information of the replacement vehicle 40 has been acquired based on the information transmitted from the on-board device 200 of the replacement vehicle 40 to the vehicle management device 100. When the user 31 boards the replacement vehicle 40, the information transmitted to the vehicle management device 100 may be, for example, information that the ignition SW of the replacement vehicle 40 is turned on, which is acquired by the on-board device 200 and transmitted to the vehicle management device 100. Alternatively, a configuration may be used in which, when the user 31 boards the replacement vehicle 40, information indicating that the user 31 has boarded the replacement vehicle 40 is transmitted to the vehicle management device 100 via the user terminal 30.

[0082] In step S711, if the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines that the boarding information of the replacement vehicle 40 has been acquired (step S711: YES), the process proceeds to step S712. On the other hand, in step S711, if the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines that the boarding information of the replacement vehicle 40 has not been acquired (step S711: NO), the process repeats step S711. That is, the process of step S711 is repeated until the user 31 boards the replacement vehicle 40.

[0083] In step S712, the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines whether the user 31 has arrived at the destination using the vehicle 20 or the replacement vehicle 40. The control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 may determine whether the user 31 has arrived at the destination, for example, based on the first location information or the second location information sent from the vehicle-mounted device 200 of the vehicle 20 or the replacement vehicle 40. In step S712, if the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines that the user 31 has arrived at the destination (step S712: YES), the process ends. On the other hand, in step S712, if the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 determines that the user 31 has not arrived at the destination (step S712: NO), the process returns to step S702, and the process from step S702 is repeatedly performed.

[0084] As described above, the vehicle management device 100 according to the present embodiment includes a setting information acquisition unit 111, a vehicle information acquisition unit 112, a management vehicle information acquisition unit 113, a replacement necessity determination unit 114, a replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115, and a notification unit 116. The setting information acquisition unit 111 acquires setting information including information regarding the destination of the vehicle. The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 acquires first vehicle information including first location information indicating the location information of the vehicle and battery information regarding the remaining battery capacity of the vehicle. The management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires second vehicle information including second location information and battery information of the replacement vehicle. The replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured based on the second vehicle information when the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that the vehicle cannot travel to the destination.

[0085] This enables the vehicle management device 100 to provide a vehicle to the destination based on the location information and battery status of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40, thereby enabling the provision of appropriate services in car sharing based on the usage status of electric vehicles.

[0086] Furthermore, the vehicle information acquisition unit 112 stores the previously acquired first location information and battery information in the storage unit 120 as previous location information and previous battery information. Furthermore, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 may determine that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination when a battery decrease rate determined based on the first location information, the previous location information, the battery information, and the previous battery information is greater than a predetermined rate. This makes it possible to estimate in advance that it will be difficult for the vehicle 20 to travel to the destination when a sudden decrease in battery power occurs due to the driving status of the user 31 or road conditions, and thus makes it possible to provide an appropriate service according to the usage status of the vehicle 20.

[0087] Furthermore, the managed vehicle information acquisition unit 113 acquires second vehicle information including travel schedule information of the multiple replacement vehicles 40 via the on-board device 200 mounted on the replacement vehicles 40. This enables the vehicle management device 100 to appropriately acquire the status of the replacement vehicles 40 managed in car sharing, and to provide appropriate services according to the usage status of the vehicles 20 and the replacement vehicles 40.

[0088] (Other embodiments) Although the embodiments have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, the present embodiments are not limited to the contents described in the above embodiments. The components described above include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine and those that are substantially the same. Furthermore, the configurations described above can be appropriately combined. Various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the configurations can be made without departing from the spirit of the embodiments.

[0089] In the above embodiment, the vehicle management device 100 is provided in the management center terminal 10, but this configuration does not limit the embodiment. For example, the vehicle management device 100 may be provided in the vehicle-mounted device 200, and each function of the vehicle management device 100 may be implemented by the CPU 210. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a process in which each function of the vehicle management device 100 is implemented by the CPU 210 of the vehicle-mounted device 200. Steps S801 to S809 in the flowchart of FIG. 8 correspond to steps S701 to S709 in the flowcharts shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Furthermore, the notifications from the management center terminal 10 in steps S705 and S709 are displayed on the LCD 246 of the vehicle-mounted device 200 in steps S805 and S809. In addition, the acquisition of the managed vehicle information in step S804 may be configured such that the managed vehicle information DB122 stored in the management center terminal 10 is transmitted from the management center terminal 10 and stored in the volatile memory 243 of the vehicle-mounted device 200.

[0090] In the above embodiment, a configuration is shown in which, when it is difficult for the vehicle 20 to travel to the destination, an exchange vehicle 40 that can travel to the destination is proposed. For example, the vehicle management device 100 may use a configuration that proposes a charging station in addition to a configuration that proposes an exchange vehicle 40 that can travel to the destination. For example, when the user 31 has time to reach the destination, the vehicle management system 1 can provide a more appropriate service by proposing a charging station.

[0091] Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a vehicle management device 100 according to another embodiment. The control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 shown in Fig. 9 differs from the functional configuration of the control unit 110 of the vehicle management device 100 shown in Fig. 4 in that it includes a charging station information acquisition unit 117 and a charging amount determination unit 118. In addition, the storage unit 120 of the vehicle management device 100 shown in Fig. 9 further includes a charging station information DB 123.

[0092] The charging station information acquisition unit 117 acquires information about charging stations, which are facilities capable of charging the battery of the vehicle 20 and are managed by the management center terminal 10, and stores the information in the charging station information DB123.

[0093] The information on the charging station acquired by the charging station information acquisition unit 117 is, for example, location information of the charging station and the usage status (availability information) of the charging station. The charge amount determination unit 118 determines the charge amount of the vehicle 20 based on the remaining battery amount of the vehicle 20, the information on the charging station, and the information on the replacement vehicle 40.

[0094] Specifically, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines the corresponding process for the vehicle 20 based on the information on the charging station acquired by the charge station information acquisition unit 117 and the information on the replacement vehicle 40 acquired by the management vehicle information acquisition unit 113. That is, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines whether or not there is an appropriate charging station based on the charging station information, the setting information, the first vehicle information, the first position information, the second vehicle information, and the second position information. Here, an appropriate charging station is, for example, a charging station that can be reached with the remaining battery power of the vehicle 20. Also, an appropriate charging station is a charging station that can charge the vehicle 20 when it arrives. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the replacement vehicle 40 and the charging station in the process of the vehicle management device 100 according to another embodiment.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 10, when the charge amount determination unit 118 is unable to secure a replacement vehicle 40 but has a suitable charging station, a corresponding process is selected to fully charge the vehicle 20 at the charging station or to charge the vehicle 20 so that it can travel to the destination.

[0096] In addition, when it is possible to secure a replacement vehicle 40 but there is no suitable charging station (the case in the third row from the top in Figure 10), the charging amount determination unit 118 selects a response process to secure a replacement vehicle 40.

[0097] Furthermore, when a replacement vehicle 40 can be secured and an appropriate charging station is available (the fourth row from the top in FIG. 10), the charging amount determination unit 118 selects a response process to charge the vehicle 20 as necessary until it is replaced with the replacement vehicle 40. In this way, when a replacement vehicle 40 can be secured and an appropriate charging station is available, charging the vehicle 20 with the amount of charging required until it is replaced with the replacement vehicle 40 makes it possible to complete the required charging in a shorter time than by fully charging the vehicle or by charging the vehicle to the destination.

[0098] Fig. 11A to Fig. 11C are flowcharts showing an example of the processing of the vehicle management device 100 according to another embodiment. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the vehicle management device 100 according to another embodiment, which is a subroutine processing showing the charging processing in the flowcharts in Fig. 11A to Fig. 11C.

[0099] Steps S1101 and S1102 are the same processes as steps S701 and S702 shown in FIG. 7A, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0100] In step S1103, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines whether the charge amount of the vehicle 20 is sufficient. Based on the setting information and the first vehicle information, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination. Specifically, based on the battery information included in the first vehicle information, the travelable distance (electricity cost) per unit battery capacity determined for each vehicle, and the distance to the destination, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination with the remaining battery power of the vehicle 20. In step S1103, if the charge amount determination unit 118 determines that the charge amount of the vehicle 20 is sufficient (step S1103: YES), the process proceeds to step S1117. On the other hand, in step S1103, if the charge amount determination unit 118 determines that the charge amount of the vehicle 20 is not sufficient (step S1103: NO), the process proceeds to step S1104.

[0101] The processing in steps S1104 to S1106 is the same as that in steps S704 to S706 shown in FIG. 7A, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here.

[0102] In step S1107, the charging station information acquisition unit 117 acquires information related to the charging station. Specifically, the charging station information acquisition unit 117 acquires information related to the charging station managed by the management center terminal 10, and stores the information in the charging station information DB 123. The information related to the charging station acquired by the charging station information acquisition unit 117 is, for example, position information of the charging station and the usage status (availability information) of the charging station. Then, the process proceeds to step S1108.

[0103] In step S1108, if the replacement vehicle reservation determination unit 115 determines that the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31 is available for reservation (step S1108: YES), the process proceeds to step S1109. On the other hand, in step S1108, if the replacement vehicle reservation determination unit 115 determines that the replacement vehicle 40 selected by the user 31 is not available for reservation (step S1108: NO), the process proceeds to step S1111.

[0104] In step S1109, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines whether or not there is a charge station at an appropriate location for the vehicle 20 to travel to the destination, based on the charge station information stored in the charge station information DB 123 and the remaining battery power of the vehicle 20. If the charge amount determination unit 118 determines in step S1109 that there is an appropriate charge station, the process proceeds to S1110. On the other hand, if the charge amount determination unit 118 determines in step S1109 that there is no appropriate charge station, the process proceeds to step S1113.

[0105] In step S1110, the subroutine process of "charging process" shown in FIG. 12 is performed.

[0106] 12, the notification unit 116 notifies the vehicle-mounted device 200 of location information of an appropriate charging station. The notification unit 116 may also notify the user 31 of the location information of the appropriate charging station via the user terminal 30. That is, in step S1201, when the charge amount determination unit 118 determines that there is a charging station capable of charging the battery of the vehicle 20, the notification unit 116 notifies the user terminal 30 and / or the vehicle-mounted device 200 of the charging station information. After that, the process proceeds to step S1202.

[0107] In step S1202, the charging amount determination unit 118 determines whether charging is completed. Specifically, the charging amount determination unit 118 determines whether charging is completed based on the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20. The charging amount determination unit 118 may also include the first position information of the vehicle 20 and the charging station information in determining the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20. In this way, the charging amount determination unit 118 uses the first position information of the vehicle 20 and the charging station information to determine the completion of charging, thereby making it possible to determine whether charging has been performed appropriately at the charging station.

[0108] In step S1202, if the charge amount determination unit 118 determines that charging is complete (step S1202: YES), the process ends and returns to the process that called the subroutine process shown in Fig. 12. On the other hand, in step S1202, if the charge amount determination unit 118 determines that charging is not complete (step S1202: NO), the process of step S1202 is repeatedly performed. That is, in the process of step S1202, the process of step S1202 is repeatedly performed until charging is completed.

[0109] Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 11B, the explanation will be continued.

[0110] In step S1111, the charge amount determination unit 118 determines whether or not there is a charge station at an appropriate location for the vehicle 20 to travel to the destination, based on the charge station information stored in the charge station information DB 123 and the remaining battery power of the vehicle 20. If the charge amount determination unit 118 determines in step S1111 that there is an appropriate charge station, the process proceeds to S1112. On the other hand, if the charge amount determination unit 118 determines in step S1111 that there is no appropriate charge station, the process returns to step S1104, and the process from step S1104 is repeated.

[0111] The "charging process" in step S1112 is similar to the "charging process" in step S1110, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here. In step S1112, after returning from the "charging process", the process proceeds to step S1117.

[0112] The processes from step S1113 to step S1117 are similar to the processes from step S708 to step S712 shown in FIG. 7B, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted here.

[0113] Figures 13A and 13B are flowcharts showing an example of the processing of the vehicle management device 100 according to another embodiment. The flowcharts shown in Figures 13A and 13B show an example of processing in the case where the processing of the charging station information acquisition unit 117 and the charging amount determination unit 118 is applied to the flowchart shown in Figure 8, similar to the processing of Figures 11A to 11C and 12. The processing shown in Figures 13A and 13B is similar to the processing shown in Figures 8, 11A to 11C and 12, and therefore description thereof will be omitted here.

[0114] In this way, in another embodiment including the charging station information acquisition unit 117 and the charging amount determination unit 118, it is possible to provide appropriate services to the vehicle 20 depending on the availability of a replacement vehicle 40 and information on the charging station. For example, when a replacement vehicle 40 can be secured and an appropriate charging station is available, charging the vehicle 20 with the amount of charging required until it is replaced with the replacement vehicle 40 can be performed, thereby making it possible to complete the required charging in a shorter time than by fully charging the vehicle or by charging the vehicle 20 to the extent necessary to reach the destination.

[0115] Furthermore, a computer program (vehicle management program) that causes a computer to execute the processing (vehicle management method) in the vehicle management device 100 described above, and a computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded, are included within the scope of this embodiment. Any type of computer-readable recording medium may be used. Furthermore, the computer program is not limited to one recorded on the recording medium, and may be one transmitted via a telecommunications line, a wireless or wired communication line, a network such as the Internet, or the like.

[0116] The features of the vehicle management device 100, the vehicle management system 1, and the vehicle management method will be described below.

[0117] The vehicle management device 100 according to the first aspect includes a setting information acquisition unit 111 that acquires setting information set by a user and including information regarding the destination of the vehicle 20. The vehicle management device 100 also includes a vehicle information acquisition unit 112 that acquires first vehicle information including first location information indicating the location information of the vehicle 20 and battery information regarding the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20 from an on-board device 200 mounted on the vehicle 20 and stores the first vehicle information in the storage unit 120. The vehicle management device 100 also includes a replacement necessity determination unit 114 that determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information. The vehicle management device 100 also includes a managed vehicle information acquisition unit 113 that acquires second vehicle information including second location information including the location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. The vehicle management device 100 includes a replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 that determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured based on the second vehicle information when the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination. The vehicle management device 100 also includes a notification unit 116 that notifies the user terminal 30 and / or the in-vehicle device 200 carried by the user 31 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40 when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured.

[0118] According to the above configuration, the vehicle management device 100 is able to provide a vehicle to the destination based on the location information and battery status of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40, and can provide an appropriate service in car sharing based on the usage status of the electric vehicle.

[0119] The vehicle information acquisition unit 112 of the vehicle management device 100 according to the second aspect may store the previously acquired first location information and battery information as previous location information and previous battery information in the storage unit 120. Furthermore, the replacement necessity determination unit 114 may determine that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination when a decrease rate of the battery determined based on the first location information, the previous location information, the battery information, and the previous battery information is greater than a predetermined rate.

[0120] According to the above configuration, the vehicle management device 100 can estimate that it will be difficult to drive to the destination in cases such as when a sudden battery drop occurs due to the driving conditions of the user 31 or road conditions, and can provide appropriate services according to the usage conditions of the vehicle 20.

[0121] The managed vehicle information acquisition unit 113 of the vehicle management device 100 according to the third embodiment may acquire second vehicle information including the travel schedule information of the multiple replacement vehicles 40 via the vehicle-mounted device 200 mounted on the replacement vehicles 40.

[0122] According to the above configuration, the vehicle management device 100 can appropriately acquire the status of the replacement vehicle 40 managed in the car sharing, and can provide appropriate services according to the usage status of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40.

[0123] The vehicle management device 100 according to the fourth aspect may further include a charging station information acquisition unit 117 that acquires charging station information related to a charging station that is a facility capable of charging the battery of the vehicle 20. The vehicle management device 100 may also include a charge amount determination unit 118 that determines whether or not there is a charging station capable of charging the battery of the vehicle 20, based on the charging station information, the first vehicle information, the first location information, the second vehicle information, and the second location information. Furthermore, when the charge amount determination unit 118 determines that there is a charging station capable of charging the battery of the vehicle 20, the notification unit 116 of the vehicle management device 100 may notify the user terminal 30 and / or the in-vehicle device 200 of the charging station information.

[0124] According to the above configuration, the vehicle management device 100 is equipped with a charging station information acquisition unit 117 and a charging amount determination unit 118, and is able to provide appropriate services to the vehicle 20 depending on the status of securing a replacement vehicle 40 and information on the charging station.

[0125] The vehicle management system 1 according to the fifth aspect is a vehicle management system 1 that manages a plurality of vehicles and a replacement vehicle in a car sharing system. The vehicle management system 1 includes a vehicle management device 100, an on-board device 200 mounted on a vehicle 20, a user terminal 30, and an on-board device 200 mounted on a replacement vehicle 40. The vehicle management device 100 has a setting information acquisition unit 111 that acquires setting information set by a user 31 and including information regarding the destination of the vehicle 20. The vehicle management device 100 also has a vehicle information acquisition unit 112 that acquires first vehicle information including first position information indicating the position information of the vehicle 20 and battery information regarding the remaining battery capacity of the vehicle 20 from the on-board device 200 mounted on the vehicle 20 and stores the first vehicle information in the storage unit 120. The vehicle management device 100 also has an exchange necessity determination unit 114 that determines whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information. The vehicle management device 100 also has a management vehicle information acquisition unit 113 that acquires second location information including location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and second vehicle information including battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. The vehicle management device 100 also has a replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 that determines whether a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured based on the second vehicle information when the replacement necessity determination unit 114 determines that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination. The vehicle management device 100 also has a notification unit 116 that notifies the user terminal 30 and / or the in-vehicle device 200 carried by the user 31 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40 when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit 115 determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured.

[0126] According to the above configuration, the vehicle management system 1 is able to provide a vehicle to the destination based on the location information and battery status of the vehicle 20 and the replacement vehicle 40, and can provide an appropriate service in car sharing based on the usage status of the electric vehicle.

[0127] A vehicle management method according to a sixth aspect is a vehicle management method executed by a computer. The vehicle management method acquires setting information, which is information set by a user 31 and includes information regarding the destination of the vehicle. The vehicle management method also acquires first vehicle information, including first location information indicating the location information of the vehicle 20 and battery information regarding the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 20, from an on-board device 200 mounted on the vehicle 20. Based on the setting information and the first vehicle information, it is determined whether the vehicle 20 can travel to the destination. The vehicle management method also acquires second location information including the location information of the replacement vehicle 40 and second vehicle information including battery information of the replacement vehicle 40. When it is determined that the vehicle 20 cannot travel to the destination, it is determined based on the second vehicle information whether a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured. Furthermore, when it is determined that a replaceable replacement vehicle 40 can be secured, the vehicle management method notifies the user terminal 30 and / or the on-board device 200 carried by the user 31 of the second location information of the replacement vehicle 40.

[0128] According to the above configuration, the vehicle management method makes it possible to provide a vehicle to a destination based on the location information and battery status of vehicle 20 and replacement vehicle 40, and in car sharing, it is possible to provide an appropriate service based on the usage status of electric vehicles. [Explanation of symbols]

[0129] 1 Vehicle management system 10. Management Center Terminal 20 Vehicles 30 User terminals 40 Replacement Car 50 Network 100 Vehicle management device 111 Setting information acquisition unit 112 Vehicle information acquisition unit 113 Vehicle Management Information Acquisition Department 114 Replacement necessity judgment unit 115 Replacement Vehicle Securing Judgment Department 116 Notification Department 117 Charging station information acquisition unit 118 Charge amount determination unit 200 Vehicle-mounted device

Claims

1. a setting information acquisition unit that acquires setting information set by a user, the setting information including information regarding a destination of the vehicle; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires first vehicle information, including first location information indicating location information of the vehicle and battery information related to a remaining charge of the battery of the vehicle, from an on-board device mounted on the vehicle and stores the first vehicle information in a storage unit; an exchange necessity determination unit that determines whether or not the vehicle can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information; a management vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires second vehicle information including second position information including position information of a replacement vehicle and battery information of the replacement vehicle; a replacement vehicle securing determination unit that, when it is determined in the replacement necessity determination unit that the vehicle cannot travel to the destination, determines whether or not the replacement vehicle that can be replaced can be secured based on the second vehicle information; A vehicle management device comprising: a notification unit that, when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit determines that a replaceable replacement vehicle can be secured, notifies the user terminal carried by the user and / or the vehicle-mounted device of the second location information of the replacement vehicle.

2. the vehicle information acquisition unit stores the previously acquired first position information and the previously acquired battery information in the storage unit as previous position information and previous battery information; The vehicle management device of claim 1, wherein the replacement necessity determination unit determines that the vehicle is not capable of traveling to the destination if the battery decrease rate determined based on the first location information, the previous location information, the battery information, and the previous battery information is greater than a predetermined rate.

3. The vehicle management device according to claim 2 , wherein the management vehicle information acquisition unit acquires the second vehicle information including travel schedule information of the plurality of replacement vehicles via the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the replacement vehicle.

4. a charging station information acquisition unit that acquires charging station information related to a charging station that is a facility capable of charging the battery of the vehicle; a charge amount determination unit that determines whether or not there is a charge station capable of charging the battery of the vehicle, based on the charge station information, the first vehicle information, the first position information, the second vehicle information, and the second position information, 2. The vehicle management device according to claim 1, wherein when the charge amount determination unit determines that there is a charging station capable of charging the battery of the vehicle, the notification unit notifies the user terminal and / or the vehicle-mounted device of the charging station information.

5. A vehicle management system for managing a plurality of vehicles and replacement vehicles in a car sharing system, A vehicle management system includes a vehicle management device, an on-board device mounted on the vehicle, a user terminal, and an on-board device mounted on the replacement vehicle, The vehicle management device includes: A setting information acquisition unit that acquires setting information set by a user, the setting information including information regarding a destination of the vehicle; a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires first vehicle information, including first position information indicating position information of the vehicle and battery information related to a remaining charge of the battery of the vehicle, from the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the vehicle and stores the first vehicle information in a storage unit; an exchange necessity determination unit that determines whether or not the vehicle can travel to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information; a management vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires second vehicle information including second position information including position information of the replacement vehicle and battery information of the replacement vehicle; a replacement vehicle securing determination unit that, when it is determined in the replacement necessity determination unit that the vehicle cannot travel to the destination, determines whether or not the replacement vehicle that can be replaced can be secured based on the second vehicle information; a notification unit that notifies the user terminal and / or the in-vehicle device possessed by the user of the second location information of the replacement vehicle when the replacement vehicle securing determination unit determines that the replacement vehicle that can be secured can be secured; A vehicle management system having the above configuration.

6. 1. A computer-implemented vehicle management method, comprising: Acquire setting information set by a user, the setting information including information regarding a destination of the vehicle; acquiring first vehicle information from an on-board device mounted on the vehicle, the first vehicle information including first location information indicating location information of the vehicle and battery information relating to a remaining charge of a battery of the vehicle; determining whether the vehicle is capable of traveling to the destination based on the setting information and the first vehicle information; Acquire second vehicle information including second position information including position information of a replacement vehicle and battery information of the replacement vehicle; When it is determined that the vehicle cannot travel to the destination, it is determined whether or not a replacement vehicle that can be replaced can be secured based on the second vehicle information; A vehicle management method for notifying a user terminal carried by the user and / or the vehicle-mounted device of the second location information of the replacement vehicle when it is determined that the replacement vehicle can be secured.

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