Commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit, charging switching control device, and charging switching device

Abstract

To enable a target commercial electric vehicle to complete charging by its scheduled start time of use without requiring a charging schedule or priority reservation.SOLUTION: A commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 has a charging switching device 11 and a charging switching control device 40. The charging switching control device 40 determines the charging sequence for a commercial electric vehicle 100 on the basis of information in which the vehicle-specific information of the commercial electric vehicle 100 acquired when the commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to a vehicle connection part 16 and the battery information are associated with information registered in a database 51 regarding the scheduled start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle 100, and then performs charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle, a charging switching control device, and a charging switching device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a charging station that sequentially charges a plurality of electric vehicles to be charged, and that includes a charging power generation unit, a switching unit that switches between vehicles to be charged, a reservation reception unit that receives charging reservations, and a scheduler that schedules the switching unit, and that the reservation reception unit includes priority reservations as one of the reservation items that it receives, and that the scheduler schedules vehicles that have made priority reservations to cut in line with vehicles that have made sequential reservations so that they are supplied with power first. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-42579 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the charging station described in Patent Document 1 charges vehicles according to a charging schedule, but even if a start time for the electric vehicles to be charged is set, depending on the charging schedule, charging may not be completed by the start time. For example, with sequential reservation, electric vehicles are charged in the order in which they are connected to the cable, so depending on the number of electric vehicles already connected to the charging cable, charging may not be completed by the start time. Furthermore, even if an attempt is made to cut in using priority reservation, it may not be possible to charge the electric vehicles by the start time if permission is not obtained for electric vehicles reserved using sequential reservation or if there are multiple vehicles with priority reservations.

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide a charging switching unit, a charging switching control device, and a charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle that can charge a commercial electric vehicle that is to be charged before the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle without creating a charging schedule or priority reservation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle comprises a charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle and a charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle that controls the charging switching device for the commercial electric vehicle. The charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle comprises a charger connection section to which a charger that charges a battery provided in the commercial electric vehicle is connected, a vehicle connection section to which a commercial electric vehicle is connected that has more connection points than the charger connection section, and a switching section that selectively switches which of the vehicle connection sections the charger connection section is connected to. The charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle comprises a charging order determination section that determines the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle based on information that associates at least vehicle-specific information and battery information obtained when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection section with the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle, and a switching control section that switches the switching section to charge the commercial electric vehicle in accordance with the charging order determination section.

[0007] In the charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles, when the charging order determination unit rearranges the charging order so that the earlier the commercial electric vehicle is used, the higher the charging order is, the more likely it is that the commercial electric vehicle will be charged. If the battery of a commercial electric vehicle that is lower in the charging order as a result of the rearrangement reaches a specified charging rate by the time the commercial electric vehicle is used, the charging order determination unit may rearrange the charging order.

[0008] The charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles may include a plurality of charging switching devices for commercial electric vehicles, and the charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles may include a movement instruction unit that, when the charging order is rearranged so that the commercial electric vehicle with the earlier start time of use is placed higher in the charging order, instructs the commercial electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle connection unit latest to move to another charging switching device for commercial electric vehicles if the battery of the commercial electric vehicle that is lower in the order as a result of the rearrangement does not reach a specified charging rate by the start time of use.

[0009] With regard to a charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle, if the vehicle-specific information acquired when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection section is not registered in the database, the charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle does not need to connect the vehicle connection section to which the commercial electric vehicle having the vehicle-specific information is connected to the charger connection section.

[0010] The charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle includes a charger connection unit to which a charger that charges a battery provided in the commercial electric vehicle is connected, a vehicle connection unit to which a commercial electric vehicle that has more connection points than the charger connection unit is connected, and a switching unit that selectively switches which of the vehicle connection units the charger connection unit is connected to, and the charging switching control device includes a charging order determination unit that determines the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle based on information that associates at least vehicle-specific information and battery information obtained when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit with the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle, and a switching control unit that switches the switching unit so that the commercial electric vehicle is charged in accordance with the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle.

[0011] In a charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles, when the charging order determination unit rearranges the charging order so that the earlier the commercial electric vehicle is used, the higher the charging order is, the lower the charging order is for the commercial electric vehicle that is lower in the charging order as a result of the rearrangement. If the battery of the commercial electric vehicle does not reach a specified charging rate by the time the commercial electric vehicle is used, the charging order determination unit may invalidate the rearrangement of the charging order.

[0012] The charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle includes a charger connection unit to which a charger that charges a battery equipped in the commercial electric vehicle is connected, a vehicle connection unit of the commercial electric vehicle that has more connection points than the charger connection unit, a switching unit that selectively switches which of the vehicle connection units the charger connection unit is connected to, and a switching control unit.The switching control unit includes a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle-specific information and battery information of the commercial electric vehicle when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit, and a connection detection unit that detects whether the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit.The switching control device transmits the vehicle-specific information and battery information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit to the charging switching control device for the commercial electric vehicle, thereby causing the charging switching control device for the commercial electric vehicle to determine the charging order of the commercial electric vehicles. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, charging of a target commercial electric vehicle can be completed by the time the commercial electric vehicle begins to be used, without creating a charging schedule or priority reservation for the target commercial electric vehicle. This has the excellent effect of reducing the capital investment burden on the user business and enabling efficient operation of the electric vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a charging system according to the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing charge switching control. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing charging order determination control in the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7]10 is a flowchart showing charging order determination control according to a second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] [First embodiment] The charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle, the charging switching control device, and the charging switching device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the charging system CS includes a user (business operator) terminal 60 that manages charging of multiple commercial electric vehicles 100; a database 51 in a server 50 that stores various information, including the usage start time acquired by the user terminal 60 and vehicle information acquired from the commercial electric vehicles 100; a charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles that performs charging switching control; a charger 200 that charges the commercial electric vehicles 100; and a charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles that is connected to the output end of a cable 203 extending from the charger 200. The server 50 that stores the database 51 may be a virtual server, such as a cloud server, or a physical server, such as a dedicated server. Similarly, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles may be a physical device or a web-based application. The usage start time can be entered not only from the user terminal 60 but also, for example, by registering a schedule (operation plan) in advance in the database. The most important factor for the normal operation of commercial electric vehicles is to operate on time, and in this sense, the usage start time is the most important factor.

[0017] Hereinafter, each device constituting the charging system CS will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The charging switching unit 10 for commercial electric vehicles charges a plurality of commercial electric vehicles 100 from one charger 200.

[0018] The commercial electric vehicle 100 includes a battery 101, a BMS (battery management system) 102, a vehicle control device 103, a power line 104, a signal line 105, and an inlet 106. The commercial electric vehicle 100 is a vehicle for transporting cargo and passengers. Examples of the commercial electric vehicle 100 include buses, collection and delivery vehicles, garbage trucks, company cars, taxis, and transport trucks, but the commercial electric vehicle may be of any type as long as at least one of the departure time, arrival time, and driving route is generally determined.

[0019] The battery 101 is a module in which multiple secondary batteries are connected, and may be any battery capable of being charged and discharged. Examples of secondary batteries include lithium ion secondary batteries, zinc batteries, all-solid-state batteries, and nickel-metal hydride batteries. The battery 101 serves as a power source for a traction motor provided in the commercial electric vehicle 100, and the vehicle travels on the power supply from the battery 101.

[0020] The BMS 102 is a battery management system that detects the state of the battery 101, and includes, for example, a sensor for detecting the state of the battery 101 and a monitoring unit that monitors the battery 101 based on the detection result of the sensor. The BMS 102 calculates at least the charging rate of the battery 101.

[0021] The vehicle control device 103 is configured to be able to communicate with the BMS 102 and can acquire the charging rate from the BMS 102. The inlet 106 includes a power receiving terminal 107 and a communication terminal 108, and the power receiving terminal 107 is connected to the battery 101 by a power line 104 that supplies power to the battery 101. The communication terminal 108 is connected to the vehicle control device 103 by a signal line 105 that is used for communication with the vehicle control device 103. The BMS 102 and the vehicle control device 103 may be integrated and unified. In short, any hardware configuration is of course acceptable as long as it is possible to acquire various pieces of information related to the battery 101 from the commercial electric vehicle 100.

[0022] The charger 200 charges the commercial electric vehicle 100. Charging the commercial electric vehicle 100 refers to charging the battery 101 provided in the commercial electric vehicle 100. Charging methods for the charger 200 include, for example, the CHAdeMO standard, the CCS standard, and the North American Charging Standard.

[0023] Furthermore, the charger 200 includes a power conversion unit 201, a charging control device 202, a cable 203, and a plug 206. The power conversion unit 201 converts power supplied from an external power source, for example, converting the power supplied from the external power source into a voltage and current according to a request from the vehicle control device 103 and outputting the converted power. In addition, the power conversion unit 201 includes, for example, an AC / DC converter and a DC / DC converter.

[0024] The charging control device 202 controls the power conversion unit 201, for example, by setting a target voltage or target current to be output by the power conversion unit 201, and by controlling the power conversion unit 201 so that the voltage or current output by the power conversion unit 201 follows the target voltage or target current.

[0025] The cable 203 includes a power line 204 for transmitting power and a signal line 205 for communication. The power line 204 is connected to the power conversion unit 201, and the signal line 205 is connected to the charging control device 202.

[0026] The plug 206 includes a power supply terminal 207 and a communication terminal 208. The power supply terminal 207 is connected to the power conversion unit 201 by a power line 204, and the communication terminal 208 is connected to the charge control device 202 by a signal line 205.

[0027] <Charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicles> The charging switching unit 10 for a commercial electric vehicle includes a charging switching device 11 for a commercial electric vehicle and a charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle.

[0028] The charging switch device 11 for commercial electric vehicles includes a charger connection part 12, a vehicle connection part 16, a plurality of cables 20, and a switching unit 24. The switching unit 24 includes a switching part 25 and a switching control device 27. The charging switch device 11 for commercial electric vehicles may include a display part. And the charging switch device 11 for commercial electric vehicles is installed, for example, at the place owned by an operator who owns a plurality of commercial electric vehicles 100. Note that the operator is, for example, a bus operator, a transportation operator, or a taxi company, etc.

[0029] A charger 200 is connected to the charger connection part 12. Specifically, the plug 206 of the charger 200 is detachably attached. Further, the charger connection part 12 includes a power receiving terminal 13 and a communication terminal 14. When the plug 206 is connected to the charger connection part 12, the power supply terminal 207 and the power receiving terminal 13 are connected, and at the same time, the communication terminal 208 and the communication terminal 14 are connected. Note that a device having the same function as the inlet 106 is used for the charger connection part 12. For example, a device having the same specification as the inlet 106 or a device compatible with the inlet 106 is used.

[0030] A commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection part 16. Specifically, the vehicle connection part 16 is detachably attached to the inlet 106 of the commercial electric vehicle 100. Further, the vehicle connection part 16 includes a power supply terminal 17 and a communication terminal 18. When the vehicle connection part 16 is connected to the inlet 106, the power supply terminal 17 and the power receiving terminal 107 are connected, and at the same time, the communication terminal 18 and the communication terminal 108 are connected. The number of vehicle connection parts 16 is more than the number of charger connection parts 12. For example, the charger connection part 12 and the vehicle connection part 16 may have any number as long as they have a relationship of n:N (n < N, where n and N are both arbitrary integers). In FIG. 2, as an example, the case where there is 1 charger connection part 12 and 4 vehicle connection parts 16 is shown. Thus, the vehicle connection part 16 to which the commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected has more connection points than the charger connection part 12.

[0031] The cables 20 are provided in the same number as the vehicle connection units 16, and each is connected to one of the vehicle connection units 16. The cables 20 include a power line 21 for transmitting power and a signal line 22 for communication. The power line 21 connects the power supply terminal 17 to the switching unit 24, and the signal line 22 connects the communication terminal 18 to the switching unit 24. The cable 20 used has the same function as the cable 203, and for example, is of the same standard as the cable 203 or is compatible with the cable 203.

[0032] The switching unit 25 selectively switches the connection of the charger connector 12 to one of the plurality of vehicle connectors 16. Furthermore, the switching unit 25 connects the power receiving terminal 13 of the charger connector 12 to the power line 21 of any one of the cables 20, and also connects the communication terminal 14 of the charger connector 12 to the signal line 22 of any one of the cables 20. This connects the charger connector 12 to any one of the vehicle connectors 16 via the switching unit 25 and the cable 20. As a result, power from the power conversion unit 201 is supplied to the battery 101 via the switching unit 25 and the cable 20, making it possible to charge the battery 101. Furthermore, the charging control device 202 and the vehicle control device 103 are able to communicate with each other via the switching unit 25 and the cable 20. The switching unit 25 is composed of, for example, a plurality of switches, but may be configured by providing one single-pole single-throw switch between the charger connector 12 and each cable 20 so that turning on any one of the single-pole single-throw switches connects the charger connector 12 to one cable 20, or may be configured by a plurality of single-pole double-throw switches. Examples of the switch include a relay switch and a semiconductor switch.

[0033] The switching control device 27 includes, for example, a processor and a storage unit. The processor is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a digital signal processor (DSP), and the storage unit includes a random access memory (RAM) and a read only memory (ROM). The switching control device 27 may be configured by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0034] The switching control device 27 includes a connection detection unit 28 and a vehicle information acquisition unit 29, and the connection detection unit 28 and the vehicle information acquisition unit 29 are functional elements that function when the switching control device 27 executes predetermined processing.

[0035] The connection detection unit 28 detects that the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. Specifically, when the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100, the communication terminals 18, 108 are connected to each other, thereby establishing communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103. When communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103 is established, the connection detection unit 28 determines that the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. Furthermore, the connection detection unit 28 can individually determine whether each of the multiple vehicle connection units 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. For example, the signal line 22 may be individually connected to each of the multiple ports of the switching control device 27, and whether the commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to each port may be determined for each port. Any protocol may be used for communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103, but a representative protocol is, for example, a controller area network (CAN).

[0036] The vehicle information acquisition unit 29 acquires vehicle information from the commercial electric vehicle 100. Once communication between the switching control device 27 and the vehicle control device 103 is established, the vehicle information acquisition unit 29 becomes able to acquire vehicle information from the vehicle control device 103. The vehicle information includes vehicle-specific information and battery information. The vehicle-specific information is information unique to each commercial electric vehicle 100, such as the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), chassis number, or registration number displayed on the license plate. The battery information includes, for example, a battery durability upper limit, a total battery capacity, and a charging rate [%]. The battery durability upper limit is the upper limit of the current [A] or power [W] that can be input to the battery 101 when charging the battery 101. The unit of the total battery capacity is [Ah] or [Wh].

[0037] The charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle controls the charging switching device 11 for a commercial electric vehicle. The hardware configuration of the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle is, for example, the same as that of the switching control device 27, and includes, for example, a processor and a storage unit. The charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle is configured to be able to communicate with the switching control device 27 and the charging control device 202. The switching control device 27 is also able to transmit vehicle information acquired by a vehicle information acquisition unit 29 to the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle. Furthermore, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle is configured to be able to control which of the multiple vehicle connections 16 the charger connection unit 12 is connected to by controlling the switching unit 25. In addition, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle can transmit commands to the charger 200, and the commands to the charger 200 include, for example, a charging start command to start charging by the charger 200 and a charging stop command to stop charging by the charger 200.

[0038] The charging system CS includes a server 50, which can communicate with the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles via a communication network. The server 50 also includes a database 51, which associates, for example, vehicle-specific information with information acquired by the user terminal 60. Here, the information associated with the vehicle-specific information includes the start time of use and may also include charging information. The charging information includes a cumulative charge amount, and the unit of the cumulative charge amount is [Ah] or [Wh]. The cumulative charge amount is the cumulative amount of charge of the battery 101 due to past charging. In this way, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles can refer to the information in the database 51 and transmit information to the server 50.

[0039] Furthermore, the charging system CS includes a user terminal 60, which is owned by a manager of the commercial electric vehicle 100, for example, a business owner. The user terminal 60 can communicate with the server 50 via a communication network and can refer to information in the database 51 and register and update information in the database 51. This allows the manager of the commercial electric vehicle 100 to register new data in the database 51 or update registered data by operating the user terminal 60, and can register and update data in the database 51, including the use start time associated with vehicle-specific information. The user terminal 60 may be, for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, or a tablet terminal.

[0040] <Charging switching control> The charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles performs charging switching control, and when commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected to multiple vehicle connection units 16, controls the switching unit 25 to switch the commercial electric vehicle 100 to be charged, and charges the multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 sequentially.

[0041] The charge switching control will be described in detail below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. As shown in Fig. 3, in step S1, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines whether or not the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the commercial electric vehicle 100. This determination is made by obtaining the detection result of the connection detection unit 28. If the determination result of step S1 is negative, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles returns to step S1. That is, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles repeats the determination of step S1 until the determination result of step S1 becomes positive. If the determination result of step S1 becomes positive, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles proceeds to step S2.

[0042] In step S2, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle acquires vehicle information. In detail, the switching control device 27 acquires the vehicle information from the vehicle control device 103 and transmits the acquired vehicle information to the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle, whereby the charging switching control device 40 acquires the vehicle information. In this way, by performing the processing of step S2, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle is provided with an acquisition unit as a functional element. Note that the charging time may be vehicle information acquired from the vehicle control device 103.

[0043] Next, in step S3, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles calculates the charging time. The charging time is the predicted time required for the charging rate to reach a specified charging rate when the battery 101 is charged by the charger 200. In this embodiment, the specified charging rate is 100%. Here, an example of a method for calculating the charging time will be described. For example, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles calculates the charging time from equation (2) using the target charging capacity calculated from equation (1).

[0044] Total battery capacity x (specified charge rate - charge rate before charging) / 100 = target charge capacity... (1) Target charging capacity ÷ (the smaller of the upper limit of battery capacity or the rated output of the charger) = charging time... (2) When the target charging capacity is calculated in [Ah], the calculated current [A] value can be compared with the smaller of the upper limit of battery endurance power or the rated output of the charger 200. When the target charging capacity is calculated in [Wh], the calculated power [W] value can be compared with the smaller of the upper limit of battery endurance power or the rated output of the charger 200. In this way, in order to perform the processing of step S3, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles includes a charging time calculation unit as a functional element.

[0045] Next, in step S4, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles sets the state of the commercial electric vehicle 100 to a (charging) standby state. The state of the commercial electric vehicle 100 is, for example, a charging state, a (charging) standby state, or a charging completion state. The charging state is a state in which the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 is being charged by the charger 200. In other words, the charging state is a state in which the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the charger connection unit 12 by the switching unit 25. The standby state is a state in which the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 is not being charged by the charger 200. In other words, the standby state is a state in which the commercial electric vehicle 100 is waiting its turn to be charged. The charging completion state is a state in which the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 has reached a specified charging rate by the charger 200.

[0046] Next, in step S5, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines whether the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 can be charged by the charger 200. This determination is made as to whether there are no commercial electric vehicles 100 in a charging state and whether the commercial electric vehicle 100 has the highest priority in the charging order among the commercial electric vehicles 100 in a standby state. The charging order is determined by charging order determination control, which will be described later, and if the commercial electric vehicle 100 has the highest priority in the charging order among the standby commercial electric vehicles 100, the result of step S5 is positive. If the result of the determination in step S5 is negative, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles returns to step S5. That is, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles repeats the determination in step S5 until the result of the determination in step S5 becomes positive, and if the result of the determination in step S5 becomes positive, the process proceeds to step S6.

[0047] In step S6, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles controls the switching unit 25 to switch the vehicle connection unit 16 to be connected to the charger 200, and controls the switching unit 25 so that the commercial electric vehicle 100 in the standby state that is highest in the charging order (the vehicle that needs to be charged earliest) is connected to the charger 200. As a result, the commercial electric vehicle 100 is charged according to the determined charging order. In this way, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles includes a switching control unit as a functional element to perform the processing of step S6.

[0048] Next, in step S7, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle commands the charger 200 to start charging. As a result, the commercial electric vehicle 100 is charged by the power output from the charger 200.

[0049] Furthermore, in step S8, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle determines whether charging is complete. Specifically, when the charger connection unit 12 and the vehicle connection unit 16 are connected by the switching unit 25, the charging control device 202 charges the battery 101 by referring to battery information acquired from the vehicle control device 103. When charging of the battery 101 is complete, the charging control device 202 notifies the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle that charging is complete. Here, the completion of charging of the battery 101 means, for example, that the charging rate of the battery 101 has reached a specified charging rate. When the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle receives the notification that charging is complete, the determination result of step S8 is affirmative. When the determination result of step S8 is negative, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle returns to step S8. That is, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle repeatedly performs the determination of step S8 until the determination result of step S8 becomes affirmative. The charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle may stop charging midway. If the determination result in step S8 becomes positive, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle proceeds to the processing of step S9.

[0050] In step S9, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle acquires, from the vehicle information acquisition unit 29, vehicle information of the commercial electric vehicle 100 for which charging has been completed. Next, in step S10, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle calculates the amount of charge by the current charge from equation (3), and the unit of the amount of charge is [Ah] or [Wh].

[0051] (Charge rate after charging / 100 - Charging rate when connected to vehicle connection unit 16 (Charge rate before charging) / 100) x Total battery capacity = Current charging amount...(3) Thereafter, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles associates the amount of charge from this charging with the vehicle-specific information and transmits them to the server 50. The server 50 adds the amount of charge from this charging to the cumulative amount of charge stored in the database 51. This updates the cumulative amount of charge.

[0052] <Charging order determination control> The charging order determination control performed by the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles is control that determines the order in which charging is performed by the chargers 200 when commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected to multiple vehicle connection units 16, and the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles performs the charging order determination control when it detects that a commercial electric vehicle 100 has been connected to a vehicle connection unit 16. The charging order determination control flow will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 4.

[0053] First, in step S21, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles sets the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 to the lowest (latest charging order). In other words, when a new commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected, the charging order of that commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes lowest.

[0054] Next, in step S22, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle 100 connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 from the database 51. Vehicle-specific information and use start times are registered in association with each other in the database 51, so the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles can acquire the use start time by acquiring the vehicle-specific information from the vehicle information acquisition unit 29. In this way, in order to perform the processing of step S22, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles includes a use start time acquisition unit as a functional element.

[0055] Next, in step S23, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines whether or not the charging order needs to be changed based on the use start time. For example, when there are multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 in a standby state and the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle 100 lowest in the charging order is earlier than the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle 100 higher in the charging order, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines that the charging order needs to be changed. This determination is made by determining whether or not the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the earlier use start time is higher in the charging order. If the determination result in step S23 is negative, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles ends the charging order determination control and does not change the charging order. If the determination result in step S23 is positive, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles proceeds to the processing of step S24.

[0056] In step S24, the charging switch control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines whether or not changing the charging order is successful. When changing the charging order, the charging switch control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles moves up the charging order that was set to the lowest in step S21. This moving up is performed for multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 that are in a standby state. In other words, the changing of the charging order is performed excluding commercial electric vehicles 100 that are in a charging state. The moving up of the charging order is performed so that no commercial electric vehicle 100 will not be fully charged by the start time of use. In other words, when the charging order is changed so that the commercial electric vehicle 100 that started use earlier is higher in the charging order, the charging switch control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles only changes the charging order if the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will be lower after the changing reaches the specified state of charge by the start time of use. The changing of the charging order in step S24 is described in detail below.

[0057] First, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines whether charging can be completed based on the charging time calculated by the charging switching control and the use start time acquired in step S22. That is, the determination of whether charging can be completed is a determination of whether charging can be completed by the use start time. If charging can be completed by the use start time, the charging switching control device 40 determines that charging can be completed, and if charging cannot be completed by the use start time, the charging switching control device 40 determines that charging cannot be completed. In this way, the determination of whether charging can be completed is made by comparing the charging completion time calculated from the charging time with the use start time. For example, when a first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time to the current time. Then, when a second or subsequent commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time to the charging completion time of the previous commercial electric vehicle 100. That is, if the charging completion time is earlier than the use start time, charging can be completed, and if the charging completion time is later than the use start time, charging cannot be completed.

[0058] Furthermore, if a commercial electric vehicle 100 with a later start time of use than the newly connected commercial electric vehicle 100 is higher in the charging order and the charge completion possibility determination result of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower after the swap indicates that charging can be completed, the charging order change is determined to be valid. In other words, if the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower after the swap cannot complete charging, the charging order change is not valid. In other words, when the charging order is swapped so that the commercial electric vehicle 100 with an earlier start time of use is higher in the charging order, the charging order determination unit invalidates the swap of the charging order if the battery 101 does not reach the specified state of charge by the start time of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that will become lower in the charging order after the swap. If the determination result of step S24 is negative, the charging switch control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles terminates the charging order determination control. In this case, the charging order is not changed. In other words, if the determination result of step S24 is positive, the charging switch control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles proceeds to step S25.

[0059] In step S25, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles changes the charging order by moving up the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that was set to the lowest position in step S21.

[0060] In addition, if it is not possible to change the charging order, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles may notify the user that charging will not be completed by the start time of use, or, if the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles is equipped with a display unit, may display a notice on the display unit that charging cannot be completed.

[0061] In order to perform such charging order determination control, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle includes a charging order determination unit as a functional element. The charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle can execute a charging switching control method for a commercial electric vehicle by performing charging switching control and charging order determination control.

[0062] [Specific example of the first embodiment] As an example, a case where three commercial electric vehicles 100 are successively connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0063] When the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the first commercial electric vehicle 100, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires vehicle information via the vehicle information acquisition unit 29. In this case, the vehicle-specific information of the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is 11-11. At this time, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires the use start time corresponding to the vehicle-specific information by comparing it with the data stored in the database 51. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the use start time is 7:00 on January 1st. The charging completion time obtained by adding the charging time to the current time is 1:00 on January 1st. The switching control device 27 determines that charging can be completed because the charging completion time is earlier than the use start time. In FIG. 5, charging completion is represented as OK.

[0064] When the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, only the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, and therefore the charging order for the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is "1." In this way, the first commercial electric vehicle 100 has the highest charging order among the standby commercial electric vehicles 100, and therefore the determination result in step S5 in FIG. 3 is positive. As a result, the vehicle connection unit 16 to which the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected and the charger connection unit 12 are connected by the switching unit 25. Then, in step S7 in FIG. 3, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 sends a charging start command to the charging control device 202, and charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100 is started.

[0065] When the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the second commercial electric vehicle 100, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires vehicle information via the vehicle information acquisition unit 29, in the same way as in the case of the first commercial electric vehicle 100. In this case, the vehicle-specific information of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is set to 22-22. The charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires the use start time and calculates the charging completion time from the vehicle information. The charging completion time is calculated by adding the charging time of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 to the charging completion time of the first commercial electric vehicle 100. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the use start time of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is 6:00 on January 1st, and the charging completion time is 3:00 on January 1st. Since the charging completion time is earlier than the use start time, the switching control device 27 determines that charging can be completed.

[0066] It should be noted that when the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is already being charged. Therefore, the charging order for the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is "2", and the determination result in step S5 (FIG. 3) is negative. Therefore, the state of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is standby.

[0067] When the vehicle connection unit 16 is connected to the third commercial electric vehicle 100, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires vehicle information via the vehicle information acquisition unit 29, in the same manner as in the case of the first commercial electric vehicle 100. The vehicle-specific information of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is set to 33-33. At this time, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles acquires the usage start time from the vehicle information.

[0068] When the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the first commercial electric vehicle 100 is being charged. The third commercial electric vehicle 100 has the lowest charging order, "3," so the determination result in step S5 (FIG. 3) is negative. Therefore, the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is in a standby state.

[0069] Furthermore, since the use start time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is earlier than the use start time of the second commercial electric vehicle 100, it is determined that the charging order needs to be changed, and the charging completion time when the charging order is changed is calculated. When the charging order of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "2," the charging completion time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is calculated by adding the charging time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 to the charging completion time of the first commercial electric vehicle 100. In the example shown in FIG. 5 , the use start time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is 4:00 on January 1st, and the charging completion time is 3:00 on January 1st. Since the charging completion time is earlier than the use start time, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 determines that charging can be completed. Next, when the charging order of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "3," the charging completion time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is calculated by adding the charging time of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 to the charging completion time of the third commercial electric vehicle 100. In the example shown in FIG. 5, the second commercial electric vehicle 100 has a usage start time of 6:00 on January 1st and a charging completion time of 5:00 on January 1st. Since the charging completion time is earlier than the usage start time, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles determines that charging can be completed. Even if the charging order of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 is moved up, charging of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 can be completed. Therefore, the change in charging order is established. As a result, the charging order of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "2," and the charging order of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 becomes "3."

[0070] As described above, when the first commercial electric vehicle 100 of the three commercial electric vehicles 100 given as an example is completely charged, the first commercial electric vehicle 100 enters a fully charged state, and the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "2", i.e., the third commercial electric vehicle 100, becomes the highest ranking commercial electric vehicle 100 in the standby state. As a result, charging of the third commercial electric vehicle 100 begins second.

[0071] Then, when charging of the third commercial electric vehicle 100, which is second in the charging order, is completed, the third commercial electric vehicle 100 enters a charging completed state, and since the commercial electric vehicle 100 which is third in the charging order, i.e., the second commercial electric vehicle 100, becomes the highest ranking commercial electric vehicle 100 in standby, charging of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 begins.

[0072] As a result of the above, when charging of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 is completed, the second commercial electric vehicle 100 enters a charging complete state, and charging of all commercial electric vehicles 100 is completed. When four or more commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected to the vehicle connection unit 16, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles may move the charging order forward by two or more positions.

[0073] [Effects of the first embodiment] (1-1) The charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles rearranges the charging order so that the earlier the commercial electric vehicle 100 is in use, the higher the priority for charging the battery 101. In this case, the charging order is rearranged if the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that is lower in the charging order due to the rearrangement reaches the specified charging rate by the time the use starts. Therefore, the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that has become lower in the charging order due to the rearrangement can also be made to have the specified charging rate by the time the use starts. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the battery 101 of the second commercial electric vehicle 100 that has become lower in the charging order due to the rearrangement can also be made to have the specified charging rate by the time the use starts. In this way, an excellent effect is achieved in that charging of all of the multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 that require charging can be completed by the time the use starts.

[0074] Furthermore, charging can be performed without setting a charging schedule or making a priority reservation for the commercial electric vehicles 100 that are to be charged by the time the use of the commercial electric vehicles 100 begins. Note that, although the charging order is changed in this embodiment, the charging order is changed excluding the commercial electric vehicles 100 that are in a charging state, which differs from a priority reservation.

[0075] (1-2) Furthermore, by using the charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles, it is possible to charge multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 using one charger 200, so that the amount of charge required for operation of all multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 can be secured by the start time of use using a small number of chargers 200.

[0076] (1-3) Furthermore, since the database 51 stores the cumulative charging capacity, a user (e.g., an operation management company or a business operator) can accurately grasp the cumulative charging amount of each of the multiple commercial electric vehicles 100 by referring to the database 51 from the user terminal 60.

[0077] (1-4) Furthermore, the greater the cumulative charge amount, the greater the frequency of use (number of times operated, distance traveled) of the commercial electric vehicle 100, and the greater the number of times the battery 101 is charged and discharged, which causes the battery 101 to deteriorate. However, this has the extremely advantageous effect of enabling the user to understand the bias in the frequency of use of the battery 101 installed in the commercial electric vehicle 100 and the degree of deterioration of the battery 101 from the cumulative charge amount.

[0078] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment of a charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle, a charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle, and a charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 8. Note that the second embodiment is a case in which the charging system CS includes a plurality of charging switching control devices 40 for a commercial electric vehicle and a plurality of charging switching devices 11 for a commercial electric vehicle, and the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 6, a case will be described in which the charging system CS includes two blocks B1 and B2. Here, each of the blocks B1 and B2 includes a charger 200, a charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles, and a charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles, and there is only one server 50 because information can be shared between the charging switching control devices 40 for commercial electric vehicles. A user can charge a commercial electric vehicle 100 in either of the blocks B1 and B2.

[0080] First, the charging order determination control performed by the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the charging order determination control of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 from step S21 to step S25, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted here. The processing of step S26, which is characteristic of the second embodiment, when the determination result of step S24 in FIG. 4 is negative, will be described in detail below.

[0081] In step S26, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 issues a movement instruction to the commercial electric vehicle 100. The movement instruction is an instruction to prompt the commercial electric vehicle 100 to move to another charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles other than the charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles to which the commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected. For example, when charging is attempted using the charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles in block B1, if a movement instruction is received, the commercial electric vehicle 100 is instructed to move to the charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles in block B2. In this way, if the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes lower after the swap does not reach the specified charge rate by the start time of use, the commercial electric vehicle 100 that was connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 latest in terms of time is instructed to move to another charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles. The movement instruction may be displayed on the display if the charging switching device 11 for commercial electric vehicles is equipped with a display, or on the display of the vehicle or the user terminal 60. In order to perform the process of step S26, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle includes a movement instruction unit as a functional element.

[0082] [Specific example of the second embodiment] As an example, a case where four commercial electric vehicles 100 are connected to the vehicle connection unit 16 in succession will be described below.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 8 , the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "1" is in a fully charged state, the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "2" is in a charging state, and the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "3" is in a standby state. In this state, assume that a fourth commercial electric vehicle 100 is connected to the vehicle connection unit 16. The use start time of the fourth commercial electric vehicle 100 is 5:00 on January 1st, and the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "3" is 6:00 on January 1st. Therefore, the use start time of the fourth commercial electric vehicle 100 is earlier than the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "3". Therefore, a determination is made as to whether or not the change in the charging order is valid. If the charging order is changed, the commercial electric vehicle 100 that is lower in the order due to the change will not be able to complete charging. Therefore, the change in the charging order is not valid. In this example, the commercial electric vehicle charging switching control device 40 issues a movement instruction to the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the charging order "4". This movement instruction information is also registered in database 51 (see FIG. 6) of server 50 (see FIG. 6), so the user can remove the vehicle connection unit 16 from the commercial electric vehicle 100 using the movement instruction information in database 51 from the user terminal 60 (see FIG. 6). If the user does not follow the movement instruction information, the commercial electric vehicle 100 that should be moved is charged without changing the charging order. In this example, the commercial electric vehicle 100 with vehicle-specific information 44-44 is charged after charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100 with vehicle-specific information 22-22 has been completed.

[0084] Incidentally, the charging control device 202 shares information with the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles via the server 50. Therefore, when issuing a movement instruction, the charging control device 202 may instruct either block B1 or B2 in which charging of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that is the target of the movement instruction can be completed by the start time of use.

[0085] [Effects of the second embodiment] According to the second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects of the first embodiment. (2-1) The commercial electric vehicle charging switching unit 10 includes a plurality of commercial electric vehicle charging switching devices 11. Therefore, more commercial electric vehicles 100 can be charged than when there is only one commercial electric vehicle charging switching device 11. As a result, more commercial electric vehicles 100 can be fully charged by the time of start of use than in the first embodiment.

[0086] (2-2) The commercial electric vehicle charge switching control device 40 instructs the commercial electric vehicle 100 to move if the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 that becomes subordinate after the swap does not reach the specified charge rate by the time the vehicle starts to be used. This allows the battery 101 of the commercial electric vehicle 100 to reach the specified charge rate by the time the vehicle starts to be used, thereby improving the availability of the commercial electric vehicle 100 and eliminating the need to frequently update the operation plan, thereby reducing the burden on the user associated with changes to the operation plan.

[0087] [Example of change] Each embodiment can be modified as follows: Each embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that no technical contradiction occurs.

[0088] In each embodiment, the charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles may not charge a commercial electric vehicle 100 whose vehicle-specific information is not registered in the database 51. The charging switching control device 40 for commercial electric vehicles compares the vehicle-specific information acquired in step S2 of FIG. 3 with the vehicle-specific information registered in the database 51, and if the comparison shows that the vehicle-specific information acquired in step S2 is not registered in the database 51, the charging switching control device 40 may not use the switching unit 25 to connect the vehicle connection unit 16 to which the commercial electric vehicle 100 with the vehicle-specific information is connected to the charger connection unit 12. This makes it possible to prevent unauthorized charging by unauthorized parties when the charging switching unit 10 for commercial electric vehicles does not have a billing system or an authentication system.

[0089] In each embodiment, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle may be a web application provided as a cloud by the server 50. In this case, the server 50 includes the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle.

[0090] In each embodiment, the charger 200 may be a multi-outlet charger. The multi-outlet charger includes a plurality of plugs 206 and cables 203 provided corresponding to each of the plugs 206. In this case, the charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle includes a plurality of charger connection units 12. Alternatively, the charging switching units 10 for a commercial electric vehicle include the same number of plugs 206.

[0091] In each embodiment, the charging switching device 11 for a commercial electric vehicle may be built into the charger 200. In each embodiment, the specified charging rate can be set arbitrarily. For example, the specified charging rate may be 90% or 85%. The specified charging rate may be determined based on the power consumption used in the operation of the commercial electric vehicle 100.

[0092] In the second embodiment, there may be one charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle. In this case, the charging switching device 11 for a commercial electric vehicle in each of the blocks B1 and B2 is controlled by the single charging switching control device 40 for a commercial electric vehicle.

[0093] a charger connection unit to which a charger for charging a battery included in the commercial electric vehicle is connected; vehicle connection units to which the number of the commercial electric vehicles is greater than the number of the charger connection units; a switching unit that selectively switches whether the charger connection unit is connected to one of the vehicle connection units, acquiring vehicle-specific information of the commercial electric vehicle and battery information of the battery; acquiring the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle connected to the vehicle connection unit from a database in which the vehicle specific information is associated with the use start time of the commercial electric vehicle; determining a charging sequence for the commercial electric vehicles; switching the switching unit so that the commercial electric vehicle is charged in accordance with the charging order; A charging switching control method for a commercial electric vehicle comprising:

[0094] Furthermore, the step of determining the charging order includes a step of rearranging the charging order so that the commercial electric vehicle having an earlier use start time is placed higher in the charging order. a step of switching the charging order when the battery of the commercial electric vehicle that will be lower in the charging order as a result of the switching of the charging order reaches the specified charging rate by the start time of use. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 10...Charging switching unit for commercial electric vehicle, 11...Charging switching device for commercial electric vehicle, 12...Charger connection section, 16...Vehicle connection section, 25...Switching section, 27...Switching control device, 29...Vehicle information acquisition section, 40...Charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicle, 100...Commercial electric vehicle, 101...Battery, 103...Vehicle control device, 200...Charger

Claims

1. a charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle; a charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle that controls the charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle, The charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle includes: a charger connection unit to which a charger for charging a battery included in the commercial electric vehicle is connected; a vehicle connection unit to which the commercial electric vehicle is connected, the vehicle connection unit having more connection points than the charger connection unit; A switching unit that selectively switches between connecting the charger connection unit to one of the vehicle connection units. and, The charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle includes: a charging order determination unit that determines a charging order for the commercial electric vehicles based on information that associates at least vehicle-specific information and battery information of the battery, which are acquired when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit, with a start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle; and a switching control unit that switches the switching unit so that the commercial electric vehicle is charged in accordance with the charging order determination unit; A charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle.

2. The charging order determination unit When the charging order is rearranged so that the commercial electric vehicle with the earlier start time of use is placed higher in the charging order, the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle that is placed lower in the charging order as a result of the rearrangement is rearranged if the battery reaches a specified charging rate by the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle. The charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle according to claim 1 .

3. a plurality of the charging switching devices for commercial electric vehicles; the charging switching control device for commercial electric vehicles includes a movement instruction unit that, when the charging order is rearranged so that the commercial electric vehicle with the earlier use start time is placed higher in the charging order, instructs the commercial electric vehicle that is connected to the vehicle connection unit latest to move to another of the charging switching devices for commercial electric vehicles if the battery of the commercial electric vehicle that is lower in the charging order does not reach a specified charging rate by the use start time.

3. The charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the vehicle-specific information acquired when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit is not registered in a database, the charging switching control device for the commercial electric vehicle does not connect the vehicle connection unit to which the commercial electric vehicle having the vehicle-specific information is connected to the charger connection unit.

3. The charging switching unit for a commercial electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a charger connection unit for connecting a charger that charges a battery provided in the commercial electric vehicle; a vehicle connection unit to which the commercial electric vehicle is connected, the vehicle connection unit having more connection points than the charger connection unit; a switching unit that selectively switches whether the charger connection unit is connected to one of the vehicle connection units, a charging order determination unit that determines a charging order for the commercial electric vehicles based on information that associates at least vehicle-specific information and battery information of the battery, which are acquired when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit, with a start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle; and a switching control unit that switches the switching unit so as to charge the commercial electric vehicles in accordance with a charging sequence of the commercial electric vehicles; A charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle.

6. The charging order determination unit When the charging order is rearranged so that the commercial electric vehicle with the earlier start time of use is placed higher in the charging order, the rearrangement of the charging order of the commercial electric vehicle that is placed lower in the charging order as a result of the rearrangement is invalidated if the battery of the commercial electric vehicle does not reach a specified charging rate by the start time of use of the commercial electric vehicle. The charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle according to claim 5.

7. a charger connection unit to which a charger for charging a battery included in the commercial electric vehicle is connected; a vehicle connection unit of the commercial electric vehicle having more connection points than the charger connection unit; a switching unit that selectively switches between connecting the charger connection unit to one of the vehicle connection units; A charging switching device for a commercial electric vehicle comprising: The switching control device a vehicle information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle-specific information of the commercial electric vehicle and battery information of the battery when the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit; a connection detection unit that detects whether the commercial electric vehicle is connected to the vehicle connection unit, The switching control device transmits the vehicle-specific information and the battery information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit to the charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle, thereby causing the charging switching control device for a commercial electric vehicle to determine the charging order of the commercial electric vehicles.

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