Information processing device

Abstract

To provide an information processing device capable of managing vehicle dispatch in such a way that energy consumption is minimi zed before a user gets on a vehicle and user comfort is improved after the user gets on the vehicle.SOLUTION: A control unit 110 comprises a creation unit 110a configured to create multiple travel plans that allow a vehicle 103 to reach a planned boarding point of a user before a planned boarding time of the user, an acquisition unit 110b for acquiring external environment information along routes to be taken according to the created travel plans, and a selection unit 110c for selecting a travel plan with the lowest energy consumption among the multiple travel plans on the basis of the acquired external environment information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique in which the route that maximizes the remaining battery charge among a plurality of candidate travel routes is selected as the travel route. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-121717 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention aims to provide an information processing device that can perform vehicle dispatch management that reduces energy consumption before a user gets in and improves user comfort after the user gets in. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] According to one aspect of the control device of the present invention, an information processing device that controls a vehicle based on boarding reservation information and vehicle information includes a creation unit that creates multiple driving plans that allow the vehicle to travel to the user's planned boarding point by the user's planned boarding time, an acquisition unit that acquires external environment information along the route to be traveled according to the created driving plans, and a selection unit that selects the driving plan with the lowest energy consumption from the multiple driving plans based on the acquired external environment information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, an information processing device can be provided that can perform vehicle dispatch management that reduces energy consumption before a user gets in and improves user comfort after the user gets in. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a server. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an outline of a configuration example of a vehicle air conditioning system, and is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle air conditioning system when performing defrosting control of a radiator and heating operation of the vehicle cabin while the vehicle is running. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of the vehicle allocation management control process. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing the processing procedure in the travel plan selection processing. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a specific example of route selection when the travel plan selection process is executed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of the defrosting control process. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a specific example of changes in the frost rate and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin when the defrosting control process is performed. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of changes in the frost rate and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin when the defrosting control process is performed. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flowchart showing the procedure of the charge control process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [Control system configuration] The thermal management system of this embodiment is configured to be able to perform defrosting control without compromising user comfort. The charging control system of this embodiment is configured to reliably transport users to their destinations. The vehicle dispatch management system of this embodiment is configured to allow vehicles that were not previously eligible for dispatch to be included in the vehicle dispatch selection system. The information processing device of this embodiment is configured to perform vehicle dispatch management that minimizes energy consumption without forcing users to endure unnecessary stress while riding.

[0009] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of an example configuration of a vehicle control system 100 that functions as a heat management system, a charge control system, and a vehicle dispatch management system.

[0010] The control system 100 includes a server 101. The server 101 is communicably connected to a plurality of vehicles 103 and a user terminal 104 via the Internet 102. The vehicles 103 are, for example, rechargeable electric vehicles (EVs) such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles. The user terminals 104 are, for example, personal computers (PCs) and smartphones. The control system 100 is a system capable of dispatching a vehicle 103 that meets certain conditions from among the plurality of vehicles 103.

[0011] 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an outline of an example of the hardware configuration of the server 101. The server 101 includes a control unit 110, a storage unit 111, and a communication device 112.

[0012] The control unit 110 is, for example, a one-chip microcomputer, and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0013] The control unit 110 controls the vehicle 103 based on the boarding reservation information and the vehicle information. The control unit 110 also functions as an information processing device. The control unit 110 includes a creation unit 110a that creates multiple driving plans that enable the vehicle to travel to the user's planned boarding point by the user's planned boarding time, an acquisition unit 110b that acquires external environment information along the route to be traveled according to the created driving plans, and a selection unit 110c that selects, from the multiple driving plans, a driving plan with the lowest energy consumption based on the acquired external environment information.

[0014] The storage unit 111 is a computer-readable recording medium (storage) that stores various types of data. The storage unit 111 may be, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).

[0015] The communication device 112 is connected to the Internet 102 and performs data communication with the vehicle 103 via the Internet 102 .

[0016] [Vehicle configuration] As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle 103 includes a control unit 115, a storage unit 116, and a communication device 117.

[0017] The control unit 115 is, for example, a one-chip microcomputer, and includes a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 115 can control the operation of the vehicle 103 based on the driving and air conditioning plans transmitted from the control unit 110.

[0018] The storage unit 116 is a computer-readable recording medium (storage) that stores various types of data. The storage unit 116 is, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).

[0019] The communication device 117 is connected to the Internet 102 and performs data communication with the server 101 via the Internet 102 .

[0020] [Defrost control] As shown in Fig. 4, the vehicle 103 is equipped with a vehicle air conditioning system 1. The vehicle air conditioning system 1 is controlled by a control unit 115 of the vehicle 103. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the vehicle air conditioning system 1 when performing defrosting control of the radiator 61 and heating operation of the vehicle cabin while the vehicle 103 is traveling.

[0021] The vehicle air conditioning system 1 includes a refrigerant circuit 10, a high-temperature side heat medium circuit 20, a low-temperature side heat medium circuit 30, a battery temperature control circuit 40, a motor temperature control circuit 50, and an outdoor heat exchange circuit 60. Of these circuits, the low-temperature side heat medium circuit 30, the battery temperature control circuit 40, the motor temperature control circuit 50, and the outdoor heat exchange circuit 60 are connected to a flow path switching device 70 such as an eight-way valve. The vehicle air conditioning system 1 also includes an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) unit 80.

[0022] When defrosting control of the radiator 61 as a heat exchanger and heating operation of the vehicle interior are performed while the vehicle is traveling, the heat medium heated by heat exchange in the high-temperature side heat exchanger 12 circulates through the high-temperature side heat medium circuit 20, which is separated from the exterior heat exchange circuit 60, and flows through the heater core 21. As a result, the heat of the heat medium that absorbs heat in the high-temperature side heat exchanger 12 heats the vehicle interior. Note that although the example of defrosting control while the vehicle is traveling is given in this embodiment, defrosting control may be performed not only while the vehicle is traveling, but also while the vehicle 103 is stopped, such as before starting to travel. In particular, if there is enough time before passengers get in, the power required for defrosting can be reduced by performing defrosting control before traveling.

[0023] The flow path switching device 70 also connects the flow paths of the battery temperature control circuit 40 and the outdoor heat exchange circuit 60, forming a circulation path through which the battery temperature control circuit 40 and the outdoor heat exchange circuit 60 cooperate to circulate the heat medium. As a result, the radiator 61 is defrosted by heat generated in the battery 41 or by the heat medium heated by the heat medium heater 42. When the control unit 115 executes only defrost control of the radiator 61 without executing heating operation while the vehicle 103 is traveling, the control unit 115 forms a flow path through which the heat medium that has absorbed heat in the high-temperature side heat exchanger 12 flows through the radiator 61 without passing through the heater core 21. In this case, the defrost control may be executed not only while the vehicle 103 is traveling but also while the vehicle 103 is stopped, such as before the vehicle starts traveling. In particular, if there is sufficient time before passengers get in the vehicle, the power required for defrosting can be reduced by executing the defrost control before the vehicle starts traveling.

[0024] The defrosting control is not limited to the example shown in Fig. 4. For example, the defrosting control of the radiator 61 may be performed using the heat of the refrigerant circulating through the refrigerant circuit 10, or the defrosting control of the radiator 61 may be performed using a heat medium heated by heat exchange in the high-temperature side heat exchanger 12.

[0025] [Vehicle allocation management control processing] 5 is a flowchart showing an example of a vehicle allocation management control process executed by the control unit 110 included in the server 101. The control unit 110 executes the vehicle allocation management control process to allocate a vehicle 103 that meets a condition from among a plurality of vehicles 103.

[0026] The vehicle dispatch management control process is executed, for example, when reserving and dispatching an autonomous, driverless taxi. Specifically, in the vehicle dispatch management control process, when a user requesting a taxi dispatch reservation requests a taxi dispatch reservation, "vehicle information" of taxis near the planned boarding point is acquired based on "boarding reservation information" including information such as the planned boarding time and the planned boarding point. Then, based on the acquired "vehicle information," a "driving plan" is created that includes a power consumption forecast based on the driving route to the destination and the air conditioning status. A taxi capable of executing the created "driving plan" is then selected, and reservation data is transmitted to the selected taxi. The "driving plan" may be corrected by executing the "driving plan selection process," "defrosting control process," and "charging control process." The vehicle dispatch management control process will be specifically described below with reference to FIG. 5.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 5, in the vehicle dispatch management control process, the control unit 110 acquires the boarding reservation information transmitted from the user terminal 104 (S1).

[0028] When a user desires to dispatch a taxi, the user inputs ride reservation information into an application installed on the user terminal 104 or into a reservation site on the World Wide Web (Web) accessed using the user terminal 104. The ride reservation information input by the user is transmitted to the server 101 via the Internet 102. This allows the control unit 110 to acquire the ride reservation information.

[0029] The boarding reservation information includes, for example, the scheduled boarding time, the scheduled boarding point, the destination, the number of passengers, and air conditioning setting information. The air conditioning setting information is, for example, the desired temperature inside the vehicle, and can be specified as a specific temperature or as a temperature tendency (higher or lower).

[0030] Next, the control unit 110 searches for a vehicle that can satisfy the user's desired conditions based on the boarding reservation information, and determines whether or not there is a vehicle that can satisfy the user's desired conditions (S2, S3).

[0031] When it is determined that a corresponding vehicle exists (S3: YES), the control unit 110 acquires vehicle information of the corresponding vehicle (S4). The vehicle information includes, for example, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin, the remaining charge of the battery, and the amount of frost on the radiator 61.

[0032] Next, the control unit 110 creates a driving plan for the vehicle (S5). The driving plan is, for example, a plan of a driving route from the current location of the vehicle 103 to the destination via the user's planned boarding point, and a power consumption plan based on the predicted results of power consumption for driving and power consumption for air conditioning.

[0033] The power consumption plan includes a power consumption plan before the user gets on board from the current location of the vehicle 103 to the user's planned boarding point, and a power consumption plan during the user's ride from the user's planned boarding point to the destination.

[0034] Next, the control unit 110 executes a driving plan selection process to select the driving plan with the lowest energy consumption from among the plurality of driving plans (S6).

[0035] Next, the control unit 110 executes a defrost control process to defrost the radiator 61 (S7).

[0036] Next, the control unit 110 executes a charging control process to determine whether or not to permit the vehicle 103 to arrive at the user's planned boarding point via a charging spot (S8).

[0037] Next, the control unit 110 determines whether the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 exceeds the power required to reach the destination (S9).

[0038] If the power required to reach the destination exceeds the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 (S9: NO), the control unit 110 returns to the processing of step S2. If the power required to reach the destination does not exceed the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 (S9: YES), the control unit 110 transmits reservation data to the control unit 115 of the vehicle 103 to be dispatched (S10). The control unit 115 of the vehicle 103 controls the vehicle 103 based on the reservation data received from the control unit 110. This makes it possible to dispatch a vehicle 103 that meets the user's desired conditions based on the reservation data.

[0039] The reservation data is data based on the driving plan of step S6, but the data based on the driving plan of step S5 may be corrected by executing the driving plan selection process of step S6, the charge control process of step S8, and the defrost control process of step S7. Therefore, the reservation data may include a plan for the driving route of the target vehicle determined in the driving plan selection process of step S6 and the charge control process of step S8. The reservation data may also include plans for defrost control and pre-air conditioning determined in the defrost control process of step S7. Note that pre-air conditioning is air conditioning of the vehicle cabin that is performed before the user gets in the vehicle.

[0040] On the other hand, if the control unit 110 determines that there is no corresponding vehicle (S3: NO), it sends a message to the user terminal 104 suggesting to the user to change conditions (S11). For example, it suggests changing the scheduled boarding time, changing vehicles before arriving at the destination, or accepting a decrease in comfort (changing the set temperature, turning off the air conditioning, etc.).

[0041] Then, the control unit 110 determines whether the user changes the desired conditions (S12). As a result, if the user changes the desired conditions (S12: YES), the control unit 110 returns to the processing of step S2. On the other hand, if the user does not change the desired conditions (S12: NO), the control unit 110 transmits a message to the user terminal 104 indicating that the vehicle cannot be dispatched (S13).

[0042] [Driving plan selection process] Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a driving plan selection process executed by the control unit 110 included in the server 101 in step S6 of the vehicle dispatch control process shown in Fig. 5. The driving plan selection process is a process for selecting a driving plan with the lowest energy consumption from among a plurality of driving plans based on external environment information.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 110 calculates the time required for the vehicle 103 to travel along the shortest route from the current location to the user's planned boarding point (S1001).

[0044] Next, the control unit 110 determines whether there is sufficient time for the vehicle 103 to travel from the current location to the user's planned boarding location based on the required time calculated in step S1001 (S1002). An example of a specific method for determining whether there is sufficient time in step S1002 is to determine whether the difference between the time until the user's planned boarding time and the required time calculated in step S1001 is equal to or greater than a threshold, and determine that there is sufficient time if the difference is equal to or greater than the threshold. Another example is to search for a route that allows the vehicle 103 to arrive at the planned boarding location by the user's planned boarding time, and determine that there is sufficient time if multiple routes are found.

[0045] As a result, when it is determined that there is sufficient time (S1002: YES), the control unit 110 selects the route with the lowest energy consumption from among multiple travel routes from the current location of the vehicle 103 to the user's planned boarding point (S1003).

[0046] 5, the creation unit 110a of the control unit 110 creates multiple driving plans that enable the vehicle 103 to travel to the user's planned boarding point by the user's planned boarding time. At this time, the acquisition unit 110b of the control unit 110 acquires external environment information along the route to be traveled according to the created driving plans. Then, in step S1003, the selection unit 110c of the control unit 110 selects the driving plan with the lowest energy consumption from the multiple driving plans based on the acquired external environment information.

[0047] Specifically, the power consumption for each route to the user's planned boarding point is calculated, and the route with the lowest power consumption is selected. For example, when traveling on a route with few hills or a route where the vehicle speed is constant, the driving power is low. Furthermore, for example, when the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin is not performed, when the outside temperature is close to the user's set temperature, when passing through a tunnel, when the humidity is low, or when the vehicle speed is high, the air conditioning power is low. Furthermore, for example, when the air conditioning is not performed or the humidity is low, the defrosting power is low. Furthermore, by stopping the vehicle 103 or slowing down the speed of the vehicle 103, the cooling of the radiator 61 while traveling can be suppressed, the time required for defrosting can be shortened, and the defrosting power can be reduced. In this case, by increasing the speed of the vehicle 103 after defrosting is completed, water that has adhered to the surface of the radiator 61 as a result of defrosting control can be blown away.

[0048] When the control unit 110 selects the route with the lowest energy consumption, it executes the process of correcting the driving plan in step S5 of FIG. 5 so that the selected route is traveled.

[0049] In this way, by selecting the route with the lowest energy consumption to the user's planned boarding point, it is possible to reduce energy consumption before the user boards the vehicle. Furthermore, by reducing energy consumption before the user boards the vehicle, it is possible to ensure that the remaining battery power is sufficient to cover the amount of power required for driving after the user boards the vehicle, which is predicted from the information set in advance. Therefore, even if the user changes the air conditioning settings after boarding, it can be accommodated. This makes it possible to satisfy the user's comfort.

[0050] If the control unit 110 determines that there is not enough time (S1002: NO), it ends the process. In this case, the control unit 110 selects the shortest route to the planned boarding point. Note that, since the driving plan in step S5 of FIG. 5 is to travel the shortest route, the vehicle will travel along the route according to the original driving plan.

[0051] [Example of route selection based on power consumption] FIG. 7 shows a specific example of route selection when the travel plan selection process shown in FIG. 6 is executed.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 7, for example, it is assumed that there are three routes A, B, and C that can be traveled from the current location of the vehicle 103 to the user's planned boarding point.

[0053] When route A is selected, the running power required for vehicle 103 to arrive at the user's planned boarding point is 8 kW / h, and the air conditioning power required for vehicle 103 to arrive at the destination (including the power consumed by defrosting control) is 5 kW / h. As a result, when route A is selected, the power consumed by vehicle 103 to arrive at the user's planned boarding point is 13 kW / h.

[0054] When route B is selected, the running power required for vehicle 103 to arrive at the user's planned boarding point is 9 kW / h, and the air conditioning power required for vehicle 103 to arrive at the destination (including the power consumed by defrosting control) is 3 kW / h. As a result, when route B is selected, the power required for vehicle 103 to arrive at the user's planned boarding point is 12 kW / h.

[0055] When route C is selected, the traveling power required to reach the destination is 9 kW / h, and the air conditioning power required to reach the destination (including the power consumed by defrosting control) is 4 kW / h. As a result, when route C is selected, the power consumed by vehicle 103 until it reaches the user's planned boarding point is 13 kW / h.

[0056] Therefore, when comparing the power consumed by the vehicle 103 until it arrives at the user's planned boarding point for routes A, B, and C, the power consumed is lowest when route B is selected. Therefore, route B is selected (S1003 in FIG. 6).

[0057] [Defrost control process] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the defrosting control process executed by the control unit 110 included in the server 101 in step S7 of the vehicle dispatch control process shown in FIG.

[0058] The defrosting control process is a process that predicts the amount of frost that will form on the radiator 61 when a vehicle 103 having a radiator 61 that exchanges heat with outside air moves from its current location to its destination, and based on the prediction result, executes defrosting control to defrost the radiator 61 before the user gets into the vehicle 103.

[0059] 8, the control unit 110 predicts the amount of frost that will form on the radiator 61 when the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination from the current location (S601). Next, the control unit 110 determines whether or not defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination based on the prediction result in step S601 (S602).

[0060] If the control unit 110 determines that defrosting of the radiator 61 is not necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination (S602: NO), the control unit 110 ends the processing. If the control unit 110 determines that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination (S602: YES), the control unit 110 estimates a target temperature for performing pre-air conditioning based on the air conditioning setting information included in the boarding reservation information acquired in step S2 of Fig. 5 (S603). Note that if the boarding reservation information does not include air conditioning setting information, the air conditioning setting of the previous user may be estimated as the target temperature.

[0061] Next, the control unit 110 estimates the temperature in the vehicle interior at the time the user is scheduled to get in, assuming that defrosting control and air conditioning in the vehicle interior (pre-air conditioning) will be performed before the user gets in the vehicle 103, in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle interior (S604).

[0062] Next, the control unit 110 estimates the amount of frost that will form on the radiator 61 from the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination, assuming that defrost control and interior air conditioning (pre-air conditioning) are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103, in the order of defrost control followed by interior air conditioning (S605).

[0063] Next, based on the estimation result of step S604, the control unit 110 determines whether the temperature inside the vehicle at the time the user is scheduled to get into the vehicle 103 will reach the target temperature, assuming that defrosting control and air conditioning inside the vehicle are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103, in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning inside the vehicle (S606).

[0064] The control unit 110 also determines whether it is possible to execute the defrosting control and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the defrosting control is executed first and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in consideration of the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 and the user's scheduled boarding time. That is, it considers whether there is enough remaining battery charge to complete the defrosting control and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the defrosting control is executed first and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the defrosting control is executed first and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the defrosting control is executed first and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the defrosting control is executed first and the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the air conditioning of the vehicle interior in the order in which the air conditioning of the vehicle interior is executed second and the order in which ...

[0065] Then, if the control unit 110 determines that the temperature inside the vehicle at the time the user is scheduled to get in will reach the target temperature if it is assumed that defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets in to the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin (S606: YES), it determines, based on the estimation result of step S605, whether defrosting of the radiator 61 is required between the time the user gets in to the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at the destination if it is assumed that defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets in to the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin (S607).

[0066] Then, assuming that defrost control and interior air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by interior air conditioning, if the control unit 110 determines that defrosting of the radiator 61 will not be necessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at the destination (S607: NO), it creates a first defrost implementation plan (S608).

[0067] In the first defrost control implementation plan, a plan is created to execute defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle 103, in the order of executing defrost control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin. In this case, for example, pre-air conditioning using outside air or pre-air conditioning using outside air and the heater core 21 is executed after the defrost control is completed. The first defrost control implementation plan is effective in improving user comfort because air conditioning is executed just before the user gets into the vehicle. Furthermore, by executing defrost control and air conditioning separately, an increase in the compressor rotation speed can be suppressed.

[0068] On the other hand, assuming that defrost control and cabin air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by cabin air conditioning, if the control unit 110 determines that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at the destination (S607: YES), it creates a second defrost implementation plan (S609).

[0069] The second defrost control implementation plan takes into account the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 and creates a plan to execute defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle 103 so that defrosting of the radiator 61 is not necessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination. In this case, for example, defrost control and pre-air conditioning using the heater core 21 are executed simultaneously, and pre-air conditioning using outside air is executed after the defrost control is completed, or pre-air conditioning using outside air and the heater core 21 is executed after the defrost control is completed. The second defrost control implementation plan makes it possible to execute air conditioning in the vehicle cabin from the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at its destination, so that user comfort is not impaired. Furthermore, for example, by executing defrost control and air conditioning in parallel before the user gets into the vehicle, it is possible to improve the user's comfort when getting into the vehicle while minimizing the execution of defrost control after getting into the vehicle. In addition, in the second defrost control implementation plan, it is preferable to further create a defrost control implementation plan that executes defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle 103 so that the temperature in the vehicle cabin approaches the target temperature at the user's scheduled boarding time. In other words, it is preferable to create a plan similar to the fourth defrost control implementation plan.

[0070] In addition, if the control unit 110 determines that the temperature inside the vehicle at the time the user is scheduled to board will not reach the target temperature if it is assumed that defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user boards the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin (S606: NO), it determines whether defrosting of the radiator 61 is required between the time the user boards the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at the destination, if it is assumed that defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user boards the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin (S610).

[0071] Then, assuming that defrost control and interior air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by interior air conditioning, if the control unit 110 determines that defrosting of the radiator 61 will not be necessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at the destination (S610: NO), it creates a third defrost implementation plan (S611).

[0072] The third defrost control implementation plan is a defrost control implementation plan for executing defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle 103 so that the temperature in the vehicle cabin approaches a target temperature at the user's scheduled boarding time. In this case, for example, defrost control and pre-air conditioning using the heater core 21 are performed simultaneously, and pre-air conditioning using outside air is performed after the defrost control is completed, or pre-air conditioning using outside air and the heater core 21 is performed after the defrost control is completed. The third defrost control implementation plan is effective in improving user comfort because air conditioning is performed just before the user gets into the vehicle. Furthermore, by performing defrost control and air conditioning separately, an increase in the compressor rotation speed can be suppressed. Note that, in the third defrost control implementation plan, it is preferable to further create a plan for executing defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle 103 so that defrosting of the radiator 61 is not necessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination. In other words, it is preferable to create a plan similar to the fourth defrost control implementation plan.

[0073] In addition, assuming that defrost control and interior air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of defrost control followed by interior air conditioning, if the control unit 110 determines that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at the destination (S610: YES), it creates a fourth defrost implementation plan (S612).

[0074] The fourth defrost control implementation plan takes into account the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 and creates a defrost control implementation plan for executing defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle 103 so that the temperature in the vehicle cabin approaches the target temperature at the user's scheduled boarding time and defrosting of the radiator 61 is unnecessary between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination. In this case, for example, defrost control and pre-air conditioning using the heater core 21 are performed simultaneously, and pre-air conditioning using outside air is performed after the defrost control is completed, or pre-air conditioning using outside air and the heater core 21 is performed after the defrost control is completed. The second defrost control implementation plan does not impair user comfort because the temperature in the vehicle cabin approaches the target temperature at the user's scheduled boarding time. Furthermore, for example, by performing defrost control and air conditioning in parallel before the user gets into the vehicle, it is possible to improve the user's comfort when getting into the vehicle and minimize the need for defrost control after getting into the vehicle.

[0075] In addition, in the second defrost control implementation plan and the fourth defrost control implementation plan, an example can be given in which a plan is created to execute defrost control and pre-air conditioning before the user gets in so that the amount of frost on the radiator 61 is zero at the user's scheduled boarding time.

[0076] In addition, in the second defrost control implementation plan and the fourth defrost control implementation plan, an example can be given of creating a plan to execute defrost control and pre-air conditioning before the user gets in so that the amount of frost is at a level that makes it impossible for the outside air to absorb heat when the vehicle 103 arrives at its destination.

[0077] In addition, when the control unit 110 creates any of the first defrost control implementation plan, the second defrost control implementation plan, the third defrost control implementation plan, and the fourth defrost control implementation plan, it executes a process to correct the operation plan created in step S5 of Figure 5 so as to implement that plan.

[0078] In addition, it is possible to perform only one of the following processes: a process of performing defrosting control before the user gets into the vehicle so that the temperature inside the vehicle approaches the target temperature at the user's scheduled time of getting into the vehicle; or a process of performing defrosting control before the user gets into the vehicle so that it is determined that defrosting control is not necessary from the time the user gets into the vehicle until the vehicle arrives at the destination, allowing air conditioning to be performed.

[0079] [Example of defrost control process] 9 and 10 are explanatory diagrams showing the frost rate of the radiator 61 and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin when the defrosting control process shown in FIG. 8 is executed.

[0080] Here, the frost rate is the degree of frost formation of the radiator 61 determined based on a frost formation determination value (ΔTXO=TXObase−TXO), which is the difference between the heat medium endothermic temperature TXObase of the radiator 61 when no frost has formed and the heat medium endothermic temperature TXO at the time when the frost rate is determined. That is, the frost rate corresponding to the frost formation determination value is measured in advance, and the control unit 110 stores a table in which the frost formation determination value corresponds to the frost formation rate. The control unit 110 can then determine the frost formation rate by calculating the frost formation determination value and searching the table. The frost formation rate is affected by the external environment, such as the outside temperature, along the travel route of the vehicle 103 and the usage status of the air conditioning. Therefore, it is preferable that the control unit 110 corrects the frost formation rate determined from the table by taking these factors into consideration.

[0081] In this embodiment, an example in which the heat medium passes through the radiator 61 has been described. However, when an outdoor heat exchanger is added to the refrigerant circuit 10 and the refrigerant absorbs heat from the outside air in the outdoor heat exchanger, the frost formation rate is determined based on a frost formation determination value (ΔTXO=TXObase-TXO), which is, for example, the difference between the refrigerant evaporation temperature TXObase of the radiator 61 when no frost has formed and the refrigerant evaporation temperature TXO at the time when the frost formation rate is determined.

[0082] In Fig. 9, the frost rate of the radiator 61 when defrost control is not performed before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination is set to G0. The frost rate at which defrosting is necessary is set to G1. In other words, when the frost rate exceeds G1, air conditioning becomes impossible. The transition of the frost rate when defrost control is performed on the vehicle 103 is set to G2.

[0083] Also, the time when the vehicle 103 is located at the current location is set to t0, the user's scheduled boarding time is set to t1, and the time when the vehicle arrives at the destination is set to t2.

[0084] Furthermore, the target temperature inside the vehicle cabin at the user's scheduled boarding time t1 is T1, the temperature inside the vehicle cabin at t1 when defrost control and air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin (pre-air conditioning) are performed before the user boards the vehicle 103 in the order of performing defrost control followed by air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin is T2, and the actual temperature inside the vehicle cabin at t1 is T3.

[0085] In the example of FIG. 9, a change in the amount of frost formed on the radiator 61 is predicted based on a change in the rate of frost formation on the radiator 61 when the vehicle 103 moves from the current location to the destination.

[0086] As shown in Figure 9(a), if it is predicted that the frost rate G0 at time t2 when the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination will be lower than the frost rate G1, it is determined that defrosting of the radiator 61 is not necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination.

[0087] As a result, it is possible to perform air conditioning in the vehicle cabin from the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at the destination, so the user's comfort is not impaired.

[0088] As shown in Figure 9(b), if it is predicted that the frost rate G0 at time t2 when the vehicle arrives at the destination will exceed the frost rate G1, it is determined that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination.

[0089] Then, assuming that defrosting control and interior air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of defrosting control followed by interior air conditioning, when the interior temperature T2 at the user's scheduled time of entry t1 reaches the target temperature T1, a first defrosting control implementation plan or a second defrosting control implementation plan is created. As a result, defrosting control and interior air conditioning are performed in the period from t0 to t1 before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of defrosting control followed by interior air conditioning.

[0090] As a result, the temperature T2 inside the vehicle cabin when the user gets in will match the target temperature T1, so user comfort will not be impaired. Also, if the defrosting control and the air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets in the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning inside the vehicle, and the temperature inside the vehicle cabin reaches the target temperature at the time the user plans to get in, an increase in the compressor rotation speed can be suppressed by performing the defrosting control and the air conditioning separately.

[0091] As shown in Figure 9(c), if the frost rate G0 at time t2 when the vehicle arrives at the destination exceeds the frost rate G1, it is determined that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination.

[0092] Then, assuming that defrosting control and interior air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of defrosting control followed by interior air conditioning, if the interior temperature T2 at the user's scheduled time of boarding t1 does not reach the target temperature T1, a third defrosting control implementation plan or a fourth defrosting control implementation plan is created. As a result, defrosting control and interior air conditioning are performed in the period from t0 to t1 before the user gets into the vehicle 103 so that the interior temperature T3 at the user's scheduled time of boarding t1 approaches the target temperature T1.

[0093] As a result, the temperature T3 inside the vehicle cabin when the user gets in is closer to the target temperature T1 than the temperature T2, so user comfort is not impaired. Also, for example, by performing defrosting control and air conditioning in parallel, it is possible to improve comfort when the user gets in while minimizing the execution of defrosting control after getting in.

[0094] If the current location of the vehicle 103 at t=0 is the destination of the previous user, it is possible that the heat in the vehicle cabin from the previous user can be used for defrost control. For example, defrost control is performed by circulating the interior air and causing the heat in the vehicle cabin to be absorbed by a heat medium. It is also possible that the heat of the battery 41 or the motor 51 can be used for defrost control. For example, defrost control is performed by causing the heat of the battery 41 or the motor 51 to be absorbed by a heat medium. In this case, by performing defrost control during pre-air conditioning, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the vehicle 103.

[0095] As shown in Figure 10(a), if it is predicted that the frost rate G0 at time t2 when the vehicle arrives at the destination will exceed the frost rate G1, it is determined that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination.

[0096] Then, assuming that defrost control and cabin air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle 103 in the order of performing defrost control followed by cabin air conditioning, if defrosting of the radiator 61 is not required between the time the user gets into the vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination, the first defrost control implementation plan or the third defrost control implementation plan is created. As a result, defrost control and cabin air conditioning are performed in the period from t0 to t1 before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrost control followed by cabin air conditioning.

[0097] As a result, the frost rate G2 is lower than the frost rate G1 during the period from t1 to t2, from when the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at its destination. Therefore, it is possible to perform air conditioning in the vehicle cabin from when the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at its destination, without impairing the comfort of the user. Furthermore, when defrost control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrost control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin, if defrosting of the radiator 61 is not required from when the user gets into the vehicle until the vehicle arrives at its destination, an increase in the rotation speed of the compressor can be suppressed by performing defrost control and air conditioning separately.

[0098] As shown in Figure 10(b), if it is predicted that the frost rate G0 at time t2 when the vehicle arrives at the destination will exceed the frost rate G1, it is determined that defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle 103 arrives at the destination.

[0099] Then, assuming that defrost control and cabin air conditioning are performed before the user gets into vehicle 103 in the order of performing defrost control followed by cabin air conditioning, if defrosting of radiator 61 is required between the time the user gets into vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination, a second defrost control implementation plan or a fourth defrost control implementation plan is created. As a result, defrost control and cabin air conditioning are performed in the period from t0 to t1 before the user gets into vehicle 103 so that defrosting of radiator 61 is not required between t1 and t2 between the time the user gets into vehicle 103 and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination.

[0100] As a result, the frost rate G2 is lower than the frost rate G1 during the period from t1 to t2, from when the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at the destination. Therefore, it is possible to perform air conditioning in the vehicle cabin from when the user gets into the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at the destination, without impairing the comfort of the user. Also, for example, by performing defrost control and air conditioning in parallel before the user gets into the vehicle, it is possible to improve the comfort of the user when getting into the vehicle while minimizing the execution of defrost control after getting into the vehicle.

[0101] [Charging control processing] Fig. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of a charging control process executed by the control unit 110 included in the server 101 in step S8 of the vehicle dispatch control process shown in Fig. 5. The charging control process is a process for charging the vehicle 103 and then directing the vehicle 103 to the user's planned boarding point when there is sufficient time before the user's planned boarding time.

[0102] 11, the control unit 110 creates a power consumption plan for the vehicle 103 until the vehicle arrives at the destination (S801). The power consumption plan is a plan for power consumption, for example, for the traveling power consumed by the vehicle 103 while traveling, the air conditioning power consumed by the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin, and the defrosting power consumed by the defrosting control.

[0103] Specifically, the running power is the power consumed by the vehicle 103 to run from the current location of the vehicle 103 to the destination via the user's planned boarding point. With regard to the running power, a power consumption plan is created so that the remaining battery power does not become 0 when the vehicle arrives at the destination. In this case, it is preferable to create a power consumption plan so that the remaining battery power takes into account travel to charging spots and vehicle depots.

[0104] The air conditioning power is the air conditioning power of the vehicle 103 from the current location of the vehicle 103 to the destination via the user's planned boarding point. The air conditioning power includes the power consumed in pre-air conditioning and the power consumed in air conditioning while traveling.

[0105] The defrosting power includes the power required for defrosting control based on the current amount of frost and the power required for defrosting control while traveling if defrosting control is required while traveling based on a predicted frost rate during traveling. Note that after arriving at the destination, defrosting control can be performed while traveling or while charging.

[0106] In this embodiment, an example is given in which the processing of S801 is executed to create a power consumption plan separately from the operation plan in step S5 of Figure 5, but S801 may be omitted by reusing the power consumption plan included in the operation plan in step S5 of Figure 5.

[0107] Next, the control unit 110 determines whether the power required to arrive at the destination exceeds the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 (S802). At this time, the control unit 110 estimates the amount of power required for the vehicle 103 to travel from the current location to the destination based on at least the boarding reservation information, and if the amount of power is insufficient compared to the remaining battery charge, calculates the amount of power that is insufficient compared to the remaining battery charge. Then, if the power required to arrive at the destination does not exceed the remaining battery charge of the vehicle 103 (S802: YES), the control unit 110 ends the processing. In other words, if the amount of power is not insufficient compared to the remaining battery charge, the processing ends.

[0108] If the power required to reach the destination exceeds the remaining battery power of the vehicle 103 (S802: NO), the control unit 110 searches for charging spots around the vehicle's current location and calculates the time required to charge the shortfall in power (S803, S804).

[0109] Next, the control unit 110 determines whether or not it is possible to secure the time required to charge the vehicle to make up for the shortage of power by the scheduled boarding time of the user by passing through a charging spot (S805).

[0110] That is, the control unit 110 determines whether there is sufficient time for the vehicle to travel to the user's planned boarding point relative to the user's planned boarding time. Specifically, the control unit 110 determines whether the vehicle 103 can arrive at the user's planned boarding point at the user's planned boarding time after charging the battery's power shortfall at a charging spot. In other words, the control unit 110 determines whether the difference between the remaining time until the user's planned boarding time and the vehicle's travel time to the user's planned boarding point is equal to or greater than a predetermined time. In this case, the predetermined time is the time required to charge the shortfall in power via a charging spot.

[0111] If the control unit 110 determines that the time required to charge the shortfall in power can be secured by the user's scheduled boarding time (S805: YES), it selects a route that will take the user via a charging spot to charge the required amount of power (S806).

[0112] In other words, if the vehicle 103 can arrive at the user's planned boarding point at the user's planned boarding time after charging the battery's power shortfall at the charging spot, the control unit 110 allows the vehicle 103 to arrive at the user's planned boarding point via the charging spot.

[0113] In this way, by charging the battery before the user gets in, the margin of remaining battery power increases, so it is possible to secure power even if power consumption increases in response to the user's request, and the user can be reliably transported to the destination. Also, since it is possible to select a vehicle 103 that can charge the shortfall in power based on the boarding reservation information, the user can be reliably transported to the destination even if the vehicle currently has insufficient remaining battery power.

[0114] When a route that passes through a charging spot is selected, the control unit 110 executes a process of correcting the driving plan created in step S5 of FIG. 5 so that the selected route is traveled.

[0115] On the other hand, if the control unit 110 determines that the time required to charge the shortage of power cannot be secured by the user's scheduled boarding time (S805: NO), the control unit 110 ends the process. In this case, the control unit 110 determines NO in step S9 of FIG. 5, and therefore searches for a different vehicle in step S2 of FIG. 5.

[0116] That is, if the time it takes to move vehicle 103 to the charging spot to charge the battery's power deficit and then move it to the user's planned boarding point exceeds the user's planned boarding time, control unit 110 dispatches a vehicle other than the vehicle in question. Therefore, even if a vehicle has a battery power deficit, it can be dispatched by charging the shortage of power before the user boards, and vehicles 103 that were not subject to conventional vehicle dispatch management can also be subject to vehicle dispatch selection.

[0117] [Variations] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which all of the travel plan selection process, the defrosting control process, and the charging control process are executed, but any one or two of these processes may be executed. Furthermore, when at least two of the travel plan selection process, the defrosting control process, and the charging control process are executed, the execution order may be determined according to a predetermined priority or a priority determined according to the traveling environment of the vehicle 103.

[0118] In this embodiment, an example has been described in which the travel plan selection process, the defrosting control process, and the charging control process are all executed in an unmanned autonomous taxi, but at least one of the travel plan selection process, the defrosting control process, and the charging control process may be executed in a manned taxi driven by a driver or a privately owned car.In addition, in a manned taxi, when defrosting control is executed before a user gets in, the temperature of only the driver's riding space is adjusted, and defrosting control is executed without adjusting the temperature of the user's riding space, thereby reducing the discomfort of the driver.

[0119] In the present embodiment, an example has been described in which the heat management system, the charge control system, the vehicle dispatch management system, and the information processing device are provided in the server 101, but these systems may also be provided in the vehicle 103. In this case, the processes performed by the control unit 110 of the server 101 in the present embodiment can be implemented by the control unit 115 provided in the vehicle 103.

[0120] [Effects of this embodiment] (a1) In a control system 100 as a thermal management system having a control unit 110 that controls a vehicle based on boarding reservation information and vehicle information, the control unit 110 predicts changes in the amount of frost that will form on the radiator 61 when the vehicle, which has a radiator 61 as a heat exchanger that exchanges heat with outside air, moves from its current location to its destination, and based on the prediction result, performs defrosting control to defrost the radiator 61 before the user gets into the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the execution of defrosting control after the user gets in, and defrosting control can be performed without impairing the comfort of the user.

[0121] (a2) Based on the prediction result, the control unit 110 determines whether defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle reaches the destination, and if defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle reaches the destination, determines whether the temperature inside the vehicle cabin at the scheduled time of the user's boarding will reach the target temperature assuming that defrosting control and air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning inside the vehicle, and if the temperature inside the vehicle cabin will reach the target temperature at the scheduled time of the user's boarding, performs defrosting control and air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning inside the vehicle, and if the temperature inside the vehicle cabin does not reach the target temperature at the scheduled time of the user's boarding, performs defrosting control and air conditioning inside the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle so that the temperature inside the vehicle cabin will approach the target temperature at the scheduled time of the user's boarding (Figures 8 and 9). Therefore, it is possible to keep the temperature inside the vehicle cabin close to the target temperature when the user gets in, thereby preventing the user's comfort from being impaired. Furthermore, if the defrost control and the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing the defrost control followed by the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin, and the temperature in the vehicle cabin reaches the target temperature at the time the user plans to get in, an increase in the compressor rotation speed can be suppressed by performing the defrost control and the air conditioning separately.On the other hand, if the defrost control and the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing the defrost control followed by the air conditioning in the vehicle cabin, and the temperature in the vehicle cabin does not reach the target temperature, for example, by performing the defrost control and the air conditioning in parallel, the execution of the defrost control after the user gets in can be suppressed as much as possible while improving comfort when the user gets in.

[0122] (a3) Based on the prediction result, the control unit 110 determines whether defrosting of the heat exchange unit is necessary before the vehicle arrives at the destination, and if defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary before the vehicle arrives at the destination, it determines whether defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary after the user gets into the vehicle and before the vehicle arrives at the destination, assuming that defrosting control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin; if defrosting of the radiator 61 is not necessary after the user gets into the vehicle and before the vehicle arrives at the destination, it performs defrosting control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by air conditioning in the vehicle cabin; and if defrosting of the radiator 61 is necessary after the user gets into the vehicle and before the vehicle arrives at the destination, it performs defrosting control and air conditioning in the vehicle cabin before the user gets into the vehicle so that defrosting of the radiator 61 is not necessary after the user gets into the vehicle and before the vehicle arrives at the destination (Figures 8 and 10). Therefore, it becomes possible to perform air conditioning in the vehicle cabin after the user gets in, thereby preventing the user's comfort from being impaired. Furthermore, when defrosting control and cabin air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by cabin air conditioning, if defrosting of the radiator 61 is not required between the time the user gets into the vehicle and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination, an increase in the compressor rotation speed can be suppressed by performing the defrosting control and the air conditioning separately. On the other hand, when defrosting control and cabin air conditioning are performed before the user gets into the vehicle in the order of performing defrosting control followed by cabin air conditioning, if defrosting of the radiator 61 is required between the time the user gets into the vehicle and the time the vehicle arrives at its destination, for example, by performing the defrosting control and the air conditioning in parallel before the user gets into the vehicle, it is possible to improve the comfort of the user when getting into the vehicle and minimize the execution of the defrosting control after getting into the vehicle.

[0123] (b1) In the control system 100 as a charging control system having a control unit that controls a vehicle based on boarding reservation information and vehicle information, the control unit 110 allows the vehicle to arrive at the user's planned boarding point via a charging spot if there is sufficient time for the vehicle to move to the user's planned boarding point relative to the user's planned boarding time (Figure 11). Therefore, by charging the battery before the user gets in, the battery capacity margin increases, making it possible to secure power even if power consumption increases in response to user requests, and ensuring that the user is transported to their destination.

[0124] (b2) The control unit 110 estimates the amount of power required for the vehicle to travel from the current location to the destination based on at least the ride reservation information, calculates the amount of power that is insufficient compared to the remaining battery charge, and allows the vehicle to arrive at the user's planned boarding location via the charging spot if the vehicle can arrive at the user's planned boarding location at the user's planned boarding time after charging the battery's power shortfall at the charging spot (Figure 11). Therefore, it is possible to select a vehicle 103 that can charge the shortage of power based on the boarding reservation information, so even if the vehicle currently has insufficient battery power, it can reliably transport the user to the destination.

[0125] (b3) In the control system 100 as a vehicle dispatch management system that dispatches a vehicle 103 that meets certain conditions from among a plurality of vehicles 103, the amount of electricity required for the vehicle 103 to travel from its current location to its destination is estimated, and the amount of electricity that is insufficient compared to the remaining battery charge is calculated. If the time required to move the vehicle 103 to the charging spot to charge the battery's insufficient amount of electricity and then move it to the user's planned boarding point exceeds the user's planned boarding time, a vehicle other than the vehicle 103 is dispatched (Figures 5 and 11). Therefore, even if a vehicle has a shortage of battery power, it can be dispatched by charging the shortage of power before the user gets in, and vehicle 103, which was not subject to conventional vehicle dispatch management, can also be selected as a vehicle for dispatch selection.

[0126] (c) The control unit 110, which is an information processing device that controls the vehicle 103 based on boarding reservation information and vehicle information, includes a creation unit 110a that creates multiple driving plans that allow the vehicle 103 to travel to the user's planned boarding point by the user's planned boarding time, an acquisition unit 110b that acquires external environment information along the route to be traveled according to the created driving plans, and a selection unit 110c that selects the driving plan with the lowest energy consumption from the multiple driving plans based on the acquired external environment information (Figures 2 and 6). This makes it possible to reduce energy consumption before the user gets in the vehicle, and eliminates the need to reduce air conditioning while the user is in the vehicle, allowing for vehicle dispatch management that reduces energy consumption before the user gets in the vehicle and improves user comfort after the user gets in the vehicle.

[0127] The present invention has been described above by showing preferred embodiments, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 100: Control systems (thermal management systems, charging control systems, vehicle dispatch management systems) 103: Vehicle 110: Control unit (information processing device) 111: Storage section 112: Communication equipment 115: Control unit 116: Storage section 117:Communication equipment

Claims

1. In an information processing device that controls a vehicle based on boarding reservation information and vehicle information, a creation unit that creates a plurality of driving plans that enable the vehicle to travel to the user's planned boarding point by the user's planned boarding time; an acquisition unit that acquires external environment information along a route to be traveled according to the created travel plan; a selection unit that selects a travel plan with the lowest energy consumption from among a plurality of travel plans based on the acquired external environment information.

1. An information processing device comprising:

Images