Information processing apparatus

Abstract

To quickly collect batteries to be reused.SOLUTION: A control unit configured to execute acquiring first information regarding a battery required by a first user who secondarily uses the battery, the first information including at least information regarding a shape of the battery, acquiring second information regarding a battery being used by a plurality of second users, the second information including at least information regarding a shape of the battery, and transmitting a notification regarding provision of the battery to a terminal of a second user corresponding to a battery having a shape matching the shape of the battery required by the first user among the batteries being used by the plurality of second users according to the first information and the second information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses that a secondary use destination for a battery in use is determined in advance before the battery reaches the end of use, based on a predicted end-of-use time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015 / 12144 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-131671 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2021-136828 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-119369 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to quickly collect batteries for reuse. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is an information processing device having a control unit configured to perform the following: acquire first information regarding a battery required by a first user who reuses batteries, the first information including at least information regarding the shape of the battery; acquire second information regarding the batteries in use by multiple second users, the second information including at least information regarding the shape of the battery; and, in accordance with the first information and the second information, send a notification regarding the provision of the battery to a terminal of the second user corresponding to a battery, among the batteries in use by the multiple second users, that has a shape that matches the shape of the battery required by the first user.

[0006] Other aspects of the present invention are an information processing method for causing a computer to execute the above-described information processing, a program for causing a computer to execute this information processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores this program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, batteries to be reused can be collected quickly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a vehicle, a first user terminal, a server, and a second user terminal that constitute a system according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 2] 10 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system when a request for provision of a battery is made to a second user according to an embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 10 is a flowchart showing processing performed by the server according to the first embodiment when a request is made to a second user to provide a battery. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a process performed by a server according to the second embodiment when a request is made to a second user to provide a battery. [Figure 5]11 is a flowchart showing a process performed by a server according to the third embodiment when a request is made to a second user to provide a battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] When reusing (or secondarily reusing) batteries, it may be difficult to collect the required number of batteries. Here, we consider the case where a vehicle battery (hereinafter referred to as an in-vehicle battery) is reused as a stationary battery (hereinafter referred to as a stationary battery). A stationary battery may require multiple in-vehicle batteries. In this case, multiple in-vehicle batteries must be collected from multiple vehicles. Furthermore, even if in-vehicle batteries have different shapes depending on the vehicle, for example, if there is a limit to the size (width, height, and depth) of batteries that can be stored in the housing of a stationary battery, even if in-vehicle batteries whose width, height, or depth exceed the size that can be stored in the housing of the stationary battery are collected, they cannot be reused as the stationary battery. Furthermore, in-vehicle batteries can only maintain their quality for, for example, about three months after being removed from a vehicle. Therefore, if a user does not collect the required number of batteries within, for example, three months after acquiring their first in-vehicle battery, the user's first in-vehicle battery will become unusable. As such, there is a risk that the batteries collected by the user will go to waste.

[0010] To solve this problem, a control unit included in an information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure acquires first information about a battery required by a first user who reuses batteries, the first information including at least information about the shape of the battery. The first user may be, for example, a business operator who reuses batteries. The battery is a battery that was previously used elsewhere and is being reused. The battery may be, for example, a battery that was installed in a battery electric vehicle (BEV). The information about the battery shape may be, for example, information about the size (width, height, depth) or information about the location of a fixing point (which may be a fastening point) when placing a battery pack. The information about the battery shape may also be information that can determine whether the battery can be stored in a stationary battery housing. As another example, the product number of the housing of the stationary battery that the first user intends to use may be acquired as information about the battery shape. In this case, the relationship between the product number of the housing of the stationary battery and the size of a battery that can be stored in the stationary battery or the location of a fixing point (which may be a fastening point) when placing a battery pack may be stored in a memory unit of the information processing device. By acquiring the first information, the control unit can determine the shape of the batteries to be collected. The first information may also include information about a deadline for collecting batteries, first location information about a location where the batteries will be used, or first material information about battery materials required by the first user. The first information may also include information about a degree of battery deterioration acceptable to the first user. The first information may be transmitted from a terminal of the first user.

[0011] The control unit also acquires second information about the batteries being used by multiple second users, the second information including at least information about the shape of the batteries. The battery shape here may be the shape of a cell, stack, or pack. The information about the battery shape may be, for example, information about the size (width, height, depth) or information about the location of a fixing point (which may be a fastening point) when attaching the battery pack to a vehicle. As another example, the chassis number or model of the vehicle being used by the second user may be acquired as information about the battery shape. In this case, the relationship between the chassis number or model of the vehicle and the size of the battery corresponding to the chassis number or model of the vehicle or the location of a fixing point (which may be a fastening point) when attaching the battery pack to the vehicle may be stored in the memory unit of the information processing device. The second information may include second location information about the location where the battery is being used, second material information about the battery material, or information about the degree of battery deterioration. A battery being used by a second user is a battery that the first user may potentially reuse. The second information may be acquired from the second user's terminal or from, for example, the vehicle in which the battery is being used.

[0012] Furthermore, the control unit transmits a notification regarding the provision of the battery to a terminal of a second user corresponding to a battery having a shape that matches the shape of the battery required by the first user, among the batteries being used by the plurality of second users, in accordance with the first information and the second information. The notification regarding the provision of batteries may include a notification that the batteries will be purchased and may also include information regarding the price (e.g., the purchase price of the batteries). The "battery having a shape that matches the shape of the battery required by the first user" may be a battery currently in use by a second user that can be stored in the housing of the battery used by the first user. As another example, the "battery having a shape that matches the shape of the battery required by the first user" may be a battery whose fixing point (which may also be a fastening point) when attaching the battery pack to a vehicle matches the fixing point (which may also be a fastening point) of the battery pack provided in the housing of the battery used by the first user. By sending a notification to the second user's terminal, batteries of the shape required by the first user can be quickly collected.

[0013] Furthermore, if the first user is unable to obtain the battery required by the first user within a predetermined period, the control unit may, in accordance with the first information and the second information, transmit a notification regarding the provision of the battery to the device of the second user corresponding to a battery that is smaller in shape than the battery required by the first user, among the batteries currently being used by the second users. The predetermined period may be a period during which it is considered impossible to obtain a battery from the second user even if the user waits any longer. As another example, the predetermined period may be set according to the deadline for the first user to collect batteries. Here, when multiple batteries are stored in a housing and reused as a single battery, any battery that fits into the housing can be used. In other words, even if the size of the battery being used by the second user is smaller than the size required by the first user, it can still be placed in the housing of the battery used by the first user. If a battery of the shape required by the first user cannot be collected, a smaller battery can be substituted, thereby preventing the batteries collected to date from going to waste. In this way, the control unit relaxes the shape requirement depending on the time period. On the other hand, since using smaller batteries may result in a reduced capacity, avoiding collecting smaller batteries outside of the predetermined period can prevent the capacity from becoming too low. The control unit may gradually reduce the size of the batteries to be collected.

[0014] The control unit may also include information regarding compensation for the provision of the battery in the notification. By presenting compensation to second users for the provision of the battery, it is expected that more second users will be willing to provide batteries, making it easier to collect batteries.

[0015] The control unit may further be configured to acquire information regarding the lifespan of a vehicle used by the second user and equipped with the battery, and to transmit the notification to a terminal of the second user corresponding to the vehicle whose lifespan is within a predetermined period. The predetermined period here refers to a period during which the vehicle is likely to be replaced due to its lifespan. The information regarding the vehicle's lifespan may be, for example, information regarding the useful life of the vehicle itself or information regarding the useful life of the battery. The information regarding the vehicle's lifespan may be linked to each vehicle and stored in a memory unit of the information processing device. Even after the vehicle's useful lifespan has expired, the battery can still be reused. A second user of a vehicle approaching the end of its lifespan may be considering replacing the vehicle. A second user who receives a notification at this time is more likely to replace the vehicle at this time. This makes it easier to collect batteries of the desired shape.

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. Furthermore, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0017] First Embodiment 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a vehicle 10, a first user terminal 20, a server 30, and a second user terminal 40 that constitute a system 1 according to this embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the system 1 includes a vehicle 10 equipped with a battery 15, a battery 15 for secondary use, and a The network N1 includes a first user terminal 20 used by a first user who collects data, a server 30, and a second user terminal 40 used by a second user who is the user of the vehicle 10. There may be a plurality of vehicles 10, first user terminals 20, and second user terminals 40. The vehicles 10, first user terminals 20, servers 30, and second user terminals 40 are interconnected by a network N1. Note that the network N1 is, for example, a global public communication network such as the Internet, and may be a WAN (Wide Area Network) or other communication network. The network N1 may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0018] The vehicle 10 is a vehicle equipped with a battery 15, such as a BEV. The battery 15 supplies power to an electric motor that drives the vehicle 10. The battery 15 is a reusable battery. The vehicle 10 includes a control unit 11, a memory unit 12, a communication module 13, a position information sensor 14, and the battery 15. The control unit 11 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the vehicle 10 by executing predetermined programs. The control unit 11 can be realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU. The memory unit 12 is a means for storing information and is made up of a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The memory unit 12 stores programs executed by the control unit 11, data used by the programs, etc.

[0019] The communication module 13 is a communication means for connecting the vehicle 10 to the network N1. In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 can communicate with other devices (e.g., the server 30) via the network N1 using mobile communication services such as 3G, LTE, 5G, and 6G. The location information sensor 14 acquires location information (e.g., latitude and longitude) at a predetermined cycle. The location information sensor 14 includes, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a wireless Communications department, etc.

[0020] The control unit 11 of the vehicle 10 transmits vehicle information including information on the state of the battery 15 to the server 30 at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be when the vehicle 10 is started or parked, or may be at predetermined time intervals. The control unit 11 may, for example, calculate a SOH (State of Health) and transmit the SOH to the server 30. The control unit 11 may transmit the SOH to the server 30 using a known The SOH may be acquired by using the method. Furthermore, the information on the state of the battery 15 that the control unit 11 transmits to the server 30 is not limited to the SOH. For example, the control unit 11 may transmit the SOC (State Of Charge), the amount of lithium deposition, or the like to the server 30. The control unit 11 For example, vehicle information including a vehicle ID, a user ID, a battery ID, second location information related to the location where the battery 15 is used, second material information related to the material of the battery 15, date and time information, and information related to the degree of deterioration of the battery 15 (e.g., SOH information) is transmitted to the server 30. Note that the battery 15 can be reused in units such as a cell, a stack, or a pack. The control unit 11 of the vehicle 10 may detect the state of deterioration for each unit such as a cell, a stack, or a pack, and transmit the detected state to the server 30. The vehicle information may also include information related to the shape of the battery 15. The shape of the battery 15 may be the shape of each unit such as a cell, a stack, or a pack. As another example, the relationship between the battery ID or vehicle ID and information related to the shape of the battery 15 may be stored in the storage unit 32 of the server 30, which will be described later.

[0021] The first user terminal 20 is a terminal used by the first user, and is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, or a PC (Personal Computer). The first user terminal 20 is, for example, a business operator that reuses batteries 15. For example, application software for collecting batteries or a web browser is installed on the first user terminal 20. The first user terminal 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication module 23, a position information sensor 24, an input unit 25, and an output unit 26. The control unit 21 of the first user terminal 20 can be realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU. The memory unit 22 is a means for storing information and is configured with a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The memory unit 22 stores programs executed by the control unit 21, data used by the programs, etc. The communication module 23 and the position information sensor 24 of the first user terminal 20 have the same configuration as the communication module 13 and the position information sensor 14 of the vehicle 10.

[0022] The input unit 25 is a means for accepting input operations performed by the user, and includes, for example, a touch panel, a mouse, a keyboard, or a microphone. The output unit 26 is a means for presenting information to the user, and can include, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an EL (Electroluminescence) panel, a speaker, a lamp, etc. The display unit 25 and the output unit 26 may be configured as a single touch panel display.

[0023] The control unit 21 of the first user terminal 20 accepts input of information (hereinafter also referred to as secondary battery information) related to the batteries 15 to be collected for secondary use (reuse). The first user inputs the secondary battery information via the input unit 25. The secondary battery information includes a user ID, information related to the specifications of the batteries 15 required by the first user, first location information related to the location where the batteries 15 will be used, first material information related to the materials of the batteries 15 required by the first user, information related to the acceptable degree of deterioration of the batteries 15, information related to the acceptable price, information related to the deadline for collecting the batteries 15, and information related to the shape of the batteries required (hereinafter also referred to as first shape information). The first user may register in advance with the server 30 via the input unit 25 of the first user terminal 20. The first shape information may be information related to the product number of the housing associated with the shape of the battery.

[0024] The second user terminal 40 is a terminal used by the second user, and is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable terminal, or a PC (Personal Computer). The second user terminal 40 may be a terminal mounted on the vehicle 10. For example, application software for receiving notifications from the server 30 or a web browser is installed on the second user terminal 40. The second user terminal 40 includes a control unit 41, a memory unit 42, a communication module 43, a position information sensor 44, an input unit 45, and an output unit 46. The control unit 41 of the second user terminal 40 can be realized by, for example, a hardware processor such as a CPU. The memory unit 42 is a means for storing information and is configured by a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The memory unit 42 stores programs executed by the control unit 41, data used by the programs, etc. The communication module 43, the position information sensor 44, the input unit 45, and the output unit 46 of the second user terminal 40 have the same configurations as the communication module 23, the position information sensor 24, the input unit 25, and the output unit 26 of the first user terminal 20.

[0025] When the control unit 41 of the second user terminal 40 receives a notification from the server 30 regarding a request to provide the battery 15, it causes an image corresponding to the notification to be displayed on the display of the output unit 46. The second user who has seen the notification inputs an answer via the input unit 45 of the second user terminal 40. The control unit 41, which has received the input of the answer, transmits information related to the answer to the server 30.

[0026] The server 30 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), a main memory device (RAM, ROM, etc.), and an auxiliary memory device (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). The auxiliary memory device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and the programs stored therein are executed to realize various functions (software modules) that meet predetermined purposes. The server 30 has a control unit 31, a memory unit 32, and a communication module 33.

[0027] The control unit 31 is a computing unit that executes predetermined programs to realize various functions of the server 30. The control unit 31 can be realized by a hardware processor such as a CPU. The control unit 31 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM, cache memory, etc. Details of the control unit 31 will be described later.

[0028] The storage unit 32 is a means for storing information, and is configured with a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, or a flash memory. The storage unit 32 stores programs executed by the control unit 31, data used by the programs, etc. The storage unit 32 also has databases (a vehicle information DB 321 and a secondary battery information DB 322) built therein, and the databases store information collected from each vehicle 10 and information collected from each first user terminal 20.

[0029] The vehicle information DB 321 stores vehicle information received from the vehicle 10. The vehicle information includes a vehicle ID, a user ID, a battery ID, second location information, second material information, date and time information, SOH information, and second shape information. The vehicle ID is identification information unique to the vehicle 10. The user ID is identification information unique to the second user or the second user terminal 40. The battery ID is identification information unique to the battery 15. Note that the battery ID may be assigned, for example, for each unit of reuse. The second location information is information related to the location of the vehicle 10 when information is transmitted from the vehicle 10, and is information expressed, for example, by coordinates. The second material information is information related to the material of the battery 15. The date and time information is information related to the date and time when SOH information is transmitted from the vehicle 10. The SOH information is information related to the SOH of the battery 15. The second shape information is information related to the shape of the battery 15 installed in the vehicle 10. The second shape information includes, for example, information related to size such as width, height, and depth. The relationship between the second shape information and the battery ID or the vehicle ID may be stored in advance in the storage unit 32. Then, the control unit 31 may identify the second shape information by comparing the vehicle ID or the battery ID received from the vehicle 10 with the information stored in the storage unit 32. The control unit 31 stores the vehicle information received from the vehicle 10 in the vehicle information DB 321.

[0030] The secondary battery information DB322 stores information about the batteries 15 required by the first user. The secondary battery information DB322 stores information about the shape of the batteries 15 required by the first user (i.e., first shape information) linked to a user ID. Furthermore, the secondary battery information DB322 includes information about the specifications of the batteries 15 required by the first user, first location information about the location where the batteries 15 will be used, first material information about the materials of the batteries 15 required by the first user, information about the acceptable degree of deterioration of the batteries 15, information about the acceptable price, and information about the deadline for collecting the batteries 15. The control unit 31 stores the secondary battery information received from the first user terminal 20 in the secondary battery information DB322.

[0031] The communication module 33 is a communication interface for connecting the server 30 to the network N1. The communication module 33 may be configured to include, for example, a network interface board, a wireless communication interface for wireless communication, etc. The server 30 can perform data communication with the vehicle 10, the first user terminal 20, and the second user terminal 40 via the communication module 33.

[0032] Next, the control unit 31 of the server 30 will be described in detail. The control unit 31 of the server 30 acquires secondary battery information from the first user terminal 20. The control unit 31 may acquire information on the shape of the battery 15 directly from the first user terminal 20 as the first shape information. The control unit 31 may also acquire first location information and first material information from the first user terminal 20. For example, if the location where the first user reuses the battery 15 is close to the location where the second user uses the battery 15, the distance the battery needs to be transported when the battery 15 is reused can be shortened, thereby reducing transportation costs. Therefore, the control unit 31 acquires the first location information. This allows for cost reduction. Also, there are multiple types of materials for the battery 15. Examples of materials for the battery 15 include LFP and ternary materials. When multiple batteries 15 are used, there is a demand for them to be made of the same material, and this demand can be met by the control unit 31 acquiring the first material information.

[0033] The second location information is the location of the vehicle 10 acquired by the location information sensor 14 of the vehicle 10. As another example, the second location information may be information regarding either the location of the second user terminal 40 acquired by the location information sensor 44 of the second user terminal 40 or a location input by the second user to the second user terminal 40 via the input unit 45. The second material information may be any information that allows the material of the battery 15 used in the vehicle 10 to be determined, and may be, for example, information regarding the vehicle identification number or the vehicle model of the vehicle 10. The control unit 31 of the server 30 may identify the material of the battery 15 installed in the vehicle 10 based on, for example, the vehicle identification number or the vehicle model, based on information stored in the memory unit 32. The deterioration level of the battery 15 may be calculated by the control unit 11 of the vehicle 10, or may be calculated by the control unit 31 of the server 30 based on data transmitted from the vehicle 10. The second shape information may be any information that allows the shape of the battery 15 used in the vehicle 10 to be determined, and may be, for example, information regarding the vehicle identification number or the vehicle model of the vehicle 10. The control unit 31 of the server 30 may identify the shape of the battery 15 installed in the vehicle 10 based on the information stored in the storage unit 32, for example, from the vehicle identification number or the vehicle model.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system 1 when a request for the provision of batteries 15 is made to a second user according to the embodiment. The control unit 11 of the vehicle 10 transmits vehicle information to the server 30 at a predetermined timing (S01). The control unit 31 of the server 30, having received the vehicle information, stores the vehicle information in the vehicle information DB 321, thereby updating the vehicle information DB 321 (S02). The processing in S01 and S02 is performed for each of the multiple vehicles 10. Furthermore, upon receiving a predetermined input from the first user, the control unit 21 of the first user terminal 20 generates secondary battery information and transmits it to the server 30 (S03). The control unit 31 of the server 30 stores the secondary battery information in the secondary battery information DB 322, thereby updating the secondary battery information DB 322 (S04). Furthermore, the control unit 31 of the server 30 determines conditions for collecting batteries 15 (hereinafter also referred to as battery collection conditions) according to the received secondary battery information (S05). The battery collection conditions include conditions related to the shape of the batteries 15 to be collected. Furthermore, the battery collection conditions include conditions such as collecting batteries 15 from a specified area, collecting batteries 15 whose degradation level is below a threshold, or collecting batteries 15 made of a specified material, as well as conditions related to compensation. The control unit 31 of the server 30 then identifies a second user terminal 40 that meets the battery collection conditions (S06). The control unit 31 then transmits a notification regarding the provision of batteries 15 to the identified second user terminal 40 (S07). Upon receiving this notification, the control unit 41 of the second user terminal 40 outputs an image corresponding to the notification on the display of the output unit 46. At this time, the control unit 41 of the second user terminal 40 outputs a user interface for inputting a response to the notification. When the second user inputs a response via the input unit 45, the control unit 41 of the second user terminal 40 transmits the response to the server 30 (S08).

[0035] Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the server 30 according to the first embodiment when a request is made to a second user to provide a battery 15. The flowchart shown in Fig. 3 is executed at predetermined time intervals by the server 30. Note that the following description will be given assuming that the vehicle information DB 321 stores necessary information.

[0036] In step S101, the control unit 31 determines whether or not secondary battery information has been received from the first user terminal 20. The secondary battery information includes first shape information relating to the shape of the battery 15 required by the first user, deadline information relating to the deadline for the first user to collect the battery 15, first location information relating to the location where the battery 15 will be used, and first location information relating to the material of the battery 15 required by the first user. The secondary battery information may include, for example, information about the amount of compensation that the first user is willing to accept. The secondary battery information may also include, for example, information about the degree of deterioration of the battery 15 that the first user is willing to accept. If the control unit 31 makes a positive determination in step S101, the process proceeds to step S102, and if the control unit 31 makes a negative determination, this routine ends. In step S102, the control unit 31 updates the secondary battery information DB 322 according to the received secondary battery information.

[0037] In step S103, the control unit 31 identifies a location where the first user will reuse the battery 15 (hereinafter also referred to as the secondary battery use location). This location may be a location input by the first user via the input unit 25 of the first user terminal 20, or a location indicated by the location information of the first user terminal 20. The secondary battery use location is identified based on the first location information. In step S104, the control unit 31 identifies a terminal of a user of a vehicle 10 or the vehicle 10 that is equipped with a battery 15 having a shape that matches the shape of the battery 15 required by the first user. At this time, the control unit 31 compares the first shape information with the second shape information. Note that the control unit 31 may only identify second user terminals 40 located within a predetermined distance from the secondary battery use location. As another example, the control unit 31 may identify vehicles 10 located within a predetermined distance from the secondary battery use location. The locations of the second user terminal 40 and the vehicle 10 are transmitted from the second user terminal 40 and the vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals. Furthermore, as another example, the control unit 31 may identify a second user terminal 40 or vehicle 10 located within a specified distance from the secondary battery usage location based on the area or address linked to the vehicle 10 registered by the second user.

[0038] Note that the cost of transporting the battery 15 increases the farther away from the secondary battery usage location. Therefore, the predetermined distance may be set based on, for example, the transportation cost acceptable to the first user. Furthermore, in step S104, the control unit 31 may identify only vehicles 10 and second user terminals 40 corresponding to those vehicles 10 whose installed batteries 15 are made of the same material or type as the batteries 15 already collected. As another example, in step S104, the control unit 31 may identify only vehicles 10 and second user terminals 40 corresponding to those vehicles 10 whose installed batteries 15 are made of the same material or type as the batteries 15 desired by the first user. Note that the control unit 31 may omit the processing in steps S103 and S104. In this case, the control unit 31 may identify all second user terminals 40 or all vehicles 10.

[0039] In step S105, the control unit 31 transmits a notification regarding the provision of the battery 15 to the second user terminal 40 identified in step S104. The notification regarding the provision of the battery 15 includes information regarding a request for the provision of the battery 15 and the amount of compensation to be given to the second user. The notification regarding the provision of the battery 15 also includes an instruction to display the request for the provision of the battery 15 and the amount of compensation to be given to the second user on the display of the output unit 46 of the second user terminal 40.

[0040] In step S106, the control unit 31 determines whether or not a response has been received from the second user terminal 40 to provide the battery 15. If the control unit 31 makes a positive determination in step S106, the process proceeds to step S107, and if the control unit 31 makes a negative determination, the process proceeds to step S108. In step S107, the control unit 31 executes processing to conclude a contract with the second user regarding the provision of the battery 15.

[0041] On the other hand, in step S108, the control unit 31 determines whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the completion of the processing in step S105. The predetermined period here is a period of time after which it is considered that a response cannot be obtained from the second user terminal 40 even if the control unit 31 waits any longer. If the control unit 31 determines that the response is positive in step S108, the processing proceeds to step S109. If the control unit 31 determines that the response is negative, the processing proceeds to step S109. If the determination is affirmative, the process returns to step S106. In step S109, the control unit 31 determines whether the deadline for collecting the batteries 15 has passed. This deadline may be, for example, a deadline specified by the first user via the input unit 25 of the first user terminal 20, or a predetermined fixed deadline. If the control unit 31 determines affirmatively in step S109, the process proceeds to step S110, and if the determination is negative, the process returns to step S104. In step S110, the control unit 31 notifies the first user terminal 20 that the batteries 15 have not been collected. Alternatively, if the deadline has not passed, in step S104, the control unit 31 may identify only second user terminals 40 that have not yet sent a notification.

[0042] As described above, according to this embodiment, the control unit 31 can collect batteries 15 having a shape required by the first user. In other words, the first user can quickly collect batteries 15 to be reused.

[0043] Second Embodiment In the second embodiment, a notification is sent to a second user terminal 40 corresponding to a battery 15 having a smaller shape than the battery 15 required by the first user, depending on the time remaining until the deadline for collecting the batteries 15. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the server 30 according to the second embodiment when requesting the provision of a battery 15 from a second user. The flowchart shown in FIG. 4 is executed at predetermined time intervals by the server 30. Note that the following description will be given assuming that the vehicle information DB 321 stores the necessary information. Explanations of steps in which the same processing as that in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is executed will be omitted.

[0044] In the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, once the process of step S102 is completed, the process proceeds to step S201. In step S201, the control unit 31 calculates the period from the current time until the expiration date based on the expiration date information acquired in step S101. Furthermore, in step S202, the control unit 31 calculates the shape of the battery 15 based on the period until the expiration date. At this time, the control unit 31 calculates the shape of the battery 15 so that the size of the battery 15 becomes smaller as the period until the expiration date becomes shorter. This size of the battery 15 is smaller in at least one of the width, height, and depth than the size that is just right for the housing of the battery 15 used by the first user. Note that at this time, the control unit 31 may calculate the shape of the battery 15 so that it satisfies the capacity desired by the first user. After the process of step S202 is completed, the process proceeds to step S103. Thereafter, if the control unit 31 makes a negative determination in step S109, when the control unit 31 executes the process of step S202 again, the control unit 31 may calculate the shape of the battery 15 so that the size of the battery 15 becomes even smaller.

[0045] As described above, according to this embodiment, the control unit 31 reduces the size of the batteries 15 to be collected as the deadline for collecting the batteries 15 becomes shorter, making it easier to collect the batteries 15. In other words, the first user can quickly collect the batteries 15 to be reused. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the batteries 15 that the first user has collected up to now from going to waste.

[0046] <Third embodiment> In the third embodiment, the control unit 31 transmits the above-mentioned notification to the second user terminal 40 corresponding to the vehicle 10 whose lifespan is within a predetermined period. The lifespan of the vehicle 10 may be calculated, for example, from the useful life of the vehicle 10 itself, or from the useful life of the battery 15. The useful life of the vehicle 10 may also be the point in time when a predetermined number of years have passed since the date of manufacture of the vehicle 10. The date of manufacture of the vehicle 10 may be linked to the vehicle ID, and may be input by the second user via the input unit 45 of the second user terminal 40. Information regarding the lifespan of the vehicle 10 may be calculated by the control unit 11 of the vehicle 10 or the control unit 41 of the second user terminal 40 and transmitted to the server 30, or may be calculated by the control unit 31 of the server 30 based on the date of manufacture of the vehicle 10 associated with the vehicle ID. Furthermore, the information regarding the lifespan of the vehicle 10 may be included in the vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle 10.

[0047] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the server 30 according to the third embodiment when a request is made to a second user to provide a battery 15. The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 is executed at predetermined time intervals by the server 30. Note that the following description is given assuming that the vehicle information DB 321 stores necessary information. Also, the following description is given assuming that information regarding the lifespan of each vehicle 10 has been acquired in advance by the control unit 31. Also, a description of the steps in which the same processing as in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 is executed will be omitted.

[0048] In the flowchart shown in Fig. 5, when the processing of step S104 is completed, the processing proceeds to step S301. In step S301, the control unit 31 identifies, from among the second user terminals 40 or vehicles 10 identified in step S104, the second user terminals 40 or vehicles 10 corresponding to the vehicles 10 whose lifespan is within a predetermined period. The predetermined period here is set in advance as a period during which the vehicle 10 is likely to be replaced due to its lifespan. When the processing of step S301 is completed, the processing proceeds to step S105.

[0049] As described above, according to this embodiment, the control unit 31 transmits a notification regarding the provision of batteries 15 to the second user terminal 40 corresponding to the vehicle 10 with a short lifespan, which makes it easier to collect batteries 15.

[0050] <Other embodiments> The above embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention may be modified and implemented as appropriate within the scope of the gist thereof. The processes and means described in this disclosure may be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradictions arise. Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed.

[0051] The present invention can also be realized by supplying a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the computer's system bus, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, a Blu-ray disk), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, or any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1 System 10 vehicles 15 Batteries 20. First user terminal 30 servers 31 Control Unit 32 Storage section 40 Second user terminal

Claims

1. acquiring first information related to the battery required by a first user who reuses the battery, the first information including at least information related to the shape of the battery; acquiring second information about the batteries in use by a plurality of second users, the second information including at least information about the shape of the batteries; transmitting a notification regarding the provision of the battery to a terminal of a second user corresponding to a battery having a shape that matches the shape of the battery required by the first user, among the batteries being used by the plurality of second users, according to the first information and the second information; An information processing device comprising a control unit configured to execute the above.

2. When the first user is unable to obtain the battery required by the first user within a predetermined period of time, the control unit transmits, in accordance with the first information and the second information, a notification regarding the provision of the battery to a terminal of a second user corresponding to a battery having a shape smaller than that of the battery required by the first user, among the batteries being used by the plurality of second users. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit causes the notification to include information regarding a price for providing the battery. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. The control unit acquiring information about the lifespan of a vehicle used by the second user and equipped with the battery; transmitting the notification to a terminal of a second user corresponding to the vehicle whose lifespan is within a predetermined period; The information processing apparatus of claim 1 , further configured to execute the following:

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