Charging support system, charging support method, and charging support program

Abstract

To improve use satisfaction at the time of charging for a user of a vehicle subjected to continuous quick charging.SOLUTION: In a charging support system 1, an information processing device 10 provides charging support information Is for improving utilization satisfaction at the time of charging a vehicle 11 to an information terminal 13 associated with the vehicle 11 by executing information communication using a communication network 2. The information processing apparatus 10 collects vehicle information Iv about the vehicle 11 and charger information Ic about the charger 12 used to charge the vehicle 11. Further, based on the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic, the information processing device 10 identifies the charger 12 and the vehicle 11 that have performed continuous quick charging in which quick charging is performed a plurality of times in succession. Then, in the charging support system 1, the information processing device 10 provides the charging support information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 in which the continuous fast charging is performed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging support system, a charging support method, and a charging support program. [Background technology]

[0002] As a conventional technology related to charging electric vehicles, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a charging control system that allows the setting of an upper limit SOC that reflects the user's wishes. Furthermore, this conventional example allows for the selection and execution of multiple charging modes. This improves convenience by increasing the amount of charge per charge and reducing the number of charge cycles. Alternatively, by setting a small amount of charge per charge to suppress battery degradation, the system meets user needs, thereby improving user satisfaction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-148527 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the case of electric vehicles, in addition to so-called private chargers that are exclusively used by specific vehicles, so-called public chargers installed at public charging spots may be used for rapid charging. Furthermore, rapid charging using such public chargers typically has a limit on the charging time per charge to promote smooth user rotation, i.e., so-called "user rotation." For this reason, so-called continuous rapid charging, in which multiple rapid chargings are performed consecutively using the same charger, may be performed. This may result in a decrease in user satisfaction during charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A charging support system that solves the above problem is a charging support system in which an information processing device performs information communication using a communication network to provide charging support information to an information terminal linked to a vehicle that improves user satisfaction when charging the vehicle, and the information processing device collects vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about the chargers used to charge the vehicle, and, based on the vehicle information and the charger information, identifies the charger and the vehicle that has undergone continuous rapid charging, which performs multiple rapid chargings in succession, and provides the charging support information to the information terminal of the vehicle that has undergone continuous rapid charging. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the above configuration, it is possible to improve the level of satisfaction with charging for users of vehicles that have undergone continuous rapid charging. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the charging support system. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the charging support system. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle database. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the charger database. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a charging spot where a charger is installed and a vehicle. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of continuous rapid charging. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing steps for identifying the charger and vehicle in which continuous rapid charging has been performed. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the continuous rapid charging database. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for selecting an information terminal to which charging support information is to be provided. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure when selecting an information terminal to which charging support information is to be provided. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of the occurrence cause estimation unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure for determining whether a user's goal has not been achieved. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the procedure for determining whether the charger output is insufficient. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the procedure for determining whether a malfunction has occurred. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the procedure for estimating fee savings. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure from the occurrence of continuous rapid charging to the provision of charging support information. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of causes of continuous rapid charging, improvement information, and timing of providing information. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a charging assistance system, a charging assistance method, and a charging assistance program will be described with reference to the drawings. <Charging support system> As shown in FIG. 1, the charging support system 1 includes an information processing device 10 that communicates information via a communication network 2, a vehicle 11, a charger 12, and an information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11.

[0009] The vehicle 11 targeted by the charging assistance system 1 is an electric vehicle 21 that runs on a motor using power stored in an on-board battery 20. The electric vehicle 21 includes a so-called BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) that runs solely on the power stored in the battery 20. The electric vehicle 21 also includes, for example, a so-called hybrid vehicle that can run using an engine (not shown) as a drive source. Note that the electric vehicle 21 typically has a regenerative function that stores power generated by the motor (not shown) in the battery 20, for example, during braking. The charging assistance system 1 targets such electric vehicles 21 that have a function to charge the battery 20 via an on-board vehicle-side charger 22. The charging assistance system 1 targets an off-vehicle charger 12 used to charge the vehicle 11.

[0010] Chargers 12 used to charge vehicles 11 include, for example, so-called private chargers that are exclusively used by specific vehicles 11, and so-called public chargers installed in public spaces. For example, private chargers are installed in the homes of users 30 or in company parking lots. Public chargers are installed, for example, in highway service areas and parking areas, parking lots of public facilities and commercial facilities, or on the road. Furthermore, private chargers generally perform so-called normal charging over a relatively long period of time during times when users 30 are not using their vehicles 11, such as at night. In addition, chargers 12 used in public chargers often have a so-called rapid charging function that enables charging in a short period of time with a limit on the charging time per charge, in order to facilitate smooth user turnover.

[0011] Furthermore, in the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, the information processing device 10 includes a processing circuit 31 and a storage device 32. The processing circuit 31 includes one or more processors that execute computer programs (software). The processor includes a CPU and memories such as RAM and ROM. The storage device 32 is configured using a computer-readable medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer. The same is true for the memory of the processor that configures the processing circuit 31. In the information processing device 10, the processing circuit 31 reads out the computer programs stored in the storage device 32, and the processing circuit 31 executes various processes defined in the computer programs.

[0012] Furthermore, the information processing device 10 includes a communication device 33 connected to the communication network 2. The operation of this communication device 33 is controlled by a computer program executed by the processing circuit 31. The information processing device 10 has a function of executing information communication using this communication device 33.

[0013] In the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, the multiple vehicles 11 and multiple chargers 12 targeted by the charging assistance system 1 also have information communication functions using the communication network 2, similar to the information processing device 10 configured as described above. Furthermore, the charging assistance system 1 targets multiple information terminals 13 linked to each of the vehicles 11, while also being connected to the communication network 2. The charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment provides each of these targeted information terminals 13 with charging assistance information Is that improves the so-called user experience (UX) during charging, that is, the level of user satisfaction.

[0014] The configurations that enable the information communication functions of each vehicle 11, each charger 12, and each information terminal 13 are also the same as those of the information processing device 10. Therefore, for the sake of convenience, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0015] In the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 includes, for example, an in-vehicle terminal 13a such as a so-called car navigation system. Such information terminals 13 also include, for example, a mobile terminal 13b such as a so-called smartphone held by the user 30. Furthermore, in the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, one or more information processing devices 10 configured as described above form a so-called cloud server 40 by performing information communication using the communication network 2. Then, in the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, the one or more information processing devices 10 provide charging assistance information Is to the information terminals 13 linked to each vehicle 11 on this cloud server 40.

[0016] Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of a charging support system 1 implemented on a cloud server 40 by one or more information processing devices 10 connected to a communication network 2. Each functional block shown in Fig. 2 indicates various processes required for the information processing device 10 to provide the charging support information Is in the charging support system 1. In other words, each functional block indicates the processing content executed by the processing circuit 31 of the information processing device 10 in accordance with a computer program.

[0017] <Charging Information Collection Department> More specifically, the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment includes a charging information collection unit 50 implemented on the cloud server 40. The charging information collection unit 50 includes a vehicle information collection unit 51 that collects vehicle information Iv about each vehicle 11 that is a target of the charging assistance system 1 by executing information communication using the communication network 2. The charging information collection unit 50 also includes a charger information collection unit 52 that collects charger information Ic about each charger 12 by executing information communication using the communication network 2. The charging information collection unit 50 also includes a vehicle database 53 that holds the vehicle information Iv collected by the vehicle information collection unit 51. Note that "DB" in the figure is an abbreviation for "database." The same applies hereinafter. The charging information collection unit 50 also includes a charger database 54 that holds the charger information Ic collected by the charger information collection unit 52.

[0018] More specifically, the vehicle information collection unit 51 collects, as vehicle information Iv, basic information about each vehicle 11, such as the vehicle model and vehicle charging specifications. The vehicle charging specifications include, for example, information about the capacity, number of cells, and type of the battery 20 installed in each vehicle 11. The vehicle charging specifications also include, for example, the rated power, rated voltage, and rated current of the vehicle-side charger 22. The vehicle information collection unit 51 also collects, as vehicle information Iv, other information, such as real-time data about each vehicle 11 that changes from moment to moment and various setting information related to charging of each vehicle 11.

[0019] For example, the vehicle information collection unit 51 collects location information, driving information, vehicle SOC information, etc. of each vehicle 11. Then, the vehicle information collection unit 51 collects, for each vehicle 11, the vehicle charging state, the cause of the vehicle charging termination, etc.

[0020] The "vehicle SOC information" is, for example, information relating to a state quantity or a set value related to the SOC (State Of Charge) of the battery 20 mounted in each vehicle 11. The "vehicle charging state" is, for example, information indicating whether the charging state of each vehicle 11 is "charging," "charging completed," or "not yet charged." The "vehicle charging termination cause" is information indicating the cause of termination of charging detected in each vehicle 11, such as "vehicle malfunction," "charger malfunction," or "normal termination," and under what circumstances charging of that vehicle 11 was terminated.

[0021] The charger information collection unit 52 also acquires charger information Ic for each charger 12, such as location information, specification information, and usage status of the charger 12. For example, the location information of the charger 12 includes the coordinates, address, and name of the charger 12 where the charger 12 is installed. The specification information of the charger 12, i.e., "charger specification information," includes, for example, the rated output, rated voltage, rated current, number of connector ports, charging type, charging fee, manufacturer name, model number, and the like of each charger 12. The usage status of the charger 12, i.e., "charger usage status," is information indicating, for example, the vehicle charger's availability, charging start time, estimated charging end time, and fault status.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the vehicle database 53 stores, for each vehicle 11's "vehicle ID," "basic information" and "setting information" of each vehicle 11 collected by the vehicle information collection unit 51 as vehicle information Iv. The "vehicle ID" is also referred to as a "VIN (Vehicle Identification Number)." Similarly, the vehicle database 53 stores, for each vehicle 11's "vehicle ID," "terminal information" related to the information terminal 13 linked to each vehicle 11. This "terminal information" includes, for example, information necessary for the information processing device 10 forming the cloud server 40 to communicate with the information terminal 13 linked to each vehicle 11 via the communication network 2, such as the IP address and communication protocol of the information terminal 13. The charger database 54 stores, for each charger 12's "charger ID," location information, specification information, and the like, of each charger 12 collected by the vehicle information collection unit 51 as charger information Ic.

[0023] <Charging support information provision department> 2, the charging support system 1 of the present embodiment includes a charging support information providing unit 60 implemented on the cloud server 40. The charging support information providing unit 60 includes a charging support information generating unit 61 and a provision timing setting unit 62.

[0024] The charging support information generation unit 61 generates charging support information Is to be provided to the information terminal 13 linked to each vehicle 11, based on the vehicle information Iv and charger information Ic collected by the charging information collection unit 50. Furthermore, the provision timing setting unit 62 sets the timing for providing the charging support information Is generated by the charging support information generation unit 61 to each information terminal 13, based on the vehicle information Iv and charger information Ic also collected by the charging information collection unit 50. The provision timing T for the charging support information Is set by the provision timing setting unit 62 may be a time when a factor that requires the provision of the charging support information Is occurs, as well as regular or irregular provision timings T. Furthermore, the charging support information provision unit 60 identifies the information terminal 13 linked to each vehicle 11, based on the “terminal information” held in the vehicle database 53. The charging support information provision unit 60 then provides the charging support information Is generated by the charging support information generation unit 61 to these information terminals 13 at the provision timing T set by the provision timing setting unit 62.

[0025] <Continuous rapid charging> As shown in Figures 5 and 6, when a charging spot 70 provided in a public space or the like is used, a vehicle 11 is typically quick-charged using a charger 12 installed at the charging spot 70. However, when using such a public charger 12, continuous quick charging may be performed, in which multiple quick charges are performed consecutively using the same charger 12. For example, in the example shown in Figure 6, three consecutive quick charges are performed using the same charger 12. The need for such continuous quick charging may reduce user satisfaction during charging.

[0026] <Continuous fast charging detection section> In consideration of this, as shown in FIG. 2 , the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment includes a continuous rapid charge detection unit 80 implemented on the cloud server 40. Specifically, the continuous rapid charge detection unit 80 includes a continuous rapid charge identification unit 81 that identifies the vehicle 11 and charger 12 in which the above-mentioned continuous rapid charge has occurred, based on the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic collected by the charging information collection unit 50. The continuous rapid charge detection unit 80 also includes a continuous rapid charge information database 82 that stores information on the continuous rapid charge identified by the continuous rapid charge identification unit 81 as continuous rapid charge information Icf. The continuous rapid charge detection unit 80 also includes an information providing terminal selection unit 83 that selects an information terminal 13 to which the charging assistance information Is should be provided, based on the continuous rapid charge information Icf stored in the continuous rapid charge information database 82. Then, in the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, the charging assistance information providing unit 60 provides the charging assistance information Is to the information terminal 13 selected in this way, that is, to the user 30 of the vehicle 11 to which this information terminal 13 is linked.

[0027] <Identifying the vehicle and charger where continuous rapid charging occurred> The continuous rapid charging identification unit 81 determines whether rapid charging has been performed multiple times in succession using the charger 12 installed in the charging spot 70. Furthermore, the continuous rapid charging identification unit 81 determines whether movement of the vehicle 11 located within the charging spot 70 has been detected during these multiple rapid charging operations. If movement of the vehicle 11 located within the charging spot 70 has not been detected during these multiple rapid charging operations, the continuous rapid charging identification unit 81 determines that continuous rapid charging has been performed on this vehicle 11 using the charger 12 within the charging spot 70.

[0028] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7 , the continuous rapid charging specifying unit 81 determines whether the vehicle 11 is located within the target charging spot 70 (step 101). This vehicle location determination is performed by comparing the location information of the vehicle 11 collected by the charging information collecting unit 50 with the location information of the charger 12, for example, by determining whether the coordinates of the vehicle 11 indicated by a so-called GPS location or the like are within a predetermined radius r from the coordinates of the charger 12. Then, when the continuous rapid charging specifying unit 81 determines that the vehicle 11 is located within the charging spot 70 (step 101: YES), it determines whether rapid charging has been performed multiple times consecutively using the charger 12 installed in this charging spot 70 (step 102). Note that the criterion for determining "continuous" in this case is, for example, whether the interval between the previous "charging end" and the next "charging start" is within a predetermined time.

[0029] Next, if multiple consecutive quick charges have been performed using the charger 12 installed in the charging spot 70 (step 102: YES), the continuous quick charge specifying unit 81 determines whether the odometer, i.e., the odometer, is the same during these consecutive charges (step 103). Note that the criteria for determining whether the vehicle is running are the time when the first quick charge started and the time when the second quick charge started (the same applies below). Furthermore, if the odometer is the same (step 103: YES), the continuous quick charge specifying unit 81 then determines whether the value of a trip counter, which indicates the number of times the vehicle 11 has been started, is close to the value at the time when the first quick charge started (step 104). Furthermore, if the trip counter is a close value (step 104: YES), the continuous quick charge specifying unit 81 then determines whether the coordinates of the vehicle 11, which are indicated by, for example, a GPS location, are close to the value at the time when the first quick charge started (step 105). Then, if the coordinates of the vehicle 11 are neighboring values ​​(step 105: YES), the continuous rapid charging identification unit 81 identifies that continuous rapid charging has been performed on the vehicle 11 in the charging spot 70 using the charger 12 in the charging spot 70 (step 106).

[0030] <Storage of continuous fast charging information regarding identified continuous fast charging> As shown in FIG. 8 , the continuous rapid charge information database 82 chronologically stores continuous rapid charge information Icf related to continuous rapid charge events identified by the continuous rapid charge identification unit 81. This continuous rapid charge information Icf includes the identified vehicle ID and charger ID as well as the "occurrence time" of the continuous rapid charge. Furthermore, this continuous rapid charge information Icf is stored in the vehicle database 53 of the charging support information providing unit 60 as the "continuous rapid charge history" of each vehicle 11, together with the "number of charge events" (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ). Note that in the continuous rapid charge information Icf, a series of continuous rapid charge events is counted as "one charge" in the "number of charge events." This enables the charging support system 1 of this embodiment to grasp the continuous rapid charge events that have occurred in each vehicle 11 that is the target of the charging support system 1.

[0031] <Selection of information terminals that provide charging support information> As shown in FIG. 9, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 reads out the "continuous rapid charging history" of each vehicle 11 stored in the vehicle database 53 (step 201, see FIG. 3). Next, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 extracts the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed for each vehicle 11 (step 202). The information providing terminal selection unit 83 then reads out a threshold value Nth for the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed from a storage area (not shown) (step 203). Furthermore, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 determines whether the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed for each vehicle 11 exceeds the threshold value Nth (step 204). Then, if the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed exceeds the threshold value Nth (N>Nth, step 204: YES), the information providing terminal selection unit 83 selects the information terminal 13 linked to that vehicle 11 as the information terminal 13 to which charging support information Is should be provided (step 205).

[0032] As shown in FIG. 10, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 reads out the "continuous rapid charging history" and "number of charging attempts" for each vehicle 11 stored in the vehicle database 53 (step 301, see FIG. 3). Next, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 extracts the continuous rapid charging execution rate α for each vehicle 11 (step 302). This execution rate α is the value obtained by dividing the "number of continuous rapid charging attempts N" by the "number of charging attempts." The information providing terminal selection unit 83 then reads out a threshold value αth for the execution rate α from a storage area (not shown) (step 303). Furthermore, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 determines whether the continuous rapid charging execution rate α for each vehicle 11 exceeds the threshold value αth (step 304). Then, if the execution rate α of continuous rapid charging exceeds the threshold value αth (α>αth, step 304: YES), the information providing terminal selection unit 83 selects the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 as the information terminal 13 that should provide the charging support information Is (step 305).

[0033] <Estimation of causes of continuous fast charging> 2, the continuous rapid charge detection unit 80 includes a cause estimation unit 90 that estimates a cause F of the continuous rapid charge based on the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic collected by the charging information collection unit 50. In the charging assistance system 1 of this embodiment, the charging assistance information provision unit 60 provides improvement information Ii of the cause F estimated by the cause estimation unit 90 to the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging.

[0034] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the cause estimation unit 90 includes a user goal non-achievement determination unit 91. 12, the user target non-achievement determination unit 91 acquires "vehicle SOC information" as vehicle information Iv (step 401). Then, based on the acquired "vehicle SOC information," the user target non-achievement determination unit 91 estimates a "user target SOC" that is a target value for completing charging when the user 30 of the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging charges the vehicle 11 (step 402).

[0035] The "vehicle SOC information" includes a "vehicle SOC" as real-time data indicating the current value of the SOC of the battery 20 installed in each vehicle 11. Furthermore, the "vehicle SOC information" includes, for example, an "upper and lower limit SOC," a "target SOC," and an "average SOC" at the time of charging completion as a past performance value. The "upper and lower limit SOC" are the upper and lower limit settings for the SOC of the battery 20, which are the upper and lower limits to which the vehicle 11 can charge and the lower limit settings for the SOC of the vehicle 11 can discharge. The "target SOC" is a target value set for each vehicle 11, which states that "an SOC of a specific amount or more must be achieved by a specific time" when charging or discharging. The "user target SOC" is estimated, for example, by substituting each item acquired as the "vehicle SOC information" into a predetermined calculation formula.

[0036] Next, the user target non-attainment determination unit 91 compares the "user target SOC" estimated in step 402 with the "vehicle SOC" that is real-time data (step 403). Specifically, the "vehicle SOC after the first charge" is compared with the "user target SOC." If the "vehicle SOC after the first charge" is less than the "user target SOC" (step 403: YES), the user target non-attainment determination unit 91 determines that the cause F of the continuous rapid charge is "user target SOC not achieved" (step 404).

[0037] As shown in FIG. 11, the occurrence factor estimation unit 90 includes a charger output shortage determination unit 92. As shown in Fig. 13, the charger output insufficiency determination unit 92 acquires "vehicle SOC information" and "vehicle charging specifications" as vehicle information Iv (step 501). Then, the charger output insufficiency determination unit 92 calculates the "charging performance" of the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging (step 502). The "charging performance" is expressed, for example, as "maximum input / output power (kW)."

[0038] The charger output insufficiency determination unit 92 also acquires "charger specification information" and "charger usage status" as the charger information Ic (step 503). The "charger usage status" indicates the "outputtable charging power" of the charger 12. The charger output insufficiency determination unit 92 then calculates the "charging output" of the charger 12 that performed the continuous rapid charging (step 504).

[0039] Furthermore, the charger output insufficiency determination unit 92 compares the "charging performance" of the vehicle 11 calculated in step 502 with the "charging output" calculated in step 504 (step 505). If the "charging output" of the charger 12 is lower than the "charging performance" of the vehicle 11 (step 505: YES), the charger output insufficiency determination unit 92 determines that the cause F of the continuous rapid charging is "insufficient output of the charger 12" (insufficient charger output, step 506).

[0040] As shown in FIG. 11, the cause-of-occurrence estimation unit 90 also includes a malfunction occurrence determination unit 93. As shown in Fig. 14, the malfunction occurrence determination unit 93 acquires "charger usage status" as the charger information Ic (step 601). Furthermore, the malfunction occurrence determination unit 93 determines whether the acquired "charger usage status" includes information regarding a malfunction of the charger 12 (step 602). Then, if it is determined that a malfunction has occurred in the charger 12 (step 602: YES), the malfunction occurrence determination unit 93 determines that the cause F of the continuous rapid charging is "a malfunction occurring on the charger 12 side" (charger malfunction, step 603).

[0041] The malfunction occurrence determination unit 93 also acquires a "vehicle charging termination cause" as vehicle information Iv (step 604). Furthermore, the malfunction occurrence determination unit 93 determines whether the acquired "vehicle charging termination cause" includes information related to a malfunction of the vehicle-side charger 22 (step 605). If the malfunction occurrence determination unit 93 determines that a malfunction has occurred in the vehicle-side charger 22 (step 605: YES), it determines that the cause F of continuous rapid charging is a "malfunction occurring on the vehicle 11 side" (vehicle-side malfunction, step 606).

[0042] As shown in FIG. 11, the occurrence factor estimation unit 90 also includes a fee saving estimation unit 94. As shown in FIG. 15 , the fee saving estimation unit 94 acquires “vehicle SOC information” as vehicle information Iv (step 701). The fee saving estimation unit 94 also acquires “charger specification information” as charger information Ic (step 702). Next, based on the “charger specification information,” the fee saving estimation unit 94 checks the specifications related to the usage fee when the user 30 uses the charger 12 where the continuous rapid charging was performed, that is, the so-called “price plan” (step 703). Furthermore, the fee saving estimation unit 94 determines whether the “price plan” for using the charger 12 is “low power output but low fee” (low output and low fee, step 704). If the fee saving estimation unit 94 determines that the “price plan” is “low power output and low fee” (step 704: YES), the fee saving estimation unit 94 determines that the “price plan” of “low power output and low fee” is the cause F of the continuous rapid charging (step 705).

[0043] <Processing procedure from the occurrence of continuous rapid charging to the provision of charging support information> 16, when continuous rapid charge occurs in any of the vehicles 11 that are targets of the charging assistance system 1 (step 801: YES), the continuous rapid charge identification unit 81 in the continuous rapid charge detection unit 80 identifies the vehicle 11 and the charger 12 in question (step 802). Next, the occurrence factor estimation unit 90 estimates the occurrence factor F of the continuous rapid charge (step 803). The continuous rapid charge information Icf generated as a result is registered in the continuous rapid charge information database 82 (step 804), and the "continuous rapid charge history" is registered in the vehicle database 53 of the charging information collection unit 50 (step 805).

[0044] Next, the information providing terminal selection unit 83 selects an information terminal 13 to which the charging support information Is should be provided (step 806). Furthermore, in the charging support information providing unit 60, the provision timing setting unit 62 determines whether it is the provision timing T of the charging support information Is that corresponds to the occurrence factor F of continuous rapid charging (step 807). Furthermore, if it is the provision timing T of the charging support information Is that corresponds to the occurrence factor F (step 807: YES), the charging support information generation unit 61 generates charging support information Is that includes the occurrence factor F of continuous rapid charging and its improvement information Ii (step 808). Then, in the charging support system 1 of this embodiment, the occurrence factor F and the improvement information Ii are provided to the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging.

[0045] Furthermore, in the charging support system 1 of this embodiment, the processes of steps 806 to 808 are executed based on the "continuous rapid charging history" (step 801: NO and step 809: YES) in addition to immediately after the occurrence of continuous rapid charging. This makes it possible to provide charging support information Is, including the cause F of the occurrence of continuous rapid charging and its improvement information Ii, to the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 having the "continuous rapid charging history" on a regular or irregular basis.

[0046] <Cause of occurrence, improvement information, and timing of provision> More specifically, as shown in FIG. 17 , for example, when the cause F of continuous rapid charging is “user target SOC not reached,” the charging support information provider 60 recommends a high-power charger as improvement information Ii and provides the information terminal 13 with charging support information Is including guidance information about the high-power charger. Specifically, the charging support information Is includes information recommending the use of another charger 12 with a higher charging output than the charger 12 used in continuous rapid charging. The guidance information for the high-power charger also includes, for example, the charge output, installation location, and route. Furthermore, when the cause F of continuous rapid charging is “user target SOC not reached,” the timing T for providing the charging support information Is is set to a regular or irregular timing T in addition to the time when continuous rapid charging is detected. The regular timing T may be, for example, a specific day of each month or a specific time on a specific day of the week. The irregular timing T may be, for example, when the SOC of the battery 20 is low, i.e., when charging is required.

[0047] Furthermore, when the cause F of continuous rapid charging is "insufficient charger output," the charging support information providing unit 60 similarly recommends a high-output charger as improvement information Ii, and provides charging support information Is including this guidance information to the information terminal 13. Similarly, the timing T for providing the charging support information Is is set to be regular or irregular, in addition to the time when the continuous rapid charging occurrence is detected.

[0048] Furthermore, if the cause F of the continuous rapid charging problem is a "charger malfunction" or a "vehicle malfunction," the charging support information providing unit 60 provides the information terminal 13 with improvement information Ii as charging support information Is. In this case, the improvement information Ii includes not only the cause of the problem, but also information about the call center, display of an operation manual, troubleshooting, and the like. Furthermore, the timing T for providing the charging support information Is in this case is the time when the malfunction occurs. In this case, regardless of the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed or the execution rate α (see FIGS. 9 and 10), the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 in which the charging malfunction has occurred is selected as the information terminal 13 to which the improvement information Ii should be provided.

[0049] Furthermore, when the factor F of occurrence of continuous rapid charging is a "price plan" of "low output and low fee," the charging support information providing unit 60 also provides the information terminal 13 with charging support information Is including the improvement information Ii. Specifically, as the improvement information Ii, guidance information about another charger 12 with different usage fee specifications from the charger 12 where continuous rapid charging was performed is provided. For example, a high-output charger 12 with the same fee or a lower fee than the charger 12 where continuous rapid charging was performed is recommended, and charging support information Is including that guidance information is provided to the information terminal 13. In this case, the timing T for providing the charging support information Is is set to be regular or irregular, in addition to when the occurrence of continuous rapid charging is detected.

[0050] <Operation of this embodiment> In the charging assistance system 1, an information processing device 10 connected to a communication network 2 communicates with a vehicle 11, a charger 12, and an information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11 via the communication network 2. The information processing device 10 also collects vehicle information Iv about the vehicle 11 and charger information Ic about the charger 12 used to charge the vehicle 11. Based on the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic, the information processing device 10 then identifies the charger 12 and vehicle 11 that have undergone continuous rapid charging, which involves performing multiple rapid charging operations in succession. The information processing device 10 then provides charging assistance information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 that has undergone the continuous rapid charging.

[0051] <Effects of this embodiment> Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described. (1) For users 30 of vehicles 11 that have undergone continuous rapid charging, there is a possibility that their satisfaction with the charging process may be reduced. In light of this, charging assistance information Is is provided to the information terminal 13 of such vehicles 11 that have undergone continuous rapid charging. This effectively improves the satisfaction with the charging process for users 30 of vehicles 11 that have undergone continuous rapid charging.

[0052] (2) The information processing device 10 estimates the cause F of the continuous rapid charging based on at least one of the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic. Then, the information processing device 10 provides improvement information Ii of the cause F as charging support information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 in which the continuous rapid charging has been performed.

[0053] According to the above configuration, it is possible to improve the situation where continuous rapid charging occurs, and thereby it is possible to effectively improve the level of satisfaction when charging. (3) The information processing device 10 estimates the "user target SOC" of the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging. If the "vehicle SOC after initial charging" is less than the "user target SOC," the information processing device 10 provides, as improvement information Ii, guidance information about another charger 12 that has a higher charging output than the charger 12 that has undergone continuous rapid charging.

[0054] The above configuration can improve the situation where continuous rapid charging occurs due to the failure to achieve the "user target SOC," thereby effectively improving the level of satisfaction with charging.

[0055] (4) When the “charging output” of the charger 12 that has undergone continuous rapid charging is lower than the “charging performance” of the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging, the information processing device 10 provides, as improvement information Ii, guidance information about other chargers 12 that have a higher charging output than the charger 12.

[0056] The above configuration can improve the situation where continuous rapid charging occurs due to insufficient output of the charger 12. This can effectively improve the level of satisfaction when charging.

[0057] (5) The information processing device 10 detects a charging malfunction that occurs during charging of the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging. The information processing device 10 then provides the cause of the charging malfunction as improvement information Ii to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging.

[0058] According to the above configuration, it is possible to quickly improve a situation in which continuous rapid charging occurs due to a charging problem, thereby effectively improving the user satisfaction during charging.

[0059] (6) When the specifications regarding the usage fee of the charger 12 on which continuous rapid charging was performed are “low fee and low output,” the information processing device 10 provides, as improvement information Ii, guidance information for other chargers 12 that have different specifications regarding the usage fee from the charger 12 on which continuous rapid charging was performed.

[0060] With the above configuration, the situation in which continuous rapid charging occurs can be improved by taking into account the charging output of the charger 12 and the specifications related to the usage fee, i.e., the so-called fee plan, as factors, thereby effectively improving the satisfaction level during charging.

[0061] (7) The information processing device 10 determines whether multiple rapid charging operations have been performed consecutively using the charger 12 installed in the charging spot 70. Furthermore, the information processing device 10 determines whether movement of the vehicle 11 located within the charging spot 70 has been detected during the multiple rapid charging operations. If movement of the vehicle 11 located within the charging spot 70 has not been detected during the multiple rapid charging operations, the information processing device 10 determines that continuous rapid charging has been performed on the vehicle 11 using the charger within the charging spot 70.

[0062] According to the above configuration, it is possible to accurately identify the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging and the charger 12 that was used at that time in association with each other. This makes it possible to more effectively provide the charging support information Is that improves the satisfaction level of the vehicle 11 when it is charged to the information terminal 13 linked to the vehicle 11.

[0063] (8) The information processing device 10 provides the charging support information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 whose number of executions of continuous rapid charging N exceeds the threshold value Nth. (9) The information processing device 10 provides the charging support information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 whose execution rate α of continuous rapid charging exceeds the threshold αth.

[0064] According to each of the above configurations, it is possible to select, from among the information terminals 13 linked to the vehicle 11 that has undergone continuous rapid charging, an information terminal 13 that can more effectively improve the user satisfaction during charging by providing charging support information Is.

[0065] <Another example> The above embodiment can be modified as follows: The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other within the scope of technical compatibility.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the factor F causing continuous rapid charging is estimated based on at least one of the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic. Then, the information processing device 10 provides improvement information Ii of the factor F as charging assistance information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 in which continuous rapid charging has been performed. However, this is not limiting, and the provision of charging assistance information Is does not necessarily have to be based on the estimation of the factor F and the provision of improvement information Ii.

[0067] For example, if there is no particular charging problem, the system may be configured to provide guidance information about other chargers 12 with a higher charging output than the charger 12 where continuous rapid charging was performed, without estimating the cause of occurrence F. In other words, by using a high-output charger with a high charging output, it is highly likely that the number of consecutive rapid charging operations can be reduced. Therefore, even when such a configuration is adopted, it is possible to effectively improve the satisfaction level of users 30 of vehicles 11 where continuous rapid charging was performed, as in the above embodiment.

[0068] Furthermore, in addition to the occurrence cause F and the improvement information Ii, other information that is likely to improve user satisfaction during charging may be combined and provided as charging support information Is to the information terminal 13 of the vehicle 11 in which continuous rapid charging has been performed.

[0069] When selecting the information terminal 13 that provides the charging support information Is, the period of the target "continuous rapid charging history" may be set arbitrarily when calculating the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed and the execution rate α. For example, it may be set arbitrarily to a period going back in time, such as several weeks or several months.

[0070] The information terminal 13 to which the charging support information Is is provided may be selected based on either the number of times N that continuous rapid charging has been performed or the execution rate α. Furthermore, for example, the threshold values ​​Nth and αth for the number of executions N and the execution rate α may be changed according to the factor F that causes continuous rapid charging. This allows for a simple configuration and accurate selection of an information terminal 13 that can improve user satisfaction during charging by providing the charging assistance information providing unit 60, i.e., a user 30 of a vehicle 11 linked to this information terminal 13.

[0071] In the above embodiment, when the specifications of the charger 12 where continuous rapid charging was performed are "low price and low output," guidance information is provided about chargers 12 with higher output and with the same or lower price as the charger 12 where continuous rapid charging was performed. However, this is not limited to this, and other chargers 12 for which guidance information is provided may be set arbitrarily as long as it is possible to improve the satisfaction of the user 30 of the vehicle 11 where continuous rapid charging was performed during charging. For example, the "price plan" may be "significantly high output."

[0072] When identifying the vehicle 11 and charger 12 for which continuous rapid charging has occurred, the criteria for determining whether movement of the vehicle 11 located within the charging spot 70 has not been detected during multiple rapid charging events may be changed arbitrarily.

[0073] For example, in the above embodiment, the conditions are that the odometers are the same (see FIG. 7, step 103: YES), the trip counters are close to each other (step 104: YES), and the coordinates of the vehicle 11 are close to each other (step 105: YES). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration may be adopted in which it is determined that movement of the vehicle 11 at that location has not been detected based on at least one of these determination conditions, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, although the criteria for determining whether the vehicle is moving are the start of the first quick charge and the start of the second quick charge, the start of the third or subsequent quick charge may also be used as the criteria. Furthermore, a configuration may be adopted in which it is determined that movement of the vehicle 11 has not been detected based on other determination conditions.

[0074] When the vehicle 11 targeted by the charging assistance system 1 is a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle type is arbitrary. It is sufficient that the vehicle 11 is configured as a so-called plug-in hybrid vehicle, that is, an electric vehicle 21 that runs using electric power stored in the battery 20 through charging. For example, the vehicle is not limited to an engine-driven vehicle that runs by transmitting the driving force of the engine to the road surface, but may be an electric vehicle 21 that uses the engine as a drive source for a generator and runs on the generated electric power to drive a motor.

[0075] The charging assistance system 1 of the present disclosure may be realized as a single device, or may be distributed across multiple devices or subsystems that cooperate to execute programs. The one or more processors constituting the processing circuitry 31 may include, but are not limited to, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), a neural network processing unit (NPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), other processors including a general-purpose processor, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The same applies to the one or more processors used in the configuration enabling the information and communication functions of each vehicle 11, each charger 12, and each information terminal 13.

[0076] <Additional Notes> Next, the technical ideas that can be understood from the above-described embodiment and modified examples will be described. [Appendix 1] A charging assistance system in which an information processing device provides charging assistance information to an information terminal linked to a vehicle by performing information communication using a communication network, the charging assistance information improving user satisfaction when charging the vehicle, wherein the information processing device collects vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about chargers used to charge the vehicle, and identifies the charger and the vehicle that have undergone continuous rapid charging, which performs multiple rapid charging operations in succession, based on the vehicle information and the charger information, and provides the charging assistance information to the information terminal of the vehicle that has undergone continuous rapid charging.

[0077] [Appendix 2] The charging assistance system described in Appendix 1 provides, as the charging assistance information, guidance information about other chargers that have a higher charging output than the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed to the information terminal of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging was performed.

[0078] [Appendix 3] The charging assistance system described in Appendix 1 estimates the cause of the continuous rapid charging based on at least one of the vehicle information and the charger information, and provides improvement information on the cause of the occurrence to the information terminal of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging was performed as the charging assistance information.

[0079] [Appendix 4] A charging assistance system as described in Appendix 3, which estimates a user target SOC of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging has been performed, and, if the vehicle SOC after the first charging does not meet the user target SOC, provides, as the improvement information, guidance information about other chargers that have a higher charging output than the charger where the continuous rapid charging has been performed to the information terminal of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging has been performed.

[0080] [Appendix 5] A charging assistance system as described in Appendix 3 or Appendix 4, which provides, as the improvement information, guidance information about other chargers having a higher charging output than the charger used for continuous rapid charging to the information terminal of the vehicle used for continuous rapid charging when the charging output of the charger used for continuous rapid charging is low compared to the charging performance of the vehicle used for continuous rapid charging.

[0081] [Appendix 6] A charging assistance system as described in any one of Appendices 3 to 5, which detects a charging malfunction that occurs during charging of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging has been performed, and provides the cause of the charging malfunction as the improvement information to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging has been performed.

[0082] [Appendix 7] A charging support system as described in any one of Appendices 3 to 6, which provides, as the improvement information, guidance information about other chargers that have different specifications regarding the usage fees from the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed, when the specifications regarding the usage fees of the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed are low fee and low output.

[0083] [Appendix 8] A charging support system as described in any one of Appendices 1 to 7, in which the rapid charging is performed multiple times in succession using the charger installed in the charging spot, and if no movement of the vehicle located within the charging spot is detected during the multiple rapid charging times, it determines that the continuous rapid charging has been performed on the vehicle located within the charging spot using the charger within the charging spot.

[0084] [Supplementary Note 9] The charging support system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 8, wherein the charging support information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the number of times the continuous rapid charging has been performed exceeds a threshold. [Supplementary Note 10] The charging support system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 9, wherein the charging support information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the execution rate of the continuous rapid charging exceeds a threshold.

[0085] [Appendix 11] A charging support method in which an information processing device provides charging support information to an information terminal linked to a vehicle by performing information communication using a communication network, the charging support method comprising the steps of: collecting vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about chargers used to charge the vehicle; identifying the vehicle and the charger on which continuous rapid charging, which performs multiple rapid charging operations in succession, has been performed based on the vehicle information and the charger information; and providing the charging support information to the information terminal of the vehicle on which the continuous rapid charging has been performed.

[0086] [Appendix 12] A charging assistance program in which an information processing device provides charging assistance information to an information terminal linked to a vehicle by executing information communication using a communication network, the charging assistance program causing a processing circuit of the information processing device to execute the following steps: collecting vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about chargers used to charge the vehicle; identifying the vehicle and the charger that have undergone continuous rapid charging, which performs multiple rapid charging operations in succession, based on the vehicle information and the charger information; and providing the charging assistance information to the information terminal of the vehicle that has undergone continuous rapid charging. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 1. Charging support system 2. Communication network 10...Information processing device 11...Vehicle 12…Charger 13...Information terminal IV…Vehicle information Ic…Charger information Is…Charging support information

Claims

1. A charging assistance system in which an information processing device provides charging assistance information to an information terminal linked to a vehicle by executing information communication using a communication network, the charging assistance information improving satisfaction with use when charging the vehicle, The information processing device, Collecting vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about a charger used to charge the vehicle; By identifying the charger and the vehicle where continuous rapid charging, in which rapid charging is performed multiple times in succession, is performed based on the vehicle information and the charger information, a charging assistance system that provides the charging assistance information to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging has been performed;

2. The charging assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the charging assistance information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging was performed, with guidance information about other chargers that have a higher charging output than the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed.

3. A cause of the continuous rapid charging is estimated based on at least one of the vehicle information and the charger information, and The charging assistance system according to claim 1 , wherein information about improving the cause of the problem is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging is performed as the charging assistance information.

4. A user target SOC of the vehicle that has been subjected to the continuous rapid charging is estimated, and if the vehicle SOC after the initial charging is less than the user target SOC, The charging assistance system of claim 3, wherein the improvement information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging was performed, with guidance information about other chargers that have a higher charging output than the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed.

5. When the charging output of the charger used for the continuous rapid charging is low compared to the charging performance of the vehicle used for the continuous rapid charging, The charging assistance system of claim 3, wherein the improvement information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle where the continuous rapid charging was performed, with guidance information about other chargers that have a higher charging output than the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed.

6. Detecting a charging problem that occurs during charging of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging is performed, and The charging assistance system according to claim 3 , wherein the cause of the charging problem is provided as the improvement information to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging is performed.

7. When the specifications regarding the usage fee of the charger where the continuous rapid charging is performed are low fee and low output, As the improvement information, guidance information about another charger having specifications regarding the usage fee different from those of the charger where the continuous rapid charging was performed is provided. The charging assistance system according to claim 3 .

8. When the rapid charging is performed multiple times in succession using the charger installed in the charging spot and movement of the vehicle located within the charging spot is not detected during the multiple rapid charging times, it is determined that the continuous rapid charging has been performed on the vehicle located within the charging spot using the charger within the charging spot. The charging support system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The charging assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the charging assistance information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle for which the number of times the continuous rapid charging has been performed exceeds a threshold value.

10. The charging assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the charging assistance information is provided to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the execution rate of the continuous rapid charging exceeds a threshold value.

11. A charging support method in which an information processing device provides charging support information for improving a user satisfaction level when charging a vehicle to an information terminal linked to the vehicle by executing information communication using a communication network, the method comprising: The information processing device, collecting vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about a charger used to charge the vehicle; Identifying the vehicle and the charger for which continuous rapid charging, in which rapid charging is performed multiple times in succession, has been performed, based on the vehicle information and the charger information; providing the charging assistance information to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging has been performed.

12. A charging assistance program in which an information processing device provides charging assistance information to an information terminal linked to a vehicle by executing information communication using a communication network, the charging assistance information improving satisfaction with use of the vehicle when charging the vehicle, collecting vehicle information about the vehicle and charger information about a charger used to charge the vehicle; Identifying the vehicle and the charger for which continuous rapid charging, in which rapid charging is performed multiple times in succession, has been performed, based on the vehicle information and the charger information; providing the charging assistance information to the information terminal of the vehicle in which the continuous rapid charging has been performed; Charging assistance program.

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