Information processing device

Abstract

This system collects charging history information that is useful for predicting waiting times at charging stations and for analyzing how to reduce waiting times. [Solution] The information processing device 10 collects vehicle information for each electric vehicle 11 and charger information for each charger 12 by performing information communication by the communication device 33. The processing circuit 31 identifies that the charging performed on the electric vehicle 11 was a charging that required a waiting time, provided that at least one of the following conditions is met: the charging performed on the electric vehicle 11 started within the range of a standard waiting time from the time the main switch of the electric vehicle 11 was turned off, and the charging by the charger 12 was performed on an electric vehicle 11 whose travel distance in the predetermined time up to the time the main switch was turned off was less than a predetermined distance. The information processing device 10 collects charging history information, including information on charging that required a waiting time, and stores it in the storage device 32.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In an electric vehicle that performs motor-driven travel using the power stored in an in-vehicle battery, in addition to a so-called private charger that charges a specific vehicle in an exclusive state, rapid charging may be performed using a so-called public charger installed at a public charging spot. As a technology related to charging such electric vehicles, for example, the charging guidance device described in Patent Document 1 monitors the usage status and supply current during use for each of a plurality of chargers provided for public use. The charging guidance device is configured to display a list of the availability of each charger and, if there is a vehicle in use, the time required until the charging is completed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, at a public charging spot, in addition to the vehicle being charged, other vehicles may be waiting to use the charger. Therefore, with the configuration of the above prior art, there is a possibility that the user who receives the information cannot accurately grasp the time required for vehicle charging.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The information processing device that solves the above problems is an information processing device that collects information from multiple chargers used for charging electric vehicles and multiple electric vehicles. This information processing device comprises a processing circuit, a storage device, and a communication device. This information processing device collects vehicle information for each electric vehicle and charger information for each charger by performing information communication using a communication network via the communication device. The processing circuit determines that the charging performed on the electric vehicle by the charger was a charging that required a waiting time, provided that at least one of the following conditions is met: the charging performed on the electric vehicle by the charger was started within the range of a standard waiting time set based on the upper limit of the usage time of rapid charging by the charger from the time the main switch of the electric vehicle was turned off, or the charging performed on the electric vehicle was performed on an electric vehicle whose travel distance in the predetermined time up to the time the main switch was turned off was less than a predetermined distance. This information processing device collects charging history information, including information on charging that required a waiting time, and stores it in the storage device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] This information processing device can collect charging history information that is useful for predicting waiting times at charging stations and for analyzing how to reduce waiting times. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the information gathering system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the charging history information stored in the memory of the information processing device. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the charging history database in the information processing device. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing a series of processes for determining whether or not there is a waiting period executed by the processing circuit of the information processing device. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the state in which an electric vehicle is located within a charging spot where a charger is installed. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] An embodiment of the information processing device will be described below with reference to the drawings. <Information Gathering System> As shown in Figure 1, the information collection system 1 is comprised of an information processing device 10 that communicates information via a communication network 2, a plurality of electric vehicles 11, and a plurality of chargers 12.

[0009] The multiple electric vehicles 11 targeted by the information gathering system 1 are vehicles that use electricity stored in an on-board battery 20 to perform motor-driven propulsion. The information gathering system 1 targets electric vehicles 11 that have the function of charging their battery 20 via an on-board vehicle-side charger 22. The information gathering system 1 also targets external chargers 12 used to charge those electric vehicles 11.

[0010] Chargers 12 used to charge electric vehicles 11 include, for example, so-called private chargers that are exclusively used by a specific electric vehicle 11 for charging, as well as so-called public chargers installed in public spaces. In many cases, chargers 12 used in public chargers are equipped with a so-called rapid charging function that allows for short-term charging with a limit on the charging time per session in order to facilitate smooth user turnover.

[0011] <Information Processing Device> The information processing device 10 comprises a processing circuit 31 and a storage device 32. The processing circuit 31 comprises one or more processors that execute computer programs (software). The processor includes a CPU and memory such as RAM and ROM. The storage device 32 is configured using computer-readable media that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer. The memory of the processors constituting the processing circuit 31 is similar. The information processing device 10 operates by having the processing circuit 31 read the computer program stored in the storage device 32, and then the processing circuit 31 executes various processes specified in that computer program.

[0012] The information processing device 10 may be configured using multiple computers. For example, the information processing device 10 may be configured using multiple server devices. 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 also has the function of performing information communication using this communication device 33.

[0013] In the information collection system 1, the multiple electric vehicles 11 and multiple chargers 12 that are the targets of the information collection system 1 also have information communication functions using the communication network 2, similar to the information processing device 10 configured as described above.

[0014] In the information gathering system 1, the information processing device 10 configured as described above collects vehicle information Iv for each electric vehicle 11 and charger information Ic for each charger 12 by performing information communication using the communication network 2 via the communication device 33.

[0015] The information processing device 10 collects, as vehicle information Iv, basic information of each electric vehicle 11, such as the vehicle type and vehicle charging specifications of the electric vehicle 11. Then, the information processing device 10 also collects, as vehicle information Iv, for example, real-time data of each electric vehicle 11 that changes moment by moment and various setting information related to the charging of each electric vehicle 11. For example, the information processing device 10 collects the position information, driving information, and vehicle SOC information of each electric vehicle 11. In addition, the information processing device 10 collects, for each electric vehicle 11, its vehicle charging state, vehicle charging end factors, and the like.

[0016] As charger information Ic regarding each charger 12, the information processing device 10 acquires, for example, the position information, specification information, usage status, and the like of the charger 12. The information processing device 10 collects charging history information, which is information about the charging performed at each charger 12 based on the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic. One piece of charging history information is information about one charging event from the start of charging to the end of charging.

[0017] <Charging history information> As shown in FIG. 2, the charging history information includes a charger ID, which is an identifier of the charger 12 that performed charging in the charging event. The charging history information includes a vehicle ID, which is an identifier of the electric vehicle 11 that performed charging in the charging event. The charging history information includes the charging start time and the charging end time in the charging event. The charging history information includes information about whether there is a waiting time for performing the charging. When the information about whether there is a waiting time is "there is a waiting time", it indicates that the charging event required a waiting time until starting the charging. When the information about whether there is a waiting time is "there is no waiting time", it indicates that the charging event did not require a waiting time until starting the charging.

[0018] The information processing device 10 stores the charging history information collected in this way in the storage device 32 to create a charging history database. <Charging history database> As shown in FIG. 3, the charging history database is a database that organizes charging history information for each charger 12. "Charging History 1" shown in FIG. 3 is information other than the charger ID in the oldest charging history information among the charging history information for each charger 12. "Charging History 2" shown in FIG. 3 is information other than the charger ID in the charging history information that is the second oldest among the charging history information for each charger 12 after "Charging History 1". In this way, the charging history information in the charging history database is organized in chronological order for each charger 12.

[0019] Among the charging history information, regarding the information on the presence or absence of standby time, it is information specified by the processing circuit 31 of the information processing device 10 based on the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic. <Process for specifying the presence or absence of standby time> Next, referring to FIG. 4, a series of processes executed by the information processing device 10 to specify the presence or absence of standby time will be described. The series of processes shown in FIG. 4 are executed by the processing circuit 31 each time the information processing device 10 receives the vehicle information Iv and the charger information Ic and detects that one charging event has been completed.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4, when starting this series of processes, the processing circuit 31 determines, in the process of step S102, whether the charging for which the presence or absence of standby time is to be specified is continuous rapid charging. Specifically, the processing circuit 31 determines that the second and subsequent rapid chargings in a series of rapid chargings are continuous rapid chargings when the electric vehicle 11 executes a plurality of rapid chargings using the same charger 12 without moving. For example, the processing circuit 31 can determine that the electric vehicle 11 has not moved based on the fact that the value of the odometer is substantially the same as at the end of the previous charging.

[0021] In step S102, if it is determined that the charge is a continuous rapid charge (step S102: YES), the processing circuit 31 proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the processing circuit 31 identifies that the charge is a charge without a waiting period. After executing the process in step S107, the processing circuit 31 terminates this series of processes.

[0022] In step S102, if it is determined that the charging is not continuous rapid charging (step S102: NO), the processing circuit 31 proceeds to step S103. In step S103, the processing circuit 31 determines whether the charging started after a first predetermined time Tl has elapsed since the main switch of the electric vehicle 11 was turned off. In the flowchart of Figure 4, the term "main switch" is abbreviated as "IG" for convenience, as it is a common designation.

[0023] In step S103, the processing circuit 31 specifically determines whether the elapsed time t until the start of charging was longer than the first predetermined time Tl. If the elapsed time t until the start of charging was longer than the first predetermined time Tl, the processing circuit 31 determines that the charging started after the first predetermined time Tl had elapsed from the time the main switch was turned off. If the elapsed time t until the start of charging was less than or equal to the first predetermined time Tl, the processing circuit 31 determines that the charging started before the first predetermined time Tl had elapsed from the time the main switch was turned off.

[0024] The first default time Tl is set to, for example, about 40 minutes. The first default time Tl is also the upper limit of the range of the standard waiting time α, which will be described later. The charger 12 may include a charger 12 that has the characteristics of a so-called private charger. Such private chargers are often used exclusively by a specific electric vehicle 11 for charging. If the charger 12 is installed in the parking lot of the user's home or workplace, the electric vehicle 11 may be parked near the charger 12 with the main switch turned off for a relatively long time before charging begins. The length of the first default time Tl is set to determine that there is a high probability of this situation occurring, based on the fact that the elapsed time t from the time the main switch is turned off until charging begins is longer than the first default time Tl.

[0025] In step S103, if it is determined that charging started after a first predetermined time Tl has elapsed since the main switch was turned off (step S103: YES), the processing circuit 31 proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the processing circuit 31 identifies that the charging does not require a waiting time. After executing the process in step S107, the processing circuit 31 terminates this series of processes.

[0026] In the process of step S103, if it is determined that charging has started between the time the main switch is turned off and the first predetermined time Tl has elapsed (step S: NO), the processing circuit 31 proceeds to step S104.

[0027] In step S104, the processing circuit 31 determines whether charging has started within the range of the standard waiting time α. The standard waiting time α is set based on the time required for rapid charging using the charger 12. For example, the upper limit of the usage time for rapid charging using the charger 12 is often set to about 30 minutes. Taking this into consideration, the standard waiting time α is set, for example, so that the elapsed time t from the time the main switch of the electric vehicle 11 is turned off is in the range of 15 minutes or more and 40 minutes or less (Te≦t≦Tl). The time Te is 15 minutes, which is the lower limit of the standard waiting time α.

[0028] If charging starts within the standard waiting time α from the time the main switch is turned on (step S104: YES), the processing circuit 31 proceeds to step S106. In the processing of step S106, the processing circuit 31 identifies that the charging in question required a waiting time. After executing the processing of step S106, the processing circuit 31 terminates this series of processes.

[0029] On the other hand, if charging has not started within the standard waiting time α from the time the main switch is turned on (step S104: NO), the processing circuit 31 proceeds to step S105. In step S105, the processing circuit 31 determines whether the distance traveled by the electric vehicle 11 within the second predetermined time before the main switch is turned off is less than the predetermined distance. This process is to determine that the electric vehicle 11 that was charged was waiting in the charging spot 70 where the charger 12 that performed the charging is installed.

[0030] As shown in Figure 5, the state in which the electric vehicle 11 is located within a radius r from the charger 12 is considered to be within the charging spot 70. The default distance is set to a distance shorter than this radius r.

[0031] The processing circuit 31 determines that the electric vehicle 11 was waiting in the charging spot 70 based on the fact that the distance traveled by the electric vehicle 11 during the second predetermined time period up to the time when the main switch of the electric vehicle 11 was turned off was less than a predetermined distance.

[0032] If the processing circuit 31 determines that the distance traveled by the electric vehicle 11 within the second predetermined time before the main switch is turned off is less than the predetermined distance (step S105: YES), it proceeds to step S106. In step S106, the processing circuit 31 identifies that the charging was a charging that required a waiting time. After executing the process in step S106, the processing circuit 31 terminates this series of processes.

[0033] On the other hand, if the processing circuit 31 determines that the distance traveled by the electric vehicle 11 within the second predetermined time before the main switch is turned off is greater than or equal to a predetermined distance (step S105: NO), it proceeds to step S107. In step S107, the processing circuit 31 identifies that the charging is a charging that does not require a waiting time. After executing the process in step S107, the processing circuit 31 terminates this series of processes.

[0034] <Operation of this embodiment> In this way, the processing circuit 31 of the information processing device 10 determines each time charging is performed whether the charging required a waiting time or not. The processing circuit 31 of the information processing device 10 then collects charging history information, including information on charging that required a waiting time. The information processing device 10 stores the collected charging history information in the storage device 32 to create a charging history database.

[0035] <Effects of this embodiment> (1) The processing circuit 31 of the information processing device 10 determines that the charging required a waiting time if either of the following two conditions is met.

[0036] • Charging of the electric vehicle 11 began within the standard standby time α from the moment the main switch of the electric vehicle 11 was turned off. • Charging was performed on electric vehicles 11 whose travel distance during the second predetermined time period up to the point when the main switch was turned off was less than the predetermined distance.

[0037] The information processing device 10 then stores charging history information, including information about charging that required a waiting time, in the storage device 32. Therefore, the information processing device 10 can collect charging history information, including information on charging that required a waiting time. This charging history information can be used to analyze situations in which charging requiring a waiting time is likely to occur, to identify charging spots 70 that are prone to charging requiring a waiting time, and to analyze personnel who cause long waiting times.

[0038] Therefore, the information processing device 10 can collect charging history information that is useful for predicting waiting times at charging spots 70 and for analyzing how to eliminate waiting times. (2) The charging history information stored in the storage device 32 includes information on charging that did not require a waiting time. The processing circuit 31 determines that if charging started after a time longer than the upper limit of the standard waiting time range α has elapsed since the main switch was turned off, the charging was a charge that did not require a waiting time.

[0039] As a result, the information processing device 10 can determine that the electric vehicle 11, which had been parked for a long time near the charger 12 which has the characteristics of a private charger, has started charging. Therefore, the information processing device 10 can determine that the charging is a charge that does not require any waiting time.

[0040] (3) The information processing device 10 determines that charging does not require a waiting time if the distance traveled during the second determination time before the main switch of the electric vehicle 11 is turned off is less than a predetermined distance. This makes it possible to determine that the electric vehicle 11 that has been charged was waiting in the charging spot 70 with the main switch turned on.

[0041] (4) If the electric vehicle 11 has not moved and has performed multiple rapid charges using the same charger 12, the processing circuit 31 of the information processing device 10 will determine that the second and subsequent rapid charges in the series of rapid charges did not require any waiting time.

[0042] This allows the information processing device 10 to determine with greater accuracy whether or not a charge required a waiting time. (5) The charging history information includes the identifier of the charger 12 that performed the charging, the start time of charging, and the end time of charging. If the identifier of the charger 12 is known, the charger 12 can be identified, and the location where charging took place can be identified. Therefore, by collecting charging history information including the identifier of the charger 12, the start time of charging, and the end time of charging, it becomes possible to analyze information on the location, time, and duration of charging.

[0043] <Example of changes> The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The lower limit time Te and the upper limit time for the standard waiting time α may be set arbitrarily. For example, the upper limit time may be a different value from the first default time Tl. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0044] 1... Information gathering system, 2... Communication network, 10... Information processing device, 11... Electric vehicle, 12... Charger, 31... Processing circuit, 32... Memory device, 33... Communication device, 70... Charging spot, Iv... Vehicle information, Ic... Charger information

Claims

1. A plurality of chargers used for charging electric vehicles and an information processing device that collects information from a plurality of said electric vehicles, It comprises a processing circuit, a memory device, and a communication device. By performing information communication using the communication network by the aforementioned communication device, vehicle information for each electric vehicle and charger information for each charger are collected. The processing circuit described above If the charging of the electric vehicle by the charger was initiated from the moment the main switch of the electric vehicle was turned off, within the range of the standard waiting time set based on the upper limit of the usage time for rapid charging by the charger, On the condition that charging by the charger is performed on the electric vehicle whose distance traveled in the predetermined time up to the point when the main switch is turned off is less than the predetermined distance, It was determined that the charging in question was a charging that required a waiting period. An information processing device that collects charging history information, including information on charging that required a waiting time, and stores it in the storage device.

2. The charging history information stored in the memory device includes information on charging that does not require a waiting time. The aforementioned processing circuit is If the charging started after a time had elapsed from the moment the main switch was turned off that was longer than the upper limit of the standard standby time range, It is determined that the aforementioned charging was a charging that did not require a waiting period. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned processing circuit is If the electric vehicle has performed multiple rapid charges using the same charger without moving, it is determined that the second and subsequent rapid charges in the series did not require any waiting time. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The charging history information includes the identifier of the charger on which the charging was performed, the start time of the charging, and the end time of the charging. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

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