Information processing device

Abstract

To provide an information processing device that suppresses excessive load on the information processing device. [Solution] The information processing device includes an execution device. The execution device acquires vehicle information VI about the vehicle, acquires charger information CI about the charger that charges the vehicle's battery, and, on the condition that continuous rapid charging has been performed, which involves performing multiple rapid charges on the battery in succession, it identifies an alternative charger AC based on the vehicle information VI and charger information CI, which is a charger whose chargeable energy per charge is greater than the chargeable energy per charge of the charger that performed the continuous rapid charging, and transmits alternative charger information ACI indicating the identified alternative charger AC to a mobile terminal associated with the vehicle that performed the continuous rapid charging.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an information processing apparatus that guides a charger for charging a vehicle battery. The information processing apparatus acquires vehicle information regarding the vehicle. The information processing apparatus acquires charger information regarding the charger. The information processing apparatus identifies the charger to be guided based on the vehicle information and the charger information.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1 repeatedly executes, while the vehicle is running, identifying the charger to be guided by referring to, for example, the remaining capacity of the vehicle battery. Therefore, there is a risk that the load imposed on the information processing apparatus by the process for identifying the charger becomes excessively large.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An information processing device that solves the above problems includes an execution device that performs the following: acquire vehicle information relating to a vehicle; acquire charger information relating to a charger that charges the battery of the vehicle; and, on the condition that continuous rapid charging has been performed, which involves performing multiple rapid charges on the battery in succession, it identifies an alternative charger that has a charger whose charge capacity per charge is greater than the charge capacity per charge of the charger that performed the continuous rapid charging, based on the vehicle information and the charger information; and transmits alternative charger information indicating the identified alternative charger to a mobile terminal associated with the vehicle that performed the continuous rapid charging. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the above configuration, the information processing device identifies an alternative charger only if continuous rapid charging has been performed. In other words, if continuous rapid charging has not been performed, the information processing device does not identify an alternative charger. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the load on the information processing device from becoming excessively large due to the process of identifying an alternative charger. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the communication system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a flowchart showing a series of processes performed by an information processing device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] <Overview of the charging system> As shown in Figure 1, the charging system 10 comprises multiple vehicles 20, multiple chargers 30, a server 40, and multiple mobile terminals 50. The charging system 10 manages the charging of the vehicles 20 by the chargers 30.

[0009] Vehicle 20 has a charging port 21, a charging circuit 22, a battery 23, and a drive motor 24. Vehicle 20 is an electric vehicle. The charging port 21 is connected to the charging plug 31 of the charger 30. When the charging plug 31 is connected to the charging port 21, the battery 23 is ready to be charged by the charger 30.

[0010] The drive motor 24 is the power source for the vehicle 20. The drive motor 24 uses the power stored in the battery 23 to drive the vehicle 20. The battery 23 stores the power to operate the drive motor 24.

[0011] The charging circuit 22 includes a relay that switches between connecting and disconnecting the power path from the charging port 21 to the battery 23, and a power conversion circuit. The battery 23 is charged when the charging circuit 22 is controlled.

[0012] Vehicle 20 includes a communication device 25 and a control device 26. The communication device 25 can communicate with the server 40 via a wireless communication network. The control device 26 allows charging of the battery 23 by controlling the charging circuit 22. When the control device 26 detects that a charging plug 31 has been connected to the charging port 21, it controls the charging circuit 22 to start charging the battery 23. The control device 26 controls the charging circuit 22 to end charging of the battery 23 by referring to the charge level of the battery 23. Note that in Figure 1, only one vehicle 20 is illustrated in detail, and the other vehicles 20 are partially omitted from the illustration.

[0013] The charger 30 charges the battery 23 of the vehicle 20. The charger 30 is capable of rapid charging. The charger 30 includes a charging plug 31, an external power supply 32, a communication device 33, and a control device 34.

[0014] The charging plug 31 is connected to an external power supply 32 by a cable. The charging plug 31 can be connected to the charging port 21 of the vehicle 20. The external power supply 32 is located outside the vehicle 20.

[0015] The communication device 33 is capable of communicating with the server 40 via a wireless communication network. The control device 34 controls rapid charging of the vehicle's battery 23 from an external power source 32 according to the charging plan obtained from the server 40 via the communication device 33. The charging plan is time-series data of the amount of charge per unit time over a predetermined period of time. Note that in Figure 1, only one charger 30 is illustrated in detail, and the other chargers 30 are partially omitted from the illustration.

[0016] The mobile terminal 50 is capable of communicating with the server 40 via a wireless communication network. Each mobile terminal 50 is pre-registered for each vehicle 20. The mobile terminal 50 has a display. The mobile terminal 50 displays information received from the server 40 on its display.

[0017] The server 40 includes a communication device 41 and an information processing device 42. The communication device 41 is capable of communicating with the vehicle 20, the charger 30, and the mobile terminal 50 via a wireless communication network.

[0018] The information processing device 42 generates a charging plan for charging the battery 23 of the vehicle 20 from the charger 30. The information processing device 42 transmits information indicating the generated charging plan to the charger 30 via the communication device 41.

[0019] The information processing device 42 comprises an execution device 43 and a storage device 44. The execution device 43 is a CPU including a processor. The storage device 44 is memory. The storage device 44 stores a database DB and a provided program PR.

[0020] The database DB contains data indicating the mobile terminal 50 associated with each of the multiple vehicles 20. The database DB is used by the execution device 43 to identify the mobile terminal 50 associated with the vehicle 20.

[0021] The provided program PR is a program for transmitting alternative charger information ACI associated with the vehicle 20 to the mobile terminal 50 on the condition that continuous rapid charging has been performed. By executing the provided program PR, the execution device 43 transmits the alternative charger information ACI associated with the vehicle 20 to the mobile terminal 50 on the condition that continuous rapid charging has been performed.

[0022] The alternative charger information ACI is information indicating the alternative charger AC. The alternative charger AC has a larger amount of chargeable power per charge, which is the product of the chargeable power and a predetermined charging time, compared to the charger 30 at which the vehicle 20 has performed continuous rapid charging. Therefore, the alternative charger AC can reduce the number of times of continuous rapid charging compared to the charger 30 at which the vehicle 20 has performed continuous rapid charging.

[0023] When the charging of the vehicle 20 is started by the charger 30, the execution device 43 starts the execution of the provided program PR.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, when the execution device 43 starts the execution of the provided program PR, the execution device 43 first performs the process of step S11. In step S11, the execution device 43 executes acquiring vehicle information VI from the vehicle 20. The vehicle information VI is information regarding the vehicle 20 at which charging is started. The vehicle information VI includes the position information of the vehicle 20, information indicating the SOC of the battery 23, information indicating the specifications of the battery 23, information indicating the power with which the battery 23 can be charged and discharged, and information indicating the charger 30 available for the vehicle 20. Thereafter, the execution device 43 advances the process to step S12.

[0025] In step S12, the execution device 43 executes acquiring charger information CI from a plurality of chargers 30. The charger information CI includes the position information of the charger 30, information indicating the specifications of the charger 30, information indicating the chargeable power of the charger 30, and information indicating the charging time per charge of the charger 30. Thereafter, the execution device 4 executes advancing the process to step S13.

[0026] In step S13, the execution device 43 determines whether or not continuous rapid charging has been performed on the battery 23. For example, if the execution device 43 acquires vehicle information VI multiple times in a row while the location information of the vehicle 20 remains the same, and the charging of the charger 30 is rapid charging, it determines that continuous rapid charging has been performed on the battery 23.

[0027] When continuous rapid charging is performed on the battery 23 (S13: YES), the execution device 43 proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the execution device 43 identifies the alternative charger AC. That is, the execution device 43 identifies the alternative charger AC on the condition that continuous rapid charging has been performed on the battery 23.

[0028] For example, the execution device 43 calculates the maximum amount of power that the vehicle 20 can charge based on information indicating the power that can charge and discharge the battery 23 and information indicating a charger 30 that can be used for the vehicle 20.

[0029] Next, the execution device 43 searches for a charger 30 among the multiple chargers 30 in which the amount of power that can be charged per charge is greater than the amount of power that can be charged per charge of the charger 30 that started continuous rapid charging.

[0030] Next, the execution device 43 selects, as an alternative charger AC, the charger 30 that can charge the vehicle 20 to the maximum amount of power it can charge, based on the location information of the vehicle 20 and the location information of the charger 30, and which is closest to the current location of the vehicle 20. If the execution device 43 cannot select an alternative charger AC, the execution device 43 terminates this series of processes. On the other hand, if the execution device 43 selects an alternative charger AC, the process proceeds to step S15.

[0031] In step S15, the execution device 43 identifies the mobile terminal 50 associated with the vehicle 20. Specifically, the execution device 43 refers to the database DB to identify the mobile terminal 50 associated with the vehicle 20 from which charging is to begin. After that, the execution device 43 proceeds to step S16.

[0032] In step S16, the execution device 43 transmits alternative charger information ACI, indicating the alternative charger AC, to the mobile terminal 50 associated with the vehicle 20. Upon receiving the alternative charger information ACI, the mobile terminal 50 displays the alternative charger information ACI on its display. After that, the execution device 43 terminates this series of processes.

[0033] By the way, when continuous rapid charging is not being performed on the battery 23 (S13: NO), the execution device 43 terminates this series of processes without performing steps S14 to S16. In other words, when continuous rapid charging is not being performed on the battery 23, the execution device 43 does not identify an alternative charger AC.

[0034] <Operation of this embodiment> When vehicle 20 is undergoing continuous rapid charging, the charging power available to the charger 30 performing the continuous rapid charging may be less than the charging power available to the battery 23. In this case, it can be said that the charging capacity of the charger 30 is insufficient compared to the charging capacity of the battery 23. Therefore, in order to fully charge the battery 23, the user of vehicle 20 may repeatedly perform rapid charging with the charger 30, which may result in an excessively large number of continuous rapid charging cycles.

[0035] <Effects of this embodiment> The information processing device 42 identifies an alternative charger AC based on vehicle information VI and charger information CI, provided that continuous rapid charging has been performed on the battery 23. Therefore, if the charging capacity of charger 30 is not suitable for the charging capacity of battery 23, alternative charger information ACI can be provided to the user of vehicle 20. This allows the user of vehicle 20 to identify an alternative charger AC that can reduce the number of continuous rapid charges.

[0036] On the other hand, if the vehicle 20 is not performing continuous rapid charging, the information processing device 42 does not perform the task of identifying an alternative charger AC. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the load on the information processing device 42 from becoming excessively large due to the task of identifying an alternative charger AC.

[0037] Furthermore, the user of vehicle 20 that has undergone continuous rapid charging is likely unaware of the existence of alternative charger AC. In this case, the information processing device 42 can reduce the number of times vehicle 20 undergoes continuous rapid charging by providing alternative charger information ACI to such users. As a result, the information processing device 42 can realize the effective utilization of charger 30 in the charging system 10. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 10…Charging system 20…Vehicle 23…Battery 30…Charger 40…Server 42…Information processing device 43…Execution device 50…Mobile terminal AC…Alternative charger ACI…Alternative charger information CI…Charger information VI…Vehicle information

Claims

[Claim 1] To obtain vehicle information about the vehicle, To obtain charger information regarding the charger used to charge the battery of the aforementioned vehicle, Conditional on the fact that continuous rapid charging has been performed on the battery in succession, the system identifies an alternative charger that has a charger whose charge capacity per charge is greater than the charge capacity per charge of the charger that performed the continuous rapid charging, based on the vehicle information and the charger information. The alternative charger information indicating the identified alternative charger is transmitted to the mobile terminal associated with the vehicle that performed the continuous rapid charging, Equipped with an execution device that performs the following actions Information processing device.

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