Information processing device, information processing method, and program

Abstract

This will allow users to select electric vehicles that are suitable for their intended use, taking into account the charging plan at charging facilities. [Solution] The information processing device 1 includes: a cruising range calculation unit 134 that calculates the cruising range, which is the distance a candidate vehicle can travel without charging the battery, based on the battery state of the candidate vehicle, which is an electric vehicle; a required charge amount calculation unit 136 that calculates the required charge amount, which is the amount of electricity needed to travel the distance that is the shortfall in the cruising range relative to the standard cruising range, which is the distance that the candidate vehicle is expected to travel over a predetermined period of time; a generation unit that generates charging plan information indicating the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery with the required charge amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard cruising range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required charge amount; and an output unit 138 that outputs the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a program for outputting information related to electric vehicles. [Background Art]

[0002] In recent years, an increasing number of users are switching from gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for managing information such as vehicle performance and equipment described in catalogs and the like (hereinafter referred to as "catalog information"). [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2002-132889 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0004] If the battery runs out while the user is driving the electric vehicle for purposes such as work or daily life, the user can charge the battery of the electric vehicle at a charging facility installed outside their home or business office. Although users can grasp the performance of an electric vehicle by referring to catalog information, it has not been easy to select an electric vehicle suitable for the vehicle's intended use in consideration of a charging plan at a charging facility.

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of these points, and an object of the present invention is, as an example, to enable selection of an electric vehicle suitable for the intended use of the vehicle in consideration of a charging plan at a charging facility. [Means for Solving the Problem]

[0006] An information processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a cruising range calculation unit that calculates the cruising range, which is the distance a candidate vehicle can travel without charging the battery, based on the state of the battery of the candidate vehicle, which is an electric vehicle; a required charge amount calculation unit that calculates the required charge amount, which is the amount of electricity needed to travel the distance insufficient from the cruising range to a standard cruising range, which is the distance the candidate vehicle is expected to travel over a predetermined period, and which is the amount of electricity needed to charge the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the standard cruising range; a generation unit that generates charging plan information indicating the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery the required charge amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard cruising range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required charge amount; and an output unit that outputs the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle.

[0007] The information processing device further includes a storage unit that stores a baseline energy consumption, which is a predetermined energy consumption for each electric vehicle, and a prediction parameter for predicting the energy consumption when the electric vehicle is driven for each intended use of the electric vehicle; and an energy consumption calculation unit that uses the baseline energy consumption corresponding to the candidate vehicle and the prediction parameter corresponding to the intended use of the candidate vehicle to calculate the expected energy consumption when the candidate vehicle travels the baseline cruising range. The cruising range calculation unit may use the expected energy consumption and the battery status to calculate the cruising range.

[0008] The information processing device may further include a storage unit that stores the locations of one or more facilities that the candidate vehicle will visit during the predetermined period, and a standard cruising range determination unit that determines the distance required to travel along a route including the departure point and arrival point of the candidate vehicle and the locations of the one or more facilities during the predetermined period as the standard cruising range.

[0009] The generation unit generates an evaluation result corresponding to whether the total time or total distance traveled from the departure point of the candidate vehicle, visits one or more facilities, charges the battery at one or more charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, and arrives at the destination point is below a threshold, and the output unit may output the evaluation result to the information terminal.

[0010] The generation unit generates an evaluation result corresponding to the total charging time for the candidate vehicle to charge the battery at one or more charging facilities indicated in the charging plan information, and the output unit may output the evaluation result to the information terminal.

[0011] The required charge amount calculation unit may calculate the required charge amount such that a standard reserve amount of power remains in the battery when the candidate vehicle departs from the departure point and arrives at the return point.

[0012] The information processing device may further include a reference reserve amount determination unit that determines the reference reserve amount based on whether or not there is a charger for charging the battery at the return point.

[0013] The information processing device further includes a reference reserve amount determination unit that determines the reference reserve amount for each of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group so that a predetermined total amount of power is maintained in the multiple batteries provided in the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group, and the required charge amount calculation unit may calculate the required charge amount for each of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group using the reference reserve amount determined by the reference reserve amount determination unit.

[0014] The standard reserve amount determination unit may switch between two modes, depending on the type of group: one mode in which the multiple standard reserve amounts of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group are made equal, and another mode in which the standard reserve amount of some of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group is made greater than the standard reserve amount of the other candidate vehicles.

[0015] The information processing device further includes an installation location determination unit that determines the installation location of a charging facility that enables the candidate vehicle to charge the battery with the required amount of charge when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, provided that there is no charging facility available to charge the battery with the required amount of charge when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, and the output unit may output the installation location to the information terminal.

[0016] A second aspect of the present invention is an information processing method which includes the steps of: calculating a cruising range, which is the distance a candidate vehicle can travel without charging its battery, based on the state of the battery of a candidate vehicle which is an electric vehicle, performed by a computer; calculating a required charge amount, which is the amount of electricity needed to travel the distance that is the shortfall in the cruising range from a reference cruising range, which is the distance that the candidate vehicle is expected to travel over a predetermined period, and which is the amount of electricity that needs to be charged to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the reference cruising range; generating charging plan information that indicates the charging time for each charging facility to charge the required charge amount to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the reference cruising range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required charge amount; and outputting the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle.

[0017] A program according to a third aspect of the present invention causes a computer to function as: a cruising distance calculation unit that calculates a cruising distance, which is a distance that a candidate vehicle that is an electric vehicle can travel without charging the battery, based on a state of the battery of the candidate vehicle; a required charging amount calculation unit that calculates a required charging amount, which is an amount of electric power required to travel a distance equal to a deficit of the cruising distance relative to a reference cruising distance that is a distance the candidate vehicle is assumed to travel in a predetermined period, and which is an amount of electric power that needs to be charged to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the reference cruising distance; a generation unit that generates charging plan information indicating a charging time for each charging facility for charging the required charging amount to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the reference cruising distance, based on a relationship between an attribute of a charging facility available to the candidate vehicle and the required charging amount; and an output unit that outputs the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0018] According to the present invention, as an example, an effect is obtained that an electric vehicle suitable for the intended use of the vehicle can be selected in consideration of a charging plan at a charging facility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] [Figure 1] It is a diagram for explaining an outline of an information processing system in a first embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a parameter management database. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen for a user to input usage conditions. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram for explaining processing in which a required charging amount calculation unit calculates a required charging amount. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen that displays charging plan information. [Figure 7] It is a diagram showing a flowchart of an information processing method executed by the information processing apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing an example of a travel route when a battery is charged according to charging plan information. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram representing an example of remaining charge, travel distance and required time at each point. [Figure 10] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen that displays charging plan information and evaluation results. [Figure 11] It is a block diagram of an information processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing an example of a screen that displays an installation position. [Figure 13] It is a diagram showing a flowchart of an information processing method executed by the information processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram for explaining a method of determining a reference retention amount according to a group type. MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0020] <First Embodiment> [Outline of Information Processing System S]

[0021] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the outline of the information processing system S according to the present embodiment. The information processing system S includes an information processing apparatus 1, an information terminal 2, and a managed vehicle V. The managed vehicle V is a vehicle managed by a user U, and is, for example, a gasoline vehicle, a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), or an electric vehicle. In the present embodiment, description will be given on the assumption that the managed vehicle V is a gasoline vehicle. The managed vehicle V includes a communication module for communicating with the information processing apparatus 1, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver for measuring the position of the managed vehicle V.

[0022] Information terminal 2 is a terminal used by user U. User U may be, for example, a company or public institution that may introduce electric vehicles for business purposes. Alternatively, user U may be, for example, a person who may introduce electric vehicles for personal use. Information terminal 2 transmits information entered by user U to information processing device 1 and displays information received from information processing device 1. Information terminal 2 may be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. Information terminal 2 may have, for example, a display unit such as a liquid crystal display and an operation unit such as a touch panel.

[0023] Information processing device 1 is a computer for providing user U with information about electric vehicles that run on batteries. Information processing device 1 generates charging plan information for when a candidate electric vehicle travels a predetermined distance and transmits the generated charging plan information to information terminal 2. Information processing device 1 is, for example, a server. Information processing device 1 can send and receive data to and from information terminal 2 via a network such as the Internet or an intranet.

[0024] The following describes the process by which the information processing device 1 provides charging plan information to user U. First, the information processing device 1 acquires driving data from the managed vehicle V (Figure 1 (1)). The driving data is, for example, GPS information received by the managed vehicle V via a GPS receiver, which shows the location history of the managed vehicle V during a predetermined period. The driving data is, for example, data that associates location coordinates with the measurement time when those location coordinates were measured. The driving data may also be data that shows the region that the managed vehicle V drove during the predetermined period. The predetermined period is a set period determined in advance, for example, one week, one month, one year, etc.

[0025] The information processing device 1 calculates the cruising range (also called the driving range) which is the distance a candidate electric vehicle can travel without additional charging from a fully charged battery, based on the battery status of the candidate electric vehicle (Figure 1 (2)). The candidate vehicle is an electric vehicle that user U is considering introducing. The battery status includes, for example, the battery capacity indicated in the candidate vehicle's catalog information and the current battery status data (e.g., SOH (State Of Health)). SOH is a value that represents the degree of battery degradation, and is, for example, the ratio of the current battery capacity to the battery capacity indicated in the candidate vehicle's catalog information.

[0026] The information processing device 1 calculates the standard driving range based on the driving data. The standard driving range is the standard value of the driving distance requested by user U for the candidate vehicle. The standard driving range is, for example, the driving distance corresponding to the route that user U has driven the managed vehicle V in the past. The information processing device 1 calculates the required charge amount, which is the amount of electrical energy that needs to be charged to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range (Figure 1 (3)). The required charge amount is, for example, the amount of electrical energy required for the candidate vehicle to travel the distance that is the shortfall in the driving range relative to the standard driving range.

[0027] The information processing device 1 generates charging plan information (Figure 1(4)) that indicates the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery with the required amount of charge when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range. The charging plan information includes, for example, the location of one or more charging facilities and the recommended charging time for charging at each charging facility.

[0028] The information processing device 1 then associates the generated charging plan information with the candidate vehicle and displays it on the information terminal 2 (Figure 1 (5)).

[0029] In this way, the information processing system S generates charging plan information for driving the candidate electric vehicle to the required standard range based on the battery status of the candidate vehicle, and presents it to the user U in association with information about the candidate vehicle. This makes it easier for the user U to select an electric vehicle suitable for their intended use, taking into account the charging plan at the charging facility.

[0030] [Configuration of Information Processing Device 1] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. In Figure 2, the arrows indicate the main data flow, and there may be other data flows besides those shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2, each block represents a functional unit configuration, not a hardware (device) unit configuration. Therefore, the blocks shown in Figure 2 may be implemented in a single device, or they may be implemented separately in multiple devices. Data exchange between blocks may be performed via any means, such as a data bus, network, or portable storage medium.

[0031] The information processing device 1 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The information processing device 1 is not limited to the specific configuration shown in Figure 2. The information processing device 1 is not limited to a single device, but may be configured by two or more physically separate devices connected by wires or wirelessly.

[0032] The communication unit 11 includes a communication interface for sending and receiving data to and from the information terminal 2 via a network. The communication unit 11 inputs the data received from the information terminal 2 to the data acquisition unit 131. The communication unit 11 also transmits the input data from the output unit 138 to the information terminal 2.

[0033] The memory unit 12 is a storage medium that includes ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), a hard disk drive, etc. The memory unit 12 pre-stores programs that the control unit 13 will execute.

[0034] Furthermore, the memory unit 12 stores information about the vehicle. This information includes, for example, information made public by the vehicle manufacturer or an external organization other than the manufacturer, and includes at least performance values ​​(a standard fuel consumption indicating the electric vehicle's energy consumption, and information indicating the capacity of the battery installed in the electric vehicle). The performance values ​​are values ​​indicating the vehicle's performance as shown in catalog information (information such as the vehicle's performance and equipment as described in catalogs, etc.), and are, for example, information made public by the vehicle manufacturer or an external organization other than the manufacturer. The standard fuel consumption is, for example, a fuel consumption preset for each electric vehicle. The standard fuel consumption may also be the fuel consumption indicated in the catalog information.

[0035] Furthermore, the memory unit 12 stores information related to the managed vehicle V. This information includes, for example, information for the communication unit 11 to communicate with the managed vehicle V, and the intended use of the managed vehicle V. The intended use of the managed vehicle V may include, for example, a logistics vehicle for transporting goods over long and short distances, a passenger transport vehicle for transporting people, or a commercial vehicle used for other operations.

[0036] Furthermore, the memory unit 12 stores candidate vehicle information relating to the candidate vehicles. The candidate vehicles are electric vehicles that user U is considering introducing. The candidate vehicles include at least one of new or used vehicles. The candidate vehicle information includes, for example, the make and model year, the battery condition (e.g., battery capacity and SOH), the condition of the candidate vehicle (e.g., mileage, presence or absence of scratches, repair history, etc.), and the price of the candidate vehicle.

[0037] Furthermore, the memory unit 12 stores charging equipment information that indicates the attributes of charging equipment available to electric vehicles. The attributes of the charging equipment include, for example, the name, location, specifications, and output power of each of the multiple charging equipment. The attributes of the charging equipment may also include, for example, information indicating whether or not there is a charge for using each of the multiple charging equipment, whether or not each of the multiple charging equipment is located within a specific facility, and the available hours, such as those related to the operating hours of the parking lot or facility.

[0038] Furthermore, the memory unit 12 stores prediction parameters corresponding to the intended use of the electric vehicle for each intended use of the electric vehicle. The prediction parameters are parameters for predicting the energy consumption when the electric vehicle is driven for a predetermined purpose. The prediction parameters may also be parameters for predicting the fuel consumption when a gasoline vehicle is driven for a predetermined purpose. The prediction parameters are, for example, numerical values ​​represented by positive numbers less than or equal to 1.

[0039] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of the parameter management database that manages prediction parameters in the memory unit 12. As shown in Figure 3, the parameter management database stores the vehicle type, application, and prediction parameters in association.

[0040] The parameter management database is not limited to the example shown in Figure 3; it may store predictive parameters corresponding to various types of information. For example, the parameter management database may store predictive parameters corresponding to each predetermined measurement method.

[0041] Returning to Figure 2, the control unit 13 includes a data acquisition unit 131, a reference range determination unit 132, an energy consumption calculation unit 133, a remaining range calculation unit 134, a reference reserve amount determination unit 135, a required charge amount calculation unit 136, a generation unit 137, and an output unit 138. The control unit 13 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and by executing a program stored in the storage unit 12, it functions as the data acquisition unit 131, the reference range determination unit 132, the energy consumption calculation unit 133, the remaining range calculation unit 134, the reference reserve amount determination unit 135, the required charge amount calculation unit 136, the generation unit 137, and the output unit 138. At least a portion of the functions of the control unit 13 may be performed by an electrical circuit. Also, at least a portion of the functions of the control unit 13 may be performed by a program executed via a network.

[0042] The following describes in detail the processes performed by the information processing device 1. The data acquisition unit 131 acquires the usage conditions entered in the information terminal 2. Figure 4 shows an example of a screen for user U to input usage conditions. Area R1 in Figure 4 is the area for user U to input the managed vehicle V to be used as the criterion for extracting candidate vehicles. Area R1 displays multiple managed vehicle V associated with user U and accepts the selection of any of the managed vehicle V from user U. Area R2 is the area for user U to input the intended use of the electric vehicle. Area R2 displays multiple intended uses of the electric vehicle and accepts the selection of any of the intended uses from user U.

[0043] When user U presses the "Search" button, information terminal 2 transmits the content entered by user U to information processing device 1 as data indicating usage conditions. In information processing device 1, data acquisition unit 131 acquires data indicating usage conditions from information terminal 2.

[0044] Furthermore, the data acquisition unit 131 acquires driving data of the managed vehicle V. The driving data includes, for example, location information indicating the history of locations where the managed vehicle V has traveled during a predetermined period, or regional information indicating the region (area) where the managed vehicle V has traveled during a predetermined period. The data acquisition unit 131 may acquire the driving data from the managed vehicle V, or it may acquire the driving data from an external device (not shown) that stores the driving data of the managed vehicle V.

[0045] The base range determination unit 132 determines the base range, which is the base value of the driving distance requested by user U for the candidate vehicle. For example, based on driving data, the base range determination unit 132 determines the distance that user U has driven the managed vehicle V in a predetermined period in the past (for example, one day) as the base range. As a result, the information processing device 1 can generate charging plan information using the distance that user U has actually driven the managed vehicle V. If the data acquisition unit 131 has acquired driving data including regional information, the base range determination unit 132 may estimate the distance that user U has driven the managed vehicle V in a predetermined period in the past based on the size and positional relationship of one or more regions indicated by the regional information, and determine the estimated distance as the base range.

[0046] Furthermore, the standard range determination unit 132 may identify the locations (e.g., visit route) of one or more facilities that the candidate vehicle will visit during a predetermined period (e.g., one day) based on the driving data of the managed vehicle V. The standard range determination unit 132 identifies a route as the visit route that includes one or more facilities that the managed vehicle V has visited on any past date, as indicated by the driving data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. The standard range determination unit 132 may also acquire destination data indicating the visit route, which is pre-stored in the storage unit 12. Based on the identified visit route, the standard range determination unit 132 determines the distance (road distance or straight-line distance) required to travel along the route including the candidate vehicle's departure point, return point, and the locations of one or more facilities during the predetermined period as the standard range. As a result, even if the managed vehicle V is not a connected car, the information processing device 1 can identify the visit route from the managed vehicle V's past driving data or destination data and reflect it in the charging plan.

[0047] The energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated energy consumption expected when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range determined by the standard driving range determination unit 132, based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. The candidate vehicle may be a vehicle randomly selected from among multiple candidate vehicles, or it may be a vehicle from among multiple candidate vehicles that meets predetermined conditions. The predetermined conditions may be, for example, that the candidate vehicle is of the same type as the managed vehicle V.

[0048] The energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated energy consumption expected when the candidate vehicle travels a standard range, based, for example, on the standard energy consumption of the candidate vehicle and the predicted parameters of the electric vehicle corresponding to the intended use of the candidate vehicle. The energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated energy consumption by performing the following steps from the first to the second step.

[0049] Firstly, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 identifies the intended use of the candidate vehicle based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. For example, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 identifies the intended use of the candidate vehicle as the intended use of the vehicle, which is included in the usage conditions indicated by the data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131.

[0050] Furthermore, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 may identify the intended use of the candidate vehicle based on the driving data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. In this case, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the proportion of driving time in each of several locations (e.g., urban areas, suburbs, highways, etc.) for the managed vehicle V based on the driving data, and identifies the intended use of the vehicle corresponding to the calculated driving proportion.

[0051] Secondly, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated energy consumption based on the standard energy consumption of the candidate vehicle and the predicted parameters of the electric vehicle corresponding to the intended use of the identified candidate vehicle. For example, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated energy consumption by multiplying the standard energy consumption of the candidate vehicle by a numerical value indicated by the predicted parameters stored in the parameter management database of the storage unit 12, which are associated with the intended use of an electric vehicle equivalent to the intended use of the candidate vehicle.

[0052] Here, the assumed energy consumption varies depending on the type of electric vehicle. Therefore, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 may further calculate the energy consumption rate based on prediction parameters corresponding to the type of electric vehicle.

[0053] Specifically, first, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 further acquires information indicating the vehicle type of the managed vehicle V. For example, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 refers to catalog information corresponding to the managed vehicle V and acquires information indicating the vehicle type of the managed vehicle V. The energy consumption calculation unit 133 may also acquire information indicating the vehicle type of the managed vehicle V from the information terminal 2, vehicle registration data, vehicle management data managed by the user, etc.

[0054] The energy consumption calculation unit 133 selects a candidate vehicle from among several candidate vehicles that is the same model as or similar to the managed vehicle V. The same model may refer to an electric vehicle of the same make, while a similar model may refer to vehicles with similar height, width, length, body shape, etc. The energy consumption calculation unit 133 then calculates the estimated energy consumption based on the energy consumption information of the selected candidate vehicle and the predicted parameters stored in the parameter management database, which are associated with the electric vehicle's use equivalent to that of the identified managed vehicle V. In this way, the information processing device 1 can improve the accuracy of calculating the estimated energy consumption.

[0055] The estimated electricity consumption differs depending on whether or not the air conditioner is used. Therefore, the electricity consumption calculation unit 133 may calculate the estimated electricity consumption corresponding to whether or not the air conditioner is used. Specifically, the electricity consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated electricity consumption when the air conditioner is used based on prediction parameters corresponding to when the air conditioner is used, and calculates the estimated electricity consumption when the air conditioner is not used based on prediction parameters corresponding to when the air conditioner is not used.

[0056] The estimated electricity consumption may fluctuate from month to month. For example, since air conditioning is used in the summer and heating is used in the winter, the estimated electricity consumption may be worse than during periods when air conditioning or heating is not used (e.g., spring or autumn). Therefore, the electricity consumption calculation unit 133 may calculate the energy consumption rate based on different prediction parameters for each month. For example, the parameter management database stores prediction parameters associated with each month, and the electricity consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the estimated electricity consumption each month based on the prediction parameters stored in the parameter management database that are further associated with that month.

[0057] The cruising range calculation unit 134 calculates the cruising range at maximum charge based on the estimated energy consumption calculated by the energy consumption calculation unit 133 and the battery status of the candidate vehicle. For example, the cruising range calculation unit 134 obtains candidate vehicle information of the candidate vehicle for which the energy consumption calculation unit 133 has calculated the estimated energy consumption from the storage unit 12. The cruising range calculation unit 134 calculates the cruising range at maximum charge by multiplying the estimated energy consumption calculated by the energy consumption calculation unit 133 by the battery capacity indicated by the obtained candidate vehicle information.

[0058] The driving range of an electric vehicle varies depending on the degree of degradation of the battery installed in the electric vehicle. Therefore, the driving range calculation unit 134 may calculate the driving range of the candidate vehicle at maximum charge based on the estimated energy consumption of the candidate vehicle and the battery capacity and SOH indicated by the acquired candidate vehicle information. For example, the driving range calculation unit 134 multiplies the estimated energy consumption calculated by the energy consumption calculation unit 133 by the battery capacity and a coefficient corresponding to the SOH. In this way, the information processing device 1 can calculate the driving range according to the battery state of the candidate vehicle.

[0059] The standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the standard reserve amount, which is the amount of power that must remain in the candidate vehicle's battery from the time the candidate vehicle departs the starting point until it arrives at the destination point. The standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the standard reserve amount to be a value that has been pre-set by the user U in the information terminal 2, for example.

[0060] Furthermore, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 may determine the standard reserve amount based on whether or not there is a charger at the return destination for charging the candidate vehicle's battery. In this case, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the standard reserve amount when there is no charger at the return destination (e.g., 60%) to be greater than the standard reserve amount when there is a charger at the return destination (e.g., 30%). This allows the information processing device 1 to automatically determine the standard reserve amount according to the facilities at the return destination, such as the user U's home or business office.

[0061] The required charge amount calculation unit 136 calculates the required charge amount, which is the amount of electrical energy that needs to be charged to the battery of the candidate vehicle when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range determined by the standard driving range determination unit 132.

[0062] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating the process by which the required charge amount calculation unit 136 calculates the required charge amount. The required charge amount calculation unit 136 calculates the shortfall in the remaining range relative to the standard range by, for example, subtracting the remaining range from the standard range. The required charge amount calculation unit 136 calculates the required charge amount by adding the power shortage, which is the value obtained by dividing the shortfall by the estimated power consumption calculated by the power consumption calculation unit 133, and the standard reserve amount determined by the standard reserve amount determination unit 135.

[0063] The candidate vehicle, by charging the required amount at any charging facility, will be able to travel an additional distance corresponding to the required charge in addition to its standard driving range, thus reaching the standard driving range. Furthermore, when the candidate vehicle arrives at its destination after traveling the standard driving range, it will be able to retain a standard amount of power in its battery.

[0064] The generation unit 137 generates charging plan information that indicates the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery to the required amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required amount of charge calculated by the required charge amount calculation unit 136. The generation unit 137 acquires charging facility information from, for example, the storage unit 12.

[0065] The generation unit 137 selects a charging facility that the candidate vehicle can use from among multiple charging facilities indicated by the acquired charging facility information. For example, the generation unit 137 selects a charging facility that is located within a predetermined range based on the locations of one or more facilities that the candidate vehicle will visit during a predetermined period, and that is of a standard capable of charging the candidate vehicle's battery, as the charging facility that the candidate vehicle can use. Alternatively, the generation unit 137 may select a charging facility that the candidate vehicle can use based on conditions such as the charging facility not being free to use, the charging facility not being located in a specific facility, and the planned usage time for the candidate vehicle falling within the available hours of the charging facility.

[0066] The generation unit 137 uses, for example, the output power amount indicated by the charging equipment information to calculate the charging time required to charge the required amount calculated by the required charge amount calculation unit 136 at the selected charging equipment. If the candidate vehicle selects multiple available charging equipment, the generation unit 137 may calculate the charging time required to charge the required amount at any one of the multiple charging equipment, or it may calculate the charging time required to charge the required amount at a combination of two or more charging equipment.

[0067] The generation unit 137 generates charging plan information that shows the calculated charging time for each charging facility. The charging plan information includes, for example, the location of one or more charging facilities and the recommended charging time for each charging facility.

[0068] The output unit 138 outputs the charging plan information generated by the generation unit 137 to the information terminal 2, associating it with candidate vehicles. For example, the output unit 138 transmits the charging plan information generated by the generation unit 137, along with candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicles, to the information terminal 2 via the network. The information terminal 2 displays the charging plan information received from the information processing device 1 on its display unit.

[0069] Figure 6 shows an example of a screen displaying charging plan information. The screen shown in Figure 6 displays information about one candidate vehicle. If there are multiple candidate vehicles to present to user U, information about each of the candidate vehicles may be displayed.

[0070] In the upper left region R3 of Figure 6, candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicle is displayed. The candidate vehicle information displayed in region R3 includes, for example, the manufacturer, year of manufacture, model, price, etc.

[0071] In the right-hand region R4 of Figure 6, an image corresponding to the charging plan information is displayed. The image displayed in region R4 may include, for example, an image in which the visit route V1, icons C corresponding to the locations of charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, and the charging time at each charging facility are superimposed on a map. The image displayed in region R4 may also include, for example, the amount of charge required at each charging facility (e.g., the battery's SOC (State of Charge)). Furthermore, the image displayed in region R4 may include, for example, the order in which the charging facilities will be visited.

[0072] In the lower left region R5 of Figure 6, a message corresponding to the charging plan information is displayed. The message displayed in region R5 may include, for example, the name of the charging facility indicated by the charging plan information, and the amount of charge at the charging facility. The message displayed in region R5 may also include, for example, a statement indicating the remaining range, standard range, standard reserve amount, etc., used to generate the charging plan information.

[0073] The output unit 138 is not limited to the specific display mode described in Figure 6, and may output the charging plan information in other display modes. In this way, the information processing device 1 presents information about candidate vehicles and information about charging plans in association, making it easy for the user U to understand the charging plan necessary when switching from the managed vehicle V to a candidate vehicle.

[0074] [Information Processing Method Flowchart] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the information processing method executed by the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment. The data acquisition unit 131 acquires data indicating usage conditions from the information terminal 2 (S11). The usage conditions include, for example, information indicating the management vehicle V used as the criterion for extracting candidate vehicles and the intended use of the electric vehicle. The data acquisition unit 131 also acquires driving data indicating the location history of the management vehicle V during a predetermined period.

[0075] The standard cruising range determination unit 132 determines the standard cruising range, which is the standard value of the mileage that user U requests from the candidate vehicle (S12). For example, the standard cruising range determination unit 132 determines the distance that user U has driven the managed vehicle V in a predetermined period in the past as the standard cruising range.

[0076] The energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the expected energy consumption when the candidate vehicle travels the standard range determined by the standard range determination unit 132, based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131 (S13). For example, the energy consumption calculation unit 133 calculates the expected energy consumption when the candidate vehicle travels the standard range, based on the standard energy consumption of the candidate vehicle and the predicted parameters of the electric vehicle corresponding to the intended use of the candidate vehicle.

[0077] The cruising range calculation unit 134 calculates the cruising range at maximum charge based on the estimated energy consumption calculated by the energy consumption calculation unit 133 and the battery status of the candidate vehicle (S14). The standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the standard reserve amount, which is the amount of energy that must remain in the candidate vehicle's battery from the time the candidate vehicle departs the starting point until it arrives at the destination (S15). The standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the standard reserve amount as a value that has been pre-set by the user U in the information terminal 2, for example.

[0078] The generation unit 137 generates charging plan information (S17) that indicates the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery with the required amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required amount of charge calculated by the required charge amount calculation unit 136.

[0079] The output unit 138 outputs the charging plan information generated by the generation unit 137 to the information terminal 2, associating it with the candidate vehicle (S18). For example, the output unit 138 transmits the charging plan information generated by the generation unit 137, along with candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicle, to the information terminal 2 via the network.

[0080] [Effects of the Embodiment] In the information processing system S according to this embodiment, the information processing device 1 generates charging plan information for traveling the required standard driving range for a candidate electric vehicle based on the battery status of the candidate vehicle, and presents it to the user U in association with information about the candidate vehicle. This makes it easier for the user U to select an electric vehicle suitable for the vehicle's intended use, taking into account the charging plan at the charging facility.

[0081] [First variation] The information processing device 1 may present the user U with an evaluation result that assesses the candidate vehicle when the battery is charged according to the charging plan information. The following mainly describes the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0082] The generation unit 137 calculates the total time and total distance traveled from the departure point of the candidate vehicle, through visits to one or more facilities, charging the battery at one or more charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, and arriving at the destination point. The generation unit 137 determines the visit route from the departure point of the candidate vehicle, through visits to one or more facilities, charging the battery at one or more charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, and arriving at the destination point, for example by performing a known route search process or by querying an external server that performs a route search process.

[0083] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a visit route when the battery is charged according to the charging plan information. In the example in Figure 8, the candidate vehicle departs from the starting point, visits facility a and facility b in order, and charges the battery at the charging equipment indicated in the charging plan information. After that, the candidate vehicle visits facility c and arrives at the return point. In the example in Figure 8, the starting point and return point are the same, but they may be different. Figure 8 shows the travel distances L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 between each point.

[0084] The generation unit 137 calculates the remaining charge, travel distance, and required time if the candidate vehicle charges its battery according to the charging plan information along the visited route. Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the remaining charge, travel distance, and required time at each point in Figure 8.

[0085] The generation unit 137 calculates the amount of electricity consumed during travel between points by dividing the travel distances L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 between points by the estimated electricity consumption calculated by the electricity consumption calculation unit 133. The generation unit 137 calculates the amount of electricity charged at the charging equipment by multiplying the charging time TX indicated by the charging plan information by the output electricity amount indicated by the charging equipment information. The generation unit 137 calculates the remaining charge at each point by subtracting the amount of electricity consumed during travel between points from the remaining charge at the starting point and adding the amount of electricity charged at the charging equipment.

[0086] Furthermore, the generation unit 137 calculates the travel times T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 between points by, for example, dividing the travel distances L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 between points by the speed of the candidate vehicle. The speed of the candidate vehicle may be a predetermined speed (for example, 30 km / h), or it may be a statistical value of the vehicle speed (mean, median, maximum, etc.) shown by the driving data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131.

[0087] The generation unit 137 calculates the total travel distance by summing the travel distances L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5 between points. The generation unit 137 also calculates the total time by summing the required times T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5 between points and the charging time TX of one or more charging facilities. The generation unit 137 also calculates the total charging time by summing the charging time TX of one or more charging facilities.

[0088] The generation unit 137 determines whether the calculated total travel distance, total time, and total charging time are below a threshold. The thresholds for travel distance, total time, and total charging time are pre-stored in, for example, the storage unit 12. The generation unit 137 generates an evaluation result corresponding to whether the total travel distance, total time, and total charging time are below a threshold. The evaluation result is information that includes, for example, characters, symbols, etc., indicating whether the total travel distance, total time, and total charging time are below a threshold.

[0089] The output unit 138 outputs the evaluation results generated by the generation unit 137 to the information terminal 2, associating them with candidate vehicles. The output unit 138 transmits, for example, the charging plan information and evaluation results generated by the generation unit 137, along with candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicles, to the information terminal 2 via the network. The information terminal 2 displays the charging plan information and evaluation results received from the information processing device 1 on its display unit.

[0090] Figure 10 shows an example of a screen displaying charging plan information and evaluation results. The screen shown in Figure 10 displays information about one candidate vehicle. If there are multiple candidate vehicles to present to user U, information about each of the multiple candidate vehicles may be displayed.

[0091] In the upper left region R3 of Figure 10, candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicle is displayed. The candidate vehicle information displayed in region R3 includes, for example, the manufacturer, year of manufacture, model, price, etc.

[0092] In the right region R6 of Figure 10, an image corresponding to the charging plan information is displayed. The image displayed in region R6 may include, for example, an image in which the visiting route V2, which includes the charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, an icon C corresponding to the location of the charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, and the charging time at the charging facilities are superimposed on a map. The image displayed in region R6 may also include, for example, the amount of charge required at the charging facilities (e.g., the battery's SOC).

[0093] In the lower left region R7 of Figure 10, a message corresponding to the evaluation result is displayed. The message displayed in region R7 includes, for example, the values ​​for total travel distance, total time (total working time), and total charging time, as well as the evaluation result (e.g., a symbol such as "○" or "×") corresponding to whether the total travel distance, total time, and total charging time are below a threshold. The message displayed in region R7 may also include, for example, the remaining charge (amount of energy or percentage) in the battery from the time the candidate vehicle departs the starting point until it arrives at the destination.

[0094] The output unit 138 is not limited to the specific display mode described in Figure 10, but may output the charging plan information and evaluation results in other display modes. In this way, the information processing device 1 according to this modified example presents evaluation results of candidate vehicles when the battery is charged according to the charging plan information, making it easier for user U to understand whether adopting a candidate vehicle can reduce the burden on user U in their work and daily life.

[0095] User U can recognize that adopting a candidate vehicle may not alleviate the burden if, for example, the total distance traveled is longer than the distance that can be traveled in a day, the total time is longer than the working hours in a day, or the total charging time is excessively long.

[0096] [Second variation] The information processing device 1 may aggregate and analyze charging plan information for multiple candidate vehicles and present the results to the user U. The following mainly describes the differences from the above-described embodiment.

[0097] The generation unit 137 generates charging plan information for each of the multiple candidate vehicles. For example, the generation unit 137 aggregates the charging facilities indicated by each of the multiple charging plan information and determines charging facilities whose number in the multiple charging plan information exceeds a threshold as locations with high charging demand.

[0098] The output unit 138, for example, makes the display method (color, size, pattern, etc.) of the charging equipment determined to be a high-demand charging location different from the display method of other charging equipment on the information terminal 2. Alternatively, the output unit 138 may also display a label indicating that the charging equipment is a high-demand charging location, associated with the charging equipment determined to be a high-demand charging location on the information terminal 2.

[0099] This allows the information processing device 1 to present the user U with charging plan information along with charging equipment that is recommended to be upgraded.

[0100] <Second Embodiment> The information processing device 1a according to this embodiment proposes a location for installing charging equipment to the user U when the necessary charging equipment does not exist in the charging plan for the candidate vehicle. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment.

[0101] Figure 11 is a block diagram of the information processing device 1a according to this embodiment. The control unit 13 of the information processing device 1a has an installation position determination unit 139 in addition to the configuration of the control unit 13 of the information processing device 1 shown in Figure 2.

[0102] As described in the first embodiment, when generating charging plan information, the generation unit 137 selects a charging facility available to the candidate vehicle from among a plurality of charging facilities indicated by the charging facility information. In situations where there is no charging facility available to charge the battery with the required amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, the generation unit 137 cannot select a charging facility available to the candidate vehicle.

[0103] Therefore, the installation location determination unit 139 determines the installation location of charging equipment that will enable the candidate vehicle to charge the battery with the necessary amount of charge when it travels the standard range, provided that there is no charging equipment available to charge the battery with the necessary amount of charge when the candidate vehicle travels the standard range.

[0104] The installation location determination unit 139 extracts locations that meet predetermined conditions for the installation of charging equipment (e.g., parking lots, public facilities, company bases, highway service areas and parking areas, etc.) within a predetermined range (e.g., within a radius of 500 meters) based on the locations of one or more facilities that a candidate vehicle will visit during a predetermined period, and determines the extracted locations as the installation locations for the charging equipment. The installation locations are represented as one or more points or as an area having a certain area.

[0105] Furthermore, the installation location determination unit 139 may, for example, aggregate the multiple locations extracted for multiple candidate vehicles and determine a predetermined number of locations as installation locations in order of the highest need among the multiple locations (for example, in order of the number of extracted locations).

[0106] The output unit 138 outputs the installation location determined by the installation location determination unit 139 to the information terminal 2. For example, the output unit 138 transmits information indicating the installation location determined by the installation location determination unit 139, along with candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicle, to the information terminal 2 via the network. The information terminal 2 displays the installation location received from the information processing device 1 on its display unit.

[0107] Figure 12 shows an example of a screen displaying the installation location. The screen shown in Figure 12 displays information about one candidate vehicle. If there are multiple candidate vehicles to present to user U, information about each of the multiple candidate vehicles may be displayed.

[0108] In the upper left region R3 of Figure 12, candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicle is displayed. The candidate vehicle information displayed in region R3 includes, for example, the manufacturer, year of manufacture, model, price, etc.

[0109] In the right region R8 of Figure 12, an image corresponding to the installation location of the charging equipment is displayed. The image displayed in region R8 includes, for example, an image in which the visit route V1 and area A representing the installation location are superimposed on a map. The output unit 138 is not limited to the specific display mode described in Figure 12, and may output the installation location in other display modes.

[0110] Furthermore, if the generation unit 137 generates charging plan information for multiple candidate vehicles, and some of the candidate vehicles do not have charging equipment to charge the required amount, the output unit 138 may output the charging plan information for candidate vehicles that have charging equipment to the information terminal 2 with priority over the charging plan information for candidate vehicles that do not have charging equipment.

[0111] In this case, the output unit 138 sets a higher priority for candidate vehicles that have charging equipment than for candidate vehicles that do not, and outputs the charging plan information for multiple candidate vehicles to the information terminal 2 in the order of the set priority. This makes it easier for user U to identify candidate vehicles that do not require the installation of new charging equipment and are easy to introduce.

[0112] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the information processing method executed by the information processing device 1a according to this embodiment. The information processing device 1a executes steps S11 to S17 shown in Figure 7.

[0113] In step S17, when generating charging plan information, the generation unit 137 selects a charging facility available to the candidate vehicle from among the multiple charging facilities indicated by the charging facility information. If a charging facility exists that can charge the candidate vehicle's battery to the required amount (i.e., the generation unit 137 was able to select a charging facility) (YES in S19), the output unit 138 outputs the charging plan information generated by the generation unit 137 to the information terminal 2, associating it with the candidate vehicle (S18).

[0114] If there is no charging equipment available to charge the candidate vehicle's battery to the required amount (if the generation unit 137 is unable to select charging equipment) (NO in S19), the installation location determination unit 139 determines the installation location of the charging equipment that will enable the candidate vehicle to charge its battery to the required amount when it travels the standard driving range (S20). The installation location determination unit 139 extracts locations that meet predetermined conditions for the installation of charging equipment within a predetermined range, for example, based on the locations of one or more facilities that the candidate vehicle will visit during a predetermined period, and determines the extracted locations as the installation locations for the charging equipment.

[0115] The output unit 138 outputs the installation location determined by the installation location determination unit 139 to the information terminal 2 (S21). For example, the output unit 138 transmits information indicating the installation location determined by the installation location determination unit 139, along with candidate vehicle information corresponding to the candidate vehicle, to the information terminal 2 via the network.

[0116] Thus, the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment makes it easier for user U to consider whether or not to introduce a candidate vehicle by suggesting a location for installing the charging equipment, even when the charging equipment necessary for introducing a candidate vehicle does not exist.

[0117] <Third Embodiment> In this embodiment, the information processing device 1 groups multiple candidate vehicles and determines a reference reserve amount so that the total power of the multiple batteries of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group is maintained. The following mainly describes the differences from the first embodiment.

[0118] The candidate vehicle information stored in the memory unit 12 includes information indicating the group to which the candidate vehicle belongs. A group is formed for each user U, which may be a company or public institution that may introduce multiple candidate vehicles. In this embodiment, when multiple candidate vehicles belonging to one group are waiting at a base (departure point or return point), it is required that the total power of the multiple batteries possessed by the multiple candidate vehicles be maintained for the purpose of power reserves during disasters and responding to unforeseen circumstances.

[0119] Each group is pre-associated with a total energy capacity and a type for determining the standard reserve capacity. The total energy capacity is, for example, the sum of the energy capacities of the batteries of multiple candidate vehicles belonging to a single group when those vehicles are on standby at a base. The type is information that represents either a first type that equalizes the standard reserve capacity or a second type that biases the standard reserve capacity. The total energy capacity and type are, for example, pre-stored in the storage unit 12 by the administrator of the information processing system S, or input by the user U at the information terminal 2.

[0120] The data acquisition unit 131, the standard cruising range determination unit 132, the energy consumption calculation unit 133, and the cruising range calculation unit 134, in response to a request from user U, determine the standard cruising range, calculate the estimated energy consumption, and calculate the cruising range for each of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group corresponding to user U, in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

[0121] The reference reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the reference reserve amount for each of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group, such that the total amount of energy associated with the group is maintained across the multiple batteries provided by the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group. The reference reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the reference reserve amounts for the multiple batteries provided by the multiple candidate vehicles such that the sum of the reference reserve amounts of the multiple batteries is equal to or greater than the total amount of energy.

[0122] Furthermore, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 may switch the mode of determining the standard reserve amount depending on the type of group. Figures 14(a) and 14(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating the method of determining the standard reserve amount according to the type of group.

[0123] When the group type is Type 1, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 equalizes the multiple standard reserve amounts of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group, as shown in Figure 14(a). In this case, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines, for example, the value obtained by dividing the total power amount by the number of multiple candidate vehicles as the standard reserve amount for each of the multiple candidate vehicles.

[0124] On the other hand, if the group type is Type 2, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 sets the standard reserve amount for some of the candidate vehicles belonging to the group to be greater than the standard reserve amount for the other candidate vehicles, as shown in Figure 14(b). In this case, for example, if the total energy is less than or equal to the battery capacity of one candidate vehicle, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 determines the total energy as the standard reserve amount for that candidate vehicle and sets the standard reserve amounts for the other candidate vehicles to zero. For example, if the total energy exceeds the battery capacity of one candidate vehicle, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 may determine the value obtained by dividing the total energy by the number of some of the candidate vehicles among the multiple candidate vehicles as the standard reserve amount for each of those some candidate vehicles and set the standard reserve amounts for the other candidate vehicles to zero.

[0125] This allows the information processing device 1 to change how the total amount of power is allocated for each group corresponding to user U. For example, in one group, the power amount of multiple vehicles may be equalized for the purpose of power reserves in the event of a disaster, while in another group, the driving range of some vehicles may be extended to respond to unforeseen circumstances.

[0126] Furthermore, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 may determine the standard reserve amount for multiple candidate vehicles belonging to a group based on the power required for the facility associated with the group (for example, a facility where multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group are scheduled to be deployed) in order to maintain power supply in an emergency. In this case, the standard reserve amount determination unit 135 uses, for example, the amount of power required for the facility as the total amount of power associated with the group. The amount of power required for the facility is, for example, the amount of power required to keep medical equipment running for a minimum amount of time in the case of a medical facility, or the amount of power required to operate evacuation elevators in the case of a building. This allows the information processing device 1 to determine a more appropriate standard reserve amount according to the facility where the candidate vehicles are scheduled to be deployed.

[0127] The required charge amount calculation unit 136 uses the standard reserve amount determined by the standard driving range determination unit 132 to calculate the required charge amount for each of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group, similar to the first embodiment. The generation unit 137 and output unit 138 use the standard reserve amounts for each of the multiple candidate vehicles calculated by the required charge amount calculation unit 136 to generate charging plan information, similar to the first embodiment, and output it to the information terminal 2.

[0128] Thus, the information processing device 1 according to this embodiment presents a charging plan that maintains the total power of the multiple batteries of the multiple candidate vehicles belonging to the group, making it easier for user U to consider whether or not to introduce multiple candidate vehicles.

[0129] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist. For example, all or part of the apparatus can be configured by functionally or physically distributing and integrating in any unit. Furthermore, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effects of the new embodiments resulting from the combinations are combined with the effects of the original embodiments.

[0130] The processor of the information processing device 1 executes each step (process) included in the information processing method shown in Figures 7 and 13. That is, the processor of the information processing device 1 executes the information processing method shown in Figures 7 and 13 by executing a program for executing the information processing method shown in Figures 7 and 13. Some of the steps included in the information processing method shown in Figures 7 and 13 may be omitted, the order of the steps may be changed, and multiple steps may be performed in parallel. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0131] S Information Processing System 1. Information Processing Device 1a Information Processing Device 11 Communications Department 12 Storage section 13 Control Unit 131 Data Acquisition Unit 132 Base cruising range determination unit 133 Electricity Cost Calculation Department 134 Range calculation unit 135 Standard retention amount determination section 136 Required charge amount calculation section 137 Generation part 138 Output section 139 Installation position determination section 2 Information terminals

Claims

1. A driving range calculation unit calculates the driving range, which is the distance that the candidate electric vehicle can travel without charging the battery, based on the battery status of the candidate vehicle that the user is considering introducing. A standard cruising range determination unit determines a standard cruising range, which is the distance that the candidate vehicle is expected to travel over a predetermined period, based on driving data of a managed vehicle that is a vehicle managed by the user and is different from the candidate vehicle. A required charge amount calculation unit calculates the required charge amount, which is the amount of electricity needed to travel the distance that is the shortfall in the available range relative to the standard range, and which is the amount of electricity that needs to be charged to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the standard range. A generation unit generates charging plan information indicating the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery with the required amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required charge amount. An output unit that outputs the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle, An information processing device having

2. A storage unit that stores a baseline energy consumption, which is a predetermined energy consumption for each electric vehicle, and also stores prediction parameters for predicting the energy consumption when the electric vehicle is driven for a specific purpose, A fuel consumption calculation unit calculates the estimated fuel consumption expected when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, using the standard fuel consumption corresponding to the candidate vehicle and the prediction parameters corresponding to the intended use of the candidate vehicle. It further possesses, The cruising range calculation unit calculates the cruising range using the estimated energy consumption and the battery status. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The generation unit generates an evaluation result corresponding to whether the total time or total distance traveled from the departure point of the candidate vehicle, visiting one or more facilities, charging the battery at one or more charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information, until arriving at the destination point is below a threshold. The output unit outputs the evaluation result to the information terminal. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The generation unit generates an evaluation result corresponding to the total charging time for the candidate vehicle to charge the battery at one or more charging facilities indicated by the charging plan information. The output unit outputs the evaluation result to the information terminal. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The required charge amount calculation unit calculates the required charge amount such that a standard reserve amount of power remains in the battery when the candidate vehicle departs from the departure point and arrives at the return point. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The system further includes a reference reserve amount determination unit that determines the reference reserve amount based on whether or not there is a charger for charging the battery at the aforementioned return point. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5.

7. A computer executes A step of calculating the driving range, which is the distance that the candidate electric vehicle can travel without charging the battery, based on the battery status of the candidate vehicle that the user is considering introducing, The steps include determining a standard driving range, which is the distance the candidate vehicle is expected to travel over a predetermined period, based on driving data of a managed vehicle, which is a vehicle managed by the user and is different from the candidate vehicle, The steps include calculating the required charge amount, which is the amount of electricity needed to travel the distance that is the shortfall in the available range relative to the standard range, and which is the amount of electricity that needs to be charged to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the standard range, The steps include generating charging plan information that indicates the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery with the required amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required amount of charge, The steps include: outputting the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle; An information processing method having the following characteristics.

8. Computers, A driving range calculation unit calculates the driving range, which is the distance a candidate electric vehicle can travel without charging its battery, based on the battery status of the candidate vehicle that the user is considering introducing. A standard cruising range determination unit determines a standard cruising range, which is the distance that the candidate vehicle is expected to travel over a predetermined period, based on driving data of a managed vehicle that is managed by the user and is different from the candidate vehicle. A required charge amount calculation unit calculates the required charge amount, which is the amount of electricity needed to travel the distance that is the shortfall in the available range relative to the standard range, and which is the amount of electricity that needs to be charged to the battery when the candidate vehicle travels the standard range. A generation unit that generates charging plan information indicating the charging time for each charging facility to charge the battery with the required amount when the candidate vehicle travels the standard driving range, based on the relationship between the attributes of the charging facilities available to the candidate vehicle and the required amount of charge, and An output unit that outputs the charging plan information to an information terminal in association with the candidate vehicle. A program that makes something function as such.

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