Information processing device and charging system

Abstract

An information processing device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires information regarding a charging device which is separate from a power supply facility and which supplies power after receiving power from the power supply facility; a determination unit that determines whether to permit or prohibit supplying of power from the charging device on the basis of the information regarding the charging device; and a transmission unit that transmits, to the charging device or another device that controls the charging device, information regarding the determination result regarding the permission or prohibition of the supplying of power.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, a charging device, and a charging system. [Background technology]

[0002] Demand for charging both at home and outside is increasing. For example, in recent years, with the promotion of the spread of EVs (Electric Vehicles), the demand for charging equipment for EVs is also increasing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-18104 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] If charging facilities become widespread, it is expected that devices that use the charging facilities (e.g., EVs) will also become widespread. However, installing charging facilities requires a large investment. In particular, charging facilities for EVs require an extremely large investment. If charging facilities do not become widespread, it is not expected that devices that use the charging facilities will become widespread.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes an information processing device, a charging device, and a charging system that can realize a charging environment at low cost. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, an information processing device of one embodiment according to the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit that acquires information about a charging device separate from power supply equipment that receives power from the power supply equipment and supplies the power, a judgment unit that judges whether to permit or not permit the power supply of the charging device based on information about the charging device, and a transmission unit that transmits information about the judgment result of whether to permit or not permit the power supply to the charging device or another device that controls the charging device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a charge management server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a service server according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of an electricity customer management server, which is an example of a service server. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a member information management server which is an example of a service server. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a parking lot management server, which is an example of a service server. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a charging device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a power supply facility according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a moving body according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] 5 is a flowchart showing a charging management process according to the present embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of the charging system at the start of charging. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of the charging system during charging. [Figure 15] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of the charging system when charging is completed. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an operation of the charging system when charging a user. [Figure 17] 5 is a flowchart showing a first charge control process. [Figure 18] 13 is a flowchart showing a second charge control process. [Figure 19] 13 is a flowchart showing a third charge control process. [Figure 20] FIG. 1 is a system integration diagram of a charging infrastructure service. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0009] In addition, in this specification and drawings, multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration may be distinguished by adding different numbers after the same reference symbol. For example, multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration may be distinguished as necessary, such as power supply equipment 501 and 502. However, when there is no particular need to distinguish between multiple components having substantially the same functional configuration, only the same reference symbol is used. For example, when there is no particular need to distinguish between power supply equipment 501 and 502, they are simply referred to as power supply equipment 50.

[0010] The present disclosure will be described in the following order. 1. Overview of the Present Invention 2. Charging System Configuration 2-1.Charging management server configuration 2-2. Service server configuration 2-3. Terminal device configuration 2-4.Charging device configuration 2-5. Power supply equipment configuration 2-6. Configuration of moving objects 3. Charging system operation 3-1.Charging management process 3-2.Determining whether power can be supplied 3-3. Example of operation when charging starts 3-4. Example of operation during charging 3-5. Example of operation when charging ends 3-6. Example of billing process 4.Charging control operation of the charging device 4-1. First charging control process 4-2. Second charging control process 4-3.Third charging control process 5. System Integration for Charging Infrastructure Services 6. How to use charging infrastructure services 7. Variations 7-1.Modifications regarding charging targets 7-2. Variations in charging standards 7-3. Modifications regarding the determination of whether power can be supplied 7-4. Modifications regarding location information of charging device 7-5.Other modifications 8. Conclusion

[0011] <<1. Overview of this embodiment>> In recent years, the use of electric vehicles (EVs) has been expanding due to the strengthening of regulations on CO2 emissions. To popularize EVs, it is necessary to popularize charging equipment (e.g., EV chargers) for charging EVs. However, installing new charging equipment requires a large investment. For example, existing EV chargers such as CHAdeMO (registered trademark) DC quick chargers are sold on the premise that installation work and electrical work are carried out, and therefore are extremely expensive. Moreover, installing new EV chargers also requires new investment in power transmission equipment.

[0012] In addition, to use existing EV chargers, initial registration with the EV charging infrastructure service and a payment medium such as an NFC card are required. In addition, since the operating procedures for existing EV chargers differ depending on the charger manufacturer / model / service, users must check whether the service can be used and the operating procedures every time they go to a location where an EV charger is installed. In other words, using existing EV chargers requires not only costs, but also costs such as time and effort (time costs and procedural costs).

[0013] In addition, existing EV charging methods (for example, the CHAdeMO DC fast charging method, hereafter simply referred to as the CHAdeMO method) are designed to have an output power of about 10 kW or more. Therefore, existing EV chargers are not designed to be connected to low-power AC power sources (for example, about 3 kW or less). If an EV charger were configured to operate with a low-power AC power source of 3 kW or less (for example, a commercial AC outlet), an EV user would be able to charge the EV using an AC power source at a location other than the electricity contract address. In that case, the electricity fee would be charged to the facility owner or manager of the location. In other words, if an EV charger were configured to use the currently most widely used low-power AC power source, in some cases, a malicious EV user could charge the EV without paying the electricity fee.

[0014] Therefore, in this embodiment, the above problem is solved by the following means.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a charging system according to this embodiment. The charging system according to this embodiment is a system for charging a mobile body (for example, an EV). The charging device shown in FIG. 1 is a device that receives power from a power supply facility (for example, a commercial AC power source) and supplies power to the mobile body, and is a portable charger that is separate from the power supply facility. Here, the power supply facility may be an existing facility. For example, the power supply facility may be an AC power source (AC outlet) installed in a general residence, or may be an on-street outlet installed on the road. Of course, it may be power supply facility for charging installed in a specified facility (for example, a parking lot, a gas station, or a service area on a highway).

[0016] The charging device of this embodiment has, for example, an AC plug that can be inserted into and removed from an AC power source (for example, the AC outlet shown in FIG. 1), and a connector that can be connected to an object to be charged. In the example of FIG. 1, the object to be charged is a mobile body (for example, an EV) and is provided with an inlet that complies with a predetermined charging standard. The predetermined charging standard is, for example, CHAdeMO. In the example of FIG. 1, the connector provided in the charging device is a connector that complies with the predetermined charging standard and can be connected to an inlet provided in the mobile body. The charging device converts AC power supplied from the AC power source into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the mobile body via the connector and the inlet.

[0017] The charging device of this embodiment is configured so that the above-mentioned power supply operation (also called charging operation) can be controlled by an external device so as to effectively utilize existing power supply facilities. More specifically, the charging device is configured so that the above-mentioned power supply operation can be controlled by a charging management server (or a service server) shown in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, the control of the charging device by the charging management server will be described with reference to Fig. 1.

[0018] The charging device has a communication function and is connected to the charging management server via a network. The network may be a wireless network or a wired network. When a user connects the AC plug of the charging device to an AC power source and connects the connector of the charging device to an inlet of a mobile object, the charging device transmits information about the charging device to the charging management server via the network. The information to be transmitted may be ID information of the charging device and location information of the charging device. The location information may be GPS (Global Positioning System) information indicating the location of the charging device.

[0019] Next, the charging management server determines whether or not to permit the power supply operation of the charging device (hereinafter also referred to as whether or not power supply is permitted) based on the information on the charging device. For example, if the charging device is located at a location where power supply equipment that can be used by the user is installed (for example, the user's home or the user's contracted parking lot), the charging management server permits the charging device to supply power. Note that, in addition to the location information, the charging management server may use the user's usage history information and payment record information linked to the ID information of the charging device as determination information for determining whether or not power supply is permitted.

[0020] The charging management server may determine whether or not power supply is possible based on information provided from the service server. Here, the service server may be a remote control server that remotely controls the charging device. An example of the remote control server is an electricity contractor management server that manages electricity contractor information. When the service server is a server that performs electricity-related processing such as an electricity contractor management server, the information provided by the service server may be, for example, alarm information indicating that the power supply capacity is approaching its limit.

[0021] The determination as to whether power supply is possible may be performed by the service server. Then, the service server may transmit information on the determination result (e.g., charging control information based on the determination result) to the charging device via the charging management server. When the service server is an electricity contract holder management system, the following (1) to (4) may be assumed as conditions for determining whether power supply is possible.

[0022] (1) The user associated with the ID information of the charging device has the ability to pay. (2) There is sufficient surplus electricity in the total electricity supply compared to the supply limit value. (3) Users or facility managers have secured the right to use electricity for EV charging through futures trading or other means. (4) The user reserves the location, time, and amount of electricity to be used.

[0023] Then, the charging management server transmits information on the determination result of whether power supply is possible to the charging device. The information on the determination result may be control information for controlling the charging device, or may simply be notification information for notifying the determination result. Examples of the notification information include power supply permission information and power supply prohibition information. If the charging device operates according to the notification, the notification information can also be considered as control information.

[0024] Next, the charging management server performs a billing process for the user associated with the ID information of the charging device. The billing process may be performed by a service server. For example, the service server is an electric power contractor management server. In this case, the electric power contractor management server adds up the amount of power used by the charging device to the amount of power used at the address of the user under the electric power contract, and charges the user an electricity fee according to the added amount of power. This makes it possible to bill the user who actually used the power supply facility, rather than the manager of the power supply facility, for the electricity fee.

[0025] According to the charging system of the present embodiment, since the power supply of the charging device is controlled by an external device, the user can charge the mobile object using existing power supply equipment. In other words, since there is no need to prepare new expensive power supply equipment, the charging environment can be realized at low cost. Moreover, since the charging device can be carried to a place where there is power supply equipment, the user does not have to go through the trouble of checking whether the service can be used or the operation procedure every time charging.

[0026] The outline of this embodiment has been described above. The charging system according to this embodiment will now be described in detail.

[0027] <<2. Charging system configuration>> 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a charging system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The charging system 1 is a system for charging an object to be charged. In this embodiment, the object to be charged is a moving object, but the moving object does not necessarily have to be a moving object.

[0028] The charging system 1 includes a charging management server 10, a service server 20, a terminal device 30, a charging device 40, a power supply facility 50, and a mobile object 60. The devices in the figure may be considered as devices in a logical sense. In other words, some of the devices in the figure may be realized by a virtual machine (VM), a container, a docker, or the like, and these may be physically implemented on the same hardware.

[0029] The charging management server 10, the service server 20, the terminal device 30, and the charging device 40 each have a communication function and are connected via a network N. In the following description, the charging management server 10, the service server 20, the terminal device 30, and the charging device 40 may be referred to as communication devices. If the power supply equipment 50 and the mobile object 60 also have a communication function, they can be considered as a type of communication device. In this case, the power supply equipment 50 and the mobile object 60 may be connectable to the network N. Note that, although only one network N is shown in the example of FIG. 2, multiple networks N may exist.

[0030] Here, the network N is a communication network such as a LAN (Local Area Network), a WAN (Wide Area Network), a cellular network, a fixed telephone network, a regional IP (Internet Protocol) network, or the Internet. The network N may include a wired network or a wireless network. The network N may also include a core network. The core network is, for example, an EPC (Evolved Packet Core) or a 5GC (5G Core network). The network N may also include a data network other than the core network. For example, the data network may be a service network of a telecommunications carrier, for example, an IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) network. The data network may also be a private network such as an in-company network.

[0031] A communication device such as the charging device 40 may be configured to connect to the network N using a radio access technology (RAT) such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), NR (New Radio), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. In this case, the communication device may be configured to be able to use different radio access technologies. For example, the communication device may be configured to be able to use NR and Wi-Fi. Also, the communication device may be configured to be able to use different cellular communication technologies (for example, LTE and NR). LTE and NR are types of cellular communication technologies, and enable mobile communication of communication devices such as the terminal device 30 and the charging device 40 by arranging a plurality of areas covered by a base station in a cell shape.

[0032] In the following description, "LTE" includes LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), LTE-A Pro (LTE-Advanced Pro), and EUTRA (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access). In addition, NR includes NRAT (New Radio Access Technology) and FEUTRA (Further EUTRA). A single base station may manage multiple cells. In the following description, a cell corresponding to LTE is referred to as an LTE cell, and a cell corresponding to NR is referred to as an NR cell.

[0033] NR is the next generation (5th generation) radio access technology after LTE (4th generation communication including LTE-Advanced and LTE-Advanced Pro). NR is a radio access technology that can support various use cases including eMBB (Enhanced Mobile Broadband), mMTC (Massive Machine Type Communications) and URLLC (Ultra-Reliable and Low Latency Communications). NR is being studied with the aim of creating a technical framework that can support the usage scenarios, requirements, and deployment scenarios of these use cases.

[0034] Note that a communication device such as the charging device 40 may be connectable to the network N using a wireless access technology other than LTE, NR, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth. For example, the communication device may be connectable to the network N using Low Power Wide Area (LPWA) communication.

[0035] Here, LPWA communication refers to wireless communication that enables wide-range communication with low power. For example, LPWA wireless refers to IoT (Internet of Things) wireless communication using a specific low-power radio (e.g., 920 MHz band) or an ISM (Industry-Science-Medical) band. The LPWA communication used by a communication device such as the charging device 40 may be compliant with the LPWA standard. Examples of the LPWA standard include ELTRES, ZETA, SIGFOX, LoRaWAN, and NB-Iot. Of course, the LPWA standard is not limited to these, and other LPWA standards may be used.

[0036] Furthermore, a communication device such as the charging device 40 may be connectable to the network N using PLC (Power Line Communication). Here, PLC (Power Line Communication) refers to communication using a power line as a communication path, and is also called PLT (Power Line Telecommunication). Alternatively, the communication device may be connectable to the network N using a proprietary communication technology.

[0037] Below, a specific description will be given of the configuration of each device constituting the charging system 1. Note that the configuration of each device shown below is merely an example. The configuration of each device may be different from the configuration shown below.

[0038] <2-1. Configuration of the charging management server> First, the configuration of the charge managing server 10 will be described.

[0039] The charging management server 10 is an information processing device (computer) that manages the power supply operation (charging operation) of the charging device 40. The charging management server 10 may be a PC server, a mid-range server, or a mainframe server. The charging management server 10 enables a user to charge a mobile object 60 using a power supply facility 50 inside or outside the home. In the following description, a service provided to a user using the charging management server 10 and enabling the user to charge a mobile object 60 using a power supply facility 50 inside or outside the home may be referred to as a "charging infrastructure service." The charging management server 10 is managed, for example, by a business operator that provides a charging infrastructure service.

[0040] In order to enable provision of a charging infrastructure service to a user, the charging management server 10 may provide the following functions (1) to (5) for a manager of the charging infrastructure service. These functions may be executable via a Web application.

[0041] (1)Administrator Login (2) Registration / deletion of facilities that provide power supply equipment 50 (e.g., parking lots, etc.) (3) Issuance of facility administrator ID / initial password (4) Search / display charging locations (5) Management information of the charging device 40

[0042] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the charge management server 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The charge management server 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. Note that the configuration shown in Fig. 3 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. In addition, the functions of the charge management server 10 may be distributed and implemented in a plurality of physically separated configurations. For example, the charge management server 10 may be configured by a plurality of server devices.

[0043] The communication unit 11 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. For example, the communication unit 11 is a LAN (Local Area Network) interface such as a NIC (Network Interface Card). The communication unit 11 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The communication unit 11 communicates with the charging device 40 and the like under the control of the control unit 13.

[0044] The storage unit 12 is a storage device capable of reading and writing data, such as a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static random access memory (SRAM), a flash memory, or a hard disk. The storage unit 12 functions as a storage means of the charging management server 10. The storage unit 12 stores, for example, various information for managing the charging device 40. For example, the storage unit 12 stores information on chargeable locations provided by the charging infrastructure service, management information on each of the multiple charging devices 40 for using the charging infrastructure service, user information on the charging infrastructure service, and the like. Here, the user information may store data that associates ID information of each of the multiple charging devices 40 with information on the users of the multiple charging devices 40. Here, the user information may include registered address information of the user who owns the charging device 40.

[0045] The control unit 13 is a controller that controls each unit of the charging management server 10. The control unit 13 is realized by a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a micro processing unit (MPU). For example, the control unit 13 is realized by the processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the charging management server 10 using a random access memory (RAM) or the like as a working area. The control unit 13 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The CPU, the MPU, the ASIC, and the FPGA can all be regarded as controllers. The control unit 13 may be realized by a GPU in addition to or instead of the CPU.

[0046] The control unit 13 includes a transmission unit 131, a reception unit 132, an acquisition unit 133, and a determination unit 134. Each block (transmission unit 131 to determination unit 134) constituting the control unit 13 is a functional block indicating a function of the control unit 13. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be a software module realized by software (including a microprogram), or may be a circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be a processor or an integrated circuit. The control unit 13 may be configured in a functional unit different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary.

[0047] The control unit 13 may be configured with functional units different from the functional blocks described above. Also, some or all of the operations of each block (transmission unit 131 to determination unit 134) constituting the control unit 13 may be performed by another device. For example, some or all of the operations of each block constituting the control unit 13 may be performed by the control unit 23 of the service server 20. The operations of each block constituting the control unit 13 will be described later.

[0048] <2-2. Service server configuration> Next, the configuration of the service server 20 will be described.

[0049] The service server 20 is an information processing device (computer) that cooperates (for example, cooperates with an API (Application Programming Interface)) with the charging management server 10. The service server 20 may be a PC server, a midrange server, or a mainframe server.

[0050] The service server 20 performs some processing for managing the power supply operation (charging operation) of the charging device 40. The service server 20 may be a server managed by a business entity different from the manager of the charging management server 10. Of course, the service server 20 may be a server managed by the business entity that manages the charging management server 10. Possible examples of the service server 20 include an electricity contractor management server managed by an electric power company, a member information management server managed by a distribution card company, and a parking lot management server managed by a parking lot management company.

[0051] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the service server 20 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. The service server 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. Note that the configuration shown in Fig. 4 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. In addition, the functions of the charging management server 10 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations. For example, the service server 20 may be composed of multiple server devices.

[0052] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. For example, the communication unit 21 is a LAN interface such as a NIC. The communication unit 21 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The communication unit 21 communicates with the charging management server 10 and the like under the control of the control unit 23.

[0053] The storage unit 22 is a data readable / writable storage device such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a flash memory, or a hard disk. The storage unit 22 stores, for example, various information related to a user who uses the charging device 40. For example, the storage unit 22 stores contract information for an electricity contract, member information for a distribution card, or user information for a parking lot.

[0054] The control unit 23 is a controller that controls each unit of the service server 20. The control unit 23 is realized by a processor such as a CPU or an MPU. For example, the control unit 23 is realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the service server 20 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The control unit 23 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The CPU, MPU, ASIC, and FPGA can all be considered as controllers. The control unit 23 may be realized by a GPU in addition to or instead of the CPU.

[0055] The following describes some specific examples of the service server 20. Note that the service server 20 is not limited to the examples shown below.

[0056] <2-2-1. Configuration of the electricity customer management server> First, as an example of the service server 20, the power customer management server 20A will be described.

[0057] The power contractor management server 20A is an information processing device (computer) that manages contractor information for power contracts. The power contractor management server 20A is managed by, for example, a power company.

[0058] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an electric power contractor management server 20A, which is an example of the service server 20. The electric power contractor management server 20A includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. The storage unit 22 is a data readable / writable storage device, and stores electric power contractor information.

[0059] The control unit 23 is a controller that controls each unit of the power contractor management server 20A. The control unit 23 includes a transmission unit 231, a reception unit 232, an acquisition unit 233, and a determination unit 234. Each block (transmission unit 231 to determination unit 234) constituting the control unit 23 is a functional block indicating a function of the control unit 23. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be a software module realized by software (including a microprogram), or may be a circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be a processor or an integrated circuit. The control unit 23 may be configured in a functional unit different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary.

[0060] The control unit 23 may be configured with functional units different from the functional blocks described above. Furthermore, some or all of the operations of the blocks (transmission unit 231 to determination unit 234) constituting the control unit 23 may be performed by another device. For example, some or all of the operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 23 may be performed by the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10. The operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 23 may be the same as those of the blocks (transmission unit 131 to determination unit 134) constituting the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10.

[0061] <2-2-2. Membership information management server configuration> Next, as an example of the service server 20, the member information management server 20B will be described.

[0062] The member information management server 20B is an information processing device (computer) that manages member information of a predetermined service. For example, the member information management server 20B may be an information processing device that manages member information of a distribution card, or an information processing device that manages member information of a monthly flat-rate service. For example, the member information management server 20B may be an information processing device that manages member information of an EV subscription service.

[0063] 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of member information management server 20B, which is an example of service server 20. Member information management server 20B includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. Communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. Storage unit 22 is a data readable / writable storage device, and stores member information of a predetermined service.

[0064] The control unit 23 is a controller that controls each unit of the member information management server 20B. The control unit 23 includes a transmission unit 231, a reception unit 232, an acquisition unit 233, and a determination unit 234. Each block (transmission unit 231 to determination unit 234) that constitutes the control unit 23 is a functional block that indicates a function of the control unit 23. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be a software module realized by software (including a microprogram), or may be a circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be a processor or an integrated circuit. The control unit 23 may be configured in functional units different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary.

[0065] The control unit 23 may be configured with functional units different from the functional blocks described above. Furthermore, some or all of the operations of the blocks (transmission unit 231 to determination unit 234) constituting the control unit 23 may be performed by another device. For example, some or all of the operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 23 may be performed by the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10. The operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 23 may be the same as those of the blocks (transmission unit 131 to determination unit 134) constituting the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10.

[0066] <2-2-3. Parking lot management server configuration> Next, as an example of the service server 20, the parking lot management server 20C will be described.

[0067] The parking lot management server 20C is an information processing device (computer) that manages parking lot user information. The parking lot management server 20C is managed, for example, by a parking lot management company that manages hourly parking lots.

[0068] 7 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a parking lot management server 20C, which is an example of the service server 20. The parking lot management server 20C includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. The storage unit 22 is a data readable / writable storage device, and stores parking lot user information.

[0069] The control unit 23 is a controller that controls each part of the parking lot management server 20C. The control unit 23 includes a transmission unit 231, a reception unit 232, an acquisition unit 233, and a determination unit 234. Each block (transmission unit 231 to determination unit 234) that constitutes the control unit 23 is a functional block that indicates the function of the control unit 23. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be a software module realized by software (including a microprogram), or may be a circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be a processor or an integrated circuit. The control unit 23 may be configured in a functional unit different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary.

[0070] The control unit 23 may be configured with functional units different from the functional blocks described above. Furthermore, some or all of the operations of the blocks (transmission unit 231 to determination unit 234) constituting the control unit 23 may be performed by another device. For example, some or all of the operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 23 may be performed by the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10. The operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 23 may be the same as those of the blocks (transmission unit 131 to determination unit 134) constituting the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10.

[0071] <2-3. Terminal device configuration> Next, the configuration of the terminal device 30 will be described.

[0072] The terminal device 30 is a communication device that communicates with the charging management server 10. For example, the terminal device 30 is a terminal carried by a user who uses the charging device 40. The terminal device 30 exchanges various information related to the charging device 40 with the charging management server 10. For example, the terminal device 30 exchanges information for the user to remotely operate the charging device 40 with the charging management server 10.

[0073] The terminal device 30 is, for example, a mobile phone, a smart device (a smartphone or a tablet), a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), or a personal computer. The terminal device 30 may be an imaging device (for example, a camcorder) equipped with a communication function, or a mobile object (for example, a motorcycle or a mobile broadcasting van) equipped with a communication device such as an FPU (Field Pickup Unit). The terminal device 30 may be an M2M (Machine to Machine) device or an IoT (Internet of Things) device.

[0074] The terminal device 30 is capable of performing various operations related to charging the mobile object 60. At this time, the user may install an application for the user of the mobile object 60 in the terminal device 30 and perform various operations related to the charging infrastructure service. As described above, the charging infrastructure service is a service provided to the user using the charging management server 10, and is a service that enables the user to charge the mobile object 60 using power supply equipment 50 inside or outside the home. Here, the operations that the user can perform using the terminal device 30 may be, for example, the following (1) to (5).

[0075] (1) Member registration to use charging infrastructure services (2) Searching / browsing charging locations provided by charging infrastructure services (3) Display of charging status (charging, charging complete, etc.) (4) Display of usage history of charging infrastructure services (5) Display of the charging infrastructure service website

[0076] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a terminal device 30 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The terminal device 30 includes a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a control unit 33. Note that the configuration shown in Fig. 8 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Furthermore, the functions of the terminal device 30 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations.

[0077] The communication unit 31 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. For example, the communication unit 31 is a LAN interface such as a NIC. The communication unit 31 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The communication unit 31 communicates with the charging management server 10 and the like under the control of the control unit 33.

[0078] The storage unit 32 is a storage device capable of reading and writing data, such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a flash memory, or a hard disk.

[0079] The control unit 33 is a controller that controls each unit of the terminal device 30. The control unit 33 is realized by a processor such as a CPU or an MPU. For example, the control unit 33 is realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the terminal device 30 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The control unit 33 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The CPU, the MPU, the ASIC, and the FPGA can all be considered as controllers. The control unit 33 may also be realized by a GPU in addition to or instead of the CPU.

[0080] <2-4. Configuration of charging device> Next, the configuration of the charging device 40 will be described.

[0081] The charging device 40 is a device that receives power from a power supply facility 50 and supplies power to a mobile object 60, and is a portable charger that is separate from the power supply facility.

[0082] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a charging device 40 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The charging device 40 includes a communication unit 41, a storage unit 42, a control unit 43, a sensor unit 44, a power storage unit 45, a charging circuit 46, a connection unit 47, and a connection unit 48. Note that the configuration shown in Fig. 9 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Also, the functions of the charging device 40 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations.

[0083] The communication unit 41 is a communication interface for communicating with other devices. For example, the communication unit 41 is a LAN interface such as a NIC. The communication unit 41 may be a wired interface or a wireless interface. The communication unit 41 communicates with the charging management server 10 and the like under the control of the control unit 43.

[0084] The storage unit 42 is a storage device capable of reading and writing data, such as a DRAM, an SRAM, a flash memory, or a hard disk.

[0085] The control unit 43 is a controller that controls each part of the charging device 40. The control unit 43 is realized by a processor such as a CPU or an MPU. For example, the control unit 43 is realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the charging device 40 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The control unit 43 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The CPU, the MPU, the ASIC, and the FPGA can all be considered as controllers. The control unit 43 may be realized by a GPU in addition to or instead of the CPU.

[0086] The control unit 43 includes a transmitting unit 431, a receiving unit 432, and a charging control unit 433. Each block (transmitting unit 431 to charging control unit 433) constituting the control unit 43 is a functional block indicating a function of the control unit 43. These functional blocks may be software blocks or hardware blocks. For example, each of the above-mentioned functional blocks may be one software module realized by software (including a microprogram), or may be one circuit block on a semiconductor chip (die). Of course, each functional block may be one processor or one integrated circuit. The control unit 43 may be configured by a functional unit different from the above-mentioned functional blocks. The method of configuring the functional blocks is arbitrary.

[0087] The control unit 43 may be configured with functional units different from the functional blocks described above. Also, some or all of the operations of the blocks (transmission unit 431 to charging control unit 433) constituting the control unit 43 may be performed by another device. The operations of the blocks constituting the control unit 13 will be described later.

[0088] The sensor unit 44 is a sensor that detects the current position of the charging device 40. The sensor unit 44 is configured with, for example, a GPS sensor or an acceleration sensor. The sensor unit 44 detects the current position of the charging device 40 and outputs information indicating the current position of the charging device 40 (hereinafter simply referred to as position information) to the control unit 43.

[0089] The power storage unit 45 is a device that stores power from the power supply equipment 50. For example, when a user disconnects the power supply equipment 50 without following the proper procedure and the power from the power supply equipment 50 is cut off, the power storage unit 45 supplies power for performing a charging termination process. The power storage unit 45 may be a power storage component such as an electric double layer capacitor or an electrolytic capacitor, and the power storage unit 62 may be a secondary battery such as a lead storage battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel cadmium battery, or an all-solid-state battery.

[0090] The charging circuit 46 is a circuit that outputs power to be supplied to an external device (for example, a mobile object 60). The charging circuit 46 is composed of an AC / DC converter that converts AC power from the power supply equipment 50 into DC power, a DC / DC converter that converts the voltage level, and / or various switches that turn on and off the power output to the external device. The charging circuit 46 turns on and off the power supply to the external device under the control of the control unit 43.

[0091] The connection unit 47 is a connection part that can be connected to the power supply equipment 50. For example, if the power supply equipment 50 has an AC outlet, the connection unit 47 is an AC plug that can be inserted into and removed from the AC outlet. Also, if the power supply equipment 50 has a DC output terminal, the connection unit 47 is a DC plug that can be inserted into and removed from the DC output terminal. The connection unit 47 supplies power from the power supply equipment 50 to the charging circuit 46.

[0092] The connection unit 48 is a connection part that can be connected to the mobile object 60. For example, if the mobile object 60 has an inlet that complies with a predetermined charging standard (e.g., CHAdeMO), the connection unit 47 is a connector that complies with the predetermined charging standard. The connection unit 48 may be configured to enable communication (e.g., CAN (Controller Area Network) communication) between the control unit 43 of the charging device 40 and the mobile object 60 connected to the charging device 40 via the connection unit 48. The connection unit 48 supplies the power generated by the charging circuit 46 to the mobile object 60.

[0093] <2-5. Power supply equipment configuration> Next, the configuration of the power supply equipment 50 will be described.

[0094] The power supply equipment 50 is equipment that supplies power (for example, low-power AC power of 3 kW or less) to the charging device 40. The power supply equipment 50 is, for example, a commercial AC power source. The power supply equipment 50 may be existing equipment. For example, the power supply equipment may be an AC power source (AC outlet) installed in a general residence, or may be a street outlet installed on the street. Furthermore, the power supply equipment 50 may be equipment that is newly installed for charging a mobile object.

[0095] The power supplied by the power supply facility 50 is not limited to low AC power, but may be high power (for example, power greater than 3 kW). Furthermore, the power supplied by the power supply facility 50 is not limited to AC power, but may be DC power. Furthermore, the power supply facility 50 may be an AC / DC power source supplied by an entity other than a power company.

[0096] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a power supply equipment 50 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The power supply equipment 50 includes a power supply circuit 51 and a connection unit 52. Note that the configuration shown in Fig. 10 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Furthermore, the functions of the power supply equipment 50 may be distributed and implemented in a plurality of physically separated configurations.

[0097] The power supply circuit 51 is a power conversion circuit that generates output power from input power. The power supply circuit 51 converts the voltage, frequency, etc. of the power supplied from the power generation facility via the power transmission facility and outputs the converted power to the connection unit 52. The power supply circuit 51 may also convert AC power to DC power and output the converted power.

[0098] The connection unit 52 is a connection part for connecting the connection unit 47 of the charging device 40. For example, if the charging device 40 has an AC plug as the connection unit 47, the connection unit 52 is an AC outlet into which the AC plug can be inserted and removed. Also, if the charging device 40 has a DC plug as the connection unit 47, the connection unit 52 is a DC output terminal into which the DC plug can be inserted and removed. The connection unit 52 supplies the power generated by the power supply circuit 51 to the charging device 40.

[0099] <2-6. Configuration of moving object> Next, the configuration of the moving body 60 will be described.

[0100] The mobile object 60 is a device that is to be charged by the charging device 40. In this embodiment, the charging target of the charging device 40 is a mobile object, but the charging target of the charging device 40 does not necessarily have to be a mobile object as long as it is chargeable.

[0101] The mobile object 60 is typically an EV, but is not necessarily an EV. For example, the mobile object 60 may be a rechargeable hybrid vehicle (e.g., a Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV)). The mobile object 60 may also be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet, a mobile phone, or a notebook PC.

[0102] The moving body 60 may be a moving body that moves on land (for example, a vehicle such as an automobile, bicycle, bus, truck, motorcycle, train, or linear motor car) or may be a moving body that moves underground (for example, inside a tunnel) (for example, a subway). The moving body 60 may be a moving body that moves on water (for example, a ship such as a passenger ship, a cargo ship, or a hovercraft) or may be a moving body that moves underwater (for example, a submarine such as a submarine, a submarine, or an unmanned submarine). The moving body 60 may be a moving body that moves within the atmosphere (for example, an aircraft such as an airplane, an airship, a helicopter, or a drone) or may be a moving body that moves outside the atmosphere (for example, an artificial celestial body such as an artificial satellite, a spaceship, a space station, or a probe).

[0103] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a moving body 60 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The moving body 60 includes a connection unit 61, a power storage unit 62, a control unit 63, and a power unit 64. Note that the configuration shown in Fig. 11 is a functional configuration, and the hardware configuration may be different from this. Furthermore, the functions of the moving body 60 may be distributed and implemented in multiple physically separated configurations.

[0104] The connection unit 61 is a connection part for connecting the connection unit 48 of the charging device 40. For example, if the charging device 40 has a connector conforming to a predetermined charging standard (e.g., CHAdeMO) as the connection unit 48, the connection unit 61 is an inlet conforming to the predetermined charging standard. The connection unit 61 may be configured to enable communication (CAN communication) between the control unit 63 of the mobile object 60 and the charging device 40 connected to the mobile object 60 via the connection unit 61. The connection unit 61 supplies the power supplied from the charging device 40 to the power storage unit 62.

[0105] The power storage unit 62 is a device that accumulates power supplied from the charging device 40 via the connection unit 61. For example, the power storage unit 62 is a secondary battery such as a lead storage battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, or an all-solid-state battery.

[0106] The control unit 63 is a controller that controls each part of the moving body 60. The moving body 60 is realized by a processor such as a CPU or an MPU. For example, the moving body 60 is realized by a processor executing various programs stored in a storage device inside the moving body 60 using a RAM or the like as a working area. The moving body 60 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The CPU, MPU, ASIC, and FPGA can all be considered as controllers. The moving body 60 may be realized by a GPU in addition to or instead of the CPU.

[0107] The power unit 64 is a power source that operates using electric power supplied from the power storage unit 62. For example, the power unit 64 is a motor that drives various mechanisms that the moving body 60 includes.

[0108] <<3. Charging system operation>> The configuration of the charging system 1 has been described above, and next, a description will be given of the operation of the charging system 1. The operation of the charging system 1 will be described in the following order.

[0109] First, with reference to Fig. 12, a charging management process that is a basic form of the operation of the charging system 1 will be described. Then, examples of the operation of the charging system 1 at the start of charging (Fig. 13), during charging (Fig. 14), at the end of charging (Fig. 15), and when charging the user (Fig. 16) will be described.

[0110] <3-1. Charging management process> First, a description will be given of the charge management process which is the basic form of the operation of the charging system 1. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the charge management process according to this embodiment.

[0111] In the following description, the device that determines whether or not power can be supplied is the charging management server 10, but the device that determines whether or not power can be supplied is not limited to the charging management server 10. For example, the device that determines whether or not power can be supplied may be a service server 20 such as the power contractor management server 20A, the member information management server 20B, and the parking lot management server 20C.

[0112] The description of "charging management server 10" described below can be replaced with "service server 20," "electric power contractor management server 20A," "member information management server 20B," or "parking lot management server 20C" as appropriate. In this case, the description of the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10 and the respective blocks constituting the control unit 13 (e.g., "transmission unit 131" to "determination unit 134") is replaced with the description of the control unit 23 of the service server 20 and the respective blocks constituting the control unit 23 (e.g., "transmission unit 231" to "determination unit 234") as appropriate.

[0113] In addition, when the charging management server 10 is replaced with the service server 20, the service server 20 may communicate with the charging device 40 via the charging management server 10.

[0114] The charging management process will be described below with reference to the flowchart in Fig. 12. The following flowchart is executed, for example, when the charging device 40 is powered on. For example, the charging device 40 is executed when the charging device 40 is connected to the power supply equipment 50 and the supply of AC power is started.

[0115] When the power supply of the charging device 40 is turned on, the transmitting unit 431 of the charging device 40 transmits information about the charging device to the charging management server 10 (step S101). As the information about the charging device, for example, the following items (1) to (4) can be assumed.

[0116] (1) Location information of the charging device 40 (2) Usage time or amount of power used by the charging device 40 (3) Maintenance status of the charging device 40 or the device connected to the charging device 40 (power supply equipment 50 or mobile object 60) (4) Abnormality detection information of the charging device 40 or a device connected to the charging device 40 (for example, occurrence of a fault or location of the fault)

[0117] The information of the device connected to the charging device 40 may be, for example, information obtained by the charging device 40 from the corresponding device (power supply equipment 50 or mobile object 60) via CAN communication or wired communication using a power line (e.g., PLC).

[0118] In the following description, it is assumed that the information related to the charging device includes at least the position information of the charging device 40. In this case, the position information of the charging device 40 may be GPS information acquired by a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor.

[0119] Processing shifts to the charging management server 10 side, where the receiving unit 132 of the charging management server 10 receives information from the charging device 40. Then, the acquiring unit 133 of the charging management server 10 determines whether the information received from the charging device 40 includes information about the charging device (step S102). For example, if the information about the charging device is position information of the charging device 40, the acquiring unit 133 determines whether the information received by the receiving unit 132 includes the position information of the charging device 40. If the information about the charging device has not been acquired (step S102: No), the receiving unit 132 and the acquiring unit 133 repeat step S102.

[0120] When the information on the charging device has been acquired (step S102: Yes), the acquisition unit 133 acquires the information on the charging device from the received information. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires the position information of the charging device 40. Then, the determination unit 134 of the charging management server 10 determines whether to permit or not permit the charging device 40 to supply power, based on the information on the charging device (step S103). At this time, the determination unit 134 determines whether to permit or not permit the start of power supply, as well as whether to permit or not permit the continuation of power supply.

[0121] Various methods can be adopted as the determination method. For example, the determination unit 134 may determine whether or not to permit power supply based on the position information of the charging device 40. The determination whether or not to permit power supply will be described in detail later. In the following description, the determination whether or not to permit power supply may be referred to as a determination of whether or not power supply is possible.

[0122] Next, the transmitting unit 131 of the charging management server 10 transmits information on the determination result to the charging device 40 (step S104). As described above, the information on the determination result may be control information for controlling the charging device 40, or may be notification information for simply notifying the charging device 40 of the determination result. Examples of the notification information include power supply permission information and power supply prohibition information. If the charging device 40 operates according to the notification, the notification information can also be considered as control information.

[0123] Shifting to processing on the side of the charging device 40, the receiving unit 432 of the charging device 40 receives information from the charging management server 10. Then, the receiving unit 432 of the charging device 40 determines whether the information received from the charging management server 10 includes information on the determination result (step S105). If the information on the determination result has not been acquired (step S105: No), the receiving unit 432 repeats step S105.

[0124] When the information on the determination result has been acquired (step S105: Yes), the charging control unit 433 of the charging device 40 controls the on-off of the power supply to the mobile object 60 based on the information on the determination result. Specifically, the charging control unit 433 determines whether or not the power supply is permitted based on the information on the determination result (step S106). When the power supply is not permitted (step S106: No), the charging control unit 433 proceeds to the process of step S109. When the power supply is permitted (step S106: Yes), the charging control unit 433 controls the charging circuit 46 to supply power to the mobile object 60 (step S107).

[0125] Next, the charging control unit 433 determines whether charging is completed (step S108). For example, the charging control unit 433 determines whether the mobile object 60 is fully charged, whether a predetermined amount of power has been charged, etc. If charging is not completed (step S108: No), the charging control unit 433 returns the process to step S105.

[0126] If charging is completed (step S108: Yes), the charging control unit 433 executes a power supply end process (step S109). For example, the charging control unit 433 stops the power output from the charging circuit 46 to the connection unit 48, and unlocks the connection unit 48 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant connector) of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 61 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant inlet) of the mobile object 60. Then, the charging control unit 433 notifies the charging management server 10 that the power supply has been completed. Note that this notification may include information on the amount of power used by the charging device 40. When the notification to the charging management server 10 is completed, the charging device 40 ends the charging management process.

[0127] The process moves to the process on the charge management server 10 side, and the control unit 13 of the charge management server 10 determines whether the power supply of the charging device 40 is completed (step S110). For example, the control unit 13 determines whether the information received from the charging device 40 includes information indicating that the power supply is completed. If the power supply is not completed (step S110: No), the control unit 13 returns the process to step S103.

[0128] If charging is completed (step S110: Yes), the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10 executes a process of billing the user (step S111). For example, the control unit 13 of the charging management server 10 acquires information on the amount of power used from the charging device 40, and executes a process of billing the user for the electricity fee based on the amount of power used. When the billing process is completed, the charging management server 10 ends the charging management process.

[0129] <3-2. Determining whether power can be supplied> The charging management process, which is the basic form of the operation of the charging system 1, has been described above. Before describing an example of the operation at the start of charging, the determination of whether or not power supply is possible (step S103 described above) will be described in detail.

[0130] The determination unit 134 of the charging management server 10 determines whether or not power supply from the charging device 40 is permitted, based on information related to the charging device. For example, the determination unit 134 determines whether or not power supply from the charging device 40 is permitted, based on position information of the charging device 40. As described above, the determination unit 134 determines whether or not power supply is permitted or not, in addition to determining whether or not power supply is permitted or not to start. Hereinafter, the determination of whether or not power supply is permitted or not will be described separately for a determination of whether or not power supply is permitted or not to start (sometimes referred to as a "power supply start determination") and a determination of whether or not power supply is permitted or not to continue (sometimes referred to as a "power supply continuation determination").

[0131] <3-2-1. Power supply start determination> As described above, the determination unit 134 of the charging management server 10 determines whether or not to permit the charging device 40 to start power supply, based on information related to the charging device. At this time, the determination unit 134 may determine whether or not to permit the power supply to start, based on position information of the charging device 40. The power supply start determination will be described in detail below.

[0132] (A) Charging at the registered location For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires registered location information on a user (hereinafter simply referred to as a user) associated with the charging device 40, in addition to the location information of the charging device 40. This registered location information may be registered address information on the user's power contract. When the registered location information is registered address information on the power contract, the acquisition unit 133 may acquire the information from the power contractor management server 20A.

[0133] Then, the determination unit 134 determines whether or not power supply is possible based on the location information and the registered location information of the charging device 40. For example, if it is determined that the charging device 40 is located at a location indicated by the registered location information (for example, the address of the user under the power contract), it is determined that the user is attempting to charge the mobile object 60 using the power supply facility 50 at home. In this case, the determination unit 134 determines that power supply by the charging device 40 is permitted.

[0134] (B) Charging outside the registered location On the other hand, if it is determined that the charging device 40 is not located at a location indicated by the registered location information (for example, the address of the user's power contract), it is determined that the user is attempting to charge the mobile object 60 using power supply equipment 50 outside the home. In this case, the determination unit 134 determines whether or not to allow the charging device 40 to start power supply in accordance with a predetermined condition.

[0135] Various conditions can be adopted as the predetermined condition. For example, the following conditions (B1) to (B9) are assumed as the predetermined condition. Note that the condition used by the determination unit 134 for the determination is not limited to one. The determination unit 134 determines whether or not to start power supply based on at least one of a plurality of conditions including the following conditions (B1) to (B9).

[0136] (B1) Conditions regarding the location of the charging equipment The predetermined condition may include a condition regarding the location where the charging device 40 is located. For example, the determination unit 134 may determine whether or not power supply is possible based on whether or not the charging device 40 is located at a predetermined location. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires location information of one or more power supply facilities 50 that the charging management server 10 has opened to the user for charging, in addition to the location information of the charging device 40. Then, the determination unit 134 determines whether or not power supply is possible for the charging device 40 based on the location information of the charging device 40 and the location information of the power supply facilities 50. For example, when the location of the charging device 40 is located within a predetermined range of the power supply facilities 50 managed by the charging management server 10, it is determined that the user is about to use the power supply facilities 50 that are open to the user, and it is determined that the start of power supply from the charging device 40 is permitted. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the user mistakenly uses the power supply facilities 50 that are not open to the user.

[0137] (B2) Conditions set by the facility manager The predetermined condition may include a condition (hereinafter referred to as a first condition) set by an administrator (hereinafter simply referred to as the administrator) who manages the power supply equipment 50 that the user intends to use. Here, the first condition may be, for example, whether or not the amount of power used by the administrator for a predetermined period of time by allowing the user to use the power supply equipment 50 exceeds the amount of power set by the administrator. The determination unit 134 determines whether or not the current state satisfies the first condition, and if so, determines to permit the charging device 40 to start supplying power.

[0138] (B3) Conditions set by the user of the charging device The predetermined condition may include a condition (hereinafter referred to as a second condition) set by the user associated with 40. Here, the second condition may be, for example, whether the amount of power consumption by the user in a predetermined period of time due to use of power supply equipment 50 does not exceed the amount of power set by the user. The determination unit 134 determines whether the current state satisfies the second condition, and if so, determines to permit the start of power supply by the charging device 40. This enables charging within the range intended by the user.

[0139] (B4) Terms and Conditions of User Agreement The predetermined condition may include a condition related to a contract for using the power supply equipment (hereinafter, referred to as a third condition). Here, the third condition may be, for example, whether the user's contract for using the power supply equipment is a contract that allows the use of the power supply equipment 50 in the parking lot where the charging device 40 is currently located. At this time, the acquisition unit 133 may acquire the user's contract information for using the power supply equipment from, for example, the parking lot management server 20C. In addition, the third condition may be whether information related to the user's contract status, such as usage history and payment record, satisfies a predetermined standard. The determination unit 134 determines whether the user's contract satisfies the third condition, and if so, determines to permit the charging device 40 to start supplying power.

[0140] (B5) Conditions regarding surplus electricity The predetermined condition may include a condition regarding surplus power in the area where the charging device 40 is located. For example, the acquiring unit 133 acquires information on the surplus or shortage of surplus power of the total power supply amount relative to the supply limit value in the entire area under the jurisdiction of the electric power company. Then, the determining unit 134 may determine not to permit the charging device 40 to start power supply when the surplus power in the area under the jurisdiction of the electric power company where the charging device 40 is located falls below a predetermined threshold. This suppresses charging of the mobile object 60 during peak power demand (e.g., daytime in summer), thereby leveling out the power demand.

[0141] (B6) Conditions for the administrator to secure electricity usage rights in advance The predetermined condition may include a condition regarding the advance securing of the right to use electricity by the administrator. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires history information indicating that the administrator has predicted the visit of the user and secured the right to use electricity required for charging in advance through futures trading or the like. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 133 acquires history information indicating that the administrator has secured the right to use electricity required for charging in advance through futures trading or the like at the same time as the user completes the reservation of the parking lot. Then, the determination unit 134 determines to permit the charging device 40 to start supplying power when the right to use electricity has been secured in advance by the administrator. This enables charging within the range intended by the administrator.

[0142] (B7) Conditions for advance reservation of electricity usage by the administrator The predetermined condition may include a condition related to a reservation of power use made by the manager in advance. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires history information indicating that the manager made a reservation of power for a power generation facility in the facility where the power supply facility 50 is located at the same time as receiving a parking reservation from a user. Here, the history information may be reservation history information of the amount of power generated by renewable energy (for example, power generated by a solar panel) and the time of use. The history information may also be reservation information of the amount of power of a power storage system such as an energy storage system (ESS). Then, the determination unit 134 determines to permit the charging device 40 to start supplying power when the use of power has been reserved in advance by the manager. This enables charging within the range intended by the manager.

[0143] (B8) Conditions for users to secure electricity usage rights in advance The predetermined condition may include a condition regarding the user's prior securing of the right to use electricity. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires history information indicating that the user has predicted his / her schedule and secured the right to use electricity for charging in advance by himself / herself through futures trading or the like. Then, the determination unit 134 determines to permit the charging device 40 to start supplying electricity if the right to use electricity has been secured in advance by the user. This enables charging within the range intended by the user.

[0144] (B9) Conditions for advance reservation of electricity usage by users The predetermined conditions may include conditions related to a user's advance reservation of power usage. For example, when a user reserves a parking space at a facility, the acquisition unit 133 acquires history information indicating that the user simultaneously reserves a parking space, time, and amount of power usage. Then, when the user reserves power usage in advance, the determination unit 134 determines to permit the charging device 40 to start supplying power. This enables charging within the range intended by the user.

[0145] <3-2-2. Power supply continuation determination> As described above, the determination unit 134 of the charge management server 10 performs a power supply continuation determination in addition to a power supply start determination. The determination unit 134 performs a power supply continuation determination according to a predetermined condition.

[0146] Various conditions can be adopted as the predetermined condition. For example, the following conditions (C1) to (C8) are assumed as the predetermined condition. Note that the condition used by the determination unit 134 for the determination is not limited to one. The determination unit 134 determines whether or not to continue the power supply based on at least one of a plurality of conditions including the following conditions (C1) to (C8).

[0147] (C1) Conditions regarding surplus electricity The predetermined condition may include a condition regarding surplus power in the area where the charging device 40 is located. For example, the acquiring unit 133 acquires information on the surplus or shortage of surplus power of the total power supply amount relative to the supply limit value in the entire area under the jurisdiction of the electric power company. Then, the determining unit 134 may determine not to permit the charging device 40 to supply power when the surplus power in the area under the jurisdiction of the electric power company where the charging device 40 is located falls below a predetermined threshold. This suppresses charging of the mobile object 60 during peak power demand (e.g., daytime in summer), thereby leveling out the power demand.

[0148] (C2) Conditions regarding power supply The predetermined condition may include a condition related to the power supply of the power generation equipment. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information indicating that the power supply of the power generation equipment in the charging facility is tight. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information on detection of an imbalance between the amount of power generated by renewable energy (for example, power generated by a solar panel) and the amount of power consumed. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information on the remaining power of a power storage system such as a power storage system. Then, when the power supply of the power generation equipment is tight (for example, when an imbalance is detected or when the remaining power falls below a predetermined threshold), the determination unit 134 may determine that the continuation of power supply by the charging device 40 is not permitted.

[0149] (C3) Conditions regarding electricity usage The predetermined condition may include a condition related to the amount of power used by the charging device 40. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information indicating the amount of power used by the charging device 40 from the charging device 40 as information related to the charging device. Then, when the amount of power used reaches a predetermined amount of power, the determination unit 134 determines that the charging device 40 is not permitted to continue supplying power. This enables charging within the range intended by the user.

[0150] (C4) Conditions for advance reservation of electricity usage by users The predetermined condition may include a condition related to a user's advance reservation of power usage. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires reservation information of the amount of power usage from the user. The amount of power indicated by the reservation information (hereinafter referred to as the reserved amount of power) corresponds to the predetermined amount of power in (C3). Then, when the amount of power usage reaches the reserved amount of power, the determination unit 134 determines that the charging device 40 is not permitted to continue supplying power. This enables charging within the range intended by the user.

[0151] (C5) Conditions for abnormal occurrence The predetermined condition may include a condition related to abnormality detection of devices related to charging. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires abnormality detection information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the charging device 40 while the mobile object 60 is being charged. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 133 acquires abnormality detection information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in any of the devices related to charging (for example, the charging device 40, the power supply equipment 50, and the mobile object 60) while the mobile object 60 is being charged. Then, when an abnormality has occurred in the charging device 40, or when an abnormality has occurred in any of the devices, the determination unit 134 determines that the charging device 40 is not permitted to continue supplying power. This allows the user to safely charge.

[0152] (C6) Conditions regarding system failure The predetermined condition may include a condition related to a system failure. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires notification information indicating the occurrence of a system failure from one or more servers related to the management of charging (for example, the charging management server 10 and the service server 20). Then, when the determination unit 134 detects an abnormality in any of the one or more servers, it determines to not permit the charging device 40 to continue power supply. This makes it possible to suppress abnormalities in the charging process caused by the system failure.

[0153] (C7) Conditions for remote control of users The predetermined condition may include a condition related to a remote operation by a user. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information indicating that a charging stop request has been issued from the terminal device 30 operated by the user. Then, when a charging stop request has been received, the determination unit 134 determines that the charging device 40 is not permitted to continue supplying power. This allows charging to be performed as intended by the user.

[0154] (C8) Conditions regarding direct user operation The predetermined condition may include a condition related to a direct operation by the user. For example, the acquisition unit 133 acquires information indicating that a charging stop request has been issued from the charging device 40 by a direct operation by the user, such as when the user operates the charging device 40 in a predetermined procedure. The direct operation by the user may include an operation by the user to remove the connection unit 47 (e.g., AC plug) of the charging device 40 from the connection unit 52 (e.g., AC outlet) of the power supply equipment 50. Then, when a request to stop charging is made, the determination unit 134 determines that continuation of power supply by the charging device 40 is not permitted. This enables charging as intended by the user.

[0155] <3-3. Example of operation when charging starts> The determination as to whether or not power supply is possible has been described above. Next, the operation of the charging system 1 at the start of charging will be described.

[0156] Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the charging system 1 when charging starts. In the example of Fig. 13, the charging management server 10 and the service server 20 cooperate with each other to determine whether or not power supply can be started. The service server 20 is, for example, a remote control server such as the power contractor management server 20A. Hereinafter, the operation of the charging system 1 when charging starts will be described with reference to Fig. 13.

[0157] When the charging device 40 is connected to the power supply facility 50 and / or the mobile object 60, the charging device 40 transmits information about the charging device to the charging management server 10 (step S201). In the following description, the information about the charging device includes at least the ID information of the charging device 40 and the location information of the charging device 40.

[0158] The charging management server 10 acquires the registered location information of the user linked to the ID information of the charging device 40. The registered location information is, for example, address information of the user under an electricity contract. Then, the charging management server 10 determines whether the registered location information of the user matches the location information of the charging device 40 (step S202). If the registered location information of the user matches the location information of the charging device 40, the charging management server 10 transmits to the charging device 40 a determination result indicating that the start of power supply is permitted.

[0159] On the other hand, if the user's registered location information and the location information of the charging device 40 do not match, the charging management server 10 transmits information about the charging device (ID information of the charging device 40 and location information of the charging device 40) along with a power supply permission request to the service server 20 (step S203).

[0160] When the service server 20 receives the power supply permission request and the information on the charging device, it determines whether or not the charging device 40 can start supplying power in accordance with a predetermined condition (step S204). For example, the service server 20 determines whether or not the charging device 40 can start supplying power based on history information of a user (e.g., electricity contractor information) corresponding to the ID information of the charging device 40. Then, the service server 20 notifies the charging management server 10 of the determination result on whether or not the charging device 40 can start supplying power (step S205).

[0161] When the charge management server 10 receives the determination result on whether or not power supply can be started from the service server 20, the charge management server 10 transmits the received determination result to the charger 40 (step S206).

[0162] When the charging device 40 receives a determination result from the charging management server 10 that the start of power supply is permitted, the charging device 40 starts supplying power to the mobile object 60 (step S207). At this time, after starting power supply to the mobile object 60, the charging device 40 may notify the charging management server 10 that power supply has started. Note that, when the charging device 40 receives a determination result that the start of power supply is not permitted, the charging device 40 does not start power supply to the mobile object 60 and ends charging control.

[0163] When the charging device 40 starts supplying power to the mobile object 60, the charging management server 10 notifies the terminal device 30 operated by the user of a message indicating that charging is in progress (step S208). At this time, the charging management server 10 may determine whether the charging device 40 has started supplying power based on a notification of the start of power supply from the charging device 40.

[0164] <3-4. Example of operation during charging> Next, the operation of the charging system 1 during charging will be described.

[0165] Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the charging system 1 during charging. In the example of Fig. 14, the service server 20, not the charging management server 10, determines whether or not power supply can be continued. The service server 20 is, for example, a remote control server such as the power contractor management server 20A. Hereinafter, the operation of the charging system 1 during charging will be described with reference to Fig. 14.

[0166] After starting power supply to the mobile object 60, the charging device 40 periodically transmits information about the charging device to the charging management server 10 (step S301). In the following description, it is assumed that the information about the charging device includes at least ID information of the charging device 40 and location information of the charging device 40.

[0167] When the information on the charging device is received, the charging management server 10 transmits the information on the charging device to the service server 20 (step S302).

[0168] When the service server 20 receives the information about the charging device, it determines whether or not to allow the charging device 40 to continue supplying power according to predetermined conditions (steps S303 and S304). For example, it is assumed that the service server 20 is an electric power contractor management server 20A managed by an electric power company. In this case, the service server 20 constantly monitors the total amount of power supply and the power supply limit value in the entire area under the jurisdiction of the electric power company, and if it determines that there is sufficient surplus power, it determines to allow the charging device 40 to continue supplying power (step S303).

[0169] On the other hand, if it is determined that there is little surplus power, the service server 20 refers to the power contractor's usage history, etc., and divides the multiple charging devices 40 into a group of charging devices that are permitted to continue supplying power (hereinafter referred to as the permitted group) and a group of charging devices that are not permitted to continue supplying power (hereinafter referred to as the unpermitted group).If the charging device 40 being judged belongs to the permitted group, it is determined that the charging device 40 will be permitted to continue supplying power, and if it belongs to the unpermitted group, it is determined that the charging device 40 will not be permitted to continue supplying power (step S304).

[0170] Then, the service server 20 notifies the charge management server 10 of the determination result as to whether or not the power supply can be continued (step S305).

[0171] When the charge management server 10 receives the determination result on whether or not the power supply can be continued from the service server 20, the charge management server 10 transmits the received determination result to the charger 40 (step S306).

[0172] When the charging device 40 receives a determination result from the charging management server 10 that the continuation of power supply is not permitted, the charging device 40 stops power supply to the moving object 60 (step S307). At this time, after stopping power supply to the moving object 60, the charging device 40 may notify the charging management server 10 that power supply has been stopped. Note that, when the charging device 40 receives a determination result that the start of power supply is permitted, the charging device 40 continues power supply to the moving object 60.

[0173] When the charging device 40 stops supplying power to the mobile object 60, the charging management server 10 notifies the terminal device 30 operated by the user of a message indicating that charging is being stopped (step S308). At this time, the charging management server 10 may determine whether the charging device 40 has stopped supplying power based on a notification from the charging device 40 that power supply has started.

[0174] <3-5. Example of operation when charging ends> Next, the operation of the charging system 1 at the end of charging will be described.

[0175] 15 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the charging system 1 during charging. Hereinafter, the operation of the charging system 1 at the end of charging will be described with reference to FIG.

[0176] The charging device 40 determines whether or not charging of the mobile object 60 has been completed. For example, the charging device 40 determines whether or not charging of the mobile object 60 has been fully charged. Note that the charging device 40 may end charging (power supply) in response to a user operation.

[0177] It should be noted that the user can end the charging operation (power supply operation) of the charging device 40, for example, in any one of the following procedures (1) and (2). (1) The user unplugs the connection portion 47 (eg, AC plug) of the charging device 40 from the connection portion 52 (eg, AC outlet) of the power supply equipment 50. (2) The user notifies the charging device 40 of a charging stop request from the terminal device 30 via the charging management system.

[0178] After the power supply is completed, the charging device 40 notifies the charging management server 10 of the amount of power used and charging completion information in addition to information about the charging device (e.g., ID information of the charging device 40 and location information of the charging device 40) (step S401). At this time, the charging management server 10 may notify the charging device 40 of a normal reception completion flag of the charging completion information (step S402).

[0179] Upon receiving the notification, the charge management server 10 notifies the service server 20 of the ID information of the charger 40 and a request to cancel the power supply permission (step S403).

[0180] Upon receiving the notification, the service server 20 executes a process of canceling permission for power supply to the charging device 40 (step S404). After that, the service server 20 notifies the charging management server 10 of information on stopping power supply to the charging device 40 (step S405).

[0181] The charging management server 10 stops permission for power supply to the charging device 40 and saves status information of the power supply stop (step S406). After saving of the status information is completed, the charging management server 10 notifies the terminal device 30 operated by the user of a message indicating that charging has ended (step S407).

[0182] <3-6. Example of operation when charging a user> Next, the operation of the charging system 1 when charging a user will be described.

[0183] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the charging system 1 when charging a user. The example of Fig. 16 shows an example in which the charging management server 10 charges a user in cooperation with an electric power contractor management server 20A, and an example in which the charging management server 10 charges a user in cooperation with a member information management server 20B. The electric power contractor management server 20A is, for example, a server managed by an electric power company to manage electric power contractor information. The member information management server 20B is, for example, a server managed by a company that provides a monthly flat-rate service to manage member information for the service. Hereinafter, the operation of the charging system 1 when charging a user will be described with reference to Fig. 16.

[0184] (A) In the case of cooperation with the electricity contractor management server 20A The charging management server 10 transmits the ID information of the charging device 40 and information on the amount of power used by the charging device 40 to the power contract management server 20A (step S501A). The power contract management server 20A constantly stores information on the usage time and amount of power used by the user of the power supply facility 50 linked to the ID information of the charging device 40. When billing the user, the power contract management server 20A adds up the amount of power used during charging and the amount of power used at the contract address to calculate an electricity fee according to the basic fee setting (step S502A). The power contract management server 20A then bills the EV user for the calculated electricity fee in a lump sum (step S503A).

[0185] (B) In the case of cooperation with the member information management server 20B The charging management server 10 transmits the ID information of the charging device 40 and information on the amount of power used by the charging device 40 to the member information management server 20B (step S501B). The power contract management server 20A constantly stores electricity fee information calculated from the amount of power used by the user linked to the ID information of the charging device 40. When billing the user, the member information management server 20B adds up the electricity fee for charging and the monthly flat-rate service usage fee to determine the billing amount (step S502B). Then, the member information management server 20B bills the EV user for the determined usage fee in a lump sum (step S503B).

[0186] <<4. Charge control operation of the charging device>> The operation of the charging system 1 has been described above. Next, the charging control operation of the charging device 40 will be described in detail.

[0187] <4-1. First charging control process> First, the first charge control process will be described.

[0188] Currently, the CHAdeMO method is known as the standard for charging EVs. The current CHAdeMO method is designed to accommodate an output power of 10 kW or more, and does not assume DC power supply to an EV from an AC outlet of 3 kW or less via an AC plug and charger.

[0189] With the CHAdeMO method, if a user tries to remove a CHAdeMO-compliant connector from the EV inlet while the EV is charging, the connector's locking mechanism prevents the user from removing the connector from the inlet. This is a safety measure to prevent abnormal accidents from occurring due to the high-output electricity used to power the EV.

[0190] However, this locking mechanism causes problems when the charging device is improved to handle output power of 3 kW or less. For example, if a user unplugs the AC plug of the charging device from the AC outlet while charging an EV, the connector's locking mechanism remains locked, and the user cannot unplug the CHAdeMO-compliant connector from the EV inlet.

[0191] Therefore, in the first charging control process, by providing a power supply function (power storage unit 45) to the charging device 40, the charging control unit 433 of the charging device 40 can perform the power supply stop process using the power stored in the power storage unit 45 even if the connection with the power source equipment 50 is cut off before the power supply stop process. This makes it possible to safely execute charging control for the mobile object 60 triggered by inserting or removing the connection unit 47 (for example, an AC plug) of the charging device 40.

[0192] First, the charging device 40 is equipped with a power supply function (power storage unit 45) such as an electric double layer capacitor. This ensures a power supply source for the control unit 63 (particularly the charging control unit) of the mobile object 60 and the control unit 43 (particularly the charging control unit 433) of the charging device 40 while power is being supplied to the mobile object 60. This makes it possible to drive the charging control units of the mobile object 60 and the charging device 40 even after the connection unit 47 (e.g., AC plug) of the charging device 40 is unplugged from the connection unit 52 (e.g., AC outlet) of the power supply equipment 50, and makes it possible to safely execute charging control.

[0193] In addition, a sequence for releasing the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant connector) of the charging device 40 can also be executed. This allows the user to unplug the connection unit 48 of the charging device 40 from the connection unit 61 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant inlet) of the mobile object 60.

[0194] An electric storage component such as an electric double layer capacitor or an electrolytic capacitor can be used as the power supply function (power storage unit 45) of the charging device 40. Also, a secondary battery such as a lead storage battery, a lithium ion battery, a nickel metal hydride battery, a nickel cadmium battery, or an all-solid-state battery can be used as the power supply function (power storage unit 45) of the charging device 40.

[0195] To prevent electricity theft and theft, a locking mechanism may be provided on connection unit 47 (for example, an AC plug) of charging device 40. In this case, the locking mechanism may be configured to be unlocked with a physical key.

[0196] Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing the first charging control process. The first charging control process is executed by the charging device 40 with a power supply function. The first charging control process is executed, for example, when the connection unit 47 of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 52 of the power supply equipment 50 are connected, and further, the connection unit 48 of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 61 of the mobile object 60 are connected. Hereinafter, the first charging control process will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 17.

[0197] First, the charging device 40 starts CAN communication with the mobile object 60 (step S601). Then, the charging device 40 closes the locking mechanism of the connection unit 48 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant connector) (step S602). After that, the charging device 40 starts supplying DC power to the mobile object 60 (step S603). Then, the charging device 40 determines whether an abnormality has been detected (step S604).

[0198] If an abnormality is detected (step S604: Yes), the charging device 40 stops power supply to the moving object 60 (step S605), and further stops CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S606). After that, the charging device 40 releases the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (step S607), and ends the first charging control process.

[0199] On the other hand, if no abnormality is detected (step S604: No), the charging device 40 determines whether the connection unit 47 (e.g., AC plug) has been removed from the connection unit 52 (e.g., AC outlet) of the power supply equipment 50 (step S608). If not removed (step S608: No), the charging device 40 returns the process to step S604.

[0200] On the other hand, if the connection unit 47 is disconnected from the connection unit 52 (step S608: Yes), the charging device 40 executes the following process using the power supply function. Specifically, the charging device 40 stops power supply to the moving object 60 (step S609), and further, normally ends the CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S610). After that, the charging device 40 releases the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (step S611). After that, the charging device 40 notifies the terminal device 30 operated by the user of a normal end message via the charging management server 10 (step S612). When the notification is completed, the charging device 40 ends the first charging control process.

[0201] According to the first charging control process, power can be secured from a low-power (for example, about 3 kW or less) AC outlet, and DC power can be supplied to the mobile object 60 via the AC plug, the charging device 40, a CHAdeMO-compliant connector, and a CHAdeMO-compliant inlet. This allows the user to use the standardized CHAdeMO-compliant DC charging method without using the profusion of proprietary AC normal charging methods. As a result, the charging operation procedures can be unified, eliminating the need for the user to check the operation procedures every time charging.

[0202] Furthermore, the user can control DC charging of the mobile object 60 simply by inserting and removing the AC plug of the charging device 40 into and from an AC outlet. In other words, the user can control charging of the mobile object 60 using the same operating procedures as for home appliances.

[0203] Furthermore, since the power supply function within the charging device 40 can ensure power supply to the charging control unit, the user can unlock the CHAdeMO-compliant connector even when there is no power supply from the AC plug.

[0204] <4-2. Second charging control process> Next, the second charge control process will be described.

[0205] In the second charging control process, by equipping the charging device 40 with a communication function (communication unit 41), it is possible to remotely perform the operation of stopping charging using a remote control device such as the service server 20 or the terminal device 30.

[0206] For the communication function, in addition to long-distance communication such as NR or LPWA, short-distance communication such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth can be adopted. Also, for the communication function, wired communication using power lines (e.g., PLC) can be adopted.

[0207] In addition, a general-purpose terminal (for example, a smartphone or a tablet) on which software such as a smartphone app or a web browser can be installed can be used as the terminal device 30. In addition, a dedicated terminal can also be used as the terminal device 30.

[0208] In addition, the service server 20 may be an IT system that is API-linked with the charging management server 10. For example, the service server 20 may be a member information management server of a mobile communication carrier company or the like, a management server of a subscription service for automobiles, or a power supply management server of a power company.

[0209] To prevent electricity theft and theft, a locking mechanism may be provided on connection portion 47 (for example, an AC plug) of charging device 40. In this case, the locking mechanism may be configured to be able to lock / unlock using a communication function.

[0210] Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the second charging control process. The second charging control process is executed by the charging device 40 with a communication function. The second charging control process is executed, for example, when the connection unit 47 of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 52 of the power supply equipment 50 are connected, and further, the connection unit 48 of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 61 of the mobile object 60 are connected. Hereinafter, the second charging control process will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 18.

[0211] First, the charging device 40 starts CAN communication with the mobile object 60 (step S701). Then, the charging device 40 closes the locking mechanism of the connection unit 48 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant connector) (step S702). After that, the charging device 40 starts supplying DC power to the mobile object 60 (step S703). Then, the charging device 40 determines whether an abnormality has been detected (step S704).

[0212] If an abnormality is detected (step S704: Yes), the charging device 40 stops power supply to the moving object 60 (step S705), and further stops CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S706). After that, the charging device 40 releases the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (step S707), and ends the second charging control process.

[0213] On the other hand, if no abnormality is detected (step S704: No), the charging device 40 determines whether a charging stop request has been received from a remote control device such as the service server 20 or the terminal device 30 (step S708). The charging stop request may be operation information related to a user's remote operation. If the request has not been received (step S708: No), the charging device 40 returns the process to step S704.

[0214] On the other hand, if a request to stop charging is received (step S708: Yes), the charging device 40 stops supplying power to the moving object 60 (step S709) and further normally ends CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S710). After that, the charging device 40 releases the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (step S711). After that, the charging device 40 notifies the terminal device 30 operated by the user of a normal end message via the charging management server 10 (step S712). When the notification is completed, the charging device 40 ends the second charging control process.

[0215] According to the second charging control process, a user can remotely control the supply of DC power from the charging device 40 to the mobile object 60 using a remote control device such as the service server 20 or the terminal device 30. In the current CHAdeMO-compliant DC quick charger, the user starts the power supply stop process by pressing the stop button, but the charging device 40 of this embodiment can execute the power supply stop process even without the stop button.

[0216] While waiting for a response message after the user issues a request to stop power supply, the charging device 40 unlocks the CHAdeMO-compliant connector after successfully ending power supply to the mobile object 60 and CAN communication. Current CHAdeMO-compliant DC quick chargers can only be unlocked by pressing the stop button, but the charging device 40 of this embodiment can unlock the connector even without pressing the stop button.

[0217] Even when the charging device 40 is charging the mobile object 60, the user can safely stop the supply of DV power from the charging device 40 to the EV by issuing a power supply stop request via the remote control device.

[0218] <4-3. Third charging control process> Next, the third charge control process will be described.

[0219] In the third charging control process, by equipping the charging device 40 with a communication function (communication unit 41), it is possible to remotely perform operations such as not only stopping charging but also pausing / resume charging using a remote control device such as the service server 20 or the terminal device 30.

[0220] Fig. 19 is a flowchart showing the third charging control process. The third charging control process is executed by the charging device 40 with a communication function. The third charging control process is executed, for example, when the connection unit 47 of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 52 of the power supply equipment 50 are connected, and further, the connection unit 48 of the charging device 40 and the connection unit 61 of the mobile object 60 are connected. Hereinafter, the third charging control process will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 19.

[0221] First, the charging device 40 starts CAN communication with the mobile object 60 (step S801). Then, the charging device 40 closes the locking mechanism of the connection unit 48 (e.g., a CHAdeMO-compliant connector) (step S802). After that, the charging device 40 starts supplying DC power to the mobile object 60 (step S803). Then, the charging device 40 determines whether an abnormality has been detected (step S804).

[0222] If an abnormality is detected (step S804: Yes), the charging device 40 stops power supply to the moving object 60 (step S805), and further stops CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S806). After that, the charging device 40 releases the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (step S807), and ends the third charging control process.

[0223] On the other hand, if no abnormality is detected (step S804: No), the charging device 40 determines whether a request to stop charging has been received from a remote control device such as the service server 20 or the terminal device 30 (step S808). The request to stop charging may be operation information related to a user's remote operation.

[0224] When a request to stop charging is received (step S808: Yes), the charging device 40 stops supplying power to the moving object 60 (step S809) and further normally ends CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S810). After that, the charging device 40 releases the lock mechanism of the connection unit 48 (step S811). After that, the charging device 40 notifies the terminal device 30 operated by the user of a normal end message via the charging management server 10 (step S812). When the notification is completed, the charging device 40 ends the third charging control process.

[0225] On the other hand, if a request to stop charging has not been received (step S808: No), the charging device 40 determines whether a request to suspend charging has been received from the remote control device (step S813). The request to suspend charging may be operation information related to a user's remote operation. If a request to suspend charging has been received (step S813: Yes), the charging device 40 stops supplying power to the mobile object 60 (step S814) and further ends CAN communication with the mobile object 60 (step S815). After ending the CAN communication, the charging device 40 returns the process to step S804.

[0226] On the other hand, if a request to temporarily suspend charging has not been received (step S813: No), the charging device 40 determines whether a request to resume charging has been received from the remote control device (step S816). The request to resume charging may be operation information related to a user's remote operation. If a request to resume charging has not been received (step S816: No), the charging device 40 returns the process to step S804.

[0227] If the charging restart request is received (step S816: Yes), the charging device 40 restarts the CAN communication with the moving object 60 (step S817), and further restarts the power supply to the moving object 60 (step S818). After restarting the power supply, the charging device 40 returns the process to step S804.

[0228] According to the third charging control process, not only can charging be stopped, but also operations such as pausing / resume of charging can be performed remotely.

[0229] <<5. System integration for charging infrastructure services>> Various servers providing charging infrastructure services may cooperate with each other. Fig. 20 is a system cooperation diagram of the charging infrastructure service. In the example of Fig. 20, the charging management server 10 cooperates with a plurality of service servers 20. More specifically, the charging management server 10 cooperates with the power contractor management server 20A via an API, the charging management server 10 cooperates with the member information management server 20B via an API, and the charging management server 10 cooperates with the parking management server 20C via an API.

[0230] The various servers that provide charging infrastructure services cooperate with each other to enhance user convenience in the charging system 1. More specifically, the various servers may cooperate with each other as follows.

[0231] (1) Example of cooperation between the charging management server 10 and the member information management server 20B First, a case will be described where a user uses a parking lot in a commercial facility (or an affiliated parking lot of the commercial facility). In this case, the commercial facility provides a service of the electricity required to charge the mobile object 60 according to the user's purchase history information. At that time, the commercial facility pays the electricity fee for charging. To achieve this, the charging management server 10 cooperates with the member information management server 20B of the commercial facility to permit the user to charge. For example, the charging management server 10 permits charging using a power supply facility 50 and / or a charging device 40 in the parking lot.

[0232] (2) Example of cooperation between the charging management server 10 and the parking lot management server 20C Next, a case where a user uses a parking lot (for example, a time-share parking lot) outside the user's residential area will be described. In this case, the parking lot management company provides the user with a points service based on the usage history. At that time, as part of the service to the user, the parking lot management company pays the electricity fee for charging. To achieve this, the charging management server 10 cooperates with the parking lot management server 20C to permit charging based on the points information. For example, the charging management server 10 permits charging using the power supply equipment 50 and / or the charging device 40 in the parking lot.

[0233] (3) Other examples of collaboration Next, a case will be described where the user uses a public parking lot owned or under the jurisdiction of a local government. In this case, the local government pays the electricity fee for charging as part of the public service provided to the user. To achieve this, the charging management server 10 cooperates with a service server 20 managed by the local government to permit the user to charge. For example, the charging management server 10 permits charging using a power supply facility 50 and / or a charging device 40 located in the public parking lot.

[0234] <<6. How to use charging infrastructure services>> Next, the following is assumed as a method of using the charging infrastructure service: An example of a method of using the charging infrastructure service will be described below.

[0235] First, the user searches for a parking lot where charging is possible near the destination using the application installed on the terminal device 30. Then, before using the charging infrastructure service, the user uses the application to make a reservation in advance for the desired time period, location, and amount of power to be used.

[0236] Next, the user drives the mobile object 60 to the pre-reserved parking lot. Then, the user stops the mobile object 60 at the pre-reserved parking lot.

[0237] Next, the user connects the connection unit 47 (e.g., AC plug) of the charging device 40 to the connection unit 52 (e.g., AC outlet) of the power supply equipment 50 arranged in the parking lot, and further connects the connection unit 48 (e.g., CHAdeMO-compliant connector) of the charging device 40 to the connection unit 61 (e.g., CHAdeMO-compliant inlet) of the mobile object 60. At this time, the charging device 40 may be one brought by the user or one that has been prepared in advance in the parking lot.

[0238] Once the connection is complete, the user starts charging the mobile object 60. The charging device 40 may automatically start charging (power supply) under the control of the charging management server 10 at the same time as the connection is established. When charging starts, the charging management server 10 notifies the terminal device 30 of the start of charging. Then, the charging status is displayed on the app of the terminal device 30. For example, a message indicating that charging is in progress is displayed on the app of the terminal device 30.

[0239] When charging is completed, the charging device 40 notifies the charging management server 10 of the completion of charging. When the charging management server 10 receives the notification of the end of charging, it notifies the terminal device 30 of the end of charging, and the charging state is displayed on the application of the terminal device 30. For example, a message indicating that charging has been completed is displayed on the application of the terminal device 30.

[0240] When the application of the terminal device 30 displays the completion of charging, the user removes the charging device 40 from the power supply equipment 50 and the mobile object 60, and stores it in the original location. After storage is completed, the user departs from the parking lot.

[0241] The application of the terminal device 30 may be configured so that the user can refer to the usage history.

[0242] <<7. Modifications>> The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications and applications are possible.

[0243] <7-1. Modifications regarding charging targets> For example, in the above embodiment, the charging target of the charging device 40 is the mobile object 60, but the charging target of the charging device 40 is not limited to the mobile object 60. For example, the charging target of the charging device 40 may be a storage battery (a home storage battery or an office storage battery) installed in a house or office in preparation for a power outage. Alternatively, the charging target of the charging device 40 may be a chargeable device installed in a structure.

[0244] Examples of structures include buildings such as high-rise buildings, houses, steel towers, station facilities, airport facilities, port facilities, stadiums, etc. The concept of a structure includes not only buildings, but also non-building structures such as tunnels, bridges, dams, fences, steel pillars, etc., and equipment such as cranes, gates, windmills, etc. The concept of a structure also includes not only land (ground in the narrow sense) or underground structures, but also structures on water such as piers and megafloats, and underwater structures such as oceanographic observation facilities.

[0245] <7-2. Variations regarding charging standards> In the above embodiment, the charging standard compatible with the charging device 40 and the object to be charged (e.g., the mobile object 60) is the CHAdeMO system, but the charging standard is not limited to the CHAdeMO system. The charging standard compatible with the charging device 40 and the object to be charged may be the Combined Charging System (CCS), China's GB / T, or Tesla's SC (Supercharger). In this case, the connection unit of the charging device 40 and the object to be charged may be compliant with the CCS, GB / T, or SC. The power supply operation (charging operation) of the charging circuit 46 and the charging control unit 433 of the charging device 40 is also appropriately changed according to the charging standard.

[0246] <7-3. Modifications regarding the determination of whether power can be supplied> In the above-described embodiment, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 judges whether or not power supply is possible according to a predetermined condition when the position of the charging device 40 does not match the registered position of the user. However, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 may judge whether or not power supply is possible according to a predetermined condition regardless of whether the position of the charging device 40 matches the registered position of the user.

[0247] In the above-described embodiment, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 determined whether or not to supply power in accordance with a predetermined condition using the ID of the charging device 40. However, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 may determine whether or not to supply power using the ID of the mobile object 60, the user ID of the power contractor management server 20A, the user ID of the member information management server 20B, the user ID of the parking lot management server 20C, or the like, instead of the ID of the charging device 40.

[0248] <7-4. Modifications regarding location information of charging device> In the above embodiment, the location information of the charging device 40 is GPS information, but the location information is not limited to GPS information. For example, the charging device 40 may determine the current location to be used as location information by the following methods (1) to (3). Note that the charging device 40 may determine the current location by combining a plurality of pieces of information selected from (1) to (3).

[0249] (1) Determining current location using multiple sensors The charging device 40 may determine the current location by combining a plurality of sensors. For example, a GPS sensor and an acceleration sensor may be combined to determine the current location as location information. This can improve the accuracy of determining the current location. The charging device 40 may determine the current location by using only information from one sensor (for example, a GPS sensor).

[0250] (2) Determining current location using wireless communication The charging device 40 may use wireless communication to determine the current location as the location information. For example, the charging device 40 may use information on the current location obtained through wireless communication such as LTE, NR, LPWA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc. as the location information. In this case, the charging device 40 may determine the current location based on identification information indicating which base station (or access point) the charging device 40 is communicating with, location information indicating the installation location of the base station (or access point), and / or distance information indicating how far away the charging device 40 is from the base station (or access point). Here, the distance information may be, for example, timing advance information. This can improve the accuracy of determining the current location.

[0251] (3) Determining the current location by direct communication with the power supply facility 50 Furthermore, the location information of the charging device 40 may be information indicating which of a plurality of power supply facilities 50 the charging device 40 is located near. For example, a communication unit capable of communicating with other devices using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the like is disposed in the power supply facility 50. The charging device 40 then directly communicates with the power supply facility 50 to determine which power supply facility 50 the charging device 40 is located near. This allows the user to know for sure which power supply facility 50 is being used, thereby preventing erroneous billing. For example, it is possible to prevent billing to an administrator who manages other power supply facilities 50 near the power supply facility 50 used by the user.

[0252] <7-5. Other variations> The charge management server 10, the service server 20, the terminal device 30, or the control device that controls the charge device 40 in this embodiment may be realized by a dedicated computer system or a general-purpose computer system.

[0253] For example, a communication program for executing the above-mentioned operations is stored in a computer-readable recording medium such as an optical disk, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic tape, or a flexible disk and distributed. Then, for example, the program is installed in a computer and the above-mentioned process is executed to configure a control device. In this case, the control device may be a device (for example, a personal computer) external to the charging management server 10, the service server 20, the terminal device 30, or the charging device 40. Also, the control device may be a device (for example, the control unit 13, the control unit 23, the control unit 33, or the control unit 43) internal to the charging management server 10, the service server 20, the terminal device 30, or the charging device 40.

[0254] The communication program may be stored in a disk device provided in a server device on a network such as the Internet, and may be downloaded to a computer. The above-mentioned functions may be realized by cooperation between an OS (Operating System) and application software. In this case, the parts other than the OS may be stored on a medium and distributed, or the parts other than the OS may be stored in a server device and may be downloaded to a computer.

[0255] Furthermore, among the processes described in the above embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically by a known method. In addition, the information including the processing procedures, specific names, various data and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be changed arbitrarily unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each drawing is not limited to the illustrated information.

[0256] In addition, each component of each device shown in the figure is a functional concept, and does not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit according to various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0257] The above-described embodiments can be combined as appropriate in the areas where the processing contents are not contradictory. The order of the steps shown in the flowcharts of the above-described embodiments can be changed as appropriate.

[0258] Furthermore, for example, the present embodiment can be implemented as any configuration that constitutes an apparatus or system, such as a processor as a system LSI (Large Scale Integration), a module using multiple processors, a unit using multiple modules, a set in which other functions are added to a unit, etc. (i.e., a configuration of a part of an apparatus).

[0259] In this embodiment, a system means a collection of multiple components (devices, modules (parts), etc.), regardless of whether all the components are in the same housing. Therefore, multiple devices housed in separate housings and connected via a network, and a single device in which multiple modules are housed in a single housing, are both systems.

[0260] Also, for example, this embodiment can have a cloud computing configuration in which one function is shared and processed jointly by a plurality of devices via a network.

[0261] <<8. Conclusion>> As described above, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, since the power supply of the charging device 40 is configured to be controlled from an external device (for example, the charging management server 10), the user can charge the mobile object 60 using the existing power supply equipment 50. In other words, since there is no need to prepare new expensive power supply equipment for charging the mobile object 60, the charging environment for the mobile object 60 can be realized at low cost. Moreover, since the charging device 40 can be carried to a place where the power supply equipment 50 is located, the user does not need to take the time to check whether the service can be used or the operation procedure every time charging.

[0262] In addition, since there is no need to prepare new expensive power supply equipment to charge the mobile object 60, facility owners and managers can provide charging infrastructure services to users simply by opening up AC outlets within the facility without having to install CHAdeMO DC fast chargers or AC standard chargers.

[0263] Furthermore, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to determine whether or not power supply is permitted in accordance with conditions determined by the manager of the power supply facility 50. For this reason, for example, when the power supply facility 50 is made available to users free of charge as a facility use service, the facility owner or facility manager can apply to the charging management server 10 for conditions for permission to supply power, thereby setting the power supply to the charging device 40 to be permitted at all times.

[0264] Furthermore, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to determine whether or not the location of the charging device 40 matches the user's registered location (address on the power contract) when determining whether or not power can be supplied. Therefore, when the location of the charging device 40 matches the user's registered location, the user does not need to check whether or not the service can be used or the start procedure for each usage location, as in the case of current charging infrastructure services.

[0265] Furthermore, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to identify which power supply equipment 50 the user has used based on the location information of the charging device 40. Furthermore, the charging management server 10 is configured to charge the user in cooperation with the service server 20. Therefore, even if the location of the charging device 40 does not match the registered location of the user, the user can charge the mobile object 60 without being aware of the payment procedure by simply connecting the connection unit 47 (e.g., AC plug) of the charging device 40 to the connection unit 52 (e.g., AC outlet) of the power supply equipment 50 and the connection unit 48 (e.g., connector) of the charging device 40 to the connection unit 61 (e.g., inlet) of the mobile object 60.

[0266] In addition, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to charge the user in cooperation with the power contractor management server 20A. Therefore, the user can pay the electricity fee required for charging together with the amount of power used at the contract address in a lump sum.

[0267] In addition, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to identify which power supply equipment 50 the user has used, based on the location information of the charging device 40. Therefore, even if the user uses the power supply equipment 50 of a facility located at a place other than the address of the user's power contract, the facility owner or facility manager will not be charged for the electricity used by the user.

[0268] Furthermore, the charge management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to not permit the charging device 40 to continue power supply when the surplus power is small. This suppresses charging when the surplus power of the power generation facilities of the power company or the like is small. In other words, the surplus power of the power generation facilities of the power company or the like is utilized. As a result, the supply and demand balance of the power supply is maintained.

[0269] In addition, the charging management server 10 and / or the service server 20 are configured to use history information on whether the right to use power is secured to determine whether power can be supplied. By utilizing the futures trading of power, the amount of power generated in the planned power generation can be calculated, so that the facility manager can efficiently manage assets such as the power supply equipment 50.

[0270] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments as they are, and various modifications are possible without departing from the gist of the present disclosure. In addition, components of different embodiments and modifications may be appropriately combined.

[0271] Furthermore, the effects of each embodiment described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be provided.

[0272] The present technology can also be configured as follows. (1) an acquisition unit that acquires information about a charging device that receives power from a power supply facility and supplies the power, the charging device being separate from the power supply facility; a determination unit that determines whether or not to permit the power supply of the charging device based on information about the charging device; a transmission unit that transmits information regarding a determination result of whether or not the power supply is permitted to be supplied to the charging device or another device that controls the charging device; An information processing device comprising: (2) The acquisition unit acquires location information of the charging device as information related to the charging device, The determination unit determines whether or not to permit the power supply of the charging device based on location information of the charging device. The information processing device according to (1). (3) The acquisition unit acquires, in addition to the location information of the charging device, registered location information regarding a user associated with the charging device; The determination unit determines whether to permit or not permit the power supply based on the location information of the charging device and the registered location information. The information processing device according to (2). (4) The acquisition unit acquires address information of the user under an electricity contract as the registered location information, the determination unit determines to permit the power supply when it is determined that the charging device is located at an address specified in the power contract of the user. The information processing device according to (3). (5) When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether to permit or not permit the power supply in accordance with a predetermined condition. The information processing device according to (4). (6) The predetermined conditions include at least a first condition determined by a manager of the power supply facility that the user intends to use, When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not the current state satisfies the first condition, and when the current state satisfies the first condition, determines to permit the power supply. The information processing device according to (5). (7) the predetermined condition includes at least a second condition defined by the user; When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not the current state satisfies the second condition, and when the current state satisfies the second condition, determines to permit the power supply. The information processing device according to (5) or (6). (8) The acquisition unit acquires contract information of the user regarding use of the power supply equipment, the predetermined conditions include at least a third condition regarding a contract for using the power supply equipment; When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not the contract of the user satisfies the third condition, and when the third condition is satisfied, determines to permit the power supply. The information processing device according to any one of (5) to (7). (9) The acquisition unit acquires location information of the power supply facility in addition to location information of the charging device, The determination unit determines whether or not to permit the power supply of the charging device based on location information of the charging device and location information of the power supply facility. The information processing device according to any one of (2) to (8). (10) the determination unit determines to not permit the power supply of the charging device when surplus power of an area under the jurisdiction of an electric power company in which the charging device is located falls below a predetermined threshold. The information processing device according to any one of (2) to (9). (11) The determination unit determines whether to permit or prohibit the start of the power supply, and also determines whether to permit or prohibit the continuation of the power supply. The information processing device according to any one of (1) to (10). (12) The acquisition unit acquires information on an amount of power used by the charging device as information on the charging device, The determination unit determines whether to permit or prohibit the continuation of the power supply based on information on the amount of power used by the charging device. The information processing device according to (11). (13) The acquisition unit acquires reservation information of an amount of power usage from a user associated with the charging device, The determination unit determines that continuation of the power supply is not permitted when the amount of power used by the charging device reaches the amount of power reserved by a user. The information processing device according to (12). (14) the acquisition unit acquires, as the information related to the charging device, information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the charging device; The determination unit determines to not permit continuation of the power supply when an abnormality occurs in the charging device. The information processing device according to any one of (11) to (13). (15) A charging device that receives power from a power supply facility and supplies power, the charging device being separate from the power supply facility, a transmission unit that transmits information about the charging device to an information processing device that transmits control information for controlling the power supply of the charging device; a receiving unit that receives information about a determination result, based on information about the charging device, of whether the power supply is permitted or not permitted from the information processing device; A charge control unit that controls on / off of the power supply based on information about the determination result; A charging device comprising: (16) the information processing device is configured to determine whether or not to permit the power supply of the charging device based on location information of the charging device; The transmission unit transmits, to the information processing device, location information of the charging device as information related to the charging device. The charging device according to (15) above. (17) The receiving unit receives information on a determination result of whether to permit or prohibit the start of the power supply, as well as information on a determination result of whether to permit or prohibit the continuation of the power supply, The charging control unit stops the power supply when the continuation of the power supply is not permitted. The charging device according to (15) or (16). (18) A power storage unit that stores a predetermined amount of power, When the connection with the power supply facility is cut off before the power supply stop process, the charging control unit performs the power supply stop process using the power stored in the power storage unit. The charging device according to any one of (15) to (17). (19) The receiving unit receives operation information related to a remote operation by a user, The charging control unit performs a process of stopping, suspending, or resuming the power supply based on the operation information. The charging device according to any one of (15) to (18). (20) A charging system including a charging device that receives power from a power supply facility and supplies power, the charging device being separate from the power supply facility, and an information processing device that is directly or indirectly connected to the charging device via a network, The information processing device includes: An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding the charging device; a determination unit that determines whether or not to permit the power supply of the charging device based on information about the charging device; a transmission unit that transmits information regarding a determination result regarding permission or non-permission of the power supply to the charging device or another device that controls the charging device; The charging device is a receiving unit that receives information regarding the determination result from the information processing device or the other device; A charging control unit that controls on / off of the power supply based on information about the determination result. Charging system. [Explanation of symbols]

[0273] 1 Charging System 10 Charging management server 20 Service Server 20A Power Contractor Management Server 20B Member information management server 20C Parking lot management server 30 Terminal Equipment 40 Charging device 50 Power equipment 60 Mobile 11, 21, 31, 41 Communications Department 12, 22, 32, 42 storage section 13, 23, 33, 43, 63 Control section 44 Sensor section 45, 62 Power storage unit 46 Charging circuit 47, 48, 52, 61 Connections 51 Power supply circuit 64 Power section 131, 231, 431 Transmitter 132, 232, 432 Receiver 133, 233 Acquisition Department 134, 234 Judgment section 433 Charging control unit

Claims

1. an acquisition unit that acquires location information of a charging device that receives power from a power supply facility and supplies the power, the charging device being separate from the power supply facility, and address information of a user associated with the charging device under an electricity contract; a determination unit that, when it is determined that the charging device is located at the address specified in the user's power contract, determines to permit the power supply of the charging device, and, when it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the user's power contract, determines whether to permit or not permit the power supply in accordance with predetermined conditions including at least conditions different from conditions related to the location of the charging device; a transmission unit that transmits information regarding a determination result of whether or not the power supply is permitted to be supplied to the charging device or another device that controls the charging device; An information processing device comprising:

2. The predetermined condition includes at least a first condition determined by a manager of the power supply facility that the user intends to use, When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not a current state satisfies the predetermined conditions including the first condition, and when the current state satisfies the predetermined conditions, determines to permit the power supply. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The first condition is whether or not the amount of power consumption of the administrator for a predetermined period of time will exceed the amount of power set by the administrator as a result of allowing the user to use the power supply equipment. The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. the predetermined condition includes at least a second condition defined by the user; When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not a current state satisfies the predetermined conditions including the second condition, and when the current state satisfies the predetermined conditions, determines to permit the power supply.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1.

5. The second condition is whether the user's use of the power supply equipment causes the user's power consumption for a predetermined period of time to exceed the power amount set by the user. The information processing device according to claim 4.

6. The acquisition unit acquires contract information of the user regarding use of the power supply equipment, the predetermined conditions include at least a third condition regarding a contract for using the power supply equipment; When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not the contract of the user satisfies the predetermined conditions including the third condition, and when the predetermined conditions are satisfied, determines to permit the power supply. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The third condition is whether the user's contract for the use of the power supply equipment is a contract that allows the user to use the power supply equipment of the parking lot where the charging device is currently located. The information processing device according to claim 6.

8. The acquisition unit acquires location information of the power supply facility in addition to location information of the charging device, The determination unit determines whether or not to permit the power supply of the charging device based on location information of the charging device and location information of the power supply facility. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. the determination unit determines to not permit the power supply of the charging device when surplus power of an area under the jurisdiction of an electric power company in which the charging device is located falls below a predetermined threshold. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The determination unit determines whether to permit or prohibit the start of the power supply, and also determines whether to permit or prohibit the continuation of the power supply. The information processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The acquisition unit acquires information on an amount of power used by the charging device as information on the charging device, The determination unit determines whether to permit or prohibit the continuation of the power supply based on information on the amount of power used by the charging device. The information processing device according to claim 10.

12. The acquisition unit acquires reservation information of an amount of power usage from a user associated with the charging device, The determination unit determines that continuation of the power supply is not permitted when the amount of power used by the charging device reaches the amount of power reserved by a user. The information processing device according to claim 11.

13. the acquisition unit acquires, as the information related to the charging device, information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the charging device; The determination unit determines, when an abnormality occurs in the charging device, to not permit continuation of the power supply. The information processing device according to any one of claims 10 to 12.

14. The acquisition unit acquires information indicating that a request to stop charging has been issued from a terminal device operated by a user, The determination unit determines that continuation of the power supply is not permitted when the charging stop is requested. The information processing device according to any one of claims 10 to 13.

15. A charging system including a charging device that receives power from a power supply facility and supplies power, the charging device being separate from the power supply facility, and an information processing device that is directly or indirectly connected to the charging device via a network, The information processing device includes: An acquisition unit that acquires location information of the charging device and address information of a user associated with the charging device under an electricity contract; a determination unit that, when it is determined that the charging device is located at the address specified in the user's power contract, determines to permit the power supply of the charging device, and, when it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the user's power contract, determines whether to permit or not permit the power supply in accordance with predetermined conditions including at least conditions different from conditions related to the location of the charging device; a transmission unit that transmits information regarding a determination result of whether the power supply is permitted or not to the charging device or another device that controls the charging device, The charging device is a receiving unit that receives information regarding the determination result from the information processing device or the other device; A charging control unit that controls on / off of the power supply based on information about the determination result. Charging system.

16. The predetermined conditions include at least a first condition determined by an administrator of the power supply equipment that the user intends to use, When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not a current state satisfies the predetermined conditions including the first condition, and when the current state satisfies the predetermined conditions, determines to permit the power supply.

16. The charging system of claim 15.

17. The predetermined conditions include at least a second condition defined by the user; When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not a current state satisfies the predetermined conditions including the second condition, and when the current state satisfies the predetermined conditions, determines to permit the power supply. Charging system according to claim 15 or 16.

18. The acquisition unit acquires contract information of the user regarding use of the power supply equipment, the predetermined conditions include at least a third condition regarding a contract for using the power supply equipment; When it is determined that the charging device is not located at the address specified in the power contract of the user, the determination unit determines whether or not the contract of the user satisfies the predetermined conditions including the third condition, and when the predetermined conditions are satisfied, determines to permit the power supply. The charging system according to any one of claims 15 to 17.

19. The determination unit determines whether to permit or not to permit the start of the power supply, and also determines whether to permit or not to permit the continuation of the power supply, The receiving unit receives information on a determination result of whether to permit or prohibit the start of the power supply, as well as information on a determination result of whether to permit or prohibit the continuation of the power supply, The charging control unit stops the power supply when the continuation of the power supply is not permitted. The charging system according to any one of claims 15 to 18.

20. The charging device includes a power storage unit that stores a predetermined amount of power, When the connection with the power supply facility is cut off before the power supply stop process, the charging control unit performs the power supply stop process using the power stored in the power storage unit. The charging system according to any one of claims 15 to 17.

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