Car sharing system, car sharing method, program, and computer-readable recording medium

Abstract

To provide a car-sharing system configured to manage various information on an electric vehicle or a storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle, including SOC of the storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle, charge / discharge state, electric connection state between he storage battery and a charger indicated by an insertion / removal state of an EV plug between the storage battery and the charger, in using the electric vehicle as a share car.SOLUTION: A car-sharing system using an electric vehicle as a share car includes a charger for charging a storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle, and monitoring means for monitoring the charger. When the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means acquires information on the electric vehicle and the storage battery from the charger.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a car sharing system, a car sharing method, a program, and a computer-readable recording medium.

[0002] More specifically, the present invention relates to a car sharing system, a car sharing method, a program, and a computer-readable recording medium suitable for use in a car sharing system that uses electric vehicles (EVs) equipped with a storage battery that can be charged from an external charging facility (battery) and powered by an electric motor that is driven using electricity stored in the storage battery, as vehicles to be shared in the car sharing system (hereinafter, "vehicles to be shared in the car sharing system" will be referred to as "shared cars" as appropriate). [Background technology]

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, so-called car sharing, in which a single automobile is shared by multiple members, has been attracting attention as a new form of vehicle usage.

[0004] Here, car sharing means that users do not own their own cars, but become members of a car sharing manager (hereinafter referred to simply as the "manager") and rent cars provided by the manager as needed.

[0005] In addition, in many cases, car sharing involves members sharing a car within a community limited to a certain area, and checking the car's usage status and reserving its use via an information and communication network such as the Internet. As a result, the rental procedure does not require much time, and the rental and return locations are often set in convenient locations for members, such as the parking lot of the apartment building where the member lives or near a commuter station.

[0006] Car sharing allows users to reduce various costs, such as the cost of acquiring and maintaining a car, as well as parking fees, compared to owning a car.

[0007] Furthermore, the widespread adoption of car sharing is expected to reduce the total number of cars on the road, easing traffic congestion in urban areas and reducing energy consumption, which is expected to have the effect of curbing global warming caused by carbon dioxide.

[0008] In a system that enables car sharing as described above (in this specification and claims, a "system that enables car sharing" will be referred to as a "car sharing system" as appropriate), an administrator prepares an automobile as a vehicle equipped with an onboard unit for business purposes, and then provides the automobile to multiple users who have registered as members.

[0009] Here, the in-vehicle device is a device for managing automobiles as vehicles in a car sharing system.

[0010] Users share a vehicle equipped with an on-board device and pay the administrator any fees incurred in connection with the use of the vehicle.

[0011] That is, in such a car sharing system, an administrator manages the car sharing system and also maintains and manages the cars equipped with on-board devices for management by the car sharing system.

[0012] The administrator also recruits users to share the car, concludes a contract regarding the use of the car between the administrator and multiple users who respond to the recruitment, and provides the car equipped with the on-board device to the multiple users.

[0013] Each user then reserves the use of a vehicle provided by the administrator (i.e., a vehicle equipped with an on-board device) before actually starting to use the vehicle, and the vehicle is shared among the users.

[0014] The administrator will also be responsible for making reservations for the use of such vehicles and managing the reservation site for making reservations.

[0015] In a car sharing system, when a user returns a used car, the user pays the administrator the fee incurred from the use of the car.

[0016] Conventionally, in the car sharing system described above, for example, a car sharing system as shown in Figure 1 is constructed, and the car sharing system appropriately executes various processes including a reservation process for users to reserve the use of a vehicle, a reservable vehicle management process for managing vehicles that can be reserved by users, a cancellation process for canceling a reservation for the use of a vehicle that a user has reserved before starting to use the vehicle, a return process for users to return the vehicle that they have used, and an operation management process for managing the operation of the vehicle.

[0017] That is, Figure 1 shows an explanatory diagram that schematically illustrates a car sharing system using conventional technology. This car sharing system 100 using conventional technology is composed of a server 108 that is connected to various communication devices such as a personal computer 102 of the administrator of the car sharing system 100, a personal computer 104 of a user who has become a member of the administrator, and an information terminal 106 including the user's mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet via an information and communication network such as a mobile phone network or the Internet, an onboard unit 112 that is installed in a shared car 110 and is connected to the server 108 via an information and communication network such as a mobile phone network or the Internet, a card reader 114 that is attached to a predetermined position such as near the rear window of the automobile 110 and connected to the onboard unit 112, and a key box 116 that is installed in a predetermined position such as inside the dashboard of the automobile 110 and connected to the onboard unit 112.

[0018] In the above configuration, to reserve or use a car 110 using the car sharing system 100, the user first registers as a member with the administrator.

[0019] At this time, the administrator creates a user-specific registration code for each user and issues an IC card that stores the registration code as an authentication code as a user card for using the car sharing system 100, and provides it to each user.

[0020] Instead of providing each user with an IC card that stores the above-mentioned registration code as an authentication code, a method has been proposed in which the driver's license information recorded on the user's driver's license is used as the registration code or authentication code, and the driver's license is used as the above-mentioned usage card similar to the IC card.

[0021] In addition to the above methods, a method has also been proposed in which, when a user uses the car sharing system 100 for the first time, a registration code and an authentication code are generated based on an IC card that the user already owns, and the IC card that the user already owns is used as the above-mentioned usage card.

[0022] When a user makes a reservation for a car 110, the user uses a personal computer 104 or an information terminal 106 to access a reservation site provided on a server 108, checks the reservation status of the car 110, and makes a reservation for the car 110 that meets the user's request.

[0023] Thereafter, when the reserved start time arrives, the reservation information is sent from the server 108 to the vehicle-mounted device 112 via the information communication network, and the card reader 114 is activated.

[0024] On the other hand, the user goes to the parking lot where the car 110 is parked at the reserved start time, and receives authentication by having the card reader 114 read the above-mentioned card, which unlocks the door of the car 110 and allows the key to be removed from the key box 116, allowing the car 110 to be used.

[0025] The user will use the car 110 until the reserved end time, and by parking the car 110 in a designated parking lot by the reserved end time, storing the key in the key box 116, closing all doors, and having the card reader 114 read the above-mentioned card for authentication, the return process for the car 110 will be completed and the use of the car 110 will be terminated.

[0026] The vehicle-mounted device 112 then confirms the usage time, mileage, and the condition of the automobile 110, and calculates the fee for using the automobile 110 by adding a distance fee according to the mileage to an hourly fee according to the confirmed usage time, and notifies the user's personal computer 104, information terminal 106, etc. of the calculated fee.

[0027] The administrator can also check the usage status of such users using the personal computer 102 or the like.

[0028] Furthermore, the administrator can also check various problems occurring in the car sharing system 100 using the personal computer 102 or the like.

[0029] In a car sharing system 100 using such conventional technology, for example, if an electric vehicle is used as the shared car 110, it takes a long time to charge the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle from a charger, and charging equipment capable of charging the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle is not widely available, which has been an obstacle to using electric vehicles as shared cars.

[0030] For example, when a user starts using an electric vehicle as a shared car, if the electric vehicle's battery does not have enough electricity to reach the user's destination, the user will have to spend a long time charging the battery before setting off for the destination, which is a problem.

[0031] For this reason, in car sharing systems that use electric vehicles as shared cars, there has been a demand for a method to manage various information related to electric vehicles and the storage batteries installed in those electric vehicles, including the SOC (state of charge) of the storage batteries installed in the electric vehicles, the charge / discharge status, and the electrical connection status between the storage battery and the charger, which is indicated by the insertion / removal status of the EV plug between the storage battery and the charger.

[0032] In addition, the prior art that the applicant of the present application knew at the time of filing the patent application is not an invention related to an invention publicly known in a literature, and therefore there is no prior art literature information to be described in the present specification. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0033] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned needs of the conventional technology, and its purpose is to provide a car sharing system, car sharing method, program, and computer-readable recording medium that, when an electric vehicle is used as a shared car in a car sharing program, can manage various information about the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, including the SOC of the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, the charge / discharge state, and the electrical connection state between the storage battery and the charger, which is indicated by the insertion / removal state of the EV plug between the storage battery and the charger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0034] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the car sharing system and car sharing method according to the present invention are provided with a monitoring means for monitoring a charger for charging a storage battery mounted on an electric vehicle, and by the monitoring means monitoring the charger, the monitoring means is able to obtain various information about the electric vehicle and the storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle via the charger, including the SOC of the storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle, its charge / discharge state, and the electrical connection state between the storage battery and the charger, which is indicated by the insertion / removal state of the EV plug between the storage battery and the charger.

[0035] Therefore, according to the car sharing system and car sharing method of the present invention, the various pieces of information obtained by the monitoring means monitoring the chargers can be appropriately managed.

[0036] Here, various information about electric vehicles and the storage batteries installed in the electric vehicles, including the SOC of the storage batteries installed in the electric vehicles, the charge / discharge status, and the electrical connection status between the storage batteries and the charger, which is indicated by the insertion / removal status of the EV plug between the storage batteries and the charger, can of course be obtained from the electric vehicle. However, the specifications for obtaining the status from the storage batteries vary depending on the automobile manufacturer and model, and in fact, these specifications are often not disclosed to the public, making it extremely difficult to obtain such information from the electric vehicle.

[0037] However, according to the car sharing system and car sharing method of the present invention, the monitoring means monitors the charger, thereby obtaining various information about the electric vehicle and the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, including the SOC of the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, its charge / discharge state, and the electrical connection state between the storage battery and the charger, which is indicated by the insertion / removal state of the EV plug between the storage battery and the charger, etc., regardless of the automobile manufacturer or model.

[0038] Therefore, when operating a car sharing system using electric vehicles as shared cars, it will be possible to easily select and operate shared cars as appropriate without being limited by car manufacturer or model.

[0039] In other words, the car sharing system of the present invention is a car sharing system that uses electric vehicles as shared cars, and has a charger that charges the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, and a monitoring means that monitors the charger, and when the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means obtains information about the electric vehicle and the storage battery via the charger.

[0040] Furthermore, the car sharing system of the present invention is the car sharing system of the present invention described above, further comprising a reservable vehicle management processing means for managing vehicles that can be reserved by users, wherein the information acquired by the monitoring means is vehicle information of the electric vehicle and the SOC of the storage battery, and the reservable vehicle management processing means restricts the electric vehicle of the vehicle information from being reserved for a predetermined period of time when the SOC for the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a predetermined value.

[0041] Furthermore, the car sharing system of the present invention is the car sharing system of the present invention described above, further comprising a cancellation processing means for canceling a reservation for use of the vehicle reserved by a user, free of charge or for a fee, before the user begins using the vehicle, wherein the information acquired by the monitoring means is vehicle information of the electric vehicle and the SOC of the storage battery, and the cancellation processing means cancels the reservation for use of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means, free of charge, when the SOC for the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset value.

[0042] In addition, a car sharing system according to the present invention is a car sharing system that uses electric vehicles as shared cars, and includes a charger that charges the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, a monitoring means for monitoring the charger, a reservable vehicle management processing means that manages vehicles that can be reserved by users, and a cancellation processing means that cancels a reservation for use of the vehicle reserved by the user, either free of charge or for a fee, before the vehicle begins to be used, wherein when the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means acquires vehicle information for the electric vehicle and the SOC of the storage battery via the charger, and when the SOC for the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a predetermined first value, the reservable vehicle management processing means restricts the electric vehicle in the vehicle information from being reserved for a predetermined time period, and when the SOC for the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a predetermined second value, the cancellation processing means cancels the reservation for use of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information, free of charge.

[0043] Furthermore, the car sharing system of the present invention is the car sharing system of the present invention described above, further comprising a return processing means for returning the vehicle used by the user, wherein the monitoring means acquires connection status information indicating the connection status between the electric vehicle and the charger, and the return processing means completes the return processing when the connection status information acquired by the monitoring means is connection status information indicating that the electric vehicle and the charger are connected.

[0044] In addition, the car sharing system of the present invention is the car sharing system of the present invention described above, further comprising a return processing means for returning the vehicle used by the user, wherein the monitoring means acquires charge / discharge information indicating whether the storage battery is in a charged state, a discharged state or a standby state, and the return processing means completes the return processing when the charge / discharge information acquired by the monitoring means indicates a charged state.

[0045] In addition, the car sharing method of the present invention is a car sharing method that uses an electric vehicle as a shared car, and has a charger that charges a storage battery installed in the electric vehicle and a monitoring means that monitors the charger, and when the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means obtains information about the electric vehicle and the storage battery via the charger.

[0046] Furthermore, in the car sharing method of the present invention, in the car sharing method of the present invention described above, the information acquired by the monitoring means is vehicle information of the electric vehicle and the SOC of the storage battery, and when the SOC for the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset value, the electric vehicle in the vehicle information is restricted so that it cannot be reserved for a preset time period.

[0047] Furthermore, in the car sharing method of the present invention, in the car sharing method of the present invention described above, the information acquired by the monitoring means is vehicle information of the electric vehicle and the SOC of the storage battery, and when the SOC for the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset value, the reservation for use of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information is canceled free of charge.

[0048] In addition, the car sharing method of the present invention is a car sharing method in which electric vehicles are used as shared cars, and includes a charger that charges a storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, and a monitoring means that monitors the charger.When the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means acquires vehicle information about the electric vehicle and the SOC of the storage battery via the charger, and when the SOC for the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a predetermined first value, the electric vehicle in the vehicle information is restricted from being reserved for a predetermined time period, and when the SOC for the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a predetermined second value, the reservation for use of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information is canceled free of charge.

[0049] Furthermore, the car sharing method of the present invention is the car sharing method of the present invention described above, further comprising: acquiring connection status information indicating the connection status between the electric vehicle and the charger by the monitoring means; and completing the return process when the connection status information acquired by the monitoring means indicates that the electric vehicle and the charger are connected.

[0050] In addition, the car sharing method of the present invention is the car sharing method of the present invention described above, further comprising: acquiring charging / discharging information indicating whether the storage battery is in a charging state, a discharging state, or a standby state by the monitoring means; and completing the return process when the charging / discharging information acquired by the monitoring means indicates a charging state.

[0051] Furthermore, a program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to function as the above-described car sharing system.

[0052] Furthermore, a program according to the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described car sharing method.

[0053] Furthermore, a computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention is a computer-readable recording medium on which the above-mentioned program is recorded. [Effects of the Invention]

[0054] As the present invention is configured as described above, when an electric vehicle is used as a shared car in a car sharing service, it has the excellent effect of making it possible to manage various information related to the electric vehicle and the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, including the SOC of the storage battery installed in the electric vehicle, the charge / discharge state, and the electrical connection state between the storage battery and the charger, which is indicated by the insertion / removal state of the EV plug between the storage battery and the charger. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0055] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram that schematically shows a car sharing system according to the prior art. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically illustrating a car sharing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the charger monitoring device in the car sharing system shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a charger monitoring processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention of the charger monitoring device in the car sharing system shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a reservable vehicle management processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a cancellation processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a return processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system shown in FIG. [Figure 8]FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a return processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0056] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of a car sharing system, a car sharing method, a program, and a computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0057] In the following explanation, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the conventional car sharing system described with reference to Figure 1 will be indicated using the same reference numerals as those used above, and detailed explanations of their configurations and functions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0058] (I) Explanation of the overall structure and operation of the car sharing system

[0059] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram that schematically shows a car sharing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] The car sharing system 10 according to the present invention shown in FIG. 2 uses an electric vehicle 12 as a shared car.

[0061] The electric vehicle 12 is equipped with a storage battery 14 , and the storage battery 14 is monitored and controlled by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 16 installed in the electric vehicle 12 .

[0062] In order to simplify the explanation and clarify the technical details, the explanation of the conventional car sharing system 100 explained with reference to Figure 1 was omitted, but the automobile 110 is also equipped with an ECU.

[0063] In addition to the components of the conventional car sharing system 100 described above, the car sharing system 10 is configured to include a charger 18, which is a charging facility for charging the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12, and a charger monitoring device 20, which is a monitoring means that is electrically connected to the charger 18 wirelessly or via a wire and monitors the charger 18.

[0064] Here, the charger 18 is a charging facility that is installed, for example, at a place (station) where the electric vehicle 12 that is not in use is kept waiting, or at a parking lot.

[0065] The charger 18 includes charging equipment installed at stations and parking lots, as well as charging equipment installed at various locations such as roadside stations and shopping malls.

[0066] The electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 can be electrically connected via an EV plug 22 or the like, and various information related to the electric vehicle 12 and the storage battery 14, such as vehicle information of the electric vehicle 12 ("vehicle information" will be described in detail later) and information about the storage battery 14, is output from the ECU 16 of the electric vehicle 12 to the charger 16 connected to the electric vehicle 12.

[0067] The charger monitoring device 20 is also connected to a server 108 via an information and communication network such as a mobile phone network or the Internet.

[0068] In the following specification and claims, "electrical connection" will be referred to simply as "connection" where appropriate.

[0069] (II) Explanation of the configuration and operation of the charger monitoring device

[0070] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the charger monitoring device 20 in the car sharing system 10.

[0071] The charger monitoring device 20 is constructed using a computer system and includes a server information input unit 20a that inputs information from the server 108, a server information output unit 20b that outputs information to the server 108, a charger information input unit 20c that inputs information from the charger 18, a charger information output unit 20d that outputs information to the charger 18, a connection status detection unit 20e that detects the electrical connection status between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12, a connection status information acquisition unit 20f that acquires connection status information that indicates the electrical connection status between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12, a vehicle information acquisition unit 20g that acquires vehicle information of the electric vehicle 12 connected to the charger 18 via the charger 18, a charge / discharge information acquisition unit 20h that acquires the charge / discharge status of the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12 via the charger 18, and an SOC acquisition unit 20i that acquires the SOC of the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12 via the charger 18.

[0072] Here, the server information input unit 20a inputs various control instructions from the server 108, including inquiries about information output from the server 108 and instructions for charging and discharging the charger 18, etc.

[0073] Next, the server information output unit 20b responds to inquiries about the information output from the server 108 and various control instructions including charging and discharging in the charger 18, and outputs various information to the server 108 periodically or when there is a change in the information.

[0074] Next, the charger information input unit 20c inputs various information from the charger 18, including information about the charger 18 itself output from the charger 18, the status of the electric vehicle 12 connected to the charger 18, and the status of the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12.

[0075] Next, the charger information output unit 20d outputs to the charger 18 various control instructions including inquiries about information to the charger 18 and instructions for charging and discharging in the charger 18.

[0076] Next, the connection state detection unit 20e constantly detects the electrical connection state between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12, i.e., whether or not they are electrically connected, from the time the charger monitoring device 20 is started until it is stopped.

[0077] Such an electrical connection state can be detected based on, for example, the plugged-in or unplugged state of the EV plug 22 between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12.

[0078] Specifically, when the EV plug 22 of the charger 18 is inserted into the electric vehicle 12, it is detected that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are electrically connected.

[0079] On the other hand, if the EV plug 22 of the charger 18 is not inserted into the electric vehicle 12, i.e., if the EV plug 22 is unplugged from the electric vehicle 12, it is detected that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are not electrically connected.

[0080] Next, the connection state information acquisition unit 20f acquires connection state information indicating the electrical connection state between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12.

[0081] That is, the connection status information acquisition unit 20f acquires information indicating whether the charger 18 is electrically connected to the electric vehicle 12 via an EV plug or the like. The acquired connection status information is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108.

[0082] Specifically, when the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are electrically connected, the connection status information acquisition unit 20f acquires connection status on information as connection status information indicating that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are electrically connected, and the connection status on information indicating that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are electrically connected is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108.

[0083] Then, the server 108 updates the connection state between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 stored in the server 108 to a state in which the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are electrically connected.

[0084] Furthermore, when the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are no longer electrically connected, the connection status acquisition unit 20f acquires connection status off information as connection status information indicating that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are no longer electrically connected, and the connection status off information indicating that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are no longer electrically connected is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108.

[0085] Then, the server 108 updates the connection state between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 stored in the server 108 to a state in which the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are not electrically connected.

[0086] Next, the vehicle information acquisition unit 20g acquires vehicle information of the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18. Here, the vehicle information is data that can individually identify the vehicle 12, such as the vehicle number, the vehicle registration plate, or the number printed on the vehicle plate.

[0087] The vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 20g is output to the server 108 from the server information output unit 20b.

[0088] The server 108 can then identify the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18 based on the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 20g.

[0089] Next, the charge / discharge information acquisition unit 20h acquires charge / discharge information indicating whether the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18 is in a charging state where charging is being performed, a discharging state where discharging is being performed, or a standby state where neither charging nor discharging is being performed.

[0090] The charge / discharge information acquired by the charge / discharge state acquisition unit 20h is output to the server 108 from the server information output unit 20b.

[0091] Then, based on the charge / discharge information acquired by the charge / discharge status acquisition unit 20g, the server 108 can determine whether the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18 is in a charging state, a discharging state, or a standby state.

[0092] Next, the SOC acquisition unit 20i acquires the SOC of the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18.

[0093] The SOC acquired by the SOC acquisition unit 20i is output to the server 108 from the server information output unit 20b.

[0094] The server 108 can then identify the SOC of the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18 based on the SOC acquired by the SOC acquisition unit 20h.

[0095] (III) Overview of the process related to the implementation of the present invention in a car sharing system

[0096] In the above configuration, the car sharing system 10, like the conventional car sharing system 100 described above, appropriately uses conventionally known technologies to appropriately execute various processes, including a reservation process for users to make reservations for the use of electric vehicles 12, a reservable vehicle management process for managing electric vehicles 12 that can be reserved by users, a cancellation process for canceling a reservation for the use of an electric vehicle 12 that a user has reserved before starting to use the electric vehicle 12, a return process for returning an electric vehicle 12 that a user has used, and an operation management process for managing the operation of the electric vehicle 12.

[0097] These various processes are executed by the server 108, the personal computers 102 and 104, the information terminal 106, and the charger monitoring device 20 in cooperation with each other.

[0098] Here, in the car sharing system 10, a charger monitoring device 20 is connected to the charger 18, and the charger monitoring device 20 is connected to the server 108. Therefore, in addition to the conventional processing using the above-mentioned conventionally known technology, connection status information between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12, vehicle information of the electric vehicle 12 currently connected to the charger 18, charge / discharge information of the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12, and the SOC of the storage battery 14 mounted on the electric vehicle 12 are output to the server 108.

[0099] That is, by connecting the charger monitoring device 20 to the charger 18, the state of the electric vehicle 12 and the state of the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12 can be monitored via the charger 18, and the various types of monitored information can be reflected in the various types of information stored in the server 108.

[0100] Therefore, the administrator or user can check the reflected information by image or sound using various communication devices such as the personal computers 102 and 104 or the information terminal 106 .

[0101] The various information output to the server 108 is reflected in various processes, such as a reservable vehicle management process for managing electric vehicles 12 that can be reserved by users, a cancellation process for canceling a reservation for use of an electric vehicle 12 that a user has reserved before the electric vehicle 12 begins to be used, or a return process for returning an electric vehicle 12 that a user has used, and in addition to conventional processes that use publicly known technology, processing according to the reflected information is carried out and provided to the administrator and the user.

[0102] Therefore, for example, when a user of a car sharing system makes a reservation for the use of an electric vehicle 12, the user can avoid making a reservation for an electric vehicle 12 whose storage battery 14 does not have enough charged power to reach the user's destination.

[0103] Furthermore, if a user of the car sharing system finds out before starting to use the reserved electric vehicle 12 that the amount of electricity charged in the storage battery 14 is insufficient, the user can cancel the reservation for use of the electric vehicle 12.

[0104] Furthermore, when a user of the car sharing system finishes using the electric vehicle 12 that he or she has used and performs the return process to return the electric vehicle 12 that he or she has used, it becomes possible to determine and manage whether or not to complete the return process depending on the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 and the status of the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle.

[0105] In the following, various processes related to the implementation of the present invention will be described in detail for the car sharing system 10 according to the present invention.

[0106] (IV) Explanation of the processing of the charger monitoring device in the car sharing system

[0107] First, the processing of the charger monitoring device 20 in the car sharing system 10 will be described.

[0108] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating a charger monitoring processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention by the charger monitoring device 20 in the car sharing system 10.

[0109] This charger monitoring processing routine indicates a charger monitoring processing routine when the charger monitoring device 20 periodically outputs information to the server 108, and is periodically and repeatedly executed at a predetermined time interval (for example, at 1-second intervals).

[0110] First, when the charger monitoring process routine is started, the connection state detection unit 20e detects whether the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are connected to each other (step S402).

[0111] In the detection process of step S402, if it is detected that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are connected (Yes), the process proceeds to step S404, and the connection status on information acquired by the connection status information acquisition unit 20f is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108.

[0112] When the process of step S404 is completed, the process proceeds to step S406, where the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 20g is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server .

[0113] After completing the processing of step S406, the process proceeds to step S408, and the charging / discharging information acquired by the charging / discharging information acquisition unit 20h, i.e., the charging / discharging information indicating whether the storage battery 14 is in a charging state, a discharging state, or a standby state, is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108.

[0114] After the process of step S408 is completed, the process proceeds to step S410, the SOC acquired by the SOC acquisition unit 20i is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108, and the charger monitoring process routine is terminated.

[0115] On the other hand, if it is detected in the detection process of step S402 that the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are not connected (No), the process proceeds to step S412, the connection status off information acquired by the connection status information acquisition unit 20f is output from the server information output unit 20b to the server 108, and this charger monitoring process routine is terminated.

[0116] The server 108 performs a process of reflecting the various information output from the charger monitoring process routine described above in the various information stored in the server 108.

[0117] Therefore, according to the charger monitoring processing routine described above, the charger monitoring processing routine is executed periodically and repeatedly at predetermined time intervals, and therefore, each time the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12 are connected, various pieces of information relating to the electric vehicle 12 and the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 are output to the server 108, and the server 108 can update the various pieces of information to the latest information.

[0118] (V) Explanation of the management process for reservable electric vehicles in a car sharing system

[0119] Next, a process for managing the electric vehicles 12 available for reservation by users on the server 108 in the car sharing system 10 will be described.

[0120] As explained in the charger monitoring process routine above, this car sharing system 10 can obtain the latest SOC for each electric vehicle 12 when a user makes a reservation or when the user actually starts using the electric vehicle.

[0121] Therefore, the administrator can restrict the electric vehicle 12 whose SOC is lower than a preset value so that it cannot be reserved in advance.

[0122] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a reservable vehicle management processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system 10.

[0123] This reservable vehicle management processing routine is executed, for example, every time the server 108 updates the SOC.

[0124] First, when the reservable vehicle management processing routine is started, the electric vehicle 12 with the updated SOC is identified from the vehicle information (step S502).

[0125] After the process of step S502 is completed, the process proceeds to step S504, where it is determined whether the updated SOC of the electric vehicle 12 identified in the process of step S502 is less than a preset minimum value.

[0126] If it is determined in the determination process of step S504 that the updated SOC is less than the preset minimum value (Yes), the process proceeds to the process of step S506, where the time interval from the current time to the preset elapsed time is set as a reservation restricted time period, and a restriction is imposed so that reservations for the electric vehicle 12 identified in step S502 cannot be obtained during this reservation restricted time period, and the reservable vehicle management processing routine is terminated.

[0127] Therefore, during the reservation restricted time period, if the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 identified in step S502 is below a predetermined minimum value, a reservation cannot be made. On the other hand, once the reservation restricted time period has passed, a reservation can be made for the electric vehicle 12 identified in step S502.

[0128] Here, the reservation restriction time period can be, for example, a time interval (for example, several hours) during which the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 is expected to recover and reach or exceed the minimum value, and can be set individually for each electric vehicle 12 or each model of electric vehicle 12 managed by the administrator, or can be set uniformly for all electric vehicles 12 managed by the administrator, and can be set as appropriate by the administrator.

[0129] On the other hand, if it is not determined in the determination process of step S504 that the updated SOC is less than the preset minimum value (No), the reservable vehicle management process routine is terminated.

[0130] Therefore, if the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 identified in step S502 is equal to or greater than a preset minimum value, reservations can be made without any restrictions.

[0131] Therefore, according to the above-described reservable vehicle management processing routine, when a user makes a reservation for the use of an electric vehicle 12 using various communication devices such as a personal computer 104 or an information terminal 106, it is possible to restrict the reservation so that electric vehicles 12 with an SOC below a preset value cannot be reserved during the reservation restriction time period.

[0132] (VI) Explanation of the cancellation process for reservations for electric vehicles in a car sharing system

[0133] Next, a cancellation process will be described, which is a process for canceling a reservation for use of an electric vehicle 12 reserved by a user in the car sharing system 10 before the user starts using the electric vehicle 12.

[0134] According to this car sharing system 10, if a user cancels a reservation for use of an electric vehicle 12 that the user has reserved before starting to use the vehicle due to low SOC, the administrator can process the cancellation so that the reservation can be canceled without incurring a cancellation fee, even in situations where a cancellation fee would normally be incurred.

[0135] By performing the above-described processing, the administrator can improve the convenience for users.

[0136] FIG. 6 shows a flowchart illustrating a cancellation processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system 10.

[0137] This cancellation processing routine is executed when a user performs a cancellation processing operation using various communication devices such as a personal computer 104 or an information terminal 106 to cancel a reservation for use of an electric vehicle 12 that the user has made.

[0138] First, when this cancellation processing routine is started, the electric vehicle 12 to be cancelled for which the reservation is to be cancelled is identified from the vehicle information, and it is determined whether the timing of the cancellation processing operation for that electric vehicle 12 is within a free cancellation time period, which is a time period during which the reservation for that electric vehicle 12 can be cancelled free of charge (step S602).

[0139] The administrator may set any time period as appropriate for this free time period.

[0140] If it is not determined in the determination process of step S602 that the timing of the cancellation operation is within the free cancellation time period, which is a time period during which a reservation can be canceled free of charge (No), the process proceeds to step S604, where it is determined whether the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 to be canceled, whose reservation is to be canceled, is equal to or less than the upper limit value previously set as the upper limit value for which a reservation can be canceled free of charge.

[0141] If it is determined in the determination process of step S604 that the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 to be canceled is equal to or lower than the upper limit value (Yes), the process proceeds to the process of step S606, where a free cancellation process is performed to cancel the reservation free of charge without charging the user a cancellation fee, and the cancellation process routine is terminated.

[0142] It should be noted that conventionally known techniques can be applied to the free cancellation process.

[0143] On the other hand, if it is determined in the determination process of step S604 that the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 to be canceled is not equal to or lower than the upper limit value (No), the process proceeds to the process of step S608, where a paid cancellation process is performed to charge the user a cancellation fee and cancel the reservation for a fee, and then this cancellation process routine is terminated.

[0144] It should be noted that conventionally known techniques can be applied to the paid cancellation process.

[0145] On the other hand, if it is determined in the judgment process of step S602 that the timing of the cancellation operation is within the free time period during which cancellation is possible free of charge (Yes), the process proceeds to the process of step S606, where free cancellation processing is performed to cancel the reservation free of charge without charging the user a cancellation fee, and the cancellation processing routine is terminated.

[0146] As described above, conventionally known techniques can be applied to the free cancellation process.

[0147] Therefore, according to the above-described cancellation processing routine, if a user performs a cancellation process to cancel a reservation for use because the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 for which use has been reserved is below the upper limit value, the user can cancel the reservation free of charge without incurring a cancellation fee, even if the cancellation occurs during a time period when a cancellation fee would normally be incurred.

[0148] (VII) Explanation of the return process for electric vehicles in a car sharing system

[0149] Next, a return process for a user to return the electric vehicle 12 used by the user in the car sharing system 10 will be described.

[0150] As described above, the car sharing system 10 can acquire connection status information (connection status on information, connection status off information) and charge / discharge information (charge status, discharge status, standby status).

[0151] Therefore, when a return process is performed to return an electric vehicle 12 used by a user, the return process can be completed if the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 used by the user and the charger 18 can be confirmed from the connection status information (i.e., if the connection status information is connection status on information).

[0152] Alternatively, when a return process is carried out to return an electric vehicle 12 used by a user, the return process can be completed if it is confirmed from the charge / discharge information that the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 used by the user is in a charged state.

[0153] Here, whether the return process can be completed when the above-mentioned connected state can be confirmed, or whether the return process can be completed when the above-mentioned charging state can be confirmed, for example, the return process can be completed only when both the connected state and the charging state can be confirmed, or the return process can be completed when either one of them can be confirmed.

[0154] Furthermore, for each individual electric vehicle 12 or each model, the return process may be completed only if both of the above conditions are confirmed, or alternatively, the return process may be completed if either of the conditions is confirmed.

[0155] As described above, the return process can be completed when the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 used by the user and the charger 18 can be confirmed, or when it can be confirmed that the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 used by the user is in a charging state, thereby encouraging the user to perform charging operations such as charging the storage battery 14 after finishing using the electric vehicle 12.

[0156] As a result, when the next user uses the electric vehicle 12, it is possible to maintain a state in which a sufficient amount of power is stored in the storage battery 14.

[0157] Furthermore, if the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 used by the user and the charger 18 cannot be confirmed, or if it cannot be confirmed that the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 used by the user is in a charged state, the return process will not be completed, and the user can be encouraged to return the electric vehicle 12 to a return location that has a pre-set charger 18, thereby preventing the electric vehicle 12 from being returned to a location other than the designated location.

[0158] 7 and 8 are flowcharts showing a return processing routine related to the implementation of the present invention in the car sharing system 10.

[0159] First, the return processing routine shown in FIG. 7 is an example in which, when a user performs the return process to return the electric vehicle 12 that the user has used, the return process can be completed if the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 used by the user and the charger 18 can be confirmed.

[0160] This return processing routine is executed when the user performs a return processing operation to return the electric vehicle 12 that he or she has used, using various communication devices such as the personal computer 104 or the information terminal 106.

[0161] First, when this return processing routine is started, the electric vehicle 12 to be returned is identified from the vehicle information, the connection status detection unit 20e detects the connection status between the charger 18 and the electric vehicle 12, and it is determined whether the connection status information acquired by the connection status information acquisition unit 20f and input to the server 108 is connection status on information or connection status off information (step S702).

[0162] If it is determined in the determination process of step S702 that the connection status information is connection status off information, that is, if the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 cannot be confirmed, the process proceeds to step S704, and without completing the return process, the user is notified that the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 cannot be confirmed by means of a display on the screen of the personal computer 104 or the information terminal 106, a sound from these, or a sound from a speaker (not shown) provided in the key box 116, and the user is notified to perform a charging operation such as a charging operation to charge the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12, by urging the user to perform a connection operation to connect the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 (specifically, for example, an operation to connect the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 using the EV plug 22), and the process returns to step S702.

[0163] On the other hand, if it is determined in the determination process of step S702 that the connection status information is connection status ON information, that is, if the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 can be confirmed, the process proceeds to the process of step S706, where a conventionally known return process is performed to complete the return process, and the return process routine ends.

[0164] Next, the return processing routine shown in Figure 8 shows an example in which, when performing the return process to return the electric vehicle 12 used by the user, the return process can be completed if it is confirmed that the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 used by the user is in a charged state.

[0165] This return processing routine is executed when the user performs a return processing operation to return the electric vehicle 12 that he or she has used, using various communication devices such as the personal computer 104 or the information terminal 106.

[0166] First, when this return processing routine is started, the electric vehicle 12 to be returned is identified from the vehicle information, and it is determined whether the charge / discharge information for the electric vehicle 12 acquired by the charge / discharge information acquisition unit 20h indicates that the electric vehicle 12 is in a charging state (step S802).

[0167] If it is determined in the determination process of step S802 that the charge / discharge information does not indicate that the electric vehicle 12 is in a charging state (No), the process proceeds to step S804, and the return process is not completed, but the user is notified that the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 is not in a charging state by a display on the screen of the personal computer 104 or the information terminal 106, a voice from these, or a voice from a speaker (not shown) provided in the key box 116, and the user is notified to perform a charging operation such as a charging operation to charge the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12, such as by urging the user to perform a connection operation to connect the electric vehicle 12 to the charger 18 (specifically, for example, an operation to connect the electric vehicle 12 to the charger 18 using the EV plug 22), and the process returns to step S802.

[0168] On the other hand, if it is determined in the judgment process of step S802 that the charge / discharge information indicates that the battery is in a charging state (Yes), the process proceeds to step S806, where a conventionally known return process is performed to complete the return process, and the return process routine is terminated.

[0169] Therefore, according to the return processing routine described above, when a user is performing the return process to return an electric vehicle that they have used, it is possible to encourage the user to perform charging operations such as charging the storage battery, which makes it possible to maintain a state in which a sufficient amount of power is charged in the storage battery 14 when the next user uses the electric vehicle 12.It is also possible to encourage the user to return the electric vehicle 12 to a return location that has a pre-set charger 18, which makes it possible to prevent the electric vehicle 12 from being returned to a location other than the designated location.

[0170] (VIII) Effects of car sharing systems

[0171] As described above, according to the car sharing system 10 of the present invention, the charger monitoring device 20 monitors the charger 18 to obtain various pieces of information about the electric vehicle 12 and the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle 12, and this information can be appropriately managed in the server 108.

[0172] Therefore, the manager can use a communication terminal such as the personal computer 102 to monitor and operate the electric vehicle 12, thereby improving the convenience of operation management.

[0173] For example, the administrator can check the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18, so if the electric vehicle 12 is not connected when it should be connected, the administrator can immediately respond to the problem.

[0174] In addition, the administrator can monitor the SOC of the electric vehicle 12, and if the SOC is low, the administrator can request the user or an administrator's worker to perform charging operations, and can also determine and implement suspension of reservations or suspension of use of the electric vehicle 12.

[0175] Alternatively, if the administrator has set up a call center or the like, the administrator can provide support to users by informing them that the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 that has been reserved is low and allowing them to decide whether or not to use the vehicle.

[0176] Furthermore, if the storage battery 14 of the electric vehicle 12 is not in a charging state, SOC management can be performed by requesting the charger 18 to charge via the server 108 and starting charging, if necessary.

[0177] Furthermore, the user can use a communication terminal such as the personal computer 104 or the information terminal 106 to appropriately reserve the electric vehicle 12 and decide when to start using it.

[0178] That is, by checking the SOC before reserving the electric vehicle 12, it is possible to avoid reserving an electric vehicle 12 with a low SOC, and by checking the SOC before starting to use the reserved electric vehicle 12, it is possible to determine whether to start using the reserved electric vehicle 12 or cancel use depending on whether the SOC of the reserved electric vehicle 12 is high or low.

[0179] Furthermore, when a user of the car sharing system finishes using the electric vehicle 12 and returns the electric vehicle 12, it becomes possible to determine and manage whether or not to complete the return process depending on the connection status between the electric vehicle 12 and the charger 18 and the status of the storage battery 14 installed in the electric vehicle.

[0180] In other words, in the car sharing system 10 according to the present invention, the SOC and the charge state of the storage battery 14 can be accurately managed, thereby improving reliability when reserving and returning the electric vehicle 12 and reducing the occurrence of problems between the administrator and the user when reserving and returning the electric vehicle 12.

[0181] That is, in car sharing, managing the state of the electric vehicle 12, especially the SOC, is important because, unlike refueling with gasoline, charging takes time. The car sharing system 10 of the present invention allows the SOC of the electric vehicle 12 to be checked accurately and easily, and when the SOC is low, i.e., when the remaining battery power is low, this can be used by the administrator to make decisions about reservations or suspending use, or by users themselves to make decisions about use. Specifically, this can avoid the inconvenience of a user starting to use the electric vehicle 12 only to find that the battery is empty, for example, and can only travel 10 km, and then having to wait for several tens of minutes for charging to restore the battery. Furthermore, when returning the battery after use, the completion of the return process, i.e., the end of use, can be triggered by whether the EV plug 22 of the charger 18 is connected to the electric vehicle 12 or whether the storage battery 14 is in a charging state, which is expected to reduce problems such as the battery not being charged when the next user uses the battery.

[0182] Furthermore, if the status of the electric vehicle 12 can be monitored and managed while it is waiting to be used at the station where it is parked, the user can visually check the status of the electric vehicle 12 after use has begun, so there is little need in the car sharing system to manage the SOC after use has begun.

[0183] Therefore, as in the car sharing system 10 of the present invention, the acquisition of information only from the charger 18 can be fully utilized for the operation of car sharing.

[0184] (IX) Description of Other Embodiments and Modifications

[0185] It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present invention can be embodied in various other forms. In other words, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0186] For example, the above-described embodiment may be modified as shown in the following (IX-1) to (IX-4).

[0187] (IX-1) In the above-described embodiment, detailed explanations have been omitted to simplify the explanation and make the present invention easier to understand, but it goes without saying that in the car sharing system 10 according to the present invention, internal combustion engine vehicles may be used in combination with electric vehicles 12.

[0188] (IX-2) In the above-described embodiment, the charger monitoring device 20 is connected to the charger 18 wirelessly or by wire, but it is needless to say that this is not limited to this, and the charger monitoring device 20 may be integrally assembled within the charger 18.

[0189] (IX-3) In the above-described embodiment, a mobile phone, a smartphone, or a tablet was used as an example of the information terminal 106, but it goes without saying that the information terminal 106 is not limited to these, and various types of terminals may be used as long as they are capable of transmitting information to and from the server 108.

[0190] (IX-4) It goes without saying that the above-described embodiment and the modifications shown in (IX-1) to (IX-3) above may be combined as appropriate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0191] The present invention can be used for car sharing using electric vehicles as shared cars. [Explanation of symbols]

[0192] 10 Car sharing system 12 Electric vehicles 14 Storage battery 16 ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 18 charger 20 Charger monitoring device (monitoring means) 20a Server information input section 20b Server information output section 20c Charger information input section 20d Charger information output section 20e Connection status detection unit 20f Connection status information acquisition unit 20g Vehicle information acquisition unit 20h Charge / discharge information acquisition section 20i SOC acquisition department 22 EV plug 100 Car sharing system 102 Personal Computer 104 Personal Computer 106 Information terminal 108 Server (reserved vehicle management processing means, cancellation processing means, return processing means) 110 Automobiles 112 Onboard equipment 114 Card Reader 116 Key Box

Claims

1. A car sharing system that uses an electric vehicle as a shared car, A charger for charging a storage battery mounted on an electric vehicle; A monitoring means for monitoring the charger; having In the car sharing system, when the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means acquires information about the electric vehicle and the storage battery via the charger, further comprising: a cancellation processing means for cancelling a reservation for use of a reserved vehicle, either free of charge or for a fee, before the user starts using the reserved vehicle; having the information acquired by the monitoring means is vehicle information of the electric vehicle and an SOC of the storage battery, The cancellation processing means cancels a reservation for use of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means free of charge when the SOC of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset value. A car sharing system characterized by the above.

2. In a car sharing system that uses electric vehicles as shared cars, A charger for charging a storage battery mounted on an electric vehicle; A monitoring means for monitoring the charger; a reservable vehicle management processing means for managing vehicles that can be reserved by users; a cancellation processing means for canceling a reservation for use of the vehicle, either free of charge or for a fee, before the user starts using the reserved vehicle; having When the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means acquires vehicle information of the electric vehicle and an SOC of the storage battery via the charger; the reservable vehicle management processing means, when the SOC of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset first value, restricts the electric vehicle of the vehicle information from being reserved for a preset time period, The cancellation processing means cancels a reservation for use of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means free of charge when the SOC of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset second value. A car sharing system characterized by the above.

3. The car sharing system according to claim 2, further comprising: A return processing means for returning the vehicle used by the user; having The monitoring means acquires connection status information indicating a connection status between the electric vehicle and the charger, The return processing means completes the return process when the connection status information acquired by the monitoring means indicates that the electric vehicle and the charger are connected. A car sharing system characterized by the above.

4. The car sharing system according to claim 2, further comprising: A return processing means for returning the vehicle used by the user; having The monitoring means acquires charge / discharge information indicating whether the storage battery is in a charging state, a discharging state, or a standby state; The return processing means completes the return processing when the charge / discharge information acquired by the monitoring means indicates a charged state. A car sharing system characterized by the above.

5. This is a car sharing method that uses electric vehicles as shared cars. A charger for charging a storage battery mounted on an electric vehicle; A monitoring means for monitoring the charger; A car sharing method comprising: a car sharing method for acquiring information about the electric vehicle and the storage battery via the charger by the monitoring means when the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the information acquired by the monitoring means is vehicle information of the electric vehicle and an SOC of the storage battery, When the SOC of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset value, the reservation for use of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information is canceled free of charge. A car sharing method comprising:

6. In a car sharing method using an electric vehicle as a shared car, A charger for charging a storage battery mounted on an electric vehicle; A monitoring means for monitoring the charger; A car sharing method comprising: When the electric vehicle is connected to the charger, the monitoring means acquires vehicle information of the electric vehicle and an SOC of the storage battery via the charger; when the SOC of the electric vehicle of the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a preset first value, restricting the electric vehicle of the vehicle information from being reserved for a preset time period, When the SOC of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information acquired by the monitoring means is lower than a second preset value, the reservation for use of the electric vehicle in the vehicle information is canceled free of charge. A car sharing method comprising:

7. The car sharing method according to claim 6, further comprising: The monitoring means acquires connection status information indicating a connection status between the electric vehicle and the charger; When the connection status information acquired by the monitoring means indicates that the electric vehicle and the charger are connected, the return process is completed. A car sharing method comprising:

8. The car sharing method according to claim 6, further comprising: The monitoring means acquires charge / discharge information indicating whether the storage battery is in a charging state, a discharging state, or a standby state; When the charge / discharge information acquired by the monitoring means indicates a charging state, the return process is completed. A car sharing method comprising:

9. A program for causing a computer to function as the car sharing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute the car sharing method according to any one of claims 5, 6, 7 and 8.

11. A computer-readable recording medium having the program according to claim 9 or 10 recorded thereon.

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