Management device and management method

Abstract

To provide a management device capable of easily improving the operating rate of chargers.SOLUTION: A server 100 (management device) includes a processor 101 (control unit) that controls allocations of reservation spots for which reservations for charging with a plurality of EVSE 21 are made and free spots on the basis of information about the usage status.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a management device and a management method. [Background technology]

[0002] International Publication No. 2013-137071 (Patent Document 1) discloses a system in which an electric vehicle is charged based on a reservation for use of a charger. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013-137071 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the system of Patent Document 1, when there are fewer available reservation slots, the number of vehicles that cannot be charged may increase, making it difficult to improve the operating rate of chargers.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a management device and a management method that can easily improve the availability rate of chargers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A management device according to a first aspect of the present disclosure is a management device that manages charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, and includes a control unit that adjusts the allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without a reservation.

[0007] As described above, the management device according to the first aspect of the present disclosure adjusts the allocation between the reservation slots during which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and the free slots during which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without a reservation. This makes it possible to easily adjust the number of electric vehicles that can be freely charged without a reservation and the number of electric vehicles that can be reliably charged during a reservation period. As a result, the availability rate of the chargers can be easily improved.

[0008] In the management device according to the first aspect, the control unit preferably adjusts the allocation based on at least one of information on a congestion status of the at least one charger and information on a reservation status of the at least one charger. With this configuration, it is possible to appropriately adjust the operation rate of the chargers in accordance with at least one of the congestion status and reservation status of the chargers.

[0009] In this case, preferably, the control unit increases the allocation of reservation slots for the predetermined reservation period when the number of reservations for electric vehicles in the predetermined reservation period is greater than a predetermined number. With this configuration, it is possible to increase the reservation slots when the number of reservations for the charger is relatively large.

[0010] In the management device that adjusts the allocation based on the congestion status of the chargers, preferably, the control unit increases the allocation of free slots for the predetermined period when it determines that at least one charger is congested during the predetermined period. With this configuration, it is possible to increase the free slots when the congestion level of the chargers is relatively high. As a result, it is possible to prevent the congestion level of the chargers from becoming too high.

[0011] In the management device that adjusts the allocation based on the congestion status of the chargers, preferably, the control unit determines the current congestion status of the at least one charger based on the number of electric vehicles lining up to use the at least one charger, and adjusts the current allocation based on the current congestion status. With this configuration, the current congestion level at the charger can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, by adjusting the allocation based on the number of electric vehicles lining up to use the charger (the number of vehicles planning to use the charger), the congestion status at the charger can be easily improved.

[0012] In the management device that adjusts the allocation based on the congestion status of the chargers, preferably, the control unit determines the congestion status at at least one charger after a predetermined time based on vehicle information related to the electric vehicle, and adjusts the allocation after the predetermined time based on the congestion status after the predetermined time. With this configuration, it is possible to easily adjust the congestion level at the chargers after the predetermined time.

[0013] In this case, the vehicle information preferably includes information on the number of electric vehicles located within a predetermined range based on the at least one charger. With this configuration, it is possible to easily predict the congestion level of a charger based on the number of electric vehicles located within the predetermined range.

[0014] In the management device that adjusts the allocation based on the congestion status after the predetermined time, preferably, the vehicle information includes information on at least one of the SOC and charging capacity of the electric vehicle associated with the at least one charger. With this configuration, it is possible to easily determine the time required to charge the electric vehicle based on at least one of the SOC and charging capacity of the electric vehicle associated with the charger. As a result, it is possible to easily predict the congestion level of the charger.

[0015] The management device that adjusts the allocation based on the congestion state after the predetermined time preferably further includes a memory that stores a vehicle number estimation model. The vehicle number estimation model is a trained model that receives the vehicle information as input and outputs the number of electric vehicles using the at least one charger. The control unit determines the congestion state after the predetermined time based on the vehicle number estimation model and the vehicle information. With this configuration, the use of the trained model makes it possible to more accurately determine the congestion state after the predetermined time.

[0016] In the management device according to the first aspect, the control unit preferably controls the at least one charger so that the charging method corresponding to the reserved slot and the charging method corresponding to the free slot are one of quick charging and slow charging, which has a charging speed slower than quick charging, respectively. With this configuration, it is possible to easily adjust the charging speed for each of charging in the reserved slot and charging in the free slot.

[0017] In the management device according to the first aspect, the at least one charger preferably includes a plurality of chargers. The control unit adjusts the allocation of the number of chargers corresponding to free slots and the number of chargers corresponding to reserved slots among the plurality of chargers. This configuration makes it possible to easily improve the overall utilization rate of the plurality of chargers.

[0018] A management method according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is a management method for managing charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, and includes a step of adjusting the allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without a reservation.

[0019] As described above, the management method according to the second aspect of the present disclosure adjusts the allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without a reservation, thereby providing a management method that can easily improve the availability of chargers. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present disclosure, the operating rate of a charger can be easily improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of increasing the reservation slot for an EVSE according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of increasing the free slot of an EVSE according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the remaining amount of power based on the charging capacity and SOC of an electric vehicle. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an estimation model for estimating a congestion state of EVSEs according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for adjusting a reservation slot and a free slot of an EVSE according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of adjusting a reservation slot and a free slot of an EVSE according to a modified example of an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

[0023] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a system 1 according to this embodiment. The system 1 includes a server 100, an electric vehicle 10, and a charging system 20. The charging system 20 includes a plurality of (five in this embodiment) EVSEs (Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment) 21. Hereinafter, the five EVSEs 21 may be referred to as EVSEs 21A to 21E. The server 100 is an example of a "management device" in the present disclosure. The number of EVSEs 21 in the charging system 20 is not limited to the above example.

[0024] For example, each of EVSEs 21A to 21C is an EVSE that can be used by reservation, and each of EVSEs 21D and 21E is an EVSE that can be used freely without reservation.

[0025] The charging method of each of the EVSEs 21A to 21C is initially set to normal charging. The charging method of each of the EVSEs 21D and 21E is initially set to fast charging. Each of the EVSEs 21A to 21E is configured so that the charging method can be changed by changing the program. Normal charging is an example of "slow charging" in this disclosure.

[0026] The electric vehicle 10 includes, for example, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), a battery electric vehicle (BEV), and a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

[0027] The electric vehicle 10 includes a navigation system 11 and a communication device 12. The electric vehicle 10 also includes a battery 13 that supplies power to electrical devices such as the navigation system 11 and the communication device 12. The communication device 12 may also include a DCM (Data Communication Module) or a communication I / F compatible with 5G (fifth generation mobile communication system).

[0028] The EVSE 21 refers to a vehicle power supply facility. The electric vehicle 10 is configured to be electrically connectable to the EVSE 21. For example, a charging cable 22 connected to the EVSE 21 is connected to an inlet of the electric vehicle 10, whereby power is supplied from the EVSE 21 to the electric vehicle 10.

[0029] The server 100 is a device that manages charging between the five EVSEs 21 of the charging system 20 and the plurality of electric vehicles 10. For example, the server 100 manages a charging schedule between the EVSEs 21 and the electric vehicles 10.

[0030] Server 100 is configured to manage information on a plurality of registered electric vehicles 10 (hereinafter also referred to as "vehicle information"), information on each registered user (hereinafter also referred to as "user information"), and information on registered EVSEs 21 (hereinafter also referred to as "EVSE information"). The user information, vehicle information, and EVSE information are distinguished by identification information (ID) and stored in memory 102, which will be described later.

[0031] The user ID is identification information for identifying a user, and also functions as information (terminal ID) for identifying the mobile terminal 14 carried by the user. The server 100 is configured to store information received from the mobile terminal 14 separately for each user ID. The user information includes the communication address of the mobile terminal 14 carried by the user and the vehicle ID of the electric vehicle 10 belonging to the user.

[0032] The vehicle ID is identification information for identifying the electric vehicle 10. The vehicle ID may be a license plate or a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). The vehicle information includes the travel schedule of each electric vehicle 10.

[0033] The EVSE-ID is identification information for identifying the EVSE 21. The EVSE information includes the communication address of each EVSE 21 and the status of the electric vehicle 10 connected to each EVSE 21. The EVSE information also includes information indicating the combination of the electric vehicle 10 and the EVSE 21 that are connected to each other (for example, a combination of the EVSE-ID and the vehicle ID).

[0034] The server 100 includes a processor 101, a memory 102, and a communication unit 103. The processor 101 is an example of a "control unit" in the present disclosure.

[0035] The memory 102 stores programs executed by the processor 101 as well as information used in the programs (for example, maps, mathematical formulas, and various parameters).

[0036] The memory 102 stores information about the usage patterns of each of the multiple EVSEs 21. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the memory 102 stores a usage schedule for the EVSEs 21. The usage schedule indicates whether the 30-minute usage slot for each of the multiple EVSEs 21 corresponds to a reserved slot or a free slot. A reserved slot is a time slot during which a user of an electric vehicle 10 who has reserved charging at the EVSE 21 can use the EVSE 21. A free slot is a time slot during which anyone can charge at the EVSE 21 without making a reservation. Note that the time slots for the EVSEs 21 do not have to be divided into 30-minute slots. For example, the time slots for the EVSEs 21 may be divided into hourly slots.

[0037] The communication unit 103 includes various communication I / Fs. The processor 101 controls the communication unit 103. Specifically, the processor 101 communicates with the communication device 12 (or the mobile terminal 14) of the electric vehicle 10 and each of the multiple EVSEs 21 via the communication unit 103.

[0038] The communication unit 103 acquires information about the usage status of the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20).

[0039] Specifically, the communication unit 103 acquires (receives) information regarding the reservation status of a plurality of EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20).

[0040] In detail, the communication unit 103 receives information (reservation information) indicating that the user of the electric vehicle 10 plans to use a reservation slot of the EVSE 21 by communicating with the electric vehicle 10 or the mobile terminal 14. Then, the processor 101 updates the usage schedule (see FIG. 2 ) of the charging system 20 stored in the memory 102 based on the reservation information. Specifically, the processor 101 updates the status of the reservation slot reserved by the user from "unreserved" to "reserved." The reservation information is an example of "information related to reservation status" in the present disclosure. The communication unit 103 may receive the reservation information from the charging system 20.

[0041] The processor 101 controls the EVSE 21 so that only electric vehicles 10 that have made reservations within the reservation slot can be charged within the reservation slot. For example, the processor 101 controls the EVSE 21 so that charging does not start even if an electric vehicle 10 other than the reserved electric vehicle 10 is connected to the EVSE 21. The processor 101 may also restrict charging by electric vehicles 10 that have not made reservations by controlling a fence (not shown) that prevents electric vehicles 10 that have not made reservations from using the EVSE 21 (entering the charging area).

[0042] The communication unit 103 also acquires (receives) information regarding the congestion status of the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20). The congestion status changes depending on the number of electric vehicles 10 that may use the EVSEs 21 without a reservation (use a free slot) in each time period.

[0043] Specifically, the communication unit 103 acquires information about the number of electric vehicles 10 (see the group of vehicles 10A in FIG. 1 ) lined up to use a plurality of EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20). For example, the communication unit 103 acquires information about the number of electric vehicles 10 lined up by acquiring (receiving) an image from a camera (not shown) installed near the charging system 20. Note that the information about the number is an example of "information about the congestion situation" in the present disclosure.

[0044] The processor 101 determines the current congestion status of the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) based on the number of electric vehicles 10 lined up to use the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20). The current congestion status refers to the congestion status in a time period that includes the current time. Depending on the number of electric vehicles 10 lined up, the time period in which the EVSEs 21 are used may extend into the next time period or later. In this case, the processor 101 may also determine the congestion status in the next and subsequent time periods in which the EVSEs 21 are expected to be used.

[0045] The communication unit 103 also acquires (receives) GPS (Global Positioning System) information of the multiple electric vehicles 10 to acquire information on the number of electric vehicles 10 (see 10B in FIG. 1 ) located within a predetermined range E based on the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20). The communication unit 103 may also acquire information on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E by acquiring (receiving) an image from a camera (not shown) that is installed near the charging system 20 and is capable of capturing the predetermined range E. The predetermined range E is, for example, a range within a radius R (e.g., 1 km) centered on the charging system 20. The predetermined range E may also be an area with a road in front of the charging system 20. The information on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E is an example of "information related to congestion" in the present disclosure. The GPS information of the electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E is an example of "vehicle information" in the present disclosure.

[0046] The processor 101 estimates the number of electric vehicles 10 that will use multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) after a predetermined time (for example, after 30 minutes) based on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E. Specifically, the processor 101 makes the above estimation using a trained model described below. Note that the processor 101 may also predict time periods during which the charging systems 20 will be used based on the positions of the electric vehicles 10 within the predetermined range E and the behavioral history (behavior schedule) of the electric vehicles 10, and predict the number of vehicles using the charging systems 20 in each time period based on the predicted time periods.

[0047] The communication unit 103 also acquires information on the SOC (State Of Charge) and charging capacity of the electric vehicle 10 associated with the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) (see FIG. 4). The communication unit 103 may acquire vehicle model information of the electric vehicle 10 instead of the charging capacity. In this case, the processor 101 may estimate the charging capacity of the electric vehicle 10 based on the vehicle model information. The electric vehicle 10 associated with the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) refers to the electric vehicle 10 registered in the server 100. The information on the SOC and charging capacity of the electric vehicle 10 is an example of "vehicle information" in the present disclosure.

[0048] The processor 101 estimates the number of electric vehicles 10 that will use a plurality of EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) based on the SOC and charging capacity of the electric vehicles 10. Specifically, the processor 101 makes the above estimation using a trained model described below. For example, the processor 101 makes the above estimation based on the number of electric vehicles 10 whose remaining power is 30 kW or less, calculated based on the SOC and charging capacity of the electric vehicles 10. Note that the processor 101 may predict the time periods during which the charging systems 20 will be used based on the remaining power of the electric vehicles 10, the location of the electric vehicles 10, the behavior history (behavior schedule) of the electric vehicles 10, and the like. In this case, the processor 101 may predict the number of vehicles using the charging systems 20 in each time period based on the predicted time period. Note that the threshold of 30 kW is merely an example, and other thresholds may be used.

[0049] The trained model will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The processor 101 predicts the number of electric vehicles 10 that will use the charging system 20 after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes) based on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within a predetermined range E or the number of electric vehicles 10 with a remaining power of 30 kW or less. For the prediction process, a trained model generated by machine learning techniques such as deep learning can be used.

[0050] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a trained model used for the above prediction. Estimation model 310, which is a pre-trained model, includes, for example, neural network 311 and parameters 312. Neural network 311 is a well-known neural network used in deep learning processing. Examples of such neural networks include a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a recurrent neural network (RNN). Parameters 312 include weighting coefficients used in calculations by neural network 311. Note that estimation model 310 is an example of a "vehicle number estimation model" of the present disclosure.

[0051] A large amount of training data is prepared in advance by the developer. The training data includes example data and correct answer data. The example data is data on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within a predetermined range E and the number of electric vehicles 10 with a remaining power of 30 kW or less. The correct answer data is data on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E and the number of electric vehicles 10 with a remaining power of 30 kW or less that have used the charging system 20 within a predetermined time (e.g., 30 minutes). The learning system 300 trains the estimation model 310 using the example data and the correct answer data. Note that multiple estimation models may be trained using multiple correct answer data with different predetermined times. This makes it possible to predict congestion conditions during multiple time periods.

[0052] As described above, the estimation model 310 is trained, and the trained estimation model 310 is stored in the memory 102. Then, the processor 101 outputs the number of electric vehicles 10 that will use the charging system 20 within a predetermined time (30 minutes in this embodiment) based on the estimation model 310 and the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E (the number of electric vehicles 10 with a remaining power of 30 kW or less). This allows the prediction to be performed. Note that even after the estimation model 310 is stored in the memory 102, training of the estimation model 310 may be performed continuously. Note that, for simplicity, in FIG. 5 , the estimation model whose input data is the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E and the number of electric vehicles 10 with a remaining power of 30 kW or less is illustrated as if it were both the estimation model 310; however, in reality, separate estimation models are used.

[0053] In conventional systems, if the number of free slots is too small compared to the number of vehicles requesting charging, or if the number of available reserved slots becomes limited, it is conceivable that a large number of vehicles will be unable to charge, making it difficult to improve the operating rate of chargers.

[0054] Therefore, in this embodiment, the processor 101 adjusts the allocation (ratio, proportion) between the free slots and the reservation slots based on the information on the reservation status and the information on the congestion status. That is, the processor 101 adjusts the allocation between the free slots and the reservation slots based on the congestion status and the reservation status of the charging system 20.

[0055] Specifically, when the number of reservations for electric vehicles 10 in a predetermined reservation period is greater than a predetermined number, the processor 101 increases the allocation of reservation slots in the predetermined reservation period. In detail, as shown in FIG. 2, the processor 101 increases the allocation of reservation slots in a time period in which all reservation slots are reserved. In the example shown in FIG. 2, all reservation slots in the time period from 12:30 to 13:00 are reserved. Therefore, the processor 101 changes the usage mode of the EVSE 21D from a free slot to a reserved slot from 12:30 to 13:00. Note that the free slot of the EVSE 21E may be changed to a reserved slot, or the free slots of both the EVSE 21D and 21E may be changed to a reserved slot.

[0056] The method for adjusting the allocation of reservation slots and free slots based on the number of reservations is not limited to the above example. For example, the allocation of reservation slots may be increased in a time slot where the number of reservations is greater than a predetermined fixed value (e.g., 2). Also, the allocation of reservation slots may be increased in a time slot where the ratio of the number of reserved reservation slots to the total number of reservation slots is greater than a predetermined value.

[0057] Furthermore, when the processor 101 determines that a plurality of EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) are congested during a predetermined period, the processor 101 increases the allocation of free slots during the predetermined period.

[0058] Specifically, the processor 101 determines the current congestion status of the charging system 20 based on the number of electric vehicles 10 lining up to use a plurality of EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20).

[0059] In detail, when the number of electric vehicles 10 lining up to use a plurality of EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) is greater than a predetermined number, the processor 101 changes the reservation slots that are not reserved in the current time slot to free slots. The processor 101 may increase the number of free slots as the number of electric vehicles 10 lining up increases. Specifically, the processor 101 may increase the number of free slots by one when one to three electric vehicles 10 are lining up, and may increase the number of free slots by two when four to six electric vehicles 10 are lining up. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the usage mode of the EVSE 21C in the current time slot of 12:00 to 12:30 is changed from a reservation slot (no reservation) to a free slot.

[0060] In addition, the processor 101 determines the congestion status of the charging system 20 based on the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E and the number of electric vehicles 10 estimated based on the learned model (hereinafter referred to as the first number), and the number of electric vehicles 10 with remaining power of 30 kW or less and the number of electric vehicles 10 estimated based on the learned model (hereinafter referred to as the second number).

[0061] For example, when the sum of the first number and the second number is greater than a predetermined number, the processor 101 changes the reservation slots that are not reserved in the next time slot (12:30 to 13:00 in FIG. 3) to free slots. The number of free slots to be increased may be the same as the adjustment method based on the number of electric vehicles 10 lined up. FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which two reservation slots in the period from 12:30 to 13:00 are changed to free slots. As described above, the time slots for which the allocation of free slots and reservation slots is adjusted may be determined based on the positions and behavioral history (behavior schedule) of the electric vehicles 10. Furthermore, the first number and the second number may be weighted differently.

[0062] Furthermore, the determination of the congestion state may take into consideration the time of day, the day of the week, the weather, events taking place around the charging system 20, and the like. For example, the estimation model 310 may include information indicating that the frequency of use of the charging system 20 by a specific vehicle type on a specific day of the week is high (or low).

[0063] (control sequence) Next, an example of a control sequence by the system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Note that the control sequence according to the present disclosure is not limited to the following example.

[0064] In step S1, the server 100 (processor 101) checks the reservation status of the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20).

[0065] In step S2, processor 101 determines whether there is a time slot in which all of the reservation slots are reserved. If there is a time slot in which all of the reservation slots are reserved (Yes in S2), the process proceeds to step S3. If there is no time slot in which all of the reservation slots are reserved (No in S2), the process proceeds to step S4.

[0066] In step S3, the processor 101 performs processing to increase the reservation slots by one by changing the free slots in the time period when all the reservation slots are reserved to reservation slots.

[0067] In step S4 , the electric vehicle 10 or the mobile terminal 14 transmits the position information of the electric vehicle 10 to the communication unit 103 of the server 100 .

[0068] In step S5 , the electric vehicle 10 or the mobile terminal 14 transmits information on the charging capacity of the electric vehicle 10 to the communication unit 103 of the server 100 .

[0069] In step S6, the electric vehicle 10 or the mobile terminal 14 transmits information about the SOC of the electric vehicle 10 to the communication unit 103 of the server 100.

[0070] The processing of steps S4 to S6 may be performed, for example, before step S1. The order in which the processing of steps S4 to S6 is performed is not limited to the above example.

[0071] In step S7, the processor 101 checks the congestion status of the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) based on the information acquired by the processes in steps S4 to S6.

[0072] In step S8, the processor 101 determines whether the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) are congested. While the above describes an example in which it is determined whether the time slot following the current time slot is congested, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The congestion status of the next time slot and beyond may also be determined. The method for determining the congestion status is as described above, and therefore will not be described again. If the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) are congested (Yes in S8), the process proceeds to step S9. If the multiple EVSEs 21 (charging systems 20) are not congested (No in S8), the process proceeds to step S11.

[0073] In step S9, processor 101 determines whether the time period determined to be busy in step S8 (next time period) is not a time period for which the reservation slots have been increased in step S3 and is a time period for which there are reservation slots without reservations. If the answer is Yes in step S9, the process proceeds to step S10. If the answer is No in step S9, the process proceeds to step S11.

[0074] In step S10, the processor 101 increases the number of free slots by changing reservation slots without reservations in a busy time slot (the next time slot in this embodiment) to free slots. Therefore, in the processing of step S9 described above, increasing reservation slots is prioritized over increasing free slots. Note that increasing free slots may be prioritized over increasing reservation slots by preventing an increase in reservation slots during a time slot where free slots have been increased.

[0075] In step S11, the processor 101 controls the EVSE 21 so that the charging method of the EVSE 21 that has been changed from the free slot to the reserved slot is changed from the rapid charging method to the normal charging method. Also, the processor 101 controls the EVSE 21 so that the charging method of the EVSE 21 that has been changed from the reserved slot to the free slot is changed from the normal charging method to the rapid charging method.

[0076] In step S12, charging is performed based on the charging method changed in step S11 during the time period in which the ratio between the reserved slot and the free slot has been changed.

[0077] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 101 adjusts the allocation of reservation slots and free slots among the multiple EVSEs 21 based on the reservation status and congestion status of the multiple EVSEs 21. This allows the above allocation to be adjusted based on the ratio of electric vehicles 10 that use the EVSEs 21 by reserving them to electric vehicles 10 that use the EVSEs 21 without reserving them. As a result, it is possible to make the EVSEs 21 easier for users of the electric vehicles 10 to use. This makes it possible to easily improve the availability of the EVSEs 21.

[0078] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the allocation of reservation slots and free slots among a plurality of EVSEs 21 is adjusted, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The allocation of reservation slots and free slots among a single EVSE 21 may also be adjusted.

[0079] 7, when the number of reservations (for example, the number of reservations in one day) for the EVSE 21 (for example, 21A) is equal to or exceeds a predetermined number, the free slot for the EVSE 21A is changed to a reserved slot. Also, when the slot corresponding to a time period when congestion is expected for the EVSE 21A is a reserved slot without reservations, the slot corresponding to the time period for the EVSE 21A is changed from a reserved slot to a free slot.

[0080] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the allocation of reservation slots and free slots was adjusted based on both the reservation status and congestion status of the EVSE 21, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The adjustment may be made based on only one of the reservation status and congestion status of the EVSE 21. Furthermore, the adjustment may be made, for example, randomly at any timing, without being based on either the reservation status or congestion status of the EVSE 21.

[0081] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the allocation of reservation slots for a predetermined reservation period is increased when the number of reservations for electric vehicles 10 for the predetermined reservation period is greater than a predetermined number, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the above case, the allocation of reservation slots for the predetermined reservation period may be decreased. Furthermore, when the number of reservations for electric vehicles 10 for the predetermined reservation period is smaller than a predetermined number, the allocation of free slots for the predetermined reservation period may be adjusted (for example, increased).

[0082] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the allocation of free slots for a predetermined period is increased when the EVSE 21 is congested during the predetermined period, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. In the above case, the allocation of free slots for the predetermined period may be decreased. Furthermore, when it is determined that the EVSE 21 is not congested during the predetermined period, the allocation of reservation slots for the predetermined period may be adjusted (for example, increased).

[0083] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the congestion status of the EVSE 21 is determined based on four pieces of information: the number of electric vehicles 10 lining up to use the EVSE 21, the number of electric vehicles 10 located within the predetermined range E, the SOC of the electric vehicles 10, and the charging capacity of the electric vehicles 10. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The congestion status of the EVSE 21 may be determined based on any one, two, or three of the above four pieces of information.

[0084] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the congestion state of the EVSE 21 in the current time period was determined based only on the number of electric vehicles 10 lining up to use the EVSE 21, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the congestion state of the EVSE 21 in the current time period may be determined based on the vehicle type information (charging capacity information) of the electric vehicles 10 lining up in addition to the number of electric vehicles 10 lining up.

[0085] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the estimation model 310 is used to determine the congestion state of the EVSE 21, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The congestion state of the EVSE 21 may be determined without using the estimation model 310. Furthermore, the congestion state of the EVSE 21 may be determined using only either the number of electric vehicles 10 within the predetermined range E or the number of electric vehicles 10 with remaining power of 30 kW or less, and the estimation model 310.

[0086] In the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the charging method corresponding to a slot changed to a reserved slot is changed to the normal charging method, and the charging method corresponding to a slot changed to a free slot is changed to the rapid charging method, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The charging method corresponding to a slot changed to a reserved slot may be changed to the rapid charging method, and the charging method corresponding to a slot changed to a free slot may be changed to the normal charging method. Alternatively, the charging method may not be changed.

[0087] Furthermore, the user of the electric vehicle 10 may transmit information regarding the desired amount of charging energy to the server 100. Furthermore, the user of the electric vehicle 10 may transmit information regarding whether the electric vehicle 10 is compatible with rapid charging or normal charging to the server 100. Then, the server 100 may determine the congestion status of the EVSE 21 based on the above-mentioned transmitted information.

[0088] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment and the above-described modifications may be implemented in combination with each other.

[0089] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the server 100 and the charging system 20 are provided separately from each other, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The charging system 20 may be provided with the server 100 (management device).

[0090] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims, not by the description of the above embodiments, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0091] 10 Electric vehicle, 21 EVSE (charger), 100 Server (management device), 101 Processor (control unit), 102 Memory, 310 Estimation model (vehicle number estimation model), E Predetermined range.

Claims

1. A management device that manages charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, a control unit that adjusts allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation, the control unit adjusts the allocation based on at least one of information regarding a congestion state of the at least one charger and information regarding a reservation state of the at least one charger; When the number of reservations for the electric vehicle in a predetermined reservation period is greater than a predetermined number, the control unit increases the allocation of the reservation slots in the predetermined reservation period.

2. A management device that manages charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, a control unit that adjusts allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation, the control unit adjusting the allocation based on at least one of information on a congestion status of the at least one charger and information on a reservation status of the at least one charger; When the control unit determines that the at least one charger is congested during a predetermined period, the control unit increases the allocation of the free slots during the predetermined period.

3. A management device that manages charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, a control unit that adjusts allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation, the control unit adjusting the allocation based on at least one of information on a congestion status of the at least one charger and information on a reservation status of the at least one charger; The control unit determining a current congestion status of the at least one charger based on the number of electric vehicles lining up to use the at least one charger; A management device that adjusts the current allocation based on the current congestion situation.

4. The control unit determining a congestion state at the at least one charger after a predetermined time based on vehicle information related to the electric vehicle; 4. The management device according to claim 1, wherein the allocation after the predetermined time is adjusted based on a congestion state after the predetermined time.

5. The management device according to claim 4 , wherein the vehicle information includes information about the number of electric vehicles located within a predetermined range based on the at least one charger.

6. The management device according to claim 4 , wherein the vehicle information includes information on at least one of an SOC and a charging capacity of the electric vehicle associated with the at least one charger.

7. further comprising a memory in which a vehicle number estimation model is stored; the vehicle number estimation model is a trained model that receives the vehicle information as an input and outputs the number of the electric vehicles that use the at least one charger, The management device according to claim 4 , wherein the control unit determines the congestion state after the predetermined time based on the vehicle number estimation model and the vehicle information.

8. A management device that manages charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, a control unit that adjusts allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation, The control unit controls the at least one charger so that the charging method corresponding to the reserved slot and the charging method corresponding to the free slot are one of fast charging and slow charging, which has a charging speed slower than fast charging, respectively.

9. the at least one charger includes a plurality of chargers; The control unit adjusts the distribution of the number of chargers corresponding to the free slots and the number of chargers corresponding to the reserved slots among the plurality of chargers.

10. 1. A method for managing charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, comprising: adjusting allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation; the adjusting step is a step of adjusting the allocation based on at least one of information regarding a congestion state of the at least one charger and information regarding a reservation state of the at least one charger; The adjusting step is a step of increasing the allocation of the reservation slots in a predetermined reservation period when the number of reservations for the electric vehicle in the predetermined reservation period is greater than a predetermined number.

11. A management method for managing charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, comprising: adjusting allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation; the adjusting step is a step of adjusting the allocation based on at least one of information regarding a congestion state of the at least one charger and information regarding a reservation state of the at least one charger; The adjusting step is a step of increasing the allocation of the free slots for a predetermined period when it is determined that the at least one charger is congested for the predetermined period.

12. A management method for managing charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, comprising: adjusting allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation; the adjusting step is a step of adjusting the allocation based on at least one of information regarding a congestion state of the at least one charger and information regarding a reservation state of the at least one charger; the adjusting step is a step of determining a current congestion state at the at least one charger based on the number of electric vehicles lining up to use the at least one charger, and adjusting the current allocation based on the current congestion state.

13. A management method for managing charging between at least one charger and an electric vehicle, comprising: adjusting allocation between a reservation slot in which charging at the at least one charger is reserved and a free slot in which charging at the at least one charger can be performed without reservation; The adjusting step is a step of controlling the at least one charger so that the charging method corresponding to the reserved slot and the charging method corresponding to the free slot are one of fast charging and slow charging, which has a charging speed slower than fast charging, respectively.

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