Program, information processing device, and information processing method

Abstract

To provide a technology for utilizing vehicle battery capacity more effectively.SOLUTION: A program causes a computer that controls a battery mountable on a vehicle to function as an information processing device including: a storage unit for storing capacity information showing a capacity for power feeding to a specific power demand other than from the vehicle relative to a dischargeable capacity at completion of battery charging; and a control unit that performs control so as to charge for the specific power demand from the battery based on the capacity information when a vehicle system of the vehicle is suspended.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a program, an information processing device, and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] As electric vehicles become more widespread, various technologies relating to electric vehicles have been developed. Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for detecting the state of charge of a battery in an electric vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-348707 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The electricity stored in the battery of a vehicle such as an electric vehicle is mainly used for a limited period of time, such as when the vehicle system is operating to drive the vehicle, so there is room to utilize the vehicle battery for other purposes.

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a technique for more effectively utilizing the capacity of a vehicle battery. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A program according to one embodiment causes a computer for controlling a battery that can be mounted on a vehicle to function as an information processing device that includes a memory unit that stores capacity information indicating the capacity of the battery that can be discharged when charging is complete, for supplying power to a specified power demand other than that of the vehicle, and a control unit that controls the battery to supply power to the specified power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle is stopped.

[0007] An information processing device according to one embodiment is an information processing device for controlling a battery that can be mounted on a vehicle, and includes a memory unit that stores capacity information indicating the capacity of the dischargeable capacity of the battery when charging is complete for supplying power to a specified power demand other than the vehicle, and a control unit that controls the battery to supply power to the specified power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle is stopped.

[0008] An information processing method according to one embodiment is an information processing method for controlling a battery that can be mounted on a vehicle, and includes: a memory unit storing capacity information indicating the capacity of the battery that can be discharged when charging is complete, for supplying power to a specified power demand other than the vehicle; and a control unit controlling the battery to supply power to the specified power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle is stopped. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for more effectively utilizing the capacity of a vehicle battery. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an overview of a system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a server device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a control unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a sequence diagram for explaining an overview of exemplary processing by a system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a computer according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is merely an example, and is not intended to exclude various modifications or application of techniques not explicitly described below. In other words, the present invention can be implemented by various modifications or combinations of the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, in the following description of the drawings, identical or similar parts are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals.

[0012] [System Overview] An overview of a system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. System 1 is a system for controlling the charging and power supply (discharging) of a battery of a vehicle such as an electric vehicle in order to more effectively utilize the battery's capacity. Here, the "vehicle battery" may be a battery mounted on the vehicle or a (second-hand) battery removed from the vehicle. In this embodiment, the "vehicle battery" is also referred to as a "battery mountable on a vehicle." In addition, in this embodiment, the battery is a storage battery (secondary battery) that can be charged and discharged. Furthermore, the battery can be charged using a charging device, for example, at a user's home or a charging station.

[0013] System 1 controls charging and power supply of batteries of a plurality of electric vehicles. The plurality of batteries (battery group) form a virtual power plant (virtual plant 2). For example, among the battery group forming virtual plant 2, virtual plant 2 aggregates power stored in batteries not being used by vehicles, and supplies the power to power consumers via power transmission lines. The power consumers may be, for example, power transmission and distribution businesses or other businesses that require a power supply. In this way, system 1 aggregates power stored in batteries not being used by vehicles and supplies the power to power consumers, thereby making it possible to more effectively utilize the capacity of the vehicle batteries.

[0014] The system 1 may acquire power demand information of power consumers and control the power supply to the power consumers by the virtual plant 2 based on the power demand information. The power demand information is a capacity indicating the amount of power that the power consumer requests to be supplied. The power demand information may include, for example, information regarding the timing at which power supply is required or information indicating the amount of power that needs to be supplied. In this way, the system 1 controls the power supply to the power consumers by utilizing the vehicle's battery based on the power demand information, thereby making it possible to balance power supply and demand.

[0015] At least some of the batteries forming the virtual plant 2 may be used batteries removed from vehicles. By using used batteries to form the virtual plant 2 in this way, it is possible to effectively utilize batteries that are no longer used to supply power to vehicles but are still capable of being charged and supplying power.

[0016] [System Configuration] An example of the configuration of a system 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The system 1 includes a server device 10, terminal devices 20 (20a to 20c), and a server device 30. Each device is configured to be able to communicate with each other via a network N. The system 1 controls power supply to power consumers by a virtual plant 2.

[0017] The virtual plant 2 is formed by a plurality of batteries B (B1 to B6). As described above, the virtual plant 2 aggregates, for example, the power stored in batteries that are not being used by vehicles among the plurality of batteries B that form the virtual plant 2, and supplies the power to power consumers via power transmission lines.

[0018] In this embodiment, the terminal device 20 and the batteries B (B1 to B3) may be mounted on vehicles EV (EV1 to EV3) such as electric vehicles, but the terminal device 20 and the batteries B do not have to be mounted on the vehicles EV. Some of the batteries B (B4 to B6) that form the virtual plant 2 may be second-hand batteries removed from the vehicles, and the batteries B (B4 to B6) may form a second-hand battery plant 3 as part of the virtual plant 2.

[0019] Control of charging, power supply, etc. of batteries B (B1 to B3) mounted on the vehicle EV is performed by the server device 10 via terminal devices 20 (20a to 20c). Control of charging, power supply, etc. of batteries B (B4 to B6) forming the virtual plant 2 is performed by the server device 10 via server device 30.

[0020] The server devices 10 and 30 are information processing devices such as server computers. Each of the server devices 10 and 30 may be configured as a single information processing device (or computer; the same applies below), or may be configured as multiple information processing devices using cloud computing technology, distributed computing technology, or the like. The server devices 10 and 30 may be implemented with different configurations.

[0021] The terminal device 20 is configured as an information processing device such as an in-vehicle device, an in-vehicle computer, a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile device, or a dedicated terminal. The terminal device 20 may be configured to be able to communicate with the server device 10 or 30 configured using cloud computing technology.

[0022] The network N is configured by a wireless network or a wired network, and includes any network such as the Internet, a mobile communication network, or a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0023] In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the system 1 is configured to include two server devices and three terminal devices 20. However, the number of devices included in the system 1 is not limited to this, and the system 1 may include any number of devices. For example, the system 1 may include more than three terminal devices 20. In the following description, at least a portion of the processing described as processing by either the server device or the terminal device may be executed by the other device. For example, a portion of the processing described as processing by the server device may be executed by the terminal device, or a portion of the processing described as processing by the terminal device may be executed by the server device. Furthermore, at least a portion of the processing by the server device 30 may be executed by the server device 10, or at least a portion of the processing by the server device 10 may be executed by the server device 30.

[0024] [Function Configuration] The functions of the server device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The server device 10 has a communication unit 11, a database 12, and a control unit 13 as its main functional components.

[0025] The server device 10 may have other functional configurations that are possessed by information processing devices such as general information processing devices or dedicated devices. The functional configurations of the server device 10 are realized by cooperation between a computer program (software) and hardware, for example, when a control device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) of the server device 10 reads and executes a computer program stored in a storage device.

[0026] The communication unit 11 receives and transmits various types of information through communication with external devices. For example, the communication unit 11 may transmit a control signal for controlling charging and power supply of battery B to the terminal device 20 or the server device 30. The communication unit 11 may receive information corresponding to a user input to the terminal device 20 or battery B from the terminal device 20 or the server device 30. The communication unit 11 may receive information corresponding to the state of battery B from the terminal device 20 or the server device 30. Furthermore, the communication unit 11 may receive usage information indicating at least a part of the usage period, charging status, or power supply status of battery B from the terminal device 20 or the server device 30.

[0027] The database 12 stores various types of information including information received by the communication unit 11, information required for processing by the server device 10, or information generated by the server device 10. The database 12 may store, for example, optimization plan information indicating information regarding optimal charging of battery B or optimal power supply by battery B. The optimization plan information may be stored in the database 12 based on information received from the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11 in response to a user input, for example.

[0028] The optimization plan information may include, for example, capacity information indicating a capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle EV, out of the dischargeable capacity of battery B when charging is complete. Here, the predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle EV is, for example, power for operating or driving a vehicle system of the vehicle EV and other on-board equipment of the vehicle EV, and may include the power demand of the above-mentioned power consumer. In this embodiment, the vehicle system is a system that drives the vehicle or operates auxiliary equipment, and may include, for example, a motor or an engine. In this embodiment, the predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle EV may be, for example, a power demand identified by the server device 10 by receiving information. The capacity information may indicate a capacity for supplying power to a power demand of a power consumer, out of the dischargeable capacity of battery B when charging is complete.

[0029] The capacity information may be expressed as an absolute value (e.g., Wh) of the capacity for supplying power to the power demand of the power consumer out of the dischargeable capacity when charging of battery B is completed, or may be expressed as a ratio (e.g., %) of the capacity for supplying power out of the dischargeable capacity. The capacity information may include two types of capacity information (e.g., an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the capacity (ratio) for supplying power to a predetermined power demand), or may include three or more types of capacity information.

[0030] The optimization plan information may include setting information as to whether or not to set a charging completion time for charging battery B according to a time period during which vehicle EV is driven. The optimization plan information may also include setting information as to whether or not to control the time for charging battery B so as to reduce the electricity bill for charging battery B, based on rate information indicating a value according to the electricity rate for each time period. Furthermore, the optimization plan information may include setting information as to whether or not to supply power with higher priority to a predetermined power demand during a time period when power demand is higher, based on demand information set according to the level of a predetermined power demand for each time period.

[0031] The database 12 may store at least a portion of time zone information indicating a value corresponding to the time zone during which the vehicle EV is operated, rate information indicating a value corresponding to the electricity rate for each time zone, or demand information set according to the level of a predetermined electricity demand for each time zone.

[0032] The control unit 13 controls the processing of various functions executed by the server device 10. For example, the control unit 13 may generate a control signal for controlling charging and power supply of battery B (i.e., charging of battery B or power supply by battery B). The generated control signal may be transmitted to the terminal device 20 or the server device 30 via the communication unit 11 to control charging and power supply of battery B. That is, the control unit 13 may control charging and power supply of battery B. Furthermore, the control unit 13 may control power supply from battery B to a predetermined power demand (e.g., the power demander) based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle EV is stopped.

[0033] That is, according to this embodiment, the server device 10 controls the battery B that can be mounted on the vehicle EV. Specifically, for example, the server device 10 has a database 12 and a control unit 13. The database 12 may store capacity information indicating the capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand (e.g., the above-mentioned power demander) other than the vehicle EV, out of the dischargeable capacity of the battery B when charging is complete. The control unit 13 may control the battery B to supply power to the predetermined power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle EV is stopped. In this way, by the control unit 13 controlling the battery B to supply power to the predetermined power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle EV is stopped, it is possible to more effectively utilize the capacity of the battery of the vehicle EV.

[0034] Furthermore, the server device 10 may control a plurality of batteries B. Specifically, for example, the database 12 may store, for each of the plurality of batteries B, capacity information indicating the capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand (e.g., the above-mentioned power demander) other than the vehicle EV, out of the dischargeable capacity of the battery B when charging is completed. The communication unit 11 may receive demand information indicating the capacity of the above-mentioned predetermined power demand. The control unit 13 may control each of the plurality of batteries B based on the capacity information and the demand information so that the battery B supplies power to the predetermined power demand. For example, when the demand information indicates a high power demand capacity, the control unit 13 may control the plurality of batteries B so that more power is supplied from more batteries B.

[0035] At least some of the batteries B controlled by the server device 10 may be second-hand batteries removed from the vehicle EV. In this case, as described above, a second-hand battery plant 3 may be formed as part of the virtual plant 2.

[0036] The capacity information may be set by any method. For example, the capacity information may be set in accordance with a user input of the terminal device 20, or may be set from the perspective of optimizing the life of the battery B.

[0037] The capacity information may include an upper limit (e.g., 80 Wh) and a lower limit (e.g., 20 Wh) of the capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand out of the dischargeable capacity at the time of completion of charging of battery B. In this case, control unit 13 may control battery B to supply power to the predetermined power demand up to the capacity corresponding to the upper limit out of the dischargeable capacity at the time of completion of charging of battery B, and then charge battery B up to the capacity corresponding to the lower limit.

[0038] In general, battery degradation can be suppressed by maintaining the charging rate within a predetermined range (for example, approximately 50% to 80%). Furthermore, battery degradation can also be suppressed by refreshing the battery by discharging stored power. Therefore, in order to refresh the battery, the control unit 13 supplies power from battery B to a predetermined power demand up to a capacity corresponding to the upper limit (for example, 80%) of the dischargeable capacity at the time of completion of charging of battery B, and then charges battery B up to a capacity corresponding to the lower limit (for example, 20%) to keep the charging rate within the predetermined range, thereby suppressing degradation of battery B.

[0039] The control unit 13 may control the charging of the battery B so that charging is completed a predetermined time before the time period during which the vehicle EV is driven, based on time period information indicating a value corresponding to the time period during which the vehicle EV is driven. The "predetermined time before the time period during which the vehicle EV is driven" may be arbitrarily set, for example, 10 minutes or 30 minutes before the start of driving. The time period information may be information stored in a storage unit such as the database 12 based on information received via the communication unit 11. The time period information may be, for example, information predicted based on the driving history of the vehicle EV received via the communication unit 11, a value set by the user received via the communication unit 11, or based on the actual start and end times of driving the vehicle EV. The time period information may include, for example, information such as 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM or 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

[0040] In this way, by controlling the control unit 13 to complete charging just before the time period in which the vehicle EV is driven and to keep the charging rate in the time period before that within a predetermined range (for example, approximately 50% to 80%), deterioration of battery B can be suppressed.

[0041] Based on the capacity information and the time period information, the control unit 13 may perform control so that battery B supplies power to meet a predetermined power demand of the power consumer or the like during a time period when the vehicle EV is not being driven. This may keep the charge rate of battery B within a predetermined range (for example, approximately 50% to 80%) during a time period when the vehicle EV is not being driven.

[0042] The control unit 13 may control the time for charging battery B so as to reduce the electricity bill based on price information indicating values ​​according to the electricity rates for each time period. The price information may be information stored in a storage unit such as the database 12 based on information received via the communication unit 11, for example. The electricity rate may vary depending on the time period, for example, being cheaper at night than during the day. In such a case, the electricity bill for charging battery B can be reduced by controlling the charging of battery B to take place during a time period when the electricity rate is relatively cheap.

[0043] The control unit 13 may control the battery B so that power is supplied with higher priority to the predetermined power demand during a time period when the predetermined power demand is higher, based on demand information indicating a value corresponding to the level of the predetermined power demand for each time period (e.g., the power demand from the power consumer). The demand information may be, for example, information stored in a storage unit such as the database 12 based on information received via the communication unit 11. The demand information may be, for example, information based on the actual power demand for each time period, or may be a predicted value of the power demand for each time period.

[0044] In this way, the control unit 13 controls the supply of unused electricity stored in the battery of the vehicle EV to electricity consumers based on the demand information, thereby making it possible to balance the supply and demand of electricity.

[0045] The control unit 13 may identify optimization information including information regarding replacement of battery B based on usage information indicating at least a portion of the usage period, charging status, or power supply status of battery B. The usage information may be, for example, information stored in a storage unit such as the database 12 based on information received via the communication unit 11. The optimization information may include information regarding the recommended timing for replacing battery B with a new one, identified based on at least a portion of the usage period, charging status, or power supply status of battery B. The optimization information may include information regarding the optimal specifications (including, for example, battery capacity) of the recommended replacement battery, identified based on at least a portion of the usage period, charging status, or power supply status of battery B. The communication unit 11 may transmit the optimization information to the terminal device 20 of the user of battery B. The user of battery B may be able to check the optimization information via a display unit of the terminal device 20.

[0046] Although the above describes a method for controlling charging and power supply of battery B using the functions of server device 10, the present invention is not limited thereto, and terminal device 20 or server device 30 may control charging and power supply of battery B using the same processing as described above. For example, terminal device 20 or server device 30 each has a storage unit and a control unit. The storage unit stores capacity information indicating the capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand (e.g., the above-mentioned power demander) other than the vehicle EV, out of the dischargeable capacity of battery B when charging is complete, and the control unit may control battery B to supply power to the predetermined power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle EV is stopped. At least a portion of the processing performed by server device 10 described below may also be executed by terminal device 20 or server device 30.

[0047] Examples of various functions executed by the control unit 13 will be described in more detail with reference to Fig. 4. As shown in Fig. 4, the functions executed by the control unit 13 include, for example, a battery optimization function 131, a plant control function 132, a battery life cycle function 133, a UI management function 134, and an electricity fee settlement function 135. The control unit 13 may further execute functions other than those described above, or may not execute some of the functions described above.

[0048] (1) Battery optimization function 131 The battery optimization function 131 has, for example, the following sub-functions:

[0049] (1-1) Battery registration The control unit 13 registers the battery B as a target for control of charging, power supply, etc. by the system 1. The system 1 may provide an API (Application Programming Interface) for registering the battery B. For example, the control unit 13 registers the battery B as a target for control in response to a request received from the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11, and may also register information associating the battery B with the terminal device 20 (or the user ID) of the user of the battery B. Furthermore, if the battery B is a second-hand battery, the control unit 13 may register the installation location of the battery B, its serial number, and the like. The registered information may be stored in the database 12.

[0050] (1-2) Usage model settings The control unit 13 may identify an optimization plan for the use of battery B based on the usage status of battery B received from the communication unit 11, and transmit information about the optimization plan to the terminal device 20 of the user of battery B via the communication unit 11. For example, the control unit 13 may identify the above-mentioned optimal capacity information (the ratio of the dischargeable capacity of battery B when charging is complete to the capacity for supplying power to the power demand of the power consumer) based on the usage status of battery B received from the communication unit 11.

[0051] The control unit 13 may specify a predicted value of the usage time of battery B based on the usage status of battery B received from the communication unit 11. The control unit 13 may specify an optimal charging time and power supply time of battery B (for example, for each day of the week) based on the predicted value. The control unit 13 may receive setting information indicating whether the control unit 13 controls charging and power supply via the communication unit 11, and may control charging and power supply of battery B based on the setting information. The setting information may indicate the setting for each day of the week.

[0052] The control unit 13 may receive information indicating whether to control charging and power supply of battery B based on electricity rate information, electricity purchase price information, or electricity demand information for each time period via the communication unit 11 as setting information for the usage model, and may control charging and power supply of battery B based on the setting information. For example, the control unit 13 may control battery B to charge during a time period when the electricity bill is low (e.g., late at night) based on electricity rate information for each time period. The control unit 13 may control battery B to supply power during a time period when the electricity purchase price is high based on electricity purchase price information. The control unit 13 may control battery B to supply power during a time period when the electricity demand is high based on electricity demand information.

[0053] (1-3) Battery status detection The control unit 13 may receive status information of battery B via the communication unit 11 and transmit a notification based on the status information to the terminal device 20 of the user of battery B. The status information or notification may include, for example, information on the maximum charge capacity, deterioration status, remaining battery capacity, or charge / discharge transition of battery B.

[0054] (1-4) Optimization decision The control unit 13 may determine the optimal timing for charging or powering the battery B based on at least a part of the above-mentioned (1-3) battery state detection or (1-2) usage model setting functions, and transmit information on the optimal timing to the terminal device 20 of the user of the battery B via the communication unit 11.

[0055] (1-5) Battery capacity determination The control unit 13 may identify the deterioration state of battery B based on the function of (1-3) battery state detection, and may transmit proposal information indicating proposals such as replacing, trading in (selling), discarding, or using battery B in a used battery plant 3 to the terminal device 20 of the user of battery B via the communication unit 11. For example, when the quantified deterioration state of battery B indicates that it is deteriorated below a predetermined threshold, the control unit 13 may transmit proposal information suggesting replacing battery B to the terminal device 20.

[0056] (2) Plant control function 132 The plant control function 132 has, for example, the following sub-functions:

[0057] (2-1) Power demand forecast The control unit 13 may receive information on power requests from the power consumers, weather information, or other information via the communication unit 11, and may identify a predicted value of power demand (power demand information) based on the information. The identified power demand information may be by time zone, day, or period.

[0058] (2-2) Charging and power supply instructions The control unit 13 may identify an optimal control method for charging and power supply of battery B based on at least some of the functions of (1-3) battery state detection, (1-4) optimization determination, (1-5) battery capacity determination, and (2-1) power demand prediction, and control battery B based on the identified result.

[0059] (3) Battery Lifecycle Function 133 The battery life cycle function 133 has, for example, the following sub-functions:

[0060] (3-1) Lifecycle Management The control unit 13 may identify the state of the battery B in its life cycle and store and manage the state in the database 12. The state may include, for example, new registration of the battery B to the system 1, use of the battery B in the vehicle EV, occurrence of deterioration, reaching the expiration date for use in the vehicle EV, trade-in, use in the used battery plant 3, or disposal.

[0061] (3-2) Battery trade-in The control unit 13 may, using a function such as (1-5) battery capacity determination, identify a battery B having optimal performance (including, for example, a rapid charging function or charging capacity) for use by the user based on at least a part of the usage status, charging status, power supply status, electricity charges, or trends in electricity demand of the battery B in the vehicle EV by the user, and transmit information about the battery B to the user's terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11.

[0062] The control unit 13 may identify charging equipment having optimal performance (e.g., including rapid charging function or charging capacity) for battery B based on the user's usage status of battery B in the vehicle EV, and transmit information about battery B to the user's terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11.

[0063] (4) UI management function 134 The UI management function 134 is a function for providing a user interface that enables a user, an electricity consumer, or another business to use the system 1 via the terminal device 20. In detail, the UI management function 134 provides a user interface that enables a user, an electricity consumer, or another business to use services provided by the system 1 via the terminal device 20. The services may include, for example, settings related to charging and discharging of battery B, referencing the state of battery B, or a settlement function (wallet function) related to service usage. In order to provide the interface, the UI management function 134 transmits various information and control signals to the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 11. The UI management function 134 may be provided by an SDK (Software Development Kit) or an API (Application Programming Interface).

[0064] (5) Electricity bill settlement function 135 The power charge settlement function 135 is a function for settling the charge for the power supplied from the virtual plant 2 to the power consumer, or for calculating the price (remuneration) paid to the user of the battery B that constitutes the virtual plant 2.

[0065] [Processing flow] The processing flow in the system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Each processing step described below is realized by cooperation between a computer program (software) and hardware, for example, when the control units of the server device 10, the terminal device 20, and the server device 30 read and execute a computer program stored in a storage unit.

[0066] The details of the processing executed in the system 1 have already been explained, so in the following explanation of the processing flow, the contents already explained will be simplified or omitted.

[0067] In step S51, in response to an operation by the user, the terminal device 20 transmits capacity information indicating the capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle EV, out of the dischargeable capacity of the battery B when charging is completed, to the server device 10. The predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle EV is, for example, power for operating or driving a vehicle system of the vehicle EV and other on-board devices of the vehicle EV, and may include the power demand of the above-mentioned power consumers.

[0068] In step S52, the server device 10 stores the capacity information received in step S51 in the storage unit. The server device 10 may receive capacity information about the plurality of batteries B from the plurality of terminal devices 20 in step S51 and store the information in the storage unit.

[0069] In step S53, the server device 10 receives the power demand information of the power demander from the server device 30. The power demand information may include, for example, information regarding the timing when power supply is required, or information indicating the capacity of power that needs to be supplied.

[0070] In step S54, the server device 10 transmits a control signal to battery B (or each of the plurality of batteries B) based on the capacity information and the demand information to control battery B to supply power according to a predetermined power demand (for example, when the vehicle system of the vehicle EV is stopped). For example, when the demand information indicates a high power demand capacity, the server device 10 may control the plurality of batteries B so that more power is supplied from more batteries B.

[0071] In step S54, the server device 10 transmits a control signal for power supply from battery B to battery B, but this is not limiting. The server device 10 may transmit the control signal to the terminal device 20, and the terminal device 20 may control power supply from battery B.

[0072] As described above, according to this embodiment, the system 1 controls the battery B to supply power according to the specified power demand based on the capacity information when the vehicle system of the vehicle EV is stopped, thereby making it possible to more effectively utilize the capacity of the battery of the vehicle EV.

[0073] [Hardware configuration] 6, an example of the hardware configuration of the computer 800 will be described when the server device 10, the terminal device 20, and the server device 30 are realized by the computer 800. Note that the functions of each device can also be realized by dividing them into multiple devices.

[0074] 6, the computer 800 includes a processor 801, a memory 803, a storage device 805, an input I / F unit 807, a data I / F unit 809, a communication I / F unit 811, and a display device 813. Although not shown, the computer 800 may include various actuators (e.g., motors), a positioning module (e.g., a GPS module), or various sensors.

[0075] The processor 801 is a control unit that controls various processes in the computer 800 by executing programs stored in the memory 803 .

[0076] The memory 803 is a storage medium such as a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The memory 803 temporarily stores the program code of the program executed by the processor 801 and data required when the program is executed.

[0077] The storage device 805 is a non-volatile storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. The storage device 805 stores an operating system and various programs for realizing the above-mentioned configurations. The storage device 805 may be the same device as the memory 803.

[0078] The input I / F unit 807 is a device for receiving input from a user. Specific examples of the input I / F unit 807 include a keyboard, a mouse, a touch panel, various sensors, and a wearable device. The input I / F unit 807 may be connected to the computer 800 via an interface such as a USB (Universal Serial Bus).

[0079] The data I / F unit 809 is a device for inputting data from outside the computer 800. A specific example of the data I / F unit 809 is a drive device for reading data stored in various storage media. The data I / F unit 809 may be provided outside the computer 800. In this case, the data I / F unit 809 is connected to the computer 800 via an interface such as a USB.

[0080] The communication I / F unit 811 is a device for performing data communication via the Internet N, either wired or wirelessly, with devices external to the computer 800. The communication I / F unit 811 may be provided outside the computer 800. In this case, the communication I / F unit 811 is connected to the computer 800 via an interface such as a USB.

[0081] The display device 813 is a device for displaying various types of information. Specific examples of the display device 813 include a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, and a display of a wearable device. The display device 813 may be provided outside the computer 800. In this case, the display device 813 is connected to the computer 800 via, for example, a display cable. Furthermore, when a touch panel is adopted as the input I / F unit 807, the display device 813 can be configured as an integral part of the input I / F unit 807.

[0082] [Variations] The program for implementing the system 1 (or the server device 10, or the terminal device 20) in the above embodiment can be installed or loaded onto a computer through various recording media such as optical disks such as CD-ROMs, magnetic disks, semiconductor memories, or by downloading via a communication network, etc.

[0083] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be embodied in various other forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The above-described embodiment is merely an example in all respects and should not be construed as limiting. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 System 10 Server device 11 Communications Department 12 Databases 13 Control Unit 20 Terminal equipment 20a Terminal equipment 20b Terminal equipment 20c Terminal Equipment 30 Server device 800 computers 801 processor 803 memory 805 Storage device 807 Input I / F section 809 Data I / F section 811 Communication I / F section 813 Display device N Network

Claims

1. A computer for controlling a battery mounted on a vehicle, a storage unit that stores capacity information indicating a capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle out of a dischargeable capacity of the battery when charging is completed, and time zone information that indicates a time zone during which the vehicle will be driven and is information predicted based on a driving history of the vehicle; a communication unit that receives usage information indicating at least a part of a usage period, a charging status, or a power supply status of the battery; A control unit, When a vehicle system of the vehicle is stopped, control is performed based on the capacity information and the time period information so that power is supplied from the battery to meet the predetermined power demand during a time period when the vehicle is not being driven; a control unit that identifies information about a recommended battery capacity when replacing the battery based on the usage information; Equipped with the communication unit transmits information regarding the recommended battery capacity to a user's terminal device; A program that functions as an information processing device.

2. The program according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls charging of the battery based on the time zone information so that charging is completed before a predetermined time in a time zone in which the vehicle is driven.

3. 3. The program according to claim 2, wherein the control unit supplies power from the battery to the predetermined power demand while maintaining a charging rate of the battery in a range of 50% to 80% during a time period when the vehicle is not being driven.

4. the capacity information includes an upper limit value and a lower limit value of a dischargeable capacity of the battery when charging is completed, the upper limit value and the lower limit value of a capacity for supplying power to the predetermined power demand, 2. The program according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the battery to supply power to the predetermined power demand up to the upper limit of the dischargeable capacity of the battery when charging is completed, and then to charge the battery up to the lower limit.

5. the storage unit stores rate information indicating a value corresponding to an electricity rate for each time period; The control unit, based on the fee information, Controlling the time for charging the battery. The program according to claim 1.

6. the storage unit stores demand information indicating a value corresponding to the level of the predetermined power demand for each time period; the control unit controls the battery so that power is supplied with higher priority to the predetermined power demand during a time period when the predetermined power demand is higher, based on the demand information. The program according to claim 1.

7. the computer is a computer that controls each of the batteries mounted on each of the plurality of vehicles in a virtual plant that aggregates the batteries mounted on each of the plurality of vehicles, the storage unit stores the capacity information indicating a capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand other than that of the plurality of vehicles out of a dischargeable capacity of each of the batteries at the time of completion of charging, and the time period information indicating a time period in which each of the plurality of vehicles is driven, the time period information being information predicted based on a driving history of each of the plurality of vehicles; When the vehicle systems of the respective vehicles are stopped, the control unit controls, based on the capacity information and the time period information, the battery charge rates of the respective batteries to be kept within a predetermined range during a time period when the respective vehicles are not being driven, so as to supply power from the respective batteries to the predetermined power demand. The program according to claim 1.

8. The program according to claim 5 , wherein at least some of the plurality of batteries are second-hand batteries removed from the vehicle.

9. An information processing device for controlling a battery mounted on a vehicle, a storage unit that stores capacity information indicating a capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand other than that of the vehicle out of a dischargeable capacity of the battery when charging is completed, and time zone information that indicates a time zone during which the vehicle will be driven and is information predicted based on a driving history of the vehicle; a communication unit that receives usage information indicating at least a part of a usage period, a charging status, or a power supply status of the battery; A control unit, When a vehicle system of the vehicle is stopped, control is performed based on the capacity information and the time period information so that power is supplied from the battery to meet the predetermined power demand during a time period when the vehicle is not being driven; a control unit that identifies information about a recommended battery capacity when replacing the battery based on the usage information; Equipped with the communication unit transmits information regarding the recommended battery capacity to a user's terminal device; Information processing device.

10. An information processing method for controlling a battery mounted on a vehicle, comprising: a storage unit stores capacity information indicating a capacity for supplying power to a predetermined power demand other than the vehicle out of a dischargeable capacity of the battery when charging is completed, and time zone information indicating a time zone during which the vehicle will be driven, the time zone information being information predicted based on a driving history of the vehicle; a communication unit receiving usage information indicating at least a part of a usage period, a charging status, or a power supply status of the battery; The control unit When a vehicle system of the vehicle is stopped, control is performed based on the capacity information and the time period information so that power is supplied from the battery to meet the predetermined power demand during a time period when the vehicle is not being driven; Identifying information regarding a recommended battery capacity when replacing the battery based on the usage information; the communication unit transmitting information regarding the recommended battery capacity to a user's terminal device; An information processing method including:

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