Information processing device and method

Abstract

To improve a technique to provide a vehicle charging service.SOLUTION: A method executed by an information processing apparatus 10 and used for provision of a vehicle charging service that dispatches a power supply vehicle C used for charging a vehicle V to a place designated by a user, includes: acquiring information on a user planning to stay at a predetermined facility; acquiring a first remaining SOC of the vehicle V of the user before departing for the predetermined facility; predicting a second remaining SOC at the time point when the vehicle V arrives at the predetermined facility; and when the second remaining SOC is less than a predetermined reference, notifying the user of a proposal for making reservations for the use of the vehicle charging service, with the predetermined facility as a charging point.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a technology that provides a vehicle charging service using a rescue electric vehicle when an electric vehicle runs out of power. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a rescue vehicle goes to the location of the vehicle and supplies power. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-086841 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] With conventional vehicle charging services, when a user uses a designated facility, they must consider the battery's state of charge (SOC) for their next trip and decide whether to use the vehicle charging service. As such, there is room for improvement in the technology for providing vehicle charging services.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to improve the technology for providing vehicle charging services. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An information processing device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: A method executed by an information processing device used to provide a vehicle charging service that dispatches a power supply vehicle used for charging a vehicle to a location designated by a user, the method comprising: Acquiring information about the user who plans to stay at a predetermined facility; acquiring a first remaining SOC of the vehicle of the user before departure to the predetermined facility; predicting a second remaining SOC at the time the vehicle arrives at the predetermined facility; and When the second remaining SOC is less than a predetermined standard, proposing to the user a reservation for use of the vehicle charging service with the predetermined facility as a charging point. Includes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the technology for providing vehicle charging services. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an information processing device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a terminal device. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an operation of the information processing device according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0010] (Outline of the embodiment) An overview of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The system 1 includes an information processing device 10 and a terminal device 20. The information processing device 10 and the terminal device 20 are communicably connected to a network 30 including, for example, the Internet and a mobile communication network.

[0011] The system 1 according to this embodiment is used to provide a so-called on-demand charging service. The on-demand charging service is a service in which a power supply vehicle C, upon receiving a request from a user who wishes to charge a vehicle V, joins the user's vehicle V and charges the vehicle V.

[0012] The information processing device 10 is, for example, a server device, but is not limited to this and may be any computer. The information processing device 10 is capable of communicating with a terminal device 20 via a network 30.

[0013] The terminal device 20 is any computer used by a user. For example, a general-purpose computer such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, or a dedicated computer can be employed as the terminal device 20. Alternatively, the terminal device 20 may be an automotive navigation system installed in the user's vehicle V. For example, the user can use the terminal device 20 to make a reservation for a predetermined facility or a vehicle charging service, or to confirm and reply to notifications from the information processing device 10. In this embodiment, the predetermined facility is described as a facility where users stay, such as a hotel or a campsite, but is not limited to this example and may be any facility.

[0014] Network 30 may include the Internet, at least one WAN, at least one MAN, or a combination thereof. "WAN" is an abbreviation for wide area network. "MAN" is an abbreviation for metropolitan area network. Network 30 may include at least one wireless network, at least one optical network, or a combination thereof. A wireless network may be, for example, an ad hoc network, a cellular network, a wireless LAN, a satellite communication network, or a terrestrial microwave network. "LAN" is an abbreviation for local area network.

[0015] The power supply vehicle C is a power supply device equipped with a storage battery that can be installed on the ground and charge the vehicle V, or a vehicle equipped with a storage battery. The power supply vehicle C is, for example, an automobile, but is not limited to this and may be any vehicle. The automobile may be, for example, a battery electric vehicle (BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), but is not limited to these. The power supply vehicle C may be driven directly or remotely by a driver. Alternatively, the power supply vehicle C may be capable of automated driving, such as levels 1 to 5 defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). The system 1 may include any number of power supply vehicles C, two or more. The power supply vehicles C are managed by a business operator that provides a vehicle charging service. In this embodiment, the power supply vehicle C is dispatched to a location designated by a user and supplies power to the vehicle V.

[0016] The vehicle V is any type of automobile that uses electricity for at least part of its propulsion, such as a BEV, a PHEV, or an FCEV. The vehicle V is a vehicle in which a user rides.

[0017] First, an overview of this embodiment will be described, and details will be provided later. An information processing device 10 is used to provide a vehicle charging service that dispatches a power supply vehicle C used to charge a vehicle V to a location specified by a user. The information processing device 10 acquires information about a user who plans to stay at a specified facility, acquires a first remaining SOC of the user's vehicle V before departing for the specified facility, predicts a second remaining SOC at the time the vehicle V arrives at the specified facility, and if the second remaining SOC is less than a specified standard, suggests to the user that they make a reservation for the vehicle charging service with the specified facility as a charging point.

[0018] According to this embodiment, the information processing device 10 acquires the first remaining SOC of the vehicle V, predicts the second remaining SOC from the user information, and proposes to the user a reservation for a vehicle charging service. This eliminates the need for the user to make a charging plan taking into account the remaining SOC of the vehicle V, thereby improving convenience. This improves the technology for providing vehicle charging services.

[0019] Next, each component of the system 1 will be described in detail.

[0020] (Configuration of information processing device) As shown in FIG. 2, the information processing device 10 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a communication unit 13.

[0021] The control unit 11 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The dedicated circuit may be, for example, but is not limited to, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 11 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 10.

[0022] The storage unit 12 includes one or more memories. The memories may be, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, optical memories, or the like, but are not limited to these. Each memory included in the storage unit 12 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 12 stores any information used in the operation of the information processing device 10. For example, the storage unit 12 may store system programs, application programs, embedded software, and the like. The information stored in the storage unit 12 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 13, for example.

[0023] The communication unit 13 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 30. The communication interface corresponds to, for example, a mobile communication standard such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation), a wired LAN (Local Area Network) standard, or a wireless LAN standard, but is not limited to these and may correspond to any communication standard. In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 communicates with the terminal device 20 and the power supply vehicle C via the communication unit 13 and the network 30.

[0024] (Terminal Device Configuration) As shown in FIG. 3, the terminal device 20 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, a positioning unit 24, an input unit 25, and an output unit 26.

[0025] The control unit 21 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The control unit 21 controls the overall operation of the terminal device 20.

[0026] The storage unit 22 includes one or more memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 22 may function as, for example, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 22 stores any information used in the operation of the information processing device 10. For example, the storage unit 22 may store system programs, application programs, databases, map information, etc. The information stored in the storage unit 22 may be updatable with information obtained from the network 30 via the communication unit 23, for example.

[0027] The communication unit 23 includes one or more communication interfaces connected to the network 30. The communication interfaces correspond to, for example, a mobile communication standard, a wired LAN standard, or a wireless LAN standard, but are not limited to these and may correspond to any communication standard. In this embodiment, the terminal device 20 communicates with the information processing device 10 via the communication unit 23 and the network 30.

[0028] The positioning unit 24 includes one or more devices that acquire location information of the terminal device 20. Specifically, the positioning unit 24 includes, for example, a receiver compatible with the Global Positioning System (GPS), but is not limited to this and may include a receiver compatible with any satellite positioning system. If the terminal device 20 is a car navigation system installed in the vehicle V, the location information of the terminal device 20 may be treated as location information of the vehicle V.

[0029] The input unit 25 may include one or more input devices that detect user input. Examples of the input devices include, but are not limited to, physical keys, capacitive keys, a touch screen integrated with a display, a microphone that accepts voice input, or a camera. The input unit 25 may also include an interface for connecting an external input device.

[0030] The output unit 26 may include one or more output devices that output information to notify the user. Examples of the output devices include, but are not limited to, a display that outputs information visually or a speaker that outputs information audibly. The output unit 26 may include an interface for connecting an external output device.

[0031] (Operation flow of information processing device) The operation of the information processing device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. This operation corresponds to the method according to this embodiment. In the following, the information processing device 10 transmits and receives information to and from each device via the communication unit 13 and the network 30.

[0032] Step S100: The control unit 11 of the information processing device 10 acquires information about users who plan to stay at a predetermined facility.

[0033] In this embodiment, for example, a user of the vehicle V makes a reservation for a predetermined facility by operating the terminal device 20. The control unit 11 of the information processing device 10 acquires user information from the terminal device 20 via the network 30.

[0034] The user information includes any information such as information about the user, reservation information for use of a specified facility, schedule information during a stay at the specified facility, or information about the vehicle V used by the user (model, year, etc.). Of these, the schedule information during a stay at the specified facility includes schedule information for the outbound and return journeys to the specified facility.

[0035] The timing for acquiring user information is, for example, when a reservation is made for a predetermined facility, but is not limited to this and may be any timing. Also, once acquired, the information may be updateable by the user.

[0036] Step S101: The control unit 11 acquires the first remaining SOC of the user's vehicle V before departure to the predetermined facility.

[0037] The first remaining SOC can be obtained by any method. For example, the control unit 11 may automatically obtain the first remaining SOC, or the user may manually transmit the first remaining SOC using the terminal device 20.

[0038] The timing for acquiring the first remaining SOC is, for example, the night before or the morning of the departure date indicated in the usage reservation information or schedule information, but is not limited to these and may be any timing.

[0039] Step S102: The control unit 11 predicts the second remaining SOC at the time when the vehicle V arrives at the predetermined facility.

[0040] In this embodiment, the control unit 11 predicts the second remaining SOC at the time the user arrives at the predetermined facility based on information about the user's vehicle V, schedule information for the outbound journey to the predetermined facility, and the acquired first remaining SOC. For example, the control unit 11 calculates the route (travel distance) to the predetermined facility based on the schedule information for the outbound journey to the predetermined facility, and calculates fuel efficiency and the like based on information about the vehicle V. The control unit 11 then calculates the SOC consumed by the vehicle V on the outbound journey from this information and predicts the second remaining SOC by subtracting it from the acquired first remaining SOC. In addition, the control unit 11 may predict the second remaining SOC using any information, such as traffic congestion information or weather information, on the day of departure.

[0041] Step S103: The control unit 11 determines whether the second remaining SOC predicted in the above-described step S102 is less than a predetermined standard. If it is determined that the second remaining SOC is equal to or greater than the predetermined standard (step S103—No), the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that the second remaining SOC is less than the predetermined standard (step S103—Yes), the process proceeds to S104.

[0042] The predetermined standard may be a fixed value or may be automatically determined by the control unit 11. When the predetermined standard is automatically determined by the control unit 11, for example, the control unit 11 calculates the route (travel distance) from schedule information for the stay at the predetermined facility included in the user information acquired in step S100, and calculates fuel efficiency and the like from information about the vehicle V. Then, the control unit 11 predicts the consumed SOC from this information and sets the consumed SOC as the predetermined standard.

[0043] Step S104: The control unit 11 determines whether or not there is a charging facility installed in the predetermined facility. If it is determined that there is a charging facility (step S104—Yes), the process ends. On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no charging facility (step S104—No), the process proceeds to S105.

[0044] Any method can be used to determine whether or not a specific facility has built-in charging equipment. For example, when the control unit 11 acquires information indicating that a specific facility has built-in charging equipment, the control unit 11 determines that the specific facility has built-in charging equipment. The information indicating whether or not a specific facility has built-in charging equipment may be acquired by the control unit 11 in advance, or may be acquired at any timing in steps S101 to S104. The control unit 11 may acquire the information indicating whether or not a specific facility has built-in charging equipment, for example, from an external server via the Internet, or may acquire the information input by a user to the terminal device 20 from the terminal device 20. The information indicating whether or not a specific facility has built-in charging equipment may be acquired automatically by the control unit 11, or may be manually transmitted by a user from the terminal device 20, etc.

[0045] If it is determined that there is an on-board charging facility, the control unit 11 may notify the user via the terminal device 20 of information about the on-board charging facility.

[0046] Step S105: The control unit 11 determines whether the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point. If it is determined that the predetermined facility cannot be set as a charging point (step S105—No), the process ends. If it is determined that the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point (step S105—Yes), the process proceeds to S106.

[0047] Setting a predetermined facility as a charging point means designating a parking lot or the like within the premises of the predetermined facility or in the vicinity as a location where a vehicle charging service is provided. Any method can be used to determine whether a predetermined facility can be set as a charging point. For example, when the control unit 11 acquires information indicating that the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point, the control unit 11 determines that the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point. The information indicating whether the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point may be acquired by the control unit 11 in advance, or may be acquired at any timing in steps S101 to S104. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may acquire the information indicating whether the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point, for example, from an external server via the Internet, or may acquire the information input into the terminal device 20 by a user from the terminal device 20. Furthermore, the information indicating whether the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point may be automatically acquired by the control unit 11, or may be manually transmitted by the user from the terminal device 20, for example.

[0048] If it is determined that the setting is not possible, the control unit 11 may notify the user via the terminal device 20 of information about charging facilities around the predetermined facility.

[0049] Step S106: The control unit 11 proposes to the user to make a reservation for the vehicle charging service, with the predetermined facility as the charging point.

[0050] Any method can be adopted to notify the user. For example, the control unit 11 may notify the user by displaying a screen on the output unit 26 of the terminal device 20 that prompts the user to make a reservation for a vehicle charging service. Furthermore, the timing of the notification may be any timing before the user arrives at the predetermined facility.

[0051] When the user selects to reserve the use of the vehicle charging service, the control unit 11 dispatches the power supply vehicle C to the location designated by the user.

[0052] As described above, the information processing device 10 is used to provide a vehicle charging service that dispatches a power supply vehicle C used to charge a vehicle V to a location specified by a user. The information processing device 10 acquires information about a user who plans to stay at a specified facility, acquires a first remaining SOC of the user's vehicle V before departure to the specified facility, predicts a second remaining SOC at the time when the vehicle V arrives at the specified facility, and, if the second remaining SOC is less than a specified standard, suggests to the user that they make a reservation for the vehicle charging service with the specified facility as a charging point.

[0053] According to this configuration, the information processing device 10 acquires the first remaining SOC of the vehicle V, predicts the second remaining SOC from the user information, and proposes to the user a reservation for a vehicle charging service. This eliminates the need for the user to make a charging plan taking the remaining SOC of the vehicle V into consideration, thereby improving convenience. This improves the technology for providing vehicle charging services.

[0054] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or step can be rearranged so as not to be logically inconsistent, and multiple components or steps can be combined or divided into one.

[0055] For example, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration and operation of the information processing device 10 may be distributed among multiple computers that can communicate with each other. Also, an embodiment in which some or all of the components of the information processing device 10 are provided in the terminal device 20 is also possible.

[0056] In the above-described embodiment, the operation flow of the information processing device 10 has been described as being divided into steps S100 to S106. However, embodiments are also possible in which some steps are performed together or some steps are omitted. For example, the operations of steps S104 to S105 may be omitted.

[0057] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the user information may include schedule information for the user's stay at the specified facility. The control unit 11 may also predict the time period during which the vehicle V will be parked at the specified facility from the schedule information. The control unit 11 may then determine to supply power to the user's vehicle V during the time period (e.g., at night) when the vehicle V is parked in a parking lot or the like at the specified facility. In such a case, the control unit 11 dispatches the power supply vehicle C to a location specified by the user during the time period when the vehicle V is parked. This allows charging to be completed while the user is not using the vehicle V.

[0058] Also, an embodiment is possible in which, for example, a general-purpose computer functions as the information processing device 10 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content for realizing each function of the information processing device 10 according to the above-described embodiment may be stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the program may be read and executed by a processor. Therefore, the present disclosure may also be realized as a program executable by a processor, or a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing the program.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, the power supply vehicle C may be an autonomous vehicle that does not require a driver to drive. In such a case, the control unit 11 of the information processing device 10 may control the autonomous driving of each power supply vehicle C by transmitting an instruction to each power supply vehicle C to drive according to the determined operation plan. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 System 10. Information processing equipment 11 Control section 12 Storage section 13 Communications Department 20 Terminal equipment 21 Control section 22 Memory section 23 Communications Department 24 Positioning unit 25 Input section 26 Output section 30 Network V vehicle C Power supply vehicle

Claims

1. A method executed by an information processing device used to provide a vehicle charging service that dispatches a power supply vehicle used for charging a vehicle to a location designated by a user, the method comprising: Acquiring information about the user who plans to stay at a predetermined facility; acquiring a first remaining SOC of the vehicle of the user before departure to the predetermined facility; predicting a second remaining SOC at the time the vehicle arrives at the predetermined facility; and When the second remaining SOC is less than a predetermined standard, notifying the user of a proposal to make a reservation for use of the vehicle charging service using the predetermined facility as a charging point. A method comprising:

2. 10. The method of claim 1, The information processing device notifies the user of a proposal to make a reservation for the vehicle charging service based on information that the predetermined facility can be set as a charging point.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, The method further includes acquiring information about charging equipment installed in the predetermined facility; If there is no charging facility, the information processing device notifies the user of a suggestion to make a reservation for the vehicle charging service.

4. 10. The method of claim 1, The user information includes schedule information of the user during his / her stay at the predetermined facility, The method further includes predicting a SOC to be consumed during a stay at the predetermined facility based on the schedule information; When the second remaining SOC is less than the consumed SOC, the information processing device notifies the user of a suggestion to make a reservation for use of the vehicle charging service.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, The user information includes schedule information of the user during his / her stay at the predetermined facility, and further comprising predicting, from the schedule information, a time period during which the vehicle will be parked at the predetermined facility; The method, wherein the information processing device determines to supply power to the user's vehicle while the vehicle is parked.

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