Management server and management server control method

Abstract

To provide a management server and a control method of the management server that improve the convenience of a lender of a battery that is detachably provided in a mobile body.SOLUTION: In a rental system, a management server 20 includes: a lending management unit 70 that determines an approval mode which is either an approval-free mode in which a borrower is given permission to borrow without a lender's approval, or an approval-required mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow with the lender's approval based on the lender's designation or predetermined conditions approved by the lender; and a borrowing permission granting unit 73 that grants the borrower permission to borrow by transmitting information required for borrowing the battery to a second electronic apparatus. The borrowing permission granting unit 73 grants the borrower permission to borrow according to the approval mode determined by the lending management unit 70, and manages the lending and borrowing of the battery detachably provided in the mobile body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a management server and a method for controlling a management server. [Background technology]

[0002] Because electricity charged by renewable energy can be used in places other than the charging site, batteries have been used in recent years with the aim of increasing the proportion of renewable energy. Technologies using batteries have been proposed in the past (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses an electric vehicle that has a main battery attached to the vehicle body and a drive source that outputs drive power for traveling using the power of the main battery, and that has a holder provided on the vehicle body that detachably holds a user battery owned by the user, separate from the main battery, and has the function of charging the user battery. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6882588 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the prior art, a rental system can be considered in which a user who owns a user battery (hereinafter referred to as a "lender") rents the battery to a third party user (hereinafter referred to as a "borrower"). In addition, this rental system is equipped with a mechanism that allows the borrower to remove the user battery from the holder of the lender's electric vehicle and borrow the user battery, so the lender can rent out the user battery at the rental location where the lender has traveled in the electric vehicle, thereby improving the lender's convenience.

[0005] Furthermore, if the lender can easily control the lending when the lender wants to temporarily cancel the lending of a user battery that was scheduled to be lent out, for example, for his / her own use, the lender's convenience can be further improved.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a management server and a method for controlling the management server that can improve convenience for lenders. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is a management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender who lends a battery detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower who borrows the battery, the management server comprising: a lending management unit that determines one of an approval mode, an approval-free mode in which borrowing permission is granted to the borrower without obtaining the lender's approval, and an approval-required mode in which borrowing permission is granted to the borrower with the lender's approval, based on a designation by the lender or a predetermined condition permitted by the lender; and a borrowing permission granting unit that, when a request to borrow the battery is received from a second electronic device operated by the borrower, grants the borrowing permission to the borrower by transmitting information required to borrow the battery to the second electronic device, and the borrowing permission granting unit grants the borrowing permission to the borrower with or without the lender's approval in accordance with the approval mode determined by the lending management unit. The predetermined condition includes that the battery rented by the lender is located at a predetermined location designated in advance by the lender, and the lending management unit determines the approval mode to be the approval-unnecessary mode when the predetermined condition is satisfied, and determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode when the predetermined condition is not satisfied. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, convenience for lenders can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a rental system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a manner in which a battery station is attached to a mobile object. [Figure 3]FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a battery station. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the device configurations of a first electronic device and a second electronic device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a management server. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a first electronic device and a second electronic device. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display mode of search results in the second electronic device. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a control device of the battery station. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the rental system when a lender rents out a power pack. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the rental system when automatic setting of the approval mode is permitted. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 illustrates the operation of the rental system when a renter searches to rent a power pack. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system when a renter selects a desired rental location from the search results and rents a power pack. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system 1 when a renter rents a power pack at a rental location. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a rental system 1 according to this embodiment. The rental system 1 is a system that provides a power pack 2 rental and borrowing service between a lender 4 that rents out a power pack 2, which is a portable battery, and a borrower 6 that borrows the power pack 2. As shown in Fig. 1 , the rental system 1 of this embodiment includes a battery station 10 that is installed on a mobile object 8 operated by the lender 4 and that detachably holds the power pack 2, a first electronic device 14 operated by the lender 4, a second electronic device 16 operated by the borrower 6, an electric vehicle 24 that is an example of a device that can use the power pack 2 rented by the borrower 6, and a management server 20 that manages the rental and borrowing of the power pack 2, each of which is connected to a communication network 22 such as the Internet so that they can communicate with each other.

[0011] The lessor 4 is a person who has the right to rent the power pack 2 to a third party, for example, the owner of the power pack 2, or a person who has the right to sublease the power pack 2 that he / she has rented from an operator of the rental system 1. The lessor 4 in this embodiment also has the ownership or right to use the mobile object 8.

[0012] The mobile object 8 is an object that moves on land, in the air, on the sea, or underwater together with the battery station 10 by being operated by the lender 4, and is, for example, a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, etc. In this embodiment, an electric four-wheeled automobile, which is one type of vehicle, is exemplified as the mobile object 8.

[0013] The power pack 2 is a portable battery that is detachably held in the battery station 10 and is detachably provided on the moving object 8, and the type of battery (electrode material) is arbitrary.

[0014] The lessee 6 is a person who has the right to borrow and use the power pack 2 from the lessor 4. The lessee 6 in this embodiment is the user of the electric vehicle 24.

[0015] The electric vehicle 24 is a vehicle such as a two-wheeled, three-wheeled, or four-wheeled vehicle that is equipped with the above-mentioned power pack 2 that is provided so as to be freely replaceable, and a motor that outputs driving force to drive the drive wheels of the vehicle body using the electric power of the power pack 2.

[0016] The management server 20 is a server computer that provides the above-mentioned lending and borrowing service, and manages the lending and borrowing of power packs 2 between the lender 4 and the borrower 6 .

[0017] The first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 are both devices equivalent to client computers that receive a lending / borrowing service from the management server 20. That is, the first electronic device 14 executes processing related to lending the power pack 2 to the management server 20 based on the operation of the lender 4, and the second electronic device 16 executes processing related to borrowing the power pack 2 to the management server 20 based on the operation of the borrower 6. The first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 are, for example, portable electronic devices such as a smartphone or a notebook personal computer, or stationary electronic devices such as a desktop personal computer.

[0018] Here, the lending and borrowing service in the rental system 1 of this embodiment is premised on the following first to fourth items. The first condition is that the lender 4 lends out the power pack 2 using the current location of the mobile object 8 as the lending location. The second point is that when the borrower 6 borrows the power pack 2, the borrower 6 exchanges the power pack 2 that he or she is using in his or her electric vehicle 24 for the power pack 2 that he or she borrows (so-called exchange method). The third point is that if Power Pack 2 is exchanged by Lessee 6, Lessor 4 can rent out the Power Pack 2 acquired through the exchange. In other words, Lessor 4 has the right to sublease the Power Pack 2 acquired through the exchange. The fourth item is that the lessor 4 receives an incentive from the operator of the rental system 1 or the like according to the rental performance of the power pack 2.

[0019] According to this rental system 1, the lessor 4 can rent out the power pack 2 not only at his / her own home but also at a destination (e.g., a shopping mall) while traveling in a mobile object 8. Furthermore, the lessor 4 can repeatedly rent out the power pack 2 without being limited by the number of power packs 2 in stock, and can receive incentives. On the other hand, when the remaining amount of stored electricity in the power pack 2 of the electric vehicle 24 becomes low, the lessee 6 can borrow a power pack 2 from a lender 4 that is lending out power packs in the vicinity and exchange it for the power pack 2 of the electric vehicle 24. As a result, even if the power pack 2 runs out of stored electricity while the lessee 6 is driving the electric vehicle 24 in an area where charging facilities are insufficient, the lessee 6 can solve the problem of insufficient stored electricity by exchanging it for the power pack 2 borrowed from the lender 4.

[0020] Next, the configuration of each part of the rental system 1 will be described in detail.

[0021] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing how the battery station 10 is attached to the moving object 8. As shown in FIG. As described above, the mobile object 8 of this embodiment is an electric four-wheeled vehicle, and the battery station 10 can be attached in two ways, mode A and mode B, shown in FIG. 2 . Mode A is a mode in which the battery station 10 is installed on the rear surface 8R of the body of the mobile object 8, in a location where a spare tire (so-called rear tire) is fixed. Mode B is a mode in which the battery station 10 is fixed to a roof carrier 9 installed on the roof 8U of the body of the mobile object 8, instead of a roof box. The dimensions, shape, and appearance of the battery station 10 differ between mode A and mode B. The battery station 10 in mode A is box-shaped with dimensions corresponding to the spare tire, and the battery station 10 in mode B has an external shape similar to a roof box. In both aspects A and B, the battery station 10 is located outside the body of the vehicle 8, in a position that is visible to the renter 6, and from which the renter 6 can easily remove the power pack 2.

[0022] Fig. 3 is a diagram that schematically illustrates the configuration of the battery station 10. Note that Fig. 3 is merely a schematic diagram and does not accurately illustrate the layout, shape, or size of each part. The battery station 10 includes a housing 30 that houses a plurality of (three in the illustrated example) power packs 2. Inside the housing 30, there are provided a holding unit 34 that detachably holds the power packs 2, an electrical unit 36 ​​that houses various electric and electronic circuits, and a storage space 38 in which the renter 4 (i.e., the user of the mobile object 8) can store luggage. The electrical unit 36 ​​also houses a control device 40, a charging device 42, a first position detection device 44, a first communication device 46, and a second communication device 48.

[0023] The holding unit 34 includes a charging connector 39 electrically connected to the electrodes of the power pack 2, and a locking mechanism 43 that prevents the power pack 2 from being removed in response to an instruction from the control device 40. The locking mechanism 43 includes, for example, an electric key that locks the cover 33 of the power pack removal port formed in the housing 30 so that it cannot be opened or closed, or an electrically controlled latching mechanism that hooks onto the power pack 2 housed in the housing 30 to prevent it from being removed.

[0024] The control device 40 is a device that controls each part of the battery station 10, and includes a computer having a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit), a memory device (also called a main memory device) such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage device (also called a secondary memory device) such as an SSD (Solid State Drive), and an interface circuit for connecting other devices and sensors. The processor executes computer programs stored in the memory device or the storage device to realize various functions of the battery station 10. The functional configuration of the control device 40 will be described later. The control device 40 may also include multiple computers that cooperate to realize various functions.

[0025] The charging device 42 is a device that charges the power pack 2 using power supplied from an appropriate power source 25, and includes a remaining charge detector 42A that detects the remaining amount of electricity stored in the power pack 2. The power source 25 is, for example, a commercial power source or a charging facility. The power source 25 may be a stationary vehicle battery mounted on the mobile object 8. Furthermore, when charging the vehicle battery of the mobile object 8, the charging device 42 may charge the power pack 2 using power branched from the charging power. Furthermore, the charging device 42 need not be built into the battery station 10, but may be provided externally (for example, on the mobile object 8). The lender 4 can operate the charging device 42 to fully charge the power packs 2 in advance and then lend out the power packs 2. The charging device 42 may automatically charge each power pack 2 held in the holding unit 34 while power is being supplied from the power source 25, and maintain the power packs 2 in a fully charged state.

[0026] The first position detection device 44 is a device that detects the position of the battery station 10, and includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver that receives positioning signals transmitted from a plurality of positioning satellites.

[0027] The first communication device 46 is a device including a transmitter and a receiver for transmitting and receiving data between the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16, respectively. In this embodiment, the first communication device 46, the first electronic device 14, and the second electronic device 16 transmit and receive data by communicating using a short-range wireless communication method. That is, the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 can communicate with the first communication device 46 only when the lender 4 operating the first electronic device 14 and the borrower 6 operating the second electronic device 16 are near the battery station 10 with which they are to communicate (within the communication range of the first communication device 46). Note that any communication protocol for the short-range wireless communication method may be used.

[0028] In this embodiment, various information related to the battery station 10, such as the detection results of the first position detection device 44 and the remaining charge detector 42A and the charging status, is transmitted from the first communication device 46 to the first electronic device 14, and then transmitted from the first electronic device 14 to the management server 20.

[0029] The second communication device 48 is a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) base station 27 (typically a wireless router device) installed at the residence of the lender 4 and connected to the communication network 22. The residence refers to the place where the lender 4 usually stays or the base station of the lender 4, such as a home or workplace. In this embodiment, when the battery station 10 (mobile object 8) is located within the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27 and the second communication device 48 can communicate with the management server 20 via the wireless LAN base station 27, predetermined data is sent and received directly to and from the management server 20 without going through the first electronic device 14. One of the predetermined data includes a wireless LAN communication range notification that notifies the management server 20 that the battery station 10 is located within the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27. This wireless LAN communication range notification is sent promptly after the battery station 10 enters the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27 and a communication link is established between the second communication device 48 and the wireless LAN base station 27.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the device configuration of the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16. As shown in FIG. Both the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 include an input device 60, a display device 61, a second position detection device 62, a third communication device 63, a fourth communication device 64, a memory device 65, and a processor 66. The input device 60 is a device that accepts operational inputs from users such as the lessor 4 and the lessee 6, and includes, for example, a touch panel and operation buttons. The display device 61 is a device that displays various information, and includes, for example, a flat panel display. The second position detection device 62 is a device that detects a current position, and is equipped with a GNSS receiver like the above-described first position detection device 44. Note that if the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 are devices that communicate with a mobile telephone communication network, the second position detection device 62 may detect the current position based on position information of a base station included in the mobile telephone communication network.

[0031] The third communication device 63 is a device including a transmitter and a receiver for transmitting and receiving data to and from the management server 20 via the communication network 22. The fourth communication device 64 is a device that includes a transmitter and a receiver for sending and receiving data between the above-mentioned second communication device 48 provided in the battery station 10, and in this embodiment is a short-range wireless communication device that communicates using a short-range wireless communication method. The storage device 65 is a device that stores the application 17. The application 17 is a computer program (application program) that causes the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 to operate as client computers that receive the power pack 2 lending / borrowing service from the management server 20. The processor 66 is an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU or an MPU, and realizes various functions by executing the application 17. The functional configuration realized by executing the application 17 will be described later.

[0032] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the management server 20. As shown in FIG. The management server 20 is a computer equipped with a processor such as a CPU or MPU, a memory device such as a ROM or RAM, a storage device such as an SSD, and a communication device including a transmitter and receiver for sending and receiving data with other computers via the communication network 22. The processor executes a computer program stored in the memory device or storage device to realize the various functional configurations shown in Fig. 5. The management server 20 may include multiple computers, and the computers may cooperate to realize the functional configurations shown in Fig. 5.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5, the management server 20 includes a lending management unit 70, a search execution unit 72, and a lending permission granting unit 73. The rental management unit 70 manages the rental of the power pack 2 by the lender 4, and stores a rental management table 77 that records information related to the rental (hereinafter referred to as "rental implementation information JA"). The lending implementation information JA includes lender identification information JA1, lending location information JA2, lending start date and time information JA3, approval mode information JA4, automatic setting registration information JA5, borrowing information JA6, approval-free location information JA7, and wireless LAN base station information JA8, and these are recorded in correspondence with each other in the lending management table 77 by the lending management unit 70.

[0034] The lender identification information JA1 is information that uniquely identifies the lender 4. The rental location information JA2 is information indicating the rental location where the lender 4 rents out the power pack 2 (that is, the location where the mobile object 8 to which the battery station 10 is attached is located). The rental start date and time information JA3 is information indicating the rental start date and time when the rental of the power pack 2 will start at the rental location.

[0035] The approval mode information JA4 is information relating to whether approval by the lender 4 is required for the borrower 6's rental application. In this embodiment, the approval mode information JA4 records either an approval-free mode or an approval-required mode. The approval-free mode is an approval mode in which the borrower 6 is given permission to borrow, as described below, without needing the approval of the lender 4. The approval-required mode is an approval mode in which the approval of the lender 4 is required and the borrower 6 is given permission to borrow after receiving the approval of the lender 4.

[0036] The automatic setting registration information JA5 is information indicating whether the lender 4 has permitted the management server 20 (lending management unit 70) to determine the approval mode (hereinafter referred to as "automatic setting") based on the specified conditions described below. If the lender 4 does not permit automatic setting, the lending management unit 70 records the approval mode previously designated by the lender 4 in the approval mode information JA4. On the other hand, if the lender 4 permits automatic setting, the lending management unit 70 determines the approval mode to be the approval-free mode when predetermined conditions are satisfied, and determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode when the predetermined conditions are not satisfied, and records the determined approval mode in the approval mode information JA4.

[0037] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned specified conditions include first to third conditions that improve the convenience of the lender 4 regarding approval, and the lender 4, after understanding these first to third conditions in advance, allows automatic setting based on these first to third conditions.

[0038] The first condition is that the power pack 2 (battery station 10) rented by the lender 4 is located in a location designated in advance by the lender 4 (hereinafter referred to as an "approval-free location"). This first condition is established to improve the convenience of the lender 4 by designating a location in advance where the lender 4 is unlikely to use the power pack 2 himself, so that when the power pack 2 is lent out at that location, an approval request RC1 that is unnecessary for the lender 4 is not generated.

[0039] The second condition is that the power pack 2 is connected to the charging device 42. If this second condition is satisfied, the power pack 2 is charged by the charging device 42 and maintained at a predetermined remaining charge level (so-called fully charged state). Therefore, for example, even if the power pack 2 has been exchanged by a certain borrower 6 and has insufficient remaining power at the time of receiving the borrowing request, the power pack 2 will be charged by the charging device 42. Therefore, by allowing this second condition, the lender 4 can grant permission for borrowing to the borrower 6 without having to pay attention to the remaining power of the power pack 2 at the time of receiving the borrowing request. In addition, when the charging device 42 is charging the power pack 2 using power from the power source 25, it is assumed that the mobile object 8 is parked at the residence of the lender 4. In this case, since the lender 4 is unlikely to use the power pack 2 himself, the lender 4 can prevent unnecessary approval requests RC1 from being generated by allowing the second condition, thereby improving the convenience of the lender 4.

[0040] The third condition is that the power pack 2 is stored in the battery station 10 installed in the mobile body 8, the battery station 10 is located within the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27 installed at the residence of the lessor 4, and the mobile body 8 is stopped. This third condition is established to improve the convenience of Lender 4 by preventing unnecessary approval requests RC1 from being generated in situations where Lender 4 is unlikely to use Power Pack 2 himself.

[0041] In this embodiment, the satisfaction states of the first condition and the second condition are detected by the first electronic device 14 operated by the lender 4, and are transmitted from the first electronic device 14 to the management server 20 as a satisfaction state notification RA3. Furthermore, the satisfaction state of the third condition is detected by the battery station 10, and is transmitted from the battery station 10 to the management server 20 via the wireless LAN base station 27 as a satisfaction state notification RD1. Then, the lending management unit 70 determines the approval mode based on these satisfaction state notifications RA3 and RD1.

[0042] The rental information JA6 is information required when the borrower 6 borrows the power pack 2 from the battery station 10, and in this embodiment, is an unlock code for unlocking the lock mechanism 43 of the battery station 10. The approval-free location information JA7 is information indicating the location information of the above-mentioned approval-free location. The wireless LAN base station information JA8 is information that uniquely identifies the wireless LAN base station 27, and is, for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address or an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity).

[0043] In this embodiment, the lending implementation information JA is set by the lender 4 operating the first electronic device 14, and is transmitted from the first electronic device 14 to the management server 20. Note that some of the information in the lending implementation information JA may be notified to the business operator using other communication media such as mail.

[0044] When the search execution unit 72 receives a search request RA4 from the second electronic device 16 operated by the borrower 6, it searches for relevant information from the rental implementation information JA recorded in the rental management table 77 based on the search conditions specified by the second electronic device 16, and transmits the search results to the second electronic device 16. In this embodiment, the search conditions are "rentals being carried out around the current location of the second electronic device 16." Note that these search conditions are merely examples and can be changed or added as appropriate. The search execution unit 72 of this embodiment transmits, as search results, the rental location information JA2, the rental start date and time information JA3, and the approval mode JA4 from among the corresponding rental implementation information JA.

[0045] The borrowing permission granting unit 73 is a functional unit that grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 when the borrower 6 receives a borrowing permission request RA5 from the second electronic device 16 requesting permission to borrow the power pack 2. In this embodiment, the borrowing permission granting unit 73 grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 by transmitting borrowing information JA6 to the second electronic device 16 of the borrower 6. Furthermore, when granting borrowing permission to the borrower 6, the borrowing permission granting unit 73 grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 with or without the approval of the lender 4, in accordance with the approval mode determined by the lending management unit 70 (i.e., the approval mode information JA4 recorded in the lending management table 77). If the borrowing permission granting unit 73 obtains the approval of the lender 4, it sends an approval request RC1 regarding the granting of borrowing permission to the first electronic device 14. Then, the borrowing permission granting unit 73 grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 if the approval result RA2 received from the first electronic device 14 indicates that the approval request RC1 is approved, and rejects the borrowing request if the approval result RA2 indicates that the approval request RC1 is rejected.

[0046] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16. As shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the first electronic device 14 and the second electronic device 16 function as a lender function unit 80 and a borrower function unit 81 by executing the application 17. The lender function unit 80 is a function unit that provides the lender 4 with functions related to the lending of the power pack 2, and is equipped with a lending implementation application request unit 82, an approval result sending unit 83, a first judgment unit 84, and a first notification unit 85. The lending implementation application request unit 82 transmits a lending implementation application request RA1 to the management server 20 in response to an operation by the lender 4. The lending implementation application request RA1 is a transmission message requesting lending of the power pack 2 by the lender 4. Furthermore, the loan implementation application request unit 82 transmits each piece of information contained in the loan implementation information JA to the management server 20, either by including it in the loan implementation application request RA1 or after transmitting the loan implementation application request RA1. However, the borrowing information JA6 included in the loan implementation information JA may be specified by the lender 4 or may be generated by the management server 20. Furthermore, information such as the approval mode information JA4, automatic setting registration information JA5, approval-free location information JA7, and wireless LAN base station information JA8 may be configured to be specified in advance by the lender 4 before transmitting the loan implementation application request RA1.

[0047] The approval result transmitting unit 83 generates an approval result RA2 in response to the approval request RC1 received from the management server 20 based on an operation by the lender 4, and transmits the approval result RA2 to the management server 20.

[0048] The first determination unit 84 determines whether predetermined conditions (the first and second conditions in this embodiment) related to the automatic setting of the approval mode are satisfied at an appropriate determination timing or at an appropriate determination interval in the first electronic device 14. Of the predetermined conditions, whether the third condition is satisfied is determined by the battery station 10.

[0049] The satisfaction state of the first condition is determined as follows: That is, when a battery station 10 is present within the short-range wireless communication range of the first electronic device 14, the first determination unit 84 acquires the current location of the battery station 10, and determines whether the current location of the battery station 10 matches the location indicated by the approval-free location information JA7 (more precisely, whether the difference between the two is equal to or less than a predetermined value), thereby determining whether the first condition is satisfied.

[0050] Furthermore, the determination of whether the second condition is satisfied is performed as follows: That is, when a battery station 10 is present within the short-range wireless communication range of the first electronic device 14, the first determination unit 84 determines whether the second condition is satisfied by obtaining from the battery station 10 whether the power pack 2 is connected to the charging device 42 of the battery station 10 so as to be chargeable. Whether the power pack 2 is connected to the charging device 42 is determined by the control device 40 or the charging device 42 of the battery station 10 based on whether the power pack 2 is connected to the charging connector 39 of the battery station 10.

[0051] The first notification unit 85 sends a satisfaction state notification RA3 to the management server 20 indicating the satisfaction state of the specified conditions at that time (i.e., the satisfaction state of each of the first and second conditions) each time the judgment result of the first judgment unit 84 regarding the satisfaction state of the specified conditions changes.

[0052] The borrower function unit 81 is a function unit that provides the borrower 6 with functions related to the borrowing of the power pack 2, and is equipped with a search request unit 86, a search result presentation unit 87, a borrowing permission request unit 88, and a borrowing authentication request unit 89. The search request unit 86 transmits a search request RA4 and search conditions to the management server 20 in response to an operation by the borrower 6.

[0053] The search result presentation unit 87 is a functional unit that presents the search results received from the management server 20 to the borrower 6 as a response message to the search request RA4. In this embodiment, the search result presentation unit 87 displays a rental icon C2 at the position indicated by the rental location information JA2 included in the search results on a map C1 of the area around the current location, as shown in Figure 7. The rental icon C2 includes an indication of the rental start date and time and the approval mode, although these are not shown, and the borrower 6 can select the desired rental based on these indications, taking into account factors such as the distance from his or her current location.

[0054] The borrowing permission request unit 88 transmits a borrowing permission request RA5 to the management server 20 in response to an operation by the borrower 6. The borrowing permission request RA5 is a transmission message requesting permission to borrow a power pack 2 to be rented at a rental location selected by the borrower 6. The borrowing permission request unit 88 also receives the above-mentioned borrowing information JA6 from the management server 20 as a response message to this borrowing permission request RA5, and as a result, the management server 20 grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6.

[0055] The borrowing authentication request unit 89 transmits an unlock request RB1 to the battery station 10 by short-range wireless communication in response to an operation by the borrower 6. The unlock request RB1 is a transmission message requesting the battery station 10 to unlock the lock mechanism 43. In addition, the borrowing authentication request unit 89 transmits the borrowing information JA6 to the battery station 10 by short-range wireless communication, either by being included in the unlock request RB1 or after transmitting the unlock request RB1.

[0056] The lender function unit 80 and the borrower function unit 81 may be implemented in separate applications. In this case, the first electronic device 14 executes the application in which the lender function unit 80 is implemented, and the second electronic device 16 executes the application in which the borrower function unit 81 is implemented.

[0057] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 40 of the battery station 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the control device 40 includes a lock mechanism control unit 91, an authentication execution unit 92, a second determination unit 93, and a second notification unit 94. The lock mechanism control unit 91 controls the locking and unlocking of the lock mechanism 43 . When the authentication execution unit 92 receives the unlock request RB1 from the second electronic device 16 via short-range wireless communication, it authenticates the borrower 6's permission to borrow based on the borrowing information JA6 transmitted by the second electronic device 16, and if the permission to borrow is valid, it causes the lock mechanism control unit 91 to unlock the locking mechanism 43, allowing the borrower 6 to remove the power pack 2 from the battery station 10. This authentication is performed by comparing the borrowing information JA6 transmitted by the second electronic device 16 with the borrowing information JA6 recorded in the management server 20. In this embodiment, information that is the same as or corresponds to the borrowing information JA6 recorded in the management server 20 is stored in a memory device or the like of the battery station 10.

[0058] The second determination unit 93 determines whether the third condition related to the automatic setting of the approval mode is satisfied in the battery station 10 at an appropriate determination timing or at an appropriate determination interval.

[0059] The determination of whether the third condition is satisfied is performed as follows. That is, if the battery station 10 is located within the communication range of a wireless LAN base station 27, the second communication device 48 establishes a communication link with the wireless LAN base station 27. Once the communication link is established, the second determination unit 93 communicates with the management server 20 via the wireless LAN base station 27 and acquires the wireless LAN base station information JA8 recorded in the rental management table 77. The second determination unit 93 then compares the wireless LAN base station information JA8 with the identification information of the wireless LAN base station 27 with which the communication link is currently established, thereby determining whether the battery station 10 is located within the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27 installed at the residence of the lender 4. In addition, the second determination unit 93 determines whether the mobile object 8 is stationary based on the change over time in the current location detected by the first position detection device 44. By making these determinations, the second determination unit 93 determines whether the third condition is satisfied.

[0060] The second notification unit 94 transmits a satisfied state notification RD1 to the management server 20, indicating the current state of satisfaction of the third condition, each time the second determination unit changes its determination result on the satisfaction state of the third condition. However, if the battery station 10 moves out of the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27 and there is no first electronic device 14 nearby, making short-range wireless communication with the first electronic device 14 impossible, communication with the management server 20 is disabled, and the second notification unit 94 cancels the notification of the satisfied state notification RD1. In the management server 20, when communication with the battery station 10 is interrupted, the rental management unit 70 considers that the state has changed to one in which the third condition is no longer satisfied.

[0061] The determination of whether the third condition is satisfied may be made based on information obtained by, for example, the rental management unit 70 of the management server 20 through communication with the battery station 10 (communication via the wireless LAN base station 27).

[0062] Next, the operation of the rental system 1 will be described.

[0063] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system 1 when the lender 4 lends out the power pack 2. When lending the power pack 2, the lender 4 performs an operation to request lending (a lending request operation) on the first electronic device 14. In this lending request operation, the lender 4 specifies an approval mode and also performs an operation to allow automatic configuration by the management server 20 as necessary. In the first electronic device 14, when a loan implementation application operation is performed (step Sa1), the loan implementation application request unit 82 sends the above-mentioned loan implementation application request RA1 and each piece of information in the loan implementation information JA to the management server 20 (step Sa2).

[0064] In the management server 20, when the loan management unit 70 receives the loan implementation application request RA1 (step Sa3), it records the loan implementation information JA in the loan management table 77 (step Sa4). As a result, the implementation of the loan requested by the lender 4 is registered in the loan management table 77 and becomes a search target for the borrower 6.

[0065] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system 1 when automatic setting of the approval mode is permitted. In the first electronic device 14, the first determination unit 84 determines the satisfaction state of the predetermined conditions related to automatic setting (in this embodiment, the first and second conditions) at an appropriate determination timing or at an appropriate determination period (step Sb1). If the satisfaction state has changed since the previous determination (step Sb2: Yes), the first notification unit 85 transmits a satisfaction state notification RA3 indicating the satisfaction state of the predetermined conditions after the change (i.e., the satisfaction state of each of the first and second conditions) to the management server 20 (step Sb3).

[0066] Also in the battery station 10, similarly to the first electronic device 14, the second determination unit 93 determines the satisfaction state of a predetermined condition related to automatic setting (in this embodiment, the third condition) at an appropriate determination timing or at an appropriate determination period (step Sb4). Then, if the satisfaction state has changed since the previous determination (step Sb5: Yes), the second notification unit 94 transmits a satisfaction state notification RD1 indicating the satisfaction state of the changed predetermined condition (i.e., the satisfaction state of the third condition) to the management server 20 (step Sb6).

[0067] In the management server 20, when the lending management unit 70 receives a satisfied state notification RA3 sent from the first electronic device 14 or a satisfied state notification RD1 sent from the battery station 10 (step Sb7), it determines the approval mode based on the satisfaction state of the specified conditions at that time (step Sb8) and records approval mode information JA4 indicating the determined approval mode in the lending management table 77 (step Sb9). As a result, the management server 20 automatically sets an approval mode according to the satisfaction state of the predetermined conditions.

[0068] In this embodiment, the predetermined conditions include the above-mentioned conditions 1 to 3. Then, in step Sb8, the lending management unit 70 determines the approval mode as the no-approval mode if any one of the conditions 1 to 3 is satisfied, and determines the approval mode as the approval mode if none of the conditions 1 to 3 is satisfied.

[0069] In this way, if the lender 4 permits automatic setting, the approval mode is automatically set to the approval-free mode when predetermined conditions (one or more of the first to third conditions) are satisfied. By automatically setting the approval mode based on these first to third conditions, the occurrence of unnecessary approval requests RC1 for the lender 4 can be minimized (first to third conditions), and the lender 4 can lend the power pack 2 without paying attention to the remaining amount of power stored in the power pack 2 at the time the lender 4 receives the borrowing request (second condition).

[0070] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system 1 when the borrower 6 searches to rent a power pack 2. If the borrower 6 wants to borrow a power pack 2 with sufficient remaining power storage, for example, because the remaining power storage capacity of the power pack 2 installed in the electric vehicle 24 becomes low while the electric vehicle 24 is traveling, the borrower 6 performs a search operation (search operation) on the second electronic device 16 using the search criteria ``rental locations currently offering rentals near the current location.'' In the second electronic device 16, when a search operation is performed (step Sc1), the search request unit 86 transmits a search request RA4 requesting a search based on search conditions and the current location of the second electronic device 16 to the management server 20 (step Sc2).

[0071] In the management server 20, when the search execution unit 72 receives a search request RA4 (step Sc3), it extracts from the loan management table 77 loan implementation information JA relating to loans that are currently being carried out or will be started in the vicinity of the second electronic device 16 (within a predetermined distance range) based on the current location of the second electronic device 16 and the loan location information JA2 of each loan implementation information JA recorded in the loan management table 77 (step Sc4: search process).The search execution unit 72 then transmits the search results, including the loan location information JA2, loan start date and time information JA3, and approval mode information JA4 of each extracted loan implementation information JA, to the second electronic device 16 as a response message to the search request RA4 (step Sc5).

[0072] In the second electronic device 16, when the search result presentation unit 87 receives the search results from the management server 20 (step Sc6), it presents the search results to the borrower 6 by superimposing the above-mentioned rental icon C2 (Figure 7) indicating the rental location, rental start date and time, and approval mode on a map C1 of the area around the current location (step Sc7).

[0073] This allows the borrower 6 to easily understand the location of the rental location by viewing the map, improving convenience for the borrower 6. In addition, the borrower 6 can select a rental location from which to rent the power pack 2, taking into consideration factors such as the distance to the rental location and whether approval is required.

[0074] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system 1 when the borrower 6 selects a desired rental location from the search results and borrows a power pack 2. The borrower 6 performs an operation (selection operation) on the second electronic device 16 to select a desired one from the rental icons C2 based on the information on the rental location presented by the search result presentation unit 87, etc. In the second electronic device 16, when a selection operation is performed (step Sd1), the rental permission request unit 88 sends the above-mentioned rental permission request RA5 to the management server 20 requesting permission to rent the power pack 2 at the rental location linked to the rental icon C2 selected by the selection operation (step Sd2).

[0075] In the management server 20, when the borrowing permission granting unit 73 receives a borrowing permission request RA5 (step Sd3), it refers to the approval mode information JA4 in the lending management table 77 and determines whether the approval mode determined by the lending management unit 70 is an approval-free mode (step Sd4).

[0076] If the approval mode is the approval-unnecessary mode (step Sd4: Yes), the borrowing permission granting unit 73 grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 without obtaining approval from the lender 4 for the borrowing permission request RA5. That is, the borrowing permission granting unit 73 reads the borrowing information JA6 corresponding to the borrowing permission requested by the borrowing permission request RA5 from the lending management table 77, transmits the borrowing information JA6 to the second electronic device 16 (step Sd5), and the second electronic device 16 receives the borrowing information JA6 (step Sd6). By sending and receiving the borrowing information JA6, borrowing permission is granted to the borrower 6 from the management server 20.

[0077] On the other hand, if the approval mode is the approval required mode (step Sd4: No), the borrowing permission granting unit 73 sends an approval request RC1 to the first electronic device 14 of the lender 4, requesting the lender 4's approval for granting borrowing permission to the borrower 6 (step Sd7). In the first electronic device 14, when the approval result transmission unit 83 receives the approval request RC1 (step Sd8), it notifies the lender 4 that the approval request RC1 has been received by displaying it on the display device 61 or the like (step Sd9). Then, when the lender 4 receives such notification, the lender 4 performs an operation to input into the first electronic device 14 whether or not to approve the approval request RC1 (approval operation). For example, if the lender 4 has a reason to hesitate to lend the power pack 2, such as if the lender 4 intends to use the power pack 2 temporarily for himself, the lender 4 inputs into the first electronic device 14 that he rejects the approval request RC1. On the other hand, if the lender 4 has no reason to hesitate to lend the power pack 2, the lender 4 inputs into the first electronic device 14 that he approves the approval request RC1. Then, in the first electronic device 14, when an approval operation is performed (step Sd10), the approval result transmitting unit 83 transmits an approval result RC2 to the management server 20 based on the approval operation (step Sd11).

[0078] In the management server 20, when the rental permission granting unit 73 receives the approval result RC2 (step Sd12), if the approval result RC2 indicates that the approval request RC1 is approved (step Sd13: Yes), it grants rental permission to the borrower 6 by sending the rental information JA6 to the second electronic device 16 (step Sd5), and if the approval result RC2 indicates that the approval request RC1 is rejected (step Sd12: No), it rejects the rental permission request RA5 (step Sd14).

[0079] By specifying the approval mode as the approval required mode, the lender 4 can control the lending according to his / her own convenience at the time by responding to the approval request RC1.

[0080] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the operation of the rental system 1 when the borrower 6 borrows a power pack 2 at a rental location. If permission to borrow is granted, the borrower 6 travels to the rental location in the electric vehicle 24, approaches the battery station 10, and performs an operation (unlock operation) on the second electronic device 16 to release the locking mechanism 43 of the battery station 10.

[0081] In the second electronic device 16, when an unlocking operation is performed (step Se1), the rental authentication request unit 89 transmits the above-mentioned unlocking request RB1 and rental information JA6 to the battery station 10 by short-range wireless communication (step Se2).

[0082] In the battery station 10, when the authentication execution unit 92 receives the unlock request RB1 (step Se3), it executes authentication of the borrower 6's permission to borrow based on the borrowing information JA6 (step Se4). If the permission to borrow is valid (step Se5: Yes), the authentication execution unit 92 causes the lock mechanism control unit 91 to unlock the lock mechanism 43 (step Se6: Unlock). On the other hand, if the permission to borrow is invalid (step Se5: No), the authentication execution unit 92 rejects the unlock request in response to the unlock request RB1 (step Se7).

[0083] Then, when the locking mechanism 43 is unlocked, the borrower 6 removes the power pack 2 from the battery station 10 and places the power pack 2 that he or she is using in his or her electric vehicle 24 back into the battery station 10, thereby exchanging the power pack 2. This completes the borrowing by the borrower 6.

[0084] According to the above-described embodiment, the following effects are achieved.

[0085] The management server 20 of this embodiment is a computer that manages the lending and borrowing of a power pack 2 between a lender 4 that lends a power pack 2 detachably attached to a mobile object 8 and a borrower 6 that borrows the power pack 2. The management server 20 includes a lending management unit 70 that determines, based on a designation by the lender 4 or predetermined conditions, one of two approval modes: an approval-free mode in which borrowing permission is granted to the borrower 6 without obtaining approval from the lender 4, and an approval-required mode in which borrowing permission is granted to the borrower 6 with the approval of the lender 4. The management server 20 also includes a borrowing permission granting unit 73 that, when a request to borrow a power pack 2 is received from a second electronic device 16 operated by the borrower 6, grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 by transmitting borrowing information JA6 required to borrow the power pack 2 to the second electronic device 16. Then, the borrowing permission granting unit 73 grants borrowing permission to the borrower 6 with or without the approval of the lender 4, according to the approval mode determined by the lending management unit 70. According to this configuration, the lender 4 can control lending according to his / her own convenience by setting the approval-free mode and the approval-required mode, thereby improving convenience.

[0086] In the management server 20, the predetermined conditions include a first condition that the power pack 2 rented by the lender 4 is located at a predetermined location designated in advance by the lender 4. If the first condition is satisfied, the lending management unit 70 determines the approval mode to be the approval-free mode, and if the first condition is not satisfied, determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode. According to this configuration, the lender 4 can designate a predetermined location in advance where he or she is unlikely to use the power pack 2, and when the power pack 2 is lent out at that predetermined location, the approval mode is automatically set to the approval-free mode. This prevents the lender 4 from receiving an approval request RC1 that is unnecessary for the lender 4 while the power pack 2 is being lent out at that predetermined location, thereby improving the convenience of the lender 4.

[0087] In the management server 20, the predetermined conditions include a second condition that the power pack 2 is connected to the charging device 42. If the second condition is satisfied, the lending management unit 70 determines the approval mode to be the approval-free mode, and if the second condition is not satisfied, determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode. According to this configuration, the lender 4 can lend the power pack 2 without paying attention to the remaining amount of power stored in the power pack 2 at the time the lender 4 receives the borrowing request, and the occurrence of unnecessary approval requests RC1 for the lender 4 can be reduced, thereby improving convenience for the lender 4.

[0088] In the management server 20, the predetermined conditions include a third condition that the power pack 2 is stored in the battery station 10 provided in the mobile object 8, the battery station 10 is located within the communication range of the wireless LAN base station 27 associated with the lender 4, and the mobile object 8 is stopped. If the third condition is satisfied, the lending management unit 70 determines the approval mode to be the approval-free mode, and if the third condition is not satisfied, determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode. According to this configuration, when the mobile object 8 is parked near the residence of the lender 4, that is, when the lender 4 is unlikely to use the power pack 2 himself, the approval mode is automatically set to the approval-free mode. This prevents the lender 4 from receiving the approval request RC1 in a situation where the lender 4 is unlikely to use the power pack 2 himself, thereby improving the convenience of the lender 4.

[0089] The management server 20 includes a search execution unit 72 that, when receiving search conditions from the second electronic device 16, transmits search results relating to rentals that match the search conditions to the second electronic device 16. The rental management unit 70 also records the rental location of the power pack 2 and the approval mode relating to the rental of the power pack 2 in association with each other in the rental management table 77, and the search results transmitted by the search execution unit 72 include the rental location that matches the search conditions and the approval mode associated with the rental location. According to this configuration, the second electronic device 16 can display the rental location of the power pack 2 on a map based on the search results, and the map display allows the borrower 6 to easily understand the location of the rental location, improving convenience for the borrower 6. In addition, the borrower 6 can select a rental location from which to borrow the power pack 2, taking into consideration the distance to the rental location, whether approval is required, etc.

[0090] It should be noted that the above-described embodiment is merely an example of one aspect of the present invention, and can be modified and applied as desired without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and each aspect of these embodiments, modifications, and applications can also be combined as desired.

[0091] (Variation 1) In the above-described embodiment, the mobile object 8 may be provided with a display device that displays the approval mode determined by the management server 20. For example, if the mobile object 8 is a vehicle, the display device is provided in a location that can be seen by the lender 4 when getting in. This display device can be a device already installed in the mobile object 8, such as a meter panel that displays vehicle information such as speed, or a display panel of an in-vehicle device (such as a navigation device) installed in the mobile object 8. According to this modification, when the lender 4 operates, boards, or rides in the vehicle 8, the lender 4 can reliably grasp the approval mode at that time from the display on the display device.

[0092] (Variation 2) In the above-described embodiment, the rental system 1 may be configured as follows to enable the renter 6 to reliably rent a power pack 2 with a predetermined amount of remaining power or more at a desired time. That is, during the search operation, the second electronic device 16 accepts input of the rental start time, which is the time when the borrower 6 plans to borrow the power pack 2, and transmits search conditions to the management server 20 that cause the management server 20 to search for "rental locations that are located in the vicinity of the current location of the second electronic device 16 and where the power pack 2 can be borrowed at the rental start time." On the other hand, when the search conditions include the start time of the rental of the power pack 2, the search execution unit 72 of the management server 20 transmits to the second electronic device 16 the rental location of the power pack 2 where the remaining power storage amount is estimated to be above a predetermined value at the start time of the rental, and the approval mode of the rental location.

[0093] Information related to the remaining amount of stored power in the power pack 2 is managed by the management server 20, for example, as follows. That is, the battery station 10 transmits the remaining amount of stored power in the power pack 2 and the time required for the remaining amount of stored power of the power pack 2 to reach a predetermined value or more (hereinafter referred to as the "charging time") to the management server 20 via the first electronic device 14 at appropriate timing or intervals. Then, for example, the rental management unit 70 of the management server 20 receives the remaining amount of stored power and the charging time and records this information in the rental management table 77. By managing the charging time of the power pack 2, it becomes possible to identify the time when the remaining amount of stored power of the power pack 2 being charged is estimated to reach a predetermined value or more. Based on this time, the search execution unit 72 searches for "rental locations of power packs 2 whose remaining amount of stored power is estimated to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value at the rental start time" when executing a search.

[0094] According to this modification, the borrower 6 can reliably borrow a battery with a remaining amount of stored power equal to or greater than a predetermined value at the desired borrowing start time, thereby improving convenience for the borrower 6.

[0095] (Other variations)

[0096] In the above-described embodiment, the frequency of communication between the battery station 10 and the first electronic device 14 and the management server 20 may be varied depending on the situation at the time in order to reduce the power consumption of the battery station 10. For example, if the mobile object 8 is an electric vehicle and the battery station 10 is operating on the power of the battery of the mobile object 8, when the power switch of the mobile object 8 is turned off, the battery station 10 transmits its own information, such as its state of charge, to the management server 20 via the first electronic device 14 or the wireless LAN base station 27, and then reduces the frequency of communication to reduce power consumption and prevent the remaining charge in the battery of the mobile object 8 from decreasing. However, if the power pack 2 is inserted or removed while the communication frequency is reduced, there is a high possibility that the lender 4 is nearby, so the battery station 10 communicates with the first electronic device 14 at the time of insertion or removal to notify the first electronic device 14 of its own information, such as its state of charge. On the other hand, when the battery station 10 is connected to the power source 25, the battery station 10 communicates at a normal frequency.

[0097] In the above-described embodiments, the diagrams showing the functional configuration are schematic diagrams in which the components of each device are classified according to the main processing content in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and these components can be further classified into more components according to the processing content. Also, one component can be classified so that it performs even more processing.

[0098] (Configuration supported by the disclosure herein) The disclosure herein supports the following configurations:

[0099] (Configuration 1) A management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender who lends a battery that is detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower who borrows the battery, includes a lending management unit that determines one of the approval modes, either an approval-free mode that grants the borrower permission to borrow without obtaining the lender's approval, or an approval-required mode that grants the borrower permission to borrow with the lender's approval, based on the lender's designation or specified conditions, and a borrowing permission granting unit that, when a request to borrow the battery is received from a second electronic device operated by the borrower, grants the borrower permission to borrow the battery by sending information required to borrow the battery to the second electronic device, and is characterized in that the borrowing permission granting unit grants the borrower permission to borrow the battery with or without the lender's approval, in accordance with the approval mode determined by the lending management unit. According to the first aspect, it is possible to improve the convenience of the lessor.

[0100] (Configuration 2) The management server described in configuration 1 is characterized in that the specified conditions include that the battery rented by the lender is located at a specified location designated in advance by the lender, and the lending management unit determines the approval mode to the approval-free mode if the specified conditions are satisfied, and determines the approval mode to the approval-required mode if the specified conditions are not satisfied. According to the second aspect, it is possible to improve the convenience for the lessor.

[0101] (Configuration 3) The management server described in configuration 1, characterized in that the specified condition includes the battery being connected to a charging device, and the lending management unit determines the approval mode to the approval-free mode if the specified condition is satisfied, and determines the approval mode to the approval-required mode if the specified condition is not satisfied. According to the third aspect, the convenience of the lessor can be improved.

[0102] (Configuration 4) The management server described in configuration 3 is characterized in that the specified conditions include the battery being stored in a battery station installed on the mobile body, the battery station being located within the communication range of a wireless communication device associated with the lender, and the mobile body being stopped, and the lending management unit determines the approval mode to the approval-free mode if the specified conditions are satisfied, and determines the approval mode to the approval-required mode if the specified conditions are not satisfied. According to configuration 4, it is possible to improve the convenience for the lessor.

[0103] (Configuration 5) 5. The management server according to any one of configurations 1 to 4, wherein the mobile object is provided with a display device that displays the approval mode. According to configuration 5, the lender can ascertain the approval mode at that time from the display on the display device.

[0104] (Configuration 6) A management server described in any of configurations 1 to 5, characterized in that when search conditions are received from the second electronic device, it is equipped with a search execution unit that sends search results related to loans that match the search conditions to the second electronic device, the loan management unit records the loan location of the battery in association with the approval mode related to the loan of the battery, and the search results sent by the search execution unit include the loan location that matches the search conditions and the approval mode associated with the loan location. According to configuration 6, convenience for the tenant can be improved.

[0105] (Configuration 7) The management server described in configuration 6 is characterized in that, when the search conditions include the start time of borrowing the battery, the search execution unit transmits to the second electronic device the rental location of the battery whose remaining charge is estimated to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value at the start time of borrowing. According to the seventh aspect, the borrower can borrow a battery with a remaining amount of stored power equal to or greater than a predetermined value at a desired borrowing start time.

[0106] (Configuration 8) A control method for a management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender who lends a battery that is detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower who borrows the battery, comprising: a first step of determining, based on the lender's designation or specified conditions, one of two approval modes: an approval-free mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow the battery without obtaining the lender's approval, and an approval-required mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow the battery with the lender's approval; and a second step of, when a request to borrow the battery is received from a second electronic device operated by the borrower, granting the borrower permission to borrow the battery by sending information required to borrow the battery to the second electronic device, wherein in the second step, the borrower is given permission to borrow the battery with or without the lender's approval, in accordance with the approval mode determined in the first step. According to configuration 8, it is possible to improve the convenience for the lessor. [Explanation of symbols]

[0107] 1. Rental System 2 Power pack (battery) 4. Landlord 6. Tenant 8 Mobile 10 Battery Station 14 1st electronic equipment 16 2nd electronic equipment 20 Management Server 27 Wireless LAN base station (wireless communication equipment) 42 Charging device 70 Loan Management Department 72 Search execution unit 73 Borrowing Permit Granting Department 77 Loan Management Table JA Lending Information

Claims

1. A management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender that lends a battery detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower that borrows the battery, a lending management unit that determines one of the approval modes, either an approval-free mode in which the borrower is granted permission to borrow without obtaining the lender's approval, or an approval-required mode in which the borrower is granted permission to borrow with the lender's approval, based on a designation by the lender or a predetermined condition permitted by the lender; a borrowing permission granting unit that, when receiving a request to borrow the battery from a second electronic device operated by the borrower, grants permission to borrow the battery to the borrower by transmitting information required to borrow the battery to the second electronic device; Equipped with The borrowing permission granting unit granting the borrower permission to borrow with or without the lender's approval according to the approval mode determined by the lending management unit; The predetermined condition is: The battery rented by the lender is located at a predetermined location designated in advance by the lender; The lending management unit a management server that determines the approval mode to be the approval-free mode when the predetermined condition is satisfied, and determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode when the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

2. A management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender that lends a battery detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower that borrows the battery, a lending management unit that determines one of the approval modes, either an approval-free mode in which the borrower is granted permission to borrow without obtaining the lender's approval, or an approval-required mode in which the borrower is granted permission to borrow with the lender's approval, based on a designation by the lender or a predetermined condition permitted by the lender; a borrowing permission granting unit that, when receiving a request to borrow the battery from a second electronic device operated by the borrower, grants permission to borrow the battery to the borrower by transmitting information required to borrow the battery to the second electronic device; Equipped with The borrowing permission granting unit granting the borrower permission to borrow with or without the lender's approval according to the approval mode determined by the lending management unit; The predetermined condition is: the battery is connected to a charging device; The lending management unit If the predetermined condition is satisfied, the approval mode is determined to be the approval-unnecessary mode, and if the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the approval mode is determined to be the approval-required mode.

2. The management server according to claim 1.

3. The predetermined condition is: the battery is stored in a battery station provided in the mobile object, the battery station is located within a communication range of a wireless communication device associated with the lender, and the mobile object is stopped; The lending management unit If the predetermined condition is satisfied, the approval mode is determined to be the approval-unnecessary mode; If the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the approval mode is determined to be the approval required mode.

3. The management server according to claim 2.

4. The mobile body is provided with a display device that displays the approval mode.

4. The management server according to claim 1, wherein the management server is a server that performs the management of the data.

5. a search execution unit that, when receiving search conditions from the second electronic device, transmits search results related to rentals that meet the search conditions to the second electronic device; The lending management unit The location where the battery is rented is recorded in association with the approval mode for renting the battery; The search results sent by the search execution unit include: A rental location that satisfies the search criteria and an approval mode associated with the rental location, 5. The management server according to claim 1, wherein the management server is a server that performs the management of the data.

6. The search execution unit If the search conditions include a rental start time of the battery, a rental location of the battery whose remaining charge amount is estimated to be equal to or greater than a predetermined value at the rental start time is transmitted to the second electronic device.

6. The management server according to claim 5.

7. A control method for a management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender that lends a battery detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower that borrows the battery, comprising: The management server A first step of determining an approval mode based on a designation by the lender or a predetermined condition approved by the lender, either an approval-free mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow without obtaining approval from the lender, or an approval-required mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow with the lender's approval; a second step of granting permission to borrow the battery to the borrower by transmitting information required for borrowing the battery to the second electronic device when a request to borrow the battery is received from the second electronic device operated by the borrower; and In the second step, granting the borrower permission to borrow with or without the lender's approval according to the approval mode determined by the first step; the predetermined condition includes that the battery rented by the lender is located in a predetermined location designated in advance by the lender; The management server determines the approval mode to be the approval-unnecessary mode if the predetermined condition is satisfied, and determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode if the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

2. A method for controlling a management server, comprising:

8. A control method for a management server that manages the lending and borrowing of a battery between a lender that lends a battery detachably attached to a mobile body and a borrower that borrows the battery, comprising: The management server A first step of determining an approval mode based on a designation by the lender or a predetermined condition approved by the lender, either an approval-free mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow without obtaining approval from the lender, or an approval-required mode in which the borrower is given permission to borrow with the lender's approval; a second step of granting permission to borrow the battery to the borrower by transmitting information required for borrowing the battery to the second electronic device when a request to borrow the battery is received from the second electronic device operated by the borrower; and In the second step, granting the borrower permission to borrow with or without the lender's approval according to the approval mode determined by the first step; the predetermined condition includes the battery being connected to a charging device; The management server determines the approval mode to be the approval-unnecessary mode if the predetermined condition is satisfied, and determines the approval mode to be the approval-required mode if the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

2. A method for controlling a management server, comprising:

Images