Information processing device, information processing method, and system

Abstract

To restrain vehicle traveling from becoming difficult due to battery degradation.SOLUTION: A control part, which sets a limitation on the start or stop of remote air conditioning in response to a predetermined degradation state of a vehicle battery, is provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a remote air conditioning system that starts the air conditioning of a vehicle based on a start request transmitted from a terminal and stops the air conditioning when a predetermined temperature is reached (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to suppress the difficulty of vehicle running due to battery deterioration.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus including a control unit that provides a restriction on start or stop of remote air conditioning in response to a vehicle battery being in a predetermined deterioration state.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method in which a computer provides a restriction on start or stop of remote air conditioning in response to a vehicle battery being in a predetermined deterioration state.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a vehicle that operates an engine to execute remote air conditioning, and ​A server that transmits commands to the vehicle regarding the execution of remote air conditioning, In a system equipped with, The aforementioned server, To obtain information regarding the deterioration status of the vehicle's battery, In response to the aforementioned battery being in a predetermined state of degradation, restrictions are placed on starting or stopping the remote air conditioning system. It includes a control unit that performs the following: It is a system.

[0008] Another aspect of this disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described information processing method, or a storage medium that non-temporarily stores such a program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, it is possible to suppress the difficulty in driving a vehicle due to battery degradation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This figure shows a schematic configuration of the system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This block diagram schematically shows an example of the configuration of the vehicle, user terminal, and server that constitute the system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram illustrates the functional configuration of a server according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the table structure of the vehicle information database according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of the functional components of an ECU according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the functional configuration of a user terminal according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] This figure shows an example of an image displayed on the screen when an application capable of performing remote air conditioning according to the embodiment is launched. [Figure 8]It is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed on a display when the start of remote air conditioning according to an embodiment is restricted. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed on a display when the stop of remote air conditioning according to an embodiment is restricted. [Figure 10] It is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart of the processing of remote air conditioning in the server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] It is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] It is a flowchart of the processing related to remote air conditioning in the server according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] It is a flowchart of the processing related to remote air conditioning in the vehicle according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] It is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 16] It is a flowchart of the processing for executing the battery protection mode in the server according to the third embodiment. [Figure 17] It is a flowchart of the processing for restricting the stop of remote air conditioning in the server according to the third embodiment. [Figure 18] It is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 19] It is a flowchart of the processing for restricting the stop of remote air conditioning in the vehicle according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 20] It is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 21] It is a flowchart of the processing related to remote air conditioning in the vehicle according to the fifth embodiment. [Figure 22] It is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed on a display when it is possible to stop the remote air conditioning even when the stop of the remote air conditioning is restricted. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] One aspect of the information processing device described herein includes a control unit that restricts the start or stop of remote air conditioning in response to the vehicle's battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration. Remote air conditioning is air conditioning operated remotely by a user from outside the vehicle, for example, by the user sending a request to operate the air conditioning from outside the vehicle using a user terminal. The destination of the request may be the vehicle's information processing device, or it may be an external information processing device that gives commands to the vehicle.

[0012] The vehicle's battery supplies power to, for example, the starter motor that starts the engine. Remote air conditioning requires engine operation. For example, air conditioning may be performed using coolant whose temperature rises due to the heat generated by the engine, or by using the rotational force of the engine's output shaft to operate a compressor, or by generating electricity with the engine while performing air conditioning. When power is supplied from the battery to start the engine, the battery's charge level decreases. Even if the battery's charge level decreases, if the engine is running, the generator will operate and generate electricity, so the battery's charge level will recover.

[0013] However, as batteries deteriorate, their capacity decreases. This means that even when fully charged, they can supply less energy. Furthermore, once battery deterioration progresses to a certain extent, if the engine is stopped immediately after starting, there may not be enough energy left in the battery to restart it. In such cases, restarting the engine becomes difficult, which can make it difficult to drive the vehicle.

[0014] Therefore, the control unit suppresses the decrease in the battery's charge level by imposing restrictions on starting or stopping the remote air conditioning system in response to the battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration. Imposing restrictions on starting the remote air conditioning system includes, for example, not starting the remote air conditioning system at all, or starting the remote air conditioning system only when certain conditions are met. By imposing restrictions on starting the remote air conditioning system, for example, the power consumed by the air conditioning system and the power consumed for starting the engine can be eliminated, thus suppressing the decrease in the battery's charge level.

[0015] Furthermore, imposing restrictions on the shutdown of the remote air conditioning system includes, for example, not shutting down the remote air conditioning system, or shutting it down only when certain conditions are met. By imposing restrictions on the shutdown of the remote air conditioning system, for example, power generation by the engine can be continued, thereby restoring the battery's charge level. In this way, the energy necessary to start the engine can be secured.

[0016] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative, and this disclosure is not limited to the configurations of these embodiments. Furthermore, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0017] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of System 1 according to an embodiment. System 1 is a system that can remotely operate the air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as "air conditioner") of a vehicle 10 in accordance with a request sent from a user terminal 20 to a server 30. In this System 1, the vehicle 10 or the server 30 sets restrictions on starting or stopping the remote air conditioning depending on the deterioration state of the vehicle 10's battery.

[0018] In the example shown in Figure 1, System 1 includes a vehicle 10, a user terminal 20, and a server 30. The user terminal 20 is a portable terminal owned by the user. The user terminal 20 can send requests to start and stop remote air conditioning. The vehicle 10 is a vehicle associated with the user terminal 20. The vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 are interconnected by a network N1. Network N1 is, for example, a global public communication network such as the Internet, and may also be a Wide Area Network (WAN) or other communication network. Network N1 may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone network, or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Furthermore, the vehicle 10 may be connected to the user terminal 20 via a network N2 that includes short-range wireless communication, etc. Although Figure 1 illustrates one vehicle 10 as an example, there may be multiple vehicles 10. Also, there may be multiple users and user terminals 20 depending on the number of vehicles 10.

[0019] Based on Figure 2, the hardware configuration of the vehicle 10, user terminal 20, and server 30 will be described. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle 10, user terminal 20, and server 30 that constitute system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0020] Server 30 has the configuration of a computer. Server 30 has a processor 301, a main memory unit 302, an auxiliary memory unit 303, and a communication unit 304. These are connected by a bus. They are interconnected. Note that processor 301 is an example of a control unit.

[0021] The processor 301 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or DSP (Digital Signal Processor), etc. The processor 301 controls the server 30 and performs various information processing tasks. The calculation is performed. The main memory unit 302 consists of RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The auxiliary memory unit 303 consists of EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), etc. These include hard disk drives (HDDs), removable media, etc. The auxiliary storage unit 303 stores the operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc. The processor 301 loads the programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 into the working area of ​​the main memory unit 302 and executes them, and the various components are controlled through the execution of these programs. In this way, the server 30 realizes functions that match the predetermined purpose. The main memory unit 302 and the auxiliary storage unit 303 are recording media that can be read by a computer. The server 30 may be a single computer or a combination of multiple computers working together. Also, the information stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 may be stored in the main memory unit 302, and the information stored in the main memory unit 302 may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303.

[0022] The communication unit 304 is a means for communicating with the vehicle 10 and the user terminal 20 via the network N1. The communication unit 304 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board and the wireless communication circuit are connected to the network N1.

[0023] The series of processes performed on server 30 can be executed by hardware, but they can also be executed by software.

[0024] Next, the user terminal 20 will be described. The user terminal 20 is a small computer such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, personal information terminal, wearable computer (smartwatch, etc.), or personal computer (PC). The user terminal 20 has a processor 201, main memory 202, auxiliary memory 203, input unit 204, display 205, and communication unit 206. These are interconnected by a bus. The processor 201, main memory 202, and auxiliary memory 203 are the same as the processor 301, main memory 302, and auxiliary memory 303 of the server 30, so their description will be omitted.

[0025] The input unit 204 is a means for receiving input operations performed by the user, such as a touch panel, mouse, keyboard, microphone, or push button. The display 205 is a means for presenting information to the user, such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or EL (Electroluminescence) panel. The input unit 204 and the display Play205 may be configured as a single touch panel display.

[0026] The communication unit 206 is a communication means for connecting the user terminal 20 to network N1 or network N2. The communication unit 206 can, for example, use mobile communication services (e.g., telephone communication networks such as 6G (6th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), 4G (4th Generation), 3G (3rd Generation), LTE (Long Term Evolution)), Wi-Fi (registered trademark). This is a circuit for communicating with other devices (e.g., vehicle 10 or server 30, etc.) via network N1 or network N2 using wireless communication networks such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0027] Next, let's describe vehicle 10. Vehicle 10 is equipped with an engine 41. Vehicle 10 consists of an electronic control unit (ECU) 100, engine 41, battery 42, and voltmeter 43. The vehicle is equipped with an air conditioner 50. These components are interconnected by a CAN bus, which is a bus for the in-vehicle network. In this embodiment, there is one ECU 100, but instead, separate controllers for external communication, engine 41 control, and air conditioner 50 control may be provided. Furthermore, these components may not each be a single module, but may be realized by a combination of in-vehicle devices such as a car navigation system, an in-vehicle communication device, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), etc.

[0028] The ECU100 has the configuration of a computer. The ECU100 includes a processor 101, a main memory unit 102, an auxiliary memory unit 103, and a communication unit 104. These are interconnected by a bus. The processor 101, main memory unit 102, auxiliary memory unit 103, and communication unit 104 are the same as the processor 201, main memory unit 202, auxiliary memory unit 203, and communication unit 206 of the user terminal 20, so their description is omitted. Note that the processor 101 is an example of a control unit.

[0029] The engine 41 is, for example, a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, and its output can be used to charge the battery 42 or to drive the vehicle 10. The coolant of the engine 41 can also be used as a heat source for heating. Furthermore, by operating the engine 41, the compressor 51 of the air conditioner 50 can be operated. The battery 42 is a rechargeable battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. The voltmeter 43 is a device for measuring the voltage of the battery 42.

[0030] The air conditioner 50 is a device that regulates the temperature inside the vehicle 10. The air conditioner 50 is equipped with a compressor 51. The compressor 51 is powered by the engine 41 and is a device that compresses and liquefies vaporized refrigerant. The compressor 51 is equipped with a pulley connected to the crankshaft of the engine 41 via a belt, for example. A magnetic clutch, which is connected by the flow of electricity, is connected to this pulley, and the compressor 51 operates when electricity is supplied to the magnetic clutch while the engine 41 is running. The compressor 51 may also be an electric compressor that operates by power supplied from the battery 42.

[0031] Next, the functions of the server 30 will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the server 30 according to this embodiment. The server 30 includes a control unit 31 and a vehicle information DB 32 as functional components. The processor 301 of the server 30 executes the processing of the control unit 31 using a computer program on the main memory unit 302.

[0032] The vehicle information DB32 is constructed by a database management system (DBMS) program executed by the processor 301, which manages the data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303. For example, it is a relational database.

[0033] When the control unit 31 receives an air conditioning request from the user terminal 20, it sends an air conditioning command to the vehicle 10. The air conditioning request is a request to remotely operate the air conditioner 50. The air conditioning request includes information that can identify the user (user ID) and information regarding the set temperature. The air conditioning command is a command to remotely operate the air conditioner 50 in the vehicle 10. The air conditioning command includes a command to start the engine 41 and operate the air conditioner 50, and information regarding the set temperature. The control unit 31 derives the vehicle 10 associated with the user ID included in the air conditioning request from the information in the vehicle information DB 32 shown in Figure 4, which will be described later, and identifies the vehicle 10 to which various commands will be sent.

[0034] Furthermore, the control unit 31 receives the remaining charge of the battery 42 from the vehicle 10 (hereinafter also referred to as SOC). Information regarding the remaining charge of the battery 42 is acquired and stored in the vehicle information DB32. Hereinafter, this information will also be referred to as battery information. Here, Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the table configuration of the vehicle information DB32 according to the embodiment. The vehicle information DB32 has fields for vehicle ID, user ID, SOC, voltage, and degradation status. The vehicle ID field stores information that can identify the vehicle 10 (vehicle ID). The user ID field stores information that can identify the user associated with the vehicle 10 (user ID). The SOC field stores information regarding the remaining charge of the battery 42. The voltage field stores information regarding the voltage of the battery 42. Information regarding the remaining charge and voltage may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 immediately before the vehicle 10 is parked and its functions are stopped, or it may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. Note that although the vehicle information DB32 shown in Figure 4 stores information regarding the remaining charge and voltage, both pieces of information are not necessarily required, and either one of the pieces of information may be stored. The information stored in the vehicle information DB32 only needs to be the information necessary for determining the degradation of the battery 42, and the information necessary for determining whether or not the conditions for stopping the remote air conditioning, as described later, are met.

[0035] The degradation status field stores information about the degradation status of the vehicle 10's battery 42. For example, the degradation status field may store information indicating whether or not the battery 42 is in a predetermined degradation state, or it may store the degree of degradation of the battery 42. For example, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the battery 42 is in a predetermined degradation state and stores the determination result in the vehicle information DB 32. Then, in response to the predetermined degradation state, it sets a restriction on starting or stopping the remote air conditioning. Here, the predetermined degradation state is, for example, a state in which the remaining charge of the battery 42 decreases by starting and stopping the remote air conditioning once or a predetermined number of times, making it difficult to move the vehicle 10. Difficulty moving the vehicle 10 means, for example, that it becomes difficult to restart the engine 41. Known techniques can be used to determine the degradation status of the battery 42. For example, it may be determined that the battery is in a predetermined degradation state when the battery capacity at full charge is a predetermined percentage compared to the battery capacity when new.

[0036] If restrictions are placed on initiating remote air conditioning, for example, a command may be sent to the user terminal 20 to prevent it from generating an air conditioning request, a command may be sent to the vehicle 10 to prevent it from accepting air conditioning requests, or the control unit 31 on the server 30 may be prevented from accepting air conditioning requests. If remote air conditioning is not initiated, the subsequent decrease in the battery charge level of 42 can be suppressed, so for example, a charge level sufficient to start the engine 41 can be maintained.

[0037] Furthermore, if restrictions are placed on stopping the remote air conditioning, for example, a command may be sent to the user terminal 20 to prevent it from generating an air conditioning stop request until the battery 42's charge level reaches a predetermined amount or the battery 42's voltage rises above a predetermined voltage, or a command may be sent to the vehicle 10 to prevent it from accepting air conditioning stop requests, or the control unit 31 in the server 30 may be prevented from accepting air conditioning stop requests. An air conditioning stop request is a request to remotely stop the air conditioner 50. An air conditioning stop request includes information that can identify the user (user ID), etc. The predetermined amount of charge level of the battery 42 is, for example, the charge level required to start the engine 41. That is, when remote air conditioning is started, the charge level of the battery 42 decreases in order to start the engine 41, so if the engine 41 is stopped immediately, the engine 41 will stop before the battery 42's charge level recovers. In that case, it may become difficult to restart the engine 41. In contrast, if the engine 41 is operated until the battery 42 has a predetermined charge level, it will be possible to restart the engine 41 even if it is stopped afterward. Also, the predetermined voltage of the battery 42 is such that if the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, it will be difficult to start the engine 41 when the remote air conditioning is activated. This refers to voltage. In other words, if the engine 41 is operated until the voltage of the battery 42 becomes higher than a predetermined voltage, it will be possible to restart the engine 41 even if it is stopped afterward.

[0038] Next, the functional components of the ECU 100 of the vehicle 10 will be described. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of the functional components of the ECU 100 according to the embodiment. The ECU 100 includes a control unit 110 as a functional component. The processor 101 of the ECU 100 executes the processing of the control unit 110 by a computer program on the main memory unit 102. However, any one of the functional components, or a part of its processing, may be executed by hardware circuits.

[0039] When the control unit 110 receives an air conditioning command from the server 30, it operates the engine 41 and the air conditioner 50 based on this command. This initiates remote air conditioning of the vehicle 10. When remote air conditioning is performed, the engine 41 is operated to provide air conditioning. Known technologies can be used to control the air conditioner 50. The control unit 110 also transmits information regarding the remaining charge of the battery 42 to the server 30 at predetermined intervals.

[0040] Next, the functions of the user terminal 20 will be described. Figure 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the user terminal 20 according to the embodiment. The user terminal 20 has a control unit 21 as a functional component. The processor 201 of the user terminal 20 executes the processing of the control unit 21 by a computer program on the main memory unit 202. However, a part of the processing of the control unit 21 may be executed by hardware circuits.

[0041] The control unit 21 generates an air conditioning request according to the user's input and sends it to the server 30. For example, when the user taps a predetermined icon displayed on the display 205, the control unit 21 launches application software (hereinafter also referred to as "app") that can perform remote air conditioning. Here, the user terminal 20 has an app that can perform remote air conditioning installed, and when the user launches the app, an image for performing remote air conditioning is displayed.

[0042] Figure 7 shows an example of an image displayed on the display 205 when an application capable of performing remote air conditioning according to the embodiment is launched. Figure 7 is an example of a user interface for specifying the illustrated air conditioning parameters. The illustrated user interface consists of a slider (reference numeral 601) for setting the temperature, a toggle button (reference numeral 602) for specifying the device to operate, a button (reference numeral 603) for sending a request, and so on.

[0043] Figure 8 shows an example of an image displayed on the display 205 when the initiation of remote air conditioning according to the embodiment is restricted. When the initiation of remote air conditioning is restricted, a message indicating that remote air conditioning is unavailable is displayed, as indicated by reference numeral 604, and it becomes impossible to generate and send an air conditioning request. For example, when a user launches the application and receives information from the server 30 that the initiation of remote air conditioning is restricted, the control unit 21 displays the image shown in Figure 8 on the display 205. Alternatively, after sending an air conditioning request to the server 30, the control unit 21 may receive a command from the server 30 to display the image shown in Figure 8 on the display 205. The control unit 21 may then display the image shown in Figure 8 on the display 205 according to this command.

[0044] Figure 9 also shows an example of an image displayed on the display 205 when the stopping of the remote air conditioning according to the embodiment is restricted. When the stopping of the remote air conditioning is restricted, a message indicating that the remote air conditioning cannot be stopped is displayed, as indicated by reference numeral 605, and it becomes impossible to generate and send an air conditioning stop request. For example, if the user When the pre-starts up, if the control unit 21 receives information from the server 30 that the remote air conditioning shutdown is restricted, it will display the image shown in Figure 9 on the display 205. Alternatively, after sending an air conditioning shutdown request to the server 30, the control unit 21 may receive a command from the server 30 to display the image shown in Figure 9 on the display 205. The control unit 21 may then display the image shown in Figure 9 on the display 205 in accordance with this command.

[0045] Next, the overall processing of System 1 will be described. In the first embodiment, an example will be described in which the server 30 restricts the start of remote air conditioning. Figure 10 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of System 1 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle 10 and user terminal 20 shown in Figure 10 are pre-associated and registered with the server 30. Figure 10 is a sequence diagram when the start of remote air conditioning is restricted by the server 30.

[0046] Battery information is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30 at predetermined intervals (S11). The battery information is information correlated with the degradation of the battery 42, and includes, for example, information on the state of charge (SOC), the trend of the SOC, the voltage, or the trend of the voltage. Alternatively, the battery information may also be information to notify that the control unit 110 of the vehicle 10 has determined that the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of degradation. In other words, the control unit 110 of the vehicle 10 may determine the state of battery degradation. The battery information received by the server 30 is stored in the vehicle information DB 32. The server 30 performs a degradation determination of the battery 42 based on the battery information (S12). When the server 30 determines that the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of degradation, a battery protection mode is executed (S13). The battery protection mode here is a mode that suppresses the decrease in the remaining charge of the battery 42 by restricting the start of the remote air conditioning.

[0047] Subsequently, when an application for performing remote air conditioning is launched on the user terminal 20 (S14), a notification that the application has been launched (hereinafter also referred to as a launch notification) is sent from the user terminal 20 to the server 30 (S15). When the server 30, which is running in battery protection mode, receives the launch notification, the server 30 sends a command to the user terminal 20 to restrict the operation of the application (which may be the generation of an air conditioning request) (S16). This command includes, for example, a command to display the image shown in Figure 8 on the display 205. Upon receiving this command, the user terminal 20 displays, for example, the image shown in Figure 8 on the display 205. That is, it displays that the start of remote air conditioning is restricted (S17).

[0048] Next, the remote air conditioning processing in server 30 will be described. Figure 11 is a flowchart of the remote air conditioning processing in server 30 according to the first embodiment. The processing shown in Figure 11 is executed in server 30 at predetermined intervals. Furthermore, the processing shown in Figure 11 is executed for each vehicle 10.

[0049] In step S101, the control unit 31 determines whether or not it has received battery information from the vehicle 10. The battery information may be transmitted from the vehicle 10, for example, when the vehicle 10 is shut down (which may be when the IG is turned off), or it may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. If the determination in step S101 is positive, the process proceeds to step S102; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S106.

[0050] In step S102, the control unit 31 determines the degradation state of the battery 42. The degradation state of the battery 42 may be determined based on known techniques. The control unit 31 updates the vehicle information DB 32 shown in Figure 4 by storing the degradation state of the battery 42 in the vehicle information DB 32. In step S103, the control unit 31 determines whether the battery 42 is in a predetermined degradation state. Here, the operation of the remote air conditioning makes it difficult to move the vehicle 10. The system determines whether or not a problem may occur. If the determination in step S103 is positive, the system proceeds to step S104; if the determination is negative, the system proceeds to step S105. In step S104, the control unit 31 executes the battery protection mode. On the other hand, in step S105, the control unit 31 executes the normal mode. The normal mode is a mode in which, when an air conditioning request is received from the user terminal 20, an air conditioning command is generated and sent to the vehicle 10.

[0051] In step S106, the control unit 31 determines whether or not it has received an application launch notification from the user terminal 20. If the determination in step S106 is positive, the process proceeds to step S107; if the determination is negative, the routine terminates. In step S107, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the battery protection mode is running. If the determination in step S107 is positive, the process proceeds to step S108; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0052] In step S108, the control unit 31 sends a command to the user terminal 20 that restricts the operation of the application. This command includes a command to display on the display 205 that the remote air conditioning is unavailable. At this time, the user terminal 20 will display, for example, the image shown in Figure 8. On the other hand, in step S109, the control unit 31 sends a command to the user terminal 20 to start the application in normal mode. The command to start the application in normal mode is a command to start the application without any restrictions on its operation.

[0053] In the routine shown in Figure 11, a command is sent to the user terminal 20 to restrict the operation of the application after receiving the startup notification. Alternatively, the battery protection mode may be executed in step S104, and then the process in step S108 may be executed to restrict the operation of the application.

[0054] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the battery 42 of the vehicle 10 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, the start of the remote air conditioning is restricted, thereby preventing a decrease in the remaining charge of the battery 42. This prevents the vehicle 10 from becoming immobile.

[0055] <Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, an example is described in which the vehicle 10 restricts the start of remote air conditioning. Figure 12 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of system 1 according to the second embodiment. The vehicle 10 and user terminal 20 shown in Figure 12 are pre-linked and registered with the server 30. Figure 12 is a sequence diagram when the stopping of remote air conditioning is restricted by the vehicle 10. The same reference numerals are used for the same processes as in the sequence diagram shown in Figure 10, and their explanation is omitted.

[0056] When the server 30 determines that the battery 42 is in a predetermined degraded state, the server 30 sends a battery protection mode execution command to the vehicle 10 (S21). The battery protection mode execution command is a command to cause the vehicle 10 to execute battery protection mode. The battery protection mode referred to here is a mode that suppresses the decrease in the remaining charge of the battery 42 by restricting the start of remote air conditioning. When the user operates the application on the user terminal 20 to start remote air conditioning, an air conditioning request is generated (S23). The air conditioning request is sent from the user terminal 20 to the server 30 (S24). When the server 30 receives the air conditioning request, it generates an air conditioning command and sends it to the vehicle 10 (S25).

[0057] Upon receiving the air conditioning command, vehicle 10, in battery protection mode, sends a remote air conditioning execution failure notification to server 30 (S26). The remote air conditioning execution failure notification is a notification that remote air conditioning cannot be performed. Upon receiving the remote air conditioning execution failure notification, server 30 sends the same notification to user terminal 20 (S27). Then, user terminal 20 displays, for example, the screen shown in Figure 8 on display 205. This indicates that the remote air conditioning system cannot be started (S28).

[0058] Next, the processing related to remote air conditioning in the server 30 and the vehicle 10 will be described. Figure 13 is a flowchart of the processing related to remote air conditioning in the server 30 according to the second embodiment. The processing shown in Figure 13 is executed in the server 30 at predetermined intervals. The processing shown in Figure 13 is also executed for each vehicle 10. The flowchart shown in Figure 13 shows the flow of processing executed in the server 30 when the vehicle 10 restricts the start of remote air conditioning. Steps in which the same processing as the routine shown in Figure 11 is executed are denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted.

[0059] In the flowchart shown in Figure 13, if the result in step S103 is positive, the process proceeds to step S201; if the result is negative, the routine terminates. In step S201, the control unit 31 sends a battery protection mode execution command to the vehicle 10.

[0060] Next, the processing related to remote air conditioning in vehicle 10 will be described. Figure 14 is a flowchart of the processing related to remote air conditioning in vehicle 10 according to the second embodiment. The processing shown in Figure 14 is executed in vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. The flowchart shown in Figure 14 shows the flow of processing executed in vehicle 10 when vehicle 10 restricts the start of remote air conditioning.

[0061] In step S301, the control unit 110 determines whether or not it has received a command to execute battery protection mode from the server 30. If the determination in step S301 is positive, the system proceeds to step S302; if the determination is negative, the system proceeds to step S303. In step S302, the control unit 110 executes battery protection mode. This restricts the start of remote air conditioning.

[0062] In step S303, the control unit 110 determines whether or not it has received an air conditioning command from the server 30. If the determination in step S303 is positive, the process proceeds to step S304; if the determination is negative, the routine terminates.

[0063] In step S304, the control unit 110 determines whether or not the battery protection mode is being executed. If the determination in step S304 is positive, the process proceeds to step S305; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S307.

[0064] In step S305, the control unit 110 determines whether the voltage of the battery 42, measured by the voltmeter 43, is below a predetermined voltage. The predetermined voltage is the voltage at which, if the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, it becomes difficult to move the vehicle 10 (i.e., the voltage at which it becomes difficult to start the engine 41). If the determination in step S303 is positive, the system proceeds to step S306; if the determination is negative, the system proceeds to step S307. Thus, even if the battery protection mode is in operation, the system may perform remote air conditioning if the voltage of the battery 42 is higher than the predetermined voltage. Alternatively, the process in step S305 may be omitted. That is, if the determination in step S304 is positive, the system may proceed to step S306.

[0065] Furthermore, as an alternative, in step S305, the control unit 110 may determine whether the number of remote air conditioning operations is greater than a predetermined number. The predetermined number is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103 as the number of times remote air conditioning can be performed when the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of deterioration. Here, if the remote air conditioning is started and stopped multiple times, the remaining charge of the battery 42 will decrease each time, which may make it difficult to restart the engine 41. Therefore, by limiting the number of remote air conditioning operations after reaching a predetermined state of deterioration to a predetermined number, the engine This helps to prevent the restart of unit 41 from becoming difficult. The control unit 110 counts the number of times the remote air conditioning is executed and stores it in the auxiliary storage unit 103.

[0066] In step S306, the control unit 110 sends a remote air conditioning execution failure notification to the server 30. Upon receiving the remote air conditioning execution failure notification, the server 30 sends a remote air conditioning execution failure notification to the user terminal 20.

[0067] Meanwhile, in step S307, the control unit 110 performs remote air conditioning. Then, in step S308, the control unit 110 sends a remote air conditioning execution notification to the server 30. The remote air conditioning execution notification is a notification that remote air conditioning has been started.

[0068] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the battery 42 of the vehicle 10 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, the start of the remote air conditioning is restricted, thereby preventing a decrease in the remaining charge of the battery 42. This prevents the vehicle 10 from becoming immobile.

[0069] <Third Embodiment> In the third embodiment, an example is described in which the server 30 restricts the stopping of the remote air conditioning. Figure 15 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of system 1 according to the third embodiment. The vehicle 10 and user terminal 20 shown in Figure 15 are pre-associated and registered with the server 30. Figure 15 is a sequence diagram when the stopping of the remote air conditioning is restricted by the server 30. The same reference numerals are used for the same processes as in the sequence diagrams shown in Figure 10 or Figure 12, and their explanation is omitted.

[0070] In the sequence diagram shown in Figure 15, when an air conditioning command is sent from the server 30 (S25), the vehicle 10 performs remote air conditioning (S31). That is, the engine 41 and air conditioner 50 in the vehicle 10 are activated. Then, a remote air conditioning execution notification is sent from the vehicle 10 to the server 30. The remote air conditioning execution notification is a notification that remote air conditioning has been performed. If battery protection mode is in operation, the server 30 sends a remote air conditioning execution notification along with a remote air conditioning stop-restriction notification to the user terminal 20 (S33). The remote air conditioning stop-restriction notification is a notification that stopping the remote air conditioning is restricted. This notification may include a command to display the image shown in Figure 9. The user terminal 20 then displays the image shown in Figure 9 on the display 205, for example, to indicate that stopping the remote air conditioning is restricted (S34).

[0071] On the other hand, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the remote air conditioning was started, the server 30 sends a notification to the user terminal 20 that the remote air conditioning can be stopped (S35). The notification indicates that the restriction on stopping the remote air conditioning has been lifted. The predetermined time is the time required for the battery 42's charge level to recover to the level required to restart the engine 41. Alternatively, battery information may be obtained from the vehicle 10, and the notification may be sent when, for example, the battery 42's charge level or voltage has recovered sufficiently. Upon receiving this notification, the user terminal 20 displays, for example, the screen shown in Figure 7 on the display 205 to indicate that the remote air conditioning can be stopped (S36).

[0072] Next, we will describe the process for restricting the stopping of remote air conditioning in server 30. Figure 16 is a flowchart of the process for executing the battery protection mode in server 30 according to the third embodiment. The flowchart shown in Figure 16 is the same as the first half of the flowchart shown in Figure 11, so we will omit the explanation. Next, Figure 17 is a flowchart of the process for restricting the stopping of remote air conditioning in server 30 according to the third embodiment. The process shown in Figure 17 is executed in server 30 at predetermined intervals. The script is executed assuming, for example, that the process shown in Figure 16 has been completed.

[0073] In step S401, the control unit 31 determines whether or not it has received an air conditioning request from the user terminal 20. If the determination in step S401 is positive, the process proceeds to step S402; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S408. In step S402, the control unit 31 transmits an air conditioning command to the vehicle 10. In step S403, the control unit 31 transmits a remote air conditioning execution notification to the user terminal 20.

[0074] In step S404, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the battery protection mode is being executed. If the determination in step S404 is positive, the process proceeds to step S405; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S408. In step S405, the control unit 31 sends a remote air conditioning stop failure notification to the user terminal 20. The remote air conditioning stop failure notification includes, for example, a command to display the image shown in Figure 9 on the user terminal 20.

[0075] In step S406, the control unit 31 determines whether the voltage of the battery 42 is higher than a predetermined voltage. The voltage of the battery 42 is included in the battery information and is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30 at predetermined intervals, for example. The predetermined voltage is the same as the predetermined voltage described in step S305. In other words, in step S406, it is determined whether the vehicle 10 can move after the remote air conditioning is stopped (whether the engine 41 can be started). If the determination in step S406 is positive, the process proceeds to step S407; if the determination is negative, the process in step S406 is executed again. Alternatively, instead of determining the voltage in step S406, it may be determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of the remote air conditioning. The predetermined time is the time required to recover the decrease in charge level due to the start of the remote air conditioning and is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303.

[0076] In step S407, the control unit 31 sends a remote air conditioning stop notification to the user terminal 20. The remote air conditioning stop notification may include, for example, a command to change the image displayed on the user terminal 20 from the image shown in Figure 9 to the image shown in Figure 7.

[0077] In step S408, the control unit 31 determines whether or not it has received an air conditioning stop request from the user terminal 20. If the determination in step S408 is positive, the process proceeds to step S409; if the determination is negative, the routine terminates. In step S409, the control unit 31 sends an air conditioning stop command to the vehicle 10. The air conditioning stop command is a command to stop the remote air conditioning. Upon receiving this command, the engine 41 and air conditioner 50 are stopped in the vehicle 10. Then, in step S410, the control unit 31 sends a remote air conditioning stop notification to the user terminal 20. The remote air conditioning stop notification is a notification that the remote air conditioning has been stopped.

[0078] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the battery 42 of the vehicle 10 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, the stopping of the remote air conditioning is restricted, thereby allowing the remaining charge of the battery 42 to be restored. This prevents the vehicle 10 from becoming immobile.

[0079] <Fourth Embodiment> In the fourth embodiment, an example is described in which the vehicle 10 restricts the stopping of the remote air conditioning. Figure 18 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system 1 according to the fourth embodiment. The vehicle 10 and user terminal 20 shown in Figure 18 are pre-linked and registered with the server 30. Figure 18 is a sequence diagram when the stopping of the remote air conditioning is restricted by the vehicle 10. The same reference numerals are used for the same processes as in the sequence diagrams shown in Figure 10, Figure 12, or Figure 15, and their explanation is omitted.

[0080] In the sequence diagram shown in Figure 18, after remote air conditioning is performed, the user makes a predetermined input to the user terminal 20, which generates an air conditioning stop request (S41). The air conditioning stop request is sent from the user terminal 20 to the server 30. Upon receiving the air conditioning stop request, the server 30 sends an air conditioning stop command to the vehicle 10 (S42). At this time, the vehicle 10 is in battery protection mode (S22) and remote air conditioning is running (S31). Therefore, the vehicle 10 sends a notification to the server 30 that remote air conditioning cannot be stopped (S43). Furthermore, the server 30 sends a notification to the user terminal 20 that remote air conditioning cannot be stopped (S44). The user terminal 20 then displays the screen shown in Figure 9, for example, on the display 205 to indicate that stopping the remote air conditioning is restricted (S45).

[0081] Furthermore, the vehicle 10 determines whether it is possible to stop the remote air conditioning by, for example, determining whether the battery voltage is higher than a predetermined voltage (S46). If the vehicle 10 determines that it is possible to stop the remote air conditioning, it sends a notification to the server 30 that the remote air conditioning can be stopped (S35). Then, the user terminal 20 displays, for example, the image shown in Figure 7, indicating that the remote air conditioning can be stopped (S36).

[0082] Next, the process for restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning in vehicle 10 will be described. Figure 19 is a flowchart of the process for restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning in vehicle 10 according to the fourth embodiment. The process shown in Figure 19 is executed in vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals.

[0083] In step S501, the control unit 110 determines whether or not it has received an air conditioning command from the server 30. If the determination in step S501 is positive, the unit proceeds to step S502; if the determination is negative, the unit proceeds to step S504. In step S502, the control unit 110 executes remote air conditioning. In step S503, the control unit 110 sends a remote air conditioning execution notification to the server 30.

[0084] In step S504, the control unit 110 determines whether or not it has received an air conditioning stop command from the server 30. If the determination in step S504 is positive, the process proceeds to step S505; if the determination is negative, the routine terminates. In step S505, the control unit 110 determines whether or not the battery protection mode is in operation. If the determination in step S505 is positive, the process proceeds to step S506; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S509.

[0085] In step S506, the control unit 110 sends a notification to the server 30 that the remote air conditioning cannot be stopped. In step S507, the control unit 110 determines whether the voltage of the battery 42 is higher than a predetermined voltage. If the determination in step S507 is positive, the process proceeds to step S508; if the determination is negative, step S507 is repeated. Alternatively, instead of determining the voltage in step S507, the process may be to determine whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the remote air conditioning was started. The predetermined time is the time required to recover the decrease in charge level due to the start of the remote air conditioning, and is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103.

[0086] In step S508, the control unit 110 sends a remote air conditioning stop notification to the server 30. In step S509, the control unit 110 stops the remote air conditioning. Then, in step S510, the control unit 110 sends a remote air conditioning stop notification to the server 30. Note that in the flowchart shown in Figure 19, the remote air conditioning stop notification is sent in step S508, but this step can be omitted. That is, if a positive determination is made in step S507, the process may proceed to step S509.

[0087] As described above, according to this embodiment, when the battery 42 of the vehicle 10 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, the stopping of the remote air conditioning is restricted, thereby allowing the remaining charge of the battery 42 to be restored. This prevents the vehicle 10 from becoming immobile.

[0088] <Fifth Embodiment> In the above embodiment, the server 30 determines whether or not the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, but this determination can also be made in the vehicle 10 or the user terminal 20. In the fifth embodiment, an example is described in which the vehicle 10 determines whether or not the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, and if the battery 42 is in a predetermined state of deterioration, the vehicle 10 restricts the start of the remote air conditioning.

[0089] Figure 20 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of System 1 according to the fifth embodiment. The vehicle 10 and user terminal 20 shown in Figure 20 are pre-linked and registered with the server 30. Figure 20 is a sequence diagram when the start of remote air conditioning is restricted by the vehicle 10. The same reference numerals are used for the same processes as in the sequence diagram shown in Figure 12, and their explanations are omitted.

[0090] In vehicle 10, once battery information is acquired (S51), a degradation determination of battery 42 is performed based on the battery information (S52). If vehicle 10 determines that battery 42 is in a predetermined degradation state, a battery protection mode is executed (S53). This battery protection mode suppresses the decrease in the remaining charge of battery 42 by restricting the start of remote air conditioning. The subsequent processing is the same as from S23 onwards in Figure 12, so the explanation is omitted. The battery protection mode is executed in the same manner when restricting the stopping of remote air conditioning.

[0091] Next, the processing related to remote air conditioning in vehicle 10 will be described. Figure 21 is a flowchart of the processing related to remote air conditioning in vehicle 10 according to the fifth embodiment. The processing shown in Figure 21 is executed in vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. The flowchart shown in Figure 21 shows the flow of processing executed in vehicle 10 when vehicle 10 restricts the start of remote air conditioning. Steps in which the same processing as the routine shown in Figure 14 is executed are denoted by the same reference numerals and their explanation is omitted.

[0092] In step S601, the control unit 110 acquires battery information. The control unit 110 acquires information regarding the voltage measured by the voltmeter 43, for example. In step S602, the control unit 110 determines the degradation state of the battery 42. The degradation state of the battery 42 may be determined based on known techniques. In step S603, the control unit 110 determines whether the battery 42 is in a predetermined degradation state. If the determination in step S603 is positive, the system proceeds to step S604; if the determination is negative, the system proceeds to step S605. In step S604, the control unit 110 executes the battery protection mode. On the other hand, in step S605, the control unit 110 executes the normal mode. The normal mode is a mode in which remote air conditioning is executed when an air conditioning command is received from the server 30.

[0093] In this way, the vehicle 10 can determine the degradation state of the battery 42 and restrict the start or stop of the remote air conditioning. This prevents the battery 42 from losing charge, thus preventing the vehicle 10 from becoming immobile.

[0094] <Other Embodiments> The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. The processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical inconsistencies arise. Furthermore, the processes performed by a single device may also be described. The processes described may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, processes described as being performed by different devices may be performed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is implemented can be flexibly changed. For example, the vehicle 10 may have some or all of the functions of the server 30.

[0095] Furthermore, while the third and fourth embodiments restrict the stopping of the remote air conditioning, there may be situations where it is desirable to stop the remote air conditioning immediately. Therefore, it may be possible to allow the user to stop the remote air conditioning if they wish to do so.

[0096] Figure 22 shows an example of an image displayed on the display 205 when remote air conditioning can be stopped even when stopping remote air conditioning is restricted. When stopping remote air conditioning is restricted, the display shows that remote air conditioning can be stopped by tapping a button, for example, three or more times, as indicated by reference numeral 606. When the user taps the button indicated by reference numeral 606, for example, three or more times, information to that effect is transmitted from the user terminal 20 to the server 30. Upon receiving this information, the server 30 sends a command to the vehicle 10 to stop the remote air conditioning, even if battery protection mode is running. On the other hand, if battery protection mode is running in the vehicle 10, the server 30 sends a command to the vehicle 10 to stop the remote air conditioning even if battery protection mode is running. Upon receiving this command, the vehicle 10 stops the remote air conditioning, even if battery protection mode is running.

[0097] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage mediums include, for example, any type of disk such as magnetic disks (floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1 System 10 vehicles 20 User Terminals 30 servers 31 Control Unit 41 Engine 42 batteries 50 Air conditioner 101 Processors 102 Main memory 103 Auxiliary storage 110 Control Unit 301 Processor 302 Main memory 303 Auxiliary storage unit

Claims

1. The system includes a control unit that, in response to the vehicle's battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration, restricts the stopping of the remote air conditioning for a predetermined period after the remote air conditioning has been activated. Information processing device.

2. The control unit, after activating the remote air conditioning in response to a request to start the remote air conditioning received from the user's terminal, will not accept a request to stop the remote air conditioning from the user's terminal until the battery voltage rises above a predetermined voltage due to power generation by the engine, thereby restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The control unit, after activating the remote air conditioning in response to a request to start the remote air conditioning received from the user's terminal, will not accept a request to stop the remote air conditioning from the user's terminal until a predetermined time has elapsed, thereby restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. A control unit that limits the start of the remote air conditioning by limiting the number of times the remote air conditioning is executed in response to the vehicle's battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration, Information processing device.

5. The control unit imposes a restriction on stopping the remote air conditioning by sending a command to the user's terminal so that a request to stop the remote air conditioning is not generated at the user's terminal. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

6. The control unit imposes a restriction on the stopping of the remote air conditioning by transmitting a command to the vehicle so that the vehicle does not accept a request to stop the remote air conditioning. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

7. The control unit, To obtain information regarding the degradation status of the battery from the vehicle, Based on the information regarding the degradation state of the battery, it is determined whether or not the battery is in a predetermined degradation state. In response to the battery being in a predetermined state of degradation, a battery protection mode is executed, which is a mode that restricts the stopping of the remote air conditioning. Receiving a request from the user's terminal to start the remote air conditioning, In response to receiving the request while the battery protection mode is running, the user's terminal is notified that the remote air conditioning cannot be stopped for a predetermined period after the remote air conditioning has been activated, thereby restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, which performs the following:

8. Computers In response to the vehicle's battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration, the remote air conditioning system will be restricted from being shut down for a predetermined period after activation. Information processing methods.

9. The aforementioned computer, After activating the remote air conditioning in response to a request to start the remote air conditioning received from the user's terminal, the system will not accept requests to stop the remote air conditioning from the user's terminal until the battery voltage rises above a predetermined voltage due to power generation by the engine, thereby limiting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The information processing method according to claim 8.

10. The aforementioned computer, After activating the remote air conditioning in response to a request to start the remote air conditioning received from the user's terminal, the system will not accept a request to stop the remote air conditioning from the user's terminal until a predetermined time has elapsed, thereby restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The information processing method according to claim 8.

11. A computer, In response to the vehicle's battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration, the number of times the remote air conditioning can be activated is limited, thereby restricting the initiation of the remote air conditioning. Information processing methods.

12. The aforementioned computer, By sending a command to the user's terminal to prevent the generation of a request to stop the remote air conditioning, a restriction is placed on stopping the remote air conditioning. The information processing method according to claim 8.

13. The aforementioned computer, By sending a command to the vehicle, a restriction is placed on stopping the remote air conditioning, preventing the vehicle from accepting requests to stop the remote air conditioning. The information processing method according to claim 8.

14. The aforementioned computer, To obtain information regarding the degradation status of the battery from the vehicle, Based on the information regarding the degradation state of the battery, it is determined whether or not the battery is in a predetermined degradation state. In response to the battery being in a predetermined state of degradation, a battery protection mode is executed, which is a mode that restricts the stopping of the remote air conditioning. Receiving a request from the user's terminal to start the remote air conditioning, In response to receiving the request while the battery protection mode is running, the user's terminal is notified that the remote air conditioning cannot be stopped for a predetermined period after the remote air conditioning has been activated, thereby restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The information processing method according to claim 8, which performs the following:

15. A vehicle that operates the engine to control remote air conditioning, A server that transmits commands to the vehicle regarding the execution of remote air conditioning, In a system equipped with, The aforementioned server, To obtain information regarding the deterioration status of the vehicle's battery, In response to the battery being in a predetermined state of deterioration, the remote air conditioning system will be restricted from being shut down for a predetermined period after it has been activated. It includes a control unit that performs the following: system.

16. The control unit, after activating the remote air conditioning in response to a request to start the remote air conditioning received from the user's terminal, restricts the stopping of the remote air conditioning by not accepting a request to stop the remote air conditioning from the user's terminal until the battery voltage rises above a predetermined voltage. The system according to claim 15.

17. The control unit, after activating the remote air conditioning in response to a request to start the remote air conditioning received from the user's terminal, will not accept a request to stop the remote air conditioning from the user's terminal until a predetermined time has elapsed, thereby restricting the stopping of the remote air conditioning. The system according to claim 15.

18. A vehicle that operates the engine to perform remote air conditioning, A server that transmits commands to the vehicle regarding the execution of remote air conditioning, In a system equipped with, The aforementioned server, To obtain information regarding the deterioration status of the vehicle's battery, In response to the battery being in a predetermined state of degradation, the number of times the remote air conditioning is executed is limited, thereby restricting the initiation of the remote air conditioning. It includes a control unit that performs the following: system.

19. The control unit imposes a restriction on stopping the remote air conditioning by sending a command to the user's terminal so that a request to stop the remote air conditioning is not generated at the user's terminal. The system according to claim 15.

20. The control unit imposes a restriction on the stopping of the remote air conditioning by transmitting a command to the vehicle so that the vehicle does not accept a request to stop the remote air conditioning. The system according to claim 15.

Images