Information processing device, program, and information processing method

Abstract

The present invention automatically determines the type of lending with regard to reuse. In a vehicle lending service for lending vehicles to users, a server 100, which is able to determine a lending type with regard to a vehicle 500 that has been returned by a user, comprises: a first calculation means 113 that, on the basis of information (income and expenses) in accordance with a state value of a battery 506, calculates a subscription profit, which is for a case in which a returned vehicle 500 is lent as a subscription, and a share profit, which is for a case in which said returned vehicle is lent as a car-share; and a determination means 117 that, on the basis of the calculated subscription profit and share profit, determines the lending type of the returned vehicle 500 as a subscription or a car-share.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, a program, and an information processing method that perform determination related to reuse of a returned vehicle in a vehicle rental service.

Background Art

[0002] As services for renting vehicles to users, car leasing (hereinafter also referred to as "leasing"), subscription (hereinafter also referred to as "subscription" or "SB"), rental, and car sharing (hereinafter also referred to as "car sharing" or "CS") are known. For convenience of explanation, a vehicle rented under a lease is referred to as a "leased vehicle", a vehicle rented under a subscription is referred to as a "subscription vehicle" or "SB vehicle", a vehicle rented for rental is referred to as a "rental car", and a vehicle rented for car sharing is referred to as a "shared car" or "CS vehicle". In recent years, in this type of service, electric vehicles (hereinafter referred to as EVs) powered by batteries have come to be provided. Reuse methods for in-vehicle batteries are being studied. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses diagnosing the deterioration state of an in-vehicle battery to determine and notify the reuse type of the in-vehicle battery. In addition, Patent Document 2 discloses setting a lease fee for a selected form by taking into account the respective characteristics of an EV and an in-vehicle battery.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, Patent Document 1 discloses the reuse of in-vehicle batteries, not the reuse of vehicles. Therefore, when a vehicle is returned after the contract period with the user has ended, there is no plan to efficiently reuse the returned vehicle. In particular, conventional vehicle rental services did not determine the type of reuse for returned vehicles (for example, whether to re-rent them as leased vehicles or as shared cars). The lease options disclosed in Patent Document 2 are the choice between leasing only the vehicle, leasing only the onboard battery, or leasing the vehicle plus the onboard battery, and do not involve selecting the type of lease when reusing a returned vehicle. Thus, in conventional vehicle rental services, the rental type of returned vehicles was not determined. However, as a business, there is a need to efficiently reuse returned vehicles, and therefore, there is a need to efficiently determine the rental type based on appropriate criteria. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In view of the above issues, an information processing device according to one aspect of the present invention is an information processing device capable of determining the type of rental for a vehicle returned by a user in a vehicle rental service that rents out vehicles to users, and comprises: a first calculation means capable of calculating a first benefit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a first vehicle rental service and a second benefit when the vehicle is rented out as a second vehicle rental service with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information corresponding to the state value of the battery installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the state value of the battery after replacement; and a determination means that determines the first vehicle rental service or the second vehicle rental service as the type of rental for the returned vehicle based on the first benefit and the second benefit.

[0006] Furthermore, a program according to another aspect of the present invention causes a computer to perform the following steps: calculate a first benefit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a first vehicle rental service and a second benefit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a second vehicle rental service with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information corresponding to the battery installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the battery condition after replacement; and determine whether the returned vehicle should be rented out as a first vehicle rental service or a second vehicle rental service based on the calculated first and second benefits.

[0007] Furthermore, an information processing method according to another aspect of the present invention is an information processing method that can determine the type of rental for a vehicle returned by a user in a vehicle rental service that rents out vehicles to users, and comprises the steps of: calculating a first benefit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a first vehicle rental service and a second benefit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a second vehicle rental service with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information corresponding to the battery installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the battery after replacement; and determining whether the returned vehicle is a first vehicle rental service or a second vehicle rental service based on the calculated first benefit and second benefit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the type of rental when reusing (re-lending) vehicles such as EVs can be conveniently determined while improving profitability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of an information processing system relating to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a hardware configuration diagram for the server. [Figure 3]This is a hardware configuration diagram of the operator terminal. [Figure 4] This is a hardware configuration diagram of the vehicle. [Figure 5] This is a functional configuration diagram of the information processing system. [Figure 6] This is a diagram showing the relationship between SOH and the number of cycles. [Figure 7] The upper part shows the vehicle information of the vehicle with vehicle ID: a001, and the lower part shows the vehicle information of the vehicle with vehicle ID: a002. [Figure 8] This is a table of each coefficient related to the service coefficient k1, where (a) is a table of the production year coefficient k11, (b) is a table of the mileage coefficient k12, (c) is a table of the accident coefficient k13, and (d) is a table of the order quantity coefficient k14. [Figure 9] This is a table of each coefficient related to the subscription coefficient k2, where (a) is a table of the production year coefficient k21, (b) is a table of the mileage coefficient k22, and (c) is a table of the accident coefficient k23. [Figure 10] This is a table of each coefficient related to the sharing coefficient k3, where (a) is a table of the production year coefficient k31, (b) is a table of the mileage coefficient k32, and (c) is a table of the accident coefficient k33. [Figure 11] This is a rental type determination screen showing the rental type determination result for the vehicle with vehicle ID: a001. [Figure 12] This is a chart showing the breakdown of the rental type determination for the vehicle with vehicle ID: a001. [Figure 13] This is a rental type determination screen showing the rental type determination result for the vehicle with vehicle ID: a002. [Figure 14] This is a chart showing the breakdown of the rental type determination for the vehicle with vehicle ID: a002. [Figure 15] This is a sequence diagram showing the information processing procedure. [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0010] The information processing system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The information processing system 1 is configured to be capable of determining the rental type for a vehicle 500 returned by a user (hereinafter also referred to as "returned vehicle") in a vehicle rental service in which a business operator lends the vehicle 500 to a user. The rental types of the vehicle 500 include "lease", "subscription", "car sharing", and "rental". These rental types differ from one another in contract period (usage period), settlement method (payment method), fee structure, and the like. "Lease" has a medium to long-term contract period of six months to 10 years, and adopts a scheme (fixed amount) in which the user pays a fixed amount annually or monthly as the settlement method. "Subscription" has a medium to long-term contract period substantially the same as that of a lease, and adopts a scheme (fixed amount) in which the user pays a fixed amount per month (for example, 35,000 yen per month) as the settlement method. "Rental" allows short-term contracts on an hourly basis, and adopts a method (pay-as-you-go) in which the user pays an amount corresponding to the usage time after the vehicle 500 is returned as the settlement method. "Car sharing" allows not only short-term contracts but also ultra-short-term contracts in units of 15 minutes, and adopts a method (pay-as-you-go) in which the user pays an amount corresponding to the usage time after the vehicle 500 is returned as the settlement method. The pay-as-you-go amount is set to 350 yen per 15 minutes. For convenience of explanation, the information processing system 1 of the present embodiment is assumed to be capable of two types of rentals: subscription and car sharing. The business operator not only lends the vehicle 500, but also performs maintenance such as component replacement and repair.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the information processing system 1 of the present invention. The information processing system 1 includes a server 100, a business operator terminal 200, and a vehicle 500, which are communicably connected via the Internet 900.

[0012] The server 100 is an information processing apparatus owned and managed by a management business operator that operates and manages the vehicle rental service. Figure 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of the server 100. Server 100 includes a processor 101, memory 102, storage 103, and a communication device 104. The processor 101 controls various parts of the server 100 by executing programs and performs processing to realize the functions of the server 100. For example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) is used for the processor 101. Memory 102 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores programs executed by the processor 101. Memory 102 can be, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory). The storage 103 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores various data and programs used by the processor 101. For example, the storage 103 may be an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or an SSD (Solid State Drive). The communication device 104 is connected to the internet 900 and, for example, communicates data with the operator terminal 200 or the vehicle 500 via the internet 900.

[0013] The business terminal 200 is an information terminal installed at a business premises (e.g., a gas station), and is an information terminal such as a personal computer, tablet, or smartphone used by employees of the business premises. Figure 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the operator terminal 200. The operator terminal 200 comprises a processor 201, memory 202, storage 203, an operating device 204, a display device 205, and a communication device 206. The processor 201 controls various parts of the carrier terminal 200 by executing programs and performs processing to realize the functions of the carrier terminal 200. For example, a CPU is used for the processor 201. Memory 202 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores programs executed by the processor 201. Memory 202 may include, for example, RAM and ROM. Storage 203 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores various data and programs used by the processor 201. Examples of storage 203 include HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), SSDs (Solid State Drives), and flash memory. The operating device 204 is a device used to operate the operator terminal 200, and examples include a keyboard and mouse on a personal computer, or a touch panel on a smartphone or tablet device. The display device 205 displays various screens. For example, a liquid crystal display may be used for the display device 205. The display device 205 may also be configured as a touch panel by integrating it with a touch sensor. The communication device 206 is connected to the internet 900 and communicates data with the server 100 via the internet 900.

[0014] Vehicle 500 refers to a means of transportation rented to users, and includes automobiles such as internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs). Internal combustion engine vehicles are able to move by burning fuel such as gasoline and using the combustion gases to drive the engine. EVs are equipped with rechargeable batteries such as lithium-ion batteries (hereinafter also referred to as battery 506), and are able to move by driving the motor with electricity stored in the rechargeable batteries through charging. In this embodiment, the vehicle 500 being rented is an electric vehicle (EV).

[0015] Some EVs are ultra-compact, similar in size to a kei car (Japanese mini-car). Examples of ultra-compact EVs include those with a seating capacity of 4 people or less, a top speed of 60 km / h or less, a rated output of 0.6 kW or more, a length of 2.5 m or less, a width of 1.3 m or less, a height of 2.0 m or less, and a maximum load capacity of 350 kg or less. The 506 battery, which can be installed in ultra-compact EVs, has a capacity of 9-10kWh (single cell type), a charging time of 5-16 hours, and provides a driving range of approximately 100-150km on a full charge.

[0016] The status of the EV's battery 506 is managed by the onboard unit 501. The in-vehicle unit 501 includes a processor 502, memory 503, storage 504, and a communication device 505. The processor 502 controls various parts of the in-vehicle device 501 and performs processing to realize the functions of the in-vehicle device 501 by executing a program. For example, a CPU is used for the processor 502. Memory 503 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores programs executed by the processor 502. For example, RAM and ROM can be used for memory 503. Storage 504 is a computer-readable recording medium that stores various data and programs used by the processor 502. Examples of storage devices that can be used for storage 504 include HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), SSDs (Solid State Drives), and flash memory. The communication device 505 performs wireless communication with the server 100 according to a predetermined wireless communication standard (for example, 4G or 5G such as LTE (Long Term Evolution)). The in-vehicle unit 501 manages the status values ​​of the battery 506, such as battery capacity and the number of charge / discharge cycles.

[0017] Figure 5 is a functional configuration diagram of the information processing system 1. (Carrier terminal) The operator terminal 200 is used for inputting status values ​​related to returned vehicles, displaying the rental type when re-renting (reusing) returned vehicles, and so on. As shown in Figure 5, the operator terminal 200 includes an operating means 211, a communication means 212, and a display means 213. The functions of the carrier terminal 200 are realized by the processor 201 executing a program, which in turn causes the processor 201 to perform calculations or control various parts of the carrier terminal 200.

[0018] The operating means 211 performs various operations on the operating device 204. Specifically, the operating means 211 inputs various information (vehicle information) indicating the status of the returned vehicle in response to the operation of the operating device 204 by an employee of the business operator. As shown in Figure 7, "Vehicle Information" is information linked to each vehicle ID, including the year of manufacture, mileage, accidents, recent order count, recent monthly average operating rate, and replacement parts. The upper part of Figure 7 shows the vehicle information for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 upon return, and the lower part of Figure 7 shows the vehicle information for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 upon return.

[0019] "Years of production" refers to the number of years elapsed since the production of vehicle 500. "Mileage" refers to the mileage of the vehicle 500 since its manufacture. "Accident" is information indicating whether or not an accident occurred. "Recent Order Count" refers to the number of orders for the rental of 500 vehicles in the month immediately preceding the return date. Note that "recent order count" is not limited to the most recent month; it can also be the number of orders per month derived from, for example, the most recent "week" or "year." The number of orders can basically be the number of rentals of the same vehicle model as the returned vehicle, the number of sales of the same vehicle model, or the number of rentals plus sales. "Recent Monthly Operating Hours" refers to the vehicle information for the shared car, specifically the operating hours of the vehicle (500) in the month immediately preceding its return. For example, the most recent month's operating hours, if the returned vehicle was used as a shared car, are calculated as the total monthly rental time or equivalent time. Furthermore, if the in-vehicle unit 501 has a function to output operating time and utilization rate, the "most recent month's operating time" may be calculated based on that output value and sent from the vehicle 500 to the server 100. Alternatively, the average operating time for the same vehicle type as the returned vehicle can be used. "Replacement parts" include tires, brake pads, brake fluid, batteries (used), etc. From these, only the information on parts that employees or others determine to need replacement (marked with "○" in Figure 7) will be treated as replacement parts.

[0020] The communication means 212 includes a transmitting means for sending information to the server 100 and a receiving means for receiving information from the server 100. The information sent to the server 100 includes vehicle information of the returned vehicle (Figure 7) entered by the operating means 211, and the information received from the server 100 includes rental type information. The display means 213 displays various screens on the display device 205. The display means 213 displays various operation screens (such as a vehicle information input screen) and a rental type determination screen (Figures 11 and 13) based on rental type information received from the server 100.

[0021] (vehicle) Vehicle 500 is an EV and can be rented out as a subscription vehicle or a car-sharing vehicle. As shown in Figure 5, the vehicle 500 is equipped with a calculation means 511 and a communication means 512. The functions of the vehicle 500 (onboard unit 501) are realized by the processor 502 executing a stored program, which in turn causes the processor 502 to perform calculations or control various parts of the onboard unit 501. The calculation means 511, for example, responds to a request for battery information from the server 100, and the processor 502 calculates the battery information.

[0022] Battery information includes State of Health (SOH) and cycle count. SOH is also called the capacity retention rate, which can indicate the state of battery capacity degradation, and can be calculated based on the following formula (1). SOH (%) = Current capacity / Initial capacity × 100 ... (1) The calculation means 511 calculates the current SOH in response to a request from the server 100 and stores the calculation result in the storage 504. The cycle count is the number of charge / discharge cycles for the Battery 506. The calculation means 511 calculates the State of Health (SOH) and counts the number of cycles the battery 506 has undergone to date. The calculated SOH and the counted cycle count are linked and stored in storage 504. Furthermore, the calculation means 511 periodically calculates the State of Health (SOH) and counts the number of cycles, and each time, it associates the SOH with the number of cycles and stores them in the storage 504. In other words, in response to a request from server 100, storage 504 stores battery information, including data linking the current SOH (State of Health) with the number of cycles, and data linking previous SOHs with the number of cycles. The communication means 512 receives battery information request information from the server 100 and transmits the battery information stored in the storage 504 to the server 100.

[0023] (server) Server 100 calculates and determines what type of rental service (subscription car or car-sharing) the returned vehicle should be offered next. As shown in Figure 5, the server 100 includes a receiving means 111, a calculation means 112, a transmitting means 118, and a storage means 119. The function of the server 100 is that the processor 101 performs calculations or controls various parts of the server 100 by executing a program stored in memory 102 or storage 103.

[0024] The receiving means 111 receives information transmitted from the operator terminal 200 (communication means 212), and also receives information transmitted from the vehicle 500 (communication means 512). The information received by the receiving means 111 is output to the calculation means 112. The information received by the receiving means 111 includes vehicle information transmitted from the operator terminal 200 (Figure 7) and battery information transmitted from the returned vehicle 500. The transmission means 118 transmits information to the operator terminal 200 (communication means 212) and also transmits information to the vehicle 500 (communication means 512). The information transmitted by the transmission means 118 includes rental type information transmitted to the operator terminal 200 and battery information request information transmitted to the vehicle 500.

[0025] The memory means 119 stores fixed amount information that does not change in the fixed amount information DB 120. Fixed cost information includes, for example, a subscription fee of 35,000 yen / month, a shared usage fee of 350 yen / 15 minutes, and the cost of replacing various parts (for example, tires: 40,000 yen, used battery: 200,000 yen, brake pads: 7,000 yen, brake fluid: 5,000 yen, etc.). Furthermore, the memory means 119 stores tables of each coefficient (k11 to k14) related to the service coefficient k1, tables of each coefficient (k21 to k23) related to the subscription coefficient k2, and tables of each coefficient (k31 to k33) related to the share coefficient k3, which will be described later (Figures 8 to 10).

[0026] The calculation means 112 performs various calculation processes and includes a first calculation means 113, a second calculation means 114, a third calculation means 115, a fourth calculation means 116, and a determination means 117. The first calculation means 113 calculates the expected profit (first profit: hereinafter also referred to as "subscription profit") when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a subscription (first vehicle rental service), and the expected profit (second profit: hereinafter also referred to as "sharing profit") when it is rented out as a car share (second vehicle rental service) with a different rental period than the subscription (first vehicle rental service).

[0027] Subscription profits and market share profits are specifically calculated based on the following equations (2) and (3). Subscription profit = Subscription revenue - Subscription costs ... (2) Share profit = Share revenue - Share costs ... (3) Then, the determination means 117 determines that if the subscription profit calculated by equation (2) is greater than the share profit calculated by equation (3), the rental type for the returned vehicle is a subscription, and conversely, if the share profit is greater than the subscription profit, it determines that the rental type for the returned vehicle is a car share. In other words, the determination means 117 determines whether the type of rental for the returned vehicle 500 is a subscription (first vehicle rental service) or car share (second vehicle rental service) based on the subscription profit (first profit) and the sharing profit (second profit).

[0028] This section explains how to calculate "subscription revenue," "share revenue," "subscription costs," and "share costs."

[0029] (Subscription revenue) "Subscription revenue" refers to the revenue (sales) that can be expected when a returned vehicle is rented out as a subscription vehicle. Subscription revenue can be calculated specifically based on the subscription fee, the service factor k1, and the battery lifespan.

[0030] The "subscription fee" is the usage fee for a new car under the subscription plan, and uses the fixed amount of "35,000 yen / month" that is stored in DB120.

[0031] The "service coefficient k1" is a coefficient used to calculate the usage fee after the returned vehicle has been refreshed, and it fluctuates within a range of 0 to 1.0 depending on the condition of the vehicle (500). The service coefficient k1 is smaller the fewer years the product has been in production, the lower the mileage, the fewer accidents there have been, and the higher the number of recent orders. The service coefficient k1 can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (4). k1 = 1 - Production year coefficient k11 - Mileage coefficient k12 - Accident coefficient k13 - Order quantity coefficient k14 ... (4)

[0032] The "production year coefficient k11" is selected, for example, within the range of 0 to 0.3, depending on the number of production years, as shown in Figure 8(a). The "mileage coefficient k12" is selected, for example, within the range of 0 to 0.3, depending on the amount of mileage traveled, as shown in Figure 8(b). As shown in Figure 8(c), the "accident coefficient k13" is set to 0 for "no accident" and 0.1 for "accident". The "order quantity coefficient k14" is selected within the range of 0.05 to 0.2, depending on the number of recent orders (the number of loans made most recently), as shown in Figure 8(d).

[0033] The information necessary to calculate the service coefficient k1 (years of manufacture, mileage, presence or absence of accidents, and number of recent orders) is taken from the vehicle information received from the operator terminal 200. For example, as shown in the upper part of Figure 7, vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 has a production year of 1.5 years, a mileage of 20,000 km, no accidents, and 20 recent orders. By referring to the tables in Figures 8(a) to (d), k1 is calculated to be 1 - 0.05 - 0.05 - 0 - 0.05 = "0.85". Furthermore, as shown in the lower part of Figure 7, vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 has a production year of 4 years, a mileage of 70,000 km, no accidents, and 15 recent orders. Therefore, by referring to the tables in Figures 8(a) to (d), k1 is calculated to be 1 - 0.1 - 0.1 - 0 - 0.05 = "0.75". If the calculated value of k1 is less than 0, simply set k1=0.

[0034] (Battery lifespan) The second calculation means 114 calculates the usable period of the battery 506 based on the State of Health (SOH), which is the state value of the battery 506. In other words, the second calculation means 114 calculates the remaining usable period from the present until the end of the battery life of the battery 506, based on the State of Health (SOH) of the battery 506. In the vehicle rental service of this embodiment, the battery 506 is used as is after being refreshed (for example, by replacing the electrolyte or electrodes) if the State of Health (SOH) is above the specified standard value (75%).

[0035] In other words, the battery 506 determines that its lifespan is over when its State of Health (SOH) reaches 75%, and considers the remaining usable period until then as the battery's usable period. Furthermore, the baseline value is not limited to 75%; any value such as 80% can be set. If the State of Health (SOH) is below the standard value, battery 506 will be replaced. In this case, the usable period of the battery may be calculated based on the SOH of the replaced battery 506. For example, when replacing a battery with a used one, the usable lifespan of the battery can be calculated based on the State of Health (SOH) of that used battery. When replacing the battery (with a new one), for convenience, a fixed period (e.g., 5 years) can be set as the battery's usable period, and this may be excluded from the scope of the present invention. While some believe it is preferable to calculate the usable period of the battery based on the replaced battery 506 when replacing the battery, this invention compares subscription and sharing using the same battery 506. Therefore, since there is no change in the relationship between the magnitude of revenue whether the original battery 506 or the replaced battery 506 is used for the comparison, either one can be used as convenient.

[0036] Battery 506 that does not meet the standard can be used for other purposes (for example, in stationary battery storage systems or for recycling). For example, if the State of Health (SOH) is less than 75%, it can be reused in stationary storage batteries, and if the SOH is less than 50%, the battery can be disassembled and recycled material by material. Thus, the determination means 117 can be executed if the State of Health (SOH) of the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle 500 falls within a threshold (e.g., 75% or more).

[0037] Here, as shown in Figure 6, SOH has the characteristic of gradually decreasing in a curved manner as the number of cycles increases, so a prediction formula that approximates this characteristic can be derived. The prediction formula can be derived by applying (X,Y)=(number of cycles,SOH), where the X-axis represents the number of cycles and the Y-axis represents the State of Health (SOH), to formulas such as exponential approximation, logarithmic approximation, or power approximation. For example, a prediction formula can be derived by inputting (X,Y) into publicly available software such as a spreadsheet program. According to this prediction formula, substituting SOH:75% allows us to calculate the number of cycles (life cycles) until SOH drops to 75%. Then, by subtracting the current number of cycles from the lifetime cycle count, we can calculate the remaining number of cycles until the State of Health (SOH) drops to 75%. According to the survey, 70% of EV owners charge their vehicles 0-2 times a week, indicating that many people charge their vehicles about twice a week. Based on this, the number of cycles per month is calculated to be 8 (= 2 cycles x 4 weeks). By dividing the remaining number of cycles by the number of cycles per month (monthly cycle count), the estimated number of months of "battery usable life" can be calculated.

[0038] In the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the server 100 connects with the vehicle 500 based on receiving a request from the operator terminal 200, and generates a prediction formula based on the battery information (information including SOH and cycle count) received from the vehicle 500. The server 100 then determines the life cycle count based on the generated prediction formula, and calculates the remaining battery usable period based on the remaining cycle count obtained by subtracting the current cycle count from the life cycle count. The battery usable period for the returned vehicle with vehicle ID: a001 is calculated to be "36 months," and the battery usable period for the returned vehicle with vehicle ID: a002 is calculated to be "60 months." In other words, in this example, although the battery 506 installed in the vehicle will be replaced with another battery (used) as described later, the usable period of the battery will be calculated based on the condition value of the battery 506 installed in the vehicle.

[0039] Subscription revenue can be calculated specifically based on the following formula (5). Subscription revenue = Subscription fee × Service coefficient k1 × Battery usable period ... (5) The subscription revenue for vehicle ID: a001 (vehicle 500) is calculated as 1,071,000 yen (= 35,000 yen × 0.85 × 36 months). The subscription revenue for vehicle ID: a002, vehicle 500, is calculated as 1,575,000 yen (= 35,000 yen × 0.75 × 60 months).

[0040] (Share revenue) "Share revenue" refers to the revenue (sales) that can be expected when a returned vehicle is rented out as a shared car. Share revenue can be calculated specifically based on the share usage fee and the battery's usable period. The "share usage fee" is calculated using the pre-stored fixed amount information DB120 of "350 yen / 15 minutes," which is then converted to an hourly usage fee of "1400 yen / hour." Here, server 100 uses the most recent month's operating hours (operating hours in the most recent month) received from the carrier terminal 200 to calculate the monthly shared usage fee. The monthly rental fee is calculated as 25,200 yen (1,400 yen / month x 18 hours) if the vehicle has been used for 18 hours in the most recent month. Share revenue can be calculated specifically based on the following formula (6). Share revenue = Share usage fee × Battery usable period ... (6) Therefore, the share revenue for vehicle ID: a001 (vehicle 500) is calculated to be 907,200 yen (= 25,200 yen x 36 months). Furthermore, the share revenue for vehicle ID: a002 (vehicle 500) is calculated to be 1,512,000 yen (= 25,200 yen x 60 months).

[0041] (Subscription cost) The subscription cost corresponds to the expenses incurred when a returned vehicle is reused as a subscription vehicle. The subscription cost is calculated based on the cost of replacing parts and the subscription coefficient (first coefficient) k2.

[0042] "Parts replacement costs" refer to the amount required to replace the "replacement parts" included in the vehicle information received from the operator terminal 200. For example, as shown in Figure 7, both vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 and vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 require tire replacement, and battery 506 needs to be replaced with a battery. Therefore, by referring to the replacement costs (tires: 40,000 yen, re-battery (used): 200,000 yen) from the fixed amount DB120, the total replacement cost is calculated to be 240,000 yen.

[0043] The "subscription coefficient k2" is a coefficient used to calculate the cost of refreshing returned vehicles. It is a variable value that fluctuates between 0 and 1.0 depending on the condition of the vehicle (500), and is also a condition value. The subscription coefficient (first coefficient) k2 is set to be larger than the market share coefficient (second coefficient) k3. This is because subscriptions involve longer usage periods than car sharing, so the risk of increased costs must be considered. The subscription coefficient k2 is smaller the fewer years in production, the lower the mileage, and the fewer accidents there are, which is similar to the service coefficient k1. However, since it does not fluctuate depending on the number of recent orders, a coefficient for the number of recent orders has not been established. This is because the number of orders is related to expected revenue, but not to costs.

[0044] The subscription coefficient k2 can be calculated, for example, by the following equation (7). k2 = 1 - Production year coefficient k21 - Mileage coefficient k22 - Accident coefficient k23 ... (7) The "production year coefficient k21" is selected, for example, within the range of 0 to 0.3, depending on the number of production years, as shown in Figure 9(a). The "mileage coefficient k22" is selected, for example, within the range of 0 to 0.3, depending on the amount of mileage traveled, as shown in Figure 9(b). As shown in Figure 9(c), the "accident coefficient k23" is set to 0 for "no accident" and 0.1 for "accident". The information necessary to calculate the subscription coefficient k2 (years of manufacture, mileage, accident history) is taken from the vehicle information received from the operator terminal 200. For example, as shown in the upper part of Figure 7, vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 has a production year of 1.5 years, a mileage of 20,000 km, and no accidents. Therefore, by referring to the tables in Figures 9(a) to (c), k2 is calculated to be k2 = 1 - 0.05 - 0.05 - 0 = "0.9". Furthermore, as shown in the lower part of Figure 7, vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 has a production year of 4 years, a mileage of 70,000 km, and no accidents. Therefore, by referring to the tables in Figures 9(a) to (c), k2 is calculated to be 1 - 0.1 - 0.1 - 0 = "0.8". If the calculated value of k2 is less than 0, simply set k2 = 0.

[0045] Subscription costs can be calculated specifically based on the following formula (8). Subscription cost = Total replacement cost × Subscription coefficient k²···(8) The subscription cost for vehicle ID: a001, vehicle 500, is calculated to be 216,000 yen (= 240,000 yen × 0.9). The subscription cost for vehicle ID: a002, vehicle 500, is calculated to be 192,000 yen (= 240,000 yen × 0.8).

[0046] (Share cost) The sharing cost corresponds to the expenses incurred when a returned vehicle is reused as a shared car. The share cost is calculated based on the cost of replacing parts and the share coefficient (second coefficient) k3.

[0047] "Parts replacement costs" refer to the amount required to replace the "replacement parts" included in the vehicle information received from the operator terminal 200. For example, as shown in Figure 7, both vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 and vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 require tire replacement, and battery 506 needs to be replaced with a battery. Therefore, by referring to the replacement costs (tires: 40,000 yen, battery (used): 200,000 yen) from the fixed amount DB120, the total replacement cost is calculated to be 240,000 yen.

[0048] The "share coefficient k3" is a coefficient used to calculate the cost of refreshing returned vehicles, and it is a variable value ranging from 0 to 1.0 depending on the condition of the vehicle (500), and is also a condition value. The market share coefficient (second coefficient) k3 is designed to be smaller than the subscription coefficient (first coefficient) k2. This is because car sharing involves shorter usage periods than subscriptions, eliminating the need to consider the risk of increased costs. The market share coefficient k3 is smaller the fewer years in production, the lower the mileage, and the fewer accidents there are, which is similar to the service coefficient k1 and the subscription coefficient k2. However, the recent order count coefficient is not used because it does not fluctuate according to the number of recent orders. This is because the number of orders is an indicator related to expected revenue, but not to costs.

[0049] The share coefficient k3 can be calculated, for example, by the following formula (9). k3 = 1 - Production year coefficient k31 - Mileage coefficient k32 - Accident coefficient k33 ... (9) The "production period coefficient k31" is selected, for example, within the range of 0 to 0.8, depending on the number of production years, as shown in Figure 10(a). Comparing Figure 9(a) and Figure 10(a), it can be seen that the production period coefficient k31 is set to a larger value than the production period coefficient k21. The "mileage coefficient k32" is selected in the range of 0 to 0.8, for example, depending on the amount of mileage traveled, as shown in Figure 10(b). Comparing Figure 9(b) and Figure 10(b), it can be seen that the mileage coefficient k32 is set to a larger value than the mileage coefficient k22. As shown in Figure 10(c), the "accident coefficient k33" is set to 0 for "no accident" and 0.1 for "accident". The information necessary to calculate the market share coefficient k3 (years of manufacture, mileage, and accident history) is taken from the vehicle information received from the operator terminal 200.

[0050] For example, as shown in the upper part of Figure 7, vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 has a production year of 1.5 years, a mileage of 20,000 km, and no accidents. Therefore, by referring to the tables in Figures 10(a) to (c), k3 is calculated to be 1 - 0.2 - 0.2 - 0 = "0.6". Furthermore, as shown in the lower part of Figure 7, vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 has a production year of 4 years, a mileage of 70,000 km, and no accidents. Therefore, by referring to the tables in Figures 10(a) to (c), k3 is calculated to be 1 - 0.4 - 0.4 - 0 = "0.2". If the calculated value of k3 is less than 0, simply set k3 = 0.

[0051] Specifically, the share cost can be calculated based on the following formula (10). Share cost = Total exchange cost × Share coefficient k3···(10) The share cost for vehicle ID: a001 with 500 units is calculated to be 144,000 yen (= 240,000 yen × 0.6). The share cost for vehicle ID: a002, vehicle 500, is calculated to be 48,000 yen (= 240,000 yen × 0.2).

[0052] (Determination of rental type for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001) Server 100 calculates the subscription profit and share profit for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 based on equations (2) and (3) above. Subscription profit = 1,071,000 yen - 216,000 yen = 855,000 yen Share profit = 907,200 yen - 144,000 yen = 763,200 yen The determination means 117 determines that the type of loan when reusing is "subscription" because subscription profit > sharing profit. The transmission means 118 of the server 100 transmits loan type information indicating the determination result to the business operator terminal 200. This allows the operator terminal 200 (communication means 212) to receive loan type information, and the display means 213 to display the loan type information on the display device 205.

[0053] Figure 11 is an example of a display screen (rental type determination screen) showing that the rental type of vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 has been determined to be subscription. This allows businesses to understand that, when reusing vehicle ID: a001, vehicle 500, it is preferable to rent it out as a subscription vehicle. The loan type determination screen is located in a designated area (Figure 11's " Here The section marked with ") is generated to be clickable, and clicking on this section will display the breakdown of the loan type determination. Figure 12 is a chart showing the breakdown of rental type determination for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001. This allows businesses to review the breakdown of the assessment in detail, for example, to notice errors in the vehicle information they entered, and to re-enter the vehicle information or use it as a reference when actually deciding on the rental type.

[0054] Server 100 calculates the subscription profit and share profit for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 based on equations (2) and (3) above. Subscription profit = 1,575,000 yen - 192,000 yen = 1,383,000 yen Share profit = 1,512,000 yen - 48,000 yen = 1,464,000 yen The determination means 117 of server 100 determines that the type of rental when reusing is "car sharing" because subscription profit < sharing profit. Figure 13 is an example of a display screen (rental type determination screen) showing that the rental type of vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002 has been determined to be car sharing. Figure 14 is a chart showing the breakdown of the rental type determination for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a002. Furthermore, if both subscription profits and sharing profits are negative, it may be decided not to reuse the vehicle 500, but to reuse (re-rent or recycle) the battery alone.

[0055] In this way, the server 100 calculates revenue (subscription revenue and sharing revenue) based on the battery usable period calculated by the first calculation means 113 based on the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the battery 506 after replacement, and calculates subscription profit and sharing profit based on this revenue and expense information (subscription cost and sharing cost). In other words, the first calculation means 113 calculates revenue based on the battery usable period derived from the state values ​​of the battery 506, such as SOH and the number of cycles, and calculates subscription profit (first profit) and share profit (second profit) based on said revenue and expenses. Furthermore, the subscription service (first vehicle rental service) is a type of vehicle rental service in which the rental period for vehicle 500 is longer than the rental period for vehicle 500 in the car share service (second vehicle rental service). The first calculation means 113 calculates the subscription profit (first profit) based on the subscription cost and subscription revenue calculated based on the subscription coefficient (first coefficient), which is a variable value, and calculates the share profit (second profit) based on the share cost and share revenue calculated based on the share coefficient (second coefficient), which is smaller than the subscription coefficient (first coefficient).

[0056] Specifically, the information processing system 1 and server 100 include a third calculation means 115 for calculating subscription revenue (first revenue) and share revenue (second revenue), and a fourth calculation means 116 for calculating subscription costs (first expenses) and share costs (second expenses). The first calculation means 113 calculates subscription profit (first profit) based on subscription revenue (first revenue) and subscription costs (first expenses), and calculates share profit (second profit) based on share revenue (second revenue) and share costs (second expenses).

[0057] (Information processing procedure) The information processing procedure of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a sequence diagram showing the steps in the program operation and information processing method of the present invention. It is assumed that server 100 has pre-stored fixed price information DB120 (subscription usage fee: 35,000 / month, shared usage fee: 350 yen / 15 minutes, replacement costs for each part (for example, tires: 40,000 yen, used battery: 200,000 yen, brake pads: 7,000 yen, brake fluid: 5,000 yen, etc.). The following is an example of the process after vehicle ID: a001, vehicle 500, has been returned.

[0058] As shown in Figure 15, first, the operator performs an operation to input vehicle information for vehicle 500 with vehicle ID: a001 into the operator terminal 200 (S101). As a result, the vehicle information shown in the upper part of Figure 7 is transmitted from the operator terminal 200 to the server 100.

[0059] When server 100 receives vehicle information from operator terminal 200, it executes a battery information request to vehicle 500 (S102). As a result, server 100 sends battery information request information to vehicle 500, which is identified by vehicle ID: a001. Vehicle 500, upon receiving a battery information request, transmits battery information to server 100.

[0060] Next, server 100 performs the calculation of the battery usage period (S103). Specifically, a prediction formula is generated based on the history of SOH and cycle count included in the battery information received from vehicle 500, the life cycle count is determined, the remaining cycle count is calculated by subtracting the current cycle count from the life cycle count, and the usable battery period is calculated by dividing the most recent month's operating time from the remaining cycle count.

[0061] Next, server 100 performs the calculation of expected revenue in the subscription car-sharing service (S104). In other words, we calculate subscription revenue and sharing revenue. Subscription revenue is calculated based on formula (5) above, and sharing revenue is calculated based on formula (6) above. As a result, the subscription revenue for vehicle ID: a001 (vehicle 500) is calculated to be 1,071,000 yen, and the sharing revenue is calculated to be 763,200 yen.

[0062] Next, server 100 performs the calculation of reuse costs in subscription car sharing (S105). In other words, calculate the subscription cost and the sharing cost. Subscription costs are calculated based on formula (8) above, and sharing costs are calculated based on formula (10) above. As a result, the subscription cost for vehicle ID: a001 (vehicle 500) is calculated to be 216,000 yen, and the sharing cost is calculated to be 144,000 yen.

[0063] Server 100 determines the rental type of the returned vehicle (S106). Specifically, subscription profits are calculated based on formula (2) above, and market share profits are calculated based on formula (3) above. For vehicle ID: a001, vehicle 500, the subscription profit (855,000 yen) is greater than the share profit (763,200 yen), therefore the rental type is determined to be subscription.

[0064] Server 100 transmits the loan type information, which is the result of the determination, to the business terminal 200. When the operator terminal 200 receives loan type information transmitted from the server 100, the display means 213 displays the loan type information on the display device 205 (Figure 11).

[0065] Thus, in the program of the present invention, the program is made to perform the following steps: calculate a first profit (subscription profit) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a first vehicle rental service (subscription) and a second profit (sharing profit) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a second vehicle rental service (car share) with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information (revenue and expenses) corresponding to the state value of the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle 500 or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the state value of the battery 506 after replacement; and determine whether the rental type for the returned vehicle 500 is the first vehicle rental service (subscription) or the second vehicle rental service (car share), based on the calculated first profit (subscription profit) and second profit (sharing profit).

[0066] Furthermore, the information processing method of the present invention includes the steps of: calculating a first profit (subscription profit) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a first vehicle rental service (subscription) and a second profit (sharing profit) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a second vehicle rental service (car sharing) with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information (revenue and expenses) corresponding to the state value of the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle 500 or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the state value of the battery 506 after replacement; and determining whether the rental type for the returned vehicle 500 is the first vehicle rental service (subscription) or the second vehicle rental service (car sharing), based on the calculated first profit (subscription profit) and second profit (sharing profit).

[0067] [Differentiation] Some of the components of the information processing system 1 described above can also be provided externally. For example, some or all of the calculation means provided in the server 100 can be installed in an external device, and the server 100 can determine the loan type based on the calculation results obtained from the external device. Specifically, an external device can be used to calculate subscription profits and share profits, which are then input to the server 100 using a predetermined method (for example, wireless or wired communication processing or via a USB memory stick), and stored in a storage device (storage 103, etc.). The determination means 117 can then determine the type of loan based on the subscription profits and share profits stored in this storage device.

[0068] The program's operation involves the computer receiving information (revenue and expenses) based on the status value of the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle 500, or the battery 506 after replacement if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, and storing the information based on the status value of the battery 506 in a storage device (storage 103); and determining whether the returned vehicle 500 should be rented out as the first vehicle rental service (subscription) or the second vehicle rental service (car sharing) based on the first vehicle rental service (subscription) and the second vehicle rental service (car sharing) if the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as the first vehicle rental service (subscription) and the second vehicle rental service (car sharing) with a different rental period than the first vehicle rental service.

[0069] The information processing method may include the steps of: receiving information (revenue and expenses) based on the status value of the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle 500, or the battery 506 after replacement if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, and storing the information based on the status value of the battery 506 in a storage device (storage 103); and determining whether the type of rental for the returned vehicle 500 is the first vehicle rental service (subscription) or the second vehicle rental service (car sharing), based on the first profit (subscription profit) and the second profit (share profit) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a first vehicle rental service (subscription) and a second profit (share profit) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a second vehicle rental service (car sharing) with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service.

[0070] As described above, in the information processing system 1 of this embodiment, the server 100 is an information processing device capable of determining the type of rental for a vehicle 500 returned by a user in a vehicle rental service that rents out a vehicle 500 to a user, and includes a first calculation means 113 capable of calculating a first profit (subscription profit) when the returned vehicle is rented out as a first vehicle rental service (subscription) and a second profit (sharing profit) when the vehicle is rented out as a second vehicle rental service (car share) with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information (revenue and expenses) corresponding to the state value of the battery 506 installed in the returned vehicle 500 or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the state value of the battery 506 after replacement, and a determination means 117 that determines whether the rental type for the returned vehicle 500 is the first vehicle rental service (subscription) or the second vehicle rental service (car share) based on the first profit (subscription profit) and the second profit (sharing profit). With this configuration, the type of rental of the vehicle 500 for reuse can be easily determined based on the state of the battery 506.

[0071] Furthermore, the first calculation means 113 calculates the first profit (subscription profit) based on information (expenses (subscription costs) and revenues (subscription revenues)) corresponding to a first coefficient (subscription coefficient) which is a variable value, and calculates the second profit based on information (expenses (share costs) and revenues (share revenues)) corresponding to a second coefficient (share coefficient) which is smaller than the first coefficient. In this way, subscription costs and sharing costs are calculated using coefficients that indicate the condition of vehicle 500, and subscription profits and sharing profits are calculated using these along with subscription revenues and sharing revenues to determine the type of rental. Therefore, the type of rental can be determined based on appropriate criteria that comprehensively consider the condition of vehicle 500 and battery 506 at the time of return. Furthermore, while the subscription coefficient and market share coefficient are directly used to calculate subscription costs and market share costs, setting the market share coefficient to a value smaller than the subscription coefficient (i.e., setting the subscription coefficient to a value larger than the market share coefficient) can help avoid increased costs and the resulting decrease in profits associated with long-term subscriptions.

[0072] More specifically, the server 100 includes a third calculation means 115 for calculating subscription revenue (first revenue) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a subscription (first vehicle rental service) and share revenue (second revenue) when it is rented out as a car share (second vehicle rental service), and a fourth calculation means 116 for calculating subscription costs (first expenses) when the returned vehicle 500 is rented out as a subscription (first vehicle rental service) and share costs (second expenses) when it is rented out as a car share (second vehicle rental service). The first calculation means 113 calculates subscription profit (first profit) based on subscription revenue (first revenue) and subscription costs (first expenses), and calculates share profit (second profit) based on share revenue (second revenue) and share costs (second expenses). This makes it possible to determine which types of loans can contribute most to the business's profits. In other words, the present invention calculates subscription profits and sharing profits by subtracting reuse costs from expected revenue, and determines the type of rental based on which of these is larger. As a result, businesses can reuse EVs while obtaining relatively high profits.

[0073] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention. For example, we described a vehicle rental service where the rental type can be selected from either subscription or car sharing, but it is also possible to allow some or all of the following to be selected: lease, subscription, rental, and car sharing.

[0074] The configuration of the information processing system 1 is not limited to the embodiments described above; some or all of the configuration of one device may be provided by other components. Furthermore, the information processing procedure is not limited to the procedure described above; some of the procedures may be modified. For example, some or all of the vehicle information may be managed in the vehicle 500 and output to the server 100 upon return. Battery information (except when returned) may be periodically output to server 100 and managed by server 100.

[0075] Additionally, a coefficient indicating the degree of deterioration of the vehicle's exterior and interior can be added to the service coefficient. In the embodiment described above, the same values ​​were assigned to each coefficient (k11 to k13) related to the service coefficient k1 and each coefficient (k21 to k23) related to the subscription coefficient k2 in a table, but some or all of these may be different. In other words, the service coefficient k1 is the status value of the returned vehicle necessary to calculate revenue, while the subscription coefficient k2 and the share coefficient k3 are status values ​​necessary to calculate subscription costs.

[0076] Since a correlation can be inferred between the life cycle count of battery 506 and the State of Health (SOH), a predictive model may be generated by training it with a large amount of this set of data. By doing so, the lifespan (SOH) of 75% can be input into the prediction model to determine the number of life cycles, and the remaining number of cycles, calculated based on that lifespan and current number of cycles, can be used to calculate the battery's usable lifespan. Furthermore, since the characteristics of SOH-cycle number are correlated with ambient temperature, ambient temperature can also be added to the dataset in addition to SOH and cycle number. In this case, it is sufficient to sequentially acquire datasets of SOH, cycle count, and temperature, and use these to train a predictive model capable of outputting the lifetime cycle count.

[0077] When replacing an in-vehicle battery with a used battery, the battery's condition value can be pre-stored in the server 100's storage 103, taking into consideration the calculation of the battery's usable period based on the used battery. Furthermore, the rental service can include not only EVs but also other means of transportation that use batteries as a power source (for example, electric motorcycles). Furthermore, since batteries are installed not only in EVs but also in conventional vehicles such as internal combustion engine vehicles, these conventional vehicles can also be included as rental targets. You may include membership fees in the usage fees when calculating subscription revenue and sharing revenue. While this applies to 500 vehicles that have been rented out, the same criteria may be applied to determine the rental type when renting out new or used cars for the first time. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 1: Information processing system, 100: Server, 101: Processor, 102: Memory, 103: Storage, 104: Communication device, 111: Receiving means, 112: Calculation means, 113: First calculation means, 114: Second calculation means, 115: Third calculation means, 116: Fourth calculation means, 117: Determination means, 118: Transmission means, 119: Storage means, 120: Fixed amount information DB, 200: Business terminal, 201: Processor, 202: Memory, 203: Storage, 204: Operating device, 205: Display device, 206: Communication device, 211: Operator Stage, 212: Communication means, 213: Display means, 500: Vehicle, 501: In-vehicle unit, 502: Processor, 503: Memory, 504: Storage, 505: Communication device, Battery: 506, 511: Calculation means, 512: Communication means, k1: Service coefficient, k11: Years of production coefficient, k12: Mileage coefficient, k13: Accident coefficient, k14: Number of orders coefficient, k2: Subscription coefficient, k21: Years of production coefficient, k22: Mileage coefficient, k23: Accident coefficient, k3: Share coefficient, k31: Years of production coefficient, k32: Mileage coefficient, k33: Accident coefficient

Claims

1. In a vehicle rental service that lends vehicles to users, an information processing device capable of determining the rental type of a vehicle returned by the user, A first calculation means capable of calculating the first profit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a first vehicle rental service and the second profit when it is rented out as a second vehicle rental service with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, based on information corresponding to the battery installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the battery after replacement. An information processing device characterized by comprising: determination means for determining the first vehicle rental service or the second vehicle rental service as the type of rental for the returned vehicle, based on the first benefit and the second benefit.

2. The aforementioned battery state value is SOH (State of Health), and the system includes a second calculation means for calculating the usable period of the battery based on the SOH. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the first calculation means is capable of calculating the first profit and the second profit based on information corresponding to the usable period of the battery.

3. The first vehicle rental service is a type of vehicle rental service in which the rental period of the vehicle is longer than the rental period of the vehicle in the second vehicle rental service. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first calculation means can calculate the first profit based on information corresponding to a first coefficient which is a variable value, and can calculate the second profit based on information corresponding to a second coefficient which is smaller than the first coefficient.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination means is executed when the State of Health (SOH) of the battery installed in the returned vehicle falls within the threshold.

5. The information based on the battery status value includes a first revenue when the returned vehicle is rented out as the first vehicle rental service, and a second revenue when it is rented out as the second vehicle rental service. There is a first cost for renting out the returned vehicle as part of the first vehicle rental service, and there is a second cost for renting out the returned vehicle as part of the second vehicle rental service. A third calculation means for calculating the first revenue and the second revenue, The system comprises a fourth calculation means for calculating the first cost and the second cost, The first calculation means is, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it calculates the first profit based on the first revenue and the first expense, and calculates the second profit based on the second revenue and the second expense.

6. On the computer, The first profit when the returned vehicle is rented out as the first vehicle rental service, and the second profit when the returned vehicle is rented out as the second vehicle rental service with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, are calculated based on information corresponding to the battery installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the battery after replacement. A program characterized by causing the program to perform the step of determining, based on the calculated first profit and second profit, the type of rental service for the returned vehicle to be either the first vehicle rental service or the second vehicle rental service.

7. A vehicle rental service that lends vehicles to users, wherein an information processing device capable of determining the rental type of a vehicle returned by the user, is used for the information processing method, The first profit when the returned vehicle is rented out as a first vehicle rental service, and the second profit when it is rented out as a second vehicle rental service with a different rental period from the first vehicle rental service, are calculated based on information corresponding to the battery installed in the returned vehicle or, if the battery is replaced after the vehicle is returned, the battery after replacement. An information processing method characterized by having the step of determining, based on the calculated first profit and second profit, the type of rental for the returned vehicle to be either the first vehicle rental service or the second vehicle rental service.

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