Electric vehicle charging management device, electric vehicle charging management method, and program

Abstract

The present invention suppresses concentrated charging for a plurality of electric vehicles (EVs)　to achieve even charging. The present invention provides an electric vehicle charging management device 10 that manages the charging of a plurality of EVs 40 and comprises a charging time slot information creation unit 121 that uses delivery course information 1001 and vehicle information 1003 to create charging time slot information 1007 indicating a schedule for charging each of the plurality of EVs 40, a used power amount calculation unit 122 that calculates used-power-amount-by-time-slot information 1008 indicating a used power amount including an executed charging amount in each of a plurality of time slots, and a charging time slot information changing unit 123 that changes the charging time slot information 1007 by changing the charging of a change target electric vehicle EV in a maximum time slot which is among the plurality of time slots and has the highest used power amount among used power amounts.

Description

Electric vehicle charging management device, electric vehicle charging management method, and program

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for managing charging of electrically powered devices and equipment, including electrically powered vehicles. Note that electrically powered vehicles include so-called electric vehicles (EVs), particularly battery electric vehicles (BEVs), as well as plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs), and refer to vehicles that can be charged from an external power source.

[0002] Electric vehicles are becoming more popular in response to environmental issues and other factors. Electric vehicles require charging from an external power source. Furthermore, to operate electric vehicles efficiently, planned charging is required. This becomes increasingly important, especially for transportation companies such as delivery companies and taxi companies, rental car companies, and apartment complexes that handle multiple electric vehicles.

[0003] Patent Document 1 proposes a charging management technology that improves the utilization rate of electric vehicles. Patent Document 1 discloses that "a vehicle management system provides a vehicle rental service, and manages the use and charging of electric vehicles 70 to 90 shared by multiple users. The rental vehicles are electric vehicles powered by storage batteries, and their operation is controlled by an ECU. The rental vehicles are parked in waiting areas for rental and return. The vehicle management system accepts a reservation by a reservation reception unit 11 when the usage time period corresponding to the reservation is within a charging time period set in the schedule information, and the usage purpose is for non-driving purposes."

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-22702

[0005] If the number of electric vehicles increases or their utilization rate improves, the amount of electricity required will naturally increase. In this case, electricity charges will naturally increase. In addition, a contracted amount of electricity is generally set. Therefore, there is a risk that the contracted amount of electricity will be exceeded during times when charging is concentrated.

[0006] However, in the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, charging is performed at a reserved time, and an increase in the amount of power used cannot be prevented. In particular, if the reserved charging times are concentrated, the amount of power used at the reserved times may increase.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to ensure the availability of electric vehicles while suppressing the concentration of charging, that is, the concentration of power usage.

[0008] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention aims to prevent the concentration of peaks in power usage for each time period by changing charging during at least some of the time periods during which the power usage is at its maximum.

[0009] More specifically, the electric vehicle charging management device manages the charging of a plurality of electric vehicles, and includes an input unit that receives driving course information indicating driving schedules of the plurality of electric vehicles, vehicle information indicating charging performance of the plurality of electric vehicles, and charging equipment information indicating charging performance of charging equipment that charges the plurality of electric vehicles; a charging time zone information creation unit that calculates an actual charging amount for each of the plurality of electric vehicles using the driving course information and the vehicle information, calculates an actual charging time for the plurality of electric vehicles using the actual charging amount and the charging equipment information, and creates charging time zone information indicating a charging schedule for each of the plurality of electric vehicles based on the actual charging time; an energy usage calculation unit that calculates energy usage information by time zone that indicates the amount of energy usage in a predetermined management unit including the actual charging amount in each of a plurality of time zones, based on the charging time zone information; and a charging time zone information change unit that identifies a maximum time zone that is a time zone with the highest energy usage among the amounts of energy usage, selects an electric vehicle from the plurality of electric vehicles whose charging during the maximum time zone is to be changed, and changes the charging of the selected electric vehicle during the maximum time zone, thereby changing the charging of the selected electric vehicle that is to be changed.

[0010] The present invention also includes an electric vehicle charging management method using the electric vehicle charging management device, a program for causing a computer to function as the electric vehicle charging management device, and a storage medium for storing this program.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the concentration of power usage, including charging, from occurring.

[0012] 1 is a system configuration diagram according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a vehicle management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of an electric vehicle charging management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing delivery route information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing delivery power fluctuation information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing vehicle information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing charging facility information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing vehicle / delivery route allocation information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing vehicle / delivery power fluctuation information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing charging time zone information used in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing energy usage information by time zone used in one embodiment of the present invention. A flowchart showing a processing flow according to one embodiment of the present invention. A flowchart showing details of a charging time zone information creation process, an energy usage calculation process, and a charging time zone information change process according to one embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing energy usage by time zone before a charging shift (movement) according to one embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing energy usage by time zone after a charging shift (movement) according to one embodiment of the present invention. A diagram showing an example of a display screen according to one embodiment of the present invention. A flowchart showing details of an update process according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0013] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this embodiment, the subject is charging of electric vehicles (hereinafter referred to as EVs) employed by a delivery company, which is a type of transportation company. The delivery company owns multiple EVs and has multiple delivery bases. Furthermore, the delivery company installs charging equipment at delivery bases or charging bases such as charging stations, and charges the EVs. In other words, the delivery bases can be used as charging bases. Based on the above assumptions, this embodiment realizes management of charging of each EV.

[0014] <Configuration> Fig. 1 is a system configuration diagram of this embodiment. In Fig. 1, a vehicle management system 1, a group of administrator terminals 2, and charging stations 3-1 and 3-2 are connected via a network 5.

[0015] First, the vehicle management system 1 is a system that realizes charging management for EVs. For this purpose, the vehicle management system 1 includes an electric vehicle charging management device 10, a delivery management device 100, and a database 1000, and can be realized as a computer system installed in a so-called data center.

[0016] Here, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 creates and changes charging time zone information that indicates a charging schedule for EVs. The electric vehicle charging management device 10 also manages the creation, updating, etc. of various information used in each of these processes. The delivery management device 100 also executes information processing for managing the delivery work itself, such as creating a delivery schedule. Furthermore, the database 1000 stores various information used by the electric vehicle charging management device 10 and the delivery management device 100. Details of the vehicle management system 1 will be described below.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the vehicle management system 1 in this embodiment. In Fig. 2, the electric vehicle charging management device 10, the delivery management device 100, and the database 1000 are connected to one another via communication paths. However, the vehicle management system 1 is not limited to this configuration. For example, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 and the delivery management device 100 may be configured as an integrated unit, or the information stored in the database 1000 may be stored in an internal storage device of the electric vehicle charging management device 10 or the delivery management device 100. Each device will be described below.

[0018] First, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 has an input unit 11, a charging time zone determination unit 12, a management unit 13, and an output unit 14. The input unit 11 receives information used by the electric vehicle charging management device 10 and various instructions.

[0019] Furthermore, the charging time zone determination unit 12 creates and modifies charging time zone information that indicates a charging schedule. To this end, the charging time zone determination unit 12 includes a charging time zone information creation unit 121, an energy usage calculation unit 122, and a charging time zone information change unit 123. The charging time zone information creation unit 121 creates charging time zone information based on the EV operation schedule, etc. The energy usage calculation unit 122 calculates the energy usage for each time zone based on the created charging time zone information. Furthermore, the charging time zone information change unit 123 corrects or modifies the created charging time zone information based on the calculated energy usage. At this time, the charging time zone information change unit 123 modifies the charging time zone information to prevent concentration of energy usage, particularly to level out the amount of energy usage. The processing by the charging time zone information creation unit 121, the energy usage calculation unit 122, and the charging time zone information change unit 123 can also be expressed as creating and confirming charging time zone information.

[0020] The management unit 13 also manages the creation, updating, and so forth of various information used by the charging time slot determination unit 12. The management unit 13 also outputs processing results, etc., by the charging time slot determination unit 12. Note that the processing by the charging time slot determination unit 12 and the management unit 13 is the main processing of this embodiment, and details thereof will be described later.

[0021] The delivery management device 100 also executes information processing for managing the delivery operations themselves, such as creating delivery schedules. To this end, the delivery management device 100 has an input unit 101, a vehicle / delivery route allocation unit 102, and an output unit 103. The input unit 101, like the input unit 11, accepts information and various instructions used by the delivery management device 100.

[0022] The vehicle / delivery route allocation unit 102 also creates vehicle / delivery route allocation information indicating a delivery schedule in accordance with the order information and the like received by the input unit 101. Furthermore, the vehicle / delivery route allocation unit 102 may create delivery instructions for each driver in accordance with the vehicle / delivery route allocation information. The output unit 103 also outputs the vehicle / delivery route allocation information itself and delivery instructions corresponding to the information.

[0023] Furthermore, database 1000 is a storage device that stores various information handled by vehicle management system 1. Specifically, database 1000 stores delivery route information 1001, delivery power fluctuation information 1002, vehicle information 1003, charging equipment information 1004, vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005, vehicle / delivery power fluctuation information 1006, charging time zone information 1007, and time zone-specific energy usage information 1008. Each of these pieces of information will be described later using FIGS.

[0024] Here, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 and the delivery management device 100 can be realized by a computer such as a server. One implementation example will be described below. Fig. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram of the electric vehicle charging management device 10 in this embodiment. In Fig. 3, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 has a CPU 110, RAM 120, ROM 130, a communication device 140, a display device 150, an input device 160, a media reading device 170, and an auxiliary storage device 180. Each of these components will be described below.

[0025] First, the CPU 110 (Central Processing Unit) can be realized by a so-called processor, and is a unit that executes various calculations. The CPU 110 executes various processes by executing the charging time slot determination program 181 and the management program 185 that are loaded from the auxiliary storage device 180 to the RAM 120. Note that these various processes correspond to the processes of the charging time slot determination unit 12 and the management unit 13 in Fig. 2, and details thereof will be described later using flowcharts.

[0026] The RAM 120 (Random Access Memory) is a memory that stores programs executed by the CPU 110, such as the charging time zone determination program 181 and the management program 185, as well as information necessary for executing the programs. The ROM 130 (Read Only Memory) is a memory that stores programs necessary for starting up the electric vehicle charging management device 10, which is a computer.

[0027] The communication device 140 is a device that transmits and receives data to and from external devices. For this purpose, the communication device 140 is connected to the network 5 and can be realized by, for example, a wired LAN, a wireless LAN, a dial-up router, an infrared communication device, or the like. The network 5 is connected to external devices such as the administrator terminal group 2 and can be realized by the Internet or a delivery company's intranet.

[0028] The display device 150 outputs the processing results of the CPU 110. The display device 150 can be realized, for example, by a CRT display, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. The input device 160 is a device that accepts operations from a user of the electric vehicle charging management device 10. The input device 160 can be realized, for example, by a keyboard, a mouse, or a microphone. The media reading device 170 can be realized by a device that reads information from a portable storage medium such as a CD-ROM. When the electric vehicle charging management device 10 is realized by a server as in this embodiment, the display device 150, the input device 160, and the media reading device 170 can be omitted.

[0029] The auxiliary storage device 180 can be realized by, for example, a hard disk drive (HDD) or the like, and is a device that stores data and programs for executing various processes. The auxiliary storage device 180 may also be realized by a solid state drive (SSD) that uses a flash memory or the like.

[0030] The auxiliary storage device 180 stores an information group 1100, a charging time slot determination program 181, and a management program 185. Here, the information group 1100 indicates at least one of delivery route information 1001, delivery power fluctuation information 1002, vehicle information 1003, charging equipment information 1004, vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005, vehicle / delivery power fluctuation information 1006, charging time slot information 1007, and time slot-specific energy usage information 1008. These may be stored in either the database 1000 or the auxiliary storage device 180. Alternatively, the delivery management device 100 may store the information group 1100.

[0031] 2 by the CPU 110. The charging time slot determination program 181 has a charging time slot information creation module 182, an energy usage calculation module 183, and a charging time slot information change module 184. The processing by these modules corresponds to the processing by the charging time slot information creation module 121, the energy usage calculation module 122, and the charging time slot information change module 123. In other words, the processing by the charging time slot determination program 181 corresponds to the processing by the charging time slot determination unit 12. The charging time slot information creation module 182, the energy usage calculation module 183, and the charging time slot information change module 184 may be realized as independent programs. The management program 185 is a program for executing the processing by the management unit 13.

[0032] Here, the charging time slot determination program 181 and the management program 185 are, for example, application programs that can be executed on an OS (Operating System) program. Furthermore, the charging time slot determination program 181 and the management program 185 may be installed into the auxiliary storage device 180 from a portable storage medium via the media reading device 170. That is, the charging time slot determination program 181 and the management program 185 can be stored in a storage medium. The CPU 110 may execute processing in accordance with a program other than the charging time slot determination program 181 and the management program 185. In this case, it is desirable to store this program in the auxiliary storage device 180.

[0033] The delivery management device 100 also has a similar configuration as shown in FIG. 2, and can employ a configuration in which a program corresponding to the vehicle / delivery route allocation unit 102 is stored.

[0034] This concludes the explanation of Fig. 3, and we will continue with the explanation of Fig. 1. In Fig. 1, the manager terminal group 2 is a terminal device used by employees of the delivery company, and can be realized by a computer that executes information processing to support delivery operations. The manager terminal group 2 can manage delivery schedules, sales, labor, and the like. In particular, in this embodiment, the manager terminal group 2 receives instructions for the electric vehicle charging management device 10 and the delivery management device 100, and outputs the processing results. Note that the manager terminal group 2 may be provided with the functions of the electric vehicle charging management device 10 or the delivery management device 100. In this case, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 or the delivery management device 100 can be omitted.

[0035] Furthermore, charging facilities are provided at the charging stations 3-1 and 3-2, respectively. Specifically, charging control devices 31-1 and 31-2 and charging devices 34-1 and 34-2 are provided. Furthermore, base terminals 32-1 and 32-2 and tablets 33-1 and 33-2 are also used at the charging stations 3-1 and 3-2. The charging control devices 31-1 and 31-2 receive charging time zone information for the corresponding charging stations 3-1 and 3-2 from the electric vehicle charging management device 10 and execute charging processing accordingly. This charging processing includes charging control, charging preparation, and output of a charging schedule to the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2 and tablets 33-1 and 33-2. In this way, the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2 and tablets 33-1 and 33-2 are used by the drivers of the EVs 40-1 to 40-4 and employees at the charging stations to perform home delivery services. The charging points 3-1 and 3-2 may be delivery points as described above, or may be dedicated charging points such as charging stations.

[0036] The charging devices 34-1 and 34-2 charge the EVs 40-1 to 40-4 in accordance with the processing of the charging control devices 31-1 and 31-2, the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2, and the tablets 33-1 and 33-2, and in accordance with the operations of the operators.

[0037] Furthermore, it is desirable that the charging control devices 31-1 and 31-2 detect the charge amounts (actual measured values) of the EVs 40-1 to 40-4. Then, the charging control devices 31-1 and 31-2, or the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2, or the tablets 33-1 and 33-2, notify the electric vehicle charging management device 10 of this information. For this reason, the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2 and the tablets 33-1 and 33-2 can be connected to the network 5. To realize these functions, the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2 and the tablets 33-1 and 33-2 can be realized by computers. Furthermore, the base terminals 32-1 and 32-2, the tablets 33-1 and 33-2, and the charging control devices 31-1 and 31-2 may be provided with the functions of the electric vehicle charging management device 10 or the delivery management device 100. In this case, the electric vehicle charging management device 10 or the delivery management device 100 can be omitted. Furthermore, EVs 40-1 to 40-4 may be provided with on-board terminals that perform the functions of base terminals 32-1, 32-2 and tablets 33-1, 33-2. Also, charging device 34 may be made to perform the functions of base terminals 32-1, 32-2 and tablets 33-1, 33-2.

[0038] This concludes the description of the configuration of this embodiment, but the numbers of charging stations 3-1 and 3-2 and charging devices 34-1 to 34-4 are not limited to those shown in the figure. Furthermore, hereinafter, for components with branch numbers such as charging stations 3-1 and 3-2, if it is not necessary to distinguish between individual devices, the branch numbers (after "-") will be omitted and the reference numerals will be written.

[0039] <Information> Next, each piece of information used in this embodiment will be described. First, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing delivery route information 1001 used in this embodiment. The delivery route information 1001 is information that indicates the delivery schedule for home delivery and the amount of power consumption required for the delivery. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the delivery route information 1001 has the following fields: delivery route name, delivery start date and time, delivery completion date and time, and power consumption amount. The delivery route name is a field that identifies the delivery route that indicates the unit of delivery. Furthermore, the delivery start date and time and delivery completion date and time are fields that indicate the scheduled date and time of the start and end of delivery, respectively. Furthermore, the power consumption amount indicates the amount of power consumption required by the EV on the corresponding delivery route.

[0040] In this embodiment, since the target is a delivery company, delivery route information 1001 is used. Therefore, the delivery route information 1001 is merely an example of driving route information indicating the driving schedule of an EV. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to devices and equipment other than EVs. Therefore, the driving route information is an example of equipment operation information indicating the operation schedule of the device and equipment.

[0041] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing delivery power fluctuation information 1002 used in this embodiment. The delivery power fluctuation information 1002 is information related to fluctuations in charging for each delivery route. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the delivery power fluctuation information 1002 has the following fields: delivery route name, reason for fluctuation, charging priority, and power fluctuation rate. The delivery route name is a field that identifies the delivery route, which indicates the unit of delivery. The reason for fluctuation indicates the reason for fluctuations in the amount of power usage required for the delivery route. For example, "temperature fluctuation" in the first record means that rising temperatures increase the load on the air conditioner and the load on the EV battery. Note that multiple reasons for fluctuations are allowed for a single delivery route.

[0042] Furthermore, the charging priority indicates the priority of charging when a corresponding reason for fluctuation occurs. That is, in the example of FIG. 5, the priority when a "temperature fluctuation" occurs is lower than the priority when a "route change" occurs. However, the charging priority may be set for each delivery route regardless of the reason for fluctuation. Furthermore, the power fluctuation rate indicates the rate of fluctuation in the amount of power usage that occurs when a corresponding reason for fluctuation occurs. This rate indicates the rate of fluctuation, particularly the rate of increase, with respect to the amount of power usage in the delivery route information 1001.

[0043] In this embodiment, since the target is a delivery company, delivery power fluctuation information 1002 is used. Therefore, delivery power fluctuation information 1002 is merely an example of running power fluctuation information that indicates information regarding fluctuations in charging for each EV running route. The running power fluctuation information is also an example of operating power fluctuation information related to fluctuations in charging for each delivery route of equipment and facilities.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing vehicle information 1003 used in this embodiment. The vehicle information 1003 is information indicating charging performance for each EV. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the vehicle information 1003 has the following fields: vehicle name, battery capacity, and remaining power rate. The vehicle name is an item for identifying the EV. The battery capacity and remaining power rate indicate the battery capacity and remaining power or remaining power rate of the corresponding EV (vehicle). Note that the present invention can also be applied to devices and equipment other than EVs. Therefore, the vehicle information 1003 is merely an example of device information indicating charging performance of devices and equipment, including EVs.

[0045] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing charging facility information 1004 used in this embodiment. The charging facility information 1004 is information indicating the charging performance of each charging facility. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 7, for example, it has items such as the charging device name and the charging speed. The charging device name is information that identifies the charging device that performs charging. The charging speed is information that indicates the charging speed of the corresponding charging device. Note that in this example, charging devices are used as charging facilities, but the information may also include the charging control device, or may be information for each charging station 3-1, 3-2.

[0046] 8 is a diagram showing vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005 used in this embodiment. The vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005 is information about EVs used on delivery routes and their power consumption. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005 has fields for the delivery route name, vehicle name, amount of power used, and required charging amount.

[0047] Here, the delivery route name is an item that identifies the delivery route. The vehicle name identifies the EV that will make the delivery along the delivery route. The power usage amount indicates the amount of power required by the EV along the delivery route. The required charge amount indicates the amount of charge required by the EV to make the delivery along the delivery route.

[0048] In this embodiment, since the target is a delivery company, vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005 is used. Therefore, vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005 is merely one example of vehicle / driving route allocation information related to EVs used on driving routes and their power consumption. The present invention can also be applied to devices and facilities other than EVs. Therefore, the vehicle / driving route allocation information is an example of device / operation allocation information related to the power consumed in the operation of devices and facilities, including EVs.

[0049] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 used in this embodiment. The vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 is information regarding fluctuations in charging for each EV and delivery route. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 9 , the vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 has the following fields: vehicle name, delivery route name, reason for fluctuation, charging priority, and required charge amount. The vehicle name is a field for identifying the EV. The delivery route name is a field for identifying the delivery route of the corresponding EV. The reason for fluctuation indicates the reason for fluctuation in the amount of power usage required by the corresponding EV on the delivery route. Note that multiple reasons for fluctuation are allowed for one delivery route. The charging priority indicates the priority of charging when the corresponding reason for fluctuation occurs. Furthermore, the required charge amount indicates the amount of charge required for the corresponding EV to perform delivery on the corresponding delivery route.

[0050] In this embodiment, since the target is a delivery company, vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 is used. Therefore, vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 is merely one example of vehicle and running power fluctuation information related to fluctuations in charging for each EV and delivery route. The present invention can also be applied to devices and facilities other than EVs. Therefore, vehicle and running power fluctuation information is an example of device and operating power fluctuation information related to power related to fluctuations in charging for the operation of devices and facilities, including EVs.

[0051] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing charging time zone information 1007 used in this embodiment. The charging time zone information 1007 is information indicating a charging schedule for each EV. Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 10 , the charging time zone information 1007 includes, for each charging (unit), the following fields: charging device name, vehicle name, charging start date and time, charging end date and time, required charge amount, and charging priority. The charging device name is information identifying the charging device that will perform the charging. The vehicle name identifies the EV that will be the target of the corresponding charging. The charging start date and time and the charging end date and time are fields indicating the scheduled start and end dates and times of charging, respectively. The required charge amount indicates the amount of charge required for the corresponding charging, i.e., the amount of charge that will be performed. Furthermore, the charging priority indicates the priority level of the corresponding charging. Note that the purpose of charging, such as next-day delivery, may be recorded as the priority. In this case, if a purpose is recorded, it is desirable to give the corresponding priority the highest priority.

[0052] The present invention can also be applied to devices and facilities other than EVs. The vehicle name may be an item that identifies devices and facilities, including EVs. While the present example uses charging devices as charging facilities, the information may include charging control devices, or may be information for each charging station 3-1, 3-2.

[0053] FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the time-slot-specific energy usage information 1008 used in this embodiment. The time-slot-specific energy usage information 1008 is information indicating the amount of energy usage for each management unit, such as a charging facility (charging device) or a charging station, for each time slot. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 11 , the time-slot-specific energy usage information 1008 includes fields for each charging operation, such as a start date and time, an end date and time, a charging priority, and an amount of energy usage. The start date and time and the end date and time define the range of the time slot during which the charging is performed. The charging priority indicates the priority level of the charging. Furthermore, the amount of energy usage indicates the amount of energy used at the charging station for the charging operation, such as charging and lighting. While a record is provided for each charging operation in this example, a record may also be provided for each time slot. In this case, the amount of energy usage indicates the total amount of energy used at the charging station or for the charging operation. This concludes the description of the information used in this embodiment, but at least a portion of each piece of information may be merged to form consolidated information, or may be separated. In particular, when merged, common items can be shared.

[0054] <Processing Flow> Next, the processing flow in this embodiment will be described. In this case, the processing flow will be described using the units in Fig. 2 and the devices in Fig. 1 as the main processing entities. Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing the processing flow in this embodiment.

[0055] First, in step S1, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 creates charging time zone information 1007. Then, in step S2, the power usage calculation unit 122 calculates time zone-specific power usage information 1008 indicating the amount of power usage in a predetermined management unit for each time zone, based on the charging time zone information 1007. Then, in step S3, the charging time zone information change unit 123 changes the charging time zone information 1007 based on the time zone-specific power usage information 1008. Details of steps S1 to S3 will be described later using FIG. 13.

[0056] Next, in step S4 , the output unit 14 notifies the charge control device 31 of the corresponding management unit, that is, the charging station 3 , of the changed, that is, the confirmed, charging time zone information 1007 .

[0057] In step S5, charging device 34, in response to a control instruction from charging control device 31 or an operation by an operator, charges EV 40 according to the notified charging time zone information 1007. Then, charging device 34 actually measures the amount of charge during charging.

[0058] In step S6, the charging device 34 that performed the charging actually measures the amount of charge in step S5 from the output of the charging control device 31. Then, the charging control device 31 records this.

[0059] In step S7, the charging control device 31 notifies the electric vehicle charging management device 10 of the recorded charge amount. The input unit 11 of the electric vehicle charging management device 10 then receives this. In step S8, the management unit 13 uses the received charge amount to determine whether charging for the notified charging time period information 1007 has been completed. If the result shows that charging has not been completed (No), the process proceeds to step S7. If the result shows that charging has been completed (Yes), the process proceeds to step S9. Note that in step S8, other conditions may be used, such as the completion of charging for each of the EVs 40-1 to 40-4 or the passage of a predetermined period of time. The vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 is updated. More specifically, the required charge amount in the vehicle and delivery power fluctuation information 1006 is updated. In step S9, the management unit 13 updates at least one of the delivery route information 1001, the delivery power fluctuation information 1002, and the vehicle information 1003, i.e., the information used to create the charging time period information 1007, based on the received charge amount. Details of the update process in step S9 will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0060] Here, steps S1 to S3, that is, the charging time zone information creation process, the power usage calculation process, and the charging time zone information change process, will be described in detail. Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing the charging time zone information creation process, the power usage calculation process, and the charging time zone information change process in this embodiment. Hereinafter, steps S11 to S13 correspond to step S1 in Fig. 12. Furthermore, step S21 corresponds to step S2. Furthermore, steps S31 to S38 correspond to step S3.

[0061] In step S11, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 acquires various pieces of information about the EV 40 to be charged, for the charging station 3 that is the management unit, from the database 1000 via the input unit 11. The acquired information includes delivery route information 1001 to charging facility information 1004. However, of these, only the delivery route information 1001, vehicle information 1003, and charging facility information 1004 may be acquired.

[0062] In step S12, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 uses the acquired information to calculate the actual charging amount, which is the amount of power used for each vehicle. To do this, first, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 uses the acquired delivery route information 1001 to identify the amount of power used for each delivery route.

[0063] Next, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 assigns EVs 40 to perform delivery for each delivery route. To this end, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 can obtain allocation information that associates delivery routes with EVs in cooperation with the delivery management device 100. This allocation information may use the vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005 itself, or may use the delivery route name and vehicle name from the vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005. Furthermore, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 may obtain the allocation information from any of the manager terminal group 2 based on input from the manager, or the allocation information may be stored in advance in the electric vehicle charging management device 10 or the database 1000. Furthermore, the base terminal 32, the tablet terminal 33, or the like may be used.

[0064] Next, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 identifies the battery capacity and remaining power rate of the allocated EV 40 from the acquired vehicle information 1003. Then, using these, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 calculates the remaining battery power of the allocated EV 40.

[0065] Next, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 calculates the difference between the identified amount of power usage and the calculated remaining battery charge. This difference is calculated as the amount of charge required for the EV 40, i.e., the actual charge amount to be charged to the EV 40.

[0066] The charging time zone information creation unit 121 then compiles the above results and creates the vehicle and delivery route allocation information 1005. As a result, the amount of energy used when charging the EVs 40 is calculated. However, when calculating the amount of energy used, it is more desirable to take into account the reasons for fluctuations in the amount of energy used by each EV, or to calculate the amount of energy used by each EV according to charging priority. Therefore, a modified example will be described below taking these factors into consideration.

[0067] First, a process that takes into consideration the reason for fluctuations in the amount of power used will be described. The charging time zone information creation unit 121 identifies the delivery power fluctuation information 1002 that corresponds to the delivery route in the acquired delivery route information 1001. Then, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 identifies the reason for fluctuations in the identified delivery power fluctuation information 1002.

[0068] The charging time zone information creation unit 121 also identifies a power fluctuation rate corresponding to the identified reason for fluctuation. Then, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 uses the identified power fluctuation rate to modify the required charge amount (actual charge amount) of the EV 40. As a result, the required charge amount that reflects fluctuations in weather, etc. is identified.

[0069] Next, calculation for each charging priority will be described. The charging time zone information creation unit 121 identifies the delivery power fluctuation information 1002 that corresponds to the delivery route of the acquired delivery route information 1001. Then, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 identifies the charging priority of the identified delivery power fluctuation information 1002.

[0070] Furthermore, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 summarizes the required charging amounts calculated as described above for each identified charging priority. As a result, the required charging amounts are calculated for each level of importance of charging. Note that it is possible to perform both consideration of the reasons for fluctuations in the amount of power usage and calculation for each charging priority. This concludes the explanation of step S12.

[0071] Next, in step S13, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 determines the actual charging time for charging each EV 40. That is, one or more time zones for charging are identified. To do this, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 identifies the charging device 34 that will charge the EV 40. The charging device 34 may be selected from the charging base 3, which is the delivery base at the start of the delivery route, or may be identified using the manager terminal group 2, the base terminal 32, or the tablet terminal 33. The charging time zone information creation unit 121 also identifies the delivery start date and time of the delivery route assigned to the EV 40 using the delivery route information 1001. Next, the charging time zone information creation unit 121 calculates a charging period that indicates the length of time required to charge the target EV 40 to the required amount of charge (amount of power used) based on the charging speed of the identified charging device 34.

[0072] The charging time zone information creation unit 121 then calculates a charging start date and time that will allow charging to be completed by the specified delivery start date and time and ensure the calculated charging time. That is, the calculation is performed as follows: charging start date and time = delivery start date and time - charging period (+α: surplus time). The charging time zone information creation unit 121 then adds the charging period to the calculated charging start date and time to calculate the charging end date and time. As a result, the actual charging time is determined, in which charging is performed at the charging rate for each unit time from the charging start date and time to the charging end date and time. Note that the unit time zone refers to a predetermined time such as one hour, and more preferably corresponds to the unit time for the charging rate.

[0073] As a result of the above, charging time period information 1007 is created, which indicates a charging schedule for EV 40. That is, the process of step S1 is executed. Note that the charging priority level in FIG. 10 can be omitted.

[0074] Next, in step S21, the energy usage calculation unit 122 uses the charging time zone information 1007 to calculate the amount of energy usage for each unit time slot in each actual charging time. To do this, the energy usage calculation unit 122 calculates the amount of charge for each unit time slot in each charging device 34 from the charging time zone information 1007. In other words, the energy usage calculation unit 122 divides the required amount of charge in each record of the charging time zone information 1007 by the number of time slots included in the charging end date and time - the charging start date and time. Then, the energy usage calculation unit 122 calculates the sum of the amount of charge for each unit time slot for each charging station 3. This sum becomes the amount of energy usage for each unit time slot. Note that the amount of energy usage for each unit time slot may also include other energy usage such as for lighting at the charging station 3.

[0075] As a result, the power usage calculation unit 122 creates the time-zone-specific power usage information 1008. In this way, the process of step S2 is executed.

[0076] Next, in step S31, the charging time zone information change unit 123 identifies a maximum time zone, which is a unit time zone with the maximum amount of power usage, from the amounts of power usage for each unit time zone calculated in step S21. Note that the maximum amount of power usage may be the amount of power usage that is the highest among a predetermined number of amounts, or may be the amount of power usage that exceeds an amount of power usage threshold, such as the amount of power contracted with the power company. In other words, there may be multiple maximum time zones.

[0077] In step S32, the charging time zone information change unit 123 selects an EV with a low charging priority from among the EVs 40 scheduled to be charged during the maximum time zone. Here, low charging priority means that the charging priority is equal to or lower than a predetermined value or has a predetermined content, or is a predetermined rank such as the lowest.

[0078] In step S33, the charging time zone information change unit 123 determines whether there is an EV 40 that matches the criteria in step S32. This determination means determining whether there is an EV 40 for which charging can be changed to the maximum time zone. In other words, it means determining whether it is possible to suppress the peak of power usage during the maximum time zone. If the result of this determination is that there is an applicable EV (Yes), the process proceeds to step S35. In other words, processing for changing the charging is performed. If there is no applicable EV (No), the process proceeds to step S34.

[0079] If the power usage threshold is not exceeded in step S31, step S32 may be skipped and the process may proceed to step S34. Also, if a predetermined condition is met, such as the difference between the maximum power usage and the average value being equal to or less than a predetermined value, the process of step S33 may be omitted. Furthermore, in steps S32 and S33, the charging time zone information change unit 123 selects the EV 40 (change-target EV) that is the target of charging change during the maximum time zone.

[0080] Next, in step S34, the charging time zone information change unit 123 outputs the charging time of the EV, i.e., the charging schedule, via the output unit 14. This may be displayed on the manager terminal group 2, the base terminal 32, or the tablet terminal 33, or may be displayed by the output unit 14 as a display device.

[0081] In step S35, the charging time zone information change unit 123 determines whether there is a candidate time zone to which charging of the EV 40 identified in step S33 can be shifted. The candidate time zone indicates a candidate time zone to which charging of the EV 40 can be shifted (moved). The concept of shifting (moving) charging will now be described with reference to FIGS. 14A and 14B .

[0082] First, Fig. 14A is a diagram showing the amount of energy used for each time period before a charging shift (movement) in this embodiment. In Fig. 14A, the amount of energy used for each time period from 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM the following day is shown as a bar graph. The amount of energy used for each time period is shown as the sum of the amount of energy used by the charging station 3 itself and the amount of energy charged to EVs 40-1 and 40-2 that are to be charged at that charging station 3. In addition, when EV 40-1 and EV 40-2 are being charged, EV 40-2 has a lower charging priority.

[0083] Furthermore, in this example, a time period exceeding the contracted amount of energy, which is an example of an energy amount threshold, is defined as the maximum time period. Therefore, in the example of FIG. 14A, 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM are identified as the maximum time periods. These can also be expressed as shift-source time periods. Then, of the charging times at 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM, charge C1 and charge C2, which are the charge amounts of EV 40-2, are identified. The charging time for EV 40-2 is from 10:00 PM to 2:00 AM.

[0084] Next, FIG. 14B is a diagram showing the amount of power used by time slot after a charge shift (transfer) in this embodiment. For charge C1 and charge C2 identified in FIG. 14A, the amount of power used during charge C1's charge operation time slot (2:00 a.m.) is large, so this time slot is shifted preferentially. That is, as shown in FIG. 14B, charge C1 is shifted to 3:00 a.m., a time slot after the charging end time of EV 40-2. As a result, the charging time of EV 40-2 is changed from 11:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. Then, charge C2 is shifted to the time slot after the changed charging time (4:00 a.m.). As a result, as shown in FIG. 14B, the amount of power used during each time slot can be kept below the contracted amount of power. In this way, peak power usage can be suppressed. In this embodiment, as a change, at least a portion of the charge amount during the maximum time slot is allocated to another time slot.

[0085] This concludes the explanation of the concept of charging shift (movement), and we return to the explanation of step S35 in the flowchart of Figure 13. Examples of criteria for determination in step S35 include whether continuity of the charging time slot can be ensured and / or whether charging can be completed by the delivery start date and time. Details of the determination process using these examples will be explained below.

[0086] First, the charging time zone information change unit 123 identifies the charging time zone of the relevant EV 40, i.e., the charging start date and time and the charging end date and time, from the charging time zone information 1007. Next, the charging time zone information change unit 123 identifies the time zones before and after the identified charging time. Next, the charging time zone information change unit 123 determines whether the time zone after the charging time is a time zone before the delivery start date and time, and obtains a first determination result.

[0087] Furthermore, the charging time zone information change unit 123 determines whether continuity of the charging time can be ensured when the charging of the EV 40 during the maximum time zone is shifted to a time zone before or after the identified charging time. Here, ensuring continuity means that when the charging of the EV 40 is shifted to either a time zone before or after the identified charging time, there will be a predetermined number or more time zones during which charging is not performed within the charging time. For example, if there is one or more time zones during which charging is not performed, it can be determined that continuity cannot be ensured. Alternatively, it can be determined that continuity cannot be ensured when there are consecutive time zones during which charging is not performed. As a result of the above, a second determination result is obtained.

[0088] Then, when both the first determination result and the second determination result are satisfied, the charging time period information change unit 123 determines that there is a candidate shift time period. However, this determination is just an example, and either the first determination result or the second determination result may be used. Furthermore, as a result of the shift, the charging start date and time may be determined based on whether the EV 40 in question is currently delivering on another delivery route.

[0089] If the result of the above determination is that there is a candidate shift time slot (Yes), the process proceeds to step S36. If there is not (No), the process proceeds to step S38.

[0090] In step S36, the charging time zone information change unit 123 compares the amount of power usage in the case of the shift. Specifically, the charging time zone information change unit 123 compares the following (1) and (2): (1) The amount of power usage in the pre-shift time in the case of the shift. A value obtained by subtracting the amount of charging that has been shifted. (2) The amount of power usage in the pre-shift time in the case of the shift.

[0091] Here, (1) is the value obtained by subtracting the shifted charge amount from the initial power usage amount, and indicates the power usage amount in the time slots 2:00 PM and 2:00 PM shown in Fig. 14B. Also, (2) is the value obtained by adding the shifted charge amount to the initial power usage amount, and indicates the power usage amount in the time slots 4:00 PM and 3:00 PM shown in Fig. 14B. In these examples, the power usage amounts in the time slots 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM shown in Fig. 14B are compared, and the power usage amounts in the time slots 2:00 AM and 3:00 AM shown in Fig. 14B are compared.

[0092] As a result of the above, if the amount of power usage in the original shift time period is equal to or greater than the amount of power usage in the shift destination time period (original shift time period ≧), the process proceeds to step S37. If the amount of power usage in the original shift time period is smaller (original shift time period <), the process proceeds to step S38.

[0093] In step S36, the charging time zone information change unit 123 may make a determination by comparing the amount of energy used in each of the original shift time zone and the destination shift time zone after the shift with an energy amount threshold, which is an example of the contracted energy amount. For example, if the amount of energy used in each of the original shift time zone and the destination shift time zone is less than the energy amount threshold, the process proceeds to step S37; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S38. In addition, if the amount of energy used in the original shift time zone is less than the energy amount threshold, the process proceeds to step S37; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S38. Furthermore, the comparison with the energy amount threshold and the comparison between the destination shift time zone and the original shift time zone may be used in combination.

[0094] In step S37, the charging time zone information change unit 123 shifts the corresponding charging to the shift destination candidate time zone. As a result, the shift destination candidate time zone is confirmed as the shift destination time. In addition, the charging time zone information change unit 123 updates the charging time zone information 1007 to reflect the shift result. Then, the process proceeds to step S32.

[0095] Furthermore, in step S38, the charging time zone information change unit 123 cancels the corresponding charging during the pre-shift time zone, i.e., the maximum time zone. Furthermore, the charging time zone information change unit 123 updates the charging time zone information 1007 to reflect the result of the cancellation. In other words, the charging time zone information change unit 123 deletes or invalidates the item indicating the corresponding charging from the charging time zone information 1007. Then, the process proceeds to step S34.

[0096] Then, in step S34, the charging time zone information change unit 123 outputs the charging time of the EV, i.e., the charging schedule, via the output unit 14. Here, in addition to output based on the charging time zone information 1007 updated in step S38 or step S37, output is also performed when the charging time zone information 1007 has not been updated. Screens displayed according to the output will be described below.

[0097] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen in this embodiment. In FIG. 15, display screen 150-1 displays the amount of power used by time period. More specifically, display screen 150-1 displays a bar graph showing the amount of power used by charging priority in each time period and the total amount. As a result, the manager or employee of the delivery company can understand the amount of power used in each time period. Note that the graph may also display an energy threshold, such as a contracted energy amount. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B, a graph showing the amount of power used by each EV 40 may be displayed.

[0098] 15, display screen 150-2 displays the charging time periods for electric vehicles, i.e., each EV 40. More specifically, display screen 150-1 displays a black chart showing the charging times for each EV 40. Furthermore, the charging device used for each EV is shown.

[0099] This concludes the description of the charging time zone information creation process, the energy usage calculation process, and the charging time zone information change process. However, in the charging time zone information change process (step S3), the charging time zone information 1007 may be changed by graphically moving the charging amount (part of a graph, a chart) in response to an operation via the input unit 11 on the display screen described above. For example, when the charging amount C1 and the charging amount C2 are moved from FIG. 14A to FIG. 14B , the charging time zone information change unit 123 updates the charging time zone information 1007. Note that the operation via the input unit 11 refers to an operation on the input device 160 shown in FIG. 3 , which is an example of the input unit 11, or an operation on the manager terminal group 2, the base terminal 32, or the tablet terminal 33. The input unit 11 then accepts the operation on the manager terminal group 2, the base terminal 32, or the tablet terminal 33.

[0100] Next, details of the update process in step S9 in Fig. 12 will be described. Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing details of the update process in this embodiment. First, in step S91, the management unit 13 receives, via the input unit 11, the charge amount (actual measured value) notified in step S7.

[0101] In step S92, the management unit 13 determines whether or not the charge amount to be updated has been received. Specifically, this can be determined based on whether or not all charge amounts corresponding to the charging time period information 1007 notified in step S4 have been received, whether or not a predetermined cycle has ended, etc. As a result, if no charge amounts have been received (No), the process returns to step S91 and waits for reception. If the charge amounts have been received (Yes), the process proceeds to step S93.

[0102] In step S93, the management unit 13 compares the received charge amount with the required charge amount in the corresponding charging time period information 1007. That is, the management unit 13 compares the charge amount required in the charging schedule (required charge amount) with the actual charge amount (received charge amount). If the difference is equal to or less than a predetermined difference threshold (small difference), the management unit 13 terminates the process without updating. If the difference is greater than the predetermined difference threshold (large difference), the management unit 13 proceeds to step S94. Note that "0" may also be used as the difference threshold.

[0103] Furthermore, in step S94, the management unit 13 updates at least one of the corresponding information, namely, the delivery route information 1001, the delivery power fluctuation information 1002, and the vehicle information 1003, in accordance with the difference. When the delivery route information 1001 is updated, the amount of power usage is also updated. For example, if the received charge amount is large, the amount of power usage is increased by an amount corresponding to the difference.

[0104] Furthermore, if the situation during charging corresponds to the reason for fluctuation, the management unit 13 updates the delivery power fluctuation information 1002. In this case, the power fluctuation rate for the corresponding reason for fluctuation is updated according to the difference.

[0105] Furthermore, the management unit 13 may update the remaining power rate in the vehicle information 1003 according to the difference. These updates are preferably performed at predetermined intervals. Alternatively, they may be performed in real time whenever the charge amount is received.

[0106] Furthermore, the update process in step S9 may be performed as follows. In step S7, the management unit 13 receives the driving history of the EV 40 via the input unit 11. The driving history includes, for example, the driving distance, speed (hourly, average, etc.), and stop time of the EV 40. The management unit 13 also breaks down the driving history into the amount of power usage by reason for fluctuation. The management unit 13 then compares the amounts of power usage by reason for fluctuation and updates the charging priority of the delivery power fluctuation information 1002 according to the results.

[0107] As a result of the above, it is possible to review the required charging amounts of the vehicle / delivery route allocation information 1005, the vehicle / delivery power fluctuation information 1006, and the charging time period information 1007, that is, to set values ​​that are in line with the actual situation.

[0108] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modifications. For example, the present embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to a configuration including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, the subject matter also includes electric vehicles other than those of delivery companies. For example, it includes electric vehicles in apartment complexes and electric vehicles of transportation companies such as taxis and buses. Furthermore, it also includes processing for charging devices and equipment other than electric vehicles. For example, it can also be applied to power storage devices in individual homes.

[0109] Furthermore, the above-described configurations, functions, processing units, processing means, etc. may be partially or entirely implemented in hardware, for example, by designing them as integrated circuits. The above-described configurations, functions, etc. may also be implemented in software, with a processor interpreting and executing a program that implements each function. Information such as the programs, tables, and files that implement each function can be stored in a memory, a recording device such as a hard disk or SSD (Solid State Drive), or a recording medium such as an IC card, SD card, or DVD.

[0110] In addition, the control lines and information lines shown are those that are considered necessary for the explanation, and do not necessarily show all the control lines and information lines in the product. In reality, it can be assumed that almost all components are interconnected.

[0111] 1...vehicle management system, 10...electric vehicle charging management device, 11...input unit, 12...charging time zone determination unit, 121...charging time zone information creation unit, 122...power usage calculation unit, 123...charging time zone information change unit, 13...management unit, output unit...14, 100...delivery management device, 101...input unit, 102...vehicle / delivery route allocation unit, 103...output unit, 1000...database, 1001...delivery route information, 1002...delivery power fluctuation information, 1003...vehicle information, 1004...charging equipment information, 1005...vehicle / delivery route allocation information, 1006...vehicle / delivery power fluctuation information, 1007...charging time zone information, 1008...power usage amount information by time zone 1008, 2...administrator terminal group, 3...charging base, 31...charging control device, 32...base terminal, 33...tablet terminal, 34...charging device, 40...EV

Claims

1. In an electric vehicle charging management device that manages charging for a plurality of electric vehicles, an input unit that receives travel course information indicating the travel schedule of the plurality of electric vehicles, vehicle information indicating the performance related to charging of the plurality of electric vehicles, and charging facility information indicating the charging performance of a charging facility that charges the plurality of electric vehicles; calculates the actual charging amount for each of the plurality of electric vehicles using the travel course information and the vehicle information, calculates the actual charging time for the plurality of electric vehicles using the actual charging amount and the charging facility information, a charging time zone information creation unit that creates charging time zone information indicating the charging schedule for each of the plurality of electric vehicles based on the actual charging time; a power consumption calculation unit that calculates power consumption information by time zone indicating the power consumption in a predetermined management unit including the actual charging amount in each of a plurality of time zones based on the charging time zone information; identifies the maximum time zone, which is the time zone with the largest power consumption among the plurality of time zones, determines whether there is a target electric vehicle to be changed that can change the charging in the maximum time zone, where the charging priority is less than or equal to a predetermined value, indicates a predetermined content or a predetermined order, among the plurality of electric vehicles scheduled to charge in the maximum time zone, and selects the target electric vehicle to be changed, (1) If the continuity of charging of the target electric vehicle to be changed can be ensured by shifting to a candidate time zone for shifting, and the power consumption in the maximum time zone when shifted is greater than the power consumption in the candidate time zone for shifting, the shift is executed. (2) If the continuity of charging of the target electric vehicle to be changed can be ensured by shifting to a candidate time zone for shifting, and the power consumption in the maximum time zone when shifted is less than or equal to the power consumption in the candidate time zone for shifting, the charging in the maximum time zone is aborted, and the charging time zone information is changed by changing the charging in the maximum time zone for the selected target electric vehicle to be changed. An electric vehicle charging management device having a charging time zone information change unit.

2. (Deleted)

3. (Deleted)

4. (Deleted)

5. In the electric vehicle charging management device according to claim 1, further includes a management unit for managing information used in the electric vehicle charging management device, the charging time zone information creation unit further creates the charging time zone information using the distribution power fluctuation information, the input unit receives a measured value indicating the amount of charge executed for the plurality of electric vehicles, the management unit updates at least one of the distribution power fluctuation information, the driving course information, and the vehicle information using the received measured value. An electric vehicle charging management device.

6. In an electric vehicle charging management method for managing charging for a plurality of electric vehicles using an electric vehicle charging management device, an input unit receives driving course information indicating the driving schedule of the plurality of electric vehicles, vehicle information indicating the performance related to charging of the plurality of electric vehicles, and charging facility information indicating the charging performance of a charging facility for charging the plurality of electric vehicles, by a charging time zone information creation unit, calculates the actual charging amount for each of the plurality of electric vehicles using the driving course information and the vehicle information, calculates the actual charging time for the plurality of electric vehicles using the actual charging amount and the charging facility information, creates charging time zone information indicating the charging schedule for each of the plurality of electric vehicles based on the actual charging time, a power consumption calculation unit calculates time zone-based power consumption information indicating the power consumption in a predetermined management unit including the actual charging amount in each of a plurality of time zones based on the charging time zone information, by a charging time zone information change unit, Identify the maximum time period among the plurality of time periods, which is the time period with the largest amount of power consumption among the power consumption amounts, Determine whether there is a target electric vehicle to be changed that can change the charging in the maximum time period, which indicates a charging priority of less than or equal to a predetermined value, a predetermined content, or a predetermined ranking, among the electric vehicles scheduled to be charged in the maximum time period among the plurality of time periods, and select the target electric vehicle to be changed, (1) If the continuity of charging of the target electric vehicle to be changed can be ensured by shifting to a candidate time period for shifting, and the power consumption amount in the maximum time period when the shift is made is greater than the power consumption amount in the candidate time period for shifting, execute the shift, (2) If the continuity of charging of the target electric vehicle to be changed can be ensured by shifting to a candidate time period for shifting, and the power consumption amount in the maximum time period when the shift is made is less than or equal to the power consumption amount in the candidate time period for shifting, execute the cancellation of charging in the maximum time period, and change the charging in the maximum time period for the selected target electric vehicle to be changed, thereby changing the charging time period information. An electric vehicle charging management method.

7. (Deleted)

8. (Deleted)

9. (Deleted)

10. In the electric vehicle charging management method according to claim 6, Furthermore, the electric vehicle charging management device has a management unit that manages information used in the electric vehicle charging management device, The charging time period information creating unit further creates the charging time period information using the distribution power fluctuation information, The input unit receives a measured value indicating the amount of charge executed on the plurality of electric vehicles, The management unit updates at least one of the distribution power fluctuation information, the driving course information, and the vehicle information using the received measured value. An electric vehicle charging management method.

11. An electric vehicle charging management device that manages charging for a plurality of electric vehicles that are computers An input unit that receives driving course information indicating the driving schedules of the plurality of electric vehicles, vehicle information indicating the performance related to charging of the plurality of electric vehicles, and charging facility information indicating the charging performance of charging facilities that charge the plurality of electric vehicles; Using the driving course information and the vehicle information, calculate the actual charging amount for each of the plurality of electric vehicles; Using the actual charging amount and the charging facility information, calculate the actual charging time for the plurality of electric vehicles; A charging time zone information creation unit that creates charging time zone information indicating the charging schedule for each of the plurality of electric vehicles based on the actual charging time; A power consumption calculation unit that calculates power consumption information by time zone indicating the power consumption in a predetermined management unit including the actual charging amount in each of the plurality of time zones based on the charging time zone information; Identify the maximum time zone, which is the time zone with the largest power consumption among the plurality of time zones; Determine whether there is a target electric vehicle to be changed that can have its charging in the maximum time zone changed, where the charging priority is below a predetermined value, indicates a predetermined content or a predetermined rank, among the plurality of electric vehicles that are scheduled to be charged in the maximum time zone, and select the target electric vehicle to be changed; (1) If the continuity of charging of the target electric vehicle to be changed can be ensured by shifting to a candidate time zone for shifting, and the power consumption in the maximum time zone when shifted is greater than the power consumption in the candidate time zone for shifting, execute the shift; (2) If the continuity of charging of the target electric vehicle to be changed can be ensured by shifting to a candidate time zone for shifting, and the power consumption in the maximum time zone when shifted is less than or equal to the power consumption in the candidate time zone for shifting, execute the cancellation of charging in the maximum time zone and change the charging in the maximum time zone for the selected target electric vehicle to be changed, so as to function as a charging time zone information change unit that changes the charging time zone information.

12. (Deleted)

13. (Deleted)

14. (Deleted)

15. In the program according to claim 11, the electric vehicle charging management device further includes a management unit that manages information used in the electric vehicle charging management device, the charging time zone information creation unit further creates the charging time zone information using the distribution power fluctuation information, the input unit receives a measured value indicating the amount of charge executed for the plurality of electric vehicles, the management unit is a program that updates at least one of the distribution power fluctuation information, the travel course information, and the vehicle information using the received measured value.