Management method, management device, and computer program

Abstract

A management method for an electric vehicle sharing service, the method comprising processing, executed by a computer, for: acquiring vehicle information including position information of an electric vehicle a user has finished riding; and determining, on the basis of the acquired vehicle information, whether traveling to a charging station for charging a power storage element mounted on the electric vehicle is possible.

Description

Management method, management device, and computer program

[0001] The present invention relates to a management method, a management device, and a computer program.

[0002] In recent years, electric vehicle sharing services have become popular in urban areas and tourist destinations (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Examples of electric vehicles include electric kick scooters (specific small motorized bicycles). Alternatively, electric vehicles include four-wheeled vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), as well as two-wheeled vehicles such as electric motorcycles and electric bicycles.

[0003] In sharing services, the rental and return locations for electric vehicles are often set in advance. In this case, a user rents an electric vehicle waiting at the rental location, rides the vehicle to a return location at the desired destination, and returns the electric vehicle to the return location.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-14312

[0005] However, if there is no return location available near the user's desired destination, or if there are no available return locations at the destination, the electric vehicle may be abandoned at a location other than the return location.

[0006] Some sharing services allow users to leave their electric vehicles at locations other than the pre-arranged return location, as long as they are within the service area.

[0007] When an electric vehicle is abandoned in a sharing service, manual collection is required. The person collecting the vehicle must go to the location where it was abandoned, drive it from there to a charging station, and charge it if the battery does not have enough charge.

[0008] Information on whether an abandoned electric vehicle can drive to a charging station is useful for operators of sharing services, but at present, such information is not provided to service providers.

[0009] The present disclosure aims to provide a management method, a management device, and a computer program that can determine whether an abandoned electric vehicle can travel to a charging station.

[0010] The management method disclosed herein is a management method for an electric vehicle sharing service, in which vehicle information including location information of an electric vehicle that a user has finished riding is acquired, and a process is performed by a computer to determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to a charging station where a storage element installed in the electric vehicle is charged, based on the acquired mobile object information.

[0011] According to the above aspect, it is possible to determine whether the abandoned electric vehicle is capable of traveling to the charging station.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a sharing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of an electric vehicle. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a management device. FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a vehicle management table. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a station management table. FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining the procedure of processing executed by the management device when an electric vehicle is returned. FIG. 7 is a graph showing the change over time in battery voltage while an electric vehicle is traveling and after the traveling has stopped. FIG. 8 is a flowchart explaining the procedure of processing executed by the management device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining updating of a battery status file.

[0013] (1) The management method disclosed herein is a management method for an electric vehicle sharing service, in which vehicle information including location information of an electric vehicle after a user has finished riding is acquired, and a process is performed by a computer to determine whether the electric vehicle is capable of traveling to a charging station where a storage element mounted on the electric vehicle is charged, based on the acquired vehicle information.

[0014] An electric vehicle is any mobile object that runs at least in part using the power of an electric motor. The electric vehicle 1 may be a vehicle that runs using only the power of an electric motor, or a vehicle that runs using both the power of an electric motor and the power of an engine. The electric vehicle 1 may also be a vehicle that runs manually with the supplementary power of an electric motor.

[0015] The electric vehicle is, for example, an electric kick scooter (a specific small motorized bicycle). Alternatively, the electric vehicle 1 may be a four-wheeled vehicle such as an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a two-wheeled vehicle such as an electric motorcycle, an electric bicycle, or an electrically assisted bicycle.

[0016] According to the management method (1) above, the computer acquires vehicle information including location information of the electric vehicle where the user has finished riding, and can therefore calculate the distance from the point where the electric vehicle was abandoned to the charging station. The distance that the electric vehicle can actually travel is determined by the amount of electricity that can be discharged from the power storage element mounted on the electric vehicle. The computer can determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station by comparing the distance from the point where the electric vehicle was abandoned to the charging station with the distance that the electric vehicle can travel.

[0017] (2) In the management method described in (1) above, the electric vehicle may include a communication device and a measurement device that measures the position of the vehicle, and the computer may acquire vehicle information from the communication device, including position information of the electric vehicle obtained from the measurement device and storage element information obtained from the storage element.

[0018] According to the management method (2) above, the computer acquires information on the position measured by the electric vehicle and information on the storage element obtained from the storage element, and can determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to a charging station.

[0019] (3) In the management method described in (2) above, the computer may acquire, as the storage element information, information on the voltage of the storage element after a set time has elapsed since the user finished riding, and may determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station based on the acquired voltage information and the vehicle information.

[0020] While the storage element is discharging (while the electric vehicle is running), the voltage of the storage element gradually decreases over time, and when the discharging of the storage element is stopped (when the electric vehicle is stopped from running), the voltage of the storage element recovers slightly. According to the management method (3) above, since information on the voltage after a set time has elapsed since the user finished riding is used, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the electric vehicle can run to a charging station.

[0021] (4) In the management method described in (3) above, the set time may be set according to the type of the energy storage element.

[0022] The time from when the discharge of the storage element is stopped until the voltage of the storage element recovers varies depending on the type of storage element. According to the management method of (4) above, the set time is set according to the type of storage element, so it is possible to more accurately determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to a charging station depending on the storage element installed in the electric vehicle.

[0023] (5) In the management method described in any one of (2) to (4) above, the computer may calculate the amount of electricity that can be discharged from the storage element based on the storage element information acquired from the communication device, and may determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station by comparing a distance that the electric vehicle can travel based on the calculated amount of electricity that can be discharged with a distance from the electric vehicle to the charging station.

[0024] According to the management method (5) above, the amount of electricity that can be discharged from the storage element is calculated based on the storage element information acquired from the electric vehicle, so that the actual distance that the electric vehicle can travel can be calculated based on the net amount of electricity that can be extracted from the storage element.

[0025] (6) In the management method described in any one of (1) to (5) above, when the computer determines that the electric vehicle is capable of traveling to the charging station, the computer may instruct the electric vehicle to autonomously travel to the charging station.

[0026] According to the management method (6) above, if the electric vehicle is capable of traveling to the charging station, the electric vehicle is instructed to autonomously travel to the charging station, thereby saving the service provider the trouble of retrieving the electric vehicle.

[0027] (7) In the management method described in any one of (1) to (6) above, when the computer determines that the electric vehicle cannot travel to the charging station, the computer may instruct the electric vehicle to autonomously travel to an evacuation location.

[0028] According to the management method (7) above, if an electric vehicle is unable to travel to a charging station, the electric vehicle is instructed to autonomously travel to an evacuation location, so that an electric vehicle abandoned by a user can be made to wait in a safe place.

[0029] (8) In the management method according to any one of (1) to (7), when the computer determines that the electric vehicle cannot travel to the charging station, the computer may perform at least one of outputting an alarm, notifying the user, and notifying a manager of the electric vehicle. Here, the “manager” may be a collector or a service provider.

[0030] According to the management method (8) above, if an electric vehicle is unable to reach a charging station, an alarm is output or a notification is sent to the user or a manager, so that the electric vehicle can be manually retrieved. This prevents social problems such as abandoned electric vehicles 1 spoiling the scenery.

[0031] (9) The management device disclosed herein is a management device for an electric vehicle sharing service, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information including location information of the electric vehicle after the user has finished riding, and a determination unit that determines, based on the acquired vehicle information, whether the electric vehicle can travel to a charging station where a storage element installed in the electric vehicle is charged.

[0032] According to the management device of (9) above, the management device receives vehicle information including location information of the electric vehicle where the user has finished riding, and can therefore calculate the distance from the point where the electric vehicle was abandoned to the charging station. The distance that the electric vehicle can actually travel is determined by the amount of electricity that can be discharged from the power storage element mounted on the electric vehicle. The management device can determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station by comparing the distance from the point where the electric vehicle was abandoned to the charging station with the distance that the electric vehicle can travel.

[0033] (10) The management program disclosed herein is a management program for an electric vehicle sharing service, and causes a computer to execute a process of acquiring vehicle information including location information of an electric vehicle after a user has finished riding the vehicle, and determining, based on the acquired vehicle information, whether the electric vehicle can travel to a charging station where a storage element installed in the electric vehicle is charged.

[0034] According to the management program of (10) above, the computer receives vehicle information including location information of the electric vehicle where the user has finished riding, and can therefore calculate the distance from the point where the electric vehicle was abandoned to the charging station. The distance that the electric vehicle can actually travel is determined by the amount of electricity that can be discharged from the power storage element mounted on the electric vehicle. The computer can determine whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station by comparing the distance from the point where the electric vehicle was abandoned to the charging station with the distance that the electric vehicle can travel.

[0035] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings illustrating embodiments. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a sharing system according to an embodiment. The sharing system according to the embodiment provides a sharing service in which an electric vehicle 1 is rented to a user for temporary use. The electric vehicle 1 is any mobile object that runs at least in part using the power of an electric motor. The electric vehicle 1 may be a vehicle that runs solely using the power of an electric motor, or may be a vehicle that runs using the power of an electric motor in combination with the power of an engine. The electric vehicle 1 may also be a vehicle that runs manually with the power of an electric motor as an auxiliary. The electric vehicle 1 according to the embodiment is an electric kick scooter (a specific small motorized bicycle). Alternatively, the electric vehicle 1 may be a four-wheeled vehicle such as an electric vehicle (EV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a two-wheeled vehicle such as an electric motorcycle, an electric bicycle, or an electrically assisted bicycle.

[0036] Electric vehicles 1 rented to users are located at multiple bases within the service area. A user wishing to use the electric vehicle 1 goes to one base within the service area, completes a procedure to start use (a procedure to rent the electric vehicle 1), and then gets into the electric vehicle 1 and drives to a desired destination. The destination may be, for example, another base. Upon arriving at the other base, the user dismounts the electric vehicle 1 and completes a procedure to end use (a procedure to return the electric vehicle 1). The procedure to rent and return the electric vehicle 1 is carried out, for example, by communication between the electric vehicle 1 (or a terminal such as a smartphone owned by the user) and a server operated by the service provider. At this time, information such as a user ID that identifies the user, a vehicle ID that identifies the electric vehicle, and a base ID that identifies the base used by the user is notified from the user's terminal to the service provider's server. The service provider charges the user a service fee based on the information obtained during the rental and return procedures.

[0037] At least some of the bases within the service area may be provided with charging stands 30 that charge the batteries 180 (see FIG. 2 ) installed in the electric vehicle 1. The bases where the charging stands 30 are installed are also referred to as charging stations 3. When the electric vehicle 1 is returned to the charging station 3, the battery 180 of the electric vehicle 1 is charged by the charging stands 30.

[0038] There are cases where the electric vehicle 1 is not returned to the charging station 3. For example, there are cases where the sharing service allows the vehicle to be left behind, or where the charging station 30 is not installed at the base where the vehicle is returned. Even if the service provider specifies the return destination as the base, there are cases where the user leaves the vehicle at a location other than the base. For example, in areas where the service provider's resources are insufficient, abandoned and left electric vehicles 1 can cause social problems such as spoiling the scenery.

[0039] In order to improve services, service providers need to collect electric vehicles 1 that have been returned or abandoned at locations other than the charging station 3, and charge the battery 180 of the electric vehicle 1 for the next user. At this time, information on whether the electric vehicle 1 can run to the charging station 3 is useful for service providers who collect electric vehicles 1 with limited resources. If the electric vehicle 1 can run to the charging station 3, the person collecting the electric vehicle 1 can go to the location where it was abandoned, get in the electric vehicle 1, and run it to the charging station 3; if it cannot run, they need to arrange for transportation means such as a truck or charging means such as a charging device.

[0040] In this embodiment, a management device 2 is installed that manages information about the electric vehicle 1 (particularly, information about the battery 180 installed in the electric vehicle 1). The management device 2 may be a server installed by the service provider, or may be a server separate from the server installed by the service provider.

[0041] The management device 2 is communicatively connected to the electric vehicle 1 via the communication network NW. The management device 2 acquires vehicle information, including location information of the electric vehicle 1, from the electric vehicle 1 after the user has finished riding, and determines whether the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 based on the acquired vehicle information.

[0042] If the management device 2 knows the location information of the abandoned electric vehicle 1, it can identify the route RT from the location where the electric vehicle 1 was abandoned to the charging station 3. In FIG. 1 , the route RT is shown as a straight line for simplicity, but in reality it is a route determined along roads on a map. The management device 2 calculates the travel distance if the electric vehicle 1 travels along the identified route RT. If the management device 2 obtains information on the remaining capacity of the battery 180 installed in the electric vehicle 1, it can calculate the travel distance based on the remaining capacity of the battery 180. The management device 2 compares the two calculated distances to determine whether the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3.

[0043] The management device 2 may notify the collector or service provider of information based on the determination result, or may notify the user who has completed the return procedure. If the electric vehicle 1 has an autonomous driving function, the management device 2 may instruct the electric vehicle 1 to autonomously drive to the charging station 3. If there is a high possibility that the electric vehicle 1 has been abandoned, such as if the electric vehicle 1 has been stationary at a location other than a base for more than a predetermined time, the management device 2 may notify the collector or service provider who collects the electric vehicle 1 with limited resources of information based on the determination result. The notification may be made in response to a request from the collector or service provider, or may be made as an event, such as when the electric vehicle 1 autonomously performs the notification.

[0044] 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the electric vehicle 1. The control system in the electric vehicle 1 includes a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication unit 13, an operation unit 14, a notification unit 15, an input unit 16, an output unit 17, a battery management unit 18, and the like.

[0045] The control unit 11 includes, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc. The CPU in the control unit 11 executes a control program stored in the ROM and various computer programs stored in the storage unit 12 to control the operation of each hardware unit and perform various controls related to the electric vehicle 1. The RAM in the control unit 11 stores various data generated during the execution of the control program.

[0046] The storage unit 12 includes a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, and stores various data necessary for the various computers and controls executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 12 may store, for example, an autonomous driving program for causing the electric vehicle 1 to drive autonomously, and map data in which information about the locations of the charging stations 3 is registered.

[0047] The communication unit 13 includes a communication interface that connects to the communication network NW. The communication interface included in the communication unit 13 is a wireless communication interface such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution). The communication unit 13 transmits and receives various types of data through the communication network NW.

[0048] The operation unit 14 includes various switches, levers, a touch panel, etc. that are operated by a user of the electric vehicle 1. Operation information input through the operation unit 14 is output from the operation unit 14 to the control unit 11.

[0049] The notification unit 15 includes a device for notifying the user of the electric vehicle 1 of information that should be notified. The notification unit 15 includes, for example, a display device that displays text or images, and an output device that outputs sound or voice.

[0050] The input unit 16 has an interface for connecting various on-board sensors. The on-board sensors connected to the input unit 16 include a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver 160. The GPS receiver 160 is a measuring instrument for receiving radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites (not shown) and locating the current position of the electric vehicle 1 based on the received radio waves. The GPS receiver 160 outputs information (position information) related to the located current position of the electric vehicle 1 to the control unit 11.

[0051] In addition to the GPS receiving unit 160, sensors such as a steering angle sensor, an accelerator sensor, a brake sensor, a vehicle speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, an on-board camera, an obstacle detection sensor, etc. may be connected to the input unit 16. When the electric vehicle 1 travels autonomously, the control unit 11 can determine the travel path, travel speed, etc. of the vehicle based on information obtained from these sensors, such as the steering angle, accelerator opening, brake stroke, vehicle speed, acceleration, images of the area around the vehicle, and information about obstacles present around the vehicle.

[0052] The output unit 17 includes an interface for connecting various ECUs (Electronic Control Units). The ECUs connected to the output unit 17 include a motor ECU 170.

[0053] The motor ECU 170 controls the operation of the electric motor 171 based on a control signal output from the control unit 11 in response to the user's accelerator operation. The electric motor 171 is an electric motor that converts the electric power supplied from the battery 180 into power, and is a drive source for running the electric vehicle 1. The power of the electric motor 171 is transmitted to the drive wheels of the electric vehicle 1 via a power transmission shaft, a clutch, a differential gear, a drive shaft, etc., which are not shown in the figure. The drive wheels are rotated by the power of the electric motor 171, causing the electric vehicle 1 to run.

[0054] In addition to the motor ECU 170, various ECUs such as a brake ECU and a steering ECU may be connected to the output unit 17. The brake ECU controls the operation of brake devices provided on the wheels of the electric vehicle 1 based on a control signal output from the control unit 11 in response to a brake operation by the user, thereby braking the electric vehicle 1. The steering ECU controls the operation of a steering wheel provided in the electric vehicle 1 based on a control signal output from the control unit 11 in response to a steering operation. The steering ECU is connected to, for example, a steering actuator that applies an assist force to the steering, and controls the operation of the steering actuator based on the control signal from the control unit 11 so as to output an assist torque required to steer the electric vehicle 1.

[0055] The battery management unit 18 is a device for managing the state of the battery 180 mounted on the electric vehicle 1. The battery 180 is, for example, a battery cell made of a lithium-ion secondary battery. Alternatively, the battery 180 may be a battery cell made of a rechargeable secondary battery such as an all-solid-state battery, a lead battery, a redox flow battery, a zinc-air battery, an alkaline manganese battery, a lithium-sulfur battery, a sodium-sulfur battery, a silver-zinc oxide battery, or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The battery 180 may also be a battery module configured by connecting a plurality of battery cells in series.

[0056] The battery management unit 18 acquires time-series data (battery information) of the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 180 measured in time series by a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and a temperature sensor (not shown). The battery management unit 18 may acquire the battery information at any time, regardless of whether the electric vehicle 1 is traveling or not. The battery management unit 18 includes a memory for storing the acquired battery information. The battery management unit 18 monitors the state of the battery 180 based on the acquired battery information. The battery management unit 18 transmits the battery information to the management device 2 at a predetermined timing or at regular intervals.

[0057] 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the management device 2. The management device 2 is a dedicated or general-purpose computer, and includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, an operation unit 24, a display unit 25, and the like.

[0058] The control unit 21 is a processing circuit or arithmetic circuit including a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The CPU included in the control unit 21 reads and executes various computer programs stored in the ROM or the storage unit 22, thereby controlling each hardware unit and causing the entire device to function as the management device 2 of the present disclosure.

[0059] Alternatively, the control unit 21 may be any arithmetic circuit including multiple CPUs, a multi-core CPU, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a microcomputer, a volatile or non-volatile memory, etc. The control unit 21 may also include functions such as a timer that measures the elapsed time from when an instruction to start measurement is given until when an instruction to end measurement is given, a counter that counts numbers, and a clock that outputs date and time information.

[0060] The storage unit 22 includes a storage device such as a hard disk, a flash memory, etc. Various computer programs and data are stored in the storage unit 22. The computer programs stored in the storage unit 22 include a management program PG for managing information related to the electric vehicle 1.

[0061] A computer program including the management program PG is provided by a non-transitory recording medium RM on which the computer program is readably recorded. The recording medium RM is a portable memory such as a CD-ROM, a USB memory, or an SD (Secure Digital) card. The control unit 21 reads the desired computer program from the recording medium RM using a reading device (not shown) and stores the read computer program in the memory unit 22. Alternatively, the computer program including the management program PG may be provided via communication. The management program PG may include a battery degradation simulation program (degradation simulator) described below.

[0062] The data stored in the storage unit 22 includes various types of data used in the management program PG. For example, the storage unit 22 includes a vehicle management table TB1 (see FIG. 4 ) that stores vehicle information about the electric vehicle 1, a station management table TB2 (see FIG. 5 ) that stores information about bases, etc. The storage unit 22 has map data of the service area including each base and charging station 3 as data used in the management program PG.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the vehicle management table TB1. The vehicle management table TB1 stores information such as a vehicle ID, location information, battery information, status, and user ID for each electric vehicle 1 in association with each other. The vehicle ID is an identifier for identifying each electric vehicle 1. The location information is information (e.g., latitude and longitude) indicating the current location of the electric vehicle 1. The location information is obtained from a GPS receiver 160 mounted on the electric vehicle 1. The battery information is time-series data on the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 180 mounted on the electric vehicle 1. The battery information is obtained from a battery management unit 18 of the electric vehicle 1. Alternatively, the battery information may be the remaining capacity of the battery 180. Remote monitoring of the battery 180 of an electric kickboard or an electrically assisted bicycle by a management device 2 (server) in this manner has not been attempted in the past. The control unit 21 of the management device 2 refers to the battery information to determine whether the abandoned electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3, and therefore uses the dischargeable amount of electricity (the net amount of electricity that can be extracted from the battery 180) rather than the SOC (State Of Charge) as the remaining capacity of the battery 180.

[0064] It is known that the dischargeable electrical capacity of the battery 180 decreases as the battery 180 deteriorates. Compared to a new battery, the electrical capacity that can be discharged from a certain state of charge (SOC) of the battery 180 after a predetermined period of operation gradually decreases due to current degradation and aging degradation associated with operation. The management device 2 preferably determines whether the abandoned electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 while taking into account the state of health (SOH) of the battery 180. Therefore, time-series data (operation history data) of the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 180 of each electric vehicle 1 may be input to a deterioration simulator as battery information, and the battery status output from the simulator may be stored as a battery status file associated with each battery 180. As shown in FIG. 9 , the battery status file may be periodically updated and stored in the vehicle management table TB1 or a database linked thereto. At time t1, the battery status (digital twin) simulated by inputting the operation history data up to that point into the simulator is generated as a battery status file. The data in the battery status file will differ depending on the environment and how the battery was charged and discharged up to time t1. At time t2, the battery status file created at time t1 is updated depending on the environment and how the battery was charged and discharged from time t1 to t2. Similarly, at time t3, the battery status file updated at time t2 is further updated depending on the operation history data from time t2 to time t3. At time t2 or t3, instead of using all of the operation history data up to that point, differential data from the previous timing (t1 or t2) is used, allowing for calculations to be performed in a short time and with a light calculation load. In this way, the battery status file is updated sequentially.

[0065] The status indicates the usage status of the electric vehicle 1. The status includes "waiting", which indicates that the electric vehicle 1 is waiting at a base, "in use", which indicates that the electric vehicle 1 has been rented to a user and is being used, and "return completed", which indicates that the user has finished riding the electric vehicle 1 and has completed the return procedure. The user ID indicates the identifier of the user who has performed the procedure to start using the electric vehicle 1.

[0066] FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the station management table TB2. The station management table TB2 stores, in association with each other, station IDs, location information, available spaces, and information on whether charging is possible. The station ID is an identifier that identifies a base that has parking spaces for electric vehicles 1. The location information represents the location information (e.g., latitude and longitude) of each base. The available space is information that indicates how many parking spaces are available for electric vehicles 1 at that time. The charging availability is information that indicates whether a charging stand 30 that can charge the battery 180 of the electric vehicle 1 is installed (whether charging is possible).

[0067] The communication unit 23 includes a communication interface that connects to the communication network NW. The communication interface included in the communication unit 23 is a wireless communication interface such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), 3G, 4G, 5G, or LTE (Long Term Evolution), or a wired communication interface such as Ethernet (registered trademark). The communication unit 23 transmits and receives various types of data through the communication network NW.

[0068] The operation unit 24 includes input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse, and accepts operations by the administrator, etc. The display unit 25 includes a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, and displays information to be notified to the administrator, etc. Alternatively, the management device 2 may be configured to accept necessary operations via an external computer and transmit information to be notified to the administrator, etc. to the external computer. An example of an external computer is a terminal device such as a smartphone carried by the administrator, etc. In this case, the management device 2 does not need to include the operation unit 24 and the display unit 25.

[0069] In the embodiment, the management device 2 may be a single computer, or may be a computer system configured with multiple computers and peripheral devices, etc. Alternatively, the management device 2 may be a virtual machine whose entity is virtualized, or may be a cloud.

[0070] The management program PG may be a single computer program or a group of programs made up of multiple computer programs. Alternatively, the management program PG may partially use an existing library. The management program PG may be executed on a single computer or may be executed by multiple computers working together.

[0071] The operation of the sharing system according to the embodiment will be described below. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of the process executed by the management device 2 when the electric vehicle 1 is returned. The user completes the procedure to borrow the electric vehicle 1, gets in the electric vehicle 1, and drives to the desired destination. When the user arrives at the desired destination, the user disembarks the electric vehicle 1 and completes the procedure to return the electric vehicle 1. The communication unit 13 of the electric vehicle 1 transmits vehicle information of the electric vehicle 1 to the management device 2 at an appropriate timing. For example, the communication unit 13 transmits the vehicle information to the management device 2 when the return procedure is completed. Alternatively, the communication unit 13 may transmit the vehicle information to the management device 2 at regular intervals.

[0072] The vehicle information transmitted by the communication unit 13 includes position information of the electric vehicle 1. The position information includes position information of the point where the user finished riding. The vehicle information transmitted by the communication unit 13 may also include battery information of the battery 180 mounted on the electric vehicle 1. The battery information is time-series data of the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 180 stored in the battery management unit 18. The battery information may also include time-series data of the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 180 after use has ended.

[0073] The control unit 21 of the management device 2 acquires, via the communication unit 23, vehicle information about the electric vehicle 1 in which the user has finished riding (step S101).

[0074] The control unit 21 compares the position information of the electric vehicle 1 included in the acquired vehicle information with the information registered in the station management table TB2 (position information and information on whether charging is possible) and determines whether the electric vehicle 1 has been returned to the charging station 3 (step S102). The control unit 21 compares the position information of the electric vehicle 1 with the position information of the base (charging station 3) where the charging stand 30 is installed, and if it determines that the electric vehicle 1 is parked near the charging station 3, it determines that the electric vehicle 1 has been returned to the charging station 3.

[0075] When it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 has been returned to the charging station 3 (S102: YES), the control unit 21 does not perform the subsequent processes and ends the process according to this flowchart.

[0076] If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 has not been returned to the charging station 3 (S102: NO), the control unit 21 determines whether the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 based on the vehicle information acquired in step S101 (step S103). Because the vehicle information includes the position information of the electric vehicle 1 at the point where the user finished riding, the control unit 21 refers to the station management table TB2 and map data to determine a route RT from the electric vehicle 1 to the charging station 3. An existing algorithm is used as the algorithm for determining the route RT. The control unit 21 calculates the travel distance (the distance from the drop-off starting point to the charging station 3) if the electric vehicle 1 travels along the determined route RT.

[0077] Next, the control unit 21 calculates the drivable distance of the electric vehicle 1 by referring to the battery information registered in the vehicle management table TB1. The vehicle management table TB1 manages time-series data on the current, voltage, and temperature of the battery 180 mounted on the vehicle 1. The control unit 21 uses this time-series data to calculate the dischargeable amount of electricity (Ah) of the battery 180. The dischargeable amount of electricity is the net amount of electricity that can be extracted from the battery 180 and depends on the SOH and SOC of the battery 180. The control unit 21 uses an existing method to determine the SOH and SOC of the battery 180 and calculate the dischargeable amount of electricity. It is assumed that the relationship between the amount of electricity that the battery 180 can supply and the distance that the electric vehicle 1 can travel is provided in advance by the vehicle manufacturer or the like. The control unit 21 refers to the information provided by the vehicle manufacturer or the like and calculates the drivable distance of the electric vehicle 1 based on the calculated dischargeable amount of electricity.

[0078] The control unit 21 compares the distance from the drop-off point of the electric vehicle 1 to the charging station 3 with the distance that the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3, thereby determining whether the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3.

[0079] The control unit 21 executes appropriate processing depending on the determination result of step S103. For example, if it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 (YES in step S103) and the electric vehicle 1 has an autonomous travel function, the control unit 21 may instruct the electric vehicle 1 to autonomously travel to the charging station 3 (step S104).

[0080] If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 is capable of traveling to the charging station 3 (S103: YES) and the electric vehicle 1 does not have the function of autonomous traveling, the control unit 21 may notify the terminal of the administrator such as the collector or service provider of information about the location of the abandoned electric vehicle 1 (step S104).

[0081] If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 cannot travel to the charging station 3 (S103: NO) and the electric vehicle 1 does not have an autonomous travel function, the control unit 21 may notify the terminal of a collector, a service provider, or other administrator of information about the location of the abandoned electric vehicle 1 (step S105). Alternatively, the control unit 21 may issue an alarm to the terminal of the user who abandoned the electric vehicle 1, or the notification unit 15 of the electric vehicle 1 may issue an alarm.

[0082] If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 cannot travel to the charging station 3 (S103: NO) and the electric vehicle 1 has an autonomous travel function, the control unit 21 may instruct the electric vehicle 1 to autonomously travel to a nearby evacuation location. The evacuation location is preferably a location that does not interfere with pedestrians walking or with other vehicles traveling.

[0083] As described above, in the first embodiment, when an electric vehicle 1 rented through a sharing service is abandoned at a location other than the charging station 3, the management device 2 can determine whether or not the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3, based on the vehicle information of the electric vehicle 1. Depending on the result of the determination, the management device 2 can instruct the electric vehicle 1 to autonomously travel to the charging station 3, notify a terminal of an administrator such as a collector or service provider, or issue an alert to the user who was using the electric vehicle 1.

[0084] (Embodiment 2) In embodiment 2, a configuration will be described in which voltage information of battery 180 is acquired after a set time has elapsed since the user finished riding electric vehicle 1, and whether or not electric vehicle 1 can travel to charging station 3 is determined based on the acquired voltage information.

[0085] It is known that while the battery 180 is discharging (while the electric vehicle 1 is running), the voltage of the battery 180 gradually decreases over time, and when the discharging of the battery 180 is stopped (when the electric vehicle 1 is stopped from running), the voltage of the battery 180 recovers slightly.

[0086] FIG. 7 is a graph showing the change in battery voltage over time while the electric vehicle 1 is traveling and after it has stopped traveling. The horizontal axis of the graph represents elapsed time (h), and the vertical axis represents battery voltage (V). When the electric vehicle 1 starts traveling, the voltage of the battery 180 decreases over time. If the electric vehicle 1 stops traveling at time T1, the battery voltage at time T1 will have a minimum value V1. If the electric vehicle 1 is stopped after time T1 and discharging from the battery 180 is kept stopped, the voltage of the battery 180 will recover slightly. For example, at time T2, the battery voltage value recovers to V2 (> V1).

[0087] In this case, the control unit 21 of the management device 2 can more accurately determine whether the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 by using the battery voltage value V2 at time T2 rather than the battery voltage value V1 at time T1.

[0088] Therefore, the management device 2 according to the second embodiment measures the time that has elapsed since the electric vehicle 1 was abandoned, and determines whether the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 by using the voltage value of the battery 180 at the timing when the set time has elapsed. It is known that the time it takes for the voltage to recover differs depending on the type of battery 180 mounted on the electric vehicle 1. Therefore, it is preferable that the set time be set according to the type of battery 180 mounted on the electric vehicle 1.

[0089] 8 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure of processing executed by the management device 2 according to embodiment 2. The control unit 21 of the management device 2 acquires, via the communication unit 23, vehicle information about the electric vehicle 1 that the user has finished riding (step S201).

[0090] The control unit 21 compares the position information of the electric vehicle 1 included in the acquired vehicle information with the information registered in the station management table TB2 (position information and information on whether charging is possible) and determines whether the electric vehicle 1 has been returned to the charging station 3 (step S202). If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 has been returned to the charging station 3 (S202: YES), the control unit 21 ends the processing according to this flowchart without performing the subsequent processing.

[0091] If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 has not been returned to the charging station 3 (S202: NO), the control unit 21 determines whether a set time has elapsed since the user finished riding the electric vehicle 1 (step S203). A timer built into the control unit 21 is used to count the elapsed time. The set time is set appropriately depending on the type of battery 180.

[0092] If it is determined that the set time has not elapsed (S203: NO), the control unit 21 waits until the set time has elapsed.

[0093] If it is determined that the set time has elapsed (S203: YES), the control unit 21 acquires the value of the battery voltage at that timing (step S204). The control unit 21 may acquire the value of the battery voltage by communicating with the electric vehicle 1.

[0094] The control unit 21 determines whether or not the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 based on the vehicle information acquired in step S201 and the battery voltage value acquired in step S204 (step S205). The determination method is the same as in the first embodiment, and the control unit 21 may determine whether or not the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 by comparing the distance from the drop-off point of the electric vehicle 1 to the charging station 3 with the distance that the electric vehicle 1 can travel.

[0095] The control unit 21 executes appropriate processing depending on the determination result of step S205. For example, if it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 (S205: YES) and the electric vehicle 1 has an autonomous travel function, the control unit 21 may instruct the electric vehicle 1 to autonomously travel to the charging station 3 (step S206). Alternatively, the control unit 21 may notify a terminal of a manager such as a collector or a service provider of information on the location of the abandoned electric vehicle 1.

[0096] If it is determined that the electric vehicle 1 cannot travel to the charging station 3 (S205: NO) and the electric vehicle 1 does not have an autonomous travel function, the control unit 21 may notify the terminal of a collector, a service provider, or other administrator of information about the location of the abandoned electric vehicle 1 (step S207). Alternatively, the control unit 21 may issue an alarm to the terminal of the user who abandoned the electric vehicle 1, or may issue an alarm from the notification unit 15 of the electric vehicle 1. Furthermore, the control unit 21 may instruct the electric vehicle 1 to autonomously travel to a nearby evacuation location.

[0097] As described above, in the second embodiment, whether or not the electric vehicle 1 can travel to the charging station 3 is determined based on the voltage information of the battery 180 after a set time has elapsed since the user finished riding the electric vehicle 1, thereby enabling a more accurate determination.

[0098] Since it may take 2 to 3 hours for the battery voltage to recover, the control unit 21 may determine whether the electric vehicle 1 is capable of traveling to the charging station 3 at the time the electric vehicle 1 is returned, and if it determines that the electric vehicle 1 is capable of traveling at that time, may instruct autonomous control, etc. If it determines that the electric vehicle 1 is not capable of traveling at that time, the control unit 21 may determine again after a set time has elapsed whether the electric vehicle 1 is capable of traveling to the charging station 3, and if it determines in the second determination that the electric vehicle 1 is capable of traveling, may instruct autonomous control, etc.

[0099] The disclosed embodiments are illustrative in all respects and are not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, and includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0100] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electric vehicle 2 Management device 3 Charging station 21 Control unit 22 Storage unit 23 Communication unit 24 Operation unit 25 Display unit 180 Battery PG Management program TB1 Vehicle management table TB2 Station management table

Claims

1. A management method for an electric vehicle sharing service, comprising the steps of: acquiring vehicle information including location information of an electric vehicle after a user has finished riding; and determining, based on the acquired vehicle information, whether the electric vehicle is able to travel to a charging station where a storage element mounted on the electric vehicle is charged.

2. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is equipped with a communication device and a measurement device that measures the position of the vehicle, and the computer acquires vehicle information from the communication device, the vehicle information including position information of the electric vehicle obtained from the measurement device and storage element information obtained from the storage element.

3. The management method according to claim 2, wherein the computer acquires, as the storage element information, information on the voltage of the storage element after a set time has elapsed since the user finished riding, and determines whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station based on the acquired voltage information and the vehicle information.

4. The management method according to claim 3, wherein the set time is set according to the type of the storage element.

5. The management method according to claim 2, wherein the computer calculates the amount of electricity that can be discharged from the storage element based on the storage element information acquired from the communication device, and determines whether the electric vehicle can travel to the charging station by comparing the distance that the electric vehicle can travel based on the calculated amount of electricity that can be discharged with the distance from the electric vehicle to the charging station.

6. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the computer instructs the electric vehicle to autonomously drive to the charging station when it determines that the electric vehicle is capable of driving to the charging station.

7. The management method according to claim 1, wherein the computer instructs the electric vehicle to autonomously drive to an evacuation location when it determines that the electric vehicle cannot drive to the charging station.

8. The management method according to claim 1, wherein, when the computer determines that the electric vehicle cannot travel to the charging station, the computer executes at least one of outputting an alarm, notifying the user, and notifying a manager of the electric vehicle.

9. A management device for an electric vehicle sharing service, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information including location information of an electric vehicle after a user has finished riding; and a determination unit that determines, based on the acquired vehicle information, whether the electric vehicle is able to travel to a charging station where a storage element mounted on the electric vehicle is charged.

10. A management program for an electric vehicle sharing service that causes a computer to execute the following process: acquire vehicle information including location information of an electric vehicle after a user has finished riding, and determine, based on the acquired vehicle information, whether or not the electric vehicle is able to travel to a charging station where a storage element mounted on the electric vehicle is charged.

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