Charging control system, charging control method, and program

Abstract

A charging control system (server (40)) comprises: a control unit (44) that performs, on first chargers, switching between a charging permission state in which charging is possible and a charging non-permission state in which charging is not possible and controlling of a current set value and performs, on second chargers, controlling of switching between the charging permission state and the charging non-permission state; a first charging capacity determination unit (45) that determines a first charging capacity that can be used in the first chargers; and a second charging capacity determination unit (46) that determines a second charging capacity that can be used in the second chargers. It is satisfied at least either that (i) the determined first charging capacity is a value obtained by subtracting the total of the rated current values of at least some of the second chargers from a current upper limit value or that (ii) the determined second charging capacity is a value obtained by subtracting the total of the current set values of at least some of the first chargers from the current upper limit value.

Description

Charging Control System, Charging Control Method, and Program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a charging control system, a charging control method, and a program for charging an electric vehicle by supplying power from a system.

[0002] In recent years, electric vehicles such as so-called electric cars that drive automobiles using electricity as a clean energy alternative to fossil fuels have become popular and are generally used more frequently. In an electric vehicle, the fuel of the vehicle is provided by the power charged in the storage battery, and charging of the vehicle is required instead of the supply of fossil fuels such as gasoline. As a technology related to such charging, for example, a charging system that can keep the total value of the power output from the charger below the upper limit value even when the upper limit value of the power fluctuates has been disclosed.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-46398

[0004] By the way, conventionally, appropriate charging may not have been performed. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a charging control system and the like that can perform more appropriate charging.

[0005] A charging control system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a charging control system for a plurality of chargers for charging an electric vehicle, which includes one or more first chargers whose current setting value can be changed and one or more second chargers whose current setting value cannot be changed, and which controls charging within a current upper limit, and which controls the switching between a charging permitted state where charging is possible and a charging prohibited state where charging is impossible, and controls the current setting value in the charging permitted state for the one or more first chargers, and controls the switching between the charging permitted state and the charging prohibited state for the one or more second chargers, a first charging capacity determination unit which determines the first charging capacity that can be used in the one or more first chargers, a second charging capacity determination unit which determines the second charging capacity that can be used in the one or more second chargers, a first charging necessity determination unit which determines whether each of the one or more first chargers needs to be charged, and a second charging necessity determination unit which determines whether each of the one or more second chargers needs to be charged, wherein the control unit controls at least some of the first chargers that have been determined to need charging, and controls the charging of the portion of the first chargers The first control command is generated to set the electrical appliance to the charging permission state, set the other first chargers, excluding at least some of the first chargers, to the charging permission state, and set the current setting value of each of the some first chargers so that the sum is the maximum within a range that does not exceed the first charging capacity. The second control command is generated to set at least some of the second chargers, in order of a predetermined priority among the one or more second chargers that are determined to require charging, to the charging permission state, within a range that the sum of their rated current values ​​does not exceed the second charging capacity, and set the other second chargers, excluding at least some of the second chargers, to the charging permission state. The one or more first chargers and the one or more second chargers are controlled by outputting the generated first control command and second control command, satisfying at least one of the following: (i) the determined first charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of at least some of the second chargers from the current upper limit, or (ii) the determined second charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the current setting values ​​of at least some of the first chargers from the current upper limit.

[0006] Furthermore, a charging control method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a charging control method performed by a computer to control charging within a current upper limit for a plurality of chargers for charging an electric vehicle, which includes one or more first chargers that can change the current setting value and one or more second chargers that cannot change the current setting value, and includes a control step of switching between a charging permitted state where charging is possible and a charging prohibited state where charging is impossible, and controlling the current setting value in the charging permitted state for the one or more first chargers, and controlling the switching between the charging permitted state and the charging prohibited state for the one or more second chargers, a first charging capacity determination step of determining a first charging capacity that can be used in the one or more first chargers, a second charging capacity determination step of determining a second charging capacity that can be used in the one or more second chargers, a first charging necessity determination step of determining whether each of the one or more first chargers needs to be charged, and a second charging necessity determination step of determining whether each of the one or more second chargers needs to be charged, wherein the control step (i) The first control command is generated to set the charging permitted state for at least some of the one or more first chargers that are determined to require charging, the charging prohibited state for the other first chargers excluding those at least some first chargers, and to set the current setting value for each of those at least some first chargers to the maximum value within a range where the sum does not exceed the first charging capacity. The second control command is generated to set the charging permitted state for at least some of the one or more second chargers that are determined to require charging, in order of a predetermined priority, within a range where the sum of the rated current values ​​does not exceed the second charging capacity, and to set the charging prohibited state for the other second chargers excluding those at least some second chargers. The first control command and the second control command are output to control the one or more first chargers and the one or more second chargers, and (i) the determined first charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of at least some of the second chargers from the current upper limit, or(ii) The determined second charging capacity satisfies at least one of the following conditions: the sum of the current setting values ​​of at least some of the first chargers is the value obtained by subtracting the current upper limit.

[0007] Furthermore, a program according to one aspect of this disclosure can be implemented as a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described charging control method.

[0008] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a charging control system, etc., enables more appropriate charging.

[0009] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the charging control system according to the embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between each current value according to the embodiment. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the charging control system according to the embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the operation of the charging control system according to the embodiment. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between each current amount according to a modified example of the embodiment. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the charging control system according to a modified example of the embodiment.

[0010] (Background to Disclosure) In recent years, electric vehicles have become widespread, and their use is increasing in situations where multiple vehicles are used, such as company cars and car sharing. In such applications, it is necessary to charge multiple electric vehicles using multiple chargers. However, when charging multiple electric vehicles using multiple chargers, there is a possibility that an excessive amount of power may be temporarily required, potentially exceeding the maximum current limit (current limit) set for each charger. A controller is needed that adjusts the power supplied from each charger while taking this current limit into consideration. There are Mode 2 chargers, where the current setting value cannot be changed, and Mode 3 chargers, where the current setting value can be changed. When controlling multiple chargers, if Mode 2 and Mode 3 chargers are mixed, it has not been possible to control each charger while considering the current limit and ensuring appropriate charging.

[0011] Therefore, this disclosure describes a charging control system that controls each charger while considering the current upper limit in a group of chargers where Mode 2 chargers (hereinafter referred to as the second charger) and Mode 3 chargers (hereinafter referred to as the first charger) are mixed, thereby achieving more appropriate charging.

[0012] In this embodiment, a charger that has completed charging will be used as an example of a charger that does not require charging. For other examples of chargers that do not require charging, such as a charger with the electric vehicle removed (not connected), the same explanation will hold if "charging completed" is replaced with "charging interrupted" in the following description. Alternatively, if both a charger that has completed charging and a charger with the electric vehicle removed (not connected) are used as examples of chargers that do not require charging, the same explanation will hold if "charging completed" is replaced with "charging does not require charging" in the following description.

[0013] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection configurations of components, steps, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Furthermore, components in the following embodiments that are not described in an independent claim will be described as optional components.

[0014] Please note that each figure is a schematic diagram and not necessarily a strictly accurate representation. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0015] In this disclosure, the charging of an electric vehicle using a charger may sometimes be simply referred to as "charging the charger."

[0016] (Embodiment) [Charging Control System] First, the various components of the charging control system in the embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the charging control system according to the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 1 shows, in addition to the server 40 that constitutes the charging control system, a plurality of electric vehicles 20a to 20d, a plurality of first chargers 30a to 30b, a plurality of second chargers 30c to 30d, a grid power supply 60 for supplying power to the plurality of first chargers 30a to 30b and the plurality of second chargers 30c to 30d, and a distribution board 61.

[0018] Furthermore, although not shown in Figure 1, in addition to the first chargers 30a and 30b, there are several other first chargers (not shown) connected to the distribution board 61 and the controller 31. Accordingly, there are several electric vehicles and batteries mounted on these electric vehicles. In other words, the multiple first chargers 30a to 30b include these first chargers (not shown), and the multiple electric vehicles 20a to 20b include these electric vehicles (not shown). Similarly, although not shown in Figure 1, in addition to the second chargers 30c and 30d, there are several second chargers (not shown) connected to the distribution board 61 and the controller 31. Accordingly, there are several electric vehicles and batteries mounted on these electric vehicles. In other words, the multiple second chargers 30c to 30d include these second chargers (not shown), and the multiple electric vehicles 20c to 20d include these electric vehicles (not shown).

[0019] As described above, the server 40 is an example of a charging control system, and can change whether or not current is supplied from the distribution board 61 by issuing commands to multiple connected first chargers 30a to 30b and multiple second chargers 30c to 30d. The server then issues the above commands to the multiple first chargers 30a to 30b and multiple second chargers 30c to 30d so that the total current supplied is always less than or equal to the upper limit.

[0020] The grid power source 60 is managed by the power supply company and is the supply end when supplying electricity to contracted consumers.

[0021] The distribution board 61 receives power from the grid power supply 60 and has the function of distributing power to each power line within the customer. Multiple first chargers 30a to 30b and multiple second chargers 30c to 30d are connected to one or more of these power lines.

[0022] Each of the multiple first chargers 30a to 30b supplies power to each of the electric vehicles 20a to 20b and charges each of the storage batteries 21a to 21b installed in each of the electric vehicles 20a to 20b. In addition, each of the multiple second chargers 30c to 30d supplies power to each of the electric vehicles 20c to 20d and charges each of the storage batteries 21c to 21d installed in each of the electric vehicles 20c to 20d.

[0023] Hereinafter, when the first chargers 30a to 30b are not distinguished from each other, they will simply be referred to as "first charger 30a". Similarly, when the first chargers 30c to 30d are not distinguished from each other, they will simply be referred to as "first charger". When the second chargers 30c to 30d are not distinguished from each other, they will simply be referred to as "second charger". When the first chargers and second chargers are not distinguished from each other, they will simply be referred to as "charger". When the electric vehicles 20a to 20d are not distinguished from each other, they will simply be referred to as "electric vehicle", and when the storage batteries 21a to 21d are not distinguished from each other, they will simply be referred to as "storage battery".

[0024] Charging an electric vehicle means charging the battery installed in the electric vehicle. Therefore, each of the multiple chargers can switch between a charge-permitted state where charging is possible and a charge-disabled state where charging is not possible. Furthermore, in the charge-permitted state, each charger operates in either a charging mode, where charging is actually performed, or a standby mode, where no charging is performed. The charging mode is the operating mode that operates, for example, when a battery that is not fully charged (needs charging) is connected to the charger. The standby mode is the operating mode that operates, for example, when a fully charged battery is connected to the charger, or when no battery is connected to the charger, i.e., when charging is not required.

[0025] The first charger 30a is connected to the electric vehicle 20a and charges the electric vehicle 20a. In other words, the first charger 30a charges the battery 21a of the electric vehicle 20a. However, the first charger 30a does not have to be dedicated to the electric vehicle 20a, and may also charge electric vehicles 20b, 20c, and 20d.

[0026] In addition to switching between a charging-permitted state where charging is possible and a charging-disallowed state where charging is not possible, the first charger 30a can adjust the current setting value, which is the amount of current supplied to the electric vehicle 20a, when charging is permitted.

[0027] The first charger 30b is connected to the electric vehicle 20b and charges the electric vehicle 20b. In other words, the first charger 30b charges the battery 21b of the electric vehicle 20b. However, the first charger 30b does not have to be dedicated to the electric vehicle 20b, and may also charge electric vehicles 20a, 20c, and 20d.

[0028] In addition to switching between a charging-permitted state where charging is possible and a charging-disallowed state where charging is not possible, the first charger 30b can adjust the current setting value, which is the amount of current supplied to the electric vehicle 20b, when charging is permitted.

[0029] The second charger 30c is connected to the electric vehicle 20c and charges the electric vehicle 20c. In other words, the second charger 30c charges the battery 21c of the electric vehicle 20c. However, the second charger 30c does not have to be dedicated to the electric vehicle 20c, and may also charge electric vehicles 20a, 20b, and 20d.

[0030] The second charger 30c can only switch between a charging-permitted state where charging is possible and a charging-disallowed state where charging is not possible, and it cannot adjust the current setting value. Therefore, when the charging-permitted state is reached, the second charger 30c charges the electric vehicle 20c with a current equal to its rated current.

[0031] The second charger 30d is connected to the electric vehicle 20d and charges the electric vehicle 20d. In other words, the second charger 30d charges the battery 21d of the electric vehicle 20d. However, the second charger 30d does not have to be dedicated to the electric vehicle 20d and may also charge the electric vehicle 20c.

[0032] The second charger 30d can only switch between a charging-permitted state where charging is possible and a charging-disallowed state where charging is not possible, and it cannot adjust the current setting value. Therefore, when the charging-permitted state is reached, the second charger 30d charges the electric vehicle 20d with a current equal to its rated current.

[0033] Electric vehicles are vehicles that utilize battery power for propulsion, such as electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

[0034] The controller 31 is connected to each of the multiple chargers and issues commands to each of the multiple chargers regarding switching the operating state from the server 40, issues commands to each of the multiple first chargers to change the current setting value, and obtains information such as the cumulative value of the current used for charging and the current operating mode from each charger. The controller 31 is connected to the network 50 and can communicate with the server 40 over the network 50. Therefore, the controller 31 can obtain commands from the server 40 regarding switching the operating state and commands to change the current setting value over the network 50, and can transmit the obtained information to the server 40 over the network 50.

[0035] Network 50 is a communication network such as a wide-area communication network like the Internet, or a local communication network like an intranet. Network 50 can be any communication network as long as it can maintain communication between the controller 31 and the server 40. Network 50 can be configured appropriately depending on the implementation form of the server 40 (edge ​​server or cloud server, etc.).

[0036] Server 40 is an information processing server implemented by an edge server or cloud server. Server 40 comprises one or more processors and memory, and functions as a charging control system when a predetermined program stored in memory is executed by one or more processors. Server 40 also functions as an information storage server and can store settings and other information set by the administrator of the charging control system. Therefore, Server 40 also includes a storage unit (not shown). Note that the storage unit may be implemented by an information storage server different from Server 40. In other words, the charging control system does not necessarily have to include a storage unit itself. The charging control system may be configured to access an external information storage server as needed and to input and output information to and from the storage unit of the information storage server.

[0037] The server 40 has at least five functional parts as functional parts of the charging control system: a control unit 44, a first charging capacity determination unit 45, a second charging capacity determination unit 46, a first charging necessity determination unit 47, and a second charging necessity determination unit 48.

[0038] The control unit 44 is a functional part that switches chargers assigned to switch to the charge-permitted state to the charge-permitted state, and switches chargers not assigned to switch to the charge-permitted state to the charge-denied state. The control unit 44 transmits commands related to switching the operating state for switching the state over the network 50. Note that switching to the charge-permitted state includes switching from the charge-denied state to the charge-permitted state, and maintaining the charge-permitted state without switching from the charge-permitted state. Similarly, switching to the charge-denied state includes switching from the charge-permitted state to the charge-denied state, and maintaining the charge-denied state without switching from the charge-denied state. In other words, switching is a concept that specifies the resulting state after switching, and also includes the possibility of not actually performing the switching by comparing the resulting state with the current state.

[0039] Furthermore, the control unit 44 also includes a function to set the current setting value for the first charger, which is switched to the charge-permit state. Therefore, the command for switching the operating state to switch the state of the first charger also includes a command for changing the current setting value. On the other hand, since the current setting value cannot be set for the second charger, the command for switching the operating state to switch the state of the second charger does not include a command for changing the current setting value. Hereinafter, the command for the first charger generated by the control unit 44 will be referred to as the first control command, and the command for the second charger generated by the control unit 44 will be referred to as the second control command.

[0040] The first charge capacity determination unit 45 is a functional part that determines the first charge capacity that can be used in the first charger. The first charge capacity can also be described as the total amount of current allocated to the entire first charger. The control unit 44 generates a first control command for the first charger within a range that does not exceed this first charge capacity (less than or equal to the first charge capacity). The first charge capacity may be determined, for example, to match the current upper limit, or it may be determined by a value arbitrarily set by the administrator of the charge control system. For example, the first charge capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charge capacity by reading the current upper limit or an arbitrarily set value stored in the memory unit. The current upper limit or the arbitrarily set value is stored in the memory unit after being input in advance by the administrator of the charge control system.

[0041] Furthermore, the first charging capacity may be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1, which is arbitrarily set by the administrator of the charging control system. For example, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 reads out the distribution ratio stored in the memory unit. As an example, if the distribution ratio is 1 / 2, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charging capacity by multiplying the current limit by 1 / 2. The distribution ratio is stored in the memory unit after being input in advance by the administrator of the charging control system.

[0042] Furthermore, the first charging capacity may be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the number of first chargers and the number of second chargers. For example, if there are three first chargers and two second chargers, the distribution ratio is 3 / (3+2) = 3 / 5. In other words, the distribution ratio in this case can be said to be the ratio of the number of first chargers to the number of second chargers. For example, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charging capacity by multiplying the current limit by 3 / 5. The number of first chargers and the number of second chargers are obtained by counting the number of chargers registered on the server.

[0043] Furthermore, the first charging capacity may be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the total rated current values ​​of all chargers in the first and all chargers in the second. The total rated current value is the sum of the rated current values ​​of all chargers of that type. The rated current value of each charger is obtained by reading it from the memory unit. For example, if the first charger contains only one charger with a rated current value of 30A and one charger with a rated current value of 20A, the total rated current value of the first charger is 50A. Also, if the second charger contains only three chargers with a rated current value of 30A, the total rated current value of the second charger is 90A. Furthermore, if the total rated current value of the first charger is 50A and the total rated current value of the second charger is 90A, the distribution ratio is 50 / (50+90) = 5 / 14. In other words, the distribution ratio in this case can be said to be the ratio of the total rated current values ​​of the first and second chargers. For example, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charging capacity by multiplying the current upper limit by 5 / 14. The rated current values ​​of each of the first and second chargers are stored in the storage unit at the same time as the chargers are registered with the server, based on input from the administrator of the charging control system.

[0044] The determination of the first charging capacity by the above-described first charging capacity determination unit 45 is made before the second charging capacity. In this embodiment, based on the determined first charging capacity, the current setting value actually used for charging is changed according to the necessity of charging for each first charger (although omitted below, the change also includes maintaining), and after such change, the second charging capacity is determined by the difference between the sum of the current upper limit value and the current setting value. That is, prior to the determination of the second charging capacity, it is necessary to change the current setting value for each first charger for calculating the total value, and prior to changing the current setting value, it is necessary to determine the first charging capacity that is the upper limit thereof.

[0045] The second charging capacity determination unit 46 is a functional part that determines the second charging capacity that can be used in the second charger so as to satisfy that it is a value obtained by subtracting the sum of the current setting values of the first chargers from the current upper limit value. Therefore, after the first control command is generated, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 acquires the first control command, calculates the sum of the current setting values of the first chargers, and determines the second charging capacity by subtracting the calculated sum of the current setting values from the current upper limit value. The second charging capacity can also be said to be the total amount of current allocated to the entire second charger. The control unit 44 generates a second control command for the second charger within a range not exceeding this second charging capacity (less than or equal to the second charging capacity).

[0046] The relationship among the current upper limit value, the first charging capacity, the sum of the set current values of the first chargers, and the second charging capacity is as shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship among the respective current amounts according to the embodiment. In FIG. 2, the first series, the second series, and the third series are shown in order from the upper side of the paper surface. The first series corresponds to the current upper limit value, the second series corresponds to the current amount related to the first charger, and the third series corresponds to the current amount related to the second charger. The current amount related to the first charger in the second series further has the upper stage corresponding to the first charging capacity and the lower stage corresponding to the sum of the set current values of the first chargers. Also, the current amount related to the second charger in the third series further has the upper stage corresponding to the second charging capacity and the lower stage corresponding to the sum of the rated current values of the second chargers set in the charge permission state among the second chargers.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 2, the total of the set current values of the first chargers set to the charge permission state among the first chargers is set so as not to exceed the first charge capacity. Also, the total of the rated current values of the second chargers set to the charge permission state among the second chargers is set so as not to exceed the second charge capacity. And, the remainder obtained by subtracting the total of the set current values of the first chargers from the current upper limit value is the second charge capacity, and compared with the case of simply dividing the current upper limit value into the first charge capacity and the second charge capacity for charge control, duplication is provided between the first charge capacity and the second charge capacity, and the current amount within the current upper limit value can be utilized more efficiently.

[0048] As described above, since the first charge capacity is determined first, if the connection state of the electric vehicle to the first charger changes and the first charge capacity is determined (updated) to a value different from the previous one, accordingly, the total of the set current values of the first chargers changes, and as a result, the second charge capacity is redetermined so as to absorb the change. For example, when the first charge capacity is expanded compared to before, the total of the set current values of the first chargers is likely to increase. And if the total of the set current values of the first chargers increases, the second charge capacity is redetermined to decrease by that amount. Conversely, when the first charge capacity is reduced compared to before, the total of the set current values of the first chargers is likely to decrease. And if the total of the set current values of the first chargers decreases, the second charge capacity is redetermined to increase by that amount.

[0049] Returning to FIG. 1, the first charge necessity determination unit 47 is a functional part that determines the necessity of charging for each of the first chargers. The first charge necessity determination unit 47 determines that a first charger, among the first chargers, to which an electric vehicle is connected and the connected electric vehicle is in a chargeable state, that is, a state where the storage battery is not fully charged, is a first charger for which charging is necessary. Conversely, the first charge necessity determination unit 47 determines that a first charger, among the first chargers, to which an electric vehicle is not connected, and a first charger, to which an electric vehicle is connected and the connected electric vehicle is in a non-chargeable state, that is, a state where the storage battery is fully charged, is a first charger for which charging is unnecessary.

[0050] The first charger can simultaneously charge all first chargers that it has determined to require charging. For example, to equalize the charging opportunities for all first chargers, the current setting value can be set to divide the first charging capacity equally among the first chargers that require charging. When dividing equally, if the minimum adjustment unit of the current setting value is 3A, 2A, or 1A, there may be differences smaller than this minimum adjustment unit, but even first chargers with such differences smaller than this minimum adjustment unit are considered to have "equal" current setting values. Alternatively, the current setting value may be changed proportionally to the elapsed time since the start of charging, with the proportion increasing as the elapsed time decreases and decreasing as the elapsed time increases. In this way, because the first charger can change the current setting value, it can be controlled so that there are no first chargers that require charging but are not being charged according to the first charging capacity.

[0051] The second charging necessity determination unit 48 is a functional part that determines whether each of the second chargers needs to be charged. The second charging necessity determination unit 48 determines that a second charger to which an electric vehicle is connected and the connected electric vehicle is in a state where it can be charged, that is, a state where the battery is not fully charged, is a second charger that needs to be charged. Conversely, it determines that a second charger to which an electric vehicle is not connected, and a second charger to which an electric vehicle is connected and the connected electric vehicle is in a state where it cannot be charged, that is, a state where the battery is fully charged, is a second charger that does not need to be charged.

[0052] Furthermore, the second charging necessity determination unit 48 determines that a second charger is charging if a predetermined period has not elapsed since the start of charging. It then determines that a second charger is not charging if a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of charging. In this way, a second charger can be managed as one that requires charging until a predetermined period has elapsed from the start of charging, and can be managed as one that does not require charging after the predetermined period has elapsed. In other words, the second charger that requires charging can be rotated using the predetermined period as the cycle length. To put it another way, the second charger can be rotated by the second charging necessity determination unit 48.

[0053] The second charger may not be able to simultaneously charge all of the second chargers that it has determined to require charging. For example, if the second charging capacity is 40A and three second chargers with a rated current of 30A are determined to require charging, only one of the three second chargers can be charged in order to not exceed the second charging capacity. In this way, because the current setting value of the second charger cannot be changed, there may be second chargers that are not charged according to the second charging capacity even though they require charging. In this embodiment, in such cases, the system is configured to charge the maximum number of second chargers in the order of priority set in advance, as long as the sum of their rated currents does not exceed the second charging capacity. This priority may be a static order arbitrarily set by the administrator of the charging control system, but here we will describe an example where the order is dynamic and changes during the charging operation.

[0054] In this embodiment, the priority order is determined according to the change in the determination result of whether or not charging is necessary after a predetermined period has elapsed, in order to realize rotating charging. For example, if it is determined that charging is unnecessary after a predetermined period has elapsed, the priority of that second charger is set to a lower priority than before the determination was made. On the other hand, if a second charger that replaced one of the second chargers that has become unnecessary to charge is determined to require charging after a predetermined period has elapsed, the priority of that second charger is set to a higher priority than before the determination was made.

[0055] Alternatively, a second charger that has just started charging due to the output of a second control command may be set to a higher priority than when it started charging. In this case, a second charger that has just started charging can be said to have a relatively large amount of charging capacity (i.e., the amount of charge required to fully charge the battery), and can be given priority over other chargers. Conversely, a second charger that has been charging for a long time since it started charging due to the output of a second control command may be set to a lower priority than when it started charging. For example, the priority may change so that the rank decreases inversely proportional to the elapsed time since the start of charging. Furthermore, both setting the priority based on the above determination result and setting the priority based on the start of charging may be applied.

[0056] [Operation] The charging control system described above operates as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the charging control system according to the embodiment. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a specific example of the operation of the charging control system according to the embodiment. Figure 4 shows a diagram similar to that of Figure 2, but here specific numerical values ​​for the current are shown.

[0057] In the following explanation of operation, it is assumed that three first chargers with a rated current of 30A and three second chargers with a rated current of 15A are connected as the targets of control. However, it is assumed that electric vehicles are connected to two of the three first chargers, and electric vehicles are connected to all three second chargers, with the battery of one of the electric vehicles connected to that charger being fully charged.

[0058] As shown in Figure 3, first, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charging capacity (S101). Here, as shown in Figure 4, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charging capacity to match the current upper limit of 90A. Then, the first charging necessity determination unit 47 determines whether the first charger needs to be charged (S102). Here, it is determined that charging is necessary for the two of the three first chargers to which electric vehicles are connected, and charging is unnecessary for the one to which no electric vehicle is connected. When the first charging capacity is then equally allocated to the two first chargers to which charging is necessary, it is determined that charging is possible if the current is 45A or less for each. Since the rated current value of the first charger is 30A, the current setting value for these two first chargers is set to 30A.

[0059] The control unit 44 generates a first control command indicating the above (S103). Specifically, the control unit 44 generates a control command to switch each of the two first chargers that have been determined to require charging to a charging permission state with a current setting of 30A, and generates a control command to switch the one first charger that has been determined not to require charging to a charging permission state.

[0060] Next, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 determines the second charging capacity (S104). Here, as shown in Figure 4, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 determines 30A as the second charging capacity by subtracting the sum of the set current values ​​of the first charger (60A) from the current upper limit value of 90A. Then, the second charging necessity determination unit 48 determines whether the second charger needs to be charged (S105). Here, it is determined that charging is unnecessary for one of the three second chargers to which an electric vehicle with a fully charged battery is connected, and charging is necessary for the other two. In other words, here, the priority of the one of the three second chargers to which an electric vehicle with a fully charged battery is connected is set low, and the relative priority of the other two is set high. Then, when the rated current values ​​of each second charger are added in order of priority, it becomes 15A for the first charger, 30A for the second charger, and 45A for the third charger, so if there are two chargers, charging can be performed within a range that does not exceed the second charging capacity.

[0061] The control unit 44 generates a second control command indicating the above (S106). Specifically, the control unit 44 generates a control command to switch each of the two second chargers with higher priority to the charging permission state, and generates a control command to switch the one second charger with lower priority to the charging permission state. After that, the control unit 44 transmits the generated first and second control commands to control each charger (S107). Through the above operation, even when there is a mix of chargers, such as the first and second chargers, which have different current setting capabilities, it becomes possible to control charging appropriately.

[0062] [Modified Examples] Next, a modified charging control system according to the above embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a diagram showing the relationships between each current amount according to the modified embodiment. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the charging control system according to the modified embodiment.

[0063] In this modified example, the priority given to the first charger and the second charger differs from that of the above-described embodiment. Specifically, in the above-described embodiment, an example was described in which the first charging capacity is determined, a current setting value is set for each first charger, and the second charging capacity is determined by the remaining current relative to the current upper limit. In this modified example, an example is described in which the second charging capacity is determined, each second charger is charged, and the first charging capacity is determined by the remaining current relative to the current upper limit. Note that in this modified example, the operation of the first charging capacity determination unit 45 and the second charging capacity determination unit 46 is different. Therefore, if the first charging capacity determination unit 45 and the second charging capacity determination unit 46 are capable of operating in both the above-described embodiment and this modified example, it is possible to realize a charging control system that can switch between the operation of the above-described embodiment and the operation of this modified example.

[0064] In this modified example, the second charge capacity determination unit 46 is a functional part that determines the second charge capacity available in the second charger. The second charge capacity may be determined, for example, to match the current upper limit, or it may be determined by a value arbitrarily set by the administrator of the charge control system. For example, the second charge capacity determination unit 46 determines the second charge capacity by reading the current upper limit or an arbitrarily set value stored in the storage unit. The current upper limit or the arbitrarily set value is stored in the storage unit after being input in advance by the administrator of the charge control system.

[0065] Furthermore, the second charging capacity may be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1, which is arbitrarily set by the administrator of the charging control system. For example, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 reads out a distribution ratio stored in the memory unit. As an example, if the distribution ratio is 1 / 2, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 determines the second charging capacity by multiplying the current limit by 1 / 2. The distribution ratio is stored in the memory unit after being input in advance by the administrator of the charging control system.

[0066] Furthermore, the second charging capacity may be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the number of first chargers and the number of second chargers. For example, if there are three first chargers and two second chargers, the distribution ratio is 2 / (3+2) = 2 / 5. In other words, the distribution ratio in this case can be said to be the ratio of the number of first chargers to the number of second chargers. For example, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 determines the second charging capacity by multiplying the current limit by 2 / 5.

[0067] Furthermore, the second charging capacity may be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the total rated current values ​​of all first chargers and all second chargers. For example, if the total rated current value of the first charger is 50A and the total rated current value of the second charger is 90A, the distribution ratio is 90 / (50+90) = 9 / 14. In other words, the distribution ratio in this case can be said to be the ratio of the total rated current values ​​of the first charger and the second charger. For example, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 determines the second charging capacity by multiplying the current limit by 9 / 14.

[0068] The determination of the second charging capacity by the second charging capacity determination unit 46 described above is made before the determination of the first charging capacity. This is because, in this modified example, based on the determined second charging capacity, charging is actually performed according to whether or not each of the second chargers needs to be charged, and the first charging capacity is determined by the difference between the current upper limit and the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second chargers that are performing the charging. In other words, prior to determining the first charging capacity, it is necessary to determine which second chargers will perform the charging in order to calculate the total value, and in order to determine which second chargers will perform the charging, it is necessary to determine the second charging capacity which is an upper limit so as not to exceed the sum of their respective rated current values.

[0069] In this modified example, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 is a functional part that determines the first charging capacity usable by the first charger such that it satisfies the condition that the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger on which charging is performed is subtracted from the current upper limit. Therefore, the first charging capacity determination unit 45 acquires the second control command after it is generated, calculates the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger on which charging is performed, and determines the first charging capacity by subtracting the calculated sum of rated current values ​​from the current upper limit.

[0070] The relationship between the current limit, the first charging capacity, the sum of the set current values ​​of the first charger, and the second charging capacity in this modified example is shown in Figure 5. Figure 5 shows a diagram similar to that in Figure 2.

[0071] As shown in Figure 5, the first charging capacity is the remainder obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger that is set to the charging permission state from the current upper limit. Compared to simply dividing the current upper limit into the first and second charging capacities for charging control, the overlap between the first and second charging capacities allows for more efficient use of the current within the current upper limit.

[0072] As described above, the second charging capacity is determined first. Therefore, if the connection status of the electric vehicle to the second charger changes and the second charging capacity is determined (updated) to a different value than before, the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger that is charging will change accordingly. As a result, the first charging capacity will be readjusted to absorb that change. For example, if the second charging capacity is increased compared to before, the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger that is charging is likely to increase. And if the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger that is charging increases, the first charging capacity will be readjusted to decrease by that amount. Conversely, if the second charging capacity is decreased compared to before, the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger that is charging is likely to decrease. And if the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger that is charging decreases, the first charging capacity will be readjusted to increase by that amount.

[0073] The operation of the charging control system in this modified example follows the flowchart shown in Figure 6.

[0074] As shown in Figure 6, first, the second charging capacity determination unit 46 determines the second charging capacity (S201). Then, the second charging necessity determination unit 48 determines whether the second charger needs to be charged (S202). Then, the rated current values ​​of each second charger are added up in order of priority, and the second charger that can charge within a range that does not exceed the second charging capacity is determined. The control unit 44 generates a second control command indicating the above (S203).

[0075] Next, the first charge capacity determination unit 45 determines the first charge capacity (S204). Then, the first charge necessity determination unit 47 determines whether the first charger needs to be charged (S205). The first charge capacity is then evenly distributed among the first chargers that are determined to need charging. If the allocated value is equal to or greater than the rated current value of the first charger, the rated current value is set as the current setting value. If the allocated value is less than the rated current value of the first charger, the allocated value is set as the current setting value.

[0076] The control unit 44 generates a first control command indicating the above (S206). Subsequently, the control unit 44 transmits the generated first and second control commands to control each charger (S207). Through the above operation, even when chargers with different current setting capabilities, such as the first and second chargers, are mixed together, appropriate charging control becomes possible.

[0077] [Effects, etc.] As described above, the charging control system (server 40) according to the first embodiment is a charging control system that controls charging within a current upper limit for a plurality of chargers for charging an electric vehicle, including one or more first chargers whose current setting value can be changed and one or more second chargers whose current setting value cannot be changed, and controls charging within a current upper limit for one or more first chargers, and controls the switching between a charging permitted state where charging is possible and a charging prohibited state where charging is impossible and controls the current setting value in the charging permitted state for one or more first chargers, and controls the switching between the charging permitted state and the charging prohibited state for one or more second chargers, a first charging capacity determination unit 45 that determines the first charging capacity that can be used in one or more first chargers, a second charging capacity determination unit 46 that determines the second charging capacity that can be used in one or more second chargers, a first charging necessity determination unit 47 that determines whether each of the one or more first chargers needs to be charged, and a second charging necessity determination unit 48 that determines whether each of the one or more second chargers needs to be charged, and the control unit 44 controls at least one of the one or more first chargers that has been determined to need charging. The system generates a first control command to set some of the first chargers to a charging permission state, to set the other first chargers (excluding at least some of the first chargers) to a charging permission state, and to set the current setting value for each of the first chargers to the maximum possible value while not exceeding the first charging capacity. The system generates a second control command to set at least some of the second chargers (the maximum number of which are determined to require charging, in order of priority as set in advance) to a charging permission state, while not exceeding the second charging capacity, and to set the other second chargers (excluding at least some of the second chargers) to a charging permission state. The system controls one or more first chargers and one or more second chargers by outputting the generated first and second control commands, satisfying at least one of the following conditions: (i) the determined first charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of at least some of the second chargers from the current limit, or (ii) the determined second charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the current setting values ​​of at least some of the first chargers from the current limit.

[0078] With such a charging control system, the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity can be determined for both the first charger, which has a changeable current setting, and the second charger, which does not have a changeable current setting, and these can be set as the upper limits for each charger. The first charging capacity is not simply the current upper limit minus the second charging capacity, but can be, for example, the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger set to the charging permission state, thereby reducing the amount of the determined second charging capacity that is not actually used for charging. Alternatively, the second charging capacity is not simply the current upper limit minus the first charging capacity, but can be, for example, the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the set current values ​​of the first charger set to the charging permission state, thereby reducing the amount of the determined first charging capacity that is not actually used for charging. Therefore, as much capacity as possible can be allocated to charging within the current upper limit, enabling more appropriate charging.

[0079] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the second embodiment is the charging control system according to the first embodiment, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined to match the current upper limit, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined to satisfy (i) or (ii).

[0080] According to this, the second charging capacity can be determined to match the current limit, and at that time, the first charging capacity can be set to the current limit minus the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger set to the charging permission state. Alternatively, the first charging capacity can be determined to match the current limit, and at that time, the second charging capacity can be set to the current limit minus the sum of the set current values ​​of the first charger set to the charging permission state. Thus, more appropriate charging becomes possible.

[0081] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the third embodiment is the charging control system described in the first embodiment, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by an arbitrarily set value, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

[0082] According to this, the second charging capacity can be determined by an arbitrarily set value, and at that time, the first charging capacity can be set to the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger set to the charging permission state from the current upper limit. Alternatively, the first charging capacity can be determined by an arbitrarily set value, and at that time, the second charging capacity can be set to the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the set current values ​​of the first charger set to the charging permission state from the current upper limit. Therefore, more appropriate charging becomes possible.

[0083] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the fourth embodiment is the charging control system according to the first embodiment, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by multiplying the current upper limit by an arbitrarily set allocation ratio of less than 1, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

[0084] According to this, the second charging capacity can be determined by multiplying the current limit by an arbitrarily set allocation ratio of less than 1, and at that time, the first charging capacity can be set to the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second charger set to the charging permission state from the current limit. Alternatively, the first charging capacity can be determined by multiplying the current limit by an arbitrarily set allocation ratio of less than 1, and at that time, the second charging capacity can be set to the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the set current values ​​of the first charger set to the charging permission state from the current limit. Therefore, more appropriate charging becomes possible.

[0085] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the fifth embodiment is the charging control system according to the first embodiment, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by multiplying the current upper limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the number of first chargers and the number of second chargers, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

[0086] According to this, the second charging capacity can be determined by multiplying the current limit value by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the number of first chargers (one or more) and the number of second chargers (one or more), and in that case, the first charging capacity can be set to the current limit value minus the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second chargers set to the charging permission state. Alternatively, the first charging capacity can be determined by multiplying the current limit value by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the number of first chargers (one or more) and the number of second chargers (one or more), and in that case, the second charging capacity can be set to the current limit value minus the sum of the set current values ​​of the first chargers set to the charging permission state. Thus, more appropriate charging becomes possible.

[0087] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the sixth embodiment is the charging control system according to the first embodiment, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by multiplying the current upper limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the total rated current value of all one or more first chargers and the total rated current value of all one or more second chargers, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

[0088] According to this, the second charging capacity can be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the total rated current value of all one or more first chargers and the total rated current value of all one or more second chargers, and in that case, the first charging capacity can be set to the current limit minus the sum of the rated current values ​​of the second chargers set to the charging permission state. Alternatively, the first charging capacity can be determined by multiplying the current limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the total rated current value of all one or more first chargers and the total rated current value of all one or more second chargers, and in that case, the second charging capacity can be set to the current limit minus the sum of the set current values ​​of the first chargers set to the charging permission state. Thus, more appropriate charging becomes possible.

[0089] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the seventh embodiment is a charging control system described in any one of the first to sixth embodiments, wherein, among one or more first chargers and one or more second chargers, the charger to which an electric vehicle is connected and which is in a state where the connected electric vehicle can be charged is determined to require charging.

[0090] According to this, a charger that has an electric vehicle connected to it and that has the connected electric vehicle ready for charging can determine that charging is necessary.

[0091] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the eighth embodiment is a charging control system described in any one of the first to seventh embodiments, wherein, among one or more second chargers, a charger for which a predetermined period has not elapsed since the start of charging is determined to require charging, and a charger for which a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of charging is determined to not require charging.

[0092] According to this, it is possible to determine that a charger that has not yet passed a predetermined period since the start of charging needs to be charged, and that a charger that has passed a predetermined period since the start of charging does not need to be charged.

[0093] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the ninth embodiment is a charging control system described in any one of the first to eighth embodiments, wherein the control unit 44 generates a first control command that sets current setting values ​​equally to each of the part of the first chargers so that the total is the maximum value within a range that does not exceed the first charging capacity.

[0094] According to this, a first control command can be generated that sets current setting values ​​equally to each of the first chargers, such that the total is the maximum possible without exceeding the first charging capacity.

[0095] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the tenth embodiment is a charging control system described in any one of the first to ninth embodiments, wherein the priority is set lower when it is determined that charging is unnecessary than it was before the determination was made.

[0096] According to this, when it is determined that charging is unnecessary, a lower priority can be set than before that determination was made.

[0097] Furthermore, for example, the charging control system according to the 11th embodiment is a charging control system described in any one of the first to tenth embodiments, wherein the priority is set higher when charging is newly started by outputting a second control command than it was before charging was started.

[0098] According to this, when charging is initiated by the output of a second control command, a higher priority can be set than before the charging was initiated.

[0099] Furthermore, for example, the charging control method according to the 12th embodiment is a charging control method performed by a computer to control charging within a current upper limit for a plurality of chargers for charging an electric vehicle, which includes one or more first chargers whose current setting value can be changed and one or more second chargers whose current setting value cannot be changed, and which switches between a charging permitted state where charging is possible and a charging prohibited state where charging is impossible, and controls the current setting value in the charging permitted state for one or more first chargers, and controls the switching between the charging permitted state and the charging prohibited state for one or more chargers. The control step includes a control step (step S107) performed on the second charger, a first charge capacity determination step (step S101) for determining the first charge capacity that can be used in one or more first chargers, a second charge capacity determination step (step S104) for determining the second charge capacity that can be used in one or more second chargers, a first charge necessity determination step (step S102) for determining whether each of the one or more first chargers needs to be charged, and a second charge necessity determination step (step S105) for determining whether each of the one or more second chargers needs to be charged. Of the first chargers above, a first control command is generated to set the charging permission state for at least some of the first chargers that are determined to require charging, the charging permission state for the other first chargers excluding those at least some of the first chargers, and to set the current setting value for each of the aforementioned first chargers to the maximum possible value while not exceeding the first charging capacity. Of the one or more second chargers that are determined to require charging, a first control command is generated to set the charging permission state for at least the maximum number of chargers whose total rated current values ​​do not exceed the second charging capacity, in order of priority as predetermined. The system generates a second control command that sets a second charger to a charging permission state and sets the other second chargers, excluding at least some of the second chargers, to a charging permission state, and outputs the generated first and second control commands to control one or more first chargers and one or more second chargers, satisfying at least one of the following conditions: (i) the determined first charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of at least some of the second chargers from the current limit, or (ii) the determined second charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the current setting values ​​of at least some of the first chargers from the current limit.

[0100] This can achieve the same effects as the charging control system described above.

[0101] Furthermore, for example, the program relating to the 13th embodiment is a program that causes a computer to execute the charging control method described in the 12th embodiment.

[0102] According to this, a computer can be used to achieve the same effect as the charging control system described above.

[0103] (Other Embodiments) Although embodiments have been described above, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above.

[0104] For example, in the above embodiment, a process performed by a specific processing unit may be performed by another processing unit. Furthermore, the order of multiple processes may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed in parallel.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component. Each component may also be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0106] Furthermore, each component may be implemented by hardware. Each component may also be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or they may be separate circuits. Also, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0107] Furthermore, the general or specific embodiments of this disclosure may be implemented as a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, or recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM. They may also be implemented as any combination of a system, apparatus, method, integrated circuit, computer program, and recording medium.

[0108] Furthermore, although the above embodiment described a server device as an example of a charging control system, the charging control system may also be implemented as a charging control device. In this case, the charging control device may be mounted on the charger or installed in the controller of the charger.

[0109] Furthermore, this disclosure may be implemented as a charging control method performed by a computer, such as the charging control system of the above embodiment, or as a program for causing a computer to execute a charging control method. Furthermore, this disclosure may be implemented as a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0110] Furthermore, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art could conceive, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0111] 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d Electric vehicle 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d Storage battery 30a, 30b First charger 30c, 30d Second charger 31 Controller 40 Server (Charging control system) 44 Control unit 45 First charging capacity determination unit 46 Second charging capacity determination unit 47 First charging necessity determination unit 48 Second charging necessity determination unit 50 Network 60 System power supply 61 Distribution board

Claims

1. A charging control system for multiple chargers for charging electric vehicles, comprising one or more first chargers whose current setting value can be changed and one or more second chargers whose current setting value cannot be changed, the system controls charging within a current upper limit, and includes: a control unit that controls switching between a charging permitted state where charging is possible and a charging prohibited state where charging is impossible, and controls the current setting value in the charging permitted state for the one or more first chargers, and controls switching between the charging permitted state and the charging prohibited state for the one or more second chargers; a first charging capacity determination unit that determines the first charging capacity that can be used in the one or more first chargers; a second charging capacity determination unit that determines the second charging capacity that can be used in the one or more second chargers; a first charging necessity determination unit that determines whether each of the one or more first chargers needs to be charged; and a second charging necessity determination unit that determines whether each of the one or more second chargers needs to be charged, wherein the control unit is A first control command is generated to set at least some of the one or more first chargers that are determined to require charging to the charging permitted state, set the other first chargers excluding those at least some to the charging prohibited state, and set the current setting value for each of those some first chargers to the maximum value within a range where the sum does not exceed the first charging capacity. A second control command is generated to set at least some of the one or more second chargers that are determined to require charging to the charging permitted state, in order of priority as predetermined, within a range where the sum of the rated current values ​​does not exceed the second charging capacity, and set the other second chargers excluding those at least some to the charging prohibited state. The one or more first chargers and the one or more second chargers are controlled by outputting the generated first control command and the second control command. A charging control system that satisfies at least one of the following: (i) the determined first charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of at least some of the second chargers from the current upper limit; or (ii) the determined second charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the current setting values ​​of at least some of the first chargers from the current upper limit.

2. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined to match the current upper limit, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined to satisfy (i) or (ii).

3. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by an arbitrarily set value, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

4. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by multiplying the current upper limit by an arbitrarily set allocation ratio of less than 1, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

5. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by multiplying the current upper limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the number of first chargers and the number of second chargers, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

6. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein one of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by multiplying the current upper limit by a distribution ratio of less than 1 based on the total rated current value of all one or more first chargers and the total rated current value of all one or more second chargers, and the other of the first charging capacity and the second charging capacity is determined by satisfying (i) or (ii).

7. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein, among the one or more first chargers and the one or more second chargers, the charger to which the electric vehicle is connected and which is in a state where the connected electric vehicle is capable of charging is determined to require charging.

8. A charging control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, among the one or more second chargers, a charger for which a predetermined period has not elapsed since the start of charging is determined to require charging, and a charger for which a predetermined period has elapsed since the start of charging is determined to not require charging.

9. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit generates a first control command to set the current setting value equally to each of the part of the first chargers so that the total is the maximum value within a range that does not exceed the first charging capacity.

10. The charging control system according to claim 1, wherein the priority is set lower than it was before the determination was made when it is determined that charging is unnecessary.

11. The charging control system according to claim 1 or 10, wherein the priority is set higher when charging is newly started by the output of the second control command than it was before charging was started.

12. A charging control method performed by a computer to control charging within a current upper limit for a plurality of chargers for charging an electric vehicle, the plurality of chargers including one or more first chargers whose current setting value can be changed and one or more second chargers whose current setting value cannot be changed, the method comprising: a control step of switching between a charging permitted state in which charging is possible and a charging prohibited state in which charging is impossible, and controlling the current setting value in the charging permitted state for the one or more first chargers, and controlling the switching between the charging permitted state and the charging prohibited state for the one or more second chargers; a first charging capacity determination step of determining the first charging capacity that can be used in the one or more first chargers; a second charging capacity determination step of determining the second charging capacity that can be used in the one or more second chargers; a first charging necessity determination step of determining whether each of the one or more first chargers needs to be charged; and a second charging necessity determination step of determining whether each of the one or more second chargers needs to be charged, wherein the control step includes: A first control command is generated to set at least some of the one or more first chargers that are determined to require charging to the charging permitted state, set the other first chargers excluding those at least some to the charging prohibited state, and set the current setting value for each of those some first chargers to the maximum value within a range where the sum does not exceed the first charging capacity. A second control command is generated to set at least some of the one or more second chargers that are determined to require charging to the charging permitted state, in order of priority as predetermined, within a range where the sum of the rated current values ​​does not exceed the second charging capacity, and set the other second chargers excluding those at least some to the charging prohibited state. The one or more first chargers and the one or more second chargers are controlled by outputting the generated first control command and the second control command.A charging control method that satisfies at least one of the following: (i) the determined first charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the rated current values ​​of at least some of the second chargers from the current upper limit; or (ii) the determined second charging capacity is the value obtained by subtracting the sum of the current setting values ​​of at least some of the first chargers from the current upper limit.

13. A program for causing the computer to execute the charging control method described in claim 12.

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