Charging facility search device, charging facility search method, charging facility search program, and storage medium

Abstract

The present invention presents information for making effective use of charging time to a user. A charging facility search device (1) is characterized by comprising: a facility information reference unit (11) that refers to facility information; a reception unit (12) that receives location search conditions regarding the locations of vehicle charging facilities and a desired action desired by a user; a search unit (13) that searches for at least one of a service-available charging facility where the desired action can be performed and a service collaboration charging facility, the positional relationship of which with another facility where the desired action can be performed satisfies a prescribed proximity condition, from among the charging facility candidates referred to by the facility information reference unit (11); and a presentation unit (14) that presents the result of the search by the search unit (13).

Description

Charging Facility Search Device, Charging Facility Search Method, Charging Facility Search Program, and Storage Medium

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging facility search device, a charging facility search method, a charging facility search program, and a storage medium for searching for charging facilities.

[0002] Conventionally, when driving an electric vehicle, when the charge amount decreases, charging is performed at a charging facility, and a technique for searching for such a charging facility has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this technique, information on facilities equipped with charging facilities is acquired and presented to the user by performing a narrowing-down search on a plurality of facilities.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 5300610

[0004] Here, regarding the charging of an electric vehicle, there is a desire to utilize the idle time during charging. However, at present, in order to utilize the charging time, for example, the user is forced to perform troublesome operations such as separately searching for nearby facilities that meet their requirements.

[0005] Therefore, an example of an object of the present invention is to provide a charging facility search device, a charging facility search method, a charging facility search program, and a storage medium that can present information for effectively using the charging time to the user.

[0006] In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the charging facility search device of the present invention refers to facility information in which possible action information indicating possible actions at each facility is associated with the position information of the facility, and includes a facility information reference unit, a reception unit that receives a position search condition regarding the position of the charging facility of the vehicle to be searched and a desired action desired by the user, and a search unit that searches for at least one of a self-facility corresponding charging facility in which the desired action is possible at the facility itself and an other-facility corresponding charging facility in which the positional relationship with another facility where the desired action is possible satisfies a predetermined proximity condition among the charging facility candidates referred to by the facility information reference unit as facilities that satisfy the position search condition, and a presentation unit that presents the search result by the search unit.

[0007] Furthermore, in order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the objective, the charging facility search method of the present invention is a charging facility search method using the charging facility search device described above, characterized by comprising: a facility information reference step in which the facility information reference unit references the facility information; a reception step in which the reception unit receives the location search conditions and the desired action; a search step in which the search unit searches for at least one of the charging facilities corresponding to the local facility and the charging facilities corresponding to other facilities; and a presentation step in which the presentation unit presents the search results from the search unit.

[0008] Furthermore, in order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the objectives, the charging facility search program of the present invention is characterized by having a computer execute the above-described charging facility search method.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to solve the aforementioned problems and achieve the objectives, the storage medium of the present invention is characterized by storing the above-mentioned charging facility search program.

[0010] This is a schematic diagram showing the usage of a charging station search device according to one embodiment. This is a functional block diagram showing the charging station search device shown in Figure 1. This is a flowchart showing the first half of the processing flow of a charging station search method executed using the charging station search device shown in Figures 1 and 2. This is a flowchart showing the second half of the processing flow of a charging station search method executed using the charging station search device shown in Figures 1 and 2, following the first half shown in Figure 3. This is a schematic diagram showing the content displayed on the display screen of the charging station search device when receiving the user's desired action. This is a schematic diagram showing another example of receiving desired action through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of search results presented in the first presentation step shown in Figure 3. This is a schematic diagram showing an example of search results presented in the second presentation step shown in Figure 4.

[0011] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. An embodiment of the present invention of a charging facility search device comprises a facility information reference unit, a reception unit, a search unit, and a presentation unit. The facility information reference unit refers to facility information which is information on a plurality of facilities and associates possible action information indicating actions that can be performed at each facility with location information of the corresponding facility. The reception unit receives location search conditions regarding the location of charging facilities for the vehicle to be searched and the desired action desired by the user. The search unit searches for at least one of the charging facilities corresponding to the current facility and charging facilities corresponding to other facilities. Charging facilities corresponding to the current facility are charging facilities among the candidate charging facilities referenced by the facility information reference unit as facilities that satisfy the location search conditions, where the desired action desired by the user can be performed at the current facility. Charging facilities corresponding to other facilities are charging facilities whose location relationship with other facilities where the desired action desired by the user can be performed satisfies predetermined proximity conditions. The presentation unit presents the search results from the search unit.

[0012] According to the above-described charging facility search device, when a user specifies their desired charging activity at the reception desk, the device searches for and presents charging facilities that can perform that activity at the user's own facility, or charging facilities that can perform that activity at nearby facilities. The user can then effectively utilize their charging time by going to one of the charging facilities presented in the search results and performing their desired activity. In this way, the above-described charging facility search device can provide users with information that allows them to effectively utilize their charging time.

[0013] In the charging facility search device described above, the reception unit presents multiple action options and accepts the user's desired action by having them select one or more options.

[0014] This configuration allows for the presentation of multiple action options, which helps users specify their desired action.

[0015] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the reception unit receives the user's desired type of charging and presents multiple action options corresponding to the desired type of charging.

[0016] With this configuration, for example, by accepting the user's preferred type of charging from among different types of charging with varying charging times, such as normal charging and fast charging, it becomes possible to suggest possible actions that can be taken within the charging time.

[0017] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the reception unit presents a list of action candidates in an order according to the following arrangement conditions. The arrangement conditions here include at least one of the following: the time period in which the presentation times of multiple action candidates are included, the duration of driving up to the presentation time, the weather, temperature, road congestion status at the presentation time, and the congestion status of the facility.

[0018] This configuration allows for the presentation of action options appropriate to various situations, such as presenting "eating" as an action option at the top of the list during meal times, or "taking a break" as an action option at the top of the list during long drives.

[0019] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the reception unit records the number of times each of the multiple action candidates has been selected by the user, and presents the action candidates in an order according to the arrangement conditions, including the number of times each action candidate has been selected at the time of presentation.

[0020] With this configuration, past trends in desired user behavior are reflected in the presentation of action options, allowing for the presentation of action options in a way that is easy for the user to choose from.

[0021] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the reception unit may access a predetermined AI and accept the user's desired action through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user.

[0022] This configuration allows for more flexible responses to user requests through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user.

[0023] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the reception unit receives the user's desired type of charging, and the search unit sets the positional relationship according to the desired type of charging as a proximity condition for other charging facilities.

[0024] This configuration allows for the optimal search for charging facilities that support other facilities, enabling users to perform desired actions at other facilities while charging using their preferred charging method, such as standard charging or rapid charging.

[0025] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, if the search unit finds both charging facilities compatible with the facility and charging facilities compatible with other facilities, the display unit will prioritize displaying the charging facilities compatible with the facility.

[0026] This configuration is preferable because it prioritizes the presentation of charging facilities compatible with the facility, allowing the desired activity to be performed without having to travel to another facility.

[0027] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the display unit presents the charging facility corresponding to the user's own facility as a search result from the search unit. On the other hand, for charging facilities corresponding to other facilities, the display unit presents the charging facility corresponding to the other facility along with other facilities corresponding to that charging facility.

[0028] This configuration is preferable because it allows users to specifically identify not only charging facilities but also facilities where they can perform their desired actions while charging.

[0029] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, if there are multiple other facilities to be displayed along with the other-facility compatible charging facility, the display unit will display them in order from the facility closest to the other-facility compatible charging facility.

[0030] With this configuration, when a user chooses one facility from several other facilities presented, they can make their selection while also considering the travel time to each facility.

[0031] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the reception unit receives the user's desired type of charging. The search unit also sets, as proximity conditions for other charging facilities, a first positional relationship in which the desired action can be performed within the charging time of the desired type of charging, and a second positional relationship in which the execution of the desired action requires more time than the charging time of the desired type of charging. When the presentation unit presents other facilities along with other charging facilities, it presents the first facility that satisfies the first positional relationship and the second facility that satisfies the second positional relationship in a manner that allows them to be distinguished from each other.

[0032] This configuration gives users a wide range of choices regarding how to make the most of their charging time: they can prioritize completing their desired activity while charging, or they can prioritize the content of their desired activity even if it means slightly exceeding the charging time.

[0033] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the display unit presents the charging facilities found by the search unit, along with the desired action received by the reception unit. For charging facilities that support other facilities, the display unit then presents other facilities where the desired action can be performed, based on the user's specification of the added desired action.

[0034] This configuration allows users to be presented with information about other facilities while remaining aware of the content of their desired actions.

[0035] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned charging facility search device, the facility information referenced by the facility information reference unit associates the actions indicated by the possible actions information with the names of facilities where those actions are possible, via one or more pieces of filtering information. Then, when the presentation unit presents the names of other facilities, it receives the user's specification of filtering information sequentially and presents each filtering result before finally presenting the facility names.

[0036] This configuration allows for the presentation of specific facility names while carefully reflecting the user's preferences by receiving detailed filtering information from the user as it arises.

[0037] Furthermore, the charging facility search method according to an embodiment of the present invention is a charging facility search method using the charging facility search device described above, and comprises a facility information reference step, a reception step, a search step, and a presentation step. The facility information reference step is a step in which the facility information reference unit references facility information, and the reception step is a step in which the reception unit receives location search conditions and desired actions. The search step is a step in which the search unit searches for at least one of the charging facilities corresponding to the own facility and charging facilities corresponding to other facilities, and the presentation step is a step in which the presentation unit presents the search results from the search unit.

[0038] According to the above charging facility search method, since charging facilities are searched using the aforementioned charging facility search device, information that allows users to make effective use of charging time can be presented to them.

[0039] In addition, the charging facility search program according to the embodiment of the present invention is a program that causes a computer to execute the above-described charging facility search method.

[0040] According to the above-described charging facility search program, by causing a computer to execute the above-described charging facility search method, information for effectively using the charging time can be presented to the user.

[0041] In addition, the storage medium according to the embodiment of the present invention is a medium that stores the above-described charging facility search program.

[0042] According to the above-described storage medium, by reading out the above-described charging facility search program and causing a computer to execute the above-described charging facility search method based on the charging facility search program, information for effectively using the charging time can be presented to the user.

[0043] Hereinafter, an example of a charging facility search device, a charging facility search method, a charging facility search program, and a storage medium will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a usage form of a charging facility search device according to an example, and FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing the charging facility search device shown in FIG. 1.

[0045] The charging facility search device 1 of the present example is configured by a mobile terminal type computer device such as a smartphone operating in accordance with a charging facility search program as an application program. This charging facility search device 1 is mounted on a vehicle C1 such as an electric vehicle, wirelessly accesses a predetermined server device 2 via a network N1, and provides various information to a user as a passenger of the vehicle C1. The charging facility search device 1 includes a facility information reference unit 11, a reception unit 12, a search unit 13, and a presentation unit 14 as functional blocks.

[0046] The facility information reference unit 11 is a part that wirelessly accesses the server device 2 and refers to the facility information J11 in the map information J1 stored in the server device 2. This facility information J11 is information on a plurality of facilities on the map, and is information in which the possible action information J111 indicating the actions possible at each facility is associated with the position information J112 of the corresponding facility. The reception unit 12 is a part that receives various search conditions for the reference content in the facility information reference unit 11, and the search unit 13 is a part that searches for charging facilities from the reference content in the facility information reference unit 11 based on the search conditions received by the reception unit 12. Then, the presentation unit 14 is a part that presents the search results of the search unit 13. Hereinafter, each functional block of the charging facility search device 1 will be described in detail together with the processing flow of the charging facility search method executed using this charging facility search device 1.

[0047] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the first half of the processing flow of the charging facility search method executed using the charging facility search device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the second half following the first half shown in FIG. 3 of the processing flow of the charging facility search method executed using the charging facility search device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0048] The processing of the charging facility search method represented by the flowcharts of FIGS. 3 and 4 starts when the user taps an icon for searching for a charging facility on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the processing starts, a facility information reference step (S11) in which the facility information reference unit 11 refers to the facility information J11 is executed. Next, a first reception step (S12) in which the reception unit 12 receives search conditions regarding the charging facility is executed.

[0049] In the first reception process (S12), first, location search conditions (S121) regarding the location of the charging facility for the vehicle C1 to be searched are received. Specifically, a predetermined search area including the current location of vehicle C1 as determined by GPS (Global Positioning System) is received as a location search condition. Next, the user's desired actions to be performed while vehicle C1 is charging are received. This reception of desired actions is performed in the following order, according to the content displayed on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1: reception of the desired charging type (S122), presentation of a list of action candidates (S123), and reception of the desired action (S124).

[0050] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the content displayed on the charging station search device's screen when a user's desired action is received.

[0051] In this embodiment, when a user taps an icon for searching for charging facilities and the process shown in the flowchart above starts, the reception unit 12 displays the following desired settings screen G1 on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1.

[0052] First, the preference setting screen G1 is provided with a charging type setting unit G11 and a preference action setting unit G12. The acceptance of the preferred charging type (S122) is performed by the user specifying the preferred charging type via the charging type setting unit G11. The charging type setting unit G11 displays the facility capacity for fast charging and other items that can be specified by the user. For both normal charging and fast charging, either one or both may be specified.

[0053] Next, the presentation of the list of action options (S123) is performed when the user taps the input field G12a for the desired action in the desired action setting unit G12. Upon receiving this tap, the reception unit 12 presents the desired action list G12b on the desired action setting screen G1. The desired action list G12b is a list of multiple action options such as eating, taking a coffee break, shopping, taking a nap, etc. Following the presentation of this list of action options (S123), the reception unit 12 accepts the user's desired action by performing a desired action acceptance (S124), which involves the user selecting one or more action options.

[0054] In this embodiment, the reception unit 12 presents a list of action candidates corresponding to the desired charging type received in the desired charging type reception (S122). For example, if only normal charging is requested, action candidates that can be performed within the charging time are displayed, and if only rapid charging is requested, action candidates that can be performed within the charging time are displayed. If both normal and rapid charging are requested, action candidates that can be performed within the charging time of the longer normal charging are displayed. In this embodiment, the desired action list G12b includes an item called "accommodation," but this desired action of "accommodation" assumes accommodation at a lodging facility with charging facilities. In this case, the action time for the desired action of "accommodation" is assumed to be the travel time between the lodging facility and the charging facility, rather than the duration of the stay. Since it is quite possible to travel between the lodging facility and the charging facility while charging at the lodging facility, the desired action of "accommodation" is displayed in the desired action list G12b as an action candidate that can be performed within the charging time.

[0055] Furthermore, the reception unit 12 presents the desired action list G12b in an order that corresponds to the following arrangement conditions. The arrangement conditions here include at least one of the following: the time period including the time when the desired action list G12b is presented, the duration of driving up to the time of presentation, the weather, temperature, road congestion, and facility congestion at the time of presentation. In this embodiment, the reception unit 12 also records the number of times each action candidate in the desired action list G12b has been selected by the user during the reception of desired actions (S124). Then, in the presentation of the list of action candidates (S123), the action candidates are presented in an order that corresponds to the arrangement conditions, including the number of times they have been selected at the time the desired action list G12b is presented. By arranging the action candidates in the desired action list G12b in an order that corresponds to these arrangement conditions, for example, when it is time to eat, eating will be placed higher in the desired action list G12b, and when driving has continued for a long time, coffee breaks and naps will be placed higher. Also, if shopping has been selected most often by the user in the past, shopping will be placed higher. Furthermore, in this embodiment, in case the user does not have any particular desired actions during this charging process, the desired actions list G12b also includes an item for "no desired actions." The item for "no desired actions" is displayed at the bottom of the desired actions list G12b.

[0056] In the acceptance of desired actions (S124), the user selects an action from multiple action candidates in the desired action list G12b, thereby accepting the desired action. The user may select not just one action from the multiple action candidates, but multiple actions. When the user selects one or more action candidates and taps the back button G13, the user returns to the desired action setting screen G1 before the list was displayed, and the accepted action candidates are displayed as the user's desired actions in the desired action input field G12a. When the search button G14 is tapped in this state, the search unit 13 performs the first search step (S13) and the first presentation step (S14), which will be described later.

[0057] Furthermore, the reception of desired actions at the reception desk 12 does not necessarily have to be done through the presentation of the desired action list G12b as in this embodiment; it may also be done through a dialogue between the AI ​​(Artificial Intelligence) and the user, as shown below.

[0058] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of how requests for desired actions are received through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user. In this example in Figure 6, components equivalent to those shown in Figure 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in Figure 5, and therefore, redundant explanations of these equivalent components will be omitted below.

[0059] In this alternative example shown in Figure 6, following the acceptance of the desired charging type (S122) shown in Figure 3, the desired action is accepted through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user. In this alternative example, after setting the desired charging type in the charging type setting section G11 of the desired setting screen G2, the dialogue between the AI ​​and the user begins when the AI ​​consultation button G22a in the desired action setting section G22 is tapped. When the AI ​​consultation button G22a is tapped, the reception unit 12 first accesses a predetermined AI via the network N1, and the AI ​​chat screen G23 is displayed on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1. The AI ​​chat screen G23 is provided with a dialogue history display section G231 and a dialogue section G232. The dialogue history display section G231 displays the dialogue history between the user and the AI, and the dialogue section G232 displays the AI's question content G232a and the user's answer candidates G232b. The user interacts with the AI ​​by selecting and tapping a desired answer from the answer candidates G232b in response to the AI's question G232a. The history of this interaction is displayed in the interaction history display unit G231. Then, in this AI chat screen G23, if the user responds with "yes" to an action suggested by the AI ​​based on the interaction content and taps the back button G233, the action suggested by the AI ​​is accepted as the user's desired action. The accepted desired action is then displayed in the desired action input field G12a in the desired action setting unit G22 of the desired action setting screen G2. If the search button G14 is tapped in this state, the first search step (S13) and the first suggestion step (S14) are performed in the same manner as in this embodiment.

[0060] This concludes the explanation of another example in which desired actions are received through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user. We will now continue with the explanation of the flowchart for this embodiment.

[0061] In the first search step (S13) in Figure 4, the search unit 13 searches for charging facilities based on the location search conditions and the user's desired action received in the first reception step (S11). The search unit 13 searches for at least one (both in this embodiment) of the charging facilities corresponding to the desired action, from among the charging facility candidates referenced by the facility information reference unit 11 as facilities that satisfy the location search conditions, which are either local charging facilities or charging facilities corresponding to other facilities. Local charging facilities are charging facilities where the user's desired action can be performed at the local facility. An example of a local charging facility is an accommodation facility with a charging facility assumed for the desired action of "staying overnight" in the desired action list G12b in Figure 5. Other facility charging facilities are charging facilities whose location relative to other facilities where the desired action can be performed satisfies predetermined proximity conditions.

[0062] In this embodiment, as a proximity condition for searching for charging facilities compatible with other facilities, the search unit 13 sets a positional relationship corresponding to the desired charging type received in the desired charging type reception (S122). More specifically, the search unit 13 sets a first positional relationship as a proximity condition in which the desired action can be performed within the charging time of the desired charging type, and a second positional relationship in which the execution of the desired action requires more time than the charging time of the desired charging type. The first positional relationship is specifically a positional relationship in which a series of actions, from walking from the charging facility to another facility, performing the desired action such as eating there, and then walking back to the charging facility, can be performed within the charging time. The second positional relationship is a positional relationship in which the above series of actions can be performed within the charging time, but within a predetermined allowable time. The search unit 13 may calculate such positional relationships between the charging facility and other facilities on a case-by-case basis based on the charging time of the desired charging type and the content of the desired action. Alternatively, when using a regular charging system for meals, the distance between the first and second positions could be predetermined, such as 100m and 300m respectively, and the decision could be made according to the details of the request.

[0063] In the first search step (S13), the search unit 13 searches for charging facilities compatible with its own facility, and also searches for charging facilities compatible with other facilities based on the proximity conditions described above. Then, in the first presentation step (S14), the presentation unit 14 presents the search results as follows.

[0064] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the search results presented in the first presentation step shown in Figure 3.

[0065] In the first presentation step (S14), the presentation unit 14 displays the search results screen G3 on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1. The search results screen G3 is provided with a map display unit G31 and a charging facility list display unit G32. The map display unit G31 displays a map of a predetermined range, and the searched charging facilities are displayed on the map. This display is made by displaying a charging icon G31a representing the charging facility. The charging facility list display unit G32 displays a list of the searched charging facilities. In this list of charging facilities, they are basically presented in order from the charging facility closest to the vehicle C1's current location. Furthermore, if both charging facilities corresponding to the local facility and charging facilities corresponding to other facilities are found in the search unit 13, the charging facilities corresponding to the local facility are given priority and presented higher up in the list. In addition, in the illustrated example in Figure 7, there is an empty facility indication button G33 that instructs to limit the presentation of facilities to charging facilities that are empty. When a user taps the vacant vehicle indication button G33, only vacant charging facilities are displayed on both the map display unit G31 and the charging facility list display unit G32. In addition, on the charging facility list display unit G32, the presentation unit 14 adds the user's desired action, received in the first reception process (S12), to the charging facilities in the search results, presenting it as an action that can be performed at the charging facility itself or at other nearby facilities. This desired action is presented as an action tag G32a indicating an action such as eating or shopping.

[0066] When the search results screen G3 is displayed in the first presentation step (S14) shown in Figure 3, the destination selection step (S15) shown in Figure 4 is then performed. This destination selection step (S15) is performed by the user selecting a charging facility as a destination by tapping on either the map display section G31 or the charging facility list display section G32 of the search results screen G3. In the map display section G31, the charging icon G31a of the selected charging facility is displayed as a large destination charging icon G31b. In the charging facility list display section G32, the words "Set as destination" are displayed in the display field of the selected charging facility. Furthermore, a detailed instruction button G32b, which instructs to display details of the charging facility, and a departure instruction button G32c, which instructs to guide the user to this charging facility, are displayed in this display field. Note that in the initial state immediately after the search and before the user makes a selection, the top-level charging facility in the charging facility list display section G32 is set as the destination.

[0067] With the destination charging facility set in this way, the next step is to perform a guidance decision (S16). In this guidance decision (S16), it is determined whether or not guidance has been instructed by tapping the departure instruction button G32c for the charging facility selected as the destination on the search results screen G3.

[0068] If a guidance instruction is given (YES determination), a charging facility guidance process (S17) is performed to guide the user to the charging facility selected as the destination. Upon arrival at the target charging facility, charging of vehicle C1 is performed. At this time, if the target charging facility is the self-compatible charging facility described above, the user performs the desired action within that facility. On the other hand, if it is a charging facility compatible with other facilities described above, a facility guidance process (S18) is performed to guide the user to the other facility based on the user's input. This facility guidance process (S18) will be described later together with the facility guidance processes (S23, S30) that will appear later.

[0069] On the other hand, if no guidance instructions are given in the guidance judgment (S16) (NO judgment), a detailed instruction judgment (S19) is performed. In the detailed instruction judgment (S19), it is determined whether or not an instruction to present details has been given by tapping the detailed instruction button G32b for the charging facility selected as the destination. If an instruction to present details has been given (YES judgment), the detailed presentation of the charging facility (S20) is performed as follows.

[0070] When the detailed instruction button G32b is tapped to request detailed information, the display unit 14 displays the detailed information screen G4 shown in Figure 7 on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1. In addition to the information displayed on the charging facility list display unit G32, such as the name and address of the charging facility, this detailed information screen G4 displays detailed information such as the type of charger, business hours, surrounding information if the charging facility is a charging facility compatible with other facilities as described above, and the facility's contact information. As for surrounding information, similar to the display on the charging facility list display unit G32, an action tag G42a representing the desired action is presented as information indicating actions such as eating or shopping that can be done at nearby other facilities. If the charging facility for which detailed information has been requested is a charging facility compatible with the facility as described above, instead of such surrounding information, an action tag G42a indicating the user's desired action that can be performed at the facility is presented as facility information.

[0071] In the display state of the detailed information screen G4, or in the display state of the search results screen G3 when no instruction for detailed information is given by tapping the detailed instruction button G32b (NO determination in S19), a second guidance determination (S21) is made. In this second guidance determination (S21), it is determined whether or not an instruction for guidance has been given by tapping the departure instruction button G42c on the detailed information screen G4, or by tapping the departure instruction button G32c on the search results screen G3. If an instruction for guidance has been given by tapping either button (YES determination), the charging facility guidance process (S22) which provides guidance to the charging facility at the destination, and the facility guidance process after arrival (S23) are performed.

[0072] Furthermore, if no guidance instructions are given at this stage (S21), a self-facility compatibility determination (S24) is made to determine whether the destination charging facility is a self-facility compatible charging facility. If the destination charging facility is a self-facility compatible charging facility (YES determination), the process proceeds to the guidance determination (S28) described below. On the other hand, if the destination charging facility is not a self-facility compatible charging facility but a charging facility compatible with another facility (NO determination), various processes are performed to present the other facility corresponding to the destination charging facility, as explained below.

[0073] In processing where the destination is a charging facility compatible with other facilities, the reception unit 12 first performs the following second reception step (S25). In this second reception step (S25), the reception unit 12 receives the user's specification of the desired action attached to the destination charging facility. This reception is performed when the user taps the action tag G32a on the search results screen G3 or the action tag G42a on the detailed information screen G4.

[0074] In this embodiment, following the reception of the desired action in the second reception step (S25), the search unit 13 performs a second search step (S26) to obtain the names of other facilities where the desired action can be performed through a refined search. First, in this embodiment, in the facility information J11 shown in Figure 1, the action indicated by the possible action information J111 and the facility name of the facility where the action can be performed, i.e., the facility indicated by the location information J112, are associated with each other through one or more refined pieces of information. For example, if one facility is a fast food restaurant, the facility name of that facility and the action of eating are associated with each other through two refined pieces of information: the primary genre of restaurant and the secondary genre of fast food restaurant. Similarly, the facility name of a Japanese restaurant and the action of eating are associated with each other through two refined pieces of information: the primary genre of restaurant and the secondary genre of Japanese restaurant.

[0075] In the second search step (S26), when searching for the name of another facility of interest, the user successively specifies multiple filtering pieces of information, such as the primary and secondary genres mentioned above, and the facility name is searched. That is, in the second reception step (S25), multiple primary genres related to the actions of the action tags G32a and G42a tapped by the user are presented, and when any primary genre is specified, multiple secondary genres related to that genre are presented. Then, when any secondary genre is specified, the facility names of one or more facilities related to the specified secondary genre are searched for in the vicinity of the destination charging facility. For example, when the action tags 32a and 42a for eating are tapped, primary genres such as restaurants, shopping malls, and roadside stations are presented. Subsequently, when the primary genre "restaurant" is specified, secondary genres such as Japanese restaurants, Western restaurants, Chinese restaurants, and fast food restaurants are presented. Then, when the secondary genre "fast food restaurant" is specified, the facility names of one or more fast food restaurants are searched for from other facilities that satisfy the first and second positional relationships described above with respect to the destination charging facility. A similar refined search is performed for the action tags 32a and 42a, which represent other actions.

[0076] When such a refined search is performed in the second search step (S26), the presentation unit 14 performs a second presentation step (S27) in which it presents one or more facility names as search results.

[0077] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the search results presented in the second presentation step shown in Figure 4.

[0078] In the second presentation step (S27) of Figure 4, the presentation unit 14 displays the surrounding search results screen G5, which presents the results of the refined search, on the display screen of the charging facility search device 1. Figure 8 shows an example of the surrounding search results screen G5, which displays the search results when the shopping behavior tags 32a and 42a are tapped and the primary genre "clothing" and the secondary genre "shopping mall" are specified as an example of a refined search. The surrounding search results screen G5 is provided with a map display unit G51 and a facility list display unit G52. The map display unit G51 displays a map of a predetermined range including the destination charging facility (in this case, a charging facility compatible with other facilities). The map display unit G51 also displays the charging icon G31a and the destination charging icon G31b, which are also displayed on the search results screen G3 of Figure 7.

[0079] Furthermore, in the map display unit G51, shopping malls that satisfy the first positional relationship G51a and the second positional relationship G51b described above are displayed as search results for the charging facility of the destination charging icon G31b. This display is made by displaying the facility icon G51c representing the shopping mall. The facility list display unit G52 then displays a list of the searched shopping malls. In this list of shopping malls, multiple shopping malls are presented in order from the facility with the shortest distance from the destination charging facility (charging facility compatible with other facilities). Furthermore, in the surrounding search results screen G5, the shopping malls in the search results are presented in the following way in both the map display unit G51 and the facility list display unit G52. That is, the shopping mall that satisfies the first positional relationship G51a (first facility) and the shopping mall that satisfies the second positional relationship G51b (second facility) are presented in a way that makes them distinguishable from each other. Specifically, in the map display unit G51, the boundary lines representing the first positional relationship G51a and the second positional relationship G51b are first displayed. Furthermore, in the facility list display unit G52, shopping malls that satisfy the first positional relationship G51a (first facility) and shopping malls that satisfy the second positional relationship G51b (second facility) are displayed in different colors.

[0080] Furthermore, in the map display unit G51, as described later, the facility icon G51c of a facility set as a destination for a desired action by the user's tap is displayed as the destination facility icon G51d, which is larger than the other facility icons G51c. However, in the initial state immediately after the display of the surrounding search results screen G5, the facility icon G51c of the top-ranking facility in the facility list display unit G52 is displayed larger than the other facility icons G51c.

[0081] Once the second presentation step (S27) is performed by displaying the surrounding search results screen G5, a further guidance decision (S28) is made. This guidance decision (S28) is made when the user who has checked the surrounding facilities on the surrounding search results screen G5 taps the return button G53 to return to the search results screen G3 or detailed information screen G4 in Figure 7, and then taps the departure instruction buttons G32c and G42c. If a guidance instruction is given by tapping either button (YES determination), the charging facility guidance step (S29) which provides guidance to the charging facility at the destination, and the facility guidance step (S30) after arrival are performed.

[0082] On the other hand, if the departure instruction buttons G32c and G42c are not tapped and no instruction is given (NO determination) even after this guidance determination (S28), the following action change determination (S31) is made. In this action change determination (S31), it is determined whether the user has specified any other desired actions attached to the destination charging facility. If another desired action is specified (YES determination), the process returns to the second reception process (S25), the specified other desired action is accepted, and the subsequent process is repeated. If no other desired action is specified (NO determination), the process returns to the destination selection process (S15), another charging facility is selected as the destination, and the subsequent process is repeated.

[0083] Then, in the charging facility guidance process (S17, S22, S29) in the three stages of the flowchart in Figures 4 and 5, route guidance to the destination charging facility is provided. In the facility guidance process after arrival (S18, S23, S30), first, the same process as the second reception process (S25) to the second presentation process (S27) described above is performed at the user's instruction, and the surrounding search results screen G5 is displayed. After that, when the desired facility is tapped on either the map display unit G51 or the facility list display unit G52 of the surrounding search results screen G5, that facility is set as the destination facility for the desired action. On the map display unit G51, the facility icon G51c of the facility set as the destination is displayed as the destination facility icon G51d, which is larger than the other facility icons G51c. In this state, when the departure instruction button G54 on the surrounding search results screen G5 is tapped, route guidance to that facility is provided. The charging facility search method shown in the flowcharts of Figures 4 and 5 is completed upon the completion of one of the three facility guidance steps (S18, S23, S30).

[0084] In this embodiment, a charging facility search program, which causes a computer to execute the charging facility search method shown in the flowcharts of Figures 4 and 5, is stored in a storage medium mounted on a portable terminal-type computer device that functions as a charging facility search device 1. Note that the storage medium storing this charging facility search program is not limited to the storage medium mounted on the computer device described above; it may be a storage medium mounted on another computer device connected to this computer device, or a known portable storage medium.

[0085] The charging facility search device, charging facility search method, charging facility search program, and storage medium described above can achieve the following effects. Specifically, according to this embodiment, when a user specifies their desired charging activity to the reception unit 12, a charging facility compatible with the user's own facility where the desired activity can be performed, or a charging facility compatible with another facility located nearby where the desired activity can be performed, is searched for and presented. The user can then effectively utilize their charging time by going to the charging facility compatible with their own facility or the charging facility compatible with another facility presented as a search result and performing the desired activity. In this way, this embodiment can provide the user with information to help them effectively utilize their charging time.

[0086] In this embodiment, the reception unit 12 presents multiple action candidates using the desired action list G12b and accepts the desired action by having the user select one or more action candidates. This configuration helps the user specify their desired action by presenting multiple action candidates.

[0087] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the reception unit 12 presents action candidates corresponding to the desired charging type as multiple action candidates in the desired action list G12b. With this configuration, by receiving the user's desired charging type from among charging types with different charging times, such as normal charging and rapid charging, it is possible to present action candidates that can be performed within the charging time.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the arrangement conditions for multiple action candidates include at least one of the following: the time period including the time when the desired action list G12b is presented, the duration of driving until the presentation time, the weather, temperature, road congestion, and facility congestion at the presentation time. With this configuration, for example, the action candidate "eating" is presented at the top of the arrangement when it is time to eat, and the action candidate "taking a break" is presented at the top of the arrangement when it is time to drive for a long period of time, making it possible to present action candidates that are suitable for various situations.

[0089] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the arrangement condition for multiple action candidates includes the number of times each action candidate has been selected at the time the desired action list G12b is presented. With this configuration, the user's past trends in desired actions are reflected in the presentation of action candidates, so that action candidates can be presented in a way that is easy for the user to select.

[0090] Furthermore, in another example of this embodiment, the reception unit 12 is shown to access a predetermined AI and accept the user's desired actions through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user. With this configuration, the user's desired actions can be accepted in a more flexible manner through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user.

[0091] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the search unit 13 searches for charging facilities that support other facilities by setting the positional relationship according to the desired type of charging as a proximity condition for charging facilities that support other facilities. With this configuration, it is possible to suitably search for charging facilities that support other facilities where the desired action at another facility can be performed while charging with the desired type of charging, such as normal charging or rapid charging.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the search unit 13 finds both charging facilities compatible with the local facility and charging facilities compatible with other facilities, the display unit 14 prioritizes displaying the charging facilities compatible with the local facility. This configuration is preferable because it prioritizes displaying charging facilities compatible with the local facility that allow the desired action to be performed without having to move to another facility.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the display unit 14 presents the charging facilities compatible with the user's own facility as search results from the search unit 13, and also presents other facilities corresponding to the charging facilities compatible with other facilities. This configuration is preferable because it allows the user to specifically identify not only charging facilities but also facilities where they can perform their desired actions while charging.

[0094] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if there are multiple other facilities to be presented along with the other-facility compatible charging facility, the presentation unit 14 presents them in order from the facility closest to the other-facility compatible charging facility. With this configuration, when the user selects one facility from the multiple other facilities presented, they can make their selection while also considering the travel time to each facility.

[0095] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the search unit 13 sets, as proximity conditions for charging facilities compatible with other facilities, a first positional relationship in which the desired action can be performed within the charging time of the desired type of charging, and a second positional relationship in which the execution of the desired action requires more time than the charging time of the desired type of charging. When the presentation unit 14 presents other facilities together with charging facilities compatible with other facilities, it presents the first facility that satisfies the first positional relationship and the second facility that satisfies the second positional relationship in a manner that makes them distinguishable from each other in both map display and list display. With this configuration, the user has a wide range of choices regarding the effective use of charging time, such as whether to prioritize completing the desired action while charging or to prioritize the content of the desired action even if it slightly exceeds the charging time.

[0096] In this embodiment, the presentation unit 14 presents the charging facilities found by the search unit 13, along with the desired action received by the reception unit 12. For charging facilities that support other facilities, the presentation unit 14 receives the user's specification regarding the added desired action from the reception unit 12 and presents other facilities where that desired action can be performed. This configuration allows for the presentation of other facilities while making the user aware of the content of their desired action.

[0097] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the facility information referenced by the facility information reference unit 11 associates the actions indicated by the possible actions information with the names of facilities where those actions are possible, via one or more pieces of filtering information. When the presentation unit 14 presents the names of other facilities, it sequentially receives the user's specifications for filtering information and presents each filtering result before presenting the facility names. With this configuration, by sequentially receiving the user's specifications for filtering information, it is possible to present specific facility names while reflecting the user's preferences in detail.

[0098] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments and modifications described above, but includes other configurations that can achieve the objectives of the present invention, and modifications such as those shown below are also included in the present invention.

[0099] For example, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a charging facility search device 1 is provided as an example of a charging facility search device, which consists of a portable terminal-type computer device mounted on a vehicle C1 such as an electric vehicle. However, the charging facility search device is not limited to this, and any device capable of searching for vehicle charging facilities is acceptable, regardless of its specific configuration. The charging facility search device may consist of, for example, a computer device for controlling an electric vehicle, or a dedicated computer device specifically designed for searching for charging facilities.

[0100] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a charging facility search device 1 is exemplified as an example of a charging facility search device, in which the reception unit 12 receives requests for desired actions, etc., and the presentation unit 14 presents search results, etc., by displaying them on a display screen. However, the charging facility search device is not limited to this, and may also receive and present information by methods other than display, such as voice.

[0101] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a facility information reference unit 11 is exemplified as an example of a facility information reference unit that wirelessly accesses a predetermined server device 2 via a network N1 and references facility information J11 in the map information J1 stored in the server device 2. However, the facility information reference unit is not limited to this, and may, for example, reference facility information in map information stored in the internal memory of the charging facility search device.

[0102] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of a reception unit, a reception unit 12 is provided that presents multiple action candidates using the desired action list G12b and accepts the desired action by having the user select one or more action candidates. In the above-described modification, as an example of a reception unit, a reception unit 12 is provided that accesses a predetermined AI and accepts the desired action through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user. However, the reception unit is not limited to these examples, and its specific acceptance method is not limited. However, as mentioned above, acceptance through the presentation of multiple action candidates can help the user specify their desired action. Also, as mentioned above, acceptance through dialogue with the AI ​​can accept the user's desired action in a more flexible way. In the above-described embodiment, as an example of multiple action candidates presented to the user, the desired action list G12b in Figure 5, such as eating and taking a coffee break, is provided. However, the action candidates are not limited to those shown in Figure 5, and any action can be set.

[0103] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a reception unit 12 that presents action candidates according to the desired charging type is exemplified as an example of a reception unit that presents action candidates. However, the reception unit is not limited to this, and may present action candidates regardless of the charging type, such as normal charging or rapid charging. However, as mentioned above, by corresponding to the desired charging type, it is possible to present action candidates that can be performed within the charging time.

[0104] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, as an example of a reception unit that presents action candidates, a reception unit 12 is provided that presents action candidates in an order according to an arrangement condition that includes at least one of several conditions, such as the time period including the presentation time and the duration of driving up to the presentation time. However, the reception unit is not limited to this, and may present multiple action candidates in a random order, etc. However, as mentioned above, by presenting action candidates in an order according to the above-described arrangement condition, it is possible to present action candidates suitable for various situations.

[0105] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an example of a reception unit that presents action candidates is shown as a reception unit 12 that arranges and presents action candidates in an order according to an arrangement condition that includes the number of times each action candidate has been selected at the time of presentation. However, the reception unit is not limited to this, and may not specifically record the number of times the user has selected an action candidate, and may present multiple action candidates in a random order. However, as mentioned above, by arranging and presenting action candidates in an order according to an arrangement condition that includes the number of selections, it is possible to reflect the user's past tendencies in desired actions in the presentation of action candidates and present action candidates in a way that makes them easy to select.

[0106] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a search unit 13 is provided as an example of a search unit that searches for charging facilities compatible with other facilities by setting a positional relationship according to the desired type of charging as a proximity condition for charging facilities compatible with other facilities. However, the search unit is not limited to this, and may also search for charging facilities compatible with other facilities using proximity conditions unrelated to the type of charging. However, as described above, by setting a positional relationship according to the desired type of charging as a proximity condition, it is possible to suitably search for charging facilities compatible with other facilities where the desired action at another facility can be performed while charging.

[0107] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a display unit 14 that prioritizes displaying charging facilities compatible with the facility is exemplified as an example of a display unit. However, the display unit is not limited to this, and may also display charging facilities compatible with the facility and charging facilities compatible with other facilities without any particular priority. However, as mentioned above, prioritizing the display of charging facilities compatible with the facility is preferable because it prioritizes the display of charging facilities that allow the desired action to be performed without having to move to another facility.

[0108] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, an example of a display unit 14 is provided which, for charging facilities compatible with the facility, displays the charging facility compatible with the facility, and for charging facilities compatible with other facilities, also displays other facilities compatible with those other facilities. However, the display unit is not limited to this, and may not specifically display other facilities compatible with charging facilities compatible with other facilities. However, as mentioned above, it is preferable to display other facilities so that the user can specifically understand which facilities allow for the desired action during charging.

[0109] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a presentation unit 14 is provided as an example of a presentation unit that presents other facilities in order from the facilities closest to the other-facility compatible charging facility. However, the presentation unit is not limited to this, and may also present other facilities corresponding to the other-facility compatible charging facility in a random order. However, as mentioned above, presenting other facilities in order from the facilities closest to the other-facility compatible charging facility allows the user to make a selection while also considering travel to other facilities.

[0110] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a presentation unit 14 is provided as an example of a presentation unit that presents a first facility where the desired action can be performed within the charging time, and a second facility where the desired action requires more time than the charging time, in a manner that allows them to be distinguished from each other. However, the presentation unit is not limited to this, and may present the first and second facilities without particularly distinguishing them. However, as mentioned above, presenting the first and second facilities in a manner that allows them to be distinguished from each other provides the user with a wide range of options for effectively utilizing the charging time. In addition, in the embodiments and modifications described above, examples of distinguishing between the first and second facilities are provided, such as distinction by the content displayed on the map display unit G51 and distinction by color coding on the facility list display unit G52. However, the distinguishing between the first and second facilities is not limited to this, and the specific manner of distinction is not restricted as long as they can be distinguished.

[0111] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a presentation unit 14 is provided as an example of a presentation unit that presents other facilities in response to a specified desired action added to a charging facility compatible with other facilities. However, the presentation unit is not limited to this, and may present other facilities for charging facilities compatible with other facilities without requiring a specified desired action. However, as mentioned above, presenting other facilities in response to a specified desired action allows the user to be made aware of the content of their desired action while being presented with other facilities.

[0112] Furthermore, in the embodiments and modifications described above, a presentation unit 14 is exemplified as an example of a presentation unit that presents the results of filtering based on filtering information specified by the user, and then proceeds to present the facility name. However, the presentation unit is not limited to this, and may immediately present the names of other facilities corresponding to the desired action without going through any filtering process. However, as mentioned above, presenting the facility name after filtering allows for the presentation of a specific facility name that reflects the user's preferences in detail.

[0113] 1 Charging facility search device 2 Server device 11 Facility information reference unit 12 Reception unit 13 Search unit 14 Display unit C1 Vehicle G1, G2 Desired setting screen G11 Charging type setting unit G12, G22 Desired action setting unit G12a Desired action input field G12b Desired action list G13, G233, G53 Back button G14 Search button G22a AI consultation button G23 AI chat screen G231 Dialogue history display unit G232 Dialogue unit G232a AI question content G232b User answer candidates G3 Search results screen G31, G51 Map display unit G31a Charging icon G31b Destination charging icon G32 Charging facility list display unit G32a, G42a Action tag G32b Detailed instruction button G32c, G42c, G54 Departure instruction button G33 Vacant vehicle instruction button G4 Detailed information screen G5 Nearby search results screen G51a First position relationship G51b Second position relationship G51c Facility icon G51d Destination facility icon G52 Facility list display section J1 Map information J11 Facility information J111 Possible action information J112 Location information N1 Network S11 Facility information reference process S12 First reception process S121 Acceptance of location search conditions S122 Acceptance of desired charging type S123 Presentation of list of action candidates S124 Acceptance of desired action S13 First search process S14 First presentation process S15 Destination selection process S16, S21, S28 Guidance decision S17, S22, S29 Charging facility guidance process S18, S23, S30 Facility guidance process S19 Detailed instruction judgment S20 Presentation of charging facility details S24 Self-facility response judgment S25 Second reception process S26 Second search process S27 Second presentation process S31 Action change judgment

Claims

1. A charging facility search device comprising: a facility information reference unit that references facility information which is information of multiple facilities and associates possible action information indicating possible actions at each facility with location information of the corresponding facility; a reception unit that receives location search conditions regarding the location of charging facilities for the vehicle to be searched and desired actions desired by the user; a search unit that searches for at least one of the following among the charging facility candidates referenced by the facility information reference unit as facilities that satisfy the location search conditions: a charging facility corresponding to the facility where the desired action can be performed at the facility itself, and a charging facility corresponding to another facility whose location relationship with other facilities where the desired action can be performed satisfies predetermined proximity conditions; and a presentation unit that presents the search results from the search unit.

2. The charging facility search device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reception unit presents a plurality of action candidates and receives the desired action by having the user select one or more action candidates.

3. The charging facility search device according to claim 2, characterized in that the reception unit receives the desired type of charging requested by the user and presents a plurality of action candidates corresponding to the desired type of charging.

4. The charging facility search device according to claim 2, characterized in that the reception unit presents the action candidates in an order according to an arrangement condition that includes at least one of the following: a time period including the presentation time of the plurality of action candidates, the duration of driving up to the presentation time, the weather, temperature, road congestion, and facility congestion at the presentation time.

5. The charging facility search device according to claim 2, characterized in that the reception unit records the number of times each of the plurality of action candidates has been selected by the user, and presents the action candidates in an order according to an arrangement condition that includes the number of times each of the plurality of action candidates has been selected at the time of presentation.

6. The charging facility search device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reception unit accesses a predetermined AI and receives the desired action through dialogue between the AI ​​and the user.

7. The charging facility search device according to claim 1, characterized in that the reception unit receives the desired type of charging requested by the user, and the search unit sets a positional relationship corresponding to the desired type of charging as the proximity condition.

8. The charging facility search device according to claim 1, characterized in that, when the search unit finds both the charging facility corresponding to the facility and the charging facility corresponding to another facility, the display unit prioritizes displaying the charging facility corresponding to the facility.

9. The charging facility search device according to claim 1, characterized in that the display unit presents the charging facility corresponding to the facility in the case of the charging facility corresponding to the facility as a search result from the search unit, and presents the charging facility corresponding to the other facility along with the other facility corresponding to the charging facility corresponding to the other facility in the case of the charging facility corresponding to the other facility.

10. The charging facility search device according to claim 9, characterized in that, when there are multiple other facilities to be presented together with the other facility-compatible charging facility, the presentation unit presents them in order from the facility with the shortest distance from the other facility-compatible charging facility.

11. The charging facility search device according to claim 9, characterized in that the reception unit receives the desired type of charging requested by the user, the search unit sets, as proximity conditions, a first positional relationship in which the desired action can be performed within the charging time of the desired type of charging, and a second positional relationship in which the execution of the desired action requires a time exceeding the charging time of the desired type of charging, and when the presentation unit presents the other facilities together with the other facility-compatible charging facilities, it presents the first facility that satisfies the first positional relationship and the second facility that satisfies the second positional relationship in a manner that makes them distinguishable from each other.

12. The charging facility search device according to claim 9, characterized in that the display unit displays the charging facilities searched by the search unit with the desired action received by the reception unit added to them, and in the case of charging facilities compatible with other facilities, displays the other facilities where the desired action can be performed after receiving a designation from the user for the added desired action.

13. The charging facility search device according to 12, wherein the facility information is such that the actions indicated by the possible actions information are associated with the names of facilities where such actions are possible, and the display unit, when displaying the names of other facilities, successively receives the specification of the filtering information from the user and displays each filtering result, leading to the display of the facility names.

14. A charging facility search method using a charging facility search device according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising: a facility information reference step in which the facility information reference unit references the facility information; a reception step in which the reception unit receives the location search conditions and the desired action; a search step in which the search unit searches for at least one of the charging facilities corresponding to the own facility and the charging facilities corresponding to other facilities; and a presentation step in which the presentation unit presents the search results from the search unit.

15. A charging facility search program characterized by causing a computer to execute the charging facility search method described in claim 14.

16. A storage medium characterized by storing the charging facility search program described in claim 15.

Images