JP5773062B2 - Vehicle shared use system and vehicle shared use method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle shared use system and a vehicle shared use method in which a vehicle is shared by a plurality of users.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a vehicle return system having a determination unit that acquires vehicle position information when returning a vehicle and determines that the vehicle is returned only when it is determined that the vehicle position information matches the position information of a predetermined return position. .

  The vehicle return system described above can park the vehicle at a predetermined return position. However, in car sharing where an electric vehicle is used by a plurality of users, even if the vehicle is returned to a predetermined return position, if the user forgets to connect the vehicle and the charger, the subsequent user will be charged due to insufficient charging. You will not be able to rent a vehicle.

  Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicle shared use system and a vehicle shared use method that can suppress forgetting to connect the vehicle and the charging device when the vehicle is returned. And

JP 2011-128987 A

  The vehicle shared use system and the vehicle shared use method according to the aspect of the present invention do not receive a connection confirmation signal indicating that the electric vehicle and the charging device are connected by the connection determination process when the electric vehicle is returned. In some cases, the process does not shift to the locking process.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a vehicle shared use system shown as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of return processing by the vehicle shared use system shown as the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the charging process by the vehicle shared use system shown as the embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The vehicle shared use system shown as an embodiment of the present invention is configured, for example, as shown in FIG. This vehicle shared use system is for a plurality of users to use the electric vehicle 5 jointly. The vehicle shared use system includes a system management server 1, a data center 2, an administrator terminal 3, a user terminal 4, an electric vehicle 5, and a charging device 6. In this vehicle shared use system, a user who uses the electric vehicle 5 operates the user terminal 4 to manage the reservation of the electric vehicle 5 by the system management server 1.

  In this embodiment, the electric vehicle 5 in the vehicle shared use system is an electric vehicle (EV). The electric vehicle 5 needs to secure a charging time for charging the in-vehicle battery before traveling. The electric vehicle 5 is connected to a charging device 6 provided in a predetermined return area. The electric vehicle 5 is removed from the charging device 6 when the electric vehicle 5 is rented, and is connected to the charging device 6 (return position) when the electric vehicle 5 is returned.

  The user terminal 4 is a mobile phone 4A, a personal computer 4B, or the like. The user terminal 4 is connected to the system management server 1 via a network NW such as the Internet. When connecting to the system management server 1, the user terminal 4 displays a reservation screen on a display (not shown) according to the control of the system management server 1. The user terminal 4 receives various types of information in accordance with user operations. The user terminal 4 receives, for example, a user ID, a desired vehicle type, a scheduled use start date / time (scheduled use start time), and a scheduled use end date / time (scheduled use end time). The user terminal 4 transmits the user ID, the desired vehicle type, the scheduled use start date and time, and the scheduled use end date and time to the system management server 1 together with the use request for the electric vehicle 5. Note that a user ID and password are required for the user terminal 4 to access the system management server 1, but this is a business such as car sharing or rental car when the user completes a predetermined registration procedure. Issued by a person.

  The administrator terminal 3 is operated by an administrator such as car sharing or a rental car that jointly uses the electric vehicle 5. The administrator terminal 3 is composed of, for example, a personal computer. The administrator terminal 3 can access the system management server 1 via the network NW and browse the administrator website. Thereby, the administrator terminal 3 can display the vehicle state of the electric vehicle 5, the current vehicle position, and the like from the system management server 1.

  The data center 2 communicates with many electric vehicles 5 by radio. The data center 2 collects current position information of the electric vehicle 5 transmitted from the communication module 51 of the electric vehicle 5, the remaining battery level, and the like. The current position information collected by the data center 2, the remaining battery level, etc. are transmitted to the system management server 1. In the system management server 1, current position information, battery remaining amount, and the like are accumulated for each electric vehicle 5.

  The system management server 1 has a database (not shown). The system management server 1 stores a name, a user ID, a password, and the like as information of each user in the database. Furthermore, the system management server 1 stores the current position, the remaining amount of power, and the like as the usage status of the electric vehicle 5 in the database. The system management server 1 stores, as reservation information, a user ID, a scheduled use start date and time, a scheduled use end date and time, an estimated power consumption amount, and the like.

  The system management server 1 manages use reservations by a plurality of users for a plurality of electric vehicles 5. The system management server 1 transmits a user ID, a desired vehicle type, a scheduled use start date and time, and a scheduled use end date and time together with a use request for the electric vehicle 5 from the user terminal 4. The system management server 1 determines whether or not there is an electric vehicle 5 that satisfies usage conditions such as a desired vehicle type, a scheduled usage start date and time, and a scheduled usage end date and time related to the usage request. When there is an electric vehicle 5 that matches the use conditions, the use reservation is registered by storing the use reservation in a database (not shown). Thereby, a rental schedule including a plurality of use reservations arranged in time series for each electric vehicle 5 is constructed in the database.

  The system management server 1 detects that a return delay has occurred in which the electric vehicle 5 is not connected to the charging device 6 at the scheduled use end date and time. When the return delay occurs, the system management server 1 performs reservation management including a process of reselecting the electric vehicle 5 to be lent to the user of the subsequent use reservation. Moreover, the system management server 1 performs the electric energy calculation which calculates chargeable electric energy based on the utilization condition of the electric vehicle 5, and the scheduled utilization end date and time when a return delay occurs.

  The electric vehicle 5 includes a communication module 51, a card reader 52, a cable connection unit 53, and a control unit 54. The electric vehicle 5 is connected to a key device (not shown) that switches between starting and stopping of the electric vehicle 5.

  The communication module 51 communicates with the data center 2 by wireless communication.

  The card reader 52 reads information stored in the IC card. The card reader 52 holds an IC card owned by the user before the user starts using the electric vehicle 5. The card reader 52 reads the user ID from the IC card. The card reader 52 reads the user ID from the IC card when the electric vehicle 5 is returned to the vehicle.

  The cable connecting portion 53 is connected to the charging device 6 by a charging cable when the electric vehicle 5 is returned. The cable connecting unit 53 charges the in-vehicle battery when the charging cable is connected. Moreover, the cable connection part 53 outputs a connection confirmation signal, when a charge cable is connected. The cable connection unit 53 outputs the connection confirmation signal to a device that performs an operation described later. The cable connection part 53 should just be able to output a connection confirmation signal to either the control part 54 (vehicle equipment), the charging device 6, or the system management server 1, for example.

  The control unit 54 performs a return process in which the electric vehicle 5 is parked and connected to the charging device 6 (return processing means). This return process includes a parking determination process, an end authentication process, a locking process, and a connection determination process. The parking determination process determines that the electric vehicle 5 is parked. The end authentication process authenticates that the user of the electric vehicle 5 has finished using the electric vehicle 5. The locking process locks the electric vehicle 5 when authentication is permitted by the end authentication process. The connection determination process determines whether or not a connection confirmation signal indicating that the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 are connected by a charging cable has been received. This return process does not shift to the locking process when the connection confirmation signal is not received by the connection determination process.

  In such an electric vehicle 5, reservation information is transmitted from the system management server 1 via the network NW. This reservation information includes a user ID, a destination, a scheduled use start date and time, and a scheduled use end date and time. The user of the electric vehicle 5 puts the IC card on the card reader 52 after the scheduled use start date and time. The card reader 52 reads the user ID stored in the IC card, permits authentication if it matches the user ID included in the reservation information, and controls the key device to open the key.

  The electric vehicle 5 is connected (returned) to the charging device 6 (return position) by the scheduled use end date and time. After the use is finished, the IC card is placed in the card reader 52. The vehicle-mounted device 1 recognizes that the electric vehicle 5 has been returned to the charging device 6 based on the current position information, and notifies the system management server 1 that it has been returned.

  Next, the return process by the vehicle shared use system described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In addition, the case where this return process is implemented by the control part 54 (vehicle equipment) is demonstrated.

  First, in step S <b> 1, after using the electric vehicle 5, the user parks the electric vehicle 5 at a predetermined position (base) where the charging device 6 is installed. The electric vehicle 5 determines that the electric vehicle 5 is parked at the base by a navigation device (not shown) (parking determination process).

  In the next step S <b> 2, the electric vehicle 5 activates the card reader 52 according to the control of the control unit 54.

  In step S <b> 3, the card reader 52 reads the user ID stored in the IC card in response to the user placing the IC card on the card reader 52.

  In the next step S <b> 4, the control unit 54 performs authentication processing by comparing the user ID read by the card reader 52 with the user ID of the current electric vehicle 5 reservation person. This authentication process authenticates that the user of the electric vehicle 5 has ended the use of the electric vehicle 5 (end authentication process). If the user ID read by the card reader 52 matches the user ID of the current electric vehicle 5, the user of the electric vehicle 5 has finished using the electric vehicle 5. Determination is made and the process proceeds to step S5. If not, the process returns to step S3.

  In the next step S5, the control unit 54 determines whether or not a connection confirmation signal indicating that the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 are connected by a charging cable has been received (connection determination process). When the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 are connected by a charging cable, the cable connection unit 53 transmits a connection confirmation signal to the control unit 54. On the other hand, when the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 are not connected by the charging cable, the cable connection unit 53 does not transmit a connection confirmation signal. When the connection confirmation signal is received by the control unit 54, the process proceeds to step S7, and when the connection confirmation signal is not received by the control unit 54, the process proceeds to step S6.

  In step S <b> 6, the control unit 54 displays a connection (authentication) error between the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 on the card reader 52. As a result, when a connection confirmation signal cannot be received, a connection confirmation notification is sent to the user (connection confirmation notification means). This connection confirmation notification is a notification for requesting confirmation of the connection state between the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6. Further, the card reader 52 may notify the user that the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 are not connected, and that the return processing cannot be performed depending on the IC card that the user deceives. This prompts the user to connect the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6. For example, it may be displayed on the card reader 52 with an icon or the like. In addition, the electric vehicle 5 may notify the connection error by voice, or may display it by other display device.

  As described above, when the connection confirmation signal cannot be received by the control unit 54 (return processing means), the authentication result by the end authentication process is denied.

  In step S7, the electric vehicle 5 locks the door (locking process). At this time, the control unit 54 controls the lock device to lock the electric vehicle 5 by detecting that the user has left the electric vehicle 5 and closed the door.

  As described above, according to the vehicle shared use system, when the connection confirmation signal is not received by the connection determination process, the process is not shifted to the locking process.

  In addition, although the return process mentioned above was performed by the electric vehicle 5, you may perform it by the charging device 6 or the system management server 1. FIG. In this case, the return process is performed by the charging device 6 or the system management server 1 controlling the control unit 54 (on-vehicle device).

  Next, the charging process by the vehicle shared use system described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  First, in step S11, the system management server 1 acquires the remaining power amount. Here, after the locking process by the return process is completed, the control unit 54 continuously acquires the charge amount of the electric vehicle 5. This amount of charge (remaining power amount) is transmitted to the data center 2 and stored. Note that the charging device 6 may transmit the charge amount of the electric vehicle 5 to the data center 2. The system management server 1 sends a vehicle status request to the data center 2. The data center 2 acquires vehicle information of the electric vehicle 5 (connection state with a charger, remaining power amount, etc.). The data center 2 transmits vehicle information to the system management server 1. Thereby, the system management server 1 can acquire vehicle information.

  In the next step S12, the system management server 1 determines whether or not charging of the in-vehicle battery in the electric vehicle 5 is completed based on the remaining power amount acquired in step S11. If it is determined that charging of the in-vehicle battery has been completed, the process ends. If charging of the in-vehicle battery has not been completed, the process proceeds to step S13.

  In step S13, the system management server 1 determines whether or not the remaining power amount acquired in step S11 is equal to or less than the previous remaining power amount acquisition value. If the acquired remaining power amount is equal to or less than the previous remaining power amount acquisition value, the process proceeds to step S14, and if not, the process returns to step S12.

  In step S <b> 14, the system management server 1 notifies the administrator terminal 3 that the abnormal charging of the electric vehicle 5 has occurred.

  As described above, the vehicle shared use system can appropriately deal with an abnormality in the charging operation after the user performs the return process with the electric vehicle 5 connected to the charging device 6. For example, even when the connection of the charging cable between the charging device 6 and the electric vehicle 5 is disconnected for some reason, the administrator can grasp the connection abnormality and can take appropriate measures.

  Although the above-described charging process is performed by the system management server 1, it may be performed by the electric vehicle 5 or the charging device 6.

  As described above, according to the vehicle shared use system, when the connection confirmation signal is not received by the connection determination process, the lock process is not performed. Thereby, the vehicle shared use system can prevent forgetting to connect the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 when the vehicle is returned. Therefore, the opportunity loss of subsequent reservations due to insufficient charging due to the disconnection between the charging device 6 and the electric vehicle 5 can be suppressed.

  Moreover, according to this vehicle shared use system, when a connection confirmation signal cannot be received by the return processing means, a connection confirmation notice is sent to the user. Thereby, according to the vehicle shared use system, it is possible to prompt the user who has finished the use to connect the electric vehicle 5 to the charging device 6. Thereby, forgetting to connect between the vehicle and the charging device when the electric vehicle 5 is returned can be suppressed. Therefore, the opportunity loss of subsequent reservations due to insufficient charging due to the disconnection between the charging device 6 and the electric vehicle 5 can be suppressed.

  Furthermore, according to the vehicle shared use system, the connection determination between the electric vehicle 5 and the charging device 6 is performed by periodically performing the connection determination based on the remaining power amount during charging of the vehicle-mounted battery in the electric vehicle 5. Automatically detect and notify the administrator. As a result, it is possible to suppress a situation in which the subsequent reservation cannot be rented due to insufficient charging. Therefore, the opportunity loss of subsequent reservations due to insufficient charging due to the disconnection between the charging device 6 and the electric vehicle 5 can be suppressed.

  The above-described embodiment is an example of the present invention. For this reason, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made depending on the design and the like as long as the technical idea according to the present invention is not deviated from this embodiment. Of course, it is possible to change.

  The entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-054601 (filing date: March 12, 2012) are incorporated herein by reference.

  According to the vehicle shared use system and the vehicle shared use method according to the aspect of the present invention, when the connection confirmation signal indicating that the electric vehicle is connected to the charging device has not been received, the lock process is not performed. Forgetting to connect with the charging device when returning the vehicle can be prevented.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Electric vehicle 6 Charging apparatus 53 Cable connection part 54 Control part

Claims (5)

A vehicle shared use system for a plurality of users to jointly use an electric vehicle that consumes electric power,
A return processing means is provided in the electric vehicle or a charging device connectable with the electric vehicle,
The return processing means includes a parking determination process for determining that the electric vehicle is parked, an end authentication process for authenticating that a user of the electric vehicle has ended the use of the electric vehicle, and the end authentication. When authentication is permitted by the process, it is determined whether a lock process for locking the electric vehicle and a connection confirmation signal indicating that the electric vehicle and the charging device are connected by a charging cable are received. The connection determination process is performed, and when the connection confirmation signal is not received by the connection determination process, the process is not shifted to the locking process even though the authentication is permitted by the end authentication process. Vehicle sharing system.   2. The vehicle shared use system according to claim 1, further comprising a connection confirmation notifying unit for notifying a user of a connection confirmation when the connection confirmation signal cannot be received by the return processing unit.   The vehicle shared use system according to claim 1, wherein when the connection confirmation signal cannot be received by the return processing means, an authentication result by the end authentication process is denied.   After the lock processing by the return processing means is finished, the charge amount of the electric vehicle is continuously acquired, and when the acquired charge amount is equal to or less than the previously acquired charge amount, an abnormality notification for notifying a charge abnormality The vehicle shared use system according to claim 1, further comprising means. A vehicle sharing method for a plurality of users to jointly use an electric vehicle that consumes electric power,
Determining that the electric vehicle is parked;
Authenticates that the user of the electric vehicle has finished using the electric vehicle,
When the authentication is permitted, the electric vehicle is locked,
It is determined whether or not a connection confirmation signal indicating that the electric vehicle and the charging device are connected by a charging cable is received,
When the connection confirmation signal is not received, the electric vehicle is not locked even though the authentication is permitted.

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