JP7553372B2 - Information processing device, information processing method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a program.

Conventionally, vehicles are used by renting them rather than owning them, such as through car sharing and car leasing. Patent Document 1 proposes a technology that suggests the use of a vehicle on a date and time when there is availability for vehicle reservations, based on the vehicle reservation status by car sharing users and the vehicle usage history of users who use the vehicle.

JP 2013-54537 A

In recent years, attention has been focused on the environmental impact of vehicle use, and there has been a shift from vehicles powered by internal combustion engines that consume fossil fuels to vehicles powered by motors. The above technologies suggest vehicle usage based on the characteristics of the vehicle used by the user, but since it is necessary to use a vehicle while taking into account its impact on the environment, there is a demand to provide users with an opportunity to reconsider their vehicle usage.

The present invention has been made in consideration of these points, and aims, as one example, to provide an opportunity to reconsider vehicle usage.

The first aspect of the present invention is an information processing device. The device includes a vehicle information storage unit that stores an environmental load index indicating the environmental load of each of a plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle driven by a battery and a second vehicle driven by an engine, the plurality of vehicles being available for use by a business operator, in association with each vehicle; an acquisition unit that acquires a usage history indicating the vehicles used by the business operator; a calculation unit that calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history; a vehicle selection unit that selects a combination of the vehicles having a relatively small environmental score, which is a combination of the number of the vehicles equal to the number of the vehicles used by the business operator indicated by the usage history; and an output unit that outputs environmental contribution information indicating the degree to which the business operator has contributed to the environment, based on the magnitude of the difference between the environmental score calculated by the calculation unit and the environmental score based on the combination of the vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit.

The calculation unit may calculate, as the environmental score, a sum of values obtained by multiplying the total distance traveled by each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history by the environmental load index associated with each vehicle.

The usage history may include the electricity consumption of the first vehicle or the fuel efficiency of the second vehicle, and the calculation unit may correct the environmental score based on the electricity consumption or the fuel efficiency included in the usage history.

The information processing device may further include a location information storage unit that stores a location where the battery can be charged and a method of generating electricity to be supplied at the charging location in association with each other, and the usage history may include information indicating the charging location where the battery was charged, and the calculation unit may correct the environmental score based on the power generation method stored in the location information storage unit in association with the charging location included in the usage history.

The information processing device may further include a supply and demand information storage unit that stores information indicating the degree of tightness of power supply and demand at a predetermined interval, and the usage history may include information indicating the charging date and time when the battery was charged, and the calculation unit may correct the environmental score based on the charging date and time included in the usage history.

The second aspect of the present invention is an information processing method. In this method, a computer executes the steps of: registering, in a vehicle information storage unit, an environmental load index indicating the environmental load of each of a plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle driven by a battery and a second vehicle driven by an engine, which are available for use by an operator, in association with each vehicle; acquiring a usage history indicating the vehicles used by the operator; calculating an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history; selecting a combination of the vehicles whose number is equal to the number of the vehicles used by the operator indicated by the usage history and whose environmental score is relatively small; and outputting environmental contribution information indicating the degree to which the operator has contributed to the environment based on the magnitude of the difference between the calculated environmental score and the environmental score based on the selected combination of the vehicles.

The third aspect of the present invention is a program. This program causes a computer to function as: a registration unit that registers, in a vehicle information storage unit, an environmental load index indicating the environmental load of each of a plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle driven by a battery and a second vehicle driven by an engine, which are available for use by a business operator, in association with each vehicle; an acquisition unit that acquires a usage history indicating the vehicles used by the business operator; a calculation unit that calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history; a vehicle selection unit that selects a combination of the vehicles having a relatively small environmental score, which is a combination of the number of the vehicles equal to the number of the vehicles used by the business operator indicated by the usage history; and an output unit that outputs environmental contribution information indicating the degree to which the business operator has contributed to the environment, based on the magnitude of the difference between the environmental score calculated by the calculation unit and the environmental score based on the combination of the vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit.

In addition, any combination of the above components, and any conversion of the present invention into a method, device, system, computer program, data structure, recording medium, etc., are also valid aspects of the present invention.

As an example, the present invention can provide an opportunity to reconsider vehicle usage.

1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an information processing device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of a vehicle information storage unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of a usage information storage unit according to the first embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of information processing executed by the information processing device according to the first embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of information processing executed by an information processing device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a functional configuration of an information processing device according to a third embodiment. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a flow of information processing executed by an information processing device according to a third embodiment.

First Embodiment
[Overview of the first embodiment]
1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of an information processing device 1 according to a first embodiment. The manager of the information processing device 1 is engaged in a business of renting out to an operator B electric vehicles powered by a motor, conventional vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, and hybrid vehicles powered by a motor and an internal combustion engine.

Specifically, the administrator of the information processing device 1 optimizes the vehicles to be rented out to businesses from among the multiple vehicles managed by the administrator of the information processing device 1, taking into consideration the maintenance of each vehicle, management of licenses with businesses, and the terms of use of businesses and the environmental impact of each vehicle. The information processing device 1 is mainly responsible for optimizing the vehicles to be rented out to businesses. Note that while two businesses B, a first business B1 and a second business B2, are shown in FIG. 1, the number of businesses B with which the administrator of the information processing device 1 has contracts is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. Also, except when distinguishing between the first business B1 and the second business B2, they will simply be referred to as business B.

Below, an overview of the processes executed by the information processing device 1 will be explained in the order of (1) to (5) with reference to FIG. 1, where the numbers correspond to (1) to (5) in FIG. 1.

(1) Business operator B uses vehicles rented from the administrator of information processing device 1 to carry out business such as passenger transportation and freight transportation. Each vehicle rented from the administrator of information processing device 1 is equipped with a memory unit that stores a usage history including the start and stop of the vehicle, fuel consumption or electricity consumption, temperature of the road surface on which the vehicle was driven, outside air temperature while driving, gradient of the road on which the vehicle was driven, etc. When business operator B uses vehicles for business, each vehicle stores the usage history.

(2) Operator B presents to the administrator of the information processing device 1 the conditions required for the maintenance of the vehicles rented from the administrator of the information processing device 1 or the vehicles at a predetermined timing (e.g., once a month or once every six months, etc.) determined by a license between the operator and the administrator of the information processing device 1. Specifically, operator B presents to the administrator of the information processing device 1 the conditions required for the vehicles, such as the mileage, number of vehicles, and number of vehicles in operation at the same time, required for operator B to continue its business. In particular, when changing the conditions due to the expansion or contraction of the business, changes in the operating route, an increase or decrease in the space for storing the vehicles, or changes in the budget, operator B presents to the administrator of the information processing device 1 the conditions required for the vehicles. Separately from this, the usage history stored in each vehicle rented by operator B is provided to the information processing device 1.

(3) The information processing device 1 calculates a combination of vehicles that will have a smaller environmental impact among all combinations of vehicles that meet the conditions obtained from business operator B, including vehicles rented to each business operator B and standby vehicles that have not been rented to business operator B but are available for rental. As will be described in detail later, the information processing device 1 can access a database that stores an environmental impact index that indicates the environmental impact caused by the maintenance and upkeep of each vehicle (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle environmental impact", etc.), and calculates an environmental score that indicates the environmental impact for each combination of vehicles that meets the conditions obtained from business operator B. The information processing device 1 compares each calculated environmental score to calculate a combination that will have a smaller environmental impact.

(4) The administrator of the information processing device 1 rearranges the vehicles to be rented to each business B so that the vehicle combination is the one newly calculated by the information processing device 1.
(5) The information processing device 1 notifies each operator B of the environmental score before the vehicle replacement and the environmental score after the vehicle replacement.

In this way, the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment selects a vehicle to be used by each business operator B, who is a user, based on the impact the vehicle has on the environment. Each business operator B can reduce the environmental impact of the vehicle when carrying out business using the vehicle. The information processing device 1 can replace vehicles according to their conditions by periodically calculating an environmental score according to the vehicle's usage and maintenance status.

[Functional configuration of the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment]
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a schematic functional configuration of the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment. The information processing device 1 includes a storage unit 2 and a control unit 3. In FIG. 2, arrows indicate main data flows, and data flows not shown in FIG. 2 may exist. In FIG. 2, each functional block indicates a functional unit configuration, not a hardware (device) unit configuration. Therefore, the functional blocks shown in FIG. 2 may be implemented in a single device, or may be implemented separately in multiple devices. Data may be exchanged between the functional blocks via any means, such as a data bus, a network, or a portable storage medium.

The storage unit 2 is a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SSD) that stores various information such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores the BIOS (Basic Input Output System) of the computer that realizes the information processing device 1, a RAM (Random Access Memory) that serves as the working area of the information processing device 1, an OS (Operating System), application programs, a vehicle information storage unit 20 and a usage information storage unit 21 that are referenced when the application programs are executed, etc.

The control unit 3 is a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of the information processing device 1, and functions as a condition setting unit 30, a vehicle selection unit 31, a score calculation unit 32, a vehicle calculation unit 33, a notification unit 34, and an index correction unit 35 by executing the programs stored in the memory unit 2.

Note that FIG. 2 shows an example in which the information processing device 1 is configured as a single device. However, the information processing device 1 may be realized by multiple processors, memory, and other computing resources, for example, as in a cloud computing system. In this case, each part constituting the control unit 3 is realized by at least one of the multiple different processors executing a program.

The condition setting unit 30 sets the usage conditions including the driving conditions required for multiple vehicles being used by the business operator. Specifically, the condition setting unit 30 acquires from business operator B the vehicle driving conditions (e.g., total driving distance, number of simultaneous operations, maximum driving distance, etc.) required for business operator B to carry out its business, as well as conditions other than the driving conditions such as the maximum number of vehicles that business operator B can manage and the upper limit of payment, and sets these as the usage conditions.

The vehicle selection unit 31 refers to the vehicle information storage unit 20 and selects a combination of vehicles that meets the usage conditions from among the candidate vehicles that can be used by operator B. The candidate vehicles include vehicles that are being used by each operator B and standby vehicles that are not being used by any operator. In addition, if there are new vehicles that are scheduled to be introduced, the new vehicles are also included in the candidate vehicles. If there are multiple combinations of vehicles that meet the usage conditions, the vehicle selection unit 31 selects all of the combinations of vehicles.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing a schematic data structure of the vehicle information storage unit 20 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle information storage unit 20 is stored in the storage unit 2 and is managed by the vehicle selection unit 31. The vehicle information storage unit 20 stores an environmental load index indicating the environmental load of each candidate vehicle that can be used by business operator B, in association with each candidate vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3, a vehicle identifier is uniquely assigned to each candidate vehicle. The vehicle information storage unit 20 manages data such as the type, fuel efficiency or electricity efficiency, maximum continuous driving distance, vehicle size, usage fee per unit time, and the vehicle's environmental load index for each candidate vehicle in association with each vehicle identifier. For example, a vehicle with a vehicle identifier CID0001 is a vehicle powered by a gasoline engine and has a fuel efficiency of a [km/l]. Furthermore, the maximum continuous driving distance when the fuel tank is fully filled with gasoline is p [km], and the vehicle size is width W1, length L1, and height H1. The usage fee per month is s yen, and the environmental load index when driving 1 [km] is α.

The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each vehicle that constitutes the vehicle combination selected by the vehicle selection unit 31. The calculation of the environmental score by the score calculation unit 32 will be described in detail later.

The vehicle calculation unit 33 calculates a combination of vehicles with a small environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 as a new combination of vehicles to be used. This allows the information processing device 1 to rent to operator B a combination of vehicles that satisfies the usage conditions set for each operator B and has a small environmental impact.

(Vehicle selection)
Next, the process of selecting a combination of vehicles by the vehicle selection unit 31 will be described.

First, the vehicle selection unit 31 selects from among the candidate vehicles to be used a combination of vehicles that meets the driving conditions necessary for operator B to carry out its business, more specifically, the conditions including the total driving distance that the vehicles must travel in order for operator B to carry out its business, the number of simultaneous operations indicating the maximum number of vehicles that must be in operation at the same time, and the maximum continuous driving distance of the vehicles. For example, comparing the case where operator B operates a taxi business with the case where operator B operates a freight transport business, the number of simultaneous operations will be higher but the maximum continuous driving distance will be shorter. In this way, the vehicle selection unit 31 first selects a combination of vehicles to suit the business form of each operator B.

As described above with reference to FIG. 1, the candidate vehicles include vehicles used by others that are being used by a different operator B. In the example shown in FIG. 1, both the vehicle used by the first operator B1 and the vehicle used by the second operator B2 are included in the candidate vehicles. That is, a vehicle used by the first operator B1 may be selected as a vehicle to be newly used by the second operator B2, and vice versa. For this reason, the condition setting unit 30 also sets the conditions for use by others, including the driving conditions required for the vehicle used by others.

The vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles that satisfies both the usage conditions and the third-party usage conditions. In other words, the vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles that simultaneously satisfies the usage conditions of each of the multiple businesses B. The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of the vehicles that make up each combination.

This allows the vehicle calculation unit 33 to calculate a combination of vehicles that will reduce the environmental impact from a broad perspective while satisfying the usage conditions of multiple operators B.

The usage conditions set by the condition setting unit 30 may include an upper limit on the usage fee per unit period set by operator B. In this case, the vehicle selection unit 31 calculates the total usage fee per unit period for each selected vehicle combination. From among the selected vehicle combinations, the vehicle selection unit 31 selects a vehicle combination for which the calculated usage fee is equal to or less than the upper limit. This allows the vehicle selection unit 31 to select vehicles that are in line with operator B's budget, thereby achieving a balance between environmental impact and usage fees.

Furthermore, the usage conditions set by the condition setting unit 30 may include an upper limit on the number of vehicles to be used set by operator B. In this case, the vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles that operator B can store from among the selected combinations of vehicles. This allows the vehicle selection unit 31 to select a combination of vehicles within the range that operator B can store.

(Calculation of environmental score)
Next, the calculation of the environmental score by the score calculation unit 32 will be described.

As described above, the environmental load index associated with each vehicle identifier in the vehicle information storage unit 20 is an index that indicates the environmental load of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identifier, and the smaller the value, the smaller the impact on the environment. In general, it is said that a moving body powered by a motor has a smaller impact on the environment than a moving body powered by an internal combustion engine (e.g., a gasoline engine, a jet engine, a diesel engine, etc.). If the moving body is a car, for example, the environmental load index of an electric vehicle is smaller than that of a gasoline car or a diesel car. Also, even if they are both electric vehicles, the environmental load index of a refurbished electric vehicle in which parts related to the power source (e.g., a battery or a motor generator) have been replaced is smaller than that of a new electric vehicle. This is not limited to cars, but is also the same for other moving bodies such as trains, monorails, aircraft, and ships.

As shown in FIG. 3, the environmental load index associated with each vehicle identifier in the vehicle information storage unit 20 indicates the environmental load when a vehicle identified by the vehicle identifier travels 1 km. The score calculation unit 32 calculates, as the environmental score, the sum of values obtained by multiplying the driving distance that each vehicle constituting the combination of vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit 31 (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "selected vehicles") must travel to satisfy the driving conditions set for each operator B by the environmental load index associated with each selected vehicle.

As a specific example, suppose that the vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit 31 for a certain business operator B are three vehicles, namely vehicle V1, vehicle V2, and vehicle V3, and that the environmental load indices for each are α, β, and γ. In addition, suppose that the distances that vehicle V1, vehicle V2, and vehicle V3 must travel in order for business operator B to carry out its business are L1 [km], L2 [km], and L3 [km], respectively. In this case, the score calculation unit 32 calculates the environmental score S as S = αL1 + βL2 + γL3.

In this way, the environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 becomes smaller the shorter the driving distance of each vehicle and the smaller the environmental load index of each vehicle. As a result, the smaller the environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32, the smaller the environmental load imposed when operator B uses vehicles to carry out a business. The notification unit 34 can reduce the environmental load imposed when operator B uses vehicles to carry out a business by selecting a combination of vehicles with a smaller environmental score as the new vehicles to be used.

The score calculation unit 32 may calculate the environmental score such that the larger the environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32, the smaller the environmental impact caused by operator B when using a vehicle to carry out its business. As an example of how to achieve this, the score calculation unit 32 may calculate the reciprocal of the above-mentioned environmental score (i.e., 1/S) as the environmental score.

The notification unit 34 notifies business operator B of the environmental score of the vehicle currently being used by business operator B and the environmental score of the vehicle newly calculated by the vehicle calculation unit 33. This allows business operator B to confirm the extent to which the environmental load caused by using a vehicle to carry out a business is reduced or increased. This allows the information processing device 1 to provide an opportunity for business operator B to focus on reducing the environmental load.

(Revision of environmental impact indicators)
Here, the environmental load index indicating the environmental load of a vehicle is considered to vary depending on how the vehicle is used. For example, even for the same vehicle, the environmental load may vary depending on the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the number of times the vehicle is started per day, the gradient of the road on which the vehicle runs, the usage status of the air conditioner, etc. Specifically, the better the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, the fewer the number of times the vehicle is started per day, the smaller the gradient of the road on which the vehicle runs, or the less the air conditioner is operated, the smaller the environmental load index will be.

Therefore, the index correction unit 35 corrects the environmental load index of each vehicle based on the usage history of each vehicle stored in the usage information storage unit 21.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing a schematic data structure of the usage information storage unit 21 according to the first embodiment. The usage information storage unit 21 is stored in the storage unit 2 and is managed by the index correction unit 35. The usage information storage unit 21 stores the usage history of each of a plurality of vehicles currently being used by operator B.

Each operator is assigned a unique operator identifier. The usage information storage unit 21 stores, for each operator identifier, the vehicle identifier of the vehicle being used by operator B, which is identified by the operator identifier, in association with the operator identifier. Figure 4 shows the usage history of operator B, whose operator identifier is BID0001. Operator B, whose operator identifier is BID0001, uses at least vehicles identified by vehicle identifiers CID0001, CID0101, and CID0287.

As shown in FIG. 4, the usage information storage unit 21 stores, in association with each vehicle identifier, usage history information including the main area in which the vehicle travels, the number of times the vehicle is started per day, the timing of refueling or charging, the average road gradient on which the vehicle travels, the average outside temperature when the vehicle is traveling, the average distance traveled per month, and, although not shown, the operating time of the air conditioner, the electricity consumption of the electric vehicle, the fuel consumption of a conventional vehicle, the charging location where the battery of the electric vehicle was charged, and the charging date and time when the battery of the electric vehicle was charged.

The index correction unit 35 corrects the environmental load index stored in the usage information storage unit 21 based on the usage history of each vehicle. This enables the information processing device 1 to reflect the actual usage status of each vehicle in the environmental score, thereby improving the accuracy of the environmental score.

[Processing flow of information processing method executed by information processing device 1]
5 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of information processing executed by the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment. The processing in this flowchart starts, for example, when the information processing device 1 is started.

The condition setting unit 30 sets the usage conditions including the driving conditions required for the multiple vehicles being used by the operator B (S2). The vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles that meet the usage conditions from among the candidate vehicles by referring to the vehicle information storage unit 20 (S4).

The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each vehicle that constitutes the vehicle combination identified by the vehicle selection unit 31 (S6). The vehicle calculation unit 33 calculates the vehicle combination that results in the smallest environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 as a new combination of vehicles to be used (S8).

[Effects achieved by the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment]
As described above, the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment allows a user to select a vehicle to be used based on the impact that the use of the vehicle has on the environment.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The main difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is the vehicles that are the subject of the calculation of the environmental score. Specifically, the score calculation unit 32 according to the first embodiment calculates the environmental score for all vehicles in use by the business operator B, whereas the score calculation unit 32 according to the second embodiment calculates the environmental score for recycled electric vehicles in which parts related to power have been replaced.

In addition, while in the first embodiment the environmental score is referenced to calculate a new vehicle to be used, in the second embodiment the environmental score is calculated based on the usage record of the vehicle by business operator B. That is, the environmental score in the second embodiment is an index indicating the environmental load caused by business operator B's actual use of the vehicle. The information processing device 1 in the second embodiment aims to provide an opportunity for business operator B to become conscious of reducing the environmental load. To this end, the information processing device 1 notifies business operator B of an index indicating the environmental load caused by business operator B's actual use of the vehicle.

The following describes the information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment, but parts common to the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

The information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment also includes a storage unit 2 and a control unit 3, similar to the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment. The storage unit 2 stores a vehicle information storage unit 20 and a usage information storage unit 21, and the control unit 3 executes the programs stored in the storage unit 2 to function as a condition setting unit 30, a vehicle selection unit 31, a score calculation unit 32, a vehicle calculation unit 33, a notification unit 34, and an index correction unit 35.

The vehicle selection unit 31 selects one or more vehicles from among the vehicles rented out to business operator B. The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score based on the environmental load index associated with the selected vehicle selected by the vehicle selection unit 31 and the usage history of the selected vehicle. The calculation of the environmental score by the score calculation unit 32 in the second embodiment is similar to the calculation method of the score calculation unit 32 in the first embodiment. That is, the score calculation unit 32 calculates the sum of values obtained by multiplying the travel distance per unit period included in the usage history of each selected vehicle by the environmental load index associated with each selected vehicle as the environmental score. In this way, the information processing device 1 in the second embodiment calculates the environmental score for a specific vehicle.

As a specific example, the vehicle selection unit 31 selects a recycled electric vehicle as the selected vehicle from among the vehicles rented to business operator B. This allows the information processing device 1 to quantitatively present the results of the introduction of a recycled electric vehicle when business operator B introduces it to improve environmental issues. Because the effects of improving environmental issues are visualized for business operator B, the information processing device 1 can encourage business operator B to further work on improving environmental issues.

In the information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment, the index correction unit 35 may correct the environmental score based on the environmental load of the fuel filled into the vehicle. For example, in the case of an electric vehicle, the index correction unit 35 may correct the environmental score calculated based on the usage history of the vehicle to account for the difference between the type of electricity used to charge the vehicle, whether it is electricity generated based on power generation by a renewable energy facility or electricity generated by a power generation method with a different environmental load, such as coal. More specifically, when the fuel filled into the vehicle originates from renewable energy, the index correction unit 35 reduces the environmental score that is closer to the case when it is not.

In this way, the information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment can include an evaluation of the use of electrical equipment in addition to simply selecting and evaluating vehicle combinations, and can visualize more proactive efforts to reduce environmental impact as an actual performance score.

As described above, the vehicles managed by the administrator of the information processing device 1 include vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, and the vehicle information storage unit 20 also stores the environmental load index of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines. In general, electric vehicles, and particularly regenerative electric vehicles, are considered to pose a smaller load on the environment than vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.

The score calculation unit 32 then calculates a virtual environmental score when a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine is driven instead of the selected vehicle related to the renewable electric vehicle selected by the vehicle selection unit 31. Furthermore, the score calculation unit 32 calculates the difference between the calculated virtual environmental score and the environmental score as an environmental contribution score. The notification unit 34 notifies the business operator of the environmental contribution score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 by at least one means, such as email, the display screen of a dedicated app, or mail.

The environmental contribution score can be said to be an index showing the degree of reduction in the impact on the environment when business operator B uses a renewable electric vehicle instead of a vehicle powered by a conventional internal combustion engine when carrying out its business. By calculating the environmental contribution score and notifying business operator B, the information processing device 1 can provide an opportunity for business operator B to focus on reducing the environmental load.

[Processing flow of information processing method executed by information processing device 1]
6 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of information processing executed by the information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment. The processing in this flowchart starts, for example, when the information processing device 1 is started.

The vehicle selection unit 31 selects one or more specific vehicles from among a plurality of vehicles currently in use by operator B (S10). The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score based on the environmental load index of the selected vehicle selected by the vehicle selection unit 31 and the usage history of the selected vehicle (S12).

The score calculation unit 32 calculates the virtual environment score when a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine is driven instead of the selected vehicle (S14). The score calculation unit 32 calculates the difference between the virtual environment score and the environmental score as the environmental contribution score (S16). The notification unit 34 notifies business operator B of the environmental contribution score (S18).

[Effects of the information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment]
As described above, the information processing device 1 according to the second embodiment can provide an opportunity for business operator B to become more conscious of reducing environmental impact.

Third Embodiment
[Outline of the third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining an overview of the information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment. In the first embodiment, the business operator B selects a vehicle to be used based on the impact of the use of the vehicle on the environment, whereas in the third embodiment, information is presented that indicates the degree to which the business operator B has contributed to the environment by using a vehicle rented to the business operator B (hereinafter, referred to as a "rented vehicle").

For example, suppose that an administrator of information processing device 1 rents out multiple vehicles to business operator B, including a first vehicle (an electric vehicle powered by a motor) that is battery-powered and a second vehicle (a conventional vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or diesel engine) that is engine-powered. In this case, if business operator B makes heavy use of the second vehicle among the multiple rental vehicles, the impact on the environment will be significant.

Thus, even if the information processing device 1 selects a vehicle to be used by business operator B based on the impact on the environment, the degree of impact on the environment varies depending on business operator B's use of the rental vehicle. Therefore, the information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment aims to present environmental contribution information indicating the degree of contribution to the environment by business operator B's use of the rental vehicle, and to provide business operator B with an opportunity to reconsider its use of the vehicle. The environmental contribution information includes, for example, information in which the degree of contribution to the environment by business operator B is expressed using a predetermined index (e.g., a rank), and advice on how to use the vehicle to increase the degree of contribution to the environment.

Below, an overview of the processes executed by the information processing device 1 will be explained in the order of (1) to (4) with reference to FIG. 7, where the numbers correspond to (1) to (4) in FIG. 7.

(1) The administrator of the information processing device 1 rents out vehicles selected based on the impact of the information processing device 1 on the environment to business operator B. Each rented vehicle includes a first vehicle and a second vehicle. In the example shown in FIG. 7, there are two first vehicles and two second vehicles for rental.

(2) Business operator B uses vehicles rented out to it by the administrator of information processing device 1 to carry out business such as passenger transportation and freight transportation. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the vehicles used are one first vehicle and two second vehicles.

(3) The information processing device 1 acquires a usage history indicating the vehicles used by the operator B. For example, each vehicle is equipped with a communication unit, and transmits the stored usage history to the information processing device 1 via the communication unit. The information processing device 1 acquires the usage history transmitted by each vehicle.

(4) The information processing device 1 selects a combination of vehicles (selected vehicles) that is equal to the number of vehicles used by operator B as indicated by the usage history obtained from each vehicle and has a relatively small environmental score. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the information processing device 1 selects two first vehicles and one second vehicle as selected vehicles from among the multiple rental vehicles rented to operator B.

(5) The information processing device 1 notifies business operator B of environmental contribution information indicating the degree to which business operator B has contributed to the environment based on the magnitude of the difference between the first environmental score based on the usage history and the second environmental score based on the combination of vehicles selected in (4). In the example shown in FIG. 7, the difference is the difference between the environmental load index of one first vehicle and the environmental load index of one second vehicle. Therefore, the information processing device 1 outputs, for example, information indicating that the degree to which business operator B has contributed to the environment by using the rental vehicles is lower than the degree to which the use of the combination of vehicles selected in (4) contributes to the environment, and information indicating that the use of one first vehicle instead of one second vehicle is recommended, as environmental contribution information.

In this way, the information processing device 1 can allow business operator B to recognize the extent to which its use of the vehicle has contributed to the environment. For example, when the degree of contribution to the environment indicated by the environmental contribution information is low, business operator B can recognize that it is necessary to use the vehicle while taking into consideration the impact on the environment, and when the degree of contribution to the environment indicated by the environmental contribution information is high, business operator B can recognize that it is possible to use the vehicle while taking into consideration the impact on the environment. As a result, the information processing device 1 can provide business operator B with an opportunity to reconsider its use of the vehicle.

[Functional configuration of information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment]
8 is a diagram showing a schematic functional configuration of an information processing device 1 according to a third embodiment. The information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment also includes a storage unit 2 and a control unit 3, similar to the information processing device 1 according to the first embodiment. The storage unit 2 stores a vehicle information storage unit 20 and a usage information storage unit 21. The control unit 3 according to the third embodiment executes a program stored in the storage unit 2, thereby further functioning as an acquisition unit 36 in addition to a condition setting unit 30, a vehicle selection unit 31, a score calculation unit 32, a vehicle calculation unit 33, a notification unit 34, and an index correction unit 35.

The acquisition unit 36 acquires usage history related to vehicles used by business operator B. The acquisition unit 36 acquires usage history from each vehicle, for example, at a predetermined interval (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).

The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score based on the usage history acquired by the acquisition unit 36. Specifically, the score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the multiple vehicles indicated by the usage history acquired by the acquisition unit 36, i.e., the multiple vehicles used by business operator B.

The score calculation unit 32, for example, calculates an environmental score for each day, and calculates a total score by adding up each calculated environmental score as an environmental score based on the usage history. The score calculation unit 32 may calculate the environmental score for the period from the day that operator B started using the rental vehicle to the present, or may calculate the environmental score for a specified period (for example, by month or year).

The score calculation unit 32 according to the first embodiment calculates the environmental score based on the driving distance that must be traveled to satisfy the driving conditions set by the operator, whereas the score calculation unit 32 according to the third embodiment calculates the environmental score based on the total driving distance traveled by each of the multiple vehicles indicated by the usage history. Specifically, the score calculation unit 32 calculates the environmental score as the sum of values obtained by multiplying the total driving distance traveled by each of the multiple vehicles indicated by the usage history by the environmental load index associated with each vehicle.

For example, the score calculation unit 32 calculates the environmental score so that the smaller the total distance traveled, the smaller the environmental load, and so that the greater the total distance traveled, the greater the environmental load. The score calculation unit 32 may also calculate the environmental score so that the greater the proportion of the total distance traveled that is traveled by the first vehicle, the smaller the environmental load, and so that the greater the proportion of the total distance traveled that is traveled by the second vehicle, the greater the environmental load. In this way, the information processing device 1 can reflect the impact that operator B has had on the environment due to its actual use of the vehicle in the environmental score.

The environmental load varies not only depending on the type of vehicle used, but also on how the vehicle is used. For example, a vehicle may use a lot of electricity or fuel when it is rapidly accelerated or when the air conditioner is turned on. Therefore, the score calculation unit 32 may correct the calculated environmental score based on how the vehicle is used.

Specifically, the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score based on the electricity consumption of the first vehicle or the fuel efficiency of the second vehicle included in the usage history. For example, the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score so that the higher the electricity consumption of the first vehicle or the fuel efficiency of the second vehicle, the smaller the environmental load, and corrects the environmental score so that the lower the electricity consumption of the first vehicle or the fuel efficiency of the second vehicle, the greater the environmental load. In this way, the information processing device 1 can reflect the impact on the environment due to the use of the vehicle by business operator B in the environmental score.

In electric vehicles, the environmental load also varies depending on the method of generating electricity supplied at the charging location where the battery is charged. For example, if electricity is generated based on renewable energy sources such as solar power, the environmental load is small, whereas if electricity is generated based on non-renewable resources such as petroleum, the environmental load is large. Therefore, the score calculation unit 32 may correct the environmental score based on the method of generating electricity supplied at the charging location where the first vehicle is charged.

For example, the memory unit 2 further stores a location information memory unit that stores a charging location where the battery can be charged and a power generation method for electricity supplied at the charging location in association with each other. The power generation method is, for example, solar power generation, wind power generation, or thermal power generation. In this case, the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score based on the power generation method stored in the location information memory unit in association with the charging location included in the usage history.

For example, if the electricity supplied at a charging location included in the usage history is electricity generated based on renewable energy (electricity based on solar power generation, wind power generation, etc.), the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score to reduce the environmental load. On the other hand, if the electricity supplied at a charging location included in the usage history is electricity generated based on exhaustible resources (electricity based on thermal power generation, etc.), the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score to increase the environmental load. In this way, the information processing device 1 can reflect in the environmental score the impact on the environment caused by charging at a charging location that supplies electricity generated by a specified power generation method.

The score calculation unit 32 may correct the calculated environmental score according to the degree of social contribution of business operator B. For example, if business operator B charges the battery of an electric vehicle when the supply and demand of electricity is tight, the degree of social contribution of business operator B can be said to be low, and if business operator B refrains from charging the battery of an electric vehicle when the supply and demand of electricity is tight, the degree of social contribution of business operator B can be said to be high. Therefore, the score calculation unit 32 may correct the calculated environmental score according to the degree of tightness of the supply and demand of electricity when business operator B charges the battery of an electric vehicle.

For example, the memory unit 2 further stores a supply and demand information memory unit that stores information indicating the degree of tightness of power supply and demand at a predetermined interval (for example, every 30 minutes, every hour, etc.). In this case, the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score based on the charging date and time included in the usage history. For example, the score calculation unit 32 corrects the environmental score so that the more times the battery of the electric vehicle is charged when the degree of tightness of power supply and demand is high, the greater the environmental load, and corrects the environmental score so that the less times the battery of the electric vehicle is charged when the degree of tightness of power supply and demand is high, the smaller the environmental load. In this way, the information processing device 1 can reflect the social contribution of business operator B in the environmental score.

The vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles with a relatively small environmental score, which is a combination of vehicles equal to the number of vehicles used by the operator B as indicated by the usage history. The vehicle selection unit 31 selects, for example, a combination of vehicles with the smallest environmental score from among a plurality of rental vehicles. The vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles with a relatively small environmental score, for example, by solving a known optimization problem.

The notification unit 34 functions as an output unit that outputs information, and outputs environmental contribution information indicating the degree to which business operator B has contributed to the environment based on the magnitude of the difference between the first environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 and the second environmental score based on the combination of vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit 31. The notification unit 34, for example, notifies business operator B of the environmental contribution information.

The notification unit 34 may notify the administrator of the information processing device 1 of the environmental contribution information. For example, the administrator of the information processing device 1 can determine the amount of discount on the cost of lending the vehicle to business operator B depending on the level of environmental load indicated by the environmental contribution information output by the information processing device 1.

[Processing flow of information processing method executed by information processing device 1]
9 is a flowchart for explaining the flow of information processing executed by the information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment. The processing in this flowchart starts, for example, when the acquisition unit 36 of the information processing device 1 acquires a usage history (S20).

The score calculation unit 32 calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the multiple vehicles indicated by the usage history acquired by the acquisition unit 36 (S22). The vehicle selection unit 31 selects a combination of vehicles with a number of vehicles equal to the number of vehicles used by business operator B indicated by the usage history and with a relatively small environmental score (S24).

Then, the notification unit 34 outputs environmental contribution information indicating the degree to which operator B has contributed to the environment based on the magnitude of the difference between the first environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 and the second environmental score based on the combination of vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit 31 (S26).

[Effects of the information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment]
As described above, the information processing device 1 according to the third embodiment can provide a user with an opportunity to reconsider the use of a vehicle.

Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. For example, all or part of the device can be configured by distributing or integrating functionally or physically in any unit. In addition, new embodiments resulting from any combination of multiple embodiments are also included in the embodiments of the present invention. The effect of the new embodiment resulting from the combination also has the effect of the original embodiment.

<Modification>
In the above, a case has been mainly described in which the condition setting unit 30 acquires the vehicle driving conditions and conditions other than the driving conditions necessary for the business operator B to carry out the business from the business operator B, and sets them as the usage conditions. Alternatively, the condition setting unit 30 may set them based on the past usage record of the vehicle by the business operator B (e.g., the usage record of the last month, etc.). This allows the condition setting unit 30 to automatically reset the usage conditions at the time of contract renewal, etc., without acquiring the usage conditions from the business operator B. The business operator B can omit transmitting the usage conditions to the information processing device 1 when there is no change in the environment in which the business operator B does its business (e.g., the business scale, the budget, etc.), and therefore the information processing device 1 can improve the convenience of the business operator B at the time of contract renewal.

The above describes a case where business operator B presents the conditions required for the vehicle or vehicle maintenance to the administrator of the information processing device 1 at a predetermined timing determined by a license between the business operator B and the administrator of the information processing device 1. Alternatively or in addition to this, the timing of presenting the conditions may be changed based on the environmental score calculated by the score calculation unit 32.

Specifically, for example, if the environmental contribution score calculated by the score calculation unit 32 exceeds a certain threshold during the contract period and there is a specified usage record, the notification unit 34 may notify business operator B that the contract should be renewed. Furthermore, when renewing the contract with business operator B, the administrator of the information processing device 1 may not only present the usual contract renewal items, but also present a vehicle combination plan based on the environmental contribution score based on the usage record.

1 Information processing device 2 Storage unit 20 Vehicle information storage unit 21 Usage information storage unit 3 Control unit 30 Condition setting unit 31 Vehicle selection unit 32 Score calculation unit 33 Vehicle calculation unit 34 Notification unit 35 Index correction unit 36 Acquisition unit

Claims (7)

a vehicle information storage unit that stores an environmental load index indicating an environmental load of each of a plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle driven by a battery and a second vehicle driven by an engine, the environmental load index being associated with each of the plurality of vehicles that can be used by a business operator;
an acquisition unit that acquires a usage history indicating the vehicle used by the business operator;
a calculation unit that calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history;
a vehicle selection unit that selects a combination of the vehicles having a relatively small environmental score, the combination being equal to the number of the vehicles used by the business operator as indicated by the usage history;
an output unit that outputs environmental contribution information indicating a degree of contribution made by the company to the environment based on a magnitude of a difference between the environmental score calculated by the calculation unit and the environmental score based on the combination of vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit; and
An information processing device comprising: the calculation unit calculates, as the environmental score, a sum of values obtained by multiplying a total of the distances traveled by each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history by the environmental load index associated with each vehicle;
The information processing device according to claim 1 . The usage history includes an electricity consumption of the first vehicle or a fuel consumption of the second vehicle,
The calculation unit corrects the environmental score based on the electricity consumption or the fuel consumption included in the usage history.
3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2. The method further includes a location information storage unit that stores a location where the battery can be charged and a method of generating electricity to be supplied at the charging location in association with each other,
The usage history includes information indicating a charging location where the battery was charged,
The calculation unit corrects the environmental score based on the power generation method stored in the location information storage unit in association with the charging location included in the usage history.
The information processing device according to claim 1 . The power supply and demand information storage unit stores information indicating a tightness of the power supply and demand at a predetermined interval,
The usage history includes information indicating a charging date and time when the battery was charged,
The calculation unit corrects the environmental score based on the charging date and time included in the usage history.
The information processing device according to claim 1 . The computer executes
a step of registering an environmental load index indicating an environmental load of each of a plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle driven by a battery and a second vehicle driven by an engine, the plurality of vehicles being available for use by a business operator, in a vehicle information storage unit in association with each vehicle;
acquiring a usage history indicating the vehicle used by the business;
calculating an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history;
selecting a combination of the vehicles having a relatively small environmental score, the combination being equal to the number of the vehicles used by the business operator as indicated by the usage history;
outputting environmental contribution information indicating a degree of contribution made by the business operator to the environment based on a magnitude of a difference between the calculated environmental score and the environmental score based on the selected combination of vehicles;
An information processing method comprising: Computer,
a registration unit that registers, in a vehicle information storage unit, an environmental load index that indicates an environmental load of each of a plurality of vehicles that can be used by a business operator, the plurality of vehicles including a first vehicle that is driven by a battery and a second vehicle that is driven by an engine, in association with each vehicle;
an acquisition unit that acquires a usage history indicating the vehicle used by the business operator;
a calculation unit that calculates an environmental score determined from the environmental load index of each of the plurality of vehicles indicated by the usage history;
a vehicle selection unit that selects a combination of vehicles having a relatively small environmental score, the combination being equal to the number of the vehicles used by the business operator as indicated by the usage history; and an output unit that outputs environmental contribution information indicating a degree of contribution made by the business operator to the environment, based on a magnitude of a difference between the environmental score calculated by the calculation unit and the environmental score based on the combination of vehicles selected by the vehicle selection unit.
A program to function as a

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