JP7554989B2 - Charging system, charging method, and program - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to a charging system, a charging method, and a program. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a charging system, a charging method, and a program that determine a charging schedule for multiple mobile objects.

Patent Document 1 discloses an operation system for a car sharing service that temporarily lends out electric vehicles (mobile objects) according to the user's wishes. The operation system has functions such as accepting reservations from users and allocating electric vehicles to those reservations.

JP 2018-18250 A

The objective is to provide a charging system, a charging method, and a program that can easily manage the charging of storage batteries in multiple mobile objects.

A charging system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an acquisition unit, a determination unit, and a judgment unit. The acquisition unit acquires usage schedules of a plurality of mobile objects having a storage battery used as a power source. The determination unit determines charging schedules for the plurality of mobile objects based on a chargeable period of each of the plurality of mobile objects obtained from the usage schedule, for ensuring an amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the plurality of mobile objects. The judgment unit judges whether or not there is a mobile object among the plurality of mobile objects that matches a user's request including a period of time during which the mobile object is required to be used . When the judgment unit determines that there is no mobile object that matches the user's request based on the charging schedule, and when the judgment unit determines that there is a mobile object that matches the user's request if the charging schedule is changed, the determination unit changes the charging schedule.

A charging method according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes an acquisition step, a determination step, a judgment step, and a change step. The acquisition step is a step of acquiring a usage schedule of a plurality of mobile bodies having a storage battery used as a power source. The decision step is a step of determining a charging schedule of the plurality of mobile bodies for securing an amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the plurality of mobile bodies based on a chargeable period of each of the plurality of mobile bodies obtained from the usage schedule. The judgment step is a step of judging whether or not there is a mobile body among the plurality of mobile bodies that matches a user's request including a requested period for using the mobile body . The change step is a step of changing the charging schedule when it is determined in the judgment step that there is no mobile body that matches the user's request based on the charging schedule and that there is a mobile body that matches the user's request if the charging schedule is changed.

The charging program of one embodiment of the present disclosure is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the charging method.

The present disclosure has the advantage of making it easy to manage the charging of storage batteries in multiple mobile objects.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a management system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram of the operation of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a charge management system included in the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a usage management system included in the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a terminal device included in the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a power supply system included in the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a usage schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a charging schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a usage schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a charging schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a usage schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a charging schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a usage schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a charging schedule of the management system of the above embodiment. FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the operation of the charge management system.

(1) Embodiment (1-1) Overview FIG. 1 shows a management system 10 according to an embodiment. The management system 10 is a system that manages the use of one or more mobile objects 100 by one or more users. In particular, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the management system 10 is a system that manages the use of multiple mobile objects 100 (100A to 100D) by multiple users. The management system 10 manages the mobile objects 100 so that the users can use the mobile objects 100 that meet their requirements (demands, wishes). Note that the term "use" here may include use that does not require payment of a fee and use that requires payment of a fee. For example, when multiple mobile objects 100 are owned by a company and a user who is an employee of the company uses the mobile objects 100, payment of a fee is not required. On the other hand, when a company grants a user who is not an employee of the company permission to use the mobile objects 100, that is, when the company lends out the mobile objects 100, the user who is not an employee of the company pays a fee for the use of the mobile objects 100.

In this embodiment, the mobile body 100 has a storage battery 110 used as a power source of the mobile body 100 (see FIG. 1). The storage battery (battery) 110 is used to drive a drive device (e.g., a motor) of the mobile body 100. As an example, the mobile body 100 is an electric vehicle that runs using electric energy stored in the storage battery 110. Examples of electric vehicles include electric vehicles that run using the output of an electric motor, and plug-in hybrid vehicles that run using a combination of the output of an engine and the output of an electric motor. In other words, the electric vehicle may mean an electric vehicle (a vehicle that uses electricity as all or part of its power source). The mobile body 100 is not limited to an electric vehicle, and may be a senior car, a two-wheeled vehicle (electric motorcycle), a three-wheeled vehicle, or an electric bicycle. In the following, for ease of understanding, the mobile body 100 is assumed to be an electric vehicle, and the mobile body 100 is referred to as an electric vehicle 100 as necessary.

The management system 10 can be applied to, as an example, a car sharing service or a rental car service. In particular, in this embodiment, the management system 10 can be used to provide a service in which vehicles owned by a corporation such as a company are rented out to users. In this case, the users are not limited to persons (employees, etc.) who belong to the corporation, but can also include persons who do not belong to the corporation. In other words, the management system 10 can also be applied to a service in which vehicles that are not scheduled to be used by persons (employees, etc.) who belong to the corporation are rented out to persons who do not belong to the corporation.

As shown in FIG. 1, the management system 10 includes a charging management system 20, a usage management system 30, a power supply system 40, and a terminal device 50. The charging management system 20, the usage management system 30, the power supply system 40, and the terminal device 50 can be connected to a communication network 60.

The terminal device 50 is a device through which the user issues requests regarding the use of the electric vehicle 100 to the mobility management system 11.

The usage management system 30 is a system that manages the use of one or more electric vehicles 100 by one or more users. As an example, in response to a request from a user, the usage management system 30 selects an electric vehicle 100 from a plurality of electric vehicles 100 that matches the user's request and assigns it to the user. Specifically, the usage management system 30 determines a usage schedule for the plurality of electric vehicles 100 based on the user's request, and assigns the electric vehicles 100 to the user by referring to the usage schedule.

The charging management system 20 is a system that manages the charging of one or more electric vehicles 100 by the power supply system 40. As an example, the charging management system 20 appropriately controls the charging of one or more electric vehicles 100, thereby reducing the possibility that the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 will be insufficient when needed. Specifically, the charging management system 20 determines a charging schedule for multiple electric vehicles 100 by referring to the usage schedule provided by the usage management system 30, and controls the power supply system 40 according to the charging schedule.

The power supply system 40 includes one or more chargers 41 (41A-41D) that are used to charge the electric vehicles 100. Each charger 41 is capable of charging the electric vehicles 100 using power from a power source such as a commercial AC power source or a distributed power source (solar cell, storage battery, fuel cell, wind power generator, etc.). In the power supply system 40, each charger 41 charges the electric vehicles 100 according to instructions from the charging management system 20, and thus one or more electric vehicles 100 are charged according to the charging schedule.

The charging management system 20 and the usage management system 30 are connected to a communication network 60 to form a mobile management system 11. The mobile management system 11 manages schedule information including the usage schedule and charging schedule of one or more electric vehicles 100, and allocates electric vehicles 100 that meet the needs of users based on the schedule information and requests from the users.

Figure 2 shows an example of the operation of the management system 10. The user uses the terminal device 50 to make a request for use of the electric vehicle 100 (M11). The request from the user is sent to the usage management system 30, and the usage management system 30 provides the request information to the charging management system 20 in accordance with the request from the user (M12). The request information includes, as an example, a requested period for use of the electric vehicle 100. The charging management system 20 generates determination information based on the available power amount of the storage battery 110 during the requested period of the electric vehicle 100 obtained from the usage schedule for the multiple electric vehicles 100 and the request information (S11). The determination information is information for determining whether or not there is an electric vehicle 100 that can be used during the requested period among the multiple electric vehicles 100. The charging management system 20 provides the determination information to the usage management system 30 (M13). The usage management system 30 refers to the request from the user and the determination information to determine whether or not the electric vehicle 100 can be used (i.e., determines whether or not there is an electric vehicle 100 that matches the request from the user) (S12). If there is an electric vehicle 100 available, the usage management system 30 transmits information about the available electric vehicle 100 to the terminal device 50 and presents the available electric vehicle 100 to the user (M14). When the user selects an electric vehicle 100 that he or she wishes to use from the available electric vehicles 100 on the terminal device 50, information about the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user is sent to the usage management system 30 (M15). In response to this, the usage management system 30 confirms the use of the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user and notifies the terminal device 50 and the charging management system 20 that the use of the electric vehicle 100 has been confirmed (M16, M17). The usage management system 30 then updates the usage schedule for the multiple electric vehicles 100 (S13). Furthermore, the charging management system 20 updates the charging schedule for the multiple electric vehicles 100 (S14).

In this manner, the management system 10 of the present embodiment allocates electric vehicles 100 to users. In the management system 10, the charging management system 20 has a function as a charging system that determines a charging schedule for charging the multiple electric vehicles 100 by the power supply system 40. This function as a charging system is realized by the acquisition unit 231 and the determination unit 233 (see FIG. 3). That is, the charging system includes the acquisition unit 231 and the determination unit 233. The acquisition unit 231 acquires the usage schedules of the multiple electric vehicles 100 that are equipped with the storage battery 110 used as a power source. The determination unit 233 determines the charging schedules for the multiple electric vehicles 100 to ensure the amount of power usage based on the usage schedules of the multiple electric vehicles 100 based on the chargeable periods of each of the multiple electric vehicles 100 obtained from the usage schedules.

With this type of charging system, a charging schedule can be determined based on the usage schedule of the multiple electric vehicles 100. Then, by charging the multiple electric vehicles 100 according to the charging schedule, it becomes possible to operate the multiple electric vehicles 100 according to the usage schedule. Therefore, it is easy to manage the charging of the storage batteries 110 of the multiple electric vehicles 100.

(1-2) Details The management system 10 of this embodiment will be described in further detail below. As shown in Fig. 1, the management system 10 includes a charging management system 20, a usage management system 30, a power supply system 40, and a terminal device 50. The charging management system 20, the usage management system 30, the power supply system 40, and the terminal device 50 can be connected to a communication network 60. In particular, the charging management system 20 and the usage management system 30 are connected to the communication network 60 to form a mobile object management system 11.

The communication network 60 may include the Internet. The communication network 60 may be composed of multiple networks conforming to different communication protocols, rather than a network conforming to a single communication protocol. The communication protocol may be selected from various well-known wired and wireless communication standards. Although simplified in FIG. 1, the communication network 60 may include data communication devices such as repeater hubs, switching hubs, bridges, gateways, and routers.

The terminal device 50 is used to input information to the mobile object management system 11 and to display information from the mobile object management system 11. As shown in FIG. 5, the terminal device 50 includes an input/output unit 51, a communication unit 52, and a processing unit 53. The terminal device 50 may be realized by a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a mobile terminal (such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a wearable terminal). In this embodiment, the terminal device 50 is a smartphone.

The input/output unit 51 includes an input device for operating the terminal device 50. The input device may include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a touchpad, etc. The input/output unit 51 also includes an image display device for displaying information. The image display device may include a thin display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

The communication unit 52 is a communication interface. The communication unit 52 is connectable to the communication network 60 and has the function of communicating through the communication network 60. The communication unit 52 complies with a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol can be selected from various well-known wired and wireless communication standards.

The processing unit 53 is configured to control the entire terminal device 50, that is, to control the input/output unit 51 and the communication unit 52. The processing unit 53 has a function of transmitting information input by the user from the communication unit 52 to the mobile management system 11 through the communication network 60 in response to the operation of the input/output unit 51 described above. The processing unit 53 also has a function of presenting information from the mobile management system 11 received by the communication unit 52 through the communication network 60 to the user through the input/output unit 51. The processing unit 53 can be realized, for example, by a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, the one or more processors function as the processing unit 53 by executing one or more (computer) programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. Here, the programs are pre-recorded in the memory of the processing unit 53, but they may be provided via a telecommunication line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

The power supply system 40 is a system for charging the storage battery 110 used as a power source for the electric vehicle 100. The power supply system 40 is installed in a facility 400, as shown in FIG. 1. The facility 400 may include a parking lot 410 for the electric vehicle 100 and a building 420 attached to the parking lot 410. Examples of the facility 400 include residential buildings (e.g., detached houses, apartment buildings) and non-residential buildings (e.g., factories, commercial facilities, amusement facilities, hospitals, offices, buildings).

As shown in FIG. 6, the power supply system 40 includes a plurality of chargers 41 (41A to 41D) used to charge the electric vehicle 100, a power supply facility 42, a plurality of current sensors 43, a gateway 44, and a management device 45.

The charger 41 is connected to a power supply facility 42. The charger 41 can charge the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 connected to the charger 41 using power obtained from the power supply facility 42. Broadly speaking, two types of charging facilities are available for the charger 41: normal charging and rapid charging. In this embodiment, a normal charging facility that receives a single-phase AC current of 200V (or 100V) and charges the storage battery 110 is used for the charger 41. In addition, the normal charging mode is classified into "Mode 1", "Mode 2" and "Mode 3" according to the charging control method (IEC61851-1). "Mode 1" is a method in which power is supplied to the vehicle from a charging facility that does not have a control circuit. "Mode 2" is a method in which a control circuit is built into the charging cable. "Mode 3" is a method in which a control circuit is built into the charging facility. The charger 41 is assumed to adopt the "Mode 3" method. The charger 41 can have a conventionally known configuration and will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

The power supply equipment 42 is connected to the power system 200 and can obtain power from the commercial AC power supply 210. The power supply equipment 42 is also connected to the distributed power supply 300 and can supply power to the distributed power supply 300 or receive power from the distributed power supply 300. The distributed power supply 300 is an AC power supply or a DC power supply. An example of an AC power supply is an AC power generation system such as a wind power generation system. An example of a DC power supply is a solar cell, a fuel cell, and a secondary battery (storage battery). An example of a secondary battery is, for example, a nickel-metal hydride battery and a lithium-ion battery. The power supply equipment 42 can distribute the power received from the commercial AC power supply 210 or the distributed power supply 300 to each charger 41. Note that the power supply equipment 42 can adopt a conventionally known configuration, and therefore will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

The multiple current sensors 43 include a first current sensor 431 and multiple second current sensors 432A-432D. The first current sensor 431 is installed on an electrical path between the power system 200 and the power supply equipment 42, and is capable of measuring the current supplied from the power system 200 to the power supply equipment 42. The second current sensors 431A-431D are installed on an electrical path between the power supply equipment 42 and the chargers 41A-41D, and are capable of measuring the current supplied from the power supply equipment 42 to the chargers 41A-41D. Note that the current sensor 43 can have a conventionally known configuration, and will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

The management device 45 can control the multiple chargers 41. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the management device 45 is connected to a gateway 44 and communicates with the multiple chargers 41 and the multiple current sensors 43 via the gateway 44. This allows the management device 45 to control each charger 41 and acquire the operating status of the power supply system 40. In this embodiment, the operating status of the power supply system 40 is represented by the results of current measurement by the multiple current sensors 43 (first current sensor 431 and multiple second current sensors 432A to 432D). The management device 45 controls each charger 41 according to instructions from the charging management system 20. This allows the electric vehicle 100 to be charged according to the charging schedule.

The usage management system 30 is a system that manages the use of one or more electric vehicles 100 by one or more users. In this embodiment, the usage management system 30 determines a usage schedule for multiple electric vehicles 100 and manages the use of the electric vehicles 100 by referring to the usage schedule. FIG. 7 shows an example of a usage schedule. In FIG. 7, the usage schedule shows the planned usage period of multiple (here, four) electric vehicles 100A to 100D within a specified period. In FIG. 7, the specified period is one day. Note that the specified period does not have to be one day, and may be one week, one month, one year, etc., and can be set appropriately according to the operational status of the management system 10. The planned usage period is the period during which the user of the electric vehicle 100 is planned to use it. The planned usage period is the period during which the user owns the electric vehicle 100. In other words, the planned usage period is the period during which the user has exclusive rights to use the electric vehicle 100. Therefore, the user can freely use the electric vehicle 100 within the scope of the predetermined contract during the planned usage period. For example, during the planned use period, the user may travel with the electric vehicle 100, or park the electric vehicle 100 in a parking lot to eat or shop. In FIG. 7, a planned use period U11 from 08:00 to 12:00 and a planned use period U12 from 14:00 to 18:00 are set for the mobile body 100A. A planned use period U21 from 08:00 to 10:00 and a planned use period U22 from 16:00 to 18:00 are set for the mobile body 100B. A planned use period U31 from 08:00 to 12:00 and a planned use period U32 from 14:00 to 16:00 are set for the mobile body 100C. A planned use period U41 from 08:00 to 18:00 is set for the mobile body 100D. The usage management system 30 also holds planned usage amounts for each planned use period included in the usage schedule. The planned usage amount corresponds to the amount of decrease in the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 due to the use of the electric vehicle 100 during the planned usage period. The planned usage amount does not necessarily have to be the amount of power required to move the electric vehicle 100 at a predetermined speed during the planned usage period, and can be set taking into consideration various conditions such as the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100. For example, the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 can include at least one of the type, purpose, initial position, destination, planned travel distance, planned number of people, and usage mode. As an example, if the purpose of the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 is shopping, the planned usage amount can be set to 50% of the amount of power required to move the electric vehicle 100 at a predetermined speed during the planned usage period.

As shown in FIG. 4, the usage management system 30 includes a communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a processing unit 33. The usage management system 30 may be realized by a server.

The communication unit 31 is a communication interface. The communication unit 31 is connectable to the communication network 60 and has the function of communicating through the communication network 60. The communication unit 31 complies with a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol can be selected from various well-known wired and wireless communication standards.

The storage unit 32 is used to store information used by the processing unit 33. As an example, the storage unit 32 stores a usage schedule. In addition to the usage schedule, the storage unit 32 also stores the planned usage amount for each planned usage period included in the usage schedule. The storage unit 32 includes one or more storage devices. The storage device is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory).

The processing unit 33 is a control circuit that controls the operation of the usage management system 30. The processing unit 33 can be realized, for example, by a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, the one or more processors function as the processing unit 33 by executing one or more (computer) programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. Here, the programs are pre-recorded in the memory of the processing unit 33, but they may also be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

As shown in FIG. 4, the processing unit 33 includes a reception unit 331, a determination unit 332, a notification unit 333, and an update unit 334. In FIG. 4, the reception unit 331, the determination unit 332, the notification unit 333, and the update unit 334 do not represent physical configurations, but represent functions realized by the processing unit 33. The reception unit 331, the determination unit 332, the notification unit 333, and the update unit 334 will be described later.

The charging management system 20 is a system that manages the charging of one or more electric vehicles 100. In this embodiment, the charging management system 20 uses the power supply system 40 to charge the multiple electric vehicles 100. The charging of the electric vehicles 100 is basically performed outside the planned use period. Therefore, the charging management system 20 determines the charging schedule by referring to the usage schedule generated by the usage management system 30. Then, the charging management system 20 controls the charging of the electric vehicles 100 according to the determined charging schedule. FIG. 8 shows an example of a charging schedule determined by referring to the usage schedule of FIG. 7. Note that FIG. 8 also shows the usage schedule. In FIG. 8, the charging schedule shows the planned charging period within the designated period of multiple (here, 4) electric vehicles 100A to 100D. In FIG. 8, the designated period is one day. Note that the designated period does not have to be one day, and may be one week, one month, one year, etc., and can be set appropriately according to the operating status of the management system 10. The planned charging period is the period during which the charging of the electric vehicles 100 is scheduled. The planned charging period is set so as not to overlap with the planned use period in the designated period. In Fig. 8, for the moving body 100A, a planned charging period C11 from 00:00 to 02:00, a planned charging period C12 from 12:00 to 14:00, and a planned charging period C13 from 20:00 to 00:00 are set. For the moving body 100B, a planned charging period C21 from 00:00 to 04:00, a planned charging period C22 from 10:00 to 16:00, a planned charging period C23 from 18:00 to 20:00, and a planned charging period C24 from 22:00 to 00:00 are set. For the moving body 100C, a planned charging period C31 from 00:00 to 06:00, a planned charging period C32 from 12:00 to 14:00, and a planned charging period C33 from 16:00 to 22:00 are set. For the moving body 100D, a planned charging period C41 from 02:00 to 08:00, and a planned charging period C42 from 18:00 to 00:00 are set.

As shown in FIG. 3, the charging management system 20 includes a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a processing unit 23. The charging management system 20 can be realized by a server.

The communication unit 21 is a communication interface. The communication unit 21 is connectable to the communication network 60 and has the function of communicating through the communication network 60. The communication unit 21 complies with a predetermined communication protocol. The predetermined communication protocol can be selected from various well-known wired and wireless communication standards.

The storage unit 22 is used to store information used by the processing unit 23. As an example, the storage unit 22 stores a charging schedule. The storage unit 22 also stores a usage schedule obtained from the usage management system 30. The storage unit 22 includes one or more storage devices. The storage device is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory).

The processing unit 23 is a control circuit that controls the operation of the charging management system 20. The processing unit 23 can be realized, for example, by a computer system including one or more processors (microprocessors) and one or more memories. In other words, the one or more processors function as the processing unit 23 by executing one or more (computer) programs (applications) stored in one or more memories. Here, the programs are pre-recorded in the memory of the processing unit 23, but they may also be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

As shown in FIG. 3, the processing unit 23 includes an acquisition unit 231, a presentation unit 232, a decision unit 233, a control unit 234, and a notification unit 235. In FIG. 3, the acquisition unit 231, the presentation unit 232, the decision unit 233, the control unit 234, and the notification unit 235 do not represent physical configurations, but rather represent functions realized by the processing unit 23.

The following describes the acquisition unit 231, presentation unit 232, decision unit 233, control unit 234, and notification unit 235 of the charging management system 20, and the reception unit 331, judgment unit 332, notification unit 333, and update unit 334 of the usage management system 30. As shown in FIG. 2, the charging management system 20 and the usage management system 30 transmit and receive information to each other. Therefore, the following description will be given in accordance with the flow of operations of the charging management system 20 and the usage management system 30, with priority given to ease of understanding.

The reception unit 331 of the usage management system 30 receives a user request regarding the mobile object 100 from the terminal device 50. The user request regarding the electric vehicle 100 includes at least a requested period for use of the electric vehicle 100. The requested period is a period during which the user requests use of the electric vehicle 100. The user request regarding the electric vehicle 100 may include attribute information of the user and attribute information of the electric vehicle 100. The attribute information of the user may be information regarding whether or not the user belongs to a corporation. In addition, the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 may include at least one of the type, purpose, initial position, destination, planned distance traveled, planned number of people travelling, and usage mode.

The determination unit 332 of the usage management system 30 determines whether there is an electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request regarding the electric vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the determination unit 332 selects an electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request from the multiple electric vehicles 100. When selecting an electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request from the multiple electric vehicles 100, the determination unit 332 refers to determination information obtained from the charging management system 20. The determination unit 332 provides request information to the charging management system 20 in order to obtain determination information from the charging management system 20. The request information includes a requested period of use of the electric vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the request information includes the required amount of power required to use the electric vehicle 100 for the requested period. Here, the user's request regarding the electric vehicle 100 may include user attribute information and attribute information of the electric vehicle 100. The attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 may include at least one of the type, purpose, initial position, destination, planned travel distance, planned number of people to travel, and usage mode. Examples of the type include the model of the electric vehicle 100 and the type of the electric vehicle 100 (normal vehicle, light vehicle, etc.). Examples of the use include travel, shopping, pick-up and drop-off, delivery, etc. An example of the initial position is a location where the electric vehicle 100 is located at the start of the planned use period. This location may be a charging location for the electric vehicle 100. An example of the destination is a location where the user visits using the electric vehicle 100. For example, when the user uses the electric vehicle 100 for shopping, the destination is a store visited by the user. Also, when the user uses the electric vehicle 100 for travel, the destination is a tourist spot or accommodation facility visited by the user. The planned travel distance is the distance that the user plans to travel by the electric vehicle 100. For example, the distance required for a round trip between the initial position and the destination is the planned travel distance. The planned number of people to travel is the number of people planned to travel by the electric vehicle 100. As an example, the planned number of people to travel is the number of people planned to ride the electric vehicle 100. The usage mode is the usage mode of the electric vehicle 100. Here, the assumed usage patterns are use by company employees (in-business use) and use by non-company employees (outside of business use, car sharing, rental cars, etc.).

The determination unit 332 may determine the required amount of power from the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100. For example, if the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 includes the planned travel distance, it is possible to estimate the required amount of power from the planned travel distance. The planned travel distance may also be estimated from the initial position or the destination. For example, the type of electric vehicle 100 and the number of people planned to travel may affect the power consumption of the electric vehicle 100. The power consumption may affect the required amount of power. Therefore, the required amount of power may be changed according to the type of the moving body (electric vehicle 100). The required amount of power may also be changed according to the purpose of the moving body (electric vehicle 100). Examples of the purpose of the electric vehicle 100 include travel and shopping. Since travel is expected to involve travel over a longer distance than shopping, the required amount of power may be set to be larger when the purpose is travel than when the purpose is shopping. The request information may also include attribute information of the user and attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 included in the user's request regarding the electric vehicle 100. In other words, the required amount of power does not necessarily have to be the amount of power required to operate (run) the electric vehicle 100 for the requested period, but can be set taking into account various conditions such as the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100.

The acquisition unit 231 of the charging management system 20 acquires request information including a requested period for use of the electric vehicles 100 from the usage management system 30, which manages the use of multiple electric vehicles 100 each equipped with a storage battery 110 used as a power source. In this embodiment, the determination unit 332 of the usage management system 30 transmits the request information to the charging management system 20, and the acquisition unit 231 of the charging management system 20 receives the request information via the communication network 60. The acquisition unit 231 also acquires a usage schedule for the electric vehicles 100 from the usage management system 30. At this time, the acquisition unit 231 also acquires from the usage management system 30 the planned amount of usage for the planned usage period included in the usage schedule.

The presentation unit 232 of the charging management system 20 presents the judgment information to the usage management system 30. The judgment information is information for determining whether the electric vehicle 100 can be used in the requested period. The presentation unit 232 generates the judgment information based on the available power amount of the storage battery 110 in the requested period of the electric vehicle 100. In this embodiment, the judgment information includes basic information. The basic information includes information indicating the available power amount (first available power amount) in the requested period of the electric vehicle 100. In addition, the judgment information includes impact information as necessary. The impact information is information that represents the impact on the use of the electric vehicle 100 in one or more planned use periods when the available power amount (first available power amount) of the storage battery 110 in the requested period is secured. In particular, the impact information includes information indicating the available power amount (second available power amount) of the storage battery 110 in one or more planned use periods when the available power amount (first available power amount) of the storage battery 110 in the requested period is secured. In this way, the presentation unit 232 can include the basic information and impact information in the determination information and present it to the usage management system 30.

The determination unit 332 of the usage management system 30 uses the determination information obtained from the presentation unit 232 of the charging management system 20 to determine whether there is an electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request for the electric vehicle 100. The determination unit 332 selects an electric vehicle 100 whose available power (first available power) is equal to or greater than the required power required to use the electric vehicle 100 during the requested period as a candidate for a mobile body (electric vehicle) 100 that can be used during the requested period. However, even if the first available power is equal to or greater than the required power, if the second available power is less than the planned usage amount, it is better not to allow the electric vehicle 100 to be used during the requested period. Therefore, the determination unit 332 excludes a mobile body (electric vehicle) 100 whose second available power in the planned usage period after the requested period is less than the planned usage amount from candidates for a mobile body (electric vehicle) 100 that can be used during the requested period. In addition, the determination unit 332 may select a mobile body (electric vehicle) 100 as a candidate for use in the requested period, even if the second available amount of power in the planned usage period after the requested period is less than the planned amount of usage, with an additional condition presented to the user. The additional condition is that the user agrees that the second available amount of power of the mobile body 100 will be less than the planned amount of usage. This can also be said to be that the user agrees to charge the mobile body 100 by himself. In this case, the usage management system 30 can present a discount on the fee required for use of the mobile body 100 as a benefit for the user agreeing that the second available amount of power of the mobile body 100 is less than the planned amount of usage.

In this way, in this embodiment, the determination unit 332 selects a mobile body (electric vehicle) 100 that can be used during the requested period based on the determination information as an electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's requirements for the electric vehicle 100.

The notification unit 333 of the usage management system 30 transmits notification information to the terminal device 50 to notify the user of the electric vehicle 100 selected by the determination unit 332 that matches the user's request. The terminal device 50 then presents the information of the electric vehicle 100 selected by the determination unit 332 that matches the user's request to the user via the input/output unit 51. The user can use the input/output unit 51 to select a desired electric vehicle 100 from the electric vehicles 100 presented on the input/output unit 51. The terminal device 50 transmits information of the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user to the usage management system 30. If there is no electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request, a notification may be given to the effect that there is no electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request.

The update unit 334 of the usage management system 30 receives information on the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user from the terminal device 50. The update unit 334 notifies the terminal device 50 and the charging management system 20 that the planned usage period is to be confirmed for the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user. The update unit 334 changes the usage schedule and sets the period corresponding to the requested period as the planned usage period for the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user. In this way, the update unit 334 changes (updates) the usage schedule to meet the user's request. Furthermore, the update unit 334 sets the required amount of power for the requested period as the planned amount of usage for the planned usage period for the period corresponding to the requested period.

The determination unit 233 of the charging management system 20 has a function of determining a charging schedule. Specifically, the determination unit 233 determines a charging schedule for the multiple electric vehicles 100 based on the chargeable period of each of the multiple electric vehicles 100 obtained from the usage schedule, in order to ensure the amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the multiple electric vehicles 100. Here, the usage schedule is obtained from the usage management system 30 by the acquisition unit 321, as described above. In other words, the charging management system 20 obtains the usage schedule from the usage management system 30 by the acquisition unit 321.

The process of determining the charging schedule will be described in more detail below. When the acquisition unit 321 acquires the usage schedule, the determination unit 233 extracts the chargeable period of each of the multiple electric vehicles 100 from the usage schedule. The chargeable period is a period that can be used to charge the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100. In this embodiment, for each electric vehicle 100, a period that does not overlap with the planned usage period is extracted as the chargeable period. For example, in the case of the usage schedule shown in FIG. 7, for electric vehicle 100A, the periods 00:00 to 08:00, 12:00 to 14:00, and 18:00 to 00:00 do not overlap with any of the planned usage periods U11 and U12, so are extracted as the chargeable period. For electric vehicle 100B, the periods 00:00 to 08:00, 10:00 to 16:00, and 18:00 to 00:00 do not overlap with either of planned use periods U21 and U22, so they are extracted as chargeable periods. For electric vehicle 100C, the periods 00:00 to 08:00, 12:00 to 14:00, and 16:00 to 00:00 do not overlap with either of planned use periods U31 and U32, so they are extracted as chargeable periods. For electric vehicle 100D, the periods 00:00 to 08:00 and 18:00 to 00:00 do not overlap with planned use period U41, so they are extracted as chargeable periods.

When determining the charging schedule, the determination unit 233 sets the planned charging period in the chargeable period so that the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 is equal to or greater than the planned usage amount in each of the multiple electric vehicles 100 during the planned usage period. Here, the planned usage amount is acquired from the usage management system 30 by the acquisition unit 321 as described above. In other words, the charging management system 20 acquires the planned usage amount for the planned usage period from the usage management system 30 by the acquisition unit 321. As an example, for the electric vehicle 100A, the planned usage amount in the planned usage period U11 is 40%, and the planned usage amount in the planned usage period U12 is 40%. For the electric vehicle 100B, the planned usage amount in the planned usage period U21 is 20%, and the planned usage amount in the planned usage period U22 is 20%. For the electric vehicle 100C, the planned usage amount in the planned usage period U31 is 40%, and the planned usage amount in the planned usage period U32 is 20%. For electric vehicle 100D, the planned usage amount during planned usage period U41 is assumed to be 100%.

The planned charging period is a period during which the storage battery 110 is charged (a period during which the storage battery 110 is planned to be charged). The length of the planned charging period may vary depending on the planned charging amount of the storage battery 110 and the performance of the charger 41 used to charge the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100. The planned charging amount corresponds to the increase in the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 due to the charging of the electric vehicle 100. The planned usage amount during the planned usage period is acquired from the usage management system 30 by the acquisition unit 231. In this embodiment, the planned usage amount is expressed based on the remaining amount (remaining capacity) of the storage battery 110. In this embodiment, the remaining amount (remaining capacity) of the storage battery 110 is expressed by SOC (State of Charge). However, the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 may be expressed by an index other than SOC. The remaining amount of the storage battery 110 may be expressed using a well-known unit as a unit of the remaining amount of the storage battery 110, for example, watt-hours (Wh), ampere-hours (Ah), etc. can be used. Furthermore, the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 may be expressed by an index corresponding to the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110. An example of such an index is the distance (km) that can be traveled based on the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110. By expressing the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 based on the distance that can be traveled, it becomes easier for the user to understand to what extent the electric vehicle 100 can be used.

In the electric vehicle 100A, in order for the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 to be equal to or greater than the planned amount of use during the planned use periods U11 and U12, the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 08:00 must be 40% or more, and the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 14:00 must be 40% or more. In the electric vehicle 100B, in order for the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 to be equal to or greater than the planned amount of use during the planned use periods U21 and U22, the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 08:00 must be 20% or more, and the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 16:00 must be 20% or more. In the electric vehicle 100C, in order for the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 to be equal to or greater than the planned amount of use during the planned use periods U31 and U32, the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 08:00 must be 40% or more, and the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 14:00 must be 20% or more. In electric vehicle 100D, in order for the remaining charge of storage battery 110 to be equal to or greater than the planned charge during planned use period U41, the remaining charge of storage battery 110 at 08:00 needs to be 100% or greater.

When determining the planned charging amount, the determination unit 233 uses the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the reference time for each of the multiple electric vehicles 100. In other words, the determination unit 233 determines the charging schedule based on the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the reference time for each of the multiple electric vehicles 100. In this embodiment, the reference time is the start time of the usage schedule (the start time of the specified period). In the example of FIG. 7, 00:00 on the right side is the start time of the usage schedule and is used as the reference time. As an example, the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the reference time of the electric vehicle 100A is 80%, the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the reference time of the electric vehicle 100B is 0%, the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the reference time of the electric vehicle 100C is 20%, and the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the reference time of the electric vehicle 100D is 40%. Note that the reference time is not limited to the above example, and may be a time point at which the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 can be obtained. In other words, the reference time may be a timing at which the actual remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 can be obtained by directly detecting the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 using the current sensor 43 or the like, or by sending the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 calculated within the electric vehicle 100 to the charging management system 20 via the communication network 60. Examples of the time at which the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 can be obtained include the start and end of use of the electric vehicle 100 before the chargeable period, and the start and end of charging the electric vehicle 100 before the planned use period. Therefore, the reference time may be selected from one of the start and end of use of the electric vehicle 100 before the chargeable period, one of the start and end of charging the electric vehicle 100 before the planned use period, a regular time, a predetermined time within a predetermined period, or the like, or may be set in advance.

In the electric vehicle 100A, the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 is 80%, and the scheduled usage amount in the scheduled usage period U11 is 40%, so it is not necessary to set the scheduled charging period in the chargeable period from 00:00 to 08:00. However, since the scheduled usage period U12 follows the scheduled usage period U11, it is preferable to charge the storage battery 110. As an example, as shown in FIG. 8, in the chargeable period from 00:00 to 08:00, a scheduled charging period C11 with a scheduled charging amount of 20% can be set from 00:00 to 02:00 so that the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 is 100% at 08:00. In this case, since the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at the end of the scheduled usage period U11 (12:00) is 60%, and the scheduled usage amount in the scheduled usage period U12 is 40%, it is not necessary to set the scheduled charging period in the chargeable period from 12:00 to 14:00. Here, as shown in FIG. 8, a planned charging period C12 with a planned charging amount of 20% or more can be set in the chargeable period from 12:00 to 14:00. In this case, the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at the end of the planned usage period U12 (18:00) will be 40%. In the chargeable period from 18:00 to 00:00, a planned charging period C13 with a planned charging amount of 40% can be set from 20:00 to 00:00 so that the remaining amount of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 the next day will be a predetermined value (e.g., 80%).

In the electric vehicle 100B, since the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 is 0% and the planned charge amount of the planned use period U21 is 20%, it is necessary to set a planned charge period with a planned charge amount of 20% or more in the chargeable period from 00:00 to 08:00. As an example, as shown in FIG. 8, a planned charge period C21 with a planned charge amount of 40% can be set from 00:00 to 04:00. In this case, since the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at the end of the planned use period U21 (10:00) is 20% and the planned charge amount of the planned use period U22 is 20%, it is not necessary to set a planned charge period in the chargeable period from 10:00 to 16:00. Here, as an example, as shown in FIG. 8, a planned charge period C22 with a planned charge amount of 60% or more can be set from 10:00 to 16:00. In this case, the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at the end of the planned usage period U22 (18:00) will be 40%. In order to make the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 the next day a predetermined value (e.g. 80%), a planned charging period C23 with a planned charging amount of 20% from 18:00 to 20:00 and a planned charging period C24 with a planned charging amount of 20% from 22:00 to 00:00 can be set during the chargeable period from 18:00 to 00:00.

In the electric vehicle 100C, the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 is 20%, and the planned amount of use of the planned use period U31 is 40%, so it is necessary to set a planned charging period with a planned charging amount of 20% or more in the chargeable period from 00:00 to 08:00. As an example, as shown in FIG. 8, a planned charging period C31 with a planned charging amount of 60% can be set from 00:00 to 06:00. In this case, since the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at the end of the planned use period U31 (12:00) is 20%, and the planned amount of use of the planned use period U32 is 20%, it is not necessary to set a planned charging period in the chargeable period from 12:00 to 14:00. Here, as an example, as shown in FIG. 8, a planned charging period C32 with a planned charging amount of 20% can be set from 12:00 to 14:00. In this case, the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at the end of the planned use period U32 (16:00) will be 20%. In order to ensure that the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 the next day will be a predetermined value (e.g., 80%), a planned charging period C33 with a planned charging amount of 60% can be set from 16:00 to 22:00 during the chargeable period from 16:00 to 00:00.

In the electric vehicle 100D, the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 is 40%, and the planned usage amount of the planned usage period U41 is 100%, so a planned charging period with a planned charging amount of 60% can be set in the chargeable period from 00:00 to 08:00. Here, as shown in FIG. 8, a planned charging period C41 with a planned charging amount of 60% can be set from 02:00 to 02:00. In this case, the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at the end of the planned usage period U41 (18:00) is 0%. In the chargeable period from 18:00 to 00:00, a planned charging period C42 with a planned charging amount of 60% can be set from 18:00 to 00:00 so that the remaining charge of the storage battery 110 at 00:00 the next day is a predetermined value (for example, 60%).

In this embodiment, the determination unit 233 determines the charging schedule so that the total power used to charge the multiple electric vehicles 100 does not exceed the threshold. For example, in FIG. 8, the planned charging periods C11, C21, and C31 overlap from 00:00 to 02:00, but the total value of the power used to charge the electric vehicles 100A to 100C is adjusted so that it does not exceed the threshold. Similarly, the planned charging periods C13, C33, and C42 overlap from 20:00 to 22:00, but the total value of the power used to charge the electric vehicles 100A, 100C, and 100D is adjusted so that it does not exceed the threshold. In this way, the total power used to charge the multiple electric vehicles 100 is adjusted throughout the entire charging schedule so that it does not exceed the threshold.

In this embodiment, the power supply system 40 can charge the multiple electric vehicles 100 using multiple power sources including the commercial AC power source 210 and the distributed power source 300. That is, multiple power sources can be used to charge the multiple electric vehicles 100. In this case, the threshold is set so that the power from a specific power source among the multiple power sources is equal to or less than a specified value. In this embodiment, the specific power source is the commercial AC power source 210. The specified value can be the upper limit of the power from the commercial AC power source 210 that can be used to charge the electric vehicle 100. The upper limit can be set, for example, based on the contracted power of the electric utility's electricity rate plan. For example, in the facility 400, the upper limit of the power that can be used to charge the electric vehicle 100 can be set so that the power from the commercial AC power source 210 does not exceed the contracted power. Therefore, by setting the threshold, it is possible to prevent the power from the commercial AC power source 210 from exceeding the contracted power due to the charging of the multiple electric vehicles 100. The threshold and the specified value may be changed depending on the time period. For example, the thresholds and default values may be set lower during daytime hours than during late night hours.

The determination unit 233 may determine the charging schedule so that power is supplied according to the priority order of the multiple electric vehicles 100. That is, the electric vehicle 100 with a high priority may be charged preferentially. The determination unit 233 may determine the charging schedule so that the charging speed is changed according to the priority order of the multiple moving bodies (electric vehicles 100). That is, the electric vehicle 100 with a high priority may be set to a large charging amount per unit time. For example, the electric vehicle 100 with a high priority may be charged with a charger for rapid charging, and the electric vehicle 100 with a low priority may be charged with a charger for normal charging. Here, the priority order may be set based on at least one of the usage mode of each of the multiple electric vehicles 100, the frequency of use of each of the multiple electric vehicles 100, and the remaining capacity of each storage battery 110 of the multiple electric vehicles 100. The usage mode is obtained from the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100. As described above, the usage mode is assumed to be a mode of use by employees of a company (use within work) and a mode of use by people other than employees of a company (use outside work, car sharing, rental car). For example, a high priority may be set for use within business, and a low priority may be set for use outside business. The frequency of use may be, for example, the number of times the electric vehicle 100 has been used within a certain period of time. The frequency of use may be determined by the usage management system 30 from the usage history of each electric vehicle 100. For example, the higher the frequency of use, the higher the priority may be set, and the lower the frequency of use, the lower the priority may be set. The remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 may be acquired from each electric vehicle 100. For example, the lower the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110, the higher the priority may be set, and the higher the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110, the lower the priority may be set. The priority of the electric vehicles 100 may be changed as appropriate.

When the determination unit 233 of the charging management system 20 is notified by the update unit 334 that the planned use period is to be confirmed for the electric vehicle 100 selected by the user, the determination unit 233 determines the charging schedule in accordance with the change in the usage schedule in accordance with the confirmation of the planned use period. In other words, the charging schedule is reset in order to reduce the possibility that the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 will be insufficient when needed due to the addition of a new planned use period to the usage schedule. As an example, the charging schedule may be changed to compensate for the decrease in the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 at the end of the usage schedule. In this way, the determination unit 233 changes (updates) the charging schedule in accordance with the change (update) of the usage schedule.

For example, FIG. 9 shows an example in which the update unit 334 has changed the usage schedule for the requested period of 12:00 to 14:00. In FIG. 9, the update unit 334 changes the usage schedule to set the period corresponding to the requested period (12:00 to 14:00) as the planned usage period U13 for the electric vehicle 100A selected by the user. The planned usage amount in the planned usage period U13 is, for example, 20%. When the determination unit 233 of the charging management system 20 is notified by the update unit 334 that the planned usage period is to be confirmed for the electric vehicle 100A selected by the user, the determination unit 233 determines the charging schedule in accordance with the change in the usage schedule in accordance with the confirmation of the planned usage period U13. Here, the determination unit 233 changes the charging schedule to compensate for the decrease in the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100A at the end of the usage schedule. As an example, as shown in FIG. 10, for electric vehicle 100A, planned charging period C13 from 20:00 to 00:00 is changed to planned charging period C14 from 18:00 to 00:00. In conjunction with this change, planned charging period C23 for electric vehicle 100B is canceled. In this example, electric vehicle 100A has a higher priority than electric vehicle 100B, and this is the result of prioritizing charging of electric vehicle 100A over electric vehicle 100B.

For example, FIG. 11 shows an example in which the update unit 334 changes the usage schedule for the requested period of 12:00 to 14:00, as in FIG. 9. In FIG. 11, the update unit 334 changes the usage schedule and sets the period corresponding to the requested period (12:00 to 14:00) as the planned usage period U33 for the electric vehicle 100C selected by the user. Then, when the determination unit 233 of the charging management system 20 is notified by the update unit 334 that the planned usage period for the electric vehicle 100C selected by the user is confirmed, the determination unit 233 determines the charging schedule according to the change in the usage schedule in accordance with the confirmation of the planned usage period U33. Here, the determination unit 233 changes the charging schedule so as to compensate for the decrease in the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100C at the end of the usage schedule. As an example, as shown in FIG. 12, for the electric vehicle 100C, the planned charging period C33 is changed from the period of 16:00 to 22:00 to the period of 16:00 to 00:00. Due to this change, the planned charging period C24 for electric vehicle 100B is canceled. In this example, electric vehicle 100C has a higher priority than electric vehicle 100B, and the charging of electric vehicle 100C is prioritized over electric vehicle 100B.

For example, FIG. 13 shows an example in which the update unit 334 has changed the usage schedule for the requested period of 12:00 to 14:00, as in FIG. 9 and FIG. 11. In FIG. 13, the update unit 334 changes the usage schedule to set the period corresponding to the requested period (12:00 to 14:00) as the planned use period U23 for the electric vehicle 100B selected by the user. Then, when the determination unit 233 of the charging management system 20 is notified by the update unit 334 that the planned use period is to be confirmed for the electric vehicle 100B selected by the user, the determination unit 233 determines a charging schedule in accordance with the change in the usage schedule in accordance with the confirmation of the planned use period U23. Here, the determination unit 233 changes the charging schedule to compensate for the decrease in the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100B at the end of the usage schedule. As an example, as shown in FIG. 14, for electric vehicle 100B, planned charging periods C23 and C24 are changed to planned charging period C25 (18:00-00:00) that includes these periods. In conjunction with this change, planned charging period C33 for electric vehicle 100C is changed to planned charging period C35 (16:00-20:00) that is shorter than planned charging period C33. In this example, electric vehicle 100B has a higher priority than electric vehicle 100C, and charging of electric vehicle 100B is prioritized over electric vehicle 100C.

The control unit 234 of the charging management system 20 controls the power supply system 40. More specifically, the control unit 234 executes control of the power supply system 40 according to the charging schedule. That is, the control unit 234 controls charging of at least one of the storage batteries 110 of the multiple electric vehicles 100 according to the charging schedule. Specifically, the control unit 234 causes the corresponding charger 41 to charge the electric vehicle 100 during each planned charging period of the charging schedule. As a result, the power supply system 40 executes charging of the electric vehicle 100 according to the charging schedule.

The notification unit 235 notifies the user of information related to the charging of the electric vehicle 100. For example, the notification unit 235 transmits the information related to the charging of the electric vehicle 100 to the usage management system 30 through the communication network 60. The usage management system 30 can execute processing according to the information related to the charging of the electric vehicle 100 sent from the notification unit 235. Here, the information related to the charging of the electric vehicle 100 includes information on an electric vehicle 100 that cannot be operated according to the charging schedule among the multiple electric vehicles 100. As an example, the notification unit 235 may determine whether the electric vehicle 100 can be charged according to the charging schedule based on the operating state of the power supply system 40 and the charging schedule. For example, if the operating state of the power supply system 40 is an abnormal state in which power is not being supplied during the scheduled charging period of the charging schedule, it is determined that the electric vehicle 100 cannot be charged according to the charging schedule. In this case, the usage management system 30 may notify the user through the terminal device 50 that the electric vehicle 100 cannot be charged according to the charging schedule.

(1-3) Summary As described above, the charging system includes the acquisition unit 231 and the determination unit 233. The acquisition unit 231 acquires usage schedules of the multiple mobile bodies 100 that are equipped with the storage batteries 110 used as power sources. The determination unit 233 determines charging schedules for the multiple mobile bodies 100 based on the chargeable periods of each of the multiple mobile bodies 100 obtained from the usage schedules, in order to ensure the amount of power usage based on the usage schedules of the multiple mobile bodies 100. The charging system makes it easy to manage the charging of the storage batteries 110 of the multiple mobile bodies 100.

In other words, the charging system is executing a method (charging method) as shown in FIG. 15. The charging method includes an acquisition step S31 and a determination step S32. The acquisition step S31 is a step of acquiring a usage schedule for a plurality of mobile bodies 100 equipped with a storage battery 110 used as a power source. The determination step S33 is a step of determining a charging schedule for the plurality of mobile bodies 100 based on the chargeable period of each of the plurality of mobile bodies 100 obtained from the usage schedule, in order to ensure the amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the plurality of mobile bodies 100. According to the charging method, like the charging system, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage battery 110 of the plurality of mobile bodies 100.

The charging system is realized by utilizing a computer system. In other words, the method executed by the charging system (charging method) can be realized by the computer system executing a program. This program is a computer program for causing one or more processors to execute the charging method. With such a program, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries 110 of multiple mobile objects 100, in the same way as with the charging system.

(2) Modifications The embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiments. The above-described embodiments can be modified in various ways depending on the design and the like as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Modifications of the above-described embodiments are listed below. The modifications described below can be applied in appropriate combination.

In one modified example, the determination unit 233 may redetermine the charging schedule in response to a request from the usage management system 30. For example, if the determination unit 332 determines that there is no electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request for the electric vehicle 100, the determination unit 332 may request the determination unit 233 to redetermine the charging schedule. In this case, the determination unit 233 may determine the charging schedule again from a usage schedule in which the requested period corresponding to the user's request is provisionally set as the planned usage period. This allows the determination unit 332 to determine that there is an electric vehicle 100 that matches the user's request for the electric vehicle 100 if the planned usage amount can be secured during the planned usage period included in the usage schedule.

In one variant, a period may be set during the chargeable period during which charging of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 is prioritized. In general, electricity rates tend to be cheaper during late night hours than during daytime hours. Therefore, when the chargeable period includes late night hours and daytime hours, the amount of power used to charge the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 during the late night hours may be set to be greater than the amount of power used during the daytime hours. For example, the determination unit 233 may set the planned charging amount during the planned charging period that belongs to the late night hours to be greater than the planned charging amount during the planned charging period that belongs to the daytime hours.

In one modified example, the determination unit 233 may determine the charge amount of the storage battery 110 of the multiple electric vehicles 100 based on the attribute information of each of the multiple electric vehicles 100. The charge amount may be, for example, the upper limit of the remaining capacity of the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 during the chargeable period. For example, the attribute information may include at least one of the type, purpose, initial position, destination, planned travel distance, number of people traveling, and usage mode, as described above. Examples of these attribute information are as described above. For example, if the type included in the attribute information determines that the electric vehicle 100 has relatively good power consumption, the determination unit 233 may set the charge amount to be small. Also, if the purpose, initial position, destination, planned travel distance, etc. included in the attribute information determine that the required amount of power of the electric vehicle 100 is relatively small, the determination unit 233 may set the charge amount to be small. Also, if the attribute information includes a large number of people planning to travel, the determination unit 233 may set the charge amount to be large. Furthermore, the determination unit 233 may set the charge amount to be high when the vehicle is used within business hours, and set the charge amount to be low when the vehicle is used outside business hours. By setting the charge amount according to the attribute information of the electric vehicle 100 in this way, the storage battery 110 of the electric vehicle 100 can be charged efficiently.

In one modified example, the notification unit 235 may notify the charging location where the mobile body (electric vehicle 100) is to be placed at the end of the planned use period included in the use schedule. The charging location may be determined by the determination unit 233 based on the charging schedule. For example, in the power supply system 40, when the multiple chargers 41 include a charger 41 (41A) capable of rapid charging, the planned charging period may be set so that the specific electric vehicle 100 is rapidly charged by the charger 41A when the charging schedule is determined. In this case, the specific electric vehicle 100 is required to be placed at a location where it can be charged by the charger 41A at the start of the planned charging period. In this case, the notification unit 235 notifies the usage management system 30 of the charging location where the mobile body (electric vehicle 100) is to be placed at the end of the planned use period included in the use schedule. Then, the usage management system 30 may send guidance information to the terminal device 50 for placing the electric vehicle 100 at the charging location. This makes it possible to encourage the user to place the electric vehicle 100 at the charging location at the end of the planned use period. The charging location may be determined so that the electric vehicle 100 is charged only by a specific power source among the multiple power sources. The specific power source may be, for example, a distributed power source 300 that uses only renewable energy. For example, in the power supply system 40, if the multiple chargers 41 include a specific charger 41 that can be charged only by power from the distributed power source 300 that uses renewable energy, the charging location may be set so that the specific electric vehicle 100 is charged by the specific charger 41 when determining the charging schedule. Since an electric vehicle 100 that is charged only by renewable energy has an advantage in calculating carbon dioxide emissions, it is possible to increase the value of the electric vehicle 100.

In one modified example, if the determination unit 233 cannot set a charging schedule that can secure the amount of power usage based on the usage schedules of multiple mobile objects (electric vehicles) 100, the notification unit 235 may notify the usage management system 30 that the charging schedule cannot be set. This allows the usage management system 30 to review the usage schedule.

The charging management system 20 in the present disclosure includes, for example, a computer system. The computer system is mainly composed of a processor and a memory as hardware. The processor executes a program recorded in the memory of the computer system to realize the function of the charging management system 20 in the present disclosure. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, provided through an electric communication line, or provided by recording it in a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system is composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to here are called differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationship inside the LSI or reconfigure the circuit partition inside the LSI, can also be adopted as a processor. The multiple electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be distributed across multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit or a large-scale integrated circuit.

In addition, it is not essential for the charging management system 20 that multiple functions are concentrated in one housing, and the components of the charging management system 20 may be distributed across multiple housings. Furthermore, at least some of the functions of the charging management system 20, for example, some of the functions of the processing unit 23, may be realized by the cloud (cloud computing) or the like.

(3) Aspect A first aspect is a charging system (20) including an acquisition unit (231) and a determination unit (233). The acquisition unit (231) acquires usage schedules of a plurality of mobile bodies (100) including storage batteries (110) used as a power source. The determination unit (233) determines charging schedules for the plurality of mobile bodies (100) based on a chargeable period of each of the plurality of mobile bodies (100) obtained from the usage schedules, in order to ensure an amount of power usage based on the usage schedules of the plurality of mobile bodies (100). According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage charging of the storage batteries (110) of the plurality of mobile bodies (100).

The second aspect is a charging system (20) based on the first aspect. In the second aspect, the usage schedule includes a planned usage period of the multiple mobile bodies (100). In each of the multiple mobile bodies (100), the chargeable period is a period that does not overlap with the planned usage period. In determining the charging schedule, the determination unit (233) sets a planned charging period for charging the storage battery (110) in the chargeable period for each of the multiple mobile bodies (100) so that the remaining capacity of the storage battery (110) during the planned usage period is equal to or greater than the planned usage amount. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage battery (110) of the multiple mobile bodies (100).

The third aspect is a charging system (20) based on the first or second aspect. In the third aspect, the determination unit (233) determines the charging schedule so that the total power used to charge the multiple mobile objects (100) does not exceed a threshold. According to this aspect, an excessive increase in power consumption during charging of the storage batteries (110) of the multiple mobile objects (100) can be suppressed.

The fourth aspect is a charging system (20) based on the third aspect. In the fourth aspect, a plurality of power sources (210, 300) are used to charge the plurality of mobile objects (100). The threshold value is set so that the power from a specific power source (210) among the plurality of power sources (210, 300) is equal to or less than a specified value. According to this aspect, an excessive increase in the consumption of power from a specific power source when charging the storage batteries (110) of the plurality of mobile objects (100) can be suppressed.

The fifth aspect is a charging system (20) based on any one of the first to fourth aspects. In the fifth aspect, the determination unit (233) determines the charging schedule so that power is supplied according to the priority order of the multiple mobile objects (100). According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries (110) of the multiple mobile objects (100).

The sixth aspect is a charging system (20) based on any one of the first to fifth aspects. In the sixth aspect, the determination unit (233) determines the charging schedule such that the charging speed is changed according to the priority order of the multiple mobile objects (100). According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries (110) of the multiple mobile objects (100).

The seventh aspect is a charging system (20) based on the sixth aspect. In the seventh aspect, the priority is set based on at least one of the usage mode of each of the multiple mobile bodies (100), the usage frequency of each of the multiple mobile bodies (100), and the remaining capacity of the storage battery (110) of each of the multiple mobile bodies (100). According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage battery (110) of the multiple mobile bodies (100).

The eighth aspect is a charging system (20) based on any one of the first to seventh aspects. In the eighth aspect, the determination unit (233) determines the charge amount of the storage battery (110) of the multiple mobile bodies (100) based on attribute information of each of the multiple mobile bodies (100). According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage battery (110) of the multiple mobile bodies (100).

The ninth aspect is a charging system (20) based on the eighth aspect. In the ninth aspect, the attribute information includes at least one of type, purpose, initial position, destination, planned travel distance, number of people traveling, and usage mode. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries (110) of multiple mobile objects (100).

A tenth aspect is a charging system (20) based on any one of the first to ninth aspects. In the tenth aspect, the charging system (20) further includes a notification unit (235) that notifies the charging location where the mobile body (100) is to be placed at the end of a planned usage period included in the usage schedule. According to this aspect, it is possible to appropriately charge the mobile body (100).

An eleventh aspect is a charging system (20) based on the tenth aspect. In the eleventh aspect, the determination unit (233) determines the charging location based on the charging schedule. According to this aspect, it is possible to appropriately charge the mobile body (100).

A twelfth aspect is a charging system (20) based on any one of the first to eleventh aspects. In the twelfth aspect, the determination unit (233) determines the charging schedule based on the remaining capacity of the storage battery (110) of each of the plurality of mobile bodies (100) at a reference time. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage battery (110) of the plurality of mobile bodies (100).

A thirteenth aspect is a charging system (20) based on any one of the first to twelfth aspects. In the thirteenth aspect, the charging system (20) further includes a control unit (234) that controls charging of at least one of the storage batteries (110) of the multiple mobile objects (100) according to the charging schedule. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries (110) of the multiple mobile objects (100).

A fourteenth aspect is a charging method including an acquisition step and a determination step. The acquisition step is a step of acquiring a usage schedule of a plurality of mobile bodies (100) equipped with a storage battery (110) used as a power source. The determination step is a step of determining a charging schedule for the plurality of mobile bodies (100) based on the chargeable period of each of the plurality of mobile bodies (100) obtained from the usage schedule, in order to ensure the amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the plurality of mobile bodies (100). According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage battery (110) of the plurality of mobile bodies (100).

The fifteenth aspect is a program for causing one or more processors to execute the charging method of the fourteenth aspect. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries (110) of multiple mobile objects (100).

The sixteenth aspect is a mobile object management system (11) that includes a charging system (20) according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, and a usage management system (30) that holds the usage schedule. According to this aspect, it is possible to easily manage the charging of the storage batteries (110) of multiple mobile objects (100).

The seventeenth aspect is a management system (10) that includes the mobile object management system (11) of the sixteenth aspect and a power supply system (40) for charging the storage battery (110) of the mobile object (100) that is controlled by the mobile object management system (11). According to this aspect, the charging of the storage batteries (110) of multiple mobile objects (100) can be easily managed.

Note that aspects 2 to 13 can also be modified and applied to aspects 15 to 17 as appropriate.

20. Charging management system (charging system)
231 Acquisition unit 233 Decision unit 234 Control unit 235 Notification unit 100 Mobile body (electric vehicle)
110 Storage battery 201 Commercial AC power supply (power supply)
300 Distributed power sources

Claims (15)

An acquisition unit that acquires a usage schedule of a plurality of moving objects that are equipped with a storage battery used as a power source;
a determination unit that determines a charging schedule for the plurality of moving bodies based on a chargeable period of each of the plurality of moving bodies obtained from the usage schedule, so as to ensure an amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the plurality of moving bodies;
a determination unit that determines whether or not there is a mobile object that matches a user's request including a requested period of use of the mobile object among the plurality of mobile objects;
Equipped with
When the determination unit determines that there is no moving object that meets the request of the user based on the charging schedule, and when the determination unit determines that there is a moving object that meets the request of the user if the charging schedule is changed, the determination unit changes the charging schedule.
Charging system. the usage schedule includes a planned usage period of the plurality of moving objects;
a chargeable period for each of the plurality of moving objects is a period that does not overlap with the planned use period;
and when determining the charging schedule, the determination unit sets a planned charging period for charging the storage battery within a chargeable period in each of the plurality of moving bodies such that a remaining amount of the storage battery during the planned use period is equal to or greater than a planned use amount.
The charging system of claim 1 . a notification unit that notifies a charging location where the mobile object is to be placed at the end of the planned use period included in the use schedule,
The charging system according to claim 2 . The determination unit determines the charging location based on the charging schedule.
The charging system of claim 3. the determination unit determines the charging schedule such that a total of power used for charging the plurality of moving objects does not exceed a threshold.
The charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A plurality of power sources are used to charge the plurality of moving objects;
the threshold value is set so that the power from a specific power source among the plurality of power sources is equal to or less than a specified value.
The charging system of claim 5. the determination unit determines the charging schedule such that power is supplied in accordance with a priority order of the plurality of moving objects.
The charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. the determination unit determines the charging schedule such that a charging rate is changed in accordance with a priority order of the plurality of moving objects.
The charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. the priority order is set based on at least one of a usage mode of each of the plurality of moving bodies, a usage frequency of each of the plurality of moving bodies, and a remaining capacity of the storage battery of each of the plurality of moving bodies;
The charging system of claim 8. The determination unit determines the charge amounts of the storage batteries of the plurality of moving bodies based on attribute information of each of the plurality of moving bodies.
The charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 9. The attribute information includes at least one of type, purpose, initial location, destination, planned travel distance, number of people traveling, and usage mode.
The charging system of claim 10. the determination unit determines the charging schedule based on a remaining amount of the storage battery at a reference time for each of the plurality of moving objects.
The charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 11. a control unit that controls charging of at least one of the storage batteries of the plurality of mobile bodies according to the charging schedule;
A charging system according to any one of claims 1 to 12. An acquisition step of acquiring a usage schedule of a plurality of moving objects including a storage battery used as a power source;
a determination step of determining a charging schedule for the plurality of moving bodies based on a chargeable period of each of the plurality of moving bodies obtained from the usage schedule, in order to ensure an amount of power usage based on the usage schedule of the plurality of moving bodies;
a determining step of determining whether there is a mobile object among the plurality of mobile objects that matches a user's requirements including a required period of use of the mobile object ;
a change step of changing the charging schedule when it is determined in the determination step that there is no moving object that meets the request of the user based on the charging schedule and it is determined that there is a moving object that meets the request of the user if the charging schedule is changed;
Including,
How to charge? causing one or more processors to execute the charging method of claim 14;
program.

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