Information processing apparatus, computer-readable storage medium, and information processing method

An information processing apparatus, comprising:

• an arrangement information acquisition unit that uses a computer to acquire arrangement information indicating a position where a charging device for charging one or more storage batteries is arranged;
• a user position acquisition unit that uses the computer to acquire user position information indicating a position of the user;
• a charge state acquisition unit that uses the computer to acquire information indicating a charge state of at least one of the one or more storage batteries at specific time;
• a state information generation unit that uses the computer to generate information in which (i) a charge state at the specific time and (ii) a charge state at an estimated time of arrival of the user at the charging device are associated for at least one of the one or more storage batteries, in accordance with (i) the arrangement information acquired by the arrangement information acquisition unit and (ii) the user position information acquired by the user position acquisition unit;
• and
• a charge management unit that uses the computer to manage charging of the one or more storage batteries, wherein
• the charge management unit includes
• a deterioration information acquisition unit that uses the computer to acquire deterioration information indicating a deterioration state of each of the one or more storage batteries,
• a temperature condition determination unit that uses the computer to determine a temperature condition allowable at a start of charging or during charging for each of the one or more storage batteries in accordance with the deterioration information acquired by the deterioration information acquisition unit,
• a temperature information acquisition unit that uses the computer to acquire temperature information indicating the temperature of each of the one or more storage batteries,
• a charge target extraction unit that uses the computer to extract a storage battery to be charged from the storage batteries among the one or more storage batteries in which the temperature indicated by the temperature information acquired by the temperature information acquisition unit satisfies the temperature condition determined by the temperature condition determination unit, and
• a demand acquisition unit that uses the computer to acquire demand information regarding the demand for the storage batteries,
• the demand information includes information on time or a period, information indicating a number of storage batteries required at the time or during the period, and information indicating a conditions regarding a charge state of each storage battery
• the charge target extraction unit uses the computer to
• extract the storage battery to be charged when the one or more storage batteries do not satisfy the demand indicated by the demand information acquired by the demand acquisition unit, and
• extract no storage battery to be charged when the one or more storage batteries satisfy the demand indicated by the demand information acquired by the demand acquisition unit.

An information processing method, comprising:

• arrangement information acquiring of acquiring arrangement information indicating a position where a charging device for charging one or more storage batteries is arranged;
• user request acquiring of acquiring a reservation request regarding reservation of a storage battery from a user;
• user position acquiring of acquiring user position information indicating a position of the user at reservation time when the reservation request is received;
• charge state acquiring of acquiring information indicating a charge state of at least one of the one or more storage batteries at specific time;
• state information generating of generating information in which (i) a charge state at the specific time and (ii) a charge state at an estimated time of arrival of the user at the charging device are associated for at least one of the one or more storage batteries, in accordance with (i) the arrangement information acquired in the arrangement information acquiring and (ii) the user position information acquired in the user position acquiring;
• and
• charge managing of manage charging of the one or more storage batteries, wherein
• the specific time is the reservation time,
• the charge managing includes
• utilization rate information acquiring of acquiring information indicating a target condition of a utilization rate of a charging device,
• schedule determining of determining a charge schedule in accordance with the target condition of the utilization rate, and
• the schedule determining includes determining, when the storage battery designated by the reservation request becomes a new target to be charged and the target condition of the utilization rate is not satisfied, interruption or stop of a charging operation of at least one of the one or more storage batteries which are currently charged;
• wherein the utilization rate of the charging device is a relationship between a number of storage batteries available in the charging device and a maximum number of the storage batteries that can be stored in the charging device.