Information processing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12054072-B2
Application number	US-202017024690-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2020
Priority date	Sep 18, 2019
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

An information processing system comprises a requirement specification acquisition unit for acquiring requirement specification information indicative of a content of a requirement specification relating to a fuel cell; and a fee plan determination unit for determining a fee plan for determining a usage fee of the fuel cell, based on the requirement specification indicated by the requirement specification information. The fee plan may include information indicative of a correspondence between a degree of operation of the fuel cell and the usage fee of the fuel cell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing system comprising:
a requirement specification acquisition unit for acquiring requirement specification information indicative of a content of a requirement specification relating to a fuel cell, the fuel cell being mounted on an electric device that is a moving body moving by using electric power;
a moving route acquisition unit for acquiring moving route information indicative of a content of a plan relating to a moving route of the moving body;
a deterioration estimation unit for estimating a deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell, based on the content of the plan indicated in the moving route information;
a fee plan determination unit for determining a fee plan for determining a usage fee of the fuel cell, based on the requirement specification indicated by the requirement specification information and the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell estimated by the deterioration estimation unit;
a state acquisition unit for acquiring state information indicative of a state of the fuel cell mounted on the moving body;
a deterioration evaluation unit for evaluating a progress state of deterioration in the fuel cell, based on the state information; and
a first change unit for changing the fee plan when the progress state of the deterioration in the fuel cell evaluated by the deterioration evaluation unit is progressed more than a progress state of deterioration based on the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell estimated by the deterioration estimation unit.

2. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the fee plan includes information indicative of a correspondence between a degree of operation of the fuel cell and the usage fee of the fuel cell.

3. The information processing system according to claim 2 , wherein
the requirement specification information includes information about at least one selected from a group consisting of (i) a dimension, a shape, a mass, a rated output, a rated voltage, a rated current, a rated output rate, a highest usable temperature and a lowest usable temperature of the fuel cell, (ii) a service life and a use aspect of the fuel cell, and (iii) a use, a type, a rated power consumption, a service life and a use aspect of an electric device on which the fuel cell is mounted.

4. The information processing system according to claim 3 , wherein
the requirement specification information includes:
information indicative of a condition required for the service life of the fuel cell, and
information indicative of at least one of the use and the type of the electric device.

5. The information processing system according to claim 1 , wherein
the fee plan includes information indicative of a correspondence between (a) a degree of operation of the fuel cell during a period defined in a use contract that is a contract relating to supplying or using the fuel cell or a degree of operation of the fuel cell during a unit period relating to calculating the usage fee and (b) the usage fee of the fuel cell.

6. The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising
an output estimation unit for estimating an output of the fuel cell at one or more positions on the moving route, based on the content of the plan indicated in the moving route information, wherein
the deterioration estimation unit estimates the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell, based on the output of the fuel cell estimated by the output estimation unit.

7. The information processing system according to claim 6 , wherein
the output estimation unit estimates an output and a temperature of the fuel cell at one or more positions on the moving route, and
the deterioration estimation unit estimates the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell, based on the output and the temperature of the fuel cell estimated by the output estimation unit.

8. The information processing system according to claim 7 , wherein
the requirement specification information includes:
(i) information indicative of a condition required for a service life of the fuel cell, and
(ii) at least one of information indicative of a use of the moving body, information indicative of a type of the moving body and information indicative of a statistical value relating to a loaded amount of the moving body and a mass of the moving body,
the output estimation unit estimates the output of the fuel cell at one or more positions on the moving route, based on at least one of the use of the moving body, the type of the moving body, the statistical value relating to the loaded amount of the moving body and the mass of the moving body, and the content of the plan indicated in the moving route information, and
the fee plan determination unit determines the fee plan, based on a progress state of deterioration in the fuel cell at the time when the service life of the fuel cell has elapsed.

9. The information processing system according to claim 8 , wherein
the moving route information includes at least one of (i) output data of an operation recording device mounted on a moving body having actually moved on the moving route indicated by the moving route information and (ii) output data of a position estimation device mounted on the moving body having actually moved on the moving route indicated by the moving route information.

10. The information processing system according to claim 5 , wherein
the fuel cell is mounted on a moving body moving by using electric power,
the information processing system further comprises:
a moving route acquisition unit for acquiring moving route information indicative of a content of a plan relating to a moving route of the moving body; and
a deterioration estimation unit for estimating a deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell, based on the content of the plan indicated in the moving route information,

the fee plan determination unit determines the fee plan, based on the requirement specification indicated by the requirement specification information and the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell estimated by the deterioration estimation unit, and
the moving route information includes at least one of (i) output data of an operation recording device mounted on a moving body having actually moved on the moving route indicated by the moving route information and (ii) output data of a position estimation device mounted on the moving body having actually moved on the moving route indicated by the moving route information.

11. The information processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second change unit for changing the fee plan when the progress state of the deterioration in the fuel cell evaluated by the deterioration evaluation unit is not progressed more than a progress state of deterioration based on the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell estimated by the deterioration estimation unit.

12. The information processing system according to claim 11 , further comprising a limit unit for determining to limit an output range of the fuel cell when a progress state of deterioration in the fuel cell evaluated by the deterioration evaluation unit is progressed more than a progress state of deterioration based on the deterioration characteristic of the fuel cell estimated by the deterioration estimation unit.

13. The information processing system according to claim 12 , further comprising an expansion unit for determining to expand an output range of the fuel cell when a progress state of deterioration in the fuel cell evaluated by the deterioration evaluation unit is not progressed more than a progress state of deteri

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Murakami Yoshikazu

Classifications

• H01M8/04671

  of the individual fuel cell · CPC title

• G06Q30/0645

  Rental transactions; Leasing transactions · CPC title

• G06Q20/145

  Payments according to the detected use or quantity · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• B60L53/665

  Methods related to measuring, billing or payment · CPC title