Information output method, information presentation device, and information output system

Abstract

A method that determines when a first battery within a vehicle should be swapped with a second battery at a swap station. The method includes acquiring first battery information within the vehicle, and assessing a first rank of the first battery based on the first value indicated by the acquired first history information. The method also includes acquiring second battery information that is placed at the swap station, and assessing a second rank of the second battery based on the second value indicated by the acquired second history information. Additionally, the method includes comparing the assessed first rank of the first battery within the vehicle to the assessed second rank of the second battery placed at the swap station, generating output information indicating the location of the swap station based on the location information stored in the memory, and outputting the generated output information to the information presentation device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining when a first battery within a vehicle should be swapped with a second battery at a swap station, performed by a server apparatus, the server apparatus including a processor and a memory storing location information that indicates a location of the swap station, the method comprising:
 acquiring, using the processor, first battery information from an information presentation device within the vehicle,
 wherein the first battery information includes first history information about the first battery, and 
 wherein the first history information indicates a first value related to performance of the first battery; 
   assessing, using the processor, a first rank of the first battery based on the first value indicated by the acquired first history information;   acquiring, using the processor, second battery information from an information processing device that manages the second battery that is placed at the swap station, wherein the second battery information includes second history information about the second battery,
 wherein the second history information indicates a second value related to performance of the second battery, and 
 wherein the second battery is installable in the vehicle in place of the first battery; 
   assessing, using the processor, a second rank of the second battery based on the second value indicated by the acquired second history information;   comparing, using the processor, the assessed first rank of the first battery within the vehicle to the assessed second rank of the second battery placed at the swap station;   generating, using the processor, output information indicating the location of the swap station based on the location information stored in the memory,
 wherein the output information is present at the information presentation device in a first format when the second rank is lower than the first rank, and the output information is present at the information presentation device in a second format different from the first format when the second rank is equal to or higher than the first rank; and 
   outputting, using the processor, the generated output information to the information presentation device.   
     
     
         2 . A server apparatus for determining when a first battery within a vehicle should be swapped with a second battery at a swap station, the server apparatus comprising:
 a memory that stores location information that indicates a location of the swap station; and   a processor,   wherein the memory further stores a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations including
 acquiring first battery information from an information presentation device within the vehicle,
 wherein the first battery information includes first history information about the first battery, and 
 wherein the first history information indicates a first value related to performance of the first battery; 
 
 assessing assess a first rank of the first battery, based on the first value indicated by the acquired first history information; 
 acquiring second battery information from an information processing device that manages the second battery that is placed at the swap station,
 wherein the second battery information includes second history information about the second battery, 
 wherein the second history information indicates a second value related to performance of the second battery, and 
 wherein the second battery is installable in the vehicle in place of the first battery; 
 
 assessing a second rank of the second battery based on the second value indicated by the acquired second history information; 
 comparing the assessed first rank of the first battery within the vehicle to the assessed second rank of the second battery placed at the swap station; 
 generating, using the processor, output information indicating the location of the swap station based on the location information stored in the memory,
 wherein the output information is present at the information presentation device in a first format when the second rank is lower than the first rank, and the output information is present at the information presentation device in a second format different from the first format when the second rank is equal to or higher than the first rank; and 
 
 outputting the generated output information to the information presentation device. 
   
     
     
         3 . An information presentation device, for determining when a first battery within a vehicle should be swapped with a second battery at a swap station, comprising:
 a storage medium storing first battery information including first history information about the first battery,
 wherein the first history information indicates a first value related to performance of the first battery; 
   a processor; and   a memory storing thereon a computer program, which when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operation including
 transmitting to a server apparatus, the first battery information when a charge level of the first battery is lower than a predetermined level; 
 receiving from the server apparatus, rank information indicating a second rank of the second battery and location information indicating a location of the swap station at which the second battery is placed,
 wherein the second rank of the second battery is assessed based on a second value related to performance of the second battery, and 
 wherein the second battery is a battery that is installable in the vehicle in place of the first battery, and that is placed at the swap station; 
 
 assessing a first rank of the first battery based on the first value indicated by the first history information read out from the storage medium; 
 comparing the assessed first rank of the first battery within the vehicle to the second rank of the second battery that is placed at the swap station and that is indicated by the received rank information; 
 generating output information indicating the location of the swap station based on the received location information,
 wherein the output information is present at a display device in a first format when the second rank is lower than the first rank, and the output information is present at the display device in a second format different from the first format when the second rank is equal to or higher than the first rank; and 
 
 outputting the generated output information to the display device.