1. A user with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy may contact a user nearby with an abundant amount of stored electrical energy and ask to borrow the portable electrical energy storage device 1. The communication address is a phone number, an email address, an SNS service address, an address for a lending mediating application, and the like of the user. A lending mediating application is a program for communicating with the server 5 that runs on the portable electrical energy storage device 1 or the communication terminal 3.

A query unit 47 transmits a query message to a communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy extracted by the third extraction unit 52 for inquiring as to whether or not a supply of power received from another user is desired. The query unit 47 is configured in this manner because in some cases, the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy may not wish to borrow the portable electrical energy storage device 1 from another user. A response reception unit 48 receives a response to the query message. A determination unit 49 determines whether or not the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy desires to receive a supply of power from another user on the basis of the response. When the determination unit 49 determines that the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy desires to receive a supply of power from another user, the information providing unit 46 transmits the insufficiency information including the position information and the communication address extracted by the first extraction unit 50 to the communication address extracted by the second extraction unit 51. The insufficiency information may be referred to as lending offer information or desire to borrow information.

The query unit 47 may transmit a query message to a communication address of the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 not having an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy extracted by the second extraction unit 51 for inquiring as to whether or not they desire to supply power to another user. The query unit 47 is configured in this manner because in some cases, the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 with an abundant amount of stored electrical energy may not wish to lend the portable electrical energy storage device 1 to another user. The response reception unit 48 receives a response to the query message. The determination unit 49 determines whether or not the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 not having an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy desires to supply power to another user on the basis of the response. The first extraction unit 50 extracts, from the user database, the position information or the communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy in the case in which the user with the portable electrical energy storage device 1 not having an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy desires to supply power to another user. In a similar manner, the information providing unit 46 may transmit insufficiency information including the position information and the communication address extracted by the first extraction unit 50 to the communication address of the user of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 not having an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy wishing to supply power to another user.

Lending Sequence I

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for lending a portable electrical energy storage device. Here, the first user “a” is an insufficient user, and the second user “b” is a surplus user. In other words, the storage battery 12 of the portable electrical energy storage device 1a has a low amount of stored electrical energy, and the storage battery 12 of the portable electrical energy storage device 1b has a high amount of stored electrical energy. Note that hereinafter, the portable electrical energy storage device 1a may be the communication terminal 3a. Also, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b may be the communication terminal 3b.

In Sq1, the portable electrical energy storage device 1a of the first user “a” transmits electrical energy storage information to the server 5. When the server 5 receives the electrical energy storage information, the server 5 updates the contents of the user DB 54 according to the received electrical energy storage information.

In Sq2, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b of the second user “b” transmits electrical energy storage information to the server 5. When the server 5 receives the electrical energy storage information, the server 5 updates the contents of the user DB 54 according to the received electrical energy storage information.

In Sq3, the server 5, by searching the user DB 54, extracts the portable electrical energy storage device 1a with a low amount of stored electrical energy in the storage battery 12 and transmits a receive supply query to the portable electrical energy storage device 1a. The receive supply query is a message for querying the first user “a” as to whether or not they desire to borrow the portable electrical energy storage device 1 of another user. In the receive supply query, the position information and communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1a of the first user “a” may be included.

In Sq4, the portable electrical energy storage device 1a of the first user “a” transmits a receive supply response to the server 5. The portable electrical energy storage device 1a displays the receive supply query on the display device and generates a response in accordance with an instruction of the first user an input from the input device. In this response, a message indicating whether or not they wish to borrow is included. Note that Sq3 and Sq4 are optional.

In Sq5, the server 5 transmits insufficiency information to the portable electrical energy storage device 1b of the second user “b”. In the insufficiency information, the position information and communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1a of the first user “a”, for example, may be included. The portable electrical energy storage device 1b displays the position information and communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1a of the first user “a” on the display device.

In Sq6, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b transmits an acceptance message to the communication address of the first user “a” or the portable electrical energy storage device 1a. In the acceptance message, the compensation amount, the lending location, the desired lending date and time, the desired return date and time, the return location, and other lending condition information relating to lending the portable electrical energy storage device 1b may be included. Note that negotiations involving the lending condition information (borrowing condition information) may be left up to the users.

Lending Sequence II

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for lending a portable electrical energy storage device. In FIG. 8, Sq5 and Sq6 of FIG. 7 are replaced with Sq7 to Sq9.

In Sq7, the server 5, by searching the user DB 54, extracts the portable electrical energy storage device 1b with a high amount of stored electrical energy in the storage battery 12 and transmits a supply query to the portable electrical energy storage device 1b. The supply query is a message for querying the second user “b” as to whether or not they desire to lend the portable electrical energy storage device 1 to another user. In the supply query, the position information and communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1b of the first user “A” may be included.

In Sq8, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b of the second user “b” transmits a supply response to the server 5. The portable electrical energy storage device 1b displays the supply query on the display device and generates a response in accordance with an instruction of the second user “b” input from the input device. In this response, a message indicating whether or not they wish to lend is included. Note that in the response, information of the lending location, the desired lending date and time, the compensation amount, the desired return date and time, and the return location may be included.

In Sq9, the server 5 transmits an acceptance message to the portable electrical energy storage device 1a of the first user “a”. Note that in the acceptance message, information of the communication address, the lending location, the compensation amount, the desired return date and time, and the return location of the second user “b” may be included. The first user “a” may contact the second user “b” using the communication address of the second user “b” and negotiate the compensation amount, the lending location, the desired lending date and time, the desired return date and time, the return location, and the like.

Flowchart

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for lending executed by the CPU 41 of the server 5. The execution order of step S2 and step S3 may be reversed.

- In step S1, the CPU 41 (the electrical energy storage information collection unit 43) collects the electrical energy storage information from a plurality of portable electrical energy storage devices 1 and updates the user DB 54.
- In step S2, the CPU 41 (the first extraction unit 50) searches the user DB 54 and extracts an insufficient user (a user low in power). For example, the first extraction unit 50 extracts a user (the portable electrical energy storage device 1) with less than a first threshold for the amount of stored electrical energy indicated by the electrical energy storage status.
- In step S3, the CPU 41 (the second extraction unit 51) searches the user DB 54 and extracts a surplus user (a user high in power). For example, the second extraction unit 51 extracts a user (the portable electrical energy storage device 1) with greater than or equal to a second threshold for the amount of stored electrical energy indicated by the electrical energy storage status. The second threshold is higher than the first threshold.
- In step S4, the CPU 41 (the information providing unit 46) provides the information of the insufficient user to the surplus user. The information providing unit 46 transmits the insufficiency information including the position information and the communication address of the insufficient user to the communication address of the surplus user. The communication address may be the communication address of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 or may be the communication address of the communication terminal 3.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a method for lending executed by the CPU 31 of the portable electrical energy storage device 1.

- In step S11, the CPU 31 (the server communication unit 35) transmits the electrical energy storage information to the server 5. For example, the server communication unit 35 transmits, to the server 5, the electrical energy storage information including the status information 37 acquired by the amount of stored electrical energy acquisition unit 33, the position information acquired by the positioning control unit 34 and the GPS receiver 13, the communication address 40 of the portable electrical energy storage device 1 or the user, and the like.
- In step S12, the CPU 31 (the server communication unit 35) receives the insufficiency information.
- In step S13, the CPU 31 (UI unit 36) outputs the insufficiency information on the display device of the operation unit 17.
  
  Communication Terminal

In the embodiment described above, the portable electrical energy storage device 1 is assumed to be capable of communicating with the server 5. However, this assumption is not essential. The communication terminal 3 may be implemented with the functions of the CPU 31 of the portable electrical energy storage device 1.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating the functions of the communication terminal 3. A CPU 61 includes a plurality of functions realized by a control program stored in a storage device 62 being executed. Note that at least one of or all of the functions may be realized by a hardware circuit, such as a DSP, FPGA, and the like. The storage device 62 includes a RAM, ROM, hard disk drive (HDD), silicon state disk (SSD), or the like. A first communication circuit 63 is a communication circuit for communicating with the server 5 with a network. A second communication circuit 64 is an optional unit and a communication circuit for communicating with the portable electrical energy storage device 1. An operation unit 65 includes a display device and an input device. A GPS receiver 66 finds the position of the communication terminal. Units common to both FIG. 11 and FIG. 4 are given the same reference sign and the description thereof is incorporated herein.

The amount of stored electrical energy acquisition unit 33 acquires the status information 37, for example, input by the user via the operation unit 65. Alternatively, the amount of stored electrical energy acquisition unit 33 acquires the status information 37, for example, from the portable electrical energy storage device 1 by communicating with the portable electrical energy storage device 1 via the second communication circuit 64. The positioning control unit 34 controls the GPS receiver 66, finds the position of the communication terminal 3, and acquires the position information 39. Alternatively, the positioning control unit 34 acquires the position information 39 from the portable electrical energy storage device 1 by communicating with the portable electrical energy storage device 1 via the second communication circuit 64.

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for lending. Note that hereinafter, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b may be interchanged with the communication terminal 3b. In other words, the sever 5 may execute communication with the portable electrical energy storage device 1b instead with the communication terminal 3b. Also, the communication terminal 3b may include the functions illustrated in FIG. 11.

In Sq1, the communication terminal 3a of the first user “a” transmits electrical energy storage information to the server 5. When the server 5 receives the electrical energy storage information, the server 5 updates the contents of the user DB 54 according to the received electrical energy storage information.

In Sq2, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b (the communication terminal 3b) of the second user “b” transmits electrical energy storage information to the server 5. When the server 5 receives the electrical energy storage information, the server 5 updates the contents of the user DB 54 according to the received electrical energy storage information.

In Sq4, the communication terminal 3a transmits a receive supply response to the server 5. The communication terminal 3a displays the receive supply query on the display device and generates a response in accordance with an instruction of the first user “a” input from the input device. In this response, a message indicating whether or not they wish to borrow is included. Note that Sq3 and Sq4 are optional.

In Sq5, the server 5 transmits insufficiency information to the portable electrical energy storage device 1b (the communication terminal 3b) of the second user “b”. The portable electrical energy storage device 1b or the communication terminal 3b displays the position information and communication address of the first user “a” on the display device.

In Sq6, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b (the communication terminal 3b) transmits an acceptance message to the communication address of the first user “a”. The UI unit 36 of the communication terminal 3a receives the acceptance message and displays the acceptance message on the display device of the operation unit 65.

Other Sequences

FIG. 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for lending a portable electrical energy storage device. Compared to FIG. 8, the order of sequences in FIG. 13 are changed. In FIG. 13, in Sq1 and Sq2, the server 5 collects the electrical energy storage information of a plurality of portable electrical energy storage devices 1 and extracts a user (portable electrical energy storage device 1) with a surplus amount of stored electrical energy from the user DB 54. In Sq7, the server 5 transmits a supply query to the extracted user (portable electrical energy storage device 1) with a surplus amount of stored electrical energy. In Sq8, the server 5 receives a supply response and selects a user who wishes to lend the portable electrical energy storage device 1 to another user. In the case in which more than one user wishes to lend the portable electrical energy storage device 1, the server 5 extracts a user (portable electrical energy storage device 1) with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy from the user DB 54. In Sq3, the server 5 transmits a receive supply query to the user (portable electrical energy storage device 1) with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy. In Sq4, the server 5 receives a receive supply response from the user (portable electrical energy storage device 1) with an insufficient amount of stored electrical energy. For example, the server 5 references the position information of the insufficient user “a” and the surplus users b and determines a combination of an insufficient user “a” and a surplus user “b” that are located close to one another. In Sq5, the server 5 transmits the insufficiency information to the surplus user “b”. In Sq6, the surplus user “b” (portable electrical energy storage device 1b or communication terminal 3b) transmits an acceptance message to the insufficient user “a”. In this way, the order of sequences can be changed.

FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram illustrating a method for lending a portable electrical energy storage device. In FIG. 14, Sq5 is executed after Sq1, Sq2, Sq7, and Sq8 of FIG. 13. In this way, the surplus user “b” obtains the communication address of the insufficient user “a”. In Sq10, the portable electrical energy storage device 1b or the communication terminal 3b transmits an offer message to the insufficient user “a”. In the offer message, the desired lending conditions of the surplus user “b”, such as the compensation amount, the lending location, the return location, the lending date and time, the return date and time, and the like may be included. Here, a plurality of surplus users b may present conditions to a single insufficient user “a”. In Sq11, the insufficient user “a” displays the lending conditions included in the offer message on the display device and transmits to the surplus user “b” an offer response indicating whether or not the offer is accepted. In this way, the server 5 may introduce the insufficient user “a” to the surplus user “b” and execute negotiations about lending between users.

Supplement

According to a first aspect, a server device is provided. The server 5 is an example of the server device. The electrical energy storage information collection unit