Information Processing Apparatus, Information Processing Method, and Telematics Terminal

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a telematics terminal. A technique is provided that can suppress impairment of the convenience of a user who uses a telematics service. The information processing device of the present disclosure receives start information from a telematics terminal of a vehicle associated with a contract user of a telematics service. When the information processing device receives the start information, it determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. When it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, the information processing device transmits a first instruction to display information related to a first user to the telematics terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a telematics terminal. Background Art

[0002] In recent years, a technique for providing a telematics service using a flat terminal that can be carried by an occupant of a vehicle has been known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2017-226399 Summary of the Invention

[0006] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique capable of suppressing impairment of convenience of a user who uses a telematics service.

[0007] The present disclosure can be implemented as an information processing apparatus. In this case, the information processing apparatus may include, for example, a control unit that, when the vehicle is started and a predetermined condition is satisfied, transmits a first command to display information related to a first user associated with the vehicle to the telematics terminal of the vehicle.

[0008] The present disclosure can also be implemented as an information processing method executed by a computer. In this case, the information processing method may include, for example, a step in which, when the vehicle is started and a predetermined condition is satisfied, the computer transmits a first command to display information related to a first user associated with the vehicle to the telematics terminal of the vehicle.

[0009] The present disclosure can also be implemented as a telematics terminal mounted on a vehicle. In this case, the telematics terminal may include, for example, a control unit that, when the vehicle is started and a predetermined condition is satisfied, displays information related to a first user associated with the vehicle.

[0010] In addition, the present disclosure can also be implemented as an information processing program for causing a computer to execute the above-described information processing method, or a non-transitory storage medium storing the information processing program. Further, the present disclosure can also be implemented as a method for the above-described telematics terminal to execute the above-described processing, a program for causing the telematics terminal to execute the method, or a non-transitory storage medium storing the program.

[0011] According to the present disclosure, a technique capable of suppressing impairment of convenience of a user who uses a telematics service can be provided. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing the schematic structure of a wireless communication system.

[0013] Figure 2 It is a diagram showing an example of the hardware structure of a telematics terminal and a server device included in the wireless communication system.

[0014] Figure 3 It is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the server device of the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 It is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a contract information table stored in the contract management database of the embodiment.

[0016] Figure 5 It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing routine performed in the server device of the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the telematics terminal when a display instruction is received.

[0018] Figure 7 It is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the server device of Modification 1.

[0019] Figure 8 It is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a contract information table stored in the contract management database of Modification 1.

[0020] Figure 9 It is a flowchart showing an example of a processing routine performed in the server device of Modification 1.

[0021] Figure 10 It is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the server device of Modification 3.

[0022] Figure 11 It is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a contract information table stored in the contract management database of Modification 3.

[0023] Figure 12 It is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a contract information table stored in the contract management database of Modification 4.

[0024] (Symbol Explanation)

[0025] 10: Vehicle; 100: Telematics terminal; 101: Processor; 102: Main storage unit; 103: Auxiliary storage unit; 104: Input / output unit; 105: Position acquisition unit; 106: Communication unit; 200: Server device; 201: Processor; 202: Main storage unit; 203: Auxiliary storage unit; 204: Communication unit; D210: Contract management database; F210: Detection unit; F220: Determination unit; F230: Instruction unit; F240: Prediction unit Detailed implementation mode

[0026] The information processing device of the present disclosure is applicable to a system that provides telematics services (hereinafter, sometimes also referred to as a "wireless communication system"). Telematics services include, for example, information retrieval, update of map data of a navigation system, destination setting of a navigation system, emergency notification, provision of vehicle maintenance information, voice calls with an operator, or remote control operations of a vehicle, etc. The wireless communication system provides telematics services to the passengers of the vehicle through the telematics terminal by performing two-way communication between the telematics terminal mounted on the vehicle and the information processing device provided outside the vehicle. In such a wireless communication system, the vehicle equipped with the telematics terminal is associated with a user (first user) who has entered into a usage contract for the telematics service. In addition, the user associated with the vehicle equipped with the telematics terminal is a user who has the ownership of the vehicle (the user who purchases the vehicle), or a user who has the right to use the vehicle equipped with the telematics terminal (the user who leases the vehicle), etc.

[0027] Here, sometimes the ownership or the right to use of the vehicle equipped with the telematics terminal is transferred from the first user to the second user (for example, in the case of selling the vehicle from the first user to the second user, etc.). In such a case, if the first user forgets to cancel the contract for the telematics service, it may damage the convenience of both the first user and the second user. For example, it may unnecessarily charge the first user for the contract fee, or the second user may not be able to use the telematics service. In addition, there is also a possibility that the vehicle is remotely controlled against the will of the second user.

[0028] In contrast, in the information processing apparatus of the present disclosure, the control unit detects the start of the vehicle. For example, when the vehicle starts, information indicating the start of the vehicle may be transmitted from the telematics terminal to the information processing apparatus. In addition, the so-called "start of the vehicle" means that the accessory power supply of the vehicle is set to the energized state (for example, the accessory switch is operated from off to on), or the prime mover is set to the operable state (for example, the ignition switch is operated from off to on, or the power switch is operated from off to on), etc. When the control unit detects the start of the vehicle, if a predetermined condition is satisfied, the first instruction is sent to the telematics terminal. The first instruction is an instruction for causing the telematics terminal to display the first user information. The first user information is information related to the user (the first user) associated with the vehicle. In addition, hereinafter, the first instruction may sometimes be referred to as a "display instruction".

[0029] The telematics terminal that has received the above display instruction displays the first user information. For example, the telematics terminal causes the display device mounted on the vehicle to display the first user information. Thereby, the occupant of the vehicle can confirm whether the user having the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle is the same as the first user. For example, in the case where the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle is transferred from the first user to the second user, etc., even if the first user forgets to cancel the wireless communication contract, the second user can recognize such a situation. As a result, the second user can seek a method for the first user to cancel the telematics service contract. Thereby, it is possible to suppress unnecessary charging of the contract fee to the first user, the second user being unable to use the telematics service, or remote control of the vehicle against the will of the second user, etc. Thus, it is possible to suppress the impairment of the convenience of the first user and the second user.

[0030] The predetermined condition of the present disclosure may also be a condition related to the display frequency of the first user information. In this case, the information processing apparatus of the present disclosure includes a storage unit that stores the first date and time, which is the date and time when the display instruction for the telematics terminal was last sent. Moreover, the control unit may determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the elapsed time from the first date and time stored in the storage unit to the date and time when the start of the vehicle is detected is equal to or longer than the first time length. Thereby, the first user information can be provided to the occupant of the vehicle regularly. As a result, the occupant of the vehicle can regularly recognize that the telematics service contract is valid, that is, the situation where the telematics service can be used. Thereby, it is possible to encourage the occupant of the vehicle to use the telematics service.

[0031] The predetermined condition of the present disclosure may also be a condition related to the storage location of the vehicle. This is because when the storage location of the vehicle is changed, the ownership or the right to use of the vehicle may be transferred. Therefore, the information processing apparatus of the present disclosure may also include a storage unit that stores a first flag, which is set to "ON" when the storage location of the vehicle is changed and is set to "OFF" when a display instruction is sent. Moreover, the control unit may determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the first flag is "ON". Thereby, the first user information is displayed on the telematics terminal only when the ownership or the right to use of the vehicle may be transferred. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occupants from feeling bothered.

[0032] Here, the switching of the first flag from "OFF" to "ON" may also be performed in the following three steps.

[0033] (Step 1) Periodically estimate the storage location of the vehicle based on the position information of the vehicle obtained through the telematics terminal.

[0034] (Step 2) Determine whether the estimated storage location of the vehicle has changed compared to the previously estimated storage location.

[0035] (Step 3) When it is determined that the estimated storage location of the vehicle has changed compared to the previously estimated storage location, set the first flag to "ON".

[0036] In addition, when the telematics terminal includes a navigation system that performs route guidance, the switching of the first flag from "OFF" to "ON" may also be performed in the following three steps.

[0037] (Step 4) Periodically obtain information related to the storage location (such as the location of the user's home or the location of a parking lot) of the vehicle registered in the navigation system.

[0038] (Step 5) Determine whether the obtained information related to the storage location indicates a location different from the previously obtained storage location.

[0039] (Step 6) When it is determined that the obtained information related to the storage location indicates a location different from the previously obtained storage location, set the first flag to "ON".

[0040] In addition, the predetermined condition of the present disclosure may also be a condition related to the remote operation of the vehicle. The remote operation mentioned here includes, for example, remotely operating the air conditioning system or safety system of the vehicle through an application installed in the portable terminal of the first user or the like. Therefore, the information processing device of the present disclosure may also include a storage unit that stores a second flag, which is set to "ON" when remotely operating the vehicle and set to "OFF" when a display instruction is sent. Moreover, the control unit may also determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the second flag is "ON". Thereby, it is possible to encourage the vehicle occupants to use remote information processing services other than remote operation.

[0041] In addition, the predetermined condition of the present disclosure may also be a condition related to the usage frequency of the telematics service. In this case, the information processing device of the present disclosure may also include a storage unit that stores a second date and time, which is the date and time when the telematics service was last used. Moreover, the control unit may also determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the elapsed time from the second date and time to the date and time when the vehicle start is detected is equal to or longer than a second time period. Thereby, the first user information is displayed on the telematics terminal only when the usage frequency of the telematics service is low. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occupants from feeling bothered and to encourage the use of the telematics service.

[0042] In addition, the predetermined condition of the present disclosure may also be a condition related to the number of trips during which the first user is not in the vehicle. This is because in the case of continuously repeating trips in a state where the first user is not in the vehicle, the ownership or right of use of the vehicle may have been transferred. Therefore, the control unit of the present disclosure may also determine that the predetermined condition is satisfied when trips in a state where the first user is not in the vehicle are repeated a predetermined number of times continuously. In addition, the trip mentioned here refers to, for example, the period from when the start switch of the vehicle is turned on by the occupant to when it is turned off. Thereby, the first user information is displayed on the telematics terminal only when the ownership or right of use of the vehicle may have been transferred. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occupants from feeling bothered.

[0043] Here, the control unit of the present disclosure may also determine whether the first user is in the vehicle based on the position of the vehicle during the trip and the position of the portable terminal of the first user. As another method, it is also possible to determine whether the first user is in the vehicle by analyzing the captured image of the camera for photographing the interior of the vehicle. In addition, it is also possible to perform polling of the portable terminal of the first user using Bluetooth (registered trademark), short-range wireless communication based on the LowEnergy standard, etc., to determine whether the first user is in the vehicle.

[0044] In addition, the first user information of the present disclosure may also be a part of the email address of the first user. Thus, in the case where the user having the right to use the vehicle is different from the first user, it is possible to prevent the user having the right to use the vehicle from obtaining the personal information of the first user. In addition, the first user information may not be the information defined above. For example, it may also be a part of the telephone number of the first user or the nickname of the first user, etc.

[0045] In addition, the present disclosure can be implemented as an information processing method for a computer to execute the above-described various processes, or an information processing program for causing a computer to execute the above-described various processes. The computer in this case corresponds to the above-described information processing apparatus. Such a computer is, for example, a server apparatus under the management of a provider of a telematics service.

[0046] In addition, the present disclosure can also be implemented as a telematics terminal mounted on a vehicle. In this case, it may be determined by the control unit of the telematics terminal whether a predetermined condition is satisfied when the vehicle is started. And if the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit displays the first user information.

[0047] <Embodiment>

[0048] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The structures described in this embodiment are illustrative, and the present disclosure is not limited to the structures illustrated in the embodiments.

[0049] (Outline of the system)

[0050] Figure 1 FIG. is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a wireless communication system to which the present disclosure is applied. The wireless communication system of this embodiment includes a telematics terminal 100 mounted on a vehicle 10 and a server apparatus 200 provided outside the vehicle 10. The telematics terminal 100 communicates bidirectionally with the server apparatus 200 via a network N1. In addition, Figure 1 only one vehicle 10 is shown in the figure, and sometimes the wireless communication system may include a plurality of vehicles 10.

[0051] The telematics terminal 100 receives operations related to the telematics service and sends a request corresponding to the received operation to the server device 200. In addition, the telematics terminal 100 receives information returned from the server device 200 in response to the above request and presents the received information to the occupants of the vehicle 10. Here, for example, when an occupant of the vehicle 10 performs an operation to specify a destination, the telematics terminal 100 sends information related to the current location and the destination of the vehicle 10 to the server device 200. When a route search result is returned from the server device 200 in response thereto, the telematics terminal 100 receives the above route search result and sets the destination in the navigation system and sets the route from the current location to the destination based on the received route search result. At this time, if the signal returned from the server device 200 to the telematics terminal 100 includes data for updating the map information, the telematics terminal 100 also updates the map information registered in the navigation system.

[0052] In addition, the operations related to the telematics service are not limited to the above examples and may include operations for requesting information retrieval of weather, stores, or sightseeing spots, operations for requesting a voice call with an operator, or operations for requesting connection to the Internet. Among them, the telematics terminal 100 (the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100) is associated with a user who has signed a telematics service contract (hereinafter, sometimes also referred to as the "contract user").) and only receives operations related to the telematics service contracted by the contract user. In addition, the contract for the telematics service can only be made by a user who has the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10. That is, there is only one contract user associated with the telematics terminal 100. In addition, the contract user corresponds to the "first user" of the present disclosure.

[0053] The telematics terminal 100 of the present embodiment has a function of transmitting information indicating the start of the vehicle 10 (start information) to the server device 200 when the vehicle 10 is started. The start of the vehicle means, for example, that the accessory switch is operated from off to on, the ignition switch is operated from off to on, or the power switch is operated from off to on. The start information of the present embodiment includes the identification information (terminal ID) of the telematics terminal 100. In addition, the telematics terminal 100 also has a function of displaying information related to the contract user (contract user information) according to a display instruction from the server device 200. The "contract user information" is information that can identify whether the user having the ownership or use right of the vehicle 10 is the same as the contract user, and is information that a third party cannot determine the individual of the contract user. As such contract user information, for example, a part of the e-mail address of the contract user, a part of the telephone number of the contract user, or the nickname of the contract user can be used.

[0054] The server device 200 is managed by a TSP (Telematics Service Provider). The server device 200 has a function of receiving various requests related to the telematics service as described above from the telematics terminal 100 and providing information corresponding to the received requests to the telematics terminal 100. In addition, the server device 200 of the present embodiment has a function of determining whether a predetermined condition is satisfied when receiving the start information from the telematics terminal 100. The predetermined condition is a condition for determining whether to display the contract user information. The predetermined condition of the present embodiment is that a time length of more than the first time length has elapsed since the date and time when the contract user information was last displayed. When it is determined that such a predetermined condition is satisfied, the server device 200 transmits an instruction to display the contract user information (display instruction) to the telematics terminal 100.

[0055] (Hardware structure of the system)

[0056] Figure 2 FIG. is an example showing the hardware structure of the telematics terminal 100 and the server device 200 included in the wireless communication system.

[0057] (Telematics terminal)

[0058] The telematics terminal 100 is a small computer mounted on the vehicle 10. As Figure 2As shown, the telematics terminal 100 has a processor 101, a main storage unit 102, an auxiliary storage unit 103, an input / output unit 104, a position acquisition unit 105, and a communication unit 106. These units are connected to each other via a bus. The main storage unit 102 and the auxiliary storage unit 103 are computer-readable recording media. The hardware structure of the telematics terminal 100 is not limited to Figure 2 the example shown, and appropriate omission, replacement, or addition of structural elements may also be made.

[0059] The telematics terminal 100 realizes functions that meet a predetermined purpose by executing the program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103 by the processor 101. In addition, part or all of the functions of the telematics terminal 100 may also be realized by hardware circuits such as ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0060] The processor 101 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The processor 101 controls the telematics terminal 100 by performing various information processing operations.

[0061] The main storage unit 102 includes, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary storage unit 103 is, for example, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0062] The auxiliary storage unit 103 can include a removable medium, i.e., a portable recording medium. The removable medium is, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, a CD (Compact Disc), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), etc. The auxiliary storage unit 103 stores various programs, various data, and various tables in the recording medium in a read / writeable manner. The programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 10 include, in addition to the OS (Operating System), programs associated with the telematics service. As programs associated with the telematics service, for example, include a program for implementing the function of a navigation system in the telematics terminal 100 and a program for browsing the Internet. Programs associated with the telematics service also include a program for implementing the function of sending startup information to the server device 200 and a program for implementing the function of displaying contract user information according to the display instruction from the server device 200. Stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103. In addition, part or all of the information stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103 can also be stored in the main storage unit 102.

[0063] The input / output unit 104 accepts input operations performed by the user. On the other hand, it presents information to the user. The input / output unit 104 is composed of, for example, a touch screen and its control circuit, a liquid crystal display and its control circuit, a microphone and its control circuit, and a speaker and its control circuit, etc. The touch screen and the liquid crystal display can also be composed of a single touch screen display. The input / output unit 104 of the present embodiment outputs contract user information from the touch screen display at the timing of receiving a display instruction from the server device 200.

[0064] The position acquisition unit 105 is a device for acquiring the current position of the telematics terminal 100 (the current position of the vehicle 10). Typically, the position acquisition unit 105 is configured to include a receiver of GPS (Global Positioning System).

[0065] The communication unit 106 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the telematics terminal 100 to the network N1. The communication unit 106 connects to the network N1 using, for example, a mobile communication service such as 5G (5th-Generation) or LTE (Long Term Evolution), or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), and communicates with the server device 200 through the network N1.

[0066] The network N1 is, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network), such as the Internet, which is a worldwide public communication network, or other communication networks. In addition, the network N1 may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0067] (Server device)

[0068] The server device 200 is a computer installed outside the vehicle 10. In the present embodiment, the server device 200 is installed in, for example, the office of the TSP. As Figure 2 shown, the server device 200 includes a processor 201, a main storage unit 202, an auxiliary storage unit 203, and a communication unit 204. These units are connected to each other via a bus. The hardware structure of the server device 200 is not limited to Figure 2 the example shown, and structural elements may be appropriately omitted, replaced, or added.

[0069] The processor 201, the main storage unit 202, and the auxiliary storage unit 203 of the server device 200 are respectively the same as the processor 101, the main storage unit 102, and the auxiliary storage unit 103 of the telematics terminal 100. Among them, the program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 203 includes a program for implementing the function of causing the telematics terminal 100 to display contract user information.

[0070] The communication unit 204 is a communication interface for connecting the server device 200 to the network N1. The communication unit 204 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The communication unit 204 is connected to the network N1 via a LAN or a wireless communication network and communicates with the telematics terminal 100 via the network N1.

[0071] (Functional structure of the server device)

[0072] Next, based on Figure 3 the following, the functional structure of the server device 200 will be described. As Figure 3As shown, as its functional structure elements, the server device 200 of the present embodiment includes a detection unit F210, a determination unit F220, a command unit F230, and a contract management database D210. The detection unit F210, the determination unit F220, and the command unit F230 are implemented by the processor 201 of the server device 200 executing a program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 203. In addition, all or a part of the detection unit F210, the determination unit F220, and the command unit F230 may also be implemented by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. By the processor 201 of the server device 200 executing a program of a DBMS (Database Management System), the contract management database D210 is constructed in the auxiliary storage unit 203. The contract management database D210 is, for example, a relational database.

[0073] In addition, any element or a part of the processing of the functional structure elements of the server device 200 may also be executed by another computer connected to the network N1. For example, each process included in the detection unit F210, each process included in the determination unit F220, and each process included in the command unit F230 may also be executed by different computers.

[0074] The contract management database D210 stores information related to contract users, and in the contract management database D210, contract user information and the remote information processing terminal 100 are associated. Here, according to Figure 4 An example of the structure of the information stored in the contract management database D210 will be described. Figure 4 It is a diagram showing the table structure of the information stored in the contract management database D210. In Figure 4 the example shown, a plurality of tables set by the remote information processing terminal are stored in the contract management database D21. In addition, the structure of the table (hereinafter, sometimes also referred to as "contract information table") stored in the contract management database D210 is not limited to Figure 4 the example shown, and fields can be appropriately added, changed, or deleted.

[0075] As Figure 4As shown, the contract information form of this embodiment has fields for the terminal ID, contract user information, and transmission date and time. In the terminal ID field, information (terminal ID) for identifying the telematics terminal 100 is registered. In the contract user information field, the contract user information of the contract user associated with the telematics terminal 100 is registered. As described above, the contract user information is information that can identify whether the user who has the ownership or right of use of the vehicle 10 is the same as the contract user, and is information that a third party cannot determine the individual of the contract user. As such contract user information, for example, a part of the contract user's email address (a string in which a part of the email address is set as a non-disclosed character), a part of the contract user's phone number (a string in which a part of the phone number is set as a non-disclosed character), or the contract user's nickname, etc. In this embodiment, a part of the contract user's email address is used as the contract user information.

[0076] In addition, the contract user whose contract user information is registered in the contract user information field is not necessarily the same as the user who has the ownership or right of use of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100 associated with this contract user. For example, when the right of use of the vehicle 10 is transferred from the contract user to another user, as long as the contract user does not cancel the contract of the telematics service, the information of a user different from the user who has the ownership or right of use of the vehicle 10 is still registered in the contract user information field.

[0077] In the transmission date and time field of the contract information form, information indicating the date and time when the display instruction was last sent to the telematics terminal 100 (that is, the date and time when the contract user information in the telematics terminal 100 was last displayed, corresponding to the "first date and time" of the present disclosure) is registered. The information registered in the transmission date and time field is updated when a display instruction is sent to the telematics terminal 100.

[0078] The above contract information form is registered in the contract management database D210 when the contract user and the TSP exchange the utilization contract of the telematics service, and is deleted from the contract management database D210 when the contract user terminates the contract with the TSP.

[0079] Here, return Figure 3 , the detection unit F210 detects the start of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100. Specifically, the detection unit F210 receives the start information from the telematics terminal 100 through the communication unit 204, thereby detecting the start of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100. When the start of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100 is detected, the detection unit F210 transmits the terminal ID included in the start information to the determination unit F220.

[0080] The determination unit F220 determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied. Specifically, the determination unit F220 accesses the contract management database D210 using the terminal ID received from the detection unit F210 as a variable, and determines a contract information table in which information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The determination unit F220 reads the information (first date and time) registered in the transmission date and time field of the determined contract information table. The determination unit F220 calculates the elapsed time from the first date and time to the current time (the date and time when the detection unit F210 detects the start of the vehicle 10). The determination unit F220 determines whether the calculated elapsed time is equal to or longer than a first time length. The first time length is a time length specified by the TSP, for example, a time length of several days, several weeks, or several months. When the above elapsed time is equal to or longer than the first time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F220 to the determination unit F220 is transmitted by the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230. Further, when the above elapsed time is less than the first time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F220 to the determination unit F220 is not transmitted by the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230.

[0081] The instruction unit F230 sends a display instruction to the telematics terminal 100 triggered by receiving the terminal ID from the determination unit F220. Specifically, the instruction unit F230 accesses the contract management database D210 using the terminal ID received from the determination unit F220 as a variable, and determines a contract information table in which information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The instruction unit F230 reads the information (contract user information) registered in the contract user information field of the determined contract information table. The instruction unit F230 generates a display instruction based on the read contract user information. The display instruction is an instruction for causing the telematics terminal 100 to display the contract user information. The instruction unit F230 sends the generated display instruction to the telematics terminal 100 through the communication unit 204.

[0082] (Process flow)

[0083] Based on Figure 5 , the process flow of the processing performed in the server device 200 of the present embodiment will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing a processing routine performed in the server device 200 triggered by receiving start information from the telematics terminal 100. In addition, Figure 5 the execution subject of the processing routine shown is the processor 201 of the server device 200, and here, the functional structural elements will be described as the execution subject.

[0084] In Figure 5 this case, after the communication unit 204 of the server device 200 receives the start information from the telematics terminal 100, the start information is transmitted from the communication unit 204 to the detection unit F210. The detection unit F210 detects the start of the vehicle 10 by receiving the start information via the communication unit 204 (step S101). The detection unit F210 transmits the terminal ID included in the start information to the determination unit F220.

[0085] The determination unit F220 that has received the terminal ID from the detection unit F210 determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied (step S102). Specifically, the determination unit F220 accesses the contract management database D210 with the terminal ID received from the detection unit F210 as a variable, and determines the contract information table in which information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The determination unit F220 reads the first date and time registered in the transmission date and time field of the determined contract information table. The determination unit F220 calculates the elapsed time from the first date and time to the present. The determination unit F220 determines whether the calculated elapsed time is equal to or greater than the first time length. If the calculated elapsed time is equal to or greater than the first time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied (positive determination in step S102). In this case, the terminal ID is transmitted from the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230, and the process of step S103 is executed. On the other hand, if the calculated elapsed time is less than the first time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied (negative determination in step S102). In this case, the terminal ID is not transmitted from the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230, and the execution of this processing routine ends.

[0086] In step S103, the instruction unit F230 generates a display instruction. The display instruction is an instruction for causing the telematics terminal 100 to display contract user information. When generating such a display instruction, the instruction unit F230 accesses the contract management database D210 with the terminal ID received from the determination unit F220 as a variable, and determines the contract information table in which information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The instruction unit F230 reads the contract user information registered in the contract user information field of the determined contract information table. The instruction unit F230 generates a display instruction including the read contract user information. After executing the process of step S103, the instruction unit F230 executes the process of step S104.

[0087] In step S104, the instruction unit F230 transmits the display instruction generated in step S103 to the telematics terminal 100 via the communication unit 204.

[0088] Upon receiving the above display instruction, the telematics terminal 100 displays the contract user information received from the server device 200 on the touch screen display of the input / output unit 104. At this time, for example, the display instruction may also include an instruction for causing the display of Figure 6 a screen as shown. That is, the display instruction may also include an instruction for causing the display of a screen including a menu related to the telematics service and the contract user information. In addition, the menu related to the telematics service includes buttons for selecting the type of telematics service that the occupants of the vehicle 10 want to use (for example, Internet connection, voice call with an operator, information retrieval, destination setting, etc.), or buttons for the occupants of the vehicle 10 to select items for which they want to change the settings (change of user information, change of contract content, etc.). When the screen as shown in Figure 6 is displayed on the touch screen display of the input / output unit 104, the contract user information can be recognized by the occupants of the vehicle 10. Thereby, the occupants of the vehicle 10 can confirm whether the user having the ownership or right of use of the vehicle and the contract user are the same. In addition, when the user having the ownership or right of use of the vehicle and the contract user are the same, the occupants can be prompted to use the telematics service through the screen as shown in Figure 6 . In addition, in the present embodiment, Figure 6 the screen as shown is displayed on the condition that a predetermined condition (more than the first time length has elapsed since the previous display) is satisfied when the vehicle 10 starts, so that the occupants can be prevented from feeling bothered.

[0089] According to the present embodiment, in the case where the right of use of the vehicle 10 is transferred from the first user to the second user, etc., even if the first user forgets to cancel the wireless communication contract, the second user can recognize this situation. Thereby, the second user can seek a method for the first user to cancel the contract of the telematics service. In addition, since the contract user information displayed on the telematics terminal 100 is part of an email address, part of a telephone number, or a nickname, etc., it is also possible to prevent the second user who observes the contract user information from identifying the first user's personal information. In addition, when the user having the ownership or right of use of the vehicle and the contract user are the same, the occupants of the vehicle 10 can also be prompted to use the telematics service. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the convenience of the users using the telematics service from being impaired, and to promote the use of the telematics service.

[0090] <Modification Example 1>

[0091] In the foregoing embodiment, an example was described in which, when the elapsed time from the date and time when the contract user information was last displayed until the vehicle 10 started was equal to or longer than the first time length, it was determined that a predetermined condition was satisfied. In contrast, in this modified example, an example is described in which, when the vehicle 10 starts, if it is presumed that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 has been transferred, it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0092] (Functional Structure of Server Device)

[0093] Figure 7 FIG. is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the server device 200 of this modified example. As its functional structure elements, the server device 200 of this modified example further includes a speculation unit F240 in addition to the detection unit F210, the determination unit F220, the instruction unit F230, and the contract management database D210. These functional structure elements are realized by a processor 201 of the server device 200 executing a program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 203.

[0094] The speculation unit F240 speculates whether the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 is likely to have been transferred. When the storage location of the vehicle 10 has changed, the speculation unit F240 of this modified example speculates that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 is likely to have been transferred. When making such a speculation, the speculation unit F240 periodically acquires information related to the storage location of the vehicle 10 (for example, every few days, every few weeks, or every few months). The acquisition of information related to the storage location of the vehicle 10 can also be performed by periodically sending information related to the storage location (the location of one's own home, or the location of a parking lot, etc.) registered in the navigation system of the telematics terminal 100 from the telematics terminal 100 to the server device 200. As another method, it is also possible to periodically (for example, every few minutes, or every few hours) send the current position acquired by the position acquisition unit 105 of the telematics terminal 100 from the telematics terminal 100 to the server device 200, and the server device 200 makes a speculation based on the history of the received current position. For example, the speculation unit F240 speculates the location where the parking time (the time during which the current position of the vehicle 10 continuously remains at the same location) of the vehicle 10 is the longest during a certain period (for example, one week or one month) as the storage location of the vehicle 10.

[0095] After acquiring information related to the storage location of the vehicle 10 by the above method, the speculation unit F240 determines whether the information related to the storage location acquired this time indicates the same location as the storage location acquired last time. In addition, in this modified example, the information related to the storage location acquired by the speculation unit F240 last time is registered in the contract information table of the contract management database D210. That is, as Figure 8As shown, the contract information table of this modification example has fields for terminal ID, contract user information, storage location, and a flag. The information registered in the terminal ID field and the contract user information field is the same as that of the contract information table in the aforementioned embodiment (refer to Figure 4 .). The storage location field is a field for registering information related to the storage location of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100, and is updated by the estimation unit F240 when obtaining the storage location. The flag field registers a flag that is set to "ON" when it is determined that the storage location obtained this time is different from the storage location obtained the previous time (that is, when it is determined that the storage location of the vehicle 10 has been changed), and is set to "OFF" when a display instruction is sent to the telematics terminal 100. (Equivalent to the "first flag" of the present disclosure.)

[0096] Here, if the information related to the storage location obtained this time shows the same location as the storage location obtained the previous time, the estimation unit F240 estimates that it is unlikely that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 has been transferred. On the other hand, if the information related to the storage location obtained this time shows a different location from the storage location obtained the previous time, the estimation unit F240 estimates that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 may have been transferred. In this case, the estimation unit F240 sets the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table to "ON".

[0097] In addition, the determination unit F220 of this modification example determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table. Specifically, the determination unit F220 accesses the contract management database D210 with the terminal ID received from the detection unit F210 as a variable, thereby determining the contract information table in which the information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The determination unit F220 determines whether the flag registered in the flag field of the determined contract information table is "ON". When the above flag is "ON", the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F210 to the determination unit F220 is transmitted by the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230. Then, the instruction unit F230 sends a display instruction to the telematics terminal 100 through the communication unit 204. After the instruction unit F230 finishes sending the display instruction, it sets the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table to "OFF". In addition, when the above flag is "OFF", the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F210 to the determination unit F220 is not transmitted by the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230. Therefore, the display instruction is not sent from the instruction unit F230 to the telematics terminal 100.

[0098] (Process flow)

[0099] Here, based on Figure 9 a process flow of processing performed in the server device 200 when speculating on the possibility that the ownership or right of use of the vehicle 10 has been transferred will be described. Figure 9 It is a flowchart showing a processing routine regularly (for example, every few days, every few weeks, or every few months) performed in the server device 200. Figure 9 The execution subject of the shown processing routine is the processor 201 of the server device 200, and here, it will be described with the functional structural element (speculation unit F240) as the execution subject.

[0100] In Figure 9 , the speculation unit F240 of the server device 200 acquires information related to the storage location of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100 (step S201). Specifically, the speculation unit F240 communicates with the telematics terminal 100 to acquire information related to the storage location registered in the navigation system of the telematics terminal 100. Alternatively, the speculation unit F240 speculates on the storage location of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100 based on the history of the current location regularly acquired from the telematics terminal 100. After executing the processing of step S201, the speculation unit F240 executes the processing of step S202.

[0101] In step S202, the speculation unit F240 acquires the previously acquired storage location. Specifically, the speculation unit F240 reads the information registered in the storage location field of the contract information table of the contract management database D210. After executing the processing of step S202, the speculation unit F240 executes the processing of step S203.

[0102] In step S203, the speculation unit F240 determines whether the storage location of the vehicle 10 equipped with the telematics terminal 100 has been changed by comparing the storage location acquired in step S201 and the storage location acquired in step S202. Here, when the storage location acquired in step S201 is the same as the storage location acquired in step S202, the speculation unit F240 determines that the storage location of the vehicle 10 has not been changed (negative determination in step S203). In this case, the execution of this processing routine ends. On the other hand, when the storage location acquired in step S201 is different from the storage location acquired in step S202, the speculation unit F240 determines that the storage location of the vehicle 10 has been changed (positive determination in step S203). In this case, the speculation unit F240 executes the processing of step S204.

[0103] In step S204, the speculation unit F240 sets the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table to "ON". After the process of step S204 is executed, the execution of this processing routine ends.

[0104] In addition, the flow of the process performed in the server device 200 when the start information is received from the telematics terminal 100 is the same as that described above. Figure 5 Among them, in step S102, the determination unit F220 determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table. That is, if the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table is "ON", it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied, and if the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table is "OFF", it is determined that the predetermined condition is not satisfied.

[0105] According to this modification example, the contract user information is displayed on the telematics terminal 100 at the timing of starting the vehicle 10 only when it is speculated that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 may have been transferred. As a result, it is possible to suppress the annoyance felt by the occupants and at the same time enable the occupants of the vehicle 10 to identify the contract user information.

[0106] <Modification Example 2>

[0107] In the above-described Modification Example 1, an example was described in which when the storage location of the vehicle 10 is changed, the speculation unit F240 speculates that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 may have been transferred. In contrast, in this modification example, an example will be described in which when the vehicle 10 travels in a state where the contract user does not board the vehicle continuously and repeatedly, the speculation unit F240 speculates that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 may have been transferred.

[0108] Here, when the vehicle 10 travels in a state where the contract user does not board the vehicle continuously and repeatedly, the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 may have been transferred. Therefore, also when the vehicle 10 travels in a state where the contract user does not board the vehicle continuously and repeatedly a predetermined number of times, the speculation unit F240 may speculate that the ownership or the right of use of the vehicle 10 may have been transferred. The travel here refers to, for example, the period from when the start switch (accessory switch, ignition switch, power switch, etc.) of the vehicle 10 is set to "ON" by the occupant until it is set to "OFF".

[0109] The determination of whether the contract user is riding in the vehicle 10 during the trip can also be based on the positions of the telematics terminal 100 and the contract user's portable terminal. For example, during the trip of the vehicle 10, the estimation unit F240 can periodically (e.g., every few minutes or every several tens of minutes) obtain the positions of the telematics terminal 100 and the contract user's portable terminal, and determine the moving path of the telematics terminal 100 (vehicle 10) and the moving path of the contract user's portable terminal. Then, if the deviation between the two moving paths is within a predetermined threshold (e.g., about several tens of centimeters to 1 meter), the estimation unit F240 can determine that the contract user is riding in the vehicle 10 during the trip. On the other hand, if the deviation between the two moving paths is greater than the predetermined threshold, the estimation unit F240 can determine that the contract user is not riding in the vehicle 10 during the trip.

[0110] In addition, when a camera for photographing the interior of the vehicle is mounted on the vehicle 10, the estimation unit F240 can also determine whether the contract user is riding in the vehicle 10 during the trip by analyzing the images captured by the camera during the trip of the vehicle 10. Further, during the trip of the vehicle 10, the telematics terminal 100 can perform polling on the contract user's portable terminal using Bluetooth (registered trademark), short-range wireless communication of the LowEnergy standard, etc., to determine whether the contract user is riding in the vehicle 10.

[0111] <Modification Example 3>

[0112] In the foregoing embodiment, an example in which it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied when the elapsed time from the date and time when the contract user information was last displayed to the date and time when the vehicle 10 starts is equal to or longer than the first time length was described. In contrast, in this modification example, a case in which it is determined that a predetermined condition is satisfied when the vehicle 10 starts after a remote control operation of the vehicle 10 is performed is described.

[0113] The remote operation of the vehicle 10 is a service that can be utilized by contract users of the telematics service. Such remote operation is performed through an application installed on the portable terminal of the contract user. That is, the contract user can, before boarding the vehicle 10, remotely operate the air conditioning system or the security system, etc. of the vehicle 10 through the application on the portable terminal. For example, when an operation for operating the air conditioning system of the vehicle 10 is performed using the portable terminal on which the above application is being executed, a request for operating the air conditioning system is sent from the portable terminal to the server device 200. The contract user is authenticated in the server device 200 that has received the above request. When the authentication of the contract user is successful, the server device 200 sends a remote control instruction for operating the air conditioning system to the telematics terminal 100. The telematics terminal 100 that has received the above remote control instruction operates the air conditioning system of the vehicle 10 through the ECU for the air conditioning system, etc. Thus, the contract user can set the temperature in the passenger compartment, etc. to a favorite temperature in advance before boarding the vehicle 10.

[0114] (Functional Structure of Server Device)

[0115] Here, based on Figure 10 A functional structure example of the server device 200 of this modification is described. As its functional structure elements, the server device 200 of this modification further has a remote control processing unit F250 in addition to a detection unit F210, a determination unit F220, an instruction unit F230, and a contract management database D210. These functional structure elements are implemented by the processor 201 of the server device 200 executing the program stored in the auxiliary storage unit 203.

[0116] The remote control processing unit F250 authenticates the contract user when a request is received from the portable terminal. It is sufficient to use a well-known method for authenticating the contract user. For example, the above authentication can also be performed by comparing the user ID included in the above request with the user ID of the contract user associated with the telematics terminal 100. When the authentication of the contract user is successful, the remote control processing unit F250 sends a remote control instruction to the telematics terminal 100 according to the above request. For example, when the above request is a request for requesting the operation of the air conditioning system, the remote control processing unit F250 sends a remote control instruction for operating the air conditioning system to the telematics terminal 100. After the remote control processing unit F250 finishes sending the remote control instruction, it sets the second flag to "ON". The second flag is a flag that is set to "ON" when the remote operation of the vehicle 10 is performed and is set to "OFF" when a display instruction is sent, and is registered in the contract information table of the contract management database D210. That is, as Figure 11As shown, the contract information table of this modification example has fields for terminal ID, contract user information, and a flag. The information registered in the terminal ID field and the contract user information field is the same as that of the contract information table in the foregoing embodiment (refer to Figure 4 .). As described above, a flag that is set to "ON" when the remote control operation of the vehicle 10 is performed and is set to "OFF" when a display instruction is sent is registered in the flag field.

[0117] The determination unit F220 of this modification example determines whether a predetermined condition is satisfied based on the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table. Specifically, the determination unit F220 accesses the contract management database D210 using the terminal ID received from the detection unit F210 as a variable, thereby identifying the contract information table in which information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The determination unit F220 determines whether the flag registered in the flag field of the identified contract information table is "ON". When the above flag is "ON", the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F210 to the determination unit F220 is transmitted from the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230. Then, the instruction unit F230 sends a display instruction to the telematics terminal 100 through the communication unit 204. After sending the display instruction, the instruction unit F230 sets the flag registered in the flag field of the contract information table to "OFF". Additionally, when the above flag is "OFF", the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F210 to the determination unit F220 is not transmitted from the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230. Therefore, no display instruction is sent from the instruction unit F230 to the telematics terminal 100.

[0118] According to this modification example, when the vehicle 10 starts after the remote control operation of the vehicle 10 is performed, the contract user information is displayed on the telematics terminal 100. At this time, by causing the input / output unit 104 of the telematics terminal 100 to display the screen as shown in Figure 6 , it is possible to prompt the occupants to use telematics services other than the remote control operation.

[0119] <Modification Example 4>

[0120] In the foregoing embodiment, an example was described in which it was determined that the predetermined condition was satisfied when the elapsed time from the date and time when the contract user information was last displayed to the date and time when the vehicle 10 started was equal to or longer than the first time length. In contrast, in this modification example, an example is described in which it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied when the frequency of using the telematics service is low.

[0121] Here, when the elapsed time from the date and time of the last use of the telematics service to the date and time of the start of the vehicle 10 is relatively long, it can be inferred that the usage frequency of the telematics service is low. In this case, it is necessary to promote the use of the telematics service. Therefore, in this modified example, if the elapsed time from the date and time of the last use of the telematics service to the date and time of the start of the vehicle 10 is equal to or longer than the second time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0122] The functional structure of the server device 200 of this modified example is the same as that of the foregoing embodiment (refer to Figure 3 .). Among them, as Figure 12 shown, the contract information table of this modified example has fields for the terminal ID, contract user information, and usage date and time. The information registered in the terminal ID field and the contract user information field is the same as that of the contract information table of the foregoing embodiment (refer to Figure 4 .). The information registered in the usage date and time field represents the date and time of the last use of the telematics service (corresponding to the "second date and time" of the present disclosure). The information registered in the usage date and time field is updated each time the telematics service is used.

[0123] In addition, the determination unit F220 of this modified example determines whether the predetermined condition is satisfied based on the information registered in the usage date and time field of the contract information table. Specifically, the determination unit F220 accesses the contract management database D210 with the terminal ID received from the detection unit F210 as a variable, thereby determining the contract information table in which the information consistent with the terminal ID is registered in the terminal ID field. The determination unit F220 reads the information (second date and time) registered in the usage date and time field of the determined contract information table. The determination unit F220 calculates the elapsed time from the second date and time to the current time (the date and time when the detection unit F210 detects the start of the vehicle 10). The determination unit F220 determines whether the calculated elapsed time is equal to or longer than the second time length. The second time length is a time length specified by the TSP. For example, it is a time length of several weeks or several months. When the above elapsed time is equal to or longer than the second time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F210 to the determination unit F220 is transmitted from the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230. In addition, when the above elapsed time is less than the second time length, the determination unit F220 determines that the predetermined condition is not satisfied. In this case, the terminal ID transmitted from the detection unit F210 to the determination unit F220 is not transmitted from the determination unit F220 to the instruction unit F230.

[0124] According to this modification example, the contract user information is displayed in the telematics terminal 100 only when the usage frequency of the telematics service is low. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occupants from feeling bothered and to encourage the occupants to use the telematics service.

[0125] <Others>

[0126] The above-described embodiments and modification examples are merely examples, and the present disclosure can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from its gist. In addition, regarding the processes and structures described in the above-described embodiments and modification examples, they can be freely combined and implemented as long as there is no technical contradiction. Further, the process described as being performed by one device can also be shared and executed by a plurality of devices. For example, part of the process performed in the server device 200 can also be performed in the telematics terminal 100. In addition, all of the processes performed in the server device 200 can also be performed in the telematics terminal 100. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change what kind of hardware structure is used to implement each function.

[0127] In addition, the present disclosure can also be implemented by providing a computer program having the functions described in the above-described embodiment or modification example to a computer and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program can be provided to the computer through a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer, or can also be provided to the computer via a network. The non-temporary computer-readable storage medium is a recording medium that can store information such as data and programs through electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical actions and can be read from a computer or the like. For example, such a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium is a disk (such as a floppy disk (registered trademark) or an HDD), or an optical disk (such as a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, or a Blu-ray disk), or any other type of disk. In addition, the non-temporary computer-readable storage medium can also be a medium such as a ROM, a RAM, an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, or an SSD (Solid State Drive).

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus, wherein, the information processing apparatus includes a control unit that, when the vehicle starts and if a predetermined condition is satisfied, sends a first instruction to the telematics terminal of the vehicle to display information related to a first user associated with the vehicle; the first user is a user who has signed a usage contract for a telematics service provided through the telematics terminal; the control unit performs the following processing: periodically obtains the position of the telematics terminal during the vehicle's journey and the position of a portable terminal carried by the first user, and determines the movement path of the telematics terminal and the movement path of the portable terminal; if the deviation between the determined movement path of the telematics terminal and the movement path of the portable terminal is greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the first user is not riding in the vehicle; and if the journey in the state where the first user is not riding in the vehicle is repeated a predetermined number of times continuously, it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, the information related to the first user is a part of the first user's email address.

3. An information processing method, wherein, when the vehicle starts and if a predetermined condition is satisfied, a computer sends a first instruction to the telematics terminal of the vehicle to display information related to a first user associated with the vehicle; the first user is a user who has signed a usage contract for a telematics service provided through the telematics terminal; the computer performs the following processing: periodically obtains the position of the telematics terminal during the vehicle's journey and the position of a portable terminal carried by the first user, and determines the movement path of the telematics terminal and the movement path of the portable terminal; if the deviation between the determined movement path of the telematics terminal and the movement path of the portable terminal is greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the first user is not riding in the vehicle; and if the journey in the state where the first user is not riding in the vehicle is repeated a predetermined number of times continuously, it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied.

4. A telematics terminal mounted on a vehicle, wherein, the telematics terminal includes a control unit that, when the vehicle starts and if a predetermined condition is satisfied, displays information related to a first user associated with the vehicle; the first user is a user who has signed a usage contract for a telematics service provided through the telematics terminal; the control unit performs the following processing: periodically obtains the position of the telematics terminal during the vehicle's journey and the position of a portable terminal carried by the first user, and determines the movement path of the telematics terminal and the movement path of the portable terminal; If the deviation between the determined movement path of the telematics terminal and the movement path of the portable terminal is greater than a predetermined threshold, it is determined that the first user is not riding in the vehicle; And In the case where the trips in the state where the first user is not riding in the vehicle are repeated a predetermined number of times continuously, it is determined that the predetermined condition is satisfied.

Images