Vehicle information processing system, vehicle information processing method, and non-transitory storage medium

CN117373230BActive Publication Date: 2026-09-25TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202310807016.2
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-07-08
Filing Date
2023-07-03
Publication Date
2026-09-25
Estimated Expiration
2043-07-03

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle information processing system, a vehicle information processing method, and a non-transitory storage medium. The vehicle information processing system includes a vehicle information processing device mounted on a vehicle, a first external information processing device provided outside the vehicle, a plurality of vehicle control applications configured to output a plurality of control instructions to a plurality of control target devices of the vehicle, and a mediation unit provided in at least one of the vehicle information processing device and the first external information processing device. The plurality of vehicle control applications are installed in at least one of the vehicle information processing device and the first external information processing device. The mediation unit is configured to mediate the plurality of control instructions for a predetermined one of the plurality of control target devices to determine one control instruction. The plurality of control instructions for the predetermined one of the plurality of control target devices are obtained by the plurality of vehicle control applications.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a vehicle information processing system, a vehicle information processing method, and a non-transitory storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-505059 (JP 2019-505059A) discloses an autonomous vehicle service platform that is communicatively connected to multiple autonomous vehicles capable of autonomous driving via a network, and provides services to multiple users by remotely operating the multiple autonomous vehicles. As an example of such a service, the autonomous vehicle service platform dispatches one of the multiple autonomous vehicles to the current location of a user requesting autonomous transportation and transports the user to their destination by autonomous driving. On this platform, a remote operator can remotely control the autonomous vehicle and provide a route to appropriately traverse obstacles on the road. Summary of the Invention

[0003] As described in JP 2019-505059 A, the range of services a vehicle can provide can be expanded by controlling devices installed in the vehicle via a network. Services provided via the network include cloud services. Cloud services are provided to, for example, a user's mobile terminal by running applications on the cloud. This technology can also be applied to vehicles. For example, cloud applications can provide services to occupants by running a navigation system to guide the user, or control the vehicle's behavior by running an electric motor that outputs driving force for movement. The main issue is that the surrounding conditions are constantly changing when the vehicle is in motion. Therefore, the vehicle may need to run applications on its in-vehicle devices to handle these changes. As a result, depending on the type of application, the devices controlled by applications running on the vehicle and applications running via the network may overlap. In this case, applications suitable for the current vehicle conditions may not be able to operate.

[0004] The present invention provides a vehicle information processing system, a vehicle information processing method, and a non-transitory storage medium, which can select and perform the functions of a predetermined application or its output from multiple applications running on a vehicle or in the cloud and operating an in-vehicle device.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a vehicle information processing system includes a vehicle information processing device installed on a vehicle, a first external information processing device disposed outside the vehicle, a plurality of vehicle control applications configured to output a plurality of control commands to a plurality of control target devices of the vehicle, and a mediation unit disposed in at least one of the vehicle information processing device and the first external information processing device. The plurality of vehicle control applications are installed in at least one of the vehicle information processing device and the first external information processing device. The mediation unit is configured to perform mediation on the plurality of control commands for a predetermined one of the plurality of control target devices to determine a single control command. The plurality of control commands for the predetermined one of the plurality of control target devices are obtained by the plurality of vehicle control applications.

[0006] In a vehicle information processing system according to a first aspect of the present invention, the first external information processing device may include a plurality of the vehicle control applications. The mediation unit may include a first mediation unit. The first mediation unit may be disposed in the first external information processing device. The one control command determined by the first mediation unit mediating the plurality of control commands may be configured to be sent to the vehicle.

[0007] A vehicle information processing system according to a first aspect of the present invention may include a second external information processing device, which includes a predetermined application configured to output control commands to at least one of the plurality of control target devices. The second external information processing device may be disposed outside the vehicle and the first external information processing device. The first external information processing device may include a receiving unit configured to receive control information including the control commands of the predetermined application. The mediating unit may be configured to mediate the plurality of control commands configured to be output by the plurality of vehicle control applications and the control information received by the receiving unit.

[0008] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the mediation unit may include a first mediation unit. The first mediation unit may be disposed within the vehicle information processing device. The first mediation unit may be configured to mediate the control commands obtained by the vehicle information processing device and the control commands obtained by the first external information processing device.

[0009] In a vehicle information processing system according to a first aspect of the present invention, the vehicle information processing device may include at least one of the plurality of vehicle control applications. The mediation unit may include a second mediation unit. The vehicle information processing device may further include the second mediation unit, which is configured to mediate the control commands obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle information processing device and the control commands sent from the first external information processing device.

[0010] In a vehicle information processing system according to a first aspect of the present invention, the mediation unit may include multiple mediation processing units associated with the types of the multiple control commands. The mediation unit may be configured to mediate the multiple control commands based on a predetermined first type priority when multiple control target devices to receive the multiple control commands overlap. The multiple control commands may be mediated by the multiple mediation processing units.

[0011] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the second mediation unit may include a plurality of mediation processing units associated with the types of the plurality of control commands. The second mediation unit may be configured to mediate the plurality of control commands based on a predetermined second type priority when the plurality of control target devices to receive the plurality of control commands overlap, wherein the plurality of control commands are mediated by the plurality of mediation processing units.

[0012] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the mediation unit may include a first guidance control mediation unit configured to mediate guidance control commands for guiding the vehicle, a first alarm control mediation unit configured to mediate alarm control commands for issuing alarms, and a first driving control mediation unit configured to mediate driving control commands for driving the vehicle. The alarm is related to driving the vehicle. The first type of priority may include the highest priority of the driving control commands, the second highest priority of the alarm control commands, and the third highest priority of the guidance control commands.

[0013] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the second mediation unit may include a second guidance control mediation unit configured to mediate guidance control commands for guiding the vehicle, a second alarm control mediation unit configured to mediate alarm control commands for issuing alarms, and a second driving control mediation unit configured to mediate driving control commands for driving the vehicle. The alarm is related to driving the vehicle. The second type of priority may include the highest priority of the driving control commands, the second highest priority of the alarm control commands, and the third highest priority of the guidance control commands.

[0014] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the mediation unit can be configured to, when multiple control commands exist, determine whether among the multiple control commands there is a control command with high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle. The first type of priority may include, when a request for a control command with high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle exists among the multiple control commands, assigning the highest priority to the control command obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle.

[0015] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the second mediation unit can be configured to, when multiple control commands exist, determine whether among the multiple control commands there is a control command with high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle. The second type of priority may include, when there are requests for multiple control commands with high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle among the multiple control commands, assigning the highest priority to the control command obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle.

[0016] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first type of priority may include a priority determined in such a way that a higher priority is assigned to the control command output based on the latest data among a plurality of control commands.

[0017] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the second type of priority may include a priority determined in such a way that a higher priority is assigned to the control command output based on the latest data among a plurality of control commands.

[0018] In the vehicle information processing system according to the first aspect of the present invention, the plurality of vehicle control applications may include applications configured to process information about the vehicle. The information about the vehicle may be sent from the vehicle information processing device. The plurality of vehicle control applications may be installed in the first external information processing device. The information about the vehicle may include user information, including information about the driving preferences of a user in the vehicle, and vehicle information, including information about the current location and speed of the vehicle.

[0019] In the vehicle information processing system according to a first aspect of the present invention, the first external information processing device can be configured to construct a digital twin in virtual space that is synchronized with the real world in time. The digital twin can be constructed based on the user information and the vehicle information. The mediation unit may include a first mediation unit. The first mediation unit can be installed on the first external information processing device. The first mediation unit can be configured to perform mediation based on information obtained from the digital twin.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a vehicle information processing method is used to process information for controlling the vehicle via a vehicle information processing device installed on the vehicle and an external information processing device outside the vehicle. The vehicle information processing method includes: when (i) multiple control command signals are obtained through multiple vehicle control applications of the vehicle information processing device or the external information processing device, and (ii) when the multiple control command signals overlap with each other for a predetermined control target device of the vehicle, the multiple vehicle control applications or the multiple control command signals are mediated by the vehicle information processing device or the external information processing device to determine a control command signal for the predetermined control target device, and the single control command signal is output to the control target device.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the invention, a non-transitory storage medium stores instructions executable by one or more processors in a computer and causing the one or more processors to perform functions. These functions include, when (i) multiple control command signals are obtained through multiple vehicle control applications of a vehicle information processing device or an external information processing device, and (ii) when the multiple control command signals overlap with each other for a predetermined control target device of the vehicle, mediating the multiple vehicle control applications or the multiple control command signals through the vehicle information processing device or the external information processing device to determine a control command signal for the predetermined control target device, and outputting the single control command signal to the control target device. The vehicle information processing device is mounted on the vehicle, and the external information processing device is disposed outside the vehicle.

[0022] In the vehicle information processing system of the present invention, regardless of whether multiple vehicle control applications are inside or outside the vehicle, the mediation unit that mediates multiple vehicle control applications can select and perform the functions of a predetermined application or its output. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like symbols denote like elements, and wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle information processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating the vehicle information processing device, the first external information processing device, and the second external information processing device that constitute the vehicle information processing system.

[0026] Figure 3 It is a functional block diagram of the vehicle information processing device, the first external information processing device and the second external information processing device that constitute the vehicle information processing system.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing a portion of the functional block diagram of a vehicle information processing device, and it is a functional block diagram showing the case where different types of applications output to the same control target device.

[0028] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of control performed by a first external information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0029] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of control performed by a vehicle information processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The vehicle information processing system of the present invention includes a vehicle information processing device and a first external information processing device disposed outside the vehicle. Multiple vehicle control applications are installed in at least one of them. The vehicle information processing system includes a mediation unit configured to perform mediation to determine a control command from a plurality of control commands obtained by the multiple vehicle control applications for a predetermined one of a plurality of control target devices. Therefore, the vehicle can be controlled not only by applications installed in the vehicle but also by applications installed in the external information processing device. Regardless of whether these applications are inside or outside the vehicle, the mediation unit that mediates these applications can select and perform the function of the predetermined application or its output.

[0031] When the mediation unit is located in the first external information processing device, the control commands determined through mediation are sent to the vehicle. Therefore, the amount of data communication between the first external information processing device and the vehicle information processing device can be reduced. When an application for controlling the vehicle is installed in a second external information processing device other than the vehicle and the first external information processing device, the first mediation unit of the first external information processing device performs mediation including that application. Therefore, the increase in data communication volume can be suppressed. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a mediation unit in the vehicle information processing device. When the mediation unit is provided in the vehicle information processing device, mediation is performed on the control commands of the application received from the first external information processing device and the control commands of the application in the vehicle information processing device. Therefore, even if multiple information processing devices are different, overlap between multiple control commands of a predetermined control target device can be avoided. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a mediation unit in the first external information processing device.

[0032] When multiple vehicle control applications and multiple mediation units are installed in a vehicle information processing unit and a first external information processing unit outside the vehicle, the first mediation unit of the first external information processing unit mediates multiple control commands of the multiple vehicle control applications, and the second mediation unit of the vehicle information processing unit mediates the control commands determined through mediation and the control commands of the vehicle control applications installed in the vehicle. That is, mediation is performed in two stages. Therefore, mediation can be performed to determine the more appropriate application for outputting control commands.

[0033] Multiple applications are categorized into guidance, alarm, and driving based on the types of control commands. This facilitates the development of applications for multiple control target devices operating a vehicle by a so-called third party, such as a second external information processing device. The first and second mediation units include multiple mediation processing units associated with categories and have a first type priority and a second type priority, including priorities associated with the categories. Specifically, when the same control target device is operated by outputting multiple control command signals of different types, the highest priority is given to control commands related to driving control, followed by control commands related to alarm control, and then control commands related to guidance control. Therefore, applications with high urgency and importance to the vehicle or user can be prioritized. Thus, the timing and frequency of vehicle acceleration, deceleration, and steering can be appropriately controlled, and the user can ride comfortably. When control commands are output by multiple applications (including those installed in the vehicle) with high urgency and importance related to vehicle safety, mediation is performed among the multiple control commands of the multiple applications to set the highest priority for the output of the application installed in the vehicle. Regarding vehicle hazards, the data detected by the vehicle is up-to-date or accurate. By setting such priorities, the safety of the vehicle and the user can be further improved. When multiple applications are running for a predetermined control target device within the same category, mediation is performed to assign higher priority to applications that output based on the most recent data. This prioritization allows for continuous vehicle control or user guidance based on the most up-to-date information acquired.

[0034] Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are merely examples illustrating the present invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.

[0035] Figure 1 The overall configuration of a vehicle information processing system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle information processing system 1 includes a vehicle (Ve), a vehicle cloud (2), a network (3), and different industry clouds (4). That is, the vehicle (Ve), vehicle cloud (2), and different industry clouds (4) are communicatively connected to each other via network (3). Network (3) can be any known communication network, typically represented by public communication networks such as the Internet, data communication modules (DCM), telephone communication networks for mobile phones, wireless communication networks, or other communication networks. The vehicle (Ve) can be a common, existing vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, a pure electric vehicle, a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or a fuel cell electric vehicle. The vehicle can be either a manually driven vehicle that travels to its destination through driver input, or an autonomously driven vehicle that travels to its destination through autonomous control without relying on driver input.

[0036] The vehicle Ve includes a control target device (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "actuator") 5 and a vehicle information processing device 10. The control target device 5 is part of the on-board equipment and is controlled by the vehicle information processing device 10. Examples of the control target device 5 include a car navigation system that guides the user, a buzzer that outputs an alarm sound to notify the user of danger, an instrument panel that displays an alarm, an electric motor that outputs the driving force of the vehicle Ve, and a brake that outputs the braking force of the vehicle Ve.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle information processing device 10 is configured to send data to and receive data from the vehicle cloud 2. The vehicle information processing device 10 includes a processor 11, a main storage unit 12, an auxiliary storage unit 13, a communication unit 14, and other main components. In the vehicle information processing device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the processor 11 loads a program stored in a recording medium into the working area of ​​the main storage unit 12 and executes the program. Through the execution of the program, various types of control are performed, thereby executing functions that meet predetermined purposes.

[0038] The processor 11 is, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital signal processor (DSP). The processor 11 controls the vehicle information processing device 10 and performs various types of information processing calculations.

[0039] The main memory unit 12 includes, for example, random access memory (RAM) and read-only memory (ROM). As described above, the working area for the processor 11 to execute programs is set in the main memory unit 12.

[0040] Auxiliary storage unit 13 is an example of a memory in embodiments of the present invention and includes, for example, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or a hard disk drive (HDD). Auxiliary storage unit 13 may include so-called removable media, i.e., portable recording media. Removable media may be, for example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) memory or a disc recording medium such as a CD or a DVD. Auxiliary storage unit 13 stores various programs, various types of data, and various tables in the recording medium by reading and writing to them. That is, auxiliary storage unit 13 stores the application 17 for controlling the control target device 5 of vehicle Ve, described later, and also stores data for generating the digital twin described later. Auxiliary storage unit 13 may store an operating system (OS). Some or all of the above information may be stored in main storage unit 12. Information stored in main storage unit 12 may be stored in auxiliary storage unit 13.

[0041] Communication unit 14 is a wireless communication circuit that is always connected to the vehicle cloud 2 (e.g., for data communication via wireless communication) and communicates with other clouds, facilities, or devices besides the vehicle cloud. The wireless communication circuit performs communication using mobile communication such as 5G or LTE. Alternatively, the wireless communication circuit can perform communication using narrowband communication such as Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC). Optionally, the wireless communication circuit can perform communication using wireless communication such as Wi-Fi, or short-range communication such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

[0042] like Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle information processing device 10 configured as described above includes a data transmission unit 15, a mediation information receiving unit 16, a vehicle-side application 17, and a vehicle-side mediation unit 18 located in appropriate positions among the processor 11, main storage unit 12, auxiliary storage unit 13, and communication unit 14.

[0043] Data transmission unit 15 transmits user information 15a and vehicle information 15b stored in vehicle Ve to vehicle cloud 2 via network 3. User information 15a mainly concerns information about users, including the driver and passengers using vehicle Ve, and primarily includes information such as the timing and frequency of vehicle Ve's acceleration, deceleration, and steering, and driving tendencies such as driving patterns during driving. Vehicle information 15b is the current location and speed of vehicle Ve, or data obtained by sensors installed on vehicle Ve to detect the surrounding conditions. User information 15a and vehicle information 15b are transmitted to vehicle cloud 2 as needed. In particular, vehicle information 15b is transmitted with the smallest possible time delay.

[0044] The mediation information receiving unit 16 receives information about the mediation result sent from the vehicle cloud 2 via the network 3. Although details will be described later, when multiple vehicle cloud-side applications 28 and different industry cloud-side applications 46 output control requests for operating the predetermined control target device 5, the vehicle cloud 2 selects cloud-side applications 28 and 46 that sent the control requests based on predetermined conditions from among the multiple control requests. Therefore, the information about the mediation result includes data such as control commands related to the cloud-side applications 28 and 46 selected through mediation. The information about the mediation result received by the mediation information receiving unit 16 from the vehicle cloud 2 is sent to the vehicle-side mediation unit 18.

[0045] Vehicle-side application 17 is an example of a vehicle control application in an embodiment of the present invention. Multiple vehicle-side applications 17 are installed in the vehicle information processing device 10 and appropriately operate the control target device 5 in the on-board unit by sending or outputting control command signals. The operation of one control target device 5 by one vehicle-side application 17 is not limited to the operation of one control target device 5 by one vehicle-side application 17, and may include the operation of one predetermined control target device 5 by multiple vehicle-side applications 17. One vehicle-side application 17 can operate multiple control target devices 5.

[0046] Vehicle-side applications 17 include, for example, applications that operate a navigation system to guide a user to a destination, applications that operate an alarm device to notify the user of the presence of obstacles on the planned route of vehicle Ve, and applications that output control commands for controlling brakes and motors in response to obstacles on the planned route or a stopped vehicle. In embodiments of the invention, such vehicle-side applications 17 are categorized according to function. This categorization is set according to the purpose of the application, the target control device 5 to be operated, etc.

[0047] Specifically, vehicle-side applications 17 are categorized into vehicle-side guidance applications 17a, primarily operating guidance control target devices 5a related to user guidance; vehicle-side alarm applications 17b, primarily operating alarm control target devices 5b related to notifying users of dangers; and vehicle-side driving applications 17c, primarily operating driving control target devices 5c related to the behavior of vehicle Ve. When requests overlap within the same category, for example, when multiple vehicle-side guidance applications 17a output control commands or requests to operate the same predetermined control target device 5, the vehicle-side guidance application 17a that actually outputs control commands to the control target device 5 is selected from among the multiple vehicle-side guidance applications 17a. Applications that output requests to operate control target devices 5 include vehicle cloud-side applications 28 running on vehicle cloud 2, and different industry cloud-side applications 46 that can send data to and receive data from vehicle cloud 2 and run on devices other than vehicle Ve (i.e., on so-called different industry clouds 4). The signals from these applications 17, 28, and 46 in requests to the control target device 5 are transmitted via a Controller Area Network (CAN), which is known to date and is capable of transmitting and receiving signals through differential voltages generated on two communication lines. Therefore, these applications 17, 28, and 46 are classified based on, for example, the signals transmitted from a control source including applications 17, 28, and 46 to a control destination including the control target device 5.

[0048] Vehicle-side mediation unit 18 is an example of a second mediation unit in embodiments of the present invention. It mediates control commands or requests from vehicle-side application 17 and control commands or requests from cloud-side applications 28 and 46 received from vehicle cloud 2 to control target device 5. When the control target device 5 operated by requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 overlaps with each other, vehicle-side mediation unit 18 performs mediation to determine which application 17, 28, or 46 will ultimately output the request to the control target device 5 in the aforementioned categories, or performs mediation to adopt one of the results output by applications 17, 28, and 46. Vehicle-side mediation unit 18 mediates the requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 based on the current timing and frequency of acceleration, deceleration, and steering of vehicle Ve, the condition of vehicle Ve, or the user's driving tendencies. When control commands are output to the predetermined control target device 5 from other categories of applications 17, 28, and 46 after mediation, mediation is performed based on predetermined priorities to determine which application 17, 28, or 46 will output the control command.

[0049] Specifically, the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 has at least three types of priorities, which are examples of the second priority in embodiments of the present invention. The first type of priority is as follows: among applications 17, 28, and 46, the highest priority is set for control-related applications, followed by alarm-related applications, and then guidance-related applications. Regarding the second type of priority, when a control command related to the safety of vehicle Ve and of high urgency is output in applications 17, 28, and 46, including vehicle-side application 17, mediation is performed to set the highest priority for the output of vehicle-side application 17. Regarding the third type of priority, when multiple applications 17, 28, and 46 output control commands to a predetermined control target device 5 within the same category, mediation is performed to set a higher priority for application 17, 28, or 46 that outputs control commands based on the latest data. By setting priorities in this way, appropriate applications 17, 28, or 46, or their results, can be selected based on the behavior of vehicle Ve and the environmental conditions surrounding vehicle Ve. The vehicle-side mediation unit 18 performs mediation among applications 17, 28, and 46 through multiple mediation units according to the above categories. Specifically, the vehicle-side adjustment unit 18 includes a guidance control adjustment unit 18a, an alarm control adjustment unit 18b, and a driving control adjustment unit 18c.

[0050] The guidance control mediation unit 18a mediates guidance applications 17a, 28a, and 46a related to user guidance. The guidance control target device (actuator) 5a, as a related in-vehicle device, operates in response to a request from guidance application 17a, 28a, or 46a selected by the guidance control mediation unit 18a. Examples of the output of the actuator 5a based on a request from guidance application 17a, 28a, or 46a include displaying routes, surrounding facilities, etc., on a navigation system or display. The alarm control mediation unit 18b mediates alarm applications 17b, 28b, and 28c used to notify the user of danger. The alarm control target device (alarm actuator) 5b, as a related in-vehicle device, operates in response to a request from alarm application 17b, 28b, or 28c selected by the alarm control mediation unit 18b. Examples of the output of the alarm actuator 5b based on a request from alarm application 17b, 28b, or 28c include displaying a danger on a display or dashboard, and emitting a buzzer sound from a speaker. The driving control adjustment unit 18c adjusts driving applications 17c, 28d, and 28e that are generally related to the driving of vehicle Ve (e.g., the control of driving force and braking force of vehicle Ve or the turning of vehicle Ve). The driving control target device (control actuator) 5c, as a related on-board unit, operates in response to a request from driving application 17c, 28d, or 28e selected by the driving control adjustment unit 18c. Examples of the output of the control actuator 5c based on the request from driving application 17c, 28d, or 28e include outputting driving force from an electric motor and outputting braking force from a braking device. These three adjustment units are examples of the second guidance control adjustment unit, the second alarm control adjustment unit, and the second driving control adjustment unit in embodiments of the present invention.

[0051] The vehicle Ve, configured as described above, is connected to the vehicle cloud 2, such as... Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown. Vehicle Cloud 2 is dedicated to multiple Vehicle Ves, including Vehicle Ve, and provides services to users via Vehicle Ves. Vehicle Cloud 2 can send data to and receive data from different Industry Clouds 4. For example, different Industry Clouds 4 are provided not only to Vehicle Ves, but also to, for example, mobile terminals, and are so-called third-party clouds that store and manage data, applications, etc., used in the services to be provided to users. Vehicle Cloud 2 and different Industry Clouds 4 include a first external information processing device 20 and a second external information processing device 40, respectively configured with multiple servers, etc.

[0052] The basic functional configurations of the first external information processing device 20 and the second external information processing device 40 are basically the same as the basic functional configurations of the vehicle information processing device 10 configured as described above. For example... Figure 2As shown, the first external information processing device 20 includes a first processor 21 configured with a CPU or the like, a first main storage device 22 including RAM or the like, a first auxiliary storage device 23, and a first communication device 24. Similarly, the second external information processing device 40 includes a second processor 41 configured with a CPU or the like, a second main storage device 42 including RAM or the like, a second auxiliary storage device 43, and a second communication device 44. The processors 21 and 41 execute programs read from the auxiliary storage devices 23 and 43 by using the main storage devices 22 and 42 as working areas, thereby performing predetermined processing related to predetermined control target devices of the vehicle Ve, respectively. The first communication device 24 communicates with the vehicle information processing device 10 and the second external information processing device 40 via a network 3. The second communication device 44 can communicate with the first external information processing device 20 and other external terminals via the network 3. The first auxiliary storage device 23 and the second auxiliary storage device 43 include memories that serve as non-transitory storage media.

[0053] like Figure 3 As shown, the vehicle cloud 2 configured as described above includes a data receiving unit 25, a digital twin 26, an inter-cloud interface (inter-cloud I / F) 27, a vehicle cloud-side application 28, a cloud-side mediation unit 29, and a mediation information sending unit 30, located at appropriate positions among the first processor 21, the first main storage device 22, the first auxiliary storage device 23, and the first communication device 24.

[0054] The data receiving unit 25 includes a different industry cloud information acquisition unit 25a, which receives data sent from the vehicle Ve and the different industry clouds 4 via the network 3. Specifically, the different industry cloud information acquisition unit 25a receives user information 15a and vehicle information 15b sent from the vehicle Ve, as well as control information including control commands related to the different industry cloud-side application 46 provided by the different industry clouds 4 and sent from the application data sending unit 45 of the second external information processing device 40, which will be described later. Of the received data, information received from the different industry clouds 4 is sent to the cloud interface 27, and user information 15a and vehicle information 15b are sent to the digital twin 26.

[0055] Digital twin 26 is a storage unit used to recreate a virtual space synchronized with real-world time on a cloud computer by updating and storing data related to the location and travel time of the target vehicle Ve, which is associated with the current and past behavior and conditions of vehicle Ve. This data is collected for vehicle Ve. In response to requests based on current and past data and information, digital twin 26 can generate future prediction data for vehicle Ve. Examples of information included in the data stored by digital twin 26 or obtained from vehicle Ve include map information, road information, vehicle Ve's identification number, information about the external environment surrounding vehicle Ve, time information, location information, and user driving preferences and driving behavior patterns related to vehicle Ve's behavior. That is, vehicle cloud 2 covers events currently occurring in and around vehicle Ve by generating and simulating a virtual environment based on the physical environment by digital twin 26, and application 28 outputs requests based on these events.

[0056] The cloud interface 27 performs data format conversions, etc., to link data between the vehicle cloud 2 and different industry clouds 4. In embodiments of the present invention, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the vehicle Ve provides bootstrap applications that store or manage data on different industry clouds 4. Therefore, when a bootstrap application 46a on a different industry cloud 4 outputs a request, the inter-cloud interface 27 receives the data from the bootstrap application 46a and converts it into a format operable in the vehicle Ve.

[0057] Vehicle cloud-side application 28 is an example of a vehicle control application in an embodiment of the present invention, and operates the control target device 5 of vehicle Ve. In an embodiment of the present invention, a first guidance application 28a, a first alarm application 28b, a second alarm application 28c, a first driving application 28d, and a second driving application 28e run on vehicle cloud 2. Among these vehicle cloud-side applications 28, applications of the same type, such as the first driving application 28d and the second driving application 28e, can substantially output different control commands to operate the control target device 5, but can be overlapped according to the details of the control to operate the predetermined control target device 5. In an embodiment of the present invention, applications on vehicle cloud 2 are also classified into three types, and mediation is performed within this category to determine the application that ultimately outputs control commands to the predetermined control target device 5. The vehicle cloud 2 in an embodiment of the present invention includes a cloud-side mediation unit 29 for this purpose.

[0058] Cloud-based mediation unit 29 is an example of the first mediation unit in an embodiment of the present invention, such as... Figure 3As shown, it includes a cloud-side guidance control mediation unit 29a for mediating guidance control commands output by guidance-related applications, a cloud-side alarm control mediation unit 29b for mediating alarm control commands output by alarm-related applications, and a cloud-side driving control mediation unit 29c for mediating driving control commands output by control-related applications. The cloud-side mediation unit 29 acquires current information about the vehicle Ve obtained by reproducing and simulating it on the digital twin 26 from the digital twin 26. Based on the acquired information about the vehicle Ve and the cloud-side applications 28 and 46 that output control commands, the cloud-side mediation unit 29 determines the application 28 or 46 of the actual operation control target device 5 for each type. When different industry cloud-side applications 46 provided from different industry clouds 4 are running, mediation including the different industry cloud-side applications 46 is performed based on a predetermined priority. These three mediation units are examples of multiple mediation processing units in embodiments of the present invention, and are examples of a first guidance control mediation unit, a first alarm control mediation unit, and a first driving control mediation unit.

[0059] Specifically, similar to the vehicle-side mediation unit 18, the cloud-side mediation unit 29 has at least two types of priorities, which are examples of the first priority in embodiments of the present invention. The first type of priority is as follows: among applications 17, 28, and 46, the highest priority is set for control-related applications, followed by alarm-related applications, and then guidance-related applications. Regarding the second type of priority, when multiple applications 17, 28, and 46 operate on a predetermined control target device 5 within the same category, mediation is performed to set a higher priority for application 17, 28, or 46 based on the latest data output control command. When the application 28 or 46 that actually sends a request to the control target device 5 is determined in this way, the data of the determined application 28 or 46 is sent to the mediation information sending unit 30. When the final selection of application 17, 28, or 46 for controlling the control target device 5 is performed by the cloud-side mediation unit 29 instead of the vehicle-side mediation unit 18, mediation can be performed to set the highest priority for vehicle-side application 17 in safety-related, high-urgency events.

[0060] In addition to the above, mediation is also performed based on the urgency and importance of the user and vehicle Ve. For example, when information is obtained about obstacles near the vehicle Ve but outside the planned driving route, and information about accidents that have occurred on the planned driving route but are farther away from the obstacles than the vehicle Ve, and the same control target device 5 related to guidance is operated based on this information, mediation is performed to prioritize sending accident information to the user. In the above description, the request to operate the control target device 5 output by applications 17, 28, and 46 is mediated; however, applications 17, 28, and 46 may be mediated before outputting a request in response to the satisfaction of the conditions of multiple applications 17a that activate the predetermined operation of the control target device 5.

[0061] The mediation information sending unit 30 sends the mediation result executed by the cloud-side mediation unit 29 to the vehicle information processing device 10. That is, the mediation information sending unit 30 sends information about the application 28 or 46 that actually outputs control commands or requests to the control target device 5 to the vehicle Ve via the network 3.

[0062] The industry-specific cloud 4 is the second external information processing device in the embodiments of the present invention, and as described above, it is a so-called third-party cloud that stores and manages data, applications, etc., to be provided to services such as mobile terminals and vehicles (Ve). Therefore, the format of the data, applications, etc., may be different from the format operable by the control target device 5 for the vehicle (Ve). Figure 3 Data from the different industry cloud-side guidance applications 46a (i.e., different industry cloud-side applications 46 on different industry clouds 4) shown in the diagram is sent to the data receiving unit 25 on the vehicle cloud 2 via the application data sending unit 45. The inter-cloud interface 27 converts the data format, etc., and provides the data to the vehicle Ve. The different industry cloud-side guidance applications 46a on different industry clouds 4 provide the vehicle Ve with, for example, weather forecasts and road information. Although the illustrations are omitted, different industry clouds 4 may include not only the guidance-related applications described above, but also alarm-related applications, control-related applications, etc., related to the vehicle Ve. The vehicle-side application 17, vehicle cloud-side application 28, and different industry cloud-side application 46 described above are examples of predetermined applications in embodiments of the present invention.

[0063] The classification of applications 17, 28, and 46 of the information processing devices 10, 20, and 40 configured as described above will be used to describe an exemplary case in which the pre-collision safety (PCS) of vehicle Ve operates in response to the sudden appearance of an object (such as a pedestrian or another vehicle) in front of vehicle Ve. In response to object detection, guidance applications 17a, 28a, and 46a output control commands to guidance control target device 5a, such as an instrument panel or speaker, to output a display or sound to alert the user or occupant. When vehicle Ve approaches the object, alarm applications 17b, 28b, and 28c output control commands to alarm control target device 5b to alert the user or occupant more strongly than guidance applications 17a, 28a, and 46a. For example, the instrument panel display may flash, intermittent sounds may be emitted from the speaker, the steering wheel of vehicle Ve may vibrate, or the accelerator pedal may be locked or its reaction force increased to prevent further depressing. As vehicle Ve approaches the object, driving applications 17c, 28d, and 28e output control commands to the driving control target device 5 to alert the user or occupants more strongly than alarm applications 17b, 28b, and 28c, and control the driving of vehicle Ve. For example, this may involve making the dashboard display more prominent, activating the alarm sound continuously, performing steering intervention control to overtake the object, performing braking intervention to rapidly decelerate vehicle Ve, or setting the output torque of the drive power source to zero regardless of the amount of accelerator pedal operation. In this way, applications 17, 28, and 46 operate the control target device 5 and control vehicle Ve to avoid a collision with the object or, even if vehicle Ve collides with the object, to minimize damage.

[0064] Next, we will refer to Figure 4 This describes the control performed by the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 when control target devices (actuators) 5, which output control commands to different categories of applications, overlap. The vehicle Ve includes not only the aforementioned actuators 5 dedicated to guidance, alarm, or control, but also display actuators 5d (typically represented by display control target devices such as information displays) capable of outputting guidance and alarm notifications. Control commands or requests for guidance applications 17a, 28a, or 46a selected by the guidance control mediation unit 18a and control commands or requests for alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c selected by the alarm control mediation unit 18b may overlap and be sent to the display actuator 5d. In this case, the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 assigns output priority to the alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c determined through the mediation of the alarm control mediation unit 18b. This is because, when comparing guidance applications 17a, 28a, or 46a with alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c, alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c typically provide information that is of greater urgency and importance to the vehicle or user.

[0065] Although the illustrations are omitted, when requests from alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c and driving applications 17c, 28d, or 28e are issued for the same actuator, the requests from driving applications 17c, 28d, or 28e are given priority. While alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c provide information of high urgency and importance, driving applications 17c, 28d, or 28e actually adjust the timing and frequency of vehicle Ve's acceleration, deceleration, and steering based on conditions on the driving route. If the outputs of alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c are given priority, there is a possibility that vehicle Ve may not perform the appropriate behavior as described above. Therefore, driving applications 17c, 28d, or 28e are given higher priority than alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c to avoid this situation.

[0066] Next, we will describe an example of control to be performed in the vehicle cloud 2 and vehicle Ve in the vehicle information processing system 1 configured as described above. Figure 5 The flowchart shown illustrates the control to be performed in the vehicle cloud 2 when the mediation includes application 28 on vehicle cloud 2 and application 46 on different industry cloud 4 to determine the application 28 or 46 that actually outputs control commands or requests to the control target device 5.

[0067] In step S1, a virtual space is constructed or updated in the digital twin 26 based on the acquired user information 15a and the acquired vehicle information 15b. As described above, in the vehicle cloud 2, the digital twin 26 appropriately constructs and updates a virtual space simulating the physical environment based on the user information 15a and vehicle information 15b received from the vehicle Ve, thereby always grasping the current behavior and current surrounding conditions of the vehicle Ve. By appropriately constructing and updating the virtual space, the current vehicle Ve and its surrounding environment can be accurately grasped. Therefore, when cloud-side applications 28 or 46 on the vehicle cloud 2 or different industry clouds 4 output requests to the control target device 5, the activation of erroneous applications 28 or 46 due to time delays with events occurring in reality can be reduced. When the digital twin 26 completes the construction and updating of the virtual space used for mediation, the process proceeds to step S2.

[0068] In step S2, it is determined whether cloud-side applications 28 and 46 have made a request. Specifically, it is determined whether the request to operate the target device 5 was made by vehicle cloud-side application 28 provided from vehicle cloud 2 and different industry cloud-side application 46 provided from different industry clouds 4. Examples of this include situations such as newly acquired road information, cloud-side guidance applications 28a and 46a making a request to notify the user in response to road information, or alarm applications 28b and 28c on vehicle cloud 2 making a request in response to the surrounding conditions of vehicle Ve obtained based on simulation in digital twin 26. When applications 28 and 46 do not issue control commands, the flowchart is temporarily terminated without performing subsequent control.

[0069] When an application requests operation control target device 5 in response to a change in situation, data from vehicle cloud-side application 28 and data from different industry cloud-side applications 46 are acquired, and processing proceeds to step S3. In step S3, analysis is performed on digital twin 26, and control is executed based on the user's driving preferences and the current state of vehicle Ve to produce an output from the optimal application 28 or 46. Specifically, cloud-side mediation unit 29 checks the outputs of cloud-side applications 28 and 46 against the state of vehicle Ve on digital twin 26 and the surrounding environment of vehicle Ve, and performs mediation based on the predicted state obtained as a result to determine the appropriate application 28 or 46. At this time, cloud-side mediation unit 29 performs mediation based on the aforementioned priorities, etc. For example, when a request from operation control target device 5 of guidance application 17a, 28a, or 46a to notify the user of guidance information overlaps with a request from operation control target device 5 of driving application 17c, 28d, or 28e to avoid contact with pedestrians appearing in front of vehicle Ve, the request from driving application 17c, 28d, or 28e is processed first. When application 28 or 46 is selected for output through mediation, the process proceeds to step S4. In step S4, the result of the mediation, i.e., the data related to the selected application 28 or 46, is sent to vehicle Ve via the mediation information sending unit 30 on vehicle cloud 2, and the flowchart is temporarily terminated.

[0070] Next, we will describe an example of control performed by the vehicle Ve. Figure 6 The flowchart illustrates the control to be performed when mediating requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 in vehicle Ve. Specifically, the flowchart shows an example of the control performed by the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 to mediate control commands or requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 running on vehicles Ve and clouds 2 and 4 when the control target devices 5 to be operated by control commands or requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 overlap.

[0071] In step S11, it is determined whether applications 17, 28, and 46 have produced outputs. In step S11, it is determined whether multiple applications, including vehicle-side application 17, vehicle cloud-side application 28, and different industry cloud-side applications 46, have produced outputs. That is, in step S11, it is determined whether the control target devices 5 overlap based on the output of control commands from applications 17, 28, and 46. Therefore, when there are no requests for control target devices 5 from applications 17, 28, and 46, when only one application 17, 28, or 46 outputs a request, or when the control target devices 5 to be operated by control commands from applications 17, 28, and 46 running on vehicle Ve and cloud 2 and 4 do not overlap, a negative determination is made in step S11, and the flowchart is temporarily terminated without further control. When the control target devices 5 to be operated by control commands or requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 overlap, a positive determination is made in step S11, and the process proceeds to step S12.

[0072] In step S12, it is determined whether application 17, 28, or 46 of the output control commands has made a request to operate the control target device 5 related to the safety of vehicle Ve or the user. That is, it is determined whether application 17, 28, or 46 includes any application 17, 28, or 46 that outputs a request to the control target device 5 for immediate operation due to the high urgency and importance of the safe driving of vehicle Ve or the safe driving of the occupants. For example, application 17, 28, or 46 with high urgency and importance may notify the user via a buzzer or display that the sensors of vehicle Ve have detected an obstacle in front of vehicle Ve on the driving path without prior information. Optionally, application 17, 28, or 46 may control the output drive force of the motor to overcome the obstacle, or control the brake to output braking force to stop vehicle Ve behind the obstacle. When a positive judgment is made in step S12, the process proceeds to step S13 because the output is made by application 17, 28, or 46, which is related to the safety of the vehicle Ve and the occupants.

[0073] In step S13, when an output is made by a safety-related application 17, 28, or 46, control is executed to prioritize the output of the vehicle-side application 17 installed on vehicle Ve. Since communication between vehicle Ve and vehicle cloud 2 or different industry clouds 4 is performed via network 3, communication delays are unavoidable. Therefore, vehicle cloud 2 may require a relatively long time to acquire information about sudden changes in vehicle Ve or its surrounding environment. That is, when an output is made by an application 17, 28, or 46 with high urgency, it is likely that the current situation can be more accurately grasped by using information acquired by vehicle Ve. Therefore, the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 prioritizes requests from application 17 in vehicle Ve to the control target device 5 according to the aforementioned priority. Therefore, high-urgency events in or around vehicle Ve can be handled accurately. In this flowchart, it is not determined whether the output of vehicle-side application 17 is included in the outputs of applications 17, 28, and 46 with high safety urgency. This is because, in a normal vehicle Ve, the device for avoiding danger, including the control target device 5, operates automatically in safety-related events without requiring special steps. When an application that produces output is selected in step S13, the process proceeds to step S15. In step S15, data is sent to the actuator to be operated by the application that produces output, and the routine is temporarily terminated.

[0074] If none of the applications 17, 28, and 46 that made outputs in step S12 output control commands for safety-related applications 17, 28, or 46 output, the process proceeds to step S14. In step S14, the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 performs mediation based on a predetermined priority to give priority to the output of any of the requests from applications 17, 28, and 46 that include the latest data. For example, in the case of guiding applications 17a, 28a, and 46, the application that includes the latest information about the driving route and weather is selected. After the application 17, 28, or 46 that outputs based on the latest data is prioritized, the process proceeds to step S15, and data is sent to the actuator 5 targeted by the selected application 17, 28, or 46. Then, the routine is temporarily terminated.

[0075] According to the vehicle information processing system 1 configured as described above, the vehicle Ve and the vehicle cloud 2 include applications 17, 28, and 46 that operate the control target device 5 of the vehicle Ve. Therefore, the amount of data stored in the vehicle Ve can be reduced. The vehicle Ve and the vehicle cloud 2 each include a vehicle-side mediation unit 18 and a cloud-side mediation unit 29 to select application 17, 28, or 46 when requests from the operation control target device 5 of applications 17, 28, and 46 overlap. The cloud-side mediation unit 29 categorizes applications 28 and 46 running on the clouds 2 and 4 into guidance, alarm, and control, and mediates the outputs corresponding to each category of applications 28 and 46. Therefore, the communication data sent to applications 28 and 46 on the vehicle Ve can be reduced.

[0076] The mediation results from the cloud-side mediation unit 29 are sent to the vehicle-side mediation unit 18. Based on the received results and the applications 17, 28, and 46 running in the vehicle Ve, the vehicle-side mediation unit 18 performs mediation to select the application 17, 28, or 46 that actually provides outputs for various types of applications 17, 28, and 46. Therefore, appropriate applications 17, 28, or 46 can be selected based on the vehicle Ve and its surrounding conditions, and user notifications and the behavior of the vehicle Ve can be optimized. By providing the types of applications 17, 28, and 46, the development of application 46 for the operation control target device 5 by a so-called third party can be facilitated. In the vehicle cloud 2, the current state of the vehicle Ve is reproduced in real time using a digital twin 26, and the application that provides outputs is selected. Therefore, the vehicle Ve can be controlled with high precision even through application 28 on the vehicle cloud 2.

[0077] Based on the categories of applications 17, 28, and 46, at least three types of priorities are provided. Specifically, when the same control target device (actuator) 5 is operated through the output of different types of applications, the highest priority is given to driving applications 17c, 28d, or 28e, followed by alarm applications 17b, 28b, or 28c, and then guidance applications 17a, 28a, or 46a. Therefore, applications with high urgency and importance to the vehicle Ve or the user can be prioritized. Thus, the vehicle Ve can act appropriately, and the user can ride comfortably. In applications 17, 28, and 46, when control commands are output by applications 17, 28, and 46 (including vehicle-side application 17) with high urgency and importance related to the safety of the vehicle Ve, mediation is performed to set the highest priority for the output of vehicle-side application 17. Regarding the dangers to the vehicle Ve, the data detected by the vehicle Ve is predicted to be up-to-date or accurate. By setting such priorities, the safety of the vehicle Ve and the user can be further improved. When multiple applications 17, 28, and 46 operate on the predetermined control target device 5 within the same category, mediation is performed to assign higher priority to application 17, 28, or 46 that makes outputs based on the latest data. Using this priority, vehicle Ve can be controlled or the user can be continuously guided based on the most up-to-date information acquired.

[0078] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above examples, and appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of achieving the objectives of the present invention. This embodiment can be considered as a method executed by a vehicle information processing system and a control program for executing the method. Optionally, this embodiment can be considered as a method executed by a vehicle information processing device or an external information processing device, a control program for executing the method, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing the control program.

Claims

1. A vehicle information processing system, characterized in that... include: Vehicle information processing device installed on a vehicle; The vehicle cloud includes a first external information processing device disposed outside the vehicle. Multiple vehicle control applications are configured to output multiple control commands to multiple control target devices of the vehicle. The multiple vehicle control applications are installed in the vehicle information processing device and the first external information processing device, wherein the vehicle information processing device includes at least one of the multiple vehicle control applications, and the first external information processing device includes the multiple vehicle control applications. as well as A mediation unit includes a first mediation unit disposed in the first external information processing device and a second mediation unit disposed in the vehicle information processing device, wherein the first mediation unit is configured to mediate a plurality of control commands for a predetermined one of a plurality of control target devices to determine a control command configured to be sent to the vehicle, the plurality of control commands for the predetermined one of the plurality of control target devices being obtained by a plurality of vehicle control applications, and the second mediation unit is configured to mediate the control command obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle information processing device and the control command sent from the first external information processing device.

2. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second external information processing device comprising a predetermined application configured to output control commands to at least one of the plurality of said control target devices, the second external information processing device being disposed outside the vehicle and the first external information processing device, wherein: The first external information processing device includes a receiving unit configured to receive control information including the control instructions of the predetermined application; and The mediation unit is configured to mediate multiple control commands output by multiple vehicle control applications and control information received by the receiving unit.

3. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mediation unit includes multiple mediation processing units associated with the types of the multiple control commands; and The mediation unit is configured to mediate multiple control commands based on a predetermined first type priority when multiple control target devices that are to receive multiple control commands overlap with each other, and the multiple control commands are mediated by multiple mediation processing units.

4. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second mediation unit includes multiple mediation processing units associated with the types of the multiple control commands; and The second mediation unit is configured to mediate multiple control commands based on a predetermined second type of priority when multiple control target devices that are to receive multiple control commands overlap with each other, and the multiple control commands are mediated by multiple mediation processing units.

5. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mediation unit includes The first guidance control mediation unit is configured to mediate guidance control commands used to guide the vehicle. A first alarm control mediation unit is configured to mediate alarm control commands for issuing alarms related to the driving of the vehicle, and A first driving control mediation unit is configured to mediate driving control commands for driving the vehicle. as well as The first type of priority includes the highest priority of the driving control command, the second highest priority of the alarm control command, and the third highest priority of the guidance control command.

6. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second mediation unit includes The second guidance control mediation unit is configured to mediate guidance control commands used to guide the vehicle. A second alarm control mediation unit is configured to mediate alarm control commands for issuing alarms related to the driving of the vehicle, and The second driving control mediation unit is configured to mediate driving control commands for making the vehicle drive. as well as The second type of priority includes the highest priority of the driving control command, the second highest priority of the alarm control command, and the third highest priority of the guidance control command.

7. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mediation unit is configured to, when multiple control commands exist, determine whether among the multiple control commands there is a control command of high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle; as well as The first type of priority includes assigning the highest priority to the control command obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle when there is a request for a control command with high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle among a plurality of control commands.

8. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The second mediation unit is configured to, when multiple control commands exist, determine whether among the multiple control commands there is a control command of high urgency related to the safety of the vehicle; as well as The second type of priority includes assigning the highest priority to the control command obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle when there are requests for multiple control commands that are related to the safety of the vehicle and have high urgency among the multiple control commands.

9. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first type of priority includes priorities determined in such a way that higher priorities are assigned to the control instructions output based on the latest data among the plurality of control instructions.

10. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second type of priority includes priorities determined in such a way that higher priorities are assigned to the control instructions output based on the latest data among the multiple control instructions.

11. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of vehicle control applications include applications configured to process information about the vehicle, the information about the vehicle being sent from the vehicle information processing device, and the plurality of vehicle control applications being installed in the first external information processing device; as well as The information regarding the vehicle includes User information, including information about the driving preferences of the user in the vehicle, and Vehicle information, which includes information about the vehicle's current location and speed.

12. The vehicle information processing system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The first external information processing device is configured to construct a digital twin in virtual space that is synchronized with the real world in time, the digital twin being constructed based on the user information and the vehicle information; and The first mediation unit is configured to perform mediation based on information obtained from the digital twin.

13. A vehicle information processing method for processing information for controlling the vehicle via a vehicle information processing device installed on the vehicle and a vehicle cloud including a first external information processing device disposed outside the vehicle, the vehicle information processing method being characterized by comprising: When (i) multiple control command signals output to multiple control target devices of the vehicle are obtained through multiple vehicle control applications of the vehicle information processing device and the first external information processing device, the vehicle information processing device including at least one of the multiple vehicle control applications, the first external information processing device including multiple vehicle control applications, and (ii) when the multiple control command signals overlap with each other for a predetermined one of the multiple control target devices of the vehicle, the multiple control command signals for the predetermined one of the multiple control target devices are mediated by the first external information processing device to determine a control command signal configured to be sent to the vehicle, the multiple control command signals for the predetermined one of the multiple control target devices are obtained by the multiple vehicle control applications, and the control command signal obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle information processing device and the control command signal sent from the first external information processing device are mediated by the vehicle information processing device to determine a control command signal for the predetermined one of the multiple control target devices; and The control command signal is output to one of the predetermined control target devices among the plurality of control target devices.

14. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions executable by one or more processors of a computer and causing said one or more processors to perform functions, characterized in that... include: When (i) multiple control command signals output to multiple control target devices of a vehicle are obtained through multiple vehicle control applications of a vehicle information processing device and a first external information processing device, the vehicle information processing device including at least one of the multiple vehicle control applications, the first external information processing device including multiple vehicle control applications, and (ii) when the multiple control command signals overlap with each other for a predetermined one of the multiple control target devices of the vehicle, the multiple control command signals for the predetermined one of the multiple control target devices are mediated by the first external information processing device to determine a control command signal configured to be sent to the vehicle, the multiple control command signals for the predetermined one of the multiple control target devices are obtained by the multiple vehicle control applications, and the control command signal obtained by the vehicle control application installed in the vehicle information processing device and the control command signal sent from the first external information processing device are mediated by the vehicle information processing device to determine a control command signal for the predetermined one of the multiple control target devices, the vehicle information processing device being installed on the vehicle, and the first external information processing device including in the vehicle cloud being disposed outside the vehicle; The control command signal is output to one of the predetermined control target devices among the plurality of control target devices.

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