Information processing apparatus

Abstract

An information processing device according to the present invention is provided with a control unit that determines, on the basis of acquired environmental data and travel data of a vehicle, whether or not switching control for switching from an outside air introduction mode to an inside air circulation mode should be executed in the vehicle. When it is determined that the switching control should be executed, the control unit executes notification processing for recommending execution of the switching control or executes the switching control.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device. Background Art

[0002] A control for switching between an outside air introduction mode and an inside air circulation mode in a vehicle is known. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-335414 describes switching between an inside air introduction port and an outside air introduction port according to a cooling state in a vehicle cabin in order to improve cooling efficiency.

[0003] There is room for improvement in the timing of executing control to switch from the outside air introduction mode to the inside air circulation mode in a vehicle. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure has been made in view of this point and aims to improve the timing of executing control to switch from an outside air introduction mode to an inside air circulation mode in a vehicle.

[0005] An information processing device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a control unit that determines whether switching control from an outside air introduction mode to an inside air circulation mode should be performed in the vehicle based on acquired environment data and driving data of the vehicle.

[0006] The control unit performs a notification process for recommending execution of the switching control, or performs the switching control, when determining that the switching control should be executed.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to improve the timing of executing control to switch from the outside air introduction mode to the inside air circulation mode in the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like parts, and in which:

[0009] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0010] Figure 2 Yes means Figure 1 A timing diagram of an operation example of the system shown.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing an example of setting conditions.

[0012] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 1 A flowchart of an operation example of the vehicle-mounted device shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0014] like Figure 1 As shown, the system 1 of the present embodiment includes a server device 10 and a plurality of vehicles 20. The server device 10 and the vehicles 20 can communicate via a network 2. The network 2 may be any network including a mobile communication network and the Internet.

[0015] The server device 10 is an information processing device and is, for example, a dedicated computer configured to function as a server, a general-purpose personal computer, or a cloud computing system.

[0016] The server device 10 includes a communication unit 11 , a storage unit 12 , and a control unit 13 .

[0017] The communication unit 11 includes at least one communication module that can connect to the network 2. The communication module is, for example, a communication module that complies with a standard such as a wired local area network (LAN) or a wireless LAN. The communication unit 11 is connected to the network 2 via the wired LAN or the wireless LAN through the communication module.

[0018] The storage unit 12 is configured to include at least one semiconductor memory, at least one magnetic memory, at least one optical memory, or a combination of at least two of them. The storage unit 12 can function as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. The storage unit 12 stores data used for the operation of the server device 10 and data obtained by the operation of the server device 10.

[0019] The control unit 13 is configured to include at least one processor, at least one dedicated circuit, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a dedicated processor dedicated to a specific process. The control unit 13 controls each unit of the server device 10 while executing processing related to the operation of the server device 10.

[0020] The vehicle 20 is, for example, a gasoline vehicle or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). However, the vehicle 20 is not limited thereto. The vehicle 20 may be any type of vehicle as long as it is equipped with an air conditioner 24 described below and is driven by fuel such as gasoline.

[0021] The vehicle 20 includes a first sensor unit 21 , a second sensor unit 22 , an electronic control unit 23 , an air conditioner 24 , and an in-vehicle device 30 .

[0022] The first sensor unit 21 can detect the temperature and humidity in the cabin of the vehicle 20. The first sensor unit 21 is configured to include a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. The first sensor unit 21 can be disposed in the cabin of the vehicle 20.

[0023] The second sensor unit 22 can detect the ambient temperature and ambient humidity of the vehicle 20. The second sensor unit 22 is configured to include a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor. At least a portion of the second sensor unit 22 may be disposed outside the vehicle 20. The ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 is also referred to as the outside air temperature of the vehicle 20.

[0024] The electronic control unit 23 is an electronic control unit (ECU) of the vehicle 20 . The electronic control unit 23 controls various functions of the vehicle 20 .

[0025] The air conditioner 24 can cool the interior of the vehicle 20. The air conditioner 24 can also heat the interior of the vehicle 20. When the air conditioner 24 can heat the interior of the vehicle 20, it can be a so-called air conditioner or a cooling and heating device.

[0026] The air conditioning device 24 has an outside air introduction mode and an internal air circulation mode as operation modes. The outside air introduction mode is a mode for introducing air outside the vehicle 20, that is, outside air, into the cabin of the vehicle 20. The internal air circulation mode is a mode for circulating the internal air in the cabin of the vehicle 20. In the internal air circulation mode, the intrusion of outside air into the cabin of the vehicle 20 can be blocked. The operation mode of the air conditioning device 24 is initially set to the outside air introduction mode.

[0027] The air conditioning device 24 includes an electronic control unit 25 and a switch 26 .

[0028] The electronic control unit 25 is an ECU of the vehicle 20 . The electronic control unit 25 controls the air conditioner 24 .

[0029] The electronic control unit 25 can perform switching control. The switching control is a control for switching from the external air introduction mode to the internal air circulation mode in the vehicle 20. The switching control of the present embodiment is a control for switching the operation mode of the air conditioner 24 from the external air introduction mode to the internal air circulation mode according to the external air temperature of the vehicle 20. For example, when the external air temperature of the vehicle 20 exceeds the set temperature, the electronic control unit 25 switches the operation mode of the air conditioner 24 from the external air introduction mode to the internal air circulation mode. When the external air temperature of the vehicle 20 is below the set temperature, the electronic control unit 25 maintains the operation mode of the air conditioner 24 to the external air introduction mode initially set. The set temperature can be set according to the environment in which the vehicle 20 is traveling. The set temperature is, for example, 26 degrees. The electronic control unit 25 can obtain the external air temperature of the vehicle 20 from the second sensor unit 22. When the electronic control unit 25 receives an execution instruction of the internal air circulation mode from an external button or the like, it can switch the operation mode of the air conditioner 24 to the internal air circulation mode.

[0030] The switch 26 is operated by a user of the vehicle 20. The switch 26 is a switch for switching whether to perform the switching control. When the switch 26 is switched to perform the switching control, the electronic control unit 25 performs the switching control. If the switch 26 is switched to not perform the switching control, the electronic control unit 25 does not perform the switching control. When the switching control is not performed, in the present embodiment, the air conditioning device 24 operates in the external introduction mode which is initially set.

[0031] The in-vehicle device 30 is an information processing device. The in-vehicle device 30 is, for example, a navigation device. The in-vehicle device 30 includes a communication unit 31 , an input unit 32 , an output unit 33 , a storage unit 34 , and a control unit 35 .

[0032] The communication unit 31 includes at least one communication module that can connect to the network 2. The communication module is, for example, a communication module that supports a mobile communication standard such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), fourth generation (4G), or fifth generation (5G).

[0033] The communication unit 31 includes at least one communication module capable of communicating with the first sensor unit 21, the second sensor unit 22, the electronic control unit 23, and the electronic control unit 25. The communication module is, for example, a communication module compatible with the standard of the vehicle network or the dedicated line.

[0034] The input unit 32 can receive input from the user. The input unit 32 is configured to include at least one input interface that can receive input from the user. The input interface is, for example, a physical key, an electrostatic capacitance key, a pointing device, a touch screen integrated with a display, or a microphone.

[0035] The output unit 33 can output data. The output unit 33 is configured to include at least one output interface capable of outputting data. The output interface is, for example, a display or a speaker. The display is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescent (EL) display.

[0036] The structure of the storage unit 34 may be the same as or similar to that of the storage unit 12. The storage unit 34 stores data used for the operation of the vehicle-mounted device 30 and data obtained by the operation of the vehicle-mounted device 30. For example, the storage unit 34 stores information on the model of the vehicle 20.

[0037] The configuration of the control unit 35 may be the same as or similar to that of the control unit 13. The control unit 35 controls each unit of the vehicle-mounted device 30 and executes processing related to the operation of the vehicle-mounted device 30.

[0038] System Action

[0039] Figure 2 Yes means Figure 1 A timing chart showing an operation example of the system 1 shown.

[0040] The processes of S1 and S2 may be executed by the in-vehicle device 30 of any vehicle 20 among the plurality of vehicles 20 included in the system 1 .

[0041] In the process of S1, in the vehicle-mounted device 30, the control unit 35 obtains the environmental data of the vehicle 20. The environmental data of the vehicle 20 includes, for example, time series data of the temperature in the cabin of the vehicle 20, time series data of the humidity in the cabin of the vehicle 20, time series data of the temperature around the vehicle 20, and time series data of the humidity around the vehicle 20. The control unit 35 sequentially receives the data of the temperature in the cabin and the humidity in the cabin of the vehicle 20 detected by the first sensor unit 21 through the communication unit 31, thereby obtaining the time series data of the temperature in the cabin and the humidity in the cabin of the vehicle 20. The control unit 35 sequentially receives the data of the temperature around the cabin and the humidity around the cabin of the vehicle 20 detected by the second sensor unit 22 through the communication unit 31, thereby obtaining the time series data of the temperature around the cabin and the humidity around the vehicle 20.

[0042] In the process of S1, the control unit 35 obtains the driving data of the vehicle 20. The driving data of the vehicle 20 includes, for example, the data of the travel time of the vehicle 20 and the data of the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 for each travel time. The travel time is the time it takes for the vehicle 20 to travel from the departure point to the destination. The fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 is the travel distance of the vehicle 20 per unit volume of fuel. The control unit 35 communicates with the electronic control unit 23 via the communication unit 31, thereby obtaining the driving data of the vehicle 20.

[0043] In the process of S1, the control unit 35 obtains the data of the use history of the air conditioner 24. The data of the use history of the air conditioner 24 includes, for example, the data of the time period when the cabin of the vehicle 20 is in the cooling state, the time period when the switching control is executed, and the time period when the switching control is not executed. The control unit 35 communicates with the electronic control unit 25 via the communication unit 31 to obtain the data of the use history of the air conditioner 24.

[0044] In the process of S1 , the control unit 35 obtains information on the model of the vehicle 20 from the storage unit 34 .

[0045] In the process of S2 , the control unit 35 transmits the environment data of the vehicle 20 , the driving data of the vehicle 20 , the use history data of the air conditioner 24 , and the information of the vehicle model to the server device 10 via the network 2 via the communication unit 31 .

[0046] In the process of S3, in the server device 10, the control unit 13 receives the environmental data of the vehicle 20, the driving data of the vehicle 20, the data of the use history of the air conditioner 24, and the information of the model of the vehicle 20 from the vehicle 20 through the network 2 through the communication unit 11. The control unit 13 causes the storage unit 12 to store the received environmental data of the vehicle 20 and the like.

[0047] The processes of S1 to S3 may be repeatedly executed during a predetermined period. The predetermined period may be set based on the travel frequency of the plurality of vehicles 20 included in the system 1. By repeatedly executing the processes of S1 to S3, the environmental data of the plurality of vehicles 20 are accumulated in the storage unit 12 of the server device 10.

[0048] In the process of S4, in the server device 10, the control unit 13 acquires the environmental data and the like of the plurality of vehicles 20 stored in the storage unit 12. The control unit 13 calculates the fuel efficiency difference in the vehicle 20 based on the acquired data and the like.

[0049] In the present disclosure, the fuel efficiency difference in the vehicle 20 is the difference obtained by subtracting the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is not performed from the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is performed when the cabin of the vehicle 20 is in a cooling state. That is, the greater the fuel efficiency difference in the vehicle 20, the greater the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is performed when the cabin of the vehicle 20 is in a cooling state than the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is not performed. As described above, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 is the travel distance of the vehicle 20 per unit volume of fuel. Therefore, the greater the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20, the better the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20. The improvement of the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 means that the vehicle 20 travels a greater distance with a smaller amount of fuel.

[0050] Here, the difference in fuel efficiency in the vehicle 20 depends on at least one of the environmental conditions and the running conditions of the vehicle 20 as exemplified below.

[0051] As an example of the above dependency, a condition in which the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 is higher than the cabin temperature of the vehicle 20 and the set temperature and the travel time of the vehicle 20 is shortened can be cited. Under this condition, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is executed is greater than the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is not executed. That is, the difference in fuel efficiency in the vehicle 20 becomes larger. The reason is that when the switching control is executed, since the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 is higher than the set temperature, the operation mode of the air conditioning device 24 is switched to the internal air circulation mode. When the operation mode of the air conditioning device 24 is switched to the internal air circulation mode, since the outside air with a temperature higher than the cabin temperature of the vehicle 20 is not introduced into the cabin of the vehicle 20, the cabin of the vehicle 20 can be efficiently cooled. If the cabin of the vehicle 20 can be efficiently cooled, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 increases.

[0052] As an example of the above dependency, a condition where the temperature inside the cabin of the vehicle 20 is higher than the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 and the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 is higher than the set temperature can be cited. Under this condition, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is not executed is greater than the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is executed. That is, the difference in fuel efficiency in the vehicle 20 becomes smaller. The reason for this is that under this condition, since the temperature inside the cabin of the vehicle 20 is higher than the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20, introducing the outside air of the vehicle 20 into the cabin can efficiently cool the cabin of the vehicle 20. That is, this is because when the switching control is executed, since the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 is higher than the set temperature, the operation mode of the air conditioning device 24 is switched to the internal air circulation mode, and the outside air of the vehicle 20 is no longer introduced into the cabin. When the outside air of the vehicle 20 is no longer introduced into the cabin, it becomes impossible to efficiently cool the cabin of the vehicle 20. When the cabin of the vehicle 20 cannot be efficiently cooled, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 decreases.

[0053] Thus, the fuel efficiency difference in the vehicle 20 depends on at least one of the environmental condition and the driving condition of the vehicle 20. In view of this, the control unit 13 sets the setting condition of the vehicle 20 where the fuel efficiency difference becomes large by determining at least one of the environmental condition and the driving condition of the vehicle 20 where the fuel efficiency difference becomes large. The control unit 13 can determine the setting condition of the vehicle 20 where the fuel efficiency difference becomes large by determining at least one of the environmental condition and the driving condition of the vehicle 20 where the fuel efficiency difference becomes large, thereby setting the setting condition of the vehicle 20 where the fuel efficiency difference becomes large. For example, the control unit 13 divides the environmental data and the driving data of the vehicle 20 accumulated in the storage unit 12 into data groups. The control unit 13 calculates the fuel efficiency difference in each data group based on the data of the use history of the air conditioner 24, thereby determining at least one of the environmental condition and the driving condition of the vehicle 20 where the fuel efficiency difference in the vehicle 20 becomes large.

[0054] Here, the structure of the air conditioner 24 or the interior of the vehicle differs depending on the model of the vehicle 20. Therefore, even if the environmental conditions and driving conditions are the same, the setting conditions of the vehicle 20 may change depending on the model of the vehicle 20, which may cause a greater difference in fuel efficiency. In view of this, the control unit 13 may set the setting conditions for each model of the vehicle 20. By setting the setting conditions for each model of the vehicle 20, the setting conditions of the vehicle 20 that causes a greater difference in fuel efficiency can be set.

[0055] For example, Figure 3 As shown in FIG. 1 , the control unit 13 sets the setting conditions. Figure 3 In the above, the setting conditions are set for each model of the vehicle 20 of "aaa" and "bbb". In the model of "aaa", condition A is set as a setting condition where the difference in fuel efficiency becomes large. In condition A, as the environmental condition of the vehicle 20, a range of the temperature inside the cabin of the vehicle 20 from temperature Ta1 to temperature Ta2 and a range of the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 from temperature Tb1 to temperature Tb2 are set. In condition A, as the driving condition of the vehicle 20, a range of the travel time from time Ha1 to time Ha2 is set. In the model of "bbb", condition B is set as a setting condition where the difference in fuel efficiency becomes large. In condition B, as the environmental condition of the vehicle 20, a range of the temperature inside the cabin of the vehicle 20 from temperature Tc1 to temperature Tc2 and a range of the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 from temperature Td1 to temperature Td2 are set. In condition B, as the driving condition of the vehicle 20, a range of the travel time from time Hb1 to time Hb2 is set.

[0056] In the process of S5 , the control unit 13 transmits the data of the setting conditions for each vehicle type to each of the plurality of vehicles 20 included in the system 1 via the network 2 through the communication unit 11 .

[0057] In the process of S6, in the vehicle-mounted device 30 of the vehicle 20, the control unit 35 receives the data of the setting conditions for each vehicle model from the server device 10 via the network 2 through the communication unit 31. The control unit 35 stores the received data of the setting conditions for each vehicle model in the storage unit 34.

[0058] Operation of vehicle-mounted equipment

[0059] Figure 4 Yes means Figure 1 Flowchart of an operation example of the vehicle-mounted device 30 shown in FIG. It is assumed that the process of S6 is executed before the process of S11. That is, it is assumed that the data of the setting conditions for each vehicle type are stored in the storage unit 34. The control unit 35 starts the process of S11 when the ignition of the vehicle 20 is turned from off to on, for example.

[0060] In the process of S11, the control unit 35 obtains the environmental data of the vehicle 20. The environmental data of the vehicle 20 includes, for example, the temperature in the cabin of the vehicle 20, the humidity in the cabin of the vehicle 20, the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20, and the ambient humidity of the vehicle 20. The control unit 35 obtains the temperature in the cabin of the vehicle 20 and the humidity in the cabin of the vehicle 20 from the first sensor unit 21. The control unit 35 obtains the ambient temperature of the vehicle 20 and the ambient humidity of the vehicle 20 from the second sensor unit 22.

[0061] In the process of S11, the control unit 35 obtains the travel data of the vehicle 20. The travel data of the vehicle 20 includes, for example, data of the travel time of the vehicle 20. When the vehicle 20 is before starting to travel, the control unit 35 can calculate the travel time of the vehicle 20 based on the travel route scheduled to travel.

[0062] In the process of S11, the control unit 35 obtains the data of the use status of the air conditioner 24. The data of the use status of the air conditioner 24 includes, for example, data indicating whether the interior of the vehicle 20 is in a cooling state and data indicating whether the switching control is being executed. The control unit 35 communicates with the electronic control unit 25 via the communication unit 31, thereby obtaining the data of the use status of the air conditioner 24.

[0063] In the process of S12 , the control unit 35 uses the data on the use status of the air conditioner 24 acquired in the process of S11 to determine whether the interior of the vehicle 20 is in the cooling state and the switching control is not being executed.

[0064] When the control unit 35 determines that the interior of the vehicle 20 is in the cooling state and the switching control is not executed (S12: Yes), the control unit 35 proceeds to the process of S13. On the other hand, when the control unit 35 does not determine that the interior of the vehicle 20 is in the cooling state and the switching control is not executed (S12: No), the control unit 35 returns to the process of S11 after the predetermined time has passed. The predetermined time can be set based on the travel speed of the vehicle 20, etc.

[0065] In the process of S13, the control unit 35 determines whether the switching control should be executed. The control unit 35 determines whether the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20 obtained in the process of S11 satisfy the setting conditions of the same vehicle model as the vehicle stored in the storage unit 34. When the control unit 35 determines that the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20 obtained in the process of S11 satisfy the setting conditions of the same vehicle model as the vehicle, it determines that the switching control should be executed. When the control unit 35 determines that the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20 obtained in the process of S11 do not satisfy the setting conditions of the same vehicle model as the vehicle, it determines that the switching control should not be executed.

[0066] For example, suppose Figure 3 The data of the setting conditions shown are stored in the storage unit 34. In addition, it is assumed that the vehicle model of the host vehicle is "aaa". In this case, the control unit 35 determines that the condition A is satisfied when the cabin temperature of the vehicle 20 obtained in the process of S11 is in the range of temperature Ta1 to Ta2, the ambient temperature is in the range of temperature Tb1 to Tb2, and the travel time is in the range of time Ha1 to Ha2. When determining that the condition A is satisfied, the control unit 35 determines that the switching control should be executed.

[0067] If the control unit 35 determines that the switching control should be executed (S13: Yes), the process proceeds to S14. On the other hand, if the control unit 35 determines that the switching control should not be executed (S13: No), the process returns to S11 after a predetermined time has passed.

[0068] In the process of S14, the control unit 35 performs a notification process. The notification process is a process for recommending the execution of the switching control. In the present embodiment, the control unit 35 causes the output unit 33 to output a notification of the recommended execution of the switching control. As one example, the control unit 35 causes the speaker of the output unit 33 to output a sound of "recommended execution of the switching control". As another example, the control unit 35 causes the display of the output unit 33 to display the text "recommended execution of the switching control".

[0069] By executing the process of S14, i.e., the notification process, the user of the vehicle 20 considers whether to execute the switching control. When the user selects to execute the switching control, he operates the switch 26, and the electronic control unit 25 executes the switching control. Here, depending on the conditions such as the ambient humidity of the vehicle 20 or the indoor temperature of the vehicle 20, when the switching control is executed, the front windshield of the vehicle 20 may be fogged. In this case, the user selects not to execute the switching control.

[0070] After the process of S14, the user inputs the evaluation result from the input unit 32. The evaluation result indicates whether the execution or non-execution of the switching control hinders the travel of the vehicle 20. For example, sometimes the front windshield is fogged due to the execution of the switching control, and the field of vision in front of the vehicle 20 becomes unclear. In this case, the user inputs the evaluation result that the execution of the switching control hinders the travel of the vehicle 20 from the input unit 32.

[0071] In the process of S15 , the control unit 35 receives the evaluation result through the input unit 32 .

[0072] In the process of S16, the control unit 35 transmits the evaluation result received in the process of S15, the information of the vehicle type 20, and the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20 obtained in the process of S11 to the server device 10 through the network 2 through the communication unit 31. In the server device 10, the control unit 13 receives the evaluation result and the like from the vehicle 20 through the network 2. The control unit 13 stores the received evaluation result in the storage unit 12 in correspondence with the vehicle type 20, the environmental data, and the driving data.

[0073] After the process of S16 , the control unit 35 returns to the process of S11 after a predetermined time has passed.

[0074] Here, in the process of S11 that is executed again, the control unit 35 can calculate the travel time based on the travel route that has been traveled and the travel route that is planned to be traveled. In the processes of S11 to S16 that are repeatedly executed, when the vehicle 20 arrives at the destination, the control unit 35 can end Figure 4 In addition, the control unit 35 can obtain the same data as the environmental data of the vehicle 20, the driving data of the vehicle 20, and the use history data of the air conditioner 24 obtained in the process of S1 by repeatedly executing the process of S11. In view of this, the control unit 35 can also Figure 4 Prior to the process shown, data acquired in the repeatedly executed process of S11 is transmitted to the server device 10 through the network 2 by the communication unit 31 together with information on the model of the vehicle 20. This process corresponds to the process of S2.

[0075] Furthermore, when the control unit 35 determines that the switching control should be executed (S13: Yes), the electronic control unit 25 may execute the switching control without executing the process of S14. With such a configuration, the switching control is automatically executed, thereby improving the convenience of the user.

[0076] In addition, the processing of S16 is performed by a plurality of vehicles 20, and the data such as the evaluation results are stored in the storage unit 12 of the server device 10. In the server device 10, the control unit 13 can determine the blocking condition based on the data such as the evaluation results stored in the storage unit 12. The blocking condition is a condition that blocks the travel of the vehicle 20 when the switching control is performed when the cabin of the vehicle 20 is in the cooling state. The blocking condition can be set based on the environmental data and the travel data of the vehicle 20. Here, the structure of the vehicle 20 varies depending on the model of the vehicle 20. Therefore, even if the environmental conditions and travel conditions are the same, the blocking condition may be different depending on the model of the vehicle 20. In view of this, the control unit 13 can determine the blocking condition for each model of the vehicle 20. The control unit 13 can send the determined blocking condition for each model of the vehicle 20 to each of the plurality of vehicles 20 included in the system 1 through the communication unit 11 via the network 2. In the vehicle-mounted device 30 mounted on the vehicle 20, the control unit 35 can receive the blocking condition for each model of the vehicle 20 from the server device 10 through the communication unit 31 via the network 2. The control unit 35 may store the received obstruction conditions for each vehicle type of the vehicle 20 in the storage unit 34. In this case, even if the control unit 35 determines in the process of S13 that the switching control should be executed, when the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20 obtained in the process of S11 meet the obstruction requirements set for the vehicle type, the process of S14, i.e., the notification process, may not be executed. That is, the control unit 35 may not enter the process of S14 and return to the process of S11. According to such a configuration, the possibility of obstructing the driving of the vehicle 20 due to the execution of the switching control can be reduced.

[0077] In this way, in the vehicle-mounted device 30 as an information processing device, the control unit 35 determines whether the switching control should be executed based on the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20 obtained. When the control unit 35 determines that the switching control should be executed, it performs a notification process for recommending the execution of the switching control, or executes the switching control through the electronic control unit 25. With such a configuration, for example, the switching control can be executed at a timing when the fuel efficiency of the vehicle 20 becomes better based on the environmental data and driving data of the vehicle 20. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the timing of executing the control of switching from the outside air introduction mode to the internal air circulation mode in the vehicle 20 can be improved.

[0078] The present disclosure is described based on the drawings and embodiments, but it should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various deformations and changes based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these deformations and changes are included in the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component or each step can be reconfigured in a logically non-contradictory manner, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one, or divided.

[0079] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the vehicle-mounted device 30 is described as an information processing device that determines whether the switching control should be executed. However, the information processing device that determines whether the switching control should be executed is not limited to the vehicle-mounted device 30. Any information processing device can determine whether the switching control should be executed. As another example, the server device 10 as an information processing device can determine whether the switching control should be executed, and perform notification processing for recommending the execution of the switching control, or execute the switching control. In this case, the control unit 13 can calculate the total fuel utilization rate difference for each model of the vehicle 20 by multiplying the number of each model of the vehicle 20 by the fuel utilization rate difference of each model of the vehicle 20. The control unit 13 can also send a notification of recommending the execution of the switching control to the vehicle 20 of the model whose total fuel utilization rate difference exceeds the prescribed value through the communication unit 11 via the network 2. The prescribed value can be set in consideration of the cost of sending the notification, etc. By sending a notification to the vehicle 20 of the model whose total fuel utilization rate difference exceeds the prescribed value, the fuel utilization rate of multiple vehicles 20 can be efficiently improved. In addition, the notification can be sent collectively to the vehicle 20 of the model whose fuel utilization rate will be improved.

Claims

1. An information processing device, wherein: A control unit is provided for determining whether a switching control from an outside air introduction mode to an inside air circulation mode should be performed in the vehicle based on acquired vehicle environment data and driving data, The control unit performs a notification process for recommending execution of the switching control or executes the switching control when determining that the switching control should be executed.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit determines that the switching control should be executed when the acquired environmental data and driving data of the vehicle satisfy a set condition, The setting condition is a condition in which the fuel efficiency difference becomes large, and is set based on at least one of an environmental condition of the vehicle and a driving condition of the vehicle. The fuel efficiency difference is a difference obtained by subtracting the fuel efficiency of the vehicle when the switching control is not executed from the fuel efficiency of the vehicle when the switching control is executed when the vehicle cabin is in a cooling state.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein: A plurality of the setting conditions are set for each vehicle type.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The information processing device is an in-vehicle device further including an output unit. The control unit causes the output unit to output a notification recommending execution of the switching control as the notification process.

5. The information processing device according to claim 4, wherein: The vehicle-mounted device further includes an input unit. After causing the output unit to output the notification, the control unit receives, through the input unit, an evaluation result indicating whether execution of the switching control or non-execution of the switching control hinders the travel of the vehicle. determining, based on the evaluation result, an obstruction condition that obstructs the travel of the vehicle when the switching control is executed, Even when it is determined that the switching control should be executed, if the acquired environmental data and driving data of the vehicle satisfy the blocking condition, the output unit is not caused to output the notification.

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