Information processing apparatus and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to an information processing apparatus and a storage medium. The information processing device receives first data relating to travel from a vehicle. In addition, the information processing device transmits data user information relating to the plurality of data users who want to provide the first data to the user terminal of the vehicle user. The information processing device receives, from the user terminal, permission information indicating a data user permitted by the vehicle user as the provision destination of the first data. The information processing device transmits the first data to the server of the data user permitted by the vehicle user as the provision destination of the first data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the collection of data related to the travel of a vehicle and the provision of that data to a third party. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-241098 discloses a sensor data management system. In the sensor data management system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-241098, a server that manages sensor data performs anonymization processing according to the definition content of an anonymization policy setting file. In the anonymization processing, the server anonymizes designated data items in the sensor data individually according to designated conditions. In addition, a combination of any data items of the sensor data including the anonymized sensor data generated by the anonymization processing is sent to other servers. Summary of the invention

[0003] An object of the present disclosure is to enable a user associated with a vehicle to limit a provision destination of data related to travel of the vehicle.

[0004] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides an information processing device including a control unit that executes:

[0005] receiving first data related to driving from the vehicle;

[0006] sending data user information related to a plurality of data users who wish to provide the first data to a user terminal of a vehicle user associated with the vehicle;

[0007] receiving, from the user terminal, permission information indicating one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the plurality of data users based on the data user information and permitted by the vehicle user as a destination for providing the first data; and

[0008] The first data is transmitted to the server of the one or more data users permitted by the vehicle user as a provision destination of the first data.

[0009] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a storage medium storing a program for causing a user terminal of a vehicle user associated with a vehicle to execute an information processing method, wherein:

[0010] The information processing method comprises:

[0011] receiving, from a management server, data user information related to a plurality of data users who wish to provide first data;

[0012] receiving one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the plurality of data users based on the data user information and permitted by the vehicle user as a destination for providing the first data; and

[0013] The permission information indicating the accepted one or more data users is transmitted to the management server.

[0014] According to the present disclosure, a user associated with a vehicle can limit a provision destination of data related to travel of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] 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 elements, and appended hereto:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing the flow of data in the data providing system according to the embodiment.

[0017] Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of travel data transmitted from a vehicle to a management server.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically showing the structure of the management server.

[0019] Figure 4A : is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of a vehicle user information database.

[0020] Figure 4B This is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of a data user information database.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a sequence diagram showing the flow of information processing in the data providing system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] In recent years, measures have been taken to collect data related to driving (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "driving data") from a large number of vehicles and use the collected driving data as big data. However, users associated with vehicles (vehicle users) may not allow the driving data to be provided to all third parties who wish to provide driving data. In other words, vehicle users sometimes do not allow the driving data to be provided to some of the multiple third parties who wish to provide driving data. Here, the third party is a data user who uses the collected driving data as big data. Therefore, the present disclosure provides a technology that allows vehicle users to limit the destinations to which the driving data of the vehicle is provided.

[0023] The information processing device involved in the first scheme of the present disclosure includes a control unit. The control unit receives the first data from the vehicle. The first data is driving data. The first data can also be obtained by various sensors installed in the vehicle while the vehicle is driving. In addition, the control unit sends data user information to the user terminal of the vehicle user associated with the vehicle. The data user information is information related to multiple data users who wish to provide the first data. The data user information may also include, for example, information related to the purpose of use of the first data provided by each data user. In addition, the data user information may also include information related to the storage period of the first data provided by each data user. In addition, data user information related to multiple data users may also be pre-registered in the information processing device. In addition, the data user information may also be included in the data provision request sent from the server of each data user.

[0024] When the vehicle user receives data user information related to a plurality of data users using the user terminal, the vehicle user can select one or more data users (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "permitted users") permitted as the provision destination of the first data based on the data user information. Furthermore, the user terminal can accept the vehicle user's selection of the one or more permitted users. Furthermore, the user terminal can transmit permission information indicating the one or more permitted users selected by the vehicle user to the information processing device.

[0025] Therefore, the control unit receives the permission information sent from the user terminal. Furthermore, the control unit determines one or more permitted users based on the permission information, and sends the first data to the server of the one or more permitted users. In addition, the control unit may send the first data received from the vehicle to the server of the permitted user not in its original state but in a state after being processed in some way.

[0026] According to the present disclosure, the vehicle user can select a data user to be the destination of providing the first data of the vehicle. Therefore, the user associated with the vehicle can limit the destination of providing data related to the travel of the vehicle.

[0027] Specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in the present embodiments are not limited to these.

[0028] Implementation

[0029] System Overview

[0030] Figure 11 is a diagram showing the flow of data in a data providing system according to the present embodiment. The data providing system 1 is a system for collecting driving data from a vehicle 10 and providing the collected driving data to a data user who is a third party. The data providing system 1 includes the vehicle 10, a user terminal 300, a management server 100, and a plurality of data user servers 200.

[0031] The user terminal 300 is a terminal operated by a vehicle user associated with the vehicle 10. The vehicle user is, for example, the driver of the vehicle 10 or the owner of the vehicle 10. The management server 100 is a server device that collects driving data from the vehicle 10. The data user server 200 is a server device associated with a data user who wishes to utilize the driving data of the vehicle 10 as big data. In addition, in this embodiment, the management server 100 corresponds to the "information processing device" involved in the present disclosure. In addition, in Figure 1 Although only one vehicle 10 is shown in the figure, the data providing system 1 includes a plurality of vehicles 10 . The management server 100 collects travel data from each of the plurality of vehicles 10 .

[0032] The vehicle 10, the user terminal 300, the management server 100, and each data user server 200 are connected to each other via a network. Here, as the network, for example, a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet as a public communication network, or a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone can also be used. In addition, the network can also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0033] The vehicle 10 is equipped with various sensors for acquiring driving data. The vehicle 10 transmits the driving data acquired during driving to the management server 100 at a predetermined timing. For example, the vehicle 10 may periodically transmit the driving data to the management server 100 at predetermined intervals during driving.

[0034] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of travel data sent from the vehicle 10 to the management server 100. Figure 2As shown, the driving data has a vehicle ID field, a date and time field, a position field, a speed field, and an acceleration field. In the vehicle ID field, a vehicle ID is input as identification information for determining the vehicle 10 as the transmission source of the driving data. In the date and time field, information about the date and time when the driving data is obtained in the vehicle 10 is input. In the position field, the position information of the vehicle 10 is input. In the speed field, the speed information of the vehicle 10 is input. In the acceleration field, the acceleration information of the vehicle 10 is input. In addition, the driving data may also include information related to the ON and OFF of the start button (or ignition switch) of the vehicle 10. In addition, the driving data may also include image information captured by a camera mounted on the vehicle 10. In addition, the driving data may not necessarily be data obtained by a sensor mounted on the vehicle 10. In the present embodiment, the driving data is equivalent to the "first data" involved in the present disclosure.

[0035] In addition, the management server 100 transmits the driving data of the vehicle 10 to the data user server 200 in response to the provision request of the data user. Thus, the data user can receive the provision of the driving data to be used as big data. However, the vehicle user may not allow the driving data of the vehicle 10 transmitted to the management server 100 to be provided to all data users.

[0036] Therefore, in the present embodiment, data user information related to each data user is sent to the user terminal 300 of the vehicle user. The user terminal 300 has a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a main storage device such as a random access memory (RAM), an auxiliary storage device such as a read only memory (ROM), and a communication interface for connecting the user terminal 300 to a network. As the user terminal 300, a smart phone, a tablet computer, a mobile computer, or a wearable computer can be exemplified. In addition, a vehicle-mounted terminal mounted on the vehicle 10 can also function as the user terminal 300. In addition, the data user information includes at least information related to the purpose of use of the provided driving data and information related to the storage period of the provided driving data for each data user.

[0037] The user terminal 300 presents the data user information related to each data user received from the management server 100 to the vehicle user. Thus, the vehicle user can select one or more data users (permitted users) permitted as the destination for providing the driving data of the vehicle 10 based on the data user information. The user terminal 300 accepts the selection of one or more permitted users by the vehicle user. Furthermore, the user terminal 300 transmits permission information indicating the one or more permitted users selected by the vehicle user to the management server 100.

[0038] When the management server 100 receives the permission information from the user terminal 300, it determines one or more permitted users based on the permission information. The one or more permitted users determined at this time are any of the multiple data users who request to provide the driving data of the vehicle 10. In addition, the management server 100 transmits the driving data of the vehicle 10 to the data user server 200 of the one or more permitted users.

[0039] Management Server Structure

[0040] Next, the configuration of the management server 100 will be described. Figure 3 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the structure of the management server 100. The management server 100 includes a control unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a communication module 130. The control unit 110 has a function of performing arithmetic processing for controlling the management server 100. The control unit 110 includes a processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), a main storage device such as a random access memory (RAM), and an auxiliary storage device such as a read only memory (ROM). In addition, the CPU is an example of a processor resource. In addition, the RAM and the ROM are examples of memory resources. The control unit 110 can perform arbitrary information processing according to various programs and various data. However, part or all of the functions of the control unit 110 can also be implemented by hardware circuits such as ASIC and FPGA.

[0041] The storage unit 120 is composed of any storage device such as RAM, ROM, hard disk drive, flash memory, etc. The storage unit 120 may also include a removable medium (removable recording medium). Here, the removable medium is, for example, a USB memory, an SD card, or a disk recording medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, or a Blu-ray disk. In the storage unit 120, the program executed by the control unit 110 and various data used in the execution of the program are stored.

[0042] The storage unit 120 has a database for storing driving data 121 received from each vehicle 10. The database stores the driving data 121 for each vehicle 10. In addition, the storage unit 120 has a database for storing vehicle user information 122 related to each vehicle user (vehicle user information database). In addition, the storage unit 120 has a database for storing data user information 123 related to each data user (data user information database).

[0043] Figure 4A FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of a vehicle user information database. Figure 4A As shown, the vehicle user information database has a vehicle user ID field, a vehicle ID field, and a personal information field. In the vehicle user ID field, a data user ID is input as identification information for specifying a vehicle user. In the vehicle ID field, a vehicle ID is input as identification information for specifying a vehicle 10 corresponding to a vehicle user. In the personal information field, the personal information of the vehicle user is input. Here, the personal information of the vehicle user may include, for example, the address, contact information (telephone number, e-mail address, etc.) of the vehicle user, etc. In the vehicle user information database, information pre-registered by each vehicle user is input.

[0044] Figure 4B FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of a data user information database. Figure 4B As shown, the data user information database has at least a data user ID field, a use purpose field, and a data storage period field. In the data user ID field, a data user ID, which is identification information for specifying a data user, is input.

[0045] In the purpose of use field, input information related to the purpose of use of the driving data in each data user when the driving data is provided from the management server 100. Here, as the purpose of use of the driving data of the data user, marketing, non-profit statistical analysis, and event / accident investigation can be exemplified. More specifically, the marketing use of driving data refers to, for example, business district analysis of vehicle users. In addition, non-profit statistical analysis refers to, for example, a travel volume survey of each road or a congestion prediction of each road. In addition, event / accident investigation refers to, for example, a search for vehicles passing near a specific event / accident scene.

[0046] In addition, some data users may delete the driving data from the data user server 200 immediately after using the driving data for data analysis corresponding to the purpose of use. In addition, some data users may store the driving data in the data user server 200 for a relatively long period of time. In the data storage period field, information related to the storage period of the driving data in each data user server 200 when the driving data is provided from the management server 100 is input.

[0047] The data user information database contains information registered in advance by each data user. In addition, the data providing request sent from each data user server 200 to the management server 100 may include the data user information.

[0048] The communication module 130 is a communication interface for connecting the management server 100 to a network. The communication module 130 is, for example, a local area network (LAN) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. In addition, the management server 100 does not necessarily need to be implemented by a single physical structure, but can also be composed of multiple computers that cooperate with each other.

[0049] Information processing flow

[0050] Below, according to Figure 5 The flow of information processing in the data providing system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. Figure 5 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of information processing in the data providing system 1. Figure 5 In the embodiment, the reference number of one of the plurality of data user servers 200 is set to 200a, and the reference number of another of the plurality of data user servers 200 is set to 200b.

[0051] In the data providing system 1, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 receives a data providing request from a plurality of data user servers 200 (200a, 200b) (S101). Here, the data providing request includes the data user ID of the data user of the request source. In addition, the data providing request includes the condition of the driving data 121 to be provided. The condition of the driving data 121 to be provided can also be specified by, for example, the acquisition period and acquisition area of ​​the driving data 121 in the vehicle 10. In addition, the vehicle 10 that acquires the driving data can also be determined as the condition of the driving data 121 to be provided.

[0052] Next, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 determines the driving data 121 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "target data") to be provided to the data user and the vehicle user of the vehicle 10 that obtains the target data (S102). Here, the control unit 110 refers to the database storing the driving data 121 in the storage unit 120, and determines the driving data 121 that satisfies the conditions of the driving data 121 to be the target of the data provision request as the target data. Furthermore, the control unit 110 determines the vehicle user of the vehicle 10 that obtains the target data by referring to the vehicle user information database in the storage unit 120. Here, the vehicle user corresponding to the vehicle ID of the vehicle 10 that obtains the target data is determined.

[0053] Next, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 extracts data user information related to a plurality of data users who are the data provision request sources by referring to the data user information database in the storage unit 120 (S103). Here, the data user information corresponding to the data user ID included in the data provision request received from each data user server 200 (200a, 200b) is extracted. Next, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 transmits the data user information related to the plurality of data users extracted in S103 to the user terminal 300 of the vehicle user specified in S102 (S104).

[0054] The user terminal 300 outputs data user information related to a plurality of data users received from the management server 100. Thus, the vehicle user can select a permitted user based on the data user information of each data user. For example, the vehicle user can also select a permitted user based on the purpose of use of the driving data of each data user. Specifically, the vehicle user can also select data users after removing data users who use the driving data for marketing purposes as permitted users. In addition, the vehicle user can also select permitted users based on the storage period of the driving data of each data user. Specifically, the vehicle user can also select data users whose driving data storage period is relatively short as permitted users.

[0055] The user terminal 300 receives the vehicle user's selection of one or more permitted users (S105). The user terminal 300 then sends permission information indicating the one or more permitted users selected by the vehicle user to the management server 100 (S106). The permission information may include data user IDs of the one or more permitted users.

[0056] When receiving the permission information from the user terminal 300, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 transmits the object data determined in S102 to the data user server 200 of one or more permitted users indicated by the permission information (S107). Figure 5In this case, the data user server 200a is a data user server of the permitted user. At this time, the control unit 110 may also send the target data to the data user server 200a after performing processing corresponding to the request of the permitted user on the driving data 121 stored in the database of the storage unit 120.

[0057] According to the above-described flow, the driving data of the vehicle 10 is transmitted to the data user server 200 of the permitted user selected by the vehicle user of the vehicle 10. In other words, the driving data of the vehicle 10 is not transmitted to the data user server 200 of the data user not selected as the permitted user by the vehicle user of the vehicle 10. Therefore, the vehicle user can limit the destination to which the driving data of the vehicle 10 is provided.

[0058] Modifications

[0059] In the present modification, it is assumed that the data user utilizes not only the travel data of the vehicle 10 as big data but also the personal information of the vehicle user as big data.

[0060] In this modification, when the control unit 110 of the management server 100 transmits the data user information to the user terminal 300, information indicating that the data user also requires provision of predetermined personal information related to the vehicle user is also transmitted. Furthermore, the control unit 110 receives additional information from the user terminal 300 of the vehicle user together with the permission information. Here, the additional information is information indicating whether the vehicle user permits provision of predetermined personal information related to the vehicle user to the permission user.

[0061] The control unit 110 of the management server 100 determines whether to provide the predetermined personal information about the vehicle user to the permitted user based on the additional information received from the user terminal 300. Specifically, if the vehicle user permits the permitted user to provide the predetermined personal information about the vehicle user, the control unit 110 refers to the vehicle user database in the storage unit 120 and extracts the predetermined personal information about the target vehicle user. The control unit 110 transmits the extracted predetermined personal information about the vehicle user together with the driving data of the vehicle 10 to the data user server 200 of the permitted user.

[0062] According to the present modification, the vehicle user can restrict the provision of personal information related to the vehicle user separately from the provision of the driving data of the vehicle 10 to the data user.

[0063] Other Implementations

[0064] The above-mentioned embodiment is only an example, and the present disclosure can be implemented with appropriate changes without departing from the gist thereof. In addition, the processes and units described in the present disclosure can be implemented in combination as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0065] In addition, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change what hardware structure (server structure) is used to implement each function.

[0066] The present disclosure can also be implemented by providing a computer program installed with the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and one or more processors of the computer reading out and executing the program. Such a computer program can be provided to the computer via a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the system bus of the computer, or provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk (floppy disk (registered trademark), hard disk drive (HDD)), optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic card, flash memory, or optical card, any type of medium suitable for storing electronic commands.

Claims

1. An information processing device, comprising a control unit, the control unit executing: receiving first data related to driving from the vehicle; sending data user information related to a plurality of data users who wish to provide the first data to a user terminal of a vehicle user associated with the vehicle; receiving permission information from the user terminal, the permission information indicating one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the plurality of data users based on the data user information and permitted by the vehicle user as a destination for providing the first data; as well as The first data is transmitted to the server of the one or more data users permitted by the vehicle user as a provision destination of the first data.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The data user information includes information on a storage period of the first data when each of the plurality of data users is provided with the first data.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The data user information includes information on a purpose of use of the first data when each of the plurality of data users is provided with the first data.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The control unit also performs: Additional information indicating whether the vehicle user permits provision of predetermined personal information related to the vehicle user together with the first data to the one or more data users permitted by the vehicle user as provision destinations of the first data is received from the user terminal together with the permission information.

5. A storage medium storing a program for causing a user terminal of a vehicle user associated with a vehicle to execute an information processing method, wherein: The information processing method comprises: receiving, from a management server, data user information related to a plurality of data users who wish to provide first data; receiving one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the plurality of data users based on the data user information and permitted by the vehicle user as a destination for providing the first data; and The permission information indicating the accepted one or more data users is transmitted to the management server.

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