Information processing apparatus

Abstract

The invention relates to an information processing apparatus. A control unit of an information processing apparatus detects, with respect to a specific switch among a plurality of existing switches for operating each of a plurality of devices existing in a vehicle, that the specific switch has been operated by a predetermined method that does not exhibit the function of the corresponding device. A control unit of the information processing apparatus transmits, to a user terminal used by a user associated with the vehicle, a command for causing the user terminal to perform a predetermined operation in response to the detected operation of the specific switch by the predetermined method.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] A technology is known in which a dedicated controller is subsequently installed in a vehicle and a user's terminal is operated by operating the controller (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-195553). Summary of the invention

[0003] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology capable of safely operating a user terminal without relying on a subsequently installed device.

[0004] The present disclosure can be understood as an information processing device mounted on a vehicle. The information processing device in this case, for example, includes a control unit configured to execute the following steps, namely:

[0005] detecting, for a specific switch among a plurality of existing switches for respectively operating a plurality of existing devices in the vehicle, a situation in which the specific switch is operated by a predetermined method that does not bring out the function of the corresponding device; and

[0006] In response to detection of the operation of the specific switch by the predetermined method, a command for causing the user terminal to perform a predetermined action is transmitted to a user terminal associated with a user driving the vehicle.

[0007] The present disclosure can also be understood as an information processing method in which a computer mounted on a vehicle executes the processing of the above-mentioned information processing device. In addition, it can also be understood as an information processing program for causing a computer mounted on a vehicle to execute the above-mentioned information processing method or a non-transitory storage medium storing the information processing program.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology capable of safely operating a user terminal without depending on a device installed later. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] 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 designate like elements, and in which:

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram showing an overview of a system in an embodiment;

[0011] Figure 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the structure of a vehicle in the embodiment;

[0012] Figure 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a software structure of an in-vehicle terminal in an embodiment;

[0013] Figure 4 is a diagram schematically showing an example of operation data in the embodiment; and

[0014] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the vehicle-mounted terminal in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] As part of traffic safety, restrictions are being introduced on operating user terminals (e.g., portable terminals such as smartphones, tablet terminals, and mobile phones) while driving a vehicle. In response to this, as in the prior art, a technology has been proposed in which a dedicated controller is subsequently installed in the vehicle and a physical switch provided on the controller is operated to operate the user terminal.

[0016] However, in the prior art, the user needs to obtain a dedicated controller in addition to the vehicle. In addition, it is also conceivable that the controller cannot be set in a position that is easy for the driver to operate depending on the vehicle model. Therefore, a method is needed to achieve safe operation of the user terminal without relying on a controller installed later.

[0017] Therefore, in the information processing device of the present disclosure, the control unit detects a situation in which a specific switch among a plurality of existing switches for respectively operating a plurality of existing devices in a vehicle is operated by a predetermined method that does not bring into play the function of the corresponding device. The plurality of existing devices in the vehicle are, for example, a power window actuator, a door lock actuator, a shift actuator of a transmission, etc. The existing switches corresponding to them are, for example, a power window switch, a door lock switch, a paddle shifter, etc. In addition, the predetermined method that does not bring into play the function of the corresponding device is an operation method of closing (or opening) the power window switch when the window is fully closed (or fully open), an operation method of locking (unlocking) the door lock switch when the door is locked (or unlocked), an operation method of upshifting (or downshifting) the paddle shifter when the gear shift of the transmission is the highest gear (or the lowest gear), etc.

[0018] When an operation of a specific switch is detected by a predetermined method, the control unit of the information processing device of the present disclosure sends an instruction to a terminal (user terminal) associated with a user driving a vehicle to cause the terminal to perform a predetermined action. As an example, the predetermined action may be an action of sending an email to a pre-registered recipient. The content of the email may be pre-registered content.

[0019] In addition, the recipient and content of the email may also be changed according to the location of the vehicle at the time when the specific switch is operated by a predetermined method. As an example, when the location of the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from the user's home, the recipient and content of the email may be the user's family and the content of informing them to go home. As another example, when the location of the vehicle is within a predetermined distance from a specific facility, the recipient and content of the email may be the user's meeting partner and the content of informing them of the location of the vehicle.

[0020] In addition, the recipient and content of the email may also be changed in accordance with the type of the specific switch. As an example, the recipient and content of the email may be changed when the specific switch is a power window switch, a door lock switch, or a paddle shifter. Furthermore, the recipient and content of the email may also be changed in accordance with the type of the predetermined method. As an example, the recipient and content of the email may also be changed in an operation method for closing the power window switch when the window is fully closed and an operation method for opening the power window switch when the window is fully open.

[0021] According to the information processing device disclosed in the present invention, the user terminal can be operated by operating the existing switch in the vehicle through a predetermined method. Therefore, there is no need to subsequently install a dedicated controller in the vehicle. As a result, the user terminal can be safely operated without relying on a controller installed later. Furthermore, according to the information processing device disclosed in the present invention, the user can operate the user terminal using the existing switch that the user is already accustomed to, so it can also be expected to further improve convenience and safety.

[0022] The specific embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, etc. described in the following embodiments are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to these.

[0023] Implementation

[0024] In this embodiment, an example is described in which the information processing device of the present disclosure is applied to a system for providing a service for operating the user terminal 300 using existing switches in a vehicle (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a “terminal operation service”).

[0025] System Overview

[0026] Figure 11 is a diagram showing an overview of the system in this embodiment. The system in this embodiment includes a vehicle 10, a server 200, and a user terminal 300. The vehicle 10 (the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 described later), the server 200, and the user terminal 300 are connected via an off-vehicle network. The off-vehicle network is, for example, a world-wide public communication network such as the Internet, i.e., a WAN, or other communication network.

[0027] The vehicle 10 is a car driven by a user of the user terminal 300. Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle 10 in this embodiment includes an on-board terminal 100, an electronic control unit (ECU) 110, an on-board switch 120, and an on-board device 130. The on-board terminal 100, the ECU 110, the on-board switch 120, and the on-board device 130 are connected via an in-vehicle network such as a controller area network (CAN), a local interconnect network (LIN), or a network based on a standard such as FlexRay.

[0028] The vehicle-mounted device 130 is an existing device in the vehicle 10. As an example, the vehicle-mounted device 130 includes a power window actuator 131, a door lock actuator 132, and a shift actuator 133. The power window actuator 131 is an actuator for opening and closing the window of the vehicle 10. The door lock actuator 132 is an actuator for locking (locking) and unlocking (unlocking) the door of the vehicle 10. The shift actuator 133 is an actuator for changing the speed (shifting) of the transmission of the vehicle 10.

[0029] The vehicle switches 120 are a plurality of existing switches for respectively operating the above-mentioned vehicle devices 130. In one example, the vehicle switches 120 include a power window switch 121 for operating a power window actuator 131, a door lock switch 122 for operating a door lock actuator 132, and a paddle shifter 123 for operating a shift actuator 133.

[0030] In addition, the existing devices and switches in this embodiment are devices and switches installed by the manufacturer when manufacturing the vehicle 10. The existing devices and switches are not limited to Figure 2 The devices and switches described as examples can be appropriately changed according to the vehicle type and the like.

[0031] The ECU 110 is a computer that controls the vehicle-mounted device 130 in accordance with the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120. In the present embodiment, the ECU 110 also has a function of transmitting operation information to the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 when the vehicle-mounted switch 120 is operated. The operation information includes information indicating the type of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the operation object (functioning as the "object switch" of the present disclosure) (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "type information") and information indicating the operation method (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "operation method information").

[0032] The operation method information may include state information indicating the state of the vehicle-mounted device 130 at the time point when the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 starts, and operation content information indicating the operation content of the vehicle-mounted switch 120. In addition, the state of the vehicle-mounted device 130 at the time point when the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 starts can also be changed to the state of the device that becomes the driving object of the vehicle-mounted device 130 at the time point when the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 starts. For example, the state of the power window actuator 131 may be the opening and closing state of the window that becomes the driving object (for example, fully open state, fully closed state, half-open state, etc.). The state information in this case may be information indicating whether the window of the vehicle 10 is in a fully open state, a fully closed state, or a half-open state. In addition, as an example, the opening and closing state of the window of the vehicle 10 can be determined by the ECU 110 based on the detection signal of the pulse sensor embedded in the power window actuator 131.

[0033] In addition, the state of the door lock actuator 132 may be the state of the door (locking and unlocking device embedded in the door) that is the driving object (for example, locked state (locked state), unlocked state (unlocked state), etc.). The state information in this case may be information indicating whether the door of the vehicle 10 is in a locked state or in an unlocked state. In addition, as an example, the state of the door of the vehicle 10 may be determined by the ECU 110 based on a detection signal of a position sensor embedded in the door or the door lock actuator 132.

[0034] In addition, the state of the shift actuator 133 may be the shift position of the transmission that is the driving object (which of the multiple shift gears is the shift position). The state information in this case may be information indicating the shift position of the transmission of the vehicle 10. In addition, as an example, the shift position of the transmission of the vehicle 10 may be determined by the ECU 110 based on a detection signal of a shift position sensor or the like embedded in the shift actuator 133 or the transmission.

[0035] In addition, the operation content information is information indicating how the user operates the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 as the operation object. As an example, the operation content information in the case where the vehicle-mounted switch 120 as the operation object is the power window switch 121 can be information indicating one of the closing operation or the opening operation. In addition, the operation content information in the case where the vehicle-mounted switch 120 as the operation object is the door lock switch 122 can be information indicating one of the locking operation (locking operation) or the unlocking operation (unlocking operation). In addition, the operation content information in the case where the vehicle-mounted switch 120 as the operation object is the paddle shifter 123 can be information indicating one of the upshift operation or the downshift operation.

[0036] The vehicle-mounted terminal 100 is a computer mounted on the vehicle 10 and is an example of an “information processing device” in the present disclosure. Figure 2 As shown, the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 in this embodiment includes a processor 101 , a main storage device 102 , an auxiliary storage device 103 , and a communication interface 104 .

[0037] The processor 101 is a calculation processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and loads a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 into the main storage device 102 for execution, and controls the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 through the execution.

[0038] The main storage device 102 is composed of semiconductor memories such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The main storage device 102 provides a storage area and a work area for loading programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 103. In addition, the main storage device 102 is used as a buffer memory for calculation processing performed by the processor 101.

[0039] The auxiliary storage device 103 is, for example, an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM) or a hard disk drive (HDD). The auxiliary storage device 103 can include a removable storage medium, that is, a removable recording medium. The removable storage medium is, for example, a disk recording medium such as a universal serial bus (USB) memory, a compact disk (CD), or a digital versatile disk (DVD). The auxiliary storage device 103 stores various programs and data used by the processor 101 when executing each program. Among the programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 103, in addition to the operating system (OS), it also includes a dedicated program for causing the processor 101 to perform processing related to the operation of the user terminal 300. In addition, the data stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 includes the operation data D101 described later. In the present embodiment, the auxiliary storage device 103 storing the operation data D101 is equivalent to the "storage unit" of the present disclosure.

[0040] The communication interface 104 connects the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 to the external vehicle network. In one example, the communication interface 104 uses a mobile communication method (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE), Long Term Evolution Advanced, fifth generation (5G) or sixth generation (6G), etc.) or a wireless communication method such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) to connect to the external vehicle network. The communication interface 104 communicates with the server 200 via the network. In addition, the communication interface 104 connects the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 to the in-vehicle network. The communication interface 104 communicates with the ECU 110 via the in-vehicle network.

[0041] When the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 in this embodiment receives the operation information sent from the ECU 110, it verifies whether the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the operation object is consistent with the operation of the specific switch performed by the predetermined method based on the operation information and the operation data D101 stored in the auxiliary storage device 103. The specific switch is at least one of the vehicle-mounted switches 120, and is a vehicle-mounted switch 120 specified in advance by the user. The predetermined method is an operation method that does not exert the function of the vehicle-mounted device 130 corresponding to the above-mentioned specific switch. The details of the specific switch and the predetermined method will be described later. When the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the operation object is consistent with the operation of the specific switch performed by the predetermined method, the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 sends an instruction for causing the user terminal 300 to perform a predetermined action to the server 200. The predetermined action is an action registered in advance by the user, and the details will be described later.

[0042] Here, return to Figure 1 As described above, the server 200 is a computer operated by a provider of a terminal operation service. The server 200 in this embodiment has a function of accepting a command sent from the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 and sending the accepted command to the user terminal 300.

[0043] The user terminal 300 is a portable computer (eg, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a mobile phone, etc.) used by a user driving the vehicle 10. The user terminal 300 in this embodiment has a function of accepting a command sent from the server 200 and performing the above-mentioned predetermined operation according to the accepted command.

[0044] Software structure of vehicle terminal

[0045] Figure 31 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software structure of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 in the present embodiment. The processor 101 of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 executes the command contained in the program of the auxiliary storage device 103. Thus, the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 operates as a computer having an operation information acquisition unit F101, an operation verification unit F102, and an instruction unit F103 as software modules. In addition, at least a part of the operation information acquisition unit F101, the operation verification unit F102, and the instruction unit F103 can also be implemented by a hardware circuit such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0046] The operation information acquisition unit F101 acquires the operation information sent from the ECU 110 via the communication interface 104. As described above, the operation information includes type information (information indicating the type of the onboard switch 120 to be operated) and operation method information (information indicating the operation method of the onboard switch 120 to be operated). The operation information acquired by the operation information acquisition unit F101 is delivered to the operation verification unit F102 described later.

[0047] The operation verification unit F102 verifies whether the operation of the onboard switch 120 as the operation target is consistent with the operation of the specific switch by a predetermined method based on the operation information received from the operation information acquisition unit F101. This verification is performed by comparing the information included in the operation information with the information registered in the operation data D101 of the auxiliary storage device 103.

[0048] Here, a specific example of the operation data D101 will be described. Figure 4 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of operation data D101. The operation data D101 in this embodiment is an example of "related information" of the present disclosure, and includes at least one record for each type of vehicle switch 120 corresponding to a specific switch. Each record has multiple fields such as a type field, an operation method field, and an action field.

[0049] In the type field, information indicating the type of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 designated as the specific switch is registered. Figure 4 In the example shown, the name of the vehicle switch 120 designated as a specific switch (for example, "power window switch", "door lock switch", and "paddle shifter") is registered in the category field, but identifiers other than names may also be registered.

[0050] In the operation method field, information specifying a predetermined method is registered. Figure 4 In the example shown, the operation method field is divided into two subfields: a state field for registering information defining the state of the vehicle-mounted device 130 when the operation of the specific switch is started, and an operation content field for registering information defining the operation content of the specific switch.

[0051] Here, in Figure 4 In the example shown, when the specific switch is the power window switch 121, information indicating that the window of the vehicle 10 is in the fully closed state is registered in the state field, and information indicating the closing operation of the power window switch 121 is registered in the operation content field. In this case, a method of performing the closing operation on the power window switch 121 in the state where the window of the vehicle 10 is fully closed (an operation method that does not exert the window closing function by the power window actuator 131) is registered as a predetermined method.

[0052] In addition, Figure 4 In the example shown, when the specific switch is the door lock switch 122, information indicating that the door of the vehicle 10 is in a locked state is registered in the state field, and information indicating the locking operation of the door lock switch 122 is registered in the operation content field. In this case, a method of performing a locking operation on the door lock switch 122 when the door of the vehicle 10 is locked (an operation method that does not exert the door locking function by the lower actuator) is registered as a predetermined method.

[0053] In addition, Figure 4 In the example shown, when the specific switch is the paddle shifter 123, information indicating that the transmission of the vehicle 10 is in the highest gear is registered in the state field, and information indicating the upshift operation of the paddle shifter 123 is registered in the operation content field. In this case, a method of performing an upshift operation on the paddle shifter 123 in the state where the transmission of the vehicle 10 is in the highest gear (an operation method that does not utilize the function of upshifting the transmission by the shift actuator 133) is registered as a predetermined method.

[0054] In addition, the reservation method is not limited to Figure 4 The examples shown can be flexibly changed according to the implementation. For example, the predetermined method in the case where the specific switch is the electric window switch 121 can also be an operation method of opening the electric window switch 121 when the window is fully open. However, if the convenience in bad weather such as rainy days is considered, the operation method of closing the electric window switch 121 when the window is fully closed is appropriate as the predetermined method. In addition, the predetermined method in the case where the specific switch is the door lock switch 122 can also be an operation method of unlocking the door lock switch 122 when the door is unlocked. However, if the safety of the vehicle 10 during driving is considered, the operation method of locking the door lock switch 122 when the door is locked is appropriate as the predetermined method. In addition, the predetermined method in the case where the specific switch is the paddle shifter 123 can also be an operation method of downshifting the paddle shifter 123 when the transmission is in the lowest gear.

[0055] It is assumed that the user specifies (selects) in advance the type and predetermined method of the vehicle switch 120 set as a specific switch. At this time, the vehicle terminal 100 can also present a list of types and predetermined methods of the vehicle switch 120 that can be selected as a specific switch to the user, allowing the user to specify (select) any type and predetermined method from the list.

[0056] Next, in the action field, information indicating an action (predetermined action) to be performed by the user terminal 300 when a specific switch is operated by a predetermined method is registered. Figure 4 In the example shown, in the action field, the sending of the email is registered as a predetermined action. In this case, the recipient and content (text) of the email are also registered in the action field. In addition, the recipient and content of the email can be registered in advance by the user. As an example, the recipient and content of the email can also be registered by the user to the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 through the user terminal 300. As another example, the recipient and content of the email can also be registered by the user to the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 through the vehicle-mounted input device (for example, display audio or a touch panel display of a car navigation system, etc.). Further, as another example, the recipient and content of the email can also be registered by the user to the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 through a dedicated website provided by the server 200. At this time, the user can also register different recipients and contents to the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 for each type of vehicle-mounted switch 120 designated as a specific switch.

[0057] In addition, Figure 4 In the example shown, multiple types of vehicle switches 120 such as a power window switch 121, a door lock switch 122, and a paddle shifter 123 are registered as specific switches, but the type of vehicle switches 120 registered as specific switches may be one type. Figure 4 In the example shown, email sending is illustrated as the predetermined action for the user terminal 300 to perform, but actions other than email sending may also be performed (for example, calling a friend designated by the user or reading the content (text) of an email received by the user terminal 300, etc.).

[0058] Here, return to Figure 3 The operation verification unit F102 compares the information contained in the operation information with the information in Figure 4The operation verification unit F102 verifies whether the operation method of the switch to be operated is consistent with the operation of the specific switch by the predetermined method by using the information included in the operation data D101 as shown. In this verification, the operation verification unit F102 first verifies the type of the on-vehicle switch 120 to be operated using the type information included in the operation information. Specifically, the operation verification unit F102 accesses the operation data D101 of the auxiliary storage device 103 and determines whether there is a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field. When the operation data D101 contains a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the type of the on-vehicle switch 120 to be operated is successful. On the other hand, when the operation data D101 does not contain a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the type of the on-vehicle switch 120 to be operated has failed.

[0059] When the verification of the type of the on-board switch 120 to be operated is successful, the operation verification unit F102 verifies the operation method of the on-board switch 120 to be operated using the operation method information included in the operation information. Specifically, the operation verification unit F102 first determines whether the status information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the status field of the object record (a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field). As an example, when the auxiliary storage device 103 stores Figure 4 In the case where the operation data D101 is shown and the vehicle-mounted switch 120 serving as the operation object is the electric window switch 121, if the status information is information indicating the fully closed state of the window, it can be determined that the status information contained in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the status field of the object record.

[0060] In addition, when there are multiple object records in the records registered in the operation data D101, in which information consistent with the type information is registered in the type field, the operation verification unit F102 only needs to determine whether the status information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the status fields of the multiple object records.

[0061] When it is determined that the status information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the status field of the object record, the operation verification unit F102 determines whether the operation content information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record. Figure 4In the case where the operation data D101 is shown and the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the operation object is the electric window switch 121, if the operation method information is information indicating a closing operation of the electric window switch 121, it can be determined that the operation content information contained in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record.

[0062] In addition, when there are multiple object records in the records registered in the operation data D101, in which information consistent with the type information is registered in the type field and information consistent with the status information is registered in the status field, the operation verification unit F102 only needs to determine whether the operation content information contained in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the operation content fields of each of the multiple object records.

[0063] When it is determined that the state information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the state field of the object record, and when it is determined that the operation content information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the operation method of the on-board switch 120 that is the operation object is successful. On the other hand, when it is determined that the state information included in the operation method information is inconsistent with the information registered in the state field of the object record, and / or when it is determined that the operation content information included in the operation method information is inconsistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the operation method of the on-board switch 120 that is the operation object is failed.

[0064] When the verification of the type of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the object of operation and the verification of the operation method of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the object of operation are successful, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the operation of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the object of operation is consistent with the operation of the specific switch performed by a predetermined method. In this case, the verification result (verification success) is delivered from the operation verification unit F102 to the instruction unit F103. At this time, the information related to the object record that is finally left is also delivered from the operation verification unit F102 to the instruction unit F103. The object record that is finally left refers to an object record (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "suitable record") in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field, information consistent with the status information included in the operation method information is registered in the status field, and information consistent with the operation content information included in the operation method information is registered in the operation content field.

[0065] The instruction unit F103 generates an instruction for causing the user terminal 300 to perform a predetermined action in accordance with the verification of the type of the vehicle switch 120 that is the object of operation and the verification of the operation method of the vehicle switch 120 that is the object of operation. Specifically, the instruction unit F103 generates an instruction according to the information (information indicating the predetermined action) registered in the action field suitable for recording received from the operation verification unit F102. Here, when the predetermined action registered in the action field suitable for recording is email sending, the instruction unit F103 only needs to generate an instruction containing the recipient and content registered in the action field. In addition, the address of the user terminal 300 can be included in the instruction generated by the instruction unit F103. The instruction unit F103 sends the generated instruction to the server 200 through the communication interface 104. In this case, the server 200 sends the instruction received from the vehicle terminal 100 to the user terminal 300. Then, the user terminal 300 performs a predetermined action corresponding to the instruction received from the server 200.

[0066] Processing process

[0067] Next, based on Figure 5 The flow of processing executed by the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a processing routine executed by the in-vehicle terminal 100 when receiving operation information transmitted from the ECU 110 . Figure 5 The execution subject of the processing routine is the processor 101 of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100, but here, the software module of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 is set as the execution subject for description.

[0068] exist Figure 5 In the processing routine, if the communication interface 104 of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 receives the operation information sent from the ECU 110, the processor 101 of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 operates as an operation information acquisition unit F101 and acquires the operation information through the communication interface 104 (S101). If the operation information acquisition unit F101 completes the processing of S101, the processor 101 operates as an operation verification unit F102 and executes the processing of S102.

[0069] In S102, the operation verification unit F102 verifies the type of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 to be operated using the type information included in the operation information. Specifically, the operation verification unit F102 accesses the operation data D101 of the auxiliary storage device 103 and determines whether there is a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field. When the operation verification unit F102 completes the processing of S102, it executes the processing of S103.

[0070] In S103, the operation verification unit F102 determines whether the verification of the type of the on-board switch 120 that is the object of operation is successful. At this time, if the operation data D101 does not contain a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the type of the on-board switch 120 that is the object of operation has failed (negative determination is made in S103). In this case, the execution of this processing routine is terminated. On the other hand, if the operation data D101 contains a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the type of the on-board switch 120 that is the object of operation is successful (positive determination is made in S103). In this case, the operation verification unit F102 performs the processing of S104.

[0071] In S104, the operation verification unit F102 verifies the operation method of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the operation object. Specifically, the operation verification unit F102 determines whether the state information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the state field of the object record (a record in which information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field). In addition, the operation verification unit F102 determines whether the operation content information included in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record. If the operation verification unit F102 completes the processing of S104, it executes the processing of S105.

[0072] In S105, the operation verification unit F102 determines whether the verification of the operation method of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the object of operation is successful. At this time, if the state information contained in the operation method information is inconsistent with the information registered in the state field of the object record, and / or the operation content information contained in the operation method information is inconsistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the operation method of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the object of operation has failed (negative determination is made in S105). In this case, the execution of this processing routine is terminated. On the other hand, if the state information contained in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the state field of the object record, and the operation content information contained in the operation method information is consistent with the information registered in the operation content field of the object record, the operation verification unit F102 determines that the verification of the operation method of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 that is the object of operation is successful (positive determination is made in S105). In this case, the processor 101 of the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 acts as the instruction unit F103 and executes the processing of S106.

[0073] In S106, the instruction unit F103 generates an instruction for causing the user terminal 300 to perform a predetermined action in accordance with the verification of the type of the vehicle switch 120 to be operated and the verification of the operation method of the vehicle switch 120 to be operated. Specifically, the instruction unit F103 generates an instruction according to the information (information indicating a predetermined action) registered in the action field of the suitable record (the object record in which the information consistent with the type information included in the operation information is registered in the type field, the information consistent with the status information included in the operation method information is registered in the status field, and the information consistent with the operation content information included in the operation method information is registered in the operation content field). If the instruction unit F103 completes the processing of S106, it executes the processing of S107.

[0074] In S107, the instruction unit F103 transmits the instruction generated in S106 to the server 200 via the communication interface 104. When the instruction unit F103 completes the processing of S107, the execution of this processing routine ends.

[0075] Functions and effects of implementation methods

[0076] The vehicle terminal 100 of the embodiment described above transmits a command for causing the user terminal 300 to perform a predetermined action to the user terminal 300 via the server 200 in response to the vehicle switch 120 corresponding to the specific switch being operated in a predetermined method. As a result, the user terminal 300 can perform the predetermined action in accordance with the command.

[0077] Therefore, according to the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 in the present embodiment, the user can operate the user terminal 300 by operating the vehicle-mounted switch 120 corresponding to the specific switch in a predetermined method. As a result, the user can operate the user terminal 300 without looking at the user terminal 300 during the driving of the vehicle 10. In addition, the vehicle-mounted switch 120 is an existing switch in the vehicle 10, so there is no need to subsequently install a dedicated controller or the like in the vehicle 10. That is, the user can safely operate the user terminal 300 without relying on a controller or the like installed later. Furthermore, the user can operate the user terminal 300 using the existing vehicle-mounted switch 120 that the user is already accustomed to, so further improvement in convenience and safety can be expected.

[0078] other

[0079] The above-mentioned embodiment is only an example after all, and the present disclosure can be implemented by appropriately changing it within the scope of its main purpose. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example of respectively specifying the action (predetermined action) performed by the user terminal 300 for each type of the vehicle switch 120 designated as a specific switch is described, but the action (predetermined action) performed by the user terminal 300 can also be specified for each operation method (predetermined method) of the vehicle switch 120 designated as a specific switch. As an example, different predetermined actions can be specified when the closing operation of the power window switch 121 is performed in the state where the window is fully closed and the opening operation of the power window switch 121 is performed in the state where the window is fully opened. In addition, the action (predetermined action) performed by the user terminal 300 can also be specified in accordance with the position of the vehicle 10 at the time point when the operation of the specific switch is performed by the predetermined method. As an example, different predetermined actions can also be specified when the position of the vehicle 10 at the time point when the operation of the specific switch is performed by the predetermined method is near the user's home (for example, within a range of tens of meters to hundreds of meters from the home) and when it is far away from the user's home.

[0080] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example is described in which the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 performs the verification process of the type and operation method of the vehicle-mounted switch 120 to be operated, but the verification process may also be performed by the server 200. In this case, the server 200 only needs to obtain the operation information from the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 to perform the verification process. Then, in response to the success of the verification process, the server 200 only needs to send a command for performing a predetermined action to the user terminal 300. In this case, the server 200 functions as the "information processing device" of this embodiment.

[0081] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an example of sending instructions from the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 to the user terminal 300 via the server 200 is described, but when short-range wireless communication (for example, wireless communication based on the BLE standard or NFC, etc.) is established between the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 and the user terminal 300, instructions can also be sent directly from the vehicle-mounted terminal 100 to the user terminal 300.

[0082] In addition, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by a plurality of devices. Alternatively, a process described as being performed by different devices may be performed by one device. The hardware structure used to implement each function in a computer system can be flexibly changed.

Claims

1. An information processing device comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to execute: detecting, for a specific switch among a plurality of existing switches for respectively operating a plurality of existing devices in the vehicle, a situation in which the specific switch is operated by a predetermined method that does not bring out the function of the corresponding device; and In response to detection of the operation of the specific switch by the predetermined method, a command for causing the user terminal to perform a predetermined action is transmitted to a user terminal used by a user associated with the vehicle.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: Detecting the operation of the specific switch by the predetermined method includes: When one of the plurality of existing switches is operated, the type and operation method of the existing switch, i.e., the target switch, which is the operation target, are obtained; Verifying, according to the type of the object switch, whether the object switch matches the specific switch; According to the operation method of the object switch, verifying whether the operation method of the object switch is consistent with the predetermined method; In response to the verification of the type and the operation method of the target switch being successful, it is determined that the specific switch is operated by the predetermined method.

3. The information processing device according to claim 2, wherein: further comprising a storage unit storing association information associating the type of the specific switch with the predetermined method, The control unit is configured to verify the type and the operation method of the target switch based on the association information in the storage unit.

4. The information processing device according to claim 3, wherein: The associated information stored in the storage unit is information that associates the type of the specific switch with the predetermined method in addition to the predetermined action. The control unit is configured to transmit the instruction for causing the user terminal to perform the predetermined action included in the associated information in the storage unit to the user terminal when the operation of the specific switch using the predetermined method is detected.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The specific switch is a power window switch, The predetermined method is an operation method of performing a closing operation on the power window switch in a state where the windows of the vehicle are fully closed.

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