Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and an information processing method for improving the accuracy of face authentication. The present invention is provided with a control unit that executes: user identification information, which is identification information of a user of a vehicle, and an authentication face image, which is an image of the face of the user for authentication; acquiring vehicle identification information, which is identification information associated with the user identification information, from the identification information of the vehicle; acquiring information related to the attributes of the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification information; and generating a processed face image for authentication by processing the face image for authentication on the basis of information relating to the attributes of the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] There is known a technique for pre-storing image data of faces of workers who are allowed to enter a safety area as registration information and performing a face authentication process (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-137959 Summary of the invention

[0004] The purpose of the present disclosure is to improve the accuracy of face authentication.

[0005] One of the aspects of the present disclosure is an information processing device, wherein:

[0006] A control unit is provided to execute the following processing:

[0007] obtaining identification information of a user of the vehicle, namely user identification information, and an image of the face of the user for authentication, namely an authentication facial image;

[0008] Obtaining the vehicle identification information that is associated with the user identification information from the vehicle identification information, namely, the vehicle identification information;

[0009] obtaining information related to attributes of the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification information; and

[0010] The processed authentication facial image is generated by processing the authentication facial image based on the information related to the attribute of the vehicle.

[0011] One of the aspects of the present disclosure is an information processing method,

[0012] The following processing is performed by the computer:

[0013] obtaining identification information of a user of the vehicle, namely user identification information, and an image of the face of the user for authentication, namely an authentication facial image;

[0014] Obtaining the vehicle identification information that is associated with the user identification information from the vehicle identification information, namely, the vehicle identification information;

[0015] obtaining information related to attributes of the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification information; and

[0016] The processed authentication facial image is generated by processing the authentication facial image based on the information related to the attribute of the vehicle.

[0017] One of the aspects of the present disclosure is an information processing device,

[0018] A control unit is provided for executing the following processing:

[0019] obtaining an image generated by photographing a user riding in the vehicle using a camera disposed outside the vehicle, that is, a user's facial image;

[0020] Obtaining identification information of the above-mentioned vehicle, namely, vehicle identification information;

[0021] At the time of authentication, obtaining the identification information of the user associated with the vehicle identification information, that is, the user identification information;

[0022] Acquiring an image of the user's face that is associated with the user identification information and processed to reflect the attributes of the vehicle determined based on the vehicle identification information, that is, a processed authentication facial image;

[0023] authenticating the user by comparing the user's facial image with the processed authentication facial image; and

[0024] When authentication of the user is successful, a process associated with the user is executed.

[0025] In addition, other aspects of the present disclosure are an information processing method for executing information processing in the above-mentioned information processing device by a computer, a program for causing a computer to execute information processing in the above-mentioned information processing device, and a storage medium that non-transitorily stores the program.

[0026] According to the present disclosure, the accuracy of face authentication can be improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an overview of the processing of the system according to the embodiment.

[0029] Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the hardware configuration of each of the center server, the user-side server, the association management server, the vehicle ID server, and the settlement server that constitute the system involved in the embodiment.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the hardware configuration of each of the user terminal and the vehicle-mounted terminal according to the present embodiment.

[0031] Figure 5This is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the center server according to the embodiment.

[0032] Figure 6 1 is a diagram showing an example of the table structure of the user information DB, the authentication facial image DB, the processed authentication facial image DB, and the vehicle attribute DB according to the embodiment.

[0033] Figure 7 This is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user-side server according to the embodiment.

[0034] Figure 8 It is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the vehicle-mounted device according to the embodiment.

[0035] Fig. 9 It is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal according to the embodiment.

[0036] Fig.10 This is a flowchart of a user registration process in the center server according to the embodiment.

[0037] Fig.11 This is a flowchart of processing for providing a processed authentication facial image in a center server according to an embodiment.

[0038] Fig.12 This is a flowchart of the facial authentication process in the user-side server according to the embodiment.

[0039] Fig.13 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of a processed authentication facial image DB according to the embodiment.

[0040] Fig.14 This is a flowchart of processing for providing a processed authentication facial image in a center server according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] According to the face recognition system, even if the target person is far away from the system, as long as the face of the target person can be photographed by a camera, the target person can be recognized. Therefore, according to face recognition, the target person can be recognized easily and quickly. However, the existing face recognition system has the following problems.

[0042] That is, in recent years, along with the progress of machine learning technology, the scenarios in which facial recognition can be implemented have increased. In addition, the scenarios in which the recognition of the subject person is recommended in the state of riding in the vehicle, such as drive through, have increased, and thus, the demand for facial recognition has increased. In view of this, it is assumed that the subject person riding in the vehicle is photographed from the outside of the vehicle and the subject person is recognized by the obtained facial image. It is assumed that the system is configured to perform facial recognition by comparing the facial image for recognition obtained in advance with the facial image obtained during the recognition. In this case, the facial image for recognition is basically obtained by photographing the subject person at any time when not riding in the vehicle (for example, the subject person uses a mobile terminal to photograph himself). On the other hand, the facial image obtained during the recognition reflects the components constituting the vehicle, such as the front windshield and the side window glass. In one example, since the subject person is photographed across the front windshield, the facial image obtained will be affected by the color of the front windshield, and the face of the subject person may be photographed in a color different from the actual color. As a result, the photographing condition of the subject person in the facial image obtained during the recognition is greatly deviated from the photographing condition of the subject person in the facial image for recognition, and there is a possibility that facial recognition will not be accurately established. In the present disclosure, the above-mentioned problems are solved.

[0043] In view of this, an information processing device as one of the methods disclosed in the present invention includes a control unit that performs the following processing: obtaining identification information of a user of a vehicle, namely, user identification information, and an image of the face of the user for authentication, namely, an authentication facial image; obtaining identification information of the vehicle, namely, vehicle identification information, which is associated with the user identification information; obtaining information related to attributes of the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification information; and generating a processed authentication facial image by processing the authentication facial image according to the information related to the attributes of the vehicle.

[0044] The user of the vehicle is a user who has established an association with the vehicle. The user may be the owner of the vehicle. User identification information is information that can identify the user, for example, it may be information related to a pre-assigned user ID. In addition, as another example, the user identification information may be information related to the number of the driver's license. The facial image for authentication is an image obtained by pre-shooting the user's face. The facial image for authentication may be, for example, an image of the user's face shot by a camera attached to the user's terminal. The user identification information and the facial image for authentication may be pre-registered. The vehicle identification information is information that can identify the vehicle, for example, it may be information related to the vehicle body number or the number of the vehicle registration plate (number plate). The vehicle identification information may be pre-registered in association with the user identification information, for example. Information related to the vehicle model or name may be associated with the vehicle identification information.

[0045] The information related to the attributes of the vehicle is information associated with the vehicle identification information, such as the height of the vehicle (vehicle height), the size of the vehicle, the color of the front windshield, the color of the side window glass, the position of the wiper, the position of the sun visor, or the position of the A-pillar (the column located on both sides of the front windshield). The attributes of the vehicle mentioned here refer to the components that may affect the image when the user in the car is photographed from outside the car. For example, when the face of the user in the car is photographed from outside the car, it will be photographed through the front windshield or the side window glass. If these glasses are colored, it will affect the image of the user's face. Due to the color of the glass, there is a concern that facial authentication will not be accurately established. In addition, since the position from the ground to the user's face changes according to the height (vehicle height) and size of the vehicle, the angle of the user's face may change when the user's face is photographed from outside the car. In addition, it is also conceivable that the wiper, sun visor, and A-pillar are photographed to overlap with the user's face. Therefore, their attributes may also affect the image of the user's face.

[0046] In view of this, the control unit processes the facial image for authentication based on the information related to the attributes of the vehicle. For example, when information related to the color of the front windshield is obtained as the information related to the attributes of the vehicle, the facial image for authentication reflects the color of the front windshield to generate the processed facial image for authentication. If the processed facial image for authentication is generated in this way, it is possible to prevent the user's shooting condition in the processed facial image for authentication from being greatly deviated from the user's shooting condition in the image taken from outside the vehicle during authentication. Therefore, the accuracy of facial authentication can be improved.

[0047] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative only, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments.

[0048] <First embodiment>

[0049] Figure 1 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the system 1 includes an in-vehicle device 100 mounted on a vehicle 10, a user terminal 20 held by a user of the vehicle 10, a center server 30, a user-side server 40, an association management server 50, a vehicle ID server 60, and a settlement server 70. The user-side server 40 is connected to a camera 400 that captures the interior of the vehicle 10 from the outside of the vehicle 10.

[0050] The vehicle-mounted device 100, the user terminal 20, the central server 30, the user-side server 40, the association establishment management server 50, the vehicle ID server 60, and the settlement server 70 are connected to each other via a network N1. The network N1 is, for example, a world-scale public communication network such as the Internet, and a WAN (Wide Area Network) or other communication network may be used. In addition, the network N1 may include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), etc. Figure 1 Although one vehicle 10 and one user terminal 20 are shown as examples, there may be a plurality of them. In addition, the vehicle-mounted device 100 and the user-side server 40 or the camera 400 may be capable of short-distance wireless communication.

[0051] The vehicle-mounted device 100 is a device that provides information related to the vehicle 10 to the user-side server 40. The user terminal 20 is a terminal that can provide a facial image of a user. The central server 30 is a server that generates a facial image for authentication and provides it to the user-side server 40. The user-side server 40 is a server that performs facial authentication. The association establishment management server 50 is a server that manages the association establishment between the vehicle 10 and the user. The vehicle ID server 60 is a server that manages information related to the vehicle 10. The settlement server 70 is a server that performs settlement.

[0052] Figure 2 1 is a diagram showing an overview of the processing of the system 1 involved in the embodiment. P1 to P5 are processes in which the central server 30 participates, and U1 to U5 are processes in which the utilization side server 40 participates. In P1, the user uses the user terminal 20 to register the user with the central server 30. The user requests the central server 30 to register the user via the user terminal 20. At this time, the facial image associated with the user ID is sent to the central server 30. Hereinafter, the facial image is also referred to as a facial image for authentication. The facial image for authentication is, for example, an image of the user's face taken by the user terminal 20. However, it is not limited to this, and the facial image for authentication may also be an image of the user's face taken in the past and stored in the user terminal 20 or an external server. Among them, the user ID may be, for example, a number assigned according to a common numbering system for identifying individuals in various countries (for example, my number, social security number, or citizen identity number) or a driver's license number. The user ID is an example of user identification information. In addition, when the user registers, the information related to the settlement is associated with the user ID from the user terminal 20 and sent to the central server 30. The information involved in settlement is the information required when the user uses the settlement service, including, for example, a credit card number or a bank account number.

[0053] In P2, the central server 30 obtains and stores the user ID, the facial image for authentication, and the information related to the settlement from the user terminal 20. In P3, the central server 30 requests the association establishment management server 50 to send the vehicle ID associated with the user ID. The association establishment management server 50 performs a search based on the user ID and extracts the vehicle ID associated with the user ID. Then, the central server 30 obtains the vehicle ID associated with the user ID from the association establishment management server 50. The vehicle ID is a number inherent to the vehicle 10, such as a body number or a number displayed on a car registration plate (number plate). Hereinafter, this number is also referred to as a vehicle number. The vehicle ID is an example of vehicle identification information.

[0054] In P4, the central server 30 requests the vehicle ID server 60 to send the vehicle information associated with the vehicle ID. The vehicle ID server 60 performs a search based on the vehicle ID to extract the vehicle information associated with the vehicle ID. Then, the central server 30 obtains the vehicle information associated with the vehicle ID from the vehicle ID server 60. The vehicle information includes information that can identify the vehicle, such as information related to the model, name, body number or the number of the car registration plate (vehicle number). In addition, the vehicle information may include information that can determine the height, size, color of the front windshield, color of the side window glass, position of the wiper, position of the sun visor or position of the A-pillar (the pillar located on both sides of the front windshield) of the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle information may include information related to the owner of the vehicle 10.

[0055] In P5, the central server 30 obtains the attributes of the vehicle 10 from the vehicle information obtained from the vehicle ID server, and processes the authentication facial image in a manner reflecting the attributes. In this way, the central server 30 generates and stores the processed authentication facial image. For example, the color of the front windshield is obtained from the vehicle information as the attribute of the vehicle 10, and the processed authentication facial image is generated by making the authentication facial image reflect the color of the front windshield. Among them, the processed authentication facial image can be generated using a well-known technology. In this way, the processed authentication facial image is stored in the central server 30 in a manner that can be used in facial authentication when the user uses the vehicle 10.

[0056] In addition, in U1, the side server 40 is used to obtain the vehicle ID and the user's facial image. The user's facial image is obtained by photographing the vehicle 10 from the outside with the camera 400. Hereinafter, the facial image obtained in this way is also referred to as the user's facial image. In addition, the vehicle ID can be obtained from the vehicle-mounted device 100 through communication. In addition, as another example, when the vehicle ID corresponds to the vehicle number, the vehicle number can be obtained by analyzing the image of the vehicle 10 photographed by the camera 400.

[0057] In U2, the utilization side server 40 inquires the association establishment management server 50 whether there is an association establishment relationship corresponding to the vehicle ID. At this time, it can also be inquired whether there is a valid association establishment relationship at the target date and time. The target date and time can be the date and time of the inquiry time (which can be the current time) or the date and time in the past. A valid association establishment is, for example, an association establishment within the validity period when there is a validity period for the association establishment between the vehicle ID and the user ID. When there is a valid association establishment, the user ID associated with the vehicle ID is sent from the association establishment management server 50 to the utilization side server 40.

[0058] In U3, when there is a valid association relationship, the user-side server 40 requests the central server 30 to send the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user ID. The central server 30 sends the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user ID to the user-side server 40. At this time, the central server 30 also sends information related to various permissions associated with the user ID to the user-side server 40. Various permissions are, for example, permissions related to settlement services registered by the user. In addition, the permissions are not limited to this, and may also be permissions related to administrative services.

[0059] In U4, the side server 40 performs facial authentication by comparing the user's facial image captured by the camera 400 with the processed facial image for authentication. Here, known facial authentication techniques can be used. The method of facial authentication is not limited. In addition, image processing can be performed by any analytical processing (pattern matching, edge extraction, etc.). In addition, a machine learning model that has been learned can be used for image processing.

[0060] In U5, when the authentication is established, the user-side server 40 executes the user's authority. For example, the user-side server 40 requests settlement from the settlement server 70. For example, it can be used for settlement of drive-through at a restaurant, settlement of parking fees, or settlement of toll road fees.

[0061] In addition, the processed facial image for authentication can be stored in either the central server 30 or the user-side server 40. In addition, the processing of P2 to P5 in the central server 30 can be performed at any time before the processing of U4 in the user-side server 40 is performed. In addition, the central server 30 can perform the processing of P2 to P5 continuously with the processing of P1. In addition, the central server 30 can periodically refer to the association establishment management server 50 to generate a processed facial image for authentication for each corresponding vehicle model. For example, in the case where a user owns multiple vehicles 10, a processed facial image for authentication can be generated for each vehicle 10 and stored.

[0062] In addition, the attributes of the vehicle 10 reflected when the processed facial image for authentication is generated may be the color of the front windshield or side window glass, or the position and shape of the wiper, sun visor, A-pillar, or front seat, or the height of the vehicle. As long as it is a component that will have an impact during facial authentication, it can be used as an attribute of the vehicle 10. Moreover, the processed facial image for authentication only needs to be generated in a manner that reflects the attribute. For example, the central server 30 can generate a processed facial image for authentication by adding a wiper, sun visor, A-pillar, or front seat to the facial image for authentication.

[0063] Next, Figure 3 This is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the hardware configuration of each of the center server 30 , the user-side server 40 , the association management server 50 , the vehicle ID server 60 , and the settlement server 70 constituting the system 1 according to the embodiment.

[0064] The central server 30 is configured as a computer having a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a communication module 33. The central server 30 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), a main storage device (RAM, ROM, etc.), and an auxiliary storage device (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions (software modules) that meet the prescribed purpose as described later can be realized. However, some or all of the modules can also be implemented as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASIC and FPGA, for example.

[0065] The control unit 31 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the center server 30 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 31 can be realized by a hardware processor such as a CPU. In addition, the control unit 31 can be configured to include a RAM, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a cache memory, and the like.

[0066] The storage unit 32 is a means for storing information, and is composed of a storage medium such as a RAM, a magnetic disk, and a flash memory. The storage unit 32 stores programs executed by the control unit 31, data used by the programs, and the like. In addition, the storage unit 32 stores various information. Details will be described later.

[0067] The communication module 33 is a communication interface for connecting the central server 30 to the network. The communication module 33 may be configured to include, for example, a network interface board, a wireless communication interface for wireless communication, etc. The central server 30 can communicate data with other computers (for example, other server devices or user terminals 20) via the communication module 33.

[0068] In addition, the specific hardware configuration of the central server 30 can be appropriately omitted, replaced, and added according to the implementation method. For example, the control unit 31 may include multiple hardware processors. The hardware processor may be composed of a microprocessor, an FPGA, a GPU, etc. In addition, the central server 30 may be composed of multiple computers. In this case, the hardware configuration of each computer may be consistent or inconsistent.

[0069] The user-side server 40 is configured as a computer having a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, and a communication module 43. The user-side server 40 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), a main storage device (RAM, ROM, etc.), and an auxiliary storage device (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions (software modules) that meet the prescribed purpose as described later can be realized. However, some or all of the modules can also be implemented as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASIC and FPGA. Regarding the control unit 41, storage unit 42 and communication module 43 of the user-side server 40, since the configuration is the same as the control unit 31, storage unit 32 and communication module 33 of the center server 30, the description is omitted. A camera 400 is connected to the user-side server 40, and the camera 400 is controlled by the control unit 41. The camera 400 is pre-configured at a position where it can take a picture of the driver of the stopped vehicle 10. The camera 400 is a device that performs imaging using an imaging element such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor.

[0070] The association management server 50, the vehicle ID server 60, and the settlement server 70 can also be configured as the same computer as the center server 30. The association management server 50 is a device that provides information related to the association between the vehicle ID and the user ID, the timestamp of the association, and the validity period of the association via the network N1. Therefore, the information related to each of the vehicle ID, the user ID, the timestamp, and the validity period is associated and stored in the association management server 50. The timestamp is, for example, the date and time when the association between the user ID and the vehicle ID is performed. The validity period is the validity period of the association between the user ID and the vehicle ID. The association management server 50 is managed by a company or an administrative agency that is neutral to the administrator of the center server 30 and the administrator of the user-side server 40. The information stored in the association management server 50 can be provided by the user via the user terminal 20, for example, or by the center server 30.

[0071] The vehicle ID server 60 is a device that provides information related to each of the vehicle number, vehicle model, and owner of the vehicle 10 associated with the vehicle ID via the network N1. Therefore, the vehicle ID, vehicle number, vehicle model, and information related to each of the owner of the vehicle 10 are associated and stored in the vehicle ID server 60. The vehicle ID server 60 is managed by a company or administrative agency that is neutral to the manager of the center server 30 and the manager of the user-side server 40. The vehicle ID server 60 may be a server managed by an administrative agency that issues number plates, for example. When a user registers the vehicle 10, a number plate may be issued, and the number (vehicle number) and the information related to the vehicle model and owner may be stored in the vehicle ID server 60.

[0072] The settlement server 70 is a device that performs settlement processing based on settlement requirements. The settlement server 70 is managed by, for example, a credit card company. As another example, the settlement server 70 may be a server that manages electronic money and points, or a server that manages bank deposits. Settlement information is stored in the settlement server 70. The settlement information may include, for example, information related to establishing an association between a user ID and a credit card number.

[0073] Next, Figure 4 This is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the hardware configuration of each of the user terminal 20 and the vehicle-mounted device 100 according to the present embodiment.

[0074] The user terminal 20 is a small computer such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a personal information terminal, a wearable computer (smart watch, etc.), a personal computer (PC), etc. The user terminal 20 is configured to include a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication module 23, an input / output device 24, and a camera 25.

[0075] The user terminal 20 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), a main storage device (RAM, ROM, etc.), and an auxiliary storage device (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.) similarly to the center server 30. However, some or all of the functions (software modules) can be implemented as hardware modules by hardware circuits such as ASIC and FPGA, for example.

[0076] The control unit 21 , the storage unit 22 , and the communication module 23 of the user terminal 20 have the same configuration as the control unit 31 , the storage unit 32 , and the communication module 33 of the center server 30 , and thus description thereof will be omitted.

[0077] The input-output device 24 is a unit that accepts input operations performed by the user and presents information to the user. Specifically, the input-output device 24 includes devices for input such as a mouse and a keyboard, and devices for output such as a display and a speaker. The input-output device 24 can be integrally formed by, for example, a touch panel display. The camera 25 is a device that uses a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) image sensor or other imaging element for imaging.

[0078] In addition, the specific hardware configuration of the user terminal 20 is the same as that of the center server 30 , and components can be omitted, replaced, or added as appropriate according to the embodiment.

[0079] Next, the vehicle-mounted device 100 is, for example, a computer such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), a DCM (Data Communication Module), a head unit, or a navigation system mounted on the vehicle 10. The vehicle-mounted device 100 is configured to include a control unit 11, a storage unit 12, a communication module 13, and an input-output device 14. The control unit 11, the storage unit 12, the communication module 13, and the input-output device 14 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 are the same as the control unit 21, the storage unit 22, the communication module 23, and the input-output device 24 of the user terminal 20, and thus description thereof is omitted.

[0080] Figure 5 1 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the center server 30 according to the embodiment. The control unit 31 is configured to include software modules such as a user information acquisition unit 311, an association establishment information acquisition unit 312, a vehicle information acquisition unit 313, a facial image processing unit 314, and a facial image providing unit 315. Each software module can be realized by the control unit 31 (CPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 32. In addition, the information processing performed by the user information acquisition unit 311, the association establishment information acquisition unit 312, the vehicle information acquisition unit 313, the facial image processing unit 314, and the facial image providing unit 315 below is synonymous with the information processing performed by the control unit 31.

[0081] The storage unit 32 of the center server 30 stores a user information database 321 (hereinafter referred to as user information DB321), an authentication facial image database 322 (hereinafter referred to as authentication facial image DB322), a processed authentication facial image database 323 (hereinafter referred to as processed authentication facial image DB323), and a vehicle attribute database 324 (hereinafter referred to as vehicle attribute DB324). The user information DB321, the authentication facial image DB322, the processed authentication facial image DB323, and the vehicle attribute DB324 are constructed by managing data stored in the auxiliary storage device through a program of a database management system (DBMS) executed by a processor. These databases are, for example, relational databases. Figure 6 This is a diagram showing an example of the table structure of the user information DB 321 , the authentication facial image DB 322 , the processed authentication facial image DB 323 , and the vehicle attribute DB 324 according to the embodiment. The details will be described later.

[0082] The user information acquisition unit 311 is configured to perform the following processing: receiving the user information and the authentication face image sent from the user terminal 20, and storing the user information and the authentication face image in the user information DB 321 and the authentication face image DB 322. Figure 6 As shown, the user information DB 321 stores the user ID, the user's name, the user's contact information, and information related to the settlement service. The user information is associated with the user ID. The user ID is, for example, the number of a car driver's license. In addition, the user's contact information may include the user's address, telephone number, SNS account, email address, etc. The information related to the settlement service is the information involved in establishing the association between the user and the settlement service, including the information related to the settlement that the user wishes to settle (for example, a credit card number). The user information is pre-registered in the central server 30 by the user via the user terminal 20. In addition, as Figure 6As shown, the facial image for authentication is associated with the user ID and stored in the facial image DB 322 for authentication. The facial image for authentication is a facial image of the user sent from the user terminal 20 together with the user information, for example, a facial image captured by the user himself using the camera 25 of the user terminal 20. The user information acquisition unit 311 associates the facial image for authentication received from the user terminal 20 with the user ID and stores it in the facial image DB 322 for authentication. In addition, as another example, the facial image DB 322 may store information related to the location where the facial image for authentication is stored.

[0083] The association information acquisition unit 312 requests the association management server 50 to perform a search based on the user ID. The association management server 50 returns information related to each of the vehicle ID, the timestamp, and the validity period associated with the user ID to the center server 30 (hereinafter, also referred to as association information). In addition, the association management server 50 may periodically update the association between the user ID and the vehicle ID. The association information acquisition unit 312 causes the storage unit 32 to store the association information acquired from the association management server 50.

[0084] The vehicle information acquisition unit 313 requests a search based on the vehicle ID to the vehicle ID server 60. The vehicle ID is the vehicle ID acquired from the association establishment management server 50. The vehicle ID server 60 returns information related to each of the vehicle number, vehicle model, and owner of the vehicle 10 associated with the vehicle ID to the center server 30. The vehicle model is classified so as to be able to determine the attributes of the vehicle 10. The information related to the owner of the vehicle 10 includes, for example, information related to the user ID or name.

[0085] The facial image processing unit 314 processes the facial image obtained from the user terminal 20 according to the attributes of the vehicle 10 (hereinafter also referred to as vehicle attributes), thereby generating a processed facial image for authentication. Figure 6As shown, the vehicle attribute DB 324 stores, for example, the relationship between the vehicle model and the vehicle attributes. The facial image processing unit 314 extracts the vehicle attributes corresponding to the vehicle model obtained from the vehicle ID server 60 from the vehicle attribute DB 324. Furthermore, a processed facial image for authentication is generated by causing the authentication facial image obtained from the user terminal 20 to reflect the vehicle attributes. For example, when the color of the front windshield of the vehicle 10 is stored as a vehicle attribute corresponding to the vehicle model in the vehicle attribute DB 324, the facial image processing unit 314 generates a processed facial image for authentication by causing the authentication facial image to reflect the color of the front windshield of the vehicle 10. That is, the processed facial image for authentication is generated in a manner corresponding to an image of the user's face taken from the outside of the vehicle 10. The facial image processing unit 314 associates the generated processed facial image for authentication with the vehicle ID and the user ID and stores it in the processed facial image for authentication DB 323. As shown Figure 6 As shown, the relationship between the user ID, the vehicle ID, and the processed facial image for authentication is stored in the processed facial image for authentication DB 323. In addition, as another example, the processed facial image for authentication DB 323 may store information related to the location where the processed facial image for authentication is stored.

[0086] The facial image providing unit 315 provides a processed facial image for authentication in response to a request from the user-side server 40. The request from the user-side server 40 includes information related to the vehicle ID, and the facial image providing unit 315 extracts the processed facial image for authentication corresponding to the vehicle ID from the processed facial image for authentication DB 323 and transmits it to the user-side server 40.

[0087] Figure 7 Schematically shows an example of the software configuration of the user-side server 40 according to the embodiment. The control unit 41 is configured to include software modules such as a facial image acquisition unit 411, a vehicle information acquisition unit 412, a user ID acquisition unit 413, an authentication information acquisition unit 414, and an execution unit 415. Each software module can be implemented by the control unit 41 (CPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 42. In addition, the information processing executed by the facial image acquisition unit 411, the vehicle information acquisition unit 412, the user ID acquisition unit 413, the authentication information acquisition unit 414, and the execution unit 415 is synonymous with the information processing executed by the control unit 41.

[0088] The facial image acquisition unit 411 acquires an image captured by the camera 400 when the vehicle 10 is at a predetermined position. The camera 400 is pre-arranged at a position where it can capture an image of the driver of the vehicle 10. The facial image acquisition unit 411, for example, always monitors the image captured by the camera 400 and detects that the vehicle 10 approaches the predetermined position by image analysis. Then, the image of the user captured at this time is acquired as the user facial image.

[0089] The vehicle information acquisition unit 412 acquires information related to the vehicle 10 existing at a predetermined position. In this case, for example, the camera 400 has a wireless communication function, and the camera 400 can wirelessly communicate with the vehicle 10 to acquire information related to the vehicle 10 (for example, the vehicle number). In addition, as another example, the vehicle number can also be acquired by analyzing the image of the vehicle 10 captured by the camera 400.

[0090] The user ID acquisition unit 413 requests the association management server 50 to search based on the vehicle ID. At this time, the user ID acquisition unit 413 inquires the association management server 50 whether there is a valid association relationship corresponding to the vehicle ID at the target date and time. If there is a valid association relationship corresponding to the vehicle ID at the target date and time, the association management server 50 returns the user ID associated with the vehicle ID to the user-side server 40. The user ID acquisition unit 413 causes the storage unit 42 to store the user ID acquired from the association management server 50.

[0091] The authentication information acquisition unit 414 requests a search based on the user ID to the center server 30. The center server 30 returns information related to various authorities associated with the user ID and the processed authentication facial image to the user-side server 40. The various authorities include, for example, information related to the settlement service associated with the user ID.

[0092] If the facial authentication is successful and the authority is valid, the execution unit 415 requests the settlement server 70 for settlement. The execution unit 415 performs facial authentication by comparing the processed authentication facial image obtained from the center server 30 with the user facial image obtained from the camera 400. The settlement server 70 to which the settlement is requested is selected by the execution unit 415 based on the information related to the various authorities associated with the user ID.

[0093] Figure 81 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 100 according to the embodiment. In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 is configured to include a software module called a vehicle ID transmitter 111. The software module can be implemented by the control unit 11 (CPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 12. In addition, the information processing performed by the vehicle ID transmitter 111 below is synonymous with the information processing performed by the control unit 11.

[0094] The vehicle ID transmitter 111 transmits the vehicle ID stored in the storage unit 12 to the user-side server 40 or the camera 400 in response to a request from the user-side server 40 or the camera 400. If the vehicle information acquisition unit 412 of the user-side server 40 acquires the vehicle number by reading it, the vehicle ID transmitter 111 can be omitted.

[0095] Fig. 9 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal 20 involved in the embodiment. The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 is configured to include software modules such as a photographing unit 211 and a user information sending unit 212. Each software module can be implemented by the control unit 21 (CPU) executing a program stored in the storage unit 22. In addition, the information processing performed by the photographing unit 211 and the user information sending unit 212 below can be synonymous with the information processing performed by the control unit 21.

[0096] The imaging unit 211 captures the user through the camera 25. The imaging unit 211 captures the user when the user inputs a predetermined input to the input / output device 24. At this time, the user adjusts the angle of the camera 25 so as to capture the user's own face.

[0097] The user information transmitting unit 212 transmits the user information input by the user via the input / output device 24 and the user's facial image captured by the capturing unit 211 to the center server 30 .

[0098] Next, the user registration process in the center server 30 will be described. Fig.10 FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a user registration process in the center server 30 according to the embodiment. Fig.10 In addition, Fig.10 The processes shown are executed by the software modules of the control unit 31 , but in the following flowcharts, it is described that the control unit 31 executes the processes.

[0099] In step S101, the control unit 31 determines whether a user registration request is received from the user terminal 20. An application capable of performing user registration may be installed in the user terminal 20. The user uses the application to make a predetermined input and take a picture of the face, thereby sending a user registration request from the user terminal 20 to the center server 30. In addition, as another example, a web page capable of performing user registration may be accessed from the user terminal 20, and the user makes a predetermined input and uploads a facial image for authentication on the web page, thereby sending a user registration request from the user terminal 20 to the center server 30. If an affirmative determination is made in step S101, the routine proceeds to step S102, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends.

[0100] In step S102, the control unit 31 obtains user information and a facial image for authentication. Since the user information and the facial image for authentication are sent from the user terminal 20 to the center server 30 together with the user registration request, the control unit 31 obtains these user information and the facial image for authentication. The user information includes a user ID. Then, in step S103, the control unit 31 performs user registration processing, stores the user information in the user information DB 321, and associates the facial image for authentication with the user ID and stores it in the facial image DB 322 for authentication.

[0101] Next, the processing of providing the processed authentication facial image in the center server 30 will be described. Fig.11 FIG. 1 is a flowchart of processing for providing a processed authentication facial image in the center server 30 according to the embodiment. Fig.11 In addition, Fig.11 The processes shown are executed by the software modules of the control unit 31 , but in the following flowcharts, it is described that the control unit 31 executes the processes.

[0102] In step S201, the control unit 31 determines whether a search based on the user ID is requested from the user-side server 40. The request includes a request to send information related to various permissions associated with the user ID and a processed authentication facial image to the user-side server 40. If an affirmative determination is made in step S201, the routine proceeds to step S202, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends.

[0103] In step S202, the control unit 31 obtains association information from the association management server 50. The control unit 31 requests the association management server 50 to perform a search based on the user ID. The user ID is the user ID obtained by the control unit 31 from the user-side server 40 in step S201. In response to the request, the association management server 50 extracts the vehicle information (information related to each of the vehicle ID, time stamp, and validity period) associated with the user ID, and transmits it to the center server 30.

[0104] In step S203, the control unit 31 obtains vehicle information from the vehicle ID server 60. The control unit 31 requests the vehicle ID server 60 to perform a search based on the vehicle ID. The vehicle ID is the vehicle ID obtained by the control unit 31 from the association establishment management server 50 in step S202. In response to the request, the vehicle ID server 60 extracts the vehicle information (the vehicle number, the model, and each information related to the owner of the vehicle 10) associated with the vehicle ID, and transmits it to the center server 30.

[0105] In step S204, the control unit 31 extracts vehicle attributes from the information related to the vehicle model. The information related to the vehicle model is included in the vehicle information obtained from the vehicle ID server 60 in step S203. The control unit 31 extracts the vehicle attributes corresponding to the vehicle model (for example, the color of the front windshield) from the vehicle attribute DB 324.

[0106] In step S205, the control unit 31 obtains the authentication facial image stored in the authentication facial image DB 322. The authentication facial image obtained at this time is a facial image received from the user terminal 20 when the user registered. The control unit 31 extracts the authentication facial image associated with the user ID obtained in step S201 from the authentication facial image DB 322.

[0107] In step S206, the control unit 31 generates a processed authentication facial image based on the vehicle attributes and the authentication facial image. The control unit 31 generates the processed authentication facial image by making the authentication facial image reflect the vehicle attributes. For example, the control unit 31 processes the authentication facial image obtained from the user into a facial image of the user when photographed through the front windshield. In this processing, known techniques can be used. The control unit 31 associates the generated processed authentication facial image with the user ID and the vehicle ID and stores it in the processed authentication facial image DB 323.

[0108] In step S207, the control unit 31 obtains the user's authority from the user information DB 321. In this embodiment, information related to the settlement service is obtained as the information related to the user's authority. Then, in step S208, the control unit 31 sends the processed facial image for authentication and the information related to the user's authority to the user-side server 40. The information related to the user's authority sent at this time includes, for example, information related to the settlement company (credit card company) registered by the user and information related to the credit card number.

[0109] In addition, Fig.11 In the routine shown, the processed authentication facial image is generated by a request from the user-side server 40 as a trigger, but as another example, it is also possible to Fig.10 For example, after the processing of step S103, the processing of steps S202 to S206 may be performed, and the processed authentication facial image may be stored in the processed authentication facial image DB 323. Furthermore, when a positive determination is made in step S201, the processed authentication facial image stored in the processed authentication facial image DB 323 in association with the user ID may be read, and then the processing of steps S207 and S208 may be performed.

[0110] Next, the face authentication process in the user-side server 40 will be described. Fig.12 FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the face authentication process in the user-side server 40 according to the embodiment. Fig.12 In addition, Fig.12 The processes shown are executed by the software modules of the control unit 41 , but in the following flowcharts, it is described that the control unit 41 executes the processes.

[0111] In step S301, the control unit 41 determines whether the vehicle 10 is at a predetermined position. The predetermined position is, for example, a position for ordering goods without getting off the vehicle or a position for receiving goods. In addition, the predetermined position is not limited to a position where the vehicle 10 stops, and may also be a position where the vehicle 10 passes while driving. In addition, the predetermined position is a position where the face of the driver of the vehicle 10 can be photographed by the camera 400. If a positive determination is made in step S301, the routine proceeds to step S302, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends.

[0112] In step S302, the control unit 41 obtains a user face image by photographing the driver of the vehicle 10 using the camera 400. The control unit 41 causes the storage unit 42 to store the obtained user face image. In step S303, the control unit 41 obtains a vehicle ID from the vehicle 10. For example, the vehicle ID may be transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 100 to the camera 400 using short-range wireless communication. As another example, the number plate of the vehicle 10 may be photographed using the camera 400, and the vehicle number may be obtained by image analysis.

[0113] In step S304, the control unit 41 obtains the user ID corresponding to the vehicle ID from the association establishment management server 50. At this time, the control unit 41 inquires the association establishment management server 50 whether there is a valid association establishment relationship corresponding to the vehicle ID at the target date and time. In this case, the control unit 41 sends the vehicle ID and the information related to the target date and time to the association establishment management server 50. For example, if the user has not registered the user ID, there is no valid association establishment relationship corresponding to the vehicle ID. Therefore, in the association establishment management server 50, it is determined whether there is a user ID corresponding to the vehicle ID. In addition, for example, there is also a case where an effective period is set for the association establishment of the vehicle ID and the user ID. In this case, if the effective period of the association establishment of the vehicle ID and the user ID is exceeded, there is no valid association establishment relationship corresponding to the vehicle ID. Therefore, in the association establishment management server 50, it is determined whether it is within the effective period of the association establishment of the vehicle ID and the user ID. In addition, for example, when a valid association establishment relationship between the vehicle ID and the user ID is required at a specific date and time, a timestamp is used to determine whether there is a valid association establishment relationship between the vehicle ID and the user ID at the specific date and time. When there is a valid association relationship between the vehicle ID and the user ID at the target date and time, the association management server 50 sends the user ID to the user-side server 40. On the other hand, when there is no valid association relationship between the vehicle ID and the user ID at the target date and time, the association management server 50 sends information to that effect to the user-side server 40. In this case, the control unit 41 cannot obtain the user ID corresponding to the vehicle ID.

[0114] In step S305, the control unit 41 determines whether the user ID has been obtained in step S304. If a positive determination is made in step S305, the routine proceeds to step S306, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends. In addition, if a negative determination is made in step S305, the fact that settlement cannot be performed may be reported to the user. In this case, for example, the usage-side server 40 may be configured to display the content on a sign or play the sound of the content from a speaker.

[0115] In step S306, the control unit 41 obtains the processed facial image for authentication and information related to various permissions from the central server 30. At this time, the control unit 41 sends a request for search based on the user ID to the central server 30. In response to the request, the central server 30 sends the processed facial image for authentication and information related to various permissions to the user-side server 40. In addition, the control unit 41 receives the processed facial image for authentication and information related to various permissions of the user from the central server 30.

[0116] In step S307, the control unit 41 performs facial authentication by comparing the user facial image obtained in step S302 with the processed authentication facial image obtained in step S306. Facial authentication can adopt a known technology. The facial authentication method is not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined according to the implementation.

[0117] In step S308, the control unit 41 determines whether the facial authentication is successful. If a positive determination is made in step S308, the routine proceeds to step S309, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends. In addition, if a negative determination is made in step S308, the fact that the settlement cannot be performed can be reported to the user.

[0118] In step S309, the control unit 41 determines whether the user can make a payment in the settlement server 70. The control unit 41 determines whether the user's authority is valid based on the information related to various authorities obtained from the center server 30. In this case, the control unit 41 may inquire the settlement server 70 whether the user can make a payment in the settlement server 70. If a positive determination is made in step S308, the routine proceeds to step S310, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends.

[0119] In step S309 , the control unit 41 requests the settlement server 70 to make a settlement request. In other words, the user's authority is exercised. At this time, information related to the user ID and the amount to be settled is sent to the settlement server 70 .

[0120] In this way, the attributes of the vehicle 10 are reflected in the processed authentication facial image. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the deviation between the shooting condition of the user in the user facial image obtained during authentication and the shooting condition of the user in the processed authentication facial image. Therefore, the accuracy of facial authentication of the user riding in the vehicle 10 can be improved.

[0121] <Second embodiment>

[0122] In this embodiment, when the same user ID is associated with multiple vehicle IDs of the same vehicle model, the already generated processed authentication facial image is used. Even if a vehicle 10 is assigned a vehicle ID different from the vehicle 10 for which the processed authentication facial image has been generated, the already generated processed authentication facial image can be used as long as the vehicle model is the same. That is, as long as the vehicle model is the same, the attributes of the vehicle 10 can be considered to have the same influence on the user facial image, so as long as the vehicle model and user ID are the same, the processed authentication facial image can be used.

[0123] When the facial image processing unit 314 of the center server 30 generates a processed facial image for authentication and stores it in the processed facial image DB 323 for authentication, it associates it with the user ID, vehicle ID, and vehicle model. Fig.13 1 is a diagram showing an example of a table structure of the processed authentication facial image DB 323 according to the embodiment. The processed authentication facial image DB 323 stores the relationship between the user ID, the vehicle ID, the vehicle model, and the processed authentication facial image. The information related to the vehicle model is included in the information obtained by the vehicle information acquisition unit 313 from the vehicle ID server 60.

[0124] In addition, before generating a processed authentication facial image, the facial image processing unit 314 of the central server 30 determines whether a record with the same user ID and vehicle model already exists in the processed authentication facial image DB 323. Furthermore, if there is no record with the same user ID and vehicle model, the facial image processing unit 314 of the central server 30 generates a processed authentication facial image based on the vehicle attributes. On the other hand, if there is a record with the same user ID and vehicle model, the facial image processing unit 314 extracts the processed authentication facial image stored in the record with the same user ID and vehicle model. Furthermore, the processed authentication facial image is associated with the user ID, vehicle ID, and vehicle model and stored in the processed authentication facial image DB 323. In this way, if a processed authentication facial image has already been generated for a vehicle 10 with the same user ID and vehicle model, the processed authentication facial image is used thereafter, and a new processed authentication facial image is not generated for the vehicle 10 with the same user ID and vehicle model.

[0125] Next, the processing of providing the processed authentication facial image in the center server 30 will be described. Fig.14 FIG. 1 is a flowchart of processing for providing a processed authentication facial image in the center server 30 according to the embodiment. Fig.14 In addition, Fig.14The processing shown in the figure is executed by each software module of the control unit 31, but in the following flowchart, it is explained that the control unit 31 executes the processing. Fig.11 The same processing steps are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0126] exist Fig.14 In the routine shown, if the processing of step S204 is completed, the process proceeds to step S401. In step S401, the control unit 31 determines whether the same vehicle model is not registered in the processed authentication facial image DB 323 for the user ID acquired in step S201. That is, the control unit 31 determines whether there is no record with the same user ID and vehicle model in the processed authentication facial image DB 323. If a positive determination is made in step S401, the process proceeds to step S205, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S402.

[0127] In step S402, the control unit 31 uses the processed authentication facial image. At this time, the control unit 31 extracts the processed authentication facial image from the record with the same user ID and vehicle model. The control unit 31 associates the extracted processed authentication facial image with the user ID, vehicle ID, and vehicle model and stores it in the processed authentication facial image DB 323. In addition, as another example, information related to the place where the extracted processed authentication facial image is stored can also be associated with the user ID, vehicle ID, and vehicle model and stored in the processed authentication facial image DB 323.

[0128] In this way, by using the processed authentication facial image, the load on the center server 30 can be reduced.

[0129] <Other embodiments>

[0130] The above-mentioned implementation is only an example, and the present disclosure can be implemented by appropriately changing it within the scope of its gist. As long as no technical contradiction occurs, the processing and means described in the present disclosure can be freely combined for implementation. In addition, the processing described as being performed by one device can be shared and executed by multiple devices. Alternatively, the processing described as being performed by different devices can also be executed by one device. In a computer system, it is possible to flexibly change which hardware composition (server composition) is used to implement each function.

[0131] For example, one server may have the functions of two or more of the central server 30, the user-side server 40, the association management server 50, the vehicle ID server 60, and the settlement server 70. For example, the central server 30 and the user-side server 40 may be one server. Similarly, the central server 30 and the association management server 50 or the vehicle ID server 60 may also be one server.

[0132] Furthermore, the processed authentication facial image generated by the center server 30 may be transmitted from the center server 30 to the user-side server 40 and stored in the storage unit 42 of the user-side server 40 before a search based on the user ID is requested from the user-side server 40 .

[0133] In addition, the processed authentication facial image can be generated by the control unit 41 of the utilization side server 40. In this case, a request to send the authentication facial image at the time of user registration required for the generation of the processed authentication facial image is sent to the central server 30. At this time, information related to at least one of the user ID and the vehicle ID is sent to the central server 30. In addition, information related to various permissions of the user and information related to the attributes of the vehicle 10 are also obtained from the central server 30 together with the authentication facial image. In addition, the information related to the attributes of the vehicle 10 can be directly obtained from the vehicle ID server 60 by the control unit 41. The control unit 41 generates the processed authentication facial image based on the authentication facial image received from the central server 30 and the attributes of the vehicle.

[0134] In addition, the control unit 31 of the center server 30 can periodically access the association management server 50 to generate a processed authentication facial image for each vehicle type corresponding to the user ID. This can handle situations where the user changes vehicles 10 or purchases additional vehicles 10.

[0135] In the above-described embodiment, when facial authentication is successful, the settlement server 70 is requested to settle the transaction. However, the transaction is not limited to settlement, and the user-side server 40 can execute various rights of the user.

[0136] In addition, when generating the processed authentication facial image, the height at which the camera 400 is arranged may be reflected. Since the angle of the user's face changes depending on the height at which the camera 400 is arranged, the authentication facial image may be processed so that the user faces the front, for example. In addition, the vehicle height may be used as an attribute of the vehicle 10. In this case, the processed authentication facial image may be generated in a manner that changes the angle of the face according to the vehicle height.

[0137] The present disclosure can also be implemented by supplying a computer program installed with the functions described in the above-mentioned embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read out the program and execute it. 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 can be provided to the computer via a network. Non-temporary computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disks such as magnetic disks (floppy (registered trademark) disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVD disks, Blu-ray disks, etc.), read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic cards, flash memories, optical cards, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic commands.

[0138] Description of reference numerals:

[0139] 1…system; 10…vehicle; 20…user terminal; 30…central server; 31…control unit; 32…storage unit; 40…utilization side server; 41…control unit; 42…storage unit; 50…association establishment management server; 60…vehicle ID server; 70…settlement server; 100…vehicle-mounted device; 400…camera.

Claims

1. An information processing device, wherein: A control unit is provided to execute the following processing: obtaining identification information of a user of the vehicle, namely user identification information, and an image of the face of the user for authentication, namely an authentication facial image; Obtaining the vehicle identification information that is associated with the user identification information, namely, the vehicle identification information; obtaining information related to attributes of the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification information; as well as The processed authentication facial image is generated by processing the authentication facial image based on information related to the attribute of the vehicle.

2. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit causes the storage unit to store the processed authentication facial image so that the image can be used for facial authentication when the user uses the vehicle.

3. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit obtains the user identification information and the authentication facial image from a terminal of the user.

4. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit transmits the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user identification information in response to a request to transmit the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user identification information.

5. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit generates the processed authentication facial image in response to a request to transmit the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user identification information.

6. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit generates the processed authentication facial image in response to obtaining the user identification information and the authentication facial image from the terminal of the user.

7. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit generates the processed authentication facial image in a manner reflecting the color of glass of the vehicle.

8. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit generates the processed authentication facial image by processing the authentication facial image into an image captured through a glass of the vehicle based on information related to the attribute of the vehicle.

9. The information processing device according to claim 1, wherein: The control unit also performs the following processing: Obtaining information related to the vehicle model associated with the vehicle identification information; In response to the generated processed authentication facial image, the storage unit stores the processed authentication facial image in association with the user identification information and the information related to the vehicle type; When the storage unit does not store a first processed authentication facial image having the same user identification information and information related to the vehicle model as the processed authentication facial image, generating the processed authentication facial image in response to acquiring the information related to the vehicle model; as well as When the first processed facial image for authentication is stored in the storage unit, in response to obtaining information related to the vehicle model, the first processed facial image for authentication is associated with the information related to the vehicle model and the user identification information instead of generating the processed facial image for authentication.

10. An information processing method, wherein: The following processing is performed by the computer: obtaining identification information of a user of the vehicle, namely user identification information, and an image of the face of the user for authentication, namely an authentication facial image; Obtaining the vehicle identification information that is associated with the user identification information, namely, the vehicle identification information; obtaining information related to attributes of the vehicle associated with the vehicle identification information; as well as The processed authentication facial image is generated by processing the authentication facial image based on information related to the attribute of the vehicle.

11. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer causes the storage unit to store the processed authentication facial image so that the processed authentication facial image can be used for facial authentication when the user uses the vehicle.

12. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer obtains the user identification information and the authentication facial image from a terminal of the user.

13. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer transmits the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user identification information in response to a request to transmit the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user identification information.

14. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer generates the processed authentication facial image in response to a request to transmit the processed authentication facial image corresponding to the user identification information.

15. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer generates the processed authentication facial image in response to acquiring the user identification information and the authentication facial image from the terminal of the user.

16. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer generates the processed authentication facial image in a manner reflecting the color of the glass of the vehicle.

17. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer generates the processed authentication facial image by processing the authentication facial image into an image captured through a glass of the vehicle based on information related to the attribute of the vehicle.

18. The information processing method according to claim 10, wherein: The computer also performs the following processing: Obtaining information related to the vehicle model associated with the vehicle identification information; In response to the generated processed authentication facial image, the storage unit stores the processed authentication facial image in association with the user identification information and the information related to the vehicle type; When the storage unit does not store a first processed authentication facial image having the same user identification information and information related to the vehicle model as the processed authentication facial image, generating the processed authentication facial image in response to acquiring the information related to the vehicle model; as well as When the first processed facial image for authentication is stored in the storage unit, in response to obtaining information related to the vehicle model, the first processed facial image for authentication is associated with the information related to the vehicle model and the user identification information instead of generating the processed facial image for authentication.

19. An information processing device, wherein: A control unit is provided to execute the following processing: acquiring an image generated by photographing a user riding in the vehicle using a camera disposed outside the vehicle, that is, a user's facial image; Obtaining identification information of the vehicle, namely, vehicle identification information; At the authentication time, obtaining the identification information of the user associated with the vehicle identification information, that is, the user identification information; Acquiring a processed authentication facial image, which is an image of the user's face that is associated with the user identification information and processed to reflect the attributes of the vehicle determined based on the vehicle identification information; authenticating the user by comparing the user facial image with the processed authentication facial image; as well as When the authentication of the user is successful, a process associated with the user is executed.

20. The information processing device according to claim 19, wherein: The control unit associates the request to send the processed facial image for authentication with the user identification information and sends the request to the server that generates the processed facial image for authentication, The control unit obtains the processed authentication facial image from the server.

Images