System, information processing device, and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system, an information processing apparatus, and a method. The technology is improved in relation to remote vehicle state confirmation. An information processing apparatus (20) mounted on a vehicle (10) receives a first notification indicating that a user (U) has started, in a terminal apparatus (30), display of a vehicle state confirmation of the vehicle (10). The information processing apparatus (20) collects information of the vehicle (10) after receiving the first notification, and transmits the collected information at predetermined intervals. Then, the information processing apparatus (20) stops the collection and transmission of the information of the vehicle (10) after receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal apparatus (30) has ended the vehicle state confirmation or after a predetermined time elapses from the reception of the first notification.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a system, information processing apparatus, and method. Background Technology

[0002] Previously, there was a known technology concerning a remote confirmation service that allowed users to check the status of a vehicle from a terminal device even when they were far from the vehicle, or a remote operation service that allowed users to operate in-vehicle equipment from a terminal device. For example, Patent Document 1 disclosed a technology that limited the remote operation or remote confirmation function based on the battery's state of charge.

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Patent No. 4556776 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] Remote vehicle status verification services require the vehicle's power. Previous remote verification services did not adequately consider reducing the required power. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the technology regarding remote vehicle status verification.

[0008] The purpose of this disclosure, made in view of the above circumstances, is to improve the technology for remote vehicle status confirmation.

[0009] Technical solutions for solving the problem

[0010] One embodiment of the system disclosed herein includes a user terminal device and an information processing device mounted on a vehicle, wherein...

[0011] The terminal device has a display unit that displays a vehicle status confirmation screen.

[0012] The terminal device performs the following operations:

[0013] The vehicle status confirmation begins displaying the vehicle's status.

[0014] Obtain information about the vehicle.

[0015] Based on the information, the vehicle's status is displayed on the vehicle status confirmation screen.

[0016] After that, the vehicle status confirmation ends.

[0017] The information processing device includes:

[0018] The communications unit receives either a first notification indicating that the terminal device has started displaying the vehicle's status or a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation.

[0019] Sensors that collect information about the vehicle; and

[0020] After receiving the first notification, the processor sends the information collected by the sensor from the communication unit at predetermined intervals, and stops collecting and sending the vehicle's information after receiving the second notification or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification.

[0021] One embodiment of the information processing device disclosed herein is mounted on a vehicle, wherein...

[0022] The information processing device includes a control unit, which performs the following operations:

[0023] Acceptance indicates that the user has initiated the first vehicle status confirmation notification, which displays the vehicle's status on the terminal device.

[0024] After receiving the first notification, information about the vehicle is collected, and the collected information is sent at predetermined intervals.

[0025] After receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease.

[0026] One embodiment of this disclosure is a method executed by an information processing device mounted in a vehicle, the method comprising:

[0027] Acceptance indicates that the user has initiated the first notification of vehicle status confirmation, which displays the status of the vehicle, on the terminal device;

[0028] After receiving the first notification, information about the vehicle is collected, and the collected information is sent at predetermined intervals; and

[0029] After receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease.

[0030] Invention Effects

[0031] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the technology for remote vehicle status confirmation is improved. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating a schematic structure of a system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the schematic structure of an information processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a block diagram illustrating the schematic structure of a central server according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an information processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 5 This is an example of a vehicle status confirmation screen of a terminal device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following description, with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrates the manner in which this disclosure is carried out. In the drawings, the same symbols denote the same or equivalent structural elements.

[0038] (Summary of the implementation method)

[0039] Figure 1 The schematic structure of a system 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. System 1 includes an information processing device 20 mounted on a vehicle 10, a terminal device 30 of a user U, and a central server 40. The information processing device 20, the terminal device 30, and the central server 40 of the vehicle 10 are connected to each other in a manner that enables them to communicate with each other through a network 50 including, for example, the Internet and a mobile communication network.

[0040] Vehicle 10 is, for example, a car, but is not limited to this, and can be any vehicle. Cars can be, for example, gasoline cars, electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), or fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), but are not limited to these. The number of vehicles 10 in system 1 can also be arbitrarily determined.

[0041] In this embodiment, the vehicle 10 is equipped with an information processing device 20. The information processing device 20 is, for example, a computer or a dedicated electronic device such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The information processing device 20 can communicate with the terminal device 30 and the central server 40 via the network 50.

[0042] Terminal device 30 is any device used by user U. As terminal device 30, it can be a general-purpose electronic device such as a smartphone, PC (Personal Computer), or tablet terminal, or a dedicated electronic device. Terminal device 30 can communicate with the information processing device 20 of vehicle 10 and the central server 40 via network 50. Furthermore, in Figure 1 In System 1, one terminal device 30 is shown, but it is not limited to this. System 1 may also have two or more terminal devices 30.

[0043] The central server 40 is, for example, a server device located in a data center. For instance, the central server 40 is a server belonging to a cloud computing system or other computing system. The central server 40 can communicate with the information processing device 20 and terminal device 30 of the vehicle 10 via the network 50. Furthermore, in Figure 1 In System 1, one central server 40 is shown, but it is not limited to this. System 1 may also have two or more central servers 40.

[0044] Network 50 includes the Internet, at least one WAN (wide area network), at least one MAN (metropolitan area network), or a combination thereof. Network 50 may also include at least one wireless network, at least one optical network, or a combination thereof. Wireless networks are, for example, ad-hoc networks, cellular networks, wireless LANs (local area networks), satellite communication networks, or terrestrial microwave networks.

[0045] This section describes a conventional remote vehicle status confirmation service (sometimes simply referred to as "remote confirmation"). To implement this service, conventionally, the vehicle 10's information processing unit 20 would continuously acquire vehicle information and send it (upload) to the central server 40 (e.g., every second). This resulted in significant communication costs for transmitting the latest vehicle information, leading to high operational costs. Furthermore, if the vehicle 10 was stationary (IGOFF; ignition power OFF), it relied on battery power for information collection and communication, raising concerns about battery depletion.

[0046] First, an outline of one embodiment of this disclosure will be given; details will be described later. An information processing device 20 (or its control unit) mounted on the vehicle 10 receives a first notification. The first notification indicates that user U has started displaying the vehicle status of the vehicle 10 on the terminal device 30. After receiving the first notification, the information processing device 20 collects information about the vehicle 10 and sends the collected information at predetermined intervals. Then, after receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device 30 has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the information processing device 20 stops collecting and sending information about the vehicle 10.

[0047] Thus, according to this embodiment, the information processing device 20 mounted on the vehicle 10 begins collecting and transmitting information about the vehicle 10 after the user U begins vehicle status verification on the terminal device 30. After a predetermined time has elapsed since then, or when the terminal device 30 ends vehicle status verification, the information processing device 20 ends the collection and transmission of information about the vehicle 10. Therefore, the information processing device 20 collects and transmits information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals during the period (or a shorter period) during which the user U verifies the vehicle status of the vehicle 10 on the terminal device 30. The information processing device 20 does not continuously acquire and transmit vehicle information as in the past. Therefore, according to this disclosure, the power and communication costs required for collecting and transmitting information about the vehicle 10 are significantly reduced compared to the past, thus improving the technology for remote vehicle status verification.

[0048] Next, the structure of System 1 will be described in detail.

[0049] (Structure of the vehicle's information processing unit)

[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the information processing device 20 of the vehicle 10 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication unit 23, and a sensor unit 24.

[0051] The control unit 21 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or combinations thereof. The processor may be a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor for specific processing, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit may be, for example, a FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), but is not limited to these. The dedicated circuit may be, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), but is not limited to these. The control unit 21 controls the operation of the entire information processing device 20.

[0052] In one embodiment, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 controls the collection and transmission of information of the vehicle 10 to start or stop based on a notification related to the vehicle status confirmation implemented by the user U.

[0053] Storage unit 22 includes one or more memory units. These memory units may be, for example, semiconductor memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, but are not limited to these. Semiconductor memory units may be, for example, RAM (random access memory) or ROM (read-only memory). RAM may be, for example, SRAM (static random access memory) or DRAM (dynamic random access memory). ROM may be, for example, EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory). Each memory unit included in storage unit 22 may function as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. Storage unit 22 stores any information used in the operation of information processing device 20. For example, storage unit 22 may also store system programs, application programs, and embedded software. Information stored in storage unit 22 can also be updated using information obtained from network 50, for example, via communication unit 23.

[0054] The communication unit 23 includes at least one communication interface connected to the network 50. There may be multiple communication interfaces, which can be interfaces for either wired or wireless communication. In the case of wired communication, the communication interface may be, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface or a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. In the case of wireless communication, the communication interface may be, for example, an interface corresponding to mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th generation), or 5G (5th generation), or an interface corresponding to short-range wireless communication such as WiFi or Bluetooth, but is not limited to these and can correspond to any communication standard. The communication unit 23 receives data from external devices or vehicle-mounted devices, and also transmits data obtained through the operation of the information processing device 20. The information processing device 20 communicates with the terminal device 30 and the central server 40 via the communication unit 23 and the network 50. In one embodiment, the communication unit 23 of the information processing device 20 receives a first notification indicating that the terminal device 30 of the user U has started displaying the status of the vehicle 10. Additionally, the communication unit 23 receives a second notification indicating that the terminal device 30 has finished displaying the vehicle status.

[0055] The sensor unit 24 includes one or more sensors that acquire information about the vehicle 10. Specifically, the sensor unit 24 includes various sensors that acquire information such as the open or locked status of the doors or windows of the vehicle 10, the flashing status of the hazard warning lights, and a temperature sensor that measures the interior temperature of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the sensor unit 24 may also include various sensors that measure the humidity, CO2 concentration, air pressure, air conditioning operation status (airflow, air direction), and remaining battery level of the vehicle 10. In addition, the sensor unit 24 may also include a GPS (Global Positioning System) for locating the position of the vehicle 10 and sensors that acquire driving information including the speed of the vehicle 10. Furthermore, the information processing device 20 may include the sensor unit 24 as part of the device 20, or it may acquire information about the vehicle 10 from external sensors via the communication unit 23, etc.

[0056] (Structure of the terminal device)

[0057] Like the information processing device 20, the terminal device 30 includes a control unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit, as well as an input unit (touchscreen, etc.), a display unit (monitor, etc.), and sensors (GPS, etc.). Specific details about each part of the terminal device 30 are omitted.

[0058] (Structure of the central server)

[0059] like Figure 3 As shown, the central server 40 includes a control unit 41, a storage unit 42, and a communication unit 43.

[0060] The control unit 41 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or combinations thereof. The processor may be a general-purpose processor such as a CPU or GPU, or a dedicated processor specifically designed for particular processing, but is not limited to these. The programmable circuit may be, for example, an FPGA, but is not limited to these. The dedicated circuit may be, for example, an ASIC, but is not limited to these. The control unit 41 controls the operation of the entire central server 40.

[0061] Storage unit 42 includes one or more memory units. These memory units may be, for example, semiconductor memory, magnetic memory, or optical memory, but are not limited to these. Each memory unit included in storage unit 42 may function as a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, or a cache memory. Storage unit 42 stores any information used in the operation of central server 40. For example, storage unit 42 may also store system programs, application programs, databases, and map information. The information stored in storage unit 42 can also be updated using information obtained from network 50, for example, via communication unit 43.

[0062] In one embodiment, the storage unit 42 of the central server 40 stores information about the vehicle 10 sent from the vehicle 10. The storage unit 42 updates the information about the vehicle 10 based on the information sent from the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals, saving the latest status information of the vehicle 10. Then, based on a service request for vehicle status confirmation from the terminal device 30 of the user U, the central server 40 sends the latest status information of the vehicle 10 to the terminal device 30.

[0063] The communication unit 43 includes at least one communication interface connected to the network 50. The communication interface can be an interface for either wired or wireless communication, but wireless communication is preferred. In the case of wireless communication, the communication interface may be, for example, an interface corresponding to mobile communication standards such as LTE, 4G, or 5G, or an interface corresponding to short-range wireless communication such as WiFi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark), but is not limited to these, and can correspond to any communication standard. The central server 40 communicates with the information processing device 20 and the terminal device 30 of the vehicle 10 via the communication unit 43 and the network 50. In one embodiment, the communication unit 43 of the central server 40 receives information from the information processing device 20 of the vehicle 10 and sends the information to the terminal device 30.

[0064] (The operation flow of the information processing device)

[0065] Reference Figure 4 The flowchart illustrates the operation of the information processing device 20 (control unit 21) according to the first embodiment. The first embodiment is as follows: In Figure 1 In System 1, the information processing device 20 of the vehicle 10 and the terminal device 30 of the user U communicate via the central server 40 to send and receive information. Furthermore, the second embodiment will be described later regarding the case where the information processing device 20 and the terminal device 30 send and receive information without going through the central server 40.

[0066] exist Figure 4 In S1 (hereinafter, S and numbers are used to define each step of the flowchart), the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 receives a first notification indicating that the user U has started displaying the status of the vehicle 10 in the terminal device 30.

[0067] Specifically, first, user U operates terminal device 30 to launch an application for controlling vehicle 10 remotely (hereinafter referred to as the "remote control application"). Here, the remote control application provides multiple services. User U selects the service for confirming the status of vehicle 10 (the "remote confirmation" service) from among these services. Based on user U's operation, terminal device 30 displays a vehicle status confirmation screen on its display. Furthermore, if user U selects the service for confirming the status of vehicle 10 (activating the vehicle status confirmation screen), terminal device 30 sends a signal to central server 40 inquiring about the current (or latest) status of vehicle 10.

[0068] If the central server 40 receives a signal from the terminal device 30 inquiring about the status of the vehicle 10, it sends a first notification to the information processing device 20 of the vehicle 10. The first notification indicates that the user U has started vehicle status confirmation, which displays the status of the vehicle 10, on the terminal device 30. In S1, the communication unit 23 of the information processing device 20 receives the first notification.

[0069] In S2, after receiving the first notification, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 collects information about the vehicle 10 and sends the collected information. This collection and transmission of information is repeated at predetermined intervals.

[0070] Specifically, if the control unit 21 receives the first notification via the communication unit 23, it begins collecting information about the vehicle 10. This information is collected using the sensor unit 24. For example, the open / closed status or locked status of the vehicle 10's doors or windows, and the flashing status of the hazard warning lights, are obtained from various sensors attached to the doors or lights. A temperature sensor measures the interior temperature of the vehicle 10. Additionally, the vehicle 10's GPS system locates its position. Even when the vehicle 10 is in the ignition state (IGON; ignition power ON), the sensor unit 24 can also acquire driving information, including the vehicle 10's speed (various information indicating the vehicle 10's driving status).

[0071] Furthermore, the control unit 21 transmits the collected information about the vehicle 10 to the central server 40 via the communication unit 23. It is desirable to collect and transmit the information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. The predetermined interval can be set arbitrarily. For example, the control unit 21 may collect and transmit information every second. When the vehicle 10 is in the ignition state (IGON), the state (driving information) of the vehicle 10 changes constantly, so it is desirable to collect and transmit information at short intervals.

[0072] If the central server 40 receives information about vehicle 10 from the information processing device 20 of vehicle 10, it stores the latest information about vehicle 10 in the storage unit 42. Additionally, the central server 40 transmits the information about vehicle 10 to the user U's terminal device 30 via the communication unit 43. The information about vehicle 10 transmitted from the information processing device 20 at predetermined intervals is expected to be transmitted to the terminal device 30 sequentially. Based on the received information about vehicle 10, the terminal device 30 displays the current status of vehicle 10 on a vehicle status confirmation screen.

[0073] Figure 5 This is an example of a vehicle status confirmation screen displayed on the display unit (monitor) of the user U's terminal device 30. The vehicle status confirmation screen displays the current (or latest) status of the vehicle 10. Figure 5 The screen displays items related to doors, windows, sunroof, temperature, and lights. Regarding doors, it shows whether the door is currently closed and unlocked. Additionally, a warning symbol (a triangle) is displayed for door locks. For windows and sunroof, it shows the power windows are closed. Regarding temperature, it shows the interior temperature is 20°C. Regarding lights, it shows the hazard warning lights are off. These are just examples; the vehicle status confirmation screen can also display various states of vehicle 10. For example, it can also display the location of vehicle 10. Furthermore, it can display driving information including the speed of vehicle 10.

[0074] If the terminal device 30 receives information about vehicle 10, it expects to automatically update the vehicle status confirmation screen based on the received information. By automatically updating, the latest status of vehicle 10 is always displayed on the vehicle status confirmation screen. Thus, user U can check the information about vehicle 10 in real time. Alternatively, instead of automatically updating the vehicle status confirmation screen, a status update button can be provided on the vehicle status confirmation screen. That is, whenever user U presses (clicks) the status update button, the terminal device 30 retrieves the latest information about vehicle 10 stored in the central server 40 and displays it on the vehicle status confirmation screen. In this case, the latest information about vehicle 10 can be checked at any time selected by user U.

[0075] exist Figure 4 In step S3, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines whether a second notification indicating that the terminal device 30 has ended vehicle status confirmation has been received, or whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the first notification was received. If it is determined that the second notification has been received or that a predetermined time has elapsed since the first notification was received (S3 - "Yes"), the process proceeds to S4. On the other hand, if it is determined that the second notification has not been received and that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the first notification was received (S3 - "No"), the process returns to S2.

[0076] Specifically, user U operates terminal device 30 to end the confirmation of vehicle 10's status. Based on user U's ending operation, terminal device 30 sends a signal indicating the end of vehicle status confirmation for vehicle 10 to central server 40. Furthermore, user U ending the confirmation of vehicle 10's status is not limited to closing the vehicle status confirmation screen. For example, ending the confirmation of vehicle status may include user U displaying other application screens on terminal device 30 (where the vehicle status confirmation screen is no longer active).

[0077] If the central server 40 receives a signal from the terminal device 30 indicating the end of vehicle status confirmation for vehicle 10, it sends a second notification to the information processing device 20 of vehicle 10. The second notification indicates that the terminal device 30 has ended vehicle status confirmation. In S3, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines whether the communication unit 23 has received the second notification.

[0078] Alternatively, in S3, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the first notification of vehicle status confirmation was received. Here, the predetermined time can be set arbitrarily, for example, to 2 minutes. This predetermined time can be appropriately set within a range where the power consumption generated by the vehicle status confirmation service (the electrical energy required for the collection and transmission of information of vehicle 10) does not adversely affect the battery charge of vehicle 10.

[0079] As described above, if the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines that the second notification has not been received and that a predetermined time has not elapsed since the first notification was received (S3 - "No"), the process returns to S2. Then, the control unit 21 again performs the process of collecting and sending the information of the vehicle 10. For example, the period from when the control unit 21 starts collecting and sending the information of the vehicle 10 until it determines whether the second notification has been received or whether a predetermined time has elapsed can be set as the predetermined interval. By setting the period in this way, S2 and S3 are repeated at predetermined intervals, and the information of the vehicle 10 is collected and sent at predetermined intervals until the determination of S3 becomes "Yes".

[0080] Next, in S4, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops collecting and sending information about the vehicle 10 after receiving the second notification or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification. Afterward, the processing ends.

[0081] Furthermore, if the transmission of vehicle 10 information from the information processing device 20 is stopped, the central server 40 stores the last received vehicle 10 information in the storage unit 42. If the information processing device 20 stops transmitting vehicle 10 information due to receiving the second notification, the central server 40 stops transmitting vehicle 10 information to the terminal device 30. Additionally, if the information processing device 20 stops transmitting vehicle 10 information because a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the central server 40 is expected to notify the terminal device 30 that it has stopped transmitting vehicle 10 information from the information processing device 20. Thereafter, the central server 40 may stop transmitting vehicle 10 information to the terminal device 30, or it may transmit the last received vehicle 10 information to the terminal device 30 at predetermined intervals.

[0082] As described above, according to this embodiment, after the user U begins vehicle status verification of the vehicle 10 in the terminal device 30, the information processing device 20 begins collecting and transmitting information about the vehicle 10. After a predetermined time has elapsed from this point, or when the terminal device 30 ends vehicle status verification, the information processing device 20 ends collecting and transmitting information about the vehicle 10. Therefore, during the period when the user U verifies the vehicle status of the vehicle 10 in the terminal device 30, the information processing device 20 collects and transmits information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. Therefore, the power and communication costs required for collecting and transmitting information about the vehicle 10 are significantly reduced compared to the past.

[0083] about Figure 4 The operation of the information processing device 20 (or control unit 21) shown will be further explained. In the determination of S3, the conditions for stopping the collection and transmission of information of vehicle 10 can also be set in more detail.

[0084] In S3 and S4, when vehicle 10 is in the IGON state, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops collecting and transmitting information about vehicle 10 after receiving the second notification. That is, even if a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification while vehicle 10 is in the IGON state, the collection and transmission of vehicle 10's information will not stop; however, the collection and transmission of vehicle 10's information will stop upon receiving the second notification. Due to this setting, vehicle 10's information is continuously transmitted during the period when user U checks the vehicle status of vehicle 10 on terminal device 30, and the latest information is displayed on the vehicle status confirmation screen. Since vehicle 10 has surplus power when it is in the IGON state, vehicle status confirmation services can be prioritized for user U.

[0085] In S3 and S4, when the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops the collection and transmission of information from the vehicle 10 at the earlier of either the time after receiving the second notification or the time after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification. That is, when the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the earlier of the time after a predetermined time (e.g., 2 minutes) since receiving the first notification and the time after receiving the second notification is prioritized, and the collection and transmission of information from the vehicle 10 is stopped. Therefore, the period for collecting and transmitting information from the vehicle 10 is shortened, suppressing power consumption. When the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the collection and transmission of information from the vehicle 10 is performed using power from the battery installed in the vehicle 10. This setting reduces the risk of battery depletion when the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state.

[0086] Furthermore, in S3 and S4, when the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops collecting and transmitting information from the vehicle 10 at the earliest of the following times: after receiving the second notification, after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, or when the remaining battery power falls below a predetermined value. That is, when the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, in addition to the aforementioned conditions of the predetermined time elapsed since receiving the first notification and the second notification, the condition of the remaining battery power decreasing is added, and the earliest of these conditions is prioritized when stopping the collection and transmission of information from the vehicle 10. Therefore, when the remaining battery power is low, the period for collecting and transmitting information from the vehicle 10 is further shortened, suppressing power consumption. When the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the remaining power of the battery installed in the vehicle 10 is considered when collecting and transmitting information from the vehicle 10. With this setting, the risk of battery depletion can be further reduced when the vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state.

[0087] Next, a variation of the above-described embodiment will be described. In the above-described embodiment, after receiving the first notification, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 repeatedly collects and transmits information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. On the other hand, in the variation, when the vehicle 10 is in an inactive state (IGOFF), the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 does not transmit information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals, but only transmits information about the vehicle 10 when the state of the vehicle 10 changes or is updated. This is based on the fact that when the vehicle 10 is in an inactive state (IGOFF), the information about the vehicle 10 changes less. Even if the information about the vehicle 10 is not transmitted when there is no change in information, the latest information about the vehicle 10, which is the same as the current information, is stored in the storage unit 42 of the central server 40, so it does not hinder the display of the information about the vehicle 10 on the terminal device 30. Moreover, since the information about the vehicle 10 is not transmitted when there is no change in the information about the vehicle 10, the power and communication costs consumed in transmitting information are saved. When the vehicle 10 is in an inactive state (IGOFF), the collection and transmission of information about the vehicle 10 is performed using power from the battery mounted on the vehicle 10. In this modified example, the risk of battery depletion can be further reduced when the vehicle 10 is stationary. Furthermore, any method can be used in the process of determining whether the state of the vehicle 10 has changed or been updated. For example, the control unit 21 can periodically collect information about the vehicle 10, calculate the rate of change of state quantities, and determine whether the rate of change is within a predetermined range. State quantities include the temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, air pressure, and air conditioning operating status (airflow, airflow direction) inside the vehicle, as well as the remaining battery power, energy consumption status, and the open / closed status of doors and windows. The open / closed status of doors and windows can also be represented by binary, for example, setting the open state to 1 and the closed state to 0. Alternatively, it can be set as a continuous value (e.g., 0–100%) corresponding to the opening degree.

[0088] Next, other variations of the above-described embodiment will be described. In the above embodiment, the first notification is given when the vehicle status confirmation screen, which displays the vehicle status, is opened after the terminal device 30 launches the application for vehicle status confirmation. On the other hand, in other variations, the first notification is given when the terminal device 30 launches the application for vehicle status confirmation. Specifically, user U operates the terminal device 30 to launch the application for controlling the vehicle 10 while away from the vehicle 10. In this variation, at the stage of launching the application (the stage before the vehicle status confirmation screen is opened), the terminal device 30 sends a signal to the central server 40 indicating that the application has been launched.

[0089] If the central server 40 receives a signal from the terminal device 30 indicating that the application has been started, it sends a first notification to the information processing device 20 of the vehicle 10 before the user U displays the vehicle status confirmation screen on the display. Then, in S1, the communication unit 23 of the information processing device 20 receives this first notification. Next, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 immediately collects information about the vehicle 10 and sends the collected information. Thus, the central server 40 receives information about the vehicle 10 before the terminal device 30 displays the vehicle status confirmation screen. Therefore, when the terminal device 30 sends a signal to the central server 40 inquiring about the current (or latest) status of the vehicle 10 along with the display of the vehicle status confirmation screen, the information about the vehicle 10 is already stored in the central server 40. Therefore, the central server 40 can immediately send the information about the vehicle 10 to the terminal device 30. According to other variations, when the user U displays the vehicle status confirmation screen on the terminal device 30, the current vehicle status is displayed without any waiting time. Therefore, the service for remote confirmation of the user U is improved.

[0090] (Regarding the second implementation method)

[0091] Next, the operation of the information processing device 20 (control unit 21) according to the second embodiment will be explained. In the second embodiment, the information processing device 20 of the vehicle 10 and the terminal device 30 of the user U communicate directly with each other to send and receive information. Therefore, the central server 40 is not used in the remote confirmation service. The communication unit between the information processing device 20 and the terminal device 30 can utilize any form of wireless communication. Hereinafter, descriptions common to the first embodiment will be omitted or simplified.

[0092] exist Figure 4 In step S1, user U operates terminal device 30 to launch an application for controlling vehicle 10 while away from it. Further, user U selects a service to check the status of vehicle 10. Based on user U's operation, terminal device 30 displays a vehicle status confirmation screen on its display. Additionally, accompanying user U's selection of the vehicle status confirmation service (activating the vehicle status confirmation screen), terminal device 30 sends a signal to the information processing device 20 of vehicle 10 inquiring about the current (or latest) vehicle status. In the second embodiment, this signal inquiring about the vehicle status is a first notification indicating that the user has started displaying the vehicle status confirmation on terminal device 30. Figure 4 In S1, the communication unit 23 of the information processing device 20 receives the first notification, and the control unit 21 accepts the first notification.

[0093] Furthermore, it is stated here that the signal for inquiring about the vehicle status is the first notification, but as in the other variations described above, the first notification could also be a signal indicating that the terminal device 30 has started an application for vehicle status confirmation.

[0094] In S2, after receiving the first notification, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 collects information about the vehicle 10. This information is collected using the sensor unit 24. Then, the control unit 21 transmits the collected vehicle 10 information to the terminal device 30 via the communication unit 23. It is expected that the collection and transmission of vehicle 10 information will occur at predetermined intervals. As a result, the current status of the vehicle 10 will be displayed on the vehicle status confirmation screen of the terminal device 30. It is expected that the terminal device 30 will automatically update the vehicle status confirmation screen if it receives new information about the vehicle 10.

[0095] exist Figure 4 In step S3, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines whether it has received a second notification indicating that the terminal device 30 has ended vehicle status confirmation, or whether a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification. In this embodiment, the user U operates the terminal device 30 to end the confirmation of the vehicle 10's status. Based on the user U's ending operation, the terminal device 30 sends a signal indicating that the vehicle status confirmation of the vehicle 10 has ended to the information processing device 20. In this embodiment, the signal indicating the end of vehicle status confirmation sent from the terminal device 30 is the second notification.

[0096] In S3, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines whether the communication unit 23 has received the second notification. Alternatively, the control unit 21 determines whether a predetermined time (e.g., 2 minutes) has elapsed since the first notification indicating the commencement of vehicle status confirmation was received.

[0097] As described above, if the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 determines that the second notification has not been received and that no predetermined time has elapsed since the first notification was received (S3 - "No"), the process returns to S2. Then, the collection and transmission of information of the vehicle 10 are performed at predetermined intervals until the determination in S3 becomes "Yes".

[0098] When the determination in S3 is "yes", the process proceeds to S4, and the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops collecting and transmitting information from the vehicle 10. Afterwards, the process ends.

[0099] As described above, in this embodiment, the information processing device 20 begins collecting and transmitting information about vehicle 10 after user U begins vehicle status verification in terminal device 30, and ends collecting and transmitting information about vehicle 10 after a predetermined time has elapsed from this point, or when terminal device 30 ends vehicle status verification. Therefore, the information processing device 20 collects and transmits information about vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals during the period when user U verifies vehicle status in terminal device 30. Consequently, the power and communication costs required for collecting and transmitting information about vehicle 10 are significantly reduced compared to previous methods.

[0100] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the conditions for stopping the collection and transmission of information from vehicle 10 can be set in more detail. Specifically, when vehicle 10 is in an IGON state, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops the collection and transmission of information from vehicle 10 after receiving the second notification. Additionally, when vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 stops the collection and transmission of information from vehicle 10 at either the earlier of the time after receiving the second notification or the time after a predetermined time elapsed since receiving the first notification. Furthermore, when vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state, the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 can also stop the collection and transmission of information from vehicle 10 when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined value. With this setting, the risk of battery depletion can be reduced when vehicle 10 is in an IGOFF state.

[0101] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a variation of the transmission processing can be employed, similar to the first embodiment. That is, when the vehicle 10 is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit 21 of the information processing device 20 does not transmit information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals, but only transmits information about the vehicle 10 when the state of the vehicle 10 changes or is updated. In this variation, the risk of battery depletion can be further reduced when the vehicle 10 is stopped.

[0102] As described above, similar to the first embodiment, the information processing device 20 of the second embodiment starts collecting and sending information about the vehicle 10 after the user U starts confirming the vehicle status of the vehicle 10 in the terminal device 30, and stops collecting and sending information about the vehicle 10 after a predetermined time has elapsed from this time, or when the terminal device 30 ends the vehicle status confirmation.

[0103] According to the above structure, during the period when the user U confirms the vehicle status of the vehicle 10 at the terminal device 30, the information processing device 20 collects and transmits information about the vehicle 10 at predetermined intervals. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the technology for remote vehicle status confirmation is improved in that the power and communication costs required for collecting and transmitting information about the vehicle 10 are significantly reduced compared to the past.

[0104] In order to function as the aforementioned information processing device 20, a computer capable of executing any program can also be used. The program can be program code, code segments, etc., used to perform the required tasks. The program causes the computer to execute the actions of the information processing device 20, thereby enabling the computer to function as the information processing device 20. That is, the computer functions as the information processing device 20 by executing the actions of the information processing device 20 according to the program.

[0105] In one implementation, the computer temporarily stores a program recorded on a removable recording medium or a program sent from a server in main storage. The computer then reads the program stored in main storage via its processor and executes processing according to the read program. The computer can also directly read the program from the removable recording medium and execute processing according to the program. Alternatively, the computer can execute processing according to the received program sequentially each time it receives a program from an external server. It is also possible to execute processing through a so-called ASP (Application Service Provider) type service, which functions solely based on instructions to execute and obtain results, instead of sending the program to the computer from an external server. The program includes information according to the program, which is used for processing implemented by the computer. For example, data that is not a direct instruction to the computer but has the nature of specifying the computer's processing conforms to "information according to the program."

[0106] In one implementation, the program can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include non-transitory computer-readable media, such as magnetic recording devices, optical discs, optical-magnetic recording media, or semiconductor memory. Distribution of the program can be achieved, for example, by selling, transferring, or lending removable recording media such as DVDs (digital versatile discs) or CD-ROMs (compact disc read-only memory) containing the program. Alternatively, program distribution can also be achieved by storing the program on a storage device of an external server and sending the program from the external server to other computers. Furthermore, the program can also be provided as a program product.

[0107] This disclosure has been described based on the accompanying drawings and embodiments; however, it should be noted that various modifications and alterations can be made based on this disclosure by those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that such modifications and alterations are included within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions included in each structural component or step can be reconfigured in a logically consistent manner, and multiple structural components or steps can be combined into one or divided.

[0108] For example, in the above embodiments, it is also possible to distribute the structure and operation of the information processing device 20 among multiple computers capable of communicating with each other. Additionally, it is also possible to incorporate some or all of the structural elements of the information processing device 20 into the vehicle 10. For example, a navigation device mounted on the vehicle 10 may also include some or all of the structural elements of the information processing device 20.

[0109] The following examples illustrate some embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it should be noted that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to these.

[0110] [Appendix 1]

[0111] A system comprising a user terminal device and an information processing device mounted on a vehicle, wherein,

[0112] The terminal device has a display unit that displays a vehicle status confirmation screen.

[0113] The terminal device performs the following operations:

[0114] The vehicle status confirmation begins displaying the vehicle's status.

[0115] Obtain information about the vehicle.

[0116] Based on the information, the vehicle's status is displayed on the vehicle status confirmation screen.

[0117] After that, the vehicle status confirmation ends.

[0118] The information processing device includes:

[0119] The communications unit receives either a first notification indicating that the terminal device has started displaying the vehicle's status or a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation.

[0120] Sensors that collect information about the vehicle; and

[0121] After receiving the first notification, the processor sends the information collected by the sensor from the communication unit at predetermined intervals, and stops collecting and sending the vehicle's information after receiving the second notification or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification.

[0122] [Appendix 2]

[0123] According to the system described in Appendix 1, wherein,

[0124] It also includes a central server, which sends the first notification or the second notification to the information processing device, stores the vehicle information sent from the information processing device, and sends the information to the terminal device.

[0125] [Appendix 3]

[0126] An information processing device, mounted on a vehicle, wherein,

[0127] The information processing device includes a control unit, which performs the following operations:

[0128] Acceptance indicates that the user has initiated the first vehicle status confirmation notification, which displays the vehicle's status on the terminal device.

[0129] After receiving the first notification, information about the vehicle is collected, and the collected information is sent at predetermined intervals.

[0130] After receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease.

[0131] [Appendix 4]

[0132] According to the information processing apparatus described in Appendix 3, wherein...

[0133] When the vehicle is in the ignition state (IGON), the control unit stops collecting and sending information about the vehicle after receiving the second notification.

[0134] [Appendix 5]

[0135] According to the information processing apparatus described in Appendix 3 or Appendix 4, wherein...

[0136] When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit stops collecting and transmitting vehicle information at either the earlier of the time after receiving the second notification or the time after a predetermined time elapsed since receiving the first notification.

[0137] [Appendix 6]

[0138] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Annexes 3 to 5, wherein...

[0139] When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit stops collecting and transmitting vehicle information at the earliest of the following times: after receiving the second notification, after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, or when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined value.

[0140] [Appendix 7]

[0141] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Annexes 3 to 6, wherein,

[0142] When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit collects information about the vehicle at predetermined intervals. However, the transmission of the vehicle information is not performed at predetermined intervals, but only when the vehicle's state changes or is updated.

[0143] [Appendix 8]

[0144] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Annexes 3 to 7, wherein...

[0145] The first notification is sent when the terminal device launches an application for vehicle status verification.

[0146] [Appendix 9]

[0147] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Annexes 3 to 7, wherein...

[0148] The first notification is sent when the vehicle status confirmation screen, which displays the vehicle status, is opened after the terminal device launches the application for vehicle status confirmation.

[0149] [Postscript 10]

[0150] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Annexes 3 to 9, wherein...

[0151] The vehicle information includes any one of the following: the open or locked status of doors or windows, the flashing status of hazard warning lights, the vehicle's location, the vehicle's interior temperature, and driving information including the vehicle's speed.

[0152] [Postscript 11]

[0153] The information processing apparatus according to any one of Annexes 3 to 10, wherein,

[0154] The first notification and the second notification are sent from the central server.

[0155] The vehicle information is sent to the central server.

[0156] [Postscript 12]

[0157] One method is a method executed by an information processing device mounted in a vehicle, the method comprising:

[0158] Acceptance indicates that the user has initiated the first notification of vehicle status confirmation, which displays the status of the vehicle, on the terminal device;

[0159] After receiving the first notification, information about the vehicle is collected, and the collected information is sent at predetermined intervals; and

[0160] After receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease.

[0161] [Postscript 13]

[0162] According to the method described in Appendix 12, wherein,

[0163] When the vehicle is in the started state (i.e., IGN), the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease after the second notification is received.

[0164] [Postscript 14]

[0165] According to the method described in Appendix 12 or Appendix 13, wherein,

[0166] When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease at the earlier of either the time after receiving the second notification or the time after a predetermined period elapsed since receiving the first notification.

[0167] [Postscript 15]

[0168] The method according to any one of Appendix 12 to Appendix 14, wherein,

[0169] When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall be stopped at the earliest of the following times: after receiving the second notification, after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, and when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined value.

[0170] [Postscript 16]

[0171] According to the method described in any of Appendix 12 to Appendix 15, wherein,

[0172] When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), information about the vehicle is collected at predetermined intervals. However, the information about the vehicle is not sent at predetermined intervals, but only when the state of the vehicle changes or is updated.

[0173] [Postscript 17]

[0174] According to the method described in any of Notes 12 to 16, wherein,

[0175] The first notification is sent when the terminal device launches an application for vehicle status verification.

[0176] [Postscript 18]

[0177] According to the method described in any of Notes 12 to 16, wherein,

[0178] The first notification is sent when the vehicle status confirmation screen, which displays the vehicle status, is opened after the terminal device launches the application for vehicle status confirmation.

[0179] [Postscript 19]

[0180] According to the method described in any of Notes 12 to 18, wherein,

[0181] The vehicle information includes any one of the following: the open or locked status of doors or windows, the flashing status of hazard warning lights, the vehicle's location, the vehicle's interior temperature, and driving information including the vehicle's speed.

[0182] [Postscript 20]

[0183] According to the method described in any of Appendix 12 to Appendix 19, wherein,

[0184] The first notification and the second notification are sent from the central server.

[0185] The vehicle information is sent to the central server.

[0186] (Symbol Explanation)

[0187] 1: System; 10: Vehicle; 20: Information processing device; 21: Control unit; 22: Storage unit; 23: Communication unit; 24: Sensor unit; 30: Terminal device; 40: Central server; 41: Control unit; 42: Storage unit; 43: Communication unit; 50: Network.

Claims

1. A system comprising a user terminal device and an information processing device mounted on a vehicle, wherein, The terminal device has a display unit that displays a vehicle status confirmation screen. The terminal device performs the following operations: The vehicle status confirmation begins displaying the vehicle's status. Obtain information about the vehicle. Based on the information, the vehicle's status is displayed on the vehicle status confirmation screen. After that, the vehicle status confirmation ends. The information processing device includes: The communications unit receives either a first notification indicating that the terminal device has started displaying the vehicle's status or a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation. Sensors collect information about the vehicle; as well as After receiving the first notification, the processor sends the information collected by the sensor from the communication unit at predetermined intervals, and stops collecting and sending the vehicle's information after receiving the second notification or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, It also includes a central server, which sends the first notification or the second notification to the information processing device, stores the vehicle information sent from the information processing device, and sends the information to the terminal device.

3. An information processing device, mounted on a vehicle, wherein, The information processing device includes a control unit, which performs the following operations: Acceptance indicates that the user has initiated the first vehicle status confirmation notification, which displays the vehicle's status on the terminal device. After receiving the first notification, information about the vehicle is collected, and the collected information is sent at predetermined intervals. After receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, When the vehicle is in the ignition state (IGON), the control unit stops collecting and sending information about the vehicle after receiving the second notification.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit stops collecting and transmitting vehicle information at either the earlier of the time after receiving the second notification or the time after a predetermined time elapsed since receiving the first notification.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein, When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit stops collecting and transmitting vehicle information at the earliest of the following times: after receiving the second notification, after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, or when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined value.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the control unit collects information about the vehicle at predetermined intervals. However, the transmission of the vehicle information is not performed at predetermined intervals, but only when the vehicle's state changes or is updated.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The first notification is sent when the terminal device launches an application for vehicle status verification.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The first notification is sent when the vehicle status confirmation screen, which displays the vehicle status, is opened after the terminal device launches the application for vehicle status confirmation.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The vehicle information includes any one of the following: the open or locked status of doors or windows, the flashing status of hazard warning lights, the vehicle's location, the vehicle's interior temperature, and driving information including the vehicle's speed.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The first notification and the second notification are sent from the central server. The vehicle information is sent to the central server.

12. A method, performed by an information processing device mounted in a vehicle, the method comprising: Acceptance indicates that the user has initiated the first notification of vehicle status confirmation, which displays the status of the vehicle, on the terminal device; After receiving the first notification, information about the vehicle is collected and the collected information is sent at predetermined intervals; as well as After receiving a second notification indicating that the terminal device has ended vehicle status confirmation, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, When the vehicle is in the started state (i.e., IGN), the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease after the second notification is received.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein, When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall cease at the earlier of either the time after receiving the second notification or the time after a predetermined period elapsed since receiving the first notification.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), the collection and transmission of vehicle information shall be stopped at the earliest of the following times: after receiving the second notification, after a predetermined time has elapsed since receiving the first notification, and when the remaining battery level falls below a predetermined value.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein, When the vehicle is in a stopped state (IGOFF), information about the vehicle is collected at predetermined intervals. However, the information about the vehicle is not sent at predetermined intervals, but only when the state of the vehicle changes or is updated.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The first notification is sent when the terminal device launches an application for vehicle status verification.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The first notification is sent when the vehicle status confirmation screen, which displays the vehicle status, is opened after the terminal device launches the application for vehicle status confirmation.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The vehicle information includes any one of the following: the open or locked status of doors or windows, the flashing status of hazard warning lights, the vehicle's location, the vehicle's interior temperature, and driving information including the vehicle's speed.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The first notification and the second notification are sent from the central server. The vehicle information is sent to the central server.

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