Digital catalog system

Abstract

To realize a digital catalog system that provides a detailed image after customization for a purchased vehicle.SOLUTION: A digital catalog system for displaying an image of a customization of a vehicle 12 has a control part 14 that is characterized in accepting data representing the vehicle 12 and a component that can be mounted on the vehicle 12, displaying a first state of the vehicle 12 before customization, accepting a selection of a component that the user wishes to change, and displaying a second state of the vehicle 12 after customization on which the selected component is mounted.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a digital catalog system for vehicles. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, when purchasing a vehicle, so-called customization has been practiced, whereby parts are directly selected and combined at the store to be applied to the vehicle to be purchased. However, in recent years, people do not always purchase vehicles while viewing them in the store, and they sometimes consider purchasing them online. In such cases, the customized vehicle may be far removed from the desired image. Therefore, a technology has been proposed to support online vehicle purchases.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a VR showroom for online vehicle sales. In this VR showroom, it is said that when purchasing a vehicle, the difference between various options can be experienced online. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2022-172047 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] By the way, OTA (Over The Air) services for vehicles have made it possible to update software after purchasing a vehicle. In addition to software updates, new functions and parts are also being added or replaced after purchase. For this type of customization, technology that allows accurate image of the customized vehicle is desired.

[0006] Therefore, this specification realizes a digital catalog system that allows a detailed image of a customized vehicle to be obtained even after purchase. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The digital catalog system disclosed in this specification is a digital catalog system that displays an image of vehicle customization, and has a control unit that accepts data representing the vehicle and parts that can be installed on the vehicle, displays a first state of the vehicle before customization, accepts a selection of parts that a user wishes to change, and displays a second state of the vehicle after customization with the selected parts installed. Effect of the Invention

[0008] The digital catalog system disclosed in this specification displays a first state of the vehicle before customization and a second state after customization, thereby providing a detailed image of the vehicle after customization. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration of a digital catalog system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The digital catalog system will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0011] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a digital catalog system according to an embodiment. The digital catalog system 10 according to the embodiment is a system that, when customizing a vehicle 12, can provide a user with images before and after customization, thereby making the customized vehicle 12 closer to the image desired by the user. In this example, a case where the vehicle 12 is customized after purchase will be described as an example.

[0012] In the digital catalog system 10, it is not necessary for a user who wishes to customize the vehicle 12 after purchase to directly select the parts he or she wishes to add or replace at the store. Instead, the user selects the parts he or she wishes to change at any place and time using a dedicated app. Then, based on the selection, the vehicle 12 is customized in the system, and the customized state is displayed by the app. Note that the customized state may be, for example, a 2D or 3D image in which the parts selected by the user are superimposed on the vehicle 12, but is not limited to a state that can be visually confirmed. This will be described later.

[0013] 1, the digital catalog system 10 includes a control unit 14. The control unit 14 is an electronic control unit having at least a CPU that performs various arithmetic processing, and a memory that stores control programs and data. The control unit 14 controls the operation of each part of the digital catalog system 10.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the digital catalog system 10 further includes a smartphone / PC application (hereinafter, referred to as a "dedicated application") 16 and a data server 18. The dedicated application 16 provided by the digital catalog system 10 is downloaded to a user terminal (e.g., a smartphone or a PC) of a user who owns the vehicle 12. The dedicated application 16 is executed on the user terminal, so that the user terminal functions as a display unit and an input unit. Specifically, the user uses the dedicated application 16 to access the data server 18 of the digital catalog system 10 and acquire data from the data server 18. The user also uses the dedicated application 16 to make a reservation for an order at a store (i.e., a dealer or lounge that customizes the vehicle 12). An example of the function of the display unit is a function to display a first state before customization of the vehicle 12 and a second state after customization.

[0015] The data server 18 is a server managed by a store or the manufacturer of the vehicle 12. The data server 18 has information about various vehicle products stored as a database in a form associated with a plurality of images. The control unit 14, a user terminal to which the dedicated application 16 is downloaded, the data server 18, and an order receiving system used in a dealership, lounge, etc. are all connected via a network (not shown) such as the Internet.

[0016] Next, the flow of processing performed in the digital catalog system 10 will be described. First, the control unit 14 receives data representing the vehicle 12 and parts that can be installed in the vehicle 12. The data of the vehicle 12 is input and stored in the dedicated application 16 when the vehicle 12 is purchased or when the user desires customization and downloads the dedicated application 16. The data of the vehicle 12 includes information held by the dealer of the vehicle 12, such as the manufacturer name, model, various parts installed at the time of purchase, software, etc. In addition, information on the specifications of the vehicle 12, installed parts, and parts that can be installed in the vehicle 12 is stored in a data server 18.

[0017] When the user logs into the dedicated app 16, the control unit 14 transmits data of the vehicle 12 together with an image of the vehicle 12 to the dedicated app 16 and causes it to be displayed. That is, the control unit 14 causes the dedicated app 16 to display a first state of the vehicle 12 before customization. The user refers to this first state and inputs the parts that the user wishes to change into the dedicated app 16. For example, the user can specify a part from among those displayed, or select a part to be replaced from a list of replaceable part names. In addition, the data server 18 is always updating its information, and by the user specifying his / her vehicle 12, information on parts that can be updated and replaced after purchase is provided. That is, the user can obtain information on parts that are preferable to be updated (for example, a list and individual part information) by transmitting information about the vehicle 12 after purchase. In addition, the user can also select replacement parts based on the information provided by the data server 18. At this time, the user may select parts that can be confirmed by hearing in addition to seeing. For example, if the user wishes to replace the turn signal, it is preferable to be able to confirm the turn signal sound, etc. Therefore, the user selects the type of sensation (for example, visual or auditory) when inputting the part that he or she wishes to change.

[0018] The control unit 14 receives the selection of parts and the type of experience from the user, and creates composite data (e.g., a composite image) using data on the vehicle 12 and data on the selected parts. Then, the control unit 14 causes the dedicated app 16 to display a second state after customization of the vehicle 12 equipped with the parts selected by the user. The control unit 14 also generates the sound and voice of the turn signal in the vehicle cabin when the above-mentioned turn signal is installed in the vehicle 12, and performs control so that the sound can be confirmed in the dedicated app 16 as the second state after customization.

[0019] As described above, the second state after customization is not limited to a composite image in which parts selected by the user are simply superimposed on the vehicle 12. In addition to the arrangement and color of each part related to the interior and exterior of the vehicle 12, for example, when customizing a steering wheel or interior lights, the control unit 14 may display an operation pattern as an image so that the user can confirm it.

[0020] In this way, providing the second state after customization of the vehicle 12 can be said to provide the user with a viewing and listening environment, and if the user is satisfied with the more detailed image of the customized state at this stage, he or she can make a reservation for ordering directly using the dedicated application 16. In this way, using the dedicated application 16 makes it easier than ever to consider and order customization of the vehicle 12, which may lead to increased user purchasing motivation and improved customer satisfaction.

[0021] In the digital catalog system 10 according to the embodiment, for example, by using an output device at a dealership, it is possible to output the state of the vehicle 12 after customization in various forms. In addition, it is also possible to adopt augmented reality (AR) that virtually expands the real space by bringing the purchased vehicle 12 to the dealership and superimposing and displaying content (i.e., the vehicle 12 and parts selected by the user) on the real space using a display device at the dealership. With regard to the image diagram of the customized vehicle 12 provided in the conventional online sales and the display of the image using a virtual reality (VR) function, it is possible to make the unreal look real, but it is not possible to add the unreal into the real like the AR function. In other words, there is a limit to the image of the customized vehicle 12. However, by using the AR function, it is possible to superimpose images and sounds on the vehicle 12 actually purchased by the user to provide a more detailed image after customization. This requires some hardware preparation (e.g., VR goggles, AR glasses, a headset, speakers, etc.), but it is possible to provide not only a more detailed image visually, but also a bodily experience with hearing and smell. For example, by overlaying the data of the BGM selected by the user with the data of the vehicle 12, the user can check how the BGM sounds in the vehicle 12 owned by the user. In other words, the user is provided with an environment in which he or she can virtually experience the design and sound of his or her choice.

[0022] As described above, in the digital catalog system 10 according to the embodiment, the AR function can be used to provide a wider range of new functions and parts additions or replacements for the vehicle 12 after purchase, so that the user can obtain a detailed image of the vehicle after customization.

[0023] The above description is merely an example, and in the digital catalog system disclosed in this specification, a first state of the vehicle before customization is displayed, and a second state of the vehicle after customization in which the parts that the user wishes to change are installed is displayed. Therefore, other configurations may be changed as appropriate. For example, in the embodiment, customization of a vehicle after purchase is described, but the present technology may be applied to a vehicle before purchase. In addition, since a wider range of hardware preparations can be made at the dealership, devices that allow users to experience senses other than sight can also be installed. For example, by installing a 3D printer or an odor generator, a user who has seriously considered customization through the above-mentioned viewing and listening can visit the dealership and experience the customized vehicle 12 with touch and smell. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 10 Digital catalog system, 12 Vehicle, 14 Control unit, 16 Dedicated app, 18 Data server.

Claims

[Claim 1] A digital catalog system that displays images of vehicle customization, A control unit is provided. The control unit is accepting data representative of the vehicle and a component that can be installed on the vehicle; Displaying a first pre-customization state of the vehicle; Accept the user's selection of the parts they wish to change, displaying a second customized state of the vehicle with the selected part installed; A digital catalog system comprising:

Images