Information processing device

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of improving user convenience when remotely operating a vehicle.SOLUTION: A control unit of an information processing device acquires a temporal condition specified by a user of a vehicle. The temporal condition may be a condition for immediately deactivating the communication function of the vehicle related to remote operation, a condition for specifying a period during which the communication function of the vehicle related to remote operation is temporarily deactivated, or a condition for specifying days of the week and / or time zones during which the communication function related to remote operation is periodically deactivated. The control unit of the information processing device puts the communication function into a deactivated and / or standby state according to the acquired temporal condition.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART There is known a technique for remotely operating an air conditioner mounted on a vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-188062 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that can improve user convenience when remotely operating a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device. In this case, the information processing device includes, for example, acquiring a timing condition designated by a user of the vehicle, the timing condition being a condition for designating a time when a communication function of the vehicle related to remote operation is to be put into a stopped state and / or a standby state; Putting the communication function into a stopped state and / or a standby state according to the acquired time condition; The control unit may include:

[0006] Furthermore, other aspects of the present disclosure may be an information processing method in which a computer executes the processing of the above-mentioned information processing device, a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method, or a non-transitory storage medium that stores the program in a computer-readable form. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technique that can improve the convenience for a user when remotely operating a vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a screen for setting a time condition in the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of time-related condition data according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a first processing routine executed by the communication terminal in the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a second processing routine executed by the communication terminal in the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a third processing routine executed by a communication terminal in a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In recent years, users have been increasingly using smartphones and other devices to control the air conditioning and door locks of parked vehicles. Services for remotely controlling in-vehicle devices such as actuators (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "remote services") are becoming increasingly common. Vehicles that are the target of remote services are equipped with a communication function for sending and receiving signals related to remote operation. However, if the communication function remains in a standby state (a state in which signals related to remote operation can be received) while the vehicle is in a stopped state (the ignition switch or power switch is off), there is a possibility that the remaining charge of the vehicle's battery will become too low or that the battery will deteriorate.

[0010] To address this issue, one possible solution is to automatically switch the vehicle's communication functions from a standby state to a stopped state (a state in which signals related to remote operation cannot be received) after a certain period of time (e.g., several days) has passed since the vehicle was shut down (the ignition switch or power switch was switched from on to off). However, even if the user does not use the vehicle (does not use remote services) during the certain period, the vehicle's communication functions will remain in a standby state, which may result in unnecessary battery consumption. It is also anticipated that some users may wish to use remote services after the certain period has passed. Therefore, a solution is needed to improve user convenience while suppressing unnecessary battery consumption.

[0011] In the information processing device according to the present disclosure, the control unit acquires a timing condition, which is a condition specified by the user of the vehicle and which specifies when the communication function of the vehicle related to remote operation is to be stopped and / or put into a standby state. Here, the timing condition in the present disclosure may be a condition for immediately stopping the communication function, a condition for specifying a period for which the communication function is to be stopped one-off, or a condition for specifying a day of the week and / or a time period for which the communication function is to be stopped periodically.

[0012] The control unit of the information processing device according to the present disclosure stops or puts the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation into a standby state according to the acquired timing condition. Here, if the timing condition is a condition for immediately stopping the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation, the control unit may immediately stop the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation according to the acquisition of the timing condition.

[0013] Furthermore, if the time condition specifies a period during which the vehicle's communication functions related to remote operation are temporarily suspended, the control unit may suspend the vehicle's communication functions related to remote operation upon the arrival of the start time of the period, and place the vehicle's communication functions related to remote operation in a standby state upon the arrival of the end time of the period. Note that, when targeting a vehicle in which the communication functions related to remote operation are automatically suspended upon the elapse of a certain period since the vehicle was deactivated, options for the start time of the period may be limited. For example, options for the start time of the period may be limited to a period before the elapse of a certain period since the vehicle was last deactivated. This makes it possible to prevent the vehicle's communication functions related to remote operation from automatically being suspended before the start time of the period specified by the user.

[0014] Furthermore, if the time condition is a condition that specifies a day of the week and / or a time period during which the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation is periodically stopped, the control unit may stop the communication function each time the day of the week and / or the time period arrives, and may place the communication function in a standby state each time the day of the week and / or the time period ends. Here, if the time condition is a condition that specifies a day of the week during which the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation is periodically stopped, the control unit may stop the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation in response to the arrival of the specified day of the week, and may place the communication function of the vehicle involved in the remote operation in a standby state in response to the end of the specified day of the week. The control unit may repeatedly execute the process of stopping both communication functions of the vehicle involved in remote operation in a standby state when the specified time period arrives and putting the communication functions of the vehicle involved in remote operation into a standby state when the specified time period ends. Furthermore, if the timing condition is a condition specifying a day of the week and a time period when the communication functions of the vehicle involved in remote operation are periodically stopped, the control unit may repeatedly execute the process of stopping the ... on the specified day of the week and putting the communication functions of the vehicle involved in remote operation into a standby state when the specified time period on the specified day of the week ends.

[0015] According to the information processing device of the present disclosure, the vehicle's communication function related to remote operation can be stopped at a time designated by the user. This prevents the communication function from remaining in standby mode during a time designated by the user when the vehicle will not be used. As a result, it is possible to improve user convenience while reducing unnecessary consumption of battery power.

[0016] The control unit of the information processing device according to the present disclosure may further perform the following: determining candidates for the time condition based on the user's past vehicle usage records; outputting information for prompting the user to select whether to agree with the candidate; and setting the candidate as the time condition based on the user's agreement with the candidate. This reduces the effort required for the user to set the time condition. As a result, it is possible to further improve user convenience.

[0017] The information processing device according to the present disclosure is a computer that executes processes related to remote operation of a vehicle. In one example, the information processing device according to the present disclosure may be a computer (e.g., a car navigation system or a head unit) installed in a vehicle.

[0018] <Embodiment> Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are illustrative, but the embodiments described below are merely examples of the present disclosure in all respects. Various improvements or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. When implementing the present disclosure, specific configurations according to the embodiments may be appropriately adopted. Note that while data appearing in the present embodiments are described in natural language, more specifically, they may be specified using computer-recognizable pseudo-language, commands, parameters, machine language, etc.

[0019] (System configuration) 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a system to which the present disclosure is applied. The system according to this embodiment includes a vehicle 10, a user terminal 20, and a server 30, and provides a remote service to a user of the vehicle 10. The remote service is a service that allows a user to remotely operate the vehicle 10 via the user terminal 20.

[0020] The vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 are connected via a network N1. The network N1 is, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network), which is a global public communication network such as the Internet, or other communication network. 1 shows only one vehicle 10 and one user terminal 20, the system may include a plurality of vehicles 10 and user terminals 20 under the management of the server 30.

[0021] The vehicle 10 controls the on-board device 12 (described later) in accordance with the remote command signal transmitted from the server 30. 0. Furthermore, the vehicle 10 in this embodiment has a function of switching the communication terminal 100, which will be described later, between a standby state (a state in which the remote command signal transmitted from the server 30 can be received) and a stopped state (a state in which the remote command signal transmitted from the server 30 cannot be received) according to a time condition specified by the user.

[0022] The user terminal 20 is a computer used by the user of the vehicle 10, and has a function of accepting remote operations performed by the user and a function of transmitting a remote operation signal including information about the accepted remote operation (e.g., a method of operating an in-vehicle device that is the target of the remote operation) to the server 30. Such a user terminal 20 may be, for example, a terminal carried by the user (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet terminal, etc.).

[0023] The server 30 is one or more computers that perform processing related to the remote operation of the vehicle 10. In response to receiving a remote operation signal transmitted from the user terminal 20, the server 30 has a function of transmitting to the vehicle 10 a remote command signal for operating a target in-vehicle device according to the operation method included in the remote operation signal.

[0024] (Vehicle configuration) The vehicle 10 in this embodiment is equipped with a communication terminal 100, an ECU 110, and an on-board device 120. The communication terminal 100, the ECU 110, and the on-board device 120 are connected to each other in accordance with a standard such as CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or FlexRay. These vehicles are connected to each other through an in-vehicle network based on the IEEE 802.11a standard.

[0025] The communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10 can be configured as a computer having a processor (CPU, GPU, etc.), a main memory (RAM, ROM, etc.), and an auxiliary memory (EPROM, hard disk drive, removable media, etc.). In one example, the communication terminal 100 is configured as a data communication module (DCM), a head unit, and a navigation system. The communication terminal 100 may be configured by combining a communication system, etc. In this embodiment, the communication terminal 100 corresponds to the information processing device according to the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1 , the communication terminal 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, an input / output device 103, a timer 104, a battery 105, and a communication I / F 106.

[0026] The control unit 101 executes dedicated programs stored in the storage unit 102 to realize various functions of the communication terminal 100. The control unit 101 can be realized by a hardware processor such as a CPU or a DSP. The control unit 101 may also be configured to include RAM, ROM (Read Only Memory), cache memory, etc. Details of the functions realized by the control unit 101 will be described later.

[0027] The storage unit 102 includes an auxiliary storage device and stores various types of information. The storage unit 102 may be a storage area constructed in the auxiliary storage device. The information stored in the storage unit 102 includes the OS, programs related to remote operation, and data used by the programs. The data stored in the storage unit 102 includes timing condition data related to conditions (timing conditions) related to when the communication terminal 100 is put into a stopped state. Details of the timing condition data will be described later.

[0028] The input / output device 103 accepts input operations from a vehicle user and presents information to the user. The input / output device 103 includes, for example, an input device such as a touch panel or push buttons that can input symbols such as characters, and a microphone that can input voice. The input / output device 103 also includes an output device such as a display or a speaker. In one example, the input / output device 103 may be configured to include a touch panel display and a speaker that are capable of input and output.

[0029] The timer 104 outputs a timer activation signal when triggered by the arrival of the time set by the control unit 101. The timer activation signal may be, for example, a signal including information indicating the date, day of the week, and time when the timer activation signal is output.

[0030] The battery 105 is a secondary battery that serves as a power source for the communication terminal 100. If the vehicle 10 is a vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine, the battery 105 is charged using the power generated when the internal combustion engine is operating. If the vehicle 10 is a BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) equipped with a drive battery, the battery 105 is charged using the power of the drive battery.

[0031] The communication I / F 106 includes a communication interface for connecting the communication terminal 100 to an in-vehicle network, a wireless communication interface for connecting the communication terminal 100 to an external network N1, and the like. In one example, the communication I / F 106 may include a communication interface for mobile communication (e.g., 3G, LTE, 5G, 6G, etc.) and a wireless communication interface for short-range wireless communication. The communication I / F 106 of this embodiment communicates with the ECU 110 of the vehicle 10 through the in-vehicle network. Furthermore, the communication I / F 106 of this embodiment communicates with the server 30 through the external network N1.

[0032] The ECU 110 of the vehicle 10 is a computer that controls the in-vehicle devices 120 mounted on the vehicle 10. The in-vehicle devices 120 include an air conditioner, a door lock actuator, a power window actuator, and the like mounted on the vehicle 10. The ECU 110 operates the in-vehicle devices 120 in accordance with a remote command signal received by the communication terminal 100 from the server 30.

[0033] Next, a detailed description will be given of the functions realized by the control unit 101 of the communication terminal 100. The functions described below are implemented by an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) Or it is realized by hardware circuits such as FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). This may also be done.

[0034] The control unit 101 has the function of transmitting a remote command signal received from the server 30 to the ECU 110 and the function of automatically switching the communication terminal 100 from a standby state to a stopped state when a certain period of time (for example, about 9 days) has passed since the vehicle 10 was stopped (the time when the ignition switch or power switch was switched from on to off), as well as the function of accepting timing conditions specified by the user and the function of switching the communication terminal 100 between a standby state and a stopped state in accordance with the timing conditions specified by the user.

[0035] Here, a function of accepting a time condition specified by a user will be described. The control unit 101 outputs a time condition setting screen through the input / output device 103. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the time condition setting screen. The first setting screen in FIG. 2 is a screen that is first output in response to a user inputting an operation to the input / output device 103 to call up the time condition setting screen. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the first setting screen includes an immediate stop button G21, which is a GUI component for specifying a condition for immediately putting the communication terminal 100 into a stopped state, a periodic stop button G22, which is a GUI component for calling up a setting screen (second setting screen) for a period for putting the communication terminal 100 into a stopped state on an intermittent basis, and a periodic stop button G33, which is a GUI component for calling up a setting screen (third setting screen) for putting the communication terminal 100 into a stopped state on a periodic basis.

[0036] When an operation to select the period stop button G22 is input to the input / output device 103 while the first setting screen is output to the input / output device 103, the control unit 101 outputs a second setting screen to the input / output device 103. In the example shown in Fig. 2, the second setting screen includes pull-down menus G31-G32 for selecting the start date and time of the period for which the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped, pull-down menus G33-G34 which are GUI components for selecting the end date and time of the period for which the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped, and a screen for selecting the end date and time of the period for which the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped. The second setting screen includes an execute button G35, which is a GUI component for executing the temporary stop of the communication terminal 100 during a period in which the communication terminal 100 is temporarily stopped. Note that the date and time options presented in the pull-down menus G31-G32 for selecting the date and time of the start of the period in which the communication terminal 100 is temporarily stopped may be limited to dates and times within the aforementioned certain period since the vehicle 10 last stopped operating. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the second setting screen is configured to allow selection of both the date and time of the start and end of the period in which the communication terminal 100 is temporarily stopped, but may also be configured to allow selection of only the date (GUI components G32 and G34 in FIG. 2 are omitted).

[0037] When an operation to select a periodic stop button G23 is input to the input / output device 103 while the first setting screen is output to the input / output device 103, the control unit 101 outputs a third setting screen to the input / output device 103. In the example shown in FIG. 2 , the third setting screen includes a check box G41, which is a GUI component for selecting the day of the week on which communication terminal 100 is to be periodically stopped, pull-down menus G42-G43, which are GUI components for selecting the time period on which communication terminal 100 is to be periodically stopped, and an execute button G44, which is a GUI component for executing the periodic stopping of communication terminal 100 on the selected day of the week and / or time period. Note that it is not necessary to select both the day of the week and the time period on which communication terminal 100 is to be periodically stopped on the third setting screen; it is sufficient to select at least one of the day of the week and the time period.

[0038] Next, a description will be given of a function of switching communication terminal 100 between a standby state and a stopped state according to a time condition specified by the user. First, when immediate stop button G21 is operated on the first setting screen described with reference to FIG. 2, control unit 101 immediately switches communication terminal 100 from the standby state to the stopped state.

[0039] Furthermore, when the execute button G35 is operated after the start time and end time of the period for which the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped are selected on the second setting screen described with reference to FIG. 2, the control unit 101 first registers the timing condition data in the storage unit 102. Here, a specific example of the timing condition data stored in the storage unit 102 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. (A) in FIG. 3 is an example of the timing condition data for the case where the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped. The timing condition data in (A) in FIG. 3 includes a start time field and an end time field for the period for which the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped. In the start time field, information indicating the date and time of the start time selected on the second setting screen is registered. In the end time field, information indicating the date and time of the end time selected on the second setting screen is registered.

[0040] After registering the time-related condition data shown in (A) of FIG. 3 in the storage unit 102, the control unit 101 sets the timer 104. Specifically, the control unit 101 sets the operation time of the timer 104 so that a timer operation signal is output when the start time and end time registered in the start time field and end time field of the time-related condition data shown in (A) of FIG. 3 arrive. Thereafter, in response to the timer 104 outputting the timer operation signal, the control unit 101 compares the date and time at which the timer operation signal was output with the time-related condition data in the storage unit 102. If the date and time at which the timer operation signal was output match the date and time registered in the start time field of the time-related condition data, the control unit 101 switches the communication terminal 100 from the standby state to the stopped state. If the date and time at which the timer operation signal was output match the date and time registered in the end time field of the time-related condition data, the control unit 101 switches the communication terminal 100 from the stopped state to the standby state.

[0041] In addition, when the execute button G44 is operated after the day of the week and / or time period for periodically stopping the communication terminal 100 is selected on the third setting screen described with reference to FIG. 2, The control unit 101 first registers the time-related condition data in the storage unit 102. In this case, the start time field of the time-related condition data registers information indicating the day of the week selected on the third setting screen and the start time of the time period selected on the third setting screen, as exemplified in FIG. 3(B). The end time field registers information indicating the day of the week selected on the third setting screen and the end time of the time period selected on the third setting screen. Note that if multiple days of the week are selected on the third setting screen, the time-related condition data may include records corresponding to each of the multiple days of the week, as exemplified in FIG. 3(C).

[0042] After registering the time-related condition data shown in FIG. 3B in storage unit 102, control unit 101 sets the operation time of timer 104 so that a timer operation signal is repeatedly output each time the start time and end time registered in the start time field and end time field of the time-related condition data shown in FIG. 3B arrive. Thereafter, in response to timer 104 outputting the timer operation signal, control unit 101 compares the day of the week and time at which the timer operation signal was output with the time-related condition data in storage unit 102. If the day of the week and time at which the timer operation signal was output match the day of the week and time registered in the start time field of the time-related condition data, control unit 101 switches communication terminal 100 from the standby state to the stopped state. If the day of the week and time at which the timer operation signal was output match the day of the week and time registered in the end time field of the time-related condition data, control unit 101 switches communication terminal 100 from the stopped state to the standby state. In this way, the process of switching communication terminal 100 between the standby state and the stopped state is repeatedly executed each time the day of the week and the time period selected on the third setting screen arrives.

[0043] (Processing flow) Next, the flow of processing executed by the communication terminal 100 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing a first processing routine executed by the communication terminal 100 in response to an operation specifying a timing condition being input to the input / output device 103 by the user of the vehicle 10. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a second processing routine executed by the communication terminal 100 in response to the timer 104 outputting a timer activation signal.

[0044] When an operation for specifying a time condition is input to the input / output device 103 by the user of the vehicle 10, the control unit 101 of the communication terminal 100 executes the first processing routine of Fig. 4. The "operation for specifying a time condition" here refers to any one of the following: an operation for selecting the immediate stop button G21 on the first setting screen illustrated in Fig. 2; an operation for selecting the execute button G35 after selecting a start time and an end time on the second setting screen illustrated in Fig. 2; and an operation for selecting the execute button G44 after selecting a day of the week and a time period on the third setting screen illustrated in Fig. 2.

[0045] In the first processing routine of Fig. 4, the control unit 101 first determines whether the timing condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is a condition for immediately stopping the communication terminal 100 (step S101). Here, if the operation for specifying the timing condition is an operation for selecting the immediate stop button G21 on the first setting screen illustrated in Fig. 2, the control unit 101 determines that the timing condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is a condition for immediately stopping the communication terminal 100 (positive determination in step S101). Also, if the operation for specifying the timing condition is an operation for selecting the execute button G35 after selecting the start time and end time on the second setting screen illustrated in Fig. 2, or an operation for selecting the execute button G44 after selecting the day of the week and the time period on the third setting screen illustrated in Fig. 2, the control unit 101 determines that the timing condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is not a condition for immediately stopping the communication terminal 100 (negative determination in step S101).

[0046] If the determination in step S101 is affirmative, the control unit 101 executes the process of step S102. In step S102, the control unit 101 immediately switches the communication terminal 100 from the standby state to the stopped state.

[0047] Furthermore, if the determination in step S101 is negative, the control unit 101 executes the process of step S103. In step S103, the control unit 101 generates time condition data based on the time condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10, and registers the generated time condition data in the storage unit 102. Here, if the time condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is a condition specifying a period during which the communication terminal 100 is temporarily stopped, the control unit 101 may generate time condition data such as that exemplified in (A) of FIG. 3 described above and register it in the storage unit 102. Also, if the time condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is a condition specifying a day of the week and / or a time period during which the communication terminal 100 is periodically stopped, the control unit 101 may generate time condition data such as that exemplified in (B) and (C) of FIG. 3 described above and register it in the storage unit 102. After completing the process of step S103, the control unit 101 executes the process of step S104.

[0048] In step S104, the control unit 101 sets the timer 104 in accordance with the timing condition data registered in the storage unit 102. Here, if the timing condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is a condition specifying a period during which the communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped, the control unit 101 sets the operation timing of the timer 104 so that a timer operation signal is output at each of the start and end times registered in the start and end time fields of the timing condition data as illustrated in FIG. 3A. Also, if the timing condition specified by the user of the vehicle 10 is a condition specifying a day of the week and / or a time period during which the communication terminal 100 is to be periodically stopped, the control unit 101 sets the operation timing of the timer 104 so that a timer operation signal is output each time each of the start and end times registered in the start and end time fields of the timing condition data as illustrated in FIG. 3B or 3C arrives. After completing the processing of step S104, the control unit 101 ends the execution of the first processing routine.

[0049] When the timing condition specified by the user of vehicle 10 is a condition specifying a period for which communication terminal 100 is to be temporarily stopped, or a condition specifying a day of the week and / or a time period for which communication terminal 100 is to be periodically stopped, and the activation time of timer 104 is set in the first processing routine, arrival of the activation time is used as a trigger to cause timer 104 to output a timer activation signal. When timer 104 outputs the timer activation signal, control unit 101 of communication terminal 100 executes the second processing routine shown in FIG.

[0050] In the second processing routine, the control unit 101 first compares information included in the timer activation signal (for example, information indicating the date, day of the week, and time when the timer activation signal was output) with the seasonal condition data registered in the storage unit 102 to determine whether the start time registered in the start time field of the seasonal condition data has arrived (step S201). If the information included in the timer activation signal matches the start time registered in the start time field of the seasonal condition data, the control unit 101 determines that the start time of the period during which the communication terminal 100 is temporarily put into a stopped state has arrived, or that the start time of the day of the week and / or time period during which the communication terminal 100 is periodically put into a stopped state has arrived (positive determination in step S201). On the other hand, if the information included in the timer activation signal does not match the start time registered in the start time field of the time-related condition data, and the information included in the timer activation signal matches the end time registered in the end time field of the time-related condition data, the control unit 101 determines that the end time of the period in which the communication terminal 100 is temporarily put into a stopped state has arrived, or that the end time of the day of the week and / or the time period in which the communication terminal 100 is periodically put into a stopped state has arrived. (No determination in step S201).

[0051] If the determination in step S201 is affirmative, the control unit 101 executes the process of step S202. In step S202, the control unit 101 switches the communication terminal 100 from the standby state to the stopped state. After completing the process of step S202, the control unit 101 ends the execution of the second processing routine.

[0052] If the determination in step S201 is negative, the control unit 101 executes the process of step S203. In step S203, the control unit 101 switches the communication terminal 100 from the stopped state to the standby state. After completing the process of step S203, the control unit 101 ends the execution of the second processing routine.

[0053] According to the embodiment described above, the communication terminal 100 can be put into a stopped state at a time specified by the user. As a result, by specifying a time when the user will not be using the vehicle 10, it is possible to prevent the communication terminal 100 from continuing to wait in a standby state during that time. As a result, it is possible to prevent unnecessary consumption of the battery 105. Therefore, it is possible to keep the communication terminal 100 in a standby state as much as possible during times other than those specified by the user, thereby improving user convenience.

[0054] <Modification> Next, a modified example of the present disclosure will be described. In this modified example, the communication terminal 100 determines candidates for the time condition based on the results of when the user used the vehicle 10 in the past, and proposes the determined candidates to the user. Note that in this modified example, configurations different from the above-described embodiment will be described, and descriptions of similar configurations will be omitted.

[0055] In the communication terminal 100 of this modification, the control unit 101 collects historical data on the periods when the user used the vehicle 10 (days of the week and / or time periods when the user drove the vehicle 10) during a predetermined period in the past (for example, a period of about one to two months) and stores the collected historical data in the storage unit 102. The control unit 101 determines candidates for the seasonal condition based on the historical data stored in the storage unit 102. In one example, the control unit 101 identifies days of the week and / or time periods when the user does not use the vehicle 10 based on the historical data, and determines the identified days of the week and / or time periods as candidates for the seasonal condition. When the candidates for the seasonal condition are determined in this manner, the control unit 101 outputs a screen (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "proposal screen") to the input / output device 103 to allow the user to select whether or not to agree with the determined candidate. In one example, the proposal screen may include text information indicating the content of the candidate (text information indicating the day of the week and / or time period when the communication terminal 100 is to be stopped), a GUI component for selecting whether or not to agree to stop the communication terminal 100 according to the candidate, and the like. Then, when an operation to select consent to placing communication terminal 100 in a stopped state in accordance with the candidate is input to input / output device 103, control unit 101 sets the candidate as a timing condition. That is, control unit 101 generates timing condition data corresponding to the candidate and registers the generated timing condition data in storage unit 102. Furthermore, control unit 101 sets the operation timing of timer 104 so that a timer operation signal is repeatedly output each time the start time and end time registered in the start time field and end time field of the timing condition data registered in storage unit 102 arrive. Thereafter, in response to timer 104 outputting the timer operation signal, control unit 101 switches communication terminal 100 between a standby state and a stopped state.

[0056] (Processing flow) Next, the flow of processing executed by the communication terminal 100 in this modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a third processing routine executed by the communication terminal 100 at a predetermined interval (for example, once a month).

[0057] 6, the control unit 101 of the communication terminal 100 first determines candidates for the seasonal condition according to the performance data stored in the storage unit 102 (step S301). In one example, the control unit 101 identifies days of the week and / or time periods when the user does not use the vehicle 10 according to the performance data, and determines the identified days of the week and / or time periods as candidates for the seasonal condition. After completing the processing of step S301, the control unit 101 executes the processing of step S302.

[0058] In step S302, the control unit 101 outputs a proposal screen for proposing the candidates determined in step S301 to the user via the input / output device 103. The proposal screen may, for example, include text information indicating the content of the candidate (text information indicating the day of the week and / or time period for putting the communication terminal 100 into a suspended state) and a GUI component for selecting whether or not to agree to putting the communication terminal 100 into a suspended state in accordance with the candidate. After completing the processing of step S302, the control unit 101 executes the processing of step S303.

[0059] In step S303, the control unit 101 determines whether an operation to select whether to agree with the candidate has been input to the input / output device 103 while the proposal screen is being output to the input / output device 103. If an operation to select whether to agree with the candidate has not been input to the input / output device 103 (negative determination in step S303), the control unit 101 waits until an operation to select whether to agree with the candidate has been input to the input / output device 103. If an operation to select whether to agree with the candidate has been input to the input / output device 103 (positive determination in step S303), the control unit 101 executes the process of step S304.

[0060] In step S304, the control unit 101 determines whether the operation input to the input / output device 103 is an operation for selecting to agree with the candidate. If the operation input to the input / output device 103 is an operation for selecting not to agree with the candidate (negative determination in step S304), the control unit 101 ends the execution of the third processing routine. On the other hand, if the operation input to the input / output device 103 is an operation for selecting to agree with the candidate (positive determination in step S304), the control unit 101 executes the processing of step S305.

[0061] In step S305, the control unit 101 sets the candidate as a timing condition. Specifically, the control unit 101 generates timing condition data corresponding to the candidate and registers the generated timing condition data in the storage unit 102. Furthermore, the control unit 101 sets the operation timing of the timer 104 so that a timer operation signal is repeatedly output each time the start time and end time registered in the start time field and end time field of the timing condition data registered in the storage unit 102 arrive. After completing the processing of step S305, the control unit 101 ends the execution of the third processing routine.

[0062] According to the above-described modified example, it is possible to reduce the time and effort required for the user to set the time conditions, thereby further improving convenience for the user.

[0063] <Other> The above-described embodiment and modified examples are merely examples, and the present disclosure may be modified and implemented as appropriate within the scope of the gist thereof. Furthermore, the processes and means described in the present disclosure may be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradictions arise. Furthermore, a process described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by multiple devices. For example, among the functions realized by the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10, the function of accepting the time conditions specified by the user of the vehicle 10 may be realized by the user terminal 20. In this case, the user terminal 20 realizes the function of presenting the user with a setting screen such as that shown in FIG. 2 as an example, and the function of transmitting the time conditions specified by the user on the setting screen to the server 30. Accordingly, the server 30 may be configured to realize a function of transmitting the seasonal conditions received from the user terminal 20 to the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10. Then, the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10 may switch between a standby state and a stopped state in accordance with the seasonal conditions received from the server 30.

[0064] Furthermore, among the functions realized by the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10, the function of determining candidates for the time-related conditions may be realized by the server 30. In this case, the server 30 may be configured to realize a function of collecting performance data through the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10, a function of determining candidates for the time-related conditions based on the collected performance data, and a function of transmitting information about the determined candidates to the communication terminal 100. Furthermore, among the functions realized by the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10, the function of presenting a proposal screen to the user may be realized by the user terminal 20. In this case, the user terminal 20 may be configured to realize a function of acquiring information about the candidates determined by the communication terminal 100 through the server 30 (or a function of acquiring information about the candidates determined by the server 30 from the server 30), a function of presenting a proposal screen to the user based on the acquired information about the candidates, and a function of transmitting the result of the user's selection on the proposal screen (a selection result of whether or not to agree with the candidate) to the server 30. Accordingly, the server 30 may be configured to realize a function of transmitting the selection result received from the user terminal 20 to the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10. Then, the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10 may determine whether or not to set the candidate as a time condition, depending on the selection result received from the server 30.

[0065] The present disclosure can also be realized by providing a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to the communication terminal 100 of the vehicle 10, and having one or more processors in the communication terminal 100 read and execute the computer program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer via a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the computer's system bus or via a network. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium is a recording medium that stores information such as data and programs electrically, magnetically, optically, mechanically, or chemically and can be read by a computer or the like. Such a recording medium may be any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (e.g., a floppy disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc.) or an optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, a Blu-ray disk, etc.). The recording medium may also be a medium such as a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, or a solid-state drive (SSD). [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 10 Vehicle, 100 Communication terminal, 101 Control unit, 102 Memory unit, 103 Input / output device, 104 Timer, 105 Battery, 106 Communication I / F, 20 User terminal, 30 Server

Claims

1. acquiring a timing condition designated by a user of the vehicle, the timing condition being a condition for designating a time when a communication function of the vehicle related to remote operation is to be put into a stopped state and / or a standby state; Putting the communication function into a stopped state and / or a standby state according to the acquired time condition; A control unit that executes Information processing device.

2. the timing condition is a condition for immediately stopping the communication function, the control unit immediately stops the communication function in response to receiving the timing condition. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. the timing condition is a condition that specifies a period during which the communication function is temporarily suspended, the control unit executes the steps of: putting the communication function into a stopped state in response to the start time of the period; and putting the communication function into a standby state in response to the end time of the period. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

4. the time condition is a condition that specifies the day of the week and / or the time period when the communication function is to be periodically stopped; the control unit executes the execution of putting the communication function into a stopped state each time the day of the week and / or the time period arrives, and putting the communication function into a standby state each time the day of the week and / or the time period ends. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. The control unit determining candidates for the time condition according to a record of when the user used the vehicle in the past; outputting information for allowing the user to select whether to agree with the candidate; setting the candidate to the time condition in response to the user's consent to the candidate; Further execute The information processing device according to claim 1 .

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