Electronic apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, and program

Abstract

To prevent the time information generated by an RTC device included in a built-in satellite positioning module from deviating from the actual time when positioning is being carried out by an external satellite positioning module attached external to an electronic apparatus.SOLUTION: An electronic apparatus comprises a built-in satellite positioning module, and a controller for controlling the built-in satellite positioning module. The built-in satellite positioning module includes a clock generation circuit for generating first time information that is supplied to the controller. The controller determines the presence / absence of an external satellite positioning module connected to the electronic apparatus via an external interface. When an external satellite positioning module is connected to the external interface and data including second time information measured by the external satellite positioning module has been acquired, the controller corrects the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit with the second time information acquired from the external satellite positioning module.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic device, an information processing system, an information processing method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a connected Global Positioning System (GPS) unit. This document describes an electronic device that acquires information about GPS time via a GPS time sensor and corrects its internal time. Hereinafter, devices that perform positioning based on radio signals (radio waves) from positioning satellites, such as GPS units, will also be referred to as satellite positioning modules. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-223686 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, some electronic devices have a built-in satellite positioning module, and in such electronic devices, the Real Time Clock (RTC) device provided in the satellite positioning module (hereinafter referred to as the built-in satellite positioning module) is used as the RTC device of the electronic device. By reusing an RTC device, it is expected that costs can be reduced without having to install a separate RTC device. Here, an RTC device is a device that generates and outputs digital time information data from a quartz crystal, which is a clock source. An RTC device keeps keeping time information by constantly receiving power from a power source. An RTC device is also called an RTC Integrated Circuit (IC).

[0005] As described above, when the RTC device included in the built-in satellite positioning module is used, the time on the RTC device is corrected by radio waves from the satellite when positioning is performed by the built-in satellite positioning module. On the other hand, an external satellite positioning module may be attached to an electronic device, and positioning may be performed by the external satellite positioning module. When positioning is performed by the external satellite positioning module, positioning is not performed by the built-in satellite positioning module, which creates a problem of the RTC time not being corrected and resulting in a discrepancy with the actual time.

[0006] An aspect of the disclosed embodiment is to prevent time information generated by an RTC device provided in an internal satellite positioning module from deviating from the actual time when positioning is being performed by an external satellite positioning module attached to an electronic device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the disclosed embodiment is exemplified by an electronic device including an internal satellite positioning module and a controller that controls the internal satellite positioning module, the internal satellite positioning module having a clock generation circuit that generates first time information that is supplied to the controller.

[0008] The controller determines whether an external satellite positioning module connected to the electronic device via an external interface is connected, and if the external satellite positioning module is connected to the external interface and data including second time information measured by the external satellite positioning module is acquired, the controller corrects the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit using the second time information acquired from the external satellite positioning module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] When the external satellite positioning module is connected to the external interface and data including second time information measured by the external satellite positioning module is acquired, the controller corrects the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit using the second time information acquired from the external satellite positioning module. In other words, when positioning is performed by the external satellite positioning module, the electronic device 1 corrects the time of the RTC device provided in the built-in satellite positioning module using data from the external satellite positioning module, thereby preventing the time information generated by the RTC device provided in the built-in satellite positioning module from differing from the actual time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device and a communication device externally attached to the electronic device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device without an external communication device. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an electronic device. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the electronic device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Below, with reference to the drawings, an electronic device 1 according to one embodiment, an information processing system including the electronic device 1, an information processing method executed by the electronic device 1, and a computer program (hereinafter simply referred to as the program) installed in the electronic device 1 will be described.

[0012] <Configuration> FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an electronic device 1 and a communication device 2 externally attached to the electronic device 1. The communication device 2 may be, for example, a device called a Data Communication Module (DCM). Here, the electronic device 1 and the communication device 2 externally attached to the electronic device 1 are an example of an information processing system.

[0013] Here, the electronic device 1 is, for example, an in-vehicle electronic device mounted on a vehicle. The electronic device 1 is also called, for example, a Head / Unit (H / U). The electronic device 1 is, for example, an audio, video However, the electronic device 1 is not limited to an in-vehicle electronic device.

[0014] The electronic device 1 includes a system on a chip (SoC 10), an external interface (hereinafter referred to as LAN I / F 19), and a built-in global navigation satellite system (hereinafter referred to as GNSS 17).

[0015] LAN I / F19 is, for example, an in-vehicle Ethernet or Controller Area Network (CAN) The LAN I / F 19 is a device that communicates in accordance with a standard or protocol such as Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), or Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C). However, the LAN I / F 19 is not limited to these. The LAN I / F 19 is an interface that connects an external device of the electronic device 1, such as a communication device 2, to the electronic device 1. For this reason, the LAN I / F 19 can be said to be an example of an external interface.

[0016] The GNSS 17 is a system that receives radio signals (radio waves) with time information from multiple positioning satellites and measures the current position on the ground. The GNSS 17 has an RTC device 171. The GNSS 17 is an example of an internal satellite positioning module. The RTC device 171 is an example of a clock generation circuit. The time information generated by the RTC device 171 is an example of first time information.

[0017] The communication device 2 includes a GNSS 27 and an antenna 28 (GNSS ANT). The function and configuration of the GNSS 27 are similar to those of the GNSS 17 built into the electronic device 1. The GNSS 27 is an example of an external satellite positioning module.

[0018] In this embodiment, the term GPS may be used to refer to the satellite positioning system. For example, the time received by the GNSS 17 and 27 from a positioning satellite is called GPS time. The GPS time is controlled to be synchronized with Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The GPS time received by the GNSS 27 from a positioning satellite is an example of second time information.

[0019] In this embodiment, the SoC 10 of the electronic device 1 operates as a controller that controls the electronic device 1. The SoC 10 allows the electronic device 1 to determine whether the communication device 2 is connected or not using the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17 and the RTC 271 of the GNSS 27 in the following manner. For example, the electronic device 1 reads vehicle parameters indicating whether the communication device 2 is connected or not from the main storage unit 12 (see FIG. 3 ) and determines whether the communication device 2 is connected or not. The vehicle parameters can be set, for example, via a user interface of the electronic device 1. Furthermore, the vehicle parameters may be written to the external storage unit 13 or the like together with a program for controlling the electronic device 1, for example, during the manufacturing process of the electronic device 1.

[0020] Furthermore, for example, the electronic device 1 determines detection information that detects the connection of the antenna 18 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) in the built-in GNSS 17. The detection information is information indicating whether or not the antenna 18 is connected to the GNSS 17 (1, 0 or H, L, etc.) depending on whether or not the antenna 18 is connected, and is generated by a digital circuit (logic circuit) in the GNSS 17 and output to the SoC 10. The electronic device 1 acquires the detection information from the GNSS 17 and determines whether or not the communication device 2 is connected based on the acquired detection information. For example, if the antenna 18 is not connected to the GNSS 17, the electronic device 1 can determine that the communication device 2 is connected. Conversely, if the antenna 18 is connected to the GNSS 17 and GPS time is acquired from the GNSS 17, the electronic device 1 can determine that the communication device 2 is not connected.

[0021] Furthermore, for example, the electronic device 1 attempts to communicate with the communication device 2 via the LAN I / F 19. If the electronic device 1 is able to communicate with the communication device 2, it can determine that the communication device 2 is connected. Furthermore, if the electronic device 1 acquires data including GPS time from the GNSS 27 of the communication device 2, it can determine that the communication device 2 is connected, but the built-in GNSS 17 is not performing positioning.

[0022] When the communication device 2 is connected, the electronic device 1 acquires GPS time from the GNSS 27 of the communication device 2 via the LAN I / F 19 (arrows A1 and A2). Then, the electronic device 1 sets the GNSS 17 so that the time information obtained from the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17 is corrected with the GPS time acquired from the GNSS 27 (time setting indicated by arrow A3). With this setting, if the time information obtained from the RTC device 171 differs from the GPS time acquired from the GNSS 27, the time information obtained from the RTC device 171 is corrected to match the GPS time acquired from the GNSS 27.

[0023] With this setting, the GNSS 17 provides the SoC with time information synchronized with GPS time obtained from positioning satellites (RTC indicated by arrow A4). The Operating System (OS) that manages the system on the SoC 10 receives time information from the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17 and generates system time.

[0024] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an electronic device 1 to which the communication device 2 of Fig. 1 is not externally attached. In Fig. 2, the configuration of the electronic device 1 is the same as that of Fig. 1. However, in Fig. 2, since there is no device externally attached to the electronic device 1, the LAN I / F 19 is omitted.

[0025] 2, the GNSS 17 built into the electronic device 1 is connected to an antenna 18. In this configuration, the GNSS 17 acquires GPS time from positioning satellites and corrects the time information obtained from the RTC device 171 using the acquired GPS time. Therefore, the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17 provides the SoC 10 with time information synchronized with the GPS time obtained from the positioning satellites (RTC indicated by arrow A4).

[0026] In this case, the electronic device 1 does not need to set the time in the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17 (arrow A3). The purpose of the time setting is to reflect the GPS time in the RTC device 171. Reflecting the GPS time in the RTC device 171 is automatically performed within the GNSS 17. For this reason, in the configuration of FIG. 2, the electronic device 1 does not need to set the time in the RTC device 171. Conversely, in the configuration of FIG. 2, if the electronic device 1 sets the time in the RTC device 171 while the GNSS 17 is performing positioning using wireless signals (radio waves) from positioning satellites, a reset occurs inside the GNSS 17. As a result, the positioning result by the GNSS 17 may deviate from the correct positioning position.

[0027] 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of electronic device 1. The configuration of electronic device 1 is similar to that of a normal computer or an in-vehicle information processing device. Electronic device 1 has a CPU 11, a main memory unit 12, a LAN I / F 19, and external devices connected via the LAN I / F 19, and executes information processing using a program.

[0028] The CPU 11 executes a program that has been loaded in an executable manner into the main memory unit 12, thereby providing the functions of the electronic device 1. The main memory unit 12 is also called simply a memory, and stores the program that the CPU 11 executes, the data that the CPU 11 processes, etc. The CPU 11 is also called a processor. However, the CPU 11 is not limited to a single processor, and may have a multi-processor configuration. Furthermore, the CPU 11 may be a single processor connected via a single socket, and may have a multi-core configuration.

[0029] Furthermore, at least a part of the processing of the electronic device 1 may be performed by a dedicated processor such as a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a numerical calculation processor, a vector processor, or an image processing processor, or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (AS The electronic device 1 may be provided by a dedicated large scale integration (LSI) such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other digital circuit. At least a part of the electronic device 1 may include an analog circuit. The CPU 11 may include a DSP, a GPU, an image processor, or the like.

[0030] The main memory unit 12 is a memory device that includes a dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and a static random access memory (SRAM). Memory (SRAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), etc.

[0031] The LAN I / F 19 has already been described in Fig. 1. In this embodiment, a device (controller, controller) including the CPU 11 (including, for example, a DSP, a GPU, an image processor, etc.), the main memory unit 12, and the LAN I / F 19 is constructed on a single chip. The system constructed on a single chip performs information processing, image processing, signal processing, etc., and is called an SoC 10.

[0032] Examples of external devices include an external storage unit 13, a display unit 14, an operation unit 15, a communication unit 16, and a GNSS 17. The external devices do not have to be integrated with the in-vehicle device including the SoC 10. Each of the external devices may be connected to the housing of the in-vehicle device (H / U) including the SoC 10 via a LAN I / F 19.

[0033] The external storage unit 13 is used, for example, as a storage area that supplements the main storage unit 12, and stores computer programs executed by the CPU 11, data processed by the CPU 11, etc. The external storage unit 13 is a hard disk drive, a solid state drive (SSD), etc. Furthermore, the electronic device 1 may be provided with a drive device for a removable storage medium. The removable storage medium may be, for example, a Blu-ray disc, a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), a Compact Disc (CD), a flash memory card, etc. The removable storage medium may be used to install or update programs or data in the electronic device 1.

[0034] The display unit 14 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an electroluminescence panel, an organic light emitting diode (OLED), etc. The operation unit 15 is, for example, a button array, a pointing device, etc. In this embodiment, a touch panel is exemplified as the pointing device.

[0035] The communication unit 16 exchanges data with other devices on the network. The communication unit 16 supports Long Term Evolution (LTE), 4th Generation Mobile Communication System (4G), 5th Generation Mobile Communication System (5G), and the like. Access to wireless access networks such as the Next Generation Mobile Communication System (5G) The communication unit 16 may be a device that supports various communication methods such as 5G and Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC), for example, a device that includes a Telematics Control Unit (TCU) that performs telematics communication.

[0036] The GNSS 17 has already been described with reference to Fig. 1. The GNSS 17 has an antenna 18 and performs positioning based on radio signals from positioning satellites.

[0037] <Processing Procedure> 4 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the electronic device 1. For example, when the electronic device 1 is mounted on a vehicle, this processing is initiated when the accessory power of the vehicle is turned on. This processing is also initiated when the power of the electronic device 1 is turned on or when the connection state of the communication device 2 is changed. The change in the connection state of the communication device 2 refers to when the communication device 2 is connected to the electronic device 1 while the communication device 2 is not connected thereto, or when the connection of the communication device 2 is disconnected while the communication device 2 is connected to the electronic device 1.

[0038] In this process, the electronic device 1 detects whether or not the communication device 2 is connected (S1). The method for detecting whether or not the communication device 2 is connected is as described with reference to FIG.

[0039] If the communication device 2 is connected to the electronic device 1 (YES in S2), the electronic device 1 operates in a mode for setting the time of the RTC device 171 and executes processing. That is, the electronic device 1 acquires GPS time from the GNSS 27 of the communication device 2 and sets the time of the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17 using the acquired GPS time (S3). Setting the time of the RTC device 171 also corrects the time information generated by the RTC device 171.

[0040] Note that the electronic device 1 may confirm in the determination of S2 that the communication device 2 is connected to the electronic device 1 and that data including the GPS time (second time information) measured by the GNSS 27 has been acquired. That is, the electronic device 1 may execute the process of S3 when data including the GPS time (second time information) measured by the GNSS 27 has been acquired. The process of S3 is, for example, a process of setting the RTC time for the RTC device 171 by the electronic device 1 described in FIG. 1.

[0041] On the other hand, if the communication device 2 is not connected to the electronic device 1 (YES in S2), the electronic device 1 The electronic device 1 operates in a mode in which the time setting of the RTC device 171 is not performed, and executes processing (S4). The processing of S4 is, for example, processing by the electronic device 1 described in Fig. 2. Note that, as described in Fig. 1, the electronic device 1 can also determine that the communication device 2 is not connected to the electronic device 1 by the fact that the antenna 18 is connected to the GNSS 17 and data including the RTC time is acquired from the GNSS 17.

[0042] Alternatively, the electronic device 1 may confirm in the determination of S2 that it has not acquired data including the GPS time (second time information) measured by the GNSS 27. In other words, the electronic device 1 may execute the process of S4 when it has not acquired data including the GPS time (second time information) measured by the GNSS 27.

[0043] The electronic device 1 continues the process of S3 or S4 until the accessory power of the vehicle in which the electronic device 1 is installed is turned off, the power of the electronic device 1 is turned off, or the connection state of the communication device 2 is changed. If the accessory power of the vehicle or the power of the electronic device 1 is turned off, the electronic device 1 ends the process. Also, if the connection state of the communication device 2 is changed, the electronic device 1 may execute the process of FIG. 4 again.

[0044] <Effects of the embodiment> As described above, in this embodiment, the SoC 10 of the electronic device 1, as an example of a controller, determines whether the GNSS 27 connected to the electronic device 1 via the LAN I / F 19 is connected (S2 above). If the GNSS 27 is connected to the LAN I / F 19 and the SoC 10 has acquired data including GPS time measured by the GNSS 27, the acquired RTC time is set in the RTC device 171 of the GNSS 17. That is, the SoC 10 corrects the time information generated by the RTC device 171. This prevents the time information generated by the RTC device 171 included in the GNSS 17 built into the electronic device 1 from deviating from the actual time when the external GNSS 27 attached to the electronic device 1 is performing positioning.

[0045] On the other hand, when the built-in GNSS 17 is performing positioning, the SoC 10 does not correct the time information of the RTC device 171 included in the GNSS 17. This is because the time information generated by the RTC device 171 is corrected using the RTC time acquired by the GNSS 17. Furthermore, by the SoC 10 not correcting the time information of the RTC device 171 included in the GNSS 17, the GNSS 17 is reset, reducing the possibility that the positioning result by the GNSS 17 will deviate from the correct position. In any case, the electronic device 1 of this embodiment uses the RTC device 171 included in the GNSS 17 included in the electronic device 1 as the RTC device of the electronic device 1. This allows the electronic device 1 to reduce costs by not having to include a separate RTC device.

[0046] <Computer-readable recording medium> A program that causes a computer or other machine or device (hereinafter referred to as a computer, etc.) to realize any of the above functions can be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Then, by having the computer, etc. read and execute the program from this recording medium, the function can be provided.

[0047] Here, a computer-readable recording medium refers to a recording medium that stores information such as data and programs electrically, magnetically, optically, mechanically, or chemically and can be read by a computer. Among such recording media, those that can be removed from a computer include, for example, flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, CDs (Compact Discs), DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), Blu-ray discs, and memory cards such as flash memory. Also, hard disks are used as recording media fixed to a computer. Hard disks, ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. Furthermore, SSD (Solid State Drive ) can be used as a recording medium that can be removed from a computer or the like, or as a recording medium that is fixed to a computer or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1 Electronic equipment 2. Communications equipment 10 SoC 11 CPU 12 Main memory 13 External memory unit 14 Display section 15 Control section 16 Communications Department 17, 27 GNSS 19 LAN I / F 171 RTC devices

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising: a built-in satellite positioning module; and a controller that controls the built-in satellite positioning module, the built-in satellite positioning module has a clock generation circuit that generates first time information to be supplied to the controller; The controller is an electronic device that, when data including second time information measured by an external satellite positioning module connected to the electronic device via an external interface is acquired, corrects the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit using the second time information.

2. 2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the controller determines whether positioning is being performed by the built-in satellite positioning module, and corrects the first time information if positioning is not being performed by the built-in satellite positioning module.

3. An information processing system having an electronic device including an internal satellite positioning module and a controller that controls the internal satellite positioning module, and an external satellite positioning module connected to the electronic device via an external interface, the built-in satellite positioning module has a clock generation circuit that generates first time information to be supplied to the controller; When data including second time information measured by the external satellite positioning module connected to the electronic device via the external interface is acquired, the controller corrects the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit using the second time information. Information processing system.

4. An information processing method executed by a controller that controls an internal satellite positioning module, the built-in satellite positioning module has a clock generation circuit that generates first time information to be supplied to the controller; When the controller acquires data including second time information measured by an external satellite positioning module connected to the controller via an external interface, the controller corrects the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit using the second time information. Information processing methods.

5. A program to be executed by a controller that controls the built-in satellite positioning module, the built-in satellite positioning module has a clock generation circuit that generates first time information to be supplied to the controller; When the controller acquires data including second time information measured by an external satellite positioning module connected to the controller via an external interface, the first time information generated by the clock generation circuit is corrected using the second time information. program.

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