Parking management system, parking management method and information processing device

Abstract

To improve convenience regarding parking management.SOLUTION: An information processing system according to the present disclosure comprises: an RF (Radio Frequency) tag installed in a vehicle; an information processing device housed in a clothing or a wearing instrument worn by a driver of the vehicle; and a parking management device. The information processing device comprises: an RF reader capable of reading information from the RF tag; a trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal for initiating reading of the RF tag; and an information communication terminal capable of transmitting the signal that causes the RF reader to start reading the RF tag upon receiving the signal transmitted from the trigger unit. The trigger unit is disposed on a front side of the driver's body in the clothing or the wearing instrument.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a parking management system, a parking management method, and an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] There is a demand for technology to efficiently manage inventory of automobiles and other vehicles. For example, vehicles before shipment are temporarily parked in large parking lots, but if the location of each vehicle is not properly managed, it will be difficult to search for the vehicle.

[0003] Known parking management technologies include one that uses RF tags to identify vehicle locations (see Patent Document 1 below). Also known is a technology for attaching RF readers to parking lots without interfering with employee work (see Patent Document 2 below). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6232657 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5992616 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] According to the conventional technology, the location of a vehicle can be determined without providing a new special communication interface.

[0006] However, conventional technology merely identifies the parking location of a vehicle using RF tags. Vehicle parking management is a heavy burden for drivers who move the vehicles and managers in charge of parking management, so technology that can reduce the burden on these parties is desired.

[0007] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes a parking management system, a parking management method, and an information processing device that can improve the convenience of parking management. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems, one embodiment of a parking management system according to the present disclosure includes an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device housed in clothing or a garment worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device. The information processing device includes an RF reader capable of reading information from the RF tag, a trigger unit capable of emitting a signal to start reading the RF tag, and an information communication terminal capable of emitting a signal to cause the RF reader to start reading the RF tag upon receiving the signal emitted from the trigger unit. The trigger unit is disposed on the clothing or garment on the front side of the driver's body. The information communication terminal includes an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in the RF tag upon detecting a first behavior by the driver, and a transmission unit that determines the location information acquired by the acquisition unit as the vehicle's parking location and transmits the vehicle information and the parking location to the parking management device in association with each other. The parking management device includes a memory unit that stores the vehicle information and the parking position transmitted by the transmission unit in association with the parking area information of the vehicle, and a display control unit that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored by the memory unit, and the acquisition unit acquires the vehicle information and the vehicle position information stored in the RF tag when the driver presses the button, which is the trigger unit, as the first action. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a flow of processing executed by a parking management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram (1) showing the structure of a portable unit according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram (2) showing the structure of the portable unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the structure of the portable unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a parking management system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a communication terminal and a management device according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a position information storage unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a vehicle information storage unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a parking area storage unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a parking position storage unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram (1) showing a user interface according to an embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a user interface according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram (1) showing a screen display process according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a diagram (2) showing the screen display process according to the embodiment. [Figure 15] 1 is a flowchart (1) showing the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart (2) showing the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a flow of processing executed by a parking management system according to a modified example. [Figure 18] 10 is a flowchart showing a procedure of information processing according to a modified example. [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram illustrating an example of a computer that realizes the functions of the information processing device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0011] (1. Embodiment) [1-1. Example of a parking management system according to an embodiment] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic flow of processing executed by a parking management system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the parking management system 1 includes an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as a "portable unit 10") stored in a garment worn by a driver 30 of a vehicle 60 (a shoulder-type pouch in this embodiment), an RF (Radio Frequency) tag 50 mounted on the vehicle 60, and a management device 100.

[0012] The portable unit 10 includes a beacon button 11, an RF reader 12, and a communication terminal 20. The beacon button 11 is a device that emits a predetermined beacon signal. The RF reader 12 is a device for reading information from an RF tag 50. The RF reader 12 and the RF tag 50 constitute a wireless communication system, generally called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), that reads and writes data contactlessly using radio waves over a short distance of several centimeters to several meters. The communication terminal 20 is a device that receives the beacon signal emitted from the beacon button 11, acquires location information using a GPS (Global Positioning System), and transmits the acquired location information to the management device 100. The communication terminal 20 is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

[0013] The RF tag 50 is an electronic recording tag mounted on the vehicle 60. In the RF tag 50, identification information for the RF tag 50 (hereinafter referred to as "tag ID"), a vehicle ID which is identification information for uniquely identifying the vehicle, the model and shipping information of the vehicle 60, various information assigned at the time of manufacture, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle information") are written. Furthermore, the RF tag 50 can write and store new information and updated information via, for example, the communication terminal 20.

[0014] The management device 100 is a server for managing the parking positions of the vehicles 60. The management device 100 manages various information (hereinafter referred to as "parking area information") such as vehicle information for each vehicle 60 to be managed, the size, location, name, and capacity of the parking area in which the vehicles 60 are stored.

[0015] Generally, vehicles such as automobiles before shipment are parked in multiple, vast parking areas, and are managed in a complex manner, such as moving the vehicles across multiple parking areas depending on the timing and destination of the shipment. For this reason, vehicle managers must properly manage which vehicles are parked where. For example, a driver who moves a vehicle must accurately identify the vehicle he or she is moving, record the parking areas before and after the move, and accurately communicate the recorded information to the manager. In addition, the manager must accurately record the information communicated by the driver. This places a heavy burden on the vehicle manager and the driver.

[0016] Therefore, the parking management system 1 according to the embodiment improves the convenience of parking management and reduces the burden on vehicle managers and drivers by executing the process shown in Fig. 1. Hereinafter, with reference to Fig. 1, the flow of the process executed by the parking management system 1 when a driver 30 moves a pre-shipment vehicle 60 to a predetermined parking area will be described.

[0017] First, the driver 30, who intends to move the vehicle 60 to a predetermined parking area, wears the portable unit 10 and heads to the current parking position of the vehicle 60. As described above, the vehicle 60 is equipped with an RF tag 50. For example, the RF tag 50 records pre-movement information 44A, which is information linking a tag ID for identifying the RF tag 50 (in other words, the vehicle 60) with the parking position. Note that while FIG. 1 shows an example in which the current parking position is stored as the pre-movement information 44A using a specific parking area name, "location," the parking position may also be stored as position information such as latitude and longitude acquired by GPS. The driver 30 gets into the vehicle 60 and moves the vehicle 60 to the next parking position (step S1).

[0018] After completing the journey, the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11 inside the vehicle 60. When the communication terminal 20 receives the beacon signal emitted by the beacon button 11, it issues a read command to the RF reader 12. The RF reader 12 receives the command from the communication terminal 20 and starts reading the information from the RF tag 50. The communication terminal 20 reads the information from the RF tag 50, and, in response to an action by the driver 30 (in this example, pressing the beacon button 11), acquires position information corresponding to the parking position where the vehicle 60 has been parked after the journey (step S2). Note that the driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 not only inside the vehicle, but also in a nearby position outside the vehicle 60, as long as the distance allows the RF reader 12 to read the information from the RF tag 50.

[0019] When the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 reads the information from the RF tag 50 and estimates the location information acquired at this time as the parking location of the vehicle 60.

[0020] Then, the communication terminal 20 transmits location information (latitude, longitude, etc.) of the parked location to the management device 100, and acquires from the management device 100 the name of the parking area corresponding to the location information ("Yard 1" in the example of FIG. 1). The communication terminal 20 displays the acquired name (location) of the parking area on the screen. After the driver 30 confirms that the displayed location is the location to which the driver moved, the driver operates the screen of the communication terminal 20 to confirm the parking location. In response to this operation, the communication terminal 20 confirms the parking location after the vehicle 60 has been moved, and stores post-movement information 44B linked to the vehicle information, tag ID, date and time when the move was completed, etc.

[0021] When the parking position after the movement is determined, the communication terminal 20 transmits the post-movement information 44B of the vehicle 60 to the management device 100 and requests the management device 100 to register the information (step S3). The management device 100 registers and stores the received post-movement information 44B (step S4).

[0022] Thereafter, when an opportunity arises to move the vehicle 60 again, the operator 40 can search for the current location of the vehicle 60 by inputting search conditions (step S5). For example, the operator 40 searches for the vehicle 60 using the vehicle ID, tag ID, date and time of movement, etc. of the vehicle 60 as a search query. The search results are displayed, for example, on a map displayed on the display 150, with the location information of the vehicle 60 plotted.

[0023] As described above, the parking management system 1 realizes parking management processing that is not burdensome for the manager and the driver 30 through cooperation between the portable unit 10, the RF tag 50, and the management device 100. Specifically, after the driver 30 moves the vehicle 60, the portable unit 10 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 and the location information of the vehicle 60 upon detecting a first action by the driver 30 (pressing the beacon button 11 in the example of FIG. 1). Furthermore, the portable unit 10 determines the location information acquired upon acquiring the vehicle information as the parking location of the vehicle 60, associates the vehicle information with the parking location, and transmits them to the management device 100. The management device 100 stores the transmitted vehicle information and parking location in association with parking area information of the vehicle 60 (yard 1 in the example of FIG. 1), and displays the vehicle's parking location in the parking area on a map based on the stored information.

[0024] In this way, the parking management system 1 allows the driver 30 to store, transmit, and register the parking location of the vehicle 60 by simply pressing the beacon button 11, without having to go through the trouble of recording detailed information about the vehicle 60 before and after moving. Furthermore, the parking management system 1 can achieve the above process simply by installing the RF tag 50 in the vehicle 60, and does not require large-scale capital investment such as installing communication equipment in the parking lot, thereby reducing the burden on the manager.

[0025] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 is in the form of a shoulder pouch, so it does not interfere with the work of the driver 30 and reduces the workload of the driver 30 who actually drives the vehicle 60. The structure of the portable unit 10 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram (1) showing the structure of the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the portable unit 10 is stored in a wearable device that is worn on one shoulder of the driver 30. In one embodiment, the beacon button 11 is mounted near the shoulder of the driver 30 so that the driver 30 can easily press the beacon button 11. This allows the driver 30 to easily press the beacon button 11 without being hindered from driving. Note that, for the sake of explanation, FIG. 2 shows an example in which the beacon button 11 is exposed to the outside, but the beacon button 11 may also be stored inside a pouch.

[0027] Next, the cross-sectional structure of the portable unit 10 will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram (2) showing the structure of the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the portable unit 10 stores the beacon button 11 in an upper portion (closer to the shoulder) that is a position that is easy for the driver 30 to operate when the wearable device is worn on the shoulder of the driver 30. In addition, when the driver 30 wears the wearable device on the shoulder of the portable unit 10, the communication terminal 20 is stored on the body side and the RF reader 12 is stored on the outside.

[0028] A sponge-shaped spacer 13 is placed between the communication terminal 20 and the RF reader 12. The spacer 13 reduces radio wave interference between the communication terminal 20 and the RF reader 12, and improves the reading accuracy and reading distance of the RF reader 12.

[0029] Furthermore, a transparent window 14 is provided at the bottom of the communication terminal 20. By storing the communication terminal 20 in this state, a proximity sensor of the communication terminal 20 that detects its proximity to the body of the driver 30 is activated, and the screen of the communication terminal 20 can be turned off without the driver 30 being aware of it. This allows the communication terminal 20 to reduce battery consumption.

[0030] Next, the planar structure of the portable unit 10 will be described. Fig. 4 is a diagram (3) showing the structure of the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, the portable unit 10 stores the beacon button 11 and the RF reader 12 on the outside from the driver 30 when the driver 30 wears the garment on his / her shoulder. The pocket that stores the beacon button 11 and the RF reader 12 can be opened and closed, for example, with a zipper. Storing the beacon button 11 and the RF reader 12 on the outside from the driver 30 improves the operability of the beacon button 11 and the reading accuracy of the RF reader 12.

[0031] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 stores the communication terminal 20 close to the body of the driver 30 when the driver 30 wears the wearable device on his / her shoulder. The bottom of the pocket in which the communication terminal 20 is stored is a transparent window 14, which improves the visibility of the screen of the communication terminal 20 and contributes to reducing battery consumption of the communication terminal 20.

[0032] As described above, the structure of the portable unit 10 allows the driver 30 to operate the device hands-free while driving, thereby preventing interference with work. The structure of the portable unit 10 also improves the reading accuracy of the RF reader 12, preventing malfunctions such as reading the RF tag of a vehicle parked next to the vehicle 60 to be moved. Furthermore, the portable unit 10 integrates the beacon button 11, RF reader 12, and communication terminal 20 required for processing, allowing the driver 30 to quickly and easily put on or take off the entire device. Furthermore, the portable unit 10 has a smaller contact area with the body than vest-shaped clothing, improving the comfort of the driver 30, for example, when working outdoors in extreme heat.

[0033] The above has described an overview of the processing executed by the parking management system 1 and the structure of the portable unit 10. Below, the elements and functions that make up the parking management system 1 will be described in detail using FIG. 5 and subsequent figures.

[0034] [1-2. Configuration of the parking management system according to the embodiment] The configuration of the parking management system 1 that executes information processing according to the embodiment will be described. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the parking management system 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 5 shows an example of the device configuration for realizing the processing concept of the parking management system 1 shown in Fig. 1.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the parking management system 1 includes a portable unit 10, an RF tag 50, and a management device 100. These various devices are connected to each other via a network N (for example, the Internet or short-range wireless communication) so that they can communicate with each other via wired or wireless means. The number of devices included in the parking management system 1 shown in FIG. 5 is not limited to those shown. For example, the parking management system 1 may include multiple portable units 10 and RF tags 50. Furthermore, since each device shown in FIG. 5 is conceptual, for example, the management device 100 may be configured by linking multiple devices together.

[0036] The portable unit 10 is an information processing device carried by the driver 30. In the embodiment, the portable unit 10 includes a beacon button 11, an RF reader 12, and a communication terminal 20. The beacon button 11 is a device that emits a wireless signal (beacon signal) based on a predetermined standard (Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc.). The RF reader 12 is a device that reads information from an RF tag 50 by wireless communication. The communication terminal 20 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable device, etc.

[0037] The RF tag 50 is an information medium that uses radio waves to read and write data from and to a built-in memory in a non-contact manner based on a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard. The RF tag 50 can take various forms, such as a card type, a button type, or a wristband type.

[0038] The management device 100 is a server that manages the parking positions of the vehicles 60. The management device 100 stores vehicle information and parking positions of the vehicles 60 based on information transmitted from the portable units 10. The management device 100 also stores information about the vehicles, such as which RF tags 50 are mounted on which vehicles 60. The management device 100 also stores information about parking areas. For example, the management device 100 stores information such as the size and location information of the parking areas, the number of cars that can be accommodated, the current number of parked cars, and the occupancy rate. The management device 100 also displays the current parking position of the vehicles 60, the occupancy rate of each parking area, and the like on the display 150 in accordance with the operation of the operator 40.

[0039] [1-3. Configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment] Next, a description will be given of the configurations of the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 that execute information processing according to the embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 according to the embodiment.

[0040] First, a description will be given of the communication terminal 20. As shown in Fig. 6, the communication terminal 20 has a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 24. The communication terminal 20 may also have an input unit (for example, a touch panel) that accepts various operations from the driver 30 or the like, and a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) that displays various information.

[0041] The communication unit 21 is realized by, for example, a network interface card (NIC) etc. The communication unit 21 is connected to the network N by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the beacon button 11, the RF reader 12, the management device 100 etc. via the network N.

[0042] The storage unit 22 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 22 has a position information storage unit 23.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows an example of information stored in the position information storage unit 23. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the position information storage unit 23 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the position information storage unit 23 has items such as "tag ID," "vehicle information," "position before movement," and "parking position." Note that in the examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the information stored in the storage unit 22 and the storage unit 120 is conceptually shown as "A001," but in reality, each piece of information described below is stored in the storage unit 22 and the storage unit 120.

[0044] The "tag ID" is identification information for identifying the RF tag 50 mounted on the vehicle 60. In the embodiment, since the RF tag 50 is mounted on each vehicle 60, the tag ID can also be identification information for the vehicle 60. The "vehicle information" is various information related to the vehicle 60. For example, the vehicle information includes a vehicle ID, which is identification information for uniquely identifying the vehicle, the vehicle model, shipping location, shipping destination, and various information assigned at the time of manufacture of the vehicle 60.

[0045] The "position before movement" indicates the parking position before being moved by the driver 30. The position before movement is, for example, information written to the RF tag 50 when the driver 30 moved in the past. The driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 before moving and write the position information acquired at the time of pressing to the RF tag 50. The "parking position" indicates the parking position after being moved by the driver 30. The position before movement and the parking position may be numerical information such as specific longitude and latitude, or may be a name indicating a parking area determined based on numerical information, or parking position information artificially set by the administrator within the parking area (for example, arbitrary information indicating a parking position independently determined by the administrator, such as parking position 10 in parking lot 1).

[0046] That is, FIG. 7 shows an example in which the information acquired by the communication terminal 20, in which the tag ID, the vehicle information, the position before movement, and the parking position are linked to each other, is stored in the position information storage unit 23.

[0047] Returning to Fig. 6, the explanation will be continued. The control unit 24 is realized by, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or the like executing a program stored inside the communication terminal 20 using a random access memory (RAM) or the like as a working area. The control unit 24 is also a controller, and may be realized by, for example, an integrated circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0048] 6, control unit 24 has an acquisition unit 25, a detection unit 26, and a transmission unit 27, and realizes or executes the functions and actions of information processing described below. Note that the internal configuration of control unit 24 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, and other configurations may be used as long as they perform the information processing described below.

[0049] The acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information and the location information of the vehicle 60 stored in the RF tag 50 upon detecting the first action by the driver 30. The first action is an action taken by the driver 30 to explicitly indicate that the vehicle 60 will be parked after the driver 30 has driven the vehicle 60 to a destination.

[0050] For example, the acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 and the location information of the vehicle 60 as a first action when the driver 30 transmits a beacon signal (i.e., presses the beacon button 11). Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 and the location information of the vehicle 60 as a first action when the acquisition unit 25 detects at least one of a predetermined voice uttered by the driver 30, the elimination of the proximity between the driver 30 and the vehicle 60, and the driver 30 performing an operation to stop the vehicle.

[0051] For example, when the acquisition unit 25 recognizes that the driver 30 has uttered a predetermined activation sound, such as "Parking Complete," the acquisition unit 25 may acquire location information at the time of recognition as the parking location of the vehicle 60. This allows the driver 30 to complete the process hands-free without performing an action such as pressing the beacon button 11. The acquisition unit 25 may also acquire location information of the vehicle 60 when it detects that the driver 30 (i.e., the communication terminal 20 or the RF reader 12) and the vehicle 60 (i.e., the RF tag 50) are separated by a predetermined distance using a function for detecting proximity in short-range wireless communication. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire location information of the vehicle 60 when it detects that the driver 30 has stopped the vehicle 60 (for example, by stopping the engine, stopping for a certain period of time, returning the gear to a stopped state, etc.). This allows the driver 30 to complete the process without being aware of it.

[0052] The detection unit 26 detects the position information of the vehicle 60 when the vehicle information is acquired by the acquisition unit 25. The acquisition unit 25 acquires the position information detected by the detection unit 26 as the position information of the vehicle 60.

[0053] For example, the detection unit 26 detects the position information of the vehicle 60 using a GPS sensor provided in the communication terminal 20. Note that the detection unit 26 may detect the position information of the vehicle 60 using any means other than a GPS sensor. For example, the detection unit 26 may detect the position information of the vehicle 60 based on access information between the communication terminal 20 and an access point installed in the parking area.

[0054] The transmitting unit 27 determines the location information acquired by the acquiring unit 25 as the parking location of the vehicle 60, associates the vehicle information with the parking location, and transmits the information to the management device 100.

[0055] After determining that the location information acquired by the acquisition unit 25 is the parking location of the vehicle 60, the transmission unit 27 may present information about the parking area corresponding to the parking location to the driver 30 by displaying it on a display unit (screen) or by audio notification. Then, if the driver 30 approves the presented information, the transmission unit 27 links the vehicle information with the parking location and transmits it to the management device 100.

[0056] For example, when the transmission unit 27 determines a parking position, it acquires the name of the parking area corresponding to the parking position from the management device 100. Then, the transmission unit 27 displays the acquired name of the parking area ("Location" shown in the example of FIG. 1) on the screen. If the name of the parking area to which the driver 30 has moved the vehicle 60 matches the name displayed on the screen, the driver 30 performs an operation to approve the parking position. After performing this operation, the transmission unit 27 associates the vehicle information with the parking position and transmits them to the management device 100.

[0057] If the driver 30 does not approve the presented information, the transmission unit 27 accepts input of correction information from the driver 30. Then, the transmission unit 27 links the information input by the driver 30 with the vehicle information and transmits it to the management device 100. In this way, the transmission unit 27 can prevent incorrect information from being transmitted to the management device 100 by transmitting only information that has been approved by the driver 30 to the management device 100.

[0058] Furthermore, if the detection unit 26 detects that the location information has not changed for a predetermined time after the acquisition unit 25 acquires the location information, the transmission unit 27 may determine the acquired location information as the parking location of the vehicle 60. For example, even if the transmission unit 27 acquires the location information, the transmission unit 27 may not immediately transmit the location information, but may wait for several tens of seconds and continue detecting the location information. Then, if the transmission unit 27 detects that the location information of the parking location has not changed, i.e., that the vehicle has been parked without error, the transmission unit 27 associates the vehicle information with the parking location and transmits the linked information to the management device 100. This prevents the transmission unit 27 from transmitting an incorrect parking location acquired due to, for example, an erroneous press of the beacon button 11 to the management device 100. Furthermore, even if the transmission unit 27 does not detect the driver 30 pressing the beacon button 11, the transmission unit 27 may determine the location information acquired by the acquisition unit 25 as the parking location of the vehicle 60 after a certain time has elapsed. This allows the transmission unit 27 to continue processing even if the driver 30 forgets to press the beacon button 11 or if the behavior of the driver 30 cannot be detected due to some kind of obstacle. Furthermore, when the vehicle 60 is stopped, the transmission unit 27 may read out the location name to be registered at that time, and if there is no change operation from the driver 30 for a certain period of time thereafter, determine that location as the parking location of the vehicle 60. In this case, if the driver 30 performs an operation indicating that the read-out location name is different from the actual location (for example, by pressing and holding the beacon button 11), the transmission unit 27 may cancel the registration of the location name or accept input of the correct location name.

[0059] Next, a description will be given of the management device 100. As shown in Fig. 6, the management device 100 has a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130. The management device 100 may also have an input unit (for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc.) that accepts various operations from an administrator who manages the management device 100, and a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display, etc.) that displays various information.

[0060] The communication unit 110 is realized by, for example, a NIC etc. The communication unit 110 is connected to the network N by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the communication terminal 20 etc. via the network N.

[0061] The storage unit 120 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 120 has a vehicle information storage unit 121, a parking area storage unit 122, and a parking position storage unit 123. Each storage unit will be described below in order.

[0062] Fig. 8 shows an example of information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 121. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the vehicle information storage unit 121 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 8, the vehicle information storage unit 121 has items such as "vehicle ID," "tag ID," "vehicle model," and "shipping destination."

[0063] "Vehicle ID" is identification information for identifying the vehicle 60. "Tag ID" is the same as the information shown in Figure 7. In the embodiment, an RF tag 50 is mounted on each vehicle 60, so there is a one-to-one correspondence between the vehicle ID and the tag ID. "Vehicle model" is information indicating the vehicle model of the vehicle 60. Note that the vehicle model may include various information such as not only the type of vehicle but also the shape and color. "Shipping destination" is information about the location to which the vehicle 60 is shipped and the business partner.

[0064] That is, FIG. 8 shows an example in which a plurality of pieces of information related to the vehicle 60, such as the vehicle ID, tag ID, vehicle model, and shipping destination, are linked and stored in the vehicle information storage unit 121.

[0065] Next, Fig. 9 shows an example of information stored in the parking area storage unit 122. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the parking area storage unit 122 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the parking area storage unit 122 has items such as "parking area ID," "location," "name," "GPS location code," "number of cars that can be accommodated," "number of available cars," and "occupancy rate."

[0066] The "parking area ID" is identification information for identifying the parking area. The "location" is information indicating the location of the parking area. For example, the location is location information such as latitude and longitude corresponding to the location of the parking area. The "name" is a name assigned to the parking area by, for example, an administrator. When the name is displayed on the communication terminal 20, an item name such as "location" is used. The "GPS location code" is information that associates the location information identified by GPS with the parking area. For example, when the operator 40 searches for information on a parking position or parking area, the operator 40 may search based on the name of the parking area or may search using the GPS location code. The "accommodation capacity" indicates the maximum number of vehicles that can be accommodated in the parking area. The "vacant number of vehicles" indicates the current number of vacant parking positions in the parking area. The "occupancy rate" indicates the current occupancy rate of the parking area. In addition to the above information, the parking area storage unit 122 may also store the area of ​​the parking area, the number of divisions (number of parking spaces) set for parking vehicles, etc.

[0067] That is, Figure 9 shows an example in which multiple pieces of information about a parking area, such as a parking area ID, location, name, GPS location code, number of spaces that can be accommodated, number of available spaces, and occupancy rate, are linked and stored in the parking area memory unit 122.

[0068] Next, Fig. 10 shows an example of information stored in the parking position storage unit 123. Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the parking position storage unit 123 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 10, the parking position storage unit 123 has items such as "tag ID," "vehicle information," "parking position," "parking area ID," and "registration date and time."

[0069] "Tag ID," "Vehicle information," and "Parking location" correspond to the information shown in Fig. 7. "Parking area ID" corresponds to the information shown in Fig. 9. "Registration date and time" indicates the date and time when the parking location after parking was transmitted from communication terminal 20 and registered in management device 100.

[0070] 10 shows an example in which multiple pieces of information related to the movement and parking of vehicle 60, such as tag ID, vehicle information, parking position, parking area ID, and registration date and time, are linked and stored in parking position storage unit 123. That is, parking position storage unit 123 stores the vehicle information and parking position transmitted by transmission unit 27, linked to the parking area information of the vehicle. By referring to parking position storage unit 123, management device 100 can obtain information such as the position of vehicle 60 in which parking area and when it moved to that position.

[0071] 6, the explanation will be continued. The control unit 130 is realized by, for example, a CPU, an MPU, a GPU, or the like executing a program stored inside the management device 100 using RAM or the like as a work area. The control unit 130 is also a controller, and may be realized by, for example, an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA.

[0072] 6, control unit 130 has registration unit 131 and display control unit 132, and realizes or executes the functions and actions of information processing described below. Note that the internal configuration of control unit 130 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, and other configurations may be used as long as they perform the information processing described below.

[0073] The registration unit 131 registers various types of information in the storage unit 120. For example, when the vehicle 60 is delivered or manufactured, the registration unit 131 registers information about the vehicle in the vehicle information storage unit 121. Furthermore, when the registration unit 131 acquires information about a parking area, the registration unit 131 registers the information about the parking area in the parking area storage unit 122. Furthermore, the registration unit 131 associates the vehicle information and the parking position transmitted by the transmission unit 27 with the parking area information of the vehicle and registers them in the parking position storage unit 123.

[0074] The display control unit 132 displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored in the storage unit 120. For example, the display control unit 132 references the parking position of the vehicle 60 searched for based on the vehicle ID or tag ID from the storage unit 120, and plots and displays the parking position on a map. This allows the display control unit 132 to accurately show the position of the target vehicle 60 to the driver 30 or the like.

[0075] Furthermore, if information on the number of vehicles that can be parked in a parking area or the area of ​​the parking area is stored in the storage unit 120 as parking area information, the display control unit 132 may refer to that information. Then, based on the information on the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of ​​the parking area, the display control unit 132 displays on the map an occupancy rate that indicates how many vehicles the parking area can accommodate. In this way, the display control unit 132 can accurately show the manager or the like the current status of the occupancy rate of a parking area located at a particular location.

[0076] At this time, the display control unit 132 may display multiple parking areas with different occupancy rates in different display modes based on the current occupancy rate. For example, the display control unit 132 may display parking areas with relatively high occupancy rates in red, parking areas with relatively low occupancy rates in green, and parking areas with intermediate occupancy rates in yellow. This allows the display control unit 132 to display parking areas with excellent visibility.

[0077] Furthermore, when information indicating a vehicle 60 displayed on the map is selected, the display control unit 132 may display at least one of vehicle information corresponding to the information indicating the vehicle 60, location information of the vehicle 60, or movement history of the vehicle 60 near the information indicating the vehicle 60. For example, the operator 40 operates a pointer on the display 150 to select a point indicating the vehicle 60. Based on this operation, the display control unit 132 displays the vehicle model, location information, movement history, etc. of the vehicle corresponding to the selected point in the form of a pop-up window or the like. In this way, the display control unit 132 allows the operator 40, etc. to quickly check not only the current location of the vehicle 60 but also the vehicle information.

[0078] Next, examples of user interfaces and screen displays when the driver 30 and the operator 40 operate the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 will be shown with reference to FIGS.

[0079] 11 is a diagram (1) showing a user interface according to the embodiment, and shows an example of a user interface displayed on the communication terminal 20 operated by the driver 30.

[0080] In the example shown in FIG. 11, when the driver 30 presses the display 20A that reads "Current Vehicle ID Read" after the vehicle 60 has moved, the portable unit 10 starts the processing according to the embodiment. For example, when the driver 30 then presses the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 reads the RF tag 50 and automatically displays information such as the vehicle ID and tag ID on the screen. Alternatively, the driver 30 may input the vehicle ID and the like himself / herself and then press the display 20A to start the processing. The driver 30 may also obtain vehicle information and the like by reading a two-dimensional code such as a barcode attached to the vehicle.

[0081] Next, communication terminal 20 detects the location information and displays the latitude and longitude. Communication terminal 20 may also obtain a location corresponding to the location information from management device 100 and display it on display 20B on the screen. Driver 30 checks the location displayed on the screen, and if the confirmed information is accurate, presses display 20D that displays "Confirm location registration." Note that communication terminal 20 may confirm the location information when the remaining time displayed on display 20C reaches 0, even if driver 30 does not press display 20D.

[0082] Next, an example of an operation performed by the driver 30 to display the position of the vehicle 60 on the communication terminal 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a diagram (2) showing a user interface according to the embodiment.

[0083] In the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the driver 30 desires to display the position of the vehicle 60 on a map, for example, before or after the vehicle 60 moves. In this case, the driver 30 inputs the vehicle ID and presses the display 20F, reads the barcode of the vehicle 60, presses the beacon button 11, or the like, to load the vehicle information into the communication terminal 20. In the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the driver 30 searches for information on the vehicle 60 identified by the vehicle ID "F001." The communication terminal 20 references the information stored in the position information storage unit 23 or the parking position storage unit 123, and outputs the information on the vehicle 60 identified by the vehicle ID "F001."

[0084] 12, for example, communication terminal 20 displays map 20G and plots point 20H representing vehicle 60 on map 20G. At this time, communication terminal 20 may display information indicating the model of vehicle 60, etc., near point 20H. This allows driver 30 to confirm the position of vehicle 60 that he or she is about to move and whether the information about vehicle 60 after movement has been accurately stored.

[0085] Next, an example of a screen display when the operator 40 operates the management device 100 will be described. Fig. 13 is a diagram (1) showing a screen display process according to the embodiment. Fig. 13 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display 150 when the operator 40 searches for a vehicle 60.

[0086] An operator 40 who wishes to search for a vehicle 60 inputs search criteria into a search window 150A. For example, the operator 40 inputs a search query to identify the vehicle 60, such as a vehicle ID, the date and time the vehicle 60 was moved, the parking area, or the vehicle model, into the search window 150A. The management device 100 displays search results 150B based on the input search query. FIG. 13 shows an example in which the management device 100 outputs vehicle IDs "F001" and "F002" as search results based on the search query. The management device 100 also plots and displays the locations of the vehicles 60 corresponding to the search results on a map 150C. This allows the operator 40 to see at a glance on the map 150C where the vehicle 60 being searched for is parked.

[0087] Next, an example of a screen display when the operator 40 investigates the status of the parking area will be described. Fig. 14 is a diagram (2) showing the screen display process according to the embodiment. Fig. 14 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display 150 when the operator 40 investigates the parking area.

[0088] An operator 40 who wishes to investigate the status of a parking area inputs search criteria into search window 150E. For example, operator 40 inputs a parking area ID or a GPS location code into search window 150E. Management device 100 displays search results 150F based on the input search query. FIG. 14 shows an example in which management device 100 outputs the names "Yard 1" and "Yard 2" as search results based on the search query. Management device 100 also displays the locations and occupancy rates of parking areas corresponding to the search results on map 150G. As shown in FIG. 14, management device 100 displays the locations and occupancy rates of parking areas by type. This allows operator 40 to check at a glance on map 150G information such as which parking areas have the most vehicles 60 parked in them.

[0089] [1-4. Information Processing Procedure According to the Embodiment] Next, the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15 and Fig. 16. First, the flow of processing executed by the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a flowchart (1) showing the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment.

[0090] 15, the communication terminal 20 determines whether or not a beacon signal has been received from the beacon button 11 (step S101). If a signal has not been received (step S101; No), the communication terminal 20 waits until a signal is received.

[0091] On the other hand, if a signal is received (step S101; Yes), the communication terminal 20 reads the RF tag 50 via the RF reader 12 and acquires the vehicle information and the position information of the vehicle 60 stored in the RF tag 50 (step S102). Subsequently, the communication terminal 20 determines whether the position information is accurate, that is, whether the parking position has been confirmed by the driver 30 (step S103). If the parking position has not been confirmed (step S103; No), the communication terminal 20 waits until the parking position is confirmed.

[0092] On the other hand, if the parking position is confirmed (step S103; Yes), the communication terminal 20 determines the parking position, which is the position of the vehicle 60 after it has been moved (step S104). Then, the communication terminal 20 associates the parking position with vehicle information and a tag ID for identifying the vehicle 60, and transmits them to the management device 100 (step S105).

[0093] Next, the flow of the display control process executed by the management device 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 16. Fig. 16 is a flowchart (2) showing the procedure of the information processing according to the embodiment.

[0094] 16, the management device 100 determines whether or not a search request has been received from the operator 40, etc. (Step S201). If no request has been received (Step S201; No), the management device 100 waits until a request is received.

[0095] On the other hand, if a request is received (step S201; Yes), the management device 100 searches for vehicles 60 according to the received search conditions (step S202). The management device 100 identifies the searched vehicles 60 (step S203) and plots and displays the identified vehicles 60 on a map (step S204).

[0096] Thereafter, the management device 100 determines whether or not a point on the map has been selected by the operator 40 or the like (step S205). If a point on the map has been selected (step S205; Yes), the management device 100 displays individual detailed information about the vehicle 60 corresponding to the selected point (step S206). Note that if a point on the map has not been selected (step S205; No), the management device 100 skips the processing of step S206.

[0097] Thereafter, the management device 100 determines whether or not a request to display the occupancy rate has been received from the operator 40 or the like (step S207). If a request to display the occupancy rate has been received (step S207; Yes), the management device 100 displays the occupancy rate of the parking area corresponding to the request (step S208). If a request to display the occupancy rate has not been received (step S207; No), the management device 100 skips the processing of step S208.

[0098] Thereafter, the management device 100 determines whether or not a request to end the search process has been received from the operator 40 or the like (step S209). If a request to end the search process has not been received (step S209; No), the management device 100 continues the search process and receives a request for new search conditions (step S201). On the other hand, if a request to end the search process has been received (step S209; Yes), the management device 100 ends the search process.

[0099] 15 and 16 are merely examples, and the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 may perform the processes in an order different from that shown in Fig. 15 and 16. For example, the management device 100 may perform the process of step S207 before step S205, or may perform either step S205 or step S207.

[0100] (2. Modifications of the embodiment) [2-1. Press the beacon button before moving] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11 after the vehicle 60 has moved. Here, the driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 twice in total, once before moving and once after moving. This modified example will be described with reference to FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is a block diagram schematically showing the flow of processing executed by the parking management system 1 according to the modified example.

[0101] 17, the driver 30 wears the portable unit 10 and heads to the current parking position of the vehicle 60. Then, before starting the vehicle 60, the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11 inside the vehicle 60. When the communication terminal 20 receives the beacon signal emitted by the beacon button 11, it issues a read command to the RF reader 12. In response to the command from the communication terminal 20, the RF reader 12 starts reading information from the RF tag 50 (step S301).

[0102] 1, the RF tag 50 stores the vehicle ID of the vehicle 60, the tag ID of the RF tag 50, etc. The communication terminal 20 reads the information from the RF tag 50 and starts detecting the location information when an action by the driver 30 (in this example, pressing the beacon button 11) occurs. As a result, the communication terminal 20 acquires pre-movement information 44A, which is information linking the tag ID for identifying the RF tag 50 (in other words, the vehicle 60) with the current parking position.

[0103] After the driver 30 confirms on the screen of the communication terminal 20 that information has been acquired from the RF tag 50, the driver 30 starts moving the vehicle 60. During the movement, the communication terminal 20 continues to detect and acquire location information. The driver 30 moves the vehicle 60 to the desired parking area and parks the vehicle 60.

[0104] When parking is complete, the driver 30 again presses the beacon button 11. When the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 again reads the information from the RF tag 50 and estimates the acquired position information as the parking position of the vehicle 60 (step S302).

[0105] Thereafter, the communication terminal 20 transmits the post-movement information 44B to the management device 100. The processes from step S303 to step S305 shown in Fig. 17 are common to the processes from step S3 to step S5 shown in Fig. 1, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0106] As described above, in the parking management system 1 according to the modified example, the portable unit 10 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 upon detecting the driver 30's action before moving the vehicle 60 (referred to as the "second action" for clarity; in the example of FIG. 17, this corresponds to pressing the beacon button 11), and starts acquiring the position information of the vehicle 60 upon detecting the vehicle information. Furthermore, the portable unit 10 determines the detected position information as the parking position of the vehicle 60 upon detecting the driver 30's first action (pressing the beacon button 11 for the second time), associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits them to the management device 100. The management device 100 stores the transmitted vehicle information and parking position in association with the parking area information of the vehicle 60, and displays the vehicle's parking position in the parking area on a map based on the stored information.

[0107] In this way, according to the parking management system 1 of the modified example, by reading the information of the RF tag 50 twice, when starting and when parking, it is possible to prevent erroneous operations such as accidentally reading the tag information of another vehicle (such as a vehicle parked near vehicle 60).

[0108] The function of the acquisition unit 25 according to the modified example will be described. For example, the acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 upon detecting a second action by the driver 30. The second action is an action taken by the driver 30 when he or she moves the vehicle 60 in order to clearly indicate that the vehicle 60 is about to move.

[0109] For example, the acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 when the driver 30 transmits a beacon signal (i.e., presses the beacon button 11) as the second action. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 when the acquisition unit 25 detects at least one of a predetermined voice uttered by the driver 30, the driver 30 approaching the vehicle 60, or the driver 30 starting the vehicle as the second action.

[0110] For example, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire vehicle information when it recognizes that the driver 30 has uttered a predetermined activation voice, such as "I'm about to start moving." The acquisition unit 25 may automatically recognize a voice uttered by the driver 30, even if it is not a predetermined activation voice, and accept an operation requested by the driver 30 based on the recognized voice. This allows the driver 30 to start the location information detection process hands-free, without having to take an action such as pressing the beacon button 11. The acquisition unit 25 may also acquire vehicle information when it detects that the driver 30 (i.e., the communication terminal 20 or the RF reader 12) and the vehicle 60 (i.e., the RF tag 50) have approached each other to within a predetermined distance using a function for detecting proximity in short-range wireless communication. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire vehicle information when it detects that the driver 30 has started the vehicle 60 (e.g., by starting the engine, starting to drive, changing gears, etc.). This allows the driver 30 to start the location information detection process without being aware of it when moving.

[0111] Furthermore, the detection unit 26 according to the modified example starts acquiring the location information of the vehicle 60 when the vehicle information is acquired by the acquisition unit 25. For example, the detection unit 26 uses a GPS sensor provided in the communication terminal 20 to acquire the location information of the vehicle 60 before it moves, and continues to detect and acquire the location information during movement.

[0112] Next, the procedure of information processing according to the modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the procedure of information processing according to the modified example.

[0113] 18, the communication terminal 20 determines whether or not a beacon signal has been received from the beacon button 11 (step S401). If a signal has not been received (step S401; No), the communication terminal 20 waits until a signal is received.

[0114] On the other hand, if a signal is received (step S401; Yes), the communication terminal 20 reads the information stored in the RF tag 50 via the RF reader 12 (step S402). Then, the communication terminal 20 acquires the tag ID and vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 (step S403). In addition, the communication terminal 20 starts detecting the location information (step S404).

[0115] Thereafter, the communication terminal 20 determines whether or not a beacon signal has been received again (step S405). If a signal has not been received (step S405; No), the communication terminal 20 waits while continuing to detect location information until a signal is received.

[0116] On the other hand, if a signal is received (step S405; Yes), the communication terminal 20 acquires the position information at that time as the position information at the time of parking (step S406). The process from step S407 onwards is the same as the process from step S103 onwards shown in Figure 15, and therefore the description will be omitted.

[0117] [2-2. Configuration of the portable unit] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the portable unit 10 according to the present disclosure includes the beacon button 11, the RF reader 12, and the communication terminal 20. However, the configuration of the portable unit 10 is not limited to this example as long as it is capable of executing the processes shown in the embodiment.

[0118] In other words, the portable unit 10 only needs to include a reader unit capable of reading information from the RF tag 50, a trigger unit capable of emitting a signal to start reading the RF tag, and an information communication terminal capable of emitting a signal to cause the reader unit to start reading the RF tag 50 upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit.

[0119] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 may be composed of one or more units that realize the functions of the reader unit, trigger unit, and information communication terminal. For example, if the functions of the reader unit, trigger unit, and information communication terminal are realized by a smartphone or an app running on the smartphone, the portable unit 10 may be composed of a single smartphone. Furthermore, although FIG. 1 and other figures show an example in which the driver 30 confirms on the screen of the communication terminal 20 that information has been acquired from the RF tag 50, the communication terminal 20 may notify the driver 30 of the information by a different means. For example, the communication terminal 20 may notify the driver 30 of the information not only by a screen display, but also by means such as voice, notification sound, flashing display, or vibration.

[0120] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. For example, the portable unit 10 may be configured such that the RF reader 12 and the communication terminal 20 are stored vertically in front of the driver 30's body. This is because, when the RF tag 50 emits radio waves vertically, reading accuracy is improved when the RF reader 12 is positioned vertically facing the RF tag 50. In this case, the portable unit 10 may be configured like a pouch worn around the waist rather than worn over the shoulder. Alternatively, the portable unit 10 may be configured like a backpack worn on the front of the body. Furthermore, the portable unit 10 may not have the spacer 13 shown in FIG. 3, and the beacon button 11, RF reader 12, and communication terminal 20 may be stored together in one pocket.

[0121] In this way, the portable unit 10 can have a flexible configuration. That is, the portable unit 10 according to the present disclosure can be realized in a manner that meets the detailed requests of the manager and the driver 30, and therefore can provide a parking management service with high usability.

[0122] [2-3. Management Device] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the management device 100 according to the present disclosure is a server or the like operated by the operator 40, but the configuration of the management device 100 is not limited to this. For example, if the functions of the management device 100 shown in the embodiment are realized by the communication terminal 20 included in the portable unit 10, the communication terminal 20 may also have the functions of the management device 100. In this case, the communication terminal 20 stores the parking position of the vehicle 60 in association with the vehicle information, and, in response to a request from the driver 30, searches for the position of the vehicle 60 and displays the occupancy rate of the vehicle 60 and the parking area on the screen.

[0123] [2-4. Triggering behavior] In the above embodiment, an example has been shown in which the portable unit 10 according to the present disclosure reads the RF tag 50 in response to a first action of the driver, and acquires the parking location in response to a second action. Here, the first action and the second action are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiment, and may be any action that triggers processing.

[0124] Furthermore, the actions exemplified as the first action and the second action may be combined in any manner. For example, the portable unit 10 may read the RF tag 50 when the beacon button 11 is pressed, and acquire the parking location when it detects that the driver has stopped the vehicle. Alternatively, the driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 in step S1 shown in FIG. 1 and omit pressing the beacon button 11 in step S2. In this case, the portable unit 10 may determine the detected location as the parking location, for example, after a certain period of time has elapsed. Furthermore, the processes shown in FIG. 1 and the like do not necessarily need to be executed in order. For example, the portable unit 10 may acquire vehicle information immediately after the vehicle 60 is moved, rather than acquiring the location information of the vehicle 60 when it acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50.

[0125] [2-5. Parking Management System] In the above embodiment, the processing executed by the parking management system 1 may be executed by either the portable unit 10 or the management device 100.

[0126] For example, in the embodiment, an example is shown in which the mobile unit 10 acquires a location, which is the name of a parking area, from the management device 100, but the mobile unit 10 may store information about the parking area in the memory unit 22 and acquire location information from the memory unit 22.

[0127] Furthermore, in the embodiment, an example has been shown in which the vehicle 60 is parked in a plurality of wide-area parking areas, but the processing executed by the parking management system 1 is not limited to this. For example, the parking management system 1 may manage the position information of the vehicle 60 parked in an indoor warehouse, a large transport tanker, or the like. In this case, if it is difficult to detect the position information using a satellite such as GPS, the parking management system 1 may detect the position information using various known techniques, such as using the access points described above, using radio waves from a smartphone base station, or using a vehicle speed sensor or gyro of the vehicle 60.

[0128] (3. Other embodiments) The processing according to the above-described embodiment may be implemented in various different forms other than the above embodiment.

[0129] For example, among the processes described in the above embodiments, all or part of the processes described as being performed automatically can be performed manually, or all or part of the processes described as being performed manually can be performed automatically using a known method. Furthermore, the information including the processing procedures, specific names, various data, and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings can be changed as desired unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each drawing is not limited to the information shown in the drawings.

[0130] Furthermore, the components of each device shown in the figure are conceptual functional components and do not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0131] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications can be combined as appropriate within the scope of not causing any contradiction in the processing content.

[0132] Furthermore, the effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be present.

[0133] (4. Effects of the Information Processing System According to the Present Disclosure) As described above, a parking management system according to the present disclosure (in the embodiment, the parking management system 1) includes an RF tag (in the embodiment, the RF tag 50) mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device (in the embodiment, the portable unit 10) housed in clothing or a garment worn by the driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device (in the embodiment, the management device 100). The information processing device includes an acquisition unit (in the embodiment, the acquisition unit 25) that acquires vehicle information and vehicle position information stored in the RF tag upon detecting a first behavior by the driver, and a transmission unit (in the embodiment, the transmission unit 27) that determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as the parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the associated information to the parking management device. The parking management device includes a memory unit (in the embodiment, the memory unit 120) that stores the vehicle information and parking position transmitted by the transmission unit, associating them with parking area information for the vehicle, and a display control unit (in the embodiment, the display control unit 132) that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored in the memory unit.

[0134] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure uses communication with RF tags to detect and register the location information of vehicles after they have been moved, for example, when managing vehicles in a waiting parking lot before the shipment of completed vehicles or in a large-area parking lot with multiple separate locations. Therefore, the information processing system allows drivers to register their parking locations without any significant effort. Furthermore, the information processing system allows managers to accurately manage the parking locations and arrangement of vehicles without installing large-scale equipment in the parking lot. In this way, the information processing system has the effect of improving the convenience of parking management.

[0135] In addition, as a first action, the acquisition unit acquires the vehicle information and vehicle location information stored in the RF tag when it detects at least one of the following: the driver transmitting a beacon signal, the driver making a predetermined sound, the driver no longer being close to the vehicle, or the driver stopping the vehicle.

[0136] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure acquires and registers location information in response to a simple action by the driver, thereby realizing parking management that reduces the workload on the driver.

[0137] In addition, after determining that the location information acquired by the acquisition unit is the vehicle's parking location, the transmission unit presents information about the parking area corresponding to the parking location to the driver by displaying it on the display unit or by audio notification, and if the driver approves the presented information, the transmission unit links the vehicle information with the parking location and transmits it to the parking management device.

[0138] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure can register a more accurate parking position by registering the parking position based on the driver's approval.

[0139] The information processing device also includes an RF reader (in this embodiment, RF reader 12) capable of reading information from an RF tag, a trigger unit (in this embodiment, beacon button 11) capable of emitting a signal to start reading the RF tag, and an information communication terminal (in this embodiment, communication terminal 20) capable of emitting a signal to cause the RF reader to start reading the RF tag upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit.

[0140] In this way, the information processing device according to the present disclosure can realize parking management processing that reduces the workload of the driver by having multiple devices work together, such as by using beacon signals to start detecting location information or by reading vehicle information using an RF reader.

[0141] The storage unit also stores information about the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of ​​the parking area as the parking area information. The display control unit displays an occupancy rate, which indicates how many vehicles the parking area can accommodate, on the map based on the information about the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of ​​the parking area.

[0142] In this way, the information processing system of the present disclosure can display occupancy rates on a map along with vehicle locations, thereby centrally displaying information required for management, such as how many vehicles can be stored in which area and in which area vehicles should be parked.

[0143] (5. Hardware Configuration) Information devices such as the communication terminal 20 and management device 100 according to the above-described embodiments are realized by a computer 1000 having a configuration as shown in FIG. 17, for example. The following description will be given taking the management device 100 according to the embodiment as an example. FIG. 17 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of a computer 1000 that realizes the functions of the management device 100. The computer 1000 has a CPU 1100, a RAM 1200, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 1300, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 1400, a communication interface 1500, and an input / output interface 1600. The various components of the computer 1000 are connected by a bus 1050.

[0144] The CPU 1100 operates and controls each unit based on programs stored in the ROM 1300 or the HDD 1400. For example, the CPU 1100 loads the programs stored in the ROM 1300 or the HDD 1400 into the RAM 1200 and executes processing corresponding to the various programs.

[0145] The ROM 1300 stores boot programs such as a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) executed by the CPU 1100 when the computer 1000 is started, and programs that depend on the hardware of the computer 1000 .

[0146] HDD 1400 is a computer-readable recording medium that non-temporarily records programs executed by CPU 1100 and data used by such programs. Specifically, HDD 1400 is a recording medium that records an information processing program according to the present disclosure, which is an example of program data 1450.

[0147] The communication interface 1500 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to an external network 1550 (e.g., the Internet). For example, the CPU 1100 receives data from other devices and transmits data generated by the CPU 1100 to other devices via the communication interface 1500.

[0148] The input / output interface 1600 is an interface for connecting the input / output device 1650 and the computer 1000. For example, the CPU 1100 receives data from an input device such as a keyboard or a mouse via the input / output interface 1600. The CPU 1100 also transmits data to an output device such as a display, a speaker, or a printer via the input / output interface 1600. The input / output interface 1600 may also function as a media interface for reading programs and the like recorded on a predetermined recording medium. Examples of media include optical recording media such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or a PD (Phase Change Rewritable Disk), magneto-optical recording media such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), tape media, magnetic recording media, and semiconductor memories.

[0149] For example, when the computer 1000 functions as the management device 100 according to the embodiment, the CPU 1100 of the computer 1000 executes an information processing program loaded onto the RAM 1200, thereby realizing functions of the control unit 130 and the like. The information processing program according to the present disclosure and data in the storage unit 120 are stored in the HDD 1400. The CPU 1100 reads and executes program data 1450 from the HDD 1400, but as another example, the CPU 1100 may obtain these programs from another device via an external network 1550.

[0150] The embodiments of the present application have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, but these are merely examples, and the present invention can be implemented in other forms that include the embodiments described in the Disclosure of the Invention section and that have been modified and improved in various ways based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0151] Furthermore, the above-mentioned "section, module, unit" can be read as "means" or "circuit," etc. For example, an acquisition unit can be read as an acquisition means or an acquisition circuit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0152] 1. Parking management system 10 Portable Unit 11 Beacon Button 12 RF Reader 20. Communication terminals 25 Acquisition Department 26 Detection unit 27 Transmitter 50 RF tags 100 Management device 110 Communications Department 120 Storage section 121 Vehicle information storage unit 122 Parking area memory unit 123 Parking position memory unit 130 Control Unit 131 Registration Department 132 Display control unit

Claims

1. A parking management system including an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device stored in clothing or a wearable item worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device, The information processing device includes: an RF reader capable of reading information from the RF tag; a trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal to start reading the RF tag; an information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal to cause the RF reader to start reading the RF tag when the signal transmitted from the trigger unit is received, the trigger unit is disposed on the clothing or wearing equipment on a front side of the driver's body, The information communication terminal includes: an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in the RF tag upon detection of a first behavior by the driver; a transmission unit that determines the location information acquired by the acquisition unit as the parking location of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking location, and transmits the information to the parking management device; The parking management device a storage unit that stores the vehicle information and the parking position transmitted by the transmission unit in association with parking area information of the vehicle; a display control unit that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored in the storage unit; A parking management system comprising: The acquisition unit As the first action, when the driver presses the button serving as the trigger unit, vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in the RF tag are acquired. Parking management system.

2. The trigger unit and the RF reader are The clothing or the wearing equipment is stored in a storage portion provided in the clothing or the wearing equipment, and is arranged on the outside, away from the body of the driver wearing the clothing or the wearing equipment. The parking management system according to claim 1 .

3. The information communication terminal includes: The RF sensor is stored in the storage section and is disposed on an inner side closer to the driver's body than the RF reader. The parking management system according to claim 2 .

4. A parking management method executed by a parking management system including an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device stored in clothing or wearable equipment worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device, The information processing device includes: an RF reader capable of reading information from the RF tag; a trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal to start reading the RF tag; an information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal to cause the RF reader to start reading the RF tag when the signal transmitted from the trigger unit is received, the trigger unit is disposed on the clothing or wearing equipment on a front side of the driver's body, The information communication terminal, Upon detecting a first behavior by the driver, acquiring vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in the RF tag; The acquired location information is determined as a parking location of the vehicle, and the vehicle information and the parking location are linked and transmitted to the parking management device. The parking management device The transmitted vehicle information and the parking position are stored in association with parking area information of the vehicle. displaying the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the stored information; A parking management method characterized by: Furthermore, the information communication terminal As the first action, when the driver presses the button serving as the trigger unit, vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in the RF tag are acquired. Parking management methods.

5. An information processing device stored in clothing or wearable equipment worn by a driver of a vehicle, The information processing device includes: an RF (Radio Frequency) reader capable of reading information from a tag; a trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal to start reading the RF tag; an information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal to cause the RF reader to start reading the RF tag when the signal transmitted from the trigger unit is received, the trigger unit is disposed on the clothing or wearing equipment on a front side of the driver's body, The information communication terminal includes: an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in an RF tag mounted on the vehicle upon detecting a first behavior of the driver; a transmitting unit that determines the location information acquired by the acquiring unit as the parking location of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking location, and transmits the vehicle information to a parking management device that manages the vehicle information; Equipped with The acquisition unit As the first action, when the driver presses the button serving as the trigger unit, vehicle information and location information of the vehicle stored in the RF tag are acquired.

1. An information processing device comprising:

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