Alarm output method, alarm output device and program

Abstract

To provide an alarm output method that reliably outputs an alarm and enhances security performance without the need to distinguish between the vehicle user and a suspicious person, even when the vehicle user is outside the vehicle.SOLUTION: The alarm output method comprises causing a vehicle 3 to execute an alarm output process that outputs an alarm to the exterior of the vehicle 3 when a timer 9, which counts time, begins counting and the timer 9 elapses a predetermined time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an alarm output method, an alarm output device, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a charging device that detects a suspicious person approaching an electric vehicle being charged at a charging station and issues an alarm is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the charging device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the space including the parking space for the electric vehicle is set as the detection area, and a human body detection sensor detects a human body entering this detection area and issues an alarm. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-100417 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, since the user of the electric vehicle may be outside the vehicle when charging, it is difficult to distinguish between the user and a suspicious person. Therefore, the conventional charging device described above sometimes cannot distinguish between the user and a suspicious person, and therefore has the problem of not being able to output an appropriate alarm.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an alarm output method, an alarm output device, and a program that can improve security performance by appropriately outputting an alarm. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] An alarm output method according to one aspect of the present invention causes a vehicle to execute an alarm output process that outputs an alarm to an outside of the vehicle when a predetermined time has elapsed since a timer started counting. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, an alarm can be appropriately output, thereby improving crime prevention performance. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an alarm output system including the alarm output devices according to the first to third embodiments. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the warning output process by the warning output device according to the first to third embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] (First embodiment) The alarm output method and alarm output device according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same parts are given the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0010] The configuration of an alarm output system including an alarm output device according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. The alarm output system 1 includes a vehicle 3, a mobile terminal 20 used by a user of the vehicle 3, and a server 30.

[0011] The alarm output system 1 is a system that outputs an alarm from the vehicle 3, and particularly outputs an alarm when the user of the vehicle 3 encounters trouble while outside the vehicle. For example, in this embodiment, a case will be described in which the vehicle 3 arrives at a charging station and the user encounters trouble when getting outside the vehicle to connect or disconnect the charging connector.

[0012] The vehicle 3 is an electric vehicle, and its battery can be charged by connecting a charging connector. The vehicle 3 is equipped with an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) function, including a display that displays information and a touch panel that accepts user input operations. In this embodiment, the vehicle 3 is equipped with an alarm output device 5, an input device 15, and in-vehicle equipment 17. The input device 15 is configured with the above-mentioned touch panel and can accept user input operations. The in-vehicle equipment 17 includes various devices mounted on the vehicle 3, and specifically includes various devices necessary for outputting alarms. For example, the in-vehicle equipment 17 includes vehicle lighting fixtures such as hazard lights and headlights, a horn, an exterior speaker, etc. The in-vehicle equipment 17 also includes an in-vehicle camera for detecting the driver's line of sight, an exterior camera that captures images of the vehicle's surroundings, a GPS receiver that acquires location information, etc.

[0013] The alarm output device 5 is a device that outputs an alarm from the vehicle 3. Specifically, the alarm output device 5 includes a timer 9, a control unit 11, and a communication unit 13. The timer 9 counts time. The control unit 11 is a controller that causes the vehicle 3 to execute an alarm output process that outputs an alarm outside the vehicle 3. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting, the control unit 11 causes the vehicle 3 to execute the alarm output process. The communication unit 13 transmits and receives information to and from the mobile terminal 20 or the server 30 via a communication network.

[0014] The alarm output device 5 is a computer configured with general-purpose electronic circuits including a microcomputer, a microprocessor, and a CPU, as well as peripheral devices such as memory, and is installed with a computer program for executing an alarm output process. Each function of the alarm output device 5 can be implemented by one or more processing circuits. The processing circuit may include, for example, a programmed processing device including an electrical circuit, and may also include devices such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or conventional circuit components arranged to perform the functions described in the embodiments. Note that the alarm output device 5 does not need to be implemented by a dedicated computer, but may also be implemented by a computer that handles in-vehicle infotainment functions.

[0015] The mobile terminal 20 is a device that can access the alarm output device 5 of the vehicle 3 via a communication network, and is a smartphone, tablet terminal, or the like used by the user of the vehicle 3. Since the mobile terminal 20 is used by the user of the vehicle 3, it is carried by the user when the user leaves the vehicle. The mobile terminal 20 includes a control device 22, an input device 24, and a communication device 26.

[0016] The control device 22 is configured as a microcomputer (controller) mainly composed of a CPU, memory, and input / output interface. A computer program (application) is installed in the memory. By executing the computer program, the control device 22 realizes one or more functions that the mobile terminal 20 performs in the alarm output system 1. The input device 24 is a device that allows the user to perform input operations. The input device 24 can be a touch panel that allows input operations to be performed according to information displayed on a display. The communication device 26 transmits and receives information to and from the vehicle 3 or the server 30 via a communication network.

[0017] The alarm output process performed by the alarm output device 5 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. The alarm output process shown in Fig. 2 is a process performed when, for example, the vehicle 3 arrives at a charging station and the user encounters a problem when getting out of the vehicle to connect or disconnect the charging connector.

[0018] 2, in step S101, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer 9 has started counting down. If the timer 9 has started counting down, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the timer 9 has not started counting down, the control unit 11 determines again whether the timer 9 has started counting down. Note that, although the present embodiment describes a case where the timer 9 counts down, the timer 9 may also be a timer that counts up.

[0019] The timer 9 starts counting down when an operation to start counting is performed on the input device 15 of the vehicle 3, that is, when a signal corresponding to the operation to start counting is received from the input device 15 of the vehicle 3. The initial value of the timer 9 is determined by a time set by the user. The user can set the initial value of the timer 9 to match the situation in which the alarm is to be output (for example, 5 minutes).

[0020] The trigger for the timer 9 to start counting down is not limited to a user operation, and may be a start signal output from the control unit 11. For example, the control unit 11 may output a start signal instructing the timer 9 to start counting when a door of the vehicle 3 is opened or closed. In this case, the control unit 11 may output the start signal instructing the timer 9 to start counting, with the additional condition that the vehicle 3 arrives at a location pre-registered as an alarm output location and the ignition switch of the vehicle 3 is turned off. For example, assume that a charging station is registered as an alarm output location. In this case, when the vehicle 3 arrives at the charging station, the user turns off the ignition switch of the vehicle 3, and opens the door to connect the charging connector, the control unit 11 outputs the start signal. Alternatively, the control unit 11 may output the start signal instructing the timer 9 to start counting, with the additional condition that the charging connector is connected to the vehicle 3. In this case, when the door is opened to connect the charging connector and the charging connector is connected to the vehicle 3, the control unit 11 outputs the start signal.

[0021] In this embodiment, since the user is in the vehicle 3, a case where the user operates the input device 15 mounted on the vehicle 3 is described. However, the timer 9 may start counting down when an operation to start counting is performed on the input device 24 of the mobile terminal 20. In other words, the timer 9 may start counting down when a signal corresponding to the operation to start counting is received from the mobile terminal 20.

[0022] In step S103, the control unit 11 determines whether the count value of the timer 9 has reached zero, i.e., whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, the process proceeds to step S105, and if the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S107. Note that in this embodiment, the control unit 11 determines that the count value of the timer 9 has reached zero, but it may also determine that a time other than zero, such as five seconds, has been reached. In other words, the predetermined time does not have to be the initial value (user-set time) of the timer 9.

[0023] In step S105, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer 9 has stopped counting down. If the countdown has stopped, the control unit 11 returns to step S103 to determine whether the predetermined time has elapsed. On the other hand, if the countdown has not stopped, it is considered that the user has not encountered any trouble, and the process ends without outputting an alarm.

[0024] The timer 9 stops the countdown when an operation to stop the count is performed on the input device 15 of the vehicle 3, that is, when a signal corresponding to the operation to stop the count is received from the input device 15 of the vehicle 3. The operation to stop the count is, for example, inputting a preset password into the input device 15. The timer 9 stops the count when it receives a password that matches a password registered in advance.

[0025] The timer 9 may stop the countdown when it is confirmed that the user of the vehicle 3 is inside the vehicle 3 and the above-mentioned operation to stop the counting is performed. The timer 9 may also stop the countdown when it is confirmed that the user of the vehicle 3 is inside the vehicle 3, the doors are locked, and the above-mentioned operation to cancel the counting is performed. In this case, the timer 9 can confirm that the user is inside the vehicle 3 on the condition that it receives a signal indicating that face authentication of the user using, for example, an in-vehicle camera for line of sight detection has been successful. The timer 9 can also confirm that the doors have been locked on the condition that it receives a signal indicating that the doors have been locked.

[0026] In this embodiment, since the user is in the vehicle 3, the case where the user operates the input device 15 mounted on the vehicle 3 is described. However, when an operation to stop counting is performed on the input device 24 of the mobile terminal 20, that is, when a signal corresponding to the operation to stop counting is received from the mobile terminal 20, the timer 9 may stop counting down.

[0027] In step S107, the control unit 11 outputs an alarm to the outside of the vehicle 3 (alarm output process). This is because, if a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down, it can be determined that the user may have encountered trouble. The control unit 11 outputs an alarm to alert those around the vehicle 3 by flashing vehicle lights such as hazard lights, or by outputting an alarm sound from the horn or an exterior speaker (first process).

[0028] The control unit 11 also outputs an emergency call (second process). The emergency call is a predetermined call made via the server 30 to an external device 40 used by the police, a security company, or an operator in charge of emergency calls. The emergency call may be made by sending a call command from the alarm output device 5 to the mobile terminal 20, and using the call function of the mobile terminal 20 to output the emergency call to the external device 40. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may transmit, along with the emergency call, either or both of an image from a camera outside the vehicle 3 and an image from a camera installed in the mobile terminal 20. Furthermore, the control unit 11 may transmit, along with the emergency call, either or both of the location information of the vehicle 3 and the location information of the mobile terminal 20. However, since the control unit 11 cannot directly transmit the image from the camera in the mobile terminal 20 or the location information of the mobile terminal 20, the control unit 11 indirectly transmits this information by sending a command to the mobile terminal 20 to transmit the camera image and location information.

[0029] In the warning output process, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down, the control unit 11 first outputs a warning to be notified around the vehicle (first process), and then outputs an emergency call (second process). However, these processes may be performed simultaneously.

[0030] As described above, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting, the control unit 11 causes the vehicle 3 to execute an alarm output process that outputs an alarm to the outside of the vehicle 3. This eliminates the need to distinguish between the user and a suspicious person even when the user of the vehicle 3 is outside the vehicle. An alarm can be appropriately output in situations where the user may be in trouble, thereby improving crime prevention performance. In particular, this embodiment can improve crime prevention performance in specific locations where the user needs to get out of the vehicle, such as charging stations.

[0031] Furthermore, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, the alarm output process includes a first process of outputting an alarm from the in-vehicle device 17 of the vehicle 3 to those around the vehicle 3, and a second process of outputting an emergency call via the server 30 after the first process is performed. As a result, an alarm is first output to those around the vehicle 3, so that it is possible to quickly call attention to those around the vehicle 3. Furthermore, by outputting an emergency call via the server 30, it is also possible to output an emergency call to a remote external device 40, so that it is possible to notify the user of the situation.

[0032] Furthermore, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, the second process may further include transmitting an image captured by a camera outside the vehicle 3 or an image captured by a camera installed on the mobile terminal 20 used by the user of the vehicle 3. This allows the police or a security company to specifically grasp the situation around the vehicle 3 and the situation of the user.

[0033] Furthermore, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, the timer 9 starts counting when the door of the vehicle 3 is opened or closed. As a result, when the user gets out of the vehicle, the timer 9 automatically starts counting, thereby improving convenience.

[0034] Furthermore, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, the timer 9 stops counting when an operation to stop counting is performed on the input device 15 of the vehicle 3. This allows the user to easily stop counting on the timer 9 by input when the user does not encounter any trouble.

[0035] Furthermore, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, when it is confirmed that the user of the vehicle 3 is inside the vehicle 3 and an operation to stop the count is performed on the input device 15 of the vehicle 3, the timer 9 stops counting. This allows the counting to be stopped when the user has safely returned to the vehicle, thereby improving convenience.

[0036] Furthermore, in the alarm output device 5 according to this embodiment, the timer 9 starts counting when an operation to start counting is performed on the input device 15 of the vehicle 3. This allows the timer 9 to start counting while the user is in the vehicle 3.

[0037] (Second embodiment) An alarm output method and an alarm output device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical parts are assigned the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted. In the first embodiment, a case where charging is performed at a charging station is described, but in this embodiment, a case where a person gets into a vehicle 3 parked in a parking lot from a store or facility such as a restaurant is described. Note that the configuration of the alarm output system 1 is the same as in the first embodiment, so detailed description will be omitted.

[0038] The alarm output process by the alarm output device 5 according to this embodiment will be described. The alarm output process according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2, as it has a flowchart similar to that of FIG. The alarm output process according to this embodiment is, for example, a process performed when a user of a vehicle 3 walks from a restaurant to the vehicle 3 parked in a parking lot.

[0039] 2, in step S101, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer 9 has started counting down. If the timer 9 has started counting down, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the timer 9 has not started counting down, the control unit 11 determines again whether the timer 9 has started counting down.

[0040] In this embodiment, the timer 9 starts counting down when an operation to start counting is performed on the input device 24 of the mobile terminal 20, that is, when a signal corresponding to the operation to start counting is received from the mobile terminal 20.

[0041] In step S103, the control unit 11 determines whether the count value of the timer 9 has reached zero, that is, whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down. The process of step S103 can be performed using the same method as in the first embodiment.

[0042] In step S105, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer 9 has stopped counting down. If the countdown has stopped, the control unit 11 returns to step S103 to determine whether a predetermined time has elapsed. On the other hand, if the countdown has not stopped, it is assumed that the user has not encountered any trouble, and the process ends without outputting an alarm. The method for causing the timer 9 to stop counting down can be the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0043] In step S107, if a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down, the control unit 11 determines that the user has encountered trouble and outputs an alarm to the outside of the vehicle 3 (alarm output process). Specifically, the control unit 11 outputs an alarm to alert those around the vehicle 3 by flashing vehicle lights such as hazard lights or outputting an alarm sound from a horn or an exterior speaker (first process). The control unit 11 also outputs an emergency call (second process). The same method as in the first embodiment can be applied to the alarm output process.

[0044] As described above, the alarm output method according to this embodiment can improve crime prevention performance when a user returns on foot to vehicle 3 parked in a specific location, such as a parking lot of a restaurant.

[0045] Furthermore, in the alarm output method according to this embodiment, the timer 9 starts counting when an operation to start counting is performed on the mobile terminal 20 used by the user of the vehicle 3. This allows the timer 9 to start counting even when the user is outside the vehicle.

[0046] (Third embodiment) An alarm output method and an alarm output device according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same parts are given the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted. In the first embodiment, the case of charging at a charging station was described, but in this embodiment, the case of walking home from a vehicle parked in a parking lot will be described. Note that the configuration of the alarm output system 1 is the same as in the first embodiment, so detailed description will be omitted.

[0047] Next, the alarm output process by the alarm output device 5 according to this embodiment will be described. The alarm output process according to this embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart similar to that of FIG. 2. The alarm output process according to this embodiment is, for example, a process performed when a user of a vehicle 3 walks home from the vehicle 3 parked in a parking lot.

[0048] In step S101, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer 9 has started counting down. If the timer 9 has started counting down, the process proceeds to step S103. On the other hand, if the timer 9 has not started counting down, the control unit 11 determines again whether the timer 9 has started counting down. The method for starting the timer 9 counting down can be the same as that in the first embodiment.

[0049] In step S103, the control unit 11 determines whether the count value of the timer 9 has reached zero, that is, whether a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down. The process of step S103 can be performed using the same method as in the first embodiment.

[0050] In step S105, the control unit 11 determines whether the timer 9 has stopped counting down. If the countdown has stopped, the control unit 11 returns to step S103 to determine whether the predetermined time has elapsed. On the other hand, if the countdown has not stopped, it is considered that the user has not encountered any trouble, and the process ends without outputting an alarm.

[0051] In this embodiment, the timer 9 stops the countdown when an operation to stop the count is performed on the input device 24 of the mobile terminal 20. That is, the timer 9 stops the countdown when a signal corresponding to the operation to stop the count is received from the mobile terminal 20. The operation to stop the count is, for example, inputting a preset password into the input device 24. The timer 9 stops the count when a password registered in advance matches the password received from the mobile terminal 20.

[0052] In step S107, if a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer 9 started counting down, the control unit 11 determines that the user has encountered trouble and outputs an alarm to the outside of the vehicle 3 (alarm output process). Specifically, the control unit 11 outputs an alarm to alert those around the vehicle 3 by flashing vehicle lights such as hazard lights or outputting an alarm sound from a horn or an exterior speaker (first process). The control unit 11 also outputs an emergency call (second process). The same method as in the first embodiment can be applied to the alarm output process.

[0053] As described above, the alarm output method according to this embodiment can improve crime prevention performance when a user walks from the vehicle 3 parked in a parking lot to a specific location such as their home.

[0054] The alarm output device 5 shown in the first to third embodiments, as well as the alarm output methods shown in the above-described first to third embodiments, also function as part of the present invention. That is, the alarm output device 5 includes a timer 9 that counts time, and a control unit (controller) 11. The timer 9 starts counting, and when the timer 9 reaches a predetermined time, the control unit 11 causes the vehicle 3 to execute an alarm output process that outputs an alarm to the outside of the vehicle 3. With this configuration, an alarm can be appropriately output in a situation where the user may be in trouble, thereby improving crime prevention performance.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, the warning output device 5 is realized as a device mounted on the vehicle 3. However, the warning output device 5 may be realized as a device mounted on the mobile terminal 20, or may be realized as part of the server 30. In other words, the functions of the timer 9 and the control unit 11 provided in the warning output device 5 may be provided in the mobile terminal 20 or the server 30.

[0056] The present invention also includes a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described alarm output method, and a computer-readable recording medium storing the program. This program enables appropriate output of an alarm in a situation where the user may be in trouble, thereby improving crime prevention performance.

[0057] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the descriptions and drawings that form part of this disclosure should not be understood to limit the present invention. Various alternative embodiments, examples, and operating techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 1. Alarm output system 3 vehicles 5 Alarm output device 9. Timer 11 Control unit (controller) 13 Communications Department 15 Input Devices 17 In-vehicle equipment 20 Mobile devices 22 Control device 24 Input Devices 26 Communication equipment 30 servers 40 External device

Claims

1. The timer starts counting, When the timer has elapsed a predetermined time, the vehicle is caused to execute an alarm output process for outputting an alarm to the outside of the vehicle. Alarm output method.

2. The warning output process includes: a first process of outputting an alarm from a device mounted on the vehicle to be notified to those around the vehicle; a second process of outputting an emergency call via a server after the first process is performed. The alarm output method according to claim 1 .

3. The second process further includes outputting, via the server, an image captured by a camera outside the vehicle or an image captured by a camera installed on a mobile terminal used by a user of the vehicle. The alarm output method according to claim 2 .

4. When a count start operation is performed on the input device of the vehicle, the timer starts counting. The alarm output method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When the door of the vehicle is opened or closed, the timer starts counting. The alarm output method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. When an operation to stop counting is performed on an input device of the vehicle, the timer stops counting. The alarm output method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. When it is confirmed that the user of the vehicle is in the vehicle cabin and an operation to stop counting is performed on an input device of the vehicle, the timer stops counting. The alarm output method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. When a count start operation is performed on a mobile terminal used by a user of the vehicle, the timer starts counting. The alarm output method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. A timer to count the time, a controller; The timer starts counting, and when a predetermined time has elapsed, the controller causes the vehicle to execute an alarm output process for outputting an alarm to the outside of the vehicle. Alarm output device.

10. When a predetermined time has elapsed since the timer that counts the time has started, the vehicle is caused to execute an alarm output process that outputs an alarm to the outside of the vehicle. A program that makes a computer do something.

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