Position information calculation system, position information calculation device, and position information calculation method

Abstract

To properly create travel history of an interval for which position information cannot be acquired.SOLUTION: A position information calculation system includes a terminal device, and a server device. The terminal device comprises: a position information acquisition unit that acquires position information; a communication unit that transmits position information to the server device; and an imaging unit that picks up an image of the periphery of the terminal device, as an image for position calculation. The server device comprises: a terminal position information acquisition unit that periodically acquires position information of the terminal device from the terminal device; a terminal position information calculation unit that calculates position information of the terminal device, on the basis of the image for position calculation; and a movement history generation unit that generates movement history of the terminal device, on the basis of the acquired position information and the calculated position information. The imaging unit captures an image for position calculation, if the terminal device moves in an interval where the position information acquisition unit cannot acquire position information of the terminal device. The communication unit transmits the image for position calculation to the server device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a position information calculation system, a position information calculation device, and a position information calculation method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for creating a moving image based on still images captured by an in-vehicle device such as a drive recorder. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-131099 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, there is an operation management service that acquires vehicle position information using a drive recorder and creates a vehicle driving history, etc. The drive recorder acquires the vehicle position information based on a GPS (Global Positioning System), etc. Therefore, there is a possibility that the driving history cannot be properly created when the vehicle is driving through a section where a GPS signal cannot be acquired, such as a tunnel.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a location information calculation system, a location information calculation device, a terminal device, and a location information calculation method that can appropriately create a driving history for a section where location information cannot be obtained. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The location information calculation system of the present disclosure includes a terminal device and a server device communicatively connected to the terminal device, wherein the terminal device comprises a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the terminal device, a communication unit that transmits the location information to the server device, and an imaging unit that captures an image of the periphery of the terminal device as an image for position calculation, and the server device comprises a terminal location information acquisition unit that periodically acquires location information of the terminal device from the terminal device, a terminal location information calculation unit that calculates location information of the terminal device based on the image for position calculation, and a movement history generation unit that generates a movement history of the terminal device based on the position information acquired by the terminal location information acquisition unit and the position information calculated by the terminal location information calculation unit, wherein the imaging unit captures the image for position calculation when the terminal device is moving through an area where the location information acquisition unit cannot acquire location information of the terminal device, and the communication unit transmits the image for position calculation to the server device.

[0007] The position information calculation device disclosed herein includes a terminal position information acquisition unit that periodically acquires position information of the terminal device from the terminal device; a terminal position information calculation unit that calculates position information of the terminal device based on an image for position calculation captured by the terminal device; a movement history generation unit that generates a movement history of the terminal device based on the position information acquired by the terminal position information acquisition unit and the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculation unit; and a request unit that determines whether or not to acquire the image for position calculation from the terminal device based on the position information of the terminal device before it enters an area where position information of the terminal device cannot be acquired, and requests the terminal device to transmit the image for position calculation only if it is determined that the image should be acquired.

[0008] The location information calculation method disclosed herein includes the steps of acquiring location information of a terminal device, transmitting the location information to a server device, periodically acquiring location information of the terminal device from the terminal device, capturing an image of the surroundings of the terminal device as an image for location calculation when the terminal device is moving through an area where location information of the terminal device cannot be acquired, transmitting the image for location calculation to the server device, calculating location information of the terminal device based on the image for position calculation, and generating a movement history of the terminal device based on the acquired location information of the terminal device and the calculated location information of the terminal device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to appropriately create a driving history for a section where location information cannot be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a position information calculation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a server device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing in the position information calculation system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing by the server device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the in-vehicle device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the server device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9]FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the server device according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing by the server device according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and in the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0012] [First embodiment] (Location information calculation system) The position information calculation system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the position information calculation system according to the first embodiment.

[0013] 1, the location information calculation system 1 includes an in-vehicle device 10 and a server device 12. The in-vehicle device 10 and the server device 12 are communicatively connected via a network N. The location information calculation system 1 may include a plurality of in-vehicle devices 10 and a plurality of server devices 12. The network N is, for example, a mobile phone network such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) or an Internet network, but is not limited to these.

[0014] The in-vehicle device 10 is mounted on a vehicle. The in-vehicle device 10 acquires location information of the device itself. The in-vehicle device 10 acquires vehicle information of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 10 captures images of the surroundings of the device itself. The in-vehicle device 10 transmits the location information of the device itself, the vehicle information of the vehicle, and images of the surroundings of the device itself to the server device 12. The in-vehicle device 10 is a type of terminal device.

[0015] The server device 12 acquires from the vehicle-mounted device 10 location information of the vehicle-mounted device 10, vehicle information of the vehicle in which the vehicle-mounted device 10 is installed, images of the surroundings of the vehicle-mounted device 10, and the like.

[0016] In sections where the in-vehicle device 10 can acquire position information, the position information calculation system 1 generates a vehicle driving history based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10. In sections where the in-vehicle device 10 cannot acquire position information, the position information calculation system 1 calculates position information based on position calculation images captured by the in-vehicle device 10, and generates a driving history based on the calculated position information. This allows the position information calculation system 1 to appropriately create a driving history in sections where the in-vehicle device 10 can acquire position information and sections where it cannot acquire position information.

[0017] (In-vehicle device) An example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 describes an example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment.

[0018] 2, the in-vehicle device 10 includes a camera 20, an input unit 22, a display unit 24, a communication unit 26, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiving unit 28, a storage unit 30, and a control unit 32. The in-vehicle device 10 is, for example, a drive recorder that is mounted on a vehicle or is portable and brought into the vehicle. The in-vehicle device 10 may be configured as a portable terminal, a device installed in the vehicle, or a combination of several devices.

[0019] The camera 20 captures images of the surroundings of the vehicle. The camera 20 captures still images of the surroundings of the vehicle. The camera 20 captures images of at least the area in front of the vehicle. The camera 20 may capture images of the areas in front, behind, left, and right of the vehicle. The camera 20 may capture images of the interior of the vehicle, in addition to the area around the vehicle, i.e., the exterior of the vehicle, as described above. The camera 20 may be configured, for example, as a visible light camera or a near-infrared camera. The camera 20 may be configured, for example, as a combination of a visible light camera and a near-infrared camera. In the following, the camera 20 will be described as capturing still images, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The camera 20 may also capture moving images.

[0020] The input unit 22 accepts various input operations for the in-vehicle device 10. The input unit 22 is configured with, for example, a touch panel, buttons, switches, etc. When a touch panel is used as the input unit 22, the input unit 22 is disposed on the display unit 24.

[0021] The display unit 24 displays various images. The display unit 24 is, for example, a display including a liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display, or the like.

[0022] The communication unit 26 is a communication interface that executes communication between the in-vehicle device 10 and an external device via the network N. The communication unit 26 executes communication between the in-vehicle device 10 and the server device 12. The communication unit 26 transmits, for example, location information of the in-vehicle device 10 to the server device 12.

[0023] The GNSS receiving unit 28 is configured with a GNSS receiver that receives GNSS signals from GNSS satellites, etc. The GNSS receiving unit 28 outputs the received GNSS signals to the position information acquiring unit.

[0024] The storage unit 30 stores various types of information. The storage unit 30 stores information such as the contents of calculations performed by the control unit 32 and programs. The storage unit 30 includes at least one of a RAM (Random Access Memory), a main storage device such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an external storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0025] The control unit 32 controls each unit of the in-vehicle device 10. The control unit 32 includes, for example, an information processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or an MPU (Micro Processing Unit), and a storage device such as a RAM or a ROM. The control unit 32 executes a program that controls the operation of the in-vehicle device 10 according to the present invention. The control unit 32 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The control unit 32 may be realized by a combination of hardware and software.

[0026] The control unit 32 includes an imaging control unit 40, a position information acquisition unit 42, a transmission determination unit 44, and a communication control unit 46.

[0027] The imaging control unit 40 controls the camera 20 to capture images of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10. The imaging control unit 40 acquires the images captured by the camera 20. The imaging control unit 40 associates the images captured by the camera 20 with information about the time the images were captured, and stores the images in the storage unit 30.

[0028] Specifically, when the power of the in-vehicle device 10 is turned on, the imaging control unit 40 controls the camera 20 to perform continuous recording. Note that continuous recording is performed as long as the power is on, regardless of the acquisition status of position information (described below). The in-vehicle device 10 may transmit images continuously recorded by the camera 20 to the server device 12 via the communication unit 26 when an impact or the like is detected using a known impact detection technology. When the vehicle is traveling through a section where the position information acquisition unit 42 cannot acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10, the imaging control unit 40 controls the camera 20 to capture images of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10 (vehicle). Specifically, the imaging control unit 40 controls the camera 20 to capture still images of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10 (vehicle) at regular intervals. Hereinafter, images of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10 (vehicle) captured when the vehicle is traveling through a section where the position information acquisition unit 42 cannot acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 will be referred to as position calculation images.

[0029] The position information acquisition unit 42 acquires position information indicating the current position of the in-vehicle device 10. The position information acquisition unit 42 calculates the position information of the current position of the in-vehicle device 10 by a known method based on the GNSS signal received by the GNSS receiver 28. The position information acquisition unit 42 transmits the acquired position information to the server device 12 via the communication unit 26.

[0030] The transmission determination unit 44 determines whether or not to transmit the position calculation image to the server device 12. Specifically, if the transmission determination unit 44 determines that the server device 12 can calculate the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 without transmitting the position calculation image, the transmission determination unit 44 determines not to transmit the position calculation image to the server device 12. For example, if the section where position information cannot be received is a tunnel with a branch or an area with a high concentration of high-rise buildings, the transmission determination unit 44 determines to transmit the position calculation image to the server device 12. For example, if the section where position information cannot be received is a tunnel with no branch or a single mountain road, the transmission determination unit 44 determines not to transmit the position calculation image to the server device 12 because it is easy to calculate the position information of the section where position information cannot be received. The transmission determination unit 44 determines whether or not to transmit the position calculation image to the server device 12 by, for example, analyzing the position calculation image and determining the type of section where position information cannot be received. In another example, the transmission determination unit 44 may determine whether to transmit the image for position calculation to the server device 12 by determining the type of section in which position information cannot be received, for example, based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 before the vehicle enters the section in which position information cannot be acquired and the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 after the vehicle leaves the section in which position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired. In this way, by not transmitting the image for position calculation for a section in which the server device 12 can calculate position information without using the image for position calculation, the amount of communication can be reduced.

[0031] For example, the transmission determination unit 44 may determine to transmit the image for position calculation captured by the camera 20 to the server device 12 only when the server device 12 requests the image for position calculation.

[0032] For example, the transmission determination unit 44 may determine to transmit part of the position calculation images to the server device 12. For example, if the server device 12 can calculate the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 without using all of the position calculation images, the transmission determination unit 44 may determine to transmit part of the position calculation images to the server device 12. For example, if the section where position information cannot be received is a tunnel with a branch, the transmission determination unit 44 may determine to transmit to the server device 12 only the position calculation images at the time when the vehicle is traveling near the branch. This makes it possible to generate a highly accurate driving history while reducing the amount of communication traffic.

[0033] The communication control unit 46 controls the communication unit 26. The communication control unit 46 controls the communication unit 26 to communicate with the server device 12.

[0034] (Server device) An example of the configuration of the server device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the server device according to the first embodiment.

[0035] 3, the server device 12 includes a communication unit 50, a storage unit 52, and a control unit 54. The server device 12 is located in a management center or the like. The server device 12 is also called a location information calculation device.

[0036] The communication unit 50 is a communication interface that executes communication between the server device 12 and an external device via the network N. The communication unit 50 executes communication between the server device 12 and the in-vehicle device 10. The communication unit 50 receives, for example, location information of the in-vehicle device 10 from the in-vehicle device 10.

[0037] The storage unit 52 stores various types of information. The storage unit 52 stores information such as the contents of calculations performed by the control unit 54 and programs. The storage unit 52 includes at least one of, for example, a RAM, a main storage device such as a ROM, and an external storage device such as an HDD.

[0038] The storage unit 52 stores, for example, a trained model for calculating the position information of the in-vehicle device 10. The trained model is, for example, a model trained by deep learning. The trained model is trained to output the moving direction of the in-vehicle device 10, using, for example, two position calculation images captured by the in-vehicle device 10 at a predetermined interval (for example, one second) as input.

[0039] The storage unit 52 stores map information showing a road map including roads, buildings, etc. The map information may be, for example, map information shared with a navigation system.

[0040] The control unit 54 controls each unit of the server device 12. The control unit 54 has, for example, an information processing device such as a CPU or an MPU, and a storage device such as a RAM or a ROM. The control unit 54 executes a program that controls the operation of the server device 12 according to the present invention. The control unit 54 may be realized by, for example, an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or an FPGA. The control unit 54 may also be realized by a combination of hardware and software.

[0041] The control unit 54 includes a terminal position information acquisition unit 60 , an image acquisition unit 62 , a terminal position information calculation unit 64 , a movement history generation unit 66 , and a request unit 68 .

[0042] The terminal position information acquisition unit 60 acquires the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 from the in-vehicle device 10 via the communication unit 50. Specifically, the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 periodically acquires the position information from the in-vehicle device 10.

[0043] The image acquisition unit 62 acquires the image for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10 via the communication unit 50. Specifically, the image acquisition unit 62 acquires the image for position calculation in a section where the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 cannot acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10.

[0044] The terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 for a section where the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 cannot acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10, based on the position calculation images acquired by the image acquisition unit 62. The terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the moving direction from the time when the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 last acquired the position information, for example, by inputting the position calculation images acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 at two times and the image capture times of each position calculation image into the learned model stored in the storage unit 52. More specifically, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the moving direction and moving distance from the time when the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 last acquired the position information, by inputting the position calculation images acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 at two times and the image capture times of each position calculation image into the learned model stored in the storage unit 52. The terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the moving direction and moving distance from the time when the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 last acquired the position information, thereby calculating the position information at an arbitrary time. Thereafter, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the direction of movement and distance of movement from the point where the last position information was calculated, thereby calculating the position information of the vehicle-mounted device 10 for sections where the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 cannot acquire the position information of the vehicle-mounted device 10.

[0045] For example, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 may use, as a reference for calculating the position information, objects whose sizes are uniform nationwide, such as traffic signs, traffic lights, and guardrails, which are included in the position calculation images acquired by the image acquisition unit 62. In this case, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 may calculate the position information and travel distance of the in-vehicle device 10 based on, for example, changes in the size or position of objects, such as traffic signs, included in the position calculation images acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 at two different times. In another example, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 may use, as a reference for calculating the position information, static objects, such as guide signs, road shapes, and white lines on the road, which are included in the position calculation images acquired by the image acquisition unit 62, and calculate the position information at the time the position calculation images were captured by comparing the static objects with publicly known high-resolution three-dimensional road map information, such as a dynamic map.

[0046] The movement history generation unit 66 generates a movement history of the in-vehicle device 10. The movement history of the in-vehicle device 10 is information in which position information consisting of information on the latitude and longitude of the in-vehicle device 10 at regular intervals (for example, every two minutes) is arranged in chronological order. Specifically, in a section where the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 can acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10, the movement history generation unit 66 generates a movement history of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position information acquired by the terminal position information acquisition unit 60. In a section where the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 cannot acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10, the movement history generation unit 66 generates a movement history of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculation unit 64.

[0047] The movement history generating unit 66 generates the movement history by, for example, plotting the position information acquired by the terminal position information acquiring unit 60 and the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculating unit 64 on a map.

[0048] When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the request unit 68 requests the in-vehicle device 10 to transmit an image for position calculation via the communication unit 50. Specifically, the request unit 68 determines whether or not to acquire an image for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 before the vehicle enters a section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired. In another example, the request unit 68 determines whether or not to acquire an image for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 before the vehicle enters a section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired and the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 after the vehicle leaves the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired. More specifically, the request unit 68 determines whether to acquire an image for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10 by determining the type of section in which position information cannot be received based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 before the vehicle enters the section in which position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired and the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 after the vehicle leaves the section in which position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired, and the map information stored in the storage unit 52. In this case, the request unit 68 requests the in-vehicle device 10 to transmit an image for position calculation only when it is determined that an image should be acquired from the in-vehicle device 10.

[0049] Specifically, if the terminal position information calculation unit 64 can calculate the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 without using the position calculation image, the request unit 68 determines that it is not necessary to acquire the position calculation image from the in-vehicle device 10. For example, the request unit 68 determines that it is necessary to acquire the position calculation image if the section where the position information cannot be received is a tunnel with a branch or an area with a high concentration of high-rise buildings. For example, the request unit 68 determines that it is not necessary to acquire the position calculation image if the section where the position information cannot be received is a tunnel with no branch or a single mountain road, since it is easy to calculate the position information. In this way, by not acquiring the position calculation image for the section where the position information can be calculated without using the position calculation image, it is possible to reduce the amount of communication traffic.

[0050] For example, the requesting unit 68 may request that only some of the position calculation images be transmitted from all of the position calculation images captured by the camera 20 of the in-vehicle device 10. For example, when the terminal position information calculating unit 64 can calculate the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 using only some of the position calculation images from all of the position calculation images captured by the camera 20 of the in-vehicle device 10, the requesting unit 68 may request only some of the position calculation images. For example, when the section where position information cannot be received is a tunnel with a branch, the requesting unit 68 may determine to transmit to the server device 12 only the position calculation images taken when the vehicle is traveling near the branch. This makes it possible to generate a highly accurate driving history while reducing the amount of communication traffic.

[0051] (Processing of location information calculation system) The processing flow of the position information calculation system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the processing flow of the position information calculation system according to the first embodiment.

[0052] The in-vehicle device 10 starts up when a power-on operation is input to the input unit 22 (step S10). When the in-vehicle device 10 starts up, the camera 20 captures an image of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10 and starts continuous recording (step S12).

[0053] The vehicle-mounted device 10 acquires current location information (step S14), and transmits the acquired location information to the server device 12 (step S16).

[0054] The server device 12 acquires the location information from the in-vehicle device 10, and generates a driving history of the vehicle based on the acquired location information (step S20).

[0055] When the vehicle is traveling in a section where position information cannot be acquired, the in-vehicle device 10 captures still images of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10 with the camera 20 at predetermined intervals as images for position calculation (step S22). The in-vehicle device 10 stores the images for position calculation in the storage unit 30.

[0056] The in-vehicle device 10 transmits the image for position calculation to the server device 12 (step S24). Specifically, the in-vehicle device 10 transmits the image for position calculation to the server device 12 when the vehicle leaves a section where the in-vehicle device 10 cannot acquire position information, or when the image for position calculation is captured if communication with the server device 12 has been established. This is because the section where the in-vehicle device 10 cannot acquire position information and the section where communication between the in-vehicle device 10 and the server device 12 is not established may be the same or different. For example, the in-vehicle device 10 determines that the vehicle has left a section where it cannot acquire position information when the GNSS receiver 28 has not received a GNSS signal for a certain period of time but has received a GNSS signal again.

[0057] The server device 12 calculates the position information of the vehicle-mounted device 10 based on the position calculation image acquired from the vehicle-mounted device 10 (step S26).

[0058] The server device 12 generates a driving history of the vehicle based on the position information calculated based on the position calculation image (step S28).

[0059] By performing the processes from step S10 to step S28, the position information calculation system 1 can generate a driving history when the vehicle travels through sections where position information can be acquired and sections where position information cannot be acquired.

[0060] (Processing contents of the on-board device) The processing content of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment.

[0061] The imaging control unit 40 controls the camera 20 to capture images of the surroundings of the in-vehicle device 10 and starts continuous recording (step S30). Specifically, the imaging control unit 40 stores the images captured by the camera 20 in the storage unit 30 in association with the capture time. Then, the process proceeds to step S32.

[0062] The position information acquisition unit 42 periodically acquires the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the GNSS signals received by the GNSS reception unit 28 (step S32). Then, the process proceeds to step S34.

[0063] The position information acquisition unit 42 determines whether or not it is possible to acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 (step S34). Specifically, the position information acquisition unit 42 determines that it is possible to acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 if the GNSS receiver 28 can receive GNSS signals, and determines that it is impossible to acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 if it cannot receive GNSS signals. The position information acquisition unit 42 may determine that it is impossible to acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 if the GNSS receiver 28 cannot receive GNSS signals for a certain period of time or longer. If it is determined that it is possible to acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 (step S34; Yes), the process proceeds to step S36. If it is determined that it is impossible to acquire the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 (step S34; No), the process proceeds to step S38.

[0064] If the determination in step S34 is Yes, the location information acquisition unit 42 transmits the location information of the vehicle-mounted device 10 to the server device 12 via the communication unit 26 (step S36). Then, the process proceeds to step S44.

[0065] If the determination in step S34 is No, the imaging control unit 40 captures still images of the periphery of the in-vehicle device 10 for use in position calculation (step S38). Specifically, the imaging control unit 40 captures images for position calculation at regular intervals. The regular interval is, for example, one second, but is not limited to this. The imaging control unit 40 stores the captured images for position calculation in the storage unit 30 in association with the time of capture. Then, the process proceeds to step S40.

[0066] The communication control unit 46 determines whether or not communication with the server device 12 is possible (step S40). Specifically, the communication control unit 46 determines that communication with the server device 12 is possible when the radio wave intensity of the radio waves used to communicate with the server device 12 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If it is determined that communication with the server device 12 is possible (step S40; Yes), the process proceeds to step S42. If it is not determined that communication with the server device 12 is possible (step S40; No), the process proceeds to step S38.

[0067] If the determination in step S40 is Yes, the imaging control unit 40 transmits the image for position calculation to the server device 12 via the communication unit 26 (step S42). Specifically, if the imaging control unit 40 cannot acquire position information but can communicate with the server device 12, the imaging control unit 40 transmits the captured image for position calculation to the server device 12 every time it captures an image for position calculation. In this case, the imaging control unit 40 transmits the image for position calculation to the server device 12, for example, every second. Furthermore, if the imaging control unit 40 cannot acquire position information and cannot communicate with the server device 12, the imaging control unit 40 transmits all of the images for position calculation captured while communication with the server device 12 was unavailable to the server device 12 at the timing when communication with the server device 12 becomes available. Then, the process proceeds to step S44.

[0068] The control unit 32 determines whether or not to end the process (step S44). Specifically, the control unit 32 determines to end the process when the power of the in-vehicle device 10 is turned off, the vehicle engine is turned off, etc. If it is determined to end the process (step S44; Yes), the process of Fig. 5 ends. If it is not determined to end the process (step S44; No), the process proceeds to step S34.

[0069] (Processing contents of server device) The processing content of the server device according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the server device according to the first embodiment.

[0070] The terminal location information acquisition unit 60 determines whether or not the location information of the in-vehicle device 10 has been acquired (step S50). If it is determined that the location information of the in-vehicle device 10 has been acquired (step S50; Yes), the process proceeds to step S52. If it is determined that the location information of the in-vehicle device 10 has not been acquired (step S50; No), the process proceeds to step S54.

[0071] If the determination in step S50 is Yes, the movement history generation unit 66 generates a movement history of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 acquired by the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 (step S52). Specifically, the movement history generation unit 66 generates the movement history by plotting changes in the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 on a map. The movement history generation unit 66 may generate the movement history by associating the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 with information on the time acquired by the terminal position information acquisition unit 60. Then, the process proceeds to step S60.

[0072] If the determination in step S50 is No, the image acquisition unit 62 determines whether or not an image for position calculation has been acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 via the communication unit 50 (step S54). If it is determined that an image for position calculation has been acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 (step S54; Yes), the process proceeds to step S56. If it is not determined that an image for position calculation has been acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 (step S54; No), the process proceeds to step S60.

[0073] If the determination in step S54 is Yes, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position calculation image acquired by the image acquisition unit 62 (step S56). Specifically, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the vehicle position information based on the point where the terminal position information acquisition unit 60 last acquired position information and changes in the position calculation images captured at predetermined intervals from that point. Then, the process proceeds to step S58.

[0074] The movement history generation unit 66 generates a movement history of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 calculated by the terminal position information calculation unit 64 (step S58). The terminal position information calculation unit 64 may calculate time information corresponding to the position information in addition to the position information of the in-vehicle device 10, and the movement history generation unit 66 may generate a movement history by associating the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 calculated by the terminal position information calculation unit 64 with the time information. Then, the process proceeds to step S60.

[0075] The control unit 54 determines whether or not to end the process (step S60). Specifically, the control unit 54 determines to end the process when, for example, position information and an image for position calculation cannot be acquired from the in-vehicle device 10 within a certain period of time. If it is determined to end the process (step S60; Yes), the process of Fig. 6 ends. If it is not determined to end the process (step S60; No), the process proceeds to step S50.

[0076] As described above, in the first embodiment, the movement history of the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device can be acquired is generated based on the position information of the in-vehicle device, and the movement history of the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device cannot be acquired is generated based on the position calculation image captured by the in-vehicle device. In this way, the first embodiment can appropriately generate the movement history of the in-vehicle device.

[0077] [Second embodiment] (Processing contents of the on-board device) The processing contents of the in-vehicle device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of the in-vehicle device according to the second embodiment.

[0078] In the second embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 executes a process of determining whether or not to transmit a still image captured by the camera 20 to the server device 12 as an image for position calculation while traveling through a section where position information cannot be acquired.

[0079] The processing from step S70 to step S80 is the same as the processing from step S30 to step S40 shown in FIG. 5, respectively, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0080] If the determination in step S80 is Yes, the transmission determination unit 44 determines whether or not to transmit the image for position calculation acquired by the imaging control unit 40 to the server device 12 (step S82). If it is determined that the image for position calculation is to be transmitted to the server device 12 (step S82; Yes), the process proceeds to step S84. If it is determined that the image for position calculation is not to be transmitted to the server device 12 (step S82; No), the process proceeds to step S86. Note that in step S82, the transmission determination unit 44 may determine whether or not to transmit a part of the image for position calculation acquired by the imaging control unit 40.

[0081] The processes in steps S84 and S86 are the same as those in steps S42 and S44 shown in FIG. 5, respectively, and therefore will not be described here.

[0082] (Processing contents of server device) The processing content of the server device according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the server device according to the second embodiment.

[0083] In the second embodiment, the server device 12 determines whether or not an image for position calculation captured by the camera 20 is necessary while traveling through a section where position information cannot be obtained, and requests the image for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10 only when it is determined that the image for position calculation is necessary.

[0084] The processes in steps S90 and S92 are the same as those in steps S50 and S52 shown in FIG. 6, respectively, and therefore will not be described here.

[0085] If the determination in step S90 is No, the requesting unit 68 determines whether or not a position calculation image is necessary to generate a movement history of the in-vehicle device 10, based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 before the vehicle entered the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired (step S94). Here, before performing the processing of step S94, a step (not shown) may be provided in which the vehicle exits the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired and waits until the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 is acquired again. In this way, the requesting unit 68 can determine whether or not a position calculation image is necessary based on the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 before the vehicle enters the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired and the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 after the vehicle exits the section where the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 cannot be acquired. If the requesting unit 68 determines that a position calculation image is necessary (step S94; Yes), the process proceeds to step S98. If the requesting unit 68 does not determine that a position calculation image is necessary (step S94; No), the process proceeds to step S96.

[0086] If the determination in step S94 is No, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 calculates the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the map information (step S96). For example, if the section where the position information cannot be received is a tunnel with no branch, the terminal position information calculation unit 64 determines that the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 is inside the tunnel. Then, the process proceeds to step S104.

[0087] If the determination in step S94 is Yes, the requesting unit 68 requests the in-vehicle device 10 for the images for position calculation (step S98). For example, the requesting unit 68 may request only some of the images for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10. Here, if communication between the in-vehicle device 10 and the server device 12 has not been established, the images for position calculation cannot be requested, and therefore the request for the images for position calculation may be repeated at regular intervals until communication between the in-vehicle device 10 and the server device 12 is established. Then, the process proceeds to step S100.

[0088] The image acquisition unit 62 acquires an image for position calculation from the vehicle-mounted device 10 (step S100), and then the process proceeds to step S102.

[0089] The processes from step S102 to step S106 are the same as the processes from step S56 to step S60 shown in FIG. 6, respectively, and therefore will not be described here.

[0090] As described above, in the second embodiment, the in-vehicle device transmits the image for position calculation to the server device only when it is determined that the image for position calculation is necessary to generate a movement history for a section where position information cannot be acquired. This allows the second embodiment to reduce the amount of communication traffic.

[0091] [Third embodiment] (Server device) An example of the configuration of a server device according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server device according to the third embodiment.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 9, server device 12A differs from server device 12 shown in FIG. 3 in that a control unit 54A includes a travel route determination unit 70 and a position information correction unit 72.

[0093] The driving route determination unit 70 determines a planned driving route of the vehicle. The driving route determination unit 70 determines the planned driving route based on, for example, the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquisition unit 60 and the map information stored in the storage unit 52.

[0094] The position information corrector 72 corrects the position information acquired by the terminal position information acquirer 60 and the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculator 64. The position information corrector 72 corrects the position information acquired by the terminal position information acquirer 60, for example, based on the position information acquired by the terminal position information acquirer 60 and the planned driving route determined by the driving route determiner 70. The position information corrector 72 corrects the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculator 64, for example, based on the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculator 64 and the driving route determined by the driving route determiner 70.

[0095] For example, the location information corrector 72 determines the reliability of the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60 and the planned driving route determined by the driving route determiner 70, and corrects the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60 based on the determined reliability. For example, if the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60 is for a road that is not included in the map information stored in the memory 52, the location information corrector 72 determines that the reliability of the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60 is higher than the reliability of the driving route determined by the driving route determiner 70. In this case, the location information corrector 72 weights the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60 so as to place more importance on it, and corrects the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60.

[0096] (Processing contents of server device) The processing content of the server device according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the server device according to the third embodiment.

[0097] The terminal location information acquisition unit 60 periodically acquires the location information of the vehicle-mounted device 10 (step S110).

[0098] The driving route determination unit 70 determines the planned driving route of the vehicle (step S112), and then the process proceeds to step S114.

[0099] The process of step S114 is the same as the process of step S50 shown in FIG. 6, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0100] If the determination in step S114 is Yes, the location information corrector 72 sets a weight based on the planned driving route determined by the driving route determiner 70, and corrects the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquirer 60 (step S116). Then, the process proceeds to step S118.

[0101] The travel history generating unit 66 generates a travel history of the vehicle-mounted device 10 based on the position information of the vehicle-mounted device 10 corrected by the position information correcting unit 72 (step S118). Then, the process proceeds to step S128.

[0102] The processes in steps S120 and S122 are the same as those in steps S54 and S56 shown in FIG. 6, respectively, and therefore will not be described further.

[0103] The position information correcting unit 72 sets weighting based on the planned driving route determined by the driving route determining unit 70, and corrects the position information calculated by the terminal position information calculating unit 64 (step S124). Then, the process proceeds to step S126.

[0104] The travel history generating unit 66 generates a travel history of the vehicle-mounted device 10 based on the position information of the vehicle-mounted device 10 corrected by the position information correcting unit 72 (step S126). Then, the process proceeds to step S128.

[0105] The process of step S128 is the same as the process of step S60 shown in FIG. 6, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0106] As described above, the third embodiment can correct the position information based on the planned driving route, thereby enabling the third embodiment to generate a more appropriate driving history.

[0107] [Fourth embodiment] (In-vehicle device) An example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment.

[0108] As shown in FIG. 11, the in-vehicle device 10B differs from the in-vehicle device 10 shown in FIG. 2 in that a control unit 32B includes a vehicle information acquisition unit .

[0109] The vehicle information acquisition unit 48 acquires various types of vehicle information via a CAN (Controller Area Network). For example, the vehicle information acquisition unit 48 acquires operation information including steering operation, braking operation, accelerator operation, etc., and vehicle speed information as the vehicle information. The vehicle information acquisition unit 48 transmits the acquired vehicle information to the server device 12 via the communication unit 26.

[0110] (Server device) An example of the configuration of a server device according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a server device according to the fourth embodiment.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 12, the server device 12B differs from the server device 12 shown in FIG. 3 in that a control unit 54B includes a vehicle information acquisition unit 74.

[0112] The vehicle information acquisition unit 74 acquires vehicle information from the in-vehicle device 10B via the communication unit 50.

[0113] The terminal position information calculation unit 64B calculates the position information of the vehicle based on the position calculation image acquired by the image acquisition unit 62 and the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 74. Specifically, the terminal position information calculation unit 64B calculates the position information of the in-vehicle device 10B based on, for example, the position calculation image acquired by the image acquisition unit 62 and a moving direction calculated based on steering operation information included in the vehicle information. The terminal position information calculation unit 64B calculates the position information of the in-vehicle device 10B based on, for example, the position calculation image acquired by the image acquisition unit 62 and a phase velocity calculated based on velocity information included in the vehicle information.

[0114] (Processing contents of the on-board device) An example of the configuration of the in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13. Fig. 13 is a flowchart showing the processing content of the in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment.

[0115] The processes in steps S130 and S132 are the same as those in steps S30 and S32 shown in FIG. 5, respectively, and therefore will not be described further.

[0116] The vehicle information acquisition unit 48 acquires vehicle information about the vehicle in which the on-vehicle device 10B is installed (step S134), and the process then proceeds to step S136.

[0117] The process of step S136 is the same as the process of step S34 shown in FIG. 5, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0118] If the determination in step S136 is Yes, the position information acquisition unit 42 and the vehicle information acquisition unit 48 transmit the position information of the in-vehicle device 10B and the vehicle information of the vehicle in which the in-vehicle device 10B is installed to the server device 12B via the communication unit 26, respectively (step S138). In step S138, only the position information of the in-vehicle device 10B may be transmitted to the server device 12B. Then, the process proceeds to step S146.

[0119] The processes in steps S140 and S142 are the same as the processes in steps S38 and S40 shown in FIG. 5, respectively, and therefore will not be described further.

[0120] If the determination in step S142 is Yes, the imaging control unit 40 and the vehicle information acquisition unit 48 respectively transmit the captured image for position calculation and the vehicle information of the vehicle in which the in-vehicle device 10B is installed via the communication unit 26 (step S144). Then, the process proceeds to step S146.

[0121] The process of step S146 is the same as the process of step S44 shown in FIG. 5, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0122] (Processing contents of server device) The processing content of the server device according to the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing of the server device according to the fourth embodiment.

[0123] The vehicle information acquisition unit 74 acquires vehicle information of the vehicle in which the on-vehicle device 10B is installed from the on-vehicle device 10B (step S150), and then the process proceeds to step S152.

[0124] The processes from step S152 to step S156 are the same as the processes from step S50 to step S54 shown in FIG. 6, respectively, and therefore will not be described here.

[0125] If the determination in step S156 is Yes, the terminal position information calculation unit 64B calculates the position information of the in-vehicle device 10 based on the position calculation image acquired by the image acquisition unit 62 and the vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 74 (step S158). Then, the process proceeds to step S160.

[0126] The processes in steps S160 and S162 are the same as those in steps S58 and S60 shown in FIG. 6, respectively, and therefore will not be described further.

[0127] In the fourth embodiment, the transmission determination unit 44 of the in-vehicle device 10B may determine, based on the vehicle information, whether to transmit the image for position calculation to the server device 12B. In the fourth embodiment, the request unit 68 of the server device 12B may determine, based on the vehicle information of the in-vehicle device 10, whether to acquire the image for position calculation from the in-vehicle device 10B.

[0128] As described above, the fourth embodiment generates a vehicle movement history based on the position calculation images and vehicle information, thereby enabling the fourth embodiment to generate a more accurate driving history.

[0129] [Other embodiments] In the first to fourth embodiments, the terminal device has been described as being an in-vehicle device such as a drive recorder, but the present disclosure is not limited to this.

[0130] The terminal device may be, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone owned by the user. For example, if the user is unable to obtain position information while trekking, hiking, mountain climbing, or the like, the user may transmit an image for position calculation captured by the smartphone to the server device. In this case, the server device may calculate the position information based on the image for position calculation captured by the smartphone.

[0131] 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 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 and usage conditions. This distribution and integration configuration may also be performed dynamically.

[0132] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0133] 1. Location Information Calculation System 10,10B In-vehicle device 12,12A Server equipment 20 Camera 22 Input section 24 Display 26,50 Communications Department 28 GNSS receiver 30,52 Storage part 32, 32B, 54, 54A Control unit 40 Imaging control unit 42 Location information acquisition unit 44 Transmission decision unit 46 Communication control section 48 Vehicle Information Acquisition Unit 60 Terminal location information acquisition unit 62 Image acquisition unit 64 Terminal location information calculation unit 66 Movement history generation unit 68 Request part 70 Driving route determination unit 72 Location information correction section

Claims

1. A terminal device; a server device communicably connected to the terminal device, The terminal device a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the terminal device; a communication unit that transmits the location information to the server device; an imaging unit that captures an image of the periphery of the terminal device as an image for position calculation; The server device a terminal location information acquisition unit that periodically acquires location information of the terminal device from the terminal device; a terminal position information calculation unit that calculates position information of the terminal device based on the position calculation image; a movement history generation unit that generates a movement history of the terminal device based on the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquisition unit and the location information calculated by the terminal location information calculation unit; Equipped with the imaging unit captures the image for position calculation when the terminal device is moving through a section in which the position information acquisition unit cannot acquire position information of the terminal device; the communication unit transmits the image for position calculation to the server device; Location information calculation system.

2. The terminal device a transmission determination unit that determines whether or not the image for position calculation is to be transmitted to the server device; The position information calculation system according to claim 1 .

3. The server device a request unit that determines whether or not to acquire the image for position calculation from the terminal device based on the position information of the terminal device before the terminal device enters an area where the position information of the terminal device cannot be acquired, and requests the terminal device to transmit the image for position calculation only when it is determined that the image should be acquired. The position information calculation system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. a terminal location information acquisition unit that periodically acquires location information of the terminal device from the terminal device; a terminal position information calculation unit that calculates position information of the terminal device based on a position calculation image captured by the terminal device; a movement history generation unit that generates a movement history of the terminal device based on the location information acquired by the terminal location information acquisition unit and the location information calculated by the terminal location information calculation unit; a request unit that determines whether or not to acquire the image for position calculation from the terminal device based on the position information of the terminal device before the terminal device enters an area where the position information of the terminal device cannot be acquired, and requests the terminal device to transmit the image for position calculation only when it is determined that the image should be acquired; A position information calculation device comprising:

5. acquiring location information of a terminal device; transmitting the location information to a server device; periodically acquiring location information of the terminal device from the terminal device; When the terminal device is moving in a section where location information of the terminal device cannot be acquired, an image of the surroundings of the terminal device is captured as an image for position calculation; transmitting the image for position calculation to the server device; calculating position information of the terminal device based on the position calculation image; generating a movement history of the terminal device based on the acquired location information of the terminal device and the calculated location information of the terminal device; A location information calculation method including:

Images