Communication control system, communication control method, and program

Abstract

To provide a communication control system, a communication control method and a program for contributing to the development of a sustainable transportation system by improving the stability of communication in a mobile object and further improving the safety of traffic.SOLUTION: In a communication control system for controlling communication in a communication terminal 100 for relaying communication between a moving object 20 and an information management device 130, a control unit of the communication terminal includes a selection unit for selecting a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays communication between the moving object and the information management device according to a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device. The communication control method includes a process of selecting a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays communication between the moving object and the information management device in accordance with a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a communication control system, a communication control method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a technology that enables data transmission according to the relay function of a relay device when transmitting data to another communication device via the relay device. Patent Documents 2 to 5 describe technologies related to access points. [Prior art document] [Patent documents] Patent Document 1: JP 2012-4990 A Patent Document 2: International Publication No. 2012 / 046391 Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-323357 Patent Document 4 Special Publication No. 2016-511600 Patent Document 5 Special Publication No. 2009-503991 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] However, when relaying communications between a mobile object and an information management terminal, there is a problem that relaying may not be possible depending on the communication state. By solving this problem, the present application can improve the stability of communications between mobile objects. This can further improve traffic safety and contribute to the development of sustainable transportation systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication control system. The communication control system controls communication in a communication terminal that relays communication between a mobile object and an information management device. The communication control system includes a selection unit that selects a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays communication between the mobile object and the information management device, depending on a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device.

[0005] In the above communication control system, the relay mode may include a first mode in which data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is transferred from one side to the other. The relay mode may include a second mode in which data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is temporarily stored in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and transfer of the data temporarily stored in the storage medium is initiated in accordance with the communication status between the communication terminal and the information management device, and relay of the communication between the mobile body and the information management device is resumed. The relay mode may include a third mode in which data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is stored in the storage medium, and transfer of the data stored in the storage medium is initiated in accordance with receipt of a data transfer instruction. The relay mode may include at least one of the first mode, the second mode, and the third mode.

[0006] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select the relay mode further based on a state of a storage medium provided in the communication terminal.

[0007] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select a first mode of transferring data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device from one to the other when at least one of the capacity of the storage medium provided in the communication terminal and the free space on the storage medium is below a predetermined value.

[0008] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select the relay mode based on a communication state between the communication terminal and a wireless relay device that relays communication between the communication terminal and the information management device.

[0009] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select a first mode in which data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is transferred from one to the other when the communication quality between the wireless relay device and the communication terminal is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

[0010] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select a second mode in which, when the communication quality between the wireless relay device and the communication terminal is below a predetermined value, data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is temporarily stored in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and, depending on the communication status between the communication terminal and the information management device, starts transferring the data temporarily stored in the storage medium and resumes relaying the communication between the mobile body and the information management device.

[0011] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select a second mode in which, when the communication quality between the wireless relay device and the communication terminal is below a predetermined value, data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is temporarily stored in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and, depending on the communication status between the communication terminal and the information management device, starts transferring the data temporarily stored in the storage medium and resumes relaying the communication between the mobile body and the information management device.

[0012] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays communication between the mobile body and the information management device depending on the security level of communication between the communication terminal and the information management device.

[0013] In any of the above communication control systems, the selection unit may select a third mode in which, when the security level is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is stored in the storage medium, and in response to receiving a data transfer instruction, the selection unit starts transferring the data stored in the storage medium.

[0014] Any of the above communication control systems may further include a communication control unit that, when the communication terminal is capable of communicating with the information management device via cellular communication and wireless LAN communication, causes the communication terminal to communicate with the information management device via wireless LAN communication in preference to cellular communication.

[0015] Any of the above communication control systems may control communications among a plurality of communication terminals that relay communications between the mobile object and the information management device. The plurality of communication terminals and the mobile object may be capable of wireless LAN connection using a single SSID. Any of the above communication control systems may further include a communication control unit that sets a common SSID for the plurality of communication terminals so that the mobile object can wirelessly connect to the plurality of communication terminals via a single SSID.

[0016] Any of the above communication control systems may include an authentication control unit that performs authentication between the mobile unit and the communication terminal by 802.11u-based authentication and mutual authentication between the mobile unit and the communication terminal.

[0017] Any of the above communication control systems may be provided with a disabling processing unit that disables the function of the communication terminal to relay communication between the mobile body and the information management device if the length of the period during which the communication terminal does not relay communication between the mobile body and the information management device is longer than a predetermined value.

[0018] Any of the above communication control systems may include a communication control unit that restricts communication between the communication terminal and the information management device via cellular communication when the communication terminal is able to communicate with the information management device via cellular communication.

[0019] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a communication control method for controlling communication by a communication terminal that relays communication between a mobile object and an information management device, the communication control method including a step of selecting a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays communication between the mobile object and the information management device, depending on a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device.

[0020] In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a program that causes a computer to function as any one of the communication control systems described above. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

[0021] The above summary of the invention does not list all of the features of the present invention. In addition, subcombinations of these features may also constitute inventions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 conceptually illustrates a usage pattern of a power system 5 in one embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 shows an example of a system configuration of a communication terminal 100. [Figure 3] 1 shows an example of a system configuration of an information management device 130. [Figure 4] 1 shows an example of a system configuration of a communication management device 140. [Figure 5] 1 shows an example of a sequence relating to a communication control method executed in the communication system 5. [Figure 6] 1 shows an example of a flowchart relating to a communication control method executed in a communication terminal 100. [Figure 7] An example of a computer 2000 is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention according to the claims. Furthermore, not all of the combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the solution of the invention.

[0024] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a communication system 5 according to an embodiment. The communication system 5 includes a plurality of communication terminals 100, a wireless relay device 110, an information management device 130, a communication management device 140, a plurality of mobile objects 20, and a wireless base station 120.

[0025] The mobile body 20 is a mobile device. The mobile body 20 is, for example, a vehicle such as a bus or an automobile, or a train. A vehicle is an example of transportation equipment. The mobile body 20 may be various types of aircraft including unmanned aerial vehicles. In this embodiment, the mobile body 20 is a vehicle. In this embodiment, the mobile body 20 is a vehicle under production in a factory. For example, the mobile body 20 is a vehicle under production that is transported on a production line. The mobile body 20 has at least a wireless communication function. The mobile body 20 has, for example, a wireless LAN communication function.

[0026] The information management device 130 is installed, for example, outside a factory that manufactures the mobile object 20. The information management device 130 holds information to be provided to the mobile object 20. The information management device 130 further holds information transmitted from the mobile object 20.

[0027] The wireless base station 120 is a cellular communication base station that supports one or more cellular communication methods. The cellular communication methods supported by the wireless base station 120 may be, for example, communication methods used in mobile communication systems such as the fourth generation mobile communication system (4G) and the fifth generation mobile communication system (5G). The wireless base station 120 is capable of communicating with the information management device 130 via the cellular communication network 92.

[0028] The wireless relay device 110 has a function of relaying wireless LAN communication, and is capable of communicating with the information management device 130 via a communication network 90 such as the Internet.

[0029] The communication terminal 100 is a terminal having a communication function. The communication terminal 100 is, for example, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone. The communication terminal 100 may be a communication terminal pre-installed in a factory. The communication terminal 100 may be a mobile terminal carried by a worker in the factory. The communication terminal 100 has a wireless communication function. For example, the communication terminal 100 has a cellular communication function and a wireless LAN communication function. The communication terminal 100 has a wireless LAN access point function and relays communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 via the wireless base station 120.

[0030] The communication terminal 100 can function as a wireless LAN access point for the mobile object 20 and at the same time function as a station for the wireless relay device 110. The communication terminal 100 relays communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 via the wireless relay device 110 and the communication network 90. ​​As a result, when the mobile object 20 is on a production line, it can establish wireless communication with a communication terminal 100 in the vicinity of the current position of the mobile object 20, communicate with the information management device 130 via the wireless relay device 110 or the wireless base station 120, and exchange information with the information management device 130.

[0031] The communication management device 140 performs processing to manage communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. For example, the communication management device 140 registers various pieces of information necessary for communication between the mobile object 20 and the communication terminal 100. The communication management device 140 manages the wireless access point function provided by the communication terminal 100.

[0032] The communication terminal 100 has a first, second, and third relay modes for relaying communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. The first mode is a mode in which data communicated between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is transferred from one side to the other side. The second mode is a mode in which data communicated between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is temporarily stored, and transfer of the temporarily stored data is initiated according to the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130, and relay of communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is resumed. The third mode is a mode in which data communicated between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is stored, and transfer of the stored data is initiated according to receipt of a data transfer instruction.

[0033] The communication terminal 100 relays communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 in one of a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode depending on the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130. For example, while relaying communication in the first mode, the communication terminal 100 switches to communication in the second mode in response to a deterioration in the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130. When the security level of communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is low, the communication terminal 100 relays communication in the third mode. This allows relaying in an appropriate mode depending on the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130.

[0034] 2 shows an example of a system configuration of communication terminal 100. Communication terminal 100 includes a control unit 200, a storage unit 280, and a communication unit 290. Control unit 200 includes a communication control unit 210, a revocation processing unit 220, an authentication control unit 230, and a selection unit 240.

[0035] The control unit 200 controls the entire communication terminal 100. The control unit 200 may be an example of a communication control system, or may be part of the communication control system. The communication unit 290 is responsible for wireless communication between the communication terminal 100 and each of the mobile object 20, the wireless relay device 110, and the wireless base station 120. The control unit 200 is realized by an arithmetic processing unit including a processor. The memory unit 280 is realized by including a non-volatile storage medium. The control unit 200 performs processing using information stored in the memory unit 280. The control unit 200 may be realized by a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, a bus, etc. The communication terminal 100 may be realized by a single computer.

[0036] The control unit 200 functions as a communication control system that controls communication in the communication terminal 100, which relays communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. The selection unit 240 selects a relay mode in which the communication terminal 100 relays communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130, depending on the communication status between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130. Cellular communication may be restricted in a mobile object 20 under manufacture. According to this embodiment, however, data transmission and reception between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 required during the manufacture of the mobile object 20 can be performed via the communication terminal 100. This reduces communication costs. Furthermore, by the selection unit 240 selecting a relay mode depending on the communication status, communication can be relayed in an appropriate mode depending on the relay mode.

[0037] The relay mode may include at least one of a first mode in which data communicated between the mobile body 20 and the information management device 130 is transferred from one side to the other side; a second mode in which data communicated between the mobile body 20 and the information management device 130 is temporarily stored in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal 100, and transfer of the data temporarily stored in the storage medium is started and relay of the communication between the mobile body 20 and the information management device 130 is resumed depending on the communication status between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130; and a third mode in which data communicated between the mobile body 20 and the information management device 130 is stored in a storage medium and transfer of the data stored in the storage medium is started depending on the reception of a data transfer instruction. This makes it possible to select whether to relay data in a mode in which data is immediately transferred, in a mode in which the communicated data is temporarily stored in the communication terminal 100, or in a mode in which data can be stored for a long period of time depending on the communication status. Therefore, the relay mode can be flexibly changed depending on the communication status, and data collection from the mobile body 20 can be continuously performed. In the second and third aspects, the storage medium that stores data may be a non-volatile storage medium.

[0038] The selection unit 240 may select the relay mode further based on the state of a storage medium included in the communication terminal 100. For example, the selection unit 240 may select the first mode when at least one of the capacity of the storage medium included in the communication terminal 100 and the free space of the storage medium is equal to or less than a predetermined value. As a result, when the storage capacity of the storage medium included in the communication terminal 100 is insufficient, communication can be relayed in the first mode, which consumes less storage capacity than the second and third modes.

[0039] The selection unit 240 selects a relay mode based on the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the wireless relay device 110 that relays communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130. For example, the selection unit 240 may select the first mode when the communication quality between the wireless relay device 110 and the communication terminal 100 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. This allows the selection of the first mode when the communication quality is relatively high, thereby enabling communication to continue to be transmitted to the information management device 130. The selection unit 240 may select the second mode when the communication quality between the wireless relay device 110 and the communication terminal 100 is lower than a predetermined value. This allows the selection of the second mode when the communication quality is low, thereby enabling data collection from the mobile object 20 to continue, and when the communication quality recovers, the data held in the communication terminal 100 to be transmitted to the information management device 130.

[0040] The selection unit 240 may select a relay mode in which the communication terminal 100 relays communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130, depending on the security level of the communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130. The selection unit 240 may select the third mode when the security level is equal to or lower than a predetermined value. By selecting the third mode when the communication security level is equal to or lower than the required level, security risks such as data leakage can be reduced. By selecting the third mode when transmitting data to the information management device 130 via the wireless relay device 110 over the communication network 90, including the Internet, is undesirable from a security standpoint, security risks such as data leakage can be reduced. Alternatively, the selection unit 240 may select the third mode in accordance with instructions from a user, such as a worker. For example, when collecting data from the mobile object 20 that needs to be checked immediately on the communication terminal 100, the user may instruct the communication terminal 100 to select the third mode.

[0041] When the communication terminal 100 can communicate with the information management device 130 via cellular communication and wireless LAN communication, the communication control unit 210 may cause the communication terminal 100 to communicate with the information management device 130 via wireless LAN communication in preference to cellular communication. This reduces the frequency of use of cellular communication, thereby reducing communication costs.

[0042] A plurality of communication terminals 100 and mobile objects 20 may be able to connect via wireless LAN using a single SSID. For example, the communication terminals 100 and mobile objects 20 may be devices compatible with OpenRoaming. The communication control unit 210 may set a common SSID for the plurality of communication terminals 100 so that the mobile object 20 can connect via wireless LAN to the plurality of communication terminals 100 via a single SSID. By enabling connection via a common SSID, seamless wireless LAN connection can be achieved across the plurality of communication terminals 100. If OpenRoaming or the like is set in the mobile objects 20 and the communication terminals 100, automatic connection to a corresponding wireless LAN network becomes possible, and therefore, even when the mobile object 20 moves and connects to another communication terminal 100, complicated reconnection processing can be avoided.

[0043] The authentication control unit 230 may perform authentication between the mobile object 20 and the communication terminal 100 by 802.11u-based authentication and mutual authentication between the mobile object 20 and the communication terminal 100. This can reduce security risks.

[0044] If the length of the period during which the communication terminal 100 does not relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is longer than a predetermined value, the revocation processing unit 220 disables the function of the communication terminal 100 to relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. This makes it possible to prevent the communication terminal 100 not being used for relaying from remaining connected to the network for a long period of time, thereby reducing security risks.

[0045] After the disabling processing unit 220 has disabled the communication relay function of the communication terminal 100, the communication terminal 100 may enable the communication relay function based on an instruction from the information management device 130. For example, when the communication terminal 100 receives an instruction to enable the relay function from the information management device 130 via the wireless relay device 110 and / or the wireless base station 120, the communication terminal 100 may enable the communication relay function of the communication terminal 100 again.

[0046] The communication control unit 210 may restrict communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 via cellular communication, even when the communication terminal 100 can communicate with the information management device 130 via cellular communication. The communication control unit 210 may allow communication via cellular communication on the condition that communication with a high security level is required. The communication control unit 210 may allow communication via cellular communication when no other communication means are available. The communication control unit 210 may allow communication via cellular communication only at night. In this way, by restricting communication via cellular communication, communication costs can be reduced.

[0047] 3 shows an example of a system configuration of the information management device 130. The information management device 130 includes a control unit 300, a storage unit 380, and a communication unit 390. The control unit 300 includes a communication control unit 310 and an invalidation processing unit 320.

[0048] The control unit 200 controls the entire information management device 130. The control unit 300 may be an example of a communication control system or may be part of a communication control system. The communication unit 390 is responsible for wireless communication between the wireless relay device 110 and the wireless base station 120 and the information management device 130. The control unit 300 is implemented by an arithmetic processing unit including a processor. The storage unit 380 is implemented by a non-volatile storage medium. The control unit 300 performs processing using information stored in the storage unit 380. The control unit 300 may be implemented by a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, a bus, etc. The information management device 130 may be implemented by a single computer. The information management device 130 may be implemented by multiple computers. The functions of the information management device 130 may be implemented by a virtual system implemented using virtualization technology.

[0049] The communication control unit 310 executes processing corresponding to the communication control unit 210. When the communication terminal 100 can communicate with the information management device 130 via cellular communication and wireless LAN communication, the communication control unit 310 may cause the communication terminal 100 to communicate with the information management device 130 via wireless LAN communication, prioritizing the cellular communication. Even when the communication terminal 100 can communicate with the information management device 130 via cellular communication, the communication control unit 310 may restrict communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 via cellular communication. The communication control unit 310 may set a common SSID for multiple communication terminals 100 so that the mobile object 20 can connect to multiple communication terminals 100 via a wireless LAN through a single SSID. For example, the communication control unit 310 may perform processing to set the communication terminal 100 in accordance with the OpenRoaming specification so that the communication terminal 100 can communicate in accordance with the OpenRoaming specification.

[0050] The revocation processing unit 320 executes processing corresponding to the revocation processing unit 220. When the length of the period during which the communication terminal 100 does not relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is longer than a predetermined value, the revocation processing unit 320 disables the function of the communication terminal 100 to relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. For example, the revocation processing unit 320 may instruct the communication terminal 100 to terminate its function as a wireless LAN access point. The revocation processing unit 320 may measure the length of the period during which the communication terminal 100 does not relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 by measuring the elapsed time since the last time data transmitted from the mobile object 20 and passed through the communication terminal 100 was received.

[0051] 4 shows an example of a system configuration of the communication management device 140. The communication management device 140 includes a control unit 400, a storage unit 480, and a communication unit 490. The control unit 400 includes a communication control unit 410, an invalidation processing unit 420, an authentication control unit 430, and a selection unit 440.

[0052] The control unit 400 controls the entire communication management device 140. The control unit 400 may be an example of a communication control system or may be part of a communication control system. The communication unit 490 is responsible for wireless communication between the wireless relay device 110 and the communication management device 140. The control unit 400 is realized by an arithmetic processing unit including a processor. The memory unit 480 is realized by including a non-volatile storage medium. The control unit 400 performs processing using information stored in the memory unit 480. The control unit 400 may be realized by a computer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O, buses, etc. The communication management device 140 may be realized by a single computer. The communication management device 140 may be realized by multiple computers. The functions of the communication management device 140 may be realized by a virtual system realized using virtualization technology.

[0053] The communication control unit 410 executes processing corresponding to the communication control unit 210. When the communication terminal 100 can communicate with the information management device 130 via cellular communication and wireless LAN communication, the communication control unit 410 may cause the communication terminal 100 to communicate with the information management device 130 via wireless LAN communication, prioritizing cellular communication. Even when the communication terminal 100 can communicate with the information management device 130 via cellular communication, the communication control unit 410 may restrict communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 via cellular communication. The communication control unit 410 may set a common SSID for multiple communication terminals 100 so that the mobile object 20 can connect to multiple communication terminals 100 via a wireless LAN through a single SSID. For example, the communication control unit 410 may perform processing to set the communication terminal 100 in accordance with the OpenRoaming specification so that the communication terminal 100 can communicate in accordance with the OpenRoaming specification.

[0054] The revocation processing unit 420 executes processing corresponding to the revocation processing unit 220. When the length of a period during which the communication terminal 100 does not relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is longer than a predetermined value, the revocation processing unit 420 disables the function of the communication terminal 100 to relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. For example, the revocation processing unit 420 may instruct the communication terminal 100 to terminate its function as a wireless LAN access point. The revocation processing unit 420 may measure the length of the period during which the communication terminal 100 does not relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 by measuring the elapsed time since the communication terminal 100 last transmitted data transmitted from the mobile object 20 to the information management device 130. The revocation processing unit 420 may measure the length of the period during which the communication terminal 100 does not relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 by acquiring a transmission history of the communication terminal 100 or the wireless relay device 110.

[0055] The authentication control unit 430 controls the communication terminal 100 to transmit authentication information required for authentication between the communication terminal 100 and the mobile object 20. The selection unit 440 performs processing corresponding to the selection unit 240. The selection unit 440 performs processing for selecting a relay mode in which the communication terminal 100 will relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130, depending on the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130. The communication management device 140 acquires information indicating the communication state between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 from the communication terminal 100, and the selection unit 440 performs processing for selecting a relay mode based on the acquired information. The communication management device 140 may transmit information indicating the relay mode selected by the selection unit 440 to the communication terminal 100, and instruct the communication terminal 100 to relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 in that relay mode.

[0056] 5 shows an example of a sequence relating to a communication control method executed in the communication system 5. The overall processing executed in the communication system 5 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0057] In S500, the communication management device 140 outputs authentication information to the communication terminal 100 and the mobile unit 20 under the control of the authentication control unit 430. The authentication information is information for performing mutual authentication between the mobile unit 20 and the communication terminal 100. The communication management device 140 may transmit the authentication information for the communication terminal 100 to authenticate the mobile unit 20 via the wireless relay device 110. When the mobile unit 20 is connected to the wireless relay device 110, the communication management device 140 may transmit the authentication information for the mobile unit 20 to authenticate the communication terminal 100. The communication management device 140 may output the authentication information for the mobile unit 20 to authenticate the communication terminal 100 via another communication means. In S501, the communication terminal 100 stores the authentication information output from the communication management device 140 in the memory unit 280. In S502, the mobile object 20 stores the authentication information output from the communication management device 140 in a storage medium provided in the mobile object 20.

[0058] In S503, the communication management device 140 transmits the communication terminal information and the mobile object information to the information management device 130 under the control of the authentication control unit 430. The communication terminal information is information for identifying the communication terminal 100. The communication terminal information may be, for example, the IMSI, MSISDN, ICCID, IMEI, etc. of the communication terminal 100. The mobile object information is information for identifying the mobile object. If the mobile object is a vehicle as in this embodiment, the mobile object information may be the VIN (vehicle identification number) of the mobile object 20. In S504, the information management device 130 stores the communication terminal information and the mobile object information received from the communication management device 140 in the memory unit 380.

[0059] In S506, the information management device 130 transmits an instruction to enable the wireless LAN access point function of the communication terminal 100. In S508, the information management device 130 transmits authentication information to the communication terminal 100. The authentication information may be, for example, information for performing IEEE802.11u-based authentication. The authentication information may be information used for communication in accordance with the WBA OpenRoaming specification. The authentication information may be information used for communication in accordance with the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) CERTIFIED Passpoint specification. The authentication information may include certificate information used for authentication.

[0060] In S510, the communication terminal 100 starts a relay process for relaying communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. In S512, the mobile object 20 performs an authentication process to connect to a nearby communication terminal 100. The authentication process in S512 is performed in cooperation with the authentication control unit 230 of the communication terminal 100. The authentication process in S512 may include an IEEE802.11u-based authentication process and a mutual authentication process between the communication terminal 100 and the mobile object 20.

[0061] When a connection between the mobile object 20 and the communication terminal 100 is established, in S520, the mobile object 20 transmits data addressed to the information management device 130. The data addressed to the information management device 130 from the mobile object 20 may include information indicating the status of the mobile object 20 during manufacture. The data addressed to the information management device 130 from the mobile object 20 may include, for example, information generated by an ECU provided in the mobile object 20. The communication terminal 100 relays the data addressed to the information management device 130 transmitted from the mobile object 20, and transmits it to the information management device 130 (S522). The relay mode is selected from the first mode, second mode, and third mode described above, depending on the communication status between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130.

[0062] In S524, the information management device 130 transmits data addressed to the mobile object 20. The communication terminal 100 relays the data addressed to the mobile object 20 transmitted from the information management device 130 and transmits it to the mobile object 20 (S526). The data addressed to the mobile object 20 from the information management device 130 may include information to be written to an ECU provided in the mobile object 20 during manufacture.

[0063] As the mobile object 20 moves along the production line, it switches its connection to the communication terminal 100 with the best communication status, and communicates with the information management device 130. As described above, in one embodiment, the communication terminal 100 and the mobile object 20 communicate in accordance with the WBA OpenRoaming specifications, so that the mobile object 20 can connect to different communication terminals 100 using a common SSID and communicate with the information management device 130, thereby enabling seamless communication with the information management device 130.

[0064] Fig. 6 shows an example of a flowchart relating to a communication control method executed in the communication terminal 100. Fig. 6 illustrates processing when relaying communication through the wireless relay device 110. In S610, the communication terminal 100 connects to the wireless relay device 110. In S612, the control unit 200 of the communication terminal 100 measures the quality of communication with the information management device 130 via the wireless relay device 110. The communication quality measured in S612 may include the quality of the wireless signal between the communication terminal 100 and the wireless relay device 110. The quality of the wireless signal may be, for example, RSSI (received signal strength indicator) or the like.

[0065] In S614, control unit 200 of communication terminal 100 determines whether the storage capacity that can be stored in the storage medium included in storage unit 280 exceeds a predetermined value. The "storage capacity that can be stored in the storage medium" may be the storage capacity of the storage medium included in storage unit 280, or may be the free space of the storage medium included in storage unit 280. If the storage capacity that can be stored in the storage medium included in storage unit 280 exceeds the predetermined value, the process proceeds to S616, and if it is determined that the storage capacity does not exceed the predetermined value, the process proceeds to S620.

[0066] In S616, the control unit 200 determines whether the communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is secure. The determination in S616 may include determining whether the security level of the communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The determination in S616 may include determining whether the security level of the communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is equal to or higher than a security level required for transmitting data from the mobile object 20 to the information management device 130. The security level of the communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 may be set depending on the communication path. For example, the security level when relaying communication through the wireless relay device 110 may be set to a lower value than the security level when relaying communication through the wireless base station 120. The security level required for transmitting data from the mobile object 20 to the information management device 130 may be a value determined in advance for each type of data to be transmitted. The security level required for transmitting the data may be input into the communication terminal 100 by a user such as an operator, or may be notified to the communication terminal 100 from the mobile object 20. If it is determined in S616 that the communication between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is secure, the process proceeds to S618, and if it is determined that the communication is secure, the process proceeds to S624.

[0067] In S618, the control unit 200 determines whether the communication quality between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The communication quality may be the value measured in S612. If it is determined in S618 that the communication quality between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130 is equal to or greater than the predetermined value, the control unit 200 proceeds to S620. If it is determined that the communication quality is less than the predetermined value, the control unit 200 proceeds to S622. If the communication terminal 100 selects the first mode as the relay mode in S620 after performing relay in the second mode, the communication control unit 210 may start relaying in the first mode after transmitting data held in the storage medium of the storage unit 280 to the information management device 130.

[0068] At S620, the selection unit 240 selects the first mode as the relay mode of communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. At S620, the selection unit 240 selects the second mode as the relay mode of communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. At S624, the selection unit 240 selects the third mode as the relay mode of communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130.

[0069] In S630, the invalidation processing unit 220 calculates a non-relay period, which is a period during which the communication terminal 100 is not relaying communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130. In S632, the invalidation processing unit 220 determines whether the length of the non-relay period is longer than a predetermined value. If it is determined that the length of the non-relay period is longer than the predetermined value, in S634 the invalidation processing unit 220 invalidates the communication relay function of the communication terminal 100. If it is determined that the length of the non-relay period is equal to or shorter than the predetermined value, the process proceeds to S612.

[0070] 6, a configuration in which the selection unit 240 performs the process of selecting the relay mode has been described, but a configuration in which at least a part of the process of selecting the relay mode has been performed by the communication management device 140 may be adopted. In relation to FIG. 6, a configuration in which the disabling processing unit 220 performs the process of determining whether to disable the communication relay function of the communication terminal 100 has been described, but a configuration in which the disabling processing unit 420 takes the lead in performing the process of determining whether to disable the relay function may be adopted. In relation to FIG. 6, a configuration in which the second mode is selected as the relay mode when the communication quality is low has been described, but a configuration in which the third mode is selected as the relay mode when the communication quality is low may be adopted.

[0071] In the above-described embodiment, the mobile body 20 is a vehicle under production, but this is not limited to this, and the configuration of the communication system 5 may be applied to communication of any mobile body in any state.

[0072] According to the communication system 5 described above, the communication terminal 100 can relay communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 via a communication path that passes through the wireless relay device 110. This reduces communication costs compared to when the mobile object 20 communicates with the information management device 130 through the wireless base station 120. Furthermore, a mode for relaying communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 is selected depending on the communication status between the communication terminal 100 and the information management device 130, so that communication between the mobile object 20 and the information management device 130 can be relayed in an appropriate mode depending on the communication status.

[0073] 7 shows an example of a computer 2000 in which multiple embodiments of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. A program installed on the computer 2000 may cause the computer 2000 to function as the communication system 5 according to an embodiment, or each part of the system, or various devices such as the communication terminal 100, the information management device 130, and the communication management device 140, or each part of the devices, perform operations associated with the system, each part of the system, or each device, and / or perform processes or steps of the processes according to an embodiment. Such programs may be executed by the CPU 2012 to cause the computer 2000 to perform specific operations associated with some or all of the processing procedures and blocks of the block diagrams described herein.

[0074] The computer 2000 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 2012 and a RAM 2014, which are interconnected by a host controller 2010. The computer 2000 also includes a ROM 2026, a flash memory 2024, a communication interface 2022, and an input / output chip 2040. The ROM 2026, the flash memory 2024, the communication interface 2022, and the input / output chip 2040 are connected to the host controller 2010 via the input / output controller 2020.

[0075] The CPU 2012 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 2026 and RAM 2014, thereby controlling each unit.

[0076] The communication interface 2022 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The flash memory 2024 stores programs and data used by the CPU 2012 in the computer 2000. The ROM 2026 stores a boot program and the like executed by the computer 2000 upon activation, and / or programs dependent on the hardware of the computer 2000. The input / output chip 2040 may also connect various input / output units such as a keyboard, mouse, and monitor to the input / output controller 2020 via input / output ports such as a serial port, a parallel port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, a monitor port, a USB port, an HDMI (registered trademark) port, etc.

[0077] The programs are provided via a computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or a memory card, or via a network. The RAM 2014, the ROM 2026, or the flash memory 2024 are examples of computer-readable storage media. The programs are installed in the flash memory 2024, the RAM 2014, or the ROM 2026 and executed by the CPU 2012. Information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 2000, and causes cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. An apparatus or a method may be configured by implementing operations or processing of information in accordance with the use of the computer 2000.

[0078] For example, when communication is performed between the computer 2000 and an external device, the CPU 2012 may execute a communication program loaded into the RAM 2014 and instruct the communication interface 2022 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. Under the control of the CPU 2012, the communication interface 2022 reads transmission data stored in a transmission buffer processing area provided in a recording medium such as the RAM 2014 or flash memory 2024, transmits the read transmission data to a network, and writes received data received from the network to a reception buffer processing area or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0079] The CPU 2012 may also cause all or a necessary portion of a file or database stored on a recording medium such as the flash memory 2024 to be read into the RAM 2014, and perform various types of processing on the data on the RAM 2014. The CPU 2012 then writes the processed data back to the recording medium.

[0080] Various types of information, such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases, may be stored on the recording medium and subjected to information processing. The CPU 2012 may perform various types of processing on data read from the RAM 2014, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, information search / replacement, etc., as described herein and specified by the instruction sequences of the programs, and write the results back to the RAM 2014. The CPU 2012 may also search for information in a file, database, etc. on the recording medium. For example, if multiple entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored on the recording medium, the CPU 2012 may search for an entry that matches a condition specified by the attribute value of the first attribute from among the multiple entries, read the attribute value of the second attribute stored in the entry, and thereby obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0081] The above-described programs or software modules may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium on or near the computer 2000. A recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided in a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as the computer-readable storage medium. The programs stored in the computer-readable storage medium may be provided to the computer 2000 via a network.

[0082] A program installed in computer 2000 and causing computer 2000 to function as communication terminal 100 may, when executed by the computer, act on CPU 2012, etc., to cause computer 2000 to function as each unit of communication terminal 100. When the information processing described in these programs is read into computer 2000, computer 2000 functions as each unit of communication terminal 100, which is a specific means formed by software and the various hardware resources described above working together. These specific means then perform calculations or processing of information according to the intended use of computer 2000 in this embodiment, thereby constructing a unique communication terminal 100 according to the intended use.

[0083] A program installed on computer 2000 that causes computer 2000 to function as information management device 130 may, when executed by the computer, act on CPU 2012, etc., to cause computer 2000 to function as each unit of information management device 130. When the information processing described in these programs is loaded into computer 2000, computer 2000 functions as each unit of information management device 130, which is a specific means formed by software and the various hardware resources described above working together. These specific means then perform calculations or processing of information according to the intended use of computer 2000 in this embodiment, thereby constructing a specific information management device 130 according to the intended use.

[0084] A program installed on computer 2000 that causes computer 2000 to function as communication management device 140 may, when executed by the computer, act on CPU 2012, etc., to cause computer 2000 to function as each unit of communication management device 140. When the information processing described in these programs is loaded into computer 2000, computer 2000 functions as each unit of communication management device 140, which is a specific means formed by software working in cooperation with the various hardware resources described above. These specific means then perform calculations or processing of information according to the intended use of computer 2000 in this embodiment, thereby constructing a unique communication management device 140 according to the intended use.

[0085] Various embodiments have been described with reference to block diagrams. In the block diagrams, each block may represent (1) a stage of a process where an operation is performed or (2) a portion of an apparatus responsible for performing the operation. Particular stages and portions may be implemented by dedicated circuitry, programmable circuitry provided with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium, and / or a processor provided with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable storage medium. Dedicated circuitry may include digital and / or analog hardware circuitry, and may include integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. Programmable circuitry may include reconfigurable hardware circuitry including logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logic operations, flip-flops, registers, memory elements such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), and the like.

[0086] A computer-readable storage medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions that are executed by an appropriate device, such that the computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon constitutes at least a portion of an article of manufacture containing instructions that can be executed to provide means for performing the operations specified in a process or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable storage media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, etc. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media may include floppy disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray disc, memory stick, integrated circuit card, etc.

[0087] The computer readable instructions may include either assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages.

[0088] The computer-readable instructions may be provided to a processor or programmable circuitry of a programmable data processing apparatus, such as a computer, locally or over a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, etc., and the computer-readable instructions may be executed to provide means for performing the operations specified in the described procedures or block diagrams.

[0089] Here, the computer may be a computer such as a PC (personal computer), tablet computer, smartphone, workstation, server computer, or general-purpose computer, or may be a computer system in which multiple computers are connected. Such a computer system in which multiple computers are connected is also called a distributed computing system, and is a computer in the broad sense. In a distributed computing system, the multiple computers collectively execute a program by each executing a part of the program and passing data between the computers as needed during program execution.

[0090] Examples of processors include computer processors, central processing units (CPUs), processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc. A computer may have one or more processors. In a multiprocessor system with multiple processors, each processor executes a portion of a program and passes data between processors as needed during program execution, allowing the multiple processors to collectively execute the program. For example, in multitasking, each of the multiple processors may execute a portion of each task in small chunks by switching tasks at time slice intervals. In this case, which portion of a program each processor executes changes dynamically. Alternatively, which portion of a program each of the multiple processors executes may be statically determined by multiprocessor-aware programming.

[0091] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the claims that such modifications and improvements can also be included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0092] It should be noted that the execution order of each process, such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages, in the devices, systems, programs, and methods shown in the claims, specifications, and drawings is not specifically stated as "before," "prior to," etc., and that the processes can be performed in any order unless the output of a previous process is used in a subsequent process. Even if the operational flow in the claims, specifications, and drawings is described using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, this does not mean that the processes must be performed in this order. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 5. Communication Systems 20 Mobile 90 Communication Network 92 Cellular Network 100 communication terminal 110 Radio repeater 120 wireless base stations 130 Information management device 140 Communication management device 200 control section 210 Communication control unit 220 Invalidation processing unit 230 Authentication control section 240 Selection Section 280 Storage section 290 Communications Department 300 control section 310 Communication Control Unit 320 Invalidation processing unit 380 Storage section 390 Communications Department 400 control section 410 Communication control section 420 Invalidation processing unit 430 Authentication control section 440 Selection Section 480 Storage section 490 Communications Department 2000 Computer 2010 Host Controller 2012 CPU 2014 RAM 2020 Input / Output Controller 2022 Communication Interface 2024 flash memory 2026 ROM 2040 Input / Output Chip

Claims

1. A communication control system that controls communication in a communication terminal that relays communication between a mobile object and an information management device, a selection unit that selects a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays communication between the mobile object and the information management device according to a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device; A communication control system comprising:

2. The relay mode is a first aspect of transferring data communicated between the mobile object and the information management device from one to the other; A second aspect in which data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is temporarily stored in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and transfer of the data temporarily stored in the storage medium is started according to a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device, and relay of the communication between the mobile body and the information management device is resumed; and A third aspect in which data communicated between the mobile body and the information management device is stored in the storage medium, and transfer of the data stored in the storage medium is started in response to receiving a data transfer instruction.

2. The communication control system according to claim 1, comprising at least one of:

3. The selection unit selects the relay mode further based on a state of a storage medium included in the communication terminal.

3. The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The selection unit selects a first mode for transferring data communicated between the mobile object and the information management device from one side to the other side when at least one of the capacity of a storage medium included in the communication terminal and the free space of the storage medium is equal to or less than a predetermined value.

3. The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The selection unit selects the relay mode based on a communication state between the communication terminal and a wireless relay device that relays communication between the communication terminal and the information management device.

3. The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The selection unit selects a first mode for transferring data communicated between the mobile object and the information management device from one side to the other side when communication quality between the wireless relay device and the communication terminal is equal to or higher than a predetermined value. The communication control system according to claim 5 .

7. When the communication quality between the wireless relay device and the communication terminal is lower than a predetermined value, the selection unit temporarily stores data communicated between the mobile object and the information management device in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and starts transferring the data temporarily stored in the storage medium according to the communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device, and selects a second mode for resuming relay of the communication between the mobile object and the information management device. The communication control system according to claim 5 .

8. When the communication quality between the wireless relay device and the communication terminal is lower than a predetermined value, the selection unit temporarily stores data communicated between the mobile object and the information management device in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and starts transferring the data temporarily stored in the storage medium according to the communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device, and selects a second mode for resuming relay of the communication between the mobile object and the information management device. The communication control system according to claim 6.

9. The selection unit selects a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays the communication between the mobile object and the information management device according to a security level of the communication between the communication terminal and the information management device.

3. The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2.

10. The selection unit selects a third mode in which, when the security level is equal to or lower than a predetermined value, data communicated between the mobile object and the information management device is stored in a storage medium provided in the communication terminal, and in response to receiving a data transfer instruction, transfer of the data stored in the storage medium is started. The communication control system according to claim 9.

11. a communication control unit that causes the communication terminal to communicate with the information management device by wireless LAN communication in preference to cellular communication when the communication terminal can communicate with the information management device by cellular communication and wireless LAN communication; The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

12. the communication control system controls communications among a plurality of communication terminals that relay communications between the mobile object and the information management device; The plurality of communication terminals and the mobile object can be connected to a wireless LAN using one SSID, The communication control system includes: A communication control unit that sets a common SSID to the plurality of communication terminals so that the mobile unit can connect to the plurality of communication terminals via a wireless LAN through a single SSID. The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

13. An authentication control unit that performs authentication between the mobile unit and the communication terminal by 802.11u-based authentication and mutual authentication between the mobile unit and the communication terminal. The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

14. a disabling processing unit that disables the function of the communication terminal to relay communication between the mobile object and the information management device when the length of a period during which the communication terminal does not relay communication between the mobile object and the information management device is longer than a predetermined value; The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

15. a communication control unit that, when the communication terminal can communicate with the information management device via cellular communication, restricts communication between the communication terminal and the information management device via cellular communication; The communication control system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

16. A communication control method for controlling communication by a communication terminal that relays communication between a mobile object and an information management device, comprising: a step of selecting a relay mode in which the communication terminal relays the communication between the mobile object and the information management device according to a communication state between the communication terminal and the information management device; A communication control method comprising:

17. A program for causing a computer to function as the communication control system according to claim 1 or 2.

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