Method for detecting misplacement of mobile terminal, mobile terminal, and misplacement detection program

Abstract

To provide a method for detecting a portable terminal being left behind, capable of appropriately determining the occurrence of the portable terminal being left behind on the portable terminal side. [Solution] A method for detecting whether a mobile device has been left behind includes a step of determining whether the user has gotten off the vehicle, and a step of determining whether the mobile device has been left behind in the vehicle.If it is determined that the user has gotten off the vehicle and the value of the variance of acceleration Ac1 obtained from a sensor of the mobile device is smaller than a first threshold, it is determined in the step of determining whether it has been left behind that the mobile device has been left behind.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind, a mobile terminal, and a program for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind. [Background technology]

[0002] There are conventional technologies for notifying an occupant that an item has been left behind. Patent Document 1 discloses a left-behind notification device that notifies an occupant that an item brought into a vehicle by the occupant has been left behind in the vehicle. The left-behind notification device of Patent Document 1 includes a brought-in item detection means that detects an item brought into the vehicle by the occupant, and a notification means. The notification means notifies the occupant of brought-in items that have been determined to be taken out by the occupant but have not actually been taken out of the vehicle. In Patent Document 1, brought-in items are identified by image recognition. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-262459 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] It is desirable to be able to appropriately detect when a mobile terminal is left behind in a vehicle. For example, when a mobile terminal is left behind in a vehicle, it is desirable to be able to appropriately determine on the mobile terminal side that the mobile terminal has been left behind.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting misplacement of a mobile terminal, a mobile terminal, and a misplacement detection program that can appropriately determine whether the mobile terminal has been misplaced. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind of the present invention includes a step of determining whether a user has gotten off a vehicle, and a step of determining whether a mobile terminal has been left behind in the vehicle, and is characterized in that if it is determined that the user has gotten off the vehicle and the value of the acceleration variance obtained from a sensor of the mobile terminal is smaller than a first threshold value, it is determined in the step of determining whether the mobile terminal has been left behind that the mobile terminal has been left behind.

[0007] The mobile terminal of the present invention is characterized in that it is a mobile terminal equipped with a sensor that detects acceleration and a control unit, and the control unit is configured to determine whether a user has disembarked from a vehicle, and if it is determined that the user has disembarked, determine that the mobile terminal has been left behind in the vehicle if the value of the variance of acceleration obtained from the sensor is smaller than a first threshold value.

[0008] The leaving-behind detection program of the present invention is characterized in that it causes the mobile terminal to execute the following processes: determine whether the user has dismounted from the vehicle; and if it is determined that the user has dismounted and the value of the acceleration variance obtained from the mobile terminal's sensor is smaller than a first threshold value, determine that the mobile terminal has been left behind in the vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] A method for detecting whether a mobile device has been left behind according to the present invention includes the steps of determining whether a user has exited a vehicle and determining whether the mobile device has been left behind in the vehicle, and if it is determined that the user has exited the vehicle and the value of the variance of acceleration acquired from a sensor of the mobile device is smaller than a first threshold, it is determined in the step of determining whether the mobile device has been left behind. The method for detecting whether a mobile device has been left behind according to the present invention has the effect of enabling the mobile device to appropriately determine whether it has been left behind. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a user in a vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the change in acceleration depending on the presence or absence of an occupant. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the difference in average acceleration depending on whether or not an occupant is present. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the first embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the transition of acceleration in a one-seater vehicle. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the transition of acceleration in a one-seater vehicle. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the second embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a flowchart according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] A method for detecting misplacement of a mobile terminal, a mobile terminal, and a program for detecting misplacement of a mobile terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art or that are substantially the same.

[0012] [First embodiment] A first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 9. This embodiment relates to a method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind, a mobile terminal, and a program for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the mobile terminal according to the first embodiment, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a user in a vehicle, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing changes in acceleration depending on whether an occupant is present, Fig. 5 is a diagram explaining the difference in average acceleration depending on whether an occupant is present, Fig. 6 is a diagram explaining the operation of the first embodiment, Fig. 7 is a flowchart according to the first embodiment, and Figs. 8 and 9 are diagrams showing changes in acceleration in a one-person vehicle.

[0013] The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind according to this embodiment is a method executed in the mobile terminal 1. The program for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind according to this embodiment is a program for causing the mobile terminal 1 to execute various processes.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mobile terminal 1 has a housing 2, a display device 3, a speaker 4, a sensor 5, a communication unit 6, a location information acquisition unit 7, and a control unit 10. The mobile terminal 1 is, for example, a so-called smartphone, and is a portable information processing terminal. The display device 3 is a device that displays images, and is, for example, a liquid crystal display device. The mobile terminal 1 may have a touch panel placed on top of the display device 3. The mobile terminal 1 may have input devices such as buttons and switches. The mobile terminal 1 may have a connector to which a charging cable or a communication cable is connected. The speaker 4 is a device that outputs sound, and is, for example, placed near the display device 3.

[0015] The sensor 5 is a sensor capable of detecting acceleration. The sensor 5 includes, for example, at least one of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor. The sensor 5 can output, for example, acceleration in three predetermined axial directions. Each of the three axes is orthogonal to both of the other two axes. The three axes are, for example, the vertical direction, horizontal direction, and thickness direction of the mobile terminal 1.

[0016] The communication unit 6 includes a communication circuit that performs wireless communication with an external device. The communication unit 6 has a function of performing wireless communication with a wireless base station. The mobile terminal 1 can perform calls and data communication using mobile wireless communication services provided by a telecommunications carrier. The communication unit 6 may also have a function of performing short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) or Wi-Fi.

[0017] The location information acquisition unit 7 acquires information relating to the location of the mobile terminal 1. For example, the location information acquisition unit 7 calculates the current location of the mobile terminal 1 based on a signal received from a positioning satellite. The location information acquisition unit 7 may also calculate the current location of the mobile terminal 1 based on a signal received from a terrestrial base station or the like.

[0018] The control unit 10 includes a processor and a memory, and executes various processes in the mobile terminal 1. The control unit 10 communicates with the display device 3, the speaker 4, the sensor 5, the communication unit 6, and the location information acquisition unit 7 via a communication interface. The mobile terminal misplacement detection method and misplacement detection program according to this embodiment are executed by the control unit 10.

[0019] The misplacement detection program according to this embodiment is stored, for example, in the nonvolatile memory of the control unit 10. The mobile terminal misplacement detection method according to this embodiment is stored, for example, in the form of a program executable by a computer in the nonvolatile memory of the control unit 10. The misplacement detection program may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium and provided as a computer program product. The misplacement detection program may also be provided by being downloaded via a network such as the Internet.

[0020] 2, the control unit 10 has a boarding / alighting determination unit 11, a running determination unit 12, an average value calculation unit 13, a leaving-behind determination unit 14, and a notification processing unit 15. The boarding / alighting determination unit 11 determines whether the user 200 has boarded the vehicle 100 and whether the user 200 has disembarked from the vehicle 100. The running determination unit 12 determines whether the vehicle 100 is running and whether the vehicle 100 is stopped. The average value calculation unit 13 calculates an average acceleration, which is the average value of the accelerations acquired from the sensor 5.

[0021] The leaving-behind determination unit 14 determines that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100. The notification processing unit 15 executes various notifications to the user regarding the leaving-behind. The getting-in / out determination unit 11, the driving determination unit 12, the average value calculation unit 13, the leaving-behind determination unit 14, and the notification processing unit 15 are, for example, processes that the leaving-behind detection program of this embodiment causes the processor of the control unit 10 to execute.

[0022] As will be described below, the mobile terminal misplacement detection method and program according to this embodiment determine whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100 based on acceleration acquired from the sensor 5. FIG. 3 shows the vehicle 100 with a user 200 in it. The vehicle 100 in FIG. 3 has a right front seat 110, a left front seat 120, a rear seat 130, and an instrument panel 140. In the vehicle 100 in FIG. 3, the right front seat 110 is the driver's seat. The user 200 is seated in the right front seat 110 as the driver. In the rear seat 130, multiple occupants can sit side by side in the vehicle width direction X.

[0023] The mobile terminal 1 is placed inside the vehicle 100. For example, the mobile terminal 1 may be placed directly on the instrument panel 140, or may be held by a holder attached to the instrument panel 140. The mobile terminal 1 may be placed near a center information display (CID). The mobile terminal 1 may also be placed on a seat such as the left front seat 120.

[0024] Vehicle 100 is, for example, an electric vehicle (BEV). When vehicle 100 is an electric vehicle, the vibration level of vehicle 100 is low when the vehicle is stopped, and the vibration acceleration is small. Therefore, when mobile terminal 1 is placed inside vehicle 100, the variance of acceleration detected by sensor 5 while the vehicle is stopped is a small value.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows an example of acceleration detected by sensor 5 while the vehicle is stopped. FIG. 5 shows a moving average of the acceleration in FIG. 4. The acceleration in FIG. 4 is acceleration Gx in the vehicle width direction X of vehicle 100, among accelerations detected by sensor 5 mounted on the center information display of vehicle 100. The acceleration in FIG. 4 was acquired when the ignition of vehicle 100 was turned off and the air conditioning system and audio system were turned off. The interval between acceleration detections by sensor 5 is, for example, 0.1 seconds. The moving average in FIG. 5 is the average value of the detected values ​​of the number of terms n. When the number of terms n=30, the average value of acceleration over 3 seconds is plotted.

[0026] 4 and 5, the horizontal axis represents elapsed time, and the vertical axis represents acceleration values. In FIG. 4, initially, user 200 boards vehicle 100 alone and is seated, with mobile terminal 1 placed inside vehicle 100. At time t1, user 200 gets off vehicle 100. At this time, mobile terminal 1 remains placed inside vehicle 100. From time t2 to time t3, user 200 is outside vehicle 100. At time t3, user 200 boards vehicle 100. From time t4 onwards, user 200 is seated in vehicle 100. Note that user 200 sits in the same seat, for example, right front seat 110, before time t1 and after time t4.

[0027] As can be seen from Fig. 4, when user 200 gets off vehicle 100 and when user 200 gets on vehicle 100, the acceleration value changes significantly, and the acceleration variance becomes large. This change is thought to indicate vibration of vehicle 100 in vehicle width direction X. On the other hand, before time t1 when user 200 gets off, the acceleration value changes little, and the acceleration variance becomes small. As can be seen from Fig. 5, the acceleration value before time t1 remains at an approximately constant level.

[0028] Between time t2 and time t3, the acceleration value remains at a substantially constant level because the user 200 is outside the vehicle. Furthermore, the acceleration value remains at a substantially constant level even after the user 200 gets back in the vehicle.

[0029] Here, the acceleration level differs when the user 200 is in the vehicle and when the user 200 is outside the vehicle. As shown in Fig. 5, there is a difference Δa between the acceleration level when the user 200 is in the vehicle and the acceleration level when the user 200 is not in the vehicle. The control unit 10 of this embodiment can determine that the user 200 has dismounted from the vehicle 100 based on the difference in the acceleration level.

[0030] In the case of vehicle 100 shown in FIG. 3, when user 200 gets out of vehicle 100, the position of the center of gravity of vehicle 100 changes. The difference Δa in acceleration level is considered to be caused by, for example, the change in the position of the center of gravity. When user 200 sitting in right front seat 110 gets out of the vehicle, the position of the center of gravity moves in the vehicle width direction X. This change in the position of the center of gravity generates the difference Δa in acceleration level detected by sensor 5 via a change in the roll angle of vehicle 100, etc.

[0031] When a large change in acceleration occurs from a state in which the mobile terminal 1 is placed inside the vehicle, the control unit 10 presumes that the user 200 has gotten off the vehicle 100. If the variance of the acceleration subsequently becomes smaller and there is a change in the acceleration level compared to before getting off, the control unit 10 determines that there is a high possibility that the user 200 has gotten off the vehicle 100. Furthermore, if the acceleration remains at a substantially constant level after the user 200 gets off, there is a high probability that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100. The mobile terminal left-behind detection method and program according to this embodiment can appropriately determine whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100.

[0032] FIG. 6 shows the change in acceleration when the mobile terminal 1 is not left behind and the change in acceleration when the mobile terminal 1 is left behind. In FIG. 6, the upper graph (a) shows the change in the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 100, the middle graph (b) shows the change in the acceleration Ac0 when the mobile terminal 1 is not left behind, and the lower graph (c) shows the change in the acceleration Ac1 when the mobile terminal 1 is left behind. Examples of situations in which the mobile terminal 1 may be left behind include when the user 200 temporarily gets off the vehicle or when the user 200 organizes luggage in the vehicle 100. Another example is when the user 200 leaves the mobile terminal 1 somewhere in the vehicle 100 and gets off the vehicle, forgetting it. Another example is when the mobile terminal 1 falls from the user's clothing pocket onto the seat, and the user 200 gets off the vehicle without noticing this.

[0033] User 200, who has been carrying portable terminal 1, gets into vehicle 100 at time t10 and places portable terminal 1 inside the vehicle at time t11. As portable terminal 1 comes to a standstill, the values ​​of accelerations Ac0 and Ac1 become approximately constant from time t11.

[0034] At time t12, the vehicle 100 starts moving. The control unit 10 of the mobile terminal 1 calculates the moving speed of the mobile terminal 1 based on the position information of the mobile terminal 1 and the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5. The moving determination unit 12 of the control unit 10 can determine whether the movement of the mobile terminal 1 is due to the moving of the vehicle 100. For example, based on map data and the position information of the mobile terminal 1, it is determined whether the mobile terminal 1 is moving on a road. If the mobile terminal 1 is moving on a road, it can be determined that the movement of the mobile terminal 1 is due to the moving of the vehicle 100. The control unit 10 can also determine whether the movement of the mobile terminal 1 is due to the moving of the vehicle 100 based on the acceleration value and the magnitude of the moving speed. If the control unit 10 determines that the movement of the mobile terminal 1 is due to the moving of the vehicle 100, it monitors the moving state of the vehicle 100 based on the moving speed of the mobile terminal 1.

[0035] 6, the accelerations Ac0 and Ac1 change significantly while the vehicle 100 is traveling. That is, it is possible to determine that the vehicle 100 is traveling based on the traveling speed of the mobile terminal 1 and the magnitude of the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5. Furthermore, if the traveling speed of the mobile terminal 1 is 0 and the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 remains at a substantially constant value, it is possible to determine that the vehicle 100 is stopped.

[0036] At time t13, the vehicle 100 stops, and the accelerations Ac0 and Ac1 become approximately constant. The control unit 10 can determine that the mobile terminal 1 is placed inside the stopped vehicle because the vehicle speed V is a value indicating that the vehicle is stopped, and the accelerations Ac0 and Ac1 remain at approximately constant levels.

[0037] Thereafter, at time t14, a determination is made as to whether the driver has dismounted. At time t14, the accelerations Ac0 and Ac1 change significantly. The control unit 10 determines whether the driver has dismounted based on the magnitude and manner of change in the accelerations Ac0 and Ac1, and the magnitude of the accelerations Ac0 and Ac1. The determination may be made based on the frequency components of the change in acceleration.

[0038] In a normal case where the mobile terminal 1 has not been left behind, the user 200 takes the mobile terminal 1 out of the vehicle 100. In the normal case, the acceleration Ac0 changes even after the dismount determination is made. The acceleration at this time is acceleration according to the movement of the user 200, such as when the user 200 is walking. If a change in acceleration is detected after the dismount determination is made, the control unit 10 can determine that the mobile terminal 1 has not been left behind.

[0039] On the other hand, if the mobile terminal 1 is left behind, the acceleration Ac1 remains at a substantially constant level after the dismount determination. In this case, the control unit 10 can estimate that the user 200 has left the mobile terminal 1 in the vehicle 100. Also, a difference occurs in the acceleration level before and after the dismount determination. In this case, the control unit 10 can determine that there is a high possibility that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind.

[0040] A method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind and a program for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The flowchart in Fig. 7 is executed repeatedly in the mobile terminal 1, for example. The flowchart in Fig. 7 may be started by an operation by the user 200.

[0041] In step S10, control unit 10 commands sensor 5 to output acceleration data. Sensor 5 outputs data indicating a detected value of acceleration in response to the command from control unit 10. After step S10 is executed, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0042] In step S20, the control unit 10 sets the counter value to the initial value of 0. After step S20 is executed, the process proceeds to step S30.

[0043] In step S30, the control unit 10 calculates the variance of acceleration. The control unit 10 calculates the variance for a predetermined time from the acceleration data acquired from the sensor 5. The predetermined time is, for example, one second. After step S30 is executed, the process proceeds to step S40.

[0044] In step S40, the control unit 10 determines whether the acceleration variance is less than a threshold value Rv. The threshold value Rv is, for example, a value that can determine whether the mobile terminal 1 is placed on the vehicle 100 that is stopped. The threshold value Rv is set, for example, based on the value of the acceleration variance output from the sensor 5 when the mobile terminal 1 is stationary. If a positive determination is made in step S40 that the acceleration variance is less than the threshold value Rv, the process proceeds to step S50, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S20.

[0045] In step S50, the control unit 10 increments the counter value, adding 1 to the counter value. After step S50 is executed, the process proceeds to step S60.

[0046] In step S60, the control unit 10 determines whether the counter value is equal to or greater than a threshold value Tv. The threshold value Tv is, for example, a value that can determine whether or not the user 200 has boarded the vehicle 100. If the acceleration variance remains at a small value for a time corresponding to the threshold value Tv, it is estimated that the user 200 has boarded the vehicle 100. The threshold value Tv is, for example, a value corresponding to 3 seconds. If the determination in step S60 results in a positive determination that the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value Tv, the process proceeds to step S70, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S30.

[0047] In step S70, the control unit 10 calculates a first average acceleration AVE1. The first average acceleration AVE1 is the average value of accelerations when the user 200 is riding, and is a calibrated average acceleration. The first average acceleration AVE1 is, for example, the average value of multiple consecutive acceleration data. The first average acceleration AVE1 is calculated by the average value calculation unit 13. In FIG. 6, the first average acceleration AVE1 is calculated for the period from time t11 to time t12. The first average acceleration AVE1 indicates the acceleration level when the user 200 is riding. After step S70 is executed, the process proceeds to step S80.

[0048] In step S80, the counter value is set to an initial value of 0. After step S80 is executed, the process proceeds to step S90. The transition to step S80 may be made when the vehicle 100 starts to move. For example, the control unit 10 may proceed to the process of step S80 when it is determined that the vehicle 100 is moving based on the moving speed of the mobile terminal 1.

[0049] In step S90, the control unit 10 determines whether the vehicle speed V is 0. The control unit 10 makes the determination in step S90 based on the moving speed of the portable terminal 1. The determination in step S90 is made, for example, by the traveling determination unit 12. As a result of the determination in step S90, if it is determined that the vehicle speed V is 0, the process proceeds to step S100, and if it is determined that the vehicle speed V is 0, the determination in step S90 is repeated.

[0050] In step S100, the control unit 10 commands the sensor 5 to output acceleration data. The control unit 10 calculates the variance for a predetermined time from the acceleration data acquired from the sensor 5. After step S100 is executed, the process proceeds to step S110.

[0051] In step S110, the control unit 10 determines whether the acceleration variance is less than the threshold value Rv. If the determination in step S110 is affirmative, that is, the acceleration variance is less than the threshold value Rv, the process proceeds to step S120; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S80.

[0052] In step S120, the control unit 10 increments the counter value, adding 1 to the counter value. After step S120 is executed, the process proceeds to step S130.

[0053] In step S130, the control unit 10 determines whether the counter value is equal to or greater than a threshold value Tv. The threshold value Tv in step S130 may be the same as the threshold value Tv in step S60. If the determination in step S130 results in a positive judgment that the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value Tv, the process proceeds to step S140; if the determination results in a negative judgment, the acceleration variance is updated and the process proceeds to step S110.

[0054] In step S140, the control unit 10 calculates the average acceleration value AVE3. The average acceleration value AVE3 is used, for example, to determine whether the user 200 has gotten off the vehicle. The average acceleration value AVE3 is, for example, the average value of multiple consecutive acceleration data. The average acceleration value AVE3 is calculated by the average value calculation unit 13. The average acceleration value AVE3 may be an absolute value. After step S140 is executed, the process proceeds to step S150.

[0055] In step S150, the control unit 10 determines whether the average acceleration value AVE3 is greater than the threshold value Ta. If the determination in step S150 is affirmative, that is, the average acceleration value AVE3 is greater than the threshold value Ta, the process proceeds to step S160, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S140.

[0056] In step S160, the control unit 10 notifies the user 200. The notification to the user 200 is a notification to warn the user not to leave the portable terminal 1 in the vehicle 100. If a positive determination is made in step S150, it is estimated that the user 200 has dismounted, or it is tentatively determined that the user 200 has dismounted. By notifying the user 200 at this timing, it becomes possible to prevent the portable terminal 1 from being left behind. The notification in step S160 is, for example, a sound output from the speaker 4. After step S160 is executed, the process proceeds to step S170.

[0057] In step S170, the control unit 10 calculates a second average acceleration AVE2. The second average acceleration AVE2 is an average value of accelerations calculated from accelerations after it is determined that the user 200 has dismounted. The second average acceleration AVE2 is, for example, an average value of multiple consecutive acceleration data. The second average acceleration AVE2 is calculated by the average value calculation unit 13. In FIG. 6, the second average acceleration AVE2 is calculated after it is determined that the user 200 has dismounted at time t14. Note that the control unit 10 may calculate the second average acceleration AVE2 when the variance value of the accelerations acquired from the sensor 5 is smaller than the first threshold value R1. In other words, the control unit 10 may calculate the second average acceleration AVE2 when the accelerations acquired from the sensor 5 are changing at a substantially constant value. The value of the first threshold value R1 is, for example, the same value as the threshold value Rv. After step S170 is executed, the process proceeds to step S180.

[0058] In step S180, the control unit 10 determines the difference in average acceleration. This determination is performed, for example, by the misplacement determination unit 14. The control unit 10 compares the absolute value of the difference between the second average acceleration AVE2 and the first average acceleration AVE1 with a second threshold value Dif. The second threshold value Dif is a value that can determine whether there is a significant difference between the first average acceleration AVE1 and the second average acceleration AVE2. If the absolute value of the difference is greater than the second threshold value Dif in the determination in step S180, a positive determination is made and the process proceeds to step S190, whereas if a negative determination is made, the flowchart ends. A situation in which a negative determination is made in step S180 is, for example, a situation in which the user 200 remains in the vehicle 100 without getting off.

[0059] In step S180, misplacement may be determined based on the duration of the state in which the absolute value of the difference is greater than the second threshold value Dif. For example, if the state in which the absolute value of the difference is greater than the second threshold value Dif continues for a predetermined time, it may be determined that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100. The predetermined time may be, for example, several seconds or may be 3 seconds.

[0060] In step S190, the control unit 10 determines that the item has been left behind, and the process proceeds to step S200.

[0061] In step S200, the control unit 10 outputs an alarm. The output of the alarm in step S200 is executed, for example, by the notification processing unit 15. The control unit 10 issues an alarm to the user 200 about the item being left behind. This alarm is, for example, an audio output from the speaker 4. The alarm may be a notification to another terminal carried by the user 200. The alarm may also be a notification to the vehicle 100. In this case, the control unit 10 commands the vehicle 100 to output an alarm to the user. Upon receiving the command, the vehicle 100 warns the user 200 by, for example, an audio sound such as a buzzer. When step S200 is executed, the flowchart ends.

[0062] The control unit 10 may increase the level of the warning to the user 200 depending on the amount of time that has elapsed since it was determined that the item had been left behind. For example, if no change is observed in the magnitude of the acceleration obtained from the sensor 5 even after several seconds have passed since the initial output of the alarm, the level of the warning may be increased.

[0063] The determination of whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind is not limited to a determination based on the difference between the average accelerations AVE1 and AVE2. For example, in the determination of step S180, it may be determined whether the variance of the acceleration is smaller than the first threshold value R1. In this case, if the variance of the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 is smaller than the first threshold value R1, it can be determined that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind.

[0064] As shown in graph (c) of FIG. 6, when the mobile terminal 1 is left behind, the acceleration Ac1 remains at a substantially constant value after the dismount determination is made at time t14. That is, the variance of the acceleration Ac1 becomes a small value. In this case, it may be determined that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind regardless of whether there is a difference between the average accelerations AVE1 and AVE2. The value of the first threshold R1 is, for example, the same value as the threshold Rv.

[0065] The direction in which a difference in average acceleration occurs due to user 200 getting in and out may differ depending on the type of vehicle 100. Figures 8 and 9 show the progression of acceleration in a single-occupant vehicle 100. Figure 8 shows the progression Ac2 of acceleration Gx in the vehicle width direction X in a single-occupant vehicle 100. Figure 9 shows the progression Ac3 of acceleration Gz in the vehicle up-down direction Z in a single-occupant vehicle 100. As can be seen from Figures 8 and 9, in a single-occupant vehicle 100, changes in acceleration level due to the presence or absence of an occupant occur mainly in the vehicle up-down direction Z. The difference Δa in average acceleration in Figure 9 is thought to be related to changes in the center of gravity position of vehicle 100 in the vehicle up-down direction Z.

[0066] The control unit 10 may perform a difference determination in multiple directions in step S180 of Fig. 7. For example, when the sensor 5 detects accelerations in three predetermined axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3, average accelerations AVE1 and AVE2 may be calculated for each of the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3. In this case, the control unit 10 may calculate the difference between the average accelerations AVE1 and AVE2 for each of the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3, and determine whether the absolute value of the difference is greater than the second threshold value Dif. The control unit 10 may determine that the object has been left behind if the absolute value of the difference is greater than the second threshold value Dif in any of the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3.

[0067] The control unit 10 may perform difference determination based on the sum of the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3. In this case, a first average acceleration AVE1 is calculated for each of the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3, and a first sum ΣAVE1 is obtained as the sum of the first average accelerations AVE1. Furthermore, a second average acceleration AVE2 is calculated for each of the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3, and a second sum ΣAVE2 is obtained as the sum of the second average accelerations AVE2. The control unit 10 performs difference determination based on the magnitude of the difference between the first sum ΣAVE1 and the second sum ΣAVE2. In this case, the threshold for difference determination may be a second threshold Dif.

[0068] When the direction in which the difference in average acceleration occurs is known, the control unit 10 may determine the difference in average acceleration in the known direction. When information about the type of vehicle 100 is provided in advance, the control unit 10 can estimate the direction in which the difference in average acceleration occurs. For example, when information that the vehicle 100 is a one-seater vehicle is provided to the mobile terminal 1, the control unit 10 can determine whether the vehicle has been left behind based on the difference in average acceleration in the vehicle's vertical direction Z.

[0069] Furthermore, the control unit 10 can determine the relationship between each of the directions X, Y, and Z of the vehicle 100 and the three axial directions Ax1, Ax2, and Ax3 of the mobile terminal 1 based on the acceleration data acquired from the sensor 5. For example, the control unit 10 can determine the tilt angle of the mobile terminal 1 with respect to the vehicle up-down direction Z based on the direction of gravity. For example, the control unit 10 can determine the tilt angle of the mobile terminal 1 with respect to the vehicle forward-backward direction Y based on the direction of acceleration when the vehicle 100 is traveling.

[0070] As described above, the method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind according to this embodiment includes a step of determining whether the user 200 has exited the vehicle 100, and a step of determining whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100. The step of determining whether the user 200 has exited the vehicle 100 is, for example, step S150 in Fig. 7. Note that the step of determining whether the user has exited the vehicle may further include step S180 in Fig. 7.

[0071] If it is determined that user 200 has disembarked from vehicle 100 and the value of the acceleration variance acquired from sensor 5 of portable terminal 1 is smaller than first threshold value R1, it is determined that portable terminal 1 has been left behind in the step of determining whether it has been left behind. The portable terminal left-behind detection method according to this embodiment can appropriately determine whether portable terminal 1 has been left behind in vehicle 100.

[0072] According to the method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind in accordance with this embodiment, the mobile terminal 1 can detect whether it has been left behind without communicating with the vehicle 100. Furthermore, the method can detect whether it has been left behind based on the sensor 5 that detects acceleration, and no other detection sensor is required. Furthermore, since the mobile terminal 1 can independently determine whether the user 200 has boarded or disembarked, the method can be easily applied to various types of vehicles. The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind in accordance with this embodiment is suitable for vehicles 100 in which the mobile terminal 1 is used frequently. The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind in accordance with this embodiment may be applied to, for example, delivery vehicles, business vehicles, commercial vehicles, etc.

[0073] The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind according to this embodiment includes a step of causing the mobile terminal 1 to notify the user 200 that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind when it is determined that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind. The step of notifying the user 200 is, for example, step S200 in Fig. 7. This makes it possible to alert the user 200 that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind.

[0074] The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind according to this embodiment includes a step of calculating a first average acceleration AVE1 and a step of calculating a second average acceleration AVE2. In the step of calculating the first average acceleration AVE1, the first average acceleration AVE1 is calculated from acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 when the vehicle 100 is stopped and the user 200 is in the vehicle 100. In the step of calculating the second average acceleration AVE2, the second average acceleration AVE2 is calculated from acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 after it is determined that the user 200 has disembarked from the vehicle 100.

[0075] In the step of determining whether the user 200 has dismounted from the vehicle 100, if the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 indicates a large acceleration while the vehicle 100 is stopped, it is determined that the user 200 has dismounted from the vehicle 100. In the step of determining whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind, it is determined that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind if the magnitude of the difference between the first average acceleration AVE1 and the second average acceleration AVE2 is larger than the second threshold Dif. This determination makes it possible to more accurately determine whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind.

[0076] In the step of calculating the second average acceleration AVE2, the second average acceleration AVE2 may be calculated when the value of the variance of the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 is smaller than the first threshold value R1. This improves the accuracy of the difference determination.

[0077] The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind may include a step of determining whether the mobile terminal 1 is located in the vehicle 100. Whether the mobile terminal 1 is located in the vehicle 100 may be determined based on the moving speed of the mobile terminal 1. The moving speed of the mobile terminal 1 can be calculated from at least one of the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 and the position information of the mobile terminal 1. The step of determining whether the mobile terminal 1 is located in the vehicle 100 is executed, for example, after the first average acceleration AVE1 is calculated and before the second average acceleration AVE2 is calculated. The method for detecting whether a mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100 includes this step, which can improve the accuracy of determining whether the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100.

[0078] The mobile terminal 1 of this embodiment includes a sensor 5 that detects acceleration, and a control unit 10. The control unit 10 is configured to determine whether the user 200 has exited the vehicle 100. The control unit 10 is further configured to determine that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100 if it is determined that the user 200 has exited the vehicle and the variance of the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 is smaller than a first threshold value R1.

[0079] The misplacement detection program according to this embodiment is a program that causes the portable terminal 1 to execute various processes. The various processes that the misplacement detection program causes the portable terminal 1 to execute include a process of determining whether the user 200 has exited the vehicle 100. The various processes include a process of determining that the portable terminal 1 has been left behind in the vehicle 100 when it is determined that the user 200 has exited the vehicle and the variance of the acceleration acquired from the sensor 5 of the portable terminal 1 is smaller than the first threshold value R1.

[0080] The vehicle 100 to which the mobile terminal misplacement detection method and program according to the present embodiment are applied is not limited to an electric vehicle (BEV). The vehicle 100 may also be a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) or a hybrid vehicle (HEV). In a hybrid vehicle, the internal combustion engine may be stopped immediately after getting in or when getting out after stopping. In this case, the mobile terminal misplacement detection method and program according to the present embodiment can appropriately determine whether the mobile terminal has been misplaced. Furthermore, the mobile terminal misplacement detection method and program according to the present embodiment may also be applied to a vehicle 100 that is powered by an internal combustion engine and does not have a motor.

[0081] [Second embodiment] A second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 10 to 12. In the second embodiment, components having the same functions as those described in the first embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the second embodiment, and Figs. 11 and 12 are flowcharts related to the second embodiment. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that, for example, information about the user 200 and information about the vehicle 100 are obtained from the vehicle 100 via wireless communication.

[0082] The control unit 10 according to the second embodiment obtains information regarding the user 200 getting in and out of the vehicle 100 and information regarding the traveling state of the vehicle 100 through wireless communication with the vehicle 100. Fig. 10 shows the operation when wireless communication with the vehicle 100 is possible. In Fig. 10, the upper graph (d) shows the progress of the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 100, the middle graph (e) shows the progress of the acceleration Ac4 when nothing is left behind, and the lower graph (f) shows the progress of the acceleration Ac5 when nothing is left behind.

[0083] The fact that the user 200 has boarded the vehicle 100, that the vehicle 100 has stopped, and that the user 200 has dismounted from the vehicle 100 are determined based on information acquired from a sensor mounted on the vehicle 100. In Fig. 10, it is determined that the user 200 has dismounted from the vehicle 100 at time t21. In the acceleration Ac4 in a normal case where nothing has been left behind, a change in acceleration occurs after the dismounting determination is made.

[0084] On the other hand, if the user 200 has left the mobile terminal 1 behind, the acceleration Ac5 remains at a substantially constant level after the determination of dismounting. In this case, the control unit 10 can determine that the user 200 has left the mobile terminal 1 behind in the vehicle 100.

[0085] A method for detecting misplacement of a mobile terminal and a program for detecting misplacement of a mobile terminal according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 11 and Fig. 12. The flowchart in Fig. 11 is executed repeatedly in the mobile terminal 1, for example. The flowchart in Fig. 11 may be started by an operation by the user 200.

[0086] In step S300, the control unit 10 determines whether or not communication with the vehicle 100 is possible. If a positive determination is made that communication with the vehicle 100 is possible, the process proceeds to step S310, and if a negative determination is made, the method and program for detecting misplacement without communication with the vehicle 100 are executed. If a negative determination is made in step S300, the flowchart of FIG. 7 of the first embodiment is executed, for example.

[0087] In step S310, the control unit 10 determines whether the vehicle speed V of the vehicle 100 is 0. The determination in step S310 is made based on the vehicle speed V detected by a vehicle speed sensor of the vehicle 100, for example. If the result of the determination in step S310 is a positive determination that the vehicle speed V is 0, the process proceeds to step S320; if a negative determination is made, the determination in step S310 is repeated.

[0088] In step S320, the control unit 10 determines whether disembarking has been detected by cabin sensing. Cabin sensing is a sensing method that uses sensors such as cameras and radar to detect people inside the vehicle 100. If a person that was previously detected is no longer detected, a positive determination is made in step S320 that disembarking has been detected. If a positive determination is made as a result of the determination in step S320, the process proceeds to step S400, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S330.

[0089] In step S330, the control unit 10 determines whether a passenger has disembarked using a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor is, for example, a sensor that detects whether a passenger is seated in each seat of the vehicle 100. If the pressure detected by the pressure sensor decreases from a value indicating a passenger is seated to a value indicating no passenger is seated, a positive determination is made in step S330 that a passenger has disembarked. If a positive determination is made in step S330, the process proceeds to step S400, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S340.

[0090] In step S340, the control unit 10 determines whether the door sensor detects that the passenger has disembarked. If the door sensor detects that the door has changed from a closed state to an open state and then back to a closed state, a positive determination is made in step S340, indicating that disembarkation has been detected. If the determination in step S340 is positive, the process proceeds to step S400, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S350.

[0091] In step S350, the control unit 10 determines whether disembarking has been detected using the smart key. For example, if the doors of the vehicle 100 are locked using the smart key and a door lock signal is received, a positive determination is made in step S350, as disembarking has been detected. If the determination in step S350 is positive, the process proceeds to step S400, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S310.

[0092] In step S400, a determination is made as to whether the portable terminal 1 has been left behind. A flowchart of the determination is shown in Fig. 12. In step S410, the control unit 10 commands the sensor 5 to output acceleration data. The sensor 5 outputs data indicating the detected value of acceleration in response to the command from the control unit 10. After step S410 is executed, the process proceeds to step S420.

[0093] In step S420, the control unit 10 sets the counter value to the initial value of 0. After step S420 is executed, the process proceeds to step S430.

[0094] In step S430, the control unit 10 calculates the variance of the acceleration. The control unit 10 calculates the variance for a predetermined time from the acceleration data acquired from the sensor 5. The predetermined time is, for example, one second. After step S430 is executed, the process proceeds to step S440.

[0095] In step S440, the control unit 10 determines whether the acceleration variance is less than a threshold value Rv. The threshold value Rv is, for example, a value that can determine whether the mobile terminal 1 is placed on a parked vehicle 100. If a positive determination is made in step S440 that the acceleration variance is less than the threshold value Rv, the process proceeds to step S450, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S420.

[0096] In step S450, the control unit 10 increments the counter value, adding 1 to the counter value. After step S450 is executed, the process proceeds to step S460.

[0097] In step S460, the control unit 10 determines whether the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value Tv. If the determination in step S460 is affirmative, that is, the counter value is equal to or greater than the threshold value Tv, the process proceeds to step S470; if the determination is negative, the acceleration variance is updated and the process proceeds to step S440.

[0098] In step S470, an alarm is output by the control unit 10. When step S470 is executed, the flowchart for determining whether the item has been left behind ends.

[0099] As described above, in the method for detecting leaving a mobile terminal according to the second embodiment, in the step of determining whether the user has dismounted, it is determined that the user 200 has dismounted from the vehicle 100 based on information acquired by the mobile terminal 1 through communication with the vehicle 100. The step of determining whether the user has dismounted includes, for example, steps S320 to S350 in Fig. 11. By determining whether the user has dismounted based on information acquired from the vehicle 100 in this way, the accuracy of the determination is improved.

[0100] The step of determining whether the occupant who has disembarked may include determining whether the occupant who has disembarked is the user 200 corresponding to the mobile terminal 1. In this case, the control unit 10 acquires in advance information on which seat in the vehicle 100 the user 200 of the mobile terminal 1 is seated. For example, the control unit 10 can acquire information on which seat the user 200 is seated in from the vehicle 100. The means by which the vehicle 100 identifies the user 200 is arbitrary, and may be, for example, image recognition of an image captured by cabin sensing. If the occupant who has disembarked is the user 200 of the mobile terminal 1, the control unit 10 can determine that the mobile terminal 1 has been left behind.

[0101] The contents disclosed in the above embodiments can be implemented in appropriate combinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1: Mobile device 2: Housing, 3: Display device, 4: Speaker, 5: Sensor, 6: Communication unit 7: Location information acquisition section 10: Control unit 11: Getting on and off determination unit, 12: Driving determination unit, 13: Average value calculation unit 14: Left-behind determination unit, 15: Notification processing unit 100: Vehicle 110: Right front seat, 120: Left front seat, 130: Rear seat 140: Instrument panel 200:User X: Vehicle width direction, Y: Vehicle front-rear direction, Z: Vehicle up-down direction AVE1: First average acceleration, AVE2: Second average acceleration R1: First threshold, Dif: Second threshold

Claims

1. determining whether a user has exited the vehicle; determining whether a mobile device has been left behind in the vehicle; Including, When it is determined that the user has exited the vehicle and the value of the variance of acceleration acquired from the sensor of the mobile device is smaller than a first threshold, it is determined that the mobile device has been left behind in the step of determining whether it has been left behind. A method for detecting whether a mobile terminal has been left behind.

2. and a step of making the mobile terminal notify the user that the mobile terminal has been left behind when it is determined that the mobile terminal has been left behind. The method for detecting a mobile terminal left behind according to claim 1 .

3. calculating a first average acceleration from accelerations acquired from the sensor while the vehicle is stopped and a user is in the vehicle; calculating a second average acceleration from the acceleration acquired from the sensor after it is determined that the user has exited the vehicle; Including, When the acceleration acquired from the sensor indicates a large acceleration while the vehicle is stopped, it is determined that the user has gotten off the vehicle in the step of determining whether the user has gotten off the vehicle; In the step of determining whether the mobile terminal has been left behind, if the magnitude of the difference between the first average acceleration and the second average acceleration is greater than a second threshold, the mobile terminal is determined to have been left behind. The method for detecting a mobile terminal left behind according to claim 1 .

4. In the step of calculating the second average acceleration, the second average acceleration is calculated when the variance value of the acceleration acquired from the sensor is smaller than the first threshold value. The method for detecting a mobile terminal left behind according to claim 3.

5. and determining whether the mobile terminal is located in the vehicle based on the moving speed of the mobile terminal calculated from at least one of the acceleration acquired from the sensor and the position information of the mobile terminal. The method for detecting a mobile terminal left behind according to claim 1 .

6. In the step of determining whether the user has dismounted, the mobile terminal determines that the user has dismounted from the vehicle based on information acquired by communication with the vehicle. The method for detecting a mobile terminal left behind according to claim 1 .

7. a sensor for detecting acceleration; A control unit; A mobile terminal comprising: The control unit determining whether the user has exited the vehicle; When it is determined that the user has dismounted from the vehicle, if the value of the variance of the acceleration acquired from the sensor is smaller than a first threshold, it is determined that the mobile terminal has been left behind in the vehicle. It is configured as follows: A mobile terminal characterized by:

8. determining whether the user has exited the vehicle; If it is determined that the user has dismounted from the vehicle and the value of the variance of acceleration acquired from the sensor of the mobile device is smaller than a first threshold, it is determined that the mobile device has been left behind in the vehicle. Each process is executed by the mobile terminal. A program for detecting misplacement.

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