system

Abstract

It provides a relatively inexpensive way to detect occupants inside a vehicle. [Solution] The system (1) includes an acquisition means (31) that acquires first temperature information indicating the temperature detected by the terminal device and first location information indicating the location of the terminal device from a terminal device (20) held by a subject (U), and second temperature information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle detected by the vehicle and second location information indicating the location of the vehicle from a vehicle (10), and an alarm means (33) that issues an alarm when the temperature indicated by the first temperature information is above a first threshold, the difference between the location indicated by the first location information and the location indicated by the second location information is below a second threshold, the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is above a third threshold, and the difference between the temperature indicated by the first temperature information and the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is below a fourth threshold.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system, and particularly to the technical field of a system for detecting occupants in a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As a technology used in this type of system, for example, there has been proposed a technology that activates an alarm when an intruder is detected by an in-vehicle intrusion sensor that detects an intruder into the vehicle interior and when it is detected by an interior air temperature sensor that detects a state where the interior air temperature of the vehicle interior exceeds a set temperature (see Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] For example, accidents have occurred due to children or the like being left unattended in the vehicle interior. The technology described in Patent Document 1 aims to prevent such accidents. The in-vehicle intrusion sensor used in the technology described in Patent Document 1 is relatively expensive. Therefore, there is a technical problem that the vehicles to which the technology described in Patent Document 1 can be applied are limited.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a system that can detect occupants in a vehicle at a relatively low cost.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A system according to one aspect of the present invention includes an acquisition means that acquires first temperature information indicating the temperature detected by a terminal device and first position information indicating the location of the terminal device from a terminal device held by a subject, and second temperature information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle detected by the vehicle and second position information indicating the location of the vehicle from a vehicle, and an alarm means that issues an alarm when the temperature indicated by the first temperature information is above a first threshold, the difference between the location indicated by the first position information and the location indicated by the second position information is below a second threshold, the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is above a third threshold, and the difference between the temperature indicated by the first temperature information and the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is below a fourth threshold. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the server according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the system will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.

[0009] (System configuration) In Figure 1, System 1 comprises a vehicle 10, a terminal device 20, and a server 30. The vehicle 10, terminal device 20, and server 30 can communicate with each other via a network NW. Terminal device 20 is a terminal device owned by user U. For example, terminal device 20 may be a smartphone or a so-called monitoring terminal.

[0010] In this embodiment, user U is assumed to be using vehicle 10. System 1 is configured to determine whether or not user U has been left behind in vehicle 10. In this embodiment, when user U uses vehicle 10, information relating to vehicle 10 and information relating to the terminal device 20 owned by user U are associated with each other and registered in server 30.

[0011] Vehicle 10 is equipped with a position sensor 11, a temperature sensor 12, and a communication device 13. For example, the position sensor 11 may use GPS (Global Positioning System) to detect the position of vehicle 10. The temperature sensor 12 detects the temperature inside the vehicle's interior. The position sensor 11 transmits vehicle position information, indicating the location of vehicle 10, to the server 30 via the communication device 13. The temperature sensor 12 transmits interior temperature information, indicating the temperature inside the vehicle's interior, to the server 30 via the communication device 13.

[0012] The terminal device 20 includes a position sensor 21, a temperature sensor 22, and a communication unit 23. For example, the position sensor 21 may use GPS to detect the location of the terminal device 20 (in other words, the location of user U). The temperature sensor 22 detects the ambient temperature around the terminal device 20. The position sensor 21 transmits terminal location information, indicating the location of the terminal device 20, to the server 30 via the communication unit 23. The temperature sensor 22 transmits terminal temperature information, indicating the ambient temperature around the terminal device 20, to the server 30 via the communication unit 23.

[0013] The server 30 comprises an acquisition unit 31, a determination unit 32, and a notification unit 33. The acquisition unit 31 acquires vehicle location information and in-vehicle temperature information from the vehicle 10. The acquisition unit 31 further acquires terminal location information and terminal temperature information from the terminal device 20. The determination unit 32 determines whether or not user U has been left behind in the vehicle 10 based on the vehicle location information, in-vehicle temperature information, terminal location information, and terminal temperature information. Details of the operation of the determination unit 32 will be described later. The notification unit 33 issues an alarm or the like when the determination unit 32 determines that user U has been left behind in the vehicle 10.

[0014] (Operation of Server 30) Next, the operation of the server 30 will be explained with reference to the flowchart in Figure 2. In Figure 2, the determination unit 32 of the server 30 determines whether the temperature indicated by the terminal temperature information is above or below the first threshold (step S101). The first threshold may be a variable value that changes according to the outside temperature, for example. However, during relatively hot periods, the first threshold may be a fixed value. If the first threshold is a fixed value, it may be set as, for example, a temperature at which the risk of heatstroke becomes relatively high (for example, 30 degrees Celsius). The outside temperature may be obtained from at least one of the organizations and companies that provide information on the Japan Meteorological Agency.

[0015] In the process of step S101, if it is determined that the temperature indicated by the terminal temperature information is equal to or greater than the first threshold (step S101: Yes), the determination unit 32 determines whether the difference between the position indicated by the vehicle position information and the position indicated by the terminal position information is equal to or less than the second threshold (step S102). In the process of step S102, the determination unit 32 may select the vehicle position information and terminal position information to be compared based on the information relating to the vehicle 10 and the information relating to the terminal device 20 possessed by user U, which are associated with each other. The second threshold may be set, for example, based on the range of possible differences between the position indicated by the vehicle position information and the position indicated by the terminal position information when user U, who possesses the terminal device 20, is inside the vehicle 10.

[0016] In the process of step S102, if it is determined that the difference between the position indicated by the vehicle position information and the position indicated by the terminal position information is less than or equal to the second threshold (step S102: Yes), the determination unit 32 determines whether the temperature indicated by the in-vehicle temperature information is greater than or equal to the third threshold (step S103). The third threshold may be a variable value or a fixed value, similar to the first threshold described above.

[0017] In step S103, if it is determined that the temperature indicated by the vehicle interior temperature information is equal to or greater than the third threshold (step S103: Yes), the determination unit 32 determines whether the difference between the temperature indicated by the vehicle interior temperature information and the temperature indicated by the terminal temperature information is equal to or less than the fourth threshold (step S104). In step S104, the determination unit 32 may select the vehicle interior temperature information and terminal temperature information to be compared based on the information relating to the vehicle 10 and the information relating to the terminal device 20 owned by user U. The fourth threshold may be set, for example, based on the range of possible differences in temperature detected by two temperature sensors when two temperature sensors are installed in the same location.

[0018] In step S104, if it is determined that the difference between the temperature indicated by the vehicle interior temperature information and the temperature indicated by the terminal temperature information is less than or equal to the fourth threshold (step S104: Yes), the determination unit 32 determines that user U, who possesses the terminal device 20, has been left behind in the vehicle 10 (step S105).

[0019] In this case, the notification unit 33 of the server 30 will issue an alarm or the like. For example, the notification unit 33 may issue an alarm by sending a signal to the vehicle 10 that sounds the security alarm installed in the vehicle 10. For example, the notification unit 33 may send information indicating that user U has been left behind in the vehicle 10 to at least one of the telephone number and email address that have been pre-registered as emergency contacts for user U. For example, the notification unit 33 may send information indicating that user U has been left behind in the vehicle 10 to at least one of the telephone number and email address that have been pre-registered as contacts for the administrator of the vehicle 10. The administrator may be a corporation.

[0020] In the process of step S101, when it is determined that the temperature indicated by the terminal temperature information is not greater than or equal to the first threshold value (step S101: No), in the process of step S102, when it is determined that the difference between the position indicated by the vehicle position information and the position indicated by the terminal position information is not less than or equal to the second threshold value (step S102: No), in the process of step S103, when it is determined that the temperature indicated by the vehicle interior temperature information is not greater than or equal to the third threshold value (step S103: No), or in the process of step S104, when it is determined that the difference between the temperature indicated by the vehicle interior temperature information and the temperature indicated by the terminal temperature information is not less than or equal to the fourth threshold value (step S104: No), the determination unit 32 determines that the user U who holds the terminal device 20 has not been left alone in the vehicle 10 (step S106).

[0021] (Technical effect) The system 1 uses the position sensors and temperature sensors (for example, the position sensor 11 and temperature sensor 12 of the vehicle 10) installed in many vehicles and the terminal devices (for example, the terminal device 20) held by many people to determine whether a person (for example, the user U) has been left alone in the vehicle. In other words, the system 1 uses the functions originally provided in the vehicle 10 and the terminal device 20 to determine whether the user U has been left alone in the vehicle 10. Therefore, according to the system 1, it is possible to detect the passengers in the vehicle at a lower cost compared to the case of using, for example, an in-vehicle intrusion sensor. In addition, according to the system 1, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of accidents caused by children or the like being left alone in the vehicle interior.

[0022] The aspects of the invention derived from the embodiments described above will be described below.

[0023] A system according to an aspect of the invention acquires, from a terminal device possessed by a target person, first temperature information indicating the temperature detected by the terminal device and first position information indicating the position of the terminal device, and also acquires from a vehicle, second temperature information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle detected by the vehicle and second position information indicating the position of the vehicle. The system further includes an alarm means that issues an alarm when the temperature indicated by the first temperature information is equal to or higher than a first threshold value, the difference between the position indicated by the first position information and the position indicated by the second position information is equal to or less than a second threshold value, the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is equal to or higher than a third threshold value, and the difference between the temperature indicated by the first temperature information and the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is equal to or less than a fourth threshold value.

[0024] In the above-described embodiment, "acquisition unit 31" corresponds to an example of "acquisition means", "notification unit 33" corresponds to an example of "alarm means", "terminal temperature information" corresponds to an example of "first temperature information", "vehicle interior temperature information" corresponds to an example of "second temperature information", "terminal position information" corresponds to an example of "first position information", and "vehicle position information" corresponds to an example of "second position information".

[0025] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified without departing from the gist or idea of the invention that can be read from the claims and the entire specification. A system with such modifications is also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0026] 1... System, 10... Vehicle, 11, 21... Position Sensor, 12, 22... Temperature Sensor 20... Terminal Device, 30... Server, 31... Acquisition Unit, 32... Determination Unit, 33... Notification Unit

Claims

[Claim 1] An acquisition means that acquires first temperature information indicating the temperature detected by the terminal device and first location information indicating the location of the terminal device from a terminal device possessed by the subject, and acquires second temperature information indicating the temperature inside the vehicle detected by the vehicle and second location information indicating the location of the vehicle from the vehicle. An alarm means that issues an alarm when the temperature indicated by the first temperature information is above a first threshold, the difference between the position indicated by the first position information and the position indicated by the second position information is below a second threshold, the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is above a third threshold, and the difference between the temperature indicated by the first temperature information and the temperature indicated by the second temperature information is below a fourth threshold, A system equipped with these features.

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