Vehicle remote monitoring system and vehicle

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle remote monitoring system and a vehicle capable of informing the vehicle occupants of information related to the arrival of a moving object. [Solution] The system comprises vehicles 40A, 40B, and 40C, each having a vehicle-side display provided on at least one of the interior and exterior sides of the vehicle, and a remote monitoring device 20 having a transmitting device capable of displaying information on the vehicle-side display and wirelessly transmitting information related to the arrival of the mobile bodies 65, 75, and 80 at their planned stopping positions to the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle remote monitoring system and a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 discloses an emergency mobile support device that can shorten the arrival time of an emergency mobile to a predetermined location using the existing infrastructure as much as possible.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When the emergency mobile of Patent Document 1 above heads to a location where another vehicle is located, there is a risk that the passengers of this vehicle will become anxious because they cannot recognize information regarding the arrival of the emergency mobile.

[0005] In consideration of the above fact, an object of the present invention is to obtain a vehicle remote monitoring system and a vehicle capable of notifying at least one of the vehicle passengers and a person outside the vehicle of information related to the arrival of a mobile body.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A vehicle remote monitoring system according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a vehicle having a vehicle-side display provided on at least one of an inner side portion and an outer side portion of the vehicle, and a remote monitoring device having a transmission device capable of wirelessly transmitting information related to the arrival of a mobile body to the stop planned position of the vehicle to the vehicle-side display.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention is a vehicle remote monitoring system in the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the vehicle is capable of performing Level 4 or 5 driver assistance control.

[0008] A third aspect of the present invention is a vehicle remote monitoring system in which the vehicle-side display is capable of displaying a map showing the location of the vehicle, in addition to the vehicle remote monitoring system of the first or second aspect of the present invention.

[0009] A fourth aspect of the present invention is a vehicle remote monitoring system in which the location of the moving object is displayed on the map shown on the vehicle-side display, in addition to the location of the moving object in the vehicle remote monitoring system in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0010] A fifth aspect of the present invention is a vehicle remote monitoring system according to any of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the information includes at least one of the following: information relating to the estimated time until the moving object arrives, and information relating to the estimated time of arrival of the moving object.

[0011] A sixth aspect of the present invention is a vehicle remote monitoring system according to any of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, wherein the vehicle has a camera capable of taking pictures of the outside of the vehicle, and the captured data from the camera is transmitted to the remote monitoring device and displayed on a remote monitoring display provided by the remote monitoring device.

[0012] A seventh aspect of the present invention is a vehicle remote monitoring system according to any of the first to sixth aspects of the present invention, wherein the vehicle-side display includes a display provided on the interior side of the vehicle and a display provided on the exterior side of the vehicle.

[0013] A vehicle according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is a vehicle having a vehicle-side display provided on at least one of the interior and exterior of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle-side display is capable of displaying information related to the arrival of a moving object of the vehicle at a planned stopping position, which is wirelessly transmitted from a transmitting device provided on a remote monitoring device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The vehicle remote monitoring system according to the first aspect of the present invention and the vehicle according to the eighth aspect are capable of informing at least one of the occupants of the vehicle and a person outside the vehicle of information related to the arrival of a moving object at a planned stopping position, using a vehicle-side display provided on at least one of the interior and exterior of the vehicle.

[0015] In a second aspect of the present invention, the vehicle remote monitoring system may be unoccupied. In such cases, it is possible to inform at least one of the vehicle occupants and a person outside the vehicle of information related to the arrival of the moving object.

[0016] In the vehicle remote monitoring system according to the third aspect of the present invention, the vehicle's location is displayed on a map shown on the vehicle's display, so that anyone looking at the vehicle's display can recognize the vehicle's location.

[0017] In the vehicle remote monitoring system according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the location of the moving object is displayed on a map shown on the vehicle's display, so that a person looking at the vehicle's display can recognize the location of the moving object and the distance between the vehicle and the moving object.

[0018] In a fifth aspect of the present invention, a vehicle remote monitoring system allows a person viewing the vehicle-side display to recognize at least one of the following: information regarding the estimated time until the moving object arrives, and information regarding the estimated time of arrival of the moving object.

[0019] In the sixth aspect of the present invention, a vehicle remote monitoring system displays an image of an object located outside the vehicle on a remote monitoring display provided by the remote monitoring device. Therefore, the administrator of the remote monitoring device can consider this image and decide whether or not to wirelessly transmit information related to the arrival of the moving object at its planned stopping position to the vehicle.

[0020] A seventh aspect of the present invention, a vehicle remote monitoring system, is capable of informing occupants inside the vehicle and persons outside the vehicle of information related to the arrival of a moving object at its planned stopping position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the vehicle remote monitoring system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a control block diagram of the control device of the remote monitoring device. [Figure 3] It is a functional block diagram of the control device. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing the first display of the remote monitoring device. [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing the second display of the remote monitoring device. [Figure 6] It is a control block diagram of the bus ECU. [Figure 7] It is a functional block diagram of the ECU. [Figure 8] It is a diagram showing the in-vehicle display and the out-of-vehicle display of the bus. [Figure 9] It is a diagram showing the in-vehicle display and the out-of-vehicle display when the map image is enlarged. [Figure 10] It is an enlarged view of a part of the in-vehicle display and the out-of-vehicle display. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing the process executed by the control device of the remote monitoring device. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing the process executed by the bus ECU.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the vehicle remote monitoring system and the vehicle according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle remote monitoring system 10 (hereinafter referred to as the system 10) of the embodiment includes a remote monitoring device 20, a plurality of buses (vehicles) 40A, 40B, 40C, a service car (mobile body) 65, a local government server 70, a patrol car (mobile body) 75, and an ambulance (mobile body) 80.

[0024] Service car 65, registered with system 10, moves to the designated stopping locations for buses 40A, 40B, and 40C (described later) when a breakdown occurs in buses 40A, 40B, or 40C. The service staff on board service car 65 perform repairs on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, and remove obstacles (such as fallen trees) around buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0025] The remote monitoring device 20 shown in Figure 1 is installed in a building (not shown) owned by the administrator of system 10. The remote monitoring device 20 comprises a control device 21, a first display 24, a second display (remote monitoring display) 25, an input device 27, and an audio input / output device 28.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the control device 21 has a hardware configuration that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) (processor) 21A, ROM (Read Only Memory) 21B, RAM (Random Access Memory) 21C, storage 21D, wireless communication interface (interface) 21E, and input / output interface 21G. The CPU 21A, ROM 21B, RAM 21C, storage 21D, wireless communication interface 21E, and input / output interface 21G are connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with one another via the internal bus 21Z. The CPU 21A and the CPU 41A, which will be described later, can acquire time-related information from a timer.

[0027] The CPU 21A is the central processing unit, which executes various programs and controls various components. The CPU 21A reads programs from ROM 21B or storage 21D and executes them using RAM 21C as the working area. The CPU 21A controls each component and performs various calculations according to the programs recorded in ROM 21B or storage 21D.

[0028] ROM21B stores various programs and data. For example, multiple programs are installed in ROM21B. ROM21B also stores map data and vehicle ID information, which will be described later. RAM21C temporarily stores programs or data as a working area. Storage21D consists of a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or SSD (Solid State Drive) and stores various programs and data.

[0029] The map data includes information about the areas in which buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, which are registered vehicles in system 10, operate. Although only three buses, 40A, 40B, and 40C, are depicted in Figure 1, many buses are registered in system 10. Various types of map data can be used. For example, the map data recorded in ROM 21B and the map data for buses 40A, 40B, and 40C described later can use data that utilizes aerial photographs or data that is depicted as illustrations. Furthermore, the map data and other data used by the remote monitoring device 20 and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may not be recorded in ROM 21B and 41B, but rather data that can be obtained by the control device 21 and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C by accessing an external server (not shown) via the internet.

[0030] The wireless communication interface (I / F21E) is an interface for wireless communication with various devices. For example, the wireless communication interface (I / F21E) can communicate wirelessly with the wireless communication interface (I / F41E) on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C via a network (e.g., the Internet). The wireless communication interface (I / F21E) can send and receive audio data, camera image data, and sensor group detection values, as described later.

[0031] The input / output interface 21G is an interface for communicating with various devices. For example, the input / output interface 21G is connected to a first display 24, a second display 25, an input device 27, and an audio input / output device 28. The first display 24 and the second display 25 can display various images. For example, the first display 24 can display a map image 30, which will be described later. The second display 25 can display, for example, camera images and sensor group detection values ​​received wirelessly by the wireless communication interface 21E from the wireless communication interface 41E on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. The input device 27 can input various information to the control device 21. The input device 27 is, for example, a keyboard. The audio input / output device 28 includes a microphone and a speaker.

[0032] Figure 3 shows a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the control device 21. The control device 21 has a functional configuration consisting of a transmit / receive control unit 211, a SIP control unit 212, an arrival-related information acquisition unit 213, and a display control unit 214. These functions are realized by the CPU 21A reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 21B.

[0033] The transmit / receive control unit 211 controls the wireless communication interface 21E. The wireless communication interface 21E controlled by the transmit / receive control unit 211 can, for example, receive camera image data and sensor group detection values, and record data received from an external source in the ROM 21B and storage 21D. Furthermore, when a call using SIP, described later, is being performed, the wireless communication interface 21E can wirelessly transmit audio data input to the audio input / output device 28, and receive audio data transmitted from the wireless communication interfaces 41E on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0034] The SIP control unit 212 controls communication between the voice input / output device 28, which uses SIP (Session Initiation Protocol), and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C (speaker 44, microphone 45). In other words, the control unit 21 functions as a SIP server.

[0035] When a first call request is transmitted from the remote monitoring device 20 to the selected vehicle (wireless communication I / F 41E) by touch operation on the first call request operation units 34A2, 34B2, and 34C2 (described later), the SIP control unit 212 enables communication between the audio input / output device 28 and the speaker 44 and microphone 45 of the selected vehicle and the audio input / output device 28. That is, the audio input to the audio input / output device 28 is output from the speaker 44 of the selected vehicle, and the audio input to the microphone 45 of the selected vehicle is output from the audio input / output device 28. The selected vehicle is the bus corresponding to the first call request operation unit 34A2, 34B2, and 34C2 that was touched.

[0036] When the SIP control unit 212 receives a second call request from buses 40A, 40B, or 40C, it establishes a call between the bus 40A, 40B, or 40C that sent the second call request and the control device 21. Specifically, the audio input to the microphone 45 of bus 40A, 40B, or 40C that sent the second call request is output from the audio input / output device 28, and the audio information input to the audio input / output device 28 is output from the speaker 44.

[0037] The arrival-related information acquisition unit 213 acquires (calculates) arrival-related information for the service car 65 based on information including the location information and planned stopping positions (described later) of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, the location information of the service car 65 that the service car 65 repeatedly transmits wirelessly to the wireless communication I / F 21E, traffic information (e.g., congestion information) for the area in which buses 40A, 40B, and 40C are traveling, and route information (destination information) of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. The arrival-related information acquisition unit 213 calculates the arrival-related information for the service car 65 using this information and well-known calculation methods. The arrival-related information for the service car 65 includes the estimated time until the service car 65 arrives at the planned stopping position of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C (hereinafter referred to as the service-requesting buses) that are requesting service, the estimated arrival time, and the distance between the service-requesting buses and the service car 65 at the current time.

[0038] Furthermore, the arrival-related information acquisition unit 213 acquires arrival-related information for the police car 75 and ambulance 80 based on information including the location information and planned stopping locations of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, the location information of the police car 75 and ambulance 80 repeatedly received from the municipal server 70, traffic information for the area in which buses 40A, 40B, and 40C are traveling, and the route information of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. The arrival-related information for the police car 75 includes the estimated time until the police car 75 arrives at the planned stopping location of the service request bus, the estimated arrival time, and the distance between the service request bus and the police car 75 at the current time. Similarly, the arrival-related information for the ambulance 80 includes the estimated time until the ambulance 80 arrives at the planned stopping location of the service request bus, the estimated arrival time, and the distance between the service request bus and the ambulance 80 at the current time. Alternatively, the system administrator may obtain location information of the patrol car 75 and ambulance 80 by contacting local government (including police stations and fire stations) using a prescribed communication method, and the arrival-related information acquisition unit 213 may then acquire arrival-related information for the patrol car 75 and ambulance 80.

[0039] The display control unit 214 controls the touch-panel type first display 24 and second display 25.

[0040] Figure 4 shows the first display 24 controlled by the display control unit 214. The first display 24 displays a map image 30 based on the map data described above. The map image 30 includes a road image 31, a bus image 32A representing bus 40A, a bus image 32B representing bus 40B, and a bus image 32C representing bus 40C. The display control unit 214 changes the positions of the bus images 32A, 32B, and 32C on the map image 30 based on position information (GNSS information) wirelessly transmitted from buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0041] Furthermore, the map image 30 on the first display 24 displays a service car image 65X representing the service car 65. The service car 65 repeatedly transmits its own location information (GNSS information) wirelessly to the wireless communication I / F 21E. The display control unit 214 changes the position of the service car image 65X in the map image 30 based on the location information received from the service car 65.

[0042] Furthermore, the map image 30 on the first display 24 displays a police car image 75X and an ambulance image 80X. The police car image 75X represents police car 75, and the ambulance image 80X represents ambulance 80. Police car 75 and ambulance 80 are managed by the local government that governs the area represented by the map image 30. As will be described later, police car 75 and ambulance 80 repeatedly transmit their location information (GNSS information) wirelessly to the local government server 70 managed by the local government. Furthermore, the server administrator of the local government server 70 operates the local government server 70 as needed to repeatedly transmit the location information of police car 75 and ambulance 80 wirelessly to the control device 21. The display control unit 214 changes the positions of police car image 75X and ambulance image 80X on the map image 30 based on the location information of police car 75 and ambulance 80 received from the local government server 70.

[0043] Figure 5 shows a second display 25 controlled by a display control unit 214. The second display 25 displays camera image display areas 33A, 33B, and 33C. Furthermore, camera image display areas 33A, 33B, and 33C have a first display area 33A1, 33B1, 33C1, a second display area 33A2, 33B2, 33C2, and a third display area 33A3, 33B3, 33C3. The first display areas 33A1, 33B1, and 33C1 display camera images acquired by the in-vehicle cameras (cameras) 46 of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C in real time. The second display areas 33A2, 33B2, and 33C2 display camera images acquired by the out-of-vehicle front cameras (cameras) 47 of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C in real time. The third display areas 33A3, 33B3, and 33C3 display camera images acquired in real time by the external rear cameras (cameras) 48 of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0044] Furthermore, the second display 25 is provided with bus information display units 35A, 35B, and 35C located to the right of the camera image display areas 33A, 33B, and 33C. Bus information display unit 35A corresponds to bus 40A, bus information display unit 35B corresponds to bus 40B, and bus information display unit 35C corresponds to bus 40C. Bus information display units 35A, 35B, and 35C display information regarding sensor group detection values ​​acquired by the sensor group 51 of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, which will be described later, in real time. Specifically, bus information display units 35A, 35B, and 35C display information such as the vehicle speed, accelerator pedal opening, brake pedal depression amount, turn signal position, tire pressure, steering angle, and acceleration generated on the vehicle body for each bus 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0045] Furthermore, the second display 25 displays the second call request reception display units 34A1, 34B1, 34C1, the first call request operation units 34A2, 34B2, 34C2, the call termination operation units 34A3, 34B3, 34C3, the transmit processing buttons 34A4, 34B4, 34C4, and the transmit stop buttons 34A5, 34B5, 34C5 to the right of the bus information display units 35A, 35B, and 35C, respectively. The second call request reception display unit 34A1, the first call request operation unit 34A2, the call termination operation unit 34A3, the transmit processing button 34A4, and the transmit stop button 34A5 correspond to bus 40A. The second call request reception display unit 34B1, the first call request operation unit 34B2, the call termination operation unit 34B3, the transmit processing button 34B4, and the transmit stop button 34B5 correspond to bus 40B. The second call request reception display unit 34C1, the first call request operation unit 34C2, the call termination operation unit 34C3, the transmission processing button 34C4, and the transmission stop button 34C5 correspond to bus 40C.

[0046] The second call request reception indicators 34A1, 34B1, and 34C1 are equipped with illumination fixtures and blink when the wireless communication I / F21E receives a second call request from buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0047] As described above, when a touch operation is performed on the first call request operation units 34A2, 34B2, and 34C2, and when a second call request is issued from buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, a call is established between the corresponding buses 40A, 40B, and 40C and the control device 21 (voice input / output device 28).

[0048] When a touch operation is performed on the call termination operation units 34A3, 34B3, or 34C3, the SIP control unit 212 controls the communication between the remote monitoring device 20 and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, rendering it impossible to communicate between them.

[0049] When a user touches one of the transmission buttons 34A4, 34B4, or 34C4, the wireless communication interface 21E, controlled by the transmission / reception control unit 211, repeatedly transmits information related to the arrival of emergency vehicles (service cars 65, police cars 75, ambulances 80) registered in the remote monitoring device 20, as well as the location information of the emergency vehicles, to the service request buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, which correspond to the touched transmission buttons 34A4, 34B4, or 34C4. Emergency vehicles will be described later.

[0050] For example, the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 may designate a bus 40A, 40B, or 40C as a service request bus if, based on the content of conversations with the occupants of buses 40A, 40B, or 40C, information regarding sensor group detection values ​​received from buses 40A, 40B, or 40C, and camera images displayed in camera image display areas 33A, 33B, or 33C, it is highly likely that a malfunction requiring repair or maintenance has occurred in one of the buses 40A, 40B, or 40C. For example, if an automatic driving execution signal that had been continuously received from one of the buses 40A, 40B, or 40C suddenly stops being received, or if a sensor group detection value received from one of the buses 40A, 40B, or 40C indicates a brake system failure or a flat tire, the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 may designate that bus as a service request bus.

[0051] When the transmission stop buttons 34A5, 34B5, and 34C5 are touched, the transmission of arrival-related information and location information of the emergency mobile unit from the wireless communication I / F21E to the service request bus is stopped.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a service vehicle communication operation unit 36, a local government communication operation unit 37, and an emergency mobile unit registration unit 38 are provided on the right side of the second display 25. When a touch operation is performed on the service vehicle communication operation unit 36, the wireless communication I / F 21E transmits a third call request to the wireless communication device of the service vehicle 65. When the wireless communication device of the service vehicle 65 receives the third call request, a call is established between the remote monitoring device 20 and the communication device (microphone, speaker) of the service vehicle 65. That is, the voice information input to the microphone of the service vehicle 65 to which the third call request was transmitted is output from the voice input / output device 28, and the voice information input to the voice input / output device 28 is output from the speaker of the service vehicle 65.

[0053] Furthermore, when a touch operation is performed on the local government communication operation unit 37, the wireless communication I / F 21E sends a fourth call request to the wireless communication device of the local government server 70. When the wireless communication device of the local government server 70 receives the fourth call request, a call is established between the remote monitoring device 20 and the communication device (microphone, speaker) connected to the local government server 70. That is, the voice information input to the microphone connected to the local government server 70 from which the fourth call request was sent is output from the voice input / output device 28, and the voice information input to the voice input / output device 28 is output from the speaker connected to the local government server 70.

[0054] The administrator can register at least one of the service car 65, patrol car 75, and ambulance 80 as an emergency vehicle to the remote monitoring device 20 by touching the emergency vehicle registration unit 38. This registration information is recorded, for example, in storage 21D. Furthermore, the administrator can deregister an emergency vehicle by touching the emergency vehicle registration unit 38.

[0055] The administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 can register an emergency mobile unit based on the content of conversations with the occupants of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, information on sensor group detection values ​​received from buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, and camera images displayed in camera image display areas 33A, 33B, and 33C.

[0056] In other words, if the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 determines, for example, that a malfunction has occurred in buses 40A, 40B, or 40C based on this information, they can use the emergency mobile vehicle registration unit 38 to register the service car 65 as an emergency mobile vehicle. The administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 also determines, based on this information, whether a crime has occurred inside or outside the service request bus, or whether there are sick or injured people inside or outside the service request bus. Furthermore, based on this determination result, the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 can use the emergency mobile vehicle registration unit 38 to set at least one of the patrol car 75 and the ambulance 80 as an emergency mobile vehicle.

[0057] For example, if the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 registers the service car 65 as an emergency mobile unit, the device communicates with the service car 65 and informs the driver of the emergency mobile unit of the planned stopping location of the service request bus received from buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, and instructs them to proceed to this location. The remote monitoring device 20 may also wirelessly transmit the location information, destination information, and information regarding the planned stopping location of the service request bus to the service car 65, and this information may be displayed on a display (not shown) installed in the service car 65. If the service request bus is in a state where it cannot move, its current location and the planned stopping location will coincide. On the other hand, if the service request bus is in a state where it can move, its current location and the planned stopping location may not coincide. For example, if a service request bus that is in a state where it can move is traveling on a road with heavy traffic, it may move to a place with less traffic before stopping, in which case this location will be the planned stopping location. Furthermore, for example, if the service request bus is performing Level 4 or 5 driver assistance control, the wireless communication interface 41E may wirelessly transmit to the wireless communication interface 21E a planned stopping position that is different from the current position, or a planned stopping position that is different from the current position acquired (calculated) by the ECU 41. Also, if there is a driver on the service request bus, the wireless communication interface 41E may wirelessly transmit to the wireless communication interface 21E the planned stopping position determined by the driver.

[0058] For example, if at least one of the patrol car 75 and the ambulance 80 is registered as an emergency vehicle, the server administrator will communicate with this emergency vehicle and inform the driver of the emergency vehicle of the planned stopping location of the service request bus received from buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, and instruct them to proceed to this location. Alternatively, the municipal server 70 may receive information regarding the location, destination, and planned stopping location of the service request bus from the remote monitoring device 20 via wireless communication, and this information may be displayed on a display (not shown) connected to the municipal server 70. Furthermore, the municipal server 70 may wirelessly transmit the information regarding the location, destination, and planned stopping location of the service request bus received from the remote monitoring device 20 to the emergency vehicle, and this information may be displayed on the emergency vehicle's display.

[0059] As shown in Figure 6, buses 40A, 40B, and 40C are equipped with an ECU 41, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver 43, a speaker 44, a microphone 45, an in-vehicle camera 46, an external front camera 47, an external rear camera 48, a second call request operation unit 49S, a call termination operation unit 49F, a touch-panel in-vehicle display (vehicle-side display) 50In, an external display (vehicle-side display) 50Ot, a sensor group 51, and a driver assistance operation unit 62. As shown in Figure 6, the ECU 41 has the same hardware configuration as the control unit 21. That is, the ECU 41 has a hardware configuration of a CPU 41A, ROM 41B, RAM 41C, storage 41D, wireless communication I / F 41E, input / output I / F 41G, and an internal bus 41Z. For example, multiple programs are installed in ROM 41B.

[0060] The input / output interface 41G of the ECU 41 is connected to a GNSS receiver 43, a speaker 44, a microphone 45, an in-vehicle camera 46, an external front camera 47, an external rear camera 48, a second call request operation unit 49S, a call termination operation unit 49F, an in-vehicle display 50In, an external display 50Ot, a sensor group 51, and a driver assistance operation unit 62.

[0061] The GNSS receiver 43 receives GNSS signals transmitted from GNSS satellites and acquires position information for buses 40A, 40B, and 40C equipped with the ECU 41. The acquired position information is repeatedly transmitted wirelessly to the remote monitoring device 20 via the wireless communication interface 41E at predetermined intervals.

[0062] Speaker 44 can output various sounds. For example, if communication is established between the remote monitoring device 20 and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, speaker 44 can output audio data based on the audio input to the audio input / output device 28.

[0063] Various types of audio are input to microphone 45. For example, when audio is input to microphone 45 when communication is established between the remote monitoring device 20 and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, this audio is output from the audio input / output device 28 of the remote monitoring device 20.

[0064] The in-vehicle camera 46 is installed inside the buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. For example, the in-vehicle camera 46 is installed on the ceiling of the buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. The in-vehicle camera 46 repeatedly acquires image data representing subjects inside the buses 40A, 40B, and 40C at predetermined intervals.

[0065] The external front camera 47 is installed at the front end of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. The external front camera 47 repeatedly acquires image data representing an external subject located in front of the front end of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C at predetermined intervals.

[0066] The external rear camera 48 is installed at the rear end of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. The external rear camera 48 repeatedly acquires image data representing an external subject located behind the rear end of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C at predetermined intervals.

[0067] The second call request operation unit 49S and the call termination operation unit 49F are, for example, mechanical buttons installed inside the buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. However, the second call request operation unit 49S and the call termination operation unit 49F may also be images (operation images) displayed on the in-vehicle display 50In.

[0068] The in-vehicle display 50In is installed on the interior side of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. For example, the in-vehicle display 50In is installed on at least one of the interior walls and ceiling surfaces of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. For example, the exterior display 50Ot is installed on the exterior side of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. For example, the exterior display 50Ot is installed on at least one of the exterior side and exterior rear surfaces. The number of in-vehicle displays 50In and exterior displays 50Ot installed on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may be one or more.

[0069] As shown in Figure 8, the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot have a map display unit 52, a flight information display unit 53, and an arrival-related information display unit 54.

[0070] The map display unit 52 is a large area excluding the right edge of the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot. The map display unit 52 displays a map image (map) 55 based on map data recorded in the ROM 41B. The map image 55 depicts road images 56.

[0071] The operation information display unit 53 includes information regarding the names of the bus stops where buses 40A, 40B, and 40C are scheduled to stop, the scheduled arrival times at each bus stop, and the current time.

[0072] The arrival-related information display unit 54 will be described later.

[0073] Sensor group 51 is a collective term for the sensors installed on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C. These sensors include, for example, a vehicle speed sensor, an accelerator pedal sensor, a brake pedal sensor, a turn signal sensor, a LiDAR sensor, a radar sensor, air pressure sensors installed on the tires of each wheel, a steering angle sensor that detects the steering angle of the steering wheel, and an acceleration sensor that detects acceleration in various directions generated on the vehicle body. Each of these sensors repeatedly performs a detection operation after a predetermined time has elapsed. In this specification, the detection value acquired by each sensor included in sensor group 51 is referred to as the sensor group detection value.

[0074] The driver assistance control unit 62 is a switch located on the instrument panel of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0075] Figure 7 shows an example of the functional configuration of the ECU 41 in a block diagram. The ECU 41 has a functional configuration consisting of a transmit / receive control unit 411, a call control unit 412, a display control unit 413, and a driver assistance control unit 414. These functions are realized by the CPU 41A reading and executing a program stored in the ROM 41B.

[0076] The transmit / receive control unit 411 controls the wireless communication interface 41E. The wireless communication interface 41E controlled by the transmit / receive control unit 411 can communicate wirelessly with the wireless communication interface 21E of the remote monitoring device 20 via the network. For example, by controlling the wireless communication interface 41E, the transmit / receive control unit 411 repeatedly wirelessly transmits image data, location information, and sensor group detection values ​​from the in-vehicle camera 46, the exterior front camera 47, and the exterior rear camera 48 to the remote monitoring device 20 at predetermined intervals. Furthermore, the wireless communication interface 41E receives arrival-related information and location information of the emergency mobile object wirelessly transmitted by the wireless communication interface 21E.

[0077] Furthermore, the transmission / reception control unit 411 wirelessly transmits an automatic driving execution signal to the remote monitoring device 20 when the driving assistance operation unit 62 is turned ON and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C are performing Level 4 or Level 5 driving assistance control (automatic driving control) as described later.

[0078] The call control unit 412 controls the speaker 44 and the microphone 45. For example, when the wireless communication interface 41E receives a first call request from the remote monitoring device 20, the call control unit 412 enables the function of the speaker 44.

[0079] Furthermore, when the second call request operation unit 49S is operated by a crew member, the call control unit 412 causes the wireless communication I / F 41E to wirelessly transmit the second call request to the remote monitoring device 20.

[0080] Furthermore, the call control unit 412 terminates the call between the buses 40A, 40B, and 40C and the remote monitoring device 20 when the call termination operation unit 49F is operated by a crew member.

[0081] The display control unit 413 controls the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot. Based on the location information (GNSS information) acquired by the buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, the display control unit 413 changes the positions of the bus images 57A, 57B, and 57C on the map image 55 of the map display unit 52. Bus image 57A corresponds to bus 40A, bus image 57B corresponds to bus 40B, and bus image 57C corresponds to bus 40C.

[0082] In the following explanation, it is assumed that the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot shown in Figures 8 and 9 are installed on the bus 40A. In this case, the bus images 57B and 57C are not actually displayed on the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot. Furthermore, the display control unit 413 causes the center of the map display unit 52 to display an image representing the bus on which it is installed. That is, in Figures 8 and 9, even when the bus 40A is moving on the road, the bus image 57A is always displayed in the center of the map display unit 52. In other words, the display control unit 413 scrolls the map image 55 on the map display unit 52 as the bus 40A moves.

[0083] The display control unit 413 can display the service car image 65X, the police car image 75X, and the ambulance image 80X on the map image 52 based on the location information of the service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80 received from the control device 21. However, the display control unit 413 will only display images on the map display unit 52 of the vehicles among the service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80 that have been designated as emergency vehicles. For example, if the service car 65 is designated as an emergency vehicle, the service car image 65X will be displayed on the map display unit 52, while the police car image 75X and the ambulance image 80X will not be displayed.

[0084] Furthermore, the display control unit 413 displays arrival-related information regarding the emergency vehicle on the arrival-related information display unit 54 based on the arrival-related information for the service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80 received from the control device 21. Specifically, the estimated time until the emergency vehicle arrives at the scheduled stopping position of the service request bus, the estimated arrival time, and the distance between the service request bus and the emergency vehicle at the current time are displayed on the arrival-related information display unit 54. For example, if the service car 65 is designated as the emergency vehicle, as shown in Figure 10, the estimated time until the service car 65, which is the emergency vehicle, arrives at the scheduled stopping position of the service request bus, the estimated arrival time, and the distance between the service request bus and the emergency vehicle at the current time are displayed on the arrival-related information display unit 54.

[0085] Furthermore, the display control unit 413 changes the scale of the map image 55 in the map display unit 52 according to the distance between the bus equipped with the ECU 41 and the emergency vehicle. That is, the shorter the distance, the larger the map image 55 becomes, and the longer the distance, the smaller the map image 55 becomes. For example, if the distance between the service request bus 40A and the emergency vehicle service car 65 becomes shorter than in the case shown in Figure 8, the map image 55 will be larger than in Figure 8, as shown in Figure 9.

[0086] When the driver assistance control unit 62, provided on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, is turned ON, the driver assistance control unit 414 performs driver assistance control using the GNSS receiver 43, the in-vehicle camera 46, the exterior front camera 47, the exterior rear camera 48, and the sensor group detection values. This driver assistance control is performed by operating various devices of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, including the brake system, engine, electric motor, steering system (not shown), and turn signals. In this specification, "driver assistance control" includes driver assistance control levels 1 to 5 as defined by the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). When a predetermined operation is performed on the driver assistance control unit 62, the driver assistance control unit 414 determines (selects) the level of driver assistance control to be performed from levels 1 to 5.

[0087] The municipal server 70 (see Figure 1), located in a building owned by the local government, has a hardware configuration consisting of a CPU, ROM, RAM, storage, wireless communication interface, input / output interface, and internal bus. Multiple programs are installed in the ROM. The patrol car 75 and ambulance 80, managed by the local government, repeatedly transmit their location information wirelessly to the municipal server 70 at predetermined intervals.

[0088] (Mechanism of action and effect) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0089] First, the processing flow of the remote monitoring device 20 in this embodiment will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 11. The CPU 21A of the remote monitoring device 20 repeatedly executes the process shown in the flowchart in Figure 11 after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

[0090] First, in step S10 (the word "step" will be omitted hereafter), the CPU 21A determines whether or not the emergency mobile registration unit 38 displayed on the second display 25 has been operated.

[0091] CPU 21A, which determined Yes in S10, proceeds to S11 and registers at least one of the service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80 as an emergency mobile unit.

[0092] When the result in S10 is determined to be No, or when the processing in S11 is completed, the CPU 21A proceeds to S12 and determines whether or not it has received location information, etc., from any of the buses 40A, 40B, 40C, or the emergency mobile unit. In other words, the CPU 21A determines whether or not it has acquired the information necessary to calculate arrival-related information.

[0093] If CPU 21A determines "Yes" in S12, it proceeds to S13 to acquire (calculate) arrival-related information. For example, if in S12 the location information of buses 40A, 40B, and 40C, as well as the location information of service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80, which are registered as emergency vehicles, then in S11 CPU 21A acquires arrival-related information for service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80.

[0094] When the result in S12 is determined to be No, or when the processing in S13 is completed, the CPU 21A proceeds to S14 and determines whether or not any of the transmission buttons 34A4, 34B4, or 34C4 have been operated.

[0095] If CPU 21A determines "Yes" in S14, it proceeds to S15 and wirelessly transmits arrival-related information to buses 40A, 40B, and 44C corresponding to the operated transmit buttons 34A4, 34B4, and 34C4.

[0096] After completing the processing in S15, CPU 21A proceeds to S16 and determines whether or not one of the transmission stop buttons 34A5, 34B5, or 34C5 has been operated.

[0097] If CPU 21A determines "Yes" in S16, it proceeds to S17 and stops the wireless transmission of arrival-related information to buses 40A, 40B, and 40C corresponding to the operated transmit stop buttons 34A5, 34B5, and 34C5.

[0098] When the process in S17 is completed, or when the result in S14 and S16 is determined to be No, the CPU 21A temporarily terminates the process in the flowchart shown in Figure 11.

[0099] Next, we will explain the processes performed by CPU 41A on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C using the flowchart in Figure 12. CPU 41A repeatedly executes the processes shown in the flowchart in Figure 12 at predetermined intervals.

[0100] First, in S20, the CPU 41A determines whether or not it has received information related to the arrival of an emergency mobile unit from the remote monitoring device 20.

[0101] If CPU 41A determines Yes in S20, it proceeds to S21, where it displays arrival-related information for the emergency vehicle on the arrival-related information display unit 54 of the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot. For example, if the emergency vehicle in this case is a service car 65, then, as shown in Figure 10, arrival-related information for the service car 65 is displayed on the arrival-related information display unit 54 of the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot.

[0102] When the process in S21 is completed, or when the result in S20 is determined to be No, the CPU 41A temporarily terminates the process in the flowchart shown in Figure 12.

[0103] As described above, in the system 10 of this embodiment, arrival-related information of emergency vehicles moving toward the service request buses 40A, 40B, and 40C is displayed on the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot located on the outside of the service request bus.

[0104] Here, let's consider a scenario where, for example, bus 40A, which was performing Level 4 driver assistance control, malfunctions and becomes unable to perform Level 4 driver assistance control, resulting in an emergency stop at a designated location on the road. In this case, the remote monitoring device 20 suddenly loses the automatic driving execution signal that it had been continuously receiving from bus 40A, so the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 designates bus 40A as a service request bus. Furthermore, in this case, the location where the emergency stop occurred becomes the planned stopping location. Passengers inside bus 40A, the service request bus, can see from the in-vehicle display 50In that the service vehicle 65, which is an emergency vehicle, is heading towards the location where bus 40A is stopped for repairs or other purposes. In addition, passengers can see the estimated time until the service vehicle 65 arrives at the planned stopping location (current location) of bus 40A, the estimated arrival time, and the distance between bus 40A and the service vehicle 65 at the current time. In other words, although bus 40A does not have a driver, passengers can obtain information about service car 65 through the in-vehicle display 50In. Therefore, passengers on bus 40A are less likely to feel anxious compared to when they cannot obtain information about service car 65.

[0105] Furthermore, in this case, the drivers of other vehicles (not shown) traveling immediately behind bus 40A and pedestrians (not shown) around bus 40A can recognize that bus 40A has stopped due to a malfunction by looking at the external display 50Ot installed on the outside of bus 40A (for example, the rear).

[0106] Furthermore, a map image 55 including the service request bus is displayed on the map display section 52 of the in-vehicle display 50In and the exterior display 50Ot. Therefore, for example, a passenger on the service request bus can recognize the current location of the service request bus they are riding by looking at the in-vehicle display 50In. As a result, this passenger is less likely to feel anxious compared to a situation where they cannot recognize their own current location or the service request bus's current location.

[0107] Furthermore, images of subjects located outside the service request bus are displayed in the second display areas 33A2, 33B2, 33C2 and the third display areas 33A3, 33B3, 33C3 of the second display 25 of the remote monitoring device 20. Therefore, the administrator of the remote monitoring device 20 can consider these images and decide which of the service car 65, police car 75, and ambulance 80 should be registered with the remote monitoring device 20 as an emergency vehicle. That is, for example, if the administrator recognizes that there is a fallen tree or another vehicle that is unable to move due to a breakdown in front of the service request bus, they can decide that the service car 65, rather than the police car 75 and ambulance 80, should be registered with the remote monitoring device 20 as an emergency vehicle. Also, for example, if the administrator recognizes that there is another vehicle behind the service request bus that is presumed to have collided with the rear of the service request bus, they can decide that the police car 75 and ambulance 80, rather than the service car 65, should be registered with the remote monitoring device 20 as emergency vehicles.

[0108] The system 10, remote monitoring device 20, and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C according to the embodiment have been described above, but these can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0109] For example, buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may be equipped with only one of the following: an in-vehicle display 50In located on the inside of the vehicle or an exterior display 50Ot located on the outside of the vehicle.

[0110] Arrival-related information may include at least one of the following: the estimated time until the emergency vehicle arrives at the scheduled stopping location of the service request bus, the estimated time of arrival, and the distance between the service request bus and the emergency vehicle at the current time.

[0111] Arrival-related information may differ from the estimated time it takes for the emergency vehicle to arrive at the service request bus's planned stopping location, the estimated arrival time, and the current distance between the service request bus and the emergency vehicle.

[0112] Vehicles other than service cars 65, police cars 75, and ambulances 80 may be registered as emergency vehicles. For example, a fire engine may be registered as an emergency vehicle. Also, vehicles of a different type than four-wheeled vehicles may be registered as emergency vehicles. For example, a motorcycle or a person carrying a portable device (e.g., a smartphone) capable of wireless communication with the remote monitoring device 20 may be registered as an emergency vehicle.

[0113] For example, buses 40A, 40B, and 40C do not necessarily need to be able to perform driver assistance control. In other words, the driver may operate buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0114] Buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may be equipped with at least one of the following: an in-vehicle camera 46, an exterior front camera 47, and an exterior rear camera 48. Furthermore, buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may be equipped with cameras that photograph the outside of the vehicle. The in-vehicle camera 46, exterior front camera 47, exterior rear camera 48, and cameras that photograph the outside of the vehicle may include multiple cameras. That is, for example, buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may be equipped with five in-vehicle cameras 46.

[0115] The number of displays provided on the remote monitoring device 20 does not have to be two; it may be one or three or more. If the remote monitoring device 20 has only one display, all images displayed on the first display 24 and the second display 25 will be displayed on this display.

[0116] Communication control between the remote monitoring device 20 and buses 40A, 40B, and 40C may be performed using a control method other than SIP. For example, communication control may be performed using Web Real-Time Communication. In this case, SIP may be combined with a control method other than SIP.

[0117] Multiple speakers 44 and microphones 45 may be provided on buses 40A, 40B, and 40C.

[0118] Furthermore, a bus may have multiple vehicles. For example, if a bus consists of multiple vehicles connected to each other, each vehicle may be equipped with an in-vehicle display 50In and an external display 50Ot. In this case, the remote monitoring device 20 may display arrival-related information on the in-vehicle displays 50In and external displays 50Ot of all vehicles, or it may display arrival-related information on the in-vehicle displays 50In and external displays 50Ot of only some of the vehicles.

[0119] The present invention may also be applied to vehicles of a different type than buses 40A, 40B, and 40C (for example, passenger cars).

[0120] When the wireless communication interface 21E receives a second call request from buses 40A, 40B, or 40C, the speaker of the audio input / output device 28 may generate a predetermined sound. Also, when the wireless communication interface 21E receives a second call request from buses 40A, 40B, or 40C, at least one of the first display 24 and the second display 25 may display a message indicating the receipt of the second call request. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0121] 10. Vehicle Remote Monitoring System (System) 20 Remote monitoring device 21E Wireless communication I / F (transmission device) 25. Second display (remote monitoring display) 40A 40B 40C Bus (vehicle) 46. ​​In-car camera (camera) 47. Front-facing camera (exterior camera) 48. Rear exterior camera (camera) 50-inch in-car display (vehicle-side display) 50Ot External display (vehicle-side display) 55 Map Images (Maps) 65 Service vehicle (mobile) 75 Police car (mobile) 80 Ambulance (mobile)

Claims

1. A vehicle having a vehicle-side display provided on at least one of the interior and exterior parts of the vehicle, A remote monitoring device having a transmission device capable of wirelessly transmitting to the vehicle information that can be displayed on the vehicle-side display and is related to the arrival of the moving vehicle at the planned stopping position, A vehicle remote monitoring system equipped with the following features.

2. The vehicle remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle is capable of performing Level 4 or 5 driver assistance control.

3. The vehicle remote monitoring system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vehicle-side display is capable of displaying a map showing the location of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle remote monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the location of the moving object is displayed on the map shown on the vehicle-side display.

5. The vehicle remote monitoring system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the information includes at least one of the following: information regarding the estimated time until the moving object arrives, and information regarding the estimated time of arrival of the moving object.

6. The aforementioned vehicle has a camera capable of taking pictures of the outside of the vehicle, The vehicle remote monitoring system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the captured data from the camera is transmitted to the remote monitoring device and displayed on a remote monitoring display provided by the remote monitoring device.

7. The vehicle remote monitoring system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vehicle-side display has a display provided on the interior side of the vehicle and a display provided on the exterior side of the vehicle.

8. A vehicle having a vehicle-side display provided on at least one of the interior and exterior parts of the vehicle, A vehicle in which the vehicle-side display is capable of displaying information related to the arrival of a moving vehicle at its planned stopping position, which is wirelessly transmitted from a transmitting device provided in a remote monitoring device.

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