Control device and management system

Abstract

The present invention provides a management device and management system that can manage the operating status of a vehicle even when the vehicle has ceased operations in a location where communication via an in-vehicle device is not possible. [Solution] A management device according to one embodiment manages the operation of a vehicle from start to finish. The management device includes a controller. The controller periodically receives vehicle information from an in-vehicle device and stores it in a storage unit. The controller determines that the vehicle has finished its operation if it does not receive vehicle information after a specified time has elapsed since receiving the vehicle information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to a management device and a management system.

Background Art

[0002] There is a management device that receives the one-day driving information of a vehicle transmitted from an in-vehicle device and manages the driving status of the vehicle when the in-vehicle device determines that the vehicle has completed one-day operation (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the prior art management device, when the location where the vehicle has completed operation is a place where communication with the in-vehicle device is not possible, such as an underground parking lot, the driving information of the vehicle cannot be received from the in-vehicle device, so it is impossible to determine whether the vehicle has completed operation. For this reason, there is a possibility that the management device cannot manage the driving status of the vehicle when the vehicle completes operation in a place where communication with the in-vehicle device is not possible.

[0005] One aspect of the embodiment has been made in view of the above, and an object is to provide a management device and a management system that can manage the driving status of a vehicle even when the vehicle completes operation in a place where communication with the in-vehicle device is not possible.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A management device according to one embodiment manages the operation of a vehicle from start to finish. The management device includes a controller. The controller periodically receives vehicle information from an in-vehicle device and stores it in a storage unit. The controller determines that the vehicle has finished its operation if it does not receive vehicle information after a specified time has elapsed since receiving the vehicle information. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In one embodiment of the management device and management system, the controller determines that the vehicle has ended its operation if it does not receive vehicle information even after a specified time has elapsed since the last time it received vehicle information from the in-vehicle device.

[0008] As a result, the management device and management system can manage the vehicle's operating status even if the vehicle ends its operation in a location where communication by the on-board unit is not possible after the last time vehicle information was received from the on-board unit. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the management system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example configuration of the management system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display of operation information according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display of a terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display of a terminal device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by the controller of the management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by the controller of the management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 8]Figure 8 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by the controller of the management device according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of a process performed by the controller of the management device according to the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Embodiments of the control device, control method, and control system will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below. Furthermore, in the following description, identical components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0011] 《1. Overview of the Management System》 Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of the management system according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the management system 10 according to the embodiment includes a management device 1, an in-vehicle device 2, and a terminal device 3.

[0012] The on-board unit 2 is, for example, a drive recorder installed in each of the multiple commercial vehicles (hereinafter simply referred to as "vehicle 20"). The on-board unit 2 acquires and stores vehicle information 27 (see Figure 2) regarding the operating status of vehicle 20 from the time the ignition switch (hereinafter referred to as "IG") of vehicle 20 is turned on until it is turned off. The on-board unit 2 then periodically (for example, at 5-minute intervals) transmits the stored vehicle information 27 to the management device 1.

[0013] Terminal device 3 is a portable terminal used by the driver 30 of vehicle 20. Terminal device 3 is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet device. An application program is installed on terminal device 3 that enables input and display of information related to the operation management of vehicle 20.

[0014] The management device 1 is a server device that manages the operation status of all vehicles 20. The management device 1 is configured to be able to wirelessly communicate with the in-vehicle device 2 and the terminal device 3 via a communication network 100 such as the Internet, for example.

[0015] The management device 1 receives vehicle information 27 regarding the operation status of the vehicle 20 transmitted periodically (for example, at intervals of 5 minutes) from each vehicle 20, and stores it in the storage unit 12 (see FIG. 2) as the operation information 15 of each vehicle 20.

[0016] The operation information 15 includes, for example, the operation start date and time, the operation start location, the operation end date and time, and the operation end location of each vehicle 20. Note that the operation start date and time and location are the date and time and location when the ignition (IG) of the vehicle 20 is turned on. The operation end date and time and location are the date and time and location when the IG of the vehicle 20 is turned off.

[0017] That is, the operation information 15 is a daily report regarding the operation of each vehicle 20. Note that the operation information 15 is not limited to the daily report. The operation information 15 may be, for example, a database of the vehicle information 27 in which the vehicle information 27 for each vehicle 20 is collected every week, every month, or every year. A specific example of the operation information 15 will be described later with reference to FIG. 3.

[0018] In such a management system 10, when the vehicle 20 starts or ends operation in a location where communication is not possible, the management device 1 cannot receive the vehicle information 27 regarding the start or end of the operation of the vehicle 20 from the in-vehicle device 2. For example, when the vehicle 20 starts or ends operation in a location where communication is not possible, such as an underground parking lot, the in-vehicle device 2 cannot transmit the vehicle information 27 regarding the start or end of the operation to the management device 1.

[0019] In this case, since the management device 1 cannot register the vehicle information 27 regarding the start or end of the operation of the vehicle 20 in the operation information 15 of the vehicle 20, it cannot manage some of the operation status of the vehicle 20.

[0020] Therefore, the management system 10 according to this embodiment is configured to manage the operating status of the vehicle 20 even when the vehicle 20 starts or stops operating in a location where communication by the in-vehicle unit 2 is not possible. Next, an example of the configuration of such a management system 10 will be described.

[0021] 《2. Examples of configurations for the management device, in-vehicle device, and terminal device》 Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example configuration of the management system 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in Figure 2, the terminal device 3 comprises a communication unit 31, a display operation unit 32, and a controller 33. The communication unit 31 is a communication interface that performs wireless communication with the management device 1 via the communication network 100.

[0022] The display and operation unit 32 is a touch panel display capable of displaying and inputting various types of information. The controller 33 includes a microcomputer with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), and various circuits.

[0023] The controller 33 enables the display and input of information related to the operation management of the vehicle 20 using the display operation unit 32 by having the CPU execute an application program for operation management stored in ROM, using RAM as a work area.

[0024] The controller 33 may be composed of hardware such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), either partially or entirely.

[0025] The in-vehicle unit 2 comprises a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, a controller 23, a camera 24, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver (hereinafter referred to as "GPS25"), and a display operation unit 26.

[0026] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface that communicates wirelessly with the management device 1 via the communication network 100. The camera 24 is an imaging device that captures images of the area around the vehicle 20.

[0027] Camera 24 includes a buffer for temporarily storing image data of captured images and an impact sensor for detecting impacts. For example, if camera 24 detects an impact of a certain level or greater, such as when vehicle 20 is involved in an accident, it reads image data for a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) before and after the accident from the buffer and outputs it to controller 23.

[0028] Furthermore, if, for example, the user experiences road rage or similar incidents and initiates recording using the display operation unit 26, the camera 24 will start recording according to the control signal input from the controller 23 and output the recorded image data to the controller 23.

[0029] The GPS25 determines the position (location) of the vehicle 20 based on GPS signals received from GPS satellites and outputs information related to the location of the vehicle 20 (for example, location information such as latitude and longitude, and address) to the controller 23.

[0030] The display operation unit 26 is a touch panel display capable of displaying and inputting various types of information. The display operation unit 26 displays various types of information according to the control of the controller 23. The display operation unit 26 also outputs operation signals to the controller 23 in response to the user's touch operation.

[0031] The memory unit 22 is, for example, an information storage device such as a data flash, and stores vehicle information 27. The vehicle information 27 includes image data captured by the camera 24, as well as various information related to the operation of the vehicle 20.

[0032] The controller 23 includes a microcomputer with a CPU, ROM, RAM, and various circuits. The controller 23 comprehensively controls the operation of the in-vehicle device 2 by having the CPU execute an application program for operation management stored in ROM, using RAM as a workspace. The controller 23 may be partially or entirely composed of hardware such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0033] The controller 23 stores information indicating the location (location information and address) of the vehicle 20, as well as information indicating the date and time, as vehicle information 27 in the storage unit 22 when the power of the in-vehicle unit 2 is turned on, and input from the GPS 25. In addition, when image data captured by the camera 24 is input, the controller 23 also stores the image data as vehicle information 27 in the storage unit 22.

[0034] Furthermore, the controller 23 stores the start date and time of operation when the power is turned on, and the end date and time of operation when the power is turned off, as vehicle information 27 in the storage unit 22. The controller 23 also calculates the driving time and distance traveled by the vehicle 20 from the information indicating the vehicle's location (location information and address) and the date and time information input from the GPS 25, and stores these as vehicle information 27 in the storage unit 22. Then, the controller 23 periodically (for example, at 5-minute intervals) transmits the vehicle information 27 to the management device 1 from the time the vehicle 20 starts operation until it ends operation.

[0035] The management device 1 comprises a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, a controller 13, a display unit 16, and an operation unit 17. The communication unit 11 is a communication interface that performs wireless communication with the in-vehicle unit 2 and the terminal device 3 via the communication network 100.

[0036] The display unit 16 is a display that shows various types of information. The operation unit 17 is an information input device such as a keyboard and mouse that the user operates to input various types of information.

[0037] The memory unit 12 is, for example, an information storage device such as data flash, and stores communication failure location information 14 and operation information 15. The communication failure location information 14 is location information indicating a place where communication by the in-vehicle unit 2 is not possible, such as an underground parking lot.

[0038] The communication failure location information 14 is registered by the user of the vehicle 20, for example, when the location of a business office or destination where communication by the in-vehicle unit 2 is not possible is known in advance. The user of the vehicle 20 can register the communication failure location information 14 in the storage unit 12 by operating the operation unit 17.

[0039] The controller 13 receives vehicle information 27 regarding the operation of the vehicle 20 from the in-vehicle unit 2 and the terminal device 3. The controller 13 then stores the received vehicle information 27 for each vehicle 20 as operation information 15 for each vehicle 20 in the storage unit 12. Now, with reference to Figure 3, an example of the operation information 15 displayed on the display unit 16 of the management device 1 will be described. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display of operation information 15 according to the embodiment.

[0040] As shown in Figure 3, the operation information 15 for a single vehicle 20 includes the date of the day, the identification information of the driver 30 operating the vehicle 20, the driver 30's certification result, and the results of the driver 30's pre-operation inspection of the vehicle 20. The driver 30's identification information, driver certification, and pre-operation inspection results are registered by the driver 30.

[0041] In addition, the operation information 15 registers the driver's 30 body temperature, sleep duration, physical condition, and whether or not they have consumed alcohol. The driver's 30 body temperature, sleep duration, physical condition, and whether or not they have consumed alcohol are also entered by the driver 30.

[0042] In addition, the operation information 15 registers the start time of operation, end time of operation, driving time, driving distance, number of visits, and amount of fuel refueled. The start time of operation, end time of operation, driving time, driving distance, and number of visits are automatically registered by the controller 13 based on the vehicle information 27 received from the onboard unit 2. The amount of fuel refueled is entered by the driver 30.

[0043] Furthermore, the operation list in operation information 15 registers the operation number (No.), vehicle number (the four-digit number on the license plate), start time, start location, end time, and end location for each operation (1 trip). The vehicle number, start time, end time, and end location are automatically registered by the controller 13 based on the vehicle information 27 received from the onboard unit 2.

[0044] As mentioned above, vehicle 20 may terminate its operation in a location where communication by the on-board unit 2 is impossible. For example, as shown in Figure 3, if vehicle 20 starts operation at EF, D-chome, C-ward, B-city, A-prefecture and then terminates its operation in a location where communication is impossible, the controller 13 cannot receive vehicle information 27 from the location where the operation ended, and therefore cannot register the location where the operation ended in the operation information 15.

[0045] Subsequently, if vehicle 20 starts operation from a location where communication is impossible, the controller 13 of the management device 1 cannot receive vehicle information 27 from the location where operation started, and therefore cannot register the location where operation started in operation information 15.

[0046] Furthermore, if the vehicle 20 is involved in an accident, the in-vehicle unit 2 will prioritize saving pre- and post-accident recordings over transmitting vehicle information 27, due to the limited battery power available. In this case, the controller 13 of the management device 1 cannot receive vehicle information 27 from the in-vehicle unit 2, and therefore cannot register the end-of-operation location in the operation information 15.

[0047] Thus, if vehicle 20 ends or begins operation in a location where communication by the on-board unit 2 is impossible, the controller 13 cannot register the location and time of the start and end of operation in real time in the operation information 15, and therefore cannot adequately manage the operation status.

[0048] Therefore, if the controller 13 does not receive vehicle information 27 from the in-vehicle unit 2 even after a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) has elapsed since the last time vehicle information 27 was received from the in-vehicle unit 2, it determines that the vehicle 20 has ended its operation (hereinafter referred to as "provisional determination") and registers the result of the provisional determination in the operation information 15 of the vehicle 20.

[0049] Furthermore, after the controller 13 has tentatively determined that the vehicle 20 has ended its operation, if it receives vehicle information 27 indicating the end of operation from the onboard unit 2 when communication is restored, it corrects the information that the vehicle 20 had tentatively determined to have ended its operation.

[0050] This allows the controller 13 to register the provisionally determined service end time and location in the blank space for service end time and location on XX / XX / 20XX shown in Figure 3. Furthermore, the controller 13 can correct the service end time on XX / XX / 20XX to the correct information when it acquires the information during the next service.

[0051] Furthermore, the time and location in Figure 3 may be displayed in a way that distinguishes between the provisional judgment and the final judgment described later. For example, in the case of a provisional judgment, the time or location in the operation information 15 may be marked with an asterisk (*) or its color may be changed.

[0052] In this way, even if the vehicle 20 ends its operation in a location where communication by the on-board unit 2 is impossible and then starts operating again from that location, the controller 13 can fill in the gaps in the operation information 15 stored in the memory unit 12, thereby enabling proper management of the vehicle 20's operation.

[0053] Then, when the controller 13 has provisionally registered the end time and location of the vehicle 20's operation in the operation information 15, it requests the driver 30 of the vehicle 20 to transmit the operation information 15 to the management device 1.

[0054] For example, if the controller 13 provisionally registers the end time and location of the vehicle 20's operation in the operation information 15, it causes the terminal device 3 used by the driver 30 of the vehicle 20 to display a message requesting the transmission of an operation completion notification.

[0055] For example, as shown in Figure 4, the controller 13 displays the message "The end time and location of the operation have been provisionally registered. Please send an operation completion notification." and an operation completion notification button on the display operation unit 32 of the terminal device 3.

[0056] This allows the driver 30 to send a completion of operation notification from the terminal device 3 to the management device 1 when they get out of the vehicle 20 and move to a location where communication is possible (e.g., above ground) if the location where the vehicle 20 ends its operation is a place where communication by the on-board unit 2 is impossible (e.g., underground). In other words, the driver 30 can send a completion of operation notification from the terminal device 3 to the management device 1 while the vehicle 20 is parked in a place where communication by the on-board unit 2 is impossible.

[0057] Subsequently, when the controller 13 receives a notification of the end of operation from the in-vehicle unit 2, it displays a screen on the terminal device 3 prompting the user to input and transmit information such as the time and location of the end of the operation, as shown in Figure 5.

[0058] In this case, the controller 13 may be configured to display an input screen for the necessary items of the operation information 15 shown in Figure 3, such as the driver's body temperature, sleep duration, physical condition, and whether or not they have been drinking, on the terminal device 3. This allows the controller 13 to fill in the gaps in the operation information 15 stored in the memory unit 12 by having the terminal device 3 transmit the necessary items of the operation information 15, thereby enabling proper management of the operation of the vehicle 20.

[0059] 《3. Processes executed by the controller》 Next, referring to Figures 6 to 9, the processes executed by the controller 13 of the management device 1 will be described. Figures 6 to 9 are flowcharts illustrating an example of the processes executed by the controller 13 of the management device 1 according to this embodiment. The controller 13 repeatedly executes the processes shown in Figures 6 to 9 during the period when the power to the management device 1 is on.

[0060] As shown in Figure 6, when the power to the management device 1 is turned on, the controller 13 first determines whether or not it has received vehicle information 27 from the in-vehicle unit 2 (step S101). If the controller 13 determines that it has received vehicle information 27 (step S101, Yes), it stores the vehicle information 27 as operation information 15 in the storage unit 12 (step S102).

[0061] Next, the controller 13 determines whether the vehicle information 27, which it determined to have been received in step S101, includes a notification of the start of operation for vehicle 20 (step S103). If the controller 13 determines that it includes a notification of the start of operation (step S103, Yes), it registers the notification of the start of operation in the operation information 15 of vehicle 20 (step S104) and terminates the current process.

[0062] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that the vehicle information 27 received in step S101 does not include a notification of the start of operation for vehicle 20 (step S103, No), it determines whether or not the vehicle information 27 includes a notification of the end of operation (step S105).

[0063] If the controller 13 determines that the vehicle information 27 received in step S101 does not contain the vehicle information 20's operation completion notification (step S106, Yes), it registers the operation completion notification in the vehicle information 15 (step S106) and terminates the current process. Alternatively, if the controller 13 determines that the vehicle information 27 received in step S101 does not contain the vehicle information 20's operation completion notification (step S105, No), it terminates the current process.

[0064] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines in step S101 that it has not received vehicle information 27 (step S101, No), it moves the process to step S107. Then, the controller 13 determines whether a predetermined time (for example, 30 minutes) has elapsed since the last time it received vehicle information 27 from the in-vehicle unit 2 (step S107).

[0065] If the controller 13 determines that the specified time has not elapsed (step S107, No), it terminates the current process. If the controller 13 determines that the specified time has elapsed (step S107, Yes), that is, if the specified time has elapsed since the last time the vehicle information 27 was received from the in-vehicle unit 2 but the vehicle information 27 has not been received, it provisionally determines that the operation has ended (step S108).

[0066] The controller 13 then registers the result of the provisional determination regarding the end of operation, that is, the fact that the vehicle 20 has ended its operation, in the operation information 15 of the vehicle 20 (step S109). After that, the controller 13 executes post-processing after the provisional determination of the end of operation (step S110), and the current process ends. A specific example of the post-processing after the provisional determination of the end of operation will be described later with reference to Figure 7.

[0067] In this way, if the controller 13 does not receive vehicle information 27 from the on-board unit 2 even after a specified time has elapsed since the last time vehicle information 27 was received, it provisionally determines that the vehicle 20 has ended its operation and registers the result of this provisional determination in the vehicle 20's operation information 15. As a result, the management device 1 can manage the operation status of the vehicle 20 even if the vehicle 20 ends its operation in a location where communication by the on-board unit 2 is not possible.

[0068] Next, with reference to Figure 7, a specific example of post-processing after a provisional determination of the end of operation will be described. As shown in Figure 7, when the controller 13 starts post-processing after a provisional determination of the end of operation, it first determines whether the location indicating the position of vehicle 20, which is included in the vehicle information 27 that was last received from the on-board unit 2, is within a predetermined distance from the registered location registered in the communication failure location information 14 (step S201). The predetermined distance here is, for example, 500m. Note that the predetermined distance is not limited to 500m and can be set arbitrarily.

[0069] If the controller 13 determines that the last location of the vehicle 20 it received is within a predetermined distance from the registered location (step S201, Yes), it registers that registered location as the vehicle 20's end location in the vehicle 20's operation information 15 (step S202). Then, the controller 13 moves the process to step S204.

[0070] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 terminates its operation at a pre-registered location where communication is impossible, the management device 1 can register that location as the termination location of the vehicle 20 in the vehicle 20's operation information 15, thereby enabling management of the vehicle 20's operation status.

[0071] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that the location of the last vehicle 20 it received is not within a predetermined distance from the registered location (step S201, No), it moves the process to step S203. In step S203, the controller 13 registers the location of the last vehicle 20 it received from the in-vehicle unit 2 as the vehicle 20's end-of-operation location in the vehicle 20's operation information 15. Then, the controller 13 moves the process to step S204.

[0072] In this way, even if the vehicle 20 ends its operation in a location where communication is impossible, the controller 13 registers the location closest to the end-of-operation location and where the last vehicle information 27 was received as the end-of-operation location of the vehicle 20 in the vehicle 20 operation information 15. This allows the management device 1 to manage the operation status of the vehicle 20.

[0073] Subsequently, the controller 13 determines whether or not it has received vehicle information 27 from the in-vehicle unit 2 (step S204). If the controller 13 determines in step S204 that it has not received vehicle information 27 (step S204, No), it moves the process to step S210.

[0074] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that it has received vehicle information 27 in step S204 (step S204, Yes), it makes a provisional determination that vehicle 20 has started operation (step S205). Then, the controller 13 registers the result of the provisional determination regarding the start of operation, that is, the fact that vehicle 20 has started operation, in the operation information 15 of vehicle 20 (step S206).

[0075] In this way, after the controller 13 provisionally determines that the vehicle 20 has ended its operation, if it receives vehicle information 27 from the on-board unit 2, it provisionally determines that the vehicle 20 has started operation and registers the provisional determination result in the vehicle 20's operation information 15. As a result, the management device 1 can manage the operation status of the vehicle 20 even if the vehicle 20 resumes operation in a location where communication by the on-board unit 2 is not possible.

[0076] Subsequently, the controller 13, after provisionally determining that the vehicle 20 has started operation, determines whether the location indicating the vehicle 20's position, as included in the vehicle information 27 first received from the on-board unit 2, is within a predetermined distance from the registered location registered in the communication failure location information 14 (step S207). Here, the predetermined distance is, for example, 500m. However, the predetermined distance is not limited to 500m and can be set arbitrarily.

[0077] The controller 13 determines that the location of the first vehicle 20 it received is within a predetermined distance from the registered location (step S207, Yes), and registers that registered location as the starting location of the vehicle 20's operation in the vehicle 20's operation information 15 (step S208). Then, the controller 13 moves the process to step S210.

[0078] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 starts operating at a pre-registered location where communication is impossible, the management device 1 can register that location as the starting location of the vehicle 20 in the vehicle 20's operation information 15, thereby enabling management of the vehicle 20's operating status.

[0079] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that the location of the first vehicle 20 it received is not within a predetermined distance from the registered location (step S207, No), it moves the process to step S209. In step S209, the controller 13 registers the location of the first vehicle 20 it received from the in-vehicle unit 2 as the vehicle 20's starting location in the vehicle 20's operation information 15. Then, the controller 13 moves the process to step S210.

[0080] In this way, even if the vehicle 20 starts operating in a location where communication is impossible, the controller 13 registers the location closest to the provisionally determined end-of-operation location, where the vehicle information 27 was first received, as the vehicle 20's start-of-operation location in the vehicle 20's operation information 15. This allows the management device 1 to manage the operating status of the vehicle 20.

[0081] In step S210, the controller 13 executes the final determination process after the preliminary determination. As shown in Figure 8, when the controller 13 starts the final determination process after the preliminary determination, it first requests the onboard unit 2 to transmit the vehicle information 27 at the end of the previous operation (step S301).

[0082] In other words, after the controller 13 has tentatively determined that the vehicle 20 has finished its operation, if it receives vehicle information 27 from the onboard unit 2, it requests the onboard unit 2 to transmit the vehicle information 27 stored in the onboard unit 2 at the time of the previous end of operation.

[0083] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 starts operating in a location where communication is impossible and the controller 13 cannot receive the vehicle information 27 from the time the previous operation ended at that point, when it receives the vehicle information 27 for the first time thereafter, it can request the vehicle information 27 from the onboard unit 2.

[0084] Subsequently, the controller 13 determines whether or not it has received vehicle information 27 from the in-vehicle unit 2 at the end of the previous operation (step S302). If the controller 13 determines in step S302 that it has not received vehicle information 27 (step S302, No), it terminates the final determination process after the preliminary determination.

[0085] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines in step S302 that it has received vehicle information 27 at the time of the end of the previous operation (step S302, Yes), it determines whether the received vehicle information 27 includes the time of the end of the previous operation (step S303). If the controller 13 determines that the received vehicle information 27 does not include the time of the end of the previous operation (step S303, No), it terminates the final determination process after the preliminary determination.

[0086] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that the received vehicle information 27 includes the time of the end of the previous operation (step S303, Yes), it determines that vehicle 20 has completed its previous operation (hereinafter referred to as "final determination"). Then, the controller 13 updates the result of the provisional determination regarding the end of vehicle 20's operation with the result of the final determination and registers it in the operation information 15 of vehicle 20 (step S304).

[0087] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 ends its operation in a location where communication is impossible, the management device 1 can manage the operation status by registering the vehicle information 27, which includes the exact time the operation ended and is stored in the onboard unit 2, into the vehicle's operation information 15.

[0088] Subsequently, after the controller 13 provisionally determines that the vehicle 20 has finished its operation, if it receives vehicle information 27 from the on-board unit 2, it requests the on-board unit 2 to transmit the vehicle information 27 stored in the on-board unit 2 at the time the current operation started (step S305).

[0089] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 starts operating in a location where communication is impossible and the controller 13 cannot receive the vehicle information 27 at the time of the start of operation at that time, the controller 13 can request the vehicle information 27 at the time of the start of operation from the onboard unit 2 when it first receives the vehicle information 27 thereafter.

[0090] Subsequently, the controller 13 determines whether or not it has received the vehicle information 27 at the start of the operation (step S306). If the controller 13 determines in step S306 that it has not received the vehicle information 27 (step S306, No), it terminates the final determination process after the preliminary determination.

[0091] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines in step S306 that it has received vehicle information 27 at the start of the current operation (step S306, Yes), it determines whether the received vehicle information 27 includes the start time of the current operation (step S307). If the controller 13 determines that the received vehicle information 27 does not include the start time of the current operation (step S307, No), it terminates the final determination process after the preliminary determination.

[0092] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that the received vehicle information 27 includes the start time of the current operation (step S307, Yes), it makes a final determination that vehicle 20 has started its operation. The controller 13 then updates the result of the provisional determination regarding the start of vehicle 20's operation with the result of the final determination and registers it in the operation information 15 of vehicle 20 (step S308), and ends the final determination process after the provisional determination.

[0093] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 starts operating in a location where communication is impossible, the management device 1 can manage the operating status by registering the vehicle information 27, which includes the exact start and end times of operation stored in the onboard unit 2, into the vehicle's operating information 15.

[0094] Furthermore, in parallel with the process shown in Figure 8, the controller 13 executes the final determination process after the preliminary determination shown in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, when the controller 13 starts the final determination process after the preliminary determination, it first determines whether or not it has received a notification of the end of operation from the terminal device 3 (step S401). Specifically, after the controller 13 makes a preliminary determination that the vehicle 20 has ended its operation, it determines whether or not it has received a notification of the end of operation from the terminal device 3 used by the driver 30 of the vehicle 20.

[0095] Then, if the controller 13 determines that it has not received a service termination notification from the terminal device 3 (step S401, No), it terminates the final determination process after the preliminary determination. If the controller 13 determines that it has received a service termination notification from the terminal device 3 (step S401, Yes), it makes a final determination that the vehicle 20 has completed its previous service. Then, the controller 13 updates the result of the preliminary determination regarding the service termination of the vehicle 20 with the result of the final determination and registers it in the service information 15 of the vehicle 20 (step S402).

[0096] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 ends its operation in a location where communication is impossible, the management device 1 can register the vehicle information 27 regarding the previous end of operation in the operation information 15 if the driver 30 of the vehicle 20 operates the terminal device 3 and sends an operation completion notification to the management device 1.

[0097] In other words, the controller 13 can register the fact that the previous operation had ended in the operation information 15 as soon as it receives the operation completion notification from the terminal device 3, without having to wait for the next operation to start and for the vehicle 20 to travel to a location where communication is possible and send the vehicle information 27 for the first time.

[0098] Subsequently, the controller 13 displays an input screen for information regarding the previous operation on the terminal device 3 (step S403). Then, the controller 13 receives the information regarding the previous operation entered on the input screen of the terminal device 3 from the terminal device 3 and registers it in the operation information 15 of the vehicle 20 (step S404).

[0099] As a result, the driver 30 of vehicle 20 can complete the registration of the operation information 15 for the previous trip by inputting information such as their physical condition, sleep duration, and whether or not they have been drinking, which should be registered in the operation information 15 shown in Figure 3, from the terminal device 3 and sending it to the management device 1.

[0100] Subsequently, the controller 13 determines whether or not it has received a notification to start operation from the terminal device 3 (step S405). If the controller 13 determines that it has not received a notification to start operation (step S405, No), it terminates the final determination process after the preliminary determination.

[0101] Furthermore, if the controller 13 determines that it has received a notification of the start of operation (step S405, Yes), it makes a final determination that the vehicle 20 has started its operation. The controller 13 then updates the result of the provisional determination regarding the start of operation of the vehicle 20 with the result of the final determination and registers it in the operation information 15 of the vehicle 20 (step S406), and ends the final determination process after the provisional determination.

[0102] As a result, even if the vehicle 20 starts operating in a location where communication is impossible, the management device 1 can manage the operating status by registering vehicle information 27, including the exact start time of operation received from the terminal device 3, into the vehicle 20's operating information 15.

[0103] The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and various modifications are possible. For example, if the in-vehicle device 2 detects that communication with the management device 1 has changed from being possible to being impossible, and if communication is impossible at the end of operation, it stores the vehicle information 27 for the period during which communication was impossible in the storage unit 22 until the next startup.

[0104] The vehicle information 27 stored at this time includes information such as the vehicle's location during the period when communication was impossible, the end time of operation, and the location where operation ended. Then, when the onboard unit 2 becomes able to communicate with the management device 1 after the next startup, it automatically transmits the vehicle information 27 that could not be transmitted to the management device 1 during the previous operation, which was stored in the memory unit 22, to the management device 1.

[0105] When the management device 1 receives vehicle information 27 from the on-board unit 2, which has become able to communicate, it determines that the vehicle 20 has completed its previous run and updates the operation information 15 regarding the completion of the previous run by storing the vehicle information 27 received from the on-board unit 2 in the storage unit 12.

[0106] Furthermore, if communication is not possible at the next startup, the on-board unit 2 stores vehicle information 27 from startup until communication becomes possible in the storage unit 22. Then, when communication becomes possible, the on-board unit 2 automatically transmits to the management device 1 the vehicle information 27 from startup until communication becomes possible that was stored in the storage unit 22 and could not be transmitted to the management device 1 during the current operation.

[0107] When the management device 1 receives vehicle information 27 from the on-board unit 2, which has become able to communicate, it determines that the vehicle 20 has started the operation for the time being, and updates the operation information 15 regarding the start of the operation for the time being by storing the vehicle information 27 received from the on-board unit 2 in the storage unit 12.

[0108] As a result, the management device 1 can omit the process of "requesting the on-board unit 2 to transmit vehicle information 27 at the end of the previous operation (step S301)" and "requesting the on-board unit 2 to transmit vehicle information 27 at the start of the current operation (step S305)".

[0109] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Therefore, broader aspects of the present invention are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 1 Management device 2 Onboard equipment 3 Terminal devices 10 Management Systems 11 Communications Department 12 Storage section 13 Controllers 14 Unable to communicate location information 15. Service Information 16 Display section 17 Control section 20 vehicles 21 Communications Department 22 Memory section 23 Controllers 24 cameras 26 Display operation section 27 Vehicle Information 30 Driver 31 Communications Department 32 Display operation section 33 Controllers 100 Communication Networks

Claims

1. The control system that manages the operation of the vehicle from start to finish is equipped with a controller. The aforementioned controller, The in-vehicle device periodically receives vehicle information and stores it in the memory unit. If a specified time has elapsed since the aforementioned vehicle information was received but no further vehicle information is received, it is determined that the vehicle has ceased operation. Management device.

2. The aforementioned controller, When it is determined that the vehicle has ended its operation, the location information indicating the location of the vehicle, which is included in the vehicle information last received from the onboard device, is stored in the storage unit as location information indicating the location where the vehicle's operation ended. The control device according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned controller, Location information indicating a place where communication by the in-vehicle device is not possible is registered in the storage unit in advance. The system determines whether the location information included in the vehicle information last received from the in-vehicle device is within a predetermined distance from the location indicated by the location information registered in the storage unit. If it is determined that the location is within the predetermined distance range, the location information registered in the storage unit will be set as the vehicle's end-of-operation location. The control device according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned controller, After determining that the vehicle has ended its operation, if the vehicle information is received from the on-board unit, it is determined that the vehicle has started operation. The control device according to claim 1.

5. The aforementioned controller, After determining that the vehicle has ended its operation, the location information included in the vehicle information first received from the on-board unit is set as the vehicle's starting position. The control device according to claim 4.

6. The aforementioned controller, Location information indicating a place where communication by the in-vehicle device is not possible is registered in the storage unit in advance. The system determines whether the location information included in the vehicle information received from the in-vehicle unit is within a predetermined distance from the location indicated by the location information registered in the storage unit. If it is determined that the location is within the predetermined distance range, the location information registered in the storage unit will be set as the starting position of the vehicle's operation. The control device according to claim 4.

7. The aforementioned controller, If the system receives vehicle information from the onboard unit of a vehicle that has started operating after it has been determined that the aforementioned vehicle has ended its operation, the system requests the onboard unit to transmit the vehicle information stored in the onboard unit at the time of the previous end of operation. The control device according to claim 1.

8. The aforementioned controller, If the vehicle information received from the in-vehicle device includes the end time of the previous operation, the end time of the previous operation is updated to the said end time. The control device according to claim 7.

9. The aforementioned controller, If the system receives vehicle information from the onboard unit of a vehicle that has started operation after it has been determined that the aforementioned vehicle has ended its operation, the system requests the onboard unit to transmit the vehicle information stored in the onboard unit at the time the current operation started. The control device according to claim 8.

10. The aforementioned controller, If the vehicle information received from the in-vehicle unit at the time of the start of the current operation includes the start time of the current operation, it is determined that the vehicle has started the current operation, and the result of the determination regarding the start of operation is updated to the result that the vehicle has started the current operation and stored in the storage unit. The control device according to claim 9.

11. The aforementioned controller, If, after determining that the vehicle has ended its operation, a notification of the end of operation is received from a terminal device used by the driver of the vehicle, the determination result is updated. The control device according to claim 1.

12. The aforementioned controller, The terminal device displays an input screen for information regarding the previous trip, and the terminal device receives the information regarding the previous trip entered on the input screen by the driver and stores it in the storage unit. The control device according to claim 11.

13. The aforementioned controller, After determining that the vehicle has ended its operation, if a notification of the start of operation is received from a terminal device used by the vehicle's driver, it is determined that the vehicle has started its operation, and the result of the determination regarding the start of operation is updated and stored in the storage unit. The control device according to claim 1.

14. An in-vehicle device that periodically transmits vehicle information regarding the vehicle's operating status, A control device equipped with a controller that manages the operation of the aforementioned vehicle from start to finish, Includes, The aforementioned controller, The vehicle information transmitted periodically from the vehicle is received and stored in the storage unit as vehicle operation information. If a specified time has elapsed since the aforementioned vehicle information was received but no further vehicle information is received, it is determined that the vehicle has ceased operation. Management system.

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