Door control method, door control system, management server, user terminal, and in-vehicle device

Abstract

The vehicle doors can be easily unlocked and locked using an electronic key installed inside the vehicle. [Solution] In the door control system 1, an NFC tag 90 on which a vehicle ID that identifies the vehicle 99 is recorded is attached to the vehicle. By holding a user terminal 70 equipped with an NFC reader function over the NFC tag 90, the vehicle ID is read. If a reservation has been made for the vehicle 99 with this vehicle ID using the user ID, an unlock / lock signal is sent to an in-vehicle unit 10 located inside the vehicle 99, allowing the user to press the open / close button on the electronic key 22 to unlock / lock the vehicle door. In the first embodiment, the reservation is confirmed in two stages by the user terminal 70 and the management server 50, and based on the unlock / lock request from the user terminal 70, the management server 50 sends an unlock / lock signal to the in-vehicle unit 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a door control method, a door control system, a management server, a user terminal, and an in-vehicle device, and relates to unlocking / locking of a vehicle door, for example, in a service where a plurality of users jointly use a vehicle such as a car-sharing service.

Background Art

[0002] An electronic key for automatically unlocking / locking a vehicle door is widely used. On the other hand, services such as car-sharing and car rental where one vehicle is jointly used are becoming widespread. In this car-sharing and car rental service, since all users cannot individually own an electronic key, it is necessary to enable unlocking and locking of the vehicle by any plurality of users. For example, an electronic key and an actuator for pressing a button of the electronic key are arranged inside the vehicle, and the actuator is driven according to an opening / closing instruction from a mobile terminal of a user using the vehicle to unlock / lock the door.

[0003] On the other hand, in Patent Document 1, a card reader for short-range wireless communication (vehicle unlocking sensor) is attached to the inside of a vehicle window, and a technology for unlocking / locking a shared car by holding an authentication ID card issued to a registered member over the card reader has been proposed. However, in the case of the technology described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to issue an ID card for using the vehicle to a registered member, and if this ID card is lost or stolen, the vehicle may be misused. In addition, it is necessary to attach a card reader to the inside of the vehicle, and connections and settings for instructing unlocking and locking of the door by this card reader are required for each vehicle, resulting in high costs for the device (card reader) and the installation cost of the device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-182657 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The present invention aims to simplify the unlocking / locking control of vehicle doors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a door control method for a vehicle that includes an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle used by multiple users, a management server that processes vehicle reservations, and user terminals for users who use the reserved vehicle, and a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals. A user registration step involves registering the user's terminal between the user and the management server, and determining the user's user ID. The reservation step involves using the aforementioned user ID to make a reservation for the vehicle identified by the vehicle ID, A vehicle identification information acquisition step to obtain vehicle identification information to identify the vehicle, A reservation condition determination step that determines whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission step is to transmit an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle device installed in the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information, A signal transmission step in which the in-vehicle unit transmits an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when it receives an unlock / lock instruction, This provides a door control method that controls the unlocking and locking of vehicle doors. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the vehicle ID of a vehicle identified by vehicle identification information and whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the user ID are determined, and if the reservation conditions are met, a lock / unlock instruction is sent to the in-vehicle unit installed in the vehicle identified in the vehicle type status, and the in-vehicle unit that receives this instruction sends an unlock / lock signal to the door opening and closing mechanism, thereby enabling easy unlocking / locking control of the vehicle doors using an electronic key installed in the vehicle. Furthermore, since there is no need to install a card reader inside the vehicle, equipment costs and wiring costs can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration and operation overview of the door control system in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle device. [Figure 3] This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the management server. [Figure 4] This is an explanatory diagram that conceptually represents the contents of the reservation information. [Figure 5] This is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of a user terminal. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart of the first embodiment illustrating the operation of each part in the door control system. [Figure 7] This is an explanatory diagram showing the overall configuration and operation overview of the door control system in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart of the second embodiment illustrating the operation of each part in the door control system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the door control method, door control system, management server, user terminal, and in-vehicle device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 8. In the embodiments described below, the door control system will be described using a vehicle used by multiple users in a car-sharing service as the target of door control, but it can also be applied to rental cars, company cars, etc. (1) Overview of the first embodiment In the door control system 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, the doors of the vehicle 99 are unlocked / locked by a management server 50, a user terminal 70, an in-vehicle device 10, and an NFC tag 90 that functions as vehicle identification information. In other words, an NFC tag 90 on which a vehicle ID identifying the vehicle 99 is recorded is attached to the vehicle, and by holding a user terminal 70 equipped with an NFC reader function over the NFC tag 90, the vehicle ID is read, and if a reservation has been made for vehicle 99 with this vehicle ID using the user ID, an unlock / lock signal is sent to the in-vehicle unit 10 located inside the vehicle 99, which allows the user to press the open / close button on the electronic key 22 to unlock / lock the vehicle door. In the first embodiment, reservation confirmation is performed in two stages by the user terminal 70 and the management server 50, and based on the unlock / lock request from the user terminal 70, the management server 50 sends an unlock / lock signal to the in-vehicle unit 10.

[0010] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the vehicle doors are unlocked / locked according to the following steps (a) to (d). As a prerequisite for unlocking / locking the vehicle doors by the door control system 1, it is assumed that the user using the vehicle (a car-sharing or rental car user) has registered with the management server 50 and reserved the vehicle they will be using. (a) The user terminal 70 obtains the vehicle ID transmitted from the NFC tag 90 when the user holds it over the NFC tag 90. (b) The user terminal 70 sends the acquired vehicle ID and user ID to the management server 50 to inquire about the reservation information of the corresponding vehicle 99 and to request unlocking / locking. (c) The management server 50 checks from the reservation information whether a reservation has been made for the vehicle with the received vehicle ID by the user ID. If a reservation has been made, it instructs the in-vehicle device 10 installed in the vehicle to unlock / lock. (d) In the in-vehicle device 10, the actuator 21 is driven based on the instruction from the management server 50 to press the lock button / unlock button of the electronic key 22. As a result, an unlock signal / lock signal is transmitted from the electronic key 22 to the vehicle-side device 80, and the vehicle-side device 80 unlocks / locks the vehicle door. In this way, the user can unlock / lock the vehicle door simply by holding the user terminal 70 such as a smartphone equipped with an NFC function over the NFC tag 90 attached to the vehicle.

[0011] (2) Details of the First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows the overall functional configuration of the door control system 1 to which this embodiment is applied. The door control system 1 of this embodiment is a system for a vehicle 99 that is the subject of car-sharing in which a plurality of registered users jointly use the vehicle 99. The door control system 1 includes an in-vehicle device 10, a management server 50, a user terminal 70, a vehicle-side device 80, and an NFC tag 90.

[0012] Among the components of the door control system 1, the in-vehicle device 10, the vehicle-side device 80, and the NFC tag 90 are arranged inside the vehicle 99. That is, the in-vehicle device 10, the vehicle-side device 80, and the NFC tag 90 are arranged inside each vehicle 99 that is the subject of car-sharing. The in-vehicle device 10 is disposed in the dashboard, below it, in the glove box, under the passenger seat, etc. The vehicle-side device 80 is disposed at a predetermined position as a facility provided in the vehicle 99.

[0013] The NFC tag 90 is attached from the inside of the vehicle 99 to a predetermined location, for example, on the window on the driver's side. The NFC tag 90 stores a vehicle ID for identifying the vehicle 99 to which the tag is attached. The vehicle ID stored in the NFC tag 90 functions as vehicle identification information to identify the vehicle (the same applies to the second embodiment). The NFC tag 90 operates using power from the magnetic field generated by the user terminal 70, which is equipped with NFC functionality, when the user terminal 70 is held over it, and transmits the vehicle ID to the user terminal 70 upon request from the user terminal 70.

[0014] The user terminal 70 is used both inside and outside the vehicle 99, while the management server 50 is located outside the vehicle 99. The user terminal 70 is a terminal device such as a smartphone or tablet owned / registered by a user who uses the vehicle 99 through car sharing, and is equipped with NFC functionality that enables communication with the NFC tag 90. The management server 50 is a server that can communicate with the in-vehicle unit 10 and the user terminal 70. It performs user registration processing and vehicle reservation processing with the user terminal 70, and also issues locking and unlocking instructions with the in-vehicle unit 10. Details regarding the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 will be described later.

[0015] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the in-vehicle unit 10. As shown in Figure 2, the in-vehicle unit 10 includes an electronic key control unit 20 and a control unit 30, which control the locking and unlocking by the vehicle-side device 80, and also read the door signal output from the vehicle-side device 80. The electronic key control unit 20 is housed in a housing (not shown) and controls the operation of the electronic key 22, which is also located inside the housing. In other words, the electronic key control unit 20 has actuators 21 (a drive motor and a pusher) that physically press the lock button and the unlock button of the electronic key 22, respectively. Although the control unit 30 and the electronic key control unit 20 of the in-vehicle unit 10 are located at different positions in the vehicle 99, they may be housed in the same enclosure and their control systems may be formed on the same circuit board.

[0016] The electronic key 22 is equipped with an unlock button for unlocking the doors of the vehicle 99 and a lock button for locking them. When either button is pressed, it transmits a lock signal or an unlock signal to the vehicle-side device 80 corresponding to the pressed button. In addition, the electronic key 22 transmits and receives various signals, such as an authentication key for authentication processing, to and from the vehicle-side device 80 when a user boarding the vehicle 99 starts the engine.

[0017] The actuator 21 is equipped with a pressing mechanism that presses the unlock and lock buttons of the electronic key 22 at positions corresponding to those buttons. The pressing mechanism is implemented by a drive motor, solenoid, plunger, etc. (not shown). The actuator 21 presses the unlock button or lock button on the electronic key 22, corresponding to the button press instruction (lock instruction, unlock instruction) issued by the control unit 30.

[0018] The control unit 30 is composed of a computer system comprising a CPU 31, ROM 32, RAM 33, communication control unit 34, storage unit 35, and IF unit 36. The CPU 31 is a central processing unit that executes an electronic key control program 351 stored in the memory unit 35, thereby performing open / close control processing to unlock / lock the doors of the vehicle 99 via the electronic key control unit 20. ROM32 is a read-only memory that stores the basic programs and parameters necessary for the CPU31 to operate. RAM33 is a read / write memory that functions as working memory when the CPU31 performs various processes.

[0019] The communication control unit 34 controls communication between the electronic key control unit 20 and the management server 50. In this embodiment, the communication control unit 34 is wirelessly connected to the electronic key control unit 20 by short-range wireless communication, but since both the control unit 30 and the electronic key control unit 20 are located inside the vehicle 99, they may also be connected by wire. The communication control unit 34 transmits a button press instruction (lock instruction, unlock instruction) signal to the electronic key control unit 20. The communication control unit 34 is connected to the management server 50 via a communication line such as the Internet, and transmits door status indicating the unlocked / locked state of the door to the management server 50, and receives unlock / lock instructions from the management server 50.

[0020] The memory unit 35 stores various programs and information, such as the electronic key control program 351, the vehicle ID 352, and the status determination information 353. The storage medium used in the memory unit 35 mainly includes semiconductor storage media such as SSDs (Solid State Drives), memory chips, and IC cards, as well as various other storage media such as hard disks. In this embodiment, the electronic key control program 351 and the vehicle ID 352 are stored in the memory unit 35, but it is also possible to store all or part of them in the ROM 32. When storing the vehicle ID 352 and the status determination information 353 from the items stored in the memory unit 35 in the ROM 32, a writable PROM (Programmable ROM) such as flash memory is used.

[0021] The electronic key control program 351 is executed by the CPU 31 and is a program for unlocking / locking the doors of the vehicle 99. Vehicle ID 352 is an identification number used to identify the vehicle 99 on which the in-vehicle device 10 is installed, and is the same identification number as the vehicle ID stored in the NFC tag 90.

[0022] The status determination information 353 stores determination information (parameters) for determining the door status, i.e., the unlocked / locked state of the door, from the door signals (H signal, L signal, etc.) read via the vehicle signal line 37. The vehicle-side device 80 has a predetermined door signal to output for each vehicle type 99, corresponding to the unlocked / locked state of the door. For example, it is determined that a High signal (hereinafter referred to as H signal) is output when the door is unlocked, and a Low signal (hereinafter referred to as L signal) is output when the door is locked. The status determination information 353 stores determination information that shows the relationship between the door signal (H signal, L signal, etc.) read from the vehicle signal line 37 and the unlocked / locked state of the door.

[0023] The door status (unlocked / locked state) determined according to this status determination information 353 is provided to the management server 50 and the user terminal 70. This allows users to know the door's status, such as whether it is locked, after operating the door. For example, a user can recognize that the door is unlocked and take action such as closing and re-locking the door, thereby ensuring security and preventing theft. Furthermore, since the door status is also transmitted to the management server 50, even if the user does not notice the notification that the door is unlocked, or if they notice it but forget to take action such as locking it again, the system can remotely control the door, announce the unlocked status to the user, or have maintenance personnel dispatched for emergency maintenance to lock the door, thereby further reducing the risk of theft.

[0024] The IF unit 36 ​​is connected to the vehicle-side device 80 by a vehicle signal line 37. This vehicle signal line 37 is electrically branched from a signal line provided in the vehicle-side device 80 of the vehicle 99 and connected to the IF unit 36. The IF unit 36 ​​is an interface for reading door signals (H signal, L signal, etc.) output from the vehicle-side device 80 via the vehicle signal line 37. The door status (unlocked / locked state of the door) is determined from the door signal read by the IF unit 36.

[0025] Next, we will describe the configuration of the management server 50. The management server 50 stores information on all 99 vehicles that are subject to car sharing, information on registered users, and reservation information for each vehicle 99 made by registered users. Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the management server 50. As shown in Figure 3, the management server 50 is composed of a computer system equipped with a CPU 51, ROM 52, RAM 53, communication control unit 54, and storage unit 55. Since the management server 50 is configured as a computer system, similar to the control unit 30 described in Figure 2, and its corresponding parts function similarly, explanations of identical functional parts will be omitted as appropriate, and the explanation will focus on the different functional parts.

[0026] The communication control unit 54 of the management server 50 connects to the user terminal 70 and the in-vehicle device 10 via a communication network such as the Internet, and is configured to send and receive various types of data. The communication control unit 54 transmits and receives data with the user terminal 70 for various processes such as user registration, reservations, and inquiries. Furthermore, the communication control unit 54 receives the vehicle ID and door status (door unlocked / locked status) from the in-vehicle unit 10, and transmits unlock / lock instructions.

[0027] The storage unit 55 stores various programs and data, such as the management program 551, user information 552, and reservation information 553. The storage unit 55 of the management server 50 uses a large-capacity storage medium such as a hard disk or SSD. Management program 551 is a program that handles user registration, vehicle reservations, inquiries, etc. User information 552 stores information obtained from the user during the registration process for receiving the car-sharing service, such as the user's name, age, address, telephone number, payment method for usage fees, and payment account. This information is managed by a user ID set on the management server 50 during registration to identify the user. The user ID is transmitted from the management server 50 to the user terminal 70 that performed the registration process during user registration and is stored on the user terminal 70.

[0028] Reservation information 553 stores the reservation status for each of the 99 vehicles, of which there are multiple units. Figure 4 conceptually represents the reservation status information stored in reservation information 553. As shown in Figure 4, the reservation information 553 stores the vehicle ID, user ID, reservation time, and vehicle status, and is registered each time a registered user makes a reservation to use vehicle 99. The vehicle ID is an identification number assigned to each vehicle 99 that is subject to the service (car-sharing service) according to this embodiment, and is the same as the identification number stored in the NFC tag 90 attached to the vehicle 99. Each piece of reservation information 553 is managed using this vehicle ID. The User ID is a user identification number assigned by the management server 50 when a user registers to receive the car-sharing service. It is the same number as User ID 752 stored in the user terminal 70, which will be described later. The reservation time is recorded as the usage period for the vehicle 99 reserved by the user, specifically the start date and time of use and the end date and time of use.

[0029] The vehicle status is recorded, including the door status (unlocked / locked) and rental status (rented out / waiting to be rented) of the reserved vehicle 99. This rental status information (rented out and waiting to be rented) is updated so that when the user unlocks the door of vehicle 99 with the vehicle ID in question after the reservation time (start date and time of use), it becomes rented out, and before that time it is waiting to be rented out. On the other hand, the door status is updated by the door status (unlocked / locked) transmitted from the in-vehicle unit 10.

[0030] Next, we will describe the configuration of the user terminal 70. The user terminal 70 is a portable terminal owned by a user who uses a vehicle 99 that is subject to car sharing. In this embodiment, the user terminal 70 is a smartphone, but other devices such as mobile phones, personal computers, tablet computers, and wearable computers can also be used.

[0031] Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the user terminal 70. As shown in Figure 5, the user terminal 70 is composed of a computer system equipped with a CPU 71, ROM 72, RAM 73, communication control unit 74, storage unit 75, input / output unit 76, NFC control unit 77, and NFC antenna 78. Since the user terminal 70 is configured as a computer system, similar to the control unit 30 and management server 50 described in Figures 2 and 3, and the corresponding parts function similarly, explanations of identical functional parts will be omitted as appropriate, and the explanation will focus on the different functional parts.

[0032] The communication control unit 74 of the user terminal 70 is connected to the management server 50 via a communication line such as the Internet, and various information is sent and received between it and the management server 50 via the car usage application 751.

[0033] The memory unit 75 uses a large-capacity storage medium such as a hard disk or SSD, and stores various programs and information such as the car usage application 751, user ID 752, and reservation information 753. The vehicle usage application 751 is a program that performs user registration, reservation processing for vehicle 99, and vehicle usage processing for using vehicle 99, etc., in communication with the management server 50. The vehicle usage application 751 can also be composed of separate programs (applications) for each of the processes such as user registration, reservation processing, and vehicle usage processing.

[0034] The user registration process involves registering a member with the management server 50. Various user information such as the user's address, name, password, and payment method is transmitted from the user terminal 70 and stored in the management server 50. At the same time, the user ID set by the management server 50 is received and stored in the storage unit 75 as user ID 752. The reservation process involves identifying the user ID and making a reservation for the use of vehicle 99. This process includes the user specifying the vehicle 99 to be used (the user or the management server 50 does this), the user setting the reservation time (start date and time and end date and time), and receiving the reservation information sent from the management server 50 after the reservation is completed and saving it to the reservation information 753. The reservation information received from the management server 50 during the reservation process includes the vehicle ID, license plate information (vehicle registration number plate, vehicle number plate), reservation time, vehicle type of vehicle 99, and location. In the vehicle usage process, which is the process for actually using the reserved vehicle 99, the user holds the user terminal 70 over the NFC tag 90, and the vehicle ID of the vehicle 99 read from the NFC tag 90 by the NFC control unit 77 and NFC antenna 78 is temporarily stored in RAM 73, and the reservation of the vehicle 99 with that vehicle ID is confirmed within the device, and a reservation confirmation request and a request to unlock / lock the doors of the vehicle 99 are sent to the management server 50.

[0035] The input / output unit 76 includes an input unit such as a touch panel and an output unit such as a liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal display on the output unit displays various information and icons related to the various functions of the user terminal 70 and the various processes performed by those functions. The input touch panel is located at the top of the LCD display and processes input such as a software keyboard and icons displayed on the LCD display in response to the user's touch. The input unit is used in various situations, such as entering various user information required for user registration or making reservations for vehicle 99.

[0036] The NFC control unit 77 controls bidirectional short-range wireless communication with the NFC tag 90 using the 13.56 MHz frequency band via the NFC antenna 78. The NFC control unit 77 supplies power to the NFC tag 90 by outputting electromagnetic waves from the NFC antenna 78, and also obtains the vehicle ID transmitted from the NFC tag 90 using that power. The vehicle ID obtained from the NFC tag 90 is temporarily stored in the RAM 73 by the CPU 71.

[0037] The vehicle-side device 80 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is a device provided by the vehicle 99 that corresponds to various functions of the electronic key 22, and although not shown, it includes a communication unit with the electronic key 22, a vehicle door control mechanism, and the like. The communication unit receives locking and unlocking signals transmitted from the electronic key 22, and the vehicle door control mechanism locks and unlocks the doors of the vehicle 99 according to the received signals. The vehicle door control mechanism outputs door signals (H signal, L signal, etc.) corresponding to unlocking / locking the doors to the vehicle body. These door signals are status signals, and H / L signals are constantly output in response to unlocking / locking. The vehicle-side device 80 is connected to the IF unit 36 ​​of the on-board unit 10 by the vehicle signal line 37, and the on-board unit 10 is able to read door signals at all times via the vehicle signal line 37.

[0038] Next, we will explain the process of unlocking / locking the doors when a user uses the reserved vehicle 99 using the user terminal 70. It should be assumed that the user has already registered the user terminal 70. That is, upon user registration, the user ID is stored in the storage unit 75 of the user terminal 70, and the user information 552 corresponding to the user ID is stored in the storage unit 55 of the management server 50.

[0039] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of each part of the door control system 1 in the first embodiment. The processes described below, including the second embodiment described later, are performed by the CPU 71 of the user terminal 70 executing the car usage application 751, the CPU 51 of the management server 50 executing the management program 551, and the CPU 31 of the in-vehicle device 10 executing the electronic key control program 351.

[0040] First, reservation processing is performed between the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 (step 71, step 51). In other words, the user accesses the management server 50 from the user terminal 70 using their own user ID and specifies the vehicle 99 to be used and the reservation time (start date and time and end date and time of use). The management server 50 determines whether the designated vehicle 99 is available at the reserved time. If it is available, it sends the reservation information (vehicle ID, reservation time, etc.), excluding the user ID, to the user terminal 70, and saves the user ID and reservation time in the vehicle ID field of the reservation information 553. Meanwhile, the user terminal 70 receives reservation information transmitted from the management server 50 and stores it in the reservation information 753 of the storage unit 75.

[0041] With the reservation complete, the user moves to the reserved vehicle 99 and holds the NFC antenna 78 of the user terminal 70 over the NFC tag 90 attached to the vehicle 99 (step 72). As a result, electromagnetic waves are output from the NFC control unit 77 via the NFC antenna 78, the NFC tag 90 operates by receiving power from the electromagnetic waves, and communication between the NFC control unit 77 and the NFC tag 90 becomes possible.

[0042] Subsequently, the NFC control unit 77 requests the vehicle ID and obtains the vehicle ID (which functions as vehicle identification information) output from the NFC tag 90 (step 73). The CPU 71 temporarily stores the obtained vehicle ID in RAM 73. Next, CPU 71 determines whether the reserved conditions are met (step 74). Here, the conditions for a reservation are defined as: a reservation exists that matches the user ID and vehicle ID, and it is within the reservation time (between the start date and time of use and the end date and time of use). The CPU 71 determines that the user ID of the user terminal 70 is met, and that the reservation information for the vehicle ID stored in RAM 73 exists in the reservation information 753 of the storage unit 75, and whether the current reservation time is within the reservation period (from the start date and time of use to the end date and time of use).

[0043] If no reservation information exists for the vehicle ID, or if reservation information exists but the reservation time is outside the reservation period, CPU 71 determines that the reservation condition is not met (step 74; N) and terminates the process. In this way, by having the user terminal 70 determine whether or not reservation information that satisfies the reserved conditions exists in the storage unit 75, unnecessary access to the management server 50 can be reduced, thereby easing the burden on the management server 50. However, since the management server 50 also checks for reserved conditions, the check in step 74 can be omitted. On the other hand, if the reservation conditions are met (step 74; Y), the CPU 71 sends the vehicle ID stored in RAM 73 and the user ID 752 stored in memory unit 75 to the management server 50 to request reservation information and also sends an unlock / lock request to the management server 50 (step 75).

[0044] When the management server 50 receives a vehicle ID and user ID from the user terminal 70 and requests a reservation information inquiry, the CPU 51 queries the reservation information 553 in the storage unit 55 using the received vehicle ID and user ID (step 52). The CPU 51 then determines whether or not there is reservation information that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the queried vehicle ID and user ID (step 53). Specifically, the CPU 51 determines whether or not there is reservation information in the reservation information 553 for vehicle 99 with the received vehicle ID by the user with the user ID, and whether or not the current date and time is within the reservation time (between the start time and end time of use).

[0045] If reservation information for the vehicle ID and user ID does not exist, or if reservation information exists but it is outside the reserved time, the CPU 51 determines that the reserved condition is not met (step 53; N), sends a non-reservation message to the user terminal 70 (step 54), and terminates processing of the reservation information inquiry request (step 52).

[0046] The user terminal 70 determines whether the transmission from the management server 50 is not scheduled (step 76), and if it is not scheduled (step 76; Y), it terminates the process. If the determination in steps 74 and 76 indicates that there is no reservation, the CPU 71 may, before terminating the process, display a message indicating that there is no reservation, such as "No reservation made, or it is outside the reservation time," on the liquid crystal display device of the input / output unit 76, and then terminate the process. In this case, the process will terminate after a predetermined time has elapsed since the display indicating no reservation, or when the user touches the confirmation button. This is the same in the case of the second embodiment described later.

[0047] Meanwhile, if the CPU 51 of the management server 50 determines that the reserved conditions are met (step 53; Y), it requests the vehicle door status from the in-vehicle device 10 in order to determine whether the operation on the vehicle's doors is unlocking or locking (step 55).

[0048] When the management server 50 requests the door status from the in-vehicle unit 10, it reads the door status of the vehicle 99 (step 11). Specifically, the CPU 31 of the in-vehicle unit 10 acquires door signals (H signal, L signal, etc.) output from the vehicle-side device 80 from the vehicle signal line 37, and reads the door status (unlocked / locked) corresponding to the acquired door signal from the status determination information 353. The CPU 31 then sends the read door status to the management server 50 (step 12).

[0049] When the management server 50 receives the door status requested in step 55 from the in-vehicle unit 10, the CPU 51 selects an instruction corresponding to the door status and sends it to the in-vehicle unit 10 (step 56). In other words, the CPU 51 selects an unlock command and sends it to the in-vehicle unit 10 if the received door status is locked, and selects a lock command and sends it to the in-vehicle unit 10 if the door status is unlocked.

[0050] When the in-vehicle unit 10 receives instructions (unlock / lock) from the management server 50, it operates the electronic key 22 to output a lock signal / unlock signal (step 13). In other words, when the in-vehicle unit 10 receives an unlock / lock instruction from the management server 50, the control unit 30 transmits the instruction to the electronic key control unit 20, which drives the actuator 21 corresponding to the unlock / lock instruction, pressing the lock / unlock button on the electronic key 22. As a result, a lock signal / unlock signal corresponding to the pressed button is output from the electronic key 22 to the vehicle-side device 80, and the doors of the vehicle 99 are unlocked / locked by operation on the vehicle-side device 80.

[0051] Subsequently, the in-vehicle unit 10 acquires door signals (H signal, L signal, etc.) output from the vehicle-side device 80 via the vehicle signal line 37, and reads the door status (unlocked / locked) corresponding to the acquired door signal from the status determination information 353 (step 14). The in-vehicle device 10 transmits the read door status (unlocked / locked) to the management server 50 (step 15), and terminates the process.

[0052] When the management server 50 receives a door status from the in-vehicle device 10, the CPU 51 updates the vehicle status of the reservation information 553 for the vehicle ID stored in the memory unit 55 to the received door status (unlocked / locked) (step 57). Furthermore, the CPU 51 of the management server 50 transmits the received door status (unlocked / locked) to the user terminal 70 (step 58).

[0053] If the management server 50 sends a door status, step 53 determines that the reserved condition is met, and therefore, the user terminal 70 does not receive a non-reserved message in step 54. Therefore, when the user terminal 70 receives the door status from the management server 50, it updates the door status display (step 77). In other words, the CPU 71 of the user terminal 70 updates the door status display shown on the liquid crystal display device of the input / output unit 76 to the received door status (unlocked / locked), and then terminates the process.

[0054] Next, a second embodiment of the door control system 1 will be described. (3) Overview of the second embodiment In the door control system 1 of the second embodiment, an NFC tag 90 on which a vehicle ID identifying the vehicle 99 is recorded is attached to the vehicle, and the vehicle ID is read by holding a user terminal 70 equipped with an NFC reader function over the NFC tag 90, and if a reservation has been made for the vehicle 99 with this vehicle ID using the user ID, an unlock / lock signal is sent to the in-vehicle unit 10 located inside the vehicle, and the vehicle door is unlocked / locked by pressing the open / close button on the electronic key, as in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, reservation confirmation is performed in two stages by the user terminal 70 and the management server 50, and the management server 50 sends an unlock / lock signal to the in-vehicle device 10 based on the unlock / lock request from the user terminal 70. In contrast, in the second embodiment, reservation confirmation is performed in two stages: by the user terminal 70 and the in-vehicle unit 10, and unlock / lock instructions are sent directly from the user terminal 70 to the in-vehicle unit 10.

[0055] Specifically, as shown in Figure 7, assuming that user registration and vehicle reservation have been completed, the vehicle doors will be unlocked / locked according to the following steps (a) to (d). In the second embodiment, the in-vehicle unit 10 of the vehicle 99 that has been reserved by the user has reservation information transmitted from the management server 50 at the time of reservation and is stored in it. (a) The user terminal 70 obtains the vehicle ID transmitted from the NFC tag 90 when the user holds it over the NFC tag 90. (b) As the first stage of reservation information inquiry, the user terminal 70 checks the reservation information of its own device to see whether a reservation has been made using a vehicle ID and user ID that match the acquired vehicle ID. (c) If a reservation has been made, the user terminal 70 connects with the in-vehicle unit 10 via BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) and transmits the user ID and the reservation information of its own device for the second stage of reservation information inquiry. Furthermore, the user terminal 70 sends unlock / lock requests directly to the in-vehicle unit 10, rather than to the management server 50. (d) The in-vehicle unit 10 checks for a match between the reservation information sent from the management server 50 when a vehicle is reserved and the reservation information sent from the user terminal 70 (reservation information inquiry). If they match, it drives the actuator 21 to press the lock / unlock button on the electronic key 22. This sends an unlock / lock signal from the electronic key 22 to the vehicle-side device 80, and the vehicle-side device 80 unlocks / locks the vehicle doors. Thus, in the second embodiment as well, the user can unlock / lock the vehicle doors simply by holding a user terminal 70, such as a smartphone equipped with NFC functionality, over the user terminal 70 attached to the vehicle.

[0056] (4) Details of the second embodiment Next, the configuration of the door control system 1 in the second embodiment will be described. As shown in Figure 7, the door control system 1 in the second embodiment includes an in-vehicle unit 10, a management server 50, a user terminal 70, a vehicle-side device 80, and an NFC tag 90, similar to the first embodiment. Since these configurations in the door control system 1 are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment, the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and the same reference numerals will be used for identical parts, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0057] In the in-vehicle device 10 in the second embodiment (see Figure 2), reservation information 354 (not shown) is stored in the memory unit 35. This reservation information 354 is transmitted from the management server 50 after the user accesses the management server 50 from the user terminal 70 and completes the reservation of the vehicle 99. The reservation information 354 is received by the communication control unit 34 and stored in the storage unit 35 by the CPU 31. The content stored in this reservation information 354 is the reservation information 753 stored in the storage unit 75 of the user terminal 70, with the user ID added. The communication control unit 34 of the in-vehicle unit 10 is further capable of establishing a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) connection with the user terminal 70.

[0058] In the second embodiment, the management server 50 (see Figure 3) transmits reservation information to the in-vehicle unit 10 of the vehicle 99 for which the reservation has been completed. Furthermore, the management server 50 receives the door status transmitted from the in-vehicle unit 10 and updates the reservation information 553, similar to the first embodiment, but it does not send requests for door status or unlock / lock instructions to the in-vehicle unit 10.

[0059] In the second embodiment, the communication control unit 74 of the user terminal 70 (see Figure 5) is capable of BLE communication with the in-vehicle unit 10, and transmits the user ID and reservation information, as well as unlock / lock instructions.

[0060] The vehicle-side device 80 in the second embodiment is the same as in the first embodiment. The NFC tag 90 in the second embodiment is the same as the NFC tag 90 in the first embodiment and is attached to the inside of the driver's side window of the vehicle 99.

[0061] Next, in the second embodiment, the process of unlocking / locking the doors when a user uses a reserved vehicle 99 using the user terminal 70 will be described. As with the first embodiment, it is assumed that the user has already registered the user terminal 70. Figure 8 is a flowchart of the second embodiment showing the operation of each part in the door control system 1. In addition, the operation of each part of the second embodiment will be described in detail, focusing on the differences, with the same step numbers assigned to the same operating points as in the first embodiment, and their explanations omitted as appropriate.

[0062] First, reservation processing is performed between the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 (step 71, step 51). After the reservation of the vehicle 99 specified by the user in this reservation process is completed, the management server 50 saves the reservation information (vehicle ID, user ID, reservation time, etc.) that was sent to the user terminal 70, plus the user ID, to its storage device (step 101).

[0063] With the reservation completed as described above, the user holds the user terminal 70 over the NFC tag 90 (step 72), and the NFC control unit 77 obtains the vehicle ID output from the NFC tag 90 and temporarily stores it in RAM 73 (step 73). Next, CPU 71 determines whether the reservation conditions are met (step 74). If there is no reservation information for the vehicle ID, or if reservation information exists but it is outside the reserved time, CPU 71 determines that the reservation conditions are not met (step 74; N) and terminates the process.

[0064] On the other hand, if the reservation conditions are met (step 74; Y), the CPU 71 sends the user ID 752 and reservation information 753 to the in-vehicle device 10 to request reservation information and to request unlocking / locking (step 75).

[0065] When the in-vehicle unit 10 receives the user ID and reservation information from the user terminal 70 (reservation information inquiry), it checks against the reservation information of its own device (step 102). In other words, the in-vehicle device 10 queries the reservation information received from the management server 50 (step 101) against the user ID and reservation information received from the user terminal 70.

[0066] Then, the in-vehicle device 10 determines whether or not there is reservation information that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the received user ID and reservation information (step 103). In other words, the in-vehicle unit 10 determines whether a reservation exists for vehicle 99 with the vehicle ID in the reservation information received from the user terminal 70, and whether the current date and time is within the reservation period (between the start time and end time of use). In addition, as a reservation condition in this embodiment, the in-vehicle unit 10 also determines whether the user ID and reservation information received from the user terminal 70 match the reservation information received from the management server 50.

[0067] Thus, in the second embodiment, it is determined not only whether a reservation exists for vehicle 99 with a vehicle ID based on the user ID and whether the current date and time falls within the reservation time, but also whether the two reservation information pieces match. To make this determination, in step 75, the user terminal 70 transmits not only the user ID and vehicle ID, but also the entire reservation information 753 including the vehicle ID to the in-vehicle device 10. This is because, in the first embodiment, the management server 50 performs the second stage reservation information inquiry (the first stage is performed by the user terminal 70), whereas in the second embodiment, the in-vehicle device 10 does so. Furthermore, the reservation information 553 stored in the management server 50 (see Figures 3 and 4) is the original reservation information data, while the reservation information stored in the in-vehicle device 10 is a copy of the data received from the management server 50. Therefore, the in-vehicle unit 10, which checks against a copy of the reservation information data, also determines, as an additional reservation condition, that the reservation information on the user terminal 70 matches the reservation information on the in-vehicle unit 10.

[0068] If no reservation information exists for the vehicle ID and user ID, or if reservation information exists but it is outside the reserved time, the in-vehicle unit 10 determines that there is no reservation information (step 103; N), sends a message to the user terminal 70 indicating that there is no reservation (no reservation) (step 104), and terminates processing of the reservation information inquiry request (step 102).

[0069] In the user terminal 70, similar to the first embodiment, it is determined whether or not the transmission from the in-vehicle device 10 is not reserved (step 76), and if it is not reserved (step 76; Y), the process is terminated.

[0070] If the in-vehicle device 10 determines that there is a reservation (step 103; Y), it reads the door status of the vehicle 99 in order to determine whether the doors of the vehicle 99 are unlocked or locked (step 105). This reading of the door status is the same as in step 11 of the first embodiment. Unlike the first embodiment, in which the in-vehicle device 10 transmits the read door status to the management server 50, in the second embodiment, the device itself selects an instruction corresponding to the read door status (step 106). Then, the in-vehicle unit 10 operates the electronic key 22 according to the selected instruction (unlock / lock) depending on the door status to output a lock signal / unlock signal (step 107).

[0071] Subsequently, the in-vehicle unit 10 acquires door signals (H signals, L signals, etc.) output from the vehicle-side device 80 via the vehicle signal line 37, similar to the first embodiment, and reads the door state (unlocked / locked) corresponding to the acquired door signals from the state determination information 353 (step 108). The in-vehicle device 10 then transmits the read door status (unlocked / locked) to the management server 50, and in the second embodiment, it also transmits it to the user terminal 70 (step 109), and then terminates the process.

[0072] When the management server 50 receives the door status from the in-vehicle device 10, the CPU 51 updates the vehicle status of the reservation information 553 for the vehicle ID stored in the memory unit 55 to the received door status (unlocked / locked) (step 57), and then terminates the process. Furthermore, when the user terminal 70 receives the door status from the in-vehicle unit 10, it updates the door status display shown on the liquid crystal display device of the input / output unit 76 to the received door status (unlocked / locked) (step 77), and then terminates the process.

[0073] As described above, according to the door control system 1 of the first and second embodiments, an NFC tag 90 on which the vehicle ID is recorded is attached to the vehicle 99, and this is read by a user terminal 70 equipped with a card reader (NFC control unit 77, NFC antenna 78). Therefore, it is not necessary to place a card reader on all vehicles 99, and it is sufficient to simply attach the NFC tag 90, which significantly reduces equipment costs and installation costs. Furthermore, by attaching the NFC tag 90, which is powered and operated by electromagnetic waves from the user terminal 70, to the vehicle 99, the operating current required when a card reader is placed on the vehicle 99 is eliminated, and as a result, the battery consumption of the vehicle 99 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the doors of the vehicle 99 can be unlocked / locked simply by holding the user terminal 70 over the NFC tag 90, the user does not need to operate the user terminal 70 to unlock / lock the doors, making unlocking / locking even simpler.

[0074] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, in the second stage of reservation information inquiry, the management server 50 checks and confirms the reservation based on the original reservation information data and then sends an instruction to the in-vehicle device 10 to unlock / lock the door, thus preventing the door from being unlocked / locked to the wrong user or being performed fraudulently. In this second embodiment, instead of the original data, a copy of the reservation information data is used. However, when checking the reservation information, in addition to confirming the existence of the reservation information using the vehicle ID and user ID, it is also confirmed that the user ID and reservation information stored in the user terminal 70 match the reservation information (including the user ID) stored in the in-vehicle unit 10, thereby preventing incorrect unlocking / locking and unauthorized use.

[0075] Furthermore, in the second embodiment described above, when the user opens or closes the door of the vehicle 99, the unlocking / locking process of the vehicle 99's door is performed via BLE communication between the user terminal 70 and the in-vehicle unit 10. Therefore, the door can be reliably unlocked / locked regardless of whether or not there is internet coverage. Furthermore, because the communication is completed using short-range BLE, there is no time lag that would occur if internet communication were used.

[0076] Although embodiments and modifications of the door control system 1 of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to what has been described, and various modifications can be made within the scope of each claim. For example, in the embodiments described, the determination of reserved conditions was described in two stages: by the user terminal 70 and, in the first embodiment, by the management server 50, and in the second embodiment, by the in-vehicle device 10. However, it is also possible to omit the determination by the user terminal 70 (step 74) and only have the determination by the management server 50 (first embodiment) and the determination by the in-vehicle device 10 (second embodiment).

[0077] Although the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and their variations have been described, it is also possible to create a door control system 1 that combines both embodiments. In other words, the user terminal 70, management server 50, and in-vehicle unit 10 have configurations of both the first and second embodiments. For example, the in-vehicle unit 10 is configured according to the second embodiment, which includes reservation information 354 (not shown). Normally, the doors of the vehicle 99 are unlocked / locked according to the first embodiment, and if communication between the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 is not possible, the process proceeds to the second embodiment. In other words, in step 75 of the first embodiment, if the reservation information inquiry (step 75) cannot be performed due to reasons such as a communication failure with the management server 50, the CPU 71 of the user terminal 70 will instruct the in-vehicle device 10 to inquire about the reservation information and to unlock / lock the vehicle by performing the reservation information inquiry (step 75) in the second embodiment. This modification ensures that the door can be reliably unlocked and locked.

[0078] Furthermore, while the second embodiment and its modifications describe the use of BLE communication as the communication between the user terminal 70 and the in-vehicle unit 10, it is also possible to use other short-range wireless communication methods, such as Bluetooth® or Wi-Fi®.

[0079] Furthermore, in both embodiments and their modifications described, we explained a case in which, when identifying the vehicle 99 reserved by the user, the user terminal 70 obtains a vehicle ID from an NFC tag 90 attached to the window of the vehicle 99 as vehicle identification information to identify the vehicle 99, thereby performing individual identification of the vehicle 99. Alternatively, vehicle 99 may be identified using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), QR code (registered trademark), the license plate number of vehicle 99, or location information of vehicle 99. Additionally, two or more of the following may be used in combination to identify vehicle 99: NFC, RFID, license plate (vehicle registration number plate, vehicle identification number plate), QR code, and location information.

[0080] In this modified example, when using RFID, an RFID tag with a recorded vehicle ID is placed on the vehicle. If using a QR code, the QR code recorded by the vehicle ID shall be placed (affixed, etc.) on the inside or outside of the driver's side window of vehicle 99, or on the driver's side door.

[0081] When using license plates, the license plate number functions as the vehicle ID (vehicle identification information). Then, the user terminal 70 takes a picture of the license plate, recognizes the license plate number on the user terminal 70 and sends it to the management server 50 (or the in-vehicle unit 10), or sends the image of the captured license plate for recognition on the management server 50 (or the in-vehicle unit 10).

[0082] When using the location information of vehicle 99, the location information functions as vehicle identification information. Then, the management server 50 (or the in-vehicle device 10 to which the location information has been transmitted from the management server) stores the current location of the vehicle 99 identified by GPS or the like, and identifies the reserved vehicle 99 when the distance between this vehicle's current location and the location information of the user terminal 70 is within a predetermined distance Sm (for example, 1m, 3m, etc.).

[0083] Furthermore, in both embodiments and their variations described, the case where the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 are directly connected, that is, where the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 directly transmit and receive data, was described. Alternatively, the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 may be connected via a second server, such as a user terminal management server. In this case, the user terminal 70 and the management server 50 send and receive data to and from each other via the user terminal management server. The user terminal management server stores user information and reservation information on behalf of the management server 50, and provides user information and reservation information upon request from the management server 50 or the user terminal 70. In addition to the case where the management server 50 performs user registration and reservation processing, and the user terminal management server stores the user information and reservation information obtained through such processing, the user terminal management server may also perform user registration and reservation processing and store user information and reservation information on behalf of the management server 50.

[0084] Furthermore, in both embodiments and their variations described, the case in which the in-vehicle unit 10 and the management server 50 are connected via the Internet was explained. Alternatively, the in-vehicle unit 10 and the management server may be connected via a closed network. By connecting via a closed network, communication can be separated from the internet connection, ensuring security.

[0085] Based on the embodiments and variations described above, the door control system 1 can be configured as follows. (Configuration 1) A door control method for a vehicle comprising an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle used by multiple users, a management server that processes vehicle reservations, and user terminals for users who use the reserved vehicle, and a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, A user registration step involves registering the user's terminal between the user and the management server, and determining the user's user ID. The reservation step involves using the aforementioned user ID to make a reservation for the vehicle identified by the vehicle ID, A vehicle identification information acquisition step to obtain vehicle identification information to identify the vehicle, A reservation condition determination step that determines whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission step is to transmit an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle device installed in the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information, A signal transmission step in which the in-vehicle unit transmits an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when it receives an unlock / lock instruction, A door control method that controls the unlocking and locking of vehicle doors. (Configuration 2) A vehicle door control system comprising an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle used by multiple users, a management server that processes vehicle reservations, and user terminals for users who use the reserved vehicle, and equipped with a door opening and closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, The management server includes a user registration means for determining the user ID of a user and registering the user, and a reservation means for making a reservation for the use of a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID based on the user ID. The user terminal comprises a storage means for storing a user ID determined by the management server, a reservation means for making a reservation for the use of a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID using the stored user ID, and a vehicle identification information acquisition means for acquiring vehicle identification information that identifies the reserved vehicle. The in-vehicle unit includes an instruction receiving means for receiving unlock / lock instructions transmitted from the management server or the user terminal when a reservation is made that satisfies the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, and a signal transmitting means for transmitting an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when an unlock / lock instruction is received. A door control system characterized by the following features. (Configuration 3) The vehicle identification information to be acquired is at least one of the following: vehicle ID, RFID, vehicle license plate number, and vehicle location information, recorded on an NFC tag or QR code installed on the vehicle. The door control system according to configuration 2, characterized in that... (Configuration 4) The aforementioned reservation condition is defined as: that reservation information matching the user ID and vehicle ID exists, and that the reservation is made between the start date and time of use and the end date and time of use. A door control system according to configuration 2 or configuration 3, characterized by the above. (Configuration 5) A management server in the door control system described in Configuration 2, Configuration 3, or Configuration 4, A user registration means for determining the user ID of a user and registering the user, A reservation means for making a reservation to use a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID using the aforementioned user ID, A reservation information storage means that stores reservation information based on the vehicle ID and user ID reserved by the aforementioned reservation means, A receiving means for receiving vehicle identification information and user ID transmitted from a user terminal, A reservation condition determination means for determining whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID and user ID of the vehicle identified by the received vehicle identification information, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission means transmits an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle unit, A management server characterized by having the following features. (Configuration 6) A user terminal in the door control system described in Configuration 2, Configuration 3, or Configuration 4, A storage means for storing the user ID determined by the management server, A reservation means for making a reservation to use a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID using the stored user ID, A reservation information storage means that stores reservation information based on the vehicle ID and user ID reserved by the aforementioned reservation means, A means for obtaining vehicle identification information to identify a vehicle from a reserved vehicle, A vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the acquired vehicle identification information, and a reservation condition determination means for determining whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the user ID, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission means transmits an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle unit, A user terminal characterized by being equipped with the following features. (Configuration 7) An in-vehicle device in the door control system described in Configuration 2, Configuration 3, or Configuration 4, An instruction receiving means that receives an unlock / lock instruction transmitted from the management server or the user terminal when a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, A signal transmitting means that transmits an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when it receives the unlock / lock instruction, An in-vehicle device characterized by having the following features. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0086] 1. Door control system 10 Onboard equipment 20 Electronic Key Control Unit 21 Actuators 22 Electronic Key 30 Control Unit 31 CPU 32 ROM 33 RAM 34 Communication Control Unit 35 Storage section 36 IF section 37 Vehicle signal line 351 Electronic Key Control Program 352 Vehicle ID 353 Status Determination Information 50 External device 51 CPU 52 ROM 53 RAM 54 Communication Control Unit 55 Storage section 551 Management Program 552 User Information 553 Reservation Information 70 User terminals 71 CPU 72 ROM 73 RAM 74 Communication Control Unit 75 Memory section 76 Input / output section 751 Car Usage App 752 User ID 753 Reservation Information 77 NFC Control Unit 78 NFC Antennas 80 Vehicle-side equipment 90 NFC tags 99 vehicles

Claims

1. A door control method for a vehicle comprising an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle used by multiple users, a management server that processes vehicle reservations, and user terminals for users who use the reserved vehicle, and a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, A user registration step involves registering the user's terminal between the user and the management server, and determining the user's user ID. The reservation step involves using the aforementioned user ID to make a reservation for the vehicle identified by the vehicle ID, A vehicle identification information acquisition step to obtain vehicle identification information to identify the vehicle, A reservation condition determination step that determines whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission step is to transmit an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle device installed in the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information, A signal transmission step in which the in-vehicle unit transmits an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when it receives an unlock / lock instruction, A door control method that controls the unlocking and locking of vehicle doors.

2. A vehicle door control system comprising an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle used by multiple users, a management server that processes vehicle reservations, and user terminals for users who use the reserved vehicle, and equipped with a door opening / closing mechanism that unlocks / locks the doors in response to unlock / lock signals, The management server includes a user registration means for determining the user ID of a user and registering the user, and a reservation means for making a reservation for the use of a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID based on the user ID. The user terminal comprises a storage means for storing a user ID determined by the management server, a reservation means for making a reservation for the use of a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID using the stored user ID, and a vehicle identification information acquisition means for acquiring vehicle identification information that identifies the reserved vehicle. The in-vehicle unit includes an instruction receiving means for receiving unlock / lock instructions transmitted from the management server or the user terminal when a reservation is made that satisfies the reserved conditions specified by the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, and a signal transmitting means for transmitting an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when an unlock / lock instruction is received. A door control system characterized by the following features.

3. The vehicle identification information to be acquired is at least one of the following: the vehicle ID recorded on the NFC tag installed on the vehicle, the vehicle ID recorded on the RFID tag, the vehicle ID recorded on the QR code, the vehicle's license plate number, and the vehicle's location information. The door control system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

4. The aforementioned reservation conditions stipulate that reservation information matching the user ID and vehicle ID exists, and that the reservation is made between the start date and time of use and the end date and time of use. The door control system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

5. A management server in a door control system according to claim 2, claim 3, or claim 4, A user registration means for determining the user ID of a user and registering the user, A reservation means for making a reservation to use a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID using the aforementioned user ID, A reservation information storage means that stores reservation information based on the vehicle ID and user ID reserved by the aforementioned reservation means, A receiving means for receiving vehicle identification information and user ID transmitted from a user terminal, A reservation condition determination means for determining whether a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID and user ID of the vehicle identified by the received vehicle identification information, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission means transmits an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle unit, A management server characterized by having the following features.

6. A user terminal in the door control system according to claim 2, claim 3, or claim 4, A storage means for storing the user ID determined by the management server, A reservation means for making a reservation to use a vehicle identified by a vehicle ID using the stored user ID, A reservation information storage means that stores reservation information based on the vehicle ID and user ID reserved by the aforementioned reservation means, A means for obtaining vehicle identification information to identify a vehicle from a reserved vehicle, The vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the acquired vehicle identification information, and reservation condition determination means for determining whether or not a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the user ID, If the aforementioned reserved conditions are met, an instruction transmission means transmits an unlock / lock instruction to the in-vehicle unit, A user terminal characterized by being equipped with the following features.

7. An in-vehicle device in the door control system according to claim 2, claim 3, or claim 4, An instruction receiving means that receives unlock / lock instructions transmitted from the management server or the user terminal when a reservation has been made that satisfies the reservation conditions based on the vehicle ID of the vehicle identified by the vehicle identification information and the user ID, A signal transmitting means that transmits an unlock / lock signal to the door opening / closing mechanism when it receives the unlock / lock instruction, An in-vehicle device characterized by having the following features.

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