Vehicle-mounted devices

Abstract

To improve the smoothness of switching between communication lines. [Solution] The in-vehicle device includes a communication unit capable of communicating via either of the mobile communication line pairs, and a control unit that causes the communication unit to switch to the second line when a communication failure occurs during communication on the first line, and to switch back from the second line to the first line when the communication failure is resolved. The control unit also causes the communication unit to maintain communication on the second line for a predetermined period of time if an event occurs that requires maintaining communication on the second line even after the communication failure has been resolved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an in-vehicle device.

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for appropriately switching between a plurality of communication lines such as mobile communication are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for mutually switching between a main line and a backup line in response to the recovery of a failure when a failure occurs in the main line.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technology for executing the switching of communication lines, there is room for improving the smoothness of the switching.

[0005] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an in-vehicle device capable of improving the smoothness of switching of communication lines.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An in-vehicle device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a communication unit capable of communicating via any one of a pair of mobile communication lines, and a control unit that causes the communication unit to switch to a second line when a communication failure occurs during communication on a first line and to switch from the second line to the first line when the communication failure is resolved. The control unit causes the communication unit to maintain communication on the second line until a predetermined period elapses when an event occurs in which communication on the second line should be maintained even when the communication failure is resolved.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, it is possible to improve the smoothness of switching communication lines. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a schematic configuration of a communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below.

[0010] (Summary of the embodiment) Referring to Figure 1, an overview of the communication system 1 according to the embodiment of this disclosure will be described. The communication system 1 comprises an in-vehicle device 11 mounted on a vehicle 10 and a server device 12. The vehicle 10 is, for example, a passenger car, a commercial vehicle, etc. The in-vehicle device 11 is, for example, an information processing device that controls the vehicle, such as an EUC (Electronic Control Unit). The server device 12 is, for example, a server computer that belongs to a cloud computing system or other computing system and functions as a server that implements various functions. The network 15 is, for example, the Internet or a wide-area communication network. The in-vehicle device 11 and the server device 12 can communicate with each other via the network 15. The number of vehicles 10, in-vehicle devices 11, and server devices 12 shown in Figure 1 may be determined arbitrarily.

[0011] The in-vehicle device 11 has a wireless communication function that can connect to the network 15 via mobile communication provided by a base station 13 or 14, and provides users with functions and services using ICT (Information and Communication Technology), including emergency calls, autonomous driving, and navigation systems. An emergency call is when a vehicle 10 encounters a traffic accident or traffic trouble, and the vehicle manually or automatically notifies an emergency call receiving agency of the occurrence of the accident or traffic trouble. In an emergency call, information including the location information of the vehicle 10 and the telephone line number is transmitted to the emergency call receiving agency via mobile communication. The emergency call receiving agency uses the telephone line number to contact the vehicle 10. Examples of emergency call receiving agencies include the police, Japan Coast Guard, and fire department. The server device 12 is, for example, a server of an entity that provides services including emergency calls and navigation systems.

[0012] Base stations 13 and 14 are mobile communication base stations provided by different mobile communication carriers, respectively. Due to manufacturing cost and circuit size constraints, it may be difficult for the in-vehicle device to be equipped with multiple mobile communication modules for simultaneous connection to multiple lines. Therefore, for example, the in-vehicle device 11 in this embodiment is configured to be selectively connected to either of the two lines provided by base stations 13 and 14. Here, the mobile communication line mainly used by the in-vehicle device 11 is called the primary line, and the mobile communication line used when the primary line is unavailable due to a communication failure or the like is called the secondary line. Specifically, depending on the contract type with the mobile communication carrier, the one with a lower cost burden for the user, such as a flat rate, is the primary line, and the one with a relatively higher cost burden for the user, such as a metered rate, is the secondary line. In this embodiment, for example, the mobile communication line provided by base station 13 is the primary line, and the mobile communication line provided by base station 14 is the secondary line. Note that the number and types of base stations 13 and 14 (i.e., the types of mobile communication carriers) shown in Figure 1 may be determined arbitrarily.

[0013] The in-vehicle device 11 in this embodiment includes a communication unit 111 and a control unit 113. The communication unit 111 is configured to communicate using either of the mobile communication line pairs. The control unit 113 instructs the communication unit 111 to switch to the second line (secondary line) if a communication failure occurs while communicating on the first line (main line), and to switch back from the secondary line to the main line when the communication failure is resolved. However, even if the communication failure is resolved, if an event occurs that requires communication on the secondary line to be maintained (hereinafter referred to as a maintenance event), the control unit 113 instructs the communication unit 111 to maintain communication on the secondary line until after a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

[0014] Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to minimize the use of secondary lines. Furthermore, while switching lines takes a certain amount of time, the disruption of service provision due to communication interruptions during the switching process, as well as the uncertainty of the recovery of the primary line, may cause inconvenience to users. However, it is possible to protect users from such inconveniences. In this way, the smoothness of switching communication lines is improved by minimizing the use of secondary lines, reducing communication costs, and further protecting users.

[0015] (Configuration of in-vehicle equipment) As shown in Figure 1, the in-vehicle device 11 includes a communication unit 111 and a control unit 113, as well as a storage unit 112, an input unit 114, and an output unit 115.

[0016] The communication unit 111 includes a mobile communication module 1111 that supports mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation), and a communication module that supports wireless LAN standards. In this embodiment, the communication unit 111 has one mobile communication module 1111. The mobile communication module 1111 connects to one of the mobile communication lines provided by base stations 13 and 14. In this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 11 connects to the network 15 via the communication unit 111 and communicates with other terminals, including the server device 12.

[0017] The storage unit 112 includes one or more memories. The memories are, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 112 functions, for example, as a main memory, auxiliary memory, or cache memory. The storage unit 112 stores any information used for the operation of the in-vehicle device 11. For example, the storage unit 112 may store system programs, application programs, and embedded software. The information stored in the storage unit 112 may be updateable with information obtained from the network 15 via the communication unit 111, for example.

[0018] The control unit 113 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 113 controls the operation of the entire in-vehicle device 11 while controlling each part of the in-vehicle device 11. In this embodiment, the control unit 113 determines the conditions for switching lines and causes the communication unit 111 to switch lines.

[0019] The input unit 114 includes one or more input devices that accept operations from an operator. These input devices may be, for example, physical keys, capacitive keys, a capacitive panel, a touchscreen integrated with a display, or a microphone that accepts voice input. The input unit 114 accepts information used for the operation of the control unit 113 and sends the input information to the control unit 113. In this embodiment, emergency calls may also be received via the input unit 114.

[0020] The output unit 115 includes one or more output devices that output information. The output device is, for example, a display that outputs information as video, or a speaker that outputs information as audio. The output unit 115 outputs the information obtained by the operation of the control unit 113.

[0021] (Operation flow of in-vehicle device) Referring to FIG. 2, the operation executed by the control unit 113 of the in-vehicle device 11 according to the present embodiment will be described. Each step in FIG. 2 is executed by the control unit 113 at an arbitrary cycle, for example, a cycle of several seconds to several minutes.

[0022] In S20, the control unit 113 determines whether a communication failure has occurred during communication on the main line. The occurrence of a communication failure is determined, for example, when either or both of communication disconnection and communication delay occur. When the control unit 113 determines that a communication failure has occurred (step S20-Yes), it proceeds to step S21. When the control unit 113 determines that no communication failure has occurred (step S20-No), it ends one cycle of the procedure in FIG. 2.

[0023] In S21, the control unit 113 causes the communication unit 111 to switch from the main line to the sub line. For example, the control unit 113 instructs the communication unit 111 to switch to the sub line and sets the connection destination of the mobile communication module 1111 to the sub line.

[0024] In S22, the control unit 113 determines whether an event that is highly likely to resolve the communication failure on the main line (hereinafter referred to as a resolution event) has occurred. The conditions for determining that a resolution event has occurred are that the control unit 113 receives an instruction to switch from the secondary line to the main line (hereinafter referred to as a switching instruction) via the communication unit 111, and that a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the occurrence of the communication failure, or both. The switching instruction is received, for example, from the server device 12. For example, when the server device 12 receives notification that the communication failure on the main line has been resolved, for example from the mobile communication carrier of the main line, it sends a switching instruction to the in-vehicle device 11. The predetermined period of time elapsed since the occurrence of the communication failure is any time, for example, 1 to 5 hours, since the occurrence of the communication failure. If the control unit 113 determines that a resolution event has occurred (step S22-Yes), it proceeds to step S23. If the control unit 113 determines that a resolution event has occurred (step S22-No), it ends one cycle of the procedure in Figure 2.

[0025] In S23, the control unit 113 determines whether an event has occurred that warrants maintaining communication on the secondary line, i.e., a maintenance event. The occurrence of a maintenance event is determined when one or more of the following occur: an emergency call is issued, the navigation system is used, or the autonomous driving function is used. If the line is switched after an emergency call is issued, the telephone line number changes, making it impossible to receive a return call from the emergency call receiving agency. Also, while the navigation system and autonomous driving function are in use, various information is acquired via mobile communication, so from a traffic safety perspective, it is necessary to avoid communication interruptions due to line switching. In this way, by determining whether a maintenance event has occurred in addition to determining whether a resolution event has occurred, the user can be protected from various dangers associated with service interruptions. If the control unit 113 determines that a maintenance event has occurred (step S23-Yes), it proceeds to step S24. If the control unit 113 determines that no maintenance event has occurred (step S23-No), it proceeds to step S26.

[0026] In S24, the control unit 113 determines whether the emergency call was successful or unsuccessful when the emergency call was issued. An emergency call failure is determined, for example, when there is no response or telephone contact from the emergency call receiving agency within a predetermined period. This predetermined period is any time, such as 10 to 20 minutes. If the control unit 113 determines that the emergency call was successful, i.e., not an emergency call failure (step S24-Yes), it proceeds to step S25. If the control unit 113 determines that the emergency call was unsuccessful, i.e., not an emergency call failure (step S24-No), it proceeds to step S26.

[0027] In S25, the control unit 113 instructs the communication unit 111 to maintain communication on the secondary line until a predetermined period has elapsed. This predetermined period is any time, such as 30 minutes to 1 hour. Alternatively, this predetermined period is determined, for example, based on the maintenance event in step S23. For example, if the maintenance event is the issuance of an emergency call, the predetermined period is, for example, 30 minutes to 1 hour from the issuance of the emergency call. If the maintenance event is the use of the navigation system or the autonomous driving function, the predetermined period is, for example, the time required to reach the destination. Once the predetermined period has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S26.

[0028] In S26, the control unit 113 instructs the communication unit 111 to switch from the secondary line to the primary line. The control unit 113 instructs the communication unit 111 to switch to the primary line, and the mobile communication module 1111 is connected to the primary line.

[0029] In the modified example, step S24 may be omitted in the operation described above.

[0030] In a further modification, in step S22, the control unit 113 may determine whether the accessory power supply of the vehicle 10 has been started or stopped. If the control unit 113 determines that either or both of the resolution event has occurred and the accessory power supply has been started or stopped, it proceeds to step S23. If the control unit 113 determines that neither the resolution event has occurred nor the accessory power supply has been started or stopped, it terminates one cycle of the procedure in Figure 2.

[0031] In yet another variation, the switching to the main line in step S26 may be performed in a distributed manner for each vehicle. In step S22, the control unit 113 receives, for example, a switching instruction from the server device 12, along with a switching timing determined, for example, randomly by the server device. Alternatively, the predetermined period from the occurrence of the communication failure in step S22 is determined randomly, for example, by setting a given interval (e.g., 15 minutes) in a predetermined time (e.g., 3 hours, 3 hours and 15 minutes, and 3 hours and 30 minutes for 3 hours). This makes it possible to avoid congestion occurring due to a large number of vehicles switching to the main line almost simultaneously, which would cause another failure on the main line.

[0032] Furthermore, the control unit 113 may determine whether communication is possible on the main line after switching the connection to the main line, and if it determines that communication is not possible on the main line, it may switch the connection back to the secondary line. It is determined, for example, that communication on the main line is not possible when either or both of the following occur: line disconnection and / or communication delay.

[0033] While this disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions, etc., included in each component or step, etc., can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps, etc., can be combined into one or divided.

[0034] Furthermore, it is also possible to implement an embodiment in which a general-purpose computer functions as the in-vehicle device 11 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content that realizes each function of the in-vehicle device 11 according to the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the processor reads and executes the program. Therefore, this disclosure can also be implemented as a program that can be executed by a processor, or as a non-temporary computer-readable medium that stores said program. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1. Communication System 10 vehicles 11 Onboard equipment 12 Server devices 13, 14 Base station 15 Network 111 Communications Department 1111 Mobile communication module 112 Storage section 113 Control Unit 114 Input section 115 Output section

Claims

1. A communication unit capable of communicating via any of the mobile communication line pairs, The communication unit includes a control unit that, when a communication failure occurs during communication on the first line, switches to the second line, and when the communication failure is resolved, switches back from the second line to the first line. Even if the control unit determines that the communication failure has been resolved in accordance with the fulfillment of predetermined conditions, it will cause the communication unit to maintain communication on the second line until after a predetermined period has elapsed, based on the determination of events that warrant maintaining communication on the second line. In-vehicle device.

2. A communication unit capable of communicating via any of the mobile communication line pairs, The communication unit includes a control unit that, when a communication failure occurs during communication on the first line, switches to the second line, and when the communication failure is resolved, switches back from the second line to the first line. Even if the communication failure is resolved, if an event occurs that requires communication on the second line to be maintained, the control unit will cause the communication unit to maintain communication on the second line until after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. In-vehicle device.

3. In the in-vehicle device according to claim 2, The control unit determines the resolution of the communication failure based on either or both of the following conditions: receiving an instruction to switch from the second line to the first line, or the elapsed of a predetermined period of time since the occurrence of the communication failure. In-vehicle device.

4. In the in-vehicle device according to claim 2, The aforementioned events are either or both of the following: issuing an emergency call and / or using a navigation system. In-vehicle device.

5. In the in-vehicle device according to claim 4, If the emergency notification fails to be issued when the emergency notification is issued, the control unit will cause the communication unit to switch from the second line to the first line, even if the event has occurred. In-vehicle device.

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