Information processing method and in-vehicle communication device

Abstract

When a user initiates a short-range wireless communication operation within a vehicle, short-range wireless communication will be made available quickly. [Solution] This is an information processing method for controlling an in-vehicle communication device that, when the vehicle's power switch is turned on, requests a connection to a mobile communication carrier for a communication line, and if a connection permission response is received from the mobile communication carrier, enables the use of short-range wireless communication in the vehicle using a connection to a base station related to the mobile communication carrier, and if a connection permission response is received from the mobile communication carrier, disables the use of short-range wireless communication. This information processing method includes a determination process for determining the ON state of the power switch, and a connection request process for making another connection request to the mobile communication carrier after receiving a connection permission response from the mobile communication carrier when the power switch is ON.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing method and an in-vehicle communication device that perform short-range wireless communication inside a vehicle by using a connection to a base station related to a mobile communication carrier.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, technologies for performing wireless communication inside a vehicle have been proposed. For example, a technology has been proposed in which when vehicle information is transferred from an in-vehicle information device to a mobile terminal, the mobile terminal transfers the vehicle information to a center device using a communication line (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, for example, after concluding a contract with a mobile communication carrier, there is a technology that enables execution of a Wi-Fi service inside a vehicle by using a base station related to that mobile communication carrier. In this technology, a request for communication line connection is made to the mobile communication carrier at the timing when the vehicle's power switch is turned on, and the Wi-Fi service inside the vehicle becomes available on the condition that a response of connection permission is received from that mobile communication carrier.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the conventional technology described above, if a mobile carrier denies connection permission in response to a request for communication line connection, the system will not request a communication line connection from the mobile carrier until the power switch is turned on again. For example, it is conceivable that after the power switch is turned on, the vehicle user may use a mobile device to apply for a contract with a mobile carrier. However, even in such a case, if the power switch remains on, the system will not request a communication line connection from the mobile carrier, and therefore, Wi-Fi service cannot be used inside the vehicle. Consequently, in order to use Wi-Fi service inside the vehicle after applying for a contract using a mobile device, it is necessary to turn the power switch off and then on again, which makes the switch operation cumbersome.

[0005] The present invention aims to enable rapid use of short-range wireless communication when a user performs an operation to utilize short-range wireless communication inside a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present invention is an information processing method for controlling an in-vehicle communication device that, when the vehicle's power switch is turned on, requests a connection to a communication line from a mobile communication carrier, enables the use of short-range wireless communication in the vehicle using a connection to a base station of the mobile communication carrier if a connection permission response is received from the mobile communication carrier, and disables the use of short-range wireless communication if a connection permission response is received from the mobile communication carrier. This information processing method includes a determination process for determining the ON state of the power switch, and a connection request process for making another connection request to the mobile communication carrier after receiving a connection permission response from the mobile communication carrier when the power switch is ON. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, when a user performs an operation to use short-range wireless communication inside a vehicle, short-range wireless communication can be made available quickly. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows an example of the use of short-range wireless communication services inside a vehicle. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the configuration of the contract information database. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of an information processing system. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of the customer database configuration. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a sequence chart showing an example of communication processing between each device. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of the display of the contract application screen. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a sequence chart showing an example of communication processing between each device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0010] [Examples of using in-vehicle short-range wireless communication services] Figure 1 is a simplified diagram illustrating an example of using the short-range wireless communication service inside the vehicle C1.

[0011] Vehicle C1 is equipped with an in-vehicle communication device 100 and in-vehicle equipment 200. Figure 1 shows an example where users U1 and U2 are seated in separate seats in vehicle C1. Users U1 and U2 can each use one of the mobile terminals 10, 20, or 30.

[0012] Mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 are portable devices capable of exchanging various types of information with the in-vehicle communication device 100 using short-range wireless communication. For example, mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 are wireless communication-enabled electronic devices and / or information processing devices such as smartphones, tablet devices, portable personal computers, and / or game consoles.

[0013] The in-vehicle communication device 100 is a communication device installed inside the vehicle C1 that exchanges various types of information (e.g., vehicle information) between various parts of the vehicle C1 and the center device 300. This vehicle information includes, for example, the location information and emergency information of the vehicle C1. For example, the in-vehicle communication device 100 is started when the power switch of the vehicle C1 is turned ON and stopped when the power switch of the vehicle C1 is turned OFF. For example, IVC (In-Vehicle Communications) can be used as the in-vehicle communication device 100. The power switch is also sometimes called a start switch or ignition switch. If the vehicle C1 is an internal combustion engine vehicle, the ignition switch refers to a device that starts the engine of the vehicle C1 or turns on the power to control other electrical systems.

[0014] Furthermore, the in-vehicle communication device 100 is assumed to have SIM (Subscriber Identify Module) information 131 (see Figure 3) registered within the device at the vehicle factory. In other words, this embodiment shows an example where the in-vehicle communication device 100 is equipped with embedded SIM information 131 (see Figure 3) integrated with the device. Here, SIM information is authentication information for connecting to a base station related to a mobile communication carrier using wireless communication. This embodiment shows an example where the in-vehicle communication device 100 holds SIM information 131 related to a mobile communication carrier 400. For example, the occupants of vehicle C1 (user U1 and / or user U2) can activate the SIM information 131 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 by entering into a contract with the mobile communication carrier 400 to obtain permission to connect to base stations BS1 and BS2. For activating and deactivating this SIM information, known activation and deactivation techniques can be employed. For example, the SIM information 131 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 can be rewritten from the network.

[0015] For example, if the in-vehicle communication device 100 holds valid SIM information, it can connect to base stations BS1 and BS2 using wireless communication. This wireless communication is a mobile communication compliant with wireless communication standards such as 3G (Generation), 4G, and / or 5G. Furthermore, by connecting to base stations BS1 and BS2 using wireless communication, the in-vehicle communication device 100 connects to the network 50, enabling it to exchange various types of information with external devices (e.g., various servers). The network 50 is a public telephone network, the internet, or other network.

[0016] Even if the in-vehicle communication device 100 does not hold valid SIM information, it can exchange various information (e.g., vehicle information) with the center device 300 based on a contract with a predetermined mobile communication carrier (e.g., mobile communication carrier 400). Thus, the wireless communication performed by the in-vehicle communication device 100 with the center device 300 and the wireless communication performed by the in-vehicle communication device 100 with the network 50 are performed based on different contracts. For this reason, the in-vehicle communication device 100 can always communicate wirelessly with the center device 300. However, when the in-vehicle communication device 100 connects to the network 50 and exchanges various information with external devices (e.g., various servers), a predetermined contract is required. To confirm this contract, even if the in-vehicle communication device 100 does not hold valid SIM information, it can use wireless communication to connect with base stations BS1 and BS2 and send a communication line connection request to the mobile communication carrier 400 at the time the power switch of the vehicle C1 is turned on (steps S502 (see Figure 5), S552 (see Figure 7)). Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if valid SIM information is not held, when resending a communication line connection request, it is possible to connect with base stations BS1 and BS2 using wireless communication and send a communication line connection request to the mobile communication carrier 400 (steps S506 (see Figure 5), S556 (see Figure 7)). The in-vehicle communication device 100 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3.

[0017] The in-vehicle device 200 is an in-vehicle system composed of one or more devices installed inside the vehicle C1 and capable of providing various types of information. As the in-vehicle device 200, for example, at least one of a navigation device, an audio device, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) device, a TV (television) tuner device, an IVI (In-Vehicle Infotainment), etc. can be used. Note that these are just examples, and other devices installed in the vehicle C1 may also be used. For example, when valid SIM information 131 is not set in the in-vehicle communication device 100, the in-vehicle device 200 causes the UI unit 250 to display a contract application screen 600 (see FIG. 6) for prompting the occupant of the vehicle C1 to make a contract for setting valid SIM information 131. The in-vehicle device 200 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

[0018] Also, the in-vehicle device 200 can exchange various types of information with other devices (e.g., mobile terminals 10, 20, 30) present in the passenger compartment of the vehicle C1 using short-range wireless communication. That is, the in-vehicle device 200 also functions as a router. Here, the short-range wireless communication is wireless communication such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network), Bluetooth (registered trademark), etc. As the wireless LAN, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) can be used. Note that in this embodiment, an example of using Wi-Fi as the short-range wireless communication is shown.

[0019] In this way, other devices (e.g., mobile terminals 10, 20, 30) connected to the in-vehicle device 200 using short-range wireless communication can be connected to the network 50 via the in-vehicle communication device 100 and base stations BS1, BS2. That is, the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle device 200 are an example of devices that can implement a short-range wireless communication service (e.g., Wi-Fi service) inside the vehicle. For example, the in-vehicle device 200 is an example of a device that can realize a Wi-Fi hotspot inside the vehicle and connect other devices (e.g., mobile terminals 10, 20, 30) to the Internet. In this case, the control unit 120 (see FIG. 3) of the in-vehicle communication device 100 executes control to release the communication line of the mobile communication carrier 400 based on the customer contract information of the vehicle C1.

[0020] Note that the mobile communication carrier 400 means a communication carrier (MNO: Mobile Network Operator) that provides wireless communication services such as mobile phones. Also, the mobile communication carrier 400 shall manage the validity of the SIM information provided in each device using the contract information DB (Data Base) 410 (see FIG. 2). Further, the base stations BS1, BS2 are base stations available to the mobile communication carrier 400. That is, the base stations BS1, BS2 are, for example, base stations directly managed by the mobile communication carrier 400 and / or base stations available to the mobile communication carrier 400.

[0021] Note that in FIG. 1, only one mobile communication carrier 400 is illustrated, but the in-vehicle communication device 100 can contract with other mobile communication carriers. Also, in FIG. 1, only two base stations BS1, BS2 are illustrated, but the in-vehicle communication device 100 can be connected to one or three or more base stations.

[0022] The central device 300 is an information processing device that manages various vehicle information related to vehicle C1. The central device 300 can also provide each piece of information to vehicle C1 (or related equipment). For example, user U1 can use the mobile terminal 10 to access the website provided by the central device 300 and have various information related to vehicle C1 displayed on the display of the mobile terminal 10. User U1 can also use the mobile terminal 10 to access the website provided by the central device 300 and have a contract screen for realizing in-vehicle short-range wireless communication services displayed on the display of the mobile terminal 10 (step S521 (see Figure 5)). Then, user U1 can start the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service by performing a selection operation to select a desired plan on that contract screen. The contract method for these in-vehicle short-range wireless communication services will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 5.

[0023] Furthermore, this embodiment shows an example in which the central device 300 can manage the validity of the SIM information 131 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 of vehicle C1 using the customer DB 340 (see Figure 4). The central device 300 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 3.

[0024] As described above, when the power switch of the in-vehicle communication device 100 is turned ON, a communication line connection request is sent to the mobile communication carrier 400. When the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives a communication line connection permission notice from the mobile communication carrier 400, it opens the communication line of the mobile communication carrier 400. In this case, the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle equipment 200 can provide short-range wireless communication services within the vehicle. On the other hand, when the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives a communication line connection rejection notice from the mobile communication carrier 400, the communication line connection with the mobile communication carrier 400 becomes invalid. In this case, the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle equipment 200 cannot provide short-range wireless communication services within the vehicle. Note that when the power switch of the in-vehicle communication device 100 is OFF, the communication line connection with the mobile communication carrier 400 is invalid.

[0025] Here, we assume that the power switch of the in-vehicle communication device 100 is turned ON, and a notification of rejection of the communication line connection is received from the mobile communication carrier 400. In this case, if a communication line connection request is not sent to the mobile communication carrier 400 while the power switch remains ON, the communication line connection with the mobile communication carrier 400 will remain invalid. For example, it is conceivable that user U1, who is riding in vehicle C1, may apply for a contract with the mobile communication carrier 400 while en route to their destination. In such a case, if it is necessary to turn the power switch off and then on again, the switch operation becomes cumbersome. Also, because the contract period start trigger on the mobile communication carrier 400 side and the usage start trigger on the in-vehicle communication device 100 side cannot be synchronized, there will be a period after the contract that the occupants of vehicle C1 cannot use the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service. Furthermore, if the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service cannot be provided promptly after the contract application, the occupants of vehicle C1 may become increasingly dissatisfied with the service. On the other hand, if the power switch in vehicle C1 is kept in the ON state and frequent requests for communication line connection are sent to the mobile communication carrier 400, the number of communication line connection requests will increase, which may strain the communication line with the mobile communication carrier 400.

[0026] Therefore, in this embodiment, when a user operation is performed to use short-range wireless communication inside the vehicle, a communication line connection request is sent to the mobile communication carrier 400 at a predetermined timing, making short-range wireless communication available quickly.

[0027] [Example of Contract Information Database Configuration] Figure 2 is a simplified diagram showing an example configuration of the contract information DB 410 managed by the mobile network operator 400 (see Figure 1). While the mobile network operator 400 manages a large amount of contract information, Figure 2 only shows representative examples of the information according to this embodiment. Furthermore, each piece of information shown in Figure 2 is an example, and some may be omitted as needed.

[0028] The contract information DB 410 is a database that stores contract details for activating SIM information for connecting to base stations BS1 and BS2 related to the mobile communications carrier 400. Specifically, subscriber information 411, contract details 412, expiration date information 413, and vehicle ID 414 are associated and stored in the contract information DB 410.

[0029] Subscriber information 411 is information about a subscriber who has applied for a contract to activate SIM information (SIM contract). Note that Figure 2 shows an example where the user ID is stored in subscriber information 411 for ease of explanation, but it is not limited to this. For example, information that can identify a mobile device, and / or the mobile device's telephone number, may also be stored.

[0030] Contract details 412 are information regarding the contract details (contract plan) related to the SIM contract. For example, if the mobile network operator 400 can enter into a SIM contract on a daily, monthly, or yearly basis, the details of that contract are stored in contract details 412. For example, when entering into a SIM contract for an in-vehicle device, the subscriber includes information to identify the in-vehicle device (e.g., vehicle ID) in the contract application information and sends it to the mobile network operator 400. As described above, user U1 can use the mobile terminal 10 to access the website provided by the center device 300 and have the contract screen for realizing in-vehicle short-range wireless communication services displayed on the display of the mobile terminal 10. In this case, user U1 can perform a selection operation on the contract screen to select the desired plan (daily, monthly, or yearly), and then include information to identify the vehicle C1 or in-vehicle communication device 100 (e.g., vehicle ID) in the contract application information and send it to the mobile network operator 400.

[0031] For example, if the device containing the contracted SIM is a general device (other than an in-vehicle device), that fact (general device) is stored in contract details 412, and if the device containing the contracted SIM is an in-vehicle device, that fact (in-vehicle device) is stored in contract details 412. In Figure 2, for the sake of clarity, an example is shown in which simplified information such as "in-vehicle device 1 day", "in-vehicle device 1 month", and "general device 1 month" is stored in contract details 412.

[0032] The expiration date information 413 is information regarding the contract period for the SIM contract. For example, if a subscriber enters into a SIM contract on a daily basis, that daily period is stored in the contract details 412. In Figure 2, for the sake of clarity, an example is shown in which simplified information is stored in the expiration date information 413.

[0033] Vehicle ID 414 is information used to identify whether the contract details for the SIM contract are for general equipment or in-vehicle equipment. As mentioned above, when entering into a SIM contract for in-vehicle equipment, information to identify the in-vehicle equipment (e.g., vehicle ID) is included in the contract application information, so the mobile communications carrier 400 can identify whether the contract details for the SIM contract are for general equipment or in-vehicle equipment. In Figure 2, for the sake of clarity, an example is shown in which the vehicle ID included in the contract application information is simplified and stored in vehicle ID 414, but this is not the only example. For example, information that can identify the in-vehicle equipment, and / or the telephone number of the in-vehicle equipment, may be stored.

[0034] [Example of an information processing system configuration] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of information processing system 1 for realizing short-range wireless communication services inside the vehicle C1.

[0035] The information processing system 1 is configured such that the in-vehicle communication device 100, the in-vehicle equipment 200, the central device 300, the mobile communication carrier 400, and the mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 can be connected as needed using wired communication and / or wireless communication methods. For example, the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle equipment 200 are connected using either wired or wireless communication methods. The in-vehicle communication device 100 can also be connected to the network 50 using wireless communication methods. The in-vehicle equipment 200 can also be connected to the network 50 indirectly and / or directly via the in-vehicle communication device 100 using wireless communication methods.

[0036] Furthermore, the central device 300 and the mobile communication carrier 400 can each connect to the network 50 by wired communication and / or wireless communication. In addition, each of the mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 can connect to the network 50 indirectly and / or directly via the in-vehicle communication device 100 by wireless communication. Although Figure 3 shows an example in which the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle equipment 200 are configured as separate units, the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle equipment 200 may also be configured as a single unit.

[0037] [Example of an in-vehicle communication device configuration] The in-vehicle communication device 100 is an in-vehicle communication device that uses wireless communication to exchange various information with other devices. For example, if valid SIM information 131 is set, the in-vehicle communication device 100 can connect to base stations BS1 and BS2 of the mobile communication carrier 400 and connect to the network 50. In this case, the in-vehicle device 200 connects with other devices using short-range wireless communication within the vehicle interior of vehicle C1, and enables the other devices to connect to the network 50.

[0038] The in-vehicle communication device 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110, a control unit 120, a storage unit 130, and an input / output interface 140.

[0039] The wireless communication unit 110 performs wireless communication according to a predetermined wireless communication standard based on the control of the control unit 120, and exchanges various types of information with other devices. For example, the wireless communication unit 110 can connect to the network 50 by connecting to base stations BS1 and BS2 of a mobile communications carrier 400, in accordance with wireless communication standards such as 3G, 4G, and / or 5G.

[0040] The control unit 120 controls each part based on various programs stored in the memory unit 130. The control unit 120 is implemented by a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of vehicle C1 may be used as the control unit 120, or a processing unit different from the vehicle ECU may be provided as the control unit 120. Furthermore, the control unit 120 can acquire vehicle information related to vehicle C1 from various parts of vehicle C1. As this vehicle information, for example, the on / off operation of the power switch can be acquired.

[0041] The control unit 120 controls various parts of the in-vehicle communication device 100. Specifically, the control unit 120 comprises a determination unit 121, a communication control unit 122, and a notification control unit 123.

[0042] The determination unit 121 determines the ON state of the power switch of vehicle C1 based on vehicle information relating to vehicle C1, and outputs the determination result to the communication control unit 122 and the notification control unit 123.

[0043] The communication control unit 122 performs various communication controls related to wireless communication by the wireless communication unit 110. For example, when the determination unit 121 determines that the power switch of vehicle C1 has been turned on, the communication control unit 122 requests a connection of a communication line from the mobile communication carrier 400. If the communication control unit 122 receives a connection permission response from the mobile communication carrier 400, it performs control to enable the use of short-range wireless communication inside vehicle C1 using the connection with base stations BS1 and BS2 related to the mobile communication carrier 400. In this case, mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 connected to the in-vehicle equipment 200 can connect to the network 50 via the in-vehicle communication device 100 using short-range wireless communication. On the other hand, if the communication control unit 122 receives a connection denial response from the mobile communication carrier 400, it disables the use of short-range wireless communication. However, after receiving a connection denial response from the mobile communication carrier 400, the communication control unit 122 makes another connection request of a communication line to the mobile communication carrier 400 at a predetermined timing. This predetermined timing will be explained in detail with reference to Figures 5 and 7.

[0044] The notification control unit 123 controls the output of notification information to be output from other devices (e.g., in-vehicle devices 200). For example, when the power switch of vehicle C1 is ON and the notification control unit 123 has not received a connection permission response from the mobile communication carrier 400, it notifies the occupants of vehicle C1 of a message prompting them to enter into a contract with the mobile communication carrier 400 to obtain connection permission. For example, the notification control unit 123 can display a contract application screen 600 (see Figure 6) showing this message on the UI unit 250 of the in-vehicle device 200 and notify the occupants of the message. Alternatively, for example, the notification control unit 123 may display a contract application screen (corresponding to the contract application screen 600) showing this message on the display unit of another device (e.g., mobile terminals 10, 20, 30) and notify the occupants of the message.

[0045] The memory unit 130 is a storage medium for storing various types of information. For example, the memory unit 130 stores various types of information necessary for the control unit 120 to perform various processes (e.g., control programs, SIM information 131). The memory unit 130 also stores various types of information acquired via the wireless communication unit 110 and / or the wireless communication unit 240. As the memory unit 130, for example, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof can be used.

[0046] The input / output interface 140 is an interface for exchanging various types of information with the in-vehicle equipment 200.

[0047] [Example of in-vehicle equipment configuration] The in-vehicle device 200 includes an input / output interface 210, a control unit 220, a storage unit 230, a wireless communication unit 240, and a user interface unit 250.

[0048] The input / output interface 210 is an interface for exchanging various types of information with the in-vehicle communication device 100. For example, mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 connected to the wireless communication unit 240 using short-range wireless communication can connect to the network 50 via the input / output interface 210 and the in-vehicle communication device 100.

[0049] The control unit 220 controls each part based on various programs stored in the memory unit 230. The control unit 220 is implemented by a processing unit such as a CPU or GPU. The vehicle ECU of vehicle C1 may be used as the control unit 220, or a processing unit different from the vehicle ECU may be provided as the control unit 220.

[0050] The memory unit 230 is a storage medium for storing various types of information. For example, the memory unit 230 stores various types of information (e.g., control programs) necessary for the control unit 220 to perform various processes. The memory unit 230 also stores various types of information acquired via the input / output interface 210. As the memory unit 230, for example, ROM, RAM, SRAM, HDD, SSD, or a combination thereof can be used.

[0051] The wireless communication unit 240 performs short-range wireless communication according to a predetermined wireless communication standard based on the control unit 220, and exchanges various types of information with other devices. For example, the wireless communication unit 240 can connect to the mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 inside the vehicle C1 according to a wireless communication standard such as wireless LAN.

[0052] The UI unit 250 comprises a display unit 251 and a reception unit 252. Although not shown in the diagram, the UI unit 250 may also be equipped with other components such as an audio input unit and an audio output unit. Furthermore, the display unit 251 and the reception unit 252 are examples of a user interface, and some of them may be omitted, or other user interfaces may be used.

[0053] The display unit 251 displays various images based on the control of the control unit 220. For example, the display unit 251 can use a display panel such as an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) panel or an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) panel.

[0054] The reception unit 252 receives various operations from the occupants of vehicle C1 and outputs the received operations to the control unit 220. The display unit 251 and the reception unit 252 may be configured as touch panels that allow users to input operations by touching or bringing their fingers close to the display surface, or they may be configured as separate user interfaces. If configured as a separate user interface, various operating elements such as buttons and keyboards can be used as the reception unit 252.

[0055] [Example of Center System Configuration] The center device 300 comprises a communication unit 310, a control unit 320, and a storage unit 330. The communication unit 310, based on the control of the control unit 320, exchanges various types of information with other devices using wired or wireless communication.

[0056] The control unit 320 controls each part based on various programs stored in the memory unit 330. The control unit 320 is implemented by a processing unit such as a CPU or GPU. For example, the control unit 320 stores and manages vehicle information transmitted from vehicle C1 in the customer database 340.

[0057] The memory unit 330 is a storage medium for storing various types of information. For example, the memory unit 330 stores various types of information necessary for the control unit 320 to perform various processes (e.g., control programs, customer DB 340 (see Figure 4)). The memory unit 330 also stores various types of information acquired via the communication unit 310. As the memory unit 330, for example, ROM, RAM, SRAM, HDD, SSD, or a combination thereof can be used.

[0058] [Example of Customer Database Configuration] Figure 4 is a simplified diagram showing an example configuration of the customer database 340 stored in the storage unit 330 (see Figure 3) of the central device 300. While numerous types of customer information exist stored in the customer database 340, Figure 4 only illustrates the information representative of this embodiment. Other information stored in the customer database 340 could include, for example, customer information for each vehicle, log information for each vehicle, and personal information of each customer. Furthermore, the information shown in Figure 4 is merely an example, and some parts may be omitted as needed.

[0059] The customer database 340 is a database that stores various information about vehicles managed by the central device 300. Specifically, vehicle identification information 341, SIM validity information 342, and expiration date information 343 are stored in the customer database 340 in association with each other.

[0060] Vehicle identification information 341 is identification information (e.g., vehicle ID) that can identify a vehicle to be managed by the central device 300. In Figure 4, for the sake of clarity, an example is shown in which information corresponding to vehicle ID 414 (see Figure 2) is stored in vehicle identification information 341, but this is not the only example. For example, information that can identify an in-vehicle device, and / or the telephone number of the in-vehicle device, may be stored.

[0061] The SIM validity / invalidity information 342 is information used to determine whether the SIM information in the in-vehicle communication device of a vehicle whose identification information is stored in the vehicle identification information 341 is valid or invalid.

[0062] The expiration date information 343 is information used to identify the expiration date when the SIM information in the in-vehicle communication device of a vehicle whose identification information is stored in the vehicle identification information 341 is valid. In Figure 4, for the sake of clarity, an example is shown in which the information corresponding to the expiration date information 413 of the contract information DB 410 is stored in the expiration date information 343.

[0063] The SIM validity / invalidity information 342 and the expiration date information 343 are stored based on the contract completion notice (steps S514, S515, and S531 in Figure 5) transmitted from the mobile network operator 400 to the central device 300. For example, when a subscriber performs a contract application process (step S521 in Figure 5) using a mobile terminal 10, the mobile terminal 10 transmits the contract application information to the mobile network operator 400 (steps S522 and S513 in Figure 5). In this case, the mobile network operator 400 transmits a contract completion notice to the central device 300 (steps S514, S515, and S531 in Figure 5), and the SIM validity / invalidity information 342 and the expiration date information 343 are stored based on this contract completion notice (step S532 in Figure 5).

[0064] [Example of communication processing between devices] Figure 5 is a sequence chart showing an example of communication processing between a mobile terminal 10, an in-vehicle communication device 100, a central device 300, and a mobile communication carrier 400. Figure 5 shows an example where a contract application has not been made to the mobile communication carrier 400 before the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on. Figure 5 also shows a communication example where, after the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on, user U1 riding in vehicle C1 uses the mobile terminal 10 to apply for a contract with the mobile communication carrier 400. This communication processing example will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 4 as appropriate. Note that the mobile communication carrier 400 shown in Figure 5 refers to the information processing device managed by the mobile communication carrier 400.

[0065] In step S501, the determination unit 121 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 detects that the power switch has been turned ON in vehicle C1, based on the vehicle information acquired from vehicle C1.

[0066] In step S502, the communication control unit 122 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 transmits a communication line connection request to the mobile communication carrier 400. As described above, even if no valid SIM information 131 is set in the in-vehicle communication device 100, the in-vehicle communication device 100 can still transmit a communication line connection request to the mobile communication carrier 400. If there are other devices (e.g., mobile terminals 10, 20, 30) that hold valid SIM information, the communication line connection request can be transmitted to the mobile communication carrier 400 via those devices. The communication line connection request also includes identification information (e.g., vehicle ID) that can identify the vehicle C1 (or the in-vehicle communication device 100).

[0067] In step S511, when the mobile communication carrier 400 receives a communication line connection request from the in-vehicle communication device 100, it determines whether a contract application has been made for vehicle C1 based on the identification information of vehicle C1 included in the communication line connection request. Specifically, the mobile communication carrier 400 extracts the vehicle ID corresponding to the identification information of vehicle C1 included in the communication line connection request from the vehicle ID 414 (see Figure 2) in the contract information DB 410. Then, based on the contract details 412 and expiration date information 413 corresponding to the extracted vehicle ID, the mobile communication carrier 400 can determine whether the SIM information 131 of vehicle C1 corresponding to the extracted vehicle ID is valid or invalid. In the example shown in Figure 5, since no contract application has been made to the mobile communication carrier 400 before the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on, the SIM information 131 of vehicle C1 is determined to be invalid.

[0068] In step S512, the mobile communications carrier 400 transmits the result of the determination process described above to the in-vehicle communication device 100. In this example, since the SIM information 131 of vehicle C1 is determined to be invalid, the mobile communications carrier 400 transmits a notification (communication line connection rejection notification) to the in-vehicle communication device 100 indicating that the connection to the communication line is rejected.

[0069] In step S503, the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives a communication line connection rejection notice from the mobile communication carrier 400. When a communication line connection rejection notice is received in this manner, the processes (steps S504 to S508) for re-executing the communication line connection request are executed.

[0070] Furthermore, as mentioned above, Figure 5 shows an example in which, after the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on, user U1 riding in vehicle C1 uses a mobile terminal 10 to perform a contract application operation with a mobile communication carrier 400.

[0071] In step S521, the mobile terminal 10 executes a contract application process to apply to the mobile network operator 400 for a contract to activate the SIM information 131, based on the user U1's input. For example, the control unit of the mobile terminal 10 displays a predetermined contract application screen on the display unit of the mobile terminal 10 based on the user U1's input. This contract application screen can be displayed, for example, based on display information from the mobile network operator 400 (or the central device 300). The control unit of the mobile terminal 10 also executes the above-described contract application process on the condition that a predetermined input has been made on the contract application screen. For example, if the user has entered (or selected) vehicle C1 identification information, entered contract period information to activate the SIM information 131, and made a decision to apply for a contract to activate the SIM information 131 on the contract application screen, the control unit of the mobile terminal 10 executes a process to send contract application information, including vehicle C1 identification information, contract period information (contract plan), and subscriber information (information about user U1), to the mobile network operator 400. The subscriber information may be pre-configured on the mobile terminal 10, or it may be entered each time. For example, if the user accesses the website provided by the central device 300 and displays the contract application screen on the mobile terminal 10's display, the input of vehicle C1 identification information can be omitted.

[0072] In step S522, the mobile terminal 10 transmits contract application information to the mobile network operator 400 based on the contract application processing performed in step S521. For example, the mobile terminal 10 can transmit contract application information to the mobile network operator 400 by connecting to a base station of the mobile network operator corresponding to the valid SIM information that is pre-configured in the mobile terminal 10.

[0073] In step S513, the mobile network operator 400 receives contract application information from the mobile terminal 10.

[0074] In step S514, the mobile network operator 400 updates the contract information DB 410 (see Figure 2) based on the contract application information received in step S513. Specifically, the mobile network operator 400 stores the identification information of vehicle C1 included in the contract application information in vehicle ID 414, and stores the subscriber information 411, contract details 412, and expiration date information 413 in association with this vehicle ID. More precisely, the subscriber information included in the contract application information is stored in subscriber information 411, and the information corresponding to the contract period information included in the contract application information is stored in contract details 412 and expiration date information 413.

[0075] In step S515, the mobile network operator 400 sends a contract completion notice to the center device 300 to notify that the contract for vehicle C1 has been completed, based on the contract application information received in step S513. This contract completion notice includes the identification information of vehicle C1 and the contract expiration date information.

[0076] In step S531, the control unit 320 of the center device 300 receives a contract completion notice from the mobile communications carrier 400.

[0077] In step S532, the control unit 320 of the center device 300 registers in the customer DB 340 (see Figure 4) that the SIM information 131 of vehicle C1 has become valid, based on the identification information of vehicle C1 included in the contract completion notice. That is, the control unit 320 extracts the identification information of vehicle C1 included in the contract completion notice from the vehicle identification information 341. Then, the control unit 320 changes the SIM valid / invalid information 342 corresponding to the extracted vehicle identification information from "invalid" to "valid", and stores the expiration date information included in the contract completion notice in the expiration date information 343.

[0078] In step S504, the communication control unit 122 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 performs a communication status confirmation process and a timer start process. Specifically, the communication control unit 122 performs a communication status confirmation process to confirm whether it has received either a communication line connection permission notification or a communication line connection rejection notification from the mobile communication carrier 400. The communication control unit 122 also performs a timer start process to start counting for a timer that sets the transmission timing for sending a communication line connection request.

[0079] In step S505, the communication control unit 122 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 determines whether the timer started in step S505 has elapsed for T time. If the timer has elapsed for T time, the process proceeds to step S506. On the other hand, if the timer has not elapsed for T time, monitoring continues. Here, T time is a value that defines the interval at which communication line connection requests are sent, and can be set in units of several minutes to several hours, for example. For example, intervals of about 30 minutes or 1 hour can be set. However, depending on the interval of T time, the number of transmissions for communication line connections may increase, so it is important to reduce this. Note that T time can be set as appropriate based on experiments and / or simulations.

[0080] In step S506, the communication control unit 122 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 transmits a communication line connection request to the mobile communication carrier 400. This transmission process is the same as the transmission process in step S502, except that it is a retransmission process, so a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0081] In step S516, when the mobile communications carrier 400 receives a communication line connection request from the in-vehicle communication device 100, it determines whether a contract application has been made for vehicle C1 based on the identification information of vehicle C1 included in the communication line connection request. This determination process is the same as the determination process in step S511, so a detailed explanation is omitted here. As described above, a contract application (steps S521, S522, S513, S514) was made to the mobile communications carrier 400 after the power switch of vehicle C1 was turned on, so the SIM information 131 of vehicle C1 is determined to be valid.

[0082] In step S517, the mobile communications carrier 400 transmits the result of the determination process described above to the in-vehicle communication device 100. In this example, since the SIM information 131 of vehicle C1 is determined to be valid, the mobile communications carrier 400 transmits a notification (communication line connection permission notification) to the in-vehicle communication device 100 granting permission to connect to the communication line.

[0083] In step S507, the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives a communication line connection permission notice from the mobile communication carrier 400. When a communication line connection permission notice is received in this way, there is no need to execute the communication line connection request again. For this reason, in step S508, the communication control unit 122 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 executes a timer termination process to end the timer count that was started in step S504.

[0084] In step S509, the communication control unit 122 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 connects to base station BS1 and / or base station BS2 of the mobile communications carrier 400, and connects to the network 50 via base station BS1 and / or base station BS2. This enables the in-vehicle communication device 100 to perform wireless communication between the mobile terminals 10, 20, and 30 connected to the in-vehicle equipment 200 and the network 50 using short-range wireless communication. In other words, the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service becomes available.

[0085] It is also possible that even after the power switch of vehicle C1 has been turned on and the timer has elapsed for T hours, the occupants of vehicle C1 have not submitted a contract application to the mobile communications carrier 400. In this case, a communication line connection rejection notice will be received in step S507. Therefore, if a communication line connection rejection notice is received in step S507, the process may return to step S505 and repeatedly execute the retransmission process for the communication line connection request (steps S505-S508, S516, S517).

[0086] In this way, the system starts with a request to connect to the communication line when the power switch is turned on, and then sends a request to connect to the communication line after a predetermined time has elapsed (or repeatedly at predetermined intervals). By voluntarily sending a request to connect to the communication line after a predetermined time has elapsed (or repeatedly at predetermined intervals) while the power switch is in the ON state, it is possible to reduce the number of attempts to send a communication line request. In addition, it is possible to start using the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service without waiting for the next time the power switch is turned on.

[0087] [Example of a contract application screen] Figure 6 shows an example of the display of the contract application screen 600 shown on the UI section 250 of the in-vehicle device 200.

[0088] The contract application screen 600 is a display screen that prompts the occupant of vehicle C1 to enter into a contract to set up valid SIM information 131 when no valid SIM information 131 is set up in the in-vehicle communication device 100. Specifically, the contract application screen 600 displays a message prompting the user to enter into a contract to set up valid SIM information 131, along with a contract application button 601 and a contract not required button 602.

[0089] The contract application button 601 is an operation indicator that is selected when starting the contract application process to apply for a contract to activate the SIM information 131. The contract application process when the contract application button 601 is selected will be explained in detail with reference to Figure 7.

[0090] The "No Contract Required" button 602 is an indicator that is selected when a contract to activate the SIM information 131 is not applied for. When the "No Contract Required" button 602 is selected, another display screen is shown on the UI unit 250.

[0091] [Example of communication processing between devices] Figure 7 is a sequence chart showing an example of communication processing between the in-vehicle communication device 100, the in-vehicle equipment 200, the central device 300, and the mobile communication carrier 400. Figure 7 shows an example where a contract application has not been made to the mobile communication carrier 400 before the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on. Figure 7 also shows a communication example where, after the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on, user U1 riding in vehicle C1 uses the in-vehicle equipment 200 to apply for a contract with the mobile communication carrier 400. This communication processing example will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 6 as appropriate. Note that the mobile communication carrier 400 shown in Figure 7 refers to the information processing device operated by the mobile communication carrier 400.

[0092] Furthermore, since the communication process shown in Figure 7 is a modified version of a part of Figure 5, detailed explanations of the processes common to both Figure 5 and Figure 7 will be omitted. Specifically, step S551 corresponds to step S501. Also, steps S543 and S544 correspond to steps S521 and S522. Also, steps S563 to S567 correspond to steps S513 to S517. Also, steps S571 and S572 correspond to steps S531 and S532. Also, steps S556 to S558 correspond to steps S506, S507, and S509.

[0093] If the communication line connection request processing (steps S552, 561) is executed and a communication line connection rejection notification is received (steps S562, S553), then in step S554, the notification control unit 123 of the in-vehicle communication device 100 outputs a contract screen display instruction to the in-vehicle device 200. Alternatively, the communication line connection request processing (steps S552, 561) and the communication line connection rejection notification reception processing (steps S562, S553) may be omitted, and the contract screen display instruction may be output to the in-vehicle device 200 at the timing of the power switch ON operation, or at a predetermined interval thereafter.

[0094] In step S541, the in-vehicle device 200 receives an instruction to display the contract screen.

[0095] In step S542, the control unit 320 of the in-vehicle device 200 displays a display screen on the UI unit 250 to prompt the occupant of vehicle C1 to enter into a contract to set up valid SIM information 131. For example, based on instruction information from the notification control unit 123 of the in-vehicle communication device 100, the contract application screen 600 shown in Figure 6 is displayed. For example, if the contract application button 601 is selected on the contract application screen 600, the process proceeds to step S543. On the other hand, if the contract not required button 602 is selected on the contract application screen 600, the contract application screen 600 may be displayed again after a predetermined time has elapsed, and the subsequent processes may be omitted. Alternatively, the processes from step S504 onwards shown in Figure 5 may be executed.

[0096] In step S543, the control unit 320 of the in-vehicle device 200 executes a contract application process using the contract application screen 600 displayed in step S542. This contract application process can, for example, be the same as the contract application process in step S521 (see Figure 5). Since the in-vehicle device 200 holds the identification information of vehicle C1, the input operation (or selection operation) of the identification information of vehicle C1 can be omitted. For example, the contract information is transmitted to the mobile communication carrier 400 on the condition that a predetermined user operation is performed on the contract application screen 600, or on another contract application screen displayed after the contract application screen 600.

[0097] In step S545, the control unit 320 of the in-vehicle device 200 outputs contract application information to the in-vehicle communication device 100 based on the contract application processing performed in step S543. In this case, the contract application information is output using a communication medium (e.g., wireless communication, wired communication) that can be used for communication between the in-vehicle communication device 100 and the in-vehicle device 200. This contract application information includes at least a statement that the contract application information has been transmitted to the mobile communication carrier 400.

[0098] In step S555, the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives the contract application information output from the in-vehicle equipment 200. This allows the in-vehicle communication device 100 to know that the contract application information has been transmitted to the mobile communication carrier 400. Therefore, the in-vehicle communication device 100 executes the transmission process for the communication line connection request, etc. (steps S556, S566, S567, S557).

[0099] In this way, the in-vehicle device 200 provides the occupant of vehicle C1 with a prompt to sign a contract, starting with the request for communication line connection when the power switch is turned on. In this way, while the power switch remains on, it is possible to send a voluntary request for communication line connection triggered by the contract application screen 600 provided to the occupant of vehicle C1. This makes it possible to start using the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service without waiting for the next time the power switch is turned on. However, providing the occupant of vehicle C1 with a prompt to sign a contract every time the power switch is turned on may be bothersome to the occupant. Therefore, it is preferable to provide the occupant of vehicle C1 with a prompt to sign a contract only if a contract has not been made (steps S552, S511, S512, S553).

[0100] [Examples of the effects of this embodiment] As described above, in this embodiment, the ON state of the power switch of vehicle C1 is determined, and if the power switch is ON, a communication line connection request is sent again to the mobile communication carrier 400 after receiving a communication line connection rejection notice from the mobile communication carrier 400. That is, while the power switch is ON (during the same power switch cycle), a communication line connection request is sent again to the mobile communication carrier 400 at a predetermined timing. For example, a communication line connection request is sent again to the mobile communication carrier 400 after a predetermined time has elapsed. Also, for example, it is determined whether the occupant of vehicle C1 has performed the contract application process, and a communication line connection request is sent again to the mobile communication carrier 400 at the timing when the contract application process has been performed. This makes it possible to quickly ascertain whether the occupant of vehicle C1 has applied for a contract, and to quickly start using the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service after the completion of the contract application process. In other words, it is possible to shorten the time required to start using the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service.

[0101] [Example of executing processing on other devices or systems] In the above, we have shown an example in which the determination process, connection request process, control process, etc., are executed in the in-vehicle communication device 100 (or information processing system 1). However, all or part of each of these processes may be executed in other devices. In this case, the information processing system is composed of devices that execute part of each of these processes. For example, at least part of each process can be executed using in-vehicle devices 200, devices usable by the user (e.g., mobile terminals 10, 20, 30, smartphones, tablet terminals, personal computers, car navigation systems, IVI), various information processing devices such as servers that can be connected via a predetermined network such as the Internet, and various electronic devices.

[0102] Furthermore, some (or all) of the information processing system capable of performing the functions of the in-vehicle communication device 100 (or information processing system 1) may be provided by an application that can be provided via a predetermined network such as the Internet. This application may be, for example, SaaS (Software as a Service).

[0103] [Example configuration and effects of this embodiment] The information processing method according to this embodiment is an information processing method that controls an in-vehicle communication device 100, which makes a request to a mobile communication carrier 400 to connect to a communication line when the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on, enables the use of short-range wireless communication in the vehicle by utilizing the connection with base stations BS1 and BS2 related to the mobile communication carrier 400 when a response granting connection permission is received from the mobile communication carrier 400, and disables the use of short-range wireless communication when a response denying connection permission is received from the mobile communication carrier 400. This information processing method includes a determination process (steps S501, S551) for determining the ON state of the power switch of vehicle C1, and a connection request process (steps S506, S516, S517, S507, S556, S564, S565, S557) for making another connection request to the mobile communication carrier 400 after receiving a response denying connection permission from the mobile communication carrier 400 when the power switch of vehicle C1 is ON. Furthermore, the program according to this embodiment is a program that causes a computer to execute each of these processes. In other words, the program according to this embodiment is a program that causes a computer to implement each of the functions that the in-vehicle communication device 100 can perform.

[0104] With this configuration, if a user operation to use short-range wireless communication is performed inside the vehicle while the power switch of vehicle C1 remains in the ON state, it is possible to quickly make short-range wireless communication available.

[0105] In the information processing method according to this embodiment, in the connection request processing (steps S504 to S506, S516, S517, S507), after receiving a response indicating that the connection is not permitted when the power switch of vehicle C1 is turned on, a predetermined time has elapsed and a connection request is made again.

[0106] This configuration allows for a reduction in the number of attempts to send communication line connection requests by voluntarily requesting connection after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. Furthermore, it enables the use of in-vehicle short-range wireless communication services without waiting for the next power switch operation.

[0107] In the information processing method according to this embodiment, in the connection request processing (steps S504 to S506, S516, S517, S507), after a predetermined time has elapsed, connection requests are repeatedly made at predetermined intervals until a response granting connection permission is received.

[0108] With this configuration, by repeatedly making connection requests at predetermined intervals until a connection permission response is received, it is possible to quickly start using the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service when a user operation to use short-range wireless communication is performed inside the vehicle.

[0109] In the information processing method according to this embodiment, a predetermined operation to apply for a contract with a mobile communications carrier 400 to obtain connection permission is performed by a user U1 of vehicle C1 using a mobile terminal 10, and when the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives a connection permission response from the mobile communications carrier 400, the method further includes a control process (step S509) that executes control to enable the use of short-range wireless communication within the vehicle by utilizing the connection with base stations BS1 and BS2.

[0110] With this configuration, when the in-vehicle communication device 100 receives a connection permission response from the mobile communication carrier 400, it is possible to quickly make short-range wireless communication available.

[0111] In the information processing method according to this embodiment, when the power switch of vehicle C1 is ON and a response for connection permission has not been received, the method further includes a notification process (steps S554, S541, S542) that notifies users U1 and U2 of vehicle C1 of a notice prompting them to enter into a contract with a mobile communications carrier 400 to obtain connection permission, and a contract application process (steps S544, S561) that, based on the operations of users U1 and U2, transmits contract information to the mobile communications carrier 400 to apply for a contract in accordance with the notice. In the connection request process (steps S556, S564, S565, S557), after the execution of the contract process, a connection request is made to the mobile communications carrier 400.

[0112] With this configuration, while the power switch remains in the ON state, it is possible to send a request for a voluntary communication line connection triggered by the guidance provided to the occupants of vehicle C1. This allows the use of the in-vehicle short-range wireless communication service to begin without waiting for the next power switch operation.

[0113] In the information processing method according to this embodiment, in the notification process (steps S554, S541, S542), a contract application screen 600 (an example of a first display screen) showing guidance is displayed on the display unit 251 of the in-vehicle device 200 to notify users U1 and U2 of the guidance. In the contract application process (steps S544, S561), contract information is transmitted to the mobile communication carrier 400 on the condition that a predetermined user operation is performed on the contract application screen 600 or the second display screen displayed following the contract application screen 600.

[0114] With this configuration, users U1 and U2 can perform the contract application process using the contract application screen 600 displayed on the display unit 251 of the in-vehicle device 200. This allows for rapid execution of the contract application process for the short-range wireless communication service, and enables the rapid commencement of using the short-range wireless communication service.

[0115] In the information processing method according to this embodiment, the short-range wireless communication is wireless communication for enabling the use of a wireless LAN (e.g., Wi-Fi) inside a vehicle.

[0116] This configuration makes it possible to quickly utilize Wi-Fi as a short-range wireless communication method.

[0117] The in-vehicle communication device 100 requests a connection to a communication line from the mobile communications carrier 400 when the power switch of the vehicle C1 is turned on. If it receives a connection permission response from the mobile communications carrier 400, it enables the use of short-range wireless communication within the vehicle by utilizing the connection with base stations BS1 and BS2 related to the mobile communications carrier 400. If it receives a connection denial response from the mobile communications carrier 400, it executes control to disable the use of short-range wireless communication. The in-vehicle communication device 100 includes a determination unit 121 that determines the ON state of the power switch of the vehicle C1, and a communication control unit 122 that, when the power switch of the vehicle C1 is ON, receives a connection denial response from the mobile communications carrier 400 and then makes another connection request to the mobile communications carrier 400. Alternatively, instead of the in-vehicle communication device 100, an information processing system consisting of multiple devices capable of executing each of the processes realized by the in-vehicle communication device 100 may be used.

[0118] With this configuration, if a user operation to use short-range wireless communication is performed inside the vehicle while the power switch of vehicle C1 remains in the ON state, it is possible to quickly make short-range wireless communication available.

[0119] The processing steps shown in this embodiment are merely examples of how to implement this embodiment. The order of some of the processing steps may be changed, some of the processing steps may be omitted, or other processing steps may be added, as long as the embodiment is feasible.

[0120] Furthermore, each process in this embodiment is executed based on a program that causes a computer to perform various processing procedures. This embodiment can also be understood as an embodiment of a program that realizes the functions for executing each of these processes, and a recording medium that stores that program. For example, by an update process to add new functions to an information processing device, the program can be stored in the storage device of the information processing device. This makes it possible to have the updated information processing device perform each of the processes shown in this embodiment.

[0121] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments merely illustrate examples of how the present invention can be applied, and are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention to the specific configurations of the embodiments described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0122] 1 Information processing system, 10, 20, 30 Mobile terminal, 50 Network, 100 In-vehicle communication device, 110 Wireless communication unit, 120 Control unit, 121 Judgment unit, 122 Communication control unit, 123 Notification control unit, 130 Storage unit, 131 SIM information, 140 Input / Output I / F, 200 In-vehicle equipment, 210 Input / Output I / F, 220 Control unit, 230 Storage unit, 240 Wireless communication unit, 250 UI unit, 251 Display unit, 252 Reception unit, 300 Center device, 310 Communication unit, 320 Control unit, 330 Storage unit, 340 Customer DB, 400 Mobile communication carrier, 410 Contract information DB, BS1, BS2 Base station

Claims

1. An information processing method for controlling an in-vehicle communication device that, when the vehicle's power switch is turned on, requests a connection to a communication line from a mobile communications carrier, enables the use of short-range wireless communication within the vehicle using a connection to a base station related to the mobile communications carrier if a connection permission response is received from the mobile communications carrier, and disables the use of short-range wireless communication if a connection permission response is received from the mobile communications carrier, A determination process for determining the ON state of the power switch, The process includes, when the power switch is in the ON state, a connection request process that, after receiving a response of connection denial from the mobile carrier, resubmits the connection request to the mobile carrier, Information processing methods.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, In the connection request processing, after receiving the connection denial response at the time the power switch is turned on, a predetermined time has elapsed before the connection request is made again. Information processing methods.

3. The information processing method according to claim 2, In the connection request processing, after the predetermined time has elapsed, the connection request is repeatedly made at predetermined intervals until a response granting permission to connect is received. Information processing methods.

4. The information processing method according to claim 3, The control process further includes, when a user of the vehicle performs a prescribed operation using a mobile terminal to apply for a contract with the mobile communications carrier in order to obtain the aforementioned connection permission, and the in-vehicle communication device receives a response granting connection permission from the mobile communications carrier, it executes a control process that enables the use of the short-range wireless communication within the vehicle by utilizing the connection with the base station, Information processing methods.

5. The information processing method according to claim 1, When the power switch is in the ON state and the response for connection permission has not been received, a notification process is performed to notify the vehicle user of a message prompting them to enter into a contract with the mobile communications carrier in order to obtain the connection permission. The process further includes, based on the user's actions, a contract application process that transmits contract information for applying for the contract in accordance with the instructions to the mobile communications carrier, In the connection request process, after the execution of the contract application process, the connection request is made to the mobile communication carrier. Information processing methods.

6. The information processing method according to claim 5, In the notification process, the first display screen showing the guidance is displayed on the display unit of the in-vehicle device to notify the user of the guidance. In the contract application process, the contract information is transmitted to the mobile communications carrier on the condition that a predetermined user operation is performed on the first display screen or the second display screen that is displayed immediately following the first display screen. Information processing methods.

7. An information processing method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The aforementioned short-range wireless communication is a wireless communication that enables the use of a wireless LAN inside the vehicle. Information processing methods.

8. An in-vehicle communication device that, when the vehicle's power switch is turned on, requests a connection to a communication line from a mobile communications carrier, and if it receives a response from the mobile communications carrier granting permission to connect, enables the use of short-range wireless communication within the vehicle using the connection to the base station of the mobile communications carrier, and if it receives a response from the mobile communications carrier denying permission to connect, executes control to disable the use of the short-range wireless communication, A determination unit for determining the ON state of the power switch, The system includes a control unit that, when the power switch is in the ON state, resubmits the connection request to the mobile communication carrier after receiving a connection denial response from the mobile communication carrier, In-vehicle communication device.

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