Information processing device, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

To achieve robust determination of the vehicle's status. [Solution] The communication control terminal 1 is an example of an information processing device and includes an acquisition unit 11 that acquires values ​​of acceleration and rotational speed, an abnormality determination unit 12 that determines the direction of travel from the acceleration and determines a rotational abnormality state based on the direction of travel and the value of rotational speed, and a determination unit 13 that determines whether the communication control terminal 1 has been brought into the vehicle based on the rotational abnormality state.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and an information processing program.

Background Art

[0002] A method of detecting a driving state by acquiring a vehicle speed signal or the like by connecting to OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) 2 or a vehicle speed signal line is known. In the case of OBD2, a compatibility table with the vehicle type is required, and in the case of a vehicle speed signal, connection work with the vehicle body is required. Therefore, the attachment is not simple, and as a result, processing at a specialty store is necessary.

[0003] In addition, a map display device that can automatically change the display mode of a map image to be displayed depending on whether it is in-vehicle is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). For example, in the map display device described in Patent Document 1, when the place of use is inside the vehicle, a map image suitable for use inside the vehicle is displayed, and when the place of use is inside the home, a map image suitable for use inside the home is displayed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [[ID=^{}27]]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, there is a problem that an incorrect operation such as shaking the housing of the map display device imitating the vibration during vehicle mounting may be erroneously determined as the in-vehicle state, so that a robust determination of the in-vehicle state cannot be realized.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide, for example, an information processing device, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can achieve robust determination of the vehicle's status. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An information processing device relating to one aspect is an information processing device comprising: acquisition means for acquiring values ​​of acceleration and rotational speed; abnormality determination means for determining the direction of travel from the acceleration and determining an abnormal rotational state based on the value of the rotational speed around the rotation axis corresponding to the direction of travel; and determination means for determining that the information processing device is in a non-vehicle-accessible state based on the abnormal rotational state. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a communication control terminal according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of a usage scenario for a communication control terminal. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows an example of a vehicle coordinate system. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows an example of a method for determining abnormal rotation conditions. [Figure 5] Figure 5 shows an example of a method for determining abnormal vibration conditions. [Figure 6] Figure 6 shows an example of a method for determining the driving status. [Figure 7] Figure 7 shows an example of a method for determining traffic congestion. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of the timer activation conditions. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a timer reset condition. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for communication control processing according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration.

Embodiments of the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments for implementing the present invention (hereinafter referred to as embodiments) will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described below. Further, in the description of the drawings, the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0010] <An Example of an Information Processing Device> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of a communication control terminal according to an embodiment. The communication control terminal 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an example of an information processing device that controls various functions, services, etc. according to whether it is brought into a vehicle or not. Hereinafter, there may be cases where it is described as "vehicle-brought-in state" referring to the state where the communication control terminal 1 is brought into a vehicle.

[0011] As an example of such a communication control terminal 1, a mobile router that connects a wireless communication device corresponding to a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or the like to a mobile network corresponding to LTE (Long Term Evolution) or 5G (Generation) can be mentioned.

[0012] <Examples of Application to Services> For example, the communication control terminal 1 can be applied to a network connection service that allows a data communication using a mobile network to be used by a wireless LAN-compatible device in the above vehicle-brought-in state.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a usage scene of the communication control terminal 1. In FIG. 2, the availability of data communication and the usage scene of the communication control terminal 1 are shown in association with each other. As shown in FIG. 2, when the communication control terminal 1 is in a state of being brought into a vehicle such as a passenger car, a truck, or a bus, the use of data communication is permitted. On the other hand, in scenes where the communication control terminal 1 is used outside the vehicle, such as on a train, an airplane, a ship, a bicycle, a motorcycle, a public facility such as a house or a park, or during movement such as walking, the use of data communication is restricted.

[0014] Thus, the communication control terminal 1 according to this embodiment can be applied to a new network connection service that permits the use of data communication in a vehicle-carrying state while restricting the use of data communication in a non-vehicle-carrying state.

[0015] Note that in FIG. 2, as an example only, an example is given in which a device compatible with a wireless LAN is connected to the communication control terminal 1 by wireless communication. However, the target of the network connection service is not necessarily limited to a device compatible with a wireless LAN. For example, it does not prevent a device that receives the network connection service from being connected to the communication control terminal 1 by wire. Also, examples of the restriction on the use of data communication executed by the communication control terminal 1 include restricting data communication between the communication control terminal 1 and a device compatible with a wireless LAN inside the vehicle, and restricting data communication between the communication control terminal 1 and a communication device on the carrier side that provides a mobile network.

[0016] <Configuration of Communication Control Terminal 1> Next, the functional configuration of the communication control terminal 1 according to this embodiment will be described. In FIG. 1, blocks corresponding to the functions of the communication control terminal 1 are schematically shown. As shown in FIG. 1, the communication control terminal 1 includes a power connection unit 2, a communication unit 3, a gyro acceleration sensor 4, and a control unit 10.

[0017] The power connection unit 2 can be connected to a power source installed in a vehicle or the like. As an example only, the power connection unit 2 is realized as a cable with a connector connected to the housing of the communication control terminal 1. For example, the connector is formed to be detachable from an accessory socket or a cigarette lighter socket of the vehicle. When such a connector is attached to an accessory socket or a cigarette lighter socket, power supply to the main body of the communication control terminal 1 is started from the accessory socket or the cigarette lighter socket via the cable with the connector.

[0018] The communication unit 3 communicates with other devices. For example, the communication unit 3 is an example of a communication means. In one aspect, the communication unit 3 functions as a wireless LAN access point as a LAN-side interface. In another aspect, the communication unit 3 functions as a WAN (Wide Area Network)-side interface, providing network connectivity such as mobile networks.

[0019] The gyroaccelerometer 4 corresponds to an example of an acceleration detection unit and an angular velocity detection unit. Another example of an angular velocity detection unit is the use of a geomagnetic sensor. For example, the gyroaccelerometer 4 can detect acceleration around three axes, such as the X, Y, and Z axes, and angular velocity around three axes, such as roll, pitch, and yaw. Although an example of detecting acceleration and angular velocity around three axes is given here, the number of axes for which acceleration and angular velocity are detected is not limited to three. Also, although an example of detecting both acceleration and angular velocity is given here, this does not prevent the detection of only one of the two.

[0020] The control unit 10 is a processing unit that performs overall control of the communication control terminal 1. As shown in Figure 1, the control unit 10 includes an acquisition unit 11, an abnormality determination unit 12, a determination unit 13, an abnormality monitoring timer 15A, a driving monitoring timer 15B, a start timer 15C, and a communication control unit 17.

[0021] The acquisition unit 11 is a processing unit that acquires acceleration, angular velocity, and combinations thereof. For example, the acquisition unit 11 corresponds to one example of an acquisition means. As just one example, the acquisition unit 11 can acquire time-series data of 3-axis acceleration and 3-axis angular velocity from the gyro acceleration sensor 4. For example, if the gyro acceleration sensor 4 is installed built into the housing of the communication control terminal 1, the 3-axis acceleration and 3-axis angular velocity detected by the gyro acceleration sensor 4 can be acquired as values ​​in a sensor coordinate system relative to the communication control terminal 1.

[0022] The following is merely an example, in which the abnormality detection unit 12, the determination unit 13, and the communication control unit 17 repeat processing at a predetermined interval shorter than any of the timer values ​​of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, the driving monitoring timer 15B, and the start timer 15C, for example, every minute.

[0023] The abnormality determination unit 12 is a processing unit that determines either an abnormal rotation state or an abnormal vibration state. For example, the abnormality determination unit 12 is an example of an abnormality determination means. Here, "abnormal rotation state" refers to a state in which rotation that cannot occur under the vehicle-loaded state is detected as abnormal. Also, "abnormal vibration state" refers to a state in which vibration that cannot occur under the vehicle-loaded state is detected as abnormal. In some cases, either "abnormal rotation state" or "abnormal vibration state" may be referred to as "abnormal state". In other words, by detecting an abnormal state, the abnormality determination unit 12 identifies the state of operation when the vehicle is loaded, when the vehicle is not loaded, or when there is an unauthorized operation that mimics vibrations when the device is mounted in a vehicle.

[0024] As one aspect, the abnormality detection unit 12 determines a rolling abnormality that cannot occur in the vehicle's initial state, as an example of the above-mentioned rotational abnormality state. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of a vehicle coordinate system. In Figure 3, the X corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. c Axle, Y corresponding to the left-right direction of the vehicle c Z corresponding to the vertical direction of the axle and vehicle c An example of a vehicle coordinate system defined by axes is shown. In the vehicle coordinate system shown in Figure 3, the X axis corresponds to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. c An abnormality in the angular velocity around the axis, i.e., the roll rotation speed, is detected.

[0025] As an example, the abnormality detection unit 12 determines the direction of travel from the acceleration and determines a rotational abnormality based on the values ​​of the direction of travel and rotational speed. Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a method for determining a rotational abnormality. When a rotational abnormality is determined, as shown in Figure 4, the acceleration of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis, as well as the roll angular velocity, pitch angular velocity, and yaw angular velocity may be used as input. For example, as in the example above, if a rotational abnormality is determined with a 1-minute period, the sensor values ​​for 1 minute, such as time-series data of 3-axis acceleration and 3-axis angular velocity, will be input.

[0026] Under these inputs, the abnormality detection unit 12 performs the following processing for all sensor values ​​in the time-series data of the sensor values ​​that correspond to the sampling frequency of the gyro acceleration sensor 4, or for each sensor value that has been resampled at a predetermined interval, for example, every 1 second.

[0027] In other words, the abnormality detection unit 12 analyzes the direction of travel from the three-axis accelerations: X-axis acceleration, Y-axis acceleration, and Z-axis acceleration. Specifically, the abnormality detection unit 12 removes the gravitational acceleration from the composite acceleration obtained by combining the three-axis accelerations. Then, the abnormality detection unit 12 projects the vector of the composite acceleration from which gravitational acceleration has been removed onto the horizontal plane. For example, the horizontal plane can be calculated in advance by calibrating using the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis accelerations when the communication control terminal 1 is stationary, for example, immediately after startup. The abnormality detection unit 12 can then analyze the direction of travel from the vector of the composite acceleration projected onto the horizontal plane. The direction of travel obtained in this way corresponds to the rotation axis X of the roll motion in the vehicle coordinate system shown in Figure 3. c It can be estimated that this corresponds to the direction. Furthermore, if the relative relationship of the orientation of each axis is fixed between the sensor coordinate system and the vehicle coordinate system, the direction of travel does not change, so the results of the initial analysis can be reused.

[0028] Therefore, the abnormality detection unit 12 converts the angular velocity corresponding to the roll motion in the vehicle coordinate system from the roll angular velocity, pitch angular velocity, and yaw angular velocity into rotational speed. For example, when angular velocity (rad / sec) such as roll angular velocity, pitch angular velocity, and yaw angular velocity is output from the gyro acceleration sensor 4, the angular velocity is converted into rotational speed (rpm). Subsequently, the abnormality detection unit 12 determines whether the rotational speed corresponding to the roll motion in the vehicle coordinate system is greater than or equal to the threshold Th1. For example, the threshold Th1 can be set to a value greater than the upper limit of the roll rotational speed that can occur when the vehicle turns, for example, the upper limit + margin α. In this case, if the rotational speed corresponding to the roll motion in the vehicle coordinate system is greater than or equal to the threshold Th1 at any one point in the time-series data of the sensor values, it is determined to be a rotational abnormality state.

[0029] In this way, the abnormality detection unit 12 can detect rotational abnormalities that cannot occur during the roll motion of a vehicle turning, and can distinguish between the vehicle-carrying state and the non-vehicle-carrying state, such as when an unauthorized action is being performed, such as shaking the casing of the communication control terminal 1 to mimic the vibrations when it is mounted in a vehicle.

[0030] The above analysis of the direction of travel and the determination of abnormal rotation conditions can be achieved even if the communication control terminal 1 is mounted on the vehicle in any orientation. For example, consider the case where the housing of the communication control terminal 1 is box-shaped. In this case, the above analysis of the direction of travel and the determination of abnormal rotation conditions can be achieved regardless of which side of the housing of the communication control terminal 1 is mounted on the vehicle. Furthermore, the above analysis of the direction of travel and the determination of abnormal rotation conditions can be achieved even if the side on which the housing of the communication control terminal 1 is mounted on the vehicle is tilted forward, backward, left, or right.

[0031] Here, we have given an example of detecting an abnormality in rolling, but it is also possible to detect an abnormality in yawing or pitching, or to combine two or more of these three abnormalities. Furthermore, although we have given an example of the above analysis of the direction of travel being performed using acceleration, it is also possible to perform it using angular velocity.

[0032] In other respects, the abnormality detection unit 12 determines, as an example of the above-mentioned vibration abnormality state, an abnormality in the vertical direction of vibration that cannot occur in the vehicle's state. For example, in the vehicle coordinate system shown in Figure 3, the Z direction corresponds to the vertical direction of the vehicle. c An abnormality in the axis amplitude is detected.

[0033] As an example, the abnormality detection unit 12 determines the vibration abnormality state based on the acceleration value. Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of a method for determining the vibration abnormality state. As shown in Figure 5, when a vibration abnormality state is determined, as an example, the acceleration of the X axis, the acceleration of the Y axis, and the acceleration of the Z axis may be used as input. For example, as in the example above, if the vibration abnormality state is determined with a 1-minute period, time-series data of the 3-axis acceleration over 1 minute will be input.

[0034] Under these inputs, the abnormality detection unit 12 uses the time-series data of the three-axis acceleration to determine the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system, i.e., the Z direction of the vehicle coordinate system. cThe time-series data of axial amplitude is analyzed. Specifically, the anomaly detection unit 12 removes the gravitational acceleration from the composite acceleration obtained by combining the three-axis accelerations. Next, the anomaly detection unit 12 extracts the acceleration component corresponding to the normal direction of the horizontal plane, i.e., the vertical direction (up and down direction) of the vehicle coordinate system shown in Figure 3, from the composite acceleration from which the gravitational acceleration has been removed. Then, the anomaly detection unit 12 performs a double integral of the time-series data of the acceleration component corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system. This gives time-series data of displacement corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system. Furthermore, the anomaly detection unit 12 extracts extreme values, such as local maximums and local minimums, from the time-series data of displacement corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system. This gives time-series data of amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system. Then, the anomaly detection unit 12 determines whether the amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system is greater than or equal to the threshold Th2. For example, the threshold Th2 can be set to a value greater than the upper limit of the amplitude that can be generated as road noise when the vehicle is running, for example, the upper limit + margin β. In this case, if the amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system is greater than or equal to the threshold Th2 at any one point in the time-series data of the three-axis acceleration, it is determined that a vibration abnormality state has occurred. Furthermore, the above amplitude analysis and determination of the vibration abnormality state can be performed even if the communication control terminal 1 is mounted on the vehicle in any orientation.

[0035] In this way, the abnormality detection unit 12 can detect vibration abnormalities that cannot occur due to road noise during vehicle operation, and can distinguish between the vehicle-carrying state and the non-vehicle-carrying state, such as when an unauthorized action is being performed, such as shaking the casing of the communication control terminal 1 to mimic the vibrations when it is mounted in a vehicle.

[0036] The determination unit 13 is a processing unit that determines whether or not the communication control terminal 1 is in a state where it has been brought into the vehicle. As an example, if the abnormality determination unit 12 determines that the communication control terminal 1 is in an abnormal state of either rotation abnormality or vibration movement abnormality, the determination unit 13 determines that it is not in a state where it has been brought into the vehicle. On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 12 determines that it is not in an abnormal state of either rotation abnormality or vibration movement abnormality, the determination unit 13 determines that it is in a state where it has been brought into the vehicle. One reason why it is determined to be in a state where it has been brought into the vehicle when it is not in an abnormal state is that when power is supplied to the communication control terminal 1, the communication control terminal 1 is plugged into the vehicle's accessory socket or cigarette lighter socket, which increases the likelihood that it is in a state where it has been brought into the vehicle.

[0037] For example, the determination unit 13 corresponds to an example of a determination means. As shown in Figure 1, the determination unit 13 has a driving state determination unit 13A and a congestion state determination unit 13B.

[0038] The driving state determination unit 13A is a processing unit that determines whether the vehicle is in a driving state. As an example, if the determination unit 13 determines that the vehicle is in a driving state, the driving state determination unit 13A will perform the driving state determination.

[0039] Figure 6 shows an example of a method for determining the driving state. As shown in Figure 6, when determining the driving state, the acceleration of the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis may be used as input, but this is just one example. For example, as in the example above, if the driving state is determined with a 1-minute period, time-series data of the 3-axis acceleration over 1 minute will be input.

[0040] Under these inputs, the driving state determination unit 13A analyzes the vibration state, for example, the amplitude variation corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system, from the time-series data of the three-axis acceleration. Here, the above amplitude analysis is the same as when determining an amplitude abnormality, so the explanation is omitted. Note that the time-series data of the amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system can also be shared between the processing results of one of the processing units, the abnormality determination unit 12 or the driving state determination unit 13A, and the other processing unit.

[0041] As described above, once time-series data of amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system is obtained, the driving state determination unit 13A divides the time-series data of amplitude into intervals of a predetermined length, for example, 10 seconds. Subsequently, the driving state determination unit 13A calculates the variance value σ of the amplitude included in each interval into which the time-series data of amplitude has been divided. Then, the driving state determination unit 13A determines whether the variance value σ of amplitude calculated for each interval is within a predetermined range. For example, the upper limit Th3 and lower limit Th4 that define the above range can be set to the upper and lower limits of the amplitude that can be generated as road noise when the vehicle is in motion. In this case, if the variance value of the amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system is less than or equal to the upper limit Th3 and greater than or equal to the lower limit Th4 in all intervals obtained by dividing the time-series data of amplitude, it is determined that the vehicle is in a state of being brought in and in a driving state. Note that the above amplitude analysis and the above driving state determination can be achieved even if the communication control terminal 1 is mounted on the vehicle in any orientation.

[0042] In this way, the driving state determination unit 13A determines the driving state based on the amplitude that may occur as road noise when the vehicle is in motion. As a result, it can detect the driving state from the behavior of the vehicle that may occur when driving on the road, thereby improving the accuracy of driving state detection.

[0043] The congestion state determination unit 13B is a processing unit that determines whether a vehicle is in a congested state. The term "congested state" here may include short-term driving, such as driving for less than one minute, which is the driving state determination cycle. As an example, the congestion state determination unit 13B performs a congestion state determination when the driving state determination unit 13A determines that the vehicle is not in a driving state. Furthermore, in addition to being in a driving state, the congestion state determination unit 13B can also narrow down the determination to cases where the driving state determination unit 13A determines that the amplitude variance value in any section is less than the lower limit Th4, and then perform a congestion state determination.

[0044] Figure 7 shows an example of a method for determining congestion status. As shown in Figure 7, when determining congestion status, the acceleration in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis may be used as input, but this is just one example. For example, as in the example above, if congestion status is determined on a 1-minute cycle, time-series data of the 3-axis acceleration over 1 minute will be input.

[0045] Under these inputs, the congestion state determination unit 13B analyzes the direction of travel from the three-axis accelerations: X-axis acceleration, Y-axis acceleration, and Z-axis acceleration. Here, the analysis of the direction of travel is the same as when determining the rotation abnormality state, so the explanation is omitted. Note that the processing result of one of the processing units, the abnormality determination unit 12 or the congestion state determination unit 13B, can also be shared with the other processing unit.

[0046] As described above, once the direction of travel is obtained, the congestion state determination unit 13B analyzes the movement state in that direction, such as acceleration and deceleration. Specifically, the congestion state determination unit 13B performs the following processing for all 3-axis accelerations corresponding to the sampling frequency of the gyro acceleration sensor 4, or for each 3-axis acceleration resampled at a predetermined interval, for example, every second, from the time-series data of 3-axis acceleration. That is, the congestion state determination unit 13B removes the gravitational acceleration from the composite acceleration obtained by combining the 3-axis accelerations. Next, the congestion state determination unit 13B extracts the acceleration component corresponding to the direction of travel from the composite acceleration from which the gravitational acceleration has been removed. Then, the congestion state determination unit 13B performs a first-order integral of the time-series data of the acceleration component corresponding to the direction of travel. This gives time-series data of the velocity corresponding to the direction of travel. After that, the congestion state determination unit 13B counts the frequency at which acceleration and deceleration of a threshold Th5 or higher are detected from the time-series data of the velocity corresponding to the direction of travel. For example, the frequency of acceleration can be obtained by counting the number of times a velocity is detected in which the sign of acceleration is positive and the absolute value of the velocity is greater than or equal to the threshold Th5. Furthermore, the frequency of deceleration can be obtained by counting the number of times a speed is detected in which the sign of acceleration is negative and the absolute value of the speed is equal to or greater than the threshold Th5. The congestion state determination unit 13B then determines whether or not there is congestion based on whether or not the frequency of acceleration and the frequency of deceleration are equal to or greater than the threshold Th6. For example, if the frequency of acceleration and the frequency of deceleration are equal to or greater than the threshold Th6, it is determined that there is congestion, while if the frequency of acceleration or deceleration is less than the threshold Th6, it is determined that there is no congestion.

[0047] In this way, the congestion state determination unit 13B determines the congestion state based on the frequency of acceleration and deceleration, and as a result of being able to detect the congestion state from the behavior of vehicles that occurs during congestion, the accuracy of congestion state detection can be improved.

[0048] Here, we have given an example of determining whether or not a traffic jam is occurring based on the frequency of acceleration and deceleration, but it is also possible to determine whether or not a traffic jam is occurring based on only one of these factors.

[0049] The abnormality monitoring timer 15A, the driving monitoring timer 15B, and the start timer 15C all have timer functions. The abnormality monitoring timer 15A corresponds to an example of the first timer. The driving monitoring timer 15B corresponds to an example of the second timer. The start timer 15C corresponds to an example of the third timer.

[0050] The following examples illustrate how the three timers described above are implemented by the control unit 10 executing timer software, but they may also be implemented by hardware. Furthermore, the examples illustrate how the three timers described above use a count-up method to count elapsed time, but they may also use a count-down method to count a grace period.

[0051] The activation and resetting of these three timers—the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, the driving monitoring timer 15B, and the activation timer 15C—are performed according to the determination results of the abnormality determination unit 12 and the determination unit 13, i.e., the state of the communication control terminal 1.

[0052] Figure 8 shows an example of the timer activation conditions. In Figure 8, the state of the communication control terminal 1 that satisfies the conditions for activating the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is indicated by vertical hatching, while the state of the communication control terminal 1 that satisfies the conditions for activating the driving monitoring timer 15B is indicated by diagonal hatching.

[0053] As shown in Figure 8, if either a rotational abnormality or a vibration abnormality occurs, it is suspected that an unauthorized action is being performed, such as shaking the casing of the communication control terminal 1 to mimic the vibrations that occur when it is installed in a vehicle. In this case, the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is activated by the abnormality determination unit 12.

[0054] Furthermore, if a vehicle is brought in, not in motion, and not in a traffic jam, there is a high probability that the vehicle is stopped. In this case, if data communication were permitted during prolonged stops, it would not be a network connection service limited to when a vehicle is brought in and in motion or in a traffic jam, making it difficult to differentiate from existing network connection services. For this reason, the driving monitoring timer 15B is activated by the determination unit 13 to suppress data communication during prolonged stops.

[0055] Although Figure 8 omits the illustration of the activation conditions for the activation timer 15C, the activation timer 15C can be activated when power is supplied from the vehicle's power source, such as the accessory socket or cigarette lighter socket, i.e., when the power of the communication control terminal 1 is turned ON. At this time, when the power supply from the vehicle's power source is cut off, i.e., when the power of the communication control terminal 1 is turned OFF, the timer value of the activation timer 15C is backed up in a non-volatile memory, so that the timer value can be carried over when the power of the communication control terminal 1 is turned ON next time.

[0056] Figure 9 shows an example of timer reset conditions. In Figure 9, the state of the communication control terminal 1 that satisfies the conditions for the activation of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, the driving monitoring timer 15B, and the start timer 15C is indicated by hatched lines.

[0057] As shown in Figure 9, if a vehicle is brought in and is either in a driving state or a traffic jam state, it is determined that the network connection service is in use in a manner appropriate to the purpose of being limited to when a vehicle is brought in. In this case, the timer values ​​of the driving monitoring timer 15B and the start timer 15C are reset to their initial values, for example, "0".

[0058] Here, the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is not necessarily reset immediately even if the vehicle is in a state of being brought in and is either in a driving state or a traffic jam state, as there are further weighting requirements.

[0059] In other words, whether or not the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is reset is controlled depending on whether the abnormality monitoring timer 15A was activated by an abnormal rotation state or a vibration / movement state.

[0060] For example, if the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is activated due to an abnormal rotation condition, resetting the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is prohibited until the abnormality monitoring timer 15A times out. On the other hand, if the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is activated due to an abnormal vibration condition, resetting the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is permitted.

[0061] Thus, when the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is activated due to a rotational abnormality, the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is timed out because a rotational abnormality is more likely to be a sign of improper operation mimicking vibrations during vehicle operation than a vibrational movement condition.

[0062] The communication control unit 17 is a processing unit that controls whether or not to restrict the use of communication by the communication unit 3 depending on whether or not a vehicle is brought in. The communication control unit 17 is an example of a communication control means.

[0063] As just one example, the communication control unit 17 monitors three timers: anomaly monitoring timer 15A, driving monitoring timer 15B, and start timer 15C. The communication control unit 17 then determines whether or not any of the three timers has timed out.

[0064] For example, regarding the thresholds used to compare the timer values ​​of each timer, if the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A exceeds the threshold Th7, for example, 60 minutes, it is determined to be a timeout. Similarly, if the timer value of the driving monitoring timer 15B exceeds the threshold Th8, for example, 90 minutes, it is determined to be a timeout. The reason why the timeout for the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is set shorter than the timeout for the driving monitoring timer 15B is to prioritize the timeout for detecting abnormal operation over the timeout for detecting a vehicle stopping. Also, if the timer value of the start timer 15C exceeds the threshold Th9, for example, 60 minutes, it is determined to be a timeout.

[0065] Here, the communication control unit 17 restricts communication use if any of the three timers time out. As just one example, the communication control unit 17 controls the wireless communication function to OFF by controlling the function of the wireless LAN access point to OFF. As another example, the communication control unit 17 controls the wireless communication function to OFF by disconnecting the communication connection between the communication control terminal 1 and the base station of the mobile network.

[0066] Here, we have given an example where the three timers use a count-up method, but as mentioned earlier, the three timers could also use a count-down method. In this case, the three timers should be initially set to the thresholds Th7 to Th9 set for the timeout of the three timers, and a timeout should be determined when the timer value of each timer reaches zero.

[0067] <Processing flow> Next, the processing flow of the communication control terminal 1 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for communication control processing according to this embodiment. This process is merely an example and starts when the power of the communication control terminal 1 is turned ON, or when power is supplied from the vehicle's power supply via the accessory socket or cigarette lighter socket.

[0068] As shown in Figure 10, the communication control unit 17 obtains the timer value of the previous start timer 15C, which is backed up in non-volatile memory or the like (step S101). At this time, if the timer value of the previous start timer 15C does not exceed the threshold Th9 (step S102No), the communication control unit 17 controls the wireless communication function to ON (step S103) and starts the operation of the start timer (step S104).

[0069] Furthermore, if the timer value of the previous start timer 15C exceeds the threshold Th9 (step S102Yes), the communication control unit 17 controls the wireless communication function to OFF (step S105).

[0070] Next, the communication control unit 17 determines whether any of the three timers—the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, the driving monitoring timer 15B, and the start timer 15C—has timed out (step S106).

[0071] At this time, if any of the three timers have timed out (step S106Yes), the communication control unit 17 controls the wireless communication function to OFF (step S107). If none of the three timers have timed out (step S106No), the process in step S107 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S108.

[0072] Subsequently, the abnormality determination unit 12 determines the direction of travel from the acceleration and determines a rotational abnormality based on the direction of travel and the value of the rotational speed (step S108). If there is no rotational abnormality (step S108 No), the abnormality determination unit 12 determines a vibration abnormality based on the value of the acceleration (step S109).

[0073] If either a rotational abnormality or a vibrational movement abnormality is detected (step S108Yes or step S109Yes), the abnormality determination unit 12 activates the abnormality monitoring timer 15A (step S110).

[0074] In this manner, if either the rotation abnormality state or the vibration movement state is present, the determination unit 13 determines that it is a non-vehicle-in-placement state, and the subsequent processing is skipped, proceeding to step S106.

[0075] On the other hand, if the vehicle is not in a rotational abnormal state or a vibrational movement state (steps S108 and S109), the determination unit 13 determines that the vehicle is in a vehicle-carrying state. In this case, the process in step S110 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S111.

[0076] Then, the driving state determination unit 13A determines whether or not the vehicle is in a driving state based on the vibration state determined based on acceleration (step S111). If the vehicle is not in a driving state (step S111No), the congestion state determination unit 13B determines whether or not the vehicle is in a congestion state based on the movement state determined based on acceleration (step S112). If the vehicle is neither in a driving state nor in a congestion state (steps S111No and S112No), the subsequent processing is skipped and the process proceeds to step S106.

[0077] If the vehicle is in either a driving state or a traffic jam state (step S111Yes or step S112Yes), the determination unit 13 resets the timer values ​​of the driving monitoring timer 15B and the start timer 15C (step S113). Furthermore, the communication control unit 17 controls the wireless communication function to the ON state (step S114).

[0078] Next, the determination unit 13 determines whether or not the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is running (step S115). If the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is running (step S115 Yes), the determination unit 13 determines whether or not the abnormality monitoring timer 15A was activated due to the detection of an abnormal rotation condition (step S116).

[0079] If the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is activated due to the detection of an abnormal vibration condition (step S116No), the determination unit 13 resets the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A (step S117) and proceeds to the process in step S106.

[0080] If the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is not currently running, or if the abnormality monitoring timer 15A is activated due to the detection of a vibration abnormality (step S115 No or step S116 Yes), the process in step S117 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S106.

[0081] <Effects of the Embodiment> As described above, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment restricts communication use if it determines, based on the acceleration value, that the communication control terminal 1 is not in a vehicle-carrying state. The acceleration used to determine the vehicle-carrying state does not necessarily have to be supplied from the vehicle. Therefore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment makes it possible to determine the vehicle-carrying state without relying on signal supply from the vehicle. In addition, the terminal can be installed in any orientation.

[0082] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment determines the direction of travel from the acceleration and determines that the communication control terminal 1 is not in a vehicle-mounted state based on the rotational abnormality state determined based on the value of the direction of travel and rotational speed. Therefore, the risk of misjudging an unauthorized action such as shaking the casing of the communication control terminal 1 to mimic vibrations when mounted in a vehicle as being in a vehicle-mounted state can be reduced. Thus, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment can achieve robust determination of whether the device is in a vehicle-mounted state.

[0083] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment restricts communication use if it determines that a vehicle is not present. Therefore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment makes it possible to realize, for example, the above-mentioned network connection service limited to when a vehicle is present.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the communication control terminal 1, when not in a vehicle-mounted state, activates an abnormality monitoring timer that measures the grace period between the detection of not being in a vehicle-mounted state and the imposition of communication usage restrictions, or the elapsed time since the detection of not being in a vehicle-mounted state. In addition, the communication control terminal 1 in this embodiment allows communication usage until the timer value measured by the abnormality monitoring timer 15A reaches a predetermined time, and when the timer value reaches the predetermined time, communication usage is restricted. Therefore, according to the communication control terminal 1 in this embodiment, a certain grace period is given before communication usage is restricted in situations where there is suspicion of malicious operation mimicking vibrations while in a vehicle, thus preventing the loss of convenience for network connection services limited to when a vehicle is mounted.

[0085] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment determines the driving state based on the acceleration value, and when the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A reaches a predetermined time, it restricts the use of communication regardless of the result of the driving state determination. Therefore, with the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment, in situations where there is suspicion of fraudulent operation mimicking vibrations while in the vehicle, it is possible to prioritize restricting the use of communication over conveniences such as network connection services limited to when the vehicle is brought in.

[0086] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment further determines the vibration abnormality state based on the acceleration value, and if it determines that the vehicle is not in a loaded state based on the vibration abnormality state, it activates the timer of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A. Therefore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment can detect situations in which unauthorized operation mimicking vibrations during vehicle installation is suspected from multiple perspectives, thereby further suppressing the failure to detect unauthorized operation mimicking vibrations during vehicle installation.

[0087] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment determines the driving state based on the acceleration value, and if it is in a driving state, it controls whether or not to reset the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A to its initial value, depending on whether it has detected that the vehicle is not in a driving state due to an abnormal rotation state or an abnormal vibration state.Therefore, according to the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to change whether to prioritize the convenience of a network connection service limited to when the vehicle is in use or the restriction of communication use, depending on the likelihood of an unauthorized operation mimicking vibrations while in the vehicle.

[0088] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment prohibits the resetting of the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, which is activated when it detects that the vehicle is not in a rotational abnormality state. Therefore, according to the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to prioritize restricting the use of communication in situations where the occurrence of unauthorized operation mimicking vibrations during vehicle installation is more likely than when an abnormal vibration state is detected.

[0089] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment allows a reset of the timer value of the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, which is activated when it detects that the vehicle is not in a vibration abnormality state. Therefore, with the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment, convenience such as network connection services limited to when the vehicle is in use can be prioritized in situations where the risk of abnormal operation mimicking vibrations when the vehicle is in use is lower than when a rotation abnormality state is detected.

[0090] Furthermore, if the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment determines that the vehicle is not in motion, it activates a driving monitoring timer 15B that measures the grace period between the detection of the non-driving state and the imposition of communication usage restrictions, or the elapsed time since the detection of the non-driving state. In addition, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment allows communication usage until the timer value measured by the driving monitoring timer 15B reaches a predetermined time, and then restricts communication usage when the timer value of the driving monitoring timer 15B reaches the predetermined time. Therefore, with the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment, short-term stops are permitted while long-term stops are restricted when providing network connection services limited to vehicle use, thus differentiating it from existing network connection services.

[0091] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment restricts communication usage based on the timer value measured by the abnormality monitoring timer 15A, using a predetermined time that is shorter than the predetermined time measured by the driving monitoring timer 15B. Therefore, according to the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment, the timeout when an abnormal operation is detected can be prioritized over the timeout when a vehicle stops.

[0092] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment restricts communication usage based on a timer value measured by a startup timer 15C that measures the grace period from when the power is turned ON until communication usage is restricted, or the elapsed time since the power was turned ON. Therefore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment provides a certain grace period from the time it is brought into the vehicle until communication usage is restricted, thus preventing the loss of convenience for services such as network connection services that are limited to when the vehicle is brought in.

[0093] Furthermore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment controls the wireless communication function to be turned off as a restriction on communication use. Therefore, the communication control terminal 1 of this embodiment makes it possible to restrict communication use, for example, by limiting the functions of a wireless LAN access point or blocking connections with base stations of a mobile network.

[0094] <Application Examples> An example of the application of this embodiment is provided below. For example, in the flowchart shown in Figure 10, an example is given in which a congestion status determination is performed when the vehicle is not moving (step S111No). However, the conditions for performing the congestion status determination may be further narrowed down. For example, the congestion status determination unit 13B can be made to perform the congestion status determination when the variance value of the amplitude corresponding to the vertical direction of the vehicle coordinate system in any of the sections obtained by dividing the time series data of the amplitude is less than the lower limit Th4. This makes it possible to omit the congestion status determination when there is a high probability that the vehicle is not in a congestion state.

[0095] <Examples of application> This document illustrates an example of how this embodiment can be applied. For example, this embodiment describes an example of controlling whether or not to restrict communication usage depending on whether or not a vehicle is present, but the objects controlled depending on whether or not a vehicle is present are not limited to communication usage restrictions. As just one example, the route selection mode of the navigation function of a mobile terminal device, tablet device, or wearable device can be switched depending on whether or not a vehicle is present. For example, when a vehicle is present, a route for the vehicle is selected as the route to the destination, while when a vehicle is not present, a route for other means of transportation, such as a walking route or a route for using public transportation, is selected. As another example, it is also possible to control whether or not to restrict the use of the television function of a mobile terminal device, tablet device, or wearable device depending on whether or not a vehicle is present. For example, when a vehicle is present, the use of the television function, such as restricting the display of images, is restricted, while the use of the television function is permitted when a vehicle is not present.

[0096] <System> Unless otherwise specified, the processing procedures, control procedures, specific names, and various data and parameters shown in the above documents and drawings may be changed at will.

[0097] Furthermore, the components of each illustrated device are functionally conceptual and do not necessarily need to be physically configured as shown. In other words, the specific forms of distribution and integration of each device are not limited to those shown. That is, all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit according to various loads and usage conditions.

[0098] Furthermore, each processing function performed by each device may be implemented, in whole or in part, by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a program executed by that CPU, or by wired logic hardware.

[0099] <Hardware> Next, we will describe an example of a computer hardware configuration for executing an information processing program having similar functions to the information processing device described in this embodiment. Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration. As shown in Figure 11, the computer 100 has a communication device 100a, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 100b, memory 100c, and a processor 100d. Furthermore, each of the parts shown in Figure 11 is interconnected by a bus or the like.

[0100] The communication device 100a is a network interface card or the like, and communicates with other servers. The HDD 100b stores programs and DB (Database) that operate the functions shown in Figure 1, etc.

[0101] The processor 100d operates processes that perform the functions described in Figure 1 by reading programs that perform the same processing as the processing units shown in Figure 1, etc., from the HDD 100b, etc., and loading them into memory 100c. For example, a process performs the same functions as the processing units of the computer 100. Specifically, the processor 100d reads programs that have the same functions as the acquisition unit 11, abnormality determination unit 12, determination unit 13, abnormality monitoring timer 15A, driving monitoring timer 15B, start timer 15C, and communication control unit 17, etc., from the HDD 100b, etc. Then, the processor 100d executes processes that perform the same processing as the acquisition unit 11, abnormality determination unit 12, determination unit 13, abnormality monitoring timer 15A, driving monitoring timer 15B, start timer 15C, and communication control unit 17, etc.

[0102] Thus, the computer 100 operates as an information processing device that performs various processing methods by reading and executing a program. Furthermore, the computer 100 can also achieve the same functionality as in the above-described embodiment by reading the program from a recording medium using a media reader and executing the read program. It should be noted that the program referred to in this other embodiment is not limited to being executed by the computer 100. For example, the functions of the information processing device described in this embodiment can be similarly achieved when another computer or server executes the program, or when they collaborate to execute the program.

[0103] This program can be distributed via networks such as the Internet. Furthermore, this program can be recorded on computer-readable storage media such as hard disks, flexible disks (FDs), CD-ROMs, MO (Magneto-Optical disks), and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), and executed by reading the program from these media using a computer. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0104] 1. Communication control terminal 2. Power connection section 3 Communications Department 4. Gyro accelerometer 10 Control Unit 11 Acquisition Department 12 Abnormality determination section 13 Judgment section 13A Driving status determination unit 13B Traffic congestion status determination unit 15A Anomaly Monitoring Timer 15B Driving monitoring timer 15C Start Timer 17 Communication Control Unit

Claims

1. An information processing device, A means for obtaining values ​​of acceleration and rotational speed, An abnormality determination means that determines the direction of travel from the acceleration and determines an abnormal rotation state based on the value of the rotational speed around the rotation axis corresponding to the direction of travel, A determination means for determining that the information processing device is in a non-vehicle-carrying state based on the rotation abnormality state, An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. A communication means for communicating with other devices, If the determination means determines that the information processing device is not in a vehicle-accessible state, the communication control means restricts the use of the communication by the communication means, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. An information processing method used in an information processing device, Obtain the values ​​of acceleration and rotational speed, The direction of travel is determined from the acceleration, and a rotational abnormality is determined based on the value of the rotational speed around the rotation axis corresponding to the direction of travel. Based on the aforementioned abnormal rotation state, the information processing device determines that the vehicle is not in a vehicle-carrying state. An information processing method in which the processing is performed by the information processing device.

4. An information processing program used in an information processing device, Obtain the values ​​of acceleration and rotational speed, The direction of travel is determined from the acceleration, and a rotational abnormality is determined based on the value of the rotational speed around the rotation axis corresponding to the direction of travel. Based on the aforementioned abnormal rotation state, the information processing device determines that the vehicle is not in a vehicle-carrying state. An information processing program that causes the information processing device to perform the processing.

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