vehicle-mounted device

Abstract

To improve the accuracy of settings for vehicle operation. [Solution] The in-vehicle device is an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle and includes a communication unit that communicates with a server device, an input unit that accepts user operations, and a control unit that performs settings according to the later of a first instruction made by an operation to the input unit for setting the operation of the vehicle and a second instruction from the server device, wherein the control unit performs settings according to the earlier of the first and second instructions if the earlier instruction indicates authority over the vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] Techniques for avoiding control conflicts caused by overlapping of a plurality of instructions given to a vehicle are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for avoiding control conflicts based on a communicable distance in a communication standard when a vehicle and a terminal device communicate.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] There is room for improving the accuracy of settings for vehicle operations.

[0005] Hereinafter, an in-vehicle device and the like that can improve the accuracy of settings for vehicle operations will be disclosed.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An in-vehicle device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, and includes a communication unit that communicates with a server device, an input unit that receives a user's operation, and a control unit that performs a setting according to a later instruction among a first instruction by an operation on the input unit for setting an operation of the vehicle and a second instruction from the server device. When the earlier instruction among the first instruction and the second instruction indicates authority over the vehicle, the control unit performs a setting according to the earlier instruction.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] The in-vehicle devices described in this disclosure make it possible to improve the accuracy of settings for vehicle operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the control system. [Figure 2] This is a flowchart showing the operation of the in-vehicle device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

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

[0010] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a control system according to one embodiment. The control system 1 comprises an on-board device 11 mounted on one or more vehicles 10, one or more server devices 12, and one or more terminal devices 13. The vehicles 10 are, for example, passenger cars, commercial vehicles, etc. The on-board device 11 is, for example, an information processing device that controls the vehicle, such as an EUC (Electronic Control Unit). The server device 12 is, for example, a server computer belonging to a cloud computing system or other computing system, which functions as a server that implements various functions. The server device 12 is, for example, a server provided by a business operator that operates the control system 1. The terminal devices 13 are, for example, personal computers, tablet terminal devices, etc., which are used by users of the vehicles 10. The network 14 is, for example, the internet, a wide-area communication network, etc. The on-board device 11 and the server device 12, and the server device 12 and the terminal device 13 are each connected to communicate with each other via the network 14.

[0011] In this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 11 sets the operation of the vehicle 10. The operation to be set includes the overall operation of each unit that makes up the vehicle 10, such as the operation of the drive recorder, navigation system, driver assistance system, and air conditioning. Setting the drive recorder includes setting the sensitivity of the impact detection function to one of several levels, such as "high, medium, or low," and starting or stopping the camera's continuous recording function and audio recording function. Setting the operation includes changing existing settings.

[0012] The in-vehicle device 11 includes a communication unit 111 that communicates with the server device 12 and an input unit 114 that accepts user operations. The control unit 113 of the in-vehicle device 11 performs settings according to the latter of the setting instructions received from the server device 12 (hereinafter referred to as a remote instruction), which is either a setting instruction received from the input unit 114 (hereinafter referred to as a direct instruction for convenience) or a setting instruction received from the server device 12 (hereinafter referred to as a remote instruction for convenience). A remote instruction is sent from the terminal device 13 to the server device 12, and then from the server device 12 to the in-vehicle device 11, when the user operates the terminal device 13 via an application or the like. In other words, the user's instruction is sent to the in-vehicle device 11 via the server device 12. Furthermore, if the first of the direct and remote instructions indicates authority over the vehicle 10 (hereinafter referred to as usage authority for convenience), the control unit 113 performs settings according to the first instruction.

[0013] According to this embodiment, while it takes some time for the in-vehicle device 11 to receive remote instructions via the server device 12, a conflict may occur between the remote instructions and direct instructions made by operating the in-vehicle device 11. However, it is possible to avoid such conflicts by determining the appropriate instruction from among multiple instructions according to the order of instructions and the right of use. Here, the right of use is the right to use the vehicle 10, and the use of the vehicle 10 includes setting the operation of the vehicle 10. A person with the right of use (hereinafter, for convenience, referred to as the user) is, for example, the owner of the vehicle 10 or a manager authorized by the owner. For example, the owner as the user of the vehicle 10 can permit multiple users, including family members and renters of the vehicle 10, to use the vehicle 10. By avoiding conflicts between multiple instructions from multiple users, the accuracy of the settings for the operation of the vehicle is improved.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the in-vehicle device 11 includes a communication unit 111, a control unit 113, and an input unit 114, as well as a storage unit 112, an output unit 115, and an imaging unit 116.

[0015] The communication unit 111 includes a mobile communication module compatible with mobile communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G (4th Generation), or 5G (5th Generation), a communication module compatible with wireless LAN standards, a short-range wireless communication module, etc. The communication unit 111 connects to the network 14 and communicates with the server device 12.

[0016] The storage unit 112 includes one or more memories. The memories are, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories. Each memory included in the storage unit 112 functions, for example, as a main memory, an auxiliary memory, or a cache memory. The storage unit 112 stores information used for the operation of the in-vehicle device 11 and information obtained by the operation of the in-vehicle device 11. The storage unit 112 may also store, for example, information on the operation settings of the vehicle 10, an application program for receiving instructions for setting the settings, and identification information of the user of the vehicle 10.

[0017] The control unit 113 includes one or more processors, one or more programmable circuits, one or more dedicated circuits, or a combination thereof. The processor is, for example, a general-purpose processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process. The programmable circuit is, for example, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The dedicated circuit is, for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The control unit 113 controls the operation of the entire in-vehicle device 11 while controlling each part of the in-vehicle device 11. For example, the control unit 113 sets the operation of the vehicle 10 and determines the order of instructions and instructions indicating usage rights.

[0018] The input unit 114 includes one or more input devices that accept operations from an operator. The input devices include, for example, physical keys, capacitive keys, capacitive panels, touchscreens integrated with the display, or microphones that accept voice input. The input unit 114 accepts input of information used for the operation of the control unit 113 and sends the input information to the control unit 113. For example, the input unit 114 accepts input operations such as operations for setting the operation of the vehicle 10 and operator identification information.

[0019] The output unit 115 includes one or more output devices that output information. The output devices are, for example, a display that outputs information as images, or a speaker that outputs information as sound. The output unit 115 outputs information obtained by the operation of the control unit 113. For example, the output unit 115 outputs images or sounds related to instructions for setting the operation of the vehicle 10.

[0020] The imaging unit 116 includes a camera for capturing visible light images. The imaging unit 116, for example, captures an image of the operator of the in-vehicle device 11 and transmits the captured image to the control unit 113. The image may include still images or moving images. The imaging unit 116 may be located outside the in-vehicle device 11 and connected to the in-vehicle device 11 by wire or wireless means to send and receive control signals, images, etc.

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates an example of an operation executed by the control unit 113 of the in-vehicle device 11.

[0022] In S20, the control unit 113 receives a direct instruction of the operation of the vehicle 10 from the user. At this time, the control unit 113 assigns a time stamp to the direct instruction based on the clock function. That is, the time stamp corresponds to the time when the direct instruction is input to the in-vehicle device 11 via the input unit 114. Further, the control unit 113 acquires one or more pieces of identification information corresponding to the direct instruction. The identification information corresponding to the direct instruction is information for identifying the authorized user and is used to determine whether the operator who sends the direct instruction is the authorized user. The identification information is, for example, a user ID, biometric authentication information, or a digital key of the vehicle 10. The biometric authentication information is arbitrary biometric information such as the face information or fingerprint of the authorized user. The digital key is information that is stored in the terminal device 13 such as a smartphone and is used for unlocking and locking the vehicle 10. The user ID is acquired, for example, by being input via the input unit 114 together with a password when the operator logs in to the application for giving the direct instruction. The biometric authentication information is acquired, for example, when the operator is imaged by the imaging unit 116 of the in-vehicle device 11 or when the fingerprint of the operator is detected by a fingerprint sensor. The digital key is acquired, for example, by being sent from the terminal device 13 carried by the operator to the in-vehicle device 11 using an arbitrary wireless communication standard.

[0023] In S21, the control unit 113 receives a remote instruction from the terminal device 13 via the server device 12 through the communication unit 111. A time stamp is attached to the remote instruction based on the clock function of the terminal device 13. The time stamp corresponds to the point when the terminal device 13 sends the remote instruction to the server device 12. Further, the control unit 113 acquires identification information corresponding to the remote instruction together with the remote instruction. The identification information corresponding to the remote instruction is information for identifying the authorized user, and is, for example, a user ID or biometric authentication information. The user ID is acquired when the operator of the terminal device 13 logs in to an application for operating the remote instruction on the terminal device 13. The biometric authentication information is acquired, for example, when the terminal device 13 captures a face image of the operator of the terminal device 13 or detects the fingerprint of the operator.

[0024] If no direct instruction is given in the in-vehicle device 11, step S20 is omitted. If no remote instruction is given in the terminal device 13, step S21 is omitted. Also, the remote instruction may be sent from a plurality of terminal devices 13, and in that case, step S21 is executed for each terminal device 13. S20 may be inserted between any one or more of steps S21, or may be performed after step S21.

[0025] In S22, the control unit 113 determines whether there is a priority order for instructions at predetermined intervals. The predetermined interval is any time, for example, from tens of milliseconds to several seconds. The control unit 113 uses the timestamp attached to each of the multiple instructions received within the predetermined interval to determine the priority order of the multiple instructions. The multiple instructions include one or more direct instructions made by operating the in-vehicle device 11 and one or more remote instructions sent from one or more terminal devices 13 via the server device 12. Even if the control unit 113 takes time to receive remote instructions via the server device 12 due to communication delays, etc., and remote instructions conflict with direct instructions within the predetermined interval, it is possible to determine the priority order of the instructions in the chronological order at the time the setting change was instructed. If there is no priority order for the instructions (step S22-No), that is, if only either direct instructions or remote instructions are received, the control unit 113 executes the received direct or remote instruction in step S23. If there is a priority order for the instructions (step S22-Yes), the in-vehicle device 11 determines the priority order of the instructions in step S24.

[0026] In S25, the control unit 113 determines whether the instruction confirmed in step S24 indicates authority over the vehicle 10, i.e., the right to use it. The control unit 113 determines whether the instruction indicates the right to use it based on either or both the identification information associated with the direct or remote instruction and the schedule information corresponding to the right to use it. The user of the vehicle 10 registers one or more pieces of identification information in either or both the storage unit 112 and the server unit 12 of the in-vehicle device 11 when acquiring the right to use the vehicle, such as when purchasing or borrowing the vehicle 10. The user registers the identification information, for example, by operating the in-vehicle device 11 to input the identification information or by sending the identification information to the server unit 12 via the terminal device 13. The user also acquires a digital key, for example, when purchasing or borrowing the vehicle 10. The control unit 113 reads the user's identification information from the storage unit 112 and compares it with the identification information acquired in step S20 or S21 to determine whether the instruction indicates the right to use it. Furthermore, the control unit 113 acquires the user's schedule information, which is pre-stored in either the server device 12 or the terminal device 13, or both, and determines whether or not the instruction is from the user based on the schedule at the time the instruction is given. For example, if there is a schedule for driving the vehicle 10 at the time the instruction is given (e.g., a travel schedule), it is determined that the user has been granted permission to use the vehicle. If there is a schedule that is highly unlikely to involve driving the vehicle 10 (e.g., a work schedule), it is determined that the user has not been granted permission to use the vehicle.

[0027] If the control unit 113 determines that the previous instruction does not correspond to the usage rights (step S25-No), it performs the settings according to the subsequent instruction in step S26 and proceeds to step S28. If the control unit 113 determines that the previous instruction corresponds to the usage rights (step S25-Yes), it performs the settings according to the previous instruction, that is, the instruction corresponding to the usage rights, in step S27 and proceeds to step S28.

[0028] In S28, the in-vehicle device 11 causes the in-vehicle device 11 or the terminal device 13 to output an instruction that was not executed in step S26 or step S27 (hereinafter referred to as a rejection instruction). For example, if the rejection instruction is a direct instruction received by the in-vehicle device 11, the control unit 113 causes the output unit 115 to output in step S28 that the direct instruction has been rejected. On the other hand, if the rejection instruction is a remote instruction received by the terminal device 13, the control unit 113 sends a notification rejecting the remote instruction (hereinafter referred to as a rejection notification) to the server device 12 via the communication unit 111. The server device 12 sends the rejection notification to the terminal device 13 that sent the rejection instruction, whichever of the one or more terminal devices 13 sent the rejection instruction. The terminal device 13 outputs that the remote instruction has been rejected.

[0029] Furthermore, after step S26 or step S27, once the in-vehicle device 11 has completed the settings in accordance with the instructions, it may output to the in-vehicle device 11 or terminal device 13 that the instructions have been completed.

[0030] Furthermore, different conditions may be used to determine whether an instruction indicates the right to use the system, specifically for direct instructions and remote instructions.

[0031] In the modified example, the determination of whether a remote instruction indicates usage rights may be performed by the server device 12. In this case, the server device 12 determines whether the instruction corresponds to usage rights by obtaining the user's identification information and schedule information from the storage unit of the server device 12 or the terminal device 13. Instead of receiving the identification information in step S21, the control unit 113 receives the result of the usage rights determination, along with the remote instruction and timestamp, from the server device 12 via the communication unit 111.

[0032] While this disclosure has been described based on the drawings and embodiments, it should be noted that those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions, etc., included in each component or step can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components or steps can be combined into one or divided into two.

[0033] Furthermore, it is also possible to implement an embodiment in which a general-purpose computer functions as the in-vehicle device 11 according to the above-described embodiment. Specifically, a program describing the processing content that realizes each function of the in-vehicle device 11 according to the above-described embodiment is stored in the memory of the general-purpose computer, and the processor reads and executes the program. Therefore, this disclosure can also be implemented as a program that can be executed by a processor, or as a non-temporary computer-readable medium that stores said program. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0034] 1 Control system, 10 Vehicle, 11 In-vehicle equipment, 12 Server equipment, 13 Terminal equipment, 14 Network, 111 Communication unit, 112 Storage unit, 113 Control unit, 114 Input unit, 115 Output unit, 116 Imaging unit

Claims

1. An in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle, A communication unit that communicates with the server device, An input section that accepts user input, The system includes a control unit that performs settings according to the second of two instructions: a first instruction made by operating the input unit for setting the operation of the vehicle, and a second instruction from the server device. The control unit shall, if the earlier of the first and second instructions indicates authority over the vehicle, perform the setting corresponding to the earlier instruction. In-vehicle device.

2. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the order of the first instruction and the second instruction using a timestamp corresponding to the time of input of the first instruction or a timestamp corresponding to the time of sending the second instruction to the server device.

3. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the authority is determined based on either or both of the identification information associated with the first instruction or the second instruction, and the schedule information corresponding to the authority.

4. The in-vehicle device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit receives the authority determination result from the server device.

Images