Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

To operate remote air conditioning in an appropriate air conditioning mode.SOLUTION: An information processor includes a control section. The control section executes: acquiring information on a place where a vehicle is stopped in response to reception of a request for operating air conditioning of the vehicle remotely; acquiring information on time; selecting an air conditioning mode of the vehicle on the basis of the information on the place and the information on the time; and transmitting a command for operating the air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode to the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing device and an information processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] In remote air conditioning, which operates the air conditioner remotely to adjust the in-vehicle environment when the user is not in the vehicle, a technique is known in which a determination is made as to whether a temperature condition is met based on at least one of the indoor temperature, the outside temperature, and the temperature of a specified part of the vehicle, and after it is determined that the temperature condition is met, the air conditioner is stopped after a specified time has elapsed (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-122836 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to operate a remote air conditioning system in an appropriate air conditioning mode. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is In response to receiving a request to remotely activate an air conditioning system for a vehicle, obtaining information regarding a location where the vehicle is parked; Obtaining information regarding a time; selecting an air conditioning mode for the vehicle based on the location information and the time information; Transmitting a command to the vehicle to operate the air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode; The information processing device includes a control unit that executes the above.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is The computer In response to receiving a request to remotely activate an air conditioning system for a vehicle, obtaining information regarding a location where the vehicle is parked; Obtaining information regarding a time; selecting an air conditioning mode for the vehicle based on the location information and the time information; Transmitting a command to the vehicle to operate the air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode; This is an information processing method.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the above-described information processing method, or a storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present disclosure, remote air conditioning can be operated in an appropriate air conditioning mode. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] The hardware configurations and functional configurations of the vehicle, the user terminal, and the server will be described. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a server. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram illustrating a table configuration of a vehicle information DB according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between time, parking location, and air conditioning mode. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of functional components of an ECU according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a user terminal. [Figure 8]FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed when an application capable of executing remote air conditioning is launched. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart of a remote air conditioning process in the server according to the first embodiment. [Figure 11] 4 is a flowchart of a process of remote air conditioning in the vehicle according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the relationship between time, parking location, and air conditioning mode. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart of a process of remote air conditioning in a server according to the second embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed when an application capable of executing remote air conditioning is launched. [Figure 16] 4 is a time chart showing changes in fan rotation speed over time. [Figure 17] 13 is a flowchart showing a process of remote air conditioning in a server according to the third embodiment. [Figure 18] 11 is a diagram showing the relationship between operation mode, time, parking location, and air conditioning mode. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control unit that, in response to receiving a request to remotely operate the air conditioning of a vehicle, acquires information related to a location where the vehicle is parked, acquires information related to a time, selects an air conditioning mode for the vehicle based on the information related to the location and the information related to the time, and transmits a command to the vehicle to operate the air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode. Remote air conditioning is, for example, air conditioning that is remotely operated by a user from outside the vehicle, and is performed by the user transmitting a request to operate the air conditioning using a user terminal from outside the vehicle. The request is sent to an external information processing device that issues commands to the vehicle.

[0011] The information on the place where the vehicle is parked may be, for example, information that allows determination as to whether the vehicle is parked in a garage or at home. This information may be, for example, vehicle position information, or information on the detection value of a sensor provided in the vehicle. The information on the place where the vehicle is parked is information that serves as an index showing how much noise can be generated. Furthermore, the information on the time may include information on the current time zone. Furthermore, the information on the time may be information that allows determination as to whether it is day or night.

[0012] Here, it is considered that the tolerance for noise is lower at night than during the day. That is, since the surroundings are quiet, the sound generated by the operation of the vehicle's air conditioning may feel relatively loud, and even small sounds may be bothersome when sleeping at night. In addition, the tolerance for noise differs depending on where the vehicle is parked. For example, if the vehicle is parked in a garage at home, it is considered that there is no problem with noise because no one is in the car even if the air conditioning is operated remotely. However, the engine sound or the operating sound of the air conditioning may be heard in the neighboring house. Therefore, there is a risk of causing a nuisance to the neighbors.

[0013] Therefore, if the vehicle air conditioning mode is selected based on the information related to the location and the information related to the time, it is possible to select an air conditioning mode that reduces the operating noise when the tolerance for noise is low. In this way, the temperature inside the vehicle can be adjusted while taking noise issues into consideration. The air conditioning mode may be, for example, a mode that generates a louder sound but requires a shorter time to adjust the temperature, or a mode that generates a quieter sound but requires a longer time to adjust the temperature.

[0014] The control unit generates a command to operate the remote air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode and transmits it to the vehicle. This causes the remote air conditioning to operate in the selected air conditioning mode. Remote air conditioning is a method of remotely operating the air conditioning when the user is not in the vehicle to improve the in-vehicle environment.

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. In addition, the following embodiments can be combined as much as possible.

[0016] First Embodiment Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system 1 according to a first embodiment. The system 1 is a system capable of remotely operating an air conditioner (hereinafter referred to as an air conditioner) of a vehicle 10 in accordance with a request transmitted from a user terminal 20 to a server 30. The server 30 selects an air conditioning mode based on the location where the vehicle 10 is parked (hereinafter referred to as a parking location) and the time of day.

[0017] In the example of FIG. 1, the system 1 includes a vehicle 10, a user terminal 20, and a server 30. The user terminal 20 is a mobile terminal carried by a user. The vehicle 10 is a vehicle associated with the user terminal 20. The vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 are connected to each other by a network N1. The network N1 is a global public communication network such as the Internet, and may be a WAN (Wide Area Network) or other communication network. The network N1 may include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone, or a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The vehicle 10 may be connected to the user terminal 20 via a network N2 including short-range wireless communication. Although one vehicle 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as an example, there may be a plurality of vehicles 10. There may also be a plurality of users and user terminals 20 according to the number of vehicles 10.

[0018] The hardware configuration and functional configuration of the vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 that constitute the system 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0019] The server 30 has a computer configuration. The server 30 has a processor 301, a main memory unit 302, an auxiliary memory unit 303, and a communication unit 304. These are connected to each other via a bus. The processor 301 is an example of a control unit. The main memory unit 302 and the auxiliary memory unit 303 are examples of a memory unit.

[0020] The processor 301 is a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital signal processor (DSP), etc. The processor 301 controls the server 30 and performs various information processing operations. The main memory unit 302 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), etc. The auxiliary memory unit 303 is an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), Hard disk drives (HDDs), removable media, etc. The auxiliary storage unit 303 stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, and the like. The processor 301 loads the programs stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 into a working area of ​​the main storage unit 302 and executes them, and each component unit, etc. is controlled through the execution of the programs. This allows the server 30 to realize a function that meets a predetermined purpose. The main storage unit 302 and the auxiliary storage unit 303 are computer-readable recording media. The server 30 may be a single computer or a combination of multiple computers. The information stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 may be stored in the main storage unit 302. The information stored in the main storage unit 302 may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303.

[0021] The communication unit 304 is a means for communicating with the vehicle 10 and the user terminal 20 via the network N1. The communication unit 304 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board and a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board and the wireless communication circuit are connected to the network N1.

[0022] The series of processes executed by the server 30 can be executed by hardware, but can also be executed by software.

[0023] Next, the user terminal 20 will be described. The user terminal 20 is a small computer such as a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet terminal, a personal information terminal, a wearable computer (such as a smart watch), or a personal computer (PC). The user terminal 20 has a processor 201, a main memory unit 202, an auxiliary memory unit 203, an input unit 204, a display 205, and a communication unit 206. These are connected to each other by a bus. The processor 201, the main memory unit 202, and the auxiliary memory unit 203 are similar to the processor 301, the main memory unit 302, and the auxiliary memory unit 303 of the server 30, and therefore description thereof will be omitted.

[0024] The input unit 204 is a means for accepting an input operation performed by a user, and is, for example, a touch panel, a mouse, a keyboard, or a push button. The display 205 is a means for presenting information to a user, and is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an EL (Electroluminescence) panel. 05 may be configured as a single touch panel display.

[0025] The communication unit 206 is a communication means for connecting the user terminal 20 to the network N1 or the network N2. The communication unit 206 is, for example, a mobile communication service (for example, telephone communication networks such as 6G (6th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), 4G (4th Generation), 3G (3rd Generation), and LTE (Long Term Evolution)), Wi-Fi (registered trademark ), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or other wireless communication network, and is a circuit for communicating with other devices (such as the vehicle 10 or the server 30) via the network N1 or the network N2.

[0026] Next, the vehicle 10 will be described. The vehicle 10 is equipped with an engine 41. The vehicle 10 includes an ECU 100, which is an electronic control unit, the engine 41, a battery 42, an internal temperature sensor 43, an external temperature sensor 44, an obstacle sensor 45, a position information sensor 46, and an air conditioner 50. These components are connected to each other by a CAN bus, which is a bus for an in-vehicle network. Note that, although the present embodiment includes one ECU 100, instead of this, the vehicle 10 may include controllers corresponding to communication with the outside, control of the engine 41, and control of the air conditioner 50, respectively.

[0027] The ECU 100 has a computer configuration. The ECU 100 includes a processor 10 The processor 101 includes a main memory unit 102, an auxiliary memory unit 103, and a communication unit 104. These are connected to each other by a bus. The processor 101, the main memory unit 102, the auxiliary memory unit 103, and the communication unit 104 are similar to the processor 201, the main memory unit 202, the auxiliary memory unit 203, and the communication unit 206 of the user terminal 20, so their explanation will be omitted.

[0028] The engine 41 is, for example, a gasoline engine or a diesel engine, and its output can be used to charge the battery 42 or to drive the vehicle 10. The coolant of the engine 41 can also be used as a heat source for heating. Furthermore, the operation of the engine 41 can operate a compressor 51 of the air conditioner 50. The battery 42 is a secondary battery that can be repeatedly charged and discharged.

[0029] The internal temperature sensor 43 is a sensor that detects the temperature inside the vehicle 10 (interior temperature). The external temperature sensor 44 is a sensor that detects the temperature outside the vehicle 10 (exterior temperature). The obstacle sensor 45 is a sensor that detects obstacles in front of and behind the vehicle 10. Examples of the obstacle sensor 45 include a stereo camera, a laser scanner, a LIDAR, a sonar, or a radar. The position information sensor 46 acquires position information (e.g., latitude and longitude) of the vehicle 10 at a predetermined period. The position information sensor 46 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiving unit, a wireless communication unit, etc. The information acquired by the position information sensor 46 is , for example, is recorded in the auxiliary storage unit 103 or the like and transmitted to the server 30.

[0030] The air conditioner 50 is a device that adjusts the temperature inside the vehicle 10. The air conditioner 50 includes a compressor 51 and a fan 52. The compressor 51 is a device that operates by power from the engine 41 and compresses and liquefies the vaporized refrigerant. The compressor 51 includes, for example, a pulley that is connected to the crankshaft of the engine 41 via a belt. A magnetic clutch that is connected by passing electricity is connected to this pulley, and the compressor 51 operates by passing electricity through the magnetic clutch when the engine 41 is operating. The compressor 51 may be an electric compressor that operates by supplying power from the battery 42. The compressor 51 can adjust the temperature inside the vehicle more quickly because the amount of refrigerant compressed per unit time increases as the rotation speed increases. The fan 52 is a device that blows air to a condenser that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and the atmosphere. The fan 52 can adjust the temperature inside the vehicle more quickly because the amount of heat exchanged per unit time increases as the rotation speed increases.

[0031] Next, the functions of the server 30 will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the server 30. The server 30 includes, as functional components, a control unit 31 and a vehicle information DB 32. A processor 301 of the server 30 executes the processing of the control unit 31 according to a computer program stored in a main memory unit 302.

[0032] The vehicle information DB 32 is, for example, a relational database that is constructed by a database management system (DBMS) program executed by the processor 301 managing data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303.

[0033] When the control unit 31 receives an air conditioning request from the user terminal 20, it transmits an air conditioning command to the vehicle 10. The air conditioning request is a request to remotely operate the air conditioner 50. The air conditioning command is a command to remotely operate the air conditioner 50 of the vehicle 10. The air conditioning command includes a command to start the engine 41 and operate the air conditioner 50, and information regarding the air conditioning mode.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a table configuration of the vehicle information DB 32 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle information DB 32 has fields for a vehicle ID, a location, and a home. The vehicle ID field is input with information (vehicle ID) capable of identifying the vehicle 10. The location field is stored with location information transmitted from the vehicle 10. The home field is stored with information relating to the location of the home. The information relating to the location of the home includes information relating to the address or coordinates of the home of the user linked to the vehicle 10. Information relating to the location of the user's home is registered in advance by the user via the user terminal 20. Note that the control unit 31 may acquire information relating to the home when the user performs usage registration via application software (hereinafter simply referred to as an app) capable of executing remote air conditioning from the user terminal 20.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between time, parking location, and air conditioning mode. This relationship is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303. Time is expressed as day or night. Note that day is an example of a first time period, and night is an example of a second time period. Day may be, for example, the time from sunrise to sunset, or may be, for example, the time from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Night may be, for example, the time from sunset to sunrise, or may be, for example, the time from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Alternatively, day may be the time when a general person is awake, and night may be the time when a general person is sleeping. The time periods corresponding to day and night may be set by the user via the user terminal 20. Night may be the time period including midnight, and day may be the time period including noon (midnight). As a further alternative, day may be the time period during which the sound generated when the rotation speed of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 of the air conditioner 50 is set to the highest is not a problem, and night may be the time period during which the sound generated when the rotation speed of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 of the air conditioner 50 is set to the highest is a problem.

[0036] The parking location is indicated as inside the home or outside the home. Inside the home indicates that the vehicle 10 is parked within the home's premises. On the other hand, outside the home indicates that the vehicle 10 is parked in a location other than the home's premises.

[0037] The air conditioning mode is represented by a first mode or a second mode. The first mode is a mode in which the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are relatively high. The first mode may be an air conditioning mode in which the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are set to the highest value. On the other hand, the second mode is a mode in which the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are relatively low. The upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are lower in the second mode than in the first mode. Therefore, in the second mode, although the volume of the sound is reduced, the air conditioning capacity is reduced, so that it may take time to adjust the temperature to the desired temperature or the temperature may not be adjusted to the desired temperature. However, if the air conditioner 50 is operated, the temperature inside the vehicle can be adjusted to some extent. Therefore, when noise suppression is prioritized, the second mode is executed to adjust the temperature inside the vehicle while reducing the volume of the sound. On the other hand, when noise suppression is not prioritized, the first mode is executed to prioritize increasing the air conditioning capacity. This allows the temperature inside the vehicle to be adjusted quickly.

[0038] Here, if the parking location is outside the home or if it is daytime, the first mode is selected since increasing the air conditioning capacity takes precedence over suppressing noise, whereas if the parking location is inside the home and it is nighttime, the second mode is selected since suppressing noise takes precedence over increasing the air conditioning capacity.

[0039] The control unit 31 compares the location information of the vehicle 10 transmitted from the vehicle 10 with information on the location of the user's home stored in the vehicle information DB 32, and determines whether the vehicle 10 is parked at the user's home. For example, when the location of the vehicle 10 is within a predetermined distance from the location of the user's home, the control unit 31 determines that the vehicle 10 is parked at the user's home. The predetermined distance is , a distance that may be considered to be within a home, for example, a distance between 0 and several meters or several tens of meters.

[0040] The control unit 31 selects the air conditioning mode based on the location information of the vehicle 10 transmitted from the vehicle 10, information on the location of the user's home stored in the vehicle information DB 32, and the relationship shown in Fig. 5 stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303. The time may be acquired by the server 30 via the network N1. Alternatively, the server 30 may be provided with a clock function, and the time may be acquired using this clock function.

[0041] When the control unit 31 selects an air conditioning mode, it transmits an air conditioning command to the vehicle 10. The air conditioning command includes a command to operate the engine 41, a command to operate the air conditioner 50, and a command to control the engine 41 and the air conditioner 50 in accordance with the selected air conditioning mode.

[0042] Next, functional components of the ECU 100 of the vehicle 10 will be described. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of functional components of the ECU 100 according to the embodiment. The ECU 100 includes a control unit 110 as a functional component. The processor 101 of the ECU 100 executes the processing of the control unit 110 according to a computer program on the main storage unit 102. However, any of the functional components or a part of the processing may be executed by a hardware circuit.

[0043] When the control unit 110 receives an air conditioning command transmitted from the server 30, it operates the engine 41 and the air conditioner 50 based on the air conditioning command. This starts the remote air conditioning of the vehicle 10. When the remote air conditioning is performed, the engine 41 is operated to perform air conditioning. At this time, the air conditioning mode included in the air conditioning command is executed. When the control unit 110 receives a command to execute the first mode from the server 30, it sets the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 relatively high, and when it receives a command to execute the second mode from the server 30, it sets the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 lower than those of the first mode. Note that the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 corresponding to the first mode and the second mode may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103 of the vehicle 10, or may be included in the air conditioning command received from the server 30. For example, the control unit 110 may feedback control the compressor 51 and the fan 52 based on the temperature inside the vehicle so that the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are not exceeded. The air conditioner 50 can be controlled using known techniques.

[0044] Furthermore, the control unit 110 transmits the location information acquired by the location information sensor 46 to the server 30 at predetermined time intervals.

[0045] Next, the functions of the user terminal 20 will be described. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 has a control unit 21 as a functional component. The processor 201 of the user terminal 20 executes the processing of the control unit 21 by a computer program on the main storage unit 202. However, part of the processing of the control unit 21 may be executed by a hardware circuit.

[0046] The control unit 21 generates an air conditioning request according to the user's input and sends it to the server 30. When the user taps a specific icon displayed on the display 205, the control unit 21 starts an app capable of performing remote air conditioning. Here, an app capable of performing remote air conditioning is installed in the user terminal 20, and when the user starts the app, an image for performing remote air conditioning is displayed.

[0047] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed when an application capable of executing remote air conditioning is started. Note that FIG. 8 shows a user interface for specifying the illustrated air conditioning parameters. The illustrated user interface includes a slider (601) for setting the temperature, a component (602) for specifying a device to be operated, and a button (603) for sending a request.

[0048] Next, the overall processing of the system 1 will be described. Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system 1 according to the first embodiment. The vehicle 10 and the user terminal 20 shown in Fig. 9 are associated with each other in advance and registered in the server 30. Note that the following description will be given assuming that the vehicle information DB 32 stores information about the user's home.

[0049] Location information is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30 at predetermined time intervals (S11). The location information received by the server 30 is stored in the vehicle information DB 32. Alternatively, the server 30 may acquire location information from the vehicle 10 by sending a request to send location information from the server 30 to the vehicle 10, triggered by the server 30 receiving an air conditioning request from the user terminal 20. Furthermore, when the user launches a predetermined app on the user terminal 20 and performs an operation to start remote air conditioning, an air conditioning request is generated in the user terminal 20 and transmitted to the server 30 (S12).

[0050] The server 30 that has received the air conditioning request acquires information related to the time (S13). For example, the server 30 acquires information related to the time from a server that provides information related to the time on the Internet. Furthermore, the server 30 selects an air conditioning mode based on the position of the vehicle 10 and the time (S14). The server 30 compares the position of the vehicle 10 with the user's home stored in the vehicle information DB 32, and determines whether the vehicle 10 is parked at the home. The server 30 also determines whether the current time corresponds to day or night. Then, the server 30 selects an air conditioning mode based on the relationship shown in FIG. 5 that is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303.

[0051] The server 30 that has selected the air conditioning mode generates an air conditioning command, which is a command to execute remote air conditioning, for the corresponding vehicle 10, and transmits it to the vehicle 10 (S15). This air conditioning command includes a command to execute remote air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode.

[0052] The control unit 110 of the vehicle 10 that has received the air conditioning command executes remote air conditioning in the air conditioning mode instructed by the air conditioning command (S16). When remote air conditioning is executed, an air conditioning start notification is sent from the vehicle 10 to the server 30 (S17). The air conditioning start notification is a notification to inform the user that remote air conditioning has started. The server 30 transmits the air conditioning start notification to the user terminal 20 (S18). In the user terminal 20 that has received the air conditioning start notification, an image indicating that remote air conditioning has started is displayed on the display 205 (S19). This allows the user to know that remote air conditioning has started.

[0053] Next, a description will be given of the processing of remote air conditioning in the server 30. Fig. 10 is a flowchart of the processing of remote air conditioning in the server 30 according to the first embodiment. The processing shown in Fig. 10 is executed in the server 30 at predetermined time intervals.

[0054] In step S101, the control unit 31 determines whether or not an air conditioning request has been received from the user terminal 20. The air conditioning request includes information such as a user ID and a vehicle ID. If a positive determination is made in step S101, the process proceeds to step S102, and if a negative determination is made, the routine ends. In step S102, the control unit 31 acquires location information of the vehicle 10 and information about the user's home from the vehicle information DB 32. The control unit 31 acquires location information of the vehicle 10 and information about the user's home from the vehicle information DB 32 based on the vehicle ID included in the air conditioning request.

[0055] In step S103, the control unit 31 acquires information related to the time. For example, a web server that provides information related to time is accessed via communication unit 304 to obtain the current time. In step S104, control unit 31 determines whether the current time corresponds to daytime or not based on the obtained time. The time corresponding to daytime is stored in advance in auxiliary storage unit 303. If a positive determination is made in step S104, the process proceeds to step S106, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S105.

[0056] In step S105, the control unit 31 determines whether the location where the vehicle 10 is parked is outside the user's home. If the location of the vehicle 10 is a predetermined distance or more away from the location of the user's home, the control unit 31 determines that the vehicle 10 is parked outside the user's home. If the determination in step S105 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S106, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0057] In step S106, the control unit 31 selects the first mode as the air conditioning mode. On the other hand, in step S107, the control unit 31 selects the second mode as the air conditioning mode. In step S108, the control unit 31 generates an air conditioning command. The air conditioning command includes a command to operate the air conditioning by executing either the first mode or the second mode. It may also include a command to set upper limits on the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 corresponding to each air conditioning mode. The air conditioning command may also include information on the target temperature. Then, in step S109, the control unit 31 transmits the air conditioning command to the vehicle 10.

[0058] Next, a description will be given of the processing of remote air conditioning in the vehicle 10. Fig. 11 is a flowchart of the processing of remote air conditioning in the vehicle 10 according to the first embodiment. The processing shown in Fig. 11 is executed by the ECU 100 at predetermined time intervals.

[0059] In step S201, the control unit 110 determines whether or not an air conditioning command has been received from the server 30. The air conditioning command may include information about the air conditioning mode, or may include information about the upper limit of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52. If the determination in step S201 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S202, and if the determination is negative, the routine is terminated.

[0060] In step S202, the control unit 110 determines whether the air conditioning mode instructed by the server 30 is the first mode. If the determination in step S202 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S203, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S204. In step S203, the control unit 110 sets the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 to relatively high rotation speeds. The rotation speeds at this time may be included in the air conditioning command from the server 30, or may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103. On the other hand, in step S204, the control unit 110 sets the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 to relatively low rotation speeds. The upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds at this time are lower than the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds set in step S203. In addition, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds at this time may be included in the air conditioning command from the server 30, or may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 103.

[0061] In step S205, the control unit 110 starts the engine 41. Furthermore, in step S206, the control unit 110 starts the air conditioner 50 to start air conditioning. At this time, for example, feedback control is performed so that the temperature inside the vehicle becomes a target temperature. Then, in step S207, the control unit 110 transmits an air conditioning start notification to the server 30. The air conditioning start notification includes information that air conditioning has started and a vehicle ID that is information for identifying the vehicle 10.

[0062] As described above, according to the present embodiment, the vehicle 10 is parked at a certain place and time. Since the air conditioning mode is selected according to the vehicle condition, an air conditioning mode that reduces the volume of the sound generated from the vehicle 10 can be selected in a situation where the impact of sound is large. This makes it possible to prevent noise from causing inconvenience to people around. In addition, by operating the air conditioning within a range where noise problems do not occur, the in-vehicle environment can be made closer to an optimal environment. In addition, in a situation where sound is not an issue, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 can be increased to quickly improve the in-vehicle environment.

[0063] <Second embodiment> In the first embodiment, the position of the vehicle 10 is compared with the position of the user's home to determine whether the vehicle 10 is parked at home. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, based on the output of the obstacle sensor 45 provided in the vehicle 10, it is determined whether the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage. Here, when the vehicle 10 is parked in, for example, a garage at home, the door of the garage may be closed. In this case, the vehicle 10 is surrounded by walls and doors on all four sides. Therefore, the obstacle sensor 45 detects obstacles in front of and behind the vehicle 10. In this way, when obstacles are detected in front of and behind the vehicle 10, the control unit 31 determines that the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage. Note that, in order to distinguish from a case where the vehicle is parallel parked on a road or the like, for example, when obstacles are detected in all of the right diagonal front, left diagonal front, right diagonal rear, and left diagonal rear, it may be determined that the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage. In the second embodiment, it is not necessary to store the position information of the vehicle 10 and information about the home in the vehicle information DB 32.

[0064] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the relationship between time, parking location, and air conditioning mode. This relationship is stored in the auxiliary memory unit 303. The time and air conditioning mode are the same as in FIG. 5, so a description is omitted. The parking location is expressed as inside the garage or outside the garage. Inside the garage indicates that the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage with a door. On the other hand, outside the garage indicates that the vehicle 10 is parked in a place other than the garage.

[0065] Here, when the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage, noise problems are unlikely to occur during the day, but at night, there is a risk that the noise will reverberate to the neighborhood. Therefore, when the parking location is outside the garage or when it is daytime, the first mode is set, prioritizing increasing the air conditioning capacity over suppressing noise. On the other hand, when the parking location is inside the garage and it is night, the second mode is set, prioritizing noise suppression over increasing the air conditioning capacity.

[0066] The control unit 110 determines that the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage when there are obstacles in front of and behind the vehicle 10 based on the output of the obstacle sensor 45 transmitted from the vehicle 10. Alternatively, the control unit 110 may determine that the vehicle 10 is parked in a garage when there are obstacles in all of the right diagonally forward, left diagonally forward, right diagonally rear, and left diagonally rear of the vehicle 10. The detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30 at predetermined time intervals, or may be transmitted by the vehicle 10 to the server 30 when a request is made from the server 30 to the vehicle 10.

[0067] Next, the overall processing of the system 1 will be described. Fig. 13 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system 1 according to the second embodiment. The same processes as those in Fig. 9 are denoted with the same reference numerals and will not be described. In the processing shown in Fig. 13, when the server 30 receives an air conditioning request from the user terminal 20 (S12), a request to transmit the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 (obstacle sensor detection value request) is sent from the server 30 to the vehicle 10 (S21). In response to this command, the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30 (S22). Then, the server 30 selects an air conditioning mode based on the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 and the time (S23).

[0068] Next, the process of remote air conditioning in the server 30 will be described. 14 is a flowchart of the process of remote air conditioning in the server 30 according to the embodiment. The process shown in Fig. 14 is executed in the server 30 at predetermined time intervals. Steps in which the same processes as those in the routine shown in Fig. 10 are executed are given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0069] 14, if a positive determination is made in step S101, the process proceeds to step S301. In step S301, the control unit 31 transmits an obstacle sensor detection value request to the vehicle 10. The control unit 31 identifies the target vehicle 10 from the user ID or vehicle ID included in the air conditioning request and transmits a command. The control unit 110 of the vehicle 10 that receives this command acquires the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 and transmits it to the server 30.

[0070] In step S302, the control unit 31 receives the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 from the vehicle 10. The received detection value of the obstacle sensor 45 is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 linked to the vehicle ID.

[0071] In the routine shown in FIG. 14, if a negative determination is made in step S104, the process proceeds to step S303. In step S303, the control unit 31 determines whether the location where the vehicle 10 is parked is outside the garage. If no obstacle is present in front of or behind the vehicle 10 based on the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45, the control unit 31 determines that the vehicle 10 is parked outside the garage. Alternatively, if no obstacle is present in any of the right diagonally forward, left diagonally forward, right diagonally rear, and left diagonally rear of the vehicle 10, the process proceeds to step S106. If a positive determination is made in step S303, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0072] As described above, according to the second embodiment, it is possible to determine whether the vehicle 10 is parked in the garage using the detection value of the obstacle sensor 45, and to select the air conditioning mode based on the determination result. This allows the remote air conditioning to be operated in an appropriate air conditioning mode. Therefore, it is possible to prevent noise problems from occurring.

[0073] <Third embodiment> In the first and second embodiments, the air conditioning mode is selected based on the location and time of day where the vehicle 10 is parked, but there may be cases where the user does not want air conditioning in the first mode due to noise concerns. In contrast, in the third embodiment, the remote air conditioning can be operated in the second mode based on a request from the user.

[0074] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of an image displayed when an application capable of executing remote air conditioning is started. The application includes a button 604 for executing remote air conditioning in normal mode and a button 605 for executing remote air conditioning in quiet mode. The user can specify the air conditioning mode by tapping either the normal mode or quiet mode button. The normal mode is the air conditioning mode described in the first or second embodiment, and is a mode in which the air conditioning mode is set to the first mode or the second mode depending on the location and time at which the vehicle 10 is parked. On the other hand, the quiet mode is a mode in which the air conditioning mode is set to the second mode regardless of the location and time at which the vehicle 10 is parked.

[0075] The control unit 21 of the user terminal 20 obtains whether the user has tapped normal mode or silent mode, and generates an air conditioning request. The air conditioning request in this embodiment includes either a request for remote air conditioning in normal mode or a request for remote air conditioning in silent mode. The control unit 21 transmits the generated air conditioning request to the server 30.

[0076] When the received air conditioning request includes a request for remote air conditioning in quiet mode, the server 30 generates an air conditioning command to operate the air conditioning in the second mode and transmits it to the vehicle 10. On the other hand, when the received air conditioning request includes a request for remote air conditioning in normal mode, the server 30 selects an air conditioning mode based on the location and time where the vehicle 10 is parked, generates an air conditioning command, and transmits it to the vehicle 10.

[0077] FIG. 16 is a time chart showing the change in the fan rotation speed over time. The horizontal axis indicates time, and the vertical axis indicates the actual rotation speed of the fan 52. In FIG. 16, the solid line indicates the fan rotation speed when the silent mode is selected, and the dashed line indicates the fan rotation speed when the normal mode and the first mode are selected. The remote air conditioning is operated for 10 minutes. The "normal mode upper limit" of the fan rotation speed is the upper limit of the rotation speed of the fan 52 set when the normal mode and the first mode are selected, and the "silent mode upper limit" is the upper limit of the rotation speed of the fan 52 set when the silent mode (which may be the second mode) is selected. In this way, the silent mode upper limit is lower than the normal mode upper limit. In the example shown in FIG. 16, when the silent mode is selected, the temperature inside the vehicle does not reach the desired temperature within 10 minutes, so when the fan rotation speed reaches the silent mode upper limit, it continues to rotate at that speed. That is, because the rotation speed of the engine 41 and the rotation speed of the fan 52 are kept low, for example, the heating performance appears to be low and it is not possible to raise the temperature inside the vehicle to a desired temperature. However, unless the area is extremely cold, a certain degree of heating effect can be obtained.

[0078] On the other hand, when the first mode is selected in the normal mode, the upper limit of the fan rotation speed is set to a relatively high upper limit in the normal mode, so that the generated noise is louder, but the heating performance can be sufficiently exhibited, for example, so that the temperature inside the vehicle can be raised quickly. Therefore, the temperature inside the vehicle can be raised quickly to a desired temperature. In the example shown in FIG. 16, after the rotation speed of the fan 52 reaches the upper limit, feedback control based on the temperature inside the vehicle is performed, so the rotation speed of the fan 52 is reduced.

[0079] In this way, in the silent mode, the air conditioner 50 is operated while lowering the upper limit of the rotation speed of the fan 52, thereby reducing the power consumption of the air conditioner 50. Therefore, the power required to be generated by the engine 41 can be reduced, and the rotation speed of the engine 41 can be kept low. Therefore, the generated noise can be reduced. Note that while FIG. 16 shows the upper limit of the rotation speed of the fan 52, the upper limit of the rotation speed of the compressor 51 can be considered in the same way.

[0080] Next, the processing of remote air conditioning in the server 30 will be described. Fig. 17 is a flowchart of the processing of remote air conditioning in the server 30 according to the third embodiment. The processing shown in Fig. 17 is executed in the server 30 at predetermined time intervals. Note that the steps in which the same processing as in the routine shown in Fig. 10 is executed are given the same reference numerals and will not be described.

[0081] In the routine shown in Fig. 17, if a positive judgment is made in step S101, the process proceeds to step S401. In step S401, the control unit 31 judges whether or not the air conditioning request includes a request to perform remote air conditioning in normal mode. If a positive judgment is made in step S401, the process proceeds to step S102, and if a negative judgment is made, the process proceeds to step S107 and the second mode is selected.

[0082] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide remote air conditioning that meets the needs of the user.

[0083] <Fourth embodiment> In the fourth embodiment, upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are set in the third mode, which is an air conditioning mode when the user operates the air conditioner 50 inside the vehicle. The upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are set higher in the first mode than in the third mode, and lower in the second mode than in the third mode. Alternatively, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 may be equal in the third mode and the second mode. As a further alternative, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 may be higher in the second mode than in the third mode.

[0084] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing the relationship between the operation mode, time, parking location, and air conditioning mode. In FIG. 18, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are assumed to be equal between the third mode and the second mode. This relationship is stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303. The operation mode is represented as "remote operation" or "operation in the car". "Remote operation" represents the operation of the air conditioner 50 by transmitting an air conditioning request from the user terminal 20. On the other hand, "operation in the car" represents the operation of the air conditioner 50 by the user operating the control panel of the air conditioner 50 in the car. Note that the remote operation may be the operation when the IG-OFF is turned on, and the operation in the car may be the operation when the IG-ON is turned on. The time is represented as day or night, but the time does not matter because the third mode is selected in the operation in the car regardless of the time. The parking location is represented as, for example, inside or outside the home, but the parking location does not matter because the third mode is selected in the operation in the car regardless of the parking location.

[0085] The air conditioning modes are represented as a first mode, a second mode, or a third mode. The first mode is a mode in which the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are relatively high. The second mode is a mode in which the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are relatively low. The upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are set lower in the second mode than in the first mode. The third mode is a mode in which the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are relatively low. The upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are set lower in the third mode than in the first mode.

[0086] Here, when the remote air conditioning is operated in the first mode, it is unlikely to be a problem even if a relatively loud sound is generated because no user is in the vehicle 10. On the other hand, when a user is in the vehicle 10, if the sound caused by the operation of the air conditioner 50 is too loud, the user may feel uncomfortable. Therefore, in the third mode, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are set lower than in the first mode, thereby preventing the user from feeling uncomfortable. Therefore, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 in the third mode may be set so that noise vibration (NV) is within an allowable range. Note that the upper limit value of the rotation speed of the blower fan of the air conditioner 50 arranged in the vehicle may also be set in the same manner as the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52. That is, in the third mode, the upper limit value of the rotation speed of the blower fan may be set lower than in the first mode.

[0087] Furthermore, when the remote air conditioning is operated in the second mode, even though no user is in the vehicle 10, there is a risk that noise may become a problem outside the vehicle 10. For this reason, the upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 may be set lower in the second mode than in the third mode.

[0088] The third mode is selected when the user operates the control panel of the air conditioner 50 inside the vehicle, and the control unit 110 operates the air conditioner 50 in the third mode. In this case, even if there is no command from the server 30, the control unit 110 operates the air conditioner 50 in the third mode. Can.

[0089] As described above, according to this embodiment, the first mode has a higher upper limit value for the rotation speed of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 than the third mode, so that the temperature inside the vehicle can be adjusted more quickly. Furthermore, when the air conditioner 50 operates in the first mode, noise problems are less likely to occur. Furthermore, in the second mode, the upper limit values ​​for the rotation speed of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are relatively low, so that noise problems can be suppressed. Furthermore, in the third mode, the upper limit values ​​for the rotation speed of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 are suppressed, so that discomfort felt by the user inside the vehicle can be suppressed.

[0090] <Other embodiments> The above-described embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be modified and implemented as appropriate without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0091] The processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0092] Furthermore, the processes described as being performed by one device may be shared and executed by a plurality of devices. Alternatively, the processes described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In the computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is realized can be flexibly changed. For example, the vehicle 10 may have some or all of the functions of the server 30.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the air conditioning modes are set for two separate time periods, day and night, but the number of separate time periods is not limited to two, and may be three, for example, morning, day, and night. The upper limit values ​​of the rotation speeds of the compressor 51 and the fan 52 may be set based on the noise tolerance in each time period.

[0094] In the first embodiment, when the vehicle 10 is parked at home and it is night, the second mode is selected to avoid disturbing the neighbors. On the other hand, even if the vehicle 10 is parked outside the home, for example, when the vehicle 10 is parked in a residential area, noise may be a problem. On the other hand, noise is unlikely to be a problem in a noisy place such as a downtown area or a place with no houses around such as a riverbed. Therefore, for example, map information may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 of the server 30, and the map information may be compared with the position information of the vehicle 10 to select the second mode when the vehicle 10 is parked in a residential area and it is night, and select the first mode in other cases.

[0095] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer, and having one or more processors of the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium connectable to the system bus of the computer, or may be provided to the computer via a network. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, for example, any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an EPROM, an EEPROM, a magnetic card, a flash memory, an optical card, and any type of medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1 System 10 Vehicles 20 User terminal 30 Servers 31 Control Unit 41 Engine 45 Obstacle Sensor 46 Location Sensor 50 Air Conditioner 51 Compressor 52 Fans 301 Processor 302 Main memory 303 Auxiliary storage unit 304 Communications Department

Claims

1. In response to receiving a request to remotely activate an air conditioning unit for a vehicle, obtaining information regarding a location where the vehicle is parked; Obtaining information about the time of day; selecting an air conditioning mode for the vehicle based on the location information and the time information; and Transmitting a command to the vehicle to operate the air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode; An information processing device comprising a control unit that executes the air conditioning modes include a first mode and a second mode in which an upper limit value of a rotation speed of a compressor or an upper limit value of a rotation speed of a fan of the air conditioning is lower than that in the first mode, The control unit is As the information about the location, information that can be used to determine whether the location is a predetermined location is obtained; When the location where the vehicle is parked is the predetermined location and the time is within a first time zone including noon, the first mode is selected; select the second mode when the location where the vehicle is parked is the predetermined location and the time is within a second time period that does not include the first time period and includes midnight; Information processing device.

2. The predetermined location is a garage, The control unit is As information regarding the location, information that can be used to determine whether the location is the garage or not is obtained; When the location where the vehicle is parked is a location other than the garage, the first mode is selected. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

3. The control unit is As the information about the location, information about a detection value of an obstacle sensor provided in the vehicle is acquired; When the obstacle sensors detect obstacles in front of and behind the vehicle, the vehicle is determined to be parked in the garage; and if the obstacle is not detected in front of or behind the vehicle, determining that the vehicle is parked in a location other than the garage; The information processing device according to claim 2 .

4. The predetermined location is a home of a user of the vehicle, The control unit is As the information regarding the location, information that can be used to determine whether the location is the home or not is obtained; When the location where the vehicle is parked is other than the home, the first mode is selected. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

5. A storage unit that stores information about a home location of a user of the vehicle, The control unit is obtaining information regarding a position of the vehicle as the location information; determining whether the location where the vehicle is parked is the home of the user by comparing information about the location of the vehicle stored in the storage unit with information about the location of the vehicle; The information processing device according to claim 4.

6. The first mode has a higher upper limit value of a rotation speed of a compressor of the air conditioning or a higher upper limit value of a rotation speed of the fan than a third mode which is a mode when a user of the vehicle operates the air conditioning inside the vehicle. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

7. The second mode has a lower upper limit value of a rotation speed of a compressor of the air conditioning or a lower upper limit value of a rotation speed of the fan than a third mode which is a mode when a user of the vehicle operates the air conditioning inside the vehicle. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

8. The second mode and a third mode, which is a mode when a user of the vehicle operates the air conditioning in the vehicle, have an upper limit value of a rotation speed of a compressor of the air conditioning or an upper limit value of a rotation speed of the fan, The information processing device according to claim 1 .

9. The control unit is When a request to remotely operate the air conditioning of the vehicle is received from a terminal of a user of the vehicle, the request being to operate the air conditioning in the second mode, the second mode is selected as the air conditioning mode regardless of the information related to the location and the information related to the time. The information processing device according to claim 1 .

10. The computer In response to receiving a request to remotely activate an air conditioning unit for a vehicle, obtaining information regarding a location where the vehicle is parked; Obtaining information about the time of day; selecting an air conditioning mode for the vehicle based on the location information and the time information; and Transmitting a command to the vehicle to operate the air conditioning in the selected air conditioning mode; An information processing method for performing the above, The air conditioning modes include a first mode and a second mode in which the rotation of the compressor of the air conditioning is faster than that of the first mode. a second mode in which the upper limit of the rotation speed or the upper limit of the fan rotation speed is low; The computer, As the information about the location, information that can be used to determine whether the location is a predetermined location is obtained; When the location where the vehicle is parked is the predetermined location and the time is within a first time zone including noon, the first mode is selected; select the second mode when the location where the vehicle is parked is the predetermined location and the time is within a second time period that does not include the first time period and includes midnight; Information processing methods.

11. The predetermined location is a garage, The computer, As information regarding the location, information that can be used to determine whether the location is the garage or not is obtained; When the location where the vehicle is parked is a location other than the garage, the first mode is selected. The information processing method according to claim 10.

12. The computer, As the information about the location, information about a detection value of an obstacle sensor provided in the vehicle is acquired; When the obstacle sensors detect obstacles in front of and behind the vehicle, the vehicle is determined to be parked in the garage; and if the obstacle is not detected in front of or behind the vehicle, determining that the vehicle is parked in a location other than the garage; The information processing method according to claim 11.

13. The predetermined location is a home of a user of the vehicle, The computer, As the information regarding the location, information that can be used to determine whether the location is the home or not is obtained; When the location where the vehicle is parked is other than the home, the first mode is selected. The information processing method according to claim 10.

14. The computer, obtaining information regarding a position of the vehicle as the location information; determining whether the location where the vehicle is parked is the home of the user by comparing information about the location of the vehicle with information about the location of the vehicle, the information being stored in a storage unit; The information processing method according to claim 13.

15. The first mode has a higher upper limit value of a compressor rotation speed of the air conditioning or a higher upper limit value of a fan rotation speed than a third mode which is a mode when a user of the vehicle operates the air conditioning inside the vehicle. The information processing method according to claim 10.

16. The second mode has a lower upper limit of the rotation speed of the compressor of the air conditioning or a lower upper limit of the rotation speed of the fan than a third mode, which is a mode when a user of the vehicle operates the air conditioning inside the vehicle. The information processing method according to claim 10.

17. The second mode and a third mode, which is a mode when a user of the vehicle operates the air conditioning inside the vehicle, have an upper limit value of a rotation speed of a compressor of the air conditioning or an upper limit value of a rotation speed of the fan, The information processing method according to claim 10.

18. The computer, When a request to remotely operate the air conditioning of the vehicle is received from a terminal of a user of the vehicle, the request being to operate the air conditioning in the second mode, the second mode is selected as the air conditioning mode regardless of the information related to the location and the information related to the time. The information processing method according to claim 10.

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