Information processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide an information processing apparatus that causes a user to order an appropriate vehicle component.SOLUTION: In an order management server 200 that is an information processing apparatus which receives an order of a vehicle component supplied to a user, a control section 201 determines whether a predetermined vehicle component that is mounted on a vehicle acquired by an information acquisition section 2011 is a first type vehicle component that is mounted at manufacturing time of the vehicle or a second type vehicle component that is posteriorly mounted on the vehicle. And, processing associated with ordering of the predetermined vehicle component is performed on the basis of a result of the determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an order system for vehicle parts.

Background Art

[0002] When performing automobile repairs, it may be necessary to order parts. In this regard, Patent Document 1 discloses a system that can allocate parts so that the maximum number of vehicles can be repaired with a limited number of parts.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to cause a user to order appropriate vehicle parts.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus that receives an order for vehicle parts, determines whether a predetermined vehicle part mounted on a designated vehicle is a first type of vehicle part mounted at the time of vehicle manufacture or a second type of vehicle part mounted on the vehicle subsequently, and performs processing related to ordering of the predetermined vehicle part based on the result of the determination.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute a method executed by the above information processing apparatus, or a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to have a user order appropriate vehicle parts.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] There is a technology for replacing or upgrading parts (vehicle parts) that a vehicle has, after the fact. For example, replacing a seat from a cloth one to a leather one, or replacing a steering wheel with one having a built-in heater. Also, by updating the software of an in-vehicle computer, it becomes possible to add functions (functions related to safety, driving support functions, etc.) that were not installed at the time of new car sales. In the present disclosure, making vehicle parts more functional or of higher quality through part replacement or software updates is referred to as "upgrading".

[0010] When a vehicle part related to an upgrade is damaged, it is necessary to order and replace it with an equivalent vehicle part. However, for vehicle parts that are retrofitted to a vehicle, their shape and other aspects may be partially different compared to the vehicle parts that have been installed since the vehicle was manufactured. If this difference is not recognized, problems such as incorrect part installation may occur.

[0011] Here, the case where the target vehicle part is an inverter device for supplying power to the outside of the vehicle will be described as an example. When the inverter device has been installed since the manufacture of the target vehicle, there may be a member for fixing the device provided on the vehicle side frame. On the other hand, when the inverter device is added later, there may be no member for fixing the device on the vehicle side frame. In such a case, it is necessary to fix the device by other fixing means. That is, even for the same vehicle part, there may be differences in the mounting position, the shape of the mounting part, etc. between "the one installed since the vehicle was manufactured" and "the one retrofitted". Therefore, if it is not recognized which of the vehicle parts to be repaired is which, problems such as ordering the wrong parts may occur. The information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure solves such problems.

[0012] A first aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus that receives an order for a vehicle part, and determines whether a predetermined vehicle part installed in a designated vehicle is a first type of vehicle part installed at the time of vehicle manufacture or a second type of vehicle part retrofitted to the vehicle, and based on the result of the determination, performs processing related to ordering the predetermined vehicle part, and is characterized by having a control unit that executes the above.

[0013] The first type of vehicle parts are the vehicle parts installed during the manufacture of the vehicle. The first type of vehicle parts are, for example, those purchased as options at the time of ordering the vehicle. Also, the second type of vehicle parts are the vehicle parts retrofitted by upgrading. The information processing device determines whether the target vehicle part is of the first type or the second type, and performs processing related to ordering based on the result of the determination. Examples of processing related to ordering include, for example, processing for performing conformity determination by type, processing for giving notice when the types do not conform, and processing for accepting an order only when the types conform. As a result, it becomes possible to order appropriate vehicle parts.

[0014] Note that whether the type of a predetermined vehicle part mounted on the target vehicle is either may be determined by having the user input it, or may be determined based on information obtained from a database or the like. For example, in the case of a target vehicle having a history of ordering a certain vehicle part for upgrading purposes, it can be presumed that the second type of the vehicle part is mounted on the vehicle.

[0015] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The hardware configuration, module configuration, functional configuration, etc. described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure only to those, unless otherwise specified.

[0016] (First Embodiment) The outline of the ordering system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1. The ordering system according to the present embodiment includes a user terminal 100 associated with a user who orders vehicle parts, and an ordering management server 200 that accepts orders for vehicle parts.

[0017] The user terminal 100 is an information processing device associated with a user who orders vehicle parts. The user terminal 100 may be a terminal owned by an end user (for example, the owner of a vehicle), or may be a terminal installed at a business base of a vehicle manufacturer or a vehicle repair base.

[0018] The order management server 200 is an information processing device that receives orders for vehicle parts to be supplied to users. The order management server 200 interacts with the user terminal 100 to receive orders for vehicle parts from the user and generate order data. The order data is transmitted to a base (such as a factory) that manufactures or sells the vehicle parts, and thereby, the supply of the vehicle parts is carried out.

[0019] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing in detail the components of the order management server 200 included in the order system according to the present embodiment.

[0020] The order management server 200 generates order data for ordering vehicle parts based on the information acquired from the user terminal 100. Further, the order management server 200 stores a database that manages a list (parts list) of vehicle parts suitable for each vehicle, and refers to the database to receive orders for vehicle parts.

[0021] Furthermore, the order management server 200 holds information about vehicle parts (hereinafter referred to as specific parts) whose specifications differ depending on whether they are "installed during vehicle manufacturing" or "installed on the vehicle afterwards", and determines whether they are suitable when the specific parts are designated as order targets. Hereinafter, vehicle parts installed during vehicle manufacturing are referred to as "normal parts (first type)", and vehicle parts installed on the vehicle afterwards are referred to as "upgrade parts (second type)". Vehicle parts that are upgrade parts are installed afterwards (for example, after vehicle delivery) for the purpose of upgrading the vehicle.

[0022] The order management server 200 can be configured by a general-purpose computer. That is, the order management server 200 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, a main storage device such as a RAM or ROM, and an auxiliary storage device such as an EPROM, a hard disk drive, or a removable medium. The auxiliary storage device stores an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc. By loading the programs stored therein into the working area of the main storage device and executing them, and controlling each component through the execution of the programs, various functions that meet a predetermined purpose as described later can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by a hardware circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0023] In this embodiment, the order management server 200 may be configured to be able to execute a Web server for interaction with the user terminal 100. In this case, for example, the user terminal 100 can perform input / output of information by accessing a Web service using a browser. Note that the order management server 200 may provide services by means other than the Web server. For example, the order management server 200 may execute a service that interacts with dedicated application software installed on the user terminal 100 according to a predetermined protocol.

[0024] The order management server 200 is configured to include a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203. The control unit 201 is an arithmetic device that controls the operations performed by the order management server 200. The control unit 201 can be realized by an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU. The control unit 201 is configured to include two functional modules: an information acquisition unit 2011 and an order reception unit 2012. Each functional module may be realized by executing a stored program by the CPU.

[0025] The information acquisition unit 2011 acquires data related to the ordering of vehicle parts by interacting with the user terminal 100. For example, the information acquisition unit 2011 executes processes such as outputting a list of vehicle parts compatible with the vehicle specified by the user, and accepting the selection of vehicle parts to be ordered. The information acquisition unit 2011 may generate a user interface screen for interacting with the user terminal 100. The user interface screen may be generated using a built-in web server or the like.

[0026] The order reception unit 2012 accepts the order of the vehicle parts specified by the user terminal 100. Based on the data transmitted from the user terminal 100, the order reception unit 2012 generates data (order data) for ordering the specified vehicle parts. The order data is transmitted to a base (such as a factory) that manufactures or sells the vehicle parts. In this embodiment, the order reception unit 2012 determines whether the vehicle parts specified by the user are compatible with the target vehicle, and provides information to the user if there is a possibility of incompatibility. Specifically, when an upgraded vehicle part is specified in a case where a normal vehicle part should be ordered, or when a normal vehicle part is specified in a case where an upgraded vehicle part should be ordered, a warning is issued. Detailed processing will be described later.

[0027] The storage unit 202 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 201 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device that stores programs executed in the control unit 201 and data used by the control programs.

[0028] Also, the storage unit 202 stores a parts list 202A. The parts list 202A is a database that holds a list of vehicle parts compatible with a predetermined vehicle.

[0029] Here, taking the inverter device described above as an example, the types of vehicle parts to be ordered will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the types of vehicle parts. In this example, as the inverter device, there are two types of products: regular products and upgraded products. Regular products are vehicle parts that are installed during vehicle manufacturing. For example, when a user selects an inverter device as an option when ordering a new vehicle, the regular product inverter device is installed on the vehicle and the vehicle is delivered. In the illustrated example, the part number: E101-1 is the regular product inverter device.

[0030] Upgraded products are vehicle parts that are supplied for specific upgrade applications. For example, when adding an inverter device to a vehicle after delivery, it is necessary to order the upgraded product inverter device. Since vehicle parts for upgrade are installed afterwards, their shape etc. may be different from those of the vehicle parts installed since vehicle manufacturing.

[0031] Now, consider the case where the inverter device needs to be replaced due to damage, failure, etc. When replacing the inverter device installed during vehicle manufacturing, an inverter device with the part number E101-1 can be ordered. On the other hand, when replacing the inverter device installed afterwards, an inverter device with the part number E101-2 must be ordered. Therefore, in this embodiment, the information acquisition unit 2011 determines " whether the vehicle part to be ordered is of a type compatible with the target vehicle", and provides information to the user when it is not compatible.

[0032] The compatibility of vehicle parts can be classified into the following six patterns. <Pattern where the vehicle part to be ordered is compatible with the target vehicle> (A) When a regular product is installed on the target vehicle and the user tries to order a regular product (B) When an upgraded product is installed on the target vehicle and the user tries to order an upgraded product That is, it is a case of ordering a vehicle part that is exactly the same as the one already installed. In this case, the vehicle part fits without problems. (C) When the target vehicle part is not installed on the target vehicle and the user tries to order an upgraded part That is, it is a case of newly installing a vehicle part by a subsequent upgrade. In this case, the upgraded part fits.

[0033] <Pattern where the vehicle part to be ordered does not fit the target vehicle> (D) When a standard part is installed on the target vehicle and the user tries to order an upgraded part (E) When an upgraded part is installed on the target vehicle and the user tries to order a standard part That is, it is a case of trying to order a vehicle part of a different type from the one already installed. In this case, since the vehicle part does not fit, the user must be notified to that effect. (F) When the target vehicle part is not installed on the target vehicle and the user tries to order a standard part Since the standard part cannot be installed afterwards, in such a case, the user must be notified to that effect. The specific processing flow including these case divisions will be described later.

[0034] Figure 4 lists the vehicle parts described with reference to Figure 3. The storage unit 102 stores such data as the parts list 202A. The parts list 202A is configured to have fields for chassis number, part number, upper part number, name, category, type, and price. An identifier that uniquely identifies the target vehicle is stored in the chassis number field. The chassis number is, for example, a combination of a vehicle type code and a manufacturing number. An identifier (part number) that uniquely identifies the vehicle part is stored in the part number field. The part number differs depending on whether the target vehicle part is supplied for repair or for upgrade. In the upper part number field, a part number that does not consider the type of vehicle parts is stored. In the illustrated example, both inverter devices have the upper part number E101. Note that the part numbers of vehicle parts suitable for a vehicle differ for each chassis number.

[0035] In the name field, data for explaining the content of the vehicle part is stored. In the category field, the category of the corresponding vehicle part is stored. In the type field, data for identifying whether the corresponding vehicle part is a regular product or an upgraded product is stored. In the price field, the price of the corresponding vehicle part is stored.

[0036] By referring to the parts list 202A, a list of vehicle parts suitable for the specified vehicle can be obtained. Note that in the examples of FIGS. 3 and 4, an example where there is one type of grade of vehicle parts is shown, but the grade of vehicle parts may be two or more types. When the grades of vehicle parts are different, different part numbers may be assigned to each of the corresponding vehicle parts. When the grades of vehicle parts are different, different part numbers may be assigned to each of the corresponding vehicle parts.

[0037] Each of the above-described data may be constructed by a program of a database management system (DBMS) executed by a processor for managing the data stored in the storage device. In this case, each data can be, for example, a relational database.

[0038] The communication unit 203 is a communication interface for connecting the order management server 200 to a network. The communication unit 203 includes, for example, a network interface board or a wireless communication interface for wireless communication.

[0039] Next, the user terminal 100 will be described. The user terminal 100 is a computer associated with an end user who places orders for vehicle parts. The end user (or a person who has received a request from the end user) can access the order management server 200 via the user terminal 100 and request an order for vehicle parts. The user terminal 100 is, for example, a personal computer, a smartphone, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a personal information terminal, or the like.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the system configuration of the user terminal 100. The user terminal 100 includes a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, and an input / output unit 104.

[0041] The control unit 101 is an arithmetic unit that controls the operations performed by the user terminal 100. The control unit 101 can be implemented by an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). It can be realized. The control unit 101 accesses the order management server 200 and executes a function of interacting with the order management server 200. This function may be realized by a web browser operating on the user terminal 100 or dedicated application software.

[0042] The storage unit 102 includes a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The main storage device is a memory in which programs executed by the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs are expanded. The auxiliary storage device is a device that stores programs executed in the control unit 101 and data used by the control programs. The auxiliary storage device may store a program executed by the control unit 101 packaged as an application. Also, an operating system for executing these applications may be stored. The program stored in the auxiliary storage device is loaded into the main storage device and executed by the control unit 101, whereby the processing described hereinafter is performed.

[0043] The main memory device may include a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a ROM (Read Only Memory). Also, the auxiliary storage device may include an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM) and a hard disk drive (HDD, Hard Disk Drive). Furthermore, the auxiliary storage device may include a removable medium, that is, a portable recording medium.

[0044] The communication unit 103 is a wireless communication interface for connecting the user terminal 100 to a network. The communication unit 103 is configured to be able to communicate with the order management server 200 via, for example, a wireless LAN or mobile communication services such as 3G, LTE, 5G, etc.

[0045] The input / output unit 104 is a unit that receives input operations performed by the user and presents information to the user. In this embodiment, it consists of a single touch panel display. That is, it is composed of a liquid crystal display and its control means, and a touch panel and its control means.

[0046] Note that the configurations shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 are examples, and all or part of the illustrated functions may be executed using a dedicatedly designed circuit. Also, storage or execution of a program may be performed by a combination of a main memory device and an auxiliary storage device other than those illustrated.

[0047] Next, details of the processing executed by each device included in the order system will be described. FIG. 6 is a sequence diagram showing the processing executed by the user terminal 100 and the order management server 200. The processing shown in FIG. 6 starts based on an action (for example, access to the order system) performed by the user on the user terminal 100.

[0048] When the user terminal 100 accesses the order management server 200, the information acquisition unit 2011 generates a user interface screen including a search form and provides it to the user terminal 100. FIG. 7 is an example of a user interface screen including a search form. In this example, a screen for specifying the chassis number and the category of vehicle parts is generated. The user terminal 100 uses this screen to allow the user to input the chassis number and search conditions (step S11). The search conditions can be, for example, the category or name of vehicle parts. The acquired chassis number and search conditions are transmitted to the order management server 200.

[0049] In step S12, the order management server 200 (information acquisition unit 2011) generates a list of vehicle parts. In this step, the information acquisition unit 2011 searches for vehicle parts corresponding to the specified chassis number and generates a list.

[0050] The process executed in step S12 will be described in detail. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining in detail the process executed in step S12. First, in step S121, the identifier of the vehicle (i.e., the chassis number) is acquired. Next, in step S122, a list of vehicle parts corresponding to the specified vehicle is acquired. In this step, by searching the parts list 202A using the chassis number as a key, a list of corresponding vehicle parts can be acquired. In step S123, a screen including the acquired list of vehicle parts is generated. As a result, for example, a screen as shown in FIG. 9 is generated. If the vehicle parts included in the list are specific parts, both the regular products and the upgraded products are added to the list. This is because the compatible type cannot be determined only by the chassis number.

[0051] Returning to FIG. 6, the description continues. The screen including the list of vehicle parts is provided to the user terminal 100, and the user terminal 100 accepts the selection of the vehicle parts to be ordered (step S13).

[0052] In step S14, it is determined whether the selected vehicle part is suitable. Specifically, when an inappropriate type of vehicle part is selected as the order target, the order receiving unit 2012 executes a process of notifying the user of this. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the process executed in step S14.

[0053] First, in step S141, the vehicle part selected by the user as the order target is specified. The processes in steps S142 to S148 are repeatedly executed for all the vehicle parts specified in step S141. In step S142, it is determined whether the selected vehicle part is divided into regular parts and upgraded parts. For example, if there is another vehicle part with a different part number but the same higher-level part number as the selected vehicle part, an affirmative determination is made in this step. If the selected vehicle part is not divided into regular parts and upgraded parts, the process proceeds to step S147, and it is determined that the selected vehicle part is suitable for the target vehicle. If the selected vehicle part is divided into regular parts and upgraded parts, the process proceeds to step S143.

[0054] In step S143, the user is confirmed about the mounting status of the selected vehicle part. In this step, the order receiving unit 2012 transmits data for causing the user terminal 100 to output an inquiry as shown in FIG. 11 to the user terminal 100 to let the user input information. In this example, the user is allowed to select one of (1) the target vehicle part is not mounted, (2) the target vehicle part has been mounted since new, and (3) the target vehicle part has been mounted afterwards.

[0055] In step S144, based on the input obtained from the user, it is determined whether the corresponding vehicle part is currently mounted on the target vehicle. Here, if an affirmative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S145. In step S145, it is determined whether the vehicle parts currently installed in the target vehicle match the type of the vehicle parts selected as the order target ("normal parts" or "upgraded parts"). If both match, the process proceeds to step S147, and it is determined that the selected vehicle parts are suitable for the target vehicle (cases (A) and (B) described above). If both do not match, the process proceeds to step S148, and it is determined that the selected vehicle parts are not suitable for the target vehicle (cases (D) and (E) described above).

[0056] If a negative determination is made in step S144, the process proceeds to step S146. In step S146, it is determined whether the type of the selected vehicle parts is normal parts. Here, if the type of the selected vehicle parts is normal parts, the process proceeds to step S148, and it is determined that the selected vehicle parts are not suitable for the target vehicle. This is because, although the selected vehicle parts are "normal parts", they are not installed in the vehicle (case (F) described above). If the type of the selected vehicle parts is upgraded parts, the process proceeds to step S147, and it is determined that the selected vehicle parts are suitable for the target vehicle (case (C) described above).

[0057] In step S148, if it is determined that the selected vehicle parts do not match the target vehicle, the order reception unit 2012 notifies the user terminal 100 to that effect. Thereby, a screen as shown in FIG. 12 is provided. Thereby, the user can be made to reselect the vehicle parts. In this case, the process may be returned to step S13.

[0058] If it is determined that all the selected vehicle parts are suitable, in step S15, the order reception unit 2012 generates order data and transmits it to an external device. If there is a database for managing the order history, the order reception unit 2012 may add a new record corresponding to this order to the database.

[0059] As described above, in the first embodiment, it is determined whether a predetermined vehicle part mounted on the target vehicle is a regular part or an upgraded part, and based on the result, it is determined whether the vehicle part is compatible with the target vehicle. This makes it possible to suppress the order of vehicle parts that are not compatible with the target vehicle.

[0060] In the first embodiment, when the type of the vehicle part is incorrect, the user is notified. However, the correct part number corresponding to the type may be automatically reselected.

[0061] (Modification Example of the First Embodiment) In the first embodiment, it is determined by asking the user what type of vehicle parts are mounted on the target vehicle (or , whether no vehicle parts are mounted). On the other hand, the order management server 200 may perform the determination based on other data. For example, when it is possible to obtain from an external device a history (work history) in which the addition or replacement of vehicle parts is recorded, or a history (order history) related to the order of vehicle parts, etc., the history information may be obtained from the external device, and the determination may be made based on the history information. The work history may be obtained from a database that manages the maintenance status of the vehicle. Also, the order history may be obtained from a database that manages the order of vehicle parts.

[0062] In this case, the order management server 200 requests the external device for the history information corresponding to the specified chassis number and obtains the history information. For example, in the following cases, the order management server 200 can determine that an upgraded vehicle part is mounted on the target vehicle. · When there is an order history of an upgraded vehicle part, or when there is a work history of mounting an upgraded vehicle part Also, in the following cases, the order management server 200 can determine that a regular vehicle part is mounted on the target vehicle. ·When there is an order history of vehicle parts that are regular products, or when there is a work history of installing vehicle parts that are regular products In addition, in the following cases, the order management server 200 can determine that the corresponding vehicle part is not installed on the target vehicle. ·When there is no order history and no work history for both regular products and upgraded products In this way, the order management server 200 may determine the installation status of the target vehicle part based on the information acquired from the external device.

[0063] (Modification example) The above embodiment is merely an example, and the present disclosure can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the processes and means described in the present disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradiction occurs.

[0064] In addition, 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 one device. In a computer system, it is flexibly changeable how each function is realized by what hardware configuration (server configuration).

[0065] The present disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program that implements the functions described in the above embodiments to a computer and causing one or more processors included in the computer to 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. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium includes, for example, any type of disk such as a magnetic disk (e.g., a floppy (registered trademark) disk, a hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (e.g., a CD-ROM, a DVD disk, a 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 Signs

[0066] 100 ··· User terminal 101, 201 ··· Control unit 102, 202 ··· Storage unit 103, 203 ··· Communication unit 200 ··· Order management server 104 ··· Input / output unit

Claims

【Claim 1】 An information processing apparatus that receives an order for vehicle parts, comprising: determining whether a specified predetermined vehicle part is a first-type vehicle part to be installed during vehicle manufacturing or a second-type vehicle part to be installed on the vehicle afterwards; determining whether the vehicle part installed on the vehicle corresponding to the predetermined vehicle part is a first-type vehicle part or a second-type vehicle part; determining whether the type of the vehicle part installed on the vehicle matches the type of the predetermined vehicle part; when the type of the vehicle part installed on the vehicle matches the type of the predetermined vehicle part, placing an order for the predetermined vehicle part, and when the type of the vehicle part installed on the vehicle does not match the type of the predetermined vehicle part, notifying that the predetermined vehicle part does not fit the vehicle; An information processing apparatus having a control unit that executes the above.

Images