Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and system

Abstract

To enable appropriate provision of information regarding a parking location of a vehicle.SOLUTION: An information processing device is provided, comprising a control unit configured to perform steps of identifying a first user using a vehicle associated with a plurality of users, and transmitting information regarding a parking location of the vehicle to a terminal of the first user when the vehicle is parked, and not transmitting the information regarding the parking location of the vehicle to terminals of second users other than the first user among the plurality of users.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, and a system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a technique for guiding from the current position of a mobile terminal held by a vehicle user to the parking position of the vehicle based on parking information of the vehicle acquired from a management server (for example, Patent Document 1).

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 appropriately provide information regarding the parking position of a vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is identifying a first user who is a user using a vehicle associated with a plurality of users, when the vehicle is parked, transmitting information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user and not transmitting information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of a second user who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users, and an information processing apparatus including a control unit that executes the above.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a computer identifying a first user who is a user using a vehicle associated with a plurality of users, When the vehicle is parked, transmit information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user, and do not transmit information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the second user, who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users. It is an information processing method for executing.

[0007] One of the other aspects of the present disclosure is a server, a vehicle associated with a plurality of users, terminals associated with each of the plurality of users, A system comprising: the server identifying a first user, who is a user using the vehicle, based on information transmitted from the vehicle to the server; When the vehicle is parked, transmit information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user, and do not transmit information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the second user, who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users. A system comprising a control unit for executing.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the processing in the above information processing apparatus, or a storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program.

Advantages of the Invention

[0009] According to the present disclosure, information regarding the parking position of a vehicle can be appropriately provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] An information processing apparatus, which is one aspect of the present disclosure, includes a control unit. The control unit identifies a first user who is a user using a vehicle associated with a plurality of users, and when the vehicle is parked, transmits information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user, and does not transmit information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of a second user who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users.

[0012] The vehicle is a vehicle shared by multiple users. Examples of such vehicles include vehicles used by families, vehicles used in car-sharing, or company cars. In a vehicle shared by multiple users in this way, a service for notifying users of the parking location can be considered. For example, it is conceivable to display the location where the vehicle is parked on the user's terminal in response to a request from the user. By using this service, it becomes easier to find the vehicle, for example, in a large parking lot. On the other hand, if the parking location is notified to all users sharing the vehicle, the privacy of the user currently using the vehicle may be invaded because all users will know where the vehicle is parked.

[0013] Therefore, the control unit identifies the first user who is using the vehicle. The first user may be the user driving the vehicle or the user riding in the vehicle. Also, the first user may be, for example, the user who was in the vehicle immediately before the vehicle was parked. The first user may be identified, for example, by using information regarding the user registered in the smart key or based on the communication status between the user's terminal and the vehicle.

[0014] Furthermore, when the vehicle is parked, the control unit transmits information regarding the parking location of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user. The control unit may transmit information regarding the parking location, for example, in response to a request from the terminal of the first user. On the other hand, the control unit does not transmit information regarding the parking location of the vehicle to the terminal of the second user. The second user is a user who shares the vehicle but is not currently using the vehicle. The control unit does not transmit information regarding the parking location, even if there is a request from the terminal of the second user. In this way, it is possible to prevent the second user from knowing the location where the first user parked.

[0015] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The configurations of the following embodiments are examples, and the present disclosure is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments. Also, 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 the present embodiment. The system 1 is a system that allows a plurality of users to use the same vehicle 10, and provides the position information of the vehicle 10 to the user who is currently using the vehicle 10, and does not provide the position information of the vehicle 10 to other users. The provision of the position information of the vehicle 10 is performed by the server 30 in response to a request from the user terminal 20, for example.

[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 possessed by the user. The vehicle 10 is a vehicle associated with the user terminal 20. A plurality of user terminals 20 are associated with the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 is a vehicle used by a plurality of users, such as a family car used by a family, a vehicle used for car-sharing, or a company car.

[0018] The vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 are interconnected by a network N1. The network N1 is a worldwide public communication network such as the Internet, for example, and a WAN (Wide Area Network) or other communication networks may be adopted. The network N1 may also include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone and a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Further, the vehicle 10 is connected to the user terminal 20 via a network N2 including short-range wireless communication and the like. Although one vehicle 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 as an example, a plurality of vehicles 10 may exist. Further, a plurality of users and user terminals 20 are associated with each of the plurality of vehicles 10. In FIG. 1, the user who is currently using the vehicle 10 is referred to as the first user, and the user terminal 20 possessed by the first user is referred to as the first user terminal 20A. Also, the user who is not currently using the vehicle 10 is referred to as the second user, and the user terminal 20 possessed by the second user is referred to as the second user terminal 20B. Hereinafter, when the first user terminal 20A and the second user terminal 20B are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as the user terminal 20. Also, when the first user and the second user are not distinguished, they are simply referred to as the user.

[0019] Based on FIG. 2, the hardware configurations of the vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of each configuration of the vehicle 10, the user terminal 20, and the server 30 that constitute the system 1 according to the present embodiment.

[0020] The server 30 has a computer configuration. The server 30 includes a processor 301, a main storage unit 302, an auxiliary storage unit 303, and a communication unit 304. These are interconnected by a bus. Note that the processor 301 is an example of a control unit.

[0021] The processor 301 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor), or the like. The processor 301 controls the server 30 and performs various information processing operations. The main storage unit 302 is a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), or the like. The auxiliary storage unit 303 is an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), a removable medium, or the like. 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 the working area of the main storage unit 302 and executes them. Through the execution of these programs, each component and the like are controlled. As a result, the server 30 realizes functions that meet a predetermined purpose. The main storage unit 302 and the auxiliary storage unit 303 are computer-readable recording media. Note that the server 30 may be a single computer or a combination of multiple computers. Also, the information stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303 may be stored in the main storage unit 302. Further, the information stored in the main storage unit 302 may be stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303.

[0022] 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 or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. The LAN interface board and the wireless communication circuit are connected to the network N1.

[0023] Note that a series of processes executed by the server 30 can be executed by hardware or by software.

[0024] 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 smartwatch), or a personal computer (PC). The user terminal 20 includes a processor 201, a main storage unit 202, an auxiliary storage unit 203, an input unit 204, a display 205, a communication unit 206, and a position information sensor 207. These are interconnected by a bus. Since the processor 201, the main storage unit 202, and the auxiliary storage unit 203 are the same as the processor 301, the main storage unit 302, and the auxiliary storage unit 303 of the server 30, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0025] The input unit 204 is a means for receiving an input operation performed by the 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 the user, and is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an EL (Electroluminescence) panel. The input unit 204 and the display 2 05 may be configured as a single touch panel display.

[0026] 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, a telephone communication network such as 6G (6th Generation), 5G (5th Generation), 4G (4th Generation), 3G (3rd Generation), LTE (Long Term Evolution), etc.), Wi-Fi (registered trademark ), Bluetooth (registered trademark), NFC (Near Field Communication), UWB (Ultra Wideband), etc. It is a circuit for communicating with other devices (such as the vehicle 10 or the server 30, etc.) via the network N1 or the network N2.

[0027] The position information sensor 207 acquires the position information (for example, latitude and longitude) of the user terminal 20. The position information sensor 207 is, for example, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, a wireless LAN communication unit, etc.

[0028] Next, the vehicle 10 will be described. The vehicle 10 has a processor 101, a main memory unit 102, an auxiliary storage unit 103, a communication unit 104, a position information sensor 105, an IG switch 106, and a locking / unlocking unit 107. These are interconnected by a bus. Since the processor 101, the main memory unit 102, the auxiliary storage unit 103, the communication unit 104, and the position information sensor 105 are the same as those of the user terminal 20, namely the processor 201, the main memory unit 202, the auxiliary storage unit 203, the communication unit 206, and the position information sensor 207, the description thereof will be omitted.

[0029] The IG switch 106 is a switch for the user to start the vehicle 10 or stop the functions of the vehicle 10 by pressing it. This IG switch 106 may be a switch for starting the engine. Also, for electric vehicles or hybrid vehicles In such a case, alternatively, a power switch may be provided. This power switch is also a switch for the user to press to start the vehicle 10 or to stop the functions of the vehicle 10. The locking / unlocking unit 107 locks and unlocks the doors of the vehicle 10.

[0030] Next, the functions of the server 30 will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the server 30. The server 30 includes a control unit 31 and a vehicle information DB 32 as functional components. The processor 301 of the server 30 executes the processing of the control unit 31 by a computer program on the main storage unit 302.

[0031] The vehicle information DB 32 is constructed by a program of a database management system (DBMS) executed by the processor 301 managing the data stored in the auxiliary storage unit 303. The vehicle information DB 32 is, for example, a relational database.

[0032] The control unit 31 acquires information regarding the vehicle 10 (hereinafter also referred to as vehicle information). The vehicle information includes information regarding the user currently using the vehicle 10 and the position information of the vehicle 10. When the control unit 31 acquires the vehicle information, it stores the vehicle information in the vehicle information DB 32. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the table configuration of the vehicle information DB 32. The vehicle information table has fields for vehicle ID, vehicle position, user ID, and the user in use. In the vehicle ID field, information (vehicle ID) capable of identifying the vehicle is input. The vehicle ID is pre-assigned to each vehicle 10. In the vehicle position field, the position information of the vehicle 10 is input. The position information of the vehicle 10 may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals, or may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 is parked. In the user ID field, information (user ID) capable of identifying the user associated with the vehicle 10 is input. The user ID is, for example, assigned at the time of user registration. The user ID is assigned to each user who can use the vehicle 10.

[0033] In the user field, information that can identify the user using the vehicle 10 (i.e., the first user) and the user not using the vehicle 10 (i.e., the second user) is input. For example, "1" is input in the user field corresponding to the user using the vehicle 10, and "0" is input in the user field corresponding to the user not using the vehicle 10. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the user currently using the vehicle 10 with the vehicle ID V001 is the user with the user ID U001. Also, for example, the users currently using the vehicle 10 with the vehicle ID V002 are the users with the user IDs U005 and U006. In this case, for example, one user is the driver and the other user is the passenger.

[0034] The control unit 31 determines which user among the users associated with the vehicle 10 is the first user and which user is the second user. The control unit 31 can identify the first user, for example, by obtaining information regarding the electronic key 21A present in the vehicle using the function of the smart key 11A described later. Note that the first user identified by the server 30 is, for example, the user who was using the vehicle 10 immediately before the IG switch 106 of the vehicle 10 is turned off. Therefore, the control unit 31 identifies the user associated with the electronic key 21A present in the vehicle before the function of the vehicle 10 is stopped (before shutdown) as the first user.

[0035] As another method, for example, the vehicle 10 and the user terminal 20 may perform short-range wireless communication via the network N2, the vehicle 10 may obtain the user ID associated with the user terminal 20 present in the vehicle, and transmit the user ID to the server 30. In this case, for example, the navigation system or the audio system of the vehicle 10 performs short-range wireless communication with the user terminal 20. The vehicle 10 may obtain a user ID from the user terminal 20 by performing line communication. Further, as an alternative method, the vehicle 10 may obtain the position information of the vehicle 10 and the position information of the user terminal 20, and when both are present at the same position, it may be determined that the user associated with the user terminal 20 is the first user using the vehicle 10.

[0036] Further, when the vehicle 10 is in a parked state, the control unit 31 transmits information regarding the parking position of the vehicle 10 to the first user terminal 20A in response to a request from the first user terminal 20A. Whether the vehicle 10 is in a parked state is determined according to whether the vehicle 10 has shut down. Here, immediately before the vehicle 10 shuts down, information regarding the shutdown is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30. At this time, vehicle information is also transmitted together.

[0037] Also, immediately after the vehicle 10 is started, information regarding the start of the vehicle 10 is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30. When the vehicle 10 is started, the user ID of the user who started the vehicle 10 is obtained by the vehicle 10, and this user ID is also transmitted to the server 30 together with the start-related information. Therefore, the control unit 31 can determine that the vehicle 10 is in a parked state during the period from the shutdown to the start of the vehicle 10.

[0038] When there is a request for the position information of the vehicle 10 from the user terminal 20, the control unit 31 determines whether the user terminal 20 is the first user terminal 20A. And when it is determined that the user terminal 20 is the first user terminal 20A, the position information of the vehicle 10 is transmitted to the first user terminal 20A.

[0039] Next, the functions of the vehicle 10 will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 includes a control unit 11 as a functional component. The processor 101 of the vehicle 10 executes the processing of the control unit 11 by a computer program on the main storage unit 102. However, a part of the processing of the control unit 11 may be executed by a hardware circuit.

[0040] The control unit 11 has the function of a smart key 11A that locks and unlocks the door by operating the locking and unlocking unit 107 based on a signal from the user terminal 20. The control unit 11 performs short-range wireless communication with the electronic key 21A described later using the function of this smart key 11A.

[0041] Also, when the vehicle 10 shuts down, the control unit 11 transmits information regarding the position information and the electronic key 21A to the server 30. When the vehicle 10 shuts down, for example, it is when the IG switch 106 is turned off. The information regarding the electronic key 21A includes information that can identify the electronic key 21A. The information that can identify the electronic key 21A may be information that can identify the user or information that can identify the user terminal 20. For example, a user ID is associated with the electronic key 21A, and the control unit 11 transmits the user ID to the server 30 when the vehicle 10 shuts down. Thereby, the server 30 can identify the user who was using the vehicle 10 when the vehicle 10 was parked. Note that the transmission of this information may be performed in response to a request from the server 30.

[0042] Next, the functions of the user terminal 20 will be described. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the user terminal 20. The user terminal 20 includes 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, a part of the processing of the control unit 21 may be executed by a hardware circuit. The control unit 21 has the function of the electronic key 21A of the smart key system. As an alternative, the user may possess a terminal having the function of an electronic key separately from the user terminal 20. The control unit 21 (electronic key 21A) establishes communication with the smart key 11A of the vehicle 10 and causes the vehicle 10 to be locked and unlocked. The smart key 11A is used for driving the vehicle 10.

[0043] In addition, the control unit 21 sends a position confirmation request to the server 30. For example, when there is an input to start the application software for confirming the position of the vehicle 10 in the input unit 204 (for example, when tapping the icon of the application software displayed on the display 205), the control unit 21 sends a position confirmation request, which is a request for confirming the parking position of the vehicle 10, to the server 30. The position confirmation request includes a user ID.

[0044] In addition, when the control unit 21 receives information regarding the parking position of the vehicle 10 from the server 30, it causes the display 205 to display an image corresponding to the parking position of the vehicle 10. For example, an image showing the position of the vehicle 10 as an icon on a map is displayed on the display 205.

[0045] Next, the overall processing of the system 1 will be described. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the overall processing of the system 1. The vehicle 10 and the user terminal 20 shown in FIG. 7 are pre-associated and registered in the server 30. When the user turns off the IG switch 106 in the vehicle 10 (S11), the vehicle 10 is shut down. Immediately before shutting down, the vehicle 10 acquires position information by the position information sensor 105, and further acquires the user ID from the user terminal 20 existing in the vehicle and sends it to the server 30 (S12). This information is stored in the vehicle information DB 32 in the server 30, thereby updating the vehicle information DB 32 (S13). Thereafter, when the server 30 receives a position confirmation request from the user terminal 20 (S14), the server 30 determines whether the user terminal 20 that sent the position confirmation request is the first user terminal 20A (S15). The server 30 determines whether the user terminal 20 that sent the position confirmation information is the first user terminal 20A based on the user ID included in the position confirmation request and the information stored in the vehicle information DB 32. If it is determined that it is the first user terminal 20A, the server 30 generates the position information of the vehicle 10 (S16) and sends the position information to the user terminal 20 (S17). At the user terminal 20 that has received the position information, the position of the vehicle 10 is displayed on the display 205 (S18).

[0046] Next, the processing in the server 30 will be described. FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the processing of the server 30 according to the present embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 8 is repeatedly executed in the server 30 for each vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals. Note that it is described that necessary information is stored in the vehicle information DB 32.

[0047] In step S101, the control unit 31 acquires information from the vehicle 10. The information acquired at this time includes information regarding the startup state of the vehicle 10, position information, and the user ID of the user riding in the vehicle 10. In step S102, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the IG switch 106 has been turned off. That is, it is determined whether the information was transmitted when the vehicle 10 was shut down. If the determination in step S102 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S103; if the determination is negative, this routine is terminated.

[0048] In step S103, the control unit 31 updates the vehicle information DB 32. The control unit 31 inputs 1 to the used user field corresponding to the user ID of the user being used among the records corresponding to the vehicle ID included in the information acquired from the vehicle 10, and inputs 0 to the fields of other users. Further, among the records corresponding to the vehicle ID, the control unit 31 inputs the position information of the vehicle 10 to the vehicle position field.

[0049] In step S104, the control unit 31 determines whether or not a position confirmation request has been received from the user terminal 20. If the determination in step S104 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S105; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S112. In step S105, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the user terminal 20 that transmitted the position confirmation request is the first user terminal 20A. The control unit 31 determines whether or not "1" is input to the user field of the vehicle information DB 32 corresponding to the user ID included in the position confirmation request. If the determination in step S105 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S106; if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0050] In step S106, the control unit 31 determines that position information can be provided to the user who has sent the position confirmation request. That is, it is determined that the first user has sent a position confirmation request from the first user terminal 20A. Thereby, the user is identified as the first user. Then, in step S107, the control unit 31 generates the position information of the vehicle 10. The position information of the vehicle 10 uses the information stored in the vehicle information DB 32. Further, in step S108, the control unit 31 transmits the generated position information to the user terminal 20 (the first user terminal 20A) that has sent the position confirmation request. This position information may include a command to represent the position of the vehicle 10 on a map.

[0051] On the other hand, in step S109, the control unit 31 determines that position information cannot be provided to the user who has sent the position confirmation request. That is, it is determined that the second user has sent a position confirmation request from the second user terminal 20B. Then, in step S110, the control unit 31 generates non - available information. The non - available information is information for notifying the user that the position of the vehicle 10 cannot be provided. Further, in step S111, the control unit 31 transmits the generated non - available information to the user terminal 20 (the second user terminal 20B) that has sent the position confirmation request. This non - available information may include a command to display on the display 205 of the user terminal 20 that the position information of the vehicle 10 cannot be provided.

[0052] In step S112, the control unit 31 determines whether the IG switch 106 has been turned on. When the IG switch 106 is turned on, information regarding the fact that the IG switch 106 has been turned on is transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the server 30. This information may include a user ID corresponding to the user terminal 20 present in the vehicle at this time. If an affirmative determination is made in step S112, the process proceeds to step S113, and if a negative determination is made, the process returns to step S104. In step S113, the control unit 31 resets the used user field entered in the vehicle information DB 32. That is, "0" is entered in the used user field corresponding to each user. Note that at this time, "1" may be entered in the used user field corresponding to the user terminal 20 present in the vehicle.

[0053] Next, the processing in the vehicle 10 will be described. FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the processing of the vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 9 is repeatedly executed in the vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals.

[0054] In step S201, the control unit 11 determines whether the IG switch 106 has changed from OFF to ON. If an affirmative determination is made in step S201, the process proceeds to step S202, and if a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S205. In step S202, the control unit 11 acquires the user ID of the user present in the vehicle. The control unit 11 acquires the user ID associated with the user terminal 20 used when unlocking the vehicle 10, or the user ID associated with the user terminal 20 used when turning on the IG switch 106. As an alternative method, the user ID may be acquired from the user terminal 20 present in the vehicle by performing short-range wireless communication with the user terminal 20 via the network N2.

[0055] In step S203, the control unit 11 generates information regarding the vehicle 10. Here, information including information regarding the fact that the IG switch has been turned on and information regarding the user ID acquired in step S202 is generated. Then, in step S204, the control... The control unit 11 transmits the information about the vehicle 10 generated in step S203 to the server 30.

[0056] In step S205, the control unit 11 determines whether the IG switch 106 has changed from ON to OFF. If an affirmative determination is made in step S205, the process proceeds to step S206. If a negative determination is made, this routine ends. In step S206, the control unit 11 acquires the user ID of the user present in the vehicle. At this time, the user ID acquired in step S202 may be used. As an alternative method, the control unit 11 may acquire the user ID from the user terminal 20 present in the vehicle by performing short-range wireless communication with the user terminal 20 via the network N2.

[0057] In step S207, the control unit 11 generates information about the vehicle 10. Here, information including information regarding the IG switch being turned off, position information, and the user ID is generated. Then, in step S208, the control unit 11 transmits the information about the vehicle 10 generated in step S207 to the server 30.

[0058] Next, the processing of the user terminal 20 will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the processing of the user terminal 20 according to the present embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 10 is repeatedly executed at predetermined time intervals in the user terminal 20. Note that the description is made on the premise that the user has parked the vehicle 10 and is at a position away from the vehicle 10.

[0059] In step S301, the control unit 21 determines whether application software for checking the position of the vehicle 10 has been launched by the user. When the user taps a predetermined icon displayed on the display 205, the application software for checking the position of the vehicle 10 is launched. If an affirmative determination is made in step S301, the process proceeds to step S302. If a negative determination is made, this routine ends.

[0060] In step S302, the control unit 21 transmits a position confirmation request to the server 30. This position confirmation request includes the user ID. In step S303, the control unit 21 receives position information from the server 30. This position information may include information for displaying the position of the vehicle 10 on the display 205. Further, the position information may include information representing the position of the vehicle 10 in terms of latitude and longitude. In step S304, the control unit 21 causes an image corresponding to the position of the vehicle 10 to be displayed on the display 205. Note that a route to the parking position of the vehicle 10 may be displayed. This route may be generated by the server 30 or may be generated by the user terminal 20.

[0061] As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to notify only the user who is currently using the position information of the vehicle 10 used by a plurality of users. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the disclosure to other users of where the vehicle 10 has gone. Thereby, it becomes possible to protect privacy.

[0062] Note that, in the above embodiment, the user using the vehicle 10 is specified by the communication between the electronic key 21A and the smart key 11A, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the navigation system or the audio system of the vehicle 10 performs short-range wireless communication with the user terminal 20, the vehicle 10 may acquire information from the user terminal 20. Also in this case, the user associated with the user terminal 20 connected to the navigation system or the audio system at the time when the IG switch 106 is turned off is specified as the first user using the vehicle 10. Further, not only the driver but also the passengers can be specified in the same manner.

[0063] Also, in the above embodiment, the user terminal 20 has the function of the electronic key 21A and the function of confirming the parking position, but these functions may be provided in separate terminals.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, the position information and the user ID are transmitted from the vehicle 10 at the time of shutdown of the vehicle 10. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the position information and the user ID may be transmitted from the vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals. In this case, when receiving information regarding shutdown of the vehicle 10 from the vehicle 10, the control unit 31 identifies the position of the vehicle 10 and the first user based on the latest position information and user ID transmitted from the vehicle 10.

[0065] Similarly, the control unit 31 may identify the first user on the assumption that the user present in the vehicle at the time of startup of the vehicle 10 is also present in the vehicle at the subsequent shutdown. For example, assume that the user associated with the electronic key used to unlock the door or the electronic key used to start the vehicle 10 is driving the vehicle 10 until the time of shutdown of the vehicle 10. Then, the user associated with the electronic key used to unlock the door or the electronic key used to start the vehicle 10 is identified as the first user.

[0066] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the position information of the vehicle 10 is provided only to the first user. However, in the second embodiment, the position information of the vehicle 10 is provided to the second user under certain conditions. The conditions here are, for example, when the vehicle 10 is present within a predetermined distance (predetermined range) from the user terminal 20, or when the vehicle 10 is a company vehicle and is present within a predetermined distance (predetermined range) from the company's location. In this case, in response to receiving a position confirmation request from the second user terminal 20B, the position information of the vehicle 10 is provided to the second user.

[0067] Next, the processing in server 30 will be described. FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the processing of server 30 according to the present embodiment. The processing shown in FIG. 11 is repeatedly executed by server 30 for each vehicle 10 at predetermined time intervals. Note that it is described that necessary information is stored in vehicle information DB 32. Also, for steps where the same processing as the routine shown in FIG. 8 in FIG. 11 is executed, the same numbers are assigned and the description is omitted.

[0068] In the routine shown in FIG. 11, when a negative determination is made in step S105, the process proceeds to step S401. Note that the user terminal 20 when a negative determination is made in step S105 is the second user terminal 20B. In step S401, the control unit 31 determines whether the position of the second user terminal 20B is within a predetermined distance from the vehicle 10. The predetermined distance is, for example, a distance that can be traveled on foot to the vehicle 10, and is, for example, 1 km. Also, as another method, for example, when the vehicle 10 is a company car and is present within a predetermined distance from the company, an affirmative determination may be made in step S402. The position of the company is registered in the server 30 in advance. When an affirmative determination is made in step S402, the process proceeds to step S106, and when a negative determination is made, the process proceeds to step S109.

[0069] In this way, by providing the position information of the vehicle 10 to the second user according to the conditions, the convenience of the user can be improved. Note that the conditions for providing the position information of the vehicle 10 to the second user may be determined by the first user, or may be stored in the server 30 in advance.

[0070] <Other Embodiments> The above embodiments are merely examples, and the present disclosure can be appropriately modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0071] The processes and means described in the present disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical contradictions occur.

[0072] Moreover, the processes described as being performed by one device may be executed in a distributed manner 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 possible to flexibly change how each function is realized by a hardware configuration (server configuration). For example, vehicle 10 may have some or all of the functions of server 30.

[0073] 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.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0074] 1 System 10 Vehicle 20 User Terminal 21 Control Unit 30 Server 31 Control Unit 301 Processor 302 Main Memory Unit 303 Auxiliary Storage Unit

Claims

1. Identifying a first user who is a user using a vehicle associated with a plurality of users; When the vehicle is parked, transmitting information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user, and not transmitting information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of a second user who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users; An information processing apparatus comprising a control unit that executes the above.

2. When the terminal of the second user exists within a predetermined range from the vehicle, the control unit transmits information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the second user. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

3. The control unit identifies, as the first user, a user associated with an electronic key used to use the vehicle when the vehicle is parked. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

4. The control unit identifies, as the first user, a user associated with the terminal of a user present in the vehicle when the vehicle is parked. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

5. The control unit identifies, as the first user, a user associated with an electronic key when the vehicle is operated by the electronic key. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

6. When the vehicle is started, the control unit resets information regarding the first user. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

7. The control unit acquires position information of the vehicle and information regarding a user using the vehicle from the vehicle, and receives a request for confirming the position of the vehicle from the terminal of the user. The information processing apparatus according to Claim 1.

8. A computer identifies a first user who is a user using a vehicle associated with a plurality of users; when the vehicle is parked, transmits information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user, and does not transmit information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of a second user who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users; An information processing method for executing the above.

9. When the terminal of the second user exists within a predetermined range from the vehicle, the computer transmits information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the second user. The information processing method according to Claim 8.

10. The computer Identifying, as the first user, a user associated with an electronic key used to use the vehicle when the vehicle is parked The information processing method according to claim 8

11. The computer Identifying, as the first user, a user associated with a terminal of a user present in the vehicle when the vehicle is parked The information processing method according to claim 8

12. The computer Identifying, as the first user, a user associated with the electronic key when the vehicle is operated by the electronic key The information processing method according to claim 8

13. The computer Resetting information regarding the first user when the vehicle is started The information processing method according to claim 8

14. The computer Obtaining, from the vehicle, position information of the vehicle and information regarding a user using the vehicle, and receiving, from the terminal of the user, a request to confirm the position of the vehicle The information processing method according to claim 8

15. A server, A vehicle associated with a plurality of users, Terminals associated with each of the plurality of users, A system comprising: The server Identifying, based on information transmitted from the vehicle to the server, a first user who is a user using the vehicle, and when the vehicle is parked, transmitting information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the first user and not transmitting information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of a second user who is a user other than the first user among the plurality of users A system including a control unit that executes

16. When the terminal of the second user exists within a predetermined range from the vehicle, the control unit transmits information regarding the parking position of the vehicle to the terminal of the second user The system according to claim 15

17. The control unit identifies, as the first user, a user associated with an electronic key used to use the vehicle when the vehicle is parked The system according to claim 15

18. The control unit identifies, as the first user, a user associated with a terminal of a user present in the vehicle when the vehicle is parked The system according to claim 15

19. ​ ​ When the vehicle is operated by the electronic key, the control unit identifies the user associated with the electronic key as the first user. The system according to claim 15.

20. When the vehicle is started, the control unit resets the information regarding the first user. The system according to claim 15.

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