Parking management system, parking management method and information processing device

Abstract

To improve a convenience of parking management.SOLUTION: An information processing system according to the present disclosure comprises: an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle; an information processing device stored in clothing or a wearing tool worn by a driver of a vehicle; and a parking management device. The information processing device comprises: an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information and vehicle position information held in the RF tag, triggered by detection of a first action by the driver; and a transmission unit that determines the acquired position information as a parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the associated information to the parking management device. The parking management device comprises: a storage unit that stores the transmitted vehicle information and parking position in association with parking area information of the vehicle; and a display control unit that displays the parking position of the vehicle in a parking area on a map based on the stored information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] There is a demand for technologies for efficiently managing the inventory of vehicles such as automobiles. For example, vehicles before shipment are temporarily parked in a vast parking lot. However, if the parking locations of the vehicles are not properly managed, it will take time to search for the vehicles.

[0003] As a technology related to parking management, a technology for identifying the position of a vehicle using an RF tag is known (see Patent Document 1 below). Also, a technology for attaching an RF reader without disturbing the work of employees is known (see Patent Document 2 below).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] According to the prior art, it is possible to identify the position of a vehicle without newly providing a special communication interface.

[0006] However, the prior art only identifies the parking position of a vehicle using an RF tag. Since parking management of vehicles is a task that is burdensome for drivers who move the vehicles and administrators who are responsible for parking management, technologies for reducing the burden on these related parties are desired.

[0007] Therefore, the present disclosure proposes a parking management system, a parking management method, and an information processing apparatus that can improve the convenience related to parking management.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a parking management system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing apparatus stored in clothing or accessories worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management apparatus. The information processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and position information of the vehicle when detecting a first action by the driver, and a transmission unit that determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as a parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the same to the parking management apparatus. The parking management apparatus includes a storage unit that stores the vehicle information and the parking position transmitted by the transmission unit in association with parking area information of the vehicle, and a display control unit that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored by the storage unit.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0011] (1. Embodiment) [1-1. Example of a parking management system according to an embodiment] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing the flow of processing executed by a parking management system 1 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the parking management system 1 includes an information processing device (hereinafter referred to as “portable unit 10”) stored in a driver 30's wearing equipment (a single-shoulder type pouch in the embodiment) of a vehicle 60, an RF (Radio Frequency) tag 50 mounted on the vehicle 60, and a management device 100.

[0012] The portable unit 10 includes a beacon button 11, an RF reader 12, and a communication terminal 20. The beacon button 11 is a device that emits a predetermined beacon signal. The RF reader 12 is a device for reading information of the RF tag 50. The RF reader 12 and the RF tag 50 constitute a wireless communication system that reads and writes data non-contact using radio waves at a short distance of several centimeters to several meters, generally called RFID (Radio Frequency Identification). The communication terminal 20 is a device that receives a beacon signal emitted from the beacon button 11, acquires position information using GPS (Global Positioning System), and transmits the acquired position information to the management device 100. The communication terminal 20 is, for example, a smartphone or a tablet terminal.

[0013] The RF tag 50 is an electronic recording tag mounted on the vehicle 60. Written in the RF tag 50 are an identification information of the RF tag 50 (hereinafter referred to as “tag ID”), a vehicle ID which is identification information for uniquely identifying the vehicle, vehicle information such as the vehicle type and shipping information of the vehicle 60, and various information given at the time of manufacture (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle information”). Further, the RF tag 50 can write and store new information or updated information, for example, via the communication terminal 20.

[0014] The management device 100 is a server for managing the parking position of the vehicle 60. The management device 100 manages each vehicle information of the vehicle 60 to be managed, and various information such as the size, position, name, and the number of vehicles that can be accommodated of the parking area where the vehicle 60 is stored (hereinafter referred to as “parking area information”).

[0015] Generally, vehicles such as automobiles before shipment are parked separately in a plurality of vast parking areas, and complex management is carried out, such as moving across a plurality of parking areas according to the shipment timing and the destination of shipment. Therefore, the vehicle administrator needs to appropriately manage which vehicle is parked where. For example, the driver who moves the vehicle must accurately identify the vehicle to be moved, record the parking areas before and after the movement, and accurately convey the recorded information to the administrator. Also, the administrator must accurately record the information conveyed from the driver. This is a great burden on both the vehicle administrator and the driver.

[0016] Therefore, the parking management system 1 according to the embodiment improves the convenience regarding parking management and reduces the burden on the vehicle administrator and the driver by executing the process shown in FIG. 1. Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 1, the flow of the process executed by the parking management system 1 when the driver 30 moves the vehicle 60 before shipment to a predetermined parking area will be described.

[0017] First, the driver 30 who intends to move the vehicle 60 to a predetermined parking area wears the portable unit 10 and heads to the current parking position of the vehicle 60. As described above, the vehicle 60 is equipped with the RF tag 50. For example, the RF tag 50 records movement-before information 44A and the like, which is information associating a tag ID for identifying the RF tag 50 (in other words, the vehicle 60) with the parking position. In FIG. 1, an example is shown in which the current parking position is stored as the name of a specific parking area "Location" as the movement-before information 44A, but the parking position may be stored as position information such as latitude and longitude obtained by GPS. The driver 30 gets into the vehicle 60 and moves the vehicle 60 to the next parking position (step S1).

[0018] After the driver 30 has finished moving, the driver presses the beacon button 11 inside the vehicle 60. When the communication terminal 20 receives the beacon signal emitted by the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 issues a reading command to the RF reader 12. The RF reader 12 starts reading the information of the RF tag 50 upon receiving the instruction from the communication terminal 20. The communication terminal 20 reads the information of the RF tag 50 and, triggered by the action of the driver 30 (in this example, pressing the beacon button 11), acquires the position information corresponding to the parking position after the movement of the vehicle 60 (step S2). Note that as long as the distance at which the RF reader 12 can read the information of the RF tag 50 is satisfied, the driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 not only inside the vehicle but also at a position close to the outside of the vehicle 60.

[0019] Triggered by the driver 30 pressing the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 reads the information of the RF tag 50 and estimates the acquired position information at this time as the parking position of the vehicle 60.

[0020] Then, the communication terminal 20 transmits the position information (latitude, longitude, etc.) of the parked position to the management device 100 and acquires the name of the parking area corresponding to the position information (in the example of FIG. 1, "Yard 1") from the management device 100. The communication terminal 20 displays the acquired name of the parking area (location) on the screen. When the driver 30 confirms that the displayed location is undoubtedly the location where he / she has moved, the driver 30 operates on the screen of the communication terminal 20 to confirm the parking position. The communication terminal 20 determines the parking position after the movement of the vehicle 60 upon receiving such an operation and stores the post-movement information 44B associated with vehicle information, tag ID, the date and time when the movement was completed, etc.

[0021] When the parking position after the movement is determined, the communication terminal 20 transmits the post-movement information 44B of the vehicle 60 to the management device 100 and requests registration of the information (step S3). The management device 100 registers and stores the received post-movement information 44B (step S4).

[0022] Thereafter, when an opportunity arises to move the vehicle 60 again, the operator 40 can search for the current location of the vehicle 60 by inputting search conditions (step S5). For example, the operator 40 searches for the vehicle 60 using the vehicle ID, tag ID, date and time of movement, etc. of the vehicle 60 as a search query. The search results are displayed, for example, on a map displayed on the display 150, with the location information of the vehicle 60 plotted.

[0023] As described above, the parking management system 1 realizes parking management processing that is not burdensome for the manager and the driver 30 through cooperation between the portable unit 10, the RF tag 50, and the management device 100. Specifically, after the driver 30 moves the vehicle 60, the portable unit 10 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 and the location information of the vehicle 60 upon detecting a first action by the driver 30 (pressing the beacon button 11 in the example of FIG. 1). Furthermore, the portable unit 10 determines the location information acquired upon acquiring the vehicle information as the parking location of the vehicle 60, associates the vehicle information with the parking location, and transmits them to the management device 100. The management device 100 stores the transmitted vehicle information and parking location in association with parking area information of the vehicle 60 (yard 1 in the example of FIG. 1), and displays the vehicle's parking location in the parking area on a map based on the stored information.

[0024] In this way, the parking management system 1 allows the driver 30 to store, transmit, and register the parking location of the vehicle 60 by simply pressing the beacon button 11, without having to go through the trouble of recording detailed information about the vehicle 60 before and after moving. Furthermore, the parking management system 1 can achieve the above process simply by installing the RF tag 50 in the vehicle 60, and does not require large-scale capital investment such as installing communication equipment in the parking lot, thereby reducing the burden on the manager.

[0025] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 is in the form of a shoulder pouch, so it does not interfere with the work of the driver 30 and reduces the workload of the driver 30 who actually drives the vehicle 60. The structure of the portable unit 10 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram (1) showing the structure of the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the portable unit 10 is stored in a wearable device that is worn on one shoulder of the driver 30. In one embodiment, the beacon button 11 is mounted near the shoulder of the driver 30 so that the driver 30 can easily press the beacon button 11. This allows the driver 30 to easily press the beacon button 11 without being hindered from driving. Note that, for the sake of explanation, FIG. 2 shows an example in which the beacon button 11 is exposed to the outside, but the beacon button 11 may also be stored inside a pouch.

[0027] Next, the cross-sectional structure of the portable unit 10 will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram (2) showing the structure of the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the portable unit 10 stores the beacon button 11 in an upper portion (closer to the shoulder) that is a position that is easy for the driver 30 to operate when the wearable device is worn on the shoulder of the driver 30. In addition, when the driver 30 wears the wearable device on the shoulder of the portable unit 10, the communication terminal 20 is stored on the body side and the RF reader 12 is stored on the outside.

[0028] A sponge-shaped spacer 13 is placed between the communication terminal 20 and the RF reader 12. The spacer 13 reduces radio wave interference between the communication terminal 20 and the RF reader 12, and improves the reading accuracy and reading distance of the RF reader 12.

[0029] Furthermore, a transparent window 14 is provided at the bottom of the communication terminal 20. By storing the communication terminal 20 in this state, a proximity sensor of the communication terminal 20 that detects its proximity to the body of the driver 30 is activated, and the screen of the communication terminal 20 can be turned off without the driver 30 being aware of it. This allows the communication terminal 20 to reduce battery consumption.

[0030] Next, the structure of the plane of the portable unit 10 will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram (3) showing the structure of the portable unit 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, with the wearable on the driver 30's shoulder, the beacon button 11 and the RF reader 12 are stored outside the driver 30. The pocket in which the beacon button 11 and the RF reader 12 are stored can be opened and closed, for example, with a fastener. By storing the beacon button 11 and the RF reader 12 outside the driver 30, the operability of the beacon button 11 and the reading accuracy of the RF reader 12 are improved.

[0031] Also, with the wearable on the driver 30's shoulder, the portable unit 10 stores the communication terminal 20 on the body side of the driver 30. The bottom of the pocket in which the communication terminal 20 is stored is a transparent window 14, which improves the visibility of the screen of the communication terminal 20 and contributes to suppressing the battery consumption of the communication terminal 20.

[0032] Thus, according to the structure of the portable unit 10, the driver 30 has both hands free during driving, so hands-free operation is possible and there is no hindrance to work. Also, the structure of the portable unit 10 improves the reading accuracy of the RF reader 12, so it is possible to prevent malfunction such as reading the RF tag of a vehicle parked next to the vehicle 60 to be moved. Furthermore, since the portable unit 10 is configured by integrating the beacon button 11, the RF reader 12, and the communication terminal 20 required for processing, the driver 30 can quickly and easily attach or detach the set of devices. Furthermore, since the portable unit 10 has a smaller area in contact with the body than clothing in the shape of a vest, etc., it improves the comfort of the driver 30, for example, in outdoor work in hot weather.

[0033] Above, the outline of the processing executed by the parking management system 1 and the structure of the portable unit 10 have been described. Hereinafter, the elements and each function constituting the parking management system 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 5 and subsequent figures.

[0034] [1-2. Configuration of the Parking Management System According to the Embodiment] The configuration of the parking management system 1 that executes the information processing according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the parking management system 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 shows an example of the device configuration for realizing the processing concept of the parking management system 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the parking management system 1 includes a portable unit 10, an RF tag 50, and a management device 100. These various devices are communicably connected by wire or wirelessly via a network N (for example, the Internet or short-range wireless communication). Note that the number of devices included in the parking management system 1 shown in FIG. 5 is not limited to those illustrated. For example, the parking management system 1 may include a plurality of portable units 10 and RF tags 50. Also, since each device shown in FIG. 5 is conceptual, for example, the management device 100 may be configured by a plurality of devices being coordinated.

[0036] The portable unit 10 is an information processing device carried by the driver 30. In the embodiment, the portable unit 10 includes a beacon button 11, an RF reader 12, and a communication terminal 20. The beacon button 11 is a device that emits a wireless signal (beacon signal) based on a predetermined standard (such as Bluetooth (registered trademark)). The RF reader 12 is a device that reads the information of the RF tag 50 by wireless communication. The communication terminal 20 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable device, or the like.

[0037] The RF tag 50 is an information medium that reads and writes data in a built-in memory in a non-contact manner using radio waves based on a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard. The RF tag 50 can take various forms such as a card type, a button type, a wristband type, and the like.

[0038] The management device 100 is a server that manages the parking positions of the vehicles 60. The management device 100 stores vehicle information and parking positions of the vehicles 60 based on information transmitted from the portable units 10. The management device 100 also stores information about the vehicles, such as which RF tags 50 are mounted on which vehicles 60. The management device 100 also stores information about parking areas. For example, the management device 100 stores information such as the size and location information of the parking areas, the number of cars that can be accommodated, the current number of parked cars, and the occupancy rate. The management device 100 also displays the current parking position of the vehicles 60, the occupancy rate of each parking area, and the like on the display 150 in accordance with the operation of the operator 40.

[0039] [1-3. Configuration of the information processing device according to the embodiment] Next, a description will be given of the configurations of the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 that execute information processing according to the embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 according to the embodiment.

[0040] First, a description will be given of the communication terminal 20. As shown in Fig. 6, the communication terminal 20 has a communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 24. The communication terminal 20 may also have an input unit (for example, a touch panel) that accepts various operations from the driver 30 or the like, and a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) that displays various information.

[0041] The communication unit 21 is realized by, for example, a network interface card (NIC) etc. The communication unit 21 is connected to the network N by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the beacon button 11, the RF reader 12, the management device 100 etc. via the network N.

[0042] The storage unit 22 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 22 has a position information storage unit 23.

[0043] FIG. 7 shows an example of information stored in the position information storage unit 23. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the position information storage unit 23 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the position information storage unit 23 has items such as "tag ID," "vehicle information," "position before movement," and "parking position." Note that in the examples shown in FIGS. 7 to 10, the information stored in the storage unit 22 and the storage unit 120 is conceptually shown as "A001," but in reality, each piece of information described below is stored in the storage unit 22 and the storage unit 120.

[0044] The "tag ID" is identification information for identifying the RF tag 50 mounted on the vehicle 60. In the embodiment, since the RF tag 50 is mounted on each vehicle 60, the tag ID can also be identification information for the vehicle 60. The "vehicle information" is various information related to the vehicle 60. For example, the vehicle information includes a vehicle ID, which is identification information for uniquely identifying the vehicle, the vehicle model, shipping location, shipping destination, and various information assigned at the time of manufacture of the vehicle 60.

[0045] The "position before movement" indicates the parking position before being moved by the driver 30. The position before movement is, for example, information written to the RF tag 50 when the driver 30 moved in the past. The driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 before moving and write the position information acquired at the time of pressing to the RF tag 50. The "parking position" indicates the parking position after being moved by the driver 30. The position before movement and the parking position may be numerical information such as specific longitude and latitude, or may be a name indicating a parking area determined based on numerical information, or parking position information artificially set by the administrator within the parking area (for example, arbitrary information indicating a parking position independently determined by the administrator, such as parking position 10 in parking lot 1).

[0046] That is, FIG. 7 shows an example in which the information acquired by the communication terminal 20, in which the tag ID, the vehicle information, the position before movement, and the parking position are linked to each other, is stored in the position information storage unit 23.

[0047] Returning to Fig. 6, the explanation will be continued. The control unit 24 is realized by, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or the like executing a program stored inside the communication terminal 20 using a random access memory (RAM) or the like as a working area. The control unit 24 is also a controller, and may be realized by, for example, an integrated circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0048] 6, control unit 24 has an acquisition unit 25, a detection unit 26, and a transmission unit 27, and realizes or executes the functions and actions of information processing described below. Note that the internal configuration of control unit 24 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, and other configurations may be used as long as they perform the information processing described below.

[0049] The acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information and the location information of the vehicle 60 stored in the RF tag 50 upon detecting the first action by the driver 30. The first action is an action taken by the driver 30 to explicitly indicate that the vehicle 60 will be parked after the driver 30 has driven the vehicle 60 to a destination.

[0050] For example, the acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 and the location information of the vehicle 60 as a first action when the driver 30 transmits a beacon signal (i.e., presses the beacon button 11). Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire the vehicle information stored in the RF tag 50 and the location information of the vehicle 60 as a first action when the acquisition unit 25 detects at least one of a predetermined voice uttered by the driver 30, the elimination of the proximity between the driver 30 and the vehicle 60, and the driver 30 performing an operation to stop the vehicle.

[0051] For example, when the acquisition unit 25 recognizes that the driver 30 has made a statement that is a preset activation voice, such as "Parking completed", the acquisition unit 25 may acquire the position information at the time of recognition as the parking position of the vehicle 60. Thereby, the driver 30 can end the process hands - free without performing an action such as pressing the beacon button 11. Also, the acquisition unit 25 may use a function of sensing an approach in short - range wireless communication to acquire the position information of the vehicle 60 when it senses that the driver 30 (i.e., the communication terminal 20 or the RF reader 12) and the vehicle 60 (i.e., the RF tag 50) have moved away from a predetermined distance. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire the position information of the vehicle 60 when it detects that the driver 30 has stopped the vehicle 60 (for example, stopping the engine, stopping for a certain period of time or more, or returning the gear to the stopped state). Thereby, the driver 30 can end the process without being aware of it.

[0052] When the acquisition unit 25 acquires vehicle information, the detection unit 26 detects the position information of the vehicle 60. The acquisition unit 25 acquires the position information detected by the detection unit 26 as the position information of the vehicle 60.

[0053] For example, the detection unit 26 uses the GPS sensor provided in the communication terminal 20 to detect the position information of the vehicle 60. Note that the detection unit 26 is not limited to the GPS sensor, and may use any means to detect the position information of the vehicle 60. For example, the detection unit 26 may detect the position information of the vehicle 60 based on the access information between the access point installed in the parking area and the communication terminal 20.

[0054] The transmission unit 27 determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit 25 as the parking position of the vehicle 60, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits it to the management device 100.

[0055] After the transmission unit 27 determines that the position information acquired by the acquisition unit 25 is the parking position of the vehicle 60, the information on the parking area corresponding to the parking position may be presented to the driver 30 by being displayed on the display unit (screen) or by voice notification. Then, when the driver 30 approves the presented information, the transmission unit 27 transmits the vehicle information and the parking position associated with each other to the management device 100.

[0056] For example, when determining the parking position, the transmission unit 27 acquires the name of the parking area corresponding to the parking position from the management device 100. Then, the transmission unit 27 displays the acquired name of the parking area (the "Location" shown in the example of FIG. 1) on the screen. If the name of the parking area where the driver 30 has moved the vehicle 60 matches the one displayed on the screen, the driver 30 performs an operation to approve the parking position. After such an operation is performed, the transmission unit 27 transmits the vehicle information and the parking position associated with each other to the management device 100.

[0057] When the driver 30 does not approve the presented information, the transmission unit 27 accepts the input of correction information from the driver 30. Then, the transmission unit 27 transmits the information input by the driver 30 associated with the vehicle information to the management device 100. In this way, by transmitting only the information approved by the driver 30 to the management device 100, the transmission unit 27 can prevent incorrect information from being transmitted to the management device 100.

[0058] Further, after the acquisition unit 25 acquires the position information, the transmission unit 27 may determine the acquired position information as the parking position of the vehicle 60 when it is detected by the detection unit 26 that the position information does not change for a further predetermined time. For example, even if the position information is acquired, the transmission unit 27 does not perform transmission immediately, but waits as it is for several tens of seconds and continues to detect the position information. Then, when the transmission unit 27 detects that the position information of the parking position does not change, that is, when it is certain that parking has been performed, it associates the vehicle information with the parking position and transmits it to the management device 100. Thereby, the transmission unit 27 can prevent transmitting an incorrect parking position acquired when the beacon button 11 is accidentally pressed or the like to the management device 100. Further, even when the transmission unit 27 does not detect the pressing of the beacon button 11 by the driver 30 or the like, after a certain period of time has elapsed, the transmission unit 27 may determine the position information acquired by the acquisition unit 25 as the parking position of the vehicle 60. Thereby, the transmission unit 27 can continue the process even when the driver 30 forgets to press the beacon button 11 or when the action of the driver 30 cannot be detected due to some obstacle. Further, when the vehicle 60 is stopped, the transmission unit 27 reads out the location name registered at that time by voice, and then, when there is no change operation from the driver 30 for a certain period of time, the transmission unit 27 may determine the position as the parking position of the vehicle 60. In this case, when the driver 30 performs an operation indicating that the read location name is different from the actual position (for example, long presses the beacon button 11), the transmission unit 27 may cancel the registration of the location name or accept the input of the correct location name.

[0059] Subsequently, the management device 100 will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, the management device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a control unit 130. Note that the management device 100 may include an input unit (for example, a keyboard, a mouse, etc.) that receives various operations from an administrator or the like who manages the management device 100, and a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display, etc.) for displaying various information.

[0060] The communication unit 110 is realized by, for example, a NIC etc. The communication unit 110 is connected to the network N by wire or wirelessly, and transmits and receives information to and from the communication terminal 20 etc. via the network N.

[0061] The storage unit 120 is realized by, for example, a semiconductor memory element such as a RAM or a flash memory, or a storage device such as a hard disk or an optical disk. The storage unit 120 has a vehicle information storage unit 121, a parking area storage unit 122, and a parking position storage unit 123. Each storage unit will be described below in order.

[0062] Fig. 8 shows an example of information stored in the vehicle information storage unit 121. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the vehicle information storage unit 121 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 8, the vehicle information storage unit 121 has items such as "vehicle ID," "tag ID," "vehicle model," and "shipping destination."

[0063] "Vehicle ID" is identification information for identifying the vehicle 60. "Tag ID" is the same as the information shown in Figure 7. In the embodiment, an RF tag 50 is mounted on each vehicle 60, so there is a one-to-one correspondence between the vehicle ID and the tag ID. "Vehicle model" is information indicating the vehicle model of the vehicle 60. Note that the vehicle model may include various information such as not only the type of vehicle but also the shape and color. "Shipping destination" is information about the location to which the vehicle 60 is shipped and the business partner.

[0064] That is, FIG. 8 shows an example in which a plurality of pieces of information related to the vehicle 60, such as the vehicle ID, tag ID, vehicle model, and shipping destination, are linked and stored in the vehicle information storage unit 121.

[0065] Next, Fig. 9 shows an example of information stored in the parking area storage unit 122. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the parking area storage unit 122 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in Fig. 9, the parking area storage unit 122 has items such as "parking area ID," "location," "name," "GPS location code," "number of cars that can be accommodated," "number of available cars," and "occupancy rate."

[0066] The "Parking Area ID" is identification information for identifying a parking area. The "Location" is information indicating the location of the parking area. For example, the location is location information such as latitude and longitude corresponding to the position of the parking area. The "Name" is, for example, a name set for the parking area by the administrator. When a name is displayed on the communication terminal 20 or the like, for example, an item name such as "Location" is used. The "GPS Location Code" is information for associating the position information specified by GPS with the parking area. For example, when the operator 40 searches for information on the parking position or parking area, the operator 40 may search based on the name of the parking area or may search using the GPS location code. The "Maximum Capacity" indicates the maximum number of vehicles that can be accommodated in the parking area. The "Available Spaces" indicates the number of vacant parking positions in the parking area at the current time. The "Occupancy Rate" indicates the occupancy rate of the parking area at the current time. Note that the parking area storage unit 122 may store not only the above-described information but also the area of the parking area, the number of divisions (number of parking spaces) set for parking vehicles, and the like.

[0067] That is, in FIG. 9, an example is shown in which a plurality of pieces of information related to the parking area, such as the parking area ID, location, name, GPS location code, maximum capacity, available spaces, and occupancy rate, are associated and stored in the parking area storage unit 122.

[0068] Subsequently, FIG. 10 shows an example of the information stored in the parking position storage unit 123. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the parking position storage unit 123 according to the embodiment. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the parking position storage unit 123 has items such as "Tag ID", "Vehicle Information", "Parking Position", "Parking Area ID", and "Registration Date and Time".

[0069] "Tag ID", "Vehicle Information", and "Parking Position" correspond to the information shown in FIG. 7. "Parking Area ID" corresponds to the information shown in FIG. 9. "Registration Date and Time" indicates the date and time when the parking position after parking is transmitted from the communication terminal 20 and registered in the management device 100.

[0070] That is, in FIG. 10, an example is shown in which a plurality of pieces of information related to the movement and parking of the vehicle 60, such as a tag ID, vehicle information, a parking position, a parking area ID, and a registration date and time, are associated and stored in the parking position storage unit 123. That is, the parking position storage unit 123 stores the vehicle information transmitted by the transmission unit 27 and the parking position in association with the parking area information of the vehicle. By referring to the parking position storage unit 123, the management device 100 can acquire information such as in which position of which parking area the vehicle 60 is located and when it moved to that position.

[0071] Returning to FIG. 6, the description will be continued. The control unit 130 is realized, for example, by a program stored inside the management device 100 being executed with a RAM or the like as a work area by a CPU, MPU, GPU, or the like. Also, the control unit 130 is a controller and may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC or FPGA.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 130 has a registration unit 131 and a display control unit 132, and realizes or executes the information processing functions and operations described below. Note that the internal configuration of the control unit 130 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 6, and any other configuration may be used as long as it can perform the information processing described later.

[0073] The registration unit 131 registers various types of information in the storage unit 120. For example, when the vehicle 60 is delivered or manufactured, the registration unit 131 registers information related to the vehicle in the vehicle information storage unit 121. Also, when the registration unit 131 acquires information related to the parking area, it registers the information related to the parking area in the parking area storage unit 122. Further, the registration unit 131 registers the vehicle information transmitted by the transmission unit 27 and the parking position in association with the parking area information of the vehicle in the parking position storage unit 123.

[0074] The display control unit 132 displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on the map based on the information stored by the storage unit 120. For example, the display control unit 132 refers to the parking position of the vehicle 60 retrieved based on the vehicle ID and tag ID from the storage unit 120, and plots and displays the parking position on the map. Thereby, the display control unit 132 can accurately show the position of the target vehicle 60 to the driver 30 or the like.

[0075] Also, when information regarding the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of the parking area is stored in the storage unit 120 as parking area information, the display control unit 132 may refer to such information. Then, the display control unit 132 displays the occupancy rate indicating how many vehicles the parking area can accommodate based on the information regarding the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of the parking area on the map. Thereby, the display control unit 132 can accurately show the current situation of which parking areas located at which positions have what occupancy rates to the administrator or the like.

[0076] At this time, the display control unit 132 may display a plurality of parking areas with different occupancy rates in different display modes based on the current occupancy rate. For example, the display control unit 132 displays a parking area with a relatively high occupancy rate in red, a parking area with a relatively low occupancy rate in green, and a parking area with an intermediate occupancy rate in yellow. Thereby, the display control unit 132 can perform a parking area display with excellent visibility.

[0077] In addition, when information indicating the vehicle 60 displayed on the map is selected, the display control unit 132 may display at least one of vehicle information corresponding to the information indicating the vehicle 60, the position information of the vehicle 60, or the movement history of the vehicle 60 in the vicinity of the information indicating the vehicle 60. For example, the operator 40 operates the pointer on the display 150 to select the point indicating the vehicle 60. Based on such an operation, the display control unit 132 displays the vehicle type, position information, movement history, etc. of the vehicle corresponding to the selected point in a manner such as a pop-up window. Thereby, the display control unit 132 can quickly cause the operator 40 or the like to confirm not only the current position of the vehicle 60 but also the vehicle information thereof.

[0078] Subsequently, FIGS. 11 to 14 are used to show user interfaces and screen display examples when the driver 30 and the operator 40 operate the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100.

[0079] FIG. 11 is a diagram (1) showing a user interface according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 shows an example of a user interface displayed on the communication terminal 20 operated by the driver 30.

[0080] In the example shown in FIG. 11, when the driver 30 presses a display 20A labeled "Current Ticket Reading" after the movement of the vehicle 60, the portable unit 10 starts the processing according to the embodiment. For example, after this, when the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 reads the RF tag 50 and automatically displays the information of the vehicle ID and the tag ID on the screen. Alternatively, the driver 30 may input the vehicle ID or the like by himself / herself and then press the display 20A to start the processing. Note that the driver 30 may acquire vehicle information or the like by reading a two-dimensional code such as a barcode attached to the vehicle.

[0081] Next, communication terminal 20 detects the location information and displays the latitude and longitude. Communication terminal 20 may also obtain a location corresponding to the location information from management device 100 and display it on display 20B on the screen. Driver 30 checks the location displayed on the screen, and if the confirmed information is accurate, presses display 20D that displays "Confirm location registration." Note that communication terminal 20 may confirm the location information when the remaining time displayed on display 20C reaches 0, even if driver 30 does not press display 20D.

[0082] Next, an example of an operation performed by the driver 30 to display the position of the vehicle 60 on the communication terminal 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a diagram (2) showing a user interface according to the embodiment.

[0083] In the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the driver 30 desires to display the position of the vehicle 60 on a map, for example, before or after the vehicle 60 moves. In this case, the driver 30 inputs the vehicle ID and presses the display 20F, reads the barcode of the vehicle 60, presses the beacon button 11, or the like, to load the vehicle information into the communication terminal 20. In the example of FIG. 12, it is assumed that the driver 30 searches for information on the vehicle 60 identified by the vehicle ID "F001." The communication terminal 20 references the information stored in the position information storage unit 23 or the parking position storage unit 123, and outputs the information on the vehicle 60 identified by the vehicle ID "F001."

[0084] 12, for example, communication terminal 20 displays map 20G and plots point 20H representing vehicle 60 on map 20G. At this time, communication terminal 20 may display information indicating the model of vehicle 60, etc., near point 20H. This allows driver 30 to confirm the position of vehicle 60 that he or she is about to move and whether the information about vehicle 60 after movement has been accurately stored.

[0085] Next, an example of a screen display when the operator 40 operates the management device 100 will be described. FIG. 13 is a diagram (1) showing the screen display process according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display 150 when the operator 40 searches for the vehicle 60.

[0086] The operator 40 who tries to search for the vehicle 60 inputs search conditions into the search window 150A. For example, the operator 40 inputs a search query for specifying the vehicle 60, such as the vehicle ID, the date and time when the vehicle 60 was moved, the parking area, the vehicle type, etc., into the search window 150A. The management device 100 displays the search result 150B based on the input search query. In FIG. 13, the management device 100 shows an example of outputting vehicle IDs "F001" and "F002" as search results based on the search query. Further, the management device 100 plots and displays the position of the vehicle 60 corresponding to the search result on the map 150C. Thereby, the operator 40 can confirm at a glance on the map 150C where the searched vehicle 60 is parked.

[0087] Next, an example of a screen display when the operator 40 investigates the situation of the parking area will be described. FIG. 14 is a diagram (2) showing the screen display process according to the embodiment. FIG. 14 shows an example of a screen displayed on the display 150 when the operator 40 investigates the parking area.

[0088] An operator 40 who wants to investigate the situation of a parking area inputs search conditions into a search window 150E. For example, the operator 40 inputs a parking area ID or a GPS location code into the search window 150E. The management device 100 displays a search result 150F based on the input search query. In FIG. 14, the management device 100 shows an example of outputting names such as "Yard 1" and "Yard 2" as search results based on a search query. Further, the management device 100 displays the position and occupancy rate of the parking area corresponding to the search result on a map 150G. As shown in FIG. 14, the management device 100 displays the position and occupancy rate of the parking area according to different modes. Thereby, the operator 40 can visually confirm on the map 150G information such as in which parking area many vehicles 60 are parked.

[0089] [1-4. Procedure of information processing according to the embodiment] Next, with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment will be described. First, with reference to FIG. 15, the flow of processing executed by the mobile unit 10 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 15 is a flowchart (1) showing the procedure of information processing according to the embodiment.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 15, the communication terminal 20 determines whether it has received a beacon signal by the beacon button 11 (step S101). If the signal has not been received (step S101; No), the communication terminal 20 waits until the signal is received.

[0091] On the other hand, if the signal has been received (step S101; Yes), the communication terminal 20 reads the RF tag 50 via the RF reader 12 and acquires the vehicle information and the position information of the vehicle 60 stored in the RF tag 50 (step S102). Subsequently, the communication terminal 20 determines whether the position information is accurate information, that is, whether the parking position has been confirmed by the driver 30 (step S103). If the parking position has not been confirmed (step S103; No), the communication terminal 20 waits until the parking position is confirmed.

[0092] On the other hand, when the parking position is confirmed (step S103; Yes), the communication terminal 20 determines the parking position, which is the position of the vehicle 60 after movement (step S104). Then, the communication terminal 20 associates the vehicle information and tag ID for identifying the vehicle 60 with the parking position and transmits them to the management device 100 (step S105).

[0093] Subsequently, with reference to FIG. 16, the flow of the display control process executed by the management device 100 according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 16 is a flowchart (2) showing the procedure of the information processing according to the embodiment.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 16, the management device 100 determines whether it has received a search request from the operator 40 or the like (step S201). If the request has not been received (step S201; No), the management device 100 waits until the request is received.

[0095] On the other hand, when the request is received (step S201; Yes), the management device 100 searches for the vehicle 60 according to the received search conditions (step S202). The management device 100 identifies the vehicle 60 to be searched (step S203) and plots and displays the identified vehicle 60 on the map (step S204).

[0096] Thereafter, the management device 100 determines whether a point on the map has been selected by the operator 40 or the like (step S205). If a point on the map has been selected (step S205; Yes), the management device 100 displays the individual detailed information of the vehicle 60 corresponding to the selected point (step S206). If a point on the map is not selected (step S205; No), the management device 100 skips the process of step S206.

[0097] Thereafter, the management device 100 determines whether or not a request to display the occupancy rate has been received from the operator 40 or the like (step S207). If a request to display the occupancy rate has been received (step S207; Yes), the management device 100 displays the occupancy rate of the parking area corresponding to the request (step S208). If a request to display the occupancy rate has not been received (step S207; No), the management device 100 skips the processing of step S208.

[0098] Thereafter, the management device 100 determines whether or not a request to end the search process has been received from the operator 40 or the like (step S209). If a request to end the search process has not been received (step S209; No), the management device 100 continues the search process and receives a request for new search conditions (step S201). On the other hand, if a request to end the search process has been received (step S209; Yes), the management device 100 ends the search process.

[0099] 15 and 16 are merely examples, and the communication terminal 20 and the management device 100 may perform the processes in an order different from that shown in Fig. 15 and 16. For example, the management device 100 may perform the process of step S207 before step S205, or may perform either step S205 or step S207.

[0100] (2. Modifications of the embodiment) [2-1. Press the beacon button before moving] In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11 after the vehicle 60 has moved. Here, the driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 twice in total, once before moving and once after moving. This modified example will be described with reference to FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is a block diagram schematically showing the flow of processing executed by the parking management system 1 according to the modified example.

[0101] In the example shown in FIG. 17, the driver 30 wears the portable unit 10 and heads towards the current parking position of the vehicle 60. Then, before starting the vehicle 60, the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11 inside the vehicle 60. When the communication terminal 20 receives the beacon signal emitted by the beacon button 11, it issues a read command to the RF reader 12. The RF reader 12 starts reading the information of the RF tag 50 upon receiving the instruction from the communication terminal 20 (step S301).

[0102] Similar to the example in FIG. 1, the vehicle ID of the vehicle 60, the tag ID of the RF tag 50, etc. are stored in the RF tag 50. When the communication terminal 20 reads the information of the RF tag 50 and triggered by the action of the driver 30 (pressing the beacon button 11 in this example), it starts detecting the position information. Thereby, the communication terminal 20 acquires the pre-movement information 44A which is information associating the tag ID for identifying the RF tag 50 (in other words, the vehicle 60) with the current parking position.

[0103] After the driver 30 confirms on the screen of the communication terminal 20 that the information has been acquired from the RF tag 50, the driver 30 starts moving the vehicle 60. During the movement, the communication terminal 20 continues to detect and acquire the position information. The driver 30 moves the vehicle 60 to the target parking area and parks the vehicle 60.

[0104] When the parking is completed, the driver 30 presses the beacon button 11 again. Triggered by the driver 30 pressing the beacon button 11, the communication terminal 20 reads the information of the RF tag 50 again and estimates the position information acquired at this time as the parking position of the vehicle 60 (step S302).

[0105] Thereafter, the communication terminal 20 transmits the post-movement information 44B to the management device 100. Since the processes from step S303 to step S305 shown in FIG. 17 are common to the processes from step S3 to step S5 shown in FIG. 1, the description is omitted.

[0106] As described above, in the parking management system 1 according to the modification example, when the mobile unit 10 detects an action before the vehicle 60 is moved by the driver 30 (for the sake of distinction, referred to as "second action". In the example of FIG. 17, pressing the beacon button 11 corresponds to this), the mobile unit 10 acquires the vehicle information held in the RF tag 50, and upon acquiring the vehicle information, starts acquiring the position information of the vehicle 60. Further, when the mobile unit 10 detects the first action (pressing the beacon button 11 for the second time) by the driver 30, the mobile unit 10 determines the detected position information as the parking position of the vehicle 60, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the information to the management device 100. The management device 100 associates and stores the transmitted vehicle information and parking position with the parking area information of the vehicle 60, and based on the stored information, displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on the map.

[0107] As described above, according to the parking management system 1 according to the modification example, by reading the information of the RF tag 50 twice, at the time of starting and parking, it is possible to prevent incorrect operations such as accidentally reading the tag information of another vehicle (such as a vehicle parked near the vehicle 60).

[0108] The function of the acquisition unit 25 according to the modification example will be described. For example, when the acquisition unit 25 detects the second action by the driver 30, the acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information held in the RF tag 50. The second action is an action performed to indicate that the vehicle 60 is about to be moved when the driver 30 moves the vehicle 60.

[0109] For example, as the second action, when the driver 30 transmits a beacon signal (that is, presses the beacon button 11), the acquisition unit 25 acquires the vehicle information held in the RF tag 50. Alternatively, as the second action, when the acquisition unit 25 detects at least one of a predetermined voice emitted by the driver 30, the approach of the driver 30 to the vehicle 60, and a vehicle start operation by the driver 30, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire the vehicle information held in the RF tag 50.

[0110] For example, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire vehicle information when it recognizes that the driver 30 has uttered a predetermined activation voice, such as "I'm about to start moving." The acquisition unit 25 may automatically recognize a voice uttered by the driver 30, even if it is not a predetermined activation voice, and accept an operation requested by the driver 30 based on the recognized voice. This allows the driver 30 to start the location information detection process hands-free, without having to take an action such as pressing the beacon button 11. The acquisition unit 25 may also acquire vehicle information when it detects that the driver 30 (i.e., the communication terminal 20 or the RF reader 12) and the vehicle 60 (i.e., the RF tag 50) have approached each other to within a predetermined distance using a function for detecting proximity in short-range wireless communication. Alternatively, the acquisition unit 25 may acquire vehicle information when it detects that the driver 30 has started the vehicle 60 (e.g., by starting the engine, starting to drive, changing gears, etc.). This allows the driver 30 to start the location information detection process without being aware of it when moving.

[0111] Furthermore, the detection unit 26 according to the modified example starts acquiring the location information of the vehicle 60 when the vehicle information is acquired by the acquisition unit 25. For example, the detection unit 26 uses a GPS sensor provided in the communication terminal 20 to acquire the location information of the vehicle 60 before it moves, and continues to detect and acquire the location information during movement.

[0112] Next, the procedure of information processing according to the modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a flowchart showing the procedure of information processing according to the modified example.

[0113] 18, the communication terminal 20 determines whether or not a beacon signal has been received from the beacon button 11 (step S401). If a signal has not been received (step S401; No), the communication terminal 20 waits until a signal is received.

[0114] On the one hand, when the communication terminal 20 receives a signal (step S401; Yes), it reads the information stored in the RF tag 50 via the RF reader 12 (step S402). Then, the communication terminal 20 acquires the tag ID and vehicle information, which are the information stored in the RF tag 50 (step S403). Also, the communication terminal 20 starts detecting the position information (step S404).

[0115] After that, the communication terminal 20 determines whether it has received the beacon signal again (step S405). If it has not received the signal (step S405; No), the communication terminal 20 waits while continuing to detect the position information until it receives the signal.

[0116] On the other hand, when the communication terminal 20 receives a signal (step S405; Yes), it acquires the position information at that time as the parking position information (step S406). Since the processing from step S407 onwards is common to the processing from step S103 onwards shown in FIG. 15, the description thereof is omitted.

[0117] [2-2. Configuration of the Portable Unit] In the above embodiment, an example in which the portable unit 10 according to the present disclosure includes the beacon button 11, the RF reader 12, and the communication terminal 20 has been shown. However, the configuration of the portable unit 10 is not limited to this example as long as it can execute the processing shown in the embodiment.

[0118] That is, the portable unit 10 may include a reader unit capable of reading the information of the RF tag 50, a trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal for starting the reading of the RF tag, and an information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal for starting the reading of the RF tag 50 by the reader unit upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit.

[0119] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 may be composed of one or more units that realize the functions of the reader unit, trigger unit, and information communication terminal. For example, if the functions of the reader unit, trigger unit, and information communication terminal are realized by a smartphone or an app running on the smartphone, the portable unit 10 may be composed of a single smartphone. Furthermore, although FIG. 1 and other figures show an example in which the driver 30 confirms on the screen of the communication terminal 20 that information has been acquired from the RF tag 50, the communication terminal 20 may notify the driver 30 of the information by a different means. For example, the communication terminal 20 may notify the driver 30 of the information not only by a screen display, but also by means such as voice, notification sound, flashing display, or vibration.

[0120] Furthermore, the portable unit 10 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. For example, the portable unit 10 may be configured such that the RF reader 12 and the communication terminal 20 are stored vertically in front of the driver 30's body. This is because, when the RF tag 50 emits radio waves vertically, reading accuracy is improved when the RF reader 12 is positioned vertically facing the RF tag 50. In this case, the portable unit 10 may be configured like a pouch worn around the waist rather than worn over the shoulder. Alternatively, the portable unit 10 may be configured like a backpack worn on the front of the body. Furthermore, the portable unit 10 may not have the spacer 13 shown in FIG. 3, and the beacon button 11, RF reader 12, and communication terminal 20 may be stored together in one pocket.

[0121] In this way, the portable unit 10 can have a flexible configuration. That is, the portable unit 10 according to the present disclosure can be realized in a manner that meets the detailed requests of the manager and the driver 30, and therefore can provide a parking management service with high usability.

[0122] [2-3. Management Device] In the above embodiment, an example in which the management device 100 according to the present disclosure is a server or the like operated by the operator 40 is shown, but the configuration of the management device 100 is not limited to this. For example, when the functions of the management device 100 shown in the embodiment are realized by the communication terminal 20 included in the portable unit 10, the communication terminal 20 may also function as the management device 100. In this case, the communication terminal 20 stores the parking position of the vehicle 60 in association with the vehicle information, and searches for the position of the vehicle 60 or displays the occupancy rate of the vehicle 60 and the parking area on the screen in response to the request of the driver 30.

[0123] [2-4. Modes of Triggering Actions] In the above embodiment, an example in which the portable unit 10 according to the present disclosure reads the RF tag 50 triggered by the driver's first action and acquires the parking position triggered by the second action is shown. Here, the first action and the second action are not limited to those exemplified in the embodiment, and any action may be used as long as it triggers the process.

[0124] Also, the actions exemplified as the first action and the second action may be arbitrarily combined. For example, the portable unit 10 may read the RF tag 50 when the beacon button 11 is pressed, and acquire the parking position when it detects that the driver has stopped the vehicle. Also, the driver 30 may press the beacon button 11 in step S1 shown in FIG. 1 and omit pressing the beacon button 11 in step S2. In this case, the portable unit 10 may determine the detected position as the parking position, for example, triggered by the elapse of a certain time. Also, the processes shown in FIG. 1 and the like do not necessarily have to be executed in order. For example, the portable unit 10 may acquire the vehicle information held in the RF tag 50 and then acquire the position information of the vehicle 60, or may acquire the vehicle information immediately after the vehicle 60 has moved.

[0125] [2-5. Modes of Parking Management Systems] The processes executed by the parking management system 1 in the above embodiment may be executed by either the portable unit 10 or the management device 100.

[0126] For example, in the embodiment, an example is shown in which the mobile unit 10 acquires a location, which is the name of a parking area, from the management device 100. However, the mobile unit 10 may store information regarding the parking area in the storage unit 22 and acquire location information from the storage unit 22.

[0127] Also, in the embodiment, an example is shown in which the vehicle 60 is parked in a plurality of wide-area parking areas. However, the processing executed by the parking management system 1 is not limited to this. For example, the parking management system 1 may manage the position information of the vehicle 60 parked in an indoor warehouse, a large transport tanker, or the like. At this time, when it is difficult to detect the position information using a satellite such as GPS, the parking management system 1 may use the above-described access point, use the radio wave from the base station of the smartphone, or use the vehicle speed sensor or gyro of the vehicle 60, etc., and detect the position information using various known technologies.

[0128] (3. Other Embodiments) The processing according to the above-described embodiment may be implemented in various different forms other than the above embodiment.

[0129] For example, among the respective processes described in the above embodiment, all or part of the processes described as being automatically performed can also be manually performed, or all or part of the processes described as being manually performed can be automatically performed by a known method. In addition, regarding the processing procedures, specific names, and information including various data and parameters shown in the above document and drawings, they can be arbitrarily changed unless otherwise specified. For example, the various information shown in each figure is not limited to the illustrated information.

[0130] Furthermore, the components of each device shown in the figure are conceptual functional components and do not necessarily have to be physically configured as shown in the figure. In other words, the specific form of distribution and integration of each device is not limited to that shown in the figure, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various loads, usage conditions, etc.

[0131] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments and modifications can be appropriately combined as long as the processing contents are not contradictory.

[0132] Furthermore, the effects described in this specification are merely examples and are not limiting, and other effects may also be present.

[0133] (4. Effects of the Information Processing System According to the Present Disclosure) As described above, a parking management system according to the present disclosure (in the embodiment, the parking management system 1) includes an RF tag (in the embodiment, the RF tag 50) mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device (in the embodiment, the portable unit 10) housed in clothing or a wearable item worn by the driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device (in the embodiment, the management device 100). The information processing device includes an acquisition unit (in the embodiment, the acquisition unit 25) that acquires vehicle information and vehicle position information stored in the RF tag upon detecting a first behavior by the driver, and a transmission unit (in the embodiment, the transmission unit 27) that determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as the parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the associated information to the parking management device. The parking management device includes a memory unit (in the embodiment, the memory unit 120) that stores the vehicle information and parking position transmitted by the transmission unit, associating them with parking area information for the vehicle, and a display control unit (in the embodiment, the display control unit 132) that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored in the memory unit.

[0134] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure uses communication with RF tags to detect and register the location information of vehicles after they have been moved, for example, when managing vehicles in a waiting parking lot before the shipment of completed vehicles or in a large-area parking lot with multiple separate locations. Therefore, the information processing system allows drivers to register their parking locations without any significant effort. Furthermore, the information processing system allows managers to accurately manage the parking locations and arrangement of vehicles without installing large-scale equipment in the parking lot. In this way, the information processing system has the effect of improving the convenience of parking management.

[0135] In addition, as a first action, the acquisition unit acquires the vehicle information and vehicle location information stored in the RF tag when it detects at least one of the following: the driver transmitting a beacon signal, the driver making a predetermined sound, the driver no longer being close to the vehicle, or the driver stopping the vehicle.

[0136] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure acquires and registers location information in response to a simple action by the driver, thereby realizing parking management that reduces the workload on the driver.

[0137] In addition, after determining that the location information acquired by the acquisition unit is the vehicle's parking location, the transmission unit presents information about the parking area corresponding to the parking location to the driver by displaying it on the display unit or by audio notification, and if the driver approves the presented information, the transmission unit links the vehicle information with the parking location and transmits it to the parking management device.

[0138] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure can register a more accurate parking position by registering the parking position based on the driver's approval.

[0139] In addition, the information processing device includes an RF reader (RF reader 12 in the embodiment) capable of reading the information of the RF tag, a trigger unit (beacon button 11 in the embodiment) capable of transmitting a signal for starting the reading of the RF tag, and an information communication terminal (communication terminal 20 in the embodiment) capable of transmitting a signal for causing the RF reader to start reading the RF tag when receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit.

[0140] In this way, the information processing device according to the present disclosure can realize a parking management process that reduces the driver's workload, such as starting the detection of position information using a beacon signal or reading vehicle information by an RF reader, by causing a plurality of devices to cooperate with each other.

[0141] Further, the storage unit stores, as parking area information, the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or information regarding the area of the parking area. The display control unit displays, on the map, an occupancy rate indicating how many vehicles the parking area can accommodate based on the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or information regarding the area of the parking area.

[0142] In this way, the information processing system according to the present disclosure can integrally display information required for management, such as how many more vehicles can be stored in which area and in which area a vehicle should be parked, by displaying the occupancy rate on the map together with the vehicle position.

[0143] (5. Hardware Configuration) Information devices such as the communication terminal 20 and management device 100 according to the above-described embodiments are realized by a computer 1000 having a configuration as shown in FIG. 17, for example. The following description will be given taking the management device 100 according to the embodiment as an example. FIG. 17 is a hardware configuration diagram showing an example of a computer 1000 that realizes the functions of the management device 100. The computer 1000 has a CPU 1100, a RAM 1200, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 1300, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 1400, a communication interface 1500, and an input / output interface 1600. The various components of the computer 1000 are connected by a bus 1050.

[0144] The CPU 1100 operates and controls each unit based on programs stored in the ROM 1300 or the HDD 1400. For example, the CPU 1100 loads the programs stored in the ROM 1300 or the HDD 1400 into the RAM 1200 and executes processing corresponding to the various programs.

[0145] The ROM 1300 stores boot programs such as a Basic Input Output System (BIOS) executed by the CPU 1100 when the computer 1000 is started, and programs that depend on the hardware of the computer 1000 .

[0146] HDD 1400 is a computer-readable recording medium that non-temporarily records programs executed by CPU 1100 and data used by such programs. Specifically, HDD 1400 is a recording medium that records an information processing program according to the present disclosure, which is an example of program data 1450.

[0147] The communication interface 1500 is an interface for connecting the computer 1000 to an external network 1550 (e.g., the Internet). For example, the CPU 1100 receives data from other devices and transmits data generated by the CPU 1100 to other devices via the communication interface 1500.

[0148] The input / output interface 1600 is an interface for connecting the input / output device 1650 and the computer 1000. For example, the CPU 1100 receives data from input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse via the input / output interface 1600. Also, the CPU 1100 transmits data to output devices such as a display, a speaker, and a printer via the input / output interface 1600. Further, the input / output interface 1600 may function as a media interface for reading a program or the like recorded on a predetermined recording medium (media). The media is, for example, an optical recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or a PD (Phase change rewritable Disk), a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO (Magneto-Optical disk), a tape medium, a magnetic recording medium, or a semiconductor memory or the like.

[0149] For example, when the computer 1000 functions as the management device 100 according to the embodiment, the CPU 1100 of the computer 1000 realizes functions such as the control unit 130 by executing an information processing program loaded on the RAM 1200. Also, the information processing program according to the present disclosure and the data in the storage unit 120 are stored in the HDD 1400. Note that the CPU 1100 reads and executes the program data 1450 from the HDD 1400, but as another example, these programs may be acquired from other devices via the external network 1550.

[0150] As described above, the embodiments of the present application have been described in detail with reference to the drawings, but these are examples, and the present invention can be implemented in other forms in which various modifications and improvements are made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, including the aspects described in the column of the disclosure of the invention.

[0151] Also, the above-described "section (section, module, unit)" can be read as "means" or "circuit" or the like. For example, the acquisition unit can be read as an acquisition means or an acquisition circuit. [Explanation of symbols]

[0152] 1. Parking management system 10 Portable Unit 11 Beacon Button 12 RF Reader 20. Communication terminals 25 Acquisition Department 26 Detection unit 27 Transmitter 50 RF tags 100 Management device 110 Communications Department 120 Storage section 121 Vehicle information storage unit 122 Parking area memory unit 123 Parking position memory unit 130 Control Unit 131 Registration Department 132 Display control unit

Claims

1. A parking management system including an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device housed in clothing or an accessory worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device, wherein the information processing device, an RF reader capable of reading information of the RF tag, a trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal for starting reading of the RF tag, and an information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal for starting reading of the RF tag to the RF reader upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit, wherein the trigger unit is housed in a storage section different from the RF reader and the information communication terminal in the clothing or the accessory, and is disposed on the front side of the driver's body, wherein the information communication terminal, an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and position information of the vehicle upon detecting a first action by the driver, and a transmission unit that determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as a parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the same to the parking management device, wherein the parking management device, a storage unit that stores the vehicle information transmitted by the transmission unit and the parking position in association with parking area information of the vehicle, and a display control unit that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored by the storage unit, characterized in that it comprises, wherein the acquisition unit, as the first action, acquires the vehicle information held in the RF tag and the position information of the vehicle upon the driver pressing a button which is the trigger unit, a parking management system.

2. A parking management system including an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device housed in clothing or an accessory worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device, wherein the information processing device, an acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and position information of the vehicle upon detecting a first action by the driver, and a transmission unit that determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as a parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the same to the parking management device, wherein the parking management device, A storage unit that associates and stores the vehicle information transmitted by the transmission unit with the parking position as the parking area information of the vehicle; A display control unit that displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the information stored by the storage unit; A parking management system, characterized in that it comprises: The acquisition unit: As the first action, upon a predetermined voice uttered by the driver, the vehicle information held in the RF tag and the position information of the vehicle are acquired; Parking management system.

3. The transmission unit: After determining the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as the parking position of the vehicle, information on the parking area corresponding to the parking position is presented to the driver by display on a display unit or voice notification, and when the presented information is approved by the driver, the vehicle information and the parking position are associated and transmitted to the parking management device; The parking management system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

4. The information processing device: An RF reader capable of reading the information of the RF tag; A trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal for starting the reading of the RF tag; An information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal for starting the reading of the RF tag to the RF reader upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit; The parking management system according to claim 2, characterized in that it includes.

5. The storage unit: As the parking area information, information on the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of the parking area is stored; The display control unit: Based on the information on the number of vehicles that can be parked in the parking area or the area of the parking area, a occupancy rate indicating how many vehicles the parking area can accommodate is displayed on the map; The parking management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that.

6. A parking management method executed by a parking management system including an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing device stored in clothing or accessories worn by a driver of the vehicle, and a parking management device, The information processing device: An RF reader capable of reading the information of the RF tag; A trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal for starting the reading of the RF tag; An information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal for causing the RF reader to start reading the RF tag upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit, The trigger unit is housed in a storage section different from the RF reader and the information communication terminal in the clothing or equipment, and is disposed on the front side of the driver's body. The information communication terminal Upon detecting a first action by the driver, acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and position information of the vehicle. Determines the acquired position information as the parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the information to the parking management device. The parking management device Associates and stores the transmitted vehicle information and the parking position with parking area information of the vehicle. Displays, on a map, the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area based on the stored information. A parking management method characterized by Furthermore, the information communication terminal As the first action, upon the driver pressing a button which is the trigger unit, acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and position information of the vehicle. Parking management method.

7. An information processing device housed in clothing or equipment worn by a driver of a vehicle, The information processing device An RF reader capable of reading information of an RF (Radio Frequency) tag, A trigger unit capable of transmitting a signal for starting reading of the RF tag, An information communication terminal capable of transmitting a signal for causing the RF reader to start reading the RF tag upon receiving a signal emitted from the trigger unit, The trigger unit is housed in a storage section different from the RF reader and the information communication terminal in the clothing or equipment, and is disposed on the front side of the driver's body. The information communication terminal An acquisition unit that acquires vehicle information held in an RF tag mounted on a vehicle and position information of the vehicle upon detecting a first action by the driver, A transmission unit that determines the position information acquired by the acquisition unit as the parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the vehicle information to a parking management device that manages the vehicle information, Comprising The acquisition unit As the first action, upon the driver pressing the button which is the trigger unit, vehicle information held in the RF tag and the position information of the vehicle are acquired. An information processing apparatus characterized by the above.

8. A parking management method executed by a parking management system including an RF (Radio Frequency) tag mounted on a vehicle, an information processing apparatus housed in clothing or accessories worn by the driver of the vehicle, and a parking management apparatus, wherein the information processing apparatus Upon detecting a first action by the driver, acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and the position information of the vehicle, Determines the acquired position information as the parking position of the vehicle, associates the vehicle information with the parking position, and transmits the same to the parking management apparatus, wherein the parking management apparatus Associates and stores the transmitted vehicle information and the parking position with the parking area information of the vehicle, Displays the parking position of the vehicle in the parking area on a map based on the stored information. A parking management method characterized by the above, furthermore, the information processing apparatus As the first action, upon a predetermined voice uttered by the driver, acquires vehicle information held in the RF tag and the position information of the vehicle. Parking management method.

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