In-vehicle information system and information processing program

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted information system 10 comprises a vehicle-mounted device 1 mounted on a vehicle, and an external server 5 communicatively connected to the vehicle-mounted device 1. The vehicle-mounted device 1 includes: an input unit 11 to which first information is input; a communication unit 12 that transmits the first information input to the input unit 11 to the external server 5, and receives from the external server 5 second information for implementing a function of the vehicle; and an output unit 13 that outputs the second information received by the communication unit 12. The external server 5 generates the second information on the basis of the first information.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an in-vehicle information system and an information processing program. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-017089, filed on February 7, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] A known in-vehicle information system is a so-called thin client type in which information processing is performed by a server located at a different location from the in-vehicle device. Such a thin client type information processing system requires communication between the in-vehicle device and the server, so a poor communication environment can cause problems with information processing, etc. To solve this problem, a technology has been proposed for temporarily saving work data related to information processing, as described in Patent Document 1, for example. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-033381 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Recently, there has been a demand for reducing the manufacturing costs and size of in-vehicle devices, but the technology described in Patent Document 1 has a problem in that it cannot meet these demands.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above technical problems, and has an object to provide an in-vehicle information system having a small, inexpensive in-vehicle device and an information processing program. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The in-vehicle information system of the present invention is an in-vehicle information system comprising an in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle and a server device communicatively connected to the in-vehicle device, wherein the in-vehicle device has an input unit to which first information is input, a communication unit that transmits the first information input to the input unit to the server device and receives second information from the server device for realizing the function of the vehicle, and an output unit that outputs the second information received by the communication unit, and the server device generates the second information based on the first information.

[0007] In the in-vehicle information system according to the present invention, the in-vehicle device has an input unit to which first information is input, a communication unit that transmits the first information input to the input unit to the server device and receives second information from the server device, and an output unit that outputs the second information received by the communication unit, and the server device generates the second information based on the first information. In this way, since the information processing for generating the second information is performed in the server device rather than in the in-vehicle device, the part that processes information in the in-vehicle device can be omitted, and a small and inexpensive in-vehicle information system having an in-vehicle device can be realized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an in-vehicle information system having a small and inexpensive in-vehicle device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of the in-car information system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a third embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to a seventh embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an in-vehicle information system according to an eighth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an in-vehicle information system and an information processing program according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof will be omitted.

[0011] [First embodiment] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle information system according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the in-vehicle information system 10 is a so-called thin client type information processing system, and includes an in-vehicle device 1 as a thin client device, and an external server 5 communicably connected to the in-vehicle device 1 via a public line network 4.

[0012] The in-vehicle device 1 is mounted on a moving body (not shown) such as a vehicle, and is a device that receives sensor detection information and / or information input from an external device (first information) and has the function of outputting vehicle control signals and / or navigation information (second information). In addition to the in-vehicle device 1, the vehicle is also equipped with a first external device 2 and a second external device 3, etc. The first external device 2 may be a device different from the in-vehicle device 1, and may be a sensor such as an in-vehicle camera, a distance measurement sensor, or a vehicle speed sensor. The first external device 2 outputs the first information (input information) to the in-vehicle device 1.

[0013] The second external device 3 is a device that performs a predetermined operation based on the second information output from the in-car device 1, and is, for example, a display device such as a display or a speaker. Note that the second external device 3 may be the same as the first external device 2.

[0014] The in-vehicle device 1 is configured by a computer that combines, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes calculations, a ROM (Read Only Memory) as a secondary storage device that stores programs for the calculations, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a temporary storage device that saves the progress of the calculations and temporary control variables, and performs processing by executing the stored programs. As shown in Fig. 1, the in-vehicle device 1 has an input unit 11 to which the above-mentioned first information is input, a communication unit 12 that transmits the first information input to the input unit 11 to an external server 5 and receives second information for realizing the functions of the vehicle from the external server 5, and an output unit 13 that outputs the second information received by the communication unit 12.

[0015] More specifically, first information (input information) is input to the input unit 11 from the first external device 2. The input unit 11 outputs the input first information to the communication unit 12. The communication unit 12 is, for example, a wireless device for communicating with the external server 5 via the public line network 4. The communication unit 12 transmits the first information to the external server 5 via the public line network 4, and receives second information from the external server 5 via the public line network 4. The output unit 13 outputs the second information (output information) received by the communication unit 12 to the second external device 3.

[0016] The public line network 4 is configured by a wireless communication network such as a mobile phone line, etc. As an example, the public line network 4 is the Internet.

[0017] The external server 5 corresponds to the "server device" recited in the claims and is installed in a location separate from the vehicle. The external server 5 is configured by a computer that combines, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes calculations, a ROM (Read Only Memory) as a secondary storage device that stores programs for the calculations, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) as a temporary storage device that stores the calculation progress and temporary control variables, and performs information processing by executing the stored programs.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1 , the external server 5 includes a communication unit 51, an input unit 52, a calculation unit 53, a storage unit 54, and an output unit 55. The communication unit 51 is connected to the public line network 4 via a wired or wireless connection. The input unit 52 receives first information transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1 via the communication unit 51. The calculation unit 53 is configured with a microcomputer and other peripheral circuits, and executes various processes or controls. In this embodiment, the calculation unit 53 generates second information for realizing vehicle functions based on the input first information and information stored in the storage unit 54. Here, the vehicle functions refer to functions such as running, stopping, accelerating, and decelerating the vehicle.

[0019] The storage unit 54 is a recording medium capable of storing various types of data, information, etc., and is configured, for example, by a hard disk, flash memory, etc. In this embodiment, the storage unit 54 stores information necessary for processing by the calculation unit 53. Note that the storage unit 54 is not necessarily required, and for example, if the calculation unit 53 also has a function of storing data, information, etc., the storage unit 54 may be omitted.

[0020] The output unit 55 transmits the second information generated by the calculation unit 53 to the in-vehicle device 1 via the communication unit 51 and the public line network 4.

[0021] Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing the processing of the in-vehicle information system according to the first embodiment. Steps S101, S102, S106, and S107 in Fig. 2 are processing performed on the in-vehicle device 1 side, and steps S103 to S105 are processing performed on the external server 5 side. The processing shown in Fig. 2 may be started when the first information is input from the first external device 2, or may be started automatically at regular intervals.

[0022] First, in step S101, the input unit 11 acquires the first information input from the first external device 2. At this time, the input unit 11 takes in the data input from the first external device 2. Furthermore, if the first external device 2 is a sensor, the input unit 11 of the in-vehicle device 1 may take the lead in retrieving the information detected by each sensor.

[0023] In step S102 following step S101, the communication unit 12 transmits the first information to the external server 5. In step S103 following step S102, the communication unit 51 of the external server 5 receives the first information transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1. The received first information is then input to the input unit 52 and further output to the calculation unit 53.

[0024] In step S104 following step S103, the calculation unit 53 performs calculation processing based on the first information to generate second information. In step S105 following step S104, the communication unit 51 transmits the generated second information to the in-vehicle device 1.

[0025] In step S106 following step S105, the communication unit 12 of the in-car device 1 receives the second information transmitted from the external server 5. Then, the received second information is output to the output unit 13. In step S107 following step S106, the output unit 13 outputs the second information to the second external device 3. This completes the series of processes.

[0026] In the in-vehicle information system 10 of this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 1 has an input unit 11 to which first information is input, a communication unit 12 that transmits the first information input to the input unit 11 to an external server 5 and receives second information from the external server 5, and an output unit 13 that outputs the second information received by the communication unit 12, and the external server 5 generates the second information based on the first information. In this way, the information processing for generating the second information is performed by the external server 5 rather than by the in-vehicle device 1, so the information processing part in the in-vehicle device 1 can be omitted, and an in-vehicle information system 10 having a small and inexpensive in-vehicle device 1 can be realized. This also allows the in-vehicle device 1 to be made lighter. Furthermore, since the information processing for generating the second information is performed by the external server 5, the information processing speed can be increased and high-load information processing can be realized compared to when the information processing is performed by the in-vehicle device 1.

[0027] The information processing program of this embodiment also causes the external server 5 configured by a computer to execute a generation process of generating second information for realizing a function of the vehicle based on first information received from the in-vehicle device 1 mounted on the vehicle, and a transmission process of transmitting the generated second information to the in-vehicle device 1. The information processing program of this embodiment can achieve effects similar to those achieved by the external server 5 of this embodiment.

[0028] [Second embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The in-vehicle information system 10A of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that it includes a mobile terminal 6 instead of the external server 5. Only this difference will be described below.

[0029] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle information system according to the second embodiment. The in-vehicle information system 10A of this embodiment includes an in-vehicle device 1 and a mobile terminal 6 connected to the in-vehicle device 1 via wireless communication.

[0030] The mobile terminal 6 corresponds to the "server device" recited in the claims, and is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a mobile phone, etc. This mobile terminal 6 has a configuration similar to that of the external server 5 described in the first embodiment, and includes a communication unit 61, an input unit 62, a calculation unit 63, a storage unit 64, and an output unit 65. The communication unit 61, the input unit 62, the calculation unit 63, the storage unit 64, and the output unit 65 have the same functions as the communication unit 51, the input unit 52, the calculation unit 53, the storage unit 54, and the output unit 55 described in the first embodiment, respectively, but the communication unit 61 does not use the public line network 4 as in the first embodiment.

[0031] The in-car device 1 and the mobile terminal 6 are connected to each other via a local area network such as Wi-Fi or short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0032] The in-vehicle information system 10A of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, when the mobile terminal 6 is used, the information processing performance is lower than when the external server 5 of the first embodiment is used, but communication is possible without using the public line network 4, thereby improving the versatility of the in-vehicle information system. That is, the in-vehicle information system 10 of the first embodiment is capable of high-load information processing by the external server 5, but there is a possibility that communication interruptions (i.e., communication becoming impossible) will occur more frequently. On the other hand, the in-vehicle information system 10A of the second embodiment is less capable of high-load information processing, but the frequency of communication interruptions will be lower.

[0033] [Third embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 4. The in-vehicle information system 10B of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that it further includes a mobile terminal 6 in addition to an external server 5. Only the difference will be described below.

[0034] Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle information system according to a third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 4, an in-vehicle information system 10B of this embodiment includes an in-vehicle device 1A, an external server 5, and a mobile terminal 6, each of which is connected to the in-vehicle device 1A so as to be able to communicate directly with the in-vehicle device 1A. The external server 5 is connected to the in-vehicle device 1A via a public line network 4, and the mobile terminal 6 is connected to the in-vehicle device 1A via wireless communication. In other words, the external server 5 and the mobile terminal 6 are in a parallel relationship with the in-vehicle device 1A.

[0035] In this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 1A determines whether to generate the second information using the external server 5 or the mobile terminal 6 based on the communication state. As described above, the second information can be generated using either the external server 5 or the mobile terminal 6, but the information processing performance when using the mobile terminal 6 is lower than when using the external server 5. To further improve the safety of the vehicle, it is more preferable to generate the second information using the external server 5. Therefore, the in-vehicle device 1A preferentially uses the external server 5.

[0036] Specifically, the input unit 11A of the in-vehicle device 1A has a public line communication state determination unit 111 that determines the communication state of the public line network 4, and a transmission destination determination unit 112 that determines to transmit the input first information to the external server 5 or the mobile terminal 6. When the first information is input to the input unit 11A, the public line communication state determination unit 111 detects the strength of the communication radio waves of the public line network 4 and determines whether the public line network 4 is available or not based on the detection result. At this time, the public line communication state determination unit 111 compares, for example, the strength of the detected communication radio waves with a preset threshold, and determines that the public line network 4 is available if the radio wave strength is equal to or greater than the threshold, and determines that the public line network 4 is unavailable if the radio wave strength is less than the threshold.

[0037] The transmission destination determination unit 112 determines whether to transmit the first information to the external server 5 or to the mobile terminal 6 based on the determination result of the public line communication status determination unit 111. Specifically, if it is determined that the public line network 4 is available, the transmission destination determination unit 112 transmits the first information to the external server 5 via the communication unit 12. On the other hand, if it is determined that the public line network 4 is unavailable, the transmission destination determination unit 112 transmits the first information to the mobile terminal 6 via the communication unit 12.

[0038] Then, when the first information from in-car device 1A is transmitted to external server 5, external server 5 generates second information based on the received first information and the information stored in memory unit 54, as described above, and transmits the generated second information to in-car device 1A. On the other hand, when the first information from in-car device 1A is transmitted to mobile terminal 6, mobile terminal 6 generates second information based on the received first information and the information stored in memory unit 64, and transmits the generated second information to in-car device 1A.

[0039] As described above, when the external server 5 is provided as in the in-vehicle information system 10 of the first embodiment, high-load information processing by the external server 5 is possible, but the frequency of communication interruptions may increase. On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 6 is provided as in the in-vehicle information system 10A of the second embodiment, high-load information processing becomes difficult, but the frequency of communication interruptions is low. Furthermore, since the in-vehicle information system 10B of this embodiment is provided with both the external server 5 and the mobile terminal 6, it is possible to flexibly select a transmission destination depending on the communication status of the public line network 4. In other words, by selectively using the external server 5 and the mobile terminal 6 depending on the communication status of the public line network 4, it is possible to flexibly respond to the communication status and reliably prevent the effects of communication interruptions.

[0040] For example, when the public line network 4 is available, information processing is performed using the external server 5, and when the public line network 4 is unavailable, processing is performed using the mobile terminal 6. By providing a redundant configuration with the external server 5 and the mobile terminal 6 in this way, it is possible to suitably adapt to a deterioration in the communication environment, reliably prevent the effects of communication interruptions, and improve the reliability and stability of the in-vehicle information system 10B.

[0041] In this embodiment, the input unit 11A may be configured to transmit the first information to the mobile terminal 6 when it is determined that the public line network 4 is unavailable, and also to transmit the first information to the mobile terminal 6 when it is determined that the public line network 4 is available and the first information is transmitted to the external server 5, but the second information cannot be received from the external server 5 within a predetermined time. In this way, it is possible to quickly respond to a sudden failure of the external server 5, etc.

[0042] [Fourth embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The in-vehicle information system 10C of this embodiment differs from the third embodiment described above in that it is connected to an external server 5 via a mobile terminal 6A. Only this difference will be described below.

[0043] Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle information system according to a fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, an in-vehicle information system 10C of this embodiment includes an in-vehicle device 1, a mobile terminal 6A connected to the in-vehicle device 1 so as to be able to communicate directly, and an external server 5 connected to the in-vehicle device 1 via the mobile terminal 6A so as to be able to communicate with the in-vehicle device 1. The mobile terminal 6A is connected to the in-vehicle device 1 via wireless communication, and the external server 5 is connected to the mobile terminal 6A via a public line network 4. In other words, the external server 5 and the mobile terminal 6A are in a serial relationship with respect to the in-vehicle device 1.

[0044] In this embodiment, the mobile terminal 6A has, in addition to a communication unit 61, an input unit 62A, a calculation unit 63, a memory unit 64 and an output unit 65, a server communication unit 66 for communicating with an external server 5 via a public line network 4.

[0045] Then, the mobile terminal 6A determines whether to generate the second information using the external server 5 or the mobile terminal 6A based on the communication state. As described above, the second information can be generated using either the external server 5 or the mobile terminal 6. However, since the information processing performance when using the mobile terminal 6 is lower than when using the external server 5, it is more preferable to generate the second information using the external server 5 in order to further improve the safety of the vehicle. Therefore, the mobile terminal 6A preferentially uses the external server 5.

[0046] Specifically, the input unit 62A of the mobile terminal 6A has a public line communication state determination unit 621 that determines the communication state of the public line network 4, and a transmission destination determination unit 622 that determines whether to transmit the input first information to the external server 5 or output it to the calculation unit 63 of the mobile terminal 6A. When the first information transmitted from the in-car device 1 is input, the public line communication state determination unit 621 detects the strength of the communication radio waves of the public line network 4 and determines whether the public line network 4 is available based on the detection result. At this time, the public line communication state determination unit 621 compares, for example, the strength of the detected communication radio waves with a preset threshold, and determines that the public line network 4 is available if the radio wave strength is equal to or greater than the threshold, and determines that the public line network 4 is unavailable if the radio wave strength is less than the threshold.

[0047] The transmission destination determination unit 622 determines whether to transmit the first information to the external server 5 or output the first information to the calculation unit 63 of the mobile terminal 6A based on the determination result of the public line communication state determination unit 621. Specifically, if it is determined that the public line network 4 is available, the transmission destination determination unit 622 transmits the first information to the external server 5 via the server communication unit 66. On the other hand, if it is determined that the public line network 4 is unavailable, the transmission destination determination unit 622 outputs the first information to the calculation unit 63.

[0048] Then, when the first information from the mobile terminal 6A is transmitted to the external server 5, the external server 5 generates second information based on the received first information and the information stored in the memory unit 54, as described above, and transmits the generated second information to the mobile terminal 6A. The mobile terminal 6A transmits the second information transmitted from the external server 5 to the in-car device 1 via the communication unit 61. Meanwhile, when the first information is output to the calculation unit 63 of the mobile terminal 6A, the calculation unit 63 generates second information based on the first information and the information stored in the memory unit 64, and outputs the generated second information to the output unit 65. The output unit 65 transmits the second information to the in-car device 1 via the communication unit 61.

[0049] According to this embodiment, the same effects as those of the third embodiment can be obtained.

[0050] In this embodiment, the input unit 62A may be configured to not only output the first information to the calculation unit 63 when it is determined that the public line network 4 is unavailable, but also to output the first information to the calculation unit 63 when it is determined that the public line network 4 is available and the first information is transmitted to the external server 5, but the second information cannot be received from the external server 5 within a predetermined time. In this way, it is possible to quickly respond to a sudden failure of the external server 5, etc.

[0051] Furthermore, in addition to the program of the first embodiment, the information processing program of this embodiment causes the mobile terminal 6A to execute a decision process for deciding, based on the communication state, whether to generate the second information using the mobile terminal 6A or the external server 5. According to the information processing program of this embodiment, the external server 5 and the mobile terminal 6A are used selectively depending on the communication state of the public line network 4, thereby flexibly responding to the communication state and reliably preventing the influence of communication interruptions, thereby improving the reliability and stability of the in-vehicle information system 10C.

[0052] [Fifth embodiment] Next, a fifth embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The in-vehicle information system 10D of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that the in-vehicle device 1B also has a calculation unit 14. Only this difference will be described below.

[0053] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle information system according to a fifth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, an in-vehicle information system 10D includes an in-vehicle device 1B and an external server 5 connected to the in-vehicle device 1B via a public line network 4. The in-vehicle device 1B further includes a calculation unit 14 in addition to an input unit 11A, a communication unit 12, and an output unit 13.

[0054] The input unit 11A has a public line communication state determination unit 111 that determines the communication state of the public line network 4, and a transmission destination determination unit 112 that determines whether the input first information is to be sent to the external server 5 or output to the calculation unit 14. When the first information is input to the input unit 11A, the public line communication state determination unit 111 detects the strength of the communication radio waves of the public line network 4 and determines whether the public line network 4 is available or not based on the detection result. At this time, the public line communication state determination unit 111 compares, for example, the strength of the detected communication radio waves with a preset threshold, and determines that the public line network 4 is available if the radio wave strength is equal to or greater than the threshold, and determines that the public line network 4 is unavailable if the radio wave strength is less than the threshold.

[0055] Based on the determination result of the public line communication state determination unit 111, the destination determination unit 112 determines whether to transmit the first information to the external server 5 or output the first information to the calculation unit 14. Specifically, if it is determined that the public line network 4 is available, the destination determination unit 112 transmits the first information to the external server 5 via the communication unit 12. On the other hand, if it is determined that the public line network 4 is unavailable, the destination determination unit 112 outputs the first information to the calculation unit 14.

[0056] Then, when the first information from in-vehicle device 1B is transmitted to external server 5, external server 5 generates second information based on the first information and the information stored in memory unit 54, as described above, and transmits the generated second information to in-vehicle device 1B. On the other hand, when the first information is output to calculation unit 14, calculation unit 14 generates second information based on the first information and the information stored in calculation unit 14, and outputs the generated second information to output unit 13.

[0057] The calculation unit 14 of the in-vehicle device 1B does not need to have a function capable of high-load information processing like the calculation unit 53 of the external server 5, and it is sufficient if it has, for example, a minimum function to prevent the entire in-vehicle information system 10D from stopping abnormally. In this way, the impact of adding the calculation unit 14 on the cost and size of the in-vehicle device 1B can be suppressed.

[0058] For example, if the external server 5 is unavailable due to a communication interruption or a malfunction, the second information cannot be generated, which may affect the safety of the vehicle. In the in-vehicle information system 10D of this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 1B is also provided with a calculation unit 14, and the calculation unit 14 performs the minimum processing required to prevent the entire in-vehicle information system 10D from stopping abnormally, thereby effectively preventing the vehicle from stopping abnormally.

[0059] In this embodiment, the input unit 11A may be configured to not only output the first information to the calculation unit 14 when it is determined that the public line network 4 is unavailable, but also to output the first information to the calculation unit 14 when it is determined that the public line network 4 is available and the first information is transmitted to the external server 5, but the second information cannot be received from the external server 5 within a predetermined time. In this way, it is possible to quickly respond to a sudden failure of the external server 5, etc.

[0060] [Sixth embodiment] Next, a sixth embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 7. The in-vehicle information system 10E of this embodiment differs from the second embodiment described above in that the in-vehicle device 1C also has a calculation unit 14. Only this difference will be described below.

[0061] Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle information system according to a sixth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, an in-vehicle information system 10E includes an in-vehicle device 1C and a mobile terminal 6 connected to the in-vehicle device 1C via wireless communication. The in-vehicle device 1C includes an input unit 11B, a communication unit 12, an output unit 13, and a calculation unit 14.

[0062] Input unit 11B has a communication state determination unit 113 that determines the communication state with mobile terminal 6, and a transmission destination determination unit 112 that determines whether to transmit the input first information to mobile terminal 6 or output it to calculation unit 14. When first information is input to input unit 11B, communication state determination unit 113 detects the strength of radio waves for communication with mobile terminal 6 and determines whether mobile terminal 6 is available based on the detection result. At this time, communication state determination unit 113 compares the strength of the detected communication radio waves with a preset threshold, for example, and determines that mobile terminal 6 is available if the radio wave strength is equal to or greater than the threshold, and determines that mobile terminal 6 is unavailable if the radio wave strength is less than the threshold.

[0063] Based on the determination result of the communication state determination unit 113, the transmission destination determination unit 112 determines whether to transmit the first information to the mobile terminal 6 or output the first information to the calculation unit 14. Specifically, if it is determined that the mobile terminal 6 is available, the transmission destination determination unit 112 transmits the first information to the mobile terminal 6. On the other hand, if it is determined that the mobile terminal 6 is unavailable, the transmission destination determination unit 112 outputs the first information to the calculation unit 14.

[0064] Then, when the first information from the in-car device 1C is transmitted to the mobile terminal 6, the mobile terminal 6 generates the second information based on the first information and the information stored in the memory unit 64, as described above, and transmits the generated second information to the in-car device 1C. On the other hand, when the first information is output to the calculation unit 14, the calculation unit 14 generates the second information based on the first information and the information stored in the calculation unit 14, and outputs the generated second information to the output unit 13.

[0065] The calculation unit 14 of the in-vehicle device 1C does not need to have a function capable of high-load information processing like the calculation unit 53 of the external server 5, and it is sufficient if it has, for example, a minimum function to prevent the entire in-vehicle information system 10E from stopping abnormally. In this way, the impact of adding the calculation unit 14 on the cost and size of the in-vehicle device 1C can be suppressed.

[0066] For example, if the mobile terminal 6 cannot be used due to a communication interruption or a malfunction, the inability to generate the second information may have an adverse effect on the safety of the vehicle. In the in-vehicle information system 10E of this embodiment, the in-vehicle device 1C is also provided with a calculation unit 14, and the calculation unit 14 performs the minimum processing necessary to prevent the entire in-vehicle information system 10E from stopping abnormally, thereby effectively preventing the vehicle from stopping abnormally.

[0067] In this embodiment, in addition to outputting the first information to the calculation unit 14 when it is determined that the mobile terminal 6 is unavailable, the input unit 11B may be configured to further output the first information to the calculation unit 14 when it is determined that the mobile terminal 6 is available and has transmitted the first information to the mobile terminal 6, but the second information cannot be received from the mobile terminal 6 within a predetermined time. In this way, it is possible to quickly respond to a sudden malfunction of the mobile terminal 6, etc.

[0068] [Seventh embodiment] Next, a seventh embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 8. The in-vehicle information system 10F of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in that the power supply of the vehicle and the power supply of the external server 5 are linked.

[0069] Specifically, the in-vehicle device 1D further includes a power management unit 15 in addition to the input unit 11, the communication unit 12, and the output unit 13. The power management unit 15 transmits power on / off instruction information (i.e., power information) for the external server 5 to a server power management unit 71 in the center 7 (described later) via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4 based on the power supply of the vehicle.

[0070] The in-vehicle information system 10F of this embodiment further includes a center 7 that manages one or more external servers 5. The center 7 is provided with a server power management unit 71 that manages the on / off of the power of each external server 5. The server power management unit 71 starts or stops each external server 5 based on power information transmitted from the in-vehicle device 1D via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4.

[0071] For example, when power is supplied to the in-vehicle device 1D by turning on the ignition of the vehicle, the power supply management unit 15 transmits instruction information (power supply information) for turning on the power supply of the external server 5 to the server power supply management unit 71 of the center 7 via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4. The server power supply management unit 71 starts up the external server 5 corresponding to the in-vehicle device 1D based on the transmitted power supply information (i.e., instruction information for turning on the power supply of the external server 5).

[0072] On the other hand, when the in-vehicle device 1D is shut down because the vehicle ignition is turned off, for example, the power supply management unit 15 transmits instruction information (power supply information) to turn off the power supply of the external server 5 to the server power supply management unit 71 via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4. The server power supply management unit 71 stops the external server 5 corresponding to the in-vehicle device 1D based on the transmitted power supply information (i.e., instruction information to turn off the power supply of the external server 5).

[0073] In the case of an in-vehicle information system equipped with an external server 5 as in the first embodiment, managing the operating time of the external server 5 is important in terms of operational costs. In particular, when using a pay-per-use service based on the operating time of the external server 5, shortening the operating time of the external server 5 has a significant impact on reducing operational costs. Therefore, it is required to shorten the operating time of the external server 5 as much as possible, assuming that the external server 5 operates when information processing is required. Therefore, in the in-vehicle information system 10F of this embodiment, by linking the power supply of the vehicle and the power supply of the external server 5, it is possible to shorten the operating time of the external server 5 and reduce the operational costs of the in-vehicle device 1D.

[0074] In addition to interlocking with the vehicle's power supply, the in-vehicle information system 10F of this embodiment may be configured to temporarily suspend the external server 5 when the vehicle is stopped idling. For example, when the vehicle's stopped idling state is detected, the power management unit 15 of the in-vehicle device 1D transmits instruction information to the server power management unit 71 of the center 7 to temporarily suspend the external server 5, and the server power management unit 71 temporarily suspends the external server 5 in accordance with the received instruction information. In this way, the operating time of the external server 5 can be further shortened, and the operating time of the external server 5 can be minimized. Furthermore, when the in-vehicle device 1D is unable to communicate with the external server 5 within a predetermined time, the power management unit 15 may instruct the external server 5 to temporarily suspend the external server 5. In this way, the operating time of the external server 5 can be further shortened.

[0075] Furthermore, in addition to interlocking with the vehicle's power supply, the in-vehicle information system 10F of this embodiment may be configured to shut down the external server 5 while the functions of the in-vehicle device 1D are not in use. For example, if the function of the in-vehicle device 1D is driving assistance while driving on public roads, when a sensor or the like installed in the vehicle detects that the in-vehicle device 1D is located in a parking lot, on-site, or other location other than a public road, the power management unit 15 transmits instruction information to turn off the power of the external server 5 to the server power management unit 71 via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4. The server power management unit 71 shuts down the external server 5 corresponding to the in-vehicle device 1D based on the transmitted power information (i.e., instruction information to turn off the power of the external server 5). This further shortens the operating time of the external server 5, thereby minimizing the operating time of the external server 5.

[0076] Furthermore, in addition to the program of the first embodiment, the information processing program of this embodiment causes the external server 5 to execute a pause process to temporarily suspend the external server 5 when the external server 5 is unable to communicate with the in-vehicle device 1D within a predetermined time or when the vehicle is idling stopped. Furthermore, the information processing program of this embodiment causes the external server 5 to execute a stop process to stop the external server 5 while the functions of the in-vehicle device 1D are not being used. Thus, the information processing program of this embodiment can shorten the operating time of the external server 5.

[0077] [Eighth embodiment] Next, an eighth embodiment of an in-vehicle information system will be described with reference to Fig. 9. The in-vehicle information system 10G of this embodiment differs from the seventh embodiment in that the external server 5 is started up more quickly by sensing the environment inside and around the vehicle.

[0078] That is, in the in-vehicle information system 10F of the seventh embodiment described above, the external server 5 can be stopped while the vehicle engine is stopped, but there is a time lag between turning on the vehicle ignition and turning on the power supply of the external server 5, which causes a problem that the external server 5 cannot be used immediately. Therefore, it is desirable to start up the external server 5 a little earlier than the start of the vehicle engine. Therefore, in this embodiment, a mechanism is used to start up the external server 5 early based on the environment inside and around the vehicle, rather than based on the vehicle ignition.

[0079] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 9, the power management unit 15A of the in-vehicle device 1E has a sensing unit 151 and a power operation unit 152. The sensing unit 151 is made up of sensors that detect the environment inside and around the vehicle. The environment inside and around the vehicle here includes, for example, the presence of people inside and around the vehicle, the act of unlocking the vehicle key, the presence of a mobile terminal 6 nearby via wireless communication, etc. This information may be detected by a sensor and / or a camera connected to the in-vehicle device 1E, or may be detected by a device not shown, with the detected results being input to the sensing unit 151 as external information.

[0080] Based on the detection result of the sensing unit 151, the power operation unit 152 transmits power on / off information (i.e., power information) for the external server 5 to the server power management unit 71 of the center 7 via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4. For example, when the sensing unit 151 detects that the vehicle key has been unlocked (i.e., the lock has been released), the power operation unit 152 transmits power information for turning on the power for the external server 5 to the server power management unit 71 of the center 7 via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4. The server power management unit 71 starts up the external server 5 corresponding to the in-vehicle device 1D based on the transmitted power information (i.e., information for turning on the power for the external server 5).

[0081] According to the in-vehicle information system 10G of this embodiment, the external server 5 can be started before the vehicle ignition is turned on, thereby reducing the time lag between turning on the vehicle ignition and turning on the power of the external server 5, and making it possible to immediately use the external server 5 after turning on the vehicle ignition.

[0082] The power management unit 15A may be used not only when the external server 5 is started up but also when the external server 5 is stopped. For example, the external server 5 can be stopped while the functions of the in-vehicle device 1E are not being used. Specifically, for example, if the function of the in-vehicle device 1E is driving assistance when traveling on a public road, when the sensing unit 151 detects that the in-vehicle device 1E is located in a parking lot, on a premises, or elsewhere other than a public road, the power operation unit 152 transmits power information for turning off the power of the external server 5 to the server power management unit 71 via the communication unit 12 and the public line network 4. The server power management unit 71 stops the external server 5 corresponding to the in-vehicle device 1E based on the transmitted power information (i.e., information for turning off the power of the external server 5).

[0083] Furthermore, the power management unit 15A may be provided in the mobile terminal 6. In this case, the power management unit 15A may start or stop the external server 5 by transmitting information about the inside and surrounding environments of the vehicle detected by the mobile terminal 6 to the server power management unit 71 of the center 7.

[0084] Furthermore, in addition to the program of the first embodiment, the information processing program of this embodiment causes the external server 5 to execute a startup process that starts the external server 5 before the vehicle engine starts, based on the detection results of the environment inside and around the vehicle. The information processing program of this embodiment reduces the time lag between turning on the ignition of the vehicle and turning on the power of the external server 5, making it possible to use the external server 5 immediately after turning on the ignition of the vehicle.

[0085] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention as set forth in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0086] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E: in-vehicle device, 2: first external device, 3: second external device, 4: public line network, 5: external server, 6, 6A: mobile terminal, 7: center, 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G: in-vehicle information system, 11, 11A: input unit, 12: communication unit, 13: output unit, 14, 53, 63: calculation unit, 15, 15A: power management unit, 51, 61: communication unit, 52, 62, 62A: input unit, 54, 64: memory unit, 55, 65: output unit, 71: server power management unit, 111, 621: public line communication status determination unit, 112, 622: transmission destination determination unit, 113: communication status determination unit, 151: sensing unit, 152: power operation unit

Claims

1. An in-vehicle information system including an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle and a server device communicably connected to the in-vehicle device, the in-vehicle device includes an input unit to which first information is input, a communication unit that transmits the first information input to the input unit to the server device and receives second information for realizing a function of the vehicle from the server device, and an output unit that outputs the second information received by the communication unit, the server device generates the second information based on the first information; the server device is a mobile terminal, the server device includes the mobile terminal connected to the in-vehicle device so as to be able to communicate directly with the in-vehicle device, and an external server connected to the in-vehicle device so as to be able to communicate with the in-vehicle device via the mobile terminal; The in-vehicle information system is characterized in that the mobile terminal determines whether to generate the second information using the mobile terminal or the external server based on a communication state.

2. An in-vehicle information system comprising an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle and a server device communicably connected to the in-vehicle device, the in-vehicle device includes an input unit to which first information is input, a communication unit that transmits the first information input to the input unit to the server device and receives second information for realizing a function of the vehicle from the server device, and an output unit that outputs the second information received by the communication unit, the server device generates the second information based on the first information; the server device is an external server provided away from the vehicle, the in-vehicle device has a power management unit that instructs the external server to start or stop based on the power supply of the vehicle; The in-vehicle information system is characterized in that the external server has a server power management unit that manages activation or shutdown of the external server based on information transmitted from the power management unit.

3. When the external server cannot communicate with the in-vehicle device within a predetermined time or when the vehicle is stopped due to idling, the power supply management unit instructs the external server to be temporarily stopped; The in-vehicle information system according to claim 2 , wherein the server power management unit suspends the external server based on a suspension instruction transmitted from the power management unit.

4. the power supply management unit instructs the external server to stop while a function of the in-vehicle device is not being used; 4. The in-vehicle information system according to claim 2, wherein the server power management unit stops the external server based on information transmitted from the power management unit.

5. An in-vehicle information system comprising an in-vehicle device mounted in a vehicle and a server device communicably connected to the in-vehicle device, the in-vehicle device includes an input unit to which first information is input, a communication unit that transmits the first information input to the input unit to the server device and receives second information for realizing a function of the vehicle from the server device, and an output unit that outputs the second information received by the communication unit, the server device generates the second information based on the first information; the server device is an external server provided away from the vehicle, the in-vehicle device has a power management unit that starts up the external server before starting an engine of the vehicle based on a detection result of an environment inside and around the vehicle; The in-vehicle information system is characterized in that the external server has a server power management unit that manages activation of the external server based on information transmitted from the power management unit.

6. an information processing program that causes a server device to execute a generation process of generating second information for realizing a function of a vehicle based on first information received from an in-vehicle device mounted on the vehicle, and a transmission process of transmitting the second information to the in-vehicle device, the server device is a mobile terminal, the server device includes the mobile terminal connected to the in-vehicle device so as to be able to communicate directly with the in-vehicle device, and an external server connected to the in-vehicle device so as to be able to communicate with the in-vehicle device via the mobile terminal; An information processing program that causes the mobile terminal to execute a decision process that determines whether to generate the second information using the mobile terminal or the external server based on a communication state.

7. 7. The information processing program according to claim 6, wherein the program causes the external server to execute a stop process for stopping the external server while a function of the in-vehicle device is not in use.

8. An information processing program that causes a server device to execute a generation process of generating second information for realizing a function of a vehicle based on first information received from an on-board device mounted on the vehicle, and a transmission process of transmitting the second information to the on-board device, the server device is an external server provided away from the vehicle, An information processing program that causes the external server to execute a temporary stop process that temporarily stops the external server when the external server is unable to communicate with the in-vehicle device within a predetermined time or when the vehicle is idling stopped.

9. An information processing program that causes a server device to execute a generation process of generating second information for realizing a function of a vehicle based on first information received from an on-board device mounted on the vehicle, and a transmission process of transmitting the second information to the on-board device, the server device is an external server provided away from the vehicle, an information processing program that causes the external server to execute a startup process that starts the external server earlier than the start of the vehicle engine based on the detection results of the environment inside and around the vehicle;

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