Information processing device

Abstract

To allow a user related to a vehicle to restrict the provision destinations of data regarding the travel of the vehicle.SOLUTION: An information processing device receives first data regarding travel from a vehicle. The information processing device transmits data user information related to a plurality of data users who wish to be provided with the first data to a user terminal of a vehicle user. The information processing device further receives, from the user terminal, permission information indicating data users permitted by the vehicle user as provision destinations of the first data. The information processing device then transmits the first data to servers of the data users permitted by the vehicle user as the provision destinations of the first data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to collection of data related to vehicle driving and provision of the data to a third party.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a sensor data management system. In the sensor data management system disclosed in Patent Document 1, a server that manages sensor data executes an anonymization process of individually anonymizing specified data items among the sensor data according to specified conditions in accordance with the definition content of an anonymization policy setting file. Further, any combination of data items of sensor data including the anonymized sensor data generated by the anonymization process is transmitted to another server.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to enable a user related to a vehicle to restrict a data provider of data related to vehicle driving.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] An information processing apparatus according to a first aspect of the present disclosure receives first data related to driving from a vehicle, transmits data user information regarding a plurality of data users who wish to provide the first data to a user terminal of a vehicle user related to the vehicle, The user terminal receives permission information indicating one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the multiple data users based on the data user information, and which are authorized by the vehicle user as recipients of the first data. Transmitting the first data to the server of one or more data users authorized by the vehicle user as a recipient of the first data, It includes a control unit that performs the following actions.

[0006] The program relating to the second aspect of this disclosure is A program that causes a vehicle user's terminal related to a vehicle to execute an information processing method, The aforementioned information processing method is Receiving data user information from the management server regarding multiple data users who wish to provide the aforementioned first data, Accepting one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the multiple data users based on the data user information, and which are authorized by the vehicle user as recipients of the first data; The permission information indicating the one or more data users received is transmitted to the management server, Includes. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, users associated with the vehicle can restrict who receives data related to the vehicle's operation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the data flow in the data provision system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an example of the table structure of driving data transmitted from the vehicle to the management server. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the management server. [Figure 4] Figure 4(a) shows an example of the table structure of the vehicle user information database. Figure 4(b) shows an example of the table structure of the data user information database. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a sequence diagram showing the information processing flow in the data provision system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] In recent years, efforts have been made to collect driving data (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "driving data") from many vehicles and to utilize the collected driving data as big data. However, users associated with a vehicle (vehicle users) do not always consent to providing driving data to all third parties that wish to receive it. In other words, a vehicle user may not consent to providing driving data to some of the multiple third parties that wish to receive it. Here, the third parties are data users who utilize the collected driving data as big data. Therefore, this disclosure provides a technology that enables vehicle users to restrict who receives their vehicle's driving data.

[0010] An information processing device according to a first aspect of this disclosure includes a control unit. The control unit receives first data from a vehicle. The first data is driving data. The first data may be acquired while the vehicle is in motion by various sensors mounted on the vehicle. The control unit also transmits data user information to the user terminal of a vehicle user associated with the vehicle. The data user information is information about multiple data users who wish to receive the first data. The data user information may include, for example, information about the purpose for which each data user will use the provided first data. The data user information may also include information about the retention period for the provided first data for each data user. The information processing device may have data user information for multiple data users pre-registered. The data provision request transmitted from each data user's server may also include data user information.

[0011] When the user terminal receives data user information regarding a plurality of data users, the vehicle user can select one or more data users (hereinafter, may also be referred to as "authorized users") to be permitted as the destination of the first data based on the data user information. Then, the user terminal can receive the selection of one or more authorized users by the vehicle user. Further, the user terminal can transmit permission information indicating the one or more authorized users selected by the vehicle user to the information processing device.

[0012] Therefore, the control unit receives the permission information transmitted from the user terminal. Then, the control unit identifies one or more authorized users based on the permission information, and transmits the first data to the servers of the one or more authorized users. Note that the control unit may transmit the first data received from the vehicle to the server of the authorized user in a state where some processing is performed rather than in the original state.

[0013] According to the present disclosure, the vehicle user can select the data user who is the destination of the first data of the vehicle. Therefore, it is possible for the user related to the vehicle to restrict the destination of the data regarding the running of the vehicle.

[0014] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described based on the drawings. The dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative arrangements of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the present disclosure only to them unless otherwise specified.

[0015] <Embodiment> (System Outline) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the data flow in the data providing system according to this embodiment. The data providing system 1 is a system for collecting running data from the vehicle 10 and providing the collected running data to a data user who is a third party. The data providing system 1 includes a vehicle 10, a user terminal 300, a management server 100, and a plurality of data user servers 200.

[0016] The user terminal 300 is a terminal operated by a vehicle user related to the vehicle 10. Here, the vehicle user is, for example, the driver of the vehicle 10 or the owner of the vehicle 10. The management server 100 is a server device that collects driving data from the vehicle 10. The data user server 200 is a server device related to a data user who wishes to utilize the driving data of the vehicle 10 as big data. In this embodiment, the management server 100 corresponds to the "information processing device" according to the present disclosure. Also, in FIG. 1, only one vehicle 10 is illustrated, but the data providing system 1 includes a plurality of vehicles 10, and the management server 100 collects driving data from each of the plurality of vehicles 10.

[0017] The vehicle 10, the user terminal 300, the management server 100, and each data user server 200 are interconnected by a network. Here, as the network, for example, a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as the Internet or a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone may be adopted. Also, the network may include a telephone communication network such as a mobile phone and a wireless communication network such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0018] The vehicle 10 is provided with various sensors for acquiring driving data. Then, the vehicle 10 transmits the driving data acquired during traveling to the management server 100 at a predetermined timing. For example, the vehicle 10 may periodically transmit the driving data to the management server 100 at a predetermined interval during traveling.

[0019] Figure 2 shows an example of a table structure for driving data transmitted from vehicle 10 to management server 100. As shown in Figure 2, the driving data includes a vehicle ID field, a date and time field, a location field, a speed field, and an acceleration field, etc. The vehicle ID field contains the vehicle ID, which is identification information for identifying vehicle 10, the source of the driving data. The date and time field contains information about the date and time when the driving data was acquired in vehicle 10. The location field contains the location information of vehicle 10. The speed field contains the speed information of vehicle 10. The acceleration field contains the acceleration information of vehicle 10. The driving data may also include information about the ON and OFF states of the vehicle 10's start button (or ignition switch). The driving data may also include image information captured by a camera mounted on vehicle 10. Note that the driving data does not necessarily have to be data acquired by a sensor mounted on vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the driving data corresponds to the "first data" in this disclosure.

[0020] Furthermore, the management server 100 provides the vehicle 10's driving data in response to a data user's request. This is sent to the data user server 200. This allows the data user to receive driving data to be used as big data. However, there may be cases where the vehicle user does not consent to providing the driving data of vehicle 10, which has been sent to the management server 100, to all data users.

[0021] Therefore, in this embodiment, data user information for each data user is transmitted to the vehicle user's user terminal 300. The user terminal 300 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) The system includes a processor, main memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), auxiliary memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory), and a communication interface for connecting the user terminal 300 to the network. Examples of the user terminal 300 include a smartphone, tablet computer, mobile computer, or wearable computer. Alternatively, an in-vehicle terminal mounted on the vehicle 10 may function as the user terminal 300. The data user information also includes, for each data user, at least information regarding the purpose of use of the provided driving data and information regarding the retention period of the provided driving data.

[0022] At the user terminal 300, data user information for each data user received from the management server 100 is presented to the vehicle user. This allows the vehicle user to select one or more data users (authorized users) to be permitted to provide vehicle 10's driving data, based on the data user information. The user terminal 300 accepts the vehicle user's selection of one or more authorized users. The user terminal 300 then transmits authorization information indicating the one or more authorized users selected by the vehicle user to the management server 100.

[0023] When the management server 100 receives authorization information from the user terminal 300, it identifies one or more authorized users based on the authorization information. The one or more authorized users identified at this time are any of the multiple data users who requested the provision of vehicle 10 driving data. The management server 100 then transmits the vehicle 10 driving data to the data user server 200 of one or more authorized users.

[0024] (Management server configuration) Next, the configuration of the management server 100 will be described. Figure 3 is a block diagram that schematically shows the configuration of the management server 100. The management server 100 comprises a control unit 110, a storage unit 120, and a communication module 130. The control unit 110 has the function of performing calculation processing for controlling the management server 100. The control unit 110 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit) This includes a processor such as a CPU, main memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), and auxiliary memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory). Note that the CPU is an example of a processor resource. RAM and ROM are examples of memory resources. The control unit 110 can perform arbitrary information processing based on various programs and various data. However, some or all of the functions of the control unit 110 may be implemented by hardware circuits such as ASICs and FPGAs.

[0025] The storage unit 120 is composed of any storage device such as RAM, ROM, hard disk drive, or flash memory. The storage unit 120 may also include removable media (portable recording media). Here, removable media is, for example, a USB memory stick, an SD card, or a disk recording media such as a CD-ROM, DVD disc, or Blu-ray disc. The storage unit 120 stores programs executed by the control unit 110, and various data used for executing the programs.

[0026] The storage unit 120 contains a database that stores the driving data 121 received from each vehicle 10. A database has been constructed. This database stores driving data 121 for each vehicle 10. In addition, a database (vehicle user information database) has been constructed in the storage unit 120 that stores vehicle data user information 122 for each vehicle user. In addition, a database (data user information database) has been constructed in the storage unit 120 that stores data user information 123 for each data user.

[0027] Figure 4(a) shows an example of the table structure of a vehicle user information database. As shown in Figure 4(a), the vehicle user information database has a vehicle user ID field, a vehicle ID field, and a personal information field. The vehicle user ID field is entered with a data user ID, which is identification information for identifying a vehicle user. The vehicle ID field is entered with a vehicle ID, which is identification information for identifying the vehicle 10 corresponding to the vehicle user. The personal information field is entered with the vehicle user's personal information. Here, the vehicle user's personal information may include, for example, the vehicle user's address, contact information (telephone number, email address, etc.). The vehicle user information database is entered with information that has been pre-registered by each vehicle user.

[0028] Figure 4(b) shows an example of the table structure of a data user information database. As shown in Figure 4(b), the data user information database has at least a data user ID field, a purpose of use field, and a data retention period field. The data user ID field is entered with the data user ID, which is identification information for identifying the data user.

[0029] The "Purpose of Use" field contains information about the purpose for which each data user will use the driving data provided by the management server 100. Examples of a data user's purpose of using driving data include marketing, non-profit statistical analysis, and incident / accident investigation. More specifically, marketing use of driving data could include, for example, analyzing the market area of ​​a vehicle user. Non-profit statistical analysis could include, for example, surveying traffic volume on each road or predicting traffic congestion on each road. Incident / accident investigation could include, for example, searching for vehicles that passed near a specific incident or accident site.

[0030] Furthermore, some data users may delete the driving data from the data user server 200 immediately after using it for data analysis according to their intended purpose. Others may store the driving data on the data user server 200 for a relatively long period of time. The data retention period field contains information regarding the retention period of the driving data on each data user server 200 when the driving data is provided from the management server 100.

[0031] The data user information database contains information pre-registered by each data user. Data user information may also be included in the data provision requests sent from each data user server 200 to the management server 100.

[0032] The communication module 130 is a communication interface for connecting the management server 100 to the network. The communication module 130 is, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) interface board or a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication. Note that the management server 100 does not necessarily have to be implemented by a single physical configuration, but may be composed of multiple computers cooperating with each other.

[0033] (Information processing flow) The information processing flow in the data provision system 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 shows the information processing flow in the data provision system 1. This is a diagram. In Figure 5, the reference number of one of the multiple data user servers 200 is set to 200a, and the reference number of another of the multiple data user servers 200 is set to 200b.

[0034] In the data provision system 1, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 receives data provision requests from multiple data user servers 200 (200a, 200b) (S101). Here, the data provision request includes the data user ID of the requesting data user. The data provision request also includes the conditions for the driving data 121 to which the request is for. The conditions for the driving data 121 to which the request is for may be defined, for example, by the acquisition time and acquisition region of the driving data 121 in vehicle 10. Alternatively, the conditions for the driving data 121 to which the request is for can specify the vehicle 10 from which the behavioral data was acquired.

[0035] Next, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 identifies the driving data 121 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "target data") that is subject to data provision to the data user and the vehicle user of the vehicle 10 that acquired the target data (S102). Here, the control unit 110 identifies the driving data 121 that satisfies the conditions for driving data 121 subject to data provision requests by referring to the database in the storage unit 120 that stores the driving data 121. Furthermore, the control unit 110 identifies the vehicle user of the vehicle 10 that acquired the target data by referring to the vehicle user information base in the storage unit 120. Here, the vehicle user corresponding to the vehicle ID of the vehicle 10 that acquired the target data is identified.

[0036] Next, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 extracts data user information for multiple data users who are requesting data provision by referring to the data user information database in the storage unit 120 (S103). Here, data user information corresponding to the data user ID included in the data provision request received from each data user server 200 (200a, 200b) is extracted. Next, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 transmits the data user information for the multiple data users extracted in S103 to the user terminal 300 of the vehicle user identified in S102 (S104).

[0037] The user terminal 300 outputs data user information for multiple data users received from the management server 100. This allows the vehicle user to select authorized users based on the data user information for each data user. For example, the vehicle user may select authorized users based on the purpose of use of each data user's driving data. Specifically, the vehicle user may select data users as authorized users, excluding data users whose purpose of using driving data is marketing. Alternatively, the vehicle user may select authorized users based on the retention period of each data user's driving data. Specifically, the vehicle user may select data users as authorized users whose driving data retention period is relatively short.

[0038] The user terminal 300 then accepts the vehicle user's selection of one or more authorized users (S105). Furthermore, the user terminal 300 transmits authorization information indicating the one or more authorized users selected by the vehicle user to the management server 100 (S106). The authorization information may include the data user IDs of one or more authorized users.

[0039] When the control unit 110 of the management server 100 receives authorization information from the user terminal 300, it transmits the target data identified in S102 to the data user server 200 of one or more authorized users indicated by the authorization information (S107). In Figure 5, data user server 200a is the data user server of an authorized user. At this time, the control unit 110 may also perform processing on the driving data 121 stored in the database of the storage unit 120 according to the request of the authorized user before transmitting the target data to the data user server 200a.

[0040] According to the flow described above, the driving data of vehicle 10 is sent to the data user server 200 of an authorized user selected by the vehicle user of vehicle 10. In other words, the driving data of vehicle 10 is not sent to the data user server 200 of any data user not selected by the vehicle user of vehicle 10 as an authorized user. Therefore, the vehicle user can restrict the recipients of the vehicle 10's driving data.

[0041] (modified version) The following describes a modified version of this embodiment. In this modified version, it is assumed that the data user utilizes not only the driving data of the vehicle 10 but also the personal information of the vehicle user as big data.

[0042] In this modified example, when the control unit 110 of the management server 100 transmits data user information to the user terminal 300, it also transmits information indicating that the data user is also requesting the provision of certain personal information concerning the vehicle user. The control unit 110 then receives the additional information along with the permission information from the vehicle user's user terminal 300. Here, the additional information indicates whether or not the vehicle user has given permission to provide certain personal information concerning the vehicle user to the permission user.

[0043] Based on the additional information received from the user terminal 300, the control unit 110 of the management server 100 decides whether or not to provide predetermined personal information about the vehicle user to the authorized user. Specifically, if the vehicle user has given permission in the additional information to provide predetermined personal information about the vehicle user to the authorized user, the control unit 110 refers to the vehicle user database in the storage unit 120 and extracts the predetermined personal information about the vehicle user in question. The control unit 110 then transmits the extracted predetermined personal information about the vehicle user, along with the vehicle 10's driving data, to the authorized user's data user server 200.

[0044] According to this modified version, the vehicle user can restrict the provision of personal information about the vehicle user to the data user, distinguishing it from the provision of driving data of the vehicle 10.

[0045] <Other Embodiments> The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. Furthermore, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0046] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by a single device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Conversely, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is implemented can be flexibly changed.

[0047] This disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. The non-temporary computer-readable storage medium may be any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.), an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic card, flash memory, or optical card, for storing electronic instructions. Includes any suitable type of medium. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0048] 1. Data provision system 10. Vehicles 100 · Management Server 110. Control Unit 120...Storage section 121 ··Driving data 122. Vehicle User Information 123. Data User Information 130 ··Communication Module 200 Data User Server 300 User Terminals

Claims

1. A storage unit that stores data user information relating to a plurality of data users who wish to provide first data relating to the driving of a vehicle, and predetermined personal information relating to a vehicle user associated with the vehicle, Receiving the first data from the vehicle, By referring to the storage unit, the data user information relating to the plurality of data users is transmitted to the user terminal of the vehicle user, The user terminal receives permission information indicating one or more data users selected by the vehicle user from among the multiple data users based on the data user information, and which are authorized by the vehicle user as recipients of the first data. Transmitting the first data to the server of one or more data users authorized by the vehicle user as a recipient of the first data, The system receives additional information from the user terminal, along with the permission information, indicating whether the vehicle user has permitted the provision of the predetermined personal information relating to the vehicle user to one or more data users authorized by the vehicle user as recipients of the first data, along with the permission information. In the aforementioned additional information, if the vehicle user has authorized the provision of the predetermined personal information relating to the vehicle user along with the first data to one or more data users authorized by the vehicle user as recipients of the first data, the predetermined personal information relating to the vehicle user is extracted by referring to the storage unit and transmitted together with the first data to the server of one or more data users authorized by the vehicle user as recipients of the first data. A control unit that performs the following: An information processing device equipped with the following features.

2. The data user information includes information regarding the retention period of the first data when each of the plurality of data users is provided with the first data. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The data user information is determined by each of the plurality of data users who provide the first data. This includes information regarding the purpose of use of the aforementioned first data if it is used. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

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