Vehicle information management system, vehicle information management method, and program

Abstract

To provide a vehicle information management system, a vehicle information management method, and a program capable of unitarily managing vehicle information with different management items by collecting and intensively acquiring the information from a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle information management system 1 manages vehicle information including management items and operation information associated with the management items. The system includes: an acquisition section 13 for acquiring the vehicle information from a vehicle equipped with a communication unit; a name-based dictionary database 121 where a standard language is associated with a synonym of the standard language; and a name-based processing section 14 for recording the vehicle information by defining a value associated with the management items as a value of the standard language when the management items coincide with the synonym in the name-based dictionary database 121.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle information management system, a vehicle information management method, and a program, and particularly to a vehicle information management system, a vehicle information management method, and a program for managing information related to the operation of a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Managing vehicle information, which is information related to the operation of a vehicle, such as speed, the water temperature of the engine cooling water, and the engine speed, is effective for the operation of the vehicle. For example, if it is possible to know in what kind of environment the vehicle is being used based on the managed information, it becomes possible to appropriately determine the replacement timing of parts.

[0003] Therefore, Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle part evaluation system that can objectively evaluate the degree of severity of the usage pattern of a predetermined part for the user and appropriately determine the replacement timing of the predetermined part by providing the user with a report that represents the degree of severity of the usage pattern of the in-vehicle part in a state where it is easy to evaluate based on the operation data acquired from the in-vehicle terminal device.

[0004] Specifically, the in-vehicle part evaluation system generates evaluation information of a predetermined part corresponding to the degree of severity of the usage pattern based on the operation data acquired from the in-vehicle terminal device and an evaluation rule that defines the relationship between the evaluation information corresponding to the degree of severity of the usage pattern of the predetermined part and the vehicle information, generates report information based on the generated evaluation information, and provides it to the user.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Incidentally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, the operational data managed by the in-vehicle terminal device includes items such as engine coolant temperature, engine speed, and vehicle speed. However, since these management items can be arbitrarily set by the manufacturer each time a vehicle is developed, they may differ depending on the manufacturer, specifications, and year of manufacture. As a result, the in-vehicle component evaluation system described in Patent Document 1 had the problem that even in vehicles equipped with an in-vehicle terminal device, vehicle information could not be obtained for some vehicles, or even if vehicle information could be obtained, it could not be utilized for others.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle information management system, a vehicle information management method, and a program that can acquire vehicle information with different management items from an in-vehicle terminal and manage it centrally from the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention is a vehicle information management system for managing vehicle information including management items and operational information associated with said management items, In-vehicle terminals From vehicles equipped with via communication device The acquisition unit acquires the aforementioned vehicle information, Regarding the aforementioned management items, standard for Words and the relevant standards for The word is associated with its synonyms. A storage unit having a name dictionary database in which the vehicle information is stored, and the acquired vehicle information Management items given name The above standard for If it matches the word, the vehicle information will be the same as the vehicle information Stored in the database death, The above information of the acquired vehicle Management items given name If it matches the aforementioned synonym, The Management items The names are converted to the standard terms by referring to the aforementioned name dictionary database, corresponding to the aggregated management items. Vehicle information In the aforementioned vehicle information database The present invention provides a vehicle information management system that includes a name matching processing unit for storing information.

[0009] Furthermore, the present invention relates to the name matching processing unit, and the management items given name The standard of the aforementioned name dictionary database for If the word does not match any of the aforementioned synonyms, the management item given name Multiple phrases created by analyzing the above standard forProvide a vehicle information management system that determines the similarity or difference with words and synonyms.

[0010] In addition, the present invention analyzes the management items given name Among the plurality of phrases created by the analysis, the standard for Provide a vehicle information management system that registers the management item that is the source of the phrase determined to match the word or synonym in the name dictionary database. given name Provide a vehicle information management system that registers the management item that is the source of the phrase determined to match the word or synonym in the name dictionary database.

[0011] In addition, the present invention provides a vehicle information management system characterized in that when the operation information is a value including a unit, the value of the operation information is converted into a preset unit.

[0012] In addition, the present invention manages vehicle information including a management item and operation information associated with the management item, Regarding the aforementioned management items, Standard for A vehicle information management method executed by a computer having a word and a synonym of the standard for Word associated, A storage unit having a name dictionary database in which the vehicle information is stored, and a vehicle information database in which the vehicle information is stored. Comprising: obtaining the vehicle information from a vehicle equipped with In-vehicle terminals From a vehicle equipped with via communication device The step of obtaining the vehicle information, Acquired vehicle information Management item given name When it matches the standard for Word, the vehicle information is The aforementioned Vehicle information Stored in the database And, Acquired vehicle information Management item given name When it matches the synonym, The Management item The names are converted to the standard terms by referring to the aforementioned name dictionary database, corresponding to the aggregated management items. Vehicle information Stored in the aforementioned vehicle information database Steps to provide a method including.

[0013] In addition, the present invention provides a vehicle information management system that manages vehicle information including a management item and operation information associated with the management item, In-vehicle terminals From a vehicle equipped with via communication device An acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle information, Regarding the aforementioned management items, Standard for A word and a synonym of the standard for Word associated, A storage unit having a name dictionary database in which the vehicle information is stored, and a vehicle information database in which the vehicle information is stored, and the acquired vehicle information Management item given name The above standard for If it matches the word, the vehicle information The aforementioned Vehicle Information The vehicle information that is stored in the database and retrieved Management items given name If it matches the aforementioned synonym, The Management items The names are converted to the standard terms by referring to the aforementioned name dictionary database, corresponding to the aggregated management items. Vehicle information Stored in the aforementioned vehicle information database This program provides a name sorting and processing unit that functions as such. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, vehicle information with different management items can be obtained from vehicles and managed centrally. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This figure illustrates an overview of a vehicle information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure shows the functional configuration of a vehicle information management device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This figure schematically shows a name dictionary DB121 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This figure schematically shows a vehicle information DB122 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart showing the vehicle information processing of a vehicle information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In the following drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same numbers or reference numerals throughout the description of the embodiments.

[0017] [Basic concept / basic configuration] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an overview of a vehicle information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The vehicle information management system 1 includes a vehicle information management device 10 and multiple vehicles 20, and the vehicle management device 10 acquires and manages vehicle information from the vehicles 20. The multiple vehicles 20 are connected to the vehicle management device 10 via a wireless network such as 4G or Wi-Fi (registered trademark). The vehicle information managed by the vehicle information management system 1 is used by client terminals 30 and other devices connected to the vehicle management device 10 via the network.

[0019] The vehicle information management system 1 acquires vehicle information from multiple vehicles 20. Vehicle information includes unique information and vehicle operation information. Here, unique information includes information for identifying the vehicle type, parts, or vehicle, such as the vehicle identification number, model number, chassis number, and engine model number. Operation information includes information indicating the operating status, such as speed, engine coolant temperature, and engine speed. Items such as the vehicle identification number and engine speed are called management items.

[0020] If the vehicle information management system 1 obtains vehicle information from vehicle 20 and the management items are all in standard Japanese (Case 1: the flow is shown by a solid arrow in Figure 1), it refers to the name dictionary database 121, determines that the management items are in standard Japanese, and records and manages the management items as they are, in association with the operation information, in the vehicle information database 122.

[0021] Furthermore, if a vehicle information management system 1 contains synonyms in a vehicle information management item (Case 2: the flow is shown by a dashed arrow in Figure 1), it refers to the name dictionary database 121 to determine that the management item is a synonym, decodes the management item to the standard word corresponding to the synonym, and then records and manages it in the vehicle information database 122.

[0022] Furthermore, if the vehicle information management system 1 does not contain either standard Japanese or synonyms (Case 3: the flow is shown by the long dashed arrow in Figure 1), it refers to the name dictionary database 121, determines that the management item is neither standard Japanese nor a synonym, performs natural language processing on the management item to consolidate it into standard Japanese, and then records and manages it in the vehicle information database 122. In this case, the vehicle information management system 1 records the management item, which has been consolidated into standard Japanese using natural language processing, as a synonym in the name dictionary database 121, associating it with the standard Japanese word.

[0023] Thus, if the vehicle information management system 1 does not have a pre-set standard language for the vehicle information management items, it can use the name matching dictionary database 121 or natural language processing to match the management items to the standard language, thereby unifying and managing the vehicle information management items in the standard language. Therefore, even if the vehicle information management items are different, vehicle information can be obtained from the vehicle 20 and managed centrally.

[0024] This allows clients such as transportation companies that own the vehicles 20, maintenance shops that service the vehicles 20, and leasing companies that lease the vehicles 20 to utilize centralized vehicle information, which can then be used for maintenance and valuation tasks.

[0025] [Functional Configuration] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a vehicle information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle information management system 1 comprises a vehicle 20 and a vehicle information management device 10 connected to the vehicle 20 via a wireless network. In this embodiment, the vehicle information management device 1 is a cloud server, but it may also be on-premise.

[0026] (Vehicle Functional Configuration) The vehicle 20 includes an in-vehicle terminal 21 and a control device 22.

[0027] The in-vehicle terminal 21 is connected to the control unit 22 via an in-vehicle network such as CAN (Controller Area Network), and acquires vehicle information from the control unit 22. Furthermore, the in-vehicle terminal 21 is connected to the vehicle management device 10 via a wireless network and transmits vehicle information to the vehicle management device 10.

[0028] The control device 22 is a device that performs various controls on the vehicle 20, and in this embodiment, it is also referred to as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 22. The ECU 22 includes an OBD (On-Board Diagnosis) 23.

[0029] Multiple ECUs 22 are provided for each of the 20 functions of the vehicle, such as the engine ECU, vehicle control ECU, and brake ECU, and they acquire operational information from various connected sensors under predetermined conditions and timings. For example, the operational information is the "engine speed" of "3000 rpm" acquired by the engine ECU from the engine speed sensor.

[0030] The OBD23 detects vehicle malfunctions and stores them in a designated memory area of ​​the ECU22. Specifically, based on the values ​​of various sensors acquired by the ECU22, the OBD23 determines whether the vehicle 20 is malfunctioning under predetermined conditions, generates an identification code corresponding to the type of malfunction, and stores it.

[0031] (Functional configuration of the vehicle information management system) The vehicle information management device 10 includes a communication unit 11 that communicates with the in-vehicle terminal 21 of the vehicle 20 via a wireless network, a storage unit 12, an acquisition unit 13, and a name matching processing unit 14.

[0032] The storage unit 12 includes a name matching dictionary database 121 (hereinafter, the database may be referred to as DB) used for name matching processing, and a vehicle information database 122 for storing vehicle information acquired from the vehicle 20. In this embodiment, since the vehicle information management device 10 is a cloud server, it is desirable that the storage unit 12 be constructed using cloud storage or a distributed ledger.

[0033] The acquisition unit 13 acquires vehicle information from the vehicle 20 via the communication unit 11. As described above, the vehicle information includes at least management items and operational information associated with the management items, and may also include the date and time of acquisition of the operational information and location information of the acquisition of the operational information.

[0034] The name matching processing unit 14 performs name matching processing to consolidate the management items of the vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 13. Specifically, first, the name matching processing unit 14 extracts management items from the vehicle information acquired by the acquisition unit 13, and then compares the extracted management items (hereinafter referred to as extracted management items in this specification) with the name matching dictionary DB 121.

[0035] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the name matching dictionary DB121 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the name matching dictionary DB121 stores standard terms and synonyms in association with each other. Here, standard terms are terms that are standard for the management items of operation information and are aggregated by the name matching process. Synonyms are terms that have different forms from standard terms but the same meaning. The standard terms and synonyms in the name matching dictionary DB121 are used in a pre-set state, and then synonyms are added by natural language processing, which will be described later.

[0036] Returning to Figure 2, the name matching processing unit 14 compares the extracted management item with the name matching dictionary DB 121. If the extracted management item matches a standard word, the name matching process is terminated. On the other hand, if the extracted management item matches a synonym, the name matching processing unit 14 performs a name matching process to change the extracted management item to the standard word associated with that synonym.

[0037] Furthermore, if the name matching processing unit 14 finds that the extracted management item does not match either a standard word or a synonym after comparing it with the name matching dictionary DB 121, it performs natural language processing to change the extracted management item to a standard word.

[0038] In detail, the name matching processing unit 14 performs morphological analysis on the extracted management item, divides it into words, and determines the part of speech. For example, if the management item is "driving speed," morphological analysis will break it down into "driving" (noun) and "speed" (noun). Next, the name matching processing unit 14 performs syntactic analysis on the words obtained from the extracted management item, analyzing the relationships between the words, such as modification and modified relationships.

[0039] The name matching processing unit 14 then performs semantic analysis on the syntactically analyzed words to create meaningful phrases. More specifically, the name matching processing unit 14 combines the syntactically analyzed words to create multiple phrases. Then, using a pre-recorded list of example sentences, it searches for example sentences in which the created phrases and the relationships between those words match. If a match is found, it determines that the phrase is meaningful. On the other hand, if it cannot be determined that the phrase is meaningful, the name matching process ends.

[0040] Here, it is preferable that the example sentence collection contains many examples that include words used in the management items of vehicle information, and that it includes materials related to fault diagnosis devices and service manuals from each vehicle manufacturer.

[0041] The name matching processing unit 14 compares the words obtained by natural language analysis with the name matching dictionary DB 121. Based on the results of comparing the words with the name matching dictionary DB 121, the name matching processing unit 14 performs name matching processing to change the words to standard language if they match standard language, or to the standard language associated with the matching synonym if they match a synonym. Then, the name matching processing unit 14 adds the extracted management item that generated the words that were successfully matched to standard language to the synonyms and updates the name matching dictionary DB 121.

[0042] Furthermore, the name matching processing unit 14 aggregates the units of the operation information. Specifically, the name matching processing unit 14 converts the units of the operation information to the standard units when standard units have been set in advance in association with the standard words of the name matching dictionary DB121. For example, if the standard unit of engine speed is "rpm" and the unit of the acquired operation information is "rev / sec", the unit of the acquired operation information is converted to "rpm". Also, if the standard unit of temperature is "Celsius (°C)" and the unit of the acquired operation information is "Fahrenheit", the unit of the acquired operation information is converted to "Celsius (°C)".

[0043] The name sorting processing unit 14 performs name sorting and manages the management items, which have been consolidated into standard language, along with the operation information associated with those management items, in the vehicle information DB 122.

[0044] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing a vehicle information DB 122 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the vehicle information DB 122 stores vehicle identification information that identifies a vehicle 20, management items for vehicle information, operation information associated with the management items, and the date and time the operation information was acquired, in an associated manner. By storing the date and time the operation information was acquired in the vehicle information DB 122, the operation information can be organized chronologically.

[0045] The functional configuration of this system described above is merely an example, and a single functional block (database and functional processing unit) may be divided, or multiple functional blocks may be combined into a single functional block. Each functional processing unit is realized by a computer program (for example, core software or an application that causes the CPU to execute the various processes described above) stored in a storage device (storage unit) such as ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, SSD (Solid State Drive), or hard disk, which is read by the CPU (Central Processing Unit) built into the device or terminal, and executed by the CPU. In other words, each functional processing unit is realized by this computer program reading and writing necessary data such as tables from a database (DB) stored in the storage device or from a storage area in memory, and, if necessary, controlling related hardware (for example, input / output devices, display devices, communication interface devices). Furthermore, the database (DB) in the embodiments of the present invention may be a commercial database, but it also means a mere collection of tables and files, and the internal structure of the database itself is not specified.

[0046] Using Figure 5, the vehicle information processing of the vehicle information management system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. This processing is performed by the vehicle information management device 10.

[0047] First, the acquisition unit 13 acquires vehicle information from the vehicle 20, including management items and operation information associated with the management items (S1). Next, the name matching processing unit 14 extracts the management items from the vehicle information acquired in S1 and compares the extracted management items with the name matching dictionary DB 121 (S2).

[0048] Next, if the result of S2 matches the synonym in the name matching dictionary DB121 with the extracted management item, the name matching processing unit 14 performs name matching processing to change the extracted management item to the standard word associated with the synonym that matches the extracted management item (S3). However, if the standard word in the name matching dictionary DB121 matches the extracted management item, no name matching processing is performed.

[0049] Next, the name matching processing unit 14 determines whether, as a result of S2, there are any extracted control items that do not match either the standard words or synonyms in the name matching dictionary DB 121, and therefore could not be processed in S3, that is, whether there are any extracted control items that are not standard words after S3. If there are extracted control items that are not standard words (YES), the name matching processing unit 14 proceeds to S5, while if there are only extracted control items that are standard words (NO), it proceeds to S9 (S4).

[0050] Next, the name matching processing unit 14 performs natural language processing on the extraction management items that are not in standard language to obtain words or phrases related to the extraction management items (S5). Next, the name matching processing unit 14 compares the words or phrases obtained in S5 with the name matching dictionary DB 121, and if they match standard language or synonyms in the name matching dictionary DB 121, it performs name matching processing to convert the words or phrases to standard language (S6).

[0051] Next, the name matching processing unit 14 determines whether, as a result of S6, there are any words that do not match either the standard words or synonyms in the name matching dictionary DB 121 and for which name matching could not be performed in S6, that is, whether there are any extraction management items that are not standard words after S6. If there are extraction management items that are not standard words (YES), the name matching processing unit 14 terminates the process, while if there are only extraction management items that are standard words (NO), the process proceeds to S8 (S7).

[0052] Next, the name matching processing unit 14 updates the name matching dictionary DB 121 by adding the extracted management items that were processed for name matching in S6 to the synonyms (S8). Finally, the name matching processing unit 14 records the management items that have been matched to the standard language and the operation information associated with the management items in the vehicle information DB 122 (S9).

[0053] As explained above, the vehicle information management system 1 can consolidate and aggregate management items into a standard language using the name matching dictionary DB121 or natural language processing if the management items of the vehicle information are not in a pre-configured standard language. Therefore, even if the management items of the vehicle information differ, the vehicle information management system 1 can acquire vehicle information from the vehicle 20 and centrally manage the acquired vehicle information.

[0054] As a result, clients such as transportation companies that own the vehicles 20, maintenance shops that service the vehicles 20, and leasing companies that lease the vehicles 20 can utilize the centralized vehicle information for maintenance and valuation tasks.

[0055] Furthermore, in the vehicle information management system 1, if a management item in the name matching dictionary DB121 that is neither a standard word nor a synonym is found to be similar to a standard word or a synonym as a result of natural language analysis, that management item is added to the synonyms in the name matching dictionary DB121. This improves the accuracy of the name matching process.

[0056] In this embodiment, the storage unit 12 may include a vehicle master database for storing basic information about the vehicle 20. Specifically, the vehicle master DB stores vehicle identification information and vehicle attribute information such as the vehicle type, size, manufacturer name, model, and year of manufacture, in association with each other. The vehicle master DB is pre-configured for the vehicle 20 from which vehicle information is acquired, and by managing it together with the vehicle information DB 122, it is possible to centrally manage the vehicle information that the client needs.

[0057] Although the present invention has been described above using embodiments, it goes without saying that the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. Furthermore, it is clear from the claims that such modified or improved forms may also be included in the technical scope of the present invention. In the above embodiments, the present invention was described as a product invention, specifically a vehicle information management system, but the present invention can also be considered as an invention of a method executed by the vehicle information management system, or a program that enables the vehicle information management system to function as various means. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 1. Vehicle Information Management System 10. Vehicle Information Management System 11 Communications Department 12 Storage section 121 Name Dictionary DB 122 Vehicle Information Database 13 Acquisition Department 14. Nayoro Processing Department 20 vehicles 21 In-vehicle terminals 22 ECU 23 OBD 30 client terminals

Claims

1. A vehicle information management system that manages vehicle information including management items and operational information associated with said management items, An acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle information from a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle terminal via a communication device, A storage unit having a name dictionary database in which standard terms and their synonyms are associated and stored for the aforementioned management items, and a vehicle information database in which the vehicle information is stored, If the name of the management item in the acquired vehicle information matches the standard term, the vehicle information is stored in the vehicle information database. A name matching processing unit stores vehicle information corresponding to the aggregated management item in the vehicle information database when the name of the management item in the acquired vehicle information matches the synonym, by converting the name of the management item to the standard term by referring to the name matching dictionary database. A vehicle information management system equipped with the following features.

2. The vehicle information management system according to claim 1, wherein the name matching processing unit determines the similarity between a plurality of words created by analyzing the management item name and the standard term and its synonyms when the management item name does not match either the standard term or the synonym in the name matching dictionary database.

3. The vehicle information management system according to claim 2, wherein, among the multiple phrases created by analyzing the aforementioned management item names, the management item names that are determined to be the source of the phrases that match the aforementioned standard terms or synonyms are registered in the name dictionary database.

4. The vehicle information management system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the name matching processing unit converts the value of the operation information to a predetermined unit when the operation information is a value that includes a unit.

5. A vehicle information management method executed by a computer having a storage unit that manages vehicle information including management items and operational information associated with said management items, and which has a name dictionary database in which standard terms and synonyms of said standard terms are stored in association with said management items, and a vehicle information database in which said vehicle information is stored, The steps include: acquiring vehicle information from a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle terminal via a communication device; If the name of the management item in the acquired vehicle information matches the standard term, the vehicle information is stored in the vehicle information database. If the name of a management item in the acquired vehicle information matches the aforementioned synonym, the vehicle information corresponding to the aggregated management item is stored in the vehicle information database by converting the management item name to the aforementioned standard term by referring to the aforementioned name dictionary database. A method that includes this.

6. A vehicle information management system that manages vehicle information including management items and operational information associated with those management items, An acquisition unit that acquires the vehicle information from a vehicle equipped with an in-vehicle terminal via a communication device. A storage unit having a name dictionary database in which standard terms and synonyms of said standard terms are stored in association with the aforementioned management items, and a vehicle information database in which the vehicle information is stored. If the name of the management item in the acquired vehicle information matches the standard term, the vehicle information is stored in the vehicle information database. A name matching processing unit stores vehicle information corresponding to the aggregated management item in the vehicle information database when the name of the management item name of the acquired vehicle information matches the aforementioned synonym, by converting the management item name to the aforementioned standard term by referring to the name matching dictionary database. A program that makes it function as such.

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