Information processing device and program

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of improving convenience for a user who uses remote air-conditioning.SOLUTION: An information processing device performs a remote operation of a vehicle configured to execute a first mode which actuates an air conditioner without actuating an internal combustion engine, and a second mode which actuates the air conditioner by actuating the internal combustion engine. A control unit of the information processing device acquires a user-designated mode, which is either the first mode or the second mode and is designated by a user of the vehicle. In response to acquiring the user-designated mode, the control unit transmits an execution request for the user-designated mode to an external device related to the vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In a system that operates an electric air conditioner mounted on a HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) or a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) before a user gets on the vehicle, when the remaining battery level is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, a technique is known in which an internal combustion engine is operated to charge the battery while operating the air conditioner (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique capable of improving the convenience of a user who uses remote air conditioning.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus for remotely operating a vehicle configured to be capable of executing a first mode of operating an air conditioner without operating an internal combustion engine and a second mode of operating the internal combustion engine to operate the air conditioner. In that case, the information processing apparatus is, for example, acquiring a user-specified mode that is one of the first mode and the second mode and is a mode specified by a user of the vehicle, Upon obtaining the user-specified mode, a request to execute the user-specified mode is sent to an external device associated with the vehicle. It may include a control unit configured to perform the following:

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a program executed by a computer for remotely operating a vehicle, which is configured to perform a first mode of operating an air conditioning system without operating the internal combustion engine, and a second mode of operating the air conditioning system with the internal combustion engine operating. In that case, the program would be, for example, To the aforementioned computer, To acquire a user-specified mode which is either the first mode or the second mode, and which is a mode specified by the user of the vehicle, Upon obtaining the user-specified mode, a request to execute the user-specified mode is sent to an external device associated with the vehicle. You may proceed with this.

[0007] Another aspect of this disclosure may be a method by which a computer performs the processing of the information processing apparatus described above, and a non-temporary storage medium in which the computer stores the program described above in a computer-readable form. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to this disclosure, we can provide technology that can improve the convenience of users who utilize remote air conditioning. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This figure shows the schematic configuration of the system in the embodiment. [Figure 2] This diagram schematically shows an example of an execution request in the embodiment. [Figure 3] This diagram schematically shows an example of an operating command in an embodiment. [Figure 4]A diagram schematically showing an example of the hardware configuration of each of the vehicle, user terminal, and server included in the system in the embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram schematically showing an example of mode data in the embodiment. [Figure 6] A block diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal in the embodiment. [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of the remote air conditioning menu screen in the embodiment. [Figure 8] A diagram showing an example of the user-specified mode setting screen in the embodiment. [Figure 9] A diagram showing an example of the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode in the embodiment. [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode in the embodiment. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of the operation reception screen in the embodiment. [Figure 12] A flowchart showing an example of the processing routine executed on the user terminal when the user-specified mode and execution conditions are set in the present embodiment. [[ID=2,6]] [Figure 13] A flowchart showing an example of the processing routine executed on the user terminal when receiving an operation of remote air conditioning in the embodiment. [Figure 14] A block diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal in Modification 1. [Figure 15] A diagram showing an example of the remote air conditioning menu screen in Modification 1. [Figure 16] A diagram showing an example of the user-specified mode setting screen in Modification 1. [Figure 17] A diagram schematically showing an example of vehicle information. [Figure 18] A flowchart showing the processing flow executed instead of the processing of step S201 in FIG. 13 in Modification 1. [Figure 19]It is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of a user terminal in Modification 2. [Figure 20] It is a diagram showing an example of an achievement notification screen in Modification 2. [Figure 21] In Modification 2, it is a flowchart showing an example of a processing routine executed by a user terminal when accepting an operation of a remote air conditioner.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] In recent years, remote air conditioning has become widespread, in which a user operates an air conditioner of a parked vehicle remotely through a user terminal such as a smartphone. As an example, in a HEV or PHEV equipped with an electric air conditioner, when an operation request for the air conditioner is generated by remote operation, if the remaining amount of the battery is equal to or more than a threshold value, the air conditioner is operated with battery power without operating the internal combustion engine (first mode), and if the remaining amount of the battery is less than the threshold value, a technique is known in which the internal combustion engine is operated to charge the battery while operating the air conditioner with battery power (second mode).

[0011] By the way, if the selection between the first mode and the second mode is automatically made, the air conditioner may be operated in a mode not in line with the user's intention, which may reduce the convenience for the user. Therefore, a means for ensuring the convenience of users who use remote air conditioning is required.

[0012] The present disclosure is an information processing device for performing remote operation of a vehicle configured to be capable of executing a first mode of operating an air conditioner without operating an internal combustion engine and a second mode of operating the internal combustion engine to operate the air conditioner. The information processing device according to the present disclosure is used by a user of a vehicle. A smartphone or other device may be used, or a dedicated device may be used. In addition, the vehicle to be remotely controlled may, in one example, be an HEV or PHEV equipped with an electric air conditioning system. In that case, the first mode may be a mode in which the air conditioning system is operated using battery power without operating the internal combustion engine, and the second mode may be a mode in which the air conditioning system is operated using battery power while generating electricity (charging the battery) by operating the internal combustion engine. In another example, the vehicle to be remotely controlled may be an HEV or PHEV equipped with an electric air conditioning system driven by battery power and a mechanical air conditioning system driven by the power of the internal combustion engine. In that case, the first mode may be a mode in which the electric air conditioning system is operated using battery power, and the second mode may be a mode in which the mechanical air conditioning system is operated by the power of the internal combustion engine.

[0013] In the information processing device relating to this disclosure, the control unit is configured to acquire a user-specified mode. The user-specified mode is one of the first mode and the second mode, and is a mode specified by the vehicle user. Here, the user-specified mode may, for example, be specified in advance by the vehicle user and stored in the storage unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure. In that case, the control unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure may be configured to output a second screen for specifying one of the first mode and the second mode, to accept an operation to specify the first mode or the second mode while the second screen is displayed, and to store the first mode or the second mode specified by the accepted operation as the user-specified mode in the storage unit. In that case, the control unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure may be configured to acquire the user-specified mode by reading the user-specified mode stored in the storage unit.

[0014] The control unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure transmits an execution request for the user-specified mode to an external device associated with the vehicle, in response to acquiring the user-specified mode. In this embodiment, the execution request is transmitted directly from the information processing device to the vehicle, and the external device associated with the vehicle may be a device mounted on the vehicle. In this embodiment, the execution request is transmitted indirectly from the information processing device to the vehicle via a server, and the external device associated with the vehicle may be a server.

[0015] According to the information processing device described herein, the vehicle's air conditioning system can be operated in a mode specified by the user (user-specified mode) from among the first and second modes. This prevents remote air conditioning from being operated in a mode that does not conform to the user's intentions. As a result, convenience for users utilizing remote air conditioning can be ensured.

[0016] Furthermore, in the information processing device relating to this disclosure, the user may be given the option to choose whether or not to execute remote air conditioning in a user-specified mode before transmitting the above execution request to an external device related to the vehicle. For example, the control unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure may, upon acquiring a user-specified mode, output a first screen for the user to select whether or not to execute the acquired user-specified mode; while the first screen is displayed, accept an operation to select the execution of the user-specified mode; and upon receiving the operation to select the execution of the user-specified mode, transmit an execution request for the user-specified mode to an external device related to the vehicle.

[0017] Furthermore, it is conceivable that the battery level or fuel level may become lower than the user expects when remote air conditioning is performed in a user-specified mode. Therefore, when the user is asked to specify a user-specified mode, the user may be asked to set the execution conditions for the user-specified mode. For example, the control unit of the information processing device according to this disclosure may be configured to output a third screen for setting the execution conditions for the user-specified mode, accept an operation to set the execution conditions while the third screen is displayed, and store the execution conditions set by the accepted operation in the storage unit in association with the user-specified mode. The control unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure may be configured to obtain the execution conditions stored in the memory unit when sending an execution request for a user-specified mode to an external device, and to send the obtained execution conditions to the external device together with the execution request for the user-specified mode. As a result, the vehicle can execute the user-specified mode only if the received execution conditions are met. Consequently, it is possible to avoid situations where the battery level or fuel level becomes lower than the user expects due to the execution of the user-specified mode.

[0018] Furthermore, the control unit of the information processing device relating to this disclosure may be configured to further perform the following actions after the user-specified mode has been executed in the vehicle: acquire the actual value of the battery amount or fuel amount consumed by the execution of the user-specified mode, and output the acquired actual value. This allows the vehicle user to use the actual value of the battery amount or fuel amount consumed by the execution of the user-specified mode as a guideline when specifying the user-specified mode and / or setting the execution conditions. As a result, the vehicle user can more appropriately specify the user-specified mode and / or set the execution conditions.

[0019] The user-specified mode may also be specified by the user when sending an execution request for the user-specified mode to an external device. In this case, obtaining the user-specified mode may include outputting a fourth screen for specifying either the first mode or the second mode, accepting an operation to specify the first mode or the second mode while the fourth screen is displayed, and obtaining the first mode or the second mode specified by the accepted operation as the user-specified mode. The fourth screen may also display the current battery level and fuel level. This allows the vehicle user to specify the user-specified mode by referring to the current battery level and fuel level.

[0020] Furthermore, in an embodiment in which a user-specified mode is specified when sending an execution request for a user-specified mode to an external device, the control unit of the information processing device according to this disclosure may be configured to further perform the following: output a fifth screen for setting the execution conditions for the user-specified mode; accept an operation to set the execution conditions while the fifth screen is being output; and send the execution conditions set by the accepted operation to the external device along with the execution request.

[0021] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. The configurations of the embodiments described below are illustrative, however, these embodiments described below are merely illustrative in all respects of the disclosure. Various improvements or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In implementing this disclosure, specific configurations may be adopted as appropriate depending on the embodiment. Although the data appearing in these embodiments is described in natural language, more specifically, it is specified in computer-recognizable pseudo-language, commands, parameters, machine code, etc.

[0022] <Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a system to which this disclosure is applied. The system according to this embodiment includes a vehicle 10, a user terminal 20, and a server 30, and provides remote air conditioning services to the user of the vehicle 10. In Figure 1, only one vehicle 10 and one user terminal 20 are shown, but the system may include multiple vehicles 10 and user terminals 20 under the management of the server 30.

[0023] Vehicle 10 is an HEV or PHEV equipped with an air conditioning unit 120, battery 130, electric motor 140, internal combustion engine 150, and generator 160, etc., which will be described later. In this embodiment, vehicle 10 is configured to perform remote air conditioning in a first mode and remote air conditioning in a second mode. Remote air conditioning refers to the air conditioning unit 120 of vehicle 10 in a parked state (power switch or ignition switch is off) being controlled remotely via a user terminal 20. This refers to the operation of the system. The first mode is a method in which the air conditioning system 120 is operated using the power of the battery 130 without operating the internal combustion engine 150. The second mode is a method in which the internal combustion engine 150 is operated to generate electricity with the generator 160 (charging the battery 130), and the air conditioning system 120 is operated using the power of the battery 130.

[0024] The user terminal 20 is a computer used by the user of the vehicle 10, and has a dedicated application program installed that supports remote air conditioning. The user terminal 20 has functions such as presenting the user with a menu for remote air conditioning through the execution of the dedicated application program, presenting the user with an operation screen corresponding to each item in the menu, and executing processing according to the operation selected by the user on the operation screen. In this embodiment, the user terminal 20 corresponds to the "information processing device" according to this disclosure.

[0025] The remote air conditioning menu, for example, includes settings for remote air conditioning and execution of remote air conditioning. The operation screen corresponding to the remote air conditioning settings includes an operation screen for setting a user-specified mode and an operation screen for setting the execution conditions for the user-specified mode. The user-specified mode is either the first mode or the second mode, and is a mode arbitrarily specified by the user. The execution conditions are the conditions for the vehicle 10 to determine whether to execute the user-specified mode.

[0026] Here, one example of an execution condition when the user-specified mode is the first mode is the lower limit of the battery charge (SOC (State of Charge)) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "first threshold"). That is fine. In that case, if the battery level of vehicle 10 is equal to or greater than the first threshold, it is determined that the conditions for executing the first mode have been met, and if the battery level of vehicle 10 is less than the first threshold, it is determined that the conditions for executing the first mode have not been met.

[0027] Furthermore, if the user-specified mode is the second mode, the execution condition may, for example, be the lower limit of the remaining fuel (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "second threshold"). In that case, if the remaining fuel of vehicle 10 is equal to or greater than the second threshold, it is determined that the execution condition for the second mode is met, and if the remaining fuel of vehicle 10 is less than the second threshold, it is determined that the execution condition for the second mode is not met.

[0028] The operation screen for executing remote air conditioning includes an operation screen for selecting whether to execute a user-specified mode. When the user selects to execute a user-specified mode on the operation screen for executing remote air conditioning, the user terminal 20 sends a signal (execution request) to the server 30 requesting the execution of remote air conditioning in user-specified mode. The execution request may include, as an example, the identifier of the vehicle 10 to be remotely operated (vehicle ID), information indicating the user-specified mode (information specifying the first mode or second mode), and the execution conditions for the user-specified mode (first threshold or second threshold), as shown in Figure 2.

[0029] The server 30 is one or more computers that relay signals related to remote air conditioning between the user terminal 20 and the vehicle 10. In this embodiment, the server 30 has the function of transmitting commands (operation commands) in response to execution requests received from the user terminal 20 to the vehicle 10 that is the target of remote operation. The operation command may include, for example, a user-specified mode (information specifying the first mode or the second mode) and execution conditions for the user-specified mode, as shown in Figure 3. In this embodiment, the server 30 corresponds to the "external device related to the vehicle" in this disclosure.

[0030] In the system of this embodiment, the user selects to execute a user-specified mode before getting into the vehicle 10 while it is parked (power switch or ignition switch is off). The user inputs an operation into the terminal. The user terminal 20 that inputs the operation sends a request to the server 30 to execute remote air conditioning in user-specified mode (see Figure 2). The server 30 that receives the execution request identifies the vehicle 10 to be remotely controlled according to the vehicle ID included in the execution request and sends an operation command (see Figure 3) to the identified vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 that receives the operation command determines whether the execution conditions included in the operation command are met. If it is determined that the execution conditions are met, the air conditioning unit 120 is activated in user-specified mode in the vehicle 10. If it is determined that the execution conditions are not met, the air conditioning unit 120 is not activated in user-specified mode in the vehicle 10. If it is determined that the execution conditions are not met, information indicating that the execution conditions are not met may be sent from the vehicle 10 to the user terminal 20 via the server 30.

[0031] (System hardware configuration) The hardware configurations of the vehicle 10, user terminal 20, and server 30 included in the system of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the hardware configurations of the vehicle 10, user terminal 20, and server 30 included in the system of this embodiment.

[0032] (vehicle) First, an example of the hardware configuration of vehicle 10 will be described. As mentioned above, vehicle 10 in this embodiment is an HEV or PHEV. As shown in Figure 4, such vehicle 10 includes an in-vehicle terminal 100, an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) 110, an air conditioning system 120, and a battery. It consists of a battery 130, an electric motor 140, an internal combustion engine 150, a generator 160, and a fuel level sensor 170. The in-vehicle terminal 100, ECU 110, air conditioning unit 120, battery 130, electric motor 140, internal combustion engine 150, generator 160, and fuel level sensor 170 are connected via CAN (Controller Area Network), LIN (Local Interconnect Network), or They are interconnected via an in-vehicle network based on standards such as FlexRay.

[0033] Note that Figure 4 only shows hardware components related to remote air conditioning, and other hardware components not shown in Figure 4 may be installed on the vehicle 10.

[0034] The in-vehicle terminal 100 is a computer that communicates with the server 30 via the network N1. As shown in Figure 4, the in-vehicle terminal 100 includes a processor 101, main memory 102, auxiliary storage 103, and a communication interface 104. The processor 101, main memory 102, auxiliary storage 103, and communication interface 104 are interconnected by a bus.

[0035] Processor 101 is a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The cessor 101 controls the in-vehicle terminal 100 by loading a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 into the main storage device 102 and executing it.

[0036] The main memory 102 is composed of semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The main memory 102 provides a storage area and a working area for loading programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 103. The main memory 102 is also used as a buffer for arithmetic processing by the processor 101.

[0037] The auxiliary storage device 103 is, for example, an EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), or H It is a DD (Hard Disk Drive). The auxiliary storage device 103 is a removable media, that is It may include a portable recording medium. Removable media is, for example, USB (Universal The auxiliary storage device 103 stores various programs and data used by the processor 101 when executing each program.

[0038] The programs stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 include the OS (Operating System), a dedicated program for causing the processor 101 to execute processes related to remote air conditioning, and the vehicle ID of the vehicle 10. Some or all of the information stored in the auxiliary storage device 103 may be stored in the main memory 102. Conversely, some of the information stored in the main memory 102 may be stored in the auxiliary storage device 103. Furthermore, the vehicle ID may be held by the ECU 110, which will be described later.

[0039] The communication interface 104 includes a communication interface for connecting the in-vehicle terminal 100 to the in-vehicle network, and a communication interface for connecting the in-vehicle terminal 100 to the external network N1. In this embodiment, the communication interface 104 communicates with the ECU 110 through the in-vehicle network. In this embodiment, the communication interface 104 also communicates with the server 30 through the external network N1. The external network N1 is, for example, a wide area network (WAN), such as the internet, or its This is another communication network. Communication I / F 104 connects the in-vehicle terminal 100 to network N1 using a mobile communication system (for example, 5G (5th Generation) or 6G (6th Generation), etc.) or a wireless communication system such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0040] In the in-vehicle terminal 100 configured as described above, when the communication interface 104 receives an operation command (see Figure 3) transmitted from the server 30, the processor 101 determines whether the execution conditions included in the operation command are met. If the user-specified mode included in the operation command is the first mode, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 connects to the in-vehicle network via the communication interface 104 and communicates with the ECU 110 via the in-vehicle network to obtain the battery state of charge (SOC). The processor 101 then determines whether the obtained battery state of charge (SOC) is equal to or greater than the first threshold included in the operation command. If the user-specified mode included in the operation command is the second mode, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 connects to the in-vehicle network via the communication interface 104 and communicates with the ECU 110 via the in-vehicle network to obtain the fuel level. The processor 101 then determines whether the obtained fuel level is equal to or greater than the second threshold included in the operation command.

[0041] If the battery state of charge (SOC) is above the first threshold or the fuel level is above the second threshold, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 determines that the conditions for executing the user-specified mode are met. In that case, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 sends a command to the ECU 110 via the communication interface 104 and the in-vehicle network to operate the air conditioning system 120 in user-specified mode.

[0042] The determination of whether the execution conditions included in the operation command are met may be performed by the ECU 110, which will be described later. In that case, the in-vehicle terminal 100 should transmit the operation command received from the server 30 to the ECU 110 via the communication I / F 104 and the in-vehicle network.

[0043] Next, the air conditioning unit 120 is an electrically operated air conditioning unit that uses the power of the battery 130 to cool or heat the passenger compartment of the vehicle 10. The battery 130 supplies power to the electric motor 140 and the air conditioning unit 120. The electric motor 140 is operated using the power supplied from the battery 130. The internal combustion engine 150 is operated using the fuel stored in the fuel tank mounted on the vehicle 10. In one example, the electric motor 140 and the internal combustion engine 150 may work together to drive the vehicle 10. In another example, the electric motor 140 drives the vehicle 10, and the internal combustion engine 150 drives the vehicle 10. The combustion engine 150 may drive the generator 160, described later, to charge the battery 130. The generator 160 generates electricity by converting the kinetic energy generated by the internal combustion engine 150 into electrical energy. The generator 160 may also perform so-called regenerative power generation, which converts the kinetic energy of the drive wheels into electrical energy when the vehicle 10 is decelerating. The fuel level sensor 170 measures the amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank (fuel level).

[0044] The ECU 110 is a computer that controls in-vehicle equipment such as the air conditioning unit 120, electric motor 140, internal combustion engine 150, and generator 160. In this embodiment, the ECU 110 is configured to acquire the battery state of charge (SOC) or fuel level in response to a request from the in-vehicle terminal 100, and to provide the acquired battery state of charge (SOC) or fuel level to the in-vehicle terminal 100. In this case, the ECU 110 may calculate the remaining charge (SOC) of the battery 130 using a known method such as the OCV method or the current integration method. The ECU 110 may also acquire the fuel level of the fuel tank through the fuel level sensor 170.

[0045] Furthermore, the ECU 110 in this embodiment also has the function of controlling the air conditioning unit 120 in response to commands transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal 100 to the ECU 110. Specifically, if the command is to operate the air conditioning unit 120 in first mode, the ECU 110 operates the air conditioning unit 120 by supplying power from the battery 130 to the air conditioning unit 120. This enables remote air conditioning in first mode. If the command is to operate the air conditioning unit 120 in second mode, the ECU 110 charges the battery 130 by operating the internal combustion engine 150 and the generator 160, and also operates the air conditioning unit 120 by supplying power from the battery 130 to the air conditioning unit 120. This enables remote air conditioning in second mode.

[0046] (User terminal) Next, an example of the hardware configuration of the user terminal 20 will be described. In this embodiment, the user terminal 20 is a computer used by the user of the vehicle 10. The user terminal 20 may be, for example, a smartphone, tablet, wearable computer, or PC (Personal Computer). The user terminal 20 is equipped with a dedicated remote control for remote air conditioning. A communication terminal may also be used. In this embodiment, the user terminal 20 is configured to include a processor 201, main memory 202, auxiliary storage 203, input / output device 204, and communication I / F 205, as shown in Figure 4. The processor 201, main memory 202, auxiliary storage 203, input / output device 204, and communication I / F 205 are interconnected by a bus.

[0047] Note that Figure 4 only shows hardware components related to remote air conditioning, and other hardware components not shown in Figure 4 may be included in the user terminal 20.

[0048] The processor 201, main memory 202, and auxiliary storage device 203 of the user terminal 20 are the same as those of the processor 101, main memory 102, and auxiliary storage device 103 of the in-vehicle terminal 100, and therefore their description is omitted. However, the auxiliary storage device 203 of the user terminal 20 stores a dedicated program (application program) for causing the processor 201 to execute functions related to remote air conditioning, and mode data 231. The mode data 231 includes, as an example, the vehicle ID of the vehicle 10, a user-specified mode set in advance by the user of the vehicle 10, and execution conditions set in advance by the user of the vehicle 10 (execution conditions for the user-specified mode), as shown in Figure 5. In this embodiment, the auxiliary storage device 203 that stores the mode data 231 corresponds to the "storage unit" in this disclosure.

[0049] The input / output device 204 accepts input operations performed by the user while simultaneously presenting information to the user. The input / output device 204 includes, for example, a touch panel display and its control circuit. It is composed of including the following.

[0050] The communication interface 205 includes a communication interface for connecting the user terminal 20 to the network N1. The communication interface 205 connects the user terminal 20 to the network N1 using a mobile communication system, a wireless communication system such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or a LAN. In this embodiment, the communication interface 205 communicates with the server 30 through the network N1.

[0051] In the user terminal 20 configured as described above, when an operation to launch a dedicated application program for remote air conditioning is input to the input / output device 204, the processor 201 interacts with the user through the execution of the application program, performing actions such as setting a user-specified mode, setting the execution conditions for the user-specified mode, and sending a request to execute remote air conditioning. Details regarding setting the user-specified mode, setting the execution conditions for the user-specified mode, and sending a request to execute remote air conditioning will be described later.

[0052] (server) Next, an example of the hardware configuration of server 30 will be described. In this embodiment, server 30 is a computer operated by a provider of remote air conditioning services. The provider of remote air conditioning services is, for example, the manufacturer of vehicle 10 or a business operator commissioned by the manufacturer. As shown in Figure 4, server 30 is configured to include a processor 301, main memory 302, auxiliary memory 303, and communication I / F 304.

[0053] Note that in Figure 4, only hardware components related to remote air conditioning are extracted and illustrated, and other hardware components not shown in Figure 4 may be included in the server 30.

[0054] The processor 301, main memory 302, and auxiliary storage 303 of server 30 are the same as those of the processor 101, main memory 102, and auxiliary storage 103 of the in-vehicle terminal 100, respectively, so their description is omitted. However, in addition to the OS, the auxiliary storage 303 of server 30 stores a dedicated program for causing the processor 101 to execute processing related to remote air conditioning.

[0055] The communication interface 304 of the server 30 is a communication interface for connecting the server 30 to the network N1. In one example, the communication interface 304 may be configured to include a network interface board and a wireless communication interface for wireless communication. In this embodiment, the communication interface 304 communicates with the user terminal 20 and the in-vehicle terminal 100 through the network N1.

[0056] In the server 30 configured as described above, when the communication interface 304 receives an execution request sent from the user terminal 20, the processor 301 identifies the vehicle 10 to which the execution request applies, according to the vehicle ID included in the execution request. The processor 301 sends an operation command to the in-vehicle terminal 100 of the identified vehicle 10 via the communication interface 304. The operation command may include, as described above, a user-specified mode (information specifying the first mode or second mode), and execution conditions for the user-specified mode (see Figure 3).

[0057] (Software configuration of user terminals) Next, the software configuration of the user terminal 20 will be explained based on Figure 6. Figure 6 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal 20. The end 20 operates as a computer equipped with a display unit F21, a setting unit F22, an acquisition unit F23, a reception unit F24, and a transmission unit F25 as software modules, by having the processor 201 execute a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 203.

[0058] Furthermore, at least a portion of the display unit F21, setting unit F22, acquisition unit F23, reception unit F24, and transmission unit F25 are ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) or FPs. This may be implemented using hardware circuits such as GA (Field Programmable Gate Array). .

[0059] The display unit F21 triggers the output of the remote air conditioning menu screen to the input / output device 204 when a dedicated application program for remote air conditioning is launched. In one example, the remote air conditioning menu screen may include a setting button G31, which is a GUI (Graphical User Interface) component for calling up the user-specified mode and execution condition setting screen, an operation button G32, which is a GUI component for calling up the remote air conditioning operation acceptance screen, and an exit button G33, which is a GUI component for ending the execution of the application program, as shown in Figure 7. Note that the configuration of the remote air conditioning menu screen is not limited to the example shown in Figure 7 and may be changed as appropriate depending on the implementation.

[0060] The setting unit F22 triggers the output of a setting screen to the input / output device 204 when an operation to select the setting button G31 (for example, a tap or click operation) is input to the input / output device 204 while the remote air conditioning menu screen is displayed. In this embodiment, the setting unit F22 first outputs a user-specified mode setting screen to the input / output device 204. The user-specified mode setting screen may, in one example, include a first mode button G34, which is a GUI component for setting the first mode to a user-specified mode, a second mode button G35, which is a GUI component for setting the second mode to a user-specified mode, and a display field D1 for a message prompting the user to select a user-specified mode, as shown in Figure 8. In this embodiment, the user-specified mode setting screen corresponds to the "second screen" in this disclosure.

[0061] When the user-specified mode setting screen (see Figure 8) is displayed, and an operation to select the first mode button G34 (for example, a tap or click) is input to the input / output device 204, the setting unit F22 causes the input / output device 204 to output an execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode. The execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode may, in one example, include a pull-down menu G36, which is a GUI component for selecting the lower limit of the battery level, a save button G37, which is a GUI component for saving the selected lower limit of the battery level, and a message display field D2 prompting the user to select the execution conditions for the first mode (lower limit of the battery level), as shown in Figure 9. The execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode may also include an input field for the user to input an arbitrary battery level instead of the pull-down menu G36.

[0062] In the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode, when the user selects a desired battery level from the pull-down menu G36 and then inputs an operation to the input / output device 204 to select the save button G37 (for example, a tap or click), the setting unit F22 generates mode data 231 and stores the generated mode data 231 in the auxiliary storage device 203. In this case, the mode data 231 includes information indicating that the first mode is a user-specified mode, and information indicating that the lower limit of the battery level selected on the execution condition setting screen is the execution condition.

[0063] Furthermore, when the user-specified mode setting screen (see Figure 8) is displayed, if an operation to select the second mode button G35 (for example, a tap or click) is input to the input / output device 204, the setting unit F22 will display the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode. The power unit 204 is used to output power. The execution condition setting screen for the second mode may, in one example, include a pull-down menu G38, which is a GUI component for selecting the lower limit of the remaining fuel, a save button G39, which is a GUI component for saving the selected lower limit of the remaining fuel, and a message display field D3 that prompts the user to select the execution conditions for the second mode (lower limit of the remaining fuel), as shown in Figure 10. Alternatively, the execution condition setting screen for the second mode may include an input field for the user to enter an arbitrary remaining fuel instead of the pull-down menu G38.

[0064] In the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode, when the user selects a desired fuel level from the pull-down menu G38 and then inputs an operation to the input / output device 204 to select the save button G39 (for example, a tap or click), the setting unit F22 generates mode data 231 and stores the generated mode data 231 in the auxiliary storage device 203. In this case, the mode data 231 includes information indicating that the second mode is a user-specified mode, and information indicating that the lower limit of the fuel level selected on the execution condition setting screen is the execution condition.

[0065] In this embodiment, the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode and the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode correspond to the "third screen" in this disclosure.

[0066] The acquisition unit F23 is triggered when an operation to select the operation button G32 (for example, a tap or click) is input to the input / output device 204 while the remote air conditioning menu screen (see Figure 7) is displayed. It then accesses the mode data 231 in the auxiliary storage device 203 and acquires the vehicle ID, user-specified mode, and the execution conditions for the user-specified mode.

[0067] The reception unit F24 triggers the output of an operation reception screen to the input / output device 204 when the acquisition unit F23 acquires the vehicle ID, user-specified mode, and execution conditions for the user-specified mode. For example, the operation reception screen may include, as shown in Figure 11, an execution button G40 which is a GUI component for sending an execution request for the user-specified mode, a cancel button G41 which is a GUI component for canceling the operation of the remote air conditioning, and a display field D4 for a message prompting the user to select whether to operate the air conditioning unit 120 in the user-specified mode. The message displayed in the display field D4 may be changed according to the user-specified mode acquired by the acquisition unit F23. For example, if the user-specified mode acquired by the acquisition unit F23 is the first mode, a message prompting the user to select whether to operate the air conditioning unit 120 in the first mode may be displayed in the display field D4. Also, if the user-specified mode acquired by the acquisition unit F23 is the second mode, a message prompting the user to select whether to operate the air conditioning unit 120 in the second mode may be displayed in the display field D4. In addition to the messages described above, the execution conditions set by the setting unit F22 may also be displayed in the display area D4.

[0068] The configuration of the operation reception screen is not limited to the example shown in Figure 11 and may be modified as appropriate depending on the embodiment. For example, the operation reception screen may further include GUI components for setting the room temperature of the vehicle 10, and / or GUI components for setting the execution time of a user-specified mode. In this embodiment, the operation reception screen corresponds to the "first screen" according to this disclosure.

[0069] The transmitter F25 triggers an execution request to the server 30 when an operation to select the execution button G40 (for example, a tap or click) is input to the input / output device 204 while the operation reception screen is displayed. As mentioned above, the execution request is a signal (see Figure 2) that includes the vehicle ID, user-specified mode, and execution conditions for the user-specified mode. Such an execution request is generated using the vehicle ID, user-specified mode, and execution conditions for the user-specified mode acquired by the acquisition unit F23. The transmitter F25 sends the generated execution request to the server 30 via the communication interface F205.

[0070] The software configuration of the user terminal 20 is not limited to the example shown in Figure 6, and software components can be added, omitted, or modified depending on the embodiment.

[0071] (Process flow) Next, the processing flow executed in the user terminal 20 in this embodiment will be described based on Figures 12 and 13. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the processing flow executed in the user terminal 20 when setting the user-specified mode and execution conditions. Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the processing routine executed in the user terminal 20 when accepting remote air conditioning operation. The execution entity for the processing routines in Figures 12 and 13 is the processor 201 of the user terminal 20, but here we will describe the software components of the user terminal 20 as the execution entities.

[0072] The processing routine in Figure 12 is triggered when the setting button G31 is operated while the remote air conditioning menu screen (see Figure 7) is displayed. In the processing routine in Figure 12, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 acts as a setting unit F22 triggered by the operation of the setting button G31, and outputs the user-specified mode setting screen to the input / output device 204 (step S101). The user-specified mode setting screen may include a first mode button G34, which is a GUI component for setting the first mode to the user-specified mode, a second mode button G35, which is a GUI component for setting the second mode to the user-specified mode, and a message display field D1 prompting the user to select a user-specified mode, as explained with reference to Figure 8. After the setting unit F22 has finished executing the process in step S101, it executes the process in step S102.

[0073] In step S102, the setting unit F22 determines whether either the first mode or the second mode has been selected on the user-specified mode setting screen. For example, the setting unit F22 determines whether an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 has been input to the input / output device 204 while the user-specified mode setting screen shown in Figure 8 is displayed. If an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 has not been input to the input / output device 204 (negative determination in step S102), the setting unit F22 waits until the operation is input to the input / output device 204. On the other hand, if an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 has been input to the input / output device 204 (positive determination in step S102), the setting unit F22 executes the process in step S103.

[0074] In step S103, the setting unit F22 outputs the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the mode specified on the user-specified mode setting screen to the input / output device 204. Here, if the first mode is specified as the user-specified mode on the user-specified mode setting screen (for example, if the first mode button G34 in Figure 8 is operated), the setting unit F22 outputs the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode to the input / output device 204, as explained using Figure 9. Also, if the second mode is specified as the user-specified mode on the user-specified mode setting screen (for example, if the second mode button G35 in Figure 8 is operated), the setting unit F22 outputs the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode to the input / output device 204, as explained using Figure 10. After the setting unit F22 has finished executing the process in step S103, it executes the process in step S104.

[0075] In step S104, the setting unit F22 determines whether the execution conditions for the user-specified mode have been set. Here, if the first mode is set to the user-specified mode, the setting unit F22 determines whether the operation of selecting the save button G37 after the user has selected the desired battery level from the pull-down menu G36 on the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode as shown in Figure 9 has been input to the input / output device 204. Also, if the second mode is If the user-specified mode is selected, the setting unit F22 determines whether the user has selected the desired fuel level from the pull-down menu G38 and then selected the save button G39 in the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode as shown in Figure 10, and whether this operation has been input to the input / output device 204. If the execution conditions for the user-specified mode are not set (negative determination in step S104), the setting unit F22 waits until the execution conditions for the user-specified mode are set. On the other hand, if the execution conditions for the user-specified mode are set (positive determination in step S104), the setting unit F22 executes the process in step S105.

[0076] In step S105, the setting unit F22 generates mode data 231 including the user-specified mode set on the user-specified mode setting screen, the execution conditions set on the execution condition setting screen, and the vehicle ID, and stores the generated mode data 231 in the auxiliary storage device 203. When the setting unit F22 finishes executing the process in step S105, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 terminates the execution of the processing routine shown in Figure 12.

[0077] Next, the processing routine in Figure 13 is triggered when the operation button G32 is pressed while the remote air conditioning menu screen (see Figure 7) is displayed. Note that, in this case, the processing routine in Figure 12 has already been executed (user-specified mode and execution conditions have been set).

[0078] In the processing routine shown in Figure 13, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 acts as an acquisition unit F23 triggered by the operation of the operation button G32 to acquire the user-specified mode (step S201). Specifically, the acquisition unit F23 accesses the mode data 231 in the auxiliary storage device 203 to acquire the vehicle ID, the user-specified mode, and the execution conditions for the user-specified mode. Once the acquisition unit F23 has finished executing the process in step S201, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 acts as a reception unit F24 to execute the process in step S202.

[0079] In step S202, the reception unit F24 outputs the operation reception screen to the input / output device 204. The operation reception screen may include an execution button G40, which is a GUI component for sending an execution request for a user-specified mode; a cancel button G41, which is a GUI component for canceling the operation of the remote air conditioning system; and a message display field D4 that prompts the user to select whether to operate the air conditioning system 120 in a user-specified mode. In this case, the message displayed in the display field D4 may be changed according to the user-specified mode acquired by the acquisition unit F23. After the reception unit F24 has finished executing the process in step S202, it executes the process in step S203.

[0080] In step S203, the reception unit F24 determines whether a user has selected to execute a user-specified mode on the operation reception screen. For example, with the operation reception screen shown in Figure 11 displayed, the reception unit F24 determines whether an operation to select either the execute button G40 or the cancel button G41 has been input to the input / output device 204. If an operation to select either the execute button G40 or the cancel button G41 has not been input to the input / output device 204 (negative determination in step S203), the reception unit F24 waits until the operation is input to the input / output device 204. On the other hand, if an operation to select either the execute button G40 or the cancel button G41 has been input to the input / output device 204 (positive determination in step S203), the reception unit F24 executes the process in step S204.

[0081] In step S204, the reception unit F24 determines whether the operation entered into the input / output device 204 while the operation reception screen is displayed is an operation to select the execute button G40. If the operation entered into the input / output device 204 while the operation reception screen is displayed is an operation to select the cancel button G41 (negative determination in step S204), the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 terminates the execution of the processing routine shown in Figure 13. On the other hand, if the operation reception screen is If the operation input to the input / output device 204 while it is displayed is an operation to select the execute button G40 (affirmative determination in step S204), the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 operates as the transmit unit F25 and executes the process in step S205.

[0082] In step S205, the transmission unit F25 sends an execution request to the server 30. Specifically, the transmission unit F25 first generates an execution request using the vehicle ID, user-specified mode, and execution conditions of the user-specified mode acquired by the acquisition unit F23. Next, the transmission unit F25 sends the generated execution request to the server 30 via the communication interface F205. Once the transmission unit F25 has finished executing the process in step S205, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 terminates the execution of the processing routine shown in Figure 13.

[0083] (Effects of the embodiment) In the embodiment described above, the user terminal 20 sets either the first mode or the second mode to the user-specified mode, which is the mode desired by the user. When an operation to perform remote air conditioning is input, the user terminal 20 sends a request (execution request) to the server 30 to perform remote air conditioning in the user-specified mode desired by the user. The server 30 sends an operation command to the vehicle 10 that is the target of the execution request to operate the air conditioning unit 120 in the user-specified mode. As a result, the air conditioning unit 120 of the vehicle 10 can be operated in the mode desired by the user, from among the first mode and the second mode. As a result, it is possible to prevent remote air conditioning from being performed in a mode that does not conform to the user's intentions. As a result, the convenience of the user using remote air conditioning can be ensured.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the user terminal 20 sets the execution conditions for the user-specified mode according to the user's wishes. The user terminal 20 then sends an execution request to the server 30 that includes the execution conditions desired by the user. The server 30 sends an operation command, including the execution conditions, to the vehicle 10 that is the target of the execution request. The vehicle 10 operates the air conditioning system 120 in user-specified mode only if the execution conditions included in the operation command are met. This also helps to avoid situations where the battery level or fuel level of the vehicle 10 becomes lower than the user expects due to the remote air conditioning being executed in user-specified mode.

[0085] <Example 1> In the previously described embodiment, an example was given in which the air conditioning unit 120 is remotely operated according to a user-specified mode set in advance by the user. In contrast, this Modification 1 describes an example in which the user-specified mode is set each time the air conditioning unit 120 is remotely operated. Here, a configuration different from the previously described embodiment is described, and a similar configuration is omitted from the description.

[0086] (Software configuration of user terminals) Figure 14 is a bore block diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal 20 in this modified example 1. In this modified example 1, the user terminal 20 operates as a computer equipped with a display unit F21, an acquisition unit F26, a reception unit F24, and a transmission unit F25 as software modules, by having the processor 201 execute a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 203.

[0087] In this modified example, the display unit F21 triggers the launch of a dedicated application program for remote air conditioning, causing it to output a remote air conditioning menu screen, as shown in Figure 15, to the input / output device 204. The remote air conditioning menu screen illustrated in Figure 15 includes GUI components (for example, Figure 7) for calling up the user-specified mode and execution condition setting screen. It does not include the internal settings button G31, but includes an operation button G32, which is a GUI component for calling up the remote air conditioning operation reception screen, and an exit button G33, which is a GUI component for ending the execution of the application program.

[0088] In this modified example, the acquisition unit F26 is triggered when the operation of selecting the operation button G32 is input to the input / output device 204 while the remote air conditioning menu screen illustrated in Figure 15 is displayed, and outputs the user-specified mode setting screen to the input / output device 204. In this modified example 1, the user-specified mode setting screen may, in one example, include a first mode button G34, which is a GUI component for setting the first mode to the user-specified mode, a second mode button G35, which is a GUI component for setting the second mode to the user-specified mode, and a display field D1 for a message prompting the selection of the user-specified mode, as well as a display field D5 for the current battery level and fuel level of the vehicle 10, as shown in Figure 16. The mode setting screen in this modified example 1 corresponds to the "fourth screen" in this disclosure.

[0089] Furthermore, when outputting a user-specified mode setting screen, as illustrated in Figure 16, to the input / output device 204, the acquisition unit F26 may send a vehicle information request to the server 30. The vehicle information request signal is a signal requesting the battery level and fuel level of the vehicle 10, and includes the vehicle ID of the vehicle 10.

[0090] Upon receiving a vehicle information request, the server 30's processor 301 identifies the vehicle 10 to which the vehicle information request pertains, according to the vehicle ID included in the request. The server 30's processor 301 then sends a vehicle information transmission command to the identified vehicle 10's in-vehicle terminal 100 via the communication interface 304.

[0091] Upon receiving a vehicle information transmission command, the in-vehicle terminal 100's processor 101 connects to the in-vehicle network via the communication interface 104 and communicates with the ECU 110 via the in-vehicle network to obtain the remaining charge (SOC) of the battery 130 and the remaining fuel in the fuel tank. The processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 generates vehicle information including the data obtained from the ECU 110. In one example, the vehicle information may include the vehicle ID, the remaining charge (SOC) of the battery 130, and the remaining fuel in the fuel tank, as shown in Figure 17. Once such vehicle information is generated, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 connects to the external network N1 via the communication interface 104 and transmits the vehicle information to the server 30 via the network N1.

[0092] Upon receiving vehicle information transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal 100, the server 30 uses a processor 301 to transmit the received vehicle information to the user terminal 20 via a communication interface 304. Upon receiving the vehicle information transmitted from the server 30, the user terminal 20 uses an acquisition unit F26 to output a user-specified mode setting screen, as illustrated in Figure 16, to the input / output device 204.

[0093] When the user-specified mode setting screen is displayed and an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 is input to the input / output device 204, the acquisition unit F26 causes the input / output device 204 to output an execution condition setting screen corresponding to the mode specified in the user-specified mode (for example, the execution condition setting screen illustrated in Figure 9 or Figure 10 above). In this case, if the user-specified mode is the first mode, the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode may include a display field for the current battery level. If the user-specified mode is the second mode, the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode may include a display field for the current fuel level. The execution condition setting screen in this modified example 1 corresponds to the "fifth screen" in this disclosure.

[0094] In this modified example 1, the reception unit F24 is triggered when an execution condition is set on the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the mode specified in the user-specified mode, and then enters the operation reception screen. The output is sent to the output device 204. The operation reception screen at that time can be the same as in the embodiment described above (see Figure 11).

[0095] In this modified example 1, the transmission unit F25, similar to the embodiment described above, triggers an execution request to the server 30 when the input / output device 204 receives an input of the operation to select the execution button G40 while the operation reception screen is displayed.

[0096] (Process flow) In this modified example 1, when the user terminal 20 is operating the operation button G32 while the remote air conditioning menu screen (see Figure 15) is displayed, the same processing routine as in Figure 13 is executed as a trigger. However, instead of the processing of step S201 in Figure 13, the processing of steps S2011-S2015 shown in Figure 18 is executed.

[0097] In Figure 18, when the operation button G32 is pressed while the remote air conditioning menu screen (see Figure 15) is displayed, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 acts as an acquisition unit F26 and acquires vehicle information of the vehicle 10 (step S2011). In one example, the acquisition unit F26 sends a vehicle information request to the server 30 via the communication interface 205. When the vehicle information sent from the server 30 in response is received by the communication interface 205 of the user terminal 20, the acquisition unit F26 executes the process in step S2012.

[0098] In step S2012, the acquisition unit F26 outputs the user-specified mode setting screen to the input / output device 204. In this modified example 1, the user-specified mode setting screen may, in one example as shown in Figure 16, include a first mode button G34, which is a GUI component for setting the first mode to the user-specified mode; a second mode button G35, which is a GUI component for setting the second mode to the user-specified mode; a display field D1 for a message prompting the user to select a user-specified mode; and a display field D5 for the current battery level and fuel level of the vehicle 10. The battery level and fuel level displayed in display field D5 are the battery level and fuel level included in the vehicle information acquired in step S2011. After completing the processing in step S2012, the acquisition unit F26 executes the processing in step S2013.

[0099] In step S2013, the acquisition unit F26 determines whether an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 has been input to the input / output device 204 while the user-specified mode setting screen, as illustrated in Figure 16, is displayed. If an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 has not been input to the input / output device 204 (negative determination in step S2013), the acquisition unit F26 waits until the operation is input to the input / output device 204. On the other hand, if an operation to select either the first mode button G34 or the second mode button G35 has been input to the input / output device 204 (positive determination in step S2013), the acquisition unit F26 executes the process in step S2014.

[0100] In step S2014, the acquisition unit F26 outputs the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the mode specified on the user-specified mode setting screen to the input / output device 204. Here, if the first mode is specified as the user-specified mode on the user-specified mode setting screen (for example, if the first mode button G34 in Figure 16 is operated), the acquisition unit F26 outputs the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the first mode (for example, a screen similar to Figure 9) to the input / output device 204. Also, if the second mode is specified as the user-specified mode on the user-specified mode setting screen (for example, if the second mode button G35 in Figure 16 is operated), the acquisition unit F26 outputs the execution condition setting screen corresponding to the second mode (for example, a screen similar to Figure 10) to the input / output device 204. The acquisition unit F26 executes the process in step S2015 after completing the process in step S2014.

[0101] In step S2015, the acquisition unit F26 determines whether the execution conditions for user-specified mode have been set. If the execution conditions for user-specified mode have not been set (negative determination in step S2015), the acquisition unit F26 waits until the execution conditions for user-specified mode have been set. On the other hand, if the execution conditions for user-specified mode have been set (positive determination in step S2015), the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 finishes executing the processing flow in Figure 18 and executes the same processing as steps S202-S205 in the processing routine in Figure 13 described above.

[0102] (Effects of Modification 1) In the modified example 1 described above, the user terminal 20 sets the user-specified mode and execution conditions when it accepts remote operation of the air conditioning unit 120. At that time, the user terminal 20 displays the current battery level and fuel level to the user of the vehicle 10. This allows the user of the vehicle 10 to set the user-specified mode and execution conditions by referring to the battery level and fuel level at the time of remote operation of the air conditioning unit 120.

[0103] <Modification 2> This modified example 2 describes an example in which, after remote air conditioning is performed, the amount of battery or fuel consumed by the remote air conditioning is presented to the user of the vehicle 10. Here, a configuration different from the previously described embodiment is described, and a similar configuration is omitted from the description.

[0104] In this modified example 2, the in-vehicle terminal 100 is configured to send performance information to the server 30 as a trigger when the execution of remote air conditioning in the user-specified mode is completed. The performance information includes information on the amount of battery or fuel consumed by the execution of the remote air conditioning. Here, if the user-specified mode is the first mode, the performance information includes the amount of battery consumed by the execution of the first mode. If the user-specified mode is the second mode, the performance information includes the amount of fuel consumed by the execution of the second mode.

[0105] In order to transmit the above-described performance information to the server 30, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 first communicates with the ECU 110 via the communication I / F 104 to obtain the battery level or fuel level at the start of remote air conditioning and the battery level or fuel level at the end of remote air conditioning. Next, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 calculates the difference in battery level (amount of battery consumed by the execution of remote air conditioning) or fuel level (amount of fuel consumed by the execution of remote air conditioning) between the start and end of remote air conditioning. Then, the processor 101 of the in-vehicle terminal 100 transmits the performance information, including the calculated battery level or fuel level, to the server 30 via the communication I / F 104.

[0106] Furthermore, the in-vehicle terminal 100 may be configured to generate actual performance information, including the amount of battery or fuel consumed by the remote air conditioning operation, as well as the remaining battery or fuel level at the end of the remote air conditioning operation, and to transmit the generated actual performance information to the server 30. In addition, if the execution conditions for the user-specified mode are not met and the remote air conditioning is not performed, the in-vehicle terminal 100 may transmit information to the server 30 indicating that the execution conditions were not met, instead of the actual performance information.

[0107] Furthermore, in this modified example 2, the server 30 is configured to transmit performance information to the user terminal 20 in response to receiving performance information transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal 100. Specifically, the performance information transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal 100 is transmitted via the communication I / F 304 of the server 30. Upon receiving the information, the processor 301 of the server 30 transmits the relevant performance information to the user terminal 20 via the communication interface 304.

[0108] Furthermore, in this modified example 2, the user terminal 20 is configured to present performance information to the user of the vehicle 10 upon receiving performance information transmitted from the server 30. Specifically, upon receiving performance information transmitted from the server 30 via the communication interface 205, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 causes the input / output device 204 to output the performance information.

[0109] (Software configuration of user terminals) Figure 19 is a bore block diagram schematically showing an example of the software configuration of the user terminal 20 in this modified example 2. In this modified example 2, the user terminal 20 operates as a computer equipped with a display unit F21, a setting unit F22, an acquisition unit F23, a reception unit F24, a transmission unit F25, and a notification unit F27 as software modules, by having the processor 201 execute a program stored in the auxiliary storage device 203.

[0110] In this modified example 2, the display unit F21, setting unit F22, acquisition unit F23, reception unit F24, and transmission unit F25 are the same as those in the previously described embodiment, so their description is omitted.

[0111] In this modified example 2, the notification unit F27 triggers the output of a performance notification screen to the input / output device 204 upon receiving performance information transmitted from the server 30. In one example, the performance notification screen may include a display field D6 for the date and time of remote air conditioning execution, and a display field D7 for the amount of battery (for battery consumption) or fuel (for fuel consumption) consumed by the remote air conditioning execution, as shown in Figure 20. In addition to the battery consumption or fuel consumption, the display field D7 may also display the remaining battery or fuel level at the end of the remote air conditioning operation.

[0112] (Process flow) Next, the processing flow executed on the user terminal 20 in this modified example 2 will be explained based on Figure 21. Figure 21 is a flowchart showing the processing routine executed on the user terminal 20 when receiving remote air conditioning operation. In Figure 21, the same reference numerals are used for processes that are the same as those in the processing routine in Figure 13 described above.

[0113] In the processing routine shown in Figure 21, after steps S201-S205 are executed, the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 acts as a notification unit F27 and executes step S206. In step S206, the notification unit F27 determines whether the communication interface F205 has received the performance information transmitted from the server 30. If the communication interface F205 has not received the performance information (negative determination in step S206), the notification unit F27 waits until the communication interface F205 receives the performance information. On the other hand, if the communication interface F205 has received the performance information (positive determination in step S206), the notification unit F27 executes step S207.

[0114] In step S207, the notification unit F27 outputs the performance notification screen to the input / output device 204. The performance notification screen may include a display field D6 for the date and time of remote air conditioning execution, and a display field D7 for the amount of battery (battery consumption) or fuel (fuel consumption) consumed by the execution of remote air conditioning.

[0115] Furthermore, if the communication interface 205 of the user terminal 20 receives information indicating that the execution conditions for the user-specified mode were not met, instead of actual performance information, the notification unit F27 may terminate the execution of the processing routine in Figure 21 without executing the process in step S207. Alternatively, The notification unit F27 may output a screen to the input / output device 204, instead of the performance notification screen, indicating that the execution conditions for the user-specified mode were not met and that remote air conditioning was not performed.

[0116] (Effects of Modification 2) In the modified example 2 described above, after remote air conditioning is performed using the user-specified mode, the user terminal 20 displays to the user of vehicle 10 the amount of battery or fuel consumed by the remote air conditioning. This allows the user of vehicle 10 to use the actual amount of battery or fuel consumed by the user-specified mode as a guide when specifying the user-specified mode and / or setting the execution conditions for subsequent remote air conditioning. As a result, the user of vehicle 10 can more appropriately specify the user-specified mode and / or set the execution conditions.

[0117] <Other> The embodiments and modifications described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. For example, the execution conditions for the user-specified mode do not necessarily have to be variable conditions set by the user, but may be fixed conditions set in advance for each vehicle 10. In that case, the vehicle 10 may determine whether or not to execute the user-specified mode according to the fixed execution conditions set in advance. Furthermore, if it is determined that the execution conditions for the user-specified mode are not met, the user terminal 20 may be configured to allow the user to choose whether or not to execute remote air conditioning in a mode other than the user-specified mode.

[0118] Furthermore, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented as long as no technical inconsistencies arise. Moreover, processes described as being performed by one device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Also, processes described as being performed by different devices may be executed by one device. For example, at least a portion of the processes performed on the user terminal 20 may be executed by the server 30. In that case, the server 30 may obtain the user-specified mode and execution conditions, etc., by interacting with the user terminal 20 through the execution of a web server.

[0119] Furthermore, this disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the above embodiments to a user terminal 20, and having the processor 201 of the user terminal 20 read and execute the computer 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. A non-temporary computer-readable storage medium is a recording medium that stores information such as data and programs by electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, or chemical means and can be read from a computer or the like. Such a recording medium may be any type of disk, such as a magnetic disk (floppy disk, hard disk drive (HDD), etc.) or an optical disk (CD-ROM, DVD disk, Blu-ray disk, etc.). The recording medium may also be a read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic card, flash memory, optical card, or SSD (Solid State Drive), etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 10 vehicles 120 Air conditioner 130 batteries 140 Electric Motors 150 Internal Combustion Engine 160 Generators 170 Fuel level sensor 20 User Terminals 201 Processor 202 Main storage 203 Auxiliary storage device 204 Input / Output Devices 205 Communication I / F 231 Mode Data F21 Display F22 Settings Section F23 Acquisition Section F24 Reception Desk F25 Transmitter F26 Acquisition part F27 Notification section 30 servers 301 Processor 302 Main storage 303 Auxiliary storage device 304 Communication I / F

Claims

1. An information processing device for remotely operating a vehicle, configured to perform a first mode in which the air conditioning system is operated without operating the internal combustion engine, and a second mode in which the air conditioning system is operated with the internal combustion engine operating, To acquire a user-specified mode which is one of the first mode and the second mode, and which is a mode specified by the user of the vehicle, Upon obtaining the user-specified mode, a request to execute the user-specified mode is sent to an external device associated with the vehicle. A control unit configured to perform the following actions: Information processing device.

2. Sending the execution request in the user-specified mode to the external device associated with the vehicle means To output a first screen for selecting whether to execute the acquired user-specified mode, With the first screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to select the execution of the user-specified mode, In response to receiving the operation to select the execution of the user-specified mode, the execution request for the user-specified mode is sent to the external device associated with the vehicle, including, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The system further includes a storage unit that stores the user-specified mode, Acquiring the user-specified mode includes acquiring the user-specified mode stored in the storage unit. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The control unit, Outputting a second screen for specifying either the first mode or the second mode, With the second screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to specify the first mode or the second mode, The first mode or the second mode specified by the received operation is stored in the storage unit as the user-specified mode, It is configured to perform further actions. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The control unit, Outputting a third screen for setting the execution conditions of the user-specified mode, With the third screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to set the execution conditions. The execution conditions set by the accepted operation are stored in the storage unit in association with the user-specified mode, It is configured to perform further actions. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4.

6. When the control unit transmits the execution request in the user-specified mode to the external device associated with the vehicle, To obtain the execution conditions stored in the memory unit, The acquired execution conditions are transmitted to the external device along with the execution request in the user-specified mode. It is configured to perform further actions. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5.

7. When the user-specified mode is the first mode, the execution condition is a condition relating to the remaining charge of the battery installed in the vehicle. When the user-specified mode is the second mode, the execution condition is a condition relating to the remaining fuel in the fuel tank installed in the vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 6.

8. Obtaining the aforementioned user-specified mode means Outputting a fourth screen for specifying either the first mode or the second mode, With the fourth screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to specify the first mode or the second mode, The first mode or the second mode specified by the accepted operation is acquired as the user-specified mode, including, The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The control unit, Outputting a fifth screen for setting the execution conditions of the user-specified mode, With the fifth screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to set the execution conditions, The execution conditions set by the received operation are transmitted to the external device along with the execution request in the user-specified mode. It is configured to perform further actions. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. When the user-specified mode is the first mode, the execution condition is a condition relating to the remaining charge of the battery installed in the vehicle. When the user-specified mode is the second mode, the execution condition is a condition relating to the remaining fuel in the fuel tank installed in the vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to claim 9.

11. The first mode is a mode in which the air conditioning system is operated using the power of the battery installed in the vehicle. The second mode is a mode in which the air conditioning system is operated using electricity generated using the power of the internal combustion engine. The control unit is configured to further perform the following actions after the user-specified mode has been executed in the vehicle: acquire the actual value of the battery amount or fuel amount consumed by the execution of the user-specified mode, and output the acquired actual value. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. A program executed by a computer for remotely operating a vehicle, which is configured to perform a first mode in which the air conditioning system is operated without operating the internal combustion engine, and a second mode in which the air conditioning system is operated with the internal combustion engine operating, To the aforementioned computer, To acquire a user-specified mode which is one of the first mode and the second mode, and which is a mode specified by the user of the vehicle, Upon obtaining the user-specified mode, a request to execute the user-specified mode is sent to an external device associated with the vehicle. A program to execute.

13. Sending the execution request in the user-specified mode to the external device associated with the vehicle means To output a first screen for selecting whether to execute the acquired user-specified mode, With the first screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to select the execution of the user-specified mode, In response to receiving the operation to select the execution of the user-specified mode, the execution request for the user-specified mode is sent to the external device associated with the vehicle, including, The program according to claim 12.

14. The computer further comprises a storage unit that stores the user-specified mode, Acquiring the user-specified mode includes acquiring the user-specified mode stored in the storage unit. The program according to claim 13.

15. To the aforementioned computer, Outputting a second screen for specifying either the first mode or the second mode, With the second screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to specify the first mode or the second mode, The first mode or the second mode specified by the received operation is stored in the storage unit as the user-specified mode, To further execute The program according to claim 14.

16. To the aforementioned computer, Outputting a third screen for setting the execution conditions of the user-specified mode, With the third screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to set the execution conditions. The execution conditions set by the accepted operation are stored in the storage unit in association with the user-specified mode, To further execute The program according to claim 15.

17. When sending the execution request in the user-specified mode to the external device associated with the vehicle, the computer: To obtain the execution conditions stored in the memory unit, The acquired execution conditions are transmitted to the external device along with the execution request in the user-specified mode. To further execute L as described in claim 16.

18. When the user-specified mode is the first mode, the execution condition is a condition relating to the remaining charge of the battery installed in the vehicle. When the user-specified mode is the second mode, the execution condition is a condition relating to the remaining fuel in the fuel tank installed in the vehicle. The program according to claim 17.

19. Obtaining the aforementioned user-specified mode means Outputting a fourth screen for specifying either the first mode or the second mode, With the fourth screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to specify the first mode or the second mode, The first mode or the second mode specified by the accepted operation is acquired as the user-specified mode, including, The program according to claim 12.

20. To the aforementioned computer, Outputting a fifth screen for setting the execution conditions of the user-specified mode, With the fifth screen displayed, the system accepts an operation to set the execution conditions, The execution conditions set by the received operation are transmitted to the external device along with the execution request in the user-specified mode. To further execute The program according to claim 19.

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