Information processing device and information processing method

Abstract

To relatively evaluate the fuel consumption of a vehicle.SOLUTION: First data on the amount of the fuel or the amount of electric power that a first vehicle consumed to pass through a first road segment is acquired, second data on the amount of the fuel or the amount of electric power that second vehicles consumed to pass through the first road segment is acquired, the result of comparing the amount of the consumed fuel or the amount of the consumed electric power of the first vehicle when the first vehicle passed through the first road segment and the amount of the consumed fuel or the amount of the consumed electric power of the second vehicle when the second vehicle passed through the first road segment based on the first data and the second data is generated, and the result of the comparison is mapped in the first road segment on a road map.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] In-vehicle devices capable of outputting vehicle fuel efficiency information are becoming widespread. In this regard, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses an in-vehicle device that evaluates and outputs the fuel efficiency of the vehicle, taking into account factors such as distance traveled, road type, and traffic congestion. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-180185 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0004] This disclosure aims to provide a relative evaluation of vehicle fuel efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One embodiment of the present disclosure is: An information processing device having a control unit that performs the following: acquiring first data regarding the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when a first vehicle passes through a first road segment; acquiring second data regarding the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when a plurality of second vehicles pass through the first road segment; generating a result of comparing the amount of fuel or electricity consumed in the first road segment between the first vehicle and the plurality of second vehicles based on the first and second data; and mapping the result of the comparison to the first road segment on a road map.

[0006] One embodiment of the present disclosure is: This information processing device has a control unit that performs the following actions: acquiring first data representing the position of the first vehicle and second data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by the first vehicle from the first vehicle and storing them in a database; receiving the designation of one or more first road segments from the first device; and extracting third data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by the second vehicle in the first road segment from the database and transmitting the second data to the first device.

[0007] One embodiment of the present disclosure is: The information processing method includes: acquiring first data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by a first vehicle when it passes through a first road segment; acquiring second data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by a plurality of second vehicles when they pass through the first road segment; generating a result of comparing the amount of fuel or electricity consumed in the first road segment between the first vehicle and the plurality of second vehicles based on the first and second data; and mapping the result of the comparison to the first road segment on a road map.

[0008] Other embodiments include a program for causing a computer to execute the above method, or a computer-readable storage medium that non-temporarily stores the program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, the fuel efficiency of a vehicle can be evaluated relatively. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of the vehicle system according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the components of a vehicle according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] An example of fuel efficiency information generated by an in-vehicle device. [Figure 4]A diagram for explaining a method of comparing fuel consumption. [Figure 5] A diagram for explaining the components of the server device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram for explaining the data flow in the in-vehicle device. [Figure 7] A diagram for explaining a method of comparing fuel consumption. [Figure 8] A diagram for explaining the evaluation value calculated for each road segment. [Figure 9] An example of the fuel consumption map generated by the in-vehicle device. [Figure 10] A sequence diagram showing the data flow between the in-vehicle device and the server device. [Figure 11] An example of the information provided simultaneously with the fuel consumption map. [Figure 12] An example of the information provided simultaneously with the fuel consumption map. [Figure 13] An example of a method of comparing fuel consumption in the second embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] In recent years, in-vehicle devices that can output fuel consumption information of the own vehicle have become widespread. The fuel consumption information is calculated, for example, as an average value of fuel consumption per distance. The average value of fuel consumption can be reset at a predetermined timing, and thereby, the fuel consumption in an arbitrary section can be measured. Also, in-vehicle devices that can map the fuel consumption information of the own vehicle on a map are known. Thereby, it is possible to visualize how much fuel consumption was obtained in which section.

[0012] However, since a conventional in-vehicle device outputs fuel consumption information of a vehicle alone, a driver of a certain vehicle cannot know whether he / she is driving with better fuel consumption than other drivers. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to collect fuel consumption information of a plurality of vehicles that have traveled the same section and evaluate the fuel consumption of the own vehicle based on this. The information processing apparatus according to the present disclosure solves this problem.

[0013] An information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a control unit that performs the following: acquiring first data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when a first vehicle passes through a first road segment; acquiring second data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when a plurality of second vehicles pass through the first road segment; generating a result of comparing the amount of fuel or electricity consumed in the first road segment between the first vehicle and the plurality of second vehicles based on the first and second data; and mapping the result of the comparison to the first road segment on a road map.

[0014] A road segment is a division of a road that a vehicle can travel on into multiple sections. A road segment may be a road link connecting road nodes (junctions), or it may be a further subdivision of a road link. The first data is data indicating the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by the first vehicle as it passes through the first road segment. If the information processing device is installed in the first vehicle, the first data can be obtained from the vehicle's electronic control unit. Alternatively, if the information processing device is a server device, the first data may be received from the first vehicle via wireless communication.

[0015] The second set of data concerns the fuel or electricity consumption of multiple vehicles (second vehicles) on the same road segment. These multiple second vehicles are different from the first vehicle. It may be a single vehicle, or it may be multiple vehicles, including the first vehicle. The second set of data could be, for example, a collection of fuel or electricity consumption data for multiple second vehicles on the first road segment.

[0016] The control unit compares the fuel or electricity consumption (hereinafter simply referred to as "consumption") in the first road segment between the first vehicle and the second vehicle, based on the first and second data. The comparison can be made, for example, by determining "how many cc of fuel each vehicle consumed in the first road segment."

[0017] Since there are multiple second vehicles, the mean or standard score may be used for comparison. For example, the average consumption of multiple second vehicles may be calculated, and then the ratio to the consumption of the first vehicle may be calculated. Alternatively, the variance of the consumption of multiple second vehicles may be calculated, and then the deviation of the consumption of the first vehicle may be calculated. Furthermore, the percentile of the consumption of the first vehicle relative to the consumption of multiple second vehicles may be calculated. These methods allow for a relative evaluation of the fuel efficiency and electric power consumption of the first vehicle.

[0018] The control unit maps the comparison results onto a road map. For example, if the control unit performs a comparison on a road segment, it may generate a graphic corresponding to the results and overlay it on the target road segment. The graphic may, for example, show the degree of goodness of the comparison result using color. This makes it easy to identify sections with relatively good fuel efficiency or electric power consumption and sections with poor efficiency.

[0019] Furthermore, the control unit may select a second set of data to be used for comparison. When comparing fuel and electricity consumption, it is preferable to standardize the conditions of the vehicles, such as vehicle model, vehicle class, and drive system. Therefore, a vehicle with the same attributes as the first vehicle may be selected as the second vehicle, and corresponding second data may be acquired. Alternatively, a vehicle that traveled the first road segment under the same conditions as the first vehicle may be selected as the second vehicle. For example, matching conditions such as day of the week, time of day, and date can improve the accuracy of the comparison.

[0020] The control unit may provide the occupants of the first vehicle with a road map showing the comparison results. The road map may be output via a display device or transmitted to an external device (e.g., a computer carried by the occupants).

[0021] Furthermore, the control unit may compare the amount of fuel or electricity consumed in a predetermined length section including the second road segment between the first vehicle and a plurality of second vehicles, and map the results of the comparison to the second road segment on a road map as the results of the comparison for the second road segment.

[0022] If the distance of the road segments is short (for example, 100m), and fuel efficiency is compared on a segment-by-segment basis, the evaluation may fluctuate for each short section, making the results difficult to understand. Therefore, the section actually used for comparison may be made longer than the road segment on which the comparison results are displayed. For example, if the road segments are arranged in the order A, B, and C, the evaluation may be performed based on the amount of fuel consumed in the three sections A to C, and the results of this evaluation may be mapped to road segment B. This smooths out the evaluation results and makes the road map easier to read after mapping.

[0023] The following describes specific embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the hardware configurations, module configurations, functional configurations, etc., described in each embodiment are not intended to limit the technical scope of the disclosure to those described therein.

[0024] (First embodiment) An overview of the vehicle system according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 1. The vehicle system according to this embodiment consists of a vehicle 10 on which an in-vehicle device 100 is mounted, and a server device 200. There may be multiple vehicles 10 (and in-vehicle devices 100) included in the vehicle system.

[0025] Vehicle 10 is equipped with an on-board device 100, which is capable of providing the occupants with information regarding fuel consumption (fuel efficiency). The in-vehicle device 100 stores the amount of fuel consumed during driving for each road segment traveled, and transmits the stored information to the server device. In the following explanation, information that associates a given road segment with the amount of fuel consumed in that road segment will be referred to as "fuel efficiency information." Fuel efficiency information transmitted by multiple vehicles 10 is stored in the server device 200 and provided to any vehicle 10 upon request.

[0026] When vehicle 10 has finished its journey, the onboard device 100 outputs information regarding the fuel consumption during that journey. In this process, the in-vehicle device 100 obtains fuel efficiency information of other vehicles from the server device 200. This fuel efficiency information includes fuel efficiency information of other vehicles that have traveled on one or more road segments that vehicle 10 has traveled on. Based on the fuel efficiency information of its own vehicle that it has stored and the fuel efficiency information of other vehicles obtained from the server device 200, the in-vehicle device 100 compares the fuel efficiency of its own vehicle with that of other vehicles and maps the results onto a road map. This allows the driver of vehicle 10 to recognize how much more fuel-efficient their driving is compared to other vehicles.

[0027] Each element that makes up the system will be explained. Vehicle 10 is a connected car that has the ability to communicate with an external network. Vehicle 10 includes an in-vehicle device 100 and an electronic control unit (ECU). It is composed of (named).

[0028] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the components of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. The vehicle 10 according to this embodiment is composed of an on-board device 100 and an engine ECU 120.

[0029] In this example, a single ECU is illustrated, but vehicle 10 may include multiple ECUs that manage different vehicle components. Examples of multiple ECUs include a body ECU, a hybrid ECU, and a powertrain ECU. Furthermore, ECUs may be divided into functional units. For example, they could be divided into an ECU that performs security functions, an ECU that performs automatic parking functions, and an ECU that performs remote control functions.

[0030] First, let me explain the engine ECU120. The engine ECU 120 is an electronic control unit that controls the drivetrain components of the vehicle 10. The engine ECU 120 has the function of periodically communicating with the drivetrain components via the in-vehicle network.

[0031] The engine ECU120 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, main memory such as RAM or ROM, and auxiliary storage such as EPROM, disk drives, or removable media. The engine ECU 120 communicates with the fuel injection system of the vehicle 10 and obtains the amount of fuel consumed. It is configured to obtain, for example, the amount of fuel (cc) consumed per unit time.

[0032] The vehicle 10 may contain multiple ECUs. These multiple ECUs may control components in different systems, such as the body system, electrical system, and powertrain system.

[0033] Next, the in-vehicle device 100 will be described. The in-vehicle device 100 is a device that provides information to the occupants of a vehicle (for example, a car navigation system). The in-vehicle device 100 is also called a car navigation system, infotainment system, or head unit. The in-vehicle device 100 can provide navigation and entertainment to the occupants of a vehicle. The in-vehicle device 100 has the function of wirelessly communicating with an external network. The in-vehicle device 100 may also have the function of downloading traffic information, road map data, music, videos, etc., by communicating with the vehicle's external network. Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 100 may be a device that can be linked with a smartphone or the like.

[0034] The in-vehicle device 100 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, main memory such as RAM or ROM, and auxiliary storage such as an EPROM, hard disk drive, or removable media. The auxiliary storage contains an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc., and by executing the programs stored therein, various functions that match a predetermined purpose, as described later, can be realized. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs.

[0035] The in-vehicle device 100 comprises a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, a communication unit 103, an input / output unit 104, and a location information acquisition unit 105.

[0036] The control unit 101 is a computing unit that realizes various functions of the in-vehicle device 100 by executing a predetermined program. The control unit 101 may be implemented by, for example, a CPU. The control unit 101 is composed of three functional modules: an information acquisition unit 1011, an information transmission unit 1012, and a comparison unit 1013. Each functional module may be implemented by executing a stored program using a CPU.

[0037] The information acquisition unit 1011 periodically acquires data from the engine ECU 120 indicating the amount of fuel consumed per unit time. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 1011 acquires information about the road segment on which the vehicle 10 is traveling from the location information acquisition unit 105 (described later), and then associates the road segment with the fuel consumption to generate fuel efficiency information. Hereafter, fuel efficiency information related to the vehicle itself will be referred to as vehicle fuel efficiency information. Fuel efficiency information may be generated, for example, each time vehicle 10 enters a new road segment.

[0038] Figure 3 shows an example of fuel efficiency information generated by the information acquisition unit 1011. As shown, the fuel efficiency information consists of fields for date and time, vehicle ID, vehicle attributes, road segment, and fuel consumption. The date and time field stores the date and time information when the information was generated. The vehicle ID field stores a unique identifier for the vehicle. The vehicle attribute field stores information about the attributes of vehicle 10. Examples of attributes of vehicle 10 include vehicle type, model name, vehicle class, vehicle weight, fuel type, or drive system. Road segment field The "D" field stores the identifier of the road segment that vehicle 10 traveled. The "Fuel Consumption" field stores a value indicating the amount of fuel consumed in that road segment. The fuel efficiency information generated by the information acquisition unit 1011 is stored in the fuel efficiency database 102A of the storage unit 102.

[0039] The information transmission unit 1012 transmits the fuel consumption information generated by the information acquisition unit 1011 to the server device 200. The transmission of fuel consumption information may occur each time the vehicle 10 enters a new road segment, or it may occur when the vehicle 10 has finished driving (for example, when the vehicle system is shut down).

[0040] The comparison unit 1013 acquires fuel efficiency information for its own vehicle and fuel efficiency information for other vehicles, and by comparing these, calculates a value for evaluating the fuel efficiency of its own vehicle for each of the multiple road segments that the vehicle 10 has traveled. Specifically, the comparison unit 1013 identifies multiple road segments included in the route traveled by its own vehicle and obtains its own vehicle's fuel consumption information corresponding to the identified road segments from the fuel consumption database 102A. It also obtains fuel consumption information generated by multiple other vehicles that traveled on the same road segments (hereinafter referred to as other vehicle fuel consumption information) from the server device 200. Figure 4 shows the relationship between the vehicle's own fuel efficiency information and other vehicles' fuel efficiency information acquired by the comparison unit 1013. As shown in the figure, the comparison unit 1013 acquires the vehicle's own fuel efficiency information and other vehicles' fuel efficiency information generated by multiple other vehicles for the same road segment. By comparing these, it calculates an evaluation value that assesses "how good the vehicle's fuel efficiency is compared to multiple other vehicles." The method for generating evaluation values ​​will be explained later.

[0041] The comparison unit 1013 further generates a graphic based on the calculated evaluation value and outputs the graphic superimposed on the corresponding road segment on the road map. Preferably, the graphic is such that the calculated evaluation value for each road segment can be intuitively understood. The comparison unit 1013 may, for example, generate a warm-colored graphic if the vehicle's fuel efficiency is better than that of other vehicles, and generate a cool-colored graphic if the vehicle's fuel efficiency is worse than that of other vehicles, and superimpose these graphics onto the corresponding road segments on the road map. This makes it possible to visualize the relative quality of the vehicle's fuel efficiency compared to that of other vehicles. In the following explanation, a road map in which graphics corresponding to evaluation values ​​are superimposed on road segments will be referred to as a "fuel efficiency map."

[0042] The memory unit 102 is a means of storing information and is composed of storage media such as RAM, magnetic disks, and flash memory. The memory unit 102 stores various programs executed by the control unit 101, data used by those programs, and so on. The memory unit 102 also stores the aforementioned fuel efficiency database 102A and road map data 102B.

[0043] The fuel efficiency database 102A is a database that stores fuel efficiency information, as explained in Figure 3. Road map data 102B is map data of roads that vehicle 10 can travel on. Road map data 102B may include definitions of road segments.

[0044] The communication unit 103 is a communication interface for connecting the in-vehicle device 100 to the bus of the in-vehicle network and the server device 200, respectively. The communication unit 103 performs CAN (Controller Area Network) communication within the vehicle. It may include an interface. Furthermore, the communication unit 103 includes an antenna and a communication module for wireless communication with the outside world. It may be as follows. The antenna is an antenna element that performs input and output of wireless signals. In this embodiment, the antenna is suitable for mobile communication (for example, mobile communication such as 3G, 4G, and 5G). The communication module is a module for performing mobile communication.

[0045] The input / output unit 104 is a means for receiving input operations performed by the user and presenting information to the user. Specifically, the input / output unit 104 consists of a touch panel and its control means, and a liquid crystal display and its control means. In this embodiment, the touch panel and liquid crystal display consist of a single touch panel display. The input / output unit 104 may also include a unit for outputting audio (amplifier or speaker), a unit for inputting audio (microphone), etc.

[0046] The location information acquisition unit 105 acquires location information of the vehicle 10 and identifies the road segment on which the vehicle 10 is traveling. The location information acquisition unit 105 includes a GPS antenna and a positioning module for determining location information. The GPS antenna is an antenna that receives positioning signals transmitted from positioning satellites (also called GNSS satellites). The positioning module is a module that calculates location information based on the signals received by the GPS antenna. Furthermore, the location information acquisition unit 105 has the function of identifying the road segment on which the vehicle 10 is currently traveling by referring to the road map data 102B, which will be described later.

[0047] Next, we will describe the server device 200. The server device 200 performs the following processes: collecting fuel consumption information from multiple vehicles 10 (onboard devices 100) and storing it in a database; and providing fuel consumption information corresponding to multiple vehicles 10 that have previously traveled on a specified road segment, based on an external request.

[0048] Figure 5 is a diagram showing in detail the components of the server device 200 included in the vehicle system according to this embodiment.

[0049] The server device 200 can be configured as a computer having a processor such as a CPU or GPU, main memory such as RAM or ROM, and auxiliary storage such as EPROM, hard disk drive, and removable media. The auxiliary storage contains an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, etc. The programs stored therein are loaded into the working area of ​​the main memory and executed, and through the execution of the programs, each component is controlled, thereby realizing various functions that match the predetermined purpose, as described later. However, some or all of the functions may be realized by hardware circuits such as ASICs or FPGAs.

[0050] The server device 200 is configured to include a control unit 201, a storage unit 202, and a communication unit 203. The control unit 201 is a computing device that manages the control performed by the server device 200. The control unit 201 can be implemented by a computing device such as a CPU. The control unit 201 is configured to include a data acquisition unit 2011 and an information provision unit 2012 as functional modules. Each functional module may be implemented by executing a stored program using the CPU.

[0051] The data collection unit 2011 collects fuel consumption information from multiple vehicles 10 (onboard devices 100) and performs the process of storing it in the fuel consumption database 202A, which will be described later. When the data collection unit 2011 receives fuel efficiency information from multiple vehicles (in-vehicle devices 100), it stores this information in the fuel efficiency database 202A. The fuel efficiency database 202A is a database with columns similar to those shown in Figure 3. While the fuel efficiency database 102A stores fuel efficiency information for a specific vehicle, the fuel efficiency data Base 202A stores fuel efficiency information for multiple vehicles.

[0052] Based on a request from the in-vehicle device 100, the information provision unit 2012 extracts fuel efficiency information corresponding to multiple vehicles 10 that have previously traveled on a specified road segment from the fuel efficiency database 202A and transmits it to the in-vehicle device 100. Note that the in-vehicle device 100 that transmits fuel efficiency information to the server device 200 and the in-vehicle device 100 that requests fuel efficiency information from the server device 200 may be separate devices.

[0053] The storage unit 202 comprises a main memory and an auxiliary storage device. The main memory is the memory where programs executed by the control unit 201 and data used by said control programs are stored. The auxiliary storage device is the device where programs executed by the control unit 201 and data used by said control programs are stored.

[0054] Furthermore, the memory unit 202 stores the fuel efficiency database 202A. The fuel efficiency database 202A is a database that stores fuel efficiency information (Figure 3) transmitted from the on-board device 100. The fuel efficiency database 202A stores multiple fuel efficiency information transmitted from multiple vehicles 10 (on-board devices 100).

[0055] The communication unit 203 is a communication interface for connecting the server device 200 to a network. The communication unit 203 is comprised of, for example, a network interface board and a wireless communication interface for wireless communication.

[0056] Note that the configurations shown in Figures 2 and 5 are examples, and all or part of the illustrated functions may be performed using specially designed circuits. Furthermore, program storage and execution may be performed using combinations of main memory and auxiliary memory other than those shown.

[0057] Next, we will explain the specific details of the processing performed by the in-vehicle device 100. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the data flow between the components of the in-vehicle device 100.

[0058] The information acquisition unit 1011 periodically acquires data from the engine ECU 120 indicating the fuel consumption per unit time while the vehicle 10 is in motion. In parallel with this, the information acquisition unit 1011 acquires information (road segment ID) that identifies the road segment on which the vehicle 10 is currently traveling from the location information acquisition unit 105. The location information acquisition unit 105 compares the acquired location information with the road map data 102B to identify the road segment on which the vehicle 10 is currently traveling and provides its identifier to the information acquisition unit 1011.

[0059] The information acquisition unit 1011 associates the acquired road segments with the total amount of fuel consumed within those road segments and generates fuel efficiency information (vehicle fuel efficiency information) as shown in Figure 3. The generated vehicle fuel efficiency information is stored in the fuel efficiency database 102A. The fuel efficiency database 102A stores multiple road segments that the vehicle 10 has traveled through, and the amount of fuel consumed in each road segment, in a manner that is correlated with each other.

[0060] The vehicle's fuel consumption information stored in the fuel consumption database 102A is transmitted to the server device 200 by the information transmission unit 1012 at a predetermined timing. The transmission timing may be when the vehicle 10 moves between road segments, or when the vehicle 10 finishes driving (for example, when the vehicle system is shut down).

[0061] Furthermore, it is possible that vehicle 10 may be stopped for an extended period within a specific road segment. Fuel efficiency information obtained in such cases is not suitable as data for comparing fuel efficiency. Therefore, in the event of such a case, the corresponding vehicle fuel efficiency information will be stored on the server. The data may be excluded from transmission to the device 200. In order to determine this, the information acquisition unit 1011 may acquire data from the engine ECU 120 indicating the vehicle speed, shift position, or parking brake status.

[0062] The comparison unit 1013 starts operating when it is time to compare fuel efficiency. Fuel efficiency comparisons may be performed at the instruction of the occupants of vehicle 10, or they may be performed automatically when vehicle 10 has finished driving. The comparison unit 1013 identifies multiple road segments traveled by the vehicle 10 and obtains vehicle fuel consumption information corresponding to those road segments from the fuel consumption database 102A. Figure 7 is an example of road segments traveled by the vehicle 10. Here, it is assumed that the vehicle 10 traveled in the order of road segments A, B, C, and D.

[0063] Furthermore, the comparison unit 1013 acquires fuel efficiency information from other vehicles corresponding to the same road segment from the server device 200. Here, the fuel efficiency information transmitted from other vehicles that traveled on the same road segment is the target of acquisition. In the illustrated example, fuel efficiency information from multiple vehicles that traveled on road segment A, fuel efficiency information from multiple vehicles that traveled on road segment B, and so on, is acquired for each road segment. Note that in the example in Figure 7, it is assumed that there were three other vehicles that traveled on the same road segment.

[0064] Furthermore, it is preferable to compare fuel efficiency information using vehicles that operate at a similar fuel consumption rate to the target vehicle 10. For this reason, it is preferable to obtain fuel efficiency information from other vehicles that have the same or similar vehicle attributes. For example, the comparison unit 1013 may notify the server device 200 of the attributes of the vehicle 10, and the server device 200 may extract the fuel consumption information transmitted from vehicles 10 having attributes that match or are similar to the said attributes, and generate other-vehicle fuel consumption information. Examples of the attributes of the vehicle 10 include, for example, vehicle type, model name, vehicle class, vehicle weight, vehicle seating capacity, fuel type, or drive type. The server device 200 can determine the data to be extracted by referring to the vehicle attribute fields included in the fuel consumption information stored in the fuel consumption database 202A.

[0065] The comparison unit 1013 that has acquired the own-vehicle fuel consumption information and the other-vehicle fuel consumption information performs a comparison of the fuel consumption for each road segment. In the example of FIG. 7, a plurality of other-vehicle fuel consumption information as indicated by reference numeral 702 and the own-vehicle fuel consumption information (reference numeral 701) are compared. This process is executed for each road segment.

[0066] Here, a method for comparing the own-vehicle fuel consumption information and the other-vehicle fuel consumption information will be described. (1) Method 1 As a representative method, there is a method of obtaining the average value of the fuel consumption of a plurality of other vehicles and comparing this with the fuel consumption of the own vehicle. For example, consider the case where N other vehicles V1 to V N are traveling on a certain road segment. If the fuel consumption of each vehicle in the said road segment is C v1 to C vN , then the average value μ of the fuel consumption can be expressed by the following formula. μ = (C v1 + C v2 + C v3 + … + C vN ) / N By calculating what percentage the fuel consumption of the own vehicle is with respect to the value obtained here, an evaluation value can be obtained. When the fuel consumption of the own vehicle is C vs , the evaluation value can be μ / C vs . If the evaluation value obtained here is greater than 1, it can be determined that the fuel consumption of the own vehicle is good compared to other vehicles.

[0067] (2) Method 2 Another method of comparison is to calculate the standard score. Specifically, the fuel consumption C of each vehicle in the road segment in question. v1 ~C vN The variance σ can be calculated, and based on this, the standard score for the vehicle's fuel consumption can be calculated. In this example, the standard score will be the evaluation value. σ = √{(C v1 -μ) 2 +(C v2 -μ) 2 +…+(C vN -μ) 2} / (N-1) Standard score = -{(C vs -μ) / σ}×10+50 If the evaluation value obtained here is greater than 50, it can be determined that the vehicle's fuel efficiency is good compared to other vehicles.

[0068] (3) Method 3 Another method of comparison is to determine the percentile of fuel consumption. In other words, the fuel consumption of your vehicle and other vehicles are ranked in order, and your vehicle's position in the overall fuel consumption is calculated and used as an evaluation value. This allows you to know your vehicle's rank in the overall fuel consumption.

[0069] By performing the above process for each road segment, an evaluation value is obtained for each road segment that vehicle 10 has passed through. Figure 8 shows an example of the evaluation value (e.g., standard score) calculated for each road segment. The evaluation values ​​may also be ranked based on their evaluation values. In this example, an example of ranking the evaluation values ​​using labels A to E is shown. For example, A can be "very good", B can be "good", C can be "average", D can be "bad", and E can be "very bad".

[0070] Once an evaluation value is calculated for each road segment, the comparison unit 1013 overlays a graphic onto the road map based on the evaluation value. Figure 9 shows an example of a road map (fuel efficiency map) with superimposed graphics. The fuel efficiency map includes multiple road segments traveled by vehicle 10. In this example, the multiple road segments included in the road map are colored according to their rank. For example, road segments that yielded better fuel efficiency may be colored in warm colors, while those that did not may be colored in cool colors. In the example in Figure 9, the rank is represented by shades of gray. This allows you to see at a glance how your vehicle's fuel efficiency compares to other vehicles.

[0071] Figure 10 is a diagram showing the processing flow performed by the in-vehicle device 100 and the server device 200 in this embodiment.

[0072] First, in step S11, the information acquisition unit 1011 generates vehicle fuel consumption information. As described above, the information acquisition unit 1011 uses the fuel consumption per unit time obtained from the engine ECU 120 and the road segment identifier obtained from the location information acquisition unit 105 to generate fuel consumption information as shown in Figure 3. The generated fuel consumption information is stored in the fuel consumption database 102A and transmitted to the server device 200.

[0073] In step S12, the server device 200 (data acquisition unit 2011) stores the received fuel consumption information in the fuel consumption database 202A. The processes in steps S11 and S12 are executed when the vehicle 10 exits the road segment or when the vehicle 10 has completed its journey.

[0074] When the in-vehicle device 100 starts generating a fuel efficiency map, in step S13, the in-vehicle device 100 requests fuel efficiency information of other vehicles from the server device 200. In this step, identifiers of multiple road segments that vehicle 10 has passed through, and information about the attributes of vehicle 10 are sent to the server device 200. In step S14, the server device 200 extracts fuel consumption information of other vehicles that have passed through the specified road segment. In this step, fuel consumption information transmitted from vehicles with specified attributes is the target of extraction. The fuel consumption information (other vehicle fuel consumption information) extracted by the server device 200 is transmitted to the in-vehicle device 100.

[0075] In step S15, the in-vehicle device 100 calculates an evaluation value for each road segment based on its own vehicle's fuel efficiency information and other vehicles' fuel efficiency information using the method described above, and then superimposes a graphic onto the road segment based on this. This maps the results of the comparison of the fuel efficiency of the vehicle and other vehicles onto the road map. The road map may be output to a display on the in-vehicle device 100, or it may be transmitted to a device associated with the occupants of the vehicle 10.

[0076] As described above, in the vehicle system according to this embodiment, each of the multiple vehicles 10 reports the amount of fuel consumed in the road segment it has passed through to the server device 200, which stores this information. The stored fuel consumption information is provided to the on-board device 100 upon request, and the on-board device 100 compares the fuel consumption of its own vehicle with that of other vehicles based on the fuel consumption information obtained from the server device 200, and maps the results onto a road map. This makes it possible for the user of the vehicle 10 (for example, the driver) to understand whether their own driving is reasonable compared to that of other vehicles.

[0077] Furthermore, since other vehicles used for comparison are selected based on their vehicle attributes, it is possible to compare vehicles with similar fuel consumption rates.

[0078] (Modification 1 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the in-vehicle device 100 acquires fuel consumption information for its own vehicle that has traveled a predetermined road segment and fuel consumption information for multiple other vehicles that have traveled the same road segment, and performs a calculation to compare them. On the other hand, some of the calculations for comparison may be performed by the server device 200. For example, the average value of fuel consumption shown in Method 1 and the variance of fuel consumption shown in Method 2 may be calculated by the server device 200. In this case, the server device 200 may perform such calculations after extracting the fuel consumption information of other vehicles in step S14 and then notify the in-vehicle device 100 of the obtained values.

[0079] Furthermore, the server device 200 may perform the calculation of evaluation values ​​and ranking. For example, in the process of step S13, the in-vehicle device 100 may further notify the server device 200 of its own vehicle's fuel efficiency information, and based on this, the server device 200 may calculate evaluation values ​​and rank. In this case, the server device 200 may transmit information indicating evaluation values ​​and ranks for each road segment (information for generating a fuel efficiency map) to the in-vehicle device 100 instead of other vehicles' fuel efficiency information. The in-vehicle device 100 that receives this information may then use it to generate a fuel efficiency map.

[0080] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the on-board device 100 associated the road segments with fuel consumption, but the server device 200 may also perform this association. In this case, the on-board device 100 may generate fuel consumption information that includes location information instead of road segments, and the server device 200 may calculate the amount of fuel consumed in each road segment based on the location information.

[0081] (Modification 2 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the in-vehicle device 100 generated a fuel consumption map as a result of comparing fuel consumption, but the in-vehicle device 100 may also graph the changes in fuel consumption along the route traveled by the vehicle 10. Figure 11 shows a graph of the changes in fuel consumption along the route traveled by the vehicle 10. The image shown is an example of this. Such a graph can be obtained by summing up the fuel consumption for multiple road segments included in the route traveled by vehicle 10. The graph may also plot the fuel consumption (average value) of other vehicles that traveled on the same road segment. Furthermore, the in-vehicle device 100 may be configured to allow switching between the fuel efficiency map and the graph shown in Figure 11. Alternatively, the device may display the corresponding road segment on the fuel efficiency map when any point on the graph is selected as a trigger.

[0082] (Modification 3 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, the server device 200 extracts fuel efficiency information of other vehicles that have previously passed through a designated road segment, and the in-vehicle device 100 performs a fuel efficiency comparison based on this information. However, the accuracy of the comparison results may vary depending on the number of other vehicles that have traveled through the relevant road segment. For example, the accuracy of the comparison results will differ between a road segment where 10 vehicles travel per day and a road segment where 3,000 vehicles travel per day. Therefore, the form of the graphic mapped onto the road map may be determined based on the number of other vehicles used for the comparison. For example, for a particular road segment, the thicker the line, the more other vehicles that have passed through it in a predetermined period in the past. This makes it possible to intuitively show the accuracy of the comparison results. In this example, line thickness was used as an example of the graphic form, but the number of other vehicles compared may be represented by other means.

[0083] (Modification 4 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, evaluation values ​​were obtained as a result of comparing fuel efficiency, but in order to encourage improvement in driving behavior, information such as "where the vehicle is located within the overall picture" may also be presented. For example, a histogram of fuel consumption may be generated based on the fuel consumption information of other vehicles and output along with the position of the own vehicle. Figure 12 shows an example of a histogram generated based on the fuel consumption of multiple other vehicles. This histogram can be generated based on the fuel consumption information of the own vehicle and the fuel consumption information of other vehicles. The position of the own vehicle in the histogram may be indicated, for example, by a marker. With such a configuration, the position of the own vehicle in the overall picture can be easily grasped.

[0084] (Modification 5 of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, in step S14, the server device 200 extracted fuel consumption information from the database using two keys: vehicle attributes and road segment. On the other hand, fuel consumption in a given road segment can vary greatly depending on factors such as traffic congestion. Therefore, when extracting fuel efficiency information in step S14, conditions such as day of the week, time of day, and date may be used. For example, conditions such as "weekdays around 6 PM" may be specified for when the vehicle 10 traveled on the target road segment, and fuel efficiency information may be extracted using these conditions. These conditions may be specified by the in-vehicle device 100, or they may be automatically added by the server device 200. This configuration allows for the acquisition of fuel efficiency information from other vehicles that have driven under similar conditions, thereby improving the accuracy of comparisons.

[0085] (Second Embodiment) In the first embodiment, fuel consumption was compared for each road segment. That is, for example, if a certain road segment was the subject of evaluation, the amount of fuel consumed in that road segment was compared among the vehicles. However, if the road segment is short (for example, less than 100m), the evaluation may fluctuate for each short section, making the results difficult to interpret. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the section used for comparison is made longer than the road segment being evaluated.

[0086] Figure 13(A) is a diagram illustrating the method for comparing fuel consumption in the second embodiment. In the first embodiment, for example, if road segment C was the subject of evaluation, the amount of fuel consumed in road segment C was compared. In contrast, in the second embodiment, the amount of fuel consumed in multiple road segments, including the road segments before and after road segment C, is used for comparison to generate an evaluation for road segment C. In this example, for instance, the total amount of fuel consumed in three sections (symbol 1301) of road segments B, C, and D is obtained, and the fuel efficiency of the vehicle itself is compared with that of other vehicles. The results of the comparison are associated with road segment C and mapped onto a road map. In other words, the comparison result (evaluation value) based on the amount of fuel consumed in the section indicated by symbol 1301 becomes the evaluation for segment C.

[0087] With this configuration, comparisons can be made based on a moving average of fuel consumption, which smooths out fluctuations in evaluation results and makes the road map easier to read after mapping.

[0088] In the example shown in Figure 13(A), a total of three road segments, including one before and one after the road segment being evaluated, were used as the section for calculating fuel consumption. However, the boundaries of the section for calculating fuel consumption do not necessarily have to coincide with the boundaries of the road segments. For example, as shown in Figure 13(B), a section (reference numeral 1302) of a predetermined length, unrelated to road segments, may be defined, and a comparison may be made based on the amount of fuel consumed in that section. In this case, the amount of fuel consumed in that section may be determined by apportioning the fuel consumption for each road segment by distance.

[0089] (modified version) The embodiments described above are merely examples, and this disclosure may be modified as appropriate without departing from its essence. For example, the processes and means described in this disclosure can be freely combined and implemented, as long as no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0090] In this disclosure, fuel may be volatile oil (such as gasoline or diesel fuel), a gas such as hydrogen, or a compressed liquid thereof. Furthermore, although gasoline consumption is used as an example of fuel efficiency information in the description of the embodiments, if the subject is an electric vehicle, it is also possible to perform calculations using electricity consumption (electricity consumption information).

[0091] Furthermore, a process described as being performed by a single device may be divided and executed by multiple devices. Conversely, a process described as being performed by different devices may be executed by a single device. In a computer system, the hardware configuration (server configuration) by which each function is implemented can be flexibly changed.

[0092] This disclosure can also be realized by supplying a computer program implementing the functions described in the embodiments above to a computer, and having one or more processors in the computer read and execute the program. Such a computer program may be provided to the computer by a non-temporary computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to the computer's system bus, or it may be provided to the computer via a network. The non-temporary computer-readable storage medium may be any type of disk, such as magnetic disks (floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs), etc.), optical disks (CD-ROMs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), EPROM, EEPROM, magnetic cards, flash memory, optical cards, or any other medium suitable for storing electronic instructions. Includes the medium of the ipu. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0093] 10.. Vehicles 100...In-vehicle equipment 120···ECU 200... Server equipment 101,201...Control Unit 102,202...Storage section 103,203... Communications Department 104...Input / output section 105...Location information acquisition unit

Claims

1. Obtaining first data regarding the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when the first vehicle passes through the first road segment, Obtaining second data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when multiple second vehicles pass through the first road segment during a predetermined period, and the number of the multiple second vehicles that passed through the first road segment during the predetermined period, Based on the first and second data, the system generates a comparison of fuel or electricity consumption in the first road segment between the first vehicle and the plurality of second vehicles, and maps the comparison results to the first road segment on a road map. It has a control unit that performs the following: The control unit overlays a graphic corresponding to the comparison result onto the first road segment included in the road map. The control unit is an information processing device that determines the display format of the graphic based on the number of the plurality of second vehicles that passed through the first road segment during the predetermined period.

2. The control unit, as a result of the comparison, determines the deviation or percentile of the fuel or power consumption of the first vehicle relative to the fuel or power consumption of the plurality of second vehicles. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The second data includes the average fuel or electricity consumption of the plurality of second vehicles in the first road segment. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The control unit generates the comparison results for the multiple road segments on which the first vehicle traveled, and performs the mapping for each of the multiple road segments. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The aforementioned plurality of second vehicles are vehicles having the same attributes as the first vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The aforementioned plurality of second vehicles are vehicles that traveled the first road segment under the same conditions as the first vehicle. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The graphic is a figure whose shape overlaps the first road segment on the road map. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

8. The control unit determines the color of the graphic based on the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by the first vehicle relative to the plurality of second vehicles. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The control unit provides the occupant of the first vehicle with the road map on which the comparison results are mapped. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1.

10. The control unit compares the amount of fuel or electricity consumed in a predetermined length section including the second road segment between the first vehicle and the plurality of second vehicles, and maps the result of the comparison to the second road segment on the road map as the result of the comparison for the second road segment. The information processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

11. From the first vehicle, first data representing the position of the first vehicle and second data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed by the first vehicle are obtained and stored in a database. The first device accepts the designation of one or more first road segments, From the database, third data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when multiple second vehicles passed through the first road segment during a predetermined period is extracted, and the third data and the number of multiple second vehicles that passed through the first road segment during the predetermined period are transmitted to the first device. An information processing device having a control unit that performs the following.

12. The third data includes the average fuel or electricity consumption of the multiple second vehicles that have passed through the first road segment. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11.

13. The second vehicle is a vehicle having a predetermined attribute. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 or 12.

14. The control unit further receives the designation of the predetermined attribute from the first device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 13.

15. The second vehicle is a vehicle that has passed through the first road segment under predetermined conditions. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 or 12.

16. The control unit further receives the specification of the predetermined conditions from the first device. The information processing apparatus according to claim 15.

17. Computers Obtaining first data regarding the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when the first vehicle passes through the first road segment, Obtaining second data relating to the amount of fuel or electricity consumed when multiple second vehicles pass through the first road segment during a predetermined period, and the number of the multiple second vehicles that passed through the first road segment during the predetermined period, Based on the first and second data, the system generates a comparison of fuel or electricity consumption in the first road segment between the first vehicle and the plurality of second vehicles, and maps the comparison results to the first road segment on a road map. Includes, The computer overlays a graphic corresponding to the result of the comparison onto the first road segment included in the road map. An information processing method in which the computer determines the display format of the graphic based on the number of the plurality of second vehicles that passed through the first road segment during the predetermined period.

18. The aforementioned plurality of second vehicles are vehicles having the same attributes as the first vehicle. The information processing method according to claim 17.

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