Alcohol check system

Abstract

To provide an alcohol check system enabling suppression of drunk driving of a driver without large-scale modification of a vehicle.SOLUTION: The alcohol check system comprises: a vehicle control unit 21 mounted on a vehicle 20 managed in a business office; a portable terminal 10 carried by a driver of the vehicle 20; and a server 50 that can communicate with the portable terminal 10. The vehicle control unit 21 enables the driver to drive the vehicle 20 on the basis of the authentication of the vehicle 20 and the portable terminal 10. The portable terminal 10 comprises an alcohol check application that includes: a measurement data receiving unit receiving measurement data from an alcohol checker 30 measuring the alcohol concentration of the exhalation of the driver; and an authentication information receiving unit receiving authentication information for use in the authentication from the server 50 when the alcohol concentration of the measurement data is a threshold or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , , , , , , ,

[0006] ,

[0001] This disclosure relates to an alcohol check system Mu .

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, drunk driving has become a major social problem. Among them, due to the amendment of the Road Traffic Law in 2022, it has been made obligatory for the safety driving manager of a business establishment to record whether an employee driver is under the influence of alcohol and to store the recorded content for one year.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0007] One of the disclosed alcohol check systems is installed in a vehicle (20) managed by a business and comprises a vehicle control unit (21) that controls whether the vehicle can be driven, a portable terminal (10) carried by the vehicle's driver, and a server (50) configured to communicate with the portable terminal. The vehicle control unit is configured to allow the driver to drive the vehicle based on authentication of the vehicle and the portable terminal. The portable terminal includes a measurement data receiving unit (123) that receives measurement data of alcohol concentration from an alcohol checker (30) that measures the alcohol concentration of the driver's breath, and an authentication information receiving unit (126) that receives authentication information used for authentication from the server when the alcohol concentration of the measurement data is below a threshold. A check data transmission unit (124) that sends check data including measurement data to a server and Equipped with an alcohol check application This is an alcohol check system in which a server sends a check notification to a mobile device to prompt the user to perform an alcohol check, and when the mobile device receives the check notification, it launches an alcohol check application, and the alcohol check application has a measurement data receiving unit that receives measurement data from an alcohol checker and a check data transmission unit that sends the check data to the server. .

[0008] This alcohol check system includes an alcohol check application equipped with an authentication information receiving unit that receives authentication information from a server for authentication between the vehicle and the mobile device when the driver's breath alcohol concentration is below a threshold. Therefore, if the driver's breath alcohol concentration is not below the threshold, the alcohol check application cannot receive authentication information, and the driver cannot drive the vehicle. This prevents drunk driving. Furthermore, by installing the alcohol check application on an existing mobile device (e.g., a smartphone), this system can effectively utilize the hardware and software environment of the existing mobile device, resulting in a simpler system compared to conventional alcohol interlock systems. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating the overall structure of the alcohol check system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a mobile terminal according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3]This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart showing an example of the authentication process performed by the vehicle system of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This flowchart shows the process performed by the mobile device during the pre-driving alcohol check in the first embodiment. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows the processes performed by the vehicle system during the pre-drive alcohol check in the first embodiment. [Figure 7] This flowchart shows the processes performed by the server in the pre-driving alcohol check of the first embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a sequence diagram illustrating the overall processing flow of the system in the pre-drive alcohol check of the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This flowchart shows the process performed by the mobile device during the in-drive alcohol check in the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows the processes performed by the server during the in-drive alcohol check in the first embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the vehicle system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This flowchart shows the processes performed by the vehicle's ECU during the in-drive alcohol check in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment disclosing an example of an alcohol check system will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 10. As shown in Figure 1, the authentication system 1 comprises a portable terminal 10 carried by the driver, a vehicle ECU 21 mounted on the vehicle 20, an alcohol checker 30, an administrator terminal 40, and a server 50. The portable terminal 10, the administrator terminal 40, and the server 50 are each connected to a network and can communicate with each other.

[0013] The vehicle 20 is, for example, a vehicle owned by a business office (e.g., a carrier). The vehicle 20 is one of a plurality of vehicles owned by the business office, and the plurality of vehicles are managed by the administrator of the business office. The driver who drives the vehicle 20 is one of the employees belonging to the business office. The administrator is a person responsible for managing the operation of a plurality of vehicles using the administrator's terminal 40 and the server 50.

[0014] In this system, the alcohol checks implemented include a pre-driving alcohol check and an in-driving alcohol check system. The pre-driving alcohol check is an alcohol check performed before driving, and the in-driving alcohol check is an alcohol check performed within the scheduled operation time.

[0015] <Configuration of the mobile terminal 10> The mobile terminal 10 is an information processing terminal carried by the driver as shown in FIG. 2. The mobile terminal 10 is a general-purpose information processing terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a wearable device, etc. The mobile terminal 10 can also be called a wireless terminal or a portable wireless terminal. As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 10 includes a terminal control unit 11, a wireless communication unit 13, a terminal display unit 14, a GPS 15, and a camera 16.

[0016] The terminal control unit 11 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 111, a memory 112, and a storage 113. The CPU 111 is an example of a processing unit, and is a device that executes control and various operations on each part of the mobile terminal 10 according to programs and data stored in the memory 112 and the storage 113. The memory 112 is a volatile storage medium such as a RAM. The storage 113 is configured to include a non-volatile storage medium. Also, the terminal control unit 11 includes an alcohol check application (hereinafter referred to as the alcohol check app) 12 as application software stored in the storage 113. In FIG. 2, the alcohol check app 12 is illustrated as a functional block described later outside the storage 113.

[0017] The wireless communication unit 13 is a communication module for performing wireless communication between the vehicle 20 and the alcohol checker. The communication implemented by the wireless communication unit 13 is, for example, short-range wireless communication with a maximum communication range of about several tens of meters. The short-range wireless communication implemented by the wireless communication unit 13 is communication compliant with a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the communication is configured to be implemented in accordance with the Bluetooth Low Energy (hereinafter referred to as BLE, Bluetooth is a registered trademark) standard. Note that the short-range wireless communication may be Wi-Fi (registered trademark) communication, Ultra Wide Band (UWB) communication, or Near Field Communication (NFC) communication.

[0018] Although not shown in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 10 has a wide-area wireless communication unit for communicating with the server 50 via a mobile phone network including a base station and a public communication network. Examples of the public communication network include the Internet and the like.

[0019] The terminal display unit 14 is a module for displaying an image signal from the terminal control unit 11. The GPS 15 is a device for acquiring the position information and time information of the mobile terminal 10. The position information of the mobile terminal 10 acquired by the GPS 15 is periodically transmitted to the server 50, for example, at a frequency of once every 30 seconds. Thereby, the server 50 can grasp that the vehicle has stopped at a point on the planned route or has passed a predetermined point.

[0020] The camera 16 is for photographing and acquiring the face image of the driver.

[0021] The alcohol check application 12 includes a face image acquisition unit 121, a vehicle information acquisition unit 122, a measurement data reception unit 123, a check data transmission unit 124, a check result reception unit 125, a key code reception unit 126, and an authentication processing unit 127. The functions of the key code reception unit 126 and the authentication processing unit 127 may be provided by another application installed in the mobile terminal 10.

[0022] The facial image acquisition unit 121 acquires images captured by the camera 16, specifically facial images taken while the driver is undergoing an alcohol check. The facial image here refers to an image of the driver's face taken during the alcohol check. Since the facial image is used on the server 50 to authenticate the driver's face, it is desirable to capture the driver's face from the front. The facial image is captured by the camera 16. The facial image may also be captured by a camera not built into the mobile terminal 10 and transmitted to the mobile terminal 10. The facial image may be associated with information about the location and time the image was taken. The facial image may be a still image or a video, as long as it can authenticate the driver's face.

[0023] The vehicle information acquisition unit 122 acquires vehicle information from the vehicle ECU 21, which is connected via BLE communication. The vehicle information can be any information that uniquely identifies the vehicle, such as the vehicle's license plate number, the vehicle ID managed by the manufacturer or dealer, and the vehicle registration number.

[0024] The measurement data receiving unit 123 receives alcohol concentration measurement data from the alcohol checker 30, which is connected via BLE communication. The alcohol concentration measurement data includes the measured value of the alcohol concentration contained in the driver's breath.

[0025] The check data transmission unit 124 transmits the check data to the server 50. The check data includes a face image acquired by the face image acquisition unit 121, vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit 122, and alcohol concentration measurement data received by the measurement data receiving unit 123. If the face image and alcohol concentration measurement data included in the check data are not transmitted to the server 50 after a predetermined time has elapsed since their receipt, they may be considered invalid. The predetermined time can be set as appropriate by the business operator, for example, by 3 minutes. This prevents a discrepancy between the time the alcohol check was performed and the time the check data is transmitted. It is preferable to link the check data with location information and date / time information acquired from the GPS 15 built into the mobile terminal 10. This allows the location and time the alcohol check was performed to be transmitted to the server 50.

[0026] The check result receiving unit 125 receives either an OK notification or an NG notification from the server 50. An OK notification is received when the conditions for sending the key code to the mobile terminal 10 are met. In other words, it means that the conditions for the driver to use the vehicle 20 are met. On the other hand, an NG notification is received when the conditions for sending the key code to the mobile terminal 10 are not met, and it means that the conditions for the driver to use the vehicle 20 are not met. The mobile terminal 10 can display the OK notification or NG notification on the terminal display unit 14 to notify the driver.

[0027] The key code receiving unit 126 receives authentication information from the server 50, which is used to authenticate the vehicle ECU 21 and the mobile terminal 10. This authentication information is sent from the server 50 after the OK notification is sent. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the system is configured to receive a key code as authentication information. The key code is an electronic key code for using the vehicle 20. The key code is different for each combination of vehicle and mobile terminal. The key code is issued by the server 50 and becomes usable when it is sent to the mobile terminal 10. The mobile terminal 10 and the vehicle ECU 21 communicate and perform authentication processing using the key code, thereby authorizing the use of the vehicle 20. The same code as the key code sent from the server 50 to the mobile terminal 10 is also stored in the vehicle ECU 21 beforehand. The key code receiving unit 126 corresponds to the authentication information receiving unit.

[0028] The authentication processing unit 127 performs authentication with the vehicle ECU 21 using the key code received from the server 50. For example, a challenge-response method is used for the authentication process. In the challenge-response method, the authentication processing unit 127 generates a response code. The response code is information generated based on the key code received from the server 50 and the challenge code received from the vehicle ECU 21. The response code is sent to the vehicle ECU 21 for authentication.

[0029] <Composition of Vehicle 20> As shown in Figure 3, the vehicle 20 includes a vehicle ECU 21, a wireless communication unit 23, a vehicle display unit 24, a GPS 25, and a door lock module 26.

[0030] The vehicle ECU 21 comprises a CPU 211, memory 212, and storage 213. The CPU 211 is an example of a processing unit and is a device that performs control and various calculations on various parts of the vehicle 20 according to programs and data stored in the memory 212 and storage 213. The memory 212 is a volatile storage medium such as RAM. The storage 213 includes a non-volatile storage medium. The vehicle ECU 21 corresponds to the vehicle control unit.

[0031] The vehicle ECU 21 includes an authentication processing unit 214. The authentication processing unit 214 authenticates the vehicle ECU 21 and the mobile terminal 10 using a key code stored in the storage 213. The authentication process may be a challenge-response method. An example of the challenge-response authentication process in the vehicle ECU 21 is explained using Figure 4. The process in Figure 4 is performed by the authentication processing unit 214 of the vehicle ECU 21. In step S201, the authentication processing unit 214 sends a challenge code to the mobile terminal 10. In step S202, the authentication processing unit 214 generates a verification code using the key code stored in the storage 213 and the challenge code sent to the mobile terminal 10 according to a predetermined procedure. The verification code is a code for verifying the validity of the response code. In step S203, the authentication processing unit 214 receives a response code sent from the mobile terminal 10. The response code is generated by the mobile terminal 10 based on the key code received by the mobile terminal 10 from the server 50 and the challenge code received from the vehicle ECU 21. In step S204, the authentication processing unit 214 compares the response code returned from the mobile terminal 10 with the verification code. The authentication processing unit 214 determines that user authentication is successful if the verification code and the received response code match. Furthermore, the authentication processing method via wireless communication is not limited to the challenge-response method, and various methods can be employed.

[0032] The wireless communication unit 23 is a communication module for wireless communication with the mobile terminal 10. The short-range wireless communication performed by the wireless communication unit 23 is a communication that conforms to a predetermined short-range wireless communication standard, and here, as an example, it is assumed that it is configured to perform communication in accordance with the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE; Bluetooth is a registered trademark) standard.

[0033] The vehicle display unit 24 is a module for displaying image signals from the vehicle ECU 21. The GPS 25 is a device for acquiring location and time information of the vehicle 20.

[0034] The door lock module 26 is a module that locks / unlocks the driver's side door, etc., of the vehicle 20 in response to input signals from the vehicle ECU 21.

[0035] <Configuration of Alcohol Checker 30> The alcohol checker 30 shown in Figure 1 is a portable device for drivers and comprises an alcohol detection unit and a transmission unit. The alcohol measurement unit measures the alcohol concentration contained in the driver's breath. The transmission unit has a short-range wireless communication function similar to the wireless communication unit 23 described above and transmits the alcohol concentration measurement data to the portable terminal 10. The measurement data includes the value of the alcohol concentration in the driver's breath measured by the alcohol measurement unit.

[0036] The alcohol concentration measurement data may be configured to be deleted from the alcohol checker 30 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the measurement was completed. The predetermined time can be set as appropriate, for example, one minute. This prevents a discrepancy between the time the alcohol concentration was measured and the time the alcohol concentration measurement data was transmitted to the mobile terminal 10. In addition, the alcohol concentration measurement data may be linked to information on the date and time the alcohol measurement was performed. This allows the business operator to confirm the date and time when the driver actually performed the alcohol check.

[0037] <Configuration of Administrator Terminal 40> The administrator terminal 40 shown in Figure 1 is an information processing terminal operated by an administrator. The administrator terminal 40 is a general-purpose information processing terminal such as a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Computers include desktops and laptops. The administrator terminal 40 has a control unit that executes programs stored on a storage medium and controls each part. The control unit has an arithmetic processing unit (CPU) and a storage medium that stores programs and data. The control unit is implemented, for example, by a microcomputer equipped with a storage medium that can be read by a computer. The storage medium is implemented by semiconductor memory or magnetic disks, etc.

[0038] The administrator terminal 40 can communicate with the server 50 for managing operations. The administrator terminal 40 stores an operations management application for inputting and managing the following operation schedule information, and the operation schedule information used by this application. The operation schedule information includes information on the vehicles scheduled to be used and the drivers who will be using those vehicles for each specified date and time. The operation schedule information may also include the departure point of the operation, the route (i.e., the planned route), and the expected arrival time. The operation schedule information may also include data on stops along the planned route. When the administrator inputs the operation schedule information, the administrator terminal 40 sends the operation schedule information to the server 50.

[0039] Furthermore, the administrator terminal 40 receives the alcohol check results from the server 50. This allows the administrator to check in real time whether the driver has undergone the alcohol check.

[0040] Furthermore, the administrator terminal 40 can set the timing for sending check notifications. A check notification is a notification to encourage the implementation of an alcohol check, and is sent from the server 50 to the mobile terminal 10. When the mobile terminal 10 receives a check notification within the scheduled operating time, it can notify the driver that it is time to perform an in-drive alcohol check. The timing for sending the check notification from the server 50 to the mobile terminal 10 is entered by the administrator into the administrator terminal 40 and then sent from the administrator terminal 40 to the server 50. Therefore, the timing for sending check notifications can be arbitrarily determined by the administrator. It is also preferable that the operation management application automatically sets the timing and number of check notifications, as shown in the example below.

[0041] The timing of sending check notifications can be determined based on the scheduled operation time, within the scheduled operation time. Check notifications can be sent when the driver arrives at a scheduled stop, based on the location information of the mobile terminal 10 or vehicle 20. As an example, suppose the scheduled operation time for a designated vehicle is from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on January 1, 2022, and it is scheduled to stop at stop point A along the way. In this case, the check notification can be set to be sent from the server 50 to the mobile terminal 10 when the location information of the mobile terminal 10 or vehicle 20 reaches point A between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM on January 1, 2022.

[0042] As another example, let's assume that the scheduled operating time for the designated vehicle is from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on January 2, 2022. In this case, the check notification can be set to be sent once during the scheduled operating time from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on January 2, 2022. In this case, for example, the check notification would be sent from server 50 to mobile terminal 10 at 1:00 PM.

[0043] The number of times a check notification is sent within the scheduled operating time may be determined by the length of the scheduled operating time. For example, if the scheduled operating time is 6 hours or less, one check notification can be sent, and if it is longer than 6 hours, two check notifications can be sent. In this case, if the scheduled operating time is 4 hours from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, one notification will be sent between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. On the other hand, if the scheduled operating time is 8 hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, two notifications will be sent between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Thus, if the scheduled operating time is longer than a predetermined threshold, the number of check notifications sent may be increased.

[0044] The timing for sending a check notification may be set, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the pre-driving alcohol check. This predetermined time can be set to, for example, 3 hours or 6 hours. Alternatively, the timing for sending a check notification may be set, for example, when the driver passes a certain point on the planned route or when they arrive at a certain point. Furthermore, the timing for sending an alcohol check notification may be set to when the driver has finished their trip and arrived at a designated parking lot. This way, drivers will be required to undergo alcohol checks even while driving, thus preventing drunk driving.

[0045] Furthermore, the timing of sending check notifications may be randomly determined by the administrator terminal 40 or server 50 within the scheduled operating time. This prevents drivers from predicting the timing of alcohol checks, thus preventing drunk driving.

[0046] <Server 50 Configuration> Server 50 can communicate with the mobile terminal 10 and the administrator terminal 40, and manages the operation of multiple vehicles owned by the business. Server 50 is a cloud server and is responsible for storing data, and it performs services in cooperation with the administrator terminal 40.

[0047] It has a control unit that executes programs stored on a storage medium and controls each part. The control unit has an arithmetic processing unit (CPU) and a storage unit that stores programs and data. The control unit is implemented, for example, by a microcomputer equipped with a storage medium that can be read by a computer. The storage medium is implemented by semiconductor memory or magnetic disk, etc.

[0048] The server 50 stores a fleet management database in its memory unit. The fleet management database contains personal information of drivers registered with the business office, vehicle information of vehicles registered with the business office, and scheduled operation information received from the administrator terminal 40. Driver personal information includes information such as name, photograph, and vehicles that the driver is authorized to operate. Vehicle information includes vehicle information such as license plate number, vehicle ID, vehicle registration number, vehicle size, and engine displacement.

[0049] The server 50 determines whether to permit or prohibit the use of vehicle 20 based on the check data received from the mobile terminal 10 and the operation management database. If it determines that the use of vehicle 20 should be permitted, it sends a key code to the mobile terminal 10. It is preferable that once the server 50 sends the key code to the mobile terminal 10, the key code can be used without performing another alcohol check within a predetermined period. This predetermined period can be, for example, until the end of business for the day or within 8 hours.

[0050] Server 50 sends a key code and either an OK notification or an NG notification to the mobile terminal 10. The key code is sent to the mobile terminal 10 along with the OK notification if the identity verification, vehicle information matching, and alcohol check results all meet the conditions for sending the vehicle 20's key code. An NG notification is sent to the mobile terminal 10 if at least one of the identity verification, vehicle information matching, and alcohol check results does not meet the conditions for sending the vehicle 20's key code.

[0051] Furthermore, the server 50 sends a check notification to the mobile terminal 10 to inform the driver when it is time to conduct the alcohol check.

[0052] In this system, alcohol checks are performed using a pre-driving alcohol check system and an in-driving alcohol check system. The pre-driving alcohol check is performed by the driver before driving. Here, "before driving" refers to, for example, the moment the driver first gets into vehicle 20 on the day. Alternatively, "before driving" may refer to the start of the day's work. In the pre-driving alcohol check, the mobile terminal 10 can receive a key code from the server 50 only if the alcohol check results permit the use of vehicle 20. Therefore, an alcohol check must be performed in order to unlock vehicle 20. Whether it is before driving or in-driving can be determined from the above-mentioned scheduled driving information.

[0053] <Pre-driving alcohol check in the first embodiment> The processing flow of the mobile terminal 10 during a pre-driving alcohol check will be explained using Figure 5. In step S1001, the wireless communication unit 13 establishes a BLE communication connection with the vehicle ECU 21. In step S1002, the terminal control unit 11 starts the alcohol check application 12. In step S1003, the wireless communication unit 13 determines whether or not it is connected to the vehicle ECU 21. If it is connected to the vehicle ECU 21, it proceeds to step S1004. On the other hand, if it is not connected to the vehicle ECU 21, it returns to step S1001.

[0054] In step S1004, the wireless communication unit 13 determines whether or not it has detected the alcohol checker 30. If it has detected the alcohol checker 30, it proceeds to step S1005. On the other hand, if it has not detected the alcohol checker 30, it repeats step S1004. In step S1005, the wireless communication unit 13 establishes a BLE communication connection with the alcohol checker 30.

[0055] In step S1006, the face image acquisition unit 121 acquires a face image captured by the camera 16. In step S1007, the vehicle information acquisition unit 122 receives vehicle information from the vehicle ECU 21. In step S1008, the measurement data receiving unit 123 receives alcohol concentration measurement data from the alcohol checker 30.

[0056] In step S1009, the check data transmission unit 124 transmits check data to the server 50. The check data includes a facial image, vehicle information, and alcohol concentration measurement data. In step S1010, the check result receiving unit 125 determines whether it has received an OK notification from the server 50, and the key code receiving unit 126 determines whether it has received a key code from the server 50. If an OK notification and a key code are received, the process proceeds to step S1012. If an OK notification and a key code are not received, the process proceeds to step S1011. In step S1011, the check result receiving unit 125 determines whether it has received an NG notification from the server 50. If an NG notification is received, the process ends. If an NG notification is not received, the process returns to step S1010.

[0057] In step S1012, the authentication processing unit 127 uses the key code to perform authentication with the vehicle 20 and terminates this flow.

[0058] The processing flow of the vehicle ECU 21 during a pre-driving alcohol check is explained using Figure 6. First, in step S2001, the vehicle ECU 21 determines whether it has detected the mobile terminal 10. If it has detected the mobile terminal 10, it proceeds to step S2002. On the other hand, if it has not detected the mobile terminal 10, it repeats step S2001. In step S2002, the vehicle ECU 21 establishes a BLE communication connection with the mobile terminal 10. In step S2003, the vehicle ECU 21 transmits vehicle information to the mobile terminal 10. In step S2004, the vehicle ECU 21 performs authentication processing between the vehicle 20 and the mobile terminal 10 using the key code stored in the storage 213. In step S2005, the vehicle ECU 21 determines whether the authentication between the vehicle 20 and the mobile terminal 10 was successful. If the authentication is successful, it proceeds to step S2006. If the authentication is unsuccessful, this flow ends. In step S2006, the vehicle ECU 21 unlocks the vehicle 20 by inputting a signal to the door lock module 26, and this flow ends. Controlling whether or not to unlock the doors can correspond to controlling whether or not the driver is allowed to drive. Note that control over whether or not the driver is allowed to drive may also be achieved by controlling the on / off state of the vehicle's power supply.

[0059] The processing flow of the server 50 in a pre-driving alcohol check will be explained using Figure 7. In step S4001, the server 50 receives check data from the mobile terminal 10. In step S4002, the server 50 determines from the facial image included in the check data whether the person who performed the alcohol check matches the driver registered in the operation schedule information. If the drivers match, proceed to step S4003. If the drivers do not match, proceed to step S4006. In step S4003, the server 50 determines whether the vehicle information included in the check data matches the vehicle information registered in the operation schedule information. If the vehicle information matches, proceed to step S4004. If the vehicle information does not match, proceed to step S4006. In step S4004, the server 50 determines whether the alcohol concentration in the alcohol concentration measurement data included in the check data is below the threshold. If the alcohol concentration is below the threshold, proceed to step S4005. If the alcohol concentration is not below the threshold, proceed to step S4006.

[0060] Although not detailed in the flowchart here, when Server 50 receives check data, it compares the time of receipt with the scheduled start time of operation in the operational schedule information. If the time of receipt of the check data is within 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of operation, for example, if the start time of operation is 9:00 AM, then if the time of receipt is between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM, it is appropriate for Server 50 to proceed to step S4005. This allows Server 50 to determine whether it is before the start of operation.

[0061] In step S4005, the server 50 determines that it is permitted to use the vehicle 20 and sends the key code and an OK notification to the mobile terminal 10. In step S4006, the server 50 determines that it is prohibited to use the vehicle 20 and sends an NG notification to the mobile terminal 10. In step S4007, the server 50 stores the check data and check results in its memory. The check results include the results of the identity verification determined in step S4002, the results of the vehicle information verification determined in step S4003, and the results of the alcohol concentration check determined in step S4004. In step S4008, the server 50 sends the check data and check results to the administrator terminal 40 and terminates this flow.

[0062] The determination process in steps S4002 to S4004 may be performed by the mobile terminal 10. In that case, the mobile terminal 10 also stores the scheduled operation information. When the mobile terminal 10 performs the determination in steps S4002 to S4004, the mobile terminal 10 receives the key code from the server 50 only if all of the determinations in steps S4002 to S4004 are YES. If at least one of the determinations in steps S4002 to S4004 is NO, the mobile terminal 10 does not receive the key code from the server 50.

[0063] In the first embodiment, the overall system processing flow when performing a pre-driving alcohol check and unlocking the vehicle 20 will be explained using Figure 8. In the sequence diagram of Figure 8, some explanations of the processing of each device are omitted. Detailed processing flows for each device are shown in the flowcharts of Figures 5 and 6.

[0064] First, the vehicle ECU 21 determines whether it has detected the mobile terminal 10 (step S2001). If it has detected the mobile terminal 10, the vehicle ECU 21 establishes a BLE communication connection with the mobile terminal 10 (step S2002).

[0065] When the mobile terminal 10 establishes a BLE communication connection with the vehicle ECU 21 (step S1001), it launches the alcohol check app 12 (step S1002). The mobile terminal 10 determines whether the mobile terminal 10 and the vehicle ECU 21 are connected via BLE (step S1003), and if connected, it determines whether the mobile terminal 10 has detected the alcohol checker 30 (step S1004). If the alcohol checker 30 is detected, the mobile terminal 10 establishes a BLE communication connection with the alcohol checker 30 (step S1005).

[0066] Once the alcohol checker 30 establishes a BLE communication connection with the mobile terminal 10 (step S3001), it measures the alcohol concentration in the driver's breath (step S3002). The mobile terminal 10 uses the camera 16 to capture an image of the driver measuring their alcohol concentration using the alcohol checker 30, and acquires a facial image (step S1006).

[0067] Subsequently, the vehicle ECU 21 transmits vehicle information to the mobile terminal 10 (step S2003), and the mobile terminal 10 receives the vehicle information (step S1007). Also, the alcohol checker 30 transmits alcohol concentration measurement data to the mobile terminal 10 (step S3003), and the mobile terminal 10 receives the alcohol concentration measurement data (step S1008). Once the mobile terminal 10 has received all the information contained in the check data, it transmits the check data to the server 50 (step S1009).

[0068] Server 50 receives check data from the mobile terminal 10 (step S4001). From the check data, Server 50 determines whether the driver matches the scheduled operation information (step S4002), whether the vehicle information matches the scheduled operation information (step S4003), and whether the alcohol concentration is below the threshold (step S4004). If the results of the determination show that the driver, vehicle information, and alcohol check results all meet the predetermined conditions, Server 50 sends a key code to the mobile terminal 10 (step S4005). After that, Server 50 saves the check results and sends the check results to the administrator terminal 40 (step S4007).

[0069] The mobile terminal 10 determines whether it has received a key code from the server 50 (step S1010). If it has received a key code, the mobile terminal 10 uses the key code to perform authentication between the vehicle 20 and the mobile terminal 10 (S1012). The vehicle ECU 21 performs authentication between the vehicle 20 and the mobile terminal 10 (step S2004), and if authentication is successful, it unlocks the vehicle 20 (step S2006).

[0070] <In-driving alcohol check in the first embodiment> Next, we will explain the in-drive alcohol check. The in-drive alcohol check is performed when the driver receives a check notification on the mobile device 10 while operating the vehicle. It is preferable to perform the in-drive alcohol check immediately after receiving the check notification (for example, within 5 minutes).

[0071] The processing flow of the mobile terminal 10 in the in-driving alcohol check of the first embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 9. In step S1101, the terminal control unit 11 receives a check notification from the server 50. In step S1102, the terminal control unit 11 starts the alcohol check application 12 based on the receipt of the check notification. In step S1103, the wireless communication unit 13 determines whether or not it is connected to the vehicle ECU 21. If it is connected to the vehicle ECU 21, it proceeds to step S1105. On the other hand, if it is not connected to the vehicle ECU 21, it proceeds to step S1104. In step S1104, the wireless communication unit 13 establishes a BLE communication connection with the vehicle ECU 21 and proceeds to step S1105. The processing from step S1105 to step S1110 is the same as steps S1004 to S1009 in Figure 5. In step S1110, the check data transmission unit 124 transmits the check data to the server 50 and terminates this flow.

[0072] The processing flow of the server 50 in the in-driving alcohol check of the first embodiment will be explained using Figure 10. In step S4101, the server 50 determines whether it is time to send a check notification. The timing for sending a check notification is determined based on settings entered in advance by the administrator. If it is time to send a check notification, the process proceeds to step S4102. If it is not time to send a check notification, step S4101 is repeated.

[0073] In step S4102, the server 50 determines whether the vehicle 20 is stopped or not. Whether the vehicle 20 is stopped or not is obtained, for example, from the GPS 25 installed in the vehicle 20. Alternatively, if the vehicle 20 is equipped with a wide-area wireless communication unit and the vehicle ECU 21 and the server 50 can communicate, the driving status may be obtained via the wide-area wireless communication unit. In this case, for example, the server 50 obtains vehicle speed information from the vehicle speed sensor installed in the vehicle 20 and the status of the parking brake via the wide-area wireless communication unit. The server 50 determines that the vehicle is stopped if the vehicle speed obtained from the vehicle speed sensor is zero, or if the parking brake is engaged. The wide-area wireless communication unit is, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit). If the vehicle 20 is stopped, the process proceeds to step S4103. If the vehicle 20 is not stopped, i.e., is in motion, the flow ends. If the flow ends in step S4102 because the vehicle 20 is in motion, the flow is executed again after a predetermined time has elapsed. The specified time can be set arbitrarily, for example, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, etc.

[0074] In step S4103, the server 50 sends a timing notification to the mobile terminal 10. In step S4104, the server 50 determines whether or not it has received check data from the mobile terminal 10. If it has received check data, it proceeds to step S4105. If it is not time to send a check notification, it repeats step S4104. In step S4105, the server 50 saves the check data. In step S4106, it sends the check data to the administrator terminal 40 and terminates this flow.

[0075] In step S4104, if check data is not received within a predetermined time (for example, within 5 minutes) after sending the check notification, the server 50 may notify the administrator terminal 40 of this fact.

[0076] In the in-drive alcohol check, the transmission of vehicle information and facial images from the mobile terminal 10 to the server 50 may be omitted. This reduces the data size of the check data, thereby shortening the time it takes to transmit data from the mobile terminal 10 to the server 50.

[0077] Furthermore, in the case of in-drive alcohol checks, similar to pre-drive alcohol checks, the server 50 may determine whether or not to transmit a key code based on the results of the alcohol check, and if predetermined conditions are met, the use of the vehicle 20 may be restricted.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the check notification is assumed to be sent at the time the alcohol check is performed, but the check notification may also be sent before the time the alcohol check is performed. In this case, the check notification may include message information specifying the time until the alcohol check is performed. For example, suppose the server 50 decides that the time to perform the in-drive alcohol check is 13:00. At this time, the server 50 sends a check notification to the mobile terminal 10 at 12:30 p.m., and the check notification includes message information such as "Please perform the in-drive alcohol check within 30 minutes." This makes it possible to notify the driver of the timing to perform the in-drive alcohol check.

[0079] <Effects and Effects> The effects and benefits of the alcohol check system of the first embodiment will now be explained. The alcohol check system of the first embodiment includes a pre-driving alcohol check process. According to this, the mobile terminal 10 can receive a key code from the server 50 if, based on the judgment result from the check data, the alcohol concentration is below a threshold. Therefore, the vehicle 20 key cannot be received while intoxicated, and the vehicle 20 cannot be used. This makes it possible to prevent drunk driving.

[0080] Furthermore, the pre-drive alcohol check system can be implemented in existing vehicle ECUs and mobile terminals equipped with a digital key system by installing an additional alcohol check application on the mobile terminal and integrating it with the system. Therefore, since it does not require modifications to the vehicle system like an alcohol interlock, it can be introduced at a low cost. Note that existing vehicle ECUs and mobile terminals equipped with a digital key system refer to vehicle ECUs and mobile terminals on which the digital key application is installed.

[0081] Furthermore, in the pre-drive alcohol check system, the server 50 transmits a key code to the mobile terminal 10 when the driver and vehicle information matches the scheduled operation information. As a result, if the driver or vehicle differs from the scheduled operation, the driver will not be able to receive the key to the vehicle 20. This prevents the driver from having someone else perform the alcohol check. It also prevents drivers from driving the wrong vehicle in businesses where a driver owns multiple vehicles.

[0082] Furthermore, during the pre-driving alcohol check, the administrator terminal 40 receives the alcohol check results from the server 50. This allows the administrator to confirm in real time whether the driver has undergone the alcohol check.

[0083] Furthermore, the alcohol check system of the first embodiment includes a process for in-drive alcohol checks. In-drive alcohol checks are performed based on the mobile terminal 10 receiving a check notification. This means that drivers are required to undergo alcohol checks not only before driving but also while driving. This prevents drivers from consuming alcohol along the way and driving under the influence of alcohol.

[0084] Furthermore, in the case of in-drive alcohol checks, the timing at which the server 50 sends a check notification is automatically set by the operation management application based on the scheduled driving time. As a result, drivers cannot predict the timing of the alcohol check, thus preventing drunk driving.

[0085] Furthermore, the timing of sending check notifications may be randomly determined by the administrator terminal 40 or server 50 within the operating hours. This makes it even more difficult for drivers to predict the timing of alcohol checks, thus preventing drunk driving.

[0086] Furthermore, the number of times check notifications are sent may be determined based on the scheduled driving time, and it is preferable to set the system to increase the number of check notifications sent if the scheduled driving time is longer than a predetermined threshold. This ensures that drivers are required to undergo alcohol checks multiple times during long driving periods, thereby preventing drunk driving.

[0087] <Second Embodiment> A second embodiment disclosing an example of an alcohol check system will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12.

[0088] The alcohol check system of the second embodiment does not use a portable terminal 10 in the process of checking alcohol levels while driving.

[0089] A vehicle system of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 11. The vehicle system of the second embodiment includes, in addition to the configuration of the first embodiment, a camera 27, an alcohol check application 22, and a wide-area wireless communication unit 28. The vehicle ECU 21 can communicate with the server 50 via the wide-area wireless communication unit 28 and communicates via public communication networks and base stations, etc. Examples of public communication networks include the internet and mobile phone networks. The wide-area wireless communication unit 28 is, for example, a TCU (Telematics Control Unit).

[0090] The alcohol check app 22 includes a face image acquisition unit 221, a vehicle information acquisition unit 222, a measurement data receiving unit 223, and a check data transmission unit 224. The face image acquisition unit 221 acquires a face image taken while the driver is performing an alcohol check. The face image is taken by a camera 27 mounted on the vehicle 20. The face image may also be taken by a camera not mounted on the vehicle 20 and transmitted to the vehicle ECU 21. The vehicle information acquisition unit 222 acquires vehicle information from the storage 213 of the vehicle ECU 21. The measurement data receiving unit 223 receives alcohol concentration measurement data from the alcohol checker 30 connected via BLE communication. The check data transmission unit 224 transmits the check data to the server 50.

[0091] In the second embodiment of the in-driving alcohol check, the server 50 transmits a check notification to the vehicle ECU 21 via the wide-area wireless communication unit 28. It also receives check data from the vehicle ECU 21.

[0092] The processing flow of the vehicle ECU 21 in the in-driving alcohol check of the second embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 12.

[0093] In step S2101, the vehicle ECU 21 receives a check notification from the server 50 via the wide-area wireless communication unit 28. In step S2102, the vehicle ECU 21 launches the alcohol check application 22 based on the receipt of the check notification. In step S2103, the wireless communication unit 23 determines whether or not it has detected the alcohol checker 30. If the alcohol checker 30 is detected, the process proceeds to step S2104. If the alcohol checker 30 is not detected, step S2103 is repeated. In step S2104, the wireless communication unit 23 establishes a BLE communication connection with the alcohol checker 30.

[0094] In step S2105, the face image acquisition unit 221 acquires a face image captured by the camera 27. In step S2106, the vehicle information acquisition unit 222 receives vehicle information from the storage 213. In step S2107, the measurement data receiving unit 223 receives alcohol concentration measurement data from the alcohol checker 30. In step S2108, the check data transmission unit 224 transmits the check data to the server 50, ending this flow.

[0095] In the second embodiment of the in-drive alcohol check, the processing flow of the server 50 is the same as in Figure 10. However, in step S4103, the server 50 transmits a check notification to the vehicle ECU 21 via the wide-area wireless communication unit 28. Also, in the in-drive alcohol check of the second embodiment, the alcohol check application 22 is activated upon receiving the check notification and performs a series of processes related to generating and transmitting check data, such as establishing communication with the alcohol checker 30.

[0096] The effects and benefits of the alcohol check system of the second embodiment will now be explained. In the in-driving alcohol check of the second embodiment, the mobile terminal 10 is not used in the series of processes. This makes it possible to transmit the alcohol check and check data to the server 50 even when the mobile terminal 10 is unavailable. Situations in which the mobile terminal 10 is unavailable include, for example, when the mobile terminal 10 is out of battery.

[0097] Furthermore, in the in-driving alcohol check of the second embodiment, the server 50 may determine whether or not to allow the use of the vehicle 20 based on the check data, similar to the pre-driving alcohol check. If it is determined that the use of the vehicle 20 should be prohibited, the server 50 may be configured to instruct the vehicle ECU 21 via the wide-area wireless communication unit 28 to prohibit the starting of the vehicle 20.

[0098] <Additional Note> This disclosure includes the following technical ideas.

[0099] [Technical thought 1] A vehicle control unit (21) is installed in a vehicle (20) managed by the business premises and controls whether the vehicle can be driven or not, A portable terminal (10) carried by the driver of the aforementioned vehicle, The system includes a server (50) configured to communicate with the aforementioned mobile terminal, The vehicle control unit is configured to enable the driver to operate the vehicle based on authentication of the vehicle and the mobile terminal. The aforementioned mobile terminal is A measurement data receiving unit (123) receives measurement data of the alcohol concentration from an alcohol checker (30) that measures the alcohol concentration in the driver's breath, An alcohol check system comprising an alcohol check application having an authentication information receiving unit (126) that receives authentication information used for authentication from the server when the alcohol concentration of the measurement data is below a threshold.

[0100] [Technical thought 2] The alcohol check application includes a check data transmission unit (124) that transmits check data, including the measurement data, to the server. The alcohol check system according to Technical Concept 1, wherein the server determines whether the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, and if the alcohol concentration is below a threshold, transmits the authentication information to the alcohol check application.

[0101] [Technical thought 3] The aforementioned alcohol check application is A vehicle information acquisition unit (122) acquires vehicle information from the vehicle control unit to identify the vehicle, The system includes a face image acquisition unit (121) that acquires a face image of the driver, The check data transmission unit transmits the check data, which includes the measurement data, the vehicle information, and the facial image, to the server. The aforementioned server, The system stores operational schedule data that includes vehicle information for identifying the designated vehicle to be used in the operational schedule for a specified date and time, and a facial image for identifying the designated driver. An alcohol check system according to technical concept 2, which determines that the conditions for transmitting the authentication information are met when the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, the vehicle information included in the check data matches the planned operation data, and the driver's facial image included in the check data matches the planned operation data.

[0102] [Technical thought 4] The aforementioned alcohol check application is An alcohol check system according to any one of technical concepts 1 to 3, which determines whether the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, and if the alcohol concentration is below a threshold, receives the authentication information from the server.

[0103] [Technical thought 5] An application used on a mobile terminal (10) carried by a driver of a vehicle (20) managed by a business establishment, A measurement data receiving unit (123) receives measurement data of the alcohol concentration from an alcohol checker (30) that measures the alcohol concentration in the driver's breath, When the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, the authentication information receiving unit (126) receives authentication information from the server to be used for authentication between the vehicle and the mobile terminal, An alcohol check application comprising an authentication processing unit (127) that performs the authentication using the authentication information in order to enable the use of the vehicle.

[0104] The technical concepts 2 to 4 described above may also be applied to technical concept 5 as appropriate. Furthermore, this disclosure includes a storage medium on which the alcohol check application is stored, and methods for executing it in the mobile terminal 10 and the vehicle ECU 21, respectively. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10 Mobile terminal, 12 Alcohol check app, 121 Face image acquisition unit, 122 Vehicle information acquisition unit, 123 Measurement data reception unit, 124 Check data transmission unit, 126 Key code reception unit (authentication information reception unit), 127 Authentication processing unit, 20 Vehicle, 21 Vehicle ECU (Vehicle Control Unit), 30 Alcohol checker, 50 Server

Claims

1. A vehicle control unit (21) is installed in a vehicle (20) managed by the business premises and controls whether the vehicle can be driven or not, A portable terminal (10) carried by the driver of the aforementioned vehicle, The system includes a server (50) configured to communicate with the aforementioned mobile terminal, The vehicle control unit is configured to enable the driver to operate the vehicle based on authentication of the vehicle and the mobile terminal. The aforementioned mobile terminal is A measurement data receiving unit (123) receives measurement data of the alcohol concentration from an alcohol checker (30) that measures the alcohol concentration in the driver's breath, When the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, the authentication information receiving unit (126) receives the authentication information used for authentication from the server, An alcohol check system comprising an alcohol check application having a check data transmission unit (124) that transmits check data including the measurement data to the server, The server sends a check notification to the mobile device to prompt the user to perform an alcohol check. When the mobile terminal receives the check notification, it launches the alcohol check application. The alcohol check application is an alcohol check system in which the measurement data receiving unit receives the measurement data from the alcohol checker, and the check data transmitting unit transmits the check data to the server.

2. The server sends the check notification to the mobile terminal when the vehicle has finished its operation and arrived at the parking lot. The alcohol check system according to claim 1.

3. The alcohol check system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the server determines whether the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, and transmits the authentication information to the alcohol check application if the alcohol concentration is below a threshold.

4. The aforementioned alcohol check application is A vehicle information acquisition unit (122) acquires vehicle information from the vehicle control unit to identify the vehicle, The system includes a face image acquisition unit (121) that acquires a face image of the driver, The check data transmission unit transmits the check data, which includes the measurement data, the vehicle information, and the facial image, to the server. The aforementioned server, The system stores operational schedule data that includes vehicle information for identifying the designated vehicle to be used in the operational schedule for a specified date and time, and a facial image for identifying the designated driver. The alcohol check system according to claim 3, which determines that the conditions for transmitting the authentication information are met when the alcohol concentration in the measurement data is below a threshold, the vehicle information included in the check data matches the scheduled operation data, and the driver's facial image included in the check data matches the scheduled operation data.

5. The aforementioned alcohol check application is The alcohol check system according to claim 1, which determines whether the alcohol concentration of the measurement data is below a threshold, and if the alcohol concentration is below a threshold, receives the authentication information from the server.

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