Information processing method, information processing device, and program

Abstract

This information processing method is executed by a vehicle (100) that is communicatively connected to an information terminal (200), the method including: an acquisition step (S11) for communicating with the information terminal (200) to acquire license information relating to a driver's license of a driver of the vehicle (100); and a storage step (S12) for storing the acquired license information in a storage unit.

Description

Information processing method, information processing device, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing method, an information processing device, and a program.

[0002] In recent years, vehicles have become capable of sending and receiving information with the outside world. For example, digital key systems have been developed that enable the vehicle to be locked and unlocked and the engine to be started using an information terminal by sending and receiving such information (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2023-049595

[0004] On the other hand, there are cases where the vehicle is unable to transmit and receive appropriate information.

[0005] In view of the above, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an information processing method and the like that enables a vehicle to transmit and receive more appropriate information.

[0006] An information processing method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method executed by a vehicle communicatively connected to an information terminal, and includes an acquisition step of acquiring license information regarding the driver's license of the driver of the vehicle by communicating with the information terminal, and a storage step of storing the acquired license information in a storage unit.

[0007] In addition, an information processing device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device in a vehicle that is communicatively connected to an information terminal, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires license information regarding the driver's license of the driver of the vehicle by communicating with the information terminal, and a memory control unit that stores the acquired license information in a memory unit.

[0008] Furthermore, one aspect of the present disclosure can also be realized as a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method described above.

[0009] These comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM, or may be realized as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, more appropriate information can be transmitted and received by a vehicle.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of driver information according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of driver information according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation for generating and authenticating a digital key according to an embodiment. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation from engine start to engine stop according to an embodiment. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an information processing system according to a modified embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation for generating and authenticating a digital key according to a modified embodiment.

[0012] (Knowledge that forms the basis of the disclosure) As explained in the Background Art section, in recent years, vehicles have become able to connect to communication networks such as the Internet, enabling the transmission and reception of information between the vehicle and the outside world. Many people now own information terminals, such as smartphones and tablet devices, that are capable of performing advanced information processing, and there is a growing demand for operating vehicles using such information terminals. For example, locking and unlocking a vehicle and starting the engine traditionally required a physical key or a dedicated key terminal capable of short-range communication with the vehicle. In response to this, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, development is underway on a digital key system that enables locking and unlocking a vehicle and starting the engine using an information terminal.

[0013] On the other hand, if a vehicle can acquire information about the driver's license of the vehicle driver, various processes can be performed in the vehicle from the viewpoint of safety and appropriateness. In other words, in order to perform various processes for the safety of the vehicle and appropriateness during driving, more appropriate transmission and reception of information that allows the vehicle to acquire information about the driver's license is required.

[0014] Therefore, this disclosure describes an information processing method for obtaining information about a driver's license by a vehicle.

[0015] More specifically, the information processing method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method executed by a vehicle communicatively connected to an information terminal, and includes an acquisition step of acquiring license information regarding the driver's license of the vehicle driver by communicating with the information terminal, and a storage step of storing the acquired license information in a storage unit.

[0016] According to this information processing method, it is possible to transmit and receive more appropriate information that allows the vehicle to obtain license information related to the driver's license.

[0017] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to the first aspect, in which the acquisition step is performed at least one of when generating a digital key used to unlock a vehicle and start the engine using an information terminal and when authenticating using the digital key.

[0018] This allows license information to be acquired at the same time that communication between the vehicle and the information terminal occurs, such as when a digital key is generated or authenticated.

[0019] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to the second aspect, in which the authentication using the digital key when license information is obtained is authentication for starting the vehicle engine.

[0020] This allows license information to be acquired at the timing when communication between the vehicle and the information terminal occurs, such as when a digital key is generated or when the digital key is authenticated when the vehicle engine is started.

[0021] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to the third aspect, in which the license information includes a photograph of the driver's face, and in the acquisition step, an image including the face of the vehicle driver is further captured, and if authentication using the digital key is successful and the photograph included in the acquired license information matches the face of the vehicle driver included in the captured image, the vehicle engine is allowed to start.

[0022] According to this, by also performing facial recognition, it is possible to start the engine after ensuring that the driver of the vehicle matches the driver in the license information.

[0023] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the second to fourth aspects, and in the acquisition step, if a friend key that is generated based on an already generated digital key and is capable of unlocking the vehicle and starting the engine is used, license information is not acquired by authentication using the friend key to unlock the vehicle, but license information is acquired by authentication using the friend key to start the vehicle's engine.

[0024] This makes it possible to avoid unnecessary communication for obtaining license information when unlocking a vehicle using a friend key.

[0025] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the second to fifth aspects, in which unlocking a vehicle and starting the engine using a digital key are performed based on the Digital Key standard defined by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC).

[0026] This allows a vehicle to be unlocked and its engine started using a digital key based on the Digital Key standard defined by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC).

[0027] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, and when license information is stored in a storage unit, an alternative acquisition step of acquiring the stored license information is performed instead of the acquisition step.

[0028] According to this, when license information is stored, it is possible to obtain the stored license information instead of obtaining new license information.

[0029] Also, for example, an information processing method according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, and in the acquisition step, inquiry information for a management server that manages license information is acquired from an information terminal, and the license information is acquired by making an inquiry to the management server using the inquiry information.

[0030] This allows license information to be acquired from a management server that manages license information, so if the management server manages the latest license information, the latest license information can be acquired.

[0031] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, in which the acquisition step acquires license information stored in an information terminal.

[0032] This allows the license information stored in the information terminal to be obtained without making an inquiry to a management server, etc. The information terminal has many opportunities to communicate when generating a digital key for a vehicle, locking and unlocking the vehicle, starting the vehicle engine, etc., and the license information can be obtained at the same time when such communication is established.

[0033] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a tenth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, wherein the license information includes the driver's name, and further includes a speaking step of making an audio utterance including the driver's name from a speaker of the vehicle.

[0034] This allows the driver to utter a voice including the name included in the driver's license information while in the vehicle.

[0035] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to an eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to tenth aspects, and in the storage step, the acquired license information is stored in at least one of a storage unit mounted on the vehicle, a storage unit installed in the vehicle's management server, or a storage unit mounted on the information terminal.

[0036] This allows the acquired license information to be stored in at least one of a memory unit installed in the vehicle, a memory unit installed in the vehicle's management server, or a memory unit installed in the information terminal.

[0037] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a twelfth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the second to sixth aspects, or any one of the seventh to eleventh aspects that cite the second aspect, and further includes a setting storage step of acquiring setting information regarding the settings of the vehicle by the driver, linking it to the driver's license information, and storing it in a setting storage unit, and after authentication using the digital key, changing the settings of the vehicle based on the setting information stored in the setting storage unit.

[0038] This allows the vehicle settings to be changed based on setting information including the driver's past settings identified from the driver's license information.

[0039] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a thirteenth aspect of the present disclosure is the information processing method according to the twelfth aspect, in which stored setting information is updated with newly acquired setting information by the driver of the vehicle.

[0040] This allows the stored setting information to be updated to include the latest state using the newly acquired setting information.

[0041] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a fourteenth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, and further includes a history storage step of acquiring a driving history of a driver of a vehicle, linking the driving history to the driver's license information, and storing the same in a history storage unit, and a first calculation step of calculating, using a navigation system installed in the vehicle, at least one of a recommended route to the destination and an estimated time of arrival at the destination, wherein in the first calculation step, the recommended route and the estimated time of arrival are calculated based on the driving history stored in the history storage unit.

[0042] This makes it possible to calculate at least one of a recommended route and an estimated arrival time that is more suited to the driver based on the driving history.

[0043] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to a fifteenth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to fourteenth aspects, and further includes a history storage step of acquiring a driving history of a driver of a vehicle, linking the driving history to the driver's license information, and storing the history in a history storage unit; and a second calculation step of calculating, by a fuel efficiency calculation system mounted on the vehicle, at least one of fuel efficiency information during driving and a distance that can be traveled with the vehicle's remaining fuel, wherein in the second calculation step, the fuel efficiency information and the distance that can be traveled are calculated based on the driving history stored in the history storage unit.

[0044] This makes it possible to calculate at least one of fuel economy information that is more suited to the driver based on the driving history and the distance that the vehicle can travel with the remaining fuel.

[0045] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a sixteenth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to fifteenth aspects, and further includes a notification step of sending a notification to the outside in response to the occurrence of a vehicle trouble, the notification step including license information to the outside.

[0046] This allows for notification including license information to be sent to an external party when a problem occurs.

[0047] Also, for example, an information processing method according to a seventeenth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to sixteenth aspects, in which license information is acquired based on the mDL (mobile driver license) standard.

[0048] This allows license information to be obtained based on the mDL standard.

[0049] Furthermore, for example, an information processing method according to an eighteenth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing method according to any one of the first to seventeenth aspects, wherein the license information includes at least one of a license type indicating the type of vehicle that can be driven, a photograph of the driver, the driver's name, restrictions indicating the conditions under which driving is permitted, and an expiration date.

[0050] This allows license information to be obtained that includes at least one of the license type indicating the type of vehicle that can be driven, the driver's photograph, the driver's name, restrictions indicating the conditions under which the driver can drive, and the expiration date.

[0051] Furthermore, for example, a program according to a nineteenth aspect of the present disclosure is a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing methods according to the first to eighteenth aspects.

[0052] According to this, by executing the program using a computer, the same effects as those of the information processing method described above can be achieved.

[0053] Also, for example, an information processing device according to a twentieth aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing device in a vehicle that is communicatively connected to an information terminal, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires license information regarding the driver's license of the vehicle driver by communicating with the information terminal, and a memory control unit that stores the acquired license information in a memory unit.

[0054] This provides the same effects as the information processing method described above.

[0055] Furthermore, these comprehensive or specific aspects may be realized as a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a non-transitory recording medium such as a computer-readable CD-ROM, or may be realized as any combination of a system, an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

[0056] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement and connection configurations, steps, and step order shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not recited in independent claims will be described as optional components. Note that each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily an exact illustration. Furthermore, in each figure, substantially identical components are assigned the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted or simplified.

[0057] In the following description, elements may be assigned ordinal numbers such as first, second, and third. These ordinal numbers are assigned to elements to distinguish them from one another and do not necessarily correspond to a meaningful order. These ordinal numbers may be rearranged, newly added, or removed as appropriate.

[0058] (Embodiment) [Configuration] First, the configuration of an information processing system according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the information processing system according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the information processing system according to the embodiment includes a vehicle 100, an information terminal 200, a vehicle server 300, and an mDL issuing server 400. The vehicle 100 is a mobile object that travels while being driven by a driver.

[0059] Vehicle 100 includes a short-range communication unit 101, an internet communication unit 102, a memory 103, a processor 104, a car navigation system 105, a fuel efficiency calculation unit 106, and a storage control unit 107. Note that only the components related to information processing of vehicle 100 are shown here, and vehicle 100 also includes an ECU, instruments, a chassis, a body, a drive mechanism, a power source, etc., which are not shown.

[0060] The short-range communication unit 101 is a communication module for communication between the vehicle 100 and the information terminal 200. The short-range communication unit 101 includes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication module using Bluetooth (registered trademark), a Near Field Communication (NFC) communication module, and an Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) communication module for compensating for vulnerabilities in communication by the BLE communication module. Note that the configuration of the short-range communication unit 101 is not limited to these, and any method and module may be used as long as wireless communication with the information terminal 200 can be performed.

[0061] The internet communication unit 102 is a communication module that enables the vehicle 100 to communicate with external servers, etc. The internet communication unit 102 communicates with external servers, etc. via base stations using mobile wireless communication, etc. The communication between the internet communication unit 102 and external servers, etc., includes the acquisition of license information from the mDL issuing server 400, etc., and therefore the internet communication unit 102 can also be considered as an acquisition unit.

[0062] The memory 103 is a storage device for storing information and is realized by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. The memory 103 may also store driver's license information. In such a case, the memory 103 can be regarded as a storage unit. The memory 103 may also store setting information related to vehicle settings and the driving history of the vehicle driver. In such a case, the memory 103 can be regarded as both a setting storage unit and a history storage unit. The driver's license information, setting information, and driving history may be stored in different storage units as long as they are linked to each other. In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the driver's license information, setting information, and driving history are stored in a single storage unit in a linked state. The memory 103 stores programs executed by the processor 104 (described later) and various data that are read or stored accordingly.

[0063] The processor 104 is a computing element for performing information processing. The processor 104 executes the programs stored in the memory 103 to perform information processing in the vehicle 100, particularly, processes such as obtaining license information, generating and authenticating a digital key, and notifying the outside of the information.

[0064] The car navigation system 105 is a device that instructs the driver how to travel from the current location to the destination by connecting the current location and the destination, which is the point to be traveled by the vehicle 100, with an appropriate route. The car navigation system 105 includes a memory that stores map information and a program for calculating a route, a processor for executing the program, and a positioning device that measures the current location. The car navigation system 105 in this embodiment has a function of receiving information from the vehicle 100 and calculating a route that matches the received information. This function will be described later. The car navigation system 105 provides feedback to the driver using synthesized voice. In this case, the car navigation system 105 may use the driver's name obtained from the driver's license information to utter a voice that includes the name.

[0065] The fuel efficiency calculation unit 106 is a processing unit that calculates fuel efficiency information in the current state of the vehicle 100. The fuel efficiency calculation unit 106 includes a communication module that acquires information necessary for calculation, a memory that stores a program for calculating the fuel efficiency information, and a processor for executing the program. The fuel efficiency calculation unit 106 in this embodiment has a function of receiving information from the vehicle 100 and calculating fuel efficiency information that matches the received information. This function will be described later.

[0066] The storage control unit 107 is a processing unit for storing the acquired information in the storage unit. Specifically, the storage control unit 107 stores the acquired license information in an external storage unit or in a storage unit within the vehicle 100. The storage control unit 107 stores driver information including the acquired license information in the storage unit. When generating driver information from license information, it is sufficient to link other information to the license information by an ID or the like, so that the corresponding license information can be referenced from the other information, and the corresponding other information can be referenced from the license information.

[0067] Vehicle 100 also includes a camera (not shown). This camera is positioned so that it can capture an image of the driver's seat, particularly the area including the headrest, from the windshield side. As a result, the camera can capture an image including the face of a user sitting in the driver's seat (a user who is likely to be the driver). The camera outputs the captured image to processor 104.

[0068] The information terminal 200 is a terminal device capable of information processing, such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or PC, owned by a user of the vehicle 100, such as a driver. The information terminal 200 includes an internet communication unit 201, a memory 202, a processor 203, and a short-range communication unit 204.

[0069] The internet communication unit 201 is a communication module that enables the information terminal 200 to communicate with an external server, etc. The internet communication unit 201 communicates with the external server, etc. via a base station by mobile wireless communication, etc.

[0070] The memory 202 is a storage device for storing information, and is realized by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. The memory 202 may also store license information, in which case the memory 202 can be considered a storage unit. The memory 202 stores programs executed by the processor 203 (described later) and various data that are read or stored in response to the programs.

[0071] The processor 203 is a computing element for performing information processing. The processor 203 executes a program stored in the memory 202 to perform information processing in the information terminal 200, particularly, processes such as receiving license information and storing it in a storage unit, and generating and authenticating a digital key.

[0072] The short-range communication unit 204 is a communication module that enables the information terminal 200 to communicate with the vehicle 100. The short-range communication unit 204 includes a BLE communication module that uses Bluetooth, an NFC communication module, and a UWB communication module that compensates for the vulnerability of communication by the BLE communication module. Note that the configuration of the short-range communication unit 204 is not limited to these, and any method and module may be used as long as wireless communication with the vehicle 100 is possible. However, from the viewpoint of performing wireless communication with the vehicle 100, the short-range communication unit 204 uses the same wireless communication method and module as the short-range communication unit 101 of the vehicle 100.

[0073] The vehicle server 300 is an information management server operated by the manufacturer of the vehicle 100 or a management company of the vehicle 100, and is implemented as an edge server or a cloud server. The vehicle server 300 includes an internet communication unit 301, a memory 302, and a processor 303.

[0074] The internet communication unit 301 is a communication module that allows the vehicle server 300 to communicate with an external server, etc. When the vehicle server 300 is realized as a cloud server, the internet communication unit 301 communicates by acquiring information from the external server via a communication network such as the internet.

[0075] The memory 302 is a storage device for storing information, and is realized by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. The memory 302 may also store license information, in which case the memory 302 can be regarded as a storage unit. The memory 302 stores programs executed by the processor 303 (described later) and various data that are read or stored in response to the programs.

[0076] The processor 303 is a computing element for performing information processing. The processor 303 executes the programs stored in the memory 302 to perform information processing in the vehicle server 300, particularly, processing such as receiving license information and storing it in a storage unit.

[0077] The mDL issuing server 400 is an information management server operated by a public institution (such as the National Police Agency) involved in issuing driver's licenses, and is realized by an edge server, a cloud server, etc. The mDL issuing server 400 includes an internet communication unit 401, a memory 402, and a processor 403.

[0078] The internet communication unit 401 is a communication module that enables the mDL issuing server 400 to communicate with external servers, etc. When the mDL issuing server 400 is realized as a cloud server, the internet communication unit 401 communicates by transmitting information in response to inquiries from external servers via a communication network such as the internet.

[0079] Memory 402 is a storage device for storing information, and is realized by a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, or the like. Memory 402 stores, for example, license information related to driver's licenses issued by the above-mentioned public institutions. The license information is information that can be digitized from among the information written on a driver's license, and indicates the same information as the information written on the driver's license.

[0080] Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of driver information in which license information, vehicle information, and a digital key are linked. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the contents of driver information in which vehicle information, setting information, and driving history are linked. Note that Figs. 2 and 3 show two diagrams, an upper section and a lower section, and the beginning (left end) of the lower section is connected to the end (right end) of the upper section.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 2 , the driver information includes information about the digital key, including the digital key ID, the vehicle ID of the vehicle 100, and the role of the digital key. The driver information also includes vehicle information, including the manufacturer of the vehicle 100, the chassis number of the vehicle 100, and the name of the vehicle 100. Although not shown, the vehicle information may also include information specifying the required license type. The driver information also includes license information, including the license number, the driver's name, the driver's date of birth, the driver's address, a photograph of the driver, the issuance date of the driver's license, the license type indicating the type of vehicle that can be driven, restrictions indicating the conditions under which driving is permitted, and the expiration date of the driver's license.

[0082] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3 , the driver information includes a driving history that summarizes driving history during a period from engine start to engine stop. In FIG. 3 , two driving histories for "Taro Tanaka," whose Digital Key ID is "1," are included. The driver information may be generated (updated) to include only the most recent driving history, or, as shown in the figure, may be generated (updated) to include multiple driving histories. The driving history includes mileage, fuel consumption, accelerator position, brake depression, engine start time, and engine stop time. The driver information also includes the seat position, steering wheel position, mirror position, driving skill, air conditioner temperature setting, air conditioner airflow setting, whether or not the idling stop function is used, whether or not the driving assist function is used, the assist level of the driving assist function, whether or not the seat heater function is used, the car navigation system (abbreviation for car navigation system 105) registration location, and car navigation history. In this embodiment, using such driver information enables various processes, which will be described later, thereby improving vehicle safety and driving appropriateness.

[0083] 1, the processor 403 is a computing element for performing information processing. The processor 403 executes the programs stored in the memory 402 to perform information processing in the mDL issuing server 400, particularly processing such as transmitting license information.

[0084] [Operation] Next, the operation of the information processing system described above will be described with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation for generating and authenticating a digital key according to an embodiment. Fig. 5 is a sequence diagram showing an example of an operation from engine start to engine stop according to an embodiment.

[0085] 4, first, a digital key is generated for locking and unlocking the vehicle 100 and starting the engine. Here, the generation of the digital key and the locking and unlocking of the vehicle 100 and the engine start based on authentication of the digital key are performed based on the Digital Key standard defined by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC).

[0086] First, as a preliminary preparation, in accordance with the Digital Key standard defined by the CCC, the owner is authenticated using the SPAKE2+ Flow and a secure channel (encrypted communication path) is established. Note that the SPAKE2+ Flow is just one example, and any method for authenticating the owner and establishing a secure channel (encrypted communication path) will do. Here, a so-called owner key is generated through encrypted communication. Information about the generated owner key is stored in the memory 202 of the information terminal 200. Note that the memory 202 may have an area called a secure element that is difficult to attack, and therefore the owner key information may be stored in such a secure element.

[0087] When generating an owner key, the information terminal 200 is presumed to be a terminal owned by the owner, and therefore the vehicle 100 acquires the driver's license information and generates driver information. Specifically, the vehicle 100 first requests query information from the information terminal 200 for use in making a query to the mDL issuing server 400. Next, upon receiving the query information from the information terminal 200, the vehicle 100 can acquire the owner's driver's license information from the mDL issuing server 400 by using the query information to make a query to the mDL issuing server 400 (acquisition step S11). Acquisition of the license information is performed based on the mDL (mobile driver license) standard.

[0088] In particular, since obtaining license information, which requires an inquiry to the mDL issuing server 400, can take time, performing this process in conjunction with the generation of the owner key in this manner is advantageous because it eliminates the need for additional time spent on obtaining license information. On the other hand, from the second time onwards, i.e., after the license information has been obtained once, the obtained license information can be used. Therefore, as described below, if driver information including license information is stored in the storage unit, an alternative acquisition step of acquiring the stored license information may be performed instead of the acquisition step. In other words, once the acquisition step has been performed at least once, driver information including license information can be obtained by the alternative acquisition step thereafter. However, because license information may change, the acquisition step may be performed periodically (e.g., monthly or yearly) even if the license information is stored in the storage unit.

[0089] Next, a so-called owner key is generated in the encrypted communication by a digital key generation process. In the digital key generation process, first, a private key of a public key cryptosystem held by the owner is generated. Information on the generated private key is stored in memory 202 of information terminal 200. Information terminal 200 sends a public key certificate linked to the generated private key to vehicle 100, and vehicle 100 verifies the issuer of the public key certificate and then stores it in memory 103 as owner information.

[0090] Similarly, the vehicle 100 generates a private key for public key cryptography and stores it in the memory 103 of the vehicle 100. The vehicle 100 sends a public key certificate linked to the generated private key to the information terminal 200, verifies the issuer of the public key certificate, and then stores it as vehicle information in the memory 202. Through this series of digital key generation processes, the private key generated by the information terminal 200 becomes the owner key.

[0091] However, the generation of a private key for a public key cryptosystem and the generation of a public key certificate linked to the private key are not limited to being performed at the time of the digital key generation process, and may be prepared in advance.

[0092] The vehicle 100 generates driver information from the acquired driver's license information, transmits the driver information to a storage unit, and stores the driver information in the storage unit (storage step S12). The storage unit may be the memory 103 of the vehicle 100, the memory 202 of the information terminal 200, or the memory 302 of the vehicle server 300.

[0093] From then on, communication between the information terminal 200 and the vehicle 100 for digital key authentication is performed using Standard Transaction.

[0094] Next, digital key authentication is performed by communication between the information terminal 200 and the vehicle 100. Here, authentication is performed by establishing communication between the information terminal 200 and the vehicle 100, for example, by bringing the information terminal 200 close to the door of the vehicle 100. If the authentication is successful, the door of the vehicle 100 is unlocked.

[0095] Furthermore, digital key authentication is performed by communication between the information terminal 200 and the vehicle 100. Here, authentication is performed by establishing communication between the information terminal 200 and the vehicle 100 by installing the information terminal 200 in a predetermined position near the infotainment panel of the vehicle 100. If the authentication is successful, the engine start process of the vehicle 100 is initiated. First, the vehicle 100 requests driver information stored in the storage unit and acquires the driver information transmitted in response. Since the driver information includes driver's license information, the facial photograph included in the driver's license information is also acquired here.

[0096] In this embodiment, if authentication using the digital key is successful and biometric authentication is also successful, the engine start of the vehicle 100 is permitted. Specifically, facial authentication is performed by comparing a facial photograph included in the acquired driver information with the face of the driver of the vehicle 100 included in an image captured by a photographing device installed in the vehicle 100 (step S13). If the facial photograph matches, the driver is deemed to have been authenticated (step S14), and the engine start of the vehicle 100 is permitted. Note that fingerprint authentication may be performed instead of such facial authentication as biometric authentication. In this case, the driver's fingerprint may be registered in the driver information, or if fingerprint information is included in the driver's license information, it may be used.

[0097] This process ensures that the user sitting in the driver's seat is able to obtain license information (i.e., has a driver's license) and is a licensed user. Furthermore, by using the license information to determine whether to start the engine, whether the license is appropriate for driving the vehicle 100 (e.g., license type, restrictions, expiration date, etc.) can also be included in the conditions for starting the engine.

[0098] Thereafter, the engine is started by performing an operation for starting the engine (for example, by stepping on the brake and pressing a predetermined start button).

[0099] Next, an example of the operation after the engine is started will be described, as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, first, the vehicle 100 requests and acquires driver information, which is equivalent to requesting and acquiring driving history and setting information. This operation may be performed together with the acquisition of driver information before the engine is started, or may be performed separately. For example, if there is driver information including driving history and setting information and driver information including license information, these may be acquired separately.

[0100] The vehicle 100 reflects the acquired driving history and setting information (step S21), thereby allowing the vehicle 100 to operate in a manner suitable for the driver. First, based on the acquired setting information, the positions of the seat, steering wheel, and mirrors, the air conditioning settings, the ON / OFF settings of various functions, and the operating parameters of the various functions are reset to match the settings used when the driver previously drove the vehicle 100. For example, the vehicle 100 may be configured to automatically return to a reference position, reference settings, reference parameters, etc. when the engine is stopped, and the settings may be changed from the reference position, reference settings, reference parameters, etc. to positions, settings, parameters, etc. based on the acquired setting information. Alternatively, the settings may be changed to positions, settings, parameters, etc. based on setting information acquired from the most recent past positions, settings, parameters, etc.

[0101] Next, when the engine of the vehicle 100 is started, a welcome message is spoken by voice from the speaker (speaking step S22). At this time, it is preferable to use the driver's name included in the acquired driver information, such as "Good morning, Taro," as this will make the driver feel closer to the message. It is also preferable to use the driver's name as appropriate in speeches at other times.

[0102] Next, the acquired driving history is used to have the car navigation system 105 calculate a route and estimated arrival time suitable for the driver (first calculation step S23). Furthermore, the acquired driving history is used to calculate fuel efficiency information based on the driver's past driving tendencies, i.e., at least one of the mileage per unit of fuel when the vehicle 100 is traveling and the mileage possible with the remaining fuel (second calculation step S24). The term "fuel" here refers to fuel in a broad sense, including so-called fossil fuels such as gasoline or natural gas, and the amount of electricity stored in vehicles that use electricity, such as hybrid or electric vehicles.

[0103] Then, the vehicle starts traveling. While the vehicle 100 is operating, such as while traveling, the occurrence of a problem (e.g., an accident) may be detected automatically by a sensor such as a collision sensor, or may be detected by an operation by the driver, such as pressing an emergency call button. When the occurrence of a problem is detected (Yes in step S25), the occurrence of the problem is triggered by a notification to the outside (notification step S26). Here, the notification includes the driver's license information. The outside may be an organization that requests the dispatch of an emergency vehicle, such as the police, fire department, or ambulance; an organization involved in post-problem processing, such as the vehicle manufacturer or insurance company; or an information terminal, such as the driver's relatives. Including the driver's license information at this time is preferable because it allows various decisions to be made using the driver's license information. On the other hand, if the occurrence of a problem is not detected (No in step S25), the engine is stopped (not shown) and the process proceeds to step S27.

[0104] In step S27, the driving history and setting information of the driver information stored in the storage unit are updated using the driving history and setting information newly obtained during this trip. To this end, the vehicle 100 transmits the driving history and setting information to the storage unit to cause the update.

[0105] [Modification] Next, an information processing system according to a modification will be described. Here, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same components as those in the above embodiment, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified. The following description will focus on the differences. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of an information processing system according to a modification of the embodiment. FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of generating and authenticating a digital key according to the modification of the embodiment. In this modification, a friend key that is generated based on a previously generated digital key and that can unlock the vehicle 100 and start the engine will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, this friend key enables another information terminal 200a to lock and unlock the vehicle 100 and start the engine based on the digital key generated in the information terminal 200. Therefore, the information terminal 200a has almost the same configuration as the information terminal 200. Specifically, the information terminal 200a includes an internet communication unit 201a similar to the internet communication unit 201, a memory 202a similar to the memory 202, a processor 203a similar to the processor 203, and a near-field communication unit 204a similar to the near-field communication unit 204.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 7 , first, key sharing is performed from information terminal 200 (owner) to information terminal 200a (friend), i.e., a friend key is generated using the owner key and transmitted to information terminal 200a. Here, an access URL for obtaining the friend key is transmitted to information terminal 200a using URL sharing. The subsequent operations are almost the same as those described using FIG. 4 , and therefore will not be described again. However, when a friend key is used, license information is not acquired as in the case of generating the owner key, and therefore license information is acquired in the information processing up to engine start. Specifically, when a friend key is used, license information is not acquired during digital key authentication using the friend key to unlock vehicle 100, but is acquired during digital key authentication using the friend key to start the engine of vehicle 100.

[0107] This is because one use of the friend key is when a user simply wants to unlock the doors of vehicle 100 without driving vehicle 100. In such a case, there is a possibility that a user without a driver's license will unlock the vehicle, so the license information is acquired when the engine is started, which is almost certain to involve driving vehicle 100. This has the advantage that license information is acquired in order to drive vehicle 100, but license information is not acquired if the user only wants to unlock the doors of vehicle 100, which reduces the likelihood of unnecessary communication.

[0108] Other Embodiments Although the embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0109] For example, in the above-described embodiment, a process executed by a specific processing unit may be executed by another processing unit, the order of multiple processes may be changed, or multiple processes may be executed in parallel.

[0110] In the above-described embodiments, each component may be realized by executing a software program suitable for that component, or by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory.

[0111] Furthermore, each component may be realized by hardware. For example, each component may be a circuit (or integrated circuit). These circuits may form a single circuit as a whole, or each may be a separate circuit. Furthermore, each of these circuits may be a general-purpose circuit or a dedicated circuit.

[0112] Furthermore, the general or specific aspects of the present disclosure may be realized as an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM, etc. Furthermore, the general or specific aspects of the present disclosure may be realized as any combination of an apparatus, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a recording medium.

[0113] For example, the present disclosure may be realized as an information processing method executed by a computer, or as a program for causing a computer to execute the information processing method. The present disclosure may also be realized as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium on which such a program is recorded.

[0114] In addition, this disclosure also includes forms obtained by applying various modifications to each embodiment that a person skilled in the art would think of, or forms realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of each embodiment within the scope that does not deviate from the intent of this disclosure.

[0115] The present disclosure is useful in situations where it is desirable to utilize information about the driver of a vehicle.

[0116] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Vehicle 101 Short-range communication unit 102 Internet communication unit 103 Memory 104 Processor 105 Car navigation system 106 Fuel efficiency calculation unit 107 Storage control unit 200, 200a Information terminal 201, 201a Internet communication unit 202, 202a Memory 203, 203a Processor 204, 204a Short-range communication unit 300 Vehicle server 301 Internet communication unit 302 Memory 303 Processor 400 mDL issuing server 401 Internet communication unit 402 Memory 403 Processor

Claims

1. An information processing method performed by a vehicle connected to an information terminal, The acquisition step involves obtaining license information relating to the driver's license of the vehicle's driver by communicating with the aforementioned information terminal, The step includes storing the acquired license information in a storage unit, The acquisition step is performed at least one of the following: when generating a digital key for authentication with the information terminal, which is used to unlock the vehicle and start the engine using the information terminal, and when performing authentication using the digital key. Information processing methods.

2. (delete)

3. The authentication performed by the digital key when the aforementioned driver's license information is obtained is for the purpose of starting the vehicle's engine. The information processing method according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned license information includes a photograph of the driver's face. In the acquisition step, an image including the face of the vehicle driver is also taken. If authentication using the digital key is successful, and the facial photograph included in the acquired driver's license information matches the face of the vehicle driver included in the captured image, the vehicle's engine will be authorized to start. The information processing method according to claim 3.

5. In the acquisition step, if a friend key that can unlock the vehicle and start the engine, generated based on the generated digital key, is used, the driver's license information is not acquired during authentication with the information terminal using the friend key for unlocking the vehicle, but the driver's license information is acquired during authentication with the information terminal using the friend key for starting the vehicle's engine. The information processing method according to claim 1.

6. Unlocking the vehicle and starting the engine using the aforementioned digital key is performed in accordance with the Digital Key standard defined by the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC). The information processing method according to claim 1.

7. If the license information is stored in the memory unit, an alternative acquisition step is performed to acquire the stored license information instead of the acquisition step. The information processing method according to claim 1.

8. In the acquisition step described above, The information terminal obtains query information from the management server that manages the license information. The license information is obtained by querying the management server using the query information. The information processing method according to claim 1.

9. In the acquisition step, the license information stored in the information terminal is acquired. The information processing method according to claim 1.

10. The aforementioned license information includes the driver's name, The vehicle further includes a speech step in which the vehicle's speaker makes an audible statement including the driver's name. The information processing method according to claim 1.

11. In the storage step, the acquired driver's license information is stored in at least one of the storage units installed in the vehicle, the storage unit installed in the vehicle's management server, or the storage unit installed in the information terminal. The information processing method according to claim 1.

12. The process further includes a setting storage step of acquiring setting information regarding the vehicle settings made by the driver and storing it in a setting storage unit in association with the driver's license information, After authentication using the digital key, the vehicle settings are changed based on the setting information stored in the setting storage unit. The information processing method according to claim 1.

13. The previously stored setting information is updated using the setting information newly acquired by the driver of the vehicle. The information processing method according to claim 12.

14. A history storage step involves acquiring the driving history of the vehicle's driver and storing it in the history storage unit in conjunction with the driver's license information. The first calculation step further includes calculating at least one of a recommended route to the destination and an estimated time of arrival at the destination using a navigation system installed in the vehicle, In the first calculation step, the recommended route and the estimated arrival time are calculated based on the driving history stored in the history storage unit. The information processing method according to claim 1.

15. A history storage step involves acquiring the driving history of the vehicle's driver and storing it in the history storage unit in conjunction with the driver's license information. A second calculation step further includes calculating, using a fuel efficiency calculation system installed in the vehicle, at least one of fuel efficiency information during driving and the driving distance that the vehicle can travel with its remaining fuel, In the second calculation step, the fuel efficiency information and the remaining driving distance are calculated based on the driving history stored in the history storage unit. The information processing method according to claim 1.

16. A notification step, triggered by the occurrence of a vehicle malfunction, further includes a notification step that includes the driver's license information to the external party. The information processing method according to claim 1.

17. The acquisition of the aforementioned license information is carried out in accordance with the mDL (mobile Driver License) standard. The information processing method according to claim 1.

18. The aforementioned license information includes at least one of the following: the license type indicating the type of vehicle that can be driven, the driver's photograph, the driver's name, restrictions indicating the conditions under which driving is permitted, and the expiration date. The information processing method according to claim 1.

19. To cause a computer to execute the information processing method described in claim 1. program.

20. An information processing device for a vehicle connected to an information terminal, The acquisition unit communicates with the aforementioned information terminal to acquire license information relating to the driver's license of the vehicle's driver, The system includes a storage control unit that stores the acquired license information in a storage unit, The acquisition unit acquires driver's license information relating to the driver's license of the vehicle's driver at least one of the following times: when generating a digital key for authentication with the information terminal, which is used to unlock the vehicle and start the engine using the information terminal, and when performing the authentication using the digital key. Information processing device.