Data collection device, data collection method, and data collection system

Abstract

The present invention reliably collects data in accordance with requirements while preferentially using a communication means desired by a user.　A data collection device 200 for collecting data includes: a data acquisition unit 204 for acquiring the data; a transmission unit 210 corresponding to a plurality of communication means (211, 212, etc.) for transmitting the acquired data to a data collection server 100; a priority order setting unit 202 for setting, for each set of the data, a priority order for use of the plurality of communication means; and a use plan setting unit 201 for setting, for each set of the data, the usability of the plurality of communication means on the basis of the priority order. The transmission unit 210 transmits the data via the communication means that is set to be usable by the use plan setting unit 201.

Description

Data collection device, data collection method and data collection system

[0001] The present invention relates to data collection using a terminal device that functions as a data collection device.

[0002] Currently, sensor data and other data are being collected and utilized in a variety of fields. For example, the development of services that utilize vehicle data, such as updates to autonomous driving and driver assistance systems, is progressing. To achieve this, continuous collection of vehicle sensor data, logs, images, and videos is required. Characteristics of data collection in vehicles include the wide variety of data to be collected, the urgency and reliability of collection varying depending on the type, and the fact that vehicles are mobile, making multiple communication methods and connection destinations available. To meet the different collection requirements for each type of data, methods that use multiple communication methods, such as wireless LAN and mobile data communications, are currently being used. In the future, it is expected that communication methods and connection destinations will continue to diversify, including user devices such as smartphones and access points installed on roadside units.

[0003] Here, there are two general challenges in collecting data using mobile terminal devices, such as vehicle data: 1. The requirements for data collection (type, cost, transmission deadline, storage deadline, etc.) are diverse. 2. The communication environment changes as the terminal device moves, making collection uncertain.

[0004] To address these issues, technologies for selectively using multiple communication means depending on the data to be transmitted and the communication situation are disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2. Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose methods for selectively using multiple communication means depending on the requirements for data collection and the current situation.

[0005] First, Patent Document 1 describes prioritizing communication at a predetermined location. To this end, Patent Document 1 calculates the time required for communication at the predetermined location from the location information of the vehicle and the connection destination, and if the time exceeds a standard, transmits data using mobile data communication, thereby ensuring data collection within the period. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 describes obtaining information on communication quality from multiple access points and selecting a connection destination based on that information to meet data collection requirements.

[0006] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-129212 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-111884

[0007] As described above, multiple communication means can be used in data collection. Therefore, processing such as selecting a communication means is necessary in data collection. However, Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not take these points into consideration. Therefore, the present invention aims to: 1. enable the use of an appropriate communication means, for example, a communication means desired by the user; and 2. simplify the data collection device.

[0008] First, we will explain point 1. Here, the term "user" refers to the beneficiary of data collection, that is, the business operator that collects the data, the user of the data collection device (terminal device) or the vehicle (including the owner). Depending on the profits the user seeks, there will be data that they want to collect if it is low cost, and data that they want to collect reliably even if it is expensive. The communication means that should be prioritized will likely differ depending on the form of communication service provision, the user's contract status, and the profits they seek.

[0009] Next, we will explain issue 2. Patent Document 1 attempts to solve issue 2 by externally acquiring location information, and Patent Document 2 by externally acquiring communication quality information. Patent Documents 1 and 2 require the data collection device to have additional functions and processing capabilities, as well as to periodically communicate with the outside, which raises concerns about the data collection device becoming more complex and expanding in size.

[0010] Therefore, in the present invention, a priority is set for a plurality of communication means used by a data collection device to acquire data when communicating the acquired data to another device. The present invention also includes specifying a communication means to be used from the plurality of communication means according to the set priority, and executing data collection by transmitting the acquired data to another device using the specified communication means.

[0011] A more specific configuration is a data collection device for realizing data collection, which comprises a data acquisition unit that acquires the data, a transmission unit corresponding to multiple communication means that transmits the acquired data to other devices, a priority setting unit that sets priorities for use of the multiple communication means for each set of data, and a usage plan setting unit that sets whether or not the multiple communication means can be used for each set of data based on the priorities, and the transmission unit transmits the data via the communication means that have been set as usable by the usage plan setting unit.

[0012] The present invention also includes a data collection method using the data collection device, a data collection support system including the data collection device, and a program for causing the device to function as a computer.

[0013] According to the present invention, a communication means can be used in accordance with the situation regarding data collection and the desires of the user with a simpler configuration.

[0014] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of an apparatus constituting a data collection system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a first example of a usage pattern of a data collection apparatus 200 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a second example of a usage pattern of a data collection apparatus 200 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a priority setting file 601 used by a priority setting unit 202 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a usage plan setting file 602 used by a usage plan setting unit 201 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a usage plan 603 created by a usage plan setting unit 201 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation of setting a priority and usage plan according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation of data transmission according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example (part 1) of an operation of data transmission according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example (part 2) of an operation of data transmission according to the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example (part 3) of an operation of data transmission according to the first embodiment.

[0015] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In this embodiment, data collection is performed by a data collection support system including a data collection device 200 provided in a vehicle, which is an example of a mobile body, and a data collection server 100 connected to the data collection device 200 via a communication network 401. That is, the data collection device 200 acquires data from a data acquisition source 500, represented by a sensor 501 or a data processing device 502, and transmits the data to the data collection server 100, thereby collecting various data in the data collection server 100. More preferably, the data collection server 100 is connected to a plurality of data collection devices 200 and collects data from them. Furthermore, the number of sensors 501 and data processing devices 502 is not limited to one, and a plurality of sensors 501 and data processing devices 502 may be provided.

[0016] The data collection process in the data collection system of this embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, a priority order is set for multiple communication means used by the data collection device 200 to acquire data when communicating the acquired data to other devices. The data collection device 200 then identifies a communication means to use from the multiple communication means according to the set priority order, and executes data collection by transmitting the acquired data to the data collection server 100 using the identified communication means. As a result, the data collection server 100 accumulates the collected data. Furthermore, a data collection business using the data collection server 100 can provide the collected and accumulated data to a data using business, which can then utilize the data.

[0017] In response to this provision, it becomes possible to provide services such as incentives to related parties. Here, the related parties include users (including owners) of the data collection device 200, data collection businesses, and communication businesses. According to this embodiment, data collection using appropriate communication means can be realized with a simpler configuration. Furthermore, by providing incentives for data collection, it is possible to promote the data collection and utilization of the collected data. Below, Example 1, which is a specific example of this embodiment, will be described.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a system configuration according to a first embodiment. The system according to the first embodiment is configured as a data collection system including a data collection server 100 and a data collection device 200. This data collection system may include a relay terminal 302 and a user terminal 600. There may also be multiple relay terminals 302. The data collection server 100, the data collection device 200, and the relay terminal 302 are connected via a communication network 401. There are multiple types of communication networks 401, and for example, a mobile data communication network, a wireless LAN, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication path, or a road-to-vehicle communication path may be used. Each device constituting the data collection system will now be described.

[0019] First, the data collection server 100 is a computer that includes a receiving unit 101 and is capable of storing data transmitted from the data collection device 200. This may be realized by a cloud. The hardware configuration of the computer that realizes the data collection server 100 will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0020] The data collection device 200 is a computer including a plurality of communication devices (211, 212, ...), a transmitter 210, a usage plan setting unit 201, a priority setting unit 202, a data storage unit 203, and a data acquisition unit 204. In the first embodiment, the data collection device 200 can be realized by an in-vehicle ECU. The hardware configuration of the computer that realizes the data collection device 200 will be described later with reference to FIG. 2.

[0021] The components of the data collection device 200 are described below. The multiple communication devices (211, 212, ...) each transmit and receive data corresponding to a different communication service (communication method) or connection destination. For example, communication device A 211 supports wireless LAN communication, communication device B 212 supports mobile data communication, and communication device X 213 supports connection to a relay terminal 302. Other communication services that can be used include short-range wireless communication, road-to-vehicle communication, ITS spot communication, and tethering communication via a smartphone using short-range wireless communication. Then, from the multiple communication devices (211, 212, ...), a communication device to be used for transmitting the data to be collected is selected. More specifically, the priority setting unit 202 and the usage plan setting unit 201 identify the communication device to be used.

[0022] The operation of each communication device (211, 212, ...) is controlled by a transmitting unit 210 connected to the communication devices. The transmitting unit 210 is compatible with each communication device. Being compatible with each communication device includes realizing data transmission by each communication device, which is hardware, and realizing data transmission via multiple communication services (wireless LAN, mobile communication, etc.). Details of the operation of the transmitting unit 210 will be described later with reference to FIG. 9. The communication devices (211, 212, ...) can also be expressed as communication units, and at least some of them as part of the data collection device 200 may be realized by devices separate from the data collection device 200. For example, each communication device (211, 212, ...) can be realized by a portable router for wireless LAN devices or a smartphone (with a tethering function).

[0023] The priority setting unit 202 also sets a usage priority for the data to be transmitted. This setting may be performed in response to a user instruction via an input unit (not shown) or the like, or may be performed according to predetermined rules. The input unit may be another device connected to the data collection device 200, such as a user terminal 600 that can be implemented as an in-vehicle device such as a smartphone or an in-vehicle information terminal (including an in-vehicle terminal for business use), or may be provided in the data collection device 200. An example of setting priority will be described later with reference to FIG. 5. The operation of the priority setting unit 202 will be described later with reference to FIG. 8.

[0024] Furthermore, the usage plan setting unit 201 sets and executes a usage plan 603 for the transmission unit 210 for the data to be collected based on information from the priority setting unit 202. The operation of the usage plan setting unit 201 will be described later with reference to FIGS.

[0025] Furthermore, the data storage unit 203 stores (accumulates) the data to be collected and the usage plan 603 set by the usage plan setting unit 201 in association with each other.

[0026] The data acquisition unit 204 acquires data to be collected from a data acquisition source 500, such as a sensor 501 or a data processing device 502, and stores the data in the data storage unit 203. The data acquisition source 500 will now be described. The sensor 501 of the data acquisition source 500 measures and detects various data and can be realized by a camera, a temperature sensor, or the like. The data processing device 502 can be realized by an in-vehicle information terminal or a microcomputer installed in the vehicle. Therefore, the data to be collected includes various data related to vehicle driving and control (camera images, control signals, vehicle speed, acceleration, position, etc.). The operations of the data acquisition unit 204 and the data storage unit 203 will also be described later with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. This concludes the description of the data collection device 200. However, multiple data collection devices 200 may be installed in one vehicle, and data acquired by these multiple data collection devices 200 may be transmitted to the data collection server 100 via a communication device in another data collection device. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, a plurality of data collection servers 100 may be provided, and a data utilization server connected to the data collection servers 100 may be provided.

[0027] The relay terminal 302 is a device for relaying data from the data collection device 200 to the data collection server 100. Therefore, the relay terminal 302 can be realized by a router or a computer equipped with a receiving unit 301. Here, the relay terminal 302 may receive data from the data collection device 200 instead of the data collection server 100.

[0028] The received data may also be processed by the data collection device 200 itself or transmitted to the data collection server 100. Therefore, the relay terminal 302 may be realized by, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a personal computer, an in-vehicle information terminal, a road-to-vehicle communication device, or a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device.

[0029] Furthermore, in FIG. 1 , the user terminal 600 is provided separately from the relay terminal 302, but either one of them may be configured separately. For example, the functions of the relay terminal 302 may be implemented in the user terminal 600. The user terminal 600 is used to set priorities. That is, it accepts designations regarding priorities from the driver or passengers of the vehicle, which are examples of users, and notifies the data collection device 200 of this designation. In response to this, the priority setting unit 202 can set the priorities as described above. For this reason, the user terminal 600 can be realized as a so-called computer, such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or in-vehicle information terminal. It is also desirable that the user terminal 600 output the set priorities and the contents of the above-mentioned services. The user terminal 600 may also be omitted.

[0030] Next, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of devices constituting the data collection system in the first embodiment.

[0031] The data collection server 100, the data collection device 200, the relay terminal 302, and the user terminal 600 can each be realized by a computer 900 as shown in Fig. 2. The computer 900 has a storage device 901, a calculation processing device 902, a communication device 903, and an input / output interface 904, which are connected to each other.

[0032] The storage device 901 may include a so-called main storage device, which may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, and a so-called auxiliary storage device, which may be, for example, a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk drive or a solid-state drive. The storage device 901 stores programs and data to be executed by the computing device 902.

[0033] Furthermore, the calculation processing device 902 can be realized by a processor such as a CPU, and executes various processes in accordance with programs stored in the storage device 901. The calculation processing device 902 operates in accordance with the programs, thereby realizing the various functional units shown in Fig. 1. For example, the functions of the usage plan setting unit 201 and the priority setting unit 202 of the data collection device 200 are realized by the calculation processing device 902 operating in accordance with the programs stored in the storage device 901 in the computer 900 corresponding to the data collection device 200.

[0034] The communication device 903 is an interface for connection to a communication network. For example, the transmitting unit 210 of the data collecting device 200 is realized by the communication device 903 of the computer 900, which corresponds to the data collecting device 200. The transmitting unit 210 is connected to the communication network 401 and communicates with the receiving unit 101 of the data collecting server 100 and the receiving unit 301 of the relay terminal 302, which are also realized by the communication device 903 of the computer 900.

[0035] Note that a plurality of communication devices 903 may be provided in the data collection device 200, or the communication device 903 may be capable of communication using a plurality of communication services. In the former case, the priority setting unit 202 and the usage plan setting unit 201 identify a communication device to be used for data transmission from a plurality of communication devices, and in the latter case, a communication service is identified. In this way, the identification and selection of communication means in the first embodiment includes the selection of hardware such as a communication device, a communication service (communication method) such as a communication service, and software.

[0036] The input / output interface 904 may include an input device such as at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, and a touch panel, and an output device such as an image display device. The input / output interface 904 may be omitted, and its functions may be realized by another device. For example, input of the priority to the data collection device 200 may be realized via the user terminal 600.

[0037] Next, an example of a usage pattern in Example 1 will be described. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a first example of a usage pattern of the data collection device 200 in Example 1. In this first usage pattern, the parties involved are a data using company, a data collecting company, a vehicle owner (user), and a telecommunications company.

[0038] First, the framework and mechanisms of the business, including the flow of data among the parties involved, will be explained. Driving information (data to be collected) of vehicle owners is collected by a data collection business via a communication network (communication network 401) provided by a communication carrier. The collected data is then provided by the data collection business to a data user through sales or the like. Therefore, there is a business relationship between the data collection business and the data user business, such as buying and selling of data.

[0039] As a result, the collected data is utilized by data users. For example, the data is analyzed, accident risks are calculated, and automobile insurance is developed and driving assistance maps are created and updated. Then, services such as automobile insurance and driving assistance maps based on the results of these analyses are provided to vehicle owners. The provision of these services also includes the provision of incentives such as compensation. For example, vehicle owners can use the compensation to pay communication fees to telecommunications carriers. For this reason, so-called points can be used as compensation. Furthermore, this compensation may be limited to the use of communication fees for the communication of the above-mentioned driving information.

[0040] Next, the information processing required to realize the business framework and mechanism will be explained using Figure 3. The data collection device 200 transmits driving information data, such as vehicle sensor values ​​and video images, to a data collection server 100 managed by a vehicle collection business. The data collection business provides or sells the collected data to affiliated data user businesses according to demand. For this purpose, the data collection server 100 performs access control to allow data user businesses to access the collected data, and transmits the collected data to computers used by the data user businesses.

[0041] The data using business then uses the obtained data and the analysis results to provide services to the vehicle owner. That is, developed insurance products and driving assistance maps are provided. To this end, a computer used by the data using business transmits insurance product enrollment information and driving assistance maps to a computer used by the vehicle owner, such as a user terminal 600. Furthermore, the computer used by the data using business may transmit points or the like as a service to the computer used by the vehicle owner.

[0042] The vehicle owner also enters into a contract with a communications carrier for use of communication services from the vehicle, including the data collection device 200, and pays the communication fees. As described above, this payment may be made using transmitted points or the like. Furthermore, the communication service may have a variable communication fee or communication quality depending on the amount of use. A contract may be made with multiple communications carriers depending on the communication area, communication volume, and fee. Furthermore, the communication service may include, for example, mobile data communication, which is generally expensive but highly reliable and available over a wide area, and home wireless LAN, which is generally low-cost and available over a limited area. For example, the priority of communication means for data usage may be set according to the services provided by the data user service provider and the fee for data collection received from the data collection service provider.

[0043] Examples of services provided by the data using business operator include reflecting insurance premiums based on driving conditions, vehicle price assessments, and driving assistance maps. Examples of compensation for data collection include points, discounts, coupons, etc. Regarding the use of a home wireless LAN as a communication service, the transmitter 210 may determine whether or not it can be used based on the moving speed and location of the vehicle or data collection device 200. That is, if the location is near the vehicle owner's home or a vehicle parking lot, the speed is below a certain speed, and home wireless LAN is available, it is selected from multiple communication services.

[0044] In the first embodiment, the priority order of the data collection device 200 is set by the vehicle owner. For example, a high-cost but highly reliable communication means may be used preferentially for data that is essential for the vehicle owner to receive a desired service, and a low-cost communication means (communication service) may be used preferentially for collection of other data. Alternatively, a high-cost but highly reliable communication means may be used preferentially for data that is expensive to collect, such as data from areas with little data or data from new vehicle models.

[0045] In this example, the owner of the vehicle does not have to be an individual. For example, a rental car company, taxi company, or transportation company may set priorities for each of the multiple vehicles they manage. For example, the above-mentioned priority setting may be based on the driving history of the actual driver, such as past violations and accidents, and the planned route. In this case, the setting can be made by the driver or a vehicle manager, etc.

[0046] By allowing the vehicle owner to set the priority of communication means as described above, the vehicle owner can obtain the service or data collection he or she desires at the cost he or she desires.

[0047] This concludes the description of the first example of the usage pattern in the first embodiment, and next, a second example will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the second example of the usage pattern of the data collection device 200 in the first embodiment. In the second example, in this first usage pattern, the parties involved are the data using business, the data collecting business, the vehicle owner (user), and the telecommunications company. However, the data collecting business and the data using business are the same or an affiliated automobile manufacturer.

[0048] First, the driving information collected from the data collection device 200 is used to update vehicle software provided by the automobile manufacturer. The vehicle software may be, for example, an auxiliary program or an ECU control program used for driving assistance or autonomous driving. In this example, the service provided is the distribution of the auxiliary program or the ECU control program. For this reason, the data collection server 100 or a computer used by the data user distributes these to a computer used by the owner, such as a user terminal 600, or the data collection device 200.

[0049] In addition, the automaker pays all or part of the communication fees to the telecommunications carrier to collect the data required for these updates (distribution). The contract type for communication fees varies depending on the communication volume for all vehicles. It is also possible to enter into contracts with multiple telecommunications carriers depending on the communication area, communication volume, and fees.

[0050] In this example, the priority setting for the data collection device 200 is performed by the automobile manufacturer, which is the data collection business. In other words, the priority setting for communication means for data is performed so that desired data can be collected while keeping the payment fees for the contracted communication service low. For example, a high-cost but highly reliable communication means may be used preferentially for data related to failures, errors, and accidents, which are important for software updates, while a low-cost communication means may be used preferentially for data that is generated regularly and is less important. Alternatively, a high-cost but highly reliable communication means may be used preferentially for data for which data collection opportunities are limited, such as data from areas with little data or data from new vehicle models.

[0051] By setting the priority order of communication means as described above, the data collection business can collect the data they desire at a cost that meets their needs. This concludes the explanation of the usage form of the first embodiment.

[0052] Next, information (files) used in the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a priority setting file 601 used by the priority setting unit 202 in the first embodiment. The priority setting file 601 records the data priorities and communication means priorities used for data collection. The priority setting file 601 may be set by communication from outside the vehicle. Furthermore, the priority setting file 601 may be set by an interface (input / output interface 904) in the in-vehicle device or the user terminal 600. The priority setting file 601 may be held by the priority setting unit 202 or the data storage unit 203.

[0053] In this embodiment, the higher the priority (the smaller the number), the higher the priority, for example, priority 1 takes precedence over priority 2. The higher the communication means priority, the more priority the communication means will be used. The communication means priority is set for each communication device (211, 212, ...).

[0054] Furthermore, the priorities in the priority setting file 601 may be set for each type of data to be collected. For example, different priorities may be set for camera footage to be collected in an emergency and driving records during normal times. Furthermore, the priorities in the priority setting file 601 may be set by the user. For example, the user may set wireless LAN, which is a low-cost communication method, to a higher priority than mobile data communication, which is a more expensive communication method, depending on the fee structure of the communication service to which the user subscribes. Furthermore, the data priority may be selected based on the service benefits or incentives obtained from the type of data to be collected.

[0055] Here, at least one of the data priority and the communication means priority can be set according to input from the user. When only the data priority is set, the communication means priority is assigned based on a predetermined setting for each data priority. For example, the communication means priority for data priority 1 may be set in advance by a service provider or the like, and the user may select which data should be assigned data priority 1. However, the data priority and the communication means priority may also be set by the priority setting unit 202 according to predetermined rules.

[0056] Furthermore, the items in the priority setting file 601 may not only be individually set by the user, but also be selected by the user from several setting candidates prepared by the data collection service provider. Furthermore, the priority setting unit 202 may set at least some of the items, or item candidates may be prepared and modified by the user.

[0057] Furthermore, the priority setting file 601 is input to the usage plan setting unit 201 and is used when setting a usage plan 603 for data to be transmitted. Specific operations will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0058] Next, FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a usage plan setting file used by the usage plan setting unit 201 in the first embodiment. The usage plan setting file 602 records the usable period or usable count for each communication means of priority in data collection. In other words, the usage plan setting file 602 records the usage limits for each communication means. The usable period and usable count, which are examples of usage limits, may be set either individually or in combination. Furthermore, each setting item may be set for each data type.

[0059] According to the first embodiment, the usage plan setting file 602 can be set by a business operator that provides a data collection service. The usage plan setting file 602 may also be placed in the usage plan setting unit 201 via communication from outside the vehicle. Furthermore, the usage plan setting file 602 may also be set via an interface (input / output interface 904) in the in-vehicle device or the user terminal 600. The usage plan setting file 602 may be stored in the usage plan setting unit 201 or the data storage unit 203.

[0060] It should be noted that the specific communication means for each priority level need not be set in the usage plan setting file 602. For example, the usable period for the communication means with priority level 2 is set, but whether the communication means with priority level 2 is wireless LAN or mobile data communication is set by the priority level setting file 601. However, the usage plan setting file 602 may specify the communication means.

[0061] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the available period for the communication means of each priority is set based on the reference time. For example, "Priority 2: 00d03h00m-30d00h00m" means that "the communication means of priority 2 is available for use from 3 hours to 30 days after the reference time." The reference time may be the time when the data is generated or the time when the usage plan is set.

[0062] According to the first embodiment, the number of times that a communication means of each priority can be used can be set based on the number of transmission attempts. For example, "Priority 2: 3-18 times" means that "if the number of transmission attempts of the data is 3 to 18, the communication means of priority 2 can be used."

[0063] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the higher the priority (the smaller the number), the higher the priority, and a communication means with a lower priority can be made available for a longer period of time or for a larger number of transmission attempts than a communication means with a higher priority.

[0064] The usage plan setting file 602 is used when setting a usage plan 603 for data to be transmitted. A specific operation will be described later with reference to FIG.

[0065] Next, Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a usage plan 603 created by the usage plan setting unit 201 in the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, the usage plan 603 in this embodiment is managed for each piece of data to be transmitted (data name). The usage plan 603 also includes the priority of the data to be transmitted and the usable period for each communication means. The retention period may also be set in a similar format.

[0066] The usage plan 603 is created by referencing the priority setting file 601 and the usage plan setting file 602 corresponding to the data type. The usage plan 603 may also be created as a separate file or database associated with each piece of data to be transmitted, or as metadata or tags for the data to be transmitted. Furthermore, the usage plan 603 is used when the transmitting unit 210 transmits the data to be transmitted. The specific operation will be described later with reference to FIG. 9. This concludes the description of the information used in the first embodiment, and the operation and processing of the first embodiment will be described below.

[0067] 8 is a sequence diagram showing an example of the operation of setting priority levels and usage plans in the first embodiment. In step 701, the priority level setting unit 202 outputs the contents of the priority level setting file 601 to the usage plan setting unit 201. Step 701 may be executed periodically (e.g., periodically) or irregularly. For example, it may be executed only when there is a change in settings. In this step, only the differences between the changed portions of the contents of the priority level setting file 601 may be output to the usage plan setting unit 201.

[0068] In step 702, the data acquisition unit 204 outputs the acquired data that has not been set in the usage plan 603 to the usage plan setting unit 201. Step 702 may also be executed periodically (for example, regularly) or irregularly.

[0069] In step 703, the usage plan setting unit 201 creates (sets) a usage plan 603 based on the priority setting file 601 and the usage plan setting file for the data input in step 702. In step 704, the usage plan setting unit 201 saves the usage plan 603 created in step 703 in the data saving unit 203. This concludes the explanation of FIG.

[0070] Next, Fig. 9 is a sequence diagram showing an example of a data transmission operation in Example 1. That is, Fig. 9 shows a process in which acquired data is transmitted from the data collection device 200 to the data collection server 100 as part of data collection in Example 1. First, in step 801, the transmitting unit 210 notifies the receiving unit 101 of the data collection server 100 of a connection request using one or more communication means. Here, as the receiving unit, not only the receiving unit 101 of the data collection server 100 but also the receiving unit 301 of the relay device may be used.

[0071] Furthermore, step 801 may be performed periodically (for example, periodically) or irregularly. The notification of the connection request from the transmitting unit 210 may be initiated by either the transmitting unit 210 or the receiving unit 101. Here, the transmitting unit 210 selects an arbitrary communication device as the communication means to be used in this step, i.e., the communication device (211, 212, ...). Then, the transmitting unit 210 may sequentially notify each communication device of a communication request for each selection. In this case, the processing from step 802 onwards is sequentially performed for each selected communication device.

[0072] In step 801, communication means may be screened out based on the vehicle speed and location information. For example, if the vehicle speed is above a certain level or the location information indicates a location other than a home parking lot, the use of a communication device that provides communication services with a home wireless LAN may be omitted. This can also be done in the process (2) described below.

[0073] In step 802, the receiving unit 101 returns a connection confirmation notification to the transmitting unit 210 in response to the connection request in step 801. The transmitting unit 210 records the communication means for which a response was received in step 802 as being currently connected.

[0074] Furthermore, in step 803, a search is performed according to the result of the connection confirmation (step 802) by the transmitting unit 210. To this end, the transmitting unit 210 outputs information specifying the communication means for which connection has been confirmed to the usage plan setting unit 201. Furthermore, the usage plan setting unit 201 requests the data storage unit 203 to search for data to be transmitted. Here, the data to be transmitted that is the target of the search is data that the usage plan 603 indicates is that the communication means for which connection has been confirmed in step 802 is within its usable period.

[0075] Whether the data is within the available period can be determined by whether the execution of this step is within the available period or whether a predetermined time after the execution of this step is included in the available period. Then, the usage plan setting unit 201 uses the usage plan 603 to identify data within the available period for the relevant communication means.

[0076] In step 804, the data searched for in step 803 (data to be transmitted) is passed from the data storage unit 203 to the transmission unit 210. This step can be realized by the transmission unit 210 reading the searched data from the data storage unit 203.

[0077] In step 805, the transmitting unit 210 transmits the data to be transmitted, i.e., the data searched for in step 803, to the receiving unit 101 using a communication means whose connection has been confirmed. In this step, if multiple communication means are available in the usage plan 603 for a certain piece of data, the communication means with the highest priority may be used first, or multiple communication means may be used in parallel, for example. Furthermore, multiple communication means may be used sequentially.

[0078] By the above process, data transmission using an appropriate communication means, that is, a communication device, and data collection including this can be realized in Example 1. Furthermore, the data transmission shown in FIG. 9 may be executed as follows.

[0079] (1) First, the usage plan setting unit 201 searches the data storage unit 203 for data to be transmitted at a predetermined transmission timing. For example, untransmitted data is searched for in the data storage unit 203. Here, the predetermined transmission timing may be a predetermined transmission cycle, or may include when this process is executed (including within a predetermined period), etc.

[0080] (2) Next, the usage plan setting unit 201 identifies a communication means capable of transmitting the searched data using the usage plan 603. Here, whether or not the data is transmittable can be determined by whether the transmission timing is included in the available period of the usage plan 603.

[0081] (3) The transmitting unit 210 also uses the communication means identified in (2) to transmit a connection request to the receiving unit 101 in the same manner as in step 801. Then, the transmitting unit 210 identifies a communication means that can notify the receiving unit 101 of a connection confirmation.

[0082] (4) Then, the transmitting unit 210 transmits the data to be transmitted, that is, the data searched for in (1), to the receiving unit 101 using the communication means specified in (3).

[0083] In the above process, the connection request in step 801 is selected and specified from the data to be transmitted (transmission target data), and transmission processing is executed.

[0084] This concludes the explanation of each sequence diagram, and the operation and processing of the first embodiment will now be explained in a more detailed and schematic manner.

[0085] First, Fig. 10 is a diagram for explaining an example (part 1) of the data transmission operation in the first embodiment. In Fig. 10, the elapsed time on the vertical axis indicates the time elapsed since the usage plan was set. Also, available periods 1, 2, and 3 indicate the available periods for the communication means with priority levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in this data.

[0086] 10, only the communication means with priority 1 can be used until the elapsed time reaches 3:00. If a connection with the receiving unit 101 is established by the communication means with priority 1 during this period, this data is transmitted according to the sequence diagram in FIG.

[0087] Furthermore, communication means with priorities 2 and 3 cannot be used until the elapsed time reaches 3:00. Even if a connection with the receiving unit 101 is established during this period using communication means with priorities 2 and 3, data transmission will not be performed. By setting a period during which only communication means with higher priorities can be used, best-effort data transmission can be performed using only the communication means preferred by the user while there is still time before the data transmission deadline. This allows the user to achieve the effect desired when setting the priority (for example, use of a communication service with lower usage fees).

[0088] 10, at 3:00, the communication means with priority 2 becomes available, and at 6:00, the communication means with priority 3 becomes available in addition to the communication means with priority 1. By using multiple communication means, including communication means with lower priorities, as time passes, the effect of ensuring reliable data transmission can be achieved. When using multiple communication means, a predetermined number of available communication means may be allowed to be used.

[0089] 10, only the usage plan 603, connection status, and elapsed time are used to select a communication means, and no measurements or external information such as location information or communication quality is required. This makes it possible to achieve both selection of a communication means according to priority and reliability of data transmission with a configuration simpler than known examples.

[0090] 10, all communication means are unavailable after 18:00. In this case, even if a connection to the receiving unit 101 is possible, the data is not transmitted. The data collection device 200 may be provided with a function to delete or overwrite such data.

[0091] Next, an example different from that shown in Fig. 10 will be described. Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example (part 2) of the data transmission operation in the first embodiment. In Fig. 11 as well, the elapsed time on the vertical axis indicates the time elapsed since the usage plan was set. Also, available periods 1, 2, and 3 indicate the available periods for the communication means with priorities 1, 2, and 3, respectively, in this data.

[0092] In Figure 11, unlike Figure 10, both priority levels 1 and 2 can be used from the start. For highly important data, multiple communication methods can be used simultaneously from the start in this way. In this case, the effect of reliable data collection in a shorter period of time can be obtained.

[0093] 10, no period is set for when the communication means with priority level 3 can be used. In this case, the communication means with priority level 3 cannot be used to transmit this data. For example, if the communication means with priority level 3 is expensive and the importance of the data is low, setting it as an unavailable communication means in this way can have the effect of reducing unnecessary communication.

[0094] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, by setting the transmission period for each communication means, it is possible to collect data according to the requirements of each data. As shown above, Figure 11 shows that communication is possible using any communication means from 1:00 to 10:00, and that communication is impossible after that. In contrast, Figure 10 shows that the communication means that can be used change in a more gradual manner.

[0095] Next, another example of operation will be described with reference to Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining an example (part 3) of data transmission operation in the first embodiment. Fig. 12 shows an example in which a communication plan is set based on the number of times that it can be used rather than the period that it can be used. The elapsed time on the vertical axis indicates the number of transmission attempts since the use plan was set. Also, the periods that can be used 1, 2, and 3 indicate the number of times that it can be used for the communication means with priority levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively, for this data.

[0096] 12, data transmission is performed only using the communication means with priority 1 until the number of transmission attempts reaches 3. When the number of transmission attempts reaches 3 and 6, the communication means with priority 2 and 3 become available, respectively.

[0097] In this case, too, the effect of reliably collecting data can be obtained while giving priority to the communication means desired by the user, as in the case of FIG.

[0098] Furthermore, in FIG. 12, only the usage plan 603, connection status, and number of transmission attempts are used to select a communication means, and no measurement or external information such as location information or communication quality is required. This makes it possible to achieve both the selection of a communication means according to priority and the reliability of data transmission with a configuration simpler than known examples. As such, FIGS. 10 and 11 are examples in which usage time is used as a usage limit, while FIG. 12 is an example in which the number of uses is used as a usage limit. For this reason, the example in FIG. 12 may be uniformly set as usable or unusable, as in FIG. 11. This concludes the explanation of FIGS. 10 to 12, but the usage plan 603 may also be managed in the format shown in FIGS. 10 to 12.

[0099] This concludes the description of the first embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the usage plan 603 may be changed depending on the region in which the data collection device 200 is located or the carrier that provides communication services. In this case, the priority setting file 601, the usage plan setting file 602, and the usage plan 603 may be prepared for each region and each carrier.

[0100] The present invention can also be applied to the collection of various data other than that of vehicles. For example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a PC may be used as the data collection device 200 to collect the operation history of a user.

[0101] 100 Data collection server 101 Receiving unit 200 Data collection device 210 Transmitting unit 211 Communication device A 212 Communication device B 213 Communication device X 201 Usage plan setting unit 202 Priority setting unit 203 Data storage unit 204 Data acquisition unit 302 Relay terminal 301 Receiving unit 401 Communication network 500 Data acquisition source 501 Sensor 502 Data processing device 601 Priority setting file 602 Usage plan setting file 603 Usage plan 900 Computer 901 Storage device 902 Calculation processing device 903 Communication device 904 Input / output interface

Claims

1. A data collection device for realizing data collection, comprising: a data acquisition unit for acquiring the data; a transmission unit corresponding to a plurality of communication means for transmitting the acquired data to another device; a priority setting unit for setting a priority order for the use of the plurality of communication means for each set of data; and a usage plan setting unit for setting whether or not the plurality of communication means can be used for each set of data based on the priority order, wherein the transmission unit transmits the data via the communication means set as available for use by the usage plan setting unit.

2. A data collection device as described in claim 1, wherein the priority setting unit receives a designation of a priority for each set of data and / or each of the plurality of communication means from a user, and sets priorities for the plurality of communication means in accordance with the designation.

3. A data collection device according to claim 1, wherein the usage plan setting unit sets the availability of each of a plurality of communication means in accordance with usage restrictions for each set of data.

4. A data collection device according to claim 3, wherein the usage restriction is an available period indicating a period during which each of the plurality of communication means is available, and the lower the priority level, the later the available period for the communication means begins.

5. A data collection device as described in claim 3, wherein the usage limit is a number of times each of the plurality of communication means can be used, and after the number of times that any one of the plurality of communication means can be used is reached, a communication means having a lower priority than that communication means can be used.

6. A data collection method using a data collection device to achieve data collection, comprising: a data acquisition unit acquires the data; a transmission unit enables data transmission corresponding to multiple communication means capable of transmitting the acquired data to another device; a priority setting unit sets priorities for the multiple communication means for each set of data; a usage plan setting unit sets whether or not the multiple communication means can be used for each set of data based on the priorities; and the transmission unit transmits the data via the communication means set as available by the usage plan setting unit.

7. A data collection method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the priority setting unit receives a designation of a priority for each of the data sets and / or each of the plurality of communication means from a user, and sets priorities for the plurality of communication means in accordance with the designation.

8. A data collection method according to claim 6, wherein the usage plan setting unit sets the availability of each of a plurality of communication means in accordance with usage restrictions for each set of data.

9. A data collection method according to claim 8, wherein the usage restriction is an available period indicating a period during which each of the plurality of communication means is available, and the lower the priority level, the later the available period for the communication means begins.

10. A data collection method according to claim 8, wherein the usage limit is a number of times each of the plurality of communication means can be used, and after the number of times that any of the plurality of communication means can be used is reached, a communication means having a lower priority than that communication means can be used.

11. A data collection support system comprising: a data collection device that transmits acquired data via a communication means selected from a plurality of communication means in accordance with a set priority order; and a data collection server that receives the transmitted data, collects the received data, stores the collected data, provides the data to a data user, and specifies services regarding the data to users of the data collection device in response to the provision of the data to the data user, thereby enabling the provision of the services to users of the data collection device.

12. A data collection support system according to claim 11, wherein said data collection device receives the priority order designation from a user and sets the priority order.

Images