On-vehicle device and method for controlling on-vehicle device

Abstract

An on-vehicle device including a main-body part and an antenna part, the main-body part including: a switch part having a first transistor-switch circuit that superimposes a first notification signal on a signal output to the antenna part; and a CPU that turns on the first transistor-switch circuit when a parking time of a vehicle is within a limit time and turns off the first transistor-switch circuit when the parking time is outside the limit time, in which the antenna part has: a first light-emitting element provided at a position visually recognizable from outside of the vehicle; and a voltage-level discrimination part that turns on or off the first light-emitting element on the basis of a voltage level of a signal input from the body part.

Description

Vehicle-mounted device and method for controlling the vehicle-mounted device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle device and a control method for the in-vehicle device.

[0002] For example, on toll roads, a system is used in which tolls are automatically collected by wireless communication with an on-board device mounted on a vehicle using an Electronic Toll Collection System (ETC (registered trademark), also known as an "automatic toll collection system") or the like. The on-board device includes an antenna unit for wireless communication, a main unit that executes the toll collection process, and a coaxial cable that connects the antenna unit and the main unit. Patent Document 1 describes a technology that notifies vehicle occupants of the success or failure of the toll collection process by changing the display pattern of an LED provided on the antenna unit based on the control of the main unit. Furthermore, Patent Documents 2 and 3 describe technologies that can accommodate a wider range of display patterns by increasing the number of LEDs provided on the antenna unit.

[0003] Japanese Patent No. 4234880 Japanese Patent No. 4639780 Japanese Patent No. 4604252

[0004] Furthermore, some roads have time-limited parking zones where parking is permitted only within a limited time. Users of time-limited parking zones present a parking ticket issued by a parking ticket issuing device installed on the road inside their vehicle (in a location visible from outside). Parking enforcement officers visually check the information on the parking ticket to determine whether a parking violation has occurred (whether the parking is within the time limit). To reduce the burden on enforcement officers, it is conceivable to indicate whether the parking is within the time limit using an LED display pattern on the in-vehicle unit instead of the parking ticket. However, while the LED on a conventional in-vehicle unit can notify vehicle occupants of the status, such as whether the toll collection process was successful or whether a card is inserted, it cannot notify people outside the vehicle, such as enforcement officers or other users.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an in-vehicle device and a control method for the in-vehicle device that can display a status that can be seen from outside the vehicle.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an in-vehicle device includes a main body and an antenna connected to the main body by a coaxial cable, the main body including a switch having a first transistor switch circuit that superimposes a first notification signal on a signal output to the antenna, and a CPU that turns on the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time of the vehicle is within a time limit and turns off the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time is outside the time limit, and the antenna includes a first light-emitting element provided in a position visible from outside the vehicle, and a voltage level discrimination unit that turns on or off the first light-emitting element based on the voltage level of a signal input from the main body.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method for controlling an in-vehicle device includes a main body having a switch unit with a first transistor switch circuit that superimposes a first alarm signal on a signal output to an antenna unit, and an antenna unit connected to the main body by a coaxial cable and having a first light-emitting element provided in a position visible from outside the vehicle, the method including the steps of: the main body turning on the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time of the vehicle is within a time limit, and turning off the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time is outside the time limit; and the antenna unit turning on or off the first light-emitting element based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body.

[0008] According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a status display that is visible from outside the vehicle.

[0009] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a parking system according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a first flowchart showing an example of processing of an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a second flowchart showing an example of processing of an in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an in-vehicle device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an in-vehicle device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of an in-vehicle device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the third embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an in-vehicle device according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an in-vehicle device according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the fifth embodiment.

[0010] First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0011] (Overall Configuration of Parking System) Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a parking system according to a first embodiment. The parking system 100 is a system for managing parked vehicles in a predetermined parking section (time-limited parking section) on a road. The parking system 100 includes an in-vehicle device 1, a roadside device 5, a central device 6, and a terminal device 7.

[0012] The vehicle-mounted device 1 is mounted on a vehicle V. The vehicle-mounted device 1 comprises a main body 2 and an antenna 3. The antenna 3 is installed in a position visible from outside the vehicle V, such as inside the front windshield. The vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment performs parking time management processing in a predetermined parking section (time-limited parking section). Note that the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment is an in-vehicle device used for toll collection processing using conventional ETC, to which various components for parking time management processing have been added. The specific functional configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 1 will be described later.

[0013] The roadside device 5 is installed in the parking area. The roadside device 5 communicates with the in-vehicle device 1 using short-range communication such as Dedicated Short Range Communications (DSRC). The roadside device 5 is also communicably connected to the central device 6 via the Internet or the like, and, for example, accepts an operation by a user of the parking area (a passenger in the vehicle V) to request parking permission for the vehicle V from the central device 6.

[0014] The central device 6 is communicably connected to the in-vehicle device 1 and the terminal device 7 via a mobile communication network, Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or the like. When the central device 6 receives a request for parking permission for the vehicle V, it transmits a trigger signal for starting parking to the in-vehicle device 1 of the vehicle V. Note that in other embodiments, the central device 6 may request the roadside device 5 or the terminal device 7 to transmit a trigger signal, and the roadside device 5 or the terminal device 7 may transmit the trigger signal to the in-vehicle device 1 in accordance with the request from the central device 6.

[0015] The terminal device 7 is a smartphone, a tablet, or the like. The terminal device 7 is communicatively connected to the in-vehicle device 1 via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). The terminal device 7 may be communicatively connected to the in-vehicle device 1 via Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth. The terminal device 7 may also be communicatively connected to the central device 6 via a mobile communication network, Wi-Fi, or the like. The terminal device 7 may accept an operation by a user of a parking section instead of the roadside device 5, and request a parking permit for the vehicle V from the central device 6. In this case, the roadside device 5 may be omitted.

[0016] (Functional Configuration of Vehicle-Mounted Device) Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle-mounted device according to the first embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle-mounted device 1 includes a main body 2 and an antenna 3. The main body 2 and the antenna 3 are connected to each other via a coaxial cable 4 so as to be able to communicate with each other.

[0017] The main body 2 includes a power supply circuit 20 , a CPU 21 , a self-holding circuit 22 , and a switch section 23 .

[0018] The power supply circuit 20 supplies power transformed to a predetermined voltage to each of the CPU 21, the self-holding circuit 22, and the switch unit 23 of the main body unit 2. Each unit of the main body unit 2 is connected via the power supply circuit 20 to a power supply B that can supply power even when the vehicle engine is off. The power supply B is, for example, a battery (constant power source) mounted on the vehicle V. Alternatively, the power supply B may be a battery or a capacitor built into the main body unit 2.

[0019] The CPU 21 is a processor that executes parking time management processing. The parking time management processing is processing that determines whether the vehicle V is parked within the parking space's time limit (e.g., 60 minutes) based on the elapsed time since the vehicle V parked in the parking space and notifies the vehicle V of the result. The CPU 21 notifies the vehicle V of the processing result by turning on or off the first light-emitting element 32 of the antenna unit 3 by turning on or off the switch unit 23 (first transistor switch circuit 24) described later.

[0020] The CPU 21 may also determine the state (normal or abnormal) of the in-vehicle device 1 and notify the user. For example, the state of the in-vehicle device 1 is determined to be "normal" when a predetermined condition is met, such as when the ETC card is correctly inserted. Alternatively, the state of the in-vehicle device 1 is determined to be "abnormal" when a predetermined condition is not met, such as when the ETC card is not inserted, or when an error occurs, such as when the toll collection process fails. The CPU 21 notifies the user of the state of the in-vehicle device 1 by turning on or off the second light-emitting element 33 of the antenna unit 3 by turning on or off the switch unit 23 (second transistor switch circuit 25), which will be described later.

[0021] The self-holding circuit 22 maintains the on or off state of the switch section 23 (the first transistor switch circuit 24 and the second transistor switch circuit 25) input from the CPU.

[0022] The switch unit 23 includes a first transistor switch circuit 24 and a second transistor switch circuit 25. The first transistor switch circuit 24 superimposes a first annunciation signal on the signal to be output to the antenna unit 3. The second transistor switch circuit 25 superimposes a second annunciation signal, the voltage level of which is different from that of the first annunciation signal, on the signal to be output to the antenna unit 3. In this embodiment, as an example, it is assumed that the power supplied from the power supply circuit 20 to each transistor switch circuit is transformed so that the first annunciation signal is 3.3 V and the second annunciation signal is 5 V. The voltage levels of each signal may be changed as desired.

[0023] The antenna unit 3 includes a voltage level determination unit 31 , a first light-emitting element 32 , and a second light-emitting element 33 .

[0024] The voltage level discriminator 31 turns on or off each of the first light-emitting element 32 and the second light-emitting element 33 based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body 2. For example, in this embodiment, the voltage level of the second alert signal (5 V) is higher than that of the first alert signal (3.3 V). Therefore, the voltage level discriminator 31 determines that the second alert signal has been output when the voltage level E of the signal exceeds a predetermined threshold E1, and determines that the first alert signal has been output when the voltage level E of the signal is equal to or lower than the threshold E1. The threshold E1 is set to, for example, an intermediate value between the first alert signal and the second alert signal.

[0025] The first light-emitting element 32 is provided in a position that is visible from outside the vehicle V. For example, a parking zone monitor can easily determine whether or not the vehicle V has committed a parking violation (such as exceeding the parking time limit) by checking the lighting state of the first light-emitting element 32.

[0026] The second light-emitting element 33 is provided in a position that is visible from inside the vehicle V. For example, a passenger in the vehicle V can easily determine whether the toll collection process has been performed normally by checking the lighting state of the second light-emitting element 33.

[0027] The first light emitting element 32 and the second light emitting element 33 are light emitting elements such as LEDs. In this embodiment, the first light emitting element 32 will be referred to as LED1 and the second light emitting element 33 will be referred to as LED2.

[0028] The main body unit 2 transmits and receives various data and signals to and from the central device 6 via a communication module (not shown) that supports standards such as a mobile communication network or Wi-Fi. The main body unit 2 transmits and receives various data and signals to and from the terminal device 7 via a communication module (not shown) that supports standards such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. The antenna unit 3 transmits and receives various data and signals to and from the roadside device 5 via an antenna main body (not shown).

[0029] (Processing Example 1 of the Vehicle-Mounted Device) Fig. 3 is a first flowchart showing an example of processing of the vehicle-mounted device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 shows an example of processing for determining and notifying the state of the vehicle-mounted device 1 when the engine of the vehicle V is on (e.g., when the vehicle V is running).

[0030] First, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 determines whether the state of the in-vehicle device 1 is normal or abnormal (step S101). If the state of the in-vehicle device 1 is normal (step S101; YES), the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns on the LED 2 (second light-emitting element 33) of the antenna unit 3 (step S102). Specifically, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns on the second transistor switch circuit 25. As a result, the second notification signal is superimposed on the signal output from the main body 2 to the antenna unit 3. Furthermore, when the voltage level determination unit 31 of the antenna unit 3 determines that the second notification signal has been input based on the voltage level E of the signal input from the main body 2, it turns on the LED 2.

[0031] On the other hand, if the state of the in-vehicle device 1 is abnormal (step S101; NO), the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns off the LED 2 of the antenna unit 3 (step S103). Specifically, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns off the second transistor switch circuit 25. As a result, the second notification signal is no longer superimposed on the signal output from the main body 2 to the antenna unit 3. Furthermore, when the voltage level determination unit 31 of the antenna unit 3 determines that the second notification signal has not been input based on the voltage level E of the signal input from the main body 2, it turns off the LED 2.

[0032] When the engine of the vehicle V is on, the vehicle-mounted device 1 periodically repeats the process of FIG. 3 to notify the passenger of the vehicle V of the status of the vehicle-mounted device 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the first embodiment. As a result of the process of FIG. 3, when the engine of the vehicle V is on and the status of the vehicle-mounted device 1 is "normal," LED 2 is lit, as shown in FIG. 4, and when the status of the vehicle-mounted device 1 is "abnormal," LED 2 is extinguished. When the engine of the vehicle V is on, LED 1 remains extinguished regardless of the status of the vehicle-mounted device 1. The passenger of the vehicle V can easily understand the status of the vehicle-mounted device 1 by checking LED 2.

[0033] (Processing Example 2 of the In-Vehicle Device) Fig. 5 is a second flowchart showing an example of processing of the in-vehicle device according to the first embodiment. Fig. 5 shows an example of processing (parking time management processing) for determining whether the parking time is within the parking time limit when the vehicle V is parked in a parking section and notifying the same.

[0034] For example, the user pays the usage fee and starts parking (such as pressing the start button) from the terminal device 7. The terminal device 7 then transmits a request to the central device 6 to park in a parking space, along with the identification information of the vehicle-mounted device 1 that has been registered in advance. Upon receiving the parking request, the central device 6 records the identification information of the vehicle-mounted device 1 and the parking start time, and transmits a trigger signal to start parking to the vehicle-mounted device 1. The CPU 21 of the main body 2 then receives the trigger signal to start parking from the central device 6 (step S111). The trigger signal may be transmitted from the central device 6 to the vehicle-mounted device 1 via the roadside device 5 or the terminal device 7.

[0035] Upon receiving the trigger signal, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns on LED1 (first light-emitting element 32) and starts a timer (step S112). Specifically, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24. As a result, the first notification signal is superimposed on the signal output from the main body 2 to the antenna 3. Furthermore, when the voltage level determination unit 31 of the antenna 3 determines that the first notification signal has been input based on the voltage level E of the signal input from the main body 2, it turns on LED1.

[0036] After confirming that the LED 1 is lit, the user leaves the vehicle V. At this time, the engine of the vehicle V is in an off state, and the CPU 21 of the main body 2 is in a sleep state.

[0037] Next, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 cancels the sleep state when the parking time of the vehicle V (the time elapsed since the trigger signal for starting parking was received) exceeds the time limit (step S113). The time limit for each parking section may be obtained from the roadside device 5 when the parking start operation is performed, or may be obtained from the central device 6 together with the trigger signal.

[0038] When the sleep state is released, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns off the LED 1 (step S114). Specifically, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns off the first transistor switch circuit 24. As a result, the first notification signal is no longer superimposed on the signal output from the main body 2 to the antenna 3. Furthermore, when the voltage level determination unit 31 of the antenna 3 determines that the first notification signal has not been input based on the voltage level E of the signal input from the main body 2, it turns off the LED 1.

[0039] Furthermore, when the LED 1 is turned off, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 transitions to the sleep state again to reduce unnecessary power consumption (step S115).

[0040] As a result of the processing in Fig. 5, when the engine of vehicle V is off, LED2 remains off, as shown in Fig. 4. On the other hand, LED1 is turned on when the parking time of vehicle V is within the time limit, and LED1 is turned off when the parking time is outside the time limit. Because LED1 is provided in a position visible from outside vehicle V, a parking zone supervisor can easily determine that a parking violation has occurred (the time limit has been exceeded or the parking start operation has not been performed) when LED1 is off.

[0041] The user may pay the usage fee and start parking by operating the roadside device 5 instead of the terminal device 7. In this case, the roadside device 5 acquires identification information from the vehicle-mounted device 1 through short-range communication and transmits a parking request to the central device 6.

[0042] (Operation and Effect) As described above, the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment includes the main body 2 and the antenna 3 connected to the main body 2 via the coaxial cable 4. The main body 2 includes the switch unit 23 having the first transistor switch circuit 24 that superimposes a first notification signal on a signal output to the antenna 3, and the CPU 21 that turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 when the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit and turns off the first transistor switch circuit 24 when the parking time is outside the time limit. The antenna 3 includes the first light-emitting element 32 (LED 1) provided in a position visible from outside the vehicle V, and the voltage level determination unit 31 that turns on or off the first light-emitting element 32 based on the voltage level of a signal input from the main body 2.

[0043] In conventional technology, parking zone supervisors had to perform the time-consuming task of comparing the date and time printed on the parking ticket with the current date and time to determine whether a parking violation occurred. Furthermore, in conventional vehicle-mounted devices, the LED installed in the antenna unit notifies vehicle occupants of the status, so the LED's lit status could not be confirmed by people outside the vehicle. In contrast, the vehicle-mounted device 1 of this embodiment, with its configuration described above, allows people outside the vehicle V to easily determine whether the vehicle V has been parked beyond the time limit. This reduces the burden on supervisors.

[0044] The main body 2 further includes a self-holding circuit 22 that maintains the on or off state of the switch 23. The switch 23, CPU 21, and self-holding circuit 22 of the main body 2 are connected to a power source B that can supply power even while the engine of the vehicle V is off.

[0045] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can switch the first light-emitting element 32 (LED1) on and off even when the vehicle V is parked and the engine is turned off.

[0046] The switch unit 23 also has a second transistor switch circuit 25 that superimposes a second notification signal, the second notification signal having a voltage level different from that of the first notification signal, on the signal to be output to the antenna unit 3. The CPU 21 turns on the second transistor switch circuit 25 when the state of the in-vehicle device 1 satisfies a predetermined condition, and turns off the second transistor switch circuit 25 when the state of the in-vehicle device 1 does not satisfy the condition or when an error occurs. The antenna unit 3 also has a second light-emitting element 33 provided in a position visible from inside the vehicle V. The voltage level determination unit 31 turns on or off each of the first light-emitting element 32 and the second light-emitting element 33 based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body unit 2.

[0047] In this way, the in-vehicle device 1 can notify an observer outside the vehicle V of the presence or absence of a parking violation, and can also notify the passengers of the vehicle V of the status of the in-vehicle device 1. This allows one in-vehicle device 1 to be used for both toll collection processing and parking time management processing, which reduces the installation space compared to installing individual in-vehicle devices. It is also possible to suppress the introduction cost from increasing.

[0048] In addition, when the CPU 21 receives a predetermined trigger signal indicating the start of parking, it turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 and transitions to a sleep state, and when a predetermined time limit has elapsed since receiving the trigger signal, it cancels the sleep state and turns off the first transistor switch circuit 24.

[0049] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can notify the presence or absence of a parking violation while minimizing the power consumption of the CPU 21 while the engine of the vehicle V is off.

[0050] Second Embodiment A second embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment, except for the points described below.

[0051] (Functional Configuration of the Vehicle-Mounted Device) Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle-mounted device according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment, the main body 2 further includes a flashing circuit 27.

[0052] The flashing circuit 27 is provided on the signal line 26 that connects the first transistor switch circuit 24 and the CPU 21. The flashing circuit 27 switches the first transistor switch circuit 24 on and off at a predetermined flashing pitch.

[0053] 7 is a diagram showing an example of an LED display pattern according to the second embodiment. As shown in Fig. 7, when the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit, the in-vehicle device 1 causes the LED 1 to blink. That is, the in-vehicle device 1 causes the LED 1 to blink in step S112 of Fig. 5, and stops the blinking (turns off) in step S114.

[0054] (Operation and Effect) As described above, in the in-vehicle device 1 according to this embodiment, the main body 2 further includes the flashing circuit 27 provided in the signal line 26 connecting the first transistor switch circuit 24 and the self-holding circuit 22 .

[0055] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can blink the LED 1 until the parking time of the vehicle V exceeds the time limit. Depending on the environment of the parking area, blinking may be more visible, which can further reduce the burden on the monitor to check the LED 1.

[0056] Third Embodiment A third embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 8 to 10. The configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of each of the above-described embodiments, except for the points described below.

[0057] (Functional Configuration of the Vehicle-Mounted Device) Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle-mounted device according to the third embodiment. As shown in Fig. 8, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment, the signal line 26 connecting the first transistor switch circuit 24 and the self-holding circuit 22 includes a first signal line 26A and a second signal line 26B.

[0058] Furthermore, the flashing circuit 27 is provided on the first signal line 26A.

[0059] (Processing Example of On-Board Device) Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of processing of the on-board device according to the third embodiment. Fig. 9 shows an example of processing (parking time management processing) for determining whether the parking time is within the parking time limit when the vehicle V is parked in a parking section and notifying the user.

[0060] First, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 receives a trigger signal for starting parking from the central device 6 (step S211). The process of step S211 is the same as that of the first embodiment (step S111 in FIG. 5).

[0061] Upon receiving the trigger signal, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 lights up the LED 1 and starts the timer (step S212). Here, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 keeps the first transistor switch circuit 24 on through the second signal line 26B, thereby keeping the LED 1 lit.

[0062] Next, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 cancels the sleep state when the parking time of the vehicle V reaches a predetermined time before the time limit (step S213). The predetermined time may be set arbitrarily, for example, to 10 minutes.

[0063] When the sleep state is released, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 blinks the LED 1 (step S214). Here, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 blinks the LED 1 by intermittently turning on or off the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the first signal line 26A.

[0064] Furthermore, when the LED 1 is switched from lighting to blinking, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 transitions to the sleep state again to suppress unnecessary power consumption (step S215).

[0065] Next, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 cancels the sleep state when the parking time of the vehicle V exceeds the time limit based on the timer (step S216).

[0066] When the sleep state is released, the CPU 21 of the main body 2 turns off the LED 1 (step S217) and transitions to the sleep state again (step S218). The processes of steps S217 and S218 are the same as those of the first embodiment (steps S114 and S115 in FIG. 5).

[0067] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an LED display pattern according to the third embodiment. As a result of the processing shown in FIG. 9 , if the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit and the remaining time is longer than a predetermined time (n minutes), LED 1 remains lit. Furthermore, if the parking time is within the time limit but the remaining time is equal to or less than the predetermined time (n minutes), LED 1 flashes. If the parking time is outside the time limit, LED 1 is turned off. In this way, even if the parking time is within the time limit, by changing the display pattern of LED 1 according to the remaining time, the supervisor can easily determine whether the parking time is approaching the time limit. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on parking violations by carefully monitoring the vehicle V whose time limit is approaching (i.e., LED 1 is flashing). Furthermore, the supervisor can inform other users when the parking space is likely to become available.

[0068] (Operation and Effect) As described above, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment, the signal line 26 includes the first signal line 26A provided with the flasher circuit 27 and the second signal line 26B not provided with the flasher circuit 27. When the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit, the CPU 21 turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the first signal line 26A if the remaining time until the time limit is equal to or less than a predetermined time, and turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the second signal line 26B if the remaining time is longer than the predetermined time.

[0069] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can change the display mode (illumination or blinking) of the LED 1 depending on the time remaining until the time limit. This allows the supervisor to easily grasp whether the parking time is approaching the time limit. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on parking violations, for example, by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, it is possible for other users to easily grasp whether a parking space will become available within a predetermined time, thereby improving convenience.

[0070] Fourth Embodiment A fourth embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of each of the above-described embodiments, except for the points described below.

[0071] (Functional Configuration of In-Vehicle Device) Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of an in-vehicle device according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 11, in the in-vehicle device 1 according to this embodiment, the flasher circuit 27 has a first flasher circuit 27A provided in the first signal line 26A and a second flasher circuit 27B provided in the second signal line 26B.

[0072] The first flashing circuit 27A switches the first transistor switch circuit 24 on and off at a first flashing pitch (pitch 1). The second flashing circuit 27B switches the first transistor switch circuit 24 on and off at a second flashing pitch (pitch 2) that is different from the first flashing pitch. For example, pitch 1 is slower than pitch 2.

[0073] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an example of an LED display pattern according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 12 , when the parking time of vehicle V is within the time limit and the remaining time is longer than a predetermined time (n minutes) (step S212 in FIG. 9 ), LED 1 flashes at a pitch of 1 (low speed). Furthermore, when the parking time is within the time limit but the remaining time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time (n minutes) (step S214 in FIG. 9 ), LED 1 flashes at a pitch of 2 (high speed). In this way, even if the parking time is within the time limit, by changing the flashing speed of LED 1 according to the remaining time, an observer can easily determine whether the time limit is approaching. Observers can efficiently crack down on illegal parking, for example, by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, other users can predict when a parking space will become available.

[0074] (Operation and Effect) As described above, in the in-vehicle device 1 according to this embodiment, the flasher circuit 27 includes the first flasher circuit 27A and the second flasher circuit 27B, which has a different flashing pitch from the first flasher circuit 27A. The signal line 26 includes the first signal line 26A provided with the first flasher circuit 27A and the second signal line 26B provided with the second flasher circuit 27B. When the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit, the CPU 21 turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the first signal line 26A if the remaining time until the time limit is equal to or less than a predetermined time, and turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the second signal line 26B if the remaining time is longer than the predetermined time.

[0075] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can change the display mode (blinking pitch) of the LED 1 according to the time remaining until the time limit. This allows the supervisor to easily grasp whether the parking time is approaching the time limit. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on parking violations, for example, by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, other users can easily predict whether a parking space will become available within a predetermined time, improving convenience.

[0076] It is also possible to combine the configuration of the third embodiment (FIG. 8) with the configuration of this embodiment (FIG. 11) to have a signal line provided with the first flashing circuit 27A, a signal line provided with the second flashing circuit 27B, and a signal line provided with no flashing circuit. In this case, by changing the display pattern of the LED 1, for example, to be on when the remaining time exceeds 20 minutes, flashing (pitch 1) when the remaining time is 20 minutes or less, and flashing (pitch 2) when the remaining time is 10 minutes or less, it becomes possible to predict the remaining time until the time limit in more detail.

[0077] Furthermore, the flashing circuit 27 may have three or more flashing circuits. For example, if there are three flashing circuits, the flashing pitch of the LED 1 may be changed to three stages: slow, medium, and fast, thereby increasing the number of notifications that can be sent. In this case, by changing the display pattern of the LED 1, for example, to flash (slow) when the remaining time is more than 20 minutes, flash (medium) when it is 20 minutes or less, and flash (fast) when it is 10 minutes or less, it becomes possible to more precisely predict the remaining time until the time limit.

[0078] Fifth Embodiment A fifth embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 13 and 14. The configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment is the same as that of each of the above-described embodiments, except for the points described below.

[0079] (Functional Configuration of Vehicle-Mounted Device) Fig. 13 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of a vehicle-mounted device according to a fourth embodiment. As shown in Fig. 13, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to this embodiment, the switch unit 23 of the main body 2 has a plurality of first transistor switch circuits 24A, 24B that superimpose first notification signals of different voltage levels. For example, the first transistor switch circuit 24A superimposes a first notification signal of 3.3 V, and the first transistor switch circuit 24B superimposes a first notification signal of 1.8 V. Furthermore, the antenna unit 3 has a plurality of first light-emitting elements 32A, 32B that correspond to the first transistor switch circuits 24A, 24B, respectively.

[0080] FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an example of an LED display pattern according to the fifth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14 , when the parking time of vehicle V is within the time limit and the remaining time is longer than a predetermined time (n minutes) (step S212 in FIG. 9 ), LED 1A is illuminated. Furthermore, when the parking time is within the time limit but the remaining time is equal to or shorter than the predetermined time (n minutes) (step S214 in FIG. 9 ), LED 1B is illuminated. In this way, even if the parking time is within the time limit, by switching between illuminating LED 1A and LED 1B depending on the remaining time, an observer can easily determine whether the time limit is approaching. The observer can efficiently crack down on illegal parking by, for example, carefully monitoring vehicle V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, the observer can predict when a parking space will become available.

[0081] As described above, in the in-vehicle device 1 according to this embodiment, the main body 2 includes a plurality of first transistor switch circuits 24A, 24B that superimpose first notification signals having different voltage levels, and the antenna unit 3 includes a plurality of first light-emitting elements 32A, 32B (LED1A, LED1B) that correspond to the first transistor switch circuits 24A, 24B, respectively.

[0082] In this way, the in-vehicle device 1 can switch between lighting up LED 1A or LED 1B depending on the time remaining until the time limit. This allows the supervisor to easily grasp whether the time limit is approaching or not. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on illegal parking by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, other users can easily predict whether a parking space will become available within a predetermined time, improving convenience.

[0083] The configuration of the second embodiment (FIG. 6) may be combined with the configuration of this embodiment (FIG. 13) to provide a flashing circuit 27 in one or both of the first transistor switch circuits 24A and 24B, thereby enabling one or both of LED1A and LED1B to flash. The configuration of this embodiment may also be combined with the configuration of the third embodiment (FIG. 8) or the configuration of the fourth embodiment (FIG. 11). That is, one or both of LED1A and LED1B may be configured to be switchable between lit and flashing, or the flashing pitch may be switchable. This allows for more precise prediction of the time when a parking space will be available.

[0084] <Other Embodiments> Although one embodiment has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to the above, and various design modifications are possible. That is, in other embodiments, the order of the above-described processes may be changed as appropriate. Furthermore, some processes may be executed in parallel.

[0085] <Additional Notes> The vehicle-mounted device and the control method for the vehicle-mounted device described in the above-described embodiment can be understood, for example, as follows.

[0086] (1) According to a first aspect, the vehicle-mounted device 1 includes a main body 2 and an antenna 3 connected to the main body 2 by a coaxial cable 4. The main body 2 includes a switch 23 having a first transistor switch circuit 24 that superimposes a first notification signal on a signal output to the antenna 3, and a CPU 21 that turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 when the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit and turns off the first transistor switch circuit 24 when the parking time is outside the time limit. The antenna 3 includes a first light-emitting element 32 provided in a position visible from outside the vehicle V, and a voltage level discrimination unit 31 that turns on or off the first light-emitting element 32 based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body 2.

[0087] In conventional technology, parking zone supervisors had to perform the time-consuming task of comparing the date and time printed on the parking ticket with the current date and time to determine whether a parking violation occurred. Furthermore, in conventional vehicle-mounted devices, the LED installed in the antenna unit notifies vehicle occupants of the status, so the LED's lit status could not be confirmed by people outside the vehicle. In contrast, the vehicle-mounted device 1 of this embodiment, with its configuration described above, allows people outside the vehicle V to easily determine whether the vehicle V has been parked beyond the time limit. This reduces the burden on supervisors.

[0088] (2) According to the second aspect, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 relating to the first aspect, the main body 2 further has a self-holding circuit 22 that maintains the on or off state of the switch unit 23, and the switch unit 23, the CPU 21, and the self-holding circuit 22 are connected to a power source B that can supply power even while the engine of the vehicle V is off.

[0089] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can switch the first light-emitting element 32 (LED1) on and off even when the vehicle V is parked and the engine is turned off.

[0090] (3) According to the third aspect, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 relating to the first or second aspect, the switch unit 23 further has a second transistor switch circuit 25 that superimposes a second alarm signal, the second alarm signal having a voltage level different from that of the first alarm signal, on the signal output to the antenna unit 3, the CPU 21 turns on the second transistor switch circuit 25 when the state of the vehicle-mounted device 1 satisfies a predetermined condition, and turns off the second transistor switch circuit 25 when the state of the vehicle-mounted device 1 does not satisfy the condition or when an error occurs, the antenna unit 3 further has a second light-emitting element 33 provided in a position visible from inside the vehicle V, and the voltage level discrimination unit 31 turns on or off each of the first light-emitting element 32 and the second light-emitting element 33 based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body unit 2.

[0091] In this way, the in-vehicle device 1 can notify an observer outside the vehicle V of the presence or absence of a parking violation, and can also notify the passengers of the vehicle V of the status of the in-vehicle device 1. This allows one in-vehicle device 1 to be used for both toll collection processing and parking time management processing, which reduces the installation space compared to installing individual in-vehicle devices. It is also possible to suppress the introduction cost from increasing.

[0092] (4) According to the fourth aspect, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 relating to any one of the first to third aspects, when the CPU 21 receives a trigger signal indicating the start of parking as specified in advance, it turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 and transitions to a sleep state, and when a predetermined time limit has elapsed since receiving the trigger signal, it cancels the sleep state and turns off the first transistor switch circuit 24.

[0093] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can notify the presence or absence of a parking violation while minimizing the power consumption of the CPU 21 while the engine of the vehicle V is off.

[0094] (5) According to the fifth aspect, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 relating to the second aspect, the main body 2 further has a flashing circuit 27 provided on the signal line 26 connecting the first transistor switch circuit 24 and the self-holding circuit 22.

[0095] In this way, the vehicle-mounted device 1 can blink the first light-emitting element 32 (LED1) until the parking time of the vehicle V exceeds the time limit. Depending on the environment of the parking area, blinking may be more visible, which can further reduce the burden on the monitor to check the first light-emitting element 32 (LED1).

[0096] (6) According to the sixth aspect, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 according to the fifth aspect, the signal line 26 has a first signal line 26A provided with a flashing circuit 27 and a second signal line 26B not provided with a flashing circuit 27, and when the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit, the CPU 21 turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the first signal line 26A if the remaining time until the time limit is less than or equal to a predetermined time, and turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the second signal line 26B if the remaining time is longer than the predetermined time.

[0097] In this way, the in-vehicle device 1 can change the display mode (illumination or blinking) of the first light-emitting element 32 (LED 1) depending on the time remaining until the time limit. This allows the supervisor to easily grasp whether the time limit is approaching or not. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on illegal parking, for example, by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, it is possible for other users to easily grasp whether a parking space will become available within a predetermined time, thereby improving convenience.

[0098] (7) According to the seventh aspect, the flashing circuit 27 has a first flashing circuit 27A and a second flashing circuit 27B having a flashing pitch different from that of the first flashing circuit 27A, the signal line 26 has a first signal line 26A provided with the first flashing circuit 27A and a second signal line 26B provided with the second flashing circuit 27B, and when the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit, the CPU 21 turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the first signal line 26A when the remaining time until the time limit is less than or equal to a predetermined time, and turns on the first transistor switch circuit 24 via the second signal line 26B when the remaining time is longer than the predetermined time.

[0099] In this way, the in-vehicle device 1 can change the display mode (blinking pitch) of the first light-emitting element 32 (LED 1) depending on the time remaining until the time limit. This allows the supervisor to easily understand whether the time limit is approaching or not. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on illegal parking, for example, by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, other users can easily predict whether a parking space will become available within a predetermined time, improving convenience.

[0100] (8) According to the eighth aspect, in the vehicle-mounted device 1 relating to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the main body 2 has a plurality of first transistor switch circuits 24A, 24B that superimpose first alarm signals of different voltage levels, and the antenna 3 has a plurality of first light-emitting elements 32A, 32B corresponding to the first transistor switch circuits 24A, 24B, respectively.

[0101] In this way, the in-vehicle device 1 can switch between lighting the first light-emitting element 32A (LED1A) and the first light-emitting element 32B (LED1B) depending on the time remaining until the time limit. This allows the supervisor to easily grasp whether the time limit is approaching. The supervisor can efficiently crack down on illegal parking, for example, by carefully monitoring vehicles V whose time limit is approaching. Furthermore, other users can easily predict whether a parking space will become available within a predetermined time, improving convenience.

[0102] (9) According to a ninth aspect, a control method for an in-vehicle device 1 is a control method for an in-vehicle device 1 that includes a main body 2 having a switch unit 23 including a first transistor switch circuit 24 that superimposes a first alarm signal on a signal output to the antenna unit 3, and an antenna unit 3 that is connected to the main body 2 by a coaxial cable 4 and has a first light-emitting element 32 that is provided in a position that is visible from outside the vehicle V, the control method including the steps of: the main body 2 turning on the first transistor switch circuit 24 when the parking time of the vehicle V is within the time limit, and turning off the first transistor switch circuit 24 when the parking time is outside the time limit; and the antenna unit 3 turning on or off the first light-emitting element 32 based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body 2.

[0103] According to the above aspect, it is possible to provide a status display that is visible from outside the vehicle.

[0104] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Parking system 1 In-vehicle device 2 Main body 20 Power supply circuit 21 CPU 22 Self-holding circuit 23 Switch section 24, 24A, 24B First transistor switch circuit 25 Second transistor switch circuit 26 Signal line 26A First signal line 26B Second signal line 27 Flashing circuit 27A First flashing circuit 27B Second flashing circuit 3 Antenna section 31 Voltage level determination section 32, 32A, 32B First light-emitting element (LED1, LED1A, LED1B) 33 Second light-emitting element 4 Coaxial cable 5 Roadside device 6 Central device 7 Terminal device B Power supply V Vehicle

Claims

1. An on-board device comprising a main body and an antenna connected to the main body by a coaxial cable, wherein the main body comprises: a switch having a first transistor switch circuit that superimposes a first notification signal on a signal output to the antenna; and a CPU that turns on the first transistor switch circuit when the vehicle's parking time is within the time limit and turns off the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time is outside the time limit, and the antenna comprises: a first light-emitting element provided in a position visible from outside the vehicle; and a voltage level discrimination unit that turns on or off the first light-emitting element based on the voltage level of a signal input from the main body.

2. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 1, wherein the main body further has a self-holding circuit that maintains the on or off state of the switch unit, and the switch unit, the CPU, and the self-holding circuit are connected to a power source that can supply power even while the vehicle engine is off.

3. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 1, wherein the switch section further has a second transistor switch circuit that superimposes a second alarm signal, the second alarm signal having a voltage level different from that of the first alarm signal, on a signal to be output to the antenna section; the CPU turns on the second transistor switch circuit when the state of the vehicle-mounted device satisfies a predetermined condition, and turns off the second transistor switch circuit when the state of the vehicle-mounted device does not satisfy the condition or an error occurs; the antenna section further has a second light-emitting element provided in a position visible from inside the vehicle; and the voltage level determination section turns on or off each of the first light-emitting element and the second light-emitting element based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body section.

4. The vehicle-mounted device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the CPU, when receiving a predetermined trigger signal indicating the start of parking, turns on the first transistor switch circuit and transitions to a sleep state, and when a predetermined time limit has elapsed since receiving the trigger signal, cancels the sleep state and turns off the first transistor switch circuit.

5. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 2, wherein the main body further comprises a flashing circuit provided on a signal line connecting the first transistor switch circuit and the self-holding circuit.

6. The in-vehicle device according to claim 5, wherein the signal lines include a first signal line provided with the flashing circuit and a second signal line not provided with the flashing circuit, and wherein, when the parking time of the vehicle is within the time limit, the CPU turns on the first transistor switch circuit via the first signal line if the remaining time until the time limit is less than a predetermined time, and turns on the first transistor switch circuit via the second signal line if the remaining time is longer than the predetermined time.

7. The vehicle-mounted device according to claim 5, wherein the flashing circuit has a first flashing circuit and a second flashing circuit having a different flashing pitch from the first flashing circuit, the signal lines have a first signal line provided with the first flashing circuit and a second signal line provided with the second flashing circuit, and when the parking time of the vehicle is within the time limit, the CPU turns on the first transistor switch circuit via the first signal line if the remaining time until the time limit is less than a predetermined time, and turns on the first transistor switch circuit via the second signal line if the remaining time is longer than the predetermined time.

8. An in-vehicle device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main body has a plurality of first transistor switch circuits that superimpose first notification signals of different voltage levels, and the antenna has a plurality of first light-emitting elements that respectively correspond to the first transistor switch circuits.

9. A method for controlling an on-board device comprising: a main body having a switch section including a first transistor switch circuit that superimposes a first notification signal on a signal output to an antenna section; and an antenna section connected to the main body with a coaxial cable and having a first light-emitting element located in a position visible from outside the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: the main body turning on the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time of the vehicle is within the time limit, and turning off the first transistor switch circuit when the parking time is outside the time limit; and the antenna section turning on or off the first light-emitting element based on the voltage level of the signal input from the main body.

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